Birthdays of important personalities on January 31

1601: Pieter de Bloot, Dutch landscape painter
1607: James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby
1612: Hendrik Casimir I, count of Nassau-Dietz/mayor of Frisia
1620: Georg F von Waldeck, German commander-in-chief
1623: Fran?ois-Xavier de Laval
1633: Nathaniel Crew, English bishop (Durham)
1734: Robert Morris, merchant (signed Declaration of Independence)
1750: Gerrit J Pijman, Dutch minister of War (1798-1800, 1803-06)
1778: Franz Anton graaf von Kolowrat, Austrian premiere of Bohemia (1848)
1802: Jan C J van Speijk, Dutch naval hero
1810: Daniel Ruggles, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1897
1812: John Randolph Tucker, Capt (Confederate Navy), died in 1883
1813: Samuel Sarphati, Amsterdam, physician/pharmacist/social activist
1818: William Raine Peck, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1871
1830: James G Blaine, the "Plumed Knight"
1863: F Henri Berz, French existensialist philosopher (Revue the Synthesis)
1868: Theodore William Richards, chemist (atomic weights, Nobel-1914)
1869: Henry graaf Carton de Wiart, Belgian literary/premier (1920-21)
1872: Zane Grey, American West novelist (Riders of the Purple Sage)
1877: Max Ettlinger, German philosopher
1878: Willem J M van Eysinga, Dutch international law jurist
1881: Irving Langmuir, inventor (tungsten filament lamp/Nobel 1932)
1881: Joseph A Cushman, US, palaentologist
1882: Anna Pavlova, St Petersburg Russia, ballerina/choreographer
1882: Josephus RH van Schaik, Dutch lawyer/vice-premier
1886: Alfonso Lopez, Colombia, statesman (Pres UN security council-1948)
1890: Adolf Bach, German language/sociologist (Deutsche Namenkunde)
1892: Eddie Cantor, NYC, comedian (Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater)
1902: Alva Myrdal, Uppsala Sweden, diplomat (Nobel Peace Prize-1982)
1902: Jean C M Picart le Doux, France, carpet designer
1902: Julian H Steward, US anthropologist/professor
1903: Gardner Cowles, Iowa, publisher/founder (Look Magazine)
1904: E van Ruller, Dutch journalist/ARP-alderman/co-founder (Trouw)
1904: L?on N H Jungschl?ger, head of military intelligence (Neth-Indies)
1905: Charles de Trooz, Belgian literary (Le Magister et Ses Ma?tres)
1905: John O'Hara, Pottstown Penn, novelist (Appointment at Samarra)
1906: R W Bonham, founder (International Braille Chess Association)
1909: Foley Newns, British colonial administrator
1909: Miron Grindea, literary editor
1910: Herbert Ashworth, CEO (Nationwide Building Society)
1911: A G Ogston, president (Trinity College-Oxford)
1911: Christina Foyle, book seller
1914: Jersey Joe Walcott, heavyweight boxing champ (1951-52)
1914: Louis Osman, architect/artist/goldsmith
1915: Bobby Hackett, Providence RI, trumpeteer/orch leader (Air Time '57)
1915: Garry Moore, [Thomas Garrison Morfit], Balt, host (I've Got a Secret)
1915: John Profumo, president (Toynbee Hall)
1915: Thomas Merton, France, Trappist monk/poet/essayist (7 Storey Mt)
1915: William Crosbie, artist
1916: Ciro D Crown, premier of Dutch Antilles (1968-69)
1916: Violet Cane, statistician
1917: Erich Geiringer, general practitioner campaigner
1919: Jackie Robinson, Ga, 1st black major league baseball player (Dodgers)
1919: Lord Lowry
1920: Patrick Heron, painter
1920: Robert Hersant, press baron
1920: Stewart L Udall, St Johns Ariz, US Secretary of Interior (1961-69)
1922: Michael Wilford, diplomat
1923: Norman Mailer, NJ, NYC mayoral candidate/novelist (Naked & the Dead)
1924: Robert Gatehouse, former High Court judge
1924: Tengiz Abuladze, filmmaker
1925: Benjamin Hooks, civil rights leader
1925: Charles Aidman, Frankfort Ind, narrator (New Twilight Zone)
1925: Fred Catherwood, MP
1926: Prunella Briance, founder (National Childbirth Trust)
1928: Chuck Willis, rock vocalist (C C Rider)
1928: Eric Ash, rector (Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine)
1928: Richard Buckley, royal equerry
1928: Robert Clatworthy, sculptor
1929: Rudolf M?ssbauer, Germany, physicist (Nobel 1961)
1931: Christopher Chataway, British MP/athlete (world record 5k)
1931: Ernie Banks, "Mr Cub" Chicago Cubs, Hall-of-Famer (1st baseman)
1931: Jean Burroughs, educationalist
1931: Nicholas Gordon Lennox, diplomat
1932: Pieter Brattinga, Dutch graphic artist
1932: Rick Hall, country/R&B singer
1933: Joseph D Early, (Rep-D-MA, 1975- )
1933: Walter Paulis, mineworker/pilot/Dutch MP (CDA)
1934: Ron Weatherburn, jazz pianist
1935: Oe Kenzaburo, Japanese novelist (Catch, Personal Matter)
1936: Marvin Junior, singer (Dells-Oh What a Night)
1938: Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, queen of Netherlands (1980- )
1938: James G Watt, Colo, US Secretary of Interior (1981-83)
1941: George S Mickelson, (Gov-SD)
1941: Richard A Gephardt, (Rep-D-MO, 1977- )
1944: Anton Korteweg, Dutch poet (For the Good Order)
1944: Charley Musselwhite, blues musician (Stand Back, Louisiana Fog)
1944: Eugene Terre Blanche, S Afr leader of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
1947: Nolan Ryan, pitcher (Mets, Angels, Astros) (7 no-hitters, 5,714 Ks)
1951: Harry Casey, [KC], rock vocalist (KC & Sunshine Band-Give It)
1951: Phil Manzanera, rock guitarist (Roxy Music-Let's Stick Together)
1951: Presiley Baxendale, British QC
1952: Rosanne Musgrave, headmistress (Blackheath HS)
1953: Aart Mol, Dutch bassist (Catapult)
1954: Adrian Vandenberg, Amsterdam Neth, rock guitarist (Whitesnake)
1956: Trevor A Manuel, South African UDF/ANC-leader
1957: Brett "the Hitman" Hart, Alberta Canada, WWF champion
1958: Rafael Santana, shortstop (NY Mets, NY Yankees)
1958: Tom Schuman, pianist (Spyro Gyra-Morning Dance)
1961: Lloyd Cole, guitar/vocals (& the Commotions-Rattlesnakes)
1964: Oto Hascak, hockey forward (Team Slovakia 1998)
1965: Bobby Dollas, Montreal, NHL defenseman (Anaheim Mighty Ducks)
1965: Ren? Trost, Dutch soccer player (Roda JC)
1966: Al Jaworsky, [Alan Doughty], pop bassist (Jesus Jones)
1966: Jamie Taras, CFL guard (BC Lions)
1968: Steve Phoenix, US baseball pitcher (Oakland Athletics)
1970: Rachel Jean Marteen, Atlanta GA, playmate (Aug, 1995)
1970: Travis Hannah, NFL/WLAF receiver (Houston Oilers, Frankfurt Galaxy)
1972: Ben Cavil, guard (Baltimore Ravens)
1972: Fritz Fequiere, WLAF guard (Barcelona Dragons, London Monarchs)
1972: Marvin Coleman, CFL defensive back (Calgary Stampeders)
1972: Pulu Poumele, guard (San Diego Chargers)
1972: Reinier Robbemond, Dutch soccer player (Dordrecht '90)
1973: Latario Rachal, WLAF/NFL receiver (Amsterdam Admirals, SD Chargers)
1974: Bob Mulder, soccer player (Appingedam, FC Groningen)
1974: Pavi Sald, ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Oly-98)
1975: Kenard Lang, defensive end (Washington Redskins)
1985: Andrew Giuliani, son of Rudy (Mayor-R-NYC, 1994-2002)

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