On This Day: April 6

Updated April 5, 2012, 2:28 pm

On April 6, 1909, explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson became the first men to reach the North Pole. The claim, disputed by skeptics, was upheld in 1989 by the Navigation Foundation.

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On April 6, 1870, Clarence E. McClung, an American zoologist who made important discoveries in the field of genetics, was born. Following his death on Jan. 17, 1946, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1830 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, N.Y.

1896 The first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece.

1909 Explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson purportedly became the first men to reach the North Pole. (The exact location they reached has since been called into question.)

1971 Composer Igor Stravinsky died at age 88.

1983 Interior Secretary James Watt banned the Beach Boys from the 4th of July celebration on the Washington Mall, saying rock ‘n’ roll bands attract the “wrong element.”

1992 Science fiction author Isaac Asimov died at age 72.

1998 The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 9,000 points for the first time.

1998 Pakistan successfully tested a medium-range missile capable of striking neighboring India.

2001 Algerian national Ahmed Ressam, accused of bringing explosives into the United States days before the millennium celebrations, was convicted on terror charges.

2004 Jordan’s military court convicted eight Muslim militants and sentenced them to death for the 2002 killing of U.S. aid official Laurence Foley in a terror conspiracy linked to al-Qaida.

2004 The University of Connecticut became the first school to win the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball titles in the same season as the women’s team beat Tennessee 70-61 for their third consecutive championship.

2005 Prince Rainier III of Monaco died at age 81.

2011 Portugal became the third debt-stressed European country to need a bailout as the prime minister announced his country would request international assistance.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor Paul Rudd turns 43 years old today.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Actor-writer Zach Braff (“Scrubs”) turns 37 years old today.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

1929 Andre Previn, Pianist, conductor, turns 83

1937 Merle Haggard, Country musician, turns 75

1937 Billy Dee Williams, Actor, turns 75

1942 Barry Levinson, Director (“Rain Man,” “The Natural”), turns 70

1947 John Ratzenberger, Actor (“Cheers”), turns 65

1951 Bert Blyleven, Baseball Hall of Famer, turns 61

1952 Marilu Henner, Actress (“Taxi,” “Evening Shade”), turns 60

1953 Janet Lynn, Figure skater, turns 59

1960 Warren Haynes, Rock musician (Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers Band), turns 52

1972 Jason Hervey, Actor (“The Wonder Years”), turns 40

1976 Candace Cameron Bure, Actress (“Full House”), turns 36

1981 Eliza Coupe, Actress (“Happy Endings”), turns 31

1990 Charlie McDermott, Actor (“The Middle”), turns 22

Historic Birthdays

Clarence E. McClung 4/6/1870 – 1/17/1946 American zoologist.Go to obituary »

37 Raphael 4/6/1483 – 4/6/1520
Italian painter and architect of the Italian High Renaissance

70 Jean-Baptiste Rousseau 4/6/1671 – 3/17/1741
French dramatist and poet

63 James Mill 4/6/1773 – 6/23/1836
Scottish philosopher, historian and economist

76 Joseph Medill 4/6/1823 – 3/16/1899
Canadian-born American editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune

85 Rene Lalique 4/6/1860 – 5/5/1945
French jeweler and important figure in the Art Nouveau movement

87 Louis Raemaekers 4/6/1869 – 7/26/1956
Dutch cartoonist famous for his anti-German cartoons in W. W. II

66 Walter Huston 4/6/1884 – 4/7/1950
Canadian-born American character actor in films and stage

49 Anthony Fokker 4/6/1890 – 12/23/1939
Dutch airman and pioneer aircraft manufacturer

89 Lowell Thomas 4/6/1892 – 8/29/1981
American radio commentator, explorer, lecturer and journalist

89 Donald Douglas 4/6/1892 – 2/1/1981
American aircraft designer; founded Douglas Aircraft Company

87 Harold Edgerton 4/6/1903 – 1/4/1990
American electrical engineer and photographer

69 Gerry Mulligan 4/6/1927 – 1/20/1996
American baritone saxophonist, arranger and composer

1830	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, N.Y.
1896	The first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece.
1909	Explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson purportedly became the first men to reach the North Pole. (The exact location they reached has since been called into question.)
1971	Composer Igor Stravinsky died at age 88.
1983	Interior Secretary James Watt banned the Beach Boys from the 4th of July celebration on the Washington Mall, saying rock ‘n’ roll bands attract the “wrong element.”
1992	Science fiction author Isaac Asimov died at age 72.
1998	The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 9,000 points for the first time.
1998	Pakistan successfully tested a medium-range missile capable of striking neighboring India.
2001	Algerian national Ahmed Ressam, accused of bringing explosives into the United States days before the millennium celebrations, was convicted on terror charges.
2004	Jordan’s military court convicted eight Muslim militants and sentenced them to death for the 2002 killing of U.S. aid official Laurence Foley in a terror conspiracy linked to al-Qaida.
2004	The University of Connecticut became the first school to win the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball titles in the same season as the women’s team beat Tennessee 70-61 for their third consecutive championship.
2005	Prince Rainier III of Monaco died at age 81.
2011	Portugal became the third debt-stressed European country to need a bailout as the prime minister announced his country would request international assistance.

1929	Andre Previn, Pianist, conductor, turns 83
1937	Merle Haggard, Country musician, turns 75
1937	Billy Dee Williams, Actor, turns 75
1942	Barry Levinson, Director (“Rain Man,” “The Natural”), turns 70
1947	John Ratzenberger, Actor (“Cheers”), turns 65
1951	Bert Blyleven, Baseball Hall of Famer, turns 61
1952	Marilu Henner, Actress (“Taxi,” “Evening Shade”), turns 60
1953	Janet Lynn, Figure skater, turns 59
1960	Warren Haynes, Rock musician (Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers Band), turns 52
1972	Jason Hervey, Actor (“The Wonder Years”), turns 40
1976	Candace Cameron Bure, Actress (“Full House”), turns 36
1981	Eliza Coupe, Actress (“Happy Endings”), turns 31
1990	Charlie McDermott, Actor (“The Middle”), turns 22

37	Raphael 4/6/1483 – 4/6/1520 Italian painter and architect of the Italian High Renaissance
70	Jean-Baptiste Rousseau 4/6/1671 – 3/17/1741 French dramatist and poet
63	James Mill 4/6/1773 – 6/23/1836 Scottish philosopher, historian and economist
76	Joseph Medill 4/6/1823 – 3/16/1899 Canadian-born American editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune
85	Rene Lalique 4/6/1860 – 5/5/1945 French jeweler and important figure in the Art Nouveau movement
87	Louis Raemaekers 4/6/1869 – 7/26/1956 Dutch cartoonist famous for his anti-German cartoons in W. W. II
66	Walter Huston 4/6/1884 – 4/7/1950 Canadian-born American character actor in films and stage
49	Anthony Fokker 4/6/1890 – 12/23/1939 Dutch airman and pioneer aircraft manufacturer
89	Lowell Thomas 4/6/1892 – 8/29/1981 American radio commentator, explorer, lecturer and journalist
89	Donald Douglas 4/6/1892 – 2/1/1981 American aircraft designer; founded Douglas Aircraft Company
87	Harold Edgerton 4/6/1903 – 1/4/1990 American electrical engineer and photographer
69	Gerry Mulligan 4/6/1927 – 1/20/1996 American baritone saxophonist, arranger and composer