On this Day... May 4

• In 1900, the famous plastic surgeon Sir Archie McIndoe was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. He first worked as an abdominal surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, but soon he became fascinated by cosmetic surgery and the idea of curing "cringing introverts" of facial blemishes. In England during the Second World War, he worked marvels with terribly burnt young airman, his "guinea-pigs," and not only put them back together physically but bullied them into facing life again. "I am a renovator of men's faces," he said, "a restorer of confidence and in a sense of spiritual healer. Thus I take myself a God-like status."

• In 1936, the millionaire matador El Cordobes was born Manuel Benitez in Andalusia, and was so poor and ill-educated that he claimed he didn't know the world was round until he saw a film of a satellite on TV! He became a matador in1963 and five years later was a millionaire - not once, but three times over. He'd been gored more than 20 times, and when the length of his scars is added up, it comes three times the measurement of his waist.

- from Today's the Day! By Jeremy Beadle In Christian history

• In 1256, Pope Alexander IV founded the Roman Catholic religious order of the Augustine Hermits.

- from This Day in Christian History By William D. Blake In the Philippines

• In 1917, Nicomedes "Nick" Joaquin, historian, journalist and a National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, who is also widely known with his nome de plume Quijano de Manila, was born in Paco, Manila. Joaquin, widely considered the best postwar author in short stories and novels in the English language, started as a proofreader at the Philippines Free Press and eventually bloomed as one of the Philippines' greatest writer of his time. Notably, Joaquín deeply admired Dr. Jose Rizal to whom he paid tribute in his books "The Storyteller's New Medium - Rizal in Saga," "The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal," and "A Question of Heroes: Essays in Criticism on Ten Key Figures of Philippine History." He also translated the hero's valedictory poem, "Land That I Love, Farewell!" He received several awards in his essay "La Naval de Manila," which won in a contest sponsored by the Dominicans; "Guardia de Honor" was declared the best story of the year in 1949. In 1963, he received the Araw ng Maynila Award, and in 1966 he was conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Literature, Broadcast and Journalism. - kahimyang.info In Cebu

• In 1899, Julio Llorente, "president" of Cebu, warned the people that they are not to furnish money or food to persons in the military service. He also informed Arcadio Maxilom that the latter's office had been abolished. These moves were part of the leadership struggle between the insurgent Maxilom and the pro-American Llorente.

- from Cebuano Studies Center, University of San Carlos