Interesting things that happened February 17th:
Birthdays on this date:
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In 1766 Thomas Malthus (in England), economist
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In 1781 Rene Laennec, physician, inventor of the stethoscope
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In 1844 A. Montgomery Ward, found mail-order a nice business
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In 1908 Walter Lanier "Red" Barber, sports announcer, radio commentator
(NPR)
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In 1924 Margaret Truman, former first daughter
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In 1925 Hal Holbrook, actor (Lincoln, Mark Twain Tonight, Into the Wild)
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In 1934 Alan Bates (in Derby, England), actor (Women in Love, Sunday Bloody
Sunday, King of Hearts, Gosford Park)
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In 1945 Pat Morrow (in Los Angeles), actor (Peyton Place)
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In 1946 Dodie Stevens, singer, actor (Hound Dog Man)
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In 1962 Lou Diamond Philips, actor (La Bamba, Young Guns)
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In 1963 Michael Jordan, gravity-defying hoopster
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In 1970 Tommy Moe, skier (Gold and Silver medal winner, 1994)
Events worth noting:
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+ Washington's Birthday (a.k.a. Presidents Day), a legal holiday
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In 1461 Second Battle of Saint Albans
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In 1801 Thomas Jefferson is elected 3rd U.S. president over Aaron Burr,
following a tie vote in the electoral college and 35 tie votes in the
House of Representatives.
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In 1843 Battle of Miani
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In 1864 CSS "HL Hunley" becomes first submarine to sink an enemy ship.
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In 1870 Esther Hobart Morris is appointed the first female justice of the
peace in U.S. history.
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In 1876 Sardines were first canned, in Eastport, Maine.
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In 1878 First telephone exchange in San Francisco opens with 18 phones.
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In 1944 Battle of Eniwetok Atoll (U.S. victory on Feb 22).
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In 1959 First weather satellite launched (Vanguard 2, 9.8kg).
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In 1972 Pres. Nixon leaves the US, headed for China.
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In 1985 First Class Postage rises from 20 cents to 22 cents.
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In 1992 Serial killer Jeffery Dahmer is sentenced to 15 consecutive life
sentences following conviction on 15 counts of 1st-degree murder.
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In 1998 Voyager 1 passed the Pioneer 10 spacecraft to become the most
distant human-made object in space.
And remember ...
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Canned Food Month
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Marfan Syndrome Awareness Month
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National Embroidery Month
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration & Low Vision Awareness Month
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