Historical Events
- Aug 1 Charles Whitman wounds 31 and kills 16 at University of Texas
- Aug 1 Yakubu Gowon becomes Nigerian Head of State after a military coup d'état
- Aug 2 Radio Vila (New Hebrides) begins transmitting
- Aug 3 South African government bans Beatle records
- Aug 4 8th British Empire Games & Commonwealth Games open in Kingston, Jamaica; first Games held outside 'White Dominions'
- Aug 5 33rd NFL Chicago College All-Star Game: Green Bay 38, All-Stars 0; 72,000 at Soldier Field
Event of Interest
Aug 5 Martin Luther King Jr. stoned during Chicago march
Martin Luther King Jr.
- Aug 5 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
- Aug 5 The Beatles release their "Revolver" album in the UK
- Aug 5 Beatles release single "Yellow Submarine" with "Eleanor Rigby" in UK
- Aug 5 West Indies cricket captain Gary Sobers scores 174 including a century between lunch & tea to set up a 4th Test win v England at Headingley
Boxing Title Fight
Aug 6 Muhammad Ali knocks out English boxer Brian London in round 3 at Earl's Court in London to retain his undisputed world heavyweight title
Muhammad Ali
- Aug 6 Salazarbrug over Tag opens (longest suspension bridge in Europe)
- Aug 6 US citizens demonstrate against war in Vietnam
- Aug 7 Race riot in Lansing Michigan
- Aug 8 South African Broadcasting bans Beatles (Lennon's anti-Jesus remark)
- Aug 9 The Beatles release their "Yellow Submarine" single and its album "Revolver" in the US
- Aug 10 NASA launches Lunar Orbiter 1 to the Moon to photograph the lunar surface
- Aug 10 1st lunar orbiter launched by US
- Aug 10 Daylight meteor seen from Utah to Canada. Only known case of a meteor entering Earth's atmosphere & leaving it again
- Aug 11 Last Beatle concert tour of US begins
- Aug 14 1st US lunar orbiter begins orbiting Moon
- Aug 14 Cleveland Stadium's 1st rock concert is held, featuring Beatles
- Aug 15 Puerto Rican champion José Torres beats Eddie Cotton on points in Las Vegas to retain the WBC/WBA light-heavyweight boxing title
- Aug 15 Radio Free Asia (South Korea) begins radio transmission
- Aug 17 NASA satellite Pioneer 7 launched into solar orbit
Event of Interest
Aug 17 Willie Mays takes 2nd place on all-time HR list
Willie Mays
- Aug 19 Earthquake strikes Varko Turkey: 2,400 killed
- Aug 20 Beatles pelted with rotten fruit during Memphis concert
- Aug 21 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Rainbow Springs CC; Mickey Wright wins her 13th and final major title by 1 from Margie Masters & Jo Ann Prentice
- Aug 22 The Beatles arrive in New York
- Aug 23 Lunar Orbiter 1 takes 1st photograph of Earth from Moon
- Aug 24 USSR launches Luna 11 for orbit around Moon
- Aug 26 Baltimore Orioles Roznovsky & B Powell are 4th to hit consecutive pinch HRs
- Aug 26 KLOC (now KCSO) channel 42 in Charlotte, North Carolina (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 27 Francis Chichester begins 1st solo sail around world
- Aug 27 Oakland Pitcher Paul Lindblad begins a 385 cons errorless streak
- Aug 27 Race riot in Waukegan, Illinois
- Aug 28 27th Venice Film Festival: "The Battle of Algiers" directed by Gillo Pontecorvo wins Golden Lion
- Aug 29 The Beatles' last public concert (Candlestick Park, San Francisco)
- Aug 29 Dutch Internal minister Smallenbroek resigns after driving drunk
- Aug 31 Referee Leo Horn whistles his last soccer match (Ajax-Bulgaria)
- Aug 31 "The Battle of Algiers", directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, starring Jean Martin, Saadi Yacef, premieres at the Vienna International Film Festival
Famous Birthdays
- Aug 1 Darryl Hall, CFL linebacker (Calgary Stampeders), born in Oscoda, Michigan
- Aug 1 Horacio de la Peña, Argentinian tennis star and coach, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Aug 1 Pat Carter, American NFL tight end (Arizona Cardinals), born in Sarasota, Florida
- Aug 1 James St. James, American author and nightlife personality, born in Saginaw, Michigan
- Aug 2 Joseph Wanag, American judoka (Olympic-92), born in Wilton, Connecticut
- Aug 2 Tim Wakefield [Timothy Stephen], American baseball pitcher (Boston Red Sox-1995 AL Comeback Player of the Year), born in Melbourne, Florida
- Aug 3 Eric Esch, American boxer, born in Atlanta, Georgia
- Aug 4 Kensuke Sasaki, wrestler (WCW/NJPW/Calgary, Power Warrior)
- Aug 5 Jonathan Silverman, actor (Brighton Beach Memoirs, Single Guy), born in Los Angeles, California
- Aug 6 Billy Mayfair, American golfer (Tour Championship 1995), born in Phoenix, Arizona
- Aug 7 Kristin Hersch, American singer/songwriter (Throwing Muses), born in Atlanta, Georgia
- Aug 7 Tony Stargell, American NFL cornerback (Tampa Bay Bucs, Chicago Bears), born in LaGrange, Georgia
- Aug 7 Jimmy Wales, American internet entrepreneur and cofounder of Wikipedia, born in Huntsville, Alabama
- Aug 8 Chris Eubank, English boxer
- Aug 8 John Hudek, American baseball player
- Aug 9 Pat Petersen, American actor (Michael-Knots Landing), born in Los Angeles, California
- Aug 9 Vinny Del Negro, NBA guard (San Antonio Spurs)
- Aug 10 Gerald Williams, outfielder (NY Yankees), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Aug 10 Hansi Kürsch, German singer
- Aug 11 Antonio Goss, NFL linebacker (SF 49ers)
- Aug 11 Nigel Martyn, English footballer
- Aug 12 Bruce Covernton, CFL defensive tackle (Calgary Stampeders)
- Aug 12 Dean Hartgraves, Bakersfield CA, pitcher (Houston Astros)
- Aug 12 Gordy Morgan, 163 lbs greco-roman wrestler (Olympics 1996), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Aug 12 Greg Manusky, NFL linebacker (KC Chiefs)
- Aug 12 Les Ferdinand, English footballer
- Aug 13 Glenn Donald Hamilton, New Zealand beach volleyball player (Olympics 1996), born in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Aug 13 Shayne Corson, Canadian NHL forward (Team Canada Olympics 1998, Montreal), born in Midland, Ontario, Canada
- Aug 14 David Hallyday, French singer-songwriter and actor (He's My Girl), born in Boulougne, France
Halle Berry
Aug 14 Halle Berry, American actress (X-Men: The Last Stand, Monsters Ball), born in Cleveland, Ohio
Halle Berry
- Aug 14 Karl Petter Løken, Norwegian footballer, born in Karlskoga, Sweden
- Aug 15 Fred Strickland, linebacker (Dallas Cowboys)
- Aug 15 Leo Goeas, guard (Baltimore Ravens)
- Aug 15 Shirley Kwan, Hong Kong singer
- Aug 16 Ed Olczyk, NHL center (Winnipeg Jets), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Aug 16 Rosey Edeh, Canadian 400m hurdler (Olympics-4-92, 96), born in London, England
- Aug 16 Terry Shumpert, infielder (Chicago Cubs), born in Paducah, Kentucky
- Aug 17 Cedric Figaro, American football linebacker (Amsterdam Admirals), born in Lafayette, Louisiana
- Aug 17 Zefross Moss, NFL tackle (Detroit Lions, NE Patriots)
- Aug 17 Maysa Leak, American Jazz Singer
- Aug 17 Rodney Mullen, American skateboarder
- Aug 17 Don Sweeney, Canadian ice hockey player
- Aug 18 Steve Avery, American football running back (Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Aug 18 Gustavo Charif, Argentine artist, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Aug 18 Kang Soo-yeon, South Korean actress, born in Seoul, South Korea
- Aug 19 Lilian Garcia, wrestling announcer
- Aug 19 Lee Ann Womack, American musician
- Aug 20 Courtney Gibbs, American actress (Baywatch) and Miss USA 1988, born in Dallas, Texas
- Aug 20 Greg Jackson, NFL strong safety (Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers)
- Aug 20 Steven Finn, Laval, NHL defenseman (LA Kings)
- Aug 20 "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, American heavy metal guitarist (Pantera), born in Arlington, Texas (d. 2004)
- Aug 20 Colin Cunningham, American actor (Centigrade, Falling Skies), born in Los Angeles, California
- Aug 21 John Wetteland, American pitcher (NY Yanks, Rangers, Expos), born in San Mateo, California
- Aug 22 Mark Michaels, heavy metal guitarist (Teach Yourself Rhythm Guitar)
- Aug 22 Rob Witschge, Dutch soccer star (Ajax/Feyenoord), born in Amsterdam
- Aug 22 GZA [Gary Grice], American rapper (Wu-Tang Clan), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Aug 23 Rhonda Cator, Australian badminton player (Olympics 1996)
- Aug 23 Rik Smits, NBA center (Indiana Pacers), born in Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Aug 24 Jon Sieben, Australian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m butterfly 1984), born in Brisbane, Queensland
- Aug 25 Albert Belle, American baseball outfielder (Cleveland Indians; 5-time MLB All-Star), born in Shreveport, Louisiana
- Aug 25 Derek Sherinian, American keyboardist
- Aug 25 Robert Maschio, American Actor ("The Todd" in Scrubs)
- Aug 25 Michael Cohen, American lawyer to Donald Trump, born in Long Island, New York
- Aug 26 Jacques Brinkman, Dutch field hockey player
- Aug 26 Shirley Manson, Scottish singer
- Aug 27 Deena Wigger, US shooter (Olympic-92), born in Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Aug 27 Juhan Parts, Prime Minister of Estonia
- Aug 28 Jerry Fehily, Irish rocker (Hothouse Flowers-Don't Go)
- Aug 28 Teresa Zarzeczny Bell, American rower (Olympic silver 1996), born in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
- Aug 28 Priya Dutt, Indian social worker and politician, born in Mumbai, India
- Aug 29 Dan Truman, St George Utah, singer (Diamond Rio-Meet in the Middle)
- Aug 30 John Terry, CFL tackle (Saskatchewan Roughriders)
- Aug 30 Michael Michele, Evansville In, actress (Nikki-Central Park West)
- Aug 31 Jeff Frye, infielder (Boston Red Sox), born in Oakland, California
- Aug 31 Jan Einar Thorsen, Norwegian Alpine skier
Famous Weddings
Wedding of Interest
Aug 27 American sportscaster Al Michaels (21) weds Linda Stamaton
Al Michaels
Famous Deaths
- Aug 1 Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell, American jazz pianist and composer, dies at 41
- Aug 1 Charles Whitman, former marine, kills 16 at U of Texas, shot by cops
- Aug 3 Lenny Bruce [Leonard Schneider], American comedian, dies of a morphine overdose at 39
- Aug 5 Austin Diamond, Australian cricketer (Australian capt to America 1913), dies at 92
- Aug 6 Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, sci-fi author (Space Lords), dies at 53
- Aug 6 Cordwainer Smith, American writer (b. 1913)
- Aug 8 Pierre Charles, Belgian heavyweight boxer, dies at 63
- Aug 8 Ed "Strangler" Lewis, American professional wrestler, dies at 75
- Aug 9 Gösta Nystroem, Swedish composer, dies at 75
- Aug 10 Felix Andries Vening Meinesz, Dutch geophysicist (black force), dies at 79
- Aug 10 Jacobus C Bloem, poet (Cinders), dies
- Aug 14 S J "Tip" Snooke, South African cricket all-rounder (26 Tests 1905-23), dies
- Aug 15 Gerhard/Gerhart Pohl, German writer (Battle of Kolbenau), dies at 64
- Aug 15 Jan Kiepura, Polish vocalist and actor (Her Wonderful Lie, Give Us this Night), dies of heart attack at 64
- Aug 15 Seena Owen, actress/writer (Queen Kelly), dies at 71
- Aug 15 Gerhard Pohl, German writer (Crazy Ferdinand), dies at 64
- Aug 16 Jack Mather, actor (Cisco Kid), dies of heart attack at 58
- Aug 17 Archibald Palm, cricketer (Test South Africa v England 1927-28), dies
- Aug 17 Michael Garrison, producer (Crowded Sky), dies after a fall at 43
- Aug 18 Isaac Keesing, Dutch publisher and founder (System Keesing), dies at 80
- Aug 18 Watze Cuperus, Frisian author (Struggle & Blessing), dies at 75
- Aug 22 Apolinary Szeluto, Polish pianist and composer, dies at 82
- Aug 23 Francis X. Bushman, American silent film actor (Sabrina, Ben-Hur), dies at 83
- Aug 26 Art Baker, TV host (You Asked For It), dies at 67
- Aug 29 Sayyid Qutb, Egyptian theoretician (b. 1906)
- Aug 31 Kasimir Edschmid, German writer, dies at 75