Historical Events
- Jul 1 England bans smoking in all public indoor spaces: with the ban already in force in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, this means it is illegal to smoke in indoor public places anywhere in the UK. Australia implements a similar ban.
US Women's Golf Open
Jul 1 US Open Women's Golf, Pine Needles: American Christie Kerr wins by 2 strokes from Lorena Ochoa & Angela Park
- Jul 3 "Just Got Started Lovin' You" single released by James Otto (Billboard Song of the Year 2008)
Swiss Win America's Cup
Jul 3 America's Cup: Swiss defender Alinghi beats Team New Zealand by 1 second to take the series 5-2 off Valencia, Spain
Summorum Pontificum
Jul 7 Pope Benedict XVI issues the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum, removing restrictions on celebrating the old Tridentine Mass
- Jul 7 Sprint-Nextel and NASCAR announce NASCAR Nextel Cup Series renamed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2008
Wimbledon Women's Tennis
Jul 7 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Lowest ever seeds contest final, Venus Williams (20) beats Marion Bartoli (18) 6-4, 6-1
Live Earth Concert
Jul 7 Worldwide charity concert event "Live Earth" takes place at 12 venues on seven continents; performers include: Genesis, Keith Urban; Foo Fighters; John Legend; Melissa Etheridge; Dave Matthews Band; The Police; Roger Waters; Madonna; Alicia Keys; Garth Brooks; Crowded House; Jack Johnson; Shakira; Soweto Gospel Choir; Angélique Kidjo; UB40; Jack Johnson; Linkin Park; Rihanna; Pharrel Williams; Yusef Islam; Sarah Brightman; and Nunatak
US Senior Golf Open
Jul 8 US Senior Open Men's Golf, Whistling Straits: Brad Bryant wins by 3 strokes from Ben Crenshaw
Wimbledon Men's Tennis
Jul 8 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Roger Federer of Switzerland wins the singles title for 5th consecutive year; beats Spaniard Rafael Nadal 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2
- Jul 10 78th All Star Baseball Game: AL wins 5-4 at AT&T Park, San Francisco
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Jul 11 "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", the 5th film based on the books by J. K. Rowling is released
- Jul 11 15th ESPY Awards: LaDainian Tomlinson, Taryne Mowatt win
- Jul 14 Russia withdraws from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
- Jul 15 Copa América Final, Maracaibo, Venezuela: Defending champions Brazil win their 8th title with a 3-0 win over Argentina
- Jul 15 MLB Philadelphia Phillies lose to visiting St. Louis Cardinals, 10-2 to become the first franchise in major American sport with 10,000 all-time losses
- Jul 16 An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 and aftershock of 6.6 occurs off the Niigata coast, Japan, killing 8 people with at least 800 injured and damaging a nuclear power plant. See 2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake.
- Jul 17 TAM Airlines (TAM Linhas Aéreas) Flight 3054 crashes upon landing during rain in São Paulo. Brazil's deadliest aviation accident to date with estimated 199 deaths.
Mad Men Debuts
Jul 19 TV drama "Mad Men" starring Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones, and Vincent Kartheiser, debuts on cable network AMC
Final Harry Potter Book Published
Jul 21 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series by J. K. Rowling is published worldwide. 11 million copies sell in 24 hrs
NZ Win Tri Nations Rugby
Jul 21 New Zealand beats Australia, 26-12 at Eden Park, Auckland to win their 3rd consecutive Tri Nations Rugby Series; flyhalf Dan Carter lands 7 penalties for the All Blacks
Contract of Interest
Jul 25 Patrick Kane signs a three-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks
- Jul 25 Pratibha Patil is sworn in as India's 1st female President
- Jul 26 40th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at San Diego Convention Center
- Jul 27 Two News helicopters from Phoenix, Arizona television stations KNXV and KTVK collide over Steele Indian School Park in central Phoenix while covering a police chase; there were no survivors. Worst civil aviation incident in Phoenix history.
- Jul 29 94th Tour de France won by Alberto Contador of Spain
Senior Open Championship
Jul 29 British Senior Open Men's Golf, Muirfield: Tom Watson wins his 3rd Open Senior title by 1 shot from Mark O'Meara and Stewart Ginn
- Jul 31 Boston Celtics obtain former MVP and 10-time All-Star Kevin Garnett in a 7-for-1 deal with Minnesota Timberwolves; then the NBA's biggest ever trade for one player
- Jul 31 Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland comes to an end, longest-running British Army operation ever
Famous Weddings
Eva Longoria
Jul 6 NBA Finals MVP Tony Parker (25) weds Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria (32) at a civil ceremony in Paris, France
- Jul 7 Actress and model Eva Longoria (32) weds NBA player Tony Parker (25), for the second time in two days), at The Church of Saint Germain l'Auxerrois in Paris, France
- Jul 7 Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck (57) weds handbag designer Gelila Assefa (38) in a three-day celebration on the Italian island of Capri
- Jul 12 World's tallest man who measures 7'9" Bao Xishun (56) weds Xia Shujian (28) in a traditional Mongolian ceremony at the tomb of Kublai Khan in Beijing, China
- Jul 14 American actor Jerry O'Connell (33) weds Xmen's "Mystique" Rebecca Romijn (34) at Calabasas, California
Jodie Sweetin
Jul 14 Former "Full House" actress Jodie Sweetin (25) weds set designer Cody Herpin (30) at Little Church of the West in Las Vegas
- Jul 22 Muhammad Ali's daughter Laila Ali (30) weds former NFL player Curtis Conway (36) in Marina del Rey, California
Steve Martin
Jul 28 Comedian and actor Steve Martin (61) weds Anne Stringfield (35) at his Los Angeles home
Famous Divorces
Wayne Brady
Jul 2 Dancer Mandie Taketa divorces talk show host Wayne Brady (34) due to irreconcilable differences after 8 years of marriage
Marilyn Manson
Jul 5 Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese (34) divorces rocker Marilyn Manson (38) due to irreconcilable differences after a year of marriage
- Jul 9 Former contestant on "The Apprentice" and beauty queen Jennifer Murphy (28) divorces "Extreme Makeover" Bill Dorfman (48) due to irreconcilable differences after 1 year of marriage
Larry David
Jul 13 Environmental activist Laurie Lennard (49) divorces writer Larry David (60) due to irreconcilable differences after 14 years of marriage
Britney Spears
Jul 30 Pop star Britney Spears (25) divorces rapper-dancer Kevin Federline (29) due to irreconcilable differences after over two years of marriage
Famous Deaths
- Jul 2 Beverly Sills [Belle Miriam Silverman], American operatic soprano, dies of lung cancer at 78
- Jul 2 Git Gay [Birgit Carp], Swedish revue director, actress and singer (Git Gay Show, Ge mig en lektion i kärlek), dies at 85
- Jul 3 (Homer) "Boots" Randolph, American session saxophonist ("Yakety Sax"), dies of a brain hemorrhage at 80
- Jul 3 Alice Timander, Swedish dentist and red carpet queen, dies at 91
- Jul 4 Barış Akarsu, Turkish rock musician ("Gözlerin"/ "Your Eyes"), and actor (My Lying Lover), dies of injuries sustained in a car accident at 28
- Jul 4 Bill Pinkney, American bass vocalist (Drifters - "Ruby Baby"), dies of a heart attack at 81
- Jul 5 George Melly, British jazz & blues singer, journalist, and art critic, dies of lung cancer and emphysema at 80
- Jul 5 Kerwin Mathews, American actor (b. 1926)
- Jul 5 Régine Crespin, French operatic mezzo-soprano (Metropolitan Opera, 1962-87; Sheherazade, Les Nuits D'ete), dies of liver cancer at 80
- Jul 7 Dame Anne McLaren, British biologist and leading researcher on human in vitro fertilisation (IVF), dies at 80
- Jul 8 Chandra Shekhar, Indian politician, 8th Prime Minister of India (1990-91), dies at 80
- Jul 8 Jindřich Feld, Czech composer (Concerto for Flute and Orchestra), dies at 82
- Jul 8 Wayne A. Downing, American US Army general, 1962-96, dies of meningitis 67
- Jul 9 Charles Lane, American actor (b. 1905)
- Jul 10 Abdul Rashid Ghazi, Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist, dies in a military raid at 43
- Jul 10 Doug Marlette, American editorial cartoonist (Kudzu), dies at 57
- Jul 10 Zheng Xiaoyu, Chinese politician and director of the State Food and Drug Administration, dies at 62
- Jul 11 Alfonso López Michelsen, 24th President of Colombia (1974-78), dies at 94
- Jul 11 Arif Butt, Pakistani cricket pace bowler (3 Tests, 14 wickets; Lahore, Pakistan Railways), dies at 63
- Jul 11 Ed Mirvish, American-Canadian businessman (Honest Ed's) and philanthropist, dies at 92
- Jul 11 Ferhunde Erkin (née Remzi) Turkish concert pianist and pedagogue, dies at 98
- Jul 11 Glenda Adams (née Fenton), Australian novelist (Dancing on Coral; Longlegs), and playwright (The Monkey Trap), dies of ovarian cancer at 67
- Jul 11 Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady of the United States (b. 1912)
- Jul 11 Rod Lauren, American rocker ("If I Had a Girl"), commits suicide at 66
- Jul 12 Mr. Butch, Iconic Boston street figure (b. 1951)
- Jul 12 Robert Burås, Norwegian rock guitarist (Madrugada; My Midnight Creeps), dies at 31
- Jul 12 Stan Zemanek, Australian radio personality (b.1947)
- Jul 13 Ilja Zeljenka, Slovak composer (Oświęcim), dies at 74
- Jul 13 Zdeněk Lukáš, Czech composer, dies at 78
- Jul 14 John Ferguson Sr, Canadian hockey player, dies at 68
- Jul 15 Kelly Johnson, English guitarist, dies at 49
- Jul 16 Tom Brooks, Australian cricket umpire (23 Tests 1970-78), dies at 88
- Jul 17 Betsy Haworth, Church of England deaconess and minister, dies at 82
- Jul 17 Júlio Redecker, Brazilian Politician (b. 1956)
- Jul 18 Charles Jauncey, Baron Jauncey of Tullichettle, Scottish judge and advocate, dies after a stroke at 82
- Jul 18 George Caiazzo, American professional wrestler
- Jul 18 Jerry Hadley, American opera singer, dies of an air rifle inflicted brain injury at 55
- Jul 18 Kenji Miyamoto, Japanese politician (b. 1908)
- Jul 19 A. K. Faezul Huq, Lawyer, politician, and freelance journalist (b. 1945)
- Jul 19 Roberto Fontanarrosa, Argentine cartoonist (b. 1944)
- Jul 20 Bill Flemming, American journalist and sportscaster (ABC's Wide World of Sports), dies at 80
- Jul 20 Ivor Emmanuel, Welsh singer and actor (Zulu, Show Boat, Kiss Me, Kate), dies of a stroke at 79
- Jul 20 Tammy Faye Bakker (Messner), American Christian singer and former wife of Jim Bakker (The PTL Club), dies at 65
- Jul 22 Laszlo Kovacs, Hungarian-born cinematographer (b. 1933)
- Jul 22 Ulrich Mühe, German actor (b. 1953)
- Jul 23 Benjamin Libet, American scientist (human consciousness), dies at 91
- Jul 23 George Tabori, Hungarian writer, dies at 93
- Jul 23 Mohammed Zahir Shah, last King of Afghanistan (1933-73), dies at 92
- Jul 23 Ron Miller, American songwriter and record producer (b. 1933)
- Jul 23 Tor Kamata, American-Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1937)
- Jul 24 Albert Ellis, American psychologist, dies at 93
- Jul 24 Chaney Kley, American Actor (b. 1972)
- Jul 25 Bernd Jakubowski, German goalkeeper (b. 1952)
- Jul 25 Jesse Marunde, American Strongman competitor, dies at 27
- Jul 26 John Normington, English actor (b. 1937)
- Jul 26 Lars Forssell, Swedish writer, member of the Swedish Academy (b. 1928)
- Jul 26 Skip Prosser, American basketball coach (only coach to take 3 schools to NCAA Tournament in first year; Loyola [MD], Xavier, Wake Forest), dies from heart attack at 56
- Jul 27 Lucky Grills, Australian actor (b. 1928)
- Jul 27 Roland Gaucher, French journalist, dies at 88
- Jul 28 Jim LeRoy, American aerobatics pilot, dies in a plane crash at the Dayton airshow at 46
- Jul 28 Karl Gotch, Belgian professional wrestler (b. 1924)
- Jul 29 Art Davis, American bassist (A Time Remembered), dies of a heart attack at 72
- Jul 29 Jim David, American NFL defensive back (Pro Bowl 1954-59; NFL Champion 1952-53, 57; Detroit Lions), dies at 79
- Jul 29 Marvin Zindler, American television reporter (b. 1921)
- Jul 29 Michel Serrault, French actor (Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud, La Cage aux Folles), dies at 79
- Jul 29 Mike Reid, English comedian and actor (b. 1940)
Tom Snyder (1936-2007)
Jul 29 American television and radio interviewer (Tomorrow, 1973-82; The Late Late Show, 1995-99), and news anchor (NBC Weekend News; WABC), dies of complications from leukemia at 71
Bill Walsh (1931-2007)
Jul 30 American Pro Football HOF coach (Super Bowl 1981, 84, 88; NFL Coach of the Year 1981; SF 49ers; Stanford University 1977–78), dies of leukemia at 75
Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007)
Jul 30 Swedish stage and film director (Cries & Whispers), dies at 89
- Jul 30 Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian film director (Red Dessert, Blowup), dies at 94
- Jul 30 Nigel Althaus, British government broker, dies at 77
- Jul 30 Teoctist, Ex-Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church (b. 1915)
- Jul 30 William Balchin, English geographer, dies at 91
