TODAY 1971 First one-day cricket international between Australia and England, in Melbourne. 1998 Vandals decapitated Copenhagen s Little Mermaid statue. Birthdays: Robert Duvall, actor, 75; Umberto Eco, author of The Name of the Rose, 74; Diane Keaton, ac

TODAY

1971 First one-day cricket international between Australia and England, in Melbourne.

1998 Vandals decapitated Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue.

Birthdays: Robert Duvall, actor, 75; Umberto Eco, author of The Name of the Rose, 74; Diane Keaton, actress, 60.

TOMORROW

1931 Sadler's Wells Theatre opened in London.

1985 Jacques Delors became president of the European Commission.

Birthdays: Terry Venables, ex-England soccer boss, 63; Barry John, ex-Wales Rugby Union star, 61; Anthony Minghella, director of The English Patient, 52; Rowan Atkinson, comedian, 51; Michael Foale, British astronaut, 49.

SATURDAY

1927 The Harlem Globetrotters basketball team set up.

1961 First showing of The Avengers.

1967 First broadcast of The Forsyte Saga.

Birthdays: Helen Worth, actress from Coronation Street, 55; Nicolas Cage, actor, 42; Mark Lamarr, TV and radio presenter, 39.

SUNDAY

1940 Rationing began operating in Britain.

1959 Charles de Gaulle became French President.

Birthdays: Shirley Bassey, singer, 69; Prof Stephen Hawking, mathematician and author of A Brief History of Time, 64; David Bowie, rock legend, 59.

MONDAY

1942 Joe Louis took the world heavyweight boxing championship for the 20th time.

1957 The Post Office introduced television detector vans.

1957 Anthony Eden resigned as Prime Minister.

1986 Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine resigned from the Cabinet.

Birthdays: Clive Dunn, from Dad's Army, 84; Joan Baez, singer, 65; Susannah York, actress, 64; Joely Richardson, actress, 41.

TUESDAY

1840 Sir Rowland Hill started the penny post.

1920 First meeting of the League of Nations, in Geneva.

1946 First meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, in London.

1957 Harold Macmillan appointed Prime Minister.

Birthdays: Rod Stewart, singer, 61; George Foreman, ex-heavyweight world boxing champion, 57.

WEDNESDAY

1973 First degrees awarded by the Open University.

2000 The Beano published its 3,000th edition.

Birthdays: Bryan Robson, West Brom soccer boss, 49; John Sessions, actor and comedian, 53; Mary J Blige, singer-songwriter, 35; Jensen Button, Formula 1 racing driver, 25.