February 6

A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.

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.

2018 – SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, a super heavy launch vehicle, made its maiden flight.

BIRTHDAYS:

Ronald Reagan 1911-2004 – Actor, 40th President of the United States (1981-1898)

Mamie Van Doren – 91 years old (1931) – Actress (“Untamed Youth”)

Mike Farrell – 83 years old (1939) – Actor (TV’s “Providence”, “M*A*S*H”)

Tom Brokaw – 82 years old (1940) – Former NBC News anchorman, author

Gigi Perreau – 81 years old (1941) – Actress (“Madame Curie”, TV’s “The Donna Reed Show”)

Fabian Forte – 79 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 – 79 years old (1943) – Actress (TV’s “The Beverly Hillbillies”, “Dallas”)

Michael Tucker – 77 years old (1945) – Actor (TV’s “L.A. Law”)

Jim Sheridan – 73 years old (1949) – Actor (“My Left Foot”, “The Field”, “In the Name of the Father”, “The Boxer”, “In America”)

Jon Walmsley – 66 years old (1956) – Actor (Voice of Christopher Robin in “Winnie the Pooh”, TV’s “The Waltons”)

Kathy Najimy – 65 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 – 65 years old (1957) – Drummer (Toto)

Robert Townsend – 65 years old (1957) – Actor, comedian (“The Meteor Man”, “The Five Heartbeats”, “Hollywood Shuffle”, TV’s “The Parent ‘Hood”, “Motown Live”)

Barry Miller – 64 years old (1958) – Actor (TV’s “The Waltons”, “Shazam!”, “Joe and Sons”)

Megan Gallagher – 62 years old (1960) – Actress (“A Few Good Men”, “George Washington”, TV’s “Hill Street Blues”, “China Beach”, “The Larry Sanders Show”, “Millennium”)

Richie McDonald – 60 years old (1962) – Singer (Lonestar)

Axl Rose – 60 years old (1962) – Singer (Guns N’ Roses)

Rick Astley – 56 years old (1966) – Singer (“Never Gonna Give You Up”)

Alice Eve – 40 years old (1982) – Actress (“Men in Black 3”, “Star Trek Into Darkness”, “She’s Out of My League”)

Brandon Hammond – 38 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 – 37 years old (1985) – Actress (TV’s “Teen Wolf”). Born in Detroit, MI.

Tinashe – 29 years old (1993) – Singer, actress (“The Polar Express”, TV’s “Two and a Half Men”)

TODAY IS:

Dump Your Significant Jerk Day

National Chopsticks Day

National Frozen Yogurt Day

National Lame Duck Day

National Yorkshire Pudding Day

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.