This Date in History - February 3

Happy birthday, Morgan Fairchild.   I had the choice of two people to put at the top of the column to wish a happy birthday to you.   The other was Nathan Lane. Duh.

1377:  MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE OF THE ITALIAN CITY OF CESENA ARE KILLED BY PAPAL ARMED FORCES.

Think of that next time you are awed by the beauty of the Vatican.   

1488:  BARTHOLOMEU DIAS OF PORTUGAL LANDS IN MOSSEL BAY AFTER ROUNDING THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, BECOMING THE FIRST KNOWN EUROPEAN TO TRAVEL SO FAR SOUTH.

The funny thing is somebody told him to go north.

1534:  IRISH REBEL SILKEN THOMAS IS EXECUTED BY THE ORDER OF HENRY VIII IN ENGLAND.

Just in case you thought that king was just busy marrying women.

1637:  TULIP MANIA CONTINUES IN THE NETHERLANDS AS SELLERS COULD NO LONGER FIND BUYERS FOR THEIR BULB CONTRACTS.

If there's any place in the world where this would be a big deal, I guess it's the Netherlands.

1690:  THE COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS ISSUES THE FIRST PAPER MONEY IN THE US.

Let the hoarding begin.

1783:  AMERICAN REVOLUTION - SPAIN RECOGNIZES US INDEPENDENCE.

Si.

1809:  THE TERRITORY OF ILLINOIS IS CREATED BY THE US CONGRESS.

What's the return policy on this?

1830:  THE LONDON PROTOCOL OF 1830 ESTABLISHES THE FULL INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY OF GREECE FROM THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.  

Apparently another day I slept through World History.

1834:  WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY IS ESTABLISHED.

Cheerleader practice: 4PM.

1870:  THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION IS RATIFIED, GUARANTEEING VOTING RIGHTS TO CITIZENS REGARDLESS OF RACE.

By the way, that is one vote per person.

1894:  PAINTER NORMAN ROCKWELL IS BORN.

Put the paint brush down.   We've decided to wallpaper instead.

1900:  GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY WILLIAM GOEBEL DIES AFTER AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT FIVE DAYS EARLIER.

Where were you when Goebel was shot?

1907:  AUTHOR JAMES A. MICHENER IS BORN.

This guy wrote some freakin' long books.

1913:  THE SIXTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION IS RATIFIED, AUTHORIZING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO IMPOSE AND COLLECT AN INCOME TAX.

It's all downhill from here.

1918:  COMIC JOEY BISHOP IS BORN.

Son of a gun.

1924:  PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON DIES.

If you read up on this guy, he was a real nut.

1933:  ADOLF HITLER ANNOUNCES THAT THE EXPANSION OF LEBENSRAUM INTO EASTERN EUROPE.

No clue what Lebensraum is, but it can't be good.

1945:  WORLD WAR II - THE US AND THE PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH BEGIN A MONTH-LONG BATTLE TO RETAKE MANILA FROM JAPAN.

Knowing what happens later in 1945, I assume this was successful.

1947:  THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE IN NORTH AMERICA: -83 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IN THE YUKON.

And who was there to take that reading?

1950:  ACTRESS MORGAN FAIRCHILD IS BORN.

Name one thing she was in.   I dare you.

1956:  ACTOR NATHAN LANE IS BORN.

I once peed alongside him in a Broadway theater at intermission.

1959:  THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED --- BUDDY HOLLY, RITCHIE VALENS, AND THE BIG BOPPER ARE KILLED IN AN IOWA PLANE CRASH.

La Bamba!

1961:  THE US AIR FORCE BEGINS OPERATION LOOKING GLASS AND, OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, A "DOOMSDAY PLANE" IS ALWAYS IN THE AIR WITH THE CAPABILITY OF TAKING CONTROL OF US BOMBERS AND MISSILES.

Now it's probably a drone.

1961:  ACTRESS ANNA MAY WONG DIES.

When her servant answered the phone, did she say "you've reached the Wong household?"

1969:  IN CAIRO, YASSER ARAFAT IS APPOINTED PLO LEADER.

Yessir.

1971:  NEW YORK POLICE OFFICER FRANK SERPICO IS SHOT DURING A DRUG BUST AND SURVIVES TO LATER TESTIFY AFTER POLICE CORRUPTION.   MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT NYPD OFFICERS TRIED TO KILL HIM.

Italian Lives Matter.

1972:  THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEVEN DAY 1972 IRAN BLIZZARD, WHICH WOULD KILL AT LEAST 4,000 PEOPLE, MAKING IT THE DEADLIEST SNOWSTORM IN HISTORY.

I guess camels aren't good in the snow.

1989:  ACTOR JOHN CASSAVETES DIES.

Mr. Gena Rowlands.

1991:  ACTRESS NANCY KULP DIES.

Miss Jane!!!

1996:  ACTRESS AUDREY MEADOWS DIES.

To the moon...and beyond.

1998:  KARLA FAYE TUCKER IS EXECUTED IN TEXAS, BECOMING THE FIRST WOMAN EXECUTED IN THE US SINCE 1984.

Not counting, of course, Sarah Palin.

2006:  ACTOR AL LEWIS DIES.

Grandpa Munster and Leo Schnauzer!!!

2010:  ACTRESS FRANCES REID DIES.

Those were the days of your life.

2012:  ACTOR BEN GAZZARA DIES.

Run for your...too late.

2015:  A COLLISION BETWEEN A COMMUTER TRAIN AND A PASSENGER VEHICLE KILLS SIX IN VALHALLA, NEW YORK.

I drove through that intersection last summer.

Dinner last night:  Leftover chicken noodle soup.