TODAY IN HISTORY:
1788 – Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
1815 – The state of New Jersey issued the first American railroad charter to John Stevens.
1844 – In Michigan, the Village of “Kent” was renamed “Grand Rapids”.
1911 – The first old-age home for pioneers opened in Prescott, AZ.
1924 – Michigan’s first highway signs were erected.
1926 – The National Football League adopted a rule that made players ineligible for competition until their college class graduated.
1932 – Dog sled racing happened for the first time in Olympic competition.
1933 – The 20th Amendment to the Constitution went into effect to move the start of Presidential, Vice-Presidential and Congressional terms from March to January.
1959 – Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments filed the first patent for an integrated circuit.
1959 – The first successful test firing of a Titan intercontinental ballistic missile was accomplished at Cape Canaveral, FL.
1971 – NASA Astronaut Alan B. Shepard used a six-iron, that he had brought on the flight, and swung at three golf balls on the surface of the Moon.
1973 – Construction began on the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1985 – The French mineral water company, Perrier, debuted its first new product in 123 years — water with a twist of lemon, lime or orange.
1986 – Bette Midler received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1987 – Sonny Bono entered politics when he declared his candidacy for mayor of Palm Springs, CA, a race he went on to win.
1987 – President Ronald Reagan turned 76 years old, making him the eldest serving President in U.S. history.
1988 – Michael Jordan made his signature slam dunk from the free throw line, inspiring Air Jordan and the Jumpman logo.
1990 – Billy Idol broke several bones in a serious motorcycle accident after finishing an album called “Charmed Life”. Because of his injuries, he was forced to bow out of a major role in Oliver Stone’s “Doors” movie.
1998 – President Bill Clinton signed a bill changing the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
1999 – Excerpts of former White House intern Monica Lewinsky’s videotaped testimony were shown at President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial.
2000 – First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton formally declared her candidacy for a Senator seat in the state of New York.
2002 – A federal judge ordered John Walker Lindh to be held without bail pending trial. Lindh was known as the “American Taliban.”
2004 – Robert Blake fired his lawyers, putting his murder trial on hold.
2006 – The animated TV series “American Dad” premiered on Fox after Super Bowl XXXIX.
2014 – Jay Leno’s final “Tonight Show” (which he began hosting in 1992) aired on NBC TV.
BIRTHDAYS:
Ronald Reagan 1911-2004 – Actor, 40th President of the United States (1981-1898)
Rip Torn – 88 years old (1931) – Actor (“Cross Creek”, “Wonder Boys”, “Men in Black”, “One Trick Pony”, “The Seduction of Joe Tynan”, “Tropic of Cancer”, TV’s “The Larry Sanders Show”)
Mamie Van Doren – 88 years old (1931) – Actress (“Untamed Youth”)
Mike Farrell – 80 years old (1939) – Actor (TV’s “Providence”, “M*A*S*H”)
Tom Brokaw – 79 years old (1940) – Former NBC News anchorman, author
Gigi Perreau – 78 years old (1941) – Actress (“Madame Curie”, TV’s “The Donna Reed Show”)
Fabian Forte – 76 years old (1943) – Singer (“I’m a Tiger”, “Turn Me Loose”, “Hound Dog Man”, movies “North to Alaska”, “High Time”, “The Longest Day”, “Hound Dog Man”, “Ride the Wild Surf”)
Gayle Hunnicutt – 76 years old (1943) – Actress (TV’s “The Beverly Hillbillies”, “Dallas”)
Michael Tucker – 74 years old (1945) – Actor (TV’s “L.A. Law”)
Jim Sheridan – 70 years old (1949) – Actor (“My Left Foot”, “The Field”, “In the Name of the Father”, “The Boxer”, “In America”)
Jon Walmsley – 63 years old (1956) – Actor (Voice of Christopher Robin in “Winnie the Pooh”, TV’s “The Waltons”)
Kathy Najimy – 62 years old (1957) – Actress (“Sister Act”, “Hocus Pocus”, TV’s “Veronica’s Closet”, voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series “King of the Hill”)
Simon Phillips – 62 years old (1957) – Drummer (Toto)
Robert Townsend – 62 years old (1957) – Actor, comedian (“The Meteor Man”, “The Five Heartbeats”, “Hollywood Shuffle”, TV’s “The Parent ‘Hood”, “Motown Live”)
Barry Miller – 61 years old (1958) – Actor (TV’s “The Waltons”, “Shazam!”, “Joe and Sons”)
Megan Gallagher – 59 years old (1960) – Actress (“A Few Good Men”, “George Washington”, TV’s “Hill Street Blues”, “China Beach”, “The Larry Sanders Show”, “Millennium”)
Richie McDonald – 57 years old (1962) – Singer (Lonestar)
Axl Rose – 57 years old (1962) – Singer (Guns N’ Roses)
Rick Astley – 53 years old (1966) – Singer (“Never Gonna Give You Up”)
Alice Eve – 37 years old (1982) – Actress (“Men in Black 3”, “Star Trek Into Darkness”, “She’s Out of My League”)
Brandon Hammond – 35 years old (1984) – Actor (“Soul Food”, “Menace II Society”, “Strange Days”, “Waiting to Exhale”, “The Fan”, “Mars Attacks!”, “Space Jam”, TV’s “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”, “The Gregory Hines Show”, “Our America”)
Crystal Reed – 34 years old (1985) – Actress (TV’s “Teen Wolf”). Born in Roseville, MI.
Tinashe – 26 years old (1993) – Singer, actress (“The Polar Express”, TV’s “Two and a Half Men”)
TODAY IS:
For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, and www.daysoftheyear.com.
2 Comments
Thanks so very much!!! Some I knew and lots more that I didn’t know!!!
Thanks Scott!!! Really enjoy your comments and updates everyday!