On This Day: June 28

Updated June 27, 2012, 2:28 pm

On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending World War I.
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On June 28, 1902, Richard Rodgers, the American composer who was a major force in 20th century musical comedy, was born. Following his death on Dec. 30, 1979, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1836 James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, died in Montpelier, Va., at age 85.

1838 Britain’s Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

1894 Labor Day was established as a holiday for federal employees.

1902 Broadway composer Richard Rodgers was born in New York City.

1919 The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending World War I.

1919 Harry S. Truman married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace in Independence, Mo.

1950 North Korean forces captured Seoul, South Korea.

1967 Israel declared Jerusalem reunified under its sovereignty following its capture of the Arab sector in the Six-Day War.

1967 Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, was named a cardinal.

1997 Mike Tyson was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear during their WBA heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas.

2000 The Supreme Court ruled the Boy Scouts can bar homosexuals from serving as troop leaders.

2001 Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic was handed over by Serbia to the U.N. war crimes tribunal.

2004 The U.S.-led coalition transferred sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government two days ahead of schedule.

2004 The Supreme Court ruled that enemy combatants can challenge their detention in U.S. courts.

2007 The American bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list.

2010 Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., the longest-serving senator in the nation’s history, died in Fairfax, Va., at 92.

2010 The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Americans have the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they live.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta turns 74 years old today.

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Country singer Kellie Pickler (“American Idol”) turns 26 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1926 Mel Brooks, Writer, director, turns 86

1934 Carl Levin, U.S. senator, D-Mich., turns 78

1937 John Byner, Comedian, impressionist, turns 75

1948 Kathy Bates, Actress, turns 64

1960 John Elway, Football Hall of Famer, turns 52

1965 Jessica Hecht, Actress, turns 47

1966 John Cusack, Actor, turns 46

1966 Mary Stuart Masterson, Actress, turns 46

1967 Gil Bellows, Actor (“Ally McBeal”), turns 45

Historic Birthdays

Richard Rodgers 6/28/1902 – 12/30/1979 American composer of Broadway musicals.Go to obituary »

62 Peter Paul Rubens 6/28/1577 – 5/30/1640
Flemish Baroque painter

66 Jean-Jacques Rousseau 6/28/1712 – 7/2/1778
French philosopher, writer and political theorist

79 Carlotta Grisi 6/28/1819 – 5/20/1899
Italian ballerina

83 Otis Skinner 6/28/1858 – 1/4/1942
American actor

69 Luigi Pirandello 6/28/1867 – 12/10/1936
Italian playwright, novelist and short story writer

62 Pierre Laval 6/28/1883 – 10/15/1945
French politician; led Vichy government

82 Floyd Dell 6/28/1887 – 7/23/1969
American novelist and journalist

83 Carl Spaatz 6/28/1891 – 7/14/1974
American first chief of staff of the Air Force

90 E. H. Carr 6/28/1892 – 11/3/1982
English political scientist and historian

89 Eric Ambler 6/28/1909 – 10/22/1998
English author and screenwriter

1836	James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, died in Montpelier, Va., at age 85.
1838	Britain’s Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster Abbey.
1894	Labor Day was established as a holiday for federal employees.
1902	Broadway composer Richard Rodgers was born in New York City.
1919	The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending World War I.
1919	Harry S. Truman married Elizabeth Virginia Wallace in Independence, Mo.
1950	North Korean forces captured Seoul, South Korea.
1967	Israel declared Jerusalem reunified under its sovereignty following its capture of the Arab sector in the Six-Day War.
1967	Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, was named a cardinal.
1997	Mike Tyson was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear during their WBA heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas.
2000	The Supreme Court ruled the Boy Scouts can bar homosexuals from serving as troop leaders.
2001	Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic was handed over by Serbia to the U.N. war crimes tribunal.
2004	The U.S.-led coalition transferred sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government two days ahead of schedule.
2004	The Supreme Court ruled that enemy combatants can challenge their detention in U.S. courts.
2007	The American bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list.
2010	Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., the longest-serving senator in the nation’s history, died in Fairfax, Va., at 92.
2010	The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Americans have the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they live.

1926	Mel Brooks, Writer, director, turns 86
1934	Carl Levin, U.S. senator, D-Mich., turns 78
1937	John Byner, Comedian, impressionist, turns 75
1948	Kathy Bates, Actress, turns 64
1960	John Elway, Football Hall of Famer, turns 52
1965	Jessica Hecht, Actress, turns 47
1966	John Cusack, Actor, turns 46
1966	Mary Stuart Masterson, Actress, turns 46
1967	Gil Bellows, Actor (“Ally McBeal”), turns 45

62	Peter Paul Rubens 6/28/1577 – 5/30/1640 Flemish Baroque painter
66	Jean-Jacques Rousseau 6/28/1712 – 7/2/1778 French philosopher, writer and political theorist
79	Carlotta Grisi 6/28/1819 – 5/20/1899 Italian ballerina
83	Otis Skinner 6/28/1858 – 1/4/1942 American actor
69	Luigi Pirandello 6/28/1867 – 12/10/1936 Italian playwright, novelist and short story writer
62	Pierre Laval 6/28/1883 – 10/15/1945 French politician; led Vichy government
82	Floyd Dell 6/28/1887 – 7/23/1969 American novelist and journalist
83	Carl Spaatz 6/28/1891 – 7/14/1974 American first chief of staff of the Air Force
90	E. H. Carr 6/28/1892 – 11/3/1982 English political scientist and historian
89	Eric Ambler 6/28/1909 – 10/22/1998 English author and screenwriter