Historical Events
- Jan 1 17th Orange Bowl: #10 Clemson beats #15 Miami (FL), 15-14
- Jan 1 17th Sugar Bowl: #7 Kentucky beats #1 Oklahoma, 13-7
- Jan 1 37th Rose Bowl: #9 Michigan beats #5 California, 14-6
Paul Harvey
Jan 1 Chicago broadcaster Paul Harvey begins his national radio program "Paul Harvey News and Comment" from WENR-AM for the ABC network
- Jan 1 Massive Chinese/North Korean assault on UN-lines
- Jan 2 Philip Barry's play "Second Threshold," premieres in NYC
- Jan 3 9 Jewish Kremlin physicians "exposed" as British/US agents
- Jan 4 Korean War: Chinese forces recapture Seoul
- Jan 6 "Pardon Our French" closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 100 performances
- Jan 6 Ganghwa massacre: Hundreds of South Korean communist sympathisers are slaughtered
- Jan 6 Indianapolis Olympians beat Rochester Royals, 75-73 in NBA-record 6 overtimes; also the longest game in NBA history
- Jan 9 "Life After Tomorrow", 1st film to receive an "X" rating, premieres
- Jan 9 Washington Capitals NBA team folds
- Jan 10 1st jet passenger trip made
Richards #2 Goal Scorer
Jan 10 Maurice Richard scores his 16th career hat trick in the Montreal Canadiens' 3-0 win over NY Rangers to bring his career total to 274 goals; passes Howie Morenz as NHL's #2 all-time leading goal scorer
- Jan 10 UN headquarters opens in Manhattan NY
Charles vs. Oma
Jan 12 Ezzard Charles TKOs Lee Oma in 10 for heavyweight boxing title
- Jan 13 German general Christian Hansen freed early from Dutch prison
American Conference Prevails
Jan 14 1st NFL Pro Bowl, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: American Conference beats National Conference, 28-27; MVP: Otto Graham, Cleveland Browns, QB
- Jan 15 "Cloud of Death" rolls down Mount Lamington, New Guinea kills 3-5,000
- Jan 15 Ilse Koch, also known as "The Bitch of Buchenwald", is sentenced to life imprisonment by a West German court
- Jan 15 Supreme Court rule "clear & present danger" of incitement to riot is not protected speech & can be a cause for arrest
- Jan 16 Viet Minh offensive against Hanoi
- Jan 16 World's largest gas pipeline opens (Brownsville Texas, to 134th St, New York City)
- Jan 17 China refuses ceases-fire in Korea
- Jan 18 1951 NFL Draft: Kyle Rote from SMU first pick by New York Giants
- Jan 18 1st use of lie detector in the Netherlands
- Jan 18 Hermann Flake sentenced to death due to "hate campaign against GDR"
- Jan 18 Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea erupts, killing 2,942 people
- Jan 18 NFL rules tackles, guards & centers ineligible for forward pass
- Jan 18 NFL takes control of failing Baltimore Colts
- Jan 22 Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Johncrowe Ransom
Event of Interest
Jan 22 Fidel Castro is ejected from a Winter League baseball game after hitting a batter
Baseball Hall of Fame
Jan 26 Mel Ott and Jimmie Foxx are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
"Peter Pan"
Jan 27 Leonard Bernstein's musical "Peter Pan", starring Jean Arthur and Boris Karloff, closes at Imperial Theater, NYC, after 320 performances
- Jan 27 US begins 126 nuclear tests at Nevada Test Site
- Jan 28 "La Vie Commence Demain" the 1st X-rated movie, depicting artificial insemination, opens in London
- Jan 28 American and Bermudan naturalist discover nesting site of Bermuda petrel, a sea bird also known as cahow; the species was thought extinct since 1615, but sporadic sightings spawned an expedition to some remote rocky crags off of Bermuda
- Jan 28 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
- Jan 29 "Where's Charley?" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 56 performances
- Jan 29 Baseball signs 6 year All-Star pact for TV-radio rights for $6 million
- Jan 30 Belgium refuses to allow communists to make speeches on radio
- Jan 31 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: Nancye Wynne Bolton beats Thelma Coyne Long 6-1, 7-5 for her 6th and last Australian singles crown
- Jan 31 Australian Championships: American Dick Savitt wins his only Australian title; beats Ken McGregor of Australia 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Ashfaq Hussain, Urdu poet
- Jan 1 Hans-Joachim Stuck, German auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1986-87, 96; 24 Hours of Nürburgring 1970, 98, 2004; World Sportscar C'ship 1985), born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
- Jan 1 Nana Patekar, Indian Bollywood actor, writer, philanthropist and filmmaker (Parinda, Angaar), born in Murud-Janjira, Bombay State
- Jan 2 Alexander Pogrebinsky, Russian painter
- Jan 2 Nadia Cassini [Gianna Lou Muller], American model (Oui), born in Woodstock, New York
- Jan 3 Frank Chikane, Secretary-General of South African Council of Churches
- Jan 3 Gary Nairn, Australian politician
- Jan 4 Barbara Ann Cochran, American slalom skier (Olympic gold 1972), born in Claremont, New Hampshire
- Jan 4 Pete Haycock, British blues-rock guitarist, vocalist, and composer (Climax Blues Band - "Couldn't Get It Right"), born in Stafford, England (d. 2013)
- Jan 5 Steve Arnold, English footballer, born in Willesden, London
- Jan 6 Don Gullett, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1970-78 (3 x World Series Champion - Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees), born in Lynn, Kentucky (d. 2024)
- Jan 6 Kim Wilson, American musician (Fabulous Thunderbirds), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Jan 7 Frans Kellendonk, Dutch novelist (Bouwval (Ruin); Mystiek lichaam (Mystical Body), born in Nijmegen, Netherlands (d. 1990)
- Jan 7 Mike Ward, American politician, born in White Plains, New York
- Jan 7 Talgat Musabayev, Kazakh test pilot & cosmonaut (TM-19, TM-27), born in Kargaly, Kazakhstan
- Jan 8 John McTiernan, American actor (Predator, Die Hard, Medicine Man), born in Albany, New York
- Jan 8 Kenny Anthony, Saint Lucian politician, born in Laborie, Saint Lucia
- Jan 8 Paul Dresher, American composer, born in Los Angeles, California
Crystal Gayle (73 years old)
Jan 9 American country singer ("Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue"; "One From The Heart"), born in Paintsville, Kentucky
- Jan 10 Kathleen Bradley, American model (Price is Right), born in Girard, Ohio
- Jan 11 Willie Maddren, English soccer defender (Middlesborough 293 games) and manager (Middlesborough 1984-86), born in Billingham, England (d. 2000)
- Jan 12 Ann Althouse, American law professor, born in Wilmington, Delaware
- Jan 12 Bill Madlock, American MLB baseball third baseman, 3X All-Star, 4X NL Batting Title (Chicago Cubs; Pittsburgh Pirates and 4 other teams), born in Memphis, Tennessee
- Jan 12 Chris Bell, American rock guitarist (Big Star - "In The Street"), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1978)
- Jan 12 Drew Pearson, American Pro Football HOF wide receiver (Super Bowl 1977; Pro Bowl, First-team All-Pro 1974, 76, 77; Dallas Cowboys), born in South River, New Jersey
- Jan 12 Kirstie Alley, American Emmy Award-winning actress (Cheers - "Rebecca"; Look Who's Talking; Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), born in Wichita, Kansas (d. 2022) [1]
- Jan 12 Larry Hoppens, American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Orleans - "Still the One"; "Dance With Me"), born in Long Island, New York (d. 2012)
Rush Limbaugh (1951-2021)
Jan 12 American conservative political talk radio personality, born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri
- Jan 14 Gil Pak Jong, North Korean judoka (Olympic-1976)
- Jan 14 Peter Collins, English record producer (The Lambrettas; Rush; Indigo Girls: October Project), born in Reading, England
Charo (73 years old)
Jan 15 Spanish-American actress, comedienne (Chico and the Man; The Love Boat), and flamenco guitarist, born in Murcia, Spain [year disputed]
- Jan 16 Rick Thompson, American funk-disco guitarist (B. T. Express - "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)"), born in Fairfax, South Carolina
- Jan 17 Rolando Thoeni, Italian slalom (Olympic bronze 1972), born in Trafoi
- Jan 17 Yury Zaitsev, Russian weightlifter (Olympic gold USSR 110kg 1976), born in Pobedino, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia (d. 2022)
- Jan 18 Bob Latchford, English footballer, born in Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Jan 18 Bram Behr, Surinamese journalist and communist advocate, born in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (d. 1982)
- Jan 18 Elijah Cummings, American politician (Rep-Maryland (D) 1996-2019), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2019)
- Jan 19 Martha Davis, American rock singer-songwriter (Motels - "Only the Lonely"; "Shame"), born in Berkeley, California
- Jan 20 Ivan Fischer, Hungarian conductor and composer, born in Budapest, Hungary
- Jan 20 Magomed Omarovich Tolboyev, Russian cosmonaut & test-pilot, born in Sogratl', Russia
- Jan 21 Ben Mink, Canadian guitarist, violinist, mandolin player, songwriter, and record producer (k.d. lang, Barenaked Ladies, Heart), born in Toronto, Ontario
Eric Holder (73 years old)
Jan 21 American lawyer and judge (1st African American US Attorney General 2009-2015), born in The Bronx, New York
- Jan 22 Dick Sims, American Hammond B-3 organist (Bob Seger; Eric Clapton), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma (d. 2011)
- Jan 22 Ondrej Nepela, Slovak figure skater (Olympic gold men's singles 1972; World C'ships gold 1971, 72, 73), born in Bratislava, Slovakia (d. 1989)
Chesley Sullenberger (73 years old)
Jan 23 American pilot (successfully executed emergency landing US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River), born in Denison, Texas
- Jan 23 Margaret Johnson Bailes, American 4x100 runner (Olympic gold 1968), born in The Bronx, New York
- Jan 23 Michael R. Matz, American horse trainer & equestrian (Olympic silver 1996), born in Collegeville, Pennsylvania
- Jan 24 Yakov Smirnoff, Ukrainian-American comedian (It's a wonderful country), born in Odessa, Ukraine
- Jan 25 Hans-Jürgen Dörner, German soccer defender (96 caps; Dynamo Dresden 400 games) and manager (Werder Bremen), born in Görlitz, Germany (d. 2022)
- Jan 26 Andy Hummell, American rock bassist (Big Star, 1971-73), born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (d. 2010)
- Jan 26 Christopher North, American rock keyboardist (Ambrosia - "The Biggest Part Of Me"), born in San Francisco, California
- Jan 26 David Briggs, Australian rock guitarist (Little River Band, 1976-81 - "Lonesome Loser"), born in Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 26 Jarmila Kratochvilova, Czech athlete (World C'ship gold 400/800m 1983; Olympic silver 400m 1980), born in Golčův Jeníkov, Czech Republic
- Jan 26 Walt Willey, American actor (Jackson Montgomery-All My Children), born in Ottawa, Illinois
- Jan 27 Brian Downey, Irish rock drummer (Thin Lizzy - "The Boys Are Back in Town"), born in Dublin, Ireland
- Jan 27 Scott Lane, American actor (Gary-McKeever & the Colonel), born in New York City
- Jan 27 Seth Justman, American rock keyboardist (J Geils Band - "Freeze Frame"), born in Washington, D.C.
- Jan 28 Brian Bilbray, American politician
- Jan 28 Gordon Prentice, British MP
- Jan 28 Leonid Konstantinovich Kadenyuk, Kkishkov Ukraine, astronaut (STS 87)
- Jan 28 William "Billy Bass" Nelson Jr, American funk-rock-soul bassist (Funkadelic), born in Plainfield, New Jersey
- Jan 29 Andy Roberts, West Indian cricket fast bowler (47 Tests, 202 wickets, BB 7/54; Hampshire CCC, Leeward Islands, Leicestershire CCC), born in Urlings Village, Antigua
- Jan 29 Gegham Grigorian, Armenian operatic tenor, and artistic director (Yerevan Opera, 2000-07), born in Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union (d. 2016)
- Jan 29 Stevie "Keys" Roseman, American session and touring rock keyboardist (Journey), born in Oakland, California
- Jan 30 (Clifford) "Andy" Anderson, British session and touring drummer (Steve Hillage; The Cure, 1983-84), born in Essex, England (d. 2019)
- Jan 30 Charles S. Dutton, American actor (Alien 3; Crocodile Dundee 2; Roc), born in Baltimore, Maryland
Phil Collins (73 years old)
Jan 30 British Oscar, Grammy, Novello, and Brit Award-winning rock drummer, pop singer-songwriter (Genesis - "Invisible Touch"; "I Can't Dance"; solo - "In The Air Tonight"; "Against All Odds"), and actor (Buster), born in Chiswick, England
- Jan 30 Trevor Laughlin, Australian cricketer (Australian all-rounder 1978-79), born in Nyah West, Australia
- Jan 31 Dave Benton, Aruban-born musician, born in Oranjestad, Aruba
- Jan 31 Juan de Dios Castillo, Mexican soccer coach (Copa Centroamericana 2011 Honduras; El Salvador), born in Mexico City (d. 2014)
- Jan 31 KC [Harry Wayne Casey], American disco and funk singer-songwriter and producer (KC & the Sunshine Band - "That's the Way (I Like It)"; "Get Down Tonight"), born in Opa-locka, Florida
- Jan 31 Phil Manzanera, English rock guitarist and record producer (Roxy Music - "Love Is The Drug"; "Avalon"), born in London
- Jan 31 Presiley Baxendale, British QC, born in London, England
Famous Weddings
Burgess Meredith
Jan 8 American actor Burgess Meredith (43) weds (his 4th and final time) Swedish-American ballerina Kaja Sundsten (21), until his death in 1997
Famous Divorces
Elizabeth Taylor
Jan 29 English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 1st divorce from American hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr. after nearly 9 months of marriage
Famous Deaths
- Jan 2 Sir William Campion, Governor of Western Australia, dies at 80
- Jan 3 [Ferdinand] Fred Barlow, French composer (Mam'zelle Prud'homme), dies at 69
- Jan 5 Andrei P Platonov, Russian author (Prok, Kotlovan), dies at 51
- Jan 7 Johanna "Nelly" Bodenheim, Dutch illustrator and painter (Luilekkerland), dies at 76
- Jan 7 René Guénon, French-Egyptian author (b. 1886)
- Jan 8 Samuel D. Riddle, American thoroughbred owner (Man 'o War, War Admiral), dies at 89
- Jan 10 Athos Palma, Argentine composer, dies at 59
- Jan 10 Yoshio Nishina, Japanese physicist (known as the founding father of modern physics research in Japan), dies at 60
- Jan 10 [Harry] Sinclair Lewis, American writer (Nobel Prize in Literature 1930), dies from advanced alcoholism at 65
- Jan 18 Jack Holt, American golddigger and actor (Cat People, San Francisco, Brimstone), dies from a heart attack at 62
- Jan 18 Robert Mark, US chairman (Caste World Congress), dies at 41
- Jan 19 Constantin C. Nottara, Romanian composer, dies at 60
- Jan 22 Eastwood Lane, American composer, dies at 71
- Jan 22 Karl Nessler, inventor of the perm (b. 1872)
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867-1951)
Jan 28 Finnish general and 6th President of Finland (1944-46), dies at 83
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions