What Happened in May 1907

Historical Events

Burns vs O'Brien

May 8 Canadian Tommy Burns retains his world heavyweight boxing title after beating 'Philadelphia' Jack O'Brien on points in 20 rounds in Los Angeles, California

Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion Tommy Burns

May 10 Paul Dukas' opera "Ariane et Barbe Bleue" premieres in Paris
May 11 A derailment outside Lompoc, California, kills 32 Shriners when their chartered train jumps off the tracks at a switch near Surf Depot
May 11 Bank of San Francisco incorporated
May 14 Sweden adopts universal suffrage for elections to its lower house and proportional representation for both houses
May 16 In the Pact of Cartagena, Great Britain, France, and Spain agree to maintain the status quo in the Mediterranean and along the Atlantic coast of Europe and Africa
May 21 32nd Preakness: G Mountain aboard Don Enrique wins in 1:45.4
May 22 Albert Trott takes two hat-tricks in an innings, Middlesex v Somerset
May 22 Plaza Cinema opens in Ottawa, Kansas, the world's oldest purpose-built movie theatre [1]
May 23 The single chamber Parliament of Finland gathers for its first plenary session.

Walsh No-Hits Highlanders

May 26 Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh no-hits NY Highlanders, 8-1 in 5 inning game

Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher and Manager Ed Walsh

May 27 Bubonic Plague breaks out in San Francisco
May 28 Auto-Cycle Union Tourist Trophy, 1st held
May 30 41st Belmont Stakes: George Mountain aboard 3-year-old stallion Peter Pan wins
May 31 Taxis 1st began running in NYC

Events in 1907

Famous Birthdays

May 1 Kate Smith, American singer ("God Bless America"; "When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain"), radio star, and NHL Philadelphia Flyers good luck charm, born in Greenville, Virginia (d. 1986)
May 1 Oliver Hill, American civil rights attorney (Presidential Medal of Freedom 1999), born in Richmond, Virgnia (d. 2007)
May 2 Pinky Lee, American children's show host (Pinky Lee Show), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota (d. 1993)
May 3 Earl Wilson, American journalist and columnist (Midnight Earl), born in Rockford, Ohio (d. 1987)
May 4 Lincoln Kirstein, American writer and impresario, born in Rochester, New York (d. 1996)
May 5 Benny Baker, American actor (18 Again, Sting II, Thunderbirds), born in St Joseph, Missouri (d. 1994)
May 5 Kenneth Muir, English scholar, born in London (d. 1996)
May 5 Yoritsune Matsudaira, Japanese contemporary classical composer, (The Tale of Genji; Bugaku), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2001)
May 6 Weeb Ewbank, American NFL coach (Baltimore Colts, NY Jets), born in Richmond, Indiana (d. 1998)
May 7 Jef van Durme, Belgian composer, born in Kemzeke-Waas, Belgium (d. 1965)
May 7 Sam Baker, American silent film actor (The Missing Link; The Lost City; The Sea Beast), born in Taylor, Indiana (d. 1982)
May 8 Arturo de Córdova [Arturo García Rodríguez], Mexican actor (Medal for Benny), born in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico (d. 1973)
May 9 Baldur von Schirach, German writer, Nazi official and convicted war criminal (Head of Hitler Youth 1931-40), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1974)
May 9 Fred Warngård, Swedish athlete (d. 1950)
May 9 Kathryn Kuhlman, famed evangelist (d. 1976)
May 10 (Walter) "Pee Wee" Hunt, American jazz trombonist (Casa Loma Orchestra, 1929-43; "Twelfth Street Rag", "Oh!"), and bandleader, born in Mount Healthy, Ohio (d. 1979)

May 10 Harilaos Perpessas, Greek composer (Christus Symphony; The Infinite Bliss), born in Leipzig, Germany (d. 2005)
May 11 Kent Taylor [Louis Weiss], American actor (Boston Blackie, Rough Riders), born in Nashua, Iowa (d. 1987)
May 11 Rip Sewell, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1943–46; NL wins leader 1943; Pittsburgh Pirates 1938–49), born in Decatur, Alabama (d. 1989)
May 11 Rose Ausländer, German poet (d. 1988)

Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003)

May 12 American actress (Adam's Rib, On Golden Pond), born in Hartford, Connecticut

May 12 Leslie Charteris, Chinese English American detective writer (Simon Templar character in The Saint), born in Singapore (d. 1993)
May 13 Daphne du Maurier, English writer (Rebecca, Parasites), born in London, England (d. 1989)
May 13 Laurence Kirwan, British archaeologist (Sudan and Egyptian Nubia), born in Galloway (d. 1999)
May 14 Dick Bentley, Australian comedian and actor (The Glums), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 1995)
May 14 Hans von der Groeben, German diplomat (d. 2005)
May 14 Johnny Moss, American poker player (d. 1995)
May 14 Mohammed Ayub Khan, Pakistani general and politician (1958 coup, President of Pakistan 1958-69), born in Rehana, British India (d. 1974)
May 15 Josef Alexander, American composer (Of Masks and Men; Incantations), and music professor (Brooklyn College), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1989)
May 15 Phillip Piratin, British communist MP (d. 1995)
May 15 Sukhdev Thapar, Indian freedom fighter (d. 1931)
May 16 Bob Tisdall, Irish athlete (Olympic gold 400m hurdles 1932 WR 51.7s; first man under 52s), born in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka (d. 2004)
May 17 Charles Cawley, British chief scientist and Minister of Power (1959-67) (d. 2000)
May 17 Ilona Elek, Hungarian fencer (Olympic gold 1936, 48), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1988)
May 18 Carl Mydans, American photojournalist (Life Magazine), born in Medford, Massachusetts (d. 2004)
May 18 Clifford Curzon, British classical pianist (Royal Academy of Music Macfarren Gold Medal), born in Islington, London, England (d. 1982)
May 18 Robley Evans, American nuclear physicist, born in University Place, Nebraska (d. 1996)
May 21 Dandy Nichols [Daisy Sander], British actress (Till Death Us Do Part, Confessions of a Window Cleaner), born in London, England (d. 1986)
May 22 Harry Ritz [Joachim], American vaudevillian, actor and comedian (Ritz Brothers - The Gorilla;, Hi'ya, Chum; Straight, Place and Show, solo cameo - Silent Movie), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 1986)

Hergé (1907-1983)

May 22 Belgian comic book creator (The Adventures of Tintin), born in Etterbeek, Belgium

Laurence Olivier (1907-1989)

May 22 English actor (Rebecca, Hamlet, Jazz Singer), born in Dorking, Surrey

May 23 Kenneth Allen, English industrialist (WH Allen and Sons Ltd, helped form CBI and negotiate 40 hr week), born in Bedford, England (d. 2000) [1]

U Nu (1907-1995)

May 25 1st Prime Minister of Burma (1948-56, 1960-62), born in Wakema, Myaungmya District, British Burma

May 26 Jean Bernard, French physician and haematologist, born in Paris (d. 2006)

John Wayne (1907-1979)

May 26 American actor (Green Berets, True Grit), born in Winterset, Iowa

May 27 Felix de Nobel, Dutch orchestra leader and pianist, born in Haarlem, Netherlands (d. 1981)

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

May 27 American marine biologist, conservationist and author (Silent Spring), born in Springdale, Pennsylvania

May 28 F. G. Emmison, British archivist and historian, born in Bedford, England (d. 1995)
May 28 Patrick Browne, British Lord justice of appeal, born in Cambridge (d. 1996)
May 29 Desmond Shawe-Taylor, British critic and writer (co-author of The Record Guide), born in Dublin (d. 1995)
May 29 Hartland Molson, Canadian businessman (Molson family), senator and sports executive (Montreal Canadiens), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2002)
May 30 Elly Beinhorn, German pilot (d. 2007)
May 30 Germaine Tillion, French anthropologist, member of French Resistance (d. 2008)
May 31 Valston Hancock, Australian air force commander (Chief of Air Force Staff 1961-65), born in Perth, Australia (d. 1998)