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What happened in history on this day: February 23?
On February 23 in ...
- 155 - Polycarp, disciple of Apostle John, arrested and burned at stake.
- 303 - Roman Emperor Diocletian orders general persecution of Christians.
- 1011 - Death of St. Willigis von Mainz; chancellor of Germany under emperor Otto I, Archbishop of Mainz.
- 1417 - Birth of Paul II [Pietro Barbo], Italy, Pope (1464-71).
- 1429 - Joan of Arc begins 350-mile trip from Vancouleurs to Chinon (France) to see Charles the dauphin, to convince him of his legitimacy and right to throne.
- 1447 - Eugene IV [Gabriele Condulmer], Italian Pope (1431-47), dies.
- 1549 - Privy Council of England presents 33 charges against Thomas Seymour, finding him guilty of treason, condemned to die.
- 1554 - Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk, Lady Jane Grey's father, executed.
- 1574 - France begins 5th Holy War against Huguenots.
- 1607 - Herman Herbertsz vicar, dies at about age 60.
- 1614 - Birth of Jacob Colijn(s) Dutch coat of arms painter.
- 1615 - Birth of Cornelis Galle II Flemish engraver/illustrator, baptised.
- 1633 - Birth of Samuel Pepys London England, navy expert/composer (Diary, Memoirs).
- 1649 - Birth of John Blow composer of first English opera (Venus and Adonis) (baptized).
- 1660 - Charles X Gustaaf king of Sweden (1654-60), dies at age 37.
- 1660 - Charles XI becomes king of Sweden.
- 1668 - Fire in Wiener Hofburg in Vienna, emperor Leopold I rescued.
- 1669 - Lieuwe van Aitzema Frisian historian, dies at age 68.
- 1672 - Joan Blaeus publishers destroyed by fire in Amsterdam.
- 1685 - Birth of Georg Friederich Händel in Halle; composer (Messiah (1741), Water Music (1717), Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749), Almira opera (1705)
- 1700 - Birth of Wilhelmus Schortinghuis Dutch theologist (Profound Christianity).
- 1718 - François Fagel Dutch field marshal/mayor of Nimegen, dies at age 63.
- 1734 - Birth of Mayer Amschel Rothschild in Frankfurt; founder (House of Rothschild).
- 1744 - Birth of Mayer Amschel von Rothschild; financier.
- 1766 - Stanislaw Leszcynski duke of Lutherans/king of Poland, dies.
- 1776 - Birth of John Walter II in London, England; chief proprietor (The London Times, 1812-47).
- 1778 - Baron von Steuben joins the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
- 1792 - Humane Society of Massachusetts incorporated (erected life-saving stations for distressed mariners).
- 1792 - Death of Joshua Reynolds at age 68; English portrait painter (Simplicity).
- 1797 - Death of Antoine d'Auvergne at age 83; French opera composer (Coquette Trompée).
- 1813 - First US raw cotton-to-cloth mill founded in Waltham, Massachusetts.
- 1818 - Birth of Jeremy F Gilmer; Major General, Chief Engineer Confederate War Department.
- 1821 - College of Apothecaries organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; first US pharmacy college.
- 1821 - John Keats, Romantic poet, dies of tuberculosis at age 25 in Rome.
- 1824 - Birth of Herman N van der Tuuk; Dutch philologist (Tobasch' Grammar).
- 1824 - Birth of Lewis Cass Hunt; US Brigadier General (Union volunteers) (dies 1886).
- 1828 - Mihály Fazekar, Hungarian botanist/literary (Book of Spices), dies.
- 1831 - Birth of Hendrik W Mesdag; Dutch painter (Panorama Mesdag).
- 1834 - Birth of Gustav Hermann Nachtigal; German physician/colonizer/consul in Tunisia.
- 1838 - Birth of Gilbert Moxley Sorrel; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1901).
- 1846 - Polish revolutionaries march on Cracow, but are defeated.
- 1847 - Battle of Buena Vista, México; American major general Zachary Taylor defeats Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and Mexican army.
- 1848 - John Quincy Adams, 6th US President (1825-1829), dies of a stroke at age 80.
- 1854 - Great Britain and Orange Free state sign Convention of Bloemfontein.
- 1859 - Birth of Theodor Batthyányi; Hungarian statesman, contra revolutionary.
- 1861 - Dutch Premier Floris A van Hall resigns.
- 1861 - US President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington DC to take office.
- 1861 - By popular referendum, Texas becomes seventh state to secede from US.
- 1863 - Birth of Franz von Stuck; German painter (Der Krieg).
- 1865 - Birth of Barney Dreyfuss; baseball owner (Pittsburgh Pirates).
- 1868 - Birth of William E B Du Bois in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, USA; civil rights writer (Souls of Black Folk).
- 1869 - Birth of Nadezhda Konstantinova Krupskaya; Russian revolutionary (Social-Democrat).
- 1869 - Louisiana governor signs public accommodations law.
- 1870 - Mississippi State is re-admitted to USA.
- 1874 - Birth of Konstantin Päts; Estonian Prime Minister (1921-23, 1932-33), dictator (1933-40).
- 1874 - Major Walter Winfield patents game called "sphairistike" (lawn tennis).
- 1875 - Birth of Jozef E Stokvis; journalist/Dutch Member of Parliament (SDAP).
- 1879 - Birth of Agnes Arber; English biologist/philosopher (Mind and the Eye).
- 1883 - Alabama becomes first US state to enact an antitrust law.
- 1883 - American Anti-Vivisection Society organized (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
- 1883 - Birth of Victor Fleming in Pasadena, California, USA; director (Wizard of Oz, Gone With Wind).
- 1884 - Birth of Frank Cellier in Surbiton, England; actor (Quiet Wedding, Big Blockade).
- 1884 - Tambo Tambo, Australian aboriginal/US circus attraction, dies at age 23.
- 1886 - Aluminum manufacturing process is developed.
- 1886 - London Times newspaper publishes world's first classified ad.
- 1887 - French/Italian Riviera struck by earthquake; 2,000 die.
- 1889 - Birth of Cyril Delevanti in England; actor (Lucius - Jefferson Davis, Black Eye).
- 1889 - Birth of Frederik M; baron of Asbeck, Dutch lawyer (League of Nations).
- 1892 - Birth of Kathleen Harrison; actress (Fast Lady, Big Money, West 11).
- 1895 - Birth of Richard Goolden in London, England; actor (School for Husbands).
- 1895 - Jaap Eden skates world record 10km (17:56).
- 1896 - Tootsie Roll candy introduced by Leo Hirshfield.
- 1898 - In France, Emile Zola is imprisoned for writing his "J'accuse" letter accusing government of anti-Semitism and wrongly jailing Alfred Dreyfus.
- 1899 - Birth of Erich Kästner in Dresden; German author (Emil and the Detective).
- 1900 - Battle at Hart's Hill, South Africa (Boers versus British army).
- 1900 - Steamer Rio de Janeiro sinks in San Francisco Bay, California.
- 1900 - William Butterfield, architect of the Gothic revival, dies.
- 1901 - Birth of Aartje W "Mien" van It Sant-van Bommel; author (Mieke-serial).
- 1902 - Samuel R Gardiner, British historian (Oliver Cromwell), dies at age 72.
- 1903 - Birth of Grigori V Aleksandrov; Russian director (Veselye Rebjata).
- 1904 - Birth of Leopold Trepper; Polish/Israeli spy, founded (CP Palestina).
- 1904 - Birth of William L. Shirer in Chicago, Illinois, USA; radio journalist (CBS correspondent in Berlin), author (The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich).
- 1904 - Control of Panamá Canal Zone acquired by US for $10 million.
- 1905 - Rotary Club International established by four men in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- 1906 - Tommy Burns beats Marvin Hart for heavyweight boxing championships in 20 rounds.
- 1908 - Birth of William McMahon; Prime Minister of Australia (Liberal, 1971-72).
- 1909 - Birth of Frank Ward; cricket player (Australian leggie late 30s).
- 1909 - In Nova Scotia, Canada, a Silver Dart aerodome aircraft flies a half mile, the first airplane flight in the country.
- 1909 - Russian tsar Nicolas II dissolves Finnish Diet.
- 1911 - Birth of G Mennen Williams in Detroit, Michigan, USA; Supreme Court Justice, Governor (Democrat-Michigan, 1949-60).
- 1913 - Birth of Charles Leonard; US pentathlete (Olympics-1936).
- 1913 - Jimmy Sinclair, cricket player (3 centuries in 25 Test South Africa career), dies.
- 1914 - Birth of Margaret Farrer; CEO (Central Midwives Board).
- 1915 - Birth of Heinrich Schirmbeck; German author (Das Spiegellabyrinth).
- 1915 - Germany sinks US ships Carib and Evelyn and torpedoes Norwegian ship Regin.
- 1915 - Nevada enforces convenient divorce law.
- 1915 - Robert Smalls, Reconstruction congressman, dies at age 75 in South Carolina.
- 1916 - Birth of George Abel in Canada; ice hockey player (Olympics-gold-1972).
- 1916 - French artillery kills entire French 72nd division at Samogneux, Verdun.
- 1918 - Birth of Dom Aelred Watkin; headmaster (Downside School).
- 1920 - Birth of Hall Overton in Bangor, Michigan, USA; composer (Enchanted Pear Tree).
- 1921 - First US transcontinental air mail flight arrives in New York City, New York from San Francisco, California.
- 1922 - Henri Landru is executed in France for having 11 wives.
- 1923 - German Republic day with laws against worker.
- 1923 - Great Britain lowers import duty on German products from 26 percent to 5 percent.
- 1924 - Thomas Woodrow Wilson, 28th US President (1913-21), dies.
- 1925 - Birth of Ian Smith; cricket leg-spinner (South Africa 1947-58 average 64.08).
- 1925 - Birth of Louis Stokes; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Ohio, 1969-).
- 1926 - Birth of Regine Crespin; French vocalist ("Sheherazade", "Les Nuits D'ete").
- 1927 - U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs a bill into law that created the Federal Radio Commission.
- 1928 - Birth of Vasily Grigoryevich Lazarev in Siberia, USSR; cosmonaut (Soyuz 12, 18A).
- 1929 - Birth of Eduard W "Ed" Bauer [Eddy Evers]; Dutch actor (Bluejackets).
- 1929 - Birth of Elston Howard; New York Yankees catcher (first black New York Yankees player/1963 American League Most Valuable Player).
- 1930 - Birth of Harry Boldt in Germany; equestrian dressage (Olympics-gold-1976).
- 1930 - Birth of Jef Geeraerts; Flemish writer (Black Venus).
- 1930 - Birth of Johnny Seven in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Ironside, Amy Prentiss).
- 1930 - Horst Wessel, German lyricist (Fahne Hoch), dies at age 22.
- 1930 - Mabel Normand, actress/director (Extra Girl), dies at age 35.
- 1931 - Birth of Tom Wesselmanl American sculptor (Great American Nudes).
- 1933 - Birth of Lee Quencey Calhoun in Laurel, Mississippi, USA; 110 metre hurdler (Olympics-gold-1956, 1960).
- 1934 - Casey Stengel becomes manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
- 1934 - Coronation of King Leopold III of Belgium.
- 1934 - Edward William Elgar, English composer (Coronation Ode), dies at age 76.
- 1935 - Jan Duiker, Dutch architect (Hotel Gooiland), dies at age 44.
- 1936 - First rocket air mail flight, Greenwood Lake, New York, USA.
- 1937 - Birth of David Ward; president (Law Society).
- 1937 - Claude Buckenham, cricket player (21 wickets in four Tests for England 1909-10), dies.
- 1938 - Birth of Diane Varsi in San Mateo, California, USA; actress (Peyton Place).
- 1938 - Birth of Sylvia Chase in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; newscaster (ABC Weekend News, 20/20).
- 1938 - Joe Louis knocks out Nathan Mann in three rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
- 1939 - Birth of Josef Feistmantl in Austria; lugeist (Olympics-gold-1964).
- 1939 - Birth of Majel Barrett in Columbus, Ohio, USA; actress (Christine Chapel - Star Trek).
- 1939 - Lou Thesz beats E Marshall in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA to become wrestling champion.
- 1939 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards an Oscar (Special Award) to Walt Disney for screen innovation for the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney is presented one statuette and seven miniature statuettes.
- 1940 - Birth of Jermyn P Brooks; CEO (Price Waterhouse Europe).
- 1940 - Birth of Peter Fonda; actor (Easy Rider, Lilith, Wild Angels, Trip, Supernova, Capital City).
- 1940 - Russian troops conquer Lasi Island.
- 1940 - RKO Radio Pictures releases Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio to theaters in the USA.
- 1941 - Birth of Frank Gerstenberg in Edinburgh, Scotland; principal (George Watson's College).
- 1941 - Birth of Robin Bynoe; cricket player (West Indies opening batsman in four Tests 1959-67).
- 1941 - Birth of William Hjörtsberg in New York City, New York, USA; writer (Gray Matters, Fallen Angel).
- 1942 - Birth of Beau Boulter; American politician (Representative-Republican-Texas, 1985-).
- 1942 - Birth of Colin Sanders; founder (Solid State Logic).
- 1942 - Birth of John Lewis; Head Master (Eton College).
- 1942 - Japanese submarine fires on oil refinery in Ellwood, California, USA.
- 1942 - Stefan Zweig, Austrian writer (Die Welt von Gestern), dies at age 60.
- 1943 - Birth of Bobby Wayne Mitchell in Chatham, Virginia, USA; PGA golfer (1971 Cleveland Open).
- 1943 - Birth of Fred Biletnikoff; NFL wide receiver (Oakland Raiders).
- 1943 - Birth of Jada Rowland in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Penny - Hamptons, Amy - Secret Storm, As the World Turns, The Doctors).
- 1943 - German troops pull back through Kasserine-pass Tunisia.
- 1944 - Birth of James Cousins; British Member of Parliament.
- 1944 - Birth of Johnny Winter AKA John Dawson in Leland, Mississippi, USA; guitarist (Silver Train).
- 1944 - Birth of Mike Maxfield; rocker (Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas).
- 1945 - Second Dutch government of Gerbrandy forms in London.
- 1945 - Aleksei Tolstoi, Russian poet/writer (Pjotr Peroyj), dies at age 62.
- 1945 - Aubrey Cousins, Canadian sergeant (Victoria Cross), dies in battle.
- 1945 - Canadian troops occupy Kalkar.
- 1945 - Operation Grenade: General Simpson's 9th Army crosses Ruhr.
- 1945 - During the Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island's highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery records the event. Several hours later, more Marines head up to the crest with a larger flag. Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press, records the raising of the second flag.
- 1946 - Birth of Rusty Young in California, USA; rock steel guitarist (Poco - "Heat of the Night").
- 1947 - Birth of Colin Sanders; British computer engineer (Solid State Logic).
- 1947 - Birth of Geoff Cope; cricket player (England off-spinner 1977-78).
- 1947 - Birth of Shakira Caine in Guyana; actress (The Man Who Would be King)/Miss Guyana (1967).
- 1947 - American General Dwight Eisenhower opens drive to raise US$170 million in aid for European Jews.
- 1949 - Birth of Anna-Maria Müller in the German Democratic Republic; luge (Olympics-gold-1972).
- 1949 - Birth of Larry Demps; American rhythm and blues vocalist (Dramatics - "Me and Mrs Jones").
- 1949 - Birth of Marc Garneau in Québec City, Quebec, Canada; PhD/astronaut (STS 13, 77).
- 1949 - Birth of Terry "Tex" Comer in Burnley, Lancashire, England; bassist/guitarist (Ace - "How Long").
- 1950 - Birth of Neil Jordan in Sligo, Ireland; novelist (Dream of a Beast, Past).
- 1950 - Birth of Steve Priest in London, England; rock bassist (Sweet Hayes).
- 1951 - Birth of Ed "Too Tall" Jones; NFL linebacker (Dallas Cowboys).
- 1951 - Birth of Nicholas Kenyon; controller (BBC Radio 3).
- 1951 - Birth of Patricia Richardson in Bethesda, Maryland, USA; actress (Home Improvement, Double Trouble).
- 1952 - Birth of Brad Whitford in Massachusetts, USA; rock guitarist (Aerosmith - "Jamie Got a Gun").
- 1954 - First mass inoculation with Salk vaccine (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).
- 1954 - Syrian army drives out President Adib el-Shishakli.
- 1955 - Birth of Howard Jones; rock pianist/vocalist ("Things Can Only Get Better").
- 1955 - Edgar Faure forms French government.
- 1955 - Paul Claudel, French poet/playwright (L'otage), dies at age 86.
- 1956 - Birth of Maren Jensen in Glendale, California, USA; actress (Battlestar Galactica).
- 1957 - Mr Wonderful closes at Broadway Theater in New York City after 383 performances.
- 1958 - Five-time world driving champion Juan Fangio kidnapped by Cuban rebels.
- 1958 - Arturo Frondizi elected President of Argentina.
- 1958 - Birth of David Sylvian; vocal/guitar (Sylvian Sylvian, Japan - "Adolescent Sex").
- 1958 - Birth of Ria Brieffies; Dutch vocalist (Dolly Dots).
- 1958 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya.
- 1959 - Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Lake Worth Golf Open.
- 1959 - Birth of John Arthur Wilson in Ceres, California, USA; PGA golfer (1994 Anheuser-Busch-4th).
- 1960 - Birth of Cindy Figg-Currier in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, USA; golfer (1994 British Open-6th).
- 1960 - Birth of Gloria von Thurm un Taxis in Munich, German Federal Republic; Princess.
- 1960 - Birth of Naruhito, crown prince of Japan.
- 1960 - Demolition begins on Brooklyn, New York's Ebbets Field (opened in 1913).
- 1961 - In Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia a loading dock is struck by a falling meteorite.
- 1961 - Wilf Ferguson, cricket leg spinner (34 wickets for West Indies), dies.
- 1962 - Birth of Michael Wilton; rock guitarist (Queensrÿche - "The Warning").
- 1962 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
- 1963 - Birth of Bobby Bonilla in New York City, New York, USA; outfielder (New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins).
- 1963 - Birth of Debbie Kruck in Danbury, Connecticut, USA; Ms Fitness USA (1994).
- 1964 - Birth of Byron Evans; NFL linebacker (Philadelphia Eagles).
- 1964 - Charlie Finley signs a four-year lease to keep Athletics team in Kansas City.
- 1965 - Birth of Helena Sukova in Prague, Czechoslovakia; tennis star (1985 US Open Women's Doubles).
- 1965 - Birth of Kristin Davis; actress (Melrose Place, Sex and the City).
- 1965 - Birth of Sylvie Guillem in France; ballerina (Royal Ballet).
- 1965 - Death of Stan Laurel at age 74 of a heart attack in California, USA; US film comedian (Laurel and Hardy).
- 1966 - Aldo Moro forms Italian government.
- 1966 - Birth of John Druce in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada; NHL right wing (Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings).
- 1966 - Birth of Marc Price; actor/comedian (Skippy - Family Ties).
- 1966 - Military coup under Hafiz al-Assad in Syria ends Bitar government.
- 1966 - Premier Obote grabs power in Uganda.
- 1967 - American 25th amendment (Presidential succession) declared ratified.
- 1967 - Birth of Gord Murphy in Willowdale, Ontario, Canada; NHL defenseman (Florida Panthers).
- 1967 - Birth of Pam Blundell; fashion designer.
- 1967 - Birth of Steven C Stricker in Edgerton, Wisconsin, USA; PGA golfer (1994 Northern Telecom-second).
- 1967 - Ted Workman replaces Senator Keith Davey as Canadian Football League commissioner.
- 1967 - US troops begin largest offensive of Vietnam War.
- 1968 - Birth of Marc Price; actor (Hearts are Wild, Family Ties).
- 1968 - Edna Ferber, US author (Giant, Showboat), dies at age 80.
- 1968 - Fannie Hurst, US author (Anatomy of Me), dies at age 78.
- 1968 - Wilt Chamberlain becomes first NBA player to score 25,000 points.
- 1969 - In Celebes Island, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurs. In area of Madjene, 64 people were killed, 97 injured, and over 1,200 buildings were wrecked. A tsunami was generated that reached about 4 metres height along the coastal villages north of Madjene. The tsunami reportedly took 600 lives.
- 1969 - Abd al-Aziz Abd al-Rahman al-Faisal al-Saud King Saudia dies at age 67.
- 1969 - Birth of Ed McDaniel; NFL linebacker (Minnesota Vikings).
- 1969 - Nayif Hawatimah forms Democratic People's Front for Liberation of Palestine.
- 1970 - Guyana becomes a republic (National Day).
- 1970 - Holy Eucharist given by women for first time in Roman Catholic service.
- 1971 - Birth of Jeff Beres; bassist (Sister Hazel).
- 1971 - Birth of Carin Hjalmarsson in Koch Kungalv, Sweden; golfer (1995 Pinewild-7th).
- 1971 - Birth of Shane Keller in Scarsdale, New York, USA; actor (Shane - Out of the Blue).
- 1971 - Birth of Torsten Kienass in Berlin, Germany; hockey defenseman (Team Germany).
- 1972 - Birth of Greg Hill; NFL running back (Kansas City Chiefs).
- 1972 - Birth of Jamie Watson; NBA forward (Utah Jazz).
- 1972 - Birth of Ryan Grigson; NFL guard/tackle (Detroit Lions).
- 1972 - Birth of Steve Papin; WLAF running back (Scotland Claymores).
- 1973 - Birth of Lasse Johansson; guitarist, keyboardist (The Cardigans).
- 1973 - Birth of Robert Pipkins in Staten Island, New York, USA; luger (Olympics-1994).
- 1973 - Gold goes up US$10 overnight to record US$95 an ounce in London, England.
- 1974 - Birth of Herschelle Gibbs; cricket player (South African Test batsman 1996).
- 1974 - Birth of Kenyon Cotton; full back (Baltimore Ravens).
- 1974 - Florence Rice, actress (Girl in 1313, Carnival), dies at age 63.
- 1974 - Death of Harry Ruby AKA Harry Rubinstein at age 79; songwriter (with Bert Kalmar - "Who's Sorry Now", "Three Little Words", "A Kiss to Build a Dream On", "Nevertheless").
- 1975 - Amy Alcott wins LPGA Orange Blossom Golf Classic.
- 1975 - Birth of Chris Garner; NBA guard (Toronto Raptors).
- 1975 - Birth of Michael Tricario; actor (Randy - The Wonder Years).
- 1975 - Birth of Pat Barnes; quarterback (Kansas City Chiefs).
- 1976 - Birth of Dmitriy Dudarev; hockey forward (Team Kazakhstan Olympics-1998).
- 1976 - Birth of Jeff O'Neill in Richmond Hill; NHL center (Hartford Whalers).
- 1976 - Fuzzy Knight, actor (Gun Town, Ragtime Cowboy Joe), dies at age 74.
- 1976 - Major League Baseball owners announce spring training won't open without a labor contract.
- 1977 - Birth of Angie Trostel in Oxford, Ohio; diver (Olympics-1996).
- 1977 - Birth of Dally Randriantefy Antananarivo in Madagascar; tennis star (1993 Marseille).
- 1978 - Birth of Karolina Rantamaki; ice hockey left wing (Finland, Olympics-1998).
- 1980 - Birth of Yvonne Tousek in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; gymnastic (Olympics-1996).
- 1980 - France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island.
- 1980 - Oil tanker explosion off Pilos, Greece, causes 37-million-gallon spill.
- 1980 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran's parliament will decide the fate of the American embassy hostages.
- 1980 - Eric Heiden wins all five speed skating golds at Lake Placid Olympics.
- 1980 - XIII Olympic Winter Games close at Lake Placid, New York.
- 1981 - Birth of Tommy McCarthy; rocker (No Authority).
- 1981 - Spanish coup under Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Tejero Molina fails.
- 1981 - Antonio Tejero, with members of the Guardia Civil, enters the Spanish Congress of Deputies and stops the session where Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo is about to be named president of the government. The coup d'état fails thanks to King Juan Carlos.
- 1983 - USFL New Jersey Generals sign Heisman winner Herschel Walker (3 years - US$5 million).
- 1983 - US immigration judge Gordon Sacks orders Feodor Fedorenko deported to the Soviet Union, his birthplace. Fedorenko had served as a guard in a German death camp in Treblinka, Poland, between 1942 and 1945.
- 1983 - The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces its intention to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri.
- 1985 - Alexander Scourby, actor (Jesus, Shaggy Dog, Giant), dies at age 71.
- 1985 - Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight throws a chair during a game.
- 1985 - US Senate confirms Edwin Meese III as Attorney General.
- 1986 - Despite losing his arbitration case, Boston Red Sox player Wade Boggs receives largest arbitration settlement (US$1.35 million).
- 1986 - Mary Beth Zimmerman wins LPGA Standard Register/Samaritan Golf Classic.
- 1986 - Nelli Fiere-Cooman runs world record 60 metre indoor (7.00 seconds).
- 1987 - Dick Howser retires from managing Kansas City Royals, due to brain tumor.
- 1987 - Esmond Knight, actor (Black Narcissus, Henry V), dies at age 80.
- 1987 - Russian Writers Union accepts Boris Pasternak posthumous as member.
- 1987 - Supernova 1987A in LMC first seen; first naked-eye supernova since 1604.
- 1988 - Chicago, Illinois gives Chicago Cubs the right to install lights and play up to 18 night games.
- 1988 - Yvonne van Gennip skates female record 3km (4:11.94).
- 1989 - After protracted testimony, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee rejects, 11-9, President Bush's nomination of John Tower for Secretary of Defense.
- 1990 - Annelien Kappeyne van de Coppello, Dutch Member of Parliament (Liberal), dies at age 53.
- 1990 - Ian Smith 173 New Zealand versus India, 136 balls, world record for no 9 bat.
- 1990 - James Gavin, commandant US 82nd Airborn Division (Normandy), dies at age 82.
- 1990 - Jose Napoleon Duarte, President of Salvador (1984-89), dies at age 62.
- 1991 - Greg Haugen scores a split decision over Hector "Macho" Camacho.
- 1991 - In Thailand, General Sunthorn Kongsompong deposes Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan in a bloodless coup d'état.
- 1991 - North Carolina is first NCAA basketball team to win 1,500 games.
- 1991 - Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Orix Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open.
- 1991 - The One Meridian Plaza fire kills three firefighters and destroys eight floors of the building.
- 1991 - US insists Iraq publicly announce it is leaving Kuwait by 12 PM EST.
- 1992 - XVI Olympic Winter Games close in Albertville, France.
- 1992 - Andy Flower scores 115 on ODI debut, Zimbabwe versus Sri Lanka.
- 1992 - Jacquelyn Hyde, actress (Dark, House of Terror), dies at age 61.
- 1992 - Markos Vafiades, leader (ELAS, 1943-49), dies.
- 1993 - Edwin Louis Battle, actor (Almost Blue, Chase), dies of stroke at age 33.
- 1993 - Actor Gary Coleman (Diff'rent Strokes) wins $1,280,000 lawsuit against parents for high fees.
- 1993 - India complete a 3-0 series drubbing of England.
- 1993 - Sacramento Gold Miners admitted as Canadian Football League's 9th franchise (first US team).
- 1994 - Birth of Dakota Fanning; American actress (Taken).
- 1994 - Cleveland Indians owner Richard Jacobs announces he will pay US$10 million to name baseball field (Jacobs Field) at Gateway (becomes official March 23).
- 1994 - Stuart Berger, doctor (Immune Power Diet), dies from obesity at age 40.
- 1994 - A US District Court rules that Microsoft violated patents held by Stac Electronics, in data compression used in Microsoft's DoubleSpace in DOS 6. Microsoft is ordered to remove or replace the technology, and pay US$120 million in damages. The court also finds that Stac illegally used access to Microsoft's trade secrets to make Stacker compatible with DOS 6.0. Microsoft is awarded US$13.6 million in damages.
- 1995 - Death of Melvin English Franklin at age 52; American bass singer (The Temptations) (born 1942).
- 1995 - Antoine Nduwayo appointed Premier of Burundi.
- 1995 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 30.28 to close at 4,003.33 - the Dow's first ever close above 4,000.
- 1995 - Death of James Herriot at age 78; British veterinarian, author (basis for the TV series All Creatures Great and Small).
- 1995 - In Taiwan, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurs.
- 1995 - In Cyprus, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurs. Felt throughout Cyprus. Also felt in northern Israel and Lebanon.
- 1996 - Freddie Stocks, cricket center on debut and wicket on first ball, Notts, dies.
- 1996 - Mark Waugh scores 130 in World Cup versus Kenya, 207 with brother Steve.
- 1996 - Rajindra Dhanraj takes 9-97 for Trinidad against Leeward Islands.
- 1997 - Ali Abu Kamal opens fire in Empire State Building and kills one.
- 1997 - Jeff Sluman wins Tucson Golf Classic.
- 1997 - NBC TV airs the film Schindler's List in the USA, completely uncensored, 65 million watch.
- 1997 - Death of Tony Williams at age 51 of a heart attack in Daly City, California, USA; jazz drummer ("The Tribute to Miles Davis" (Grammy Award, 1995)).
- 1997 - A large fire occurs in the Russian space station Mir.
- 1998 - Death of Philip Abbott at age 74 of cancer; actor (Arthur Ward - The FBI).
- 1998 - Tornadoes in central Florida destroy or damage 2,600 structures and kill 42.
- 1998 - Osama bin Laden publishes a fatwa, declaring jihad against all Jews and Crusaders.
- 1999 - Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Öcalan is charged with treason in Ankara, Turkey.
- 1999 - An avalanche destroys the village of Galtür, Austria, killing 31.
- 1999 - Death of Perry Kibble at age 49 of heart problems at his home in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; keyboardist and songwriter (A Taste of Honey - "Boogie Oogie Oogie" album, Best New Artist Grammy award 1979).
- 2002 - FARC kidnaps Ingrid Betancourt in Colombia while she campaigns for the presidency.
- 2003 - CBS live telecasts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presentation of the 45th Annual Grammy Awards. Some winners:
- Record of the Year: Norah Jones for "Don't Know Why";
- Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: John Mayer for "Your Body Is A Wonderland";
- Best Female Rock Vocal Performance: Sheryl Crow for "Steve McQueen";
- Best Male Rock Vocal Performance: Bruce Springsteen for "The Rising";
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Coldplay for "In My Place".
- 2003 - Death of Howie Epstein of suspected drug overdose in New Mexico, USA; bassist (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers).
- 2004 - Death of Don Cornell at age 84 from emphysema and diabetes; singer (sold over 50 million records, "It Isn't Fair", "I'm Yours", "I'll Walk Alone", "Hold My Hand").
- 2005 - A controversial French law on colonialism, requiring teachers to paint it in a positive light, is passed by the national legislature.
- 2006 - A roof collapses on a Moscow market, killing 56 people.
- 2007 - A 4.2kg 20cm diameter meteorite falls on a beach in Rio Hato, Panama.
- 2008 - In Saarland, Germany, shifting coal mine workings trigger an earthquake measuring 4.0. Work is suspended pending an investigation of safety of re-opening.
- 2008 - Microsoft announces it will cease making HD DVD players for the Xbox 360.
- 2008 - Death of Janez DrnovÜek, Slovenian President and Prime Minister of (born 1950).
- 2009 - American Express offers US$300 to a limited number of U.S. card holders who pay off their balances and close their accounts.
- 2009 - The Standard & Poor's 500 Index post its lowest closes since the spring of 1997, dropping 26.71 points, or 3.47 percent, to 743.34.
- 2009 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average posts its lowest closes since the spring of 1997, dropping 250.73 points, or 3.40 percent, to 7,114.94.
- 2010 - Death of Cuban political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo at age 42 after 85 days on hunger strike in Havana, Cuba.
- 2012 - Birth of Princess Estelle of Sweden, Duchess of Östergötland.
- 2019 - Venezuelan President Maduro severs diplomatic ties with Colombia as humanitarian aid attempts to enter the country across the border.
- 2023 - Death of John Motson at age 77; announcer (UK BBC TV football for over 50 years).
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