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What happened in history on this day: February 4?
On February 4 in ...
- 211 - Lucius Septimus Severus, emperor of Rome (193-211), dies at age 64.
- 708 - Sisinnius, Greek-Syrian pope (708, 20 days), dies.
- 856 - Hrabanus Maurus, archbishop of Mainz, dies.
- 1189 - Gilbert of Sempringham English monastery founder/saint, dies.
- 1194 - Richard I Lion Hearted pays Leopold O Fenrik VI's ransom of 100,000.
- 1222 - Willem I earl of Holland (1203-22), dies.
- 1465 - Birth of French van Brederode, leader of Hoeksen.
- 1503 - Queen Elizabeth consort of Henry VII of England, dies.
- 1505 - Joan of Valois Queen of France/saint, dies at age 40.
- 1508 - Death of Conradus Celtis, poet, "Erzhumanist", in Vienna, Austria.
- 1508 - Emperor Maximilian is bestowed with the title of Holy Roman Emperor, with the consent of Pope Julius III.
- 1553 - Caspar Othmayr composer, dies at age 37.
- 1555 - Religious scholar John Rogers, Protestant heretic, is first burned at stake in Queen Mary's reign, at Smithfield.
- 1575 - Birth of Pierre de Bérulle French cardinal.
- 1581 - Birth of Daniel Selich composer.
- 1586 - Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, becomes governor of Netherlands.
- 1590 - Gioseffo Zarlino composer, dies at age 73.
- 1600 - Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler meet for first time outside of Prague.
- 1617 - Louis Elsevier Dutch publisher, dies at about age 76.
- 1620 - Prince Bethlen Gábor signs peace with emperor Ferdinand II.
- 1640 - Hendrick C Vroom Dutch seascape painter, dies.
- 1657 - Oliver Cromwell grants residency to Luis Caravajal.
- 1688 - Birth of Pierre De Marivaux Paris France, writer (Marianne).
- 1693 - Birth of George Lillo bourgeois English dramatist (The London Merchant).
- 1697 - Three VOC-ships anchor at Dirk-Hartogeiland, Australia.
- 1698 - Birth of Heinrich A Fouqué Prussian General.
- 1699 - 350 rebellious Streltsi executed in Moscow.
- 1714 - Duke of Berry French King Louis XIV's grandson, dies.
- 1746 - Robert Blair Scottish poet (Grave), dies at age 46.
- 1747 - Birth of Tadeusz Kosciusko Poland, patriot, (New York Bridge).
- 1758 - Birth of Pierre-Gabriel Gardel French ballet dancer/choreographer.
- 1764 - Birth of Carel H Verhuell Dutch/French Vice-Admiral/minister of Navy.
- 1778 - Birth of Augustin P de Candolle; Swiss botanist (Théorie élémentaire).
- 1781 - Willem Crul, Admiral (West-Indies), dies in battle at age 59.
- 1783 - In Calabria, Italy, one of the world's most destructive earthquakes occurs, responsible for 50,000 deaths and enormous property loss. This is the first earthquake to be investigated scientifically.
- 1787 - First Anglican bishops of New York and Pennsylvania are consecrated in London, England.
- 1787 - Shays' Rebellion (of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers) fails.
- 1789 - First US electoral college chooses George Washington and John Adams as President and Vice President.
- 1794 - French National Convention proclaims abolishment of slavery.
- 1797 - Earthquake in Quito, Ecuador kills 40,000.
- 1802 - Birth of Mark Hopkins; US educator/philosopher (Williams College).
- 1805 - Birth of William H Ainsworth; English writer (Old Saint Paul's, Rookwood).
- 1819 - Birth of Joshua Norton in San Francisco, California; Norton I, emperor of USA.
- 1820 - Birth of Bozena Nemcová [Barnora Panklová]; Czechoslovakian author (Babicka).
- 1822 - Free American blacks settle Liberia, West Africa.
- 1824 - J W Goodrich introduces rubber galoshes to the public.
- 1826 - Birth of Halbert Eleazer Paine; US Brevet Major General (Union volunteers) (dies 1905).
- 1841 - Birth of Clément Ader; French inventor (first to fly a heavier-than-air craft).
- 1846 - Mormons leave Nauvoo, Missouri, for settlement in the west.
- 1847 - First US telegraph company established in Maryland.
- 1848 - Birth of François-Victor-Jean Aicard; French playwright/poet (Jeune Croyances).
- 1849 - Birth of Jean Richepin; French poet/writer (Les Chansons de Gueux).
- 1849 - University of Wisconsin begins in one room with 20 students.
- 1854 - Alvan Bovay proposes the name "Republican Party", Ripon Wisconsin.
- 1855 - Soldiers shoot Jewish families in Coro, Venezuela.
- 1861 - Wearing ice skates, the champion Atlantics defeat the Charter Oak Club, 36-27 in a baseball game played on frozen Litchfield Pond in South Brooklyn, New York, USA.
- 1861 - Confederate constitutional convention meets for first time, in Montgomery, Alabama. Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina elect Jefferson Davis President of Confederacy.
- 1865 - Birth of Charles Bally; Swiss linguist (Le langage et la vie).
- 1868 - Birth of Constance Gore-booth Markiewicy; Irish patriot/playwright/Member of Parliament.
- 1869 - Johan M Dautzenberg, Flemish author/novelist (Future), dies at age 60.
- 1874 - Birth of Robert Liefmann; German economist (Unternehmersverbände).
- 1875 - Birth of Ludwig Prandtl in Germany; physicist (father of aerodynamics).
- 1875 - Princess Louise marries Prince Philip von Saksen-Coburg-Gotha in Belgium.
- 1881 - Birth of Fernand Léger in France; painter/ceramist/cubist (The City).
- 1881 - Birth of Kliment J Woroshilov; Marshal/President USSR (1953-60).
- 1884 - Birth of Rolland Beaumont; cricket player (South African batsman in five tests 1912-14).
- 1885 - Birth of Cairine Ray Wilson in Montréal, Quebec, Canada; first female Canadian senator (appointed).
- 1888 - Birth of Paul Althaus; German theologist (The Christian Truth).
- 1889 - Birth of Walter Catlett in San Francisco, California, USA; actor (Front Page, Tale of Two Cities).
- 1891 - Birth of Yuri Losmann in Estonia; marathon runner (Olympics-silver 1920).
- 1893 - Birth of Bernard Rogers in New York City, New York, USA; composer ("Warrior", "Marriage of Aude", "Passion").
- 1893 - Birth of Raymond Dart; Australian paleoanthropologist (Australopithecus).
- 1894 - Antoine J "Adolphe" Sax, instrument maker (saxophone), dies at age 79.
- 1895 - First rolling lift bridge opens, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- 1895 - Birth of Annie [Anna HM] Romein-Verschoor; Dutch historian (Erflaters).
- 1895 - Birth of Hanns [Johann] Rauter; German SS-Lieutenant-General/SS police chief in Netherlands.
- 1897 - Birth of Ludwig Erhard; chancellor of Germany (CDU).
- 1899 - Revolt against US occupation of Philippines begins.
- 1900 - Birth of Jacques Prévert in France; poet/screenwriter (Paroles).
- 1902 - Birth of Charles A Lindbergh in Detroit, Michigan, USA; pilot (first to fly solo across Atlantic Ocean).
- 1903 - Birth of Berend van den Amstel [Bernard CED Hattink]; actor (Beatrice).
- 1903 - Birth of Edwin Denby in Tientsin, China; US dance critic/poet (Snoring in New York).
- 1903 - Birth of Frank Howley in Hampton, New York, USA; Brigadier General (Answers for Americans).
- 1904 - Birth of Herman B Wiardi Beckman; Dutch politician (SDAP)/resistance fighter.
- 1904 - Birth of MacKinlay Kantor in Webster City, Iowa, USA; novelist (Andersonville).
- 1905 - Birth of Eddie Foy in New Rochelle, New York, USA; actor (Eddie - Fair Exchange).
- 1906 - Birth of Clyde William Tombaugh; US astronomer (discovered Pluto).
- 1906 - Birth of Dietrich Bonhoeffer; German theologist (Confessing Church).
- 1906 - Birth of Primo Carnera; Italian boxer (champion-1933).
- 1908 - Birth of Gordon Fraser in Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA; newscaster (All Star News).
- 1909 - Birth of Kenneth W Howell; English Anglican bishop (Chile/Bolivia/Peru).
- 1909 - Birth of Robert Coote in London, England; actor (Timmy - Rogues, Theodore - Nero Wolfe).
- 1910 - Birth of Uys Krige; South African playwright/novelist (Orphan of the Desert).
- 1911 - Peter A "Piet" Cronje, South Africa Boer General, dies at about age 75.
- 1912 - Birth of Byron Nelson in Fort Worth, Texas, USA; PGA golfer (won 19 tournaments in 1945).
- 1912 - Birth of James Craig in Nashville, Tennessee, USA; actor (Devil and Daniel Webster, Cyclops).
- 1913 - Birth of Rosa Lee Parks; US civil rights activist (bus protester).
- 1913 - Birth of Woody Hayes [Wayne]; college football coach (Ohio, 1968 coach of year).
- 1913 - Louis Perlman patents demountable auto tire-carrying wheel rim.
- 1913 - US National Institute of Arts and Letters founded.
- 1914 - Birth of Alfred Andersch; German writer (Red Head).
- 1914 - Birth of Ida Lupino in London, England; actress (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Jennifer).
- 1914 - US Congress approves Burnett-anti-immigration law.
- 1915 - Birth of William Talman in Detroit, Michigan, USA; actor (Crashout, Hamilton - Perry Mason).
- 1916 - Birth of Gavin Buchanan Ewart; English poet (Pleasures of the Flesh).
- 1917 - Belgium Council of Flanders is established.
- 1918 - Birth of Norman Wisdom in London, England; comedian (Kraft Music Hall).
- 1919 - Birth of Frank van Klingeren; Dutch architect (De Meerpaal, Dronten).
- 1919 - City of Bremen's Soviet Republic overthrown.
- 1920 - First flight from London, England to South Africa takes-off (takes 1.5 months).
- 1920 - Birth of Derek Worlock; English Roman Catholic archbishop (Liverpool).
- 1921 - Birth of Betty Friedan in Peoria, Illinois, USA; feminist writer (Feminine Mystique).
- 1923 - Birth of Conrad Bain in Alberta, Canada; actor (Maude, Diff'rent Strokes).
- 1924 - First Olympic Winter Games close at Chamonix, France.
- 1925 - Birth of Russell Hoban; US children's book author (Riddley Walker, Pilgermann).
- 1926 - Austrian chancellor Seipel wants to join Germany.
- 1928 - Birth of Dave Ketchum in Quincy, Illinois, USA; actor (Agent 13 - Get Smart).
- 1928 - Hendrik A Lorentz, physicist (L transformation-Nobel Prize 1902), dies at age 74.
- 1929 - Archie Jackson scores 164 on Test Cricket debut versus England at Adelaide.
- 1930 - First tieless, soundless, shockless streetcar tracks, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- 1931 - Birth of Isabel Perón [Maria Martinez]; dancer/president of Argentina.
- 1931 - US Major League Baseball's National League adopts a deader baseball.
- 1932 - (to February 15) The III Olympic Winter Games are held in Lake Placid, New York, USA.
- 1932 - Birth of Ivan Davis in Electra, Texas, USA; pianist/writer ("Hunger", "Corn is Green").
- 1932 - Japanese troops occupy Harbin, Manchuria.
- 1933 - Crew of Dutch ship Seven Provinces mutiny after pay cuts.
- 1933 - German President Paul von Hindenburg limits freedom of the press.
- 1934 - Birth of Gil Rogers in Lexington, Kentucky, USA; actor (Hawk - Guiding Light, Doctors).
- 1935 - Birth of Wallis Mathias; cricket player (first non-Muslim to play for Pakistan).
- 1936 - First radioactive substance produced synthetically (radium E).
- 1936 - Birth of Gary Conway in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; actor (Burke's Law, Land of the Giants).
- 1937 - Birth of Collin Wilcox in Highlands, North Carolina, USA; actor (To Kill a Mocking Bird).
- 1937 - Birth of John Devitt in Australia; 100m freestyle swimmer (Olympics-gold-1960).
- 1937 - Birth of Magnar Solberg in Norway; 20km biathalete (Olympics-gold-1968, 1972).
- 1937 - Jim Margie, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, bowls 900 in three (unsanctioned) games.
- 1938 - Birth of Donald W Riegle Junior; American politician (Senator-Democrat-Michigan, 1976-).
- 1938 - Adolf Hitler announces a reorganization of the German army, abolishing the post of war minister, appointing General Wilhelm Keitel as chief of the armed forces high command (OKW), and appointing Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch as Commander-in-Chief of the Army.
- 1938 - RKO Radio Pictures generally releases the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to theatres in the USA.
- 1939 - Birth of John Schuck in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; actor/comedian (McMillan and Wife, Holmes and Yo-Yo).
- 1939 - Birth of Stan Lundine; American politician (Representative-Democrat-New York, 1976-86).
- 1939 - Edward Sapir, US linguist/cultural anthropologist (Indian), dies at age 55.
- 1939 - Glenn Cunningham (top miler) says 4-minute mile beyond human effort.
- 1939 - Henri W A Deterding; Dutch oil magnate (Royal Oil, Shell), dies at age 72.
- 1940 - Birth of George A Romero; actor/director (Creepshow, Martin, Two Evil Eyes).
- 1941 - Birth of John Steel; rock drummer (The Animals - "House of the Rising Sun").
- 1941 - Birth of Marie Masters in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; actress (Susan - As the World Turns).
- 1941 - British tanks occupy Maus Libya.
- 1941 - Johann Peter Kirsch, Luxembourg church historian, dies at age 79.
- 1941 - United Service Organization (USO) founded.
- 1942 - Birth of Johnny Gamble; rocker (Classics).
- 1942 - Clinton Pierce becomes first US General wounded in action in World War II.
- 1943 - Birth of Cheryl Miller in Sherman Oaks, California, USA; actress (Paula - Daktari, Born Free).
- 1943 - Frank Calder, first NHL president, dies.
- 1944 - Birth of Daniel A Mica; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Florida, 1979-).
- 1944 - Birth of Florence LaRue in Gordon, Pennsylvania, USA; rocker (The 5th Dimension - "One Less Bell").
- 1944 - US 7th Infantry Division captures Kwajalein.
- 1945 - Birth of David Brenner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; comedian/TV talk show host (Nightlife).
- 1945 - The Yalta Conference takes place, over eight days, to discuss post-war policies. Russia asks for an Allied air bombing of Berlin and Leipzig.
- 1946 - Birth of Mary Meyer; American 500-metre speed skater (Olympics-silver-1968).
- 1946 - Birth of Roy Yeager in Doraville, Georgia, USA; rocker (Atlanta Rhythm Section).
- 1947 - Birth of J. Danforth Quayle; American politician (Senator-Republican-Indiana) / (44th Vice-President-Republican 1989-93).
- 1947 - Birth of Jeannie Wilson in Memphis, Tennessee, USA; actress (Simon and Simon, Stir Crazy).
- 1947 - Birth of Sanford Bishop; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Georgia).
- 1948 - Birth of Alice Cooper [Vincent Furnier] in Detroit, Michigan, USA; rocker ("School's Out").
- 1948 - Birth of Rakesh Shukla; cricket leg-spinner (one Test India versus Sri Lanka 1982).
- 1948 - Birth of Robert Coover; novelist (Pricksongs and Descants).
- 1948 - Birth of Rod Grams; American politician (Representative-Republican-Minnesota).
- 1948 - Ceylon becomes independent as a self-governing state within the British Commonwealth.
- 1949 - Birth of Michael Beck in Memphis, Tennessee, USA; actor (Hans Helms - Holocaust).
- 1949 - Failed assassination attempt on Shah of Persia.
- 1950 - Birth of James Dunn; US vocalist (Stylistics - "You make me feel Brand New").
- 1950 - Birth of Pamela Franklin in Tokyo, Japan; actress (Satan's School for Girls).
- 1950 - Birth of Philip Ehart; rock drummer (Kansas - "Point of Know Return").
- 1950 - Birth of Robert-John Stips; rock keyboardist/singer (The Nits).
- 1951 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Sonya Klopfer.
- 1951 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Richard Button.
- 1952 - Birth of Jerry Shirley; rock drummer (Humble Pie - "Hot N Nasty", "Eat It").
- 1952 - Birth of Lisa Eichhorn in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA; actress (Cutter's Way, Yankees).
- 1953 - Alexander Loudon, Dutch diplomat (League of Nations), dies at age 60.
- 1953 - Birth of Svetlana Ulmasova in the USSR, 3000m (world title 1978).
- 1956 - American League plans to test automatic intentional walk during spring training.
- 1956 - Leendert A Donker, Dutch Social Democrat party-minister of Justice, dies at age 56.
- 1957 - First electric portable typewriter placed on sale (Syracuse, New York, USA).
- 1957 - Joseph Hardaway, creator of Bugs Bunny, dies at age 66.
- 1958 - Birth of Mary Ann Pascal; actress (Samantha - Brothers).
- 1958 - Frederik de Merode, Belgian prince, dies at age 46.
- 1958 - Baseball Hall of Fame fails to elect anyone for first time since 1950.
- 1959 - Birth of Lawrence Taylor; NFL's greatest linebacker (New York Giants).
- 1959 - Birth of Zenani Mandela, daughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela.
- 1959 - Israel begins exporting copper ore.
- 1959 - Una O'Connor, actress (Banjo, Invisible Man), dies at age 78.
- 1960 - Baseball Writers Association of America voters fail to elect a new Hall of Fame member.
- 1960 - Birth of Pamelyn Ferdin; actress (Happy Birthday Wanda June, Tool Box Murders).
- 1960 - San Francisco Giants move their offices to Candlestick Park.
- 1961 - Birth of Denis Savard in Pointe Gatineau, California, USA; NHL center (Chicago Blackhawks).
- 1961 - Birth of Vern Fleming in Long Island City, New York, USA; basketball player (Olympics-gold-1984).
- 1961 - Sputnik 7 launches into Earth orbit; probable Venus probe failure.
- 1962 - Birth of Clint Black in Long Branch, New Jersey, USA; country vocalist ("A Better Man").
- 1962 - Birth of Dan Plesac in Gary, Indiana, USA; pitcher (Pittsburgh Pirates).
- 1962 - Birth of Vern Fleming; NBA guard (New Jersey Nets).
- 1962 - Russian newspaper Izvestia reports baseball is an old Russian game.
- 1962 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Barbara Roles.
- 1962 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Monty Hoyt.
- 1963 - Birth of Jane Leary in Sydney, Australia; golfer (1992 Australian Amateur Champion).
- 1963 - Birth of Pirmin Zurbriggen; Swiss alpine skier (Olympics-gold-1988).
- 1963 - Birth of Tracie Ruiz-Conforto in Hawaii, USA; synchronized swimmer (Olympics-2 gold/silver-1984, 1988).
- 1964 - US Federal Aviation Administration begins six month test of reactions to sonic booms over Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- 1964 - Siegfried T Bok, neurobiologist/anatomist (Cybernetica), dies at age 71.
- 1965 - Birth of John van Loen; Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord, San Frecce).
- 1965 - U C Greyhound, champion trotter (horse), dies at age 33.
- 1965 - In Rat Islands, Alaska, a magnitude 8.7 earthquake occurs, one of the largest earthquakes in the USA and the world. The resulting tsunami is recorded widely across the Pacific.
- 1965 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1966 - Birth of Dave Buchanan; country bassist (Yankee Grey).
- 1966 - All-Nippon Airways 727 crashes off Haneda Airport, Japan; kills 133.
- 1966 - Birth of Barry Klein in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; rower (Olympics-1996).
- 1966 - Birth of Marissa Laakso in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miss Massachusetts-America (1990).
- 1966 - Gilbert H Grosvenor, president of National Geographic Society, dies at age 90.
- 1967 - Birth of Sergei Grinkov; Soviet ice skater (Olympics-gold 1988, 1994).
- 1967 - US launches Lunar Orbiter 3.
- 1968 - Birth of Kristen Marie; actress (Cheryl McKinnon - Another World).
- 1968 - Bowie Kuhn replaces William Eckert as 5th commissioner of baseball.
- 1968 - Ed Baker, actor (Keystone Kops), dies of emphysema at age 70.
- 1968 - Gerard den Brabander [Jan G Jofriet], poet (Nothing New), dies at age 67.
- 1969 - 41,163, largest NBA crowd, watches doubleheader Cincinnati Royals versus Detroit Pistons, San Diego Rockets versus Boston Celtics.
- 1969 - Birth of Brad Cornett; US baseball pitcher (Toronto Blue Jays).
- 1969 - Birth of Chastity Bono in Los Angeles, California, USA; daughter/actress (Sonny and Cher Show).
- 1969 - Birth of Chris Crooms; WLAF safety (Barcelona Dragons).
- 1969 - Birth of Dallas Drake in Trail, British Columbia, Canada; NHL center (Winnipeg Jets).
- 1969 - Birth of Joe Sacco in Medford, Massachusetts, USA; NHL right wing (Anaheim Mighty Ducks).
- 1969 - John Madden is named head coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders.
- 1969 - Thelma Ritter, actress (All About Eve, Pillow Talk), dies at age 63.
- 1970 - Birth of Alisa Marie Kimble; Miss California-USA (1997).
- 1970 - Birth of Gabrielle Anwar in Laleham, England; actress (Body Snatchers).
- 1970 - Birth of John Frascatore; US baseball pitcher (Saint Louis Cardinals).
- 1970 - Birth of Todd Peterson; NFL kicker (Seattle Seahawks).
- 1970 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1971 - Birth of Kevin Farkas; NFL tackle (Carolina Panthers).
- 1971 - Birth of Maarten Atmodikoro; soccer player (Dordrecht 1990, NAC).
- 1971 - Birth of Pete Pierson; NFL tackle (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
- 1971 - Birth of Sterling Palmer; NFL defensive end (Washington Redskins).
- 1971 - British car maker Rolls Royce declares itself bankrupt.
- 1971 - Government exhibit under construction collapses, kills 65 in Brazil.
- 1971 - National Guard mobilized to quell rioting in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.
- 1972 - 6th round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks ends in Vienna, Austria.
- 1972 - Birth of Kelvin Anderson; Canadian Football League running back (Calgary Stampeders).
- 1972 - In Central Italy, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurs, among a series of hundreds of relatively minor shocks near the Italian town of Ancona on the Adriatic coast.
- 1973 - Birth of Michael Goorjian; actor (Party Of Five).
- 1973 - Birth of Oscar De La Hoya in Los Angeles, California, USA; boxer (Olympics-gold-1992).
- 1973 - New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres play a penalty-free game.
- 1973 - Manfred Kokot runs world record 50 metre indoor (5.61 seconds).
- 1973 - Reshef, Israel's missile boat, unveiled.
- 1974 - Benzine rationing ends in Netherlands.
- 1974 - Birth of Brandon Convery in Kingston, Ontario, Canada; NHL center (Toronto Maple Leafs).
- 1974 - Birth of Chris Ward; defensive end (Baltimore Ravens).
- 1974 - Chimpanzee Nim Chimsky signs his first word, at age 2.5 months.
- 1974 - Gas rationing ends in Netherlands.
- 1974 - Patty Hearst, the 19-year-old daughter of newspaper publisher Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped from her apartment in Berkeley, California.
- 1975 - Birth of Rick Burch; bassist (Jimmy Eat World).
- 1975 - Birth of Elana Eve Chomiszak in Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Miss Rhode Island-America (1996).
- 1975 - Birth of Miriam Ruppert; Miss Germany-Universe (1996).
- 1975 - In Haicheng, China, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurs. 10,000 dead. An evacuation warning was issued the day before the earthquake, due to changes in land elevation and in ground water levels, widespread reports of peculiar animal behavior, and many foreshocks.
- 1975 - Death of Louis Jordan at age 66; jazz alto saxophonist and singer (Tympany Five, "Caldonia", "Let the Good Times Roll", "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie").
- 1976 - (to February 15) The XII Olympic Winter Games are held in Innsbruck, Austria.
- 1976 - In Guatemala, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurs, centered about 160 kilometers northeast of Guatemala City. Over 23,000 deaths, thousands injured and homeless, extensive damage was extensive.
- 1976 - Judge Oliver upholds Seitz's decision on Andy Messersmith free agency.
- 1976 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1977 - 30th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 4-3 at Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- 1977 - Elevated train jumps track, crashes onto Chicago street (11 die, 200 hurt).
- 1977 - Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" album released.
- 1978 - Birth of Laurence Borremans; Miss Belgium-Universe (1997).
- 1978 - Dr Bergen Evans, English professor ($64,000 Question), dies at age 73.
- 1979 - CBS TV airs the TV comedy show Co-Ed Fever, and the show is immediately cancelled.
- 1979 - Joanne Carner win LPGA Colgate Triple Crown Golf Tournament.
- 1980 - Joanne Carner win LPGA Whirlpool Golf Championship of Deer Creek.
- 1980 - Abolhassan Bani-Sadr sworn in as first president of Iran.
- 1980 - Birth of Kelly Marie Sodan; Miss Kentucky Teen-USA (1996).
- 1981 - Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes the Prime Minister of Norway.
- 1982 - Indoor distance record for a paper airplane (47 metres) Tacoma, Washington.
- 1982 - Sue Carol, actress (She's My Weakness), dies of a heart attack at age 73.
- 1982 - Birth of Tomas Vaitkus; Lithuanian professional road racing cyclist.
- 1982 - Birth of Mandisa Stevenson; American basketball player.
- 1982 - Birth of Kimberly Wyatt; singer (The Pussycat Dolls).
- 1983 - Reginald Denham, director/writer (Death at BC House), dies at age 89.
- 1983 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton.
- 1983 - Jim Ameche, actor (Festival of Stars), dies at age 68.
- 1983 - Death of Karen Carpenter of chronic aneorexia at age 32; singer/drummer (The Carpenters - Close to You, We've Only Just Begun, Top of the World, Please Mr. Postman).
- 1984 - Frank Aquilera sets world frisbee distance record (168 metres) in Las Vegas.
- 1985 - 20 countries (but not US) sign United Nations treaty outlawing torture.
- 1985 - Naval exercises canceled when US refuses to tell New Zealand of nuclear weapons.
- 1986 - 38th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 4-3 (overtime) at Hartford, Connecticut.
- 1986 - Israeli fighters intercept Libyan airliner (passenger plane).
- 1987 - Death of Liberace AKA Wladziu Valentino Liberace at age 67 of AIDS-related conditions; pianist (Liberace Show), actor (Evil Chandell - Batman).
- 1987 - Dennis Conner and Stars and Stripes beat Australia's Kookaburra 3, bringing America's Cup yachting trophy back to USA.
- 1987 - US President Ronald Reagan's veto of Clean Water Act is overridden by US Congress.
- 1987 - Sacramento Kings score only four points first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers; fewest in a period since introduction of 24 second shot-clock in 1954.
- 1989 - Dean Jones scores 216 versus West Indies at the Adelaide Oval.
- 1989 - Death of Kenneth "Jethro" Burns at age 69; country singer (Homer and Jethro).
- 1990 - Ten Israeli tourists murdered near Cairo, Egypt.
- 1990 - Anders Holmertz swims world record 400 metre freestyle (3 minutes 40.81 seconds).
- 1990 - Danny Everett runs world record 400 metre indoor (45:04).
- 1990 - Lyudmila Narozhi-Lenko runs world record 60 metre hurdles indoor (7.69).
- 1990 - NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 27-21.
- 1990 - Pat Bradley win Oldsmobile LPGA Golf Classic.
- 1990 - Richard Hadlee takes his 400th Test Cricket wicket (Sanjay Manjrekar).
- 1990 - The Saint Petersburg Pelicans defeat the Palm Beach Tropics to win the first Senior Professional Baseball Association Championship, 12-4.
- 1991 - Bob Leslie, actor (Cinderella, Mako - Jaws of Death), dies at age 64.
- 1991 - Baseball Hall of Fame's board of directors vote 12-0 to bar Pete Rose.
- 1991 - Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones make 467 stand versus Sierra Leone, world record.
- 1992 - Death of John Dehner at age 76 of emphysema and diabetes; Disney animator, radio deejay, actor (Gunsmoke, Palladin in CBS Radio's Have Gun Will Travel, Young Maverick, Apache, Cowboy, Boys from Brazil, How the West was Won, Temperatures Rising, Doris Day Show, Don Knotts Show.
- 1992 - Death of Lisa Fonssagrives, Swedish model (born 1911).
- 1993 - Admiral Studeman, ends term as acting director of US Central Intelligence Agency.
- 1993 - Russian space agency tests a 82-foot wide space mirror.
- 1994 - The Federal Open Market Committee raises the US Federal Funds target rate for the first time since May 1989. The rate is raised by 25 basis points to 3.25 percent.
- 1994 - 10th Soap Opera Digest Awards - Days of Our Lives wins.
- 1994 - Twenty die in armed assault on mosque in Khartum, Sudan.
- 1994 - Harold Schneider, US producer (Five Easy Pieces, War Games), dies at age 55.
- 1994 - Jan Veldkamp, Dutch geophysicist/director (KNMI), dies at age 84.
- 1994 - Justinus Darmojuwono, Indonesian archbishop/cardinal, dies at age 79.
- 1994 - Merlene Ottey runs world record 50 metre indoor (6.00 seconds).
- 1994 - Russian team beats ladies world record 4x800 metre indoor (8:18.71).
- 1995 - Betty Davis, British dance teacher of Dame Margot Fonteyn, dies.
- 1995 - Dean Jones completes 324 for Victoria versus South Australia.
- 1995 - Patricia Highsmith [Mary Patricia Plangman], US/Swiss author, dies at age 74 (born 1921).
- 1995 - Roel Wiersma, Dutch soccer star (PSV), dies at age 62.
- 1995 - Zimbabwe's first Test Cricket victory, over Pakistan by an inning.
- 1996 - NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 20-13.
- 1997 - Mario LeMieux is 7th NHL player to score 600 goals.
- 1997 - O.J. Simpson is found liable in civil court for the death of Ron Goldman and for the battery of Nicole Brown Simpson. Simpson is ordered to pay $35 million in damages to the families of the two victims.
- 1997 - On their way to Lebanon, two Israeli troop-transport helicopters collide, killing 73.
- 1997 - After at first contesting the results, Serbian President Slobodan MiloÜevic recognizes opposition victories in the November 1996 elections.
- 1997 - Ipswich Town football player Adam Tanner, who recently failed a drugs test, is banned from football for three months at an FA hearing. Tanner received a relatively lenient punishment as he had admitted taking drugs at the first attempt and shown remorse for his behaviour.
- 1997 - In Northeastern Iran, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurs. At least 88 people killed, nearly 2,000 injured, 16,500 houses destroyed or damaged.
- 1998 - Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates gets a pie thrown in his face in Brussels, Belgium.
- 1998 - In Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurs. At least 2,323 people killed, 818 injured, 8,094 houses destroyed.
- 1999 - Unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo is shot dead by New York City police officers on an unrelated stake-out, inflaming race relations in the city.
- 2000 - German extortionist Klaus-Peter Sabotta is jailed for life for attempted murder and extortion, in connection with the sabotage of German railway lines.
- 2001 - Death of Iannis Xenakis, Greek composer (born 1922).
- 2003 - Platinum hits a 23-year high of US$700 per ounce.
- 2003 - Yugoslavia becomes Serbia and Montenegro.
- 2004 - The Saint Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols agree to a US$100 million, seven-year deal.
- 2005 - The Chicago Cubs sign Aramis Ramirez to a US$8.95 million, one-year contract.
- 2007 - The Indianapolis Colts defeat the Chicago Bears 29-17 in NFL's Super Bowl XLI, played at Dolphin Stadium, Miami, Florida.
- 2007 - Meteors and fireballs are reported in several states in the Midwestern USA.
- 2008 - U.S. President George W. Bush unveils a record US$3.1 trillion spending plan for fiscal 2009, including US$515 billion for military spending, and US$70 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan for just part of 2009. Domestic programs would be deeply cut. The budget is the first to be presented electronically.
- 2008 - In Colombia, over one million people protest in the streets against FARC, the largest demonstration in the country's history.
- 2008 - Iran opens its first space center and launches a rocket into space.
- 2008 - Texas Tech University basketball coach Bob Knight resigns. He had coached for 42 years, presiding over 902 winning games, a record among US men's college basketball coaches.
- 2008 - A Palestinian suicide bomber kills one and wounds 13 in a Dimona, Israel shopping center.
- 2008 - Death of Harry Richard Landis, at age 108 in Sun City Center, Florida, the second-last American soldier survivor of World War I.
- 2010 - The Detroit Tigers sign baseball pitcher Justin Verlander to a US$80-million five-year contract.
- 2012 - Death of Florence Greenin of Great Britain, last World War I veteran of any nation.
- 2020 - Death of Daniel arap Moi, 2nd President of Kenya (born 1924).
- 2021 - US President Joe Biden announces that the United States will cease providing weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for use in the Yemeni Civil War.
- 2022 - China president Xi Jinping and Russia President Vladimir Putin meet and issue statement of "no limits" to their areas of cooperation.
- 2022 - In Beijing, People's Republic of China, the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics are held.
- 2023 - An American F-22 fighter jet shoots down a PRoChina balloon at 60,000 feet off the coast of South Carolina that floated across the country.
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