On This Day · The 81st day of the year

March 22

A look at March 22 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Katsuko Saruhashi and Paul Doumer, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1997

    Comet Hale–Bopp

    Comet Hale–Bopp reaches its closest approach to Earth at 1.315 AU.

    Great Comet of 1997
  2. 1995

    Astronaut

    Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returns to earth after setting a record of 438 days in space.

    Spacecraft crew member
  3. 1992

    USAir Flight 405

    USAir Flight 405 crashes shortly after takeoff from New York City's LaGuardia Airport, leading to a number of studies into the effect that ice has on aircraft.

    1992 aviation accident in
  4. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: In the Mediterranean Sea, the Royal Navy confronts Italy's Regia Marina in the Second Battle of Sirte.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  5. 1913

    Phan Xích Long

    Mystic Phan Xích Long, the self-proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam, is arrested for organising a revolt against the colonial rule of French Indochina, which was nevertheless carried out by his supporters the following day.

    Vietnamese mystic and geomancer
  6. 1896

    Charilaos Vasilakos

    Charilaos Vasilakos wins the first modern Olympic marathon race with a time of three hours and 18 minutes.

    Greek runner (1875–1964)
  7. 1784

    Emerald Buddha

    The Emerald Buddha is moved with great ceremony to its current location in Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand.

    Buddha statue in Bangkok,
  8. 1765

    Parliament of Great Britain

    The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act that introduces a tax to be levied directly on its American colonies.

    United English and Scottish
  9. 1638

    Anne Hutchinson

    Anne Hutchinson is expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious dissent.

    English-born religious figure (1591–1643)
  10. 106

    AD 106

    Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.

    Calendar year
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Famous birthday twins

Born on March 22

Katsuko Saruhashi

b. 1920

Japanese geochemist

Paul Doumer

b. 1857

French mathematician, journalist, and politician, 14th President of France

William Shatner

b. 1931

Canadian actor

Wolf Blitzer

b. 1948

American journalist

John II Casimir Vasa

b. 1609

Polish king

Nino Manfredi

b. 1921

Italian actor, director, and screenwriter

Shawn Bradley

b. 1972

German-American basketball player, coach, and actor

Armin Hary

b. 1937

German sprinter

Deaths

  • 2015Horst Buhtz, German footballer and manager
  • 2006Pierre Clostermann, French soldier, pilot, and politician
  • 1832Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German novelist, poet, playwright, and diplomat
  • 1687Jean-Baptiste Lully, Italian-French composer and conductor
  • 1418Dietrich of Nieheim, German bishop and historian
  • 235Severus Alexander, Roman emperor

Holidays & observances

  • Bihar Day (Bihar, India)
  • Christian feast day: Basil of Ancyra
  • Christian feast day: Blessed Clemens August Graf von Galen
  • Christian feast day: Darerca of Ireland
  • Christian feast day: Epaphroditus
  • Christian feast day: Jonathan Edwards (Lutheranism)
  • Christian feast day: Lea of Rome
  • Christian feast day: Nicholas Owen

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