This Date in History - February 20

Happy birthday, Sandy Duncan.  If you don't know who she is, you've obviously never eaten a Wheat Thin cracker.

1472:  ORKNEY AND SHETLAND ARE PAWNED BY NORWAY TO SCOTLAND IN LIEU OF A DOWRY FOR MARGARET OF DENMARK.

So what does this mean?  She got a pony?

1547:  EDWARD VI OF ENGLAND IS CROWNED KING OF ENGLAND AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

I just realized it's "Westminster" not "Westminister."  Even the blog writer can  learn a lot on these days.

1792:  THE POSTAL SERVICE ACT, ESTABLISHING THE US POST OFFICE, IS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON.

The only day in its history where the employees were not overpaid.

1798:  LOUIS ALEXANDRE BERTHIER REMOVES POPE PIUS VI FROM POWER.

Somebody make sure you get the jewelry back.

1816:  ROSSINI'S OPERA "THE BARBER OF SEVILLE" PREMIERES THE TEATRO ARGENTINA IN ROME.

For those who thought this was originated by Alfalfa in a "Little Rascals" episode.

1835:  CONCEPCION, CHILE IS DESTROYED BY AN EARTHQUAKE.

Mis-concepcion.

1872:  IN NEW YORK CITY, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART OPENS.

So when was the first school field trip?

1873:  THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA OPENS ITS FIRST MEDICAL SCHOOL IN SAN FRANCISCO.

And who was the first Asian to be accepted?

1877:  TCHAIKOVSKY'S BALLET "SWAN LAKE" RECEIVES ITS PREMIERE PERFORMANCE AT THE BOLSHOI IN MOSCOW.

For those who thought this was originated in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

1895:  POLITICIAN FREDRICK DOUGLASS DIES.

No debate here.  He's dead.

1901:  THE LEGISLATURE OF HAWAII TERRITORY CONVENES FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Hawaii One-O.

1906:  ACTOR GALE GORDON IS BORN.

"Mrs. Carmichael!"

1913:  KING O'MALLEY DRIVES IN THE FIRST SURVEY PEG TO MARK COMMENCEMENT OF WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF CANBERRA.

For those who thought King O'Malley was the owner of the Dodgers.

1914:  JOURNALIST JOHN CHARLES DALY IS BORN.

"Thirty dollars down, Miss Kilgallen."

1924:  FASHION DESIGNER GLORIA VANDERBILT IS BORN.

She designed lots of nice clothes and gave birth to Anderson Cooper.  Well, not every creation can be a hit.

1925:  DIRECTOR ROBERT ALTMAN IS BORN.

B*O*R*N*.

1927:  ACTOR SIDNEY POITIER IS BORN.

Guess who's coming to breastfeed?

1929:  ACTRESS AMANDA BLAKE IS BORN.

Miss Kitty!

1931:  THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES APPROVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BRIDGE.

Which later collapsed.  So now we know who to blame?  The federal government?

1933:  THE US CONGRESS PROPOSES THE TWENTY-FIRST AMENDMENT THAT WILL END PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Okay, so not everything they do sucks.

1933:  ADOLF HITLER SECRETLY MEETS WITH INDUSTRIALISTS TO ARRANGE FINANCING FOR HIS NEXT NAZI PARTY ELECTION.

So how is this different from what politicians in America do?

1935:  CAROLINE MIKKELSEN BECOMES THE FIRST WOMAN TO SET FOOT IN ANTARCTICA.

Sent there likely by Mr. Mikkelsen.

1938:  ACTOR RICHARD BEYMER IS BORN.

He starred in "West Side Story."  Even his first cry in the delivery room was probably dubbed.

1944:  DURING WORLD WAR II, THE "BIG WEEK" BEGAN WITH AMERICAN BOMBER RAIDS ON GERMAN AIRCRAFT CENTERS.

Perfectly time to coincide with a "sweeps" week.

1946:  ACTRESS SANDY DUNCAN IS BORN.

Two-thirds down in this blog entry and I'm sure some of you are still wondering who the hell she is.

1952:  EMMETT ASHFORD BECOMES THE FIRST BLACK UMPIRE IN ORGANIZED BASEBALL.

And didn't make it to the major leagues for another ten years.

1962:  ABOARD FRIENDSHIP 7, JOHN GLENN BECOMES THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH.

Not including Alice Kramden who was sent to the moon ten years earlier.

1966:  ADMIRAL CHESTER NIMITZ DIES.

Now he's sunk.

1971:  THE US EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM IS ACCIDENTALLY ACTIVATED. 

"Duck and cover!"

1972:  JOURNALIST WALTER WINCHELL DIES.

A scoop he didn't have.

1985:  VOICE ACTOR CLARENCE NASH DIES.

The death of Donald Duck.

1987:  IN SALT LAKE CITY, A BOMB SET OFF BY THE UNABOMBER EXPLODES IN A COMPUTER STORE.

Would the second explosion make him "the dualbomber?"

1992:  ACTOR DICK YORK DIES.

The first Darrin on "Bewitched."

1999:  CRITIC GENE SISKEL DIES.

Thumb way down.

2001:  ACTRESS ROSEMARY DECAMP DIES.

I love her baked beans.

2003:  DURING A GREAT WHITE CONCERT IN RHODE ISLAND, A PYROTECHNICS DISPLAY SETS THE CLUB ABLAZE, KILLING 100.

Sparklers can kill.

2005:  ACTRESS SANDRA DEE DIES.

Imitation of Death.

2005:  BROADWAY ACTOR JOHN RAITT DIES.

The Carousel stops.

2006:  SPORTSCASTER CURT GOWDY DIES.

Broadcast both the Mets 1969 World Series win and the Jets' victory in Super Bowl III.  You gotta love this guy.

2010:  POLITICIAN ALEXANDER HAIG DIES.

Hey, who's in charge now, asshole?

2014:  JOURNALIST GARRICK UTLEY DIES.

Stupid Met fans would probably boo him, too.

Dinner last night:  More leftover beef stew.