2014 Event Dominican fashion designer Oscar de la Renta dies at age 82 at his home in Kent, Connecticut, after battling cancer for 8 years 2014 Event The University of Connecticut achieves a second championship as the women's basketball team takes home the NCAA championship title after a 79-58 victory over Notre Dame; the men's basketball team won the NCAA title this season 2013 Event In the U.S., 2.5 million minimum wage workers will get a raise January 1st in thirteen states including Colorado, Rhode Island and Connecticut 2012 Event In the U.S. state of Connecticut, a shooter kills 29 people, including 20 children, himself and his mother at Sandy Hook Elementary School 2011 Event Joe Lieberman, an independent U.S. Senator from Connecticut announces he will not seek re-election in 2012 2008 Death Richard Widmark, dies in Connecticut, after a long illness, at 93 2008 Death William F. Buckley, Jr., dies in Stamford, Connecticut, at 82 2007 Death Brett Somers, dies in Westport, Connecticut, at 83 2007 Death Leona Helmsley, dies of congestive heart failure at 87, in Greenwich, Connecticut 2004 Event WNBA Championships, Seattle Storm beat Connecticut Sun 2 games to 1 1998 Event Matt Beck, an angry lottery accountant kills 4 at Connecticut state lottery 1998 Death Abraham A. Ribicoff, Senator-D-Connecticut 1963 - 1981, Governor of Connecticut 1955 - 1961 1996 Event Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Hartford, Connecticut on WCCC 106.9 FM 1992 Event Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker and WFAN DJ Don Imus change places for 1 day 1987 Birthday Madeline Zima, born in New Haven, Connecticut, actress, Grace Sheffield-Nanny 1979 Event Howard Stern begins broadcasting on WCCC in Hartford, Connecticut 1979 Birthday Alita Dawson, Miss Connecticut Teen USA 1997 1978 Birthday Marissa Perez, Miss Connecticut Teen USA 1996 1977 Birthday Amy Zappone, born in Wolcott, Connecticut, Miss America-Connecticut 1996 1976 Birthday Will Friedle, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Eric-Boy Meets World, Gift of Love 1976 Birthday Jonathan Brandis, born in Danbury, Connecticut, actor, Lucas Wolenczak-seaQuest DSV 1974 Birthday Mike DuHaney, born in New Haven, Connecticut, soccer defender, 1996 Olympics gold 1971 Birthday Brooke Burke, born in Hartford, Connecticut, television personality, dancer, host of 'Wild On!' show, Frederick's of Hollywood model 1971 Birthday Wanda Gonzalez, Miss Connecticut USA 1996 1970 Birthday Katherine "Katie" Scanlon, Fairfield, Connecticut, rower 1996 Olympics 1970 Event 30,000 attend Powder Ridge Rock Festival, Middlefield, Connecticut 1970 Event 6 days of race rioting in Hartford, Connecticut 1969 Event Race riot in Hartford Connecticut 1969 Birthday Brad Ausmus, born in New Haven, Connecticut, catcher for the Detroit Tigers 1968 Birthday Dawn Robinson, born in New London, Connecticut, singer, rhythm and blues, member, En Vogue, an urban dance-pop group 1968 Event 72nd Boston Marathon won by Amby Burfoot of Connecticut in 2:22:17 1968 Birthday Mark McGrath, born in Hartford, Connecticut, singer, 'Sugar Ray' rock band, previously a co-host on 'Extra' entertainment television show 1967 Birthday Melanie Sullivan, Branford, Connecticut, WPVA volleyballer, National-13th-1994 1967 Birthday Sarah Malin, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, actress, Stephane Prescott-Another World 1967 Birthday Kari Wuhrer, Brookfield, Connecticut, MTV/actress, Beverly Hills 90210 1967 Birthday Charles Nagy, Fairfield, Connecticut, pitcher, Cleveland Indians 1966 Birthday Joseph Wanag, Wilson, Connecticut, U.S. judoka 1992 Olympics 1965 Birthday Lawrence Clay-Bey, Hartford, Connecticut, super heavyweight boxer 1996 Olympics 1965 Birthday Dawn Whiteham, born in New London, Connecticut, bodybuilder, Penthouse Nov 1995 1965 Event Supreme Court rules 1879 Connecticut law ban of contraceptives unconstitutional 1964 Birthday Shawn Sheldon, Norwich, Connecticut, 114 lbs greco-roman wrestler 1996 Olympics 1964 Birthday Amy Brenneman, born in New London, Connecticut, actress, Janice-NYPD Blue 1964 Birthday Rob Dibble, Bridgeport, Connecticut, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds 1964 Birthday Karen Josephson, Bristol, Connecticut, synchronized swimmer 1992 Olympics gold 1964 Birthday Sarah Josephson, Bristol, Connecticut, synchronized swimmer 1992 Olympics gold 1962 Death Jasper McLevy, socialist mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, dies 1962 Birthday Eriq La Salle, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Dr. Peter Benton-ER 1962 Birthday Robert Mailhouse, New Haven, Connecticut, actor, Brian-Days of our Life 1961 Birthday Meg Ryan, Bethel, Connecticut, actress, When Harry Met Sally, As the World Turns 1961 Birthday Barbara Potter, Connecticut, tennis player, changed shirt on Wimbledon Court 1961 Birthday Daniel C Burbank, born in Manchester, Connecticut, Lieutenant Commander USCG/astronaut 1960 Birthday Richard A. Mastracchio, Waterbury, Connecticut, astronaut 1958 Birthday Jayne Modean, Hartford, Connecticut, actress, Nurse Hooter-Trauma Center 1958 Birthday Bill Dawley, born in Norwich, Connecticut, baseball player, pitcher, played Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros, Chicago Whitesox, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland Athletics 1957 Birthday Heather Thomas, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, actress, Jody-Fall Guy, Coed Fever 1957 Birthday Daniel Stern, Stamford, Connecticut, actor, City Slickers, Wonder Years 1957 Birthday John G. Rowland, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Governor of Connecticut 1995 - 2004 1957 Event U.S. launches its 3rd atomic submarine, USS Skate, at Groton, Connecticut 1957 Event 61st Boston Marathon won by John J Kelley of Connecticut in 2:20:05 1957 Birthday Mary Cadorette, born in East Hartford, Connecticut, actress, Vicky-3's a Crowd 1956 Birthday Dorothy Hamill, born in Riverside, Connecticut, figure skater 1976 Olympics gold 1955 Birthday Melanie Chartoff, West Haven, Connecticut, actress, Fridays, Parker Lewis 1955 Birthday Linda Purl, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, actress, Gloria-Happy Days, Matlock 1955 Event 32.4 cm precipitation at Burlington, Connecticut (state record) 1955 Event Hurricane Diane, following hurricane Connie floods Connecticut River killing 190 and doing $1.8 billion damage 1955 Birthday Chris Berman, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, sportscaster, nicknamed Boomer, anchor for Sunday NFL Countdown, Baseball Tonight, and other ESPN and ABC Sports shows 1955 Birthday Glenne Headly, born in New London, Connecticut, actress, Dick Tracy, Making Mr. Right 1954 Birthday Ron Palillo, born in Connecticut, actor, Arnold Horshack-Welcome Back Kotter 1953 Birthday Daniel T Barry, Norwalk, Connecticut, PhD/MD/astronaut, STS-72 1953 Birthday Katherine Cannon, born in Hartford, Connecticut, actress, Father Murphy, Survivors 1953 Birthday Michael Bolton, Connecticut, rock vocalist, That's What Love Is All About 1953 Birthday Gary Franks, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Representative-R-Connecticut 1991 - 1997 1953 Birthday Pamela Sue Martin, Westport, Connecticut, actress, Nancy Drew, Fallon-Dynasty 1952 Birthday Howard Donald Saunders, born in Danbury, Connecticut, murderer, FBI Most Wanted List 1952 Birthday Catherine Watkins, Hartford, Connecticut, actress, It's Not Easy, Mary 1951 Birthday David Naughton, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, My Sister Sam, Separate Vacations 1950 Birthday Elmar Oliveira, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, violinist, Naumburg 1978 1950 Birthday Karen Carpenter, born in New Haven, Connecticut, vocalist and drummer, We Only Just Begun 1949 Birthday Shelley Hack, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, actress, Tiffany Welles-Charlie's Angel 1948 Birthday Tony DiCicco, Wethersfield, Connecticut, U.S. women's soccer coach 1996 Olympics 1947 Birthday William Atherton, born in Connecticut, actor, Real Genius, Ghostbusters, Class of 44 1947 Birthday Donna Elizabeth De Varona, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, swimmer, Olympic-2 gold-64 1947 Birthday John Ratzenberger, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, actor, Cliff Clavin-Cheers 1947 Birthday Glenn Close, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, actress, The Big Chill, Fatal Attraction 1947 Birthday Jill Eikenberry, New Haven, Connecticut, Ann Kelsey-LA Law, Manhattan Project 1946 Birthday Richard Carpenter, New Haven, Connecticut, vocalist, Carpenters-Close to You 1946 Event 1st commercially designed helicopter tested, Bridgeport Connecticut 1945 Birthday Christopher Shays, born in Stamford, Connecticut, Representative-R-Connecticut 1987 - 2009 1944 Birthday Sherwood C "Woody" Spring, Hartford, Connecticut, Col USA/astronaut, STS-61B 1944 Event 170 die in a fire at Ringling Bros Circus in Hartford, Connecticut 1944 Birthday Christopher Dodd, born in Willimantic, Connecticut, Senator-D-Connecticut 1981- 1944 Birthday Neely Bruce, born in America, composer, conductor, pianist, scholar of American music, Professor of Music and American Studies at Wesleyan University, chorus director for Connecticut Opera 1943 Birthday Susan Davenny Wyner, New Haven, Connecticut, soprano, Walter Naumberg Prize 1943 Birthday Bruce Weitz, Norwalk, Connecticut, actor, Hill St. Blues, Death of a Centerfold 1943 Birthday Rosa DeLauro, born in New Haven, Connecticut, Representative-D-Connecticut 1991 - 1943 Event -32 degrees F (-36 degrees C), Falls Village, Connecticut (state record) 1942 Event 1st bazooka rocket gun produced Bridgeport, Connecticut 1942 Birthday Kris Jensen, born in New Haven, Connecticut, musician, singer, guitarist, recorded with Kapp Records, Leader Records, Hickory Records, recorded chart topping hit 'Torture' 1942 Birthday Joe Lieberman, Sen-D Connecticut 1942 Birthday Thom Mayne, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, architect, awarded Pritzker Prize, 2005, principal, Morphosis, famous architecture firm in Santa Monica, California, founder, Southern California Institute of Architecture 1941 Birthday Deborah Walley, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, actress, Mothers-in-Law, Beach Blanket 1941 Birthday Jim Mitchum, Bridgeport, Connecticut, actor, Blackout, Invincible 6 1941 Event 1st helicopter flight of 1 hour duration, Stratford, Connecticut 1940 Birthday Gordon J. Humphrey, born in Bristol, Connecticut, Senator-R-New Hampshire, 1979 - 1990 1940 Birthday Joan Joyce, Waterbury, Connecticut, softball pitcher, Hall of Fame 1983 1940 Event 1st successful helicopter flight, Stratford, Connecticut 1940 Birthday Paul Rudd, born in Boston, Massachusetts, actor, 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' 1940 Birthday Gene Pitney, Hartford, Connecticut, vocalist/songwriter, Town Without Pity 1939 Event Connecticut finally approves Bill of Rights (148 years late) 1939 Birthday Barbara Kolb, Hartford, Connecticut, composer, Trobar Jus 1938 Birthday Porter Goss, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Representative-R-Florida 1989 - 2004, Director of CIA 2004 - 2006 1938 Birthday Christopher Lloyd, Stamford, Connecticut, actor, Taxi, Back to the Future 1938 Birthday Mickey Stratton, born in Meriden, Connecticut, softball catcher, Hall of Fame 1969 1938 Birthday Brian Dennehy, born in Connecticut, actor, Check is in the Mail, F/X, Cocoon, Ants 1937 Event 1st permanent automobile license plates issued (Connecticut) 1936 Birthday Barbara B. Kennelly, born in Hartford, Connecticut, Representative-D-Connecticut 1982 - 1999 1936 Birthday Tony Musante, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, actor, David Toma-Toma, Nowhere to Hide 1932 Birthday Marian Christy, Ridgefield, Connecticut, author, Invasions of Privacy 1931 Birthday Hope Lange, Redding Ridge, Connecticut, actress, Ghost and Mrs. Muir 1930 Birthday Ben Cooper, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Rose Tattoo, Outcast, Arizona Raiders 1930 Birthday William O'Neill, born in Hartford, Connecticut, Connecticut Governor 1980 - 1991, Democrat 1930 Birthday Patricia Smith, New Haven, Connecticut, actress, Bob Newhart Show 1928 Birthday Sol LeWitt, born in Connecticut, artist, modern art pioneer, famous for wall drawings and "structures" 1928 Birthday Bob Crane, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, actor, Col Hogan-Hogan's Heroes, Donna Reed 1927 Event Rodgers and Hart's musical "Connecticut Yankee," premieres in New York City 1927 Birthday Donn Trenner, born in New Haven, Connecticut, orchestra leader, ABC's Nightlife 1926 Birthday Biff McGuire, New Haven, Connecticut, actor, Serpico, Heart is Lonely Hunter 1926 Event 105 degrees F (41 degrees C), Waterbury, Connecticut (state record) 1926 Birthday Tom Tryon, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Cardinal, All That Glitters 1925 Birthday Frank Latimore, Kline, Darien, Connecticut, actor, Patton, Breakin Up 1925 Birthday Phillip Pine, born in Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Set-Up, Under the Ground 1924 Birthday Mimi Benzell, Bridgeport, Connecticut, operatic soprano, Gilda-Rigoletto 1923 Birthday Ted Knight, born in Terryville, Connecticut, Mary Tyler Moore, Too Close for Comfort 1922 Birthday Mike Kellin, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Honestly Celeste, Fitz and Bones 1922 Birthday Larry Elgart, born in New Haven, Connecticut, bandleader/alto sax, Elgart Orchestra 1921 Birthday Hayden Carruth, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, novelist, Crow and Heart 1921 Birthday Bernie Leighton, West Haven, Connecticut, orchestra leader, Chance of a Lifetime 1920 Event 1st postage stamp meter is set in Stamford Connecticut 1920 Birthday Maria Karnilova, born in Hartford, Connecticut, actress, Olga-Ivan the Terrible 1920 Birthday Stan Freeman, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, pianist, Melody Tour 1919 Birthday Ella Grasso, born in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, Ella Giovanna Oliva Tambussi, politician, Democratic Party, first woman elected Governor of Connecticut, served 1975 - 1980 1917 Birthday Elyse Knox, Hartford, Connecticut, actress, Hit the Ice, Black Gold 1917 Birthday Robert Mitchum, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, actor, Winds of War, North and South 1917 Birthday Ted Steele, born in Hartford, Connecticut, orchestra leader, Cavalcade of Stars 1917 Birthday Ernest Borgnine, Hamden, Connecticut, actor, Ice Station Zebra, McHale, Marty 1914 Birthday Brendan Gill, born in Hartford, Connecticut, writer, film critic, author, wrote film critiques for Film Comment, wrote articles for The New Yorker, and a book about his time at The New Yorker magazine 1914 Birthday Stewart Alsop, born in Avon, Connecticut, columnist and political analyst, worked for Saturday Evening Post and Newsweek 1912 Event 1st U.S. submarines with diesel engines commissioned, Groton, Connecticut 1910 Birthday Abraham A. Ribicoff, born in New Britain, Connecticut, Senator-D-Connecticut 1963 - 1981, Governor of Connecticut 1955 - 1961 1909 Birthday Al Capp, Alfred Gerald Caplin, New Haven, Connecticut, cartoonist, Li'l Abner 1909 Birthday Barry Wood, New Haven, Connecticut, vocalist, Your Hit Parade 1908 Birthday Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., born in New Haven, Connecticut, Representative-D-New York, 1945 - 1972 1908 Birthday Rosalind Russell, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, actress, Mame, Take a Letter Darling 1907 Birthday Horace McMahon, South Norwalk, Connecticut, actor, Martin Kane Private Eye 1907 Birthday Katharine Hepburn, born in Hartford, Connecticut, actress, 'Adam's Rib', 'On Golden Pond' 1906 Birthday Michael O'Shea, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Denny-It's a Great Life 1904 Birthday John J. Sirica, born in Waterbury, Connecticut, John Joseph Sirica, judge, Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, presided over Watergate scandal, Time magazine Person of the Year, 1973 1903 Birthday Gilbert Adrian, Greenberg, born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, costume designer 1902 Birthday George Murphy, born in New Haven, Connecticut, Senator-R-California 1965 - 1971, actor and dancer, MGM Parade 1902 Birthday Blair Moody, New Haven, Connecticut, Senator-Michigan 1902 Birthday Walter Keirnan, New Havens, Connecticut, TV panelist, I've Got a Secret 1901 Birthday Morton Downey, Wallingford, Connecticut, singer, Star of the Family 1901 Birthday Ed Begley, born in Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Mr Koppel-Leave it to Larry 1900 Birthday Walter O'Keefe, Hartford, Connecticut, songwriter/TV host, Mayor of Hollywood 1900 Event Hamburger created by Louis Lassing in Connecticut 1897 Birthday Quincy Porter, New Haven, Connecticut, composer 1895 Birthday Peggy Bacon, Ridgefield, Connecticut, author/illustrator, Off With Their Heads 1888 Birthday Niles Welch, Hartford, Connecticut, actor, Cornered 1887 Event Everett Horton, Connecticut, patents fishing rod of telescoping steel tubes 1880 Event Tobacco Growers' Mutual Insurance Company incorporates in Connecticut 1878 Event 1st telephone book issued, 50 subscribers (New Harbor, Connecticut) 1876 Event Guernsey Cattle Club forms in Farmington, Connecticut 1874 Birthday Charles Edward Ives, Danbury, Connecticut, composer, Holiday Quick Step 1874 Event 28th Postmaster General: Marshall Jewell of Connecticut takes office 1866 Event 1st U.S. company to make sewing needles by machine incorporated, Connecticut 1864 Birthday Ban Johnson, Norwalk, Connecticut, baseball founder, American League 1862 Event Galena, 1st U.S. iron-clad warship for service at sea, launched, Connecticut 1859 Birthday Walter Camp, Connecticut, father of American football, Yale 1854 Event Allen Wilson of Connecticut patents sewing machine to sew curving seams 1853 Event 1st major U.S. rail disaster kills 46 in Norwalk, Connecticut 1852 Event 18th Postmaster General: Samuel D Hubbard of Connecticut takes office 1844 Birthday Anthony Comstock, born in New Canaan, Connecticut, anti-vice crusader/philatelist 1839 Birthday Dudley Buck, born in Hartford, Connecticut, organist/church composer 1817 Event 1st American school for the deaf opens in Hartford, Connecticut 1813 Birthday Henry Ward Beecher, Litchfield, Connecticut, clergyman/orator, Independent 1812 Birthday Charles Lewis Tiffany, Killingly, Connecticut, jeweler, Tiffany 1803 Event 1st public library opens (Connecticut) 1798 Event Rep Matthew Lyon, Vermont spits in face of Rep Roger Griswold,Connecticut, in U.S. House of Representatives, after an argument 1788 Event Connecticut becomes 5th state 1777 Event People of New Connecticut, Vermont, declare independence from England 1682 Event Tornado in Connecticut uproots a 3' diameter oak tree 1664 Event English colonizing Connecticut 1662 Event Royal charter granted Connecticut 1662 Event Connecticut chartered as an English colony 1656 Event U.S. colony Connecticut passes law against Quakers 1644 Event 1st U.S. livestock branding law passed, by Connecticut 1643 Event Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Harbor form United Colonies of New England 1639 Event Connecticut colony organizes under Fundamental Orders 1639 Event 1st Connecticut constitution (Fundamental Orders) adopted in Hartford 1639 Event Rodger Ludlow publishes"Fundamental Orders of Connecticut" 1637 Event 1st battle of Pequot at New Haven, Connecticut kills 500 indians
