On This Day

What Happened in August 1922

Historical Events

  • Aug 1 Hendrikus Colijn becomes political editor-in-chief of The Standard
  • Aug 1 In Italy, the socialist 'Alianza del Lavoro' declare a national strike which collapses immediately and fascist forces destroy union and socialist headquarters
  • Aug 2 China is hit by a typhoon; about 60,000 die
  • Aug 4 Lizzie Murphy becomes the first female to play against MLB players in a charity exhibition; all-stars from New England and AL v Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park
  • Aug 8 Pirates set record of 46 hits in a doubleheader (against Phillies)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Aug 12 Dedication of Frederick Douglass' home in Washington, D.C. as national shrine

Abolitionist Frederick Douglass
Abolitionist
Frederick Douglass
  • Aug 14 1st "old time" musicians broadcasted on radio (Jenkins-WSB Atlanta)
  • Aug 16 AT&T radio station WBAY becomes WEAF (NYC)
  • Aug 18 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Oakmont CC: 20-year old US Open champion Gene Sarazen defeats Emmet French, 4 & 3 in the final

Sport awardUS Open Women's Tennis

Aug 19 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Germantown CC, PA: Molla Bjurstedt Mallory beats Helen Wills Moody 6-3, 6-1 for her 7th US singles crown

Tennis Player Helen Wills Moody
Tennis Player
Helen Wills Moody
  • Aug 20 1st world championship athletics for women, held in Paris
  • Aug 24 1st Phillie to hit for cycle (Cy Williams)
  • Aug 25 Cubs beat Phillies 26-23 in highest scoring major-league game
  • Aug 26 Japanese cruiser Niitaka driven onto rocks in storm at Kamchatka, 284 killed

Sports record brokenWorld Record

Aug 27 Paavo Nurmi runs world record 3000m (8:28.6)

Runner nicknamed the
Runner nicknamed the "Flying Finn"
Paavo Nurmi
  • Aug 28 1st Walker Cup: US beats England 8-4
  • Aug 28 Albert von Tilzer & Neville Fleesons musical premieres in NYC
  • Aug 28 WEAF in NYC airs 1st radio commercial (Queensboro Realty-$100 for 10 mins)

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Aug 30 Babe Ruth is thrown out of a game for 5th time in 1922

Baseball Legend Babe Ruth
Baseball Legend
Babe Ruth

Famous Birthdays

  • Aug 1 Maria Cole [née Hawkins], American jazz singer and wife of Nat King Cole, born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 2012)
  • Aug 1 Arthur Hill, Canadian actor (Owen Marshall, Glitter), born in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada (d. 2006)
  • Aug 1 Frank Hauser, British theatrical director (Oxford Playhouse), born in Cardiff (d. 2007)
  • Aug 1 Paul Lambert, American character actor (Executive Suite, Spartacus), born in El Paso, Texas (d. 1997)
  • Aug 2 Lord Murray of Epping Forest [Lionel], British labour politician and union leader (General Secretary TUC), born in Hadley, Telford (d. 1984)
  • Aug 2 Paul Laxalt, American politician (22nd Governor of Nevada), born in Reno, Nevada
  • Aug 3 Robert Sumner, American evangelist and author, born in Norwich, New York (d. 2016)
  • Aug 4 Charley Harper, American modernist artist, born in Frenchton, West Virginia (d. 2007)
  • Aug 5 L. Tom Perry, LDS apostle
  • Aug 6 Freddie Laker, CEO (Laker airlines)
  • Aug 6 Doug Ford, American golfer (PGA Championship 1955, US Masters 1957), born in West Haven, Connecticut (d. 2018)
  • Aug 8 Michael Parkin, journalist
  • Aug 8 Rory Calhoun [Francis Timothy McCown], American actor (Blue & Gray, How to Marry a Millionaire), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1999)
  • Aug 8 Rudi Gernreich, designer (1st women's topless swimsuit, miniskirt)
  • Aug 8 Gertrude Himmelfarb, American historian
  • Aug 9 Philip Larkin, English poet and writer (North Ship, Jill), born in Radford, Coventry, Warwickshire, England (d. 1985)
  • Aug 12 Fulton Mackay, Scottish actor and playwright (Porridge), born in Paisley (d. 1987)
  • Aug 12 Andre Kloos, Dutch trade union leader (NVV/VARA)
  • Aug 12 Lord Colinbrook, British government minister
  • Aug 15 Lukas Foss [Fuchs], German-American pianist, conductor and composer (Prairie), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2009)
  • Aug 16 Ernie Freeman, American musician (Raunchy), pianist and arranger, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1981)
  • Aug 16 Louis Lomax, African-American author and journalist, born in Valdosta, Georgia (d. 1970)
  • Aug 17 Paul Wiens, German writer, born in Königsberg, East Prussia (d. 1982)
  • Aug 17 Roy Tattersall, cricketer (brilliant England off-spinner early 50's)
  • Aug 18 Alain Robbe-Grillet, French novelist (Voyeur)
  • Aug 18 Eric William Hunter Christie, barrister
  • Aug 19 Douglas MacKenzie Davey, psychometrist
  • Aug 20 Tetsuzo Akutsu, Japanese surgeon who built the first artificial heart, born in Japan (d. 2007)
  • Aug 22 Micheline Presle [Chassagne], French actress (Nea, Donkey Skin), born in Paris, France
  • Aug 23 Brian Young, Chairman (Christian Aid), born in Sri Lanka (d. 2016)
  • Aug 23 Jack Boddy, British trade union leader, born in Norwich (d. 2004)
  • Aug 23 George Kell, American baseball player, born in Swifton, Arkansas (d. 2009)
  • Aug 23 Jean Darling, American child actress (Our Gang), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2015)
  • Aug 23 Pierre Gauvreau, Canadian painter, television writer and producer, born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2011)
  • Aug 23 Eevi Huttunen, Finnish speed skater (8 World C'ship gold 1951-59), born in Karttula, Finland (d. 2015)
  • Aug 24 René Lévesque, Premier of Quebec, born in Campbellton, Canada (d. 1987)

Person of interestHoward Zinn

Aug 24 Howard Zinn, American historian and activist (A People's History of the United States), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2010)

Historian and Activist Howard Zinn
Historian and Activist
Howard Zinn
  • Aug 25 Ronnie Potsdammer, Dutch singer, songwriter and programmer, born in Hoogeveen, Netherlands (d. 1994)
  • Aug 26 Lazar Nikolov, composer
  • Aug 26 Irving R. Levine, American journalist (NBC News), born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (d. 2009)
  • Aug 29 Emile Habibi, Palestinian Israeli writer (The Secret Life of Saeed the Pessoptimist), born in Haifa (d. 1996)
  • Aug 29 Yorgos Sicilianos, Greek composer, born in Athens (d. 2005)
  • Aug 29 Mr. Blackwell, American fashion critic, born in Brooklyn Heights, New York (d. 2008)
  • Aug 30 Regina Resnik, American mezzo-soprano (Sieglinde-Bayreuth), born in NYC, New York (d. 2013)
  • Aug 30 Lionel Murphy, Australian politician, born in Kensington, New South Wales, Australia (d. 1986)

Famous Divorces


Broken heartDivorce of Interest

Aug 9 Actress Gloria Swanson (23) divorces businessman Herbert K. Somborn after almost 3 years of marriage

Actress Gloria Swanson
Actress
Gloria Swanson

Famous Deaths

  • Aug 1 Vaclav Juda Novotny, composer, dies at 72

Person of interestAlexander Graham Bell

Aug 2 Alexander Graham Bell, Scottish-born British American inventor (telephone), dies of diabetes complications at 75

Inventor Alexander Graham Bell
Inventor
Alexander Graham Bell
  • Aug 2 Mina Kruseman, Dutch author and feminist, dies at 82

Person of interestEnver Pasha

Aug 4 Enver Pasha, Turkish general and politician, dies in battle at 40

Leader of the Ottoman Empire Enver Pasha
Leader of the Ottoman Empire
Enver Pasha
  • Aug 12 Arthur Griffith, Irish nationalist/president (Sinn Fein), dies
  • Aug 14 Alfred CW Harmsworth, 1st viscount Northcliffe/newspaper magnate, dies
  • Aug 19 Felipe Pedrell, composer, dies at 81

Person of interestMichael Collins

Aug 22 Michael Collins, Irish nationalist leader, killed in ambush by anti-treaty forces during the Irish Civil War at 31

Revolutionary, soldier, and politician Michael Collins
Revolutionary, soldier, and politician
Michael Collins
  • Aug 27 Carl Fuchs, German composer, dies at 83
  • Aug 28 Gaston of Orleans, Count of Eu, dies at 80

What Happened in 1922

Search the world's largest, most accurate site for today in history.