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Rochester History Timeline

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Today in American History

Events in Rochester History

  • 1843-06-01 It snows in Buffalo and Rochester, NY, & Cleveland, Ohio

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

1852-07-05 Fugitive slave Frederick Douglass delivers his 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?' speech to the Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, condemns the celebration as hypocritical sham

Abolitionist Frederick Douglass
  • 1853-07-06 National Black convention meets in Rochester NY, ex-slave Frederick Douglass attends
  • 1887-02-16 1st newspaper convention held in Rochester, NY
  • 1898-09-15 National Afro-American Council forms in Rochester NY
  • 1904-08-09 Libanus McLouth Todd of Rochester, New York patents his check-writing machine, the Protectograph designed to protect against check forgers
  • 1913-09-15 1st US milch goat show held, Rochester, NY
  • 1931-10-07 1st infra-red photograph, Rochester, NY
  • 1934-07-01 1st x-ray photo of entire body, taken by Arthur Fuchs of Eastman-Kodak Company in Rochester, New York
  • 1936-07-16 1st x-ray photo of arterial circulation, Rochester, NY
  • 1949-06-14 WROC TV channel 8 in Rochester, NY (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • 1951-01-06 Indianapolis Olympians beat Rochester Royals, 75-73 in NBA-record 6 overtimes; also the longest game in NBA history
  • 1951-04-21 NBA Championship: Rochester Royals beat New York Knicks, 79-75 to take series 4 games to 3; first Finals appearance for both teams

Mikan's 61 Points

1952-01-20 The NBA's first superstar George Mikan scores a career high 61 points leading the Minneapolis Lakers to a 91-81 double-overtime victory over the Rochester Royals

NBA Center George Mikan

US Women's Golf Open

1953-06-28 US Open Women's Golf, CC of Rochester: Betsy Rawls wins an 18-hole Sunday playoff by 6 strokes over runner-up Jackie Pung

LPGA Golfer Betsy Rawls
  • 1953-07-16 KROC (now KTTC) TV channel 10 in Rochester, Minnesota (NBC) 1st broadcast
  • 1953-11-01 WHEC TV channel 10 in Rochester, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting
  • 1954-10-30 1st use of 24-sec shot clock in pro basketball (Rochester vs Boston)

6th NBA All-Star Game

1956-01-24 6th NBA All-Star Game, Rochester War Memorial Coliseum, NY: West beats East, 108-94; MVP: Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks, C

NBA Forward Bob Pettit
  • 1962-05-28 Suit alleging de facto school segregation filed in Rochester, NY
  • 1962-09-15 WOKR TV channel 13 in Rochester, NY (ABC) begins broadcasting
  • 1964-07-24 -27) race riot in Rochester, New York, 4 killed
  • 1964-07-25 Race riot in Rochester, NY
  • 1978-11-26 10 die as fire erupts at Holiday Inn in Rochester, NY
  • 1981-04-18 Longest game in Professional Baseball: Pawtucket Red Sox tie Rochester Red Wings 2-2 in 32 innings (game resumed 23rd June)
  • 1981-06-23 Longest game in Professional Baseball: Pawtucket Red Sox finally beat Rochester Red Wings 3-2 in 33 innings (game began 18th April)
  • 1993-02-15 Howard Stern Radio Show begins transmitting to Rochester, New York on WRQI 95.1 FM
  • 1995-04-01 Howard Stern's radio show begins transmitting to Rochester, New York on WNVE at 95.1 and 95.5 FM

Famous People from Rochester

  • 1843-05-06 Grove Karl Gilbert, American geologist (investigated Lake Bonneville, Utah), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1918)
  • 1853-12-09 Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn, American HOF pitcher, 1880-91 (won MLB record 60 games & Triple Crown 1884; no-hitter 1883; Providence Grays, Boston Beaneaters, and 3 other teams), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1897)
  • 1863-10-08 Edythe Chapman, American actress (Beyond the Rocks), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1948)
  • 1876-09-15 Frank Gannett, American newspaper publisher (Gannett), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1957)

Walter Hagen (1892-1969)

1892-12-21 American golfer (11 major titles, US Open 1914, 19), born in Rochester, New York

Walter Hagen
  • 1896-12-30 Tom Keene, American actor (Our Daily Bread), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1963)
  • 1905-09-18 Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, American comedian and actor (The Jack Benny Program), born in Oakland, California (d. 1977)
  • 1907-02-17 Alec Wilder, American classical, jazz, and pop music composer (The Churkendoose), and musicologist (American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1980)
  • 1907-05-04 Lincoln Kirstein, American writer and impresario, born in Rochester, New York (d. 1996)
  • 1907-07-01 Bill Stern, American sportscaster (first televised college football game), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1971)

Cab Calloway (1907-1994)

1907-12-25 American singer, bandleader ("Minnie the Moocher"; "The Jumpin' Jive"), writer, radio host, and actor (The Blues Brothers), born in Rochester, New York

Cab Calloway
  • 1908-09-16 Beecher Moore, British sailor, born in Rochester, New York (d. 1996)
  • 1910-02-01 Michael Kanin, American director, writer and actor (Woman of the Year, Teacher's Pet), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1993)
  • 1911-07-04 Mitch Miller, American oboist and recording producer (Sing Along with Mitch), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2010)
  • 1912-08-20 Philip Kapleau, American Zen teacher and founder (Rochester Zen Center in New Haven), born in New Haven, Connecticut (d. 2004)
  • 1912-11-24 Garson Kanin, American playwright, director, and producer (Double Life; Born Yesterday), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1993)
  • 1913-02-06 John Lund, American actor (High Society, Wackiest Ship in the Army), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1992)
  • 1915-07-09 David Diamond, American composer (Paderewski Prize-1943), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2005) [1]
  • 1916-08-14 Wellington Mara, Co-Owner of the New York Giants, born in Rochester, New York (d. 2005)
  • 1921-06-04 Bobby Wanzer, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1952–56; Rochester Royals) and coach (NBA All-Star Game 1957), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2016)
  • 1925-04-19 Hugh O'Brian, American actor (Wyatt Earp, Search), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2016)
  • 1926-04-24 Marilyn Erskine, American actress (Tom Ewell Show, Westward the Women), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1927-06-27 Robert Casey, American actor (Aldrich Family Show - "Henry"; What to Do on a Date), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1927-07-28 John Ashbery, American poet (Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2017)
  • 1929-03-13 Peter Breck, American actor (Black Saddle; Big Valley; Benji), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2012)
  • 1929-05-07 Babe Parilli, American football player, born in Rochester, Pennsylvania (d. 2017)
  • 1929-12-23 Charles R. Bentley, American pioneer of polar science, born in Rochester, New York (d. 2017)
  • 1934-09-07 Bill Giles, American baseball owner (Philadelphia Phillies 1981-2013; honorary National League President), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1934-10-05 Angelo Buono, Jr., American serial killer, born in Rochester, New York (d. 2002)
  • 1936-01-17 Jerry Fogel, actor (Jerry-Mothers-in-Law, White Shadow), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1936-10-01 C, Gordon Fullerton, American USMC Colonel, and NASA astronaut (STS-3; STS-51-F), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2013)
  • 1937-06-04 Gorilla Monsoon, American pro wrestler (Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame) and commentator (WWF), born in Rochester, New York (d. 1999)
  • 1939-07-18 Edward Gramlich, American economics professor (University of Michigan), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2007)
  • 1939-09-06 Dan Cragg, American soldier and author, born in Rochester, New York
  • 1939-12-06 Steve Alaimo, American pop singer ("Mashed Potatoes"; "Every Day I Have To Cry"), born in Omaha, Nebraska
  • 1940-11-29 Charles "Chuck" Mangione, American jazz flugel horn and trumpet player ("Feels So Good"), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1941-04-17 Adolphus Hailstork, American composer (EarthRise (A Song of Healing); Ghosts in Grey and Blue), and educator, born in Rochester, New York
  • 1941-05-06 Fred J. Eckert, American politician (U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Tuvalu, Kiribati & Tonga), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1941-07-13 Robert Forster [Foster], American actor (Medium Cool, Jackie Brown), born in Rochester, New York (d. 2019)
  • 1944-10-26 Mike Piano, American rocker (Sandpipers), born in Rochester, New York

John Lithgow (78 years old)

1945-10-19 American Tony and Emmy Award-winning stage and screen actor (3rd Rock From The Sun - "Dick"; Harry & Hendersons; The World According to Garp; Shrek), recording artist, poet, and children's book author, born in Rochester, New York

John Lithgow
  • 1949-07-02 Joe English, American musician and drummer (Wings; Sea Level), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1949-09-25 Mimi Kennedy, American actress (Spencer, 3 girls 3, Under 1 Roof), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1950-05-02 Lou Gramm [Grammatico], American rock singer-songwriter (Foreigner - "Hot Blooded"; "Cold As Ice"), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1953-03-11 Chet Catallo, American jazz guitarist (Spyro Gyra), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1954-04-07 Tony Dorsett, American College and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back (Heisman Trophy 1976, U of Pittsburgh; Super Bowl 1977; Pro Bowl 1978, 81–83; Dallas Cowboys), born in Rochester, Pennsylvania
  • 1957-09-11 Jeff Sluman, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1988; 6 PGA Tour titles), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1962-04-02 Mark Shulman, American children's author (Scrawl), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1962-04-10 Cathy Turner, American short track skater (Olympic gold 1994), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1967-06-25 Joan Smith, American biathlete (Olympics 1994), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1968-03-05 Shjon Podein, NHL left wing (Philadelphia Flyers), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1968-12-16 Paul Scherrer, American actor (Children of Corn II, Free Spirit), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1969-03-07 Anne Marie Lauck, American marathoner (Olympics 10th 1996), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1969-12-27 Chyna [Joanie Laurer], American professional wrestler and reality TV star, born in Rochester, New York (d. 2016)
  • 1970-07-04 Louise Van Voorhis, American 470 sailor (Olympic 4th 1992, 96), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1973-01-18 Burnie Burns, American film producer and comedian (Machinima, Rooster Teeth), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1973-05-28 Pat Peake, NHL center (Washington Capitals), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1975-01-11 Rory Fitzpatrick, American NHL defenseman (Montreal Canadiens), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1975-11-20 Davey Havok [David Paden Marchand], American singer (AFI), born in Rochester, New York
  • 1979-01-18 Brian Gionta, American NHL ice hockey player, 2001-18 (New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, and 2 other teams), born in Rochester, New York

Abby Wambach (44 years old)

1980-06-02 American Soccer player (world record for international goals), born in Rochester, New York

Abby Wambach
  • 1983-10-09 Stephen Gionta, American NHL ice hockey player, 2010-19 (New Jersey Devils;, New York Islanders), born in Rochester, New York

Ryan Lochte (39 years old)

1984-08-03 American swimmer (12-time Olympic medalist), born in Rochester, New York

Ryan Lochte
  • 1986-08-13 Joseph Lapira, American soccer player, born in Rochester, New York
  • 1986-09-07 Colin Delaney, American professional wrestler, born in Rochester, New York
  • 1988-09-16 Teddy Geiger, American singer and songwriter (Stitches - Shawn Mendes), born in Rochester, New York

Famous Americans

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