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2009: Day 184

I'm sure it was a much bigger deal last year, but Quebec City was founded by Samuel de Champlain on this date in 1608.

Downs and (ultimately) ups for George Washington today. In 1754, during the French and Indian War, he surrendered Fort Necessity to French forces. Twenty six years later (1775) he takes command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 1863 the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg leads to Pickett's Charge. Fifty years later (1913) survivors re-enact it, and are greeted with outstretched hands of friendship from survivors from the Union side.

Wondering why you're feeling like a Yankee Doodle Dandy? Well, sure, it could be tomorrow's holiday, but it could be that it's George M. Cohan's (1878) 131st birthday.

Thinking of creative ways to kill yourself? Don't worry! You're just channeling a little Franz Kafka (1883) on what would have been his 126th birthday.

Actor Michael Cole (1945), best known as hip, young white guy Pete Cochran on The Mod Squad, turns 64 today.

Author, columnist and humorist Dave Barry (1947) is 62 today.

Jan Smithers (1949) - who you'll likely either know as Bailey Quarters from WKRP In Cincinatti - turns 60 today.

Vincent Roy Margera -- known mainly in his reality character role of Don Vito (1956) turns 53 today. Unless his sentence is altered, it'll be late in 2017 before he's allowed to appear in any fashion as Don Vito. Also hitting the same birthday -- hopefully more happily -- is Montel Williams. Until pulling this together I hadn't known that Montel had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. The shot of him up in the montage is from 2008, so he seems to be holding up.

Jump up and down on the sofa and look into joining Scientology! Tom Cruise (1962) hits his 47th birthday!

Yeardley Smith (1964) - best known as the voice of Lisa Simpson - turns 44 today.

Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn (1969) celebrates his 40th birthday today.

Actor Patrick Wilson (who played the second Nite Owl in this year's Watchmen) turns 36 today.

Comments

Dwight Williams said…
Man, you'd better believe Ville de Québec put on a big party for their 400tt last year!
9:58 AM
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