Historical Events
Emerson's Third Title
Feb 1 Australian Championship Men's Tennis: Roy Emerson wins 3rd consecutive Australian title; beats fellow Australian Fred Stolle 7-9, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1
Smith's 6th Straight Win
Feb 1 Australian Championships Women's Tennis: Australian Margaret Smith wins 6th straight home singles title; beats Maria Bueno of Brazil 5-7, 6-4, 5-2; Bueno retired injured
Event of Interest
Feb 1 Dutch Queen Juliana opens Brienenoord Bridge in Rotterdam
Patterson vs. Chuvalo
Feb 1 Former world heavyweight boxing champion Floyd Patterson beats Canadian George Chuvalo by unanimous decision in a 12-round non-title clash at New York’s Madison Square Garden; 'The Ring' names bout Fight of the Year.
Arrests in Selma
Feb 1 Martin Luther King Jr. and 700 demonstrators arrested in Selma, Alabama
- Feb 1 NL adopts emergency team replacement plan to restock any club struck by disaster
Jennings ABC Anchor
Feb 1 Peter Jennings, 26, becomes anchor of ABC's nightly news
- Feb 2 Joe Orton's play "Loot" premieres in Brighton
- Feb 3 105 USAF cadets resigned for cheating in exams
- Feb 3 Braves offer Milwaukee $500,000 to terminate their lease a year earlier, the proposal is turned down
- Feb 3 Geraldine McCullough wins Widener Gold Medal for Sculpture
- Feb 3 Orbiting Solar Observatory 2 launches into Earth orbit (552/636 km)
- Feb 4 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
- Feb 5 Beursschouwburg opens in Brussels
- Feb 6 "Kelly" opens & closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC
- Feb 6 Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" hits #1
Harrison's Tonsils
Feb 7 George Harrison's tonsils removed
- Feb 7 Operations begin at Grupo Folklorico Antiyano on Curacao
- Feb 7 US begins regular bombing & strafing of North Vietnam
- Feb 7 WVIZ TV channel 25 in Cleveland, Ohio (PBS) begins broadcasting
22nd Golden Globes
Feb 8 22nd Golden Globes: "Becket", Peter O'Toole, & Anne Bancroft win
- Feb 8 Eastern DC-7B crashes into Atlantic off Jones Beach, NJ, kills 84
Stop In the Name of Love
Feb 8 Motown Records release The Supremes' single "Stop In the Name of Love"
- Feb 8 President Johnson deploys 1st US combat troops to South Vietnam, with 3500 marines sent to protect key US airbase near Da Nang
- Feb 11 Braves propose to pay 5 cents from each ticket to bring a new team to Milwaukee
- Feb 12 KHFI (now KBVO) TV channel 42 in Austin, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Feb 12 Nuclear test at Pacific Ocean
Sports History
Feb 13 US female Figure Skating championship won by Peggy Fleming
- Feb 13 US male Figure Skating championship won by Gary Visconti
- Feb 14 7th Daytona 500: Fred Lorenzen wins driving for Holman-Moody; race ends on lap 133 due to persistent rain
Music History
Feb 15 John Lennon passes his driving test
Sports History
Feb 17 US-Japan baseball relations suspended over Masanori Murakami dispute
- Feb 18 27 copper miners die in avalanche, Granduc Mountain, British Columbia
Music History
Feb 18 Betty Comden & Adolph Green and Jule Styne's musical "Fade Out-Fade In", featuring Carol Burnett, Dick Shawn (replacing Jack Cassidy), and Tina Louise, returns from lay-off at Mark Hellinger Theater, NYC
Event of Interest
Feb 18 Church deacon Jimmie Lee Jackson is beaten and shot during a peaceful march in Marion, Alabama. His death 8 days later inspires the Selma to Montgomery marches.
- Feb 18 Frank Gifford announces his retirement from football for broadcasting
- Feb 18 The Gambia becomes independent from the United Kingdom
- Feb 19 NFL adds 6th official - the line judge
- Feb 20 NASA's Ranger 8 probe completes planned "impact trajectory" on the Moon, successfully transmitting myriad photos and other data [1]
- Feb 20 The Beatles record "That Means A Lot"; unhappy with the results, it was given to P.J. Proby to record; the original Beatles version was unreleased until 1996 on "Anthology 2"
- Feb 20 Turkish government of Uerguplu forms
- Feb 22 Rodgers & Hammerstein's television musical "Cinderella", starring Lesley Ann Warren and Stuart Damon, with Pat Carroll and Celeste Holm, premieres on CBS-TV
- Feb 22 USSR launches Kosmos 57 into earth orbit (Voskhod Test)
- Feb 23 Constance Baker Motley elected Manhattan Borough president
- Feb 24 Beatles begin filming "Help" in Bahamas
- Feb 24 East German president Ulbricht visits Egypt
- Feb 26 Dutch government of Marijnen falls
- Feb 26 West Germany ceases military aid to Tanzania
- Feb 27 Dutch Marijnen government resigns
- Feb 27 France performs Underground nuclear test at Ecker Algeria
High Spirits
Feb 27 Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray's musical "High Spirits", based on Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit", closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 375 performances
Famous Birthdays
- Feb 1 Brandon Lee, American actor (Showdown in Little Tokyo), born in Oakland, California (d. 1993)
- Feb 1 Dave Callaghan, South African cricket all-rounder (29 ODIs, top score 169no v NZ 1994), born in Queenstown, South Africa
- Feb 1 Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco, Monaco
- Feb 1 Sherilyn Fenn, American actress (2 Moon Junction, Twin Peaks), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Feb 2 Harry Swayne, American NFL tackle (San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos-Super Bowl 32), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Feb 2 Naoki Sano, Japanese professional wrestler
- Feb 3 Karlous Marx Shinohamba, Namibian politician
- Feb 3 Kathleen Kimont, actress (Fraternity Vacation, Renegade), born in Los Angeles, California
- Feb 3 Maura Tierney, actress (Lisa-Newsradio), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Feb 4 John van Loen, Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord, San Frecce), born in Utrecht, Netherlands
- Feb 4 Petr Muk, Czech new-wave and pop musician, and singer-songwriter (Oceán; Shalom), born in Český Krumlov, Czechoslovakia (d. 2010)
- Feb 5 Ben Lee, American badminton player (Olympic-92), born in Rangoon, Burma
- Feb 5 Gheorghe Hagi, Romanian footballer, born in Săcele, Romania
- Feb 5 Tarik Benhabiles, Algerian tennis player, born in Algiers, Algeria
- Feb 6 Dana Eskelson, American actress, born in Dallas, Texas
Chris Rock (59 years old)
Feb 7 American Grammy and Emmy Award-winning comedian (SNL, 0990-93; CB4; Everybody Hates Chris), and film maker, born in Andrews, South Carolina
- Feb 7 Jason Gedrick, American actor (Heavenly Kid, Class of '96), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Feb 8 Lee Knight, CFL full back (Hamilton Tiger Cats), born in Wallesey, England
- Feb 8 Mathilda May, French actress (Lifeforce), born in Paris, France
- Feb 8 Rod Bernstine, American NFL running back (Denver Broncos), born in Fairfield, California
- Feb 8 Terry McDaniel, American football cornerback (First-team All-Pro 1993; Pro Bowl 1992, 93, 94, 95, 96; Oakland / LA Raiders), born in Mansfield, Ohio
- Feb 9 David Brandon, American NFL linebacker (San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons), born in Memphis, Tennessee
- Feb 9 Igor Babailov, Russian-born American portrait and figurative painter, born in Udmurtia, Russia
- Feb 10 Dana Winner [Chantal Vanlee], Belgian pop singer, born in Hasselt, Belgium
- Feb 10 Lenny Webster, American catcher (Montreal Expos), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Feb 10 Mario Jean, Quebec comedian and television actor, born in Chicoutmi, Canada
- Feb 10 Marjolein Macrander, Dutch actress (Drowned), born in Zutphen, Netherlands
- Feb 11 Vicki Wilson, Australian netballer, born in Brisbane, Australia
Brett Kavanaugh (59 years old)
Feb 12 American lawyer and US Supreme Court Justice (2018-), born in Washington, D.C.
- Feb 12 Rubén Amaro Jr., American baseball outfielder (Cleveland Indians), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Feb 13 Kenny Harrison, American athlete (Olympic gold triple jump 1996; World C'ship gold 1991), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Feb 13 Stephen Manley, American actor (Donny-Married the 1st Year), born in Los Angeles, California
- Feb 14 Jessie Tuggle, American College Football HOF linebacker (Valdosta State University; Pro Bowl 1992, 94, 95, 97, 98 Atlanta Falcons), born in Griffin, Georgia
- Feb 15 Craig Matthews, South African cricket pace bowler (South African Test), born in Cape Town, South Africa
- Feb 16 Adama Barrow, Gambian politician, President of Gambia (2017-), born in Mankamang Kunda, Gambia
- Feb 16 Dave Lombardo, Cuban drummer (Slayer)
- Feb 17 Clayton Prince, actor (Hairspray, Reuben-Another World), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Feb 17 Jim Bowie, Japanese-American baseball infielder (Oakland Athletics)
Michael Bay (59 years old)
Feb 17 American film director (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor), born in Los Angeles, California
Dr. Dre (59 years old)
Feb 18 American rapper and record producer (Still D.R.E., The Next Episode), born in Compton, California
- Feb 19 Andrew Jameson, English swimmer, born in Crosby, England
- Feb 19 John Commins, South African cricketer (South African Test batsman v NZ 1994-95)
- Feb 20 Federica Moro, Italian actress and model (Miss Italy 1982), born in Carate Brianza, Monza and Brianza, Italy
- Feb 21 Jayson Meyer, Canadian hockey defenseman (Team Germany), born in Regina, Canada
- Feb 21 Keith Arthurton, West Indian cricketer (Charlestown, Nevis WI lefty batsman), born in Nevis, Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Feb 22 Chris Dudley, American NBA center, 1987-2003 (NY Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, and 3 other teams), born in Stamford, Connecticut
- Feb 22 Dean Karr, American photographer, album cover designer, and music video and television advertisement director, born in Seattle, Washington
- Feb 22 Joe Reekie, Canadian NHL defenseman, 1985-2002 (Buffalo Sabres, Washington Capitals, and 3 other teams), born in Victoria, British Columbia
Pat LaFontaine (59 years old)
Feb 22 American NHL center, 1983-98 (NY Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, NY Rangers), born in St. Louis, Missouri
- Feb 23 Helena Suková, Czech tennis player (14 Grand Slam doubles & mixed doubles titles), born in Prague, Czech Republic
- Feb 23 Kristin Davis, American actress (Melrose Place; Sex and the City), born in Boulder, Colorado
Michael Dell (59 years old)
Feb 23 American entrepreneur and computer manufacturer (Dell Technologies), born in Houston, Texas
- Feb 23 Robert "Bob" Ferguson, American politician (Democratic Party) and Attorney General of Washington, born in Seattle, Washington
- Feb 23 Sylvie Guillem, French ballerina (Royal Ballet, 1989-2015), born in Paris, France
- Feb 24 Jane Swift, former acting Governor of Massachusetts
- Feb 24 Paul Gruber, NFL tackle (Tampa Bay Bucs)
- Feb 25 Brian Baker, American punk rock guitarist (Bad Religion), born in Washington, D.C.
- Feb 25 Carrot Top [Scott Thompson], Fla, comedian (Amer Comedy Award-1994)
- Feb 25 Veronica Webb, supermodel/actress (Jungle Fever, Malcolm X)
- Feb 26 Alison Armitage, English actress (Acapulco HEAT), born in London, England
- Feb 26 Donald Narcisse, American CFL receiver (Saskatchewan Roughriders), born in Port Arthur, Texas
- Feb 27 Frank Peter Zimmermann, German violinist, born in Duisburg, West Germany
- Feb 27 Maggie Siu [Mei-Kei Siu], Hong Kong actress, born in Hong Kong
- Feb 27 Noah Emmerich, American actor (The Americans), born in New York City
- Feb 28 Duane Ferrell, NBA forward (SF Warriors, Indiana Pacers)
- Feb 28 Markus Stenz, German conductor (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, 2012-19), born in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, West Germany
- Feb 28 Mikko Makela, Tampere Finland, NHL right wing (NY Islanders)
Famous Weddings
Ringo Starr
Feb 11 Beatle drummer Ringo Starr (25) weds British hairdresser Maureen Cox (18) at the Caxton Hall Register Office, London; divorce in 1975
Famous Deaths
- Feb 2 Richard P. Blackmur, American critic, poet and publisher (Good European), dies at 61
- Feb 2 Richard Würz, German composer, and music critic, dies at 79
- Feb 4 Greyhound 'The Great Grey Ghost', American horse, most outstanding champion trotter of its day, dies at 33
- Feb 5 Irving Bacon, American actor (Branded Men, Fort Ti), dies at 71
- Feb 6 Jack Wagner, American actor (The Razor's Edge, Under Two Flags, Jive Junction), dies from a heart attack at 68
- Feb 7 Nance O'Neil, American actor (Cimarron, Royal Bed, Rogue Song), dies at 90
- Feb 7 Viola Desmond, Canadian businesswoman and civil rights activist (first woman on a Canadian banknote), dies at 50 [1]
- Feb 8 Ray Brown, American Baseball HOF pitcher (NgL World Series 1943, 44; Triple Crown 1938; Homestead Grays), dies at 56
- Feb 12 Henry Kulky [Kulakowich], American actor (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Love Nest), dies from a heart attack at 53
- Feb 13 Jerry Burke, American easy-listening pianist and organ player (Lawrence Welk Orchestra, 1934-65), dies of cancer at 53
- Feb 13 William Heard Kilpatrick, American mathematician and philosopher, dies at 93
- Feb 14 Désiré Inghelbrecht, French composer, conductor and writer, dies at 84
Nat King Cole (1919-1965)
Feb 15 American jazz pianist and pop vocalist ("Unforgettable", "Mona Lisa"), dies of cancer at 49
Malcolm X (1925-1965)
Feb 21 African American human rights activist and Muslim minister, assassinated in New York City at 39
- Feb 22 Felix Frankfurter, American jurist and Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1939-62), dies of congestive heart failure at 82
Stan Laurel (1890-1965)
Feb 23 English comedian (Laurel & Hardy films), dies of a heart attack at 74
Jimmie Lee Jackson (1938-1965)
Feb 26 American civil rights protester and church deacon, shot and killed at 26 by an Alabama State Trooper
- Feb 28 Adolf Schärf, Austrian politician (President of Austria, 1957-65; Vice-Chancellor, 1945-57), dies at 74
