What Happened in February 1969

Historical Events

Petty's Ford Win

Feb 1 In his first start in a Ford, legendary driver Richard Petty wins the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside, California; previous 92 NASCAR victories were in Plymouths

  • Feb 1 Tim Wood wins second of 3 straight US Men's Figure Skating titles whilst Janet Lynn takes first of her 5 consecutive Women's National Championships in Seattle
  • Feb 1 WPGH TV channel 53 in Pittsburgh, PA (IND) begins broadcasting
  • Feb 2 KMST TV channel 46 in Monterey-Salinas, CA (CBS) begins broadcasting
  • Feb 2 Stan Coveleski & Waite Hoyt are voted into Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Feb 3 Ibuprofen launched in the UK under brand name Brufen as prescription medicine - now world's most popular anti-inflammatory painkiller [1]

"Canterbury Tales"

Feb 3 Musical adaptation of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater, NYC; runs for 121 performances

Stormont Dissolved

Feb 3 Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill announces the dissolution of the Stormont parliament and the holding of new elections

  • Feb 4 41,163, then largest NBA crowd, watches doubleheader Cin-Det, SD-Bost
  • Feb 4 Beatles appoint Eastman & Eastman as general counsel to Apple Records

Madden to Coach Raiders

Feb 4 John Madden is named head coach of NFL's Oakland Raiders

  • Feb 4 Lonne Elder's "Ceremonies in Dark Old Men" premieres in NYC

Yasser Arafat PLO Chairman

Feb 4 The Palestine National Congress appoints Yasser Arafat chairman of the PLO

  • Feb 5 "Turn-On," debuts and cancelled by ABC after flopping so badly
  • Feb 5 United States population reaches 200 million
  • Feb 5 Vince Lombardi, becomes part owner, vice-president, general manager, and head coach of NFL Washington Redskins
  • Feb 6 Jerry Herman's "Dear World" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 132 performances
  • Feb 6 The New Ulster Movement forms, promoting moderate and non-sectarian policies and to assist those candidates who support Northern Ireland Prime MinisterTerence O'Neill

This Is Tom Jones

Feb 7 "This Is Tom Jones" debuts on ABC TV

  • Feb 7 Al-Fatah-leader Yasser Arafat becomes president of PLO
  • Feb 7 British rock band The Who record their song "Pinball Wizard" at Morgan Studio's, London
  • Feb 7 Diane Crump becomes 1st woman jockey at a major US racetrack (Hialeah)
  • Feb 7 The original Hetch Hetchy Moccasin Powerhouse is removed from service
  • Feb 8 Last edition of American magazine "Saturday Evening Post"
  • Feb 8 Meteorite weighing over 1 ton falls in Chihuahua, Mexico
  • Feb 9 1st flight of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet
  • Feb 9 KGTO TV channel 36 in Fayetteville, AR (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting

Maravich Scores 66

Feb 10 Louisiana State University's Pete Maravich scores 66, despite his team losing to Tulane 101-94

  • Feb 11 Diana Crump becomes 1st US woman jockey to ride against men, Hialelah
  • Feb 11 Dorey Funk Jr beats Gene Kiniski in Tampa, to become NWA champ
  • Feb 13 Launch party for Mary Hopkin's debut album "Post Card", at the Post Office Tower restaurant in London, England; attendees include producer Paul McCartney, songwriter Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Brian Jones, and Tony Visconti
  • Feb 13 Suriname government of Pengel resigns

Andrei Rublev

Feb 16 "Andrei Rublev", Russian film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, starring Anatoly Solonitsyn and Ivan Lapikov, premieres in Moscow after a limited release in 1966

  • Feb 16 Detroit Red Wings' captain Alex Delvecchio picks up an assist in a 6-2 defeat at Minnesota to become the 3rd player in NHL history to score 1,000 career points
  • Feb 17 "Cloud Nine" 9th studio album by The Temptations is released (Grammy Award Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group 1969, Billboard Album of the Year 1969)

Music Recording

Feb 17 Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash record an album; it is never released

  • Feb 18 Doug Walters scores 2nd innings century after 242 in 1st
  • Feb 18 PLO-attack El-Al plane in Zurich Switzerland
  • Feb 21 1st launching of heavy N-1 rocket at Baikonur Kazakhstan (explodes)
  • Feb 21 Apple Records releases Mary Hopkin's debut album "Post Card", in the UK, produced by Paul McCartney

Contract of Interest

Feb 21 Ted Williams signs 5-year contract to manage Washington Senators

  • Feb 22 Barbara Jo Rubin becomes 1st female jockey to win at an American parimutuel race at a major US track aboard Cohesian at Charles Town, West Virginia
  • Feb 22 Beatles begin recording what becomes their "Abbey Road" album at EMI Recording Studio at 3 Abbey Road in Westminster, London, England; the studio was later renamed in honor of their achievements there
  • Feb 23 11th Daytona 500: LeeRoy Yarbrough driving for Junior Johnson, catches Charlie Glotzbach on final lap to win; first Daytona 500 won on a last lap pass
  • Feb 23 Groundbreaking TV documentary series "Civilisation" presented by art historian Kenneth Clark premieres on BBC2 in the UK
  • Feb 23 Nayif Hawatimah forms Dem People's Front for Liberation of Palestine
  • Feb 23 WWVU (now WNPB) TV channel 24 in Morgantown, WV (PBS) 1st broadcast

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Feb 24 "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" film based on novel by Muriel Spark directed by Ronald Neame, starring Maggie Smith (Academy Award Best Actress) premieres in London

  • Feb 24 Mariner 6 launched for Mars flyby to study planet's atmosphere
  • Feb 24 Northern Ireland Stormont parliament elections are held; the Unionist party fragments into 'Official Unionist' and 'Unofficial Unionist'
  • Feb 25 Mariner 6 launched for fly-by of Mars
  • Feb 25 Pension plan for baseball is agreed to
  • Feb 25 West Germany gives $5 million to an Arab terrorist as ransom for the passengers and crew of a hijacked jumbo jet

Coup d'état

Feb 27 General Hafez al-Assad becomes head of Syria via military coup

  • Feb 27 President Nixon visits West Berlin
  • Feb 28 Ice Dance Championship at Colorado Springs won by Towler & Ford of Great Britain
  • Feb 28 Ice Pairs Championship at Colorado Springs won by Rodnina & Ulanov of the Soviet Union
  • Feb 28 Ladies Figure Skating Champion in Colorado Springs won by Gabriele Seyfert of Great Britain
  • Feb 28 Men's Figure Skating Championship in Colorado Springs won by Tim Wood of USA
  • Feb 28 Terence O'Neill re-elected as leader of the Unionist Parliamentary Party and thus confirmed as Northern Ireland Prime Minister
1969 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Feb 1 Andrew Breitbart, American conservative blogger & publisher, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2012)
  • Feb 1 Brian Krause, American actor (Charmed), born in El Toro, California
  • Feb 1 Gabriel Batistuta, Argentine soccer striker (77 caps, 54 goals; Fiorentina), born in Avellaneda, Santa Fe, Argentina
  • Feb 1 Joshua Redman, American jazz saxophonist, and composer, born in Berkeley, California
  • Feb 1 Patrick Wilson, American drummer (Weezer - "Buddy Holly"), born in Norfolk, Virginia
  • Feb 2 Ijaz Ahmed Jr, Pakistani cricketer, born in Sialkot, Pakistan
  • Feb 2 Jody Hull, Canadian NHL player and coach (Florida Panthers), born in Petrolia, Ontario
  • Feb 2 Valeri Karpin, Russian footballer
  • Feb 3 (Joseph) "Beau" Biden III, American attorney (US Army JAG Major, 2002-15; Delaware Attorney General, 2007-15), and eldest son of US President Joe Biden, born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 2015)
  • Feb 3 Jeff Christy, American football center (Super Bowl XXXVII Tamps Bay Buccaneers; Pro Bowl 1998, 99, 2000; First Team All Pro 1999 Minnesota Vikings), born in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania
  • Feb 3 Retief Goosen, South African golfer (US Open 2001, 04), born in Pietersburg, Limpopo Province
  • Feb 4 Brad Cornett, American baseball pitcher, appeared in 14 games (Toronto Blue Jays, 1994-95), Brad Cornett
  • Feb 4 Brandy Ledford, American actress (Andromeda), born in Denver, Colorado
  • Feb 4 Dallas Drake, Canadian NHL center (Winnipeg Jets), born in Trail, British Columbia
  • Feb 4 Duncan Coutts, Canadian rock bassist (Our Lady Peace), born in St. Catharine, Ontario
  • Feb 4 Joe Sacco, American NHL right wing (Anaheim Mighty Ducks), born in Medford, Massachusetts
  • Feb 5 Bobby Brown, American singer-songwriter ("My Prerogative"), born in Roxbury, Massachusetts
  • Feb 5 Michael Sheen, Welsh actor (Frost/Nixon), born in Newport, Wales
  • Feb 6 April Lerman, American actress (Lila-Charles in Charge), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Feb 6 Bob Wickman, American baseball pitcher (Chicago White Sox, NY Yankees), born in Green Bay, Wisconsin
  • Feb 6 David Hayter, Canadian-American Voice actor and screenwriter (Solid Snake), born in Santa Monica, California
  • Feb 6 James Jones, American NFL defensive tackle (Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens), born in Miami, Florida
  • Feb 6 Kurt Abbott, American baseball player (Florida Marlins), born in Zanesville, Ohio
  • Feb 6 Rajindra Dhanraj, Trinidad cricket leg-spinner (WI 1994-95), born in Barrackpore, Trinidad and Tobago
  • Feb 6 Tim Sherwood, English footballer and manager, born in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
  • Feb 7 Fiona Robinson-Hannan, Australian basketball player (Olympic bronze 1996), born in Perth, Western Australia
  • Feb 8 Mary McCormack,American actress, (Murder One, Private Parts), born in Plainfield, New Jersey
  • Feb 8 Shiva Rose, American actress and blogger
  • Feb 9 Jeff Pahukoa, NFL guard/tackle (Atlanta Falcons)
  • Feb 9 Jimmy Smith, NFL wide receiver (Jacksonville Jaguars)
  • Feb 9 Peta Edebone, Australian softball outfielder (Olympic bronze 1996)
  • Feb 9 Todd Lyght, American football quarterback (Super Bowl XXXIV; Second-Team All-Pro & Pro Bowl 1999; St Louis Rams), born in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
  • Feb 9 Tom Scharpling, American comedian and writer (Steven Universe, Monk), born in New Jersey
  • Feb 10 Joe Mangrum, American artist, born in Florissant, Missouri
  • Feb 10 Laurie Dhue, American television personality, born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • Feb 11 Bryan Eversgerd, American baseball pitcher (St Louis Cardinals), born in Centralia, Illinois

Jennifer Aniston (55 years old)

Feb 11 American actress (Rachel-Friends), born in Los Angeles, California

  • Feb 11 Joe Valerio, American NFL outside corner/tackle (KC Chiefs), born in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
  • Feb 11 Mark Atkinson, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (Tasmanian batsman), born in Sydney, Australia
  • Feb 11 Mary Stoker Smith, Miss Wisconsin & TV news reporter, born in La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • Feb 11 Shannon Long, Australian actor and model (Oct, 1988), born in Gladstone, Australia
  • Feb 12 Byron Stroud, Canadian heavy metal bassist, born in New Westminster, British Columbia
  • Feb 12 Darren Aronofsky, American director and writer, born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Feb 12 Hong Myung-Bo, Korean footballer, born in Seoul, South Korea
  • Feb 12 Meja [Meja Anna Pernilla Kullersten], Swedish singer-songwriter (How Crazy Are You?), born in Nynäshamn, Stockholm County
  • Feb 13 Ahlam [Ahlah Ali Al Shamsi], Emirati, classical Arabic, Khaliji, and pop singer, and television personality (Arab Idol), born in Manama, Bahrain
  • Feb 13 Joyce DiDonato (née Flaherty), American Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano (La Scala, 2000; New York Metropolitan Opera, 2006), born in Prairie Village, Kansas
  • Feb 14 Harry Colon, American NFL safety (Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions), born in Kansas City, Kansas
  • Feb 14 Jeff Graham, American NFL wide receiver (Chicago Bears, NY Jets), born in Dayton, Ohio
  • Feb 14 Roy Barker, American NFL defensive end (Minnesota Vikings, SF 49ers), born in New York City
  • Feb 14 Shana Zadrick, American model (Guess Jeans), born in Grand Junction, Colorado
  • Feb 15 Birdman [Bryan Williams], American record executive and rapper, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Feb 15 Edgar Bennett, NFL running back (Green Bay Packers-Super Bowl 31), born in Jacksonville, Florida
  • Feb 15 Josh Marshall, American journalist and blogger (Talking Points Memo), born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Feb 16 David Heath, American professional wrestler better known as Gangrel
  • Feb 16 Fermín Cacho, Spanish middle distance athlete (Olympic gold 1,500m 92, silver 96), born in Barcelona, Spain
  • Feb 16 Tim Costo, American baseball infielder (Cincinnati Reds)
  • Feb 17 David Douillet, French politician and judoka, born in Rouen, France
  • Feb 17 David Klingler, American NFL quarterback (Oakland Raiders, Cin Bengals), born in Houston, Texas
  • Feb 17 Joel Steed, American NFL nose tackle (Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Frankfurt, Germany
  • Feb 17 Levon Kirkland, American NFL linebacker (Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Lamar, South Carolina
  • Feb 17 Tony Underwood, English rugby union wing (27 Tests England, 1 British & Irish Lions; Leicester Tigers), born in Ipoh, Malaysia
  • Feb 17 Tuesday Knight, American actress, born in Bentwood, California
  • Feb 18 Alexander Mogilny, Russian ice hockey player and 1st soviet to defect to NHL (Sabres), born in Khabarovsk, Russia
  • Feb 19 Burton C. Bell, American heavy metal vocalist (Fear Factor), born in Houston, Texas
  • Feb 20 Gedo, Japanese professional wrestler
  • Feb 20 Jason Blum, American producer, founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions (Whiplash, The Reader, Split), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Feb 20 Siniša Mihajlović, Serbian soccer defender (63 caps Yugoslavia; RS Belgrade, Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio) and manager (Serbia, Bologna, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, AC Milan, Torino), born in Vukovar, Croatia (d. 2022)
  • Feb 20 Vaginal Davis, American drag queen, author and performance artist, born in Los Angeles, California
  • Feb 21 Aunjanue Ellis, American actress (When They See Us), born in San Francisco, California
  • Feb 21 Corey Harris, American blues and reggae guitarist (The Blues miniseries; From Mississippi to Mali), born in Denver, Colorado
  • Feb 21 Eric Wilson, American bassist and songwriter (Sublime, 1988-96), born in Long Beach, California
  • Feb 21 J. D. Gibbs, American auto racer, team owner (Joe Gibbs Rcaing), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2019)
  • Feb 21 James Dean Bradfield, Welsh singer-songwriter (Manic Street Preachers), born in Pontypool, Wales
  • Feb 21 Petra Kronberger, Austrian alpine skier (Olympic gold 1992), born in Pfarrwerfen, Austria
  • Feb 21 Tony Meola, American footballer, born in Belleville, New Jersey
  • Feb 22 Brian Laudrup, Danish footballer, born in Vienna, Austria
  • Feb 22 Clinton Kelly, American television personality, born in Panama City, Panama
  • Feb 22 Hans Klok, Dutch illusionist, born in Purmerend, Netherlands
  • Feb 22 Joaquín Cortés, Spanish dancer, born in Córdoba, Spain
  • Feb 22 Mark Chmura, American NFL tight end (Green Bay Packers-Super Bowl 31), born in Deerfield, Massachusetts
  • Feb 22 Shawn Jefferson, American NFL wide receiver (San Diego Chargers, NE Patriots), born in Jacksonville, Florida
  • Feb 22 Thomas Jane, American actor, born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Feb 23 Marc Wauters, Belgian cyclist, born in Hasselt, Belgium
  • Feb 23 Michael Campbell, New Zealand golfer (US Open 2005), born in Hawera, New Zealand
  • Feb 25 Donald Hodge, NBA center (Charlotte Hornets)
  • Feb 25 Kerry Dienelt, Australian softball catcher/1st baseman (Olympic bronze 1996)
  • Feb 25 Michelle Gibson, equestrian dressage (Olympic bronze 1996)
  • Feb 26 Brandon Wilson, American baseball infielder (Chicago White Sox), born in Gaborone, Botswana
  • Feb 26 Hitoshi Sakimoto, Japanese composer, born in Tokyo, Japan

Wang Dan (55 years old)

Feb 26 Chinese dissident and one of the student leaders of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, born in Beijing, China

  • Feb 27 Brad Vander Ark, American guitarist, singer-songwriter (The Verve Pipe), and actor, born in Holland, Michigan
  • Feb 27 Greg Stevenson, Canadian rower (Olympics-11-92, 96), born in Sherbrooke, Quebec
  • Feb 27 Willie Banks, American baseball pitcher (Chicago Cubs), born in Jersey City, New Jersey
  • Feb 28 Butch Leitzinger, American race car driver
  • Feb 28 Elisa Fiorillo, American pop, jazz, and session singer ("How Can I Forget You"; "On The Way Up"; Prince, 2009-16; The Dease and Reese Project), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Feb 28 Pat Monahan, American rock singer, songwriter, and musician (Train - "Drops Of Jupiter"; Hey, Soul Sister"), born in Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Feb 28 Robert Sean Leonard, NJ, actor (Dead Poets Society, Mr & Mrs Bridge)
  • Feb 28 Shawn McEachern, Waltham MA, NHL forward (Boston Bruins, Senators)
  • Feb 28 Tor Øivind Ødegaard, Norwegian track runner
Born in 1969

Famous Weddings

Tammy Wynette

Feb 16 American country singer Tammy Wynette (26) weds American country singer-songwriter George Jones (37), divorced 1975

Maurice Gibb

Feb 18 Scottish pop singer Lulu (20) weds British rock musician Maurice Gibb (19); divorce in 1973


Famous Deaths

Boris Karloff (1887-1969)

Feb 2 English actor (The Mummy, Frankenstein), dies of pneumonia at 81

  • Feb 2 Giovanni Martinelli, Italian operatic spinto tenor singer (New York Metropolitan Opera, 1913-45), dies at 83
  • Feb 3 C. N. Annadurai, Indian politician and 1st Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, dies of cancer at 59
  • Feb 3 Eduardo C. Mondlane, Tsonga anthropologist and President of Mozambique, assassinated by a bomb at 48
  • Feb 5 Thelma Ritter, American character actress (All About Eve; Rear Window; Pillow Talk), dies of complications after a heart attack at 66
  • Feb 7 Bainbridge Crist, American composer, dies at 85
  • Feb 9 Manuel Plaza Reyes, Chilean marathoner (Olympic gold 1928), dies at 68
  • Feb 9 [George] Gabby Hayes, American actor (Albuquerque, Colorado), dies at 83
  • Feb 11 James Lanphier, American actor (Flight of Lost Balloon), dies at 48
  • Feb 12 Johanna Tourniaire, Dutch actress (Potasch & Perlemoer), dies at 80
  • Feb 14 (Charles) Kenneth Horne, British radio comedian (Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh; Beyond Our Ken), dies of a heart attack at the podium whilst hosting an awards program at 61
  • Feb 14 Vito Genovese, Italian-American crime syndicate boss, dies at 71
  • Feb 14 Wolfe Barzell, Polish-born actor (Blue Angel), dies of a heart attack at 72
  • Feb 15 Charles "Pee Wee" Russell, American jazz clarinet and saxophone player, dies at 62
  • Feb 17 (Adolphe) Paul Barbarinan American jazz drummer (King Oliver; Red Allen Sextet; Onward Brass Band), dies while playing his snare drum, marching in a Mardi Gras parade at 69
  • Feb 18 Dragisa Cvetkovic, Serbian politician (Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia 1939-41), dies at 76
  • Feb 19 Madge Blake, American actress (b. 1899)
  • Feb 20 Ernest Ansermet, Swiss (Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, 1918-67). and composer (Feuilles de Printemps), dies at 85
  • Feb 20 Jack Ingram, American actor (Law of the West), and stuntman, dies of a heart attack at 66
  • Feb 21 Jose de Capriles, Mexican-born US Olympic fencer, dies at 57
  • Feb 23 Joseph Messner, Austrian organist and composer, dies at 75
  • Feb 23 Madhubala [Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi], Indian actress regarded as "The Venus of Indian Cinema", dies of a heart condition at 36
  • Feb 24 Kenneth Green, actor (Penrod), dies of a heart attack at 61
  • Feb 25 Jan Zajic, Czech student, who died setting himself alight to protest the Communist takeover at 18
  • Feb 26 Karl Jaspers, German psychiatrist and philosopher, dies at 86
  • Feb 26 Levi Eshkol [Sjkolnik], Israeli Prime Minister (1963-69), dies in office of a heart attack at 73
  • Feb 27 John Boles, American singer and actor (Stella Dallas, Curly Top), dies at 73
  • Feb 27 Marius Barbeau, French Canadian ethnologist and folklorist, dies at 85