On this day: August 16

Ray Chapman: The Only MLB Player Killed After Being Hit by a Pitch

On August 16, 1920, Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was struck in the head by a pitch and died the following day, the only Major League Baseball player whose death is directly attributed to an on-field batted or thrown ball impact.

Air crash claims entire national soccer team on 16 August 1993

On 16 August 1993 a plane crash killed the members of a national soccer team and others on board, ending the squad and prompting national mourning and investigations into the accident's causes and safety practices.

Pound Plunges as Britain Exits Exchange Rate Mechanism

On 16 August 1992 the British pound sharply fell after the UK government withdrew from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, triggering a currency crisis known as Black Wednesday and forcing rapid policy shifts to stabilize markets.

Police Open Fire on Protesters During Soweto Uprising, 16 August 1976

On 16 August 1976, South African police shot and killed students and other protesters during the Soweto uprising against compulsory Afrikaans instruction and apartheid policies, triggering widespread unrest across the country.