In the year 1903, Morris and Rose Mitchom introduce the first teddy bear in the United States (Feb 15), Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States “in perpetuity” (Feb 23), the first Tour de France bicycle race commences (Jul 1), Prussia becomes the first country to require mandatory driver’s license for car drivers (Sep 29), Orville Wright makes the first flight with an aircraft with petrol-engine (Dec 17), women’s rights progress around the world - and all these fine people were born:

1903-0102 Kane Tanaka* 田中カ子 supercentenarian/the world’s oldest verified living person - Kazuki Village, Fukuoka, Japan (2022/119) 1903-0104 Georg Elser* German worker who almost succeeded to asssassinate Hitler - Hermaringen, Württemberg, German Empire (1945/42) 1903-0110 Barbara Hepworth* artist/ sculptor - Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England (1975/72) 1903-0116 Peter Brocco* actor - Reading, PA USA (1992/89) 1903-0122 Fritz Houtermans* nuclear physicist - Zoppot, West Prussia (1966/63) 1903-0128 Kathleen Lonsdale* crystallographer/ pacifist/prison reformer - Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland (1971/68) 1903-0221 Anaîs Nin* diarist/ essayist/ novelist - Neuilly-sur-Seine, France (1977/73) 1903-0226 Giulio Natta* chemist/N - Imperia, Italy (1979/76) 1903-0228 Vincente Minelli* film director - Chicago, IL USA (1986/83) 1903-0301 1903-0303 Warren Kealoha* swimmer/OG/rancher - Honolulu, Hawaii (1972/69) 1903-0305 Vilho Pentikäinen* Finnish spy for the Soviet Union/double agent? - Antrea, Karelia, GD of Finland (1942/c.39) 1903-0314 Mustafa Barzani* Kurdish nationalist leader - Barzan, Ottoman Empire (1979/75) 1903-0314 Abigail Kapiolani Kawānanakoa* Hawaiian princess - Honolulu, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, USA (1961/58) 1903-0316 Mike Mansfield* politician/diplomat - Brooklyn, NY USA (2001/98) 1903-0320 Edgar Buchanan* actor - Humansville, MO USA (1979/76) 1903-0324 Adolf Butenandt* biochemist/N - Bremerhaven, German Empire (1995/91) 1903-0324 Malcolm Muggeridge* journalist/ satirist/diarist - Sanderstead, Surrey, England (1990/87) 1903-0412 Jan Tinbergen* economist/N - The Hague, Netherlands (1994/91) 1903-0419 Eliot Ness* Prohibition agent - Chicago, IL USA (1957/54) 1903-0502 Benjamin Spock* pediatrician - New Haven, CT USA (1998/94) 1903-0503 Bing Crosby* singer/actor - Tacoma, WA USA (1977/74) 1903-0510 1903-0512 Wilfrid Hyde-White* actor - Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England (1991/87) 1903-0520 1903-0526 Retu Kukkonen* sports executive/sports reporter/father of Anssi Kukkonen - Ruokolahti, GD of Finland (1979/75) 1903-0529 Bob Hope* stand-up comedian/ actor - Eltham, County of London, England (2003/100) 1903-0531 Tiny Thompson* hockey goalie - Sandon, BC Canada (1981/77) 1903-0606 Rafael Paasio* politician/PM - Salo, GD of Finland (1980/76) 1903-0617 Ruth Graves Wakefield* chef/ inventor of chocolate chip cookie - Easton, MA USA (1977/73) 1903-0619 Lou Gehrig* baseball player - Manhattan, NY USA (1941/37) 1903-0624 Bishnu Charan Ghosh* bodybuilder/Hathayogi - Lahore, British India (1970/67) 1903-0625 George Orwell* novelist/ journalist/critic - Motihari, Bengal, British India (1950/46) 1903-0701 Konrad Pettersson* cross-country skier (Vasaloppet) - Älvsbyn, Sweden (1976/73) 1903-0702 Alec Douglas-Home* politician/ statesman/PM- London, England (1995/92) 1903-0702 King Olav V of Norway* the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud of Wales - Sandringham, Norfolk, England (1991/87) 1903-0720 1903-0731 1903-0807 Rudolf Ising* part of the Harman&Ising animation team - Kansas City, MO USA (1992/88) 1903-0807 Louis Leakey* paleoanthropologist/ archaeologist - Kabete, East Africa Protectorate (1972/69) 1903-0817 Olav Sunde* athlete (javelin/OB) - Oslo, Norway (1985/82) 1903-0831 Hugh Harman* part of the Harman&Ising animation team -  Pagosa Springs, CO USA (1982/79) 1903-0901 Florence Owens Thompson* (b Christie) famous for the iconic image of the Great Depression - Indian Territory, USA (1983/80) 1903-0905 Béla Szepes* (b Strauch) ski jumper/athlete (javelin/OS)/journalist/sports cartoonist - Igló, Austria-Hungary (1986/82) 1903-0910 1903-0920 1903-0925 Abul A’la Maududi* Muslim philosopher/ journalist/imam - Aurangabad, British India (1979/75) 1903-0925 Olive Ann Beech* (b Mellor) aerospace businesswoman/co-founder of the Beech Aircraft Corporation  - Waverly, KS USA (1993/89) 1903-0925 Tyyne-Maija Salminen** (b Kivi) author/daughter of Carl Fredrik Kivi - Tuusula, GD of Finland (1967/63) 1903-0928 Felicia Sorel* dancer/ choreographer/dance educator - New York City, NY USA (1972/68) 1903-0930 Lyle Goodhue* chemist/ inventor of aerosol bomb/ entomologist - Jasper County,  IA USA (1981/77) 1903-1001 Vladimir Horowitz* pianist/ composer - Kiev, Ukraine, Russian Empire (1989/86) 1903-1006 Ernest Walton* nuclear physicist/N - Abbyside, Dungarvan, Ireland (1995/91) 1903-1015 Pixie O’Harris* Welsh-Australian artist/illustrator/author - Cardiff, Wales (1991/88) 1903-1020 John Davis Lodge* actor/ politician - Washington D.C. USA (1985/82) 1903-1030 Leonarde Keeler* police officer/co-inventor of the polygraph - North Berkeley, CA USA (1949/45) 1903-1101 1903-1106 June Marlowe* actress - St. Cloud, MN USA (1984/80) 1903-1107 Konrad Lorenz* zoologist/ ethologist/ornithologist - Vienna, Austria-Hungary (1989/85) 1903-1120 1903-1130 1903-1201 1903-1205 C. F. Powell* physicist/N - Tonbridge, Kent, England (1969/65) 1903-1213 Ella Baker* civil and human rights activist - Norfolk, VA USA (1986/83) 1903-1228 John von Neumann* (b Neumann Lajos) Hungarian-American polymath/computer scientist/engineer - Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary (1957/53) 1903-0 1903-0 1903-0 Updated 2025-0423 Helsinki Search for another year here