Discover what happened on February 23 in history, along with notable celebrity birthdays and fun Days of the Year to celebrate.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
1813 – The first U.S. raw cotton-to-cloth mill was founded in Waltham, MA.
1836 – In San Antonio, TX, the siege of the Alamo began.
1861 – President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrived secretly in Washington, DC to take his office after an assassination attempt in Baltimore, MD.
1861 – Texas became the 7th state to secede from the Union.
1870 – The state of Mississippi was readmitted to the Union.
1882 – Village of St. Ignace, MI was incorporated. It is Michigan’s second oldest continuous settlement.
1883 – Alabama became the first U.S. state to enact an antitrust law.
1886 – Charles M. Hall invented aluminum.
1896 – Leo Hirshfield introduced the Tootsie Roll.
1904 – The United States acquired control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million.
1905 – The Rotary Club (the world’s first service club) was founded in Chicago, IL, by Attorney Paul Harris and three others.
1910 – In Philadelphia, PA, the first radio contest was held.
1915 – Nevada began enforcing convenient divorce law.
1927 – President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill by Congress establishing the Federal Radio Commission which began assigning frequencies, hours of operation and power allocations for radio broadcasters. On July 1, 1934 the name was changed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
1940 – Walt Disney’s animated movie “Pinocchio” was released.
1941 – Plutonium was first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg.
1945 – The 28th Regiment of the Fifth Marine Division of the U.S. Marines reached the top of Mount Surabachi. A photograph of these Marines raising the American flag was taken.
1954 – The first mass vaccination of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh, PA.
1963 – The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It prohibited poll taxes in Federal elections.
1964 – The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the third consecutive week. The segment was taped on the afternoon of February 9th. They performed “Twist and Shout,” “Please Please Me” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
1968 – Wilt Chamberlain, of the Philadelphia 76ers, became the first player to score 25,000 career points in the NBA.
1974 – The Symbionese Liberation Army demanded $4 million more for the release of Patty Hearst. Hearst was kidnapped on February 4th.
1980 – Eric Heiden won all five speed skating gold medals at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.
1985 – The TV show “Gimme a Break” was broadcast live before a studio audience. It was the first TV sitcom to be seen live since the 1950’s.
1991 – President George H.W. Bush announced that the allied ground offensive against Iraqi forces had begun.
1993 – Gary Coleman won a $1,280,000 lawsuit against his parents.
1994 – The ground breaking ceremony for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV occurred.
1995 – The Dow Jones Industrial closed above 4,000 for the first time at 4,003.33.
1997 – NBC aired the movie “Schindler’s List”. It was completely uncensored.
1997 – In Scotland, scientists announced they had cloned an adult mammal — a lamb named Dolly.
2000 – Robby Knievel made a successful motorcycle jump of 200 feet over an oncoming train.
2005 – The New York, NY, city medical examiner’s office announced that it had exhausted all efforts to identify the remains of the people killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, due to the limits of DNA technology. About 1,600 people had been identified leaving more than 1,100 unidentified.
2006 – The iTunes Music Store reached 15 million videos sold.
2021 – Tiger Woods crashed his car driving south of Los Angeles, CA, injuring both his legs.
BIRTHDAYS:
Tom Osborne – 89 years old (1937) – Football player, coach, and politician
Lee Shaffer – 87 years old (1939) – Basketball player
Jackie Smith – 86 years old (1940) – Football player
Ron Hunt – 85 years old (1941) – Baseball player
Fred Biletnikoff – 83 years old (1943) – Football player and coach
Rebecca Goldstein – 76 years old (1950) – Philosopher and author
Eddie Dibbs – 75 years old (1951) – Tennis player
Ed "Too Tall" Jones – 75 years old (1951) – Football player and boxer
Patricia Richardson – 75 years old (1951) – Actress
Brad Whitford – 74 years old (1952) – Guitarist and songwriter
Francesca Simon – 71 years old (1955) – American-British author
Clayton Anderson – 67 years old (1959) – Engineer and astronaut
Michael Wilton – 64 years old (1962) – Guitarist
Bobby Bonilla – 63 years old (1963) – Baseball player
Kristin Davis – 61 years old (1965) – Actress and producer
Michael Dell – 61 years old (1965) – Businessman
Steve Stricker – 59 years old (1967) – Golfer
Chris Vrenna – 59 years old (1967) – Drummer, songwriter, and producer
Daymond John – 57 years old (1969) – Fashion designer and businessman, founded FUBU
Niecy Nash – 56 years old (1970) – Actress and producer
Joe-Max Moore – 55 years old (1971) – Soccer player
Rondell White – 54 years old (1972) – Baseball player
Jeff Nordgaard – 53 years old (1973) – American-Polish basketball player
Michael Cornacchia – 51 years old (1975) – Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
Robert Lopez – 51 years old (1975) – Songwriter and playwright
Josh Gad – 45 years old (1981) – Actor, producer, and screenwriter
Charles Tillman – 45 years old (1981) – Football player
Jia Perkins – 44 years old (1982) – Basketball player and coach
Aziz Ansari – 43 years old (1983) – Comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
Dijon Thompson – 43 years old (1983) – Basketball player
Skylar Grey – 40 years old (1986) – Singer-songwriter
Jerod Mayo – 40 years old (1986) – Football player and coach
Ab-Soul – 39 years old (1987) – Rapper
Malik Hairston – 39 years old (1987) – Basketball player
Theophilus London – 39 years old (1987) – Trinidadian-American singer-songwriter and producer
Evan Bates – 37 years old (1989) – Ice dancer
Dakota Fanning – 32 years old (1994) – Actress
D'Angelo Russell – 30 years old (1996) – Basketball player
TODAY IS:
- National Play Tennis Day: Swinging rackets, chasing balls, and court camaraderie - a game that's all about skill, strategy, and that satisfying thwack!
- National Banana Bread Day: A delicious homemade treat that's perfect for breakfast or dessert, made with ripe fruit and warm spices. You won't want to share!
- World Understanding and Peace Day :
- Curling Is Cool Day:
- National Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day:
- International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day: Whether you're training or just want to show them some love, dog biscuits are sure to get your dog's tail wagging and stomach growling.
- Diesel Engine Day:
- National Tootsie Roll Day: Iconic, chewy, chocolate-flavored confection known for its enduring popularity and nostalgic charm, a timeless treat enjoyed by many.
- Pinocchio Day:
- National Rationalization Day:
- National Tile Day:
- Fatherland Defenders Day:
- National Day Brunei:
- Museums Advocacy Days:
- Make Mine Chocolate:
- Future Farmers of America Week:
- National Eating Disorder Awareness Week:
- Bird Health Awareness Week:
- National Engineers Week: With a mind full of creativity and a tool kit full of gadgets — from bridges to phones — engineers are the ultimate problem solvers!
- National Green Week:
- Ramadan: During this holy month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, focusing on spiritual reflection and community. Ramadan is a time for self-improvement and bringing people together in celebration of faith.
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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.
