Poor Gabriel's Almanac - February 17th

Interesting things that happened February 17th:

Birthdays on this date:

In 1766 Thomas Malthus (in England), economist
In 1781 Rene Laennec, physician, inventor of the stethoscope
In 1844 A. Montgomery Ward, found mail-order a nice business
In 1908 Walter Lanier "Red" Barber, sports announcer, radio commentator (NPR)
In 1924 Margaret Truman, former first daughter
In 1925 Hal Holbrook, actor (Lincoln, Mark Twain Tonight, Into the Wild)
In 1934 Alan Bates (in Derby, England), actor (Women in Love, Sunday Bloody Sunday, King of Hearts, Gosford Park)
In 1945 Pat Morrow (in Los Angeles), actor (Peyton Place)
In 1946 Dodie Stevens, singer, actor (Hound Dog Man)
In 1962 Lou Diamond Philips, actor (La Bamba, Young Guns)
In 1963 Michael Jordan, gravity-defying hoopster
In 1970 Tommy Moe, skier (Gold and Silver medal winner, 1994)

Events worth noting:

+ Washington's Birthday (a.k.a. Presidents Day), a legal holiday
In 1461 Second Battle of Saint Albans
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.
In 1843 Battle of Miani
In 1864 CSS "HL Hunley" becomes first submarine to sink an enemy ship.
In 1870 Esther Hobart Morris is appointed the first female justice of the peace in U.S. history.
In 1876 Sardines were first canned, in Eastport, Maine.
In 1878 First telephone exchange in San Francisco opens with 18 phones.
In 1944 Battle of Eniwetok Atoll (U.S. victory on Feb 22).
In 1959 First weather satellite launched (Vanguard 2, 9.8kg).
In 1972 Pres. Nixon leaves the US, headed for China.
In 1985 First Class Postage rises from 20 cents to 22 cents.
In 1992 Serial killer Jeffery Dahmer is sentenced to 15 consecutive life sentences following conviction on 15 counts of 1st-degree murder.
In 1998 Voyager 1 passed the Pioneer 10 spacecraft to become the most distant human-made object in space.

And remember ...

Canned Food Month
Marfan Syndrome Awareness Month
National Embroidery Month
Age-Related Macular Degeneration & Low Vision Awareness Month

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Although efforts have been taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, several errors have been found in the past. Don't place any bets on the basis of what you find here. If you spot an error, write to Poor Gabriel at poorgabriel@mystery.com .