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What happened in history on this day: January 31?
On January 31 in ...
- 314 - Saint Silvester I begins his reign as Catholic Pope.
- 876 - Charles becomes king of Italy.
- 1410 - Sir Thomas Beaufort is appointed chancellor of England.
- 1504 - By treaty of Lyons, French cede Naples to Ferdinand of Aragon.
- 1517 - Birth of Gioseffo Zarlino composer.
- 1531 - Kings Ferdinand of Austria/János Zápolyai of Hungary accept each other.
- 1547 - The death of King Henry VIII of England is announced in Parliament. The Privy Council elects Edward Seymour as Lord Protector.
- 1560 - Spanish king Philip II marries Elisabeth van Valois.
- 1561 - Menno Simonsz Dutch priest/vicar (Foundation Book), dies.
- 1573 - Birth of Ambrosius Metzger composer.
- 1573 - Birth of Giulio Cesare Monteverdi composer.
- 1580 - Hendrik Portuguese cardinal/epilepticus/regent (1578-80), dies.
- 1596 - Catholic League disjoins.
- 1601 - Birth of Pieter de Bloot Dutch landscape painter.
- 1605 - In Tokaido, Japan, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurs, claiming 5,000 deaths and creating a tsunami wave.
- 1606 - Guy Fawkes, convicted in the "Gunpowder Plot" in England, is executed at age 35.
- 1607 - Birth of James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby.
- 1609 - Wisselbank of Amsterdam established.
- 1612 - Birth of Hendrik Casimir I count of Nassau-Dietz/mayor of Frisia.
- 1614 - Birth of Nicolas Saboly composer.
- 1620 - Birth of Georg F von Waldeck German commander-in-chief.
- 1623 - Birth of François-Xavier de Laval Montmorency, consecrated the first bishop of Québec Canada in 1674.
- 1627 - Spanish government goes bankrupt.
- 1632 - Death of Joost Bürgi in Kassel; watchmaker, astronomer and mathematician, invented logarithms, possibly as early as 1588.
- 1633 - Birth of Nathaniel Crew English bishop (Durham).
- 1665 - Death of Johann Clauberg in Solingen; philosopher (Defensio Cartesiana (1652), Ars Etymologica Teutonum e Philosophiae (1663)).
- 1675 - Cornelia/Dina Olfaarts found not guilty of witchcraft.
- 1679 - Jean-Baptiste Lully's opera "Bellérophon" premieres in Paris.
- 1696 - Revolt of undertakers after funeral reforms (Amsterdam).
- 1734 - Birth of Robert Morris merchant (signed Declaration of Independence).
- 1741 - Birth of Theodor Gotlieb von Hippel East Prussian author/mayor of Köningsberg.
- 1750 - Birth of Gerrit J Pijman Dutch minister of War (1798-1800, 1803-06).
- 1774 - Benjamin Franklin is dismissed from the post of Deputy Postmaster for the Northern District of the American Continent, for neglect of postal affairs, and for working for repeal of the Stamp Act. He is replaced by Hugh Finlay.
- 1778 - Birth of Franz Anton graaf von Kolowrat; Austrian premier of Bohemia (1848).
- 1779 - Charles Messier adds M57 (Ring Nebula in Lyra) to his catalog.
- 1787 - Birth of Louis Angely; German comedy writer (Sieben Mädchen in Uniform).
- 1788 - Death of Charles E Stuart at age 67; English pretender to the throne.
- 1797 - Birth of Franz Peter Schubert in Lichtenthal, Austria; composer (Unfinished Symphony).
- 1802 - Birth of Jan C J van Speijk; Dutch naval hero.
- 1810 - Birth of Daniel Ruggles; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1897).
- 1812 - Birth of John Randolph Tucker; Captain (Confederate Navy) (dies 1883).
- 1817 - Birth of Antony Winkler Prins; Dutch writer (Groiler Encyclopaedia).
- 1818 - Birth of William Raine Peck; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1871).
- 1830 - Birth of James Gillespie Blaine in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania; American politician (Representative-Republican-Maine 1863-76/Senator-Republican-Maine 1876-81/Secretary of State 1889-92).
- 1849 - Corn Laws abolished in Britain.
- 1851 - Gail Borden announces invention of evaporated milk.
- 1854 - Dutch KNMI is established (Royal Meteorological Institute).
- 1862 - Telescope maker Alvin Clark discovers dwarf companion of Sirius.
- 1863 - Birth of F Henri Berz; French existentialist philosopher (Revue the Synthesis).
- 1864 - Hamilton Rowan Gamble, US judge/Governor of Missouri (1861-64), dies.
- 1866 - Birth of Emil Strauss in Germany; writer (Naked Man).
- 1866 - Birth of Henry Forster; cricket player (Oxford blue 1887-89, later Australian Governor-General).
- 1868 - Birth of Theodore William Richards; chemist (atomic weights, Nobel Prize-1914).
- 1869 - Birth of Henry graaf Carton de Wiart; Belgian literary/premier (1920-21).
- 1871 - Millions of birds fly over western San Francisco, darkening the sky.
- 1872 - Birth of Zane Grey; American West novelist (Riders of the Purple Sage, Spirit of the Border).
- 1874 - Jesse James gang robs train at Gads Hill, Missouri.
- 1879 - In Dun-le-Poelier, France, a farmer is reported killed by a meteorite.
- 1881 - Birth of Irving Langmuir; physical chemist/colloid researcher/inventor (tungsten filament lamp/Nobel Prize 1932).
- 1884 - Birth of Nicholas Joy in Paris, France; actor (Boss Lady).
- 1886 - Birth of Alfonso Lopez in Colombia; statesman (President of United Nations security council - 1948).
- 1889 - Birth of F R Foster; cricket player (330 runs and 45 wickets for England).
- 1890 - Birth of Adolf Bach; German language/sociologist (Deutsche Namenkunde).
- 1892 - Birth of Eddie Cantor in New York City, New York, USA; comedian (Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater).
- 1894 - Birth of Percy Helton in New York, USA; actor (Jail Busters, Harbor of Missing Men).
- 1895 - José Martí and others leave New York City, New York for invasion of Spanish Cuba.
- 1901 - Boer General John Smuts and De la Rey conquer Mud river, Transvaal.
- 1901 - Winnipeg Victorias sweep Montréal Shamrocks in two for the Stanley Cup of hockey.
- 1902 - Birth of Alva Myrdal in Uppsala, Sweden; diplomat (Nobel Peace Prize-1982).
- 1902 - Birth of Tallulah Bankhead in Huntsville, Alabama, USA; hostess (The Big Show radio show), actress (Black Widow - Batman TV show (1966)).
- 1903 - Birth of Gardner Cowles in Iowa, USA; publisher/founder (Look Magazine).
- 1903 - Birth of Tallulah Bankhead in Huntsville, Alabama, USA; actress (Lifeboat, Die Die Darling).
- 1904 - Birth of E van Ruller; Dutch journalist/ARP-alderman/co-founder (Trouw).
- 1904 - Birth of Léon N H Jungschläger; head of military intelligence (Netherlands-Indies).
- 1905 - First auto to exceed 100 mph (161 kph), driven by A G MacDonald, at Daytona Beach, Florida, USA.
- 1905 - Birth of Anna Blaman [Johanna P Vrugt]; Dutch writer (Wife and Friend).
- 1905 - Birth of Charles de Trooz; Belgian literary (Le Magister et Ses Maîtres).
- 1905 - Birth of John Henry O'Hara in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, USA; novelist (Butterfield 8, Pal Joey, Appointment at Samarra).
- 1905 - Carroll Wright is appointed first US Commissioner of Labor.
- 1906 - Birth of R W Bonham; founder (International Braille Chess Association).
- 1906 - An 8.8-magnitude (strongest instrumentally recorded) earthquake strikes off the coast of Ecuador; the quake and resulting tsunami kill over 500 people.
- 1908 - Birth of René Simone Mathieu in France; doubles tennis star (Wimbledon 1934).
- 1910 - Birth of Herbert Ashworth; CEO (Nationwide Building Society).
- 1911 - Birth of A G Ogston; president (Trinity College-Oxford).
- 1913 - Birth of Don Hutson; NFL end (Green Bay Packers).
- 1913 - Birth of Wayne Millner; NFL end (Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins).
- 1914 - Birth of Carey Lofton in Blountsville, Florida, USA; actor (Skinner - Troubleshooters).
- 1914 - Birth of Jersey Joe Walcott; heavyweight boxing champion (1951-52).
- 1915 - First (German) poison gas attack, against Russians.
- 1915 - Birth of Bobby Hackett in Providence, Rhode Island, USA; trumpeteer/orchestra leader (Air Time '57).
- 1915 - Birth of Garry Moore AKA Thomas Garrison Morfit in Baltimore, Maryland, USA; host (I've Got A Secret, To Tell the Truth, Club Matinee radio show).
- 1915 - Birth of John Profumo; president (Toynbee Hall).
- 1915 - Birth of Thomas Merton in France; Trappist monk/poet/essayist (Seven Storey Mountain).
- 1916 - Birth of Ciro D Crown; premier of Dutch Antilles (1968-69).
- 1916 - Birth of Franciszek Andrzej Pajkowski AKA Frank Andrew Parker AKA Frankie Parker in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; tennis champion (US Open-1944).
- 1917 - Germany notifies US that submarines will attack neutral merchant ship.
- 1918 - Last day of Old Style calendar in Russia, as it adopts Gregorian calendar; next day is February 14.
- 1919 - Birth of Jackie Robinson in Cairo, Georgia, USA; first black major league baseball player (Brooklyn Dodgers).
- 1919 - Paul Lindau, German playwright/critic (Estimate), dies at age 79.
- 1920 - First Ukrainian daily newspaper in US (New York City, New York) begins publication.
- 1920 - Birth of Stewart L Udall in Saint Johns, Arizona, USA; Secretary of Interior (1961-69).
- 1920 - Joe Malone of the Québec Bulldogs sets NHL record with 7 goals in a game against Toronto Saint Patricks.
- 1920 - Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, at Howard University, incorporates.
- 1921 - Birth of Carol Channing in Seattle, Washington, USA; actress (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hello Dolly, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, Toast of the Town, Where's Waldo?).
- 1921 - Birth of John Agar in Chicago, Illinois, USA; actor (Fort Apache, Sands of Iwo Jima).
- 1921 - Birth of Mario Lanza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Great Caruso, Toast of New Orleans), singer ("Be My Love", "The Loveliest Night of the Year", "Because You're Mine").
- 1922 - Birth of Joanne Dru in Logan, West Virginia, USA; actress (Playhouse 90 TV show, Lux Video Theatre, Ford Television Theatre, Guestward Ho! TV show (1960)).
- 1922 - Birth of William Sylvester in Oakland, California, USA; actor (2001, Gorgo, Gemini Man).
- 1923 - Birth of Eddie Ryder in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Slick Jones - General Hospital).
- 1923 - Birth of Joanne Dru in Logan, West Virginia, USA; actress (Guestward Ho, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon).
- 1923 - Birth of Norman Mailer in New Jersey, New York City, New York, USA; mayoral candidate/novelist (Naked and the Dead).
- 1925 - Birth of Charles Aidman in Frankfort, Indiana, USA; narrator (New Twilight Zone).
- 1925 - Premier Ahmed Zogu (Zogu I) becomes President of Albania.
- 1926 - Birth of Jean Simmons in London, England; actress (Thorn Birds, Guys and Dolls).
- 1926 - Birth of Prunella Briance; founder (National Childbirth Trust).
- 1927 - International allies' military command in Germany disbands.
- 1927 - National League President John Heydler rules Roger Hornsby can not hold stock in the Saint Louis Cardinals and play for the New York Giants.
- 1928 - Birth of Chuck Willis; rock vocalist ("C C Rider").
- 1928 - Birth of Eric Ash; rector (Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine).
- 1928 - Scotch tape first marketed by 3-M Company.
- 1929 - Birth of Rudolf Mossbauer in Germany; physicist (Nobel Prize 1961).
- 1929 - Leon Trotsky expelled from Russia to Turkey.
- 1930 - First US glider flight from a dirigible, Lakehurst, New Jersey.
- 1930 - Birth of Lynn Carlin in Los Angeles, California, USA; actress (Joan Hunter - James at age 15, The Waltons).
- 1931 - Birth of Bill Watson; cricket player (New South Wales and Australian opening batsman mid-50s).
- 1931 - Birth of Christopher Chataway; British Member of Parliament/athlete (world record 5km).
- 1931 - Birth of Ernie "Mr Cubs" Banks; American baseball player (Chicago Cubs, Hall-of-Famer (first baseman)).
- 1932 - US railway unions accept 10 percent wage reduction.
- 1933 - Birth of Joseph D Early; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Massachusetts, 1975-).
- 1933 - Birth of Walter Paulis; mineworker/pilot/Dutch Member of Parliament (CDA).
- 1933 - French government of Edouard Daladier takes power.
- 1933 - Adolf Hitler promises parliamentary democracy in Germany.
- 1933 - John Galsworthy, English writer (Forsythe, Nobel Prize 1932), dies at age 65.
- 1934 - Birth of Brian Bolus; cricket player (England opening batsman early 1960s).
- 1934 - Birth of James Franciscus in Clayton, Missouri, USA; actor (Mr Novak TV show, Longstreet, Hunter, Doc Elliot).
- 1934 - US President Franklin Roosevelt devalues the dollar by 40.94 percent in relation to gold by raising price to $35 per ounce (was $20.67 since 1837).
- 1935 - 30.5 cm (12.0 inches) of rain falls, Quinault RS, Washington (state record).
- 1935 - Birth of Oe Kenzaburo; Japanese novelist (The Catch, A Personal Matter).
- 1936 - Birth of Marvin Junior; singer (Dells - "Oh What a Night").
- 1937 - Birth of Philip Glass in Baltimore, Maryland, USA; composer ("Einstein on the Beach").
- 1937 - Birth of Steve Karmen in the Bronx, New York, USA; jingle writer ("I Love New York", "This Bud's for You").
- 1937 - Birth of Suzanne Pleshette in New York City, New York, USA; actress (The Birds, Emily - Bob Newhart Show).
- 1938 - Birth of Ajip Rosidi; Indonesian poet/writer (Madjalah Sunda, Pesta).
- 1938 - Birth of James G Watt in Colorado, USA; US Secretary of Interior (1981-83).
- 1939 - George Thornton, cricket player (one Test for South Africa 1902, 1* and 1-20), dies.
- 1940 - Birth of Jessica Walter in Brooklyn, New York, USA; actress (Play Misty For Me, Amy Prentiss).
- 1940 - Birth of Stuart Margolin in Davenport, Iowa, USA; actor (Love American Style, Angel - The Rockford Files, These Arms of Mine, Beggars and Choosers).
- 1940 - René "Sascha" Schickele, German writer (Erbe am Rhein), dies at age 56.
- 1941 - Anti-German demonstration in Haarlem Netherlands.
- 1941 - Birth of George S Mickelson; American politician (Governor-South Dakota).
- 1941 - Birth of Richard A Gephardt; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Missouri, 1977-).
- 1941 - Joe Louis knocks out Red Burman in five rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
- 1941 - A formal armistice is signed by Siam and Indochina.
- 1942 - Birth of Derek Jarman; actor/director (Angelic Conversation, Edward II).
- 1943 - Chile breaks contact with Germany and Japan.
- 1943 - German 6th Army commander Friedrich Paulus and almost 250,000 German troops surrender at Stalingrad.
- 1944 - Birth of Anton Korteweg; Dutch poet (For the Good Order).
- 1944 - Birth of Charley Musselwhite; blues musician (Stand Back, Louisiana Fog).
- 1944 - Birth of Eugene Terre Blanche; South African leader of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging.
- 1944 - Birth of John Inverarity; cricket player (Australian batsman 1968-72).
- 1944 - Operation Overlord (D-Day invasion of Normandy) postponed until June.
- 1944 - German submarine U-592 sunk off Ireland.
- 1944 - US forces invade Kwajalein Atoll.
- 1945 - American Private Edward Donald Slovik, age 25, is executed by firing squad for desertion, the first such execution since the US Civil War.
- 1945 - US 4th Infantry division occupies Elcherrath.
- 1946 - Birth of Glynn Turman in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Lew - Peyton Place, Manimal, Centennial).
- 1946 - Birth of Jonathan Banks in Washington DC, USA; actor (Armed and Dangerous, Cold Steel).
- 1946 - Birth of Subroto Guha; cricket player (right arm swing bowler for India 1967-69).
- 1946 - Birth of Terry Kath; rocker (Chicago - "If You Leave Me Now").
- 1946 - Yugoslavia, consisting of Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia, becomes a federal republic, headed by Communist leader Marshal Tito.
- 1947 - Birth of Lynn Nolan Ryan, Junior in Refugio, Texas, USA; baseball pitcher (New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros).
- 1948 - Magnetic tape recorder developed by Wireway.
- 1949 - First daytime soap on TV These Are My Children (NBC in Chicago, Illinois, USA).
- 1949 - Birth of Carol Hawkins; actress (Dialing for Dingbats).
- 1949 - Birth of Jessica Walter; actress (Arrested Development, One Life to Live, Love of Life).
- 1949 - Henri de Vries [Hendricus Walterop], actor (Cleopatra), dies at age 84.
- 1950 - US President Harry Truman reveals that he ordered the Atomic Energy Commission to develop the hydrogen bomb.
- 1951 - Birth of Harry Wayne "KC" Casey; rock vocalist (KC and Sunshine Band - "Give It").
- 1951 - Birth of Phil Collins in England; singer/drummer (Genesis - "Against All Odds").
- 1951 - Birth of Phil Manzanera; rock guitarist (Roxy Music - "Let's Stick Together").
- 1951 - Birth of Presiley Baxendale; British Queen's Council.
- 1952 - Birth of Rosanne Musgrave; headmistress (Blackheath High School).
- 1952 - Dutch Lutheran Church reunites after 150 years.
- 1952 - Harry Heilmann and Paul Waner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1953 - Princess Victoria capsizes off Stanraer, Scotland; 133 die.
- 1953 - Birth of Aart Mol; Dutch bassist (Catapult).
- 1953 - Hurricane-like winds flood Netherlands drowning nearly 2,000.
- 1953 - New York, Cleveland and Boston retaliate against Bill Veeck, forcing the Cleveland Browns to play afternoon games to avoid sharing TV revenues.
- 1954 - Birth of Adrian Vandenberg in Amsterdam, Netherlands; rock guitarist (Whitesnake).
- 1954 - Birth of Sheik Faoud Ahamul Bacchus; cricket player (West Indian bat late 1970s).
- 1954 - Edwin H Armstrong, US radio inventor (FM), commits suicide at age 63.
- 1954 - Florence Bates, actress (Kismet, I Remember Mama), dies at age 65.
- 1955 - John R Mott, US theologist/founder (YMCA, Nobel Prize 1946), dies at age 89.
- 1955 - RCA Corporation demonstrates the first music synthesizer.
- 1956 - Birth of Johnny Rotten [John Lydon]; rocker (Sex Pistols - "God Save the Queen").
- 1956 - Birth of Trevor A Manuel; South African UDF/African National Congress-leader.
- 1956 - French government of Mollet forms.
- 1956 - Juscelino Kubitschek becomes President of Brazil.
- 1957 - Birth of Brett "the Hitman" Hart in Alberta, Canada; WWF champion.
- 1957 - Birth of Shirley F Babashoff in California, USA; swimmer (Olympics-6 silver/2 gold-1972, 1976).
- 1957 - Trans-Iranian oil pipe line finished.
- 1958 - NBC TV debuts game show Jackpot Bowling, with host Leo Durocher.
- 1958 - Birth of Rafael Santana; shortstop (New York Mets, New York Yankees).
- 1958 - Birth of Tom Schuman; pianist (Spyro Gyra - "Morning Dance").
- 1958 - James van Allen discovers radiation belt.
- 1958 - US launches their first artificial satellite, Explorer 1.
- 1959 - Birth of Anthony LaPaglia; actor (Murder One, Without a Trace).
- 1959 - Birth of Kelly Lynch; actress (Drugstore Cowboy, The L Word).
- 1959 - Joe Cronin signs seven-year pact to become head of American League.
- 1960 - Birth of Elaine Roque in Santa Monica, California, USA; beach volleyball player (Olympics-1996).
- 1960 - Lowell Gilmore, actor (Calcutta, Roadblock), dies at age 53.
- 1961 - Birth of Lloyd Cole; guitar/vocals (and the Commotions - "Rattlesnakes").
- 1961 - David Ben-Gurion resigns as premier of Israel.
- 1961 - "Ham" is first primate in space (158 miles) aboard Mercury/Redstone 2.
- 1961 - Kanhai completes twin tons (117 and 115) versus Australia at Adelaide.
- 1961 - NATO Secretary-General Paul-Henri Spaak says he'll resign.
- 1961 - US Air Force launches Samos spy satellite to replace U-2 flights.
- 1962 - General Charles P Cabell, US Air Force, ends term as deputy director of US Central Intelligence Agency.
- 1963 - Birth of John Dye in Amory, Massachusetts, USA; actor (Andrew - Touched by an Angel).
- 1963 - Birth of Scott Ian Rosenfeld in Bayside, New York, USA; rocker (Anthrax - "Protest and Survive").
- 1964 - Birth of Jeff Hanneman; guitarist (Slayer).
- 1964 - Birth of Oto Hascak; hockey forward (Team Slovakia 1998).
- 1964 - Birth of Remi Bouchard in Lasalle, Québec, Canada; Canadian Tour golfer (1989 India Open).
- 1964 - Birth of Sharon Cain in San Antonio, Texas, USA; team handball center back (Olympics-1996).
- 1964 - US report Smoking and Health connects smoking to lung cancer.
- 1965 - Birth of Adam Johnson in Portland, Oregon, USA; beach volleyball player (Olympics-1996).
- 1965 - Birth of Bianca Yasmin Salahshourian in Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; Miss Connecticut-America (1990).
- 1965 - Birth of Bobby Dollas in Montréal, Québec, Canada; NHL defenseman (Anaheim Mighty Ducks).
- 1965 - Birth of Kim Clarke in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; team handball back court (Olympics-1988, 1992, 1996).
- 1965 - Birth of René Trost; Dutch soccer player (Roda JC).
- 1965 - Pud Galvin elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1966 - Belgian state police kills two striking mine workers.
- 1966 - Birth of Al Jaworsky AKA Alan Doughty; pop bassist (Jesus Jones).
- 1966 - Birth of Charles Dimry; NFL cornerback (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles).
- 1966 - Birth of Jamie Taras; Canadian Football League guard (British Columbia Lions).
- 1966 - Elizabeth Patterson, actress (Tall Story), dies at age 90.
- 1966 - USSR launches Luna 9 toward the Moon.
- 1967 - Chief Thundercloud, actor (Ambush, Colt 45, Typhoon), dies at age 100.
- 1968 - Viet Cong launch Tet Offensive on US embassy in Saigon, Vietnam.
- 1968 - Birth of Doug Pederson; NFL quarterback (Green Bay Packers-Super Bowl XXXI).
- 1968 - Birth of Michael Sinclair; NFL defensive end (Seattle Seahawks).
- 1968 - Birth of Steve Phoenix; US baseball pitcher (Oakland Athletics).
- 1968 - Bobby Simpson takes 5-59 versus India in his last Test for ten years.
- 1968 - Nauru (formerly Pleasant Island) declares independence from Australia.
- 1968 - Record high barometric pressure (1083.8 mb, 32 inches), at Agata, USSR.
- 1968 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1969 - Birth of Mathew Pallister in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; canoeist (Olympics-1996).
- 1969 - Vice Admiral Rufus L Taylor, US Navy, ends term as deputy director of US Central Intelligence Agency.
- 1970 - Birth of Minnie Driver; actress (The Riches, Will and Grace, Good Will Hunting).
- 1970 - Birth of Greg Skrepenak; NFL tackle (Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers).
- 1970 - Birth of Travis Hannah; NFL/WLAF receiver (Houston Oilers, Frankfurt Galaxy).
- 1971 - "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison hit #1 on United Kingdom pop chart.
- 1971 - Apollo 14 launched to the Moon.
- 1971 - Birth of Brandi Sherwood; Miss Idaho-USA (1997, second, succeeded Brook Lee).
- 1971 - Birth of Corey Holliday; NFL wide receiver (Pittsburgh Steelers).
- 1971 - Jake Beckley, Joe Kelley, Harry Hooper, Rube Marquard, Chick Hafey and Dave Bancroft and George Weiss elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1971 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Janet Lynn.
- 1971 - US male Figure Skating championship won by John Misha Petkevich.
- 1972 - Bir Bikram Shah Deva Mahendra, king of Nepal (1955-72), dies at age 51.
- 1972 - Birenda becomes leader of Nepal.
- 1972 - Birth of Ben Cavil; guard (Baltimore Ravens).
- 1972 - Birth of Fritz Fequiere; WLAF guard (Barcelona Dragons, London Monarchs).
- 1972 - Birth of Marvin Coleman; Canadian Football League defensive back (Calgary Stampeders).
- 1972 - Birth of Pulu Poumele; guard (San Diego Chargers).
- 1972 - Birth of Reinier Robbemond; Dutch soccer player (Dordrecht 1990).
- 1972 - Military coup ousts civilian government of Ghana.
- 1972 - Death of Howard Barlow at age 79; orchestra leader and musical director (CBS radio, The March of Time, Voice of Firestoneradio and TV show).
- 1972 - US launches HEOS A-2 for interplanetary observations (396/244,998).
- 1973 - Birth of Portia de Rossi; actress (Arrested Development, Ally McBeal).
- 1973 - Birth of Latario Rachal; WLAF/NFL receiver (Amsterdam Admirals, San Diego Chargers).
- 1973 - Ragnar Frisch, Norwegian economist (Nobel Prize 1969), dies at age 77.
- 1974 - Birth of Bob Mulder; soccer player (Appingedam, FC Groningen).
- 1974 - Birth of Lorenzo Styles; NFL linebacker (Atlanta Falcons).
- 1974 - Birth of Othella Harrington; NBA forward (Houston Rockets).
- 1974 - Birth of Pavi Sald; ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics-1998).
- 1974 - Birth of Tory Toogood; Australian rower (Olympics-1996).
- 1974 - Glenn Morris, olympian/actor (Tarzan's Revenge), dies at age 61.
- 1974 - Harry Baum, actor (Crime and Punishment), dies at age 58.
- 1974 - McDonald's founder Ray Kroc buys San Diego Padres for US$12 million.
- 1974 - Paul Haesaerts, Flemish architect/painter (Flandre), dies at age 72.
- 1974 - Roger Pryor, actor (Lady by Choice), dies at age 72.
- 1974 - Samuel Goldwyn, Polish/English/US film magnate (MGM), dies at age 91.
- 1975 - Birth of Kenard Lang; defensive end (Washington Redskins).
- 1975 - UCLA wins NCAA basketball championship.
- 1976 - Lance Gibbs becomes highest Test wicket-taker at 308.
- 1977 - Birth of Kerry Washington; actress (Boston Legal, 100 Centre Street).
- 1977 - Birth of Naomi Darrell; Miss Bermuda-Universe (1997).
- 1977 - Frenchman François Claustre freed, after 33 months as hostage in Chad.
- 1977 - In Louisville, Kentucky, USA three buildings and a car are struck by a falling meteorite.
- 1977 - Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie, and Al Lopez elected to baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1978 - Israel turns three military outposts in West Bank into civilian settlements.
- 1980 - The Spanish Embassy in Guatemala is invaded and set on fire, killing 36 people.
- 1980 - J P Duminy, cricket player (30 runs at 5 and 1 wicket at age 39 in three Test South Africa), dies.
- 1980 - Police storm occupied Spanish embassy in Guatemala City, killing 41.
- 1981 - Gaetan Boucher skates world record 1000m (1:13.39).
- 1981 - Death of Cozy Cole; American jazz drummer (Topsy Part II) (born 1909).
- 1982 - 12th NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 16-13.
- 1982 - 32nd NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 120-118 at New Jersey.
- 1982 - Gustafson skates world record 10 km (14:26.59).
- 1982 - Hollis Stacy wins LPGA Whirlpool Golf Championship of Deer Creek.
- 1982 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton.
- 1982 - Ten Arabian oryx (extinct except in zoos) released in Oman.
- 1983 - Seatbelt use for drivers and front seat passengers becomes mandatory in the United Kingdom.
- 1984 - 36th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 7-6 at New Jersey.
- 1984 - Edwin Newman retires from NBC News after 35 years with the network.
- 1984 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1985 - South African President PW Botha offers to free Nelson Mandela if he denounces violence.
- 1986 - In Ohio, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurs.
- 1986 - Mary Lund of Minnesota is first female recipient of an artificial heart.
- 1987 - United Steelworkers union ratify a concessionary contract with USX Corp.
- 1987 - The last Ohrbach's department store closes in New York City after 64 years of operation.
- 1988 - Barge sinks near Anacortes, Washington, USA, spills 70,000 gallons of oil.
- 1988 - Super Bowl XXII: Washington Redskins beat Denver Broncos, 42-10 in San Diego; Most Valuable Player: quarterback Doug Williams.
- 1988 - ABC airs the first episode of the family sitcom The Wonder Years.
- 1989 - Jack Douglas, humorist (My Brother Was an Only Child), dies at age 80.
- 1990 - First McDonald's fast-food restaurant in Russia opens in Moscow, world's biggest McDonald's.
- 1990 - Jushin "Thunder" Liger beats Naoki Sano to become New Japan IWGP champ.
- 1990 - The first ever all-sports daily The National begins publishing.
- 1991 - A Canadian government official announces that the Royal Canadian Mint would issue 12 different circulating 25-cent coins and a circulating dollar coin to mark the 125th anniversary of Confederation in 1992.
- 1991 - Battle for Khafji in Saudi Arabia ends after three days.
- 1991 - In Hindu Kush Region, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurs. Estimated 200-400 people killed, many injured and many homes destroyed or damaged in Afghanistan. At least 300 people killed, hundreds injured and several thousand houses damaged in Pakistan.
- 1991 - Denver Nuggets' Michael Adams becomes shortest NBA player to get a triple-double.
- 1992 - Mel Hein, NFL player (New York Giants), dies at age 82.
- 1992 - Sportscaster Howard Cosell retires.
- 1992 - Wim van Heumen, field hockey coach (Netherlands), dies at age 63.
- 1992 - IBM reports a year-end loss, for the first time, of US$564 million, on revenues of US$64.8 billion.
- 1993 - 81st Australian Men's Tennis: Jim Courier beats Stefan Edberg (6-2, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5).
- 1993 - In Pasadena, California, the NFL's Super Bowl XXVII is played. The Buffalo Bills become the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls as they are defeated by the Dallas Cowboys, 52-17. Most Valuable Player: Troy Aikman, quarterback of Dallas. Michael Jackson performs at the halftime show.
- 1994 - In Spain, the Barcelona opera theater Gran Teatro del Liceo burns down.
- 1994 - German luxury car manufacturer BMW announces the purchase of Rover from British Aerospace.
- 1995 - George Abbott, American playwright/actor/producer (Damn Yankees), dies at age 107 (born 1887).
- 1995 - U.S. President Bill Clinton invokes emergency powers to extend a $20 billion loan to help Mexico avert financial collapse.
- 1995 - James Johnson, English Member of Parliament (Labour, 1950-83), dies at age 86.
- 1996 - Corel purchases WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, and the PerfectOffice application suite from Novell for US$180 million in cash, stock, and future licensing royalties.
- 1996 - An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka, killing at least 86 and injuring 1,400.
- 1997 - Square releases the Final Fantasy VII video game for the PlayStation in Japan.
- 1997 - Death of Eve Lister at age 84; actress/singer (No Limit, Hyde Park).
- 1998 - 72nd Australian Women's Tennis: Martina Hingis beats C Martinez (6-3 6-3).
- 1998 - NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour mission STS 89 lands.
- 1999 - NFL Super Bowl XXXIII: Denver Broncos beat Atlanta Falcons in Miami, Florida; Most Valuable Player: John Elway, quarterback for the Denver Broncos.
- 2000 - Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashes off the California coast into the Pacific Ocean, killing 88.
- 2000 - In England, Dr. Harold Shipman is found guilty of murdering 15 patients between 1995 and 1998 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The trial judge recommends that Shipman, 54, should never be released from prison. Shipman's victims were all patients at his surgery in the North Cheshire township of Hyde, where he had worked for six years leading up to his arrest in September 1998.
- 2000 - Death of Si (Simon) Zentner of leukimia at age 83; American trombonist, bandleader ("Up a Lazy River" (1961)).
- 2001 - The Scottish Court in the Netherlands convicts one Libyan and acquits another for their part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 which crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988.
- 2002 - A large section of the Antarctic Larsen Ice Shelf begins disintegrating, eventually consuming about 3,250 km (1,254 miles) over a 35-day period.
- 2003 - The Chicago White Sox announces Comiskey Park will now be known as U.S. Cellular Field, in exchange for US$68 million in a 23-year deal with the wireless service provider.
- 2006 - Samuel Alito is sworn in as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
- 2007 - The Venezuelan National Assembly gives President Hugo Chávez the power to rule by decree for 18 months.
- 2007 - Delta Air Lines creditors officially reject US Airways' hostile takeover bid.
- 2007 - The Mooninite scare occurs in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, when devices used in a guerrilla marketing campaign for the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force are mistaken for improvised explosive devices.
- 2008 - Microsoft offers to buy Yahoo for US$44.6 billion: US$31 per share in cash and stock.
- 2009 - Johanna Sigurdardottir is named new interim prime minister of Iceland by the country's coalition political parties.
- 2009 - The Porsche Museum opens in Stuttgart, Germany, with space for about 80 vehicles and 200 small exhibits.
- 2009 - The Australian Open tennis championships final games are played (day one).
- Girls' singles: Russian Ksenia Pervak defeats Britain's Laura Robson 6-3, 6-1.
- Boys' singles: Indian Yuki Bhambri defeats Germany's Alexandros-Ferdinandos Georgoudas 6-3, 6-1.
- Womens' singles: American Serena Williams defeats Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3.
- 2010 - Swiss Roger Federer beats Briton Andy Murray in three sets (6-3 6-4 7-6 (13-11)) at the Australian Open tennis championship to win his 16th Grand Slam title.
- 2016 - In the People's Republic of China, police arrest bosses of Ezubao peer to peer lender. The Ponzi scheme had over 900,000 investors, losing 50 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion).
- 2018 - A total lunar eclipse takes place, best visible from the Manitoba/Ontario border in Canada. The Moon appears as supermoon, with perigee being on January 30. It is also the first blue moon eclipse since 1983.
- 2020 - First case of coronavirus confirmed in the United Kingdom.
- 2020 - The United Kingdom and Gibraltar formally withdraw from the European Union, beginning an 11-month transition period.
- 2020 - Death of Janez Stanovnik, 12th President of SR of Slovenia (born 1922).
- 2021 - Nguy?n Phú Tr?ng is re-elected for a third five-year term as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
- 2023 - Boeing delivers the final 747 jumbo jet, making total production 1574.
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