On This Day: June 30

Updated June 29, 2012, 2:28 pm

On June 30, 1997, in Hong Kong, the Union Jack was lowered for the last time over Government House as Britain prepared to hand the colony back to China after ruling it for 156 years.

Go to article »

On June 30, 1868, Mabel Cratty, American social worker and head of the Y.W.C.A., was born. Following her death on Feb. 27, 1928, her obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1859 French acrobat Blondin crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope as 5,000 spectators watched.

1908 An asteroid exploded above Tunguska in Siberia, leaving 800 square miles of scorched or blown-down trees.

1917 Jazz singer Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.

1921 President Warren G. Harding appointed former President William Howard Taft chief justice of the United States.

1936 The novel “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell was published.

1963 Pope Paul VI was crowned the 262nd head of the Roman Catholic Church.

1971 The 26th Amendment to the Constitution, lowering the minimum voting age to 18, was ratified as Ohio became the 38th state to approve it.

1971 The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the government could not prevent The New York Times or the Washington Post from publishing the Pentagon Papers.

1994 The U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of the national championship and banned her from the organization for life for an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.

2001 Doctors implanted a dual-purpose pacemaker in Vice President Dick Cheney’s chest.

2002 Brazil defeated Germany 2-0 in Yokohama, Japan for the its record fifth World Cup title.

2004 The international Cassini spacecraft entered Saturn’s orbit after a nearly seven-year journey.

2005 Spain legalized gay marriage.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Olympic gold-medal swimmer Michael Phelps turns 27 years old today.

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Minnesota men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith turns 61 years old today.

AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid

1951 Stanley Clarke, Jazz bassist, turns 61

1956 David Alan Grier, Actor, comedian, turns 56

1959 Vincent D’Onofrio, Actor (“Law and Order: Criminal Intent”), turns 53

1963 Rupert Graves, Actor, turns 49

1966 Mike Tyson, Boxer, turns 46

1971 Monica Potter, Actress, turns 41

1984 Fantasia, R&B singer (“American Idol”), turns 28

Historic Birthdays

Mabel Cratty 6/30/1868 – 2/27/1928 American social worker and head of the Y.W.C.A.Go to obituary »

64 John 6/30/1468 – 8/16/1532
German elector of Saxony and supporter of Martin Luther

81 Dominikus Zimmermann 6/30/1685 – 11/16/1766
Bavarian Baroque architect

94 Sir Joseph Hooker 6/30/1817 – 12/10/1911
English botanist

87 Lucile Grahn 6/30/1819 – 4/4/1907
Danish choreographer and ballerina

67 William Wheeler 6/30/1819 – 6/4/1887
American politician; U.S. vice-president (1877-81)

80 Walter Ulbricht 6/30/1893 – 8/1/1973
German Communist leader; led East Germany (1960-73)

56 Harold Laski 6/30/1893 – 3/24/1950
English political scientist, educator and writer

79 Willie Sutton 6/30/1901 – 11/2/1980
American bank robber and prison escapee

62 Harry Blackstone, Jr. 6/30/1934 – 5/14/1997
American magician and illusionist

1859	French acrobat Blondin crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope as 5,000 spectators watched.
1908	An asteroid exploded above Tunguska in Siberia, leaving 800 square miles of scorched or blown-down trees.
1917	Jazz singer Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.
1921	President Warren G. Harding appointed former President William Howard Taft chief justice of the United States.
1936	The novel “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell was published.
1963	Pope Paul VI was crowned the 262nd head of the Roman Catholic Church.
1971	The 26th Amendment to the Constitution, lowering the minimum voting age to 18, was ratified as Ohio became the 38th state to approve it.
1971	The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the government could not prevent The New York Times or the Washington Post from publishing the Pentagon Papers.
1994	The U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of the national championship and banned her from the organization for life for an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.
2001	Doctors implanted a dual-purpose pacemaker in Vice President Dick Cheney’s chest.
2002	Brazil defeated Germany 2-0 in Yokohama, Japan for the its record fifth World Cup title.
2004	The international Cassini spacecraft entered Saturn’s orbit after a nearly seven-year journey.
2005	Spain legalized gay marriage.

1951	Stanley Clarke, Jazz bassist, turns 61
1956	David Alan Grier, Actor, comedian, turns 56
1959	Vincent D’Onofrio, Actor (“Law and Order: Criminal Intent”), turns 53
1963	Rupert Graves, Actor, turns 49
1966	Mike Tyson, Boxer, turns 46
1971	Monica Potter, Actress, turns 41
1984	Fantasia, R&B singer (“American Idol”), turns 28

64	John 6/30/1468 – 8/16/1532 German elector of Saxony and supporter of Martin Luther
81	Dominikus Zimmermann 6/30/1685 – 11/16/1766 Bavarian Baroque architect
94	Sir Joseph Hooker 6/30/1817 – 12/10/1911 English botanist
87	Lucile Grahn 6/30/1819 – 4/4/1907 Danish choreographer and ballerina
67	William Wheeler 6/30/1819 – 6/4/1887 American politician; U.S. vice-president (1877-81)
80	Walter Ulbricht 6/30/1893 – 8/1/1973 German Communist leader; led East Germany (1960-73)
56	Harold Laski 6/30/1893 – 3/24/1950 English political scientist, educator and writer
79	Willie Sutton 6/30/1901 – 11/2/1980 American bank robber and prison escapee
62	Harry Blackstone, Jr. 6/30/1934 – 5/14/1997 American magician and illusionist