Golf Central

The father of British golf died on this day in 1908 aged 86 from a concussion caused by a fall down a flight of stairs. Old Tom played a role in designing courses across the British Isles, including Muirfield, Prestwick and Carnoustie.

He won four British Open titles between 1861 and 1866 and revolutionised the art of green-keeping by top-dressing greens, maintaining bunkers and standardising golf course length at 18 holes (St. Andrews had at one time been 23 holes). He also introduced the concept of each nine holes returning to the clubhouse.

In the real world, Peter Minuit executed one of the greatest business deals of all time, buying the island of Manhattan from the Canarsee Native Americans for 60 guilders worth of bits and pieces. It's also the day that Igor Sikorsky performed the first successful single-rotor helicopter flight in 1940.

It's vse najboljse za rojstni dan! as they say in Slovenia to enigmatic folksy legend Bob Dylan (67), magnificent British actor Jim Broadbent (59) and eccentric genius footballer Eric Cantona (42). It was also the day that Gene Clark, leader of cult 60s band The Byrds died in 1991, aged 47.