1916 births

Josef Traxel (29 September 1916 in Mainz – 8 October 1975 in Stuttgart) was a German operatic tenor, particularly associated with Mozart roles and the German repertory.
He studied at the Darmstadt Conservatory, but was conscripted into the army before beginning his career. However, he was able to make his debut in Mainz, as Don Ottavio, in 1942, while on sick-leave from the army. After internment in Britain as a prisoner of war, he returned to Germany and resumed his career in Nuremberg in 1946, where he remained until 1952, he then joined the Stuttgart Opera. The same year, he appeared at the Salzburg Festival, where he sang the role of Mercury at the premiere of Richard Strauss's Die Liebe der Danae. In 1954, he first appeared at the Bayreuth Festival as Froh in Rheingold, returning as Walther in Tannhäuser, as Erik and the Steuermann in Der fliegende Holländer, the young sailor in Tristan und Isolde, a Knight in Parsifal, and in 1957, as Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He was also a frequent guest at the Munich State Opera and the Vienna State Opera, also appearing in the Netherlands and Switzerland. He frequently performed in, and recorded, sacred music.
He possessed a finely poised tenor with an unusually high tessitura, his wide repertoire ranged from Belmonte to Siegmund, he was also active in concert, often appearing in Bach's oratorios. In 1963, he was a teacher at the Stuttgart Musikhochschule.

Alfredo Corvino (February 2, 1916 – August 2, 2005) was an Uruguayan ballet dancer and ballet teacher.

Gilles Quispel (30 May 1916 – 2 March 2006) was a Dutch theologian and historian of Christianity and Gnosticism. He was professor of early Christian history at Utrecht University.
Born in Rotterdam, after finishing secondary school in Dordrecht, Quispel studied classical philology from 1934 to 1941 at the Leiden University. At Leiden he also began to study theology, which he continued at the University of Groningen. Quispel completed his doctoral work in 1943 at Utrecht University with a dissertation examining the sources utilized in Tertullian's Adversus Marcionem. He devoted study to several Gnostic systems, particularly Valentinianism. In 1948-1949 he spent a year in Rome as a Bollingen fellow and was appointed professor of the history of the early Church at Utrecht University in 1951. Quispel served as a visiting professor at Harvard University in 1964-1965 and at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in 1968. He was engaged in first editing Nag Hammadi Codex I (the "Jung Codex") and devoted attention to the Nag Hammadi Library and particularly to the Gospel of Thomas throughout the rest of his career. Quispel also made contributions to the study of early "Jewish-Christian" traditions as well as Tatian's Diatessaron (a second-century gospel harmony). He died in El Gouna, Egypt.

Elmer Donald "Pep" Rambert (August 1, 1916 – November 16, 1974) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Rambert's only decision came on the final day of his MLB career when he surrendered 8 runs in a 3–11 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field.In the minor leagues, he played both pitcher and outfielder, beginning with the Leesburg Gondoliers and St. Augustine Saints of the Florida State League in 1937. During the latter part of his minor league career he was a player manager for the Cairo Egyptians (1946), Federalsburg A's (1947), Hagerstown Owls (1948), Eastman Dodgers (1951), and Cocoa Indians (1952).

Stephen Stepanovich Rachunok (a.k.a. "The Mad Russian") (December 5, 1916 – May 11, 2002), was a professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
A native of Rittman, Ohio, Rachunok appeared in two games during the 1940 season, one as a starter, where he pitched a complete game. His Major League Baseball (MLB) debut came on September 17, 1940, where he pitched the top of the ninth inning, surrendering 1 walk while striking out 1 as the Dodgers were defeated 5–0 by the visiting St. Louis Cardinals at Ebbets Field. His only other MLB appearance came 9 days later in the second game of a doubleheader at Ebbets Field when facing the Boston Bees surrendering 5 runs (all earned), striking out 9, while walking 4, en route to a 5–4 loss.Rachunok died on May 11, 2002, in Corona, California.

James Verlin Mertz (August 10, 1916 – February 4, 2003) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Washington Senators, appearing in 33 games, all during the 1943 season, making ten starts, while notching three saves.

Ray Wilson Hathaway (October 13, 1916 – February 11, 2015) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in four games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945. The 28-year-old rookie right-hander stood 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).
Hathaway was born in Greenville, Ohio in October 1916. He was one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He made his major league debut on April 20, 1945 in relief against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. In his one major league start, the Dodgers lost to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, 5–3, on May 28, 1945. Season and career totals for 4 games include a 0–1 record, 1 start, no complete games, 3 games finished, and an ERA of 4.00 in 9 innings pitched.
He had a lengthy career as a minor league baseball manager following his playing days. He was inducted in the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame. Hathaway was the uncle of former major league pitcher Dave Burba.
At the time of his death in February 2015, he had been the second oldest former major league player still alive. Ironically the only man he was behind in this distinction, Mike Sandlock, was a teammate and played in Hathaway's first major league game, and Hathaway's only career start batting 8th just ahead of Hathaway in that game. This means Ray was never the oldest living player from his major league debut, or even the oldest living player to bat in the same inning as he had batted. (Sandlock batted before him in both of Ray's major league at bats.) His nephew is former Giants pitcher Dave Burba.

Donald Raymond Fisher (February 6, 1916 – July 29, 1973) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in two games for the New York Giants in 1945. The 29-year-old rookie was a native of Cleveland, Ohio.
Fisher is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. Fisher did not play minor league baseball for several years before joining the Giants. The Giants instead signed him directly out of the semi-pro ranks.He made his major league debut in relief on August 25, 1945, against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. He pitched the last five innings of one of the games of the doubleheader and gave up four earned runs.
Fisher played his next and last game on September 30, 1945, the last day of the season, he started the first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Braves at Braves Field. He pitched a 13-inning complete game shutout, winning 1–0.
In 18 total innings pitched, Fisher allowed just 19 baserunners and 4 earned runs, giving him an ERA of 2.00 to go along with his 1–0 record.
Fisher died at the age of 57 in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.

Richard Frederick Hahn (July 24, 1916 – November 5, 1992) was a Major League Baseball catcher. Hahn played for the Washington Senators in 1940. In one career game, he had three career at-bats and did not get a hit.
Hahn was born in Canton, Ohio and died in Orlando, Florida. He was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park in Gotha, Florida.

Naphthali ben Levi (Henri) van Praag (September 12, 1916 in Amsterdam – November 3, 1988 in Hilversum) was a Jewish-Dutch writer, teacher, and religious historian, and became known also for his publications in the field of parapsychology.