August 23rd
1305
William Wallace, Scottish patriot, is executed for high treason by Edward I of England.
1591
Luis Ponce de León a Spanish lyric poet and an Augustinian canon, of the Spanish Golden Age died.
1904
The automobile tire chain is patented.
1914
Japan declared war on Germany in World War I.
1926
Silent film star Rudolph Valentino died in New York at age 31.
1989
Pete Rose, the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball after being accused of gambling on baseball.
Birthdays
75 Barbara Eden Actress ("I Dream of Jeannie")
75 Sonny Jurgensen Football Hall of Famer
69 Richard Sanders Actor ("WKRP in Cincinnati")
60 Shelley Long Actress ("Cheers")
60 Rick Springfield Actor, singer
48 Dean DeLeo Rock musician (Stone Temple Pilots)
39 Jay Mohr Actor
31 Kobe Bryant Basketball player (LA Lakers)
28 Kommatose Cigar Asylum Inmate
38 Louis XVI 8/23/1754 - 1/21/1793 French king; guillotined in French Revolution
83 Gene Kelly 8/23/1912 - 2/2/1996 American dancer, actor, choreographer and director
86 George Kell 8/23/1922 - 3/24/2009 Baseball Hall of Famer
32 Keith Moon 8/23/1946 - 9/7/1978 Drummer of the rock group The Who
23 River Phoenix 8/23/1970 - 10/31/1993 American film actor