Wednesday, February 17, 2016

This Date in History - February 17

Happy birthday, Michael Jordan.   This day also marks the first day ever of excessive perspiration.

364:  ROMAN EMPEROR JOVIAN DIES AFTER A REIGN OF EIGHT MONTHS. HE IS FOUND DEAD IN HIS TENT UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.

CSI Rome.

1500:  DUKE FRIEDRICH AND DUKE JOHANN ATTEMPT TO SUBDUE THE PEASANTRY OF DENMARK.

The Dukes of Denmark.

1600:  THE PHILOSOPHER GIORDANO BRUNO IS BURNED ALIVE FOR HERESY IN ROME.

Got a match?

1621:  MYLES STANDISH IS APPOINTED AS FIRST COMMANDER OF THE ENGLISH PLYMOUTH COLONY.

Myles to go before he rests.

1753:  IN SWEDEN FEBRUARY 17 IS FOLLOWED BY MARCH 1 AS THE COUNTRY MOVES FROM THE JULIAN CALENDAR TO THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR.

If your birthday is on February 18, 1752, you're still one year old.

1801:  AN ELECTORAL TIE BETWEEN THOMAS JEFFERSON AND AARON BURR IS RESOLVED WHEN JEFFERSON IS ELECTED PRESIDENT BY THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

I bet Florida screwed up again.

1854:  THE UNITED KINGDOM RECOGNIZES THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE.  

So I guess it's grapefruit juice every morning?

1864:  AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - THE HL HUNLEY BECOMES THE FIRST SUBMARINE TO ENGAGE AND SINK A WARSHIP, THE USS HOUSATONIC.

Who's a tonic??

1904:  MADAMA BUTTERFLY RECEIVES ITS PREMIERE AT LA SCALA IN MILAN.

One of two operas I ever saw in person.  ZZZZzzzzz.

1908:  SPORTSCASTER RED BARBER IS BORN.

Call a doctor.

1909:  TRIBAL LEADER GERONIMO DIES.

He finally jumped.

1919:  ACTRESS KATHLEEN FREEMAN IS BORN.

You know her face.  She was in every film comedy ever made.

1925:  ACTOR HAL HOLBROOK IS BORN.

And so, in a way, is Mark Twain.

1933: THE BLAINE ACT ENDS PROHIBITION IN THE US.

First round on me.

1933:  NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE IS FIRST PUBLISHED.

The waiting rooms of dental offices have never been the same.

1944:  WORLD WAR II - THE BATTLE OF ENIWETOK ATOLL BEGINS.

Sounds like something out of Star Wars.

1949;  CHAIM WEIZMANN BEGINS HIS TERM AS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL.

Le Chaim!

1959:  VANGUARD 2, THE FIRST WEATHER SATELLITE, IS LAUNCHED TO MEASURE CLOUD COVER DISTRIBUTION.

Yep, that's a cloud over there.

1962:  ACTOR JOSEPH KEARNS DIES.

Hey, Mr. Wilson!!!

1963:  BASKETBALL STAR MICHAEL JORDAN IS BORN.

What were the odds?

1965:  THE RANGER 8 PROBE PHOTOGRAPHS THE MOON'S SEA OF TRANQUILITY AS A POTENTIAL LANDING SITE FOR APOLLO 11.  

And look...parking is free after 6PM.

1972:  CUMULATIVE SALES OF THE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE EXCEED THOSE OF THE FORD MODEL T.  

This time, the Beetle is doing the squashing.

1974:  ROBERT K. PRESTON, A DISGRUNTLED US ARMY PRIVATE, BUZZES THE WHITE HOUSE IN A STOLEN HELICOPTER.

In the days before drones.

1980:  THE FIRST EVER WINTER ASCENT OF MOUNT EVEREST.

Whoever they are, they's freakin' nuts.

1982:  ACTOR LEE STRASBERG DIES.

Is he dead or just very convincing?

1996:  WORLD CHESS CHAMP GARRY KASPAROV BEATS THE DEEP BLUE COMPUTER IN A MATCH.

Reboot.

2010:  ACTRESS KATHRYN GRAYSON DIES.

Anchors aweigh.

Dinner last night:  Leftover chicken sausage and red cabbage.




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