There appears to be something online called a “Fame Meter.” It offers various “most famous people” lists: the most famous people who were born today, or who were born on your birthday, or who died in a given year. Apparently the year 1872 was a bad year for famous people dying (a rather inelegant way of putting it), meaning that “not many famous people died in this year versus people who died in other years.” If the Fame Meter is to be believed, the most famous person to have died in 1872 was Benito Juárez, a former Mexican president, which would indeed qualify it as a weak year.
Peter C. Meilaender is professor of political science and dean of religion, humanities, and global studies at Houghton University.
