On This Day for August 11 - Jackson Pollock killed in automobile accident, Pervez Musharraf is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. August 11 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Pervez Musharraf READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1956 Jackson Pollock killed in automobile accident READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2014: American comedian and actor Robin Williams, who was known for his manic stand-up routines and his diverse film performances, committed suicide. [ Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about A-list actors.] 1984: At the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Carl Lewis became the third track-and-field athlete to win four gold medals in one Olympics, joining fellow Americans Alvin Kraenzlein (1900) and Jesse Owens (1936). [Take our quiz about track and field.] 1964: The Beatles' first feature film, A Hard Day's Night, had its U.S. premiere in New York City; released during the height of Beatlemania, it is now widely considered a classic.[ Sort fact from fiction in our Beatlemania quiz.] 1942: American actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil received a patent for an electronic device that minimized the jamming of radio signals; it later became a component of satellite and cellular phone technology. [Read our list of seven celebrity inventors, including Hedy Lamarr .] 1929: In a game against the Cleveland Indians, Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees hit his 500th career home run, becoming the first baseball player to reach that milestone. [See where Babe Ruth ranks on our list of the 10 greatest baseball players of all time.] 1921: Alex Haley, an African American writer best known for The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965) and Roots: The Saga of an American Family (1976), was born in Ithaca, New York. [Take our quiz about famous authors.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1950 Steve Wozniak American electronics engineer 1965 Viola Davis American actress 1933 Jerry Falwell American minister 1943 Pervez Musharraf president of Pakistan 1897 Enid Blyton British author 1961 David Brooks American journalist and commentator SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help