February 20

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February 20 in recent years 2007 (Tuesday) 2006 (Monday) 2005 (Sunday) 2004 (Friday) 2003 (Thursday) 2002 (Wednesday) 2001 (Tuesday) 2000 (Sunday) 1999 (Saturday) 1998 (Friday) 1997 (Thursday) 1996 (Tuesday) 1995 (Monday)

February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 314 days remaining, 315 in leap years.

Contents 1 Events 2 Births 3 Deaths 4 Holidays and observances 5 External links

Events

• 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a dowry payment.
• 1547 - Edward VI of England crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.
• 1724 - The premiere of Giulio Cesare, an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel, takes place in London.
• 1725 - The second reported case of white men scalping Native Americans takes place in New Hampshire colony.
• 1792 - The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington.
• 1798 - Louis Alexandre Berthier removes Pope Pius VI from power.
• 1810 - Andreas Hofer, Tyrolean patriot and leader of rebellion against Napoleon's forces, was executed.
• 1816 - Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville debuts at Teatro Argentina, with a fiasco.
• 1835 - Concepción, Chile is destroyed by an earthquake
• 1864 - Battle of Olustee
• 1872 - In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens.
• 1873 - The University of California opens its first medical school in San Francisco, California.
• 1901 - The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time.
• 1909 - Publication of the Futurist Manifesto in the French journal Le Figaro
• 1913 - King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra.
• 1921 - The film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, starring Rudolph Valentino, premieres.
• 1931 - California gets the go-ahead by the U.S. Congress to build the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
• 1942 - Lieutenant Edward O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace.
• 1943 - American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies.
• 1943 - The Parícutin volcano begins to form in Paricutín, México.
• 1944 - World War II: "Big Week" ended with American bomber raids on Nazi aircraft manufacturing centers.
• 1944 - World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Island.
• 1947 - State of Prussia ceases to exist
• 1952 - Emmett L. Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.
• 1952 - The film The African Queen opens at the Capitol Theatre in New York City.
• 1959 - The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.
• 1962 - Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn orbits the earth three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes, becoming the first American to orbit the earth.
• 1965 - Ranger 8 crashes into the moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.
• 1969 - The date that Michel Collin had predicted as the coming of a world wide catastrophe.
• 1976 - The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization disbands.
• 1987 - Unabomber: In Salt Lake City, in the USA, a bomb explodes in a computer store.
• 1991 - A gigantic statue of Albania's long-time dictator, Enver Hoxha, is brought down in the Albanian capital, Tirana, by mobs of angry protesters.
• 1992 - Ross Perot announces his intention to run in the 1992 U.S. presidential election on CNN's Larry King Live.
• 1992 - The FA Premier League is formed and takes over as the professional league in England from season 1992–93.
• 1998 - American figure skater Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest gold-medalist at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
• 1998 - The Nashville Banner daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA publishes its last edition.
• 1999 - First hockey game occurs at the Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Maple Leafs win 3-2 in overtime vs the Montreal Canadiens.
• 2002 - In Reqa Al-Gharbiya, Egypt, a fire on a train injures over 65 and kills at least 370.
• 2003 - In Rhode Island, in the USA, The Station nightclub fire kills about 100 and injures over 200.
• 2005 - Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout.
• 2005 - Robot Chicken premieres on Adult Swim.

Births

• 1631 - Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, English statesman (d. 1712)
• 1745 - Henry James Pye, English poet (d. 1813)
• 1751 - Johann Heinrich Voß, German poet (d. 1826)
• 1753 - Louis Alexandre Berthier, French marshal (d. 1815)
• 1757 - John 'Mad Jack' Fuller, English philanthropist (d. 1834)
• 1794 - William Carleton, Irish novelist (d. 1869)
• 1802 - Charles de Bériot, Belgian violinist (d. 1870)
• 1819 - Alfred Escher, Swiss politician, railroad entrepreneur (d. 1882)
• 1839 - Benjamin Waugh, American minister; founder of the NSPCC (d. 1908)
• 1844 - Ludwig Boltzmann, Austrian physicist (d. 1906)
• 1844 - Joshua Slocum, Canadian seaman and adventurer (d. 1909)
• 1848 - Edward Henry Harriman, American railroad executive (d. 1909)
• 1850 - Nérée Beauchemin, Canadian physician and poet (d. 1931)
• 1866 - Carl Westman, Swedish architect and designer (d. 1936)
• 1887 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (d. 1967)
• 1888 - Georges Bernanos, French writer (d. 1948)
• 1893 - Russel Crouse, American playwright (d. 1966)
• 1898 - Jimmy Yancey, American pianist (d. 1951)
• 1899 - Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman (d. 1992)
• 1901 - Cecil Harmsworth King, English newspaper owner (d. 1987)
• 1901 - Muhammad Naguib, President of Egypt (d. 1984)
• 1902 - Ansel Adams, American photographer (d. 1984)
• 1904 - Alexei Kosygin, Premier of the Soviet Union (d. 1980)
• 1912 - Pierre Boulle, French author (d. 1994)
• 1914 - John Daly, South African-born broadcaster (d. 2001)
• 1923 - Forbes Burnham, President of Guyana (d. 1985)
• 1924 - Gloria Vanderbilt, American socialite and clothing designer
• 1925 - Robert Altman, American film director (d. 2006)
• 1925 - Heinz Kluncker, German trade union leader
• 1926 - Richard Matheson, American author
• 1927 - Roy Cohn, American lawyer (d. 1986)
• 1927 - Ibrahim Ferrer, Cuban musician (Buena Vista Social Club) (d. 2005)
• 1927 - Sidney Poitier, American actor
• 1929 - Amanda Blake, American actress (d. 1989)
• 1934 - Bobby Unser, American racing driver
• 1936 - Marj Dusay, American actress
• 1936 - Larry Hovis, American actor (d. 2003)
• 1937 - Robert Huber, German chemist, Nobel laureate
• 1937 - Roger Penske, American racing driver
• 1937 - Nancy Wilson, American singer
• 1938 - Richard Beymer, American actor
• 1939 - Frank Arundel, English footballer
• 1941 - Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canadian singer
• 1942 - Phil Esposito, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1942 - Charlie Gillett, British radio DJ
• 1943 - Mike Leigh, British film director
• 1943 - Antonio Inoki, Japanese professional wrestler
• 1944 - Martina Newberry, American poet, writer
• 1944 - Willem van Hanegem, Dutch footballer and coach
• 1944 - Robert de Cotret, French Canadian politician (d. 1999)
• 1945 - Brion James, American actor (d. 1999)
• 1946 - Brenda Blethyn, English actress
• 1946 - Sandy Duncan, American singer and actress
• 1946 - J. Geils, American guitarist (The J. Geils Band)
• 1946 - Richard Cocciante, French-Italian singer and songwriter
• 1947 - Peter Osgood, English footballer (d. 2006)
• 1947 - Peter Strauss, American actor
• 1947 - Eggert Magnusson, English football executive
• 1947 - Andre van Duin, Dutch comedian
• 1948 - Jennifer O'Neill, Brazilian-born actress
• 1948 - Pierre Bouchard, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1949 - Ivana Trump, Czech-born American socialite
• 1950 - Ken Shimura, Japanese performer and actor
• 1950 - Walter Becker, American guitarist (Steely Dan)
• 1951 - Edward Albert, American actor (d. 2006)
• 1951 - Gordon Brown, Scottish politician
• 1951 - Randy California, American guitarist (Spirit) (d. 1997)
• 1953 - Riccardo Chailly, Italian conductor
• 1954 - Anthony Stewart Head, English actor
• 1954 - Patty Hearst, American socialite and kidnapping victim
• 1954 - Jon Brant, American musician (Cheap Trick)
• 1956 - Rick Green, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1959 - Bill Gullickson, American baseball player
• 1960 - Joel Hodgson, American comedian (Mystery Science Theater 3000)
• 1960 - Kee Marcello, Swedish guitarist
• 1963 - Charles Barkley, American basketball player
• 1963 - Ian Brown, English singer (The Stone Roses)
• 1963 - Jon Lynn Christensen, former Nebraska Congressman
• 1964 - French Stewart, American actor
• 1966 - Cindy Crawford, American model
• 1966 - Sherry Smalley, American author
• 1967 - Kurt Cobain, American musician (Nirvana) (d. 1994)
• 1967 - Lili Taylor, American actress
• 1967 - Andrew Shue, American television actor
• 1968 - Ted Hankey, English darts player
• 1969 - Gedo, Japanese professional wrestler
• 1971 - Jari Litmanen, Finnish footballer
• 1972 - Brent Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1972 - K-OS, Canadian musician/rapper
• 1974 - Ophelie Winter, French actress
• 1975 - Liván Hernández, Cuban baseball player
• 1975 - Gail Kim, Canadian professional wrestler
• 1975 - Brian Littrell, American singer (Backstreet Boys)
• 1976 - Ed Graham, English drummer (The Darkness)
• 1977 - Stephon Marbury, American basketball player
• 1977 - T.J. Slaughter, American football player
• 1977 - Bartosz Kizierowski, Polish swimmer
• 1978 - Julia Jentsch, German actress
• 1978 - Lauren Ambrose, American actress
• 1978 - Jay Hernandez, American actor
• 1978 - Jakki Degg, English glamour model/actress
• 1980 - Imanol Harinordoquy, French rugby union footballer
• 1980 - Artur Boruc, Polish footballer
• 1981 - Tony Hibbert, English footballer
• 1981 - Chris Thile, American musician
• 1985 - Yulia Volkova, Russian singer (t.A.T.u.)
• 1988 - Rihanna, Barbadian singer
• 1989 - Melanie Leishman, Canadian actress

Deaths

• 702 - K'inich Kan B'alam II, king of the Maya state of Palenque (b. 635)
• 1154 - Saint Wulfric of Haselbury Plucknett
• 1171 - Conan IV, Duke of Brittany (b. 1138)
• 1194 - King Tancred of Sicily
• 1258 - Al-Musta'sim, last Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad
• 1408 - Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, English statesman (b. 1342)
• 1431 - Pope Martin V (b. 1368)
• 1524 - Tecún Umán, last leader of the Quiché-Maya
• 1579 - Nicholas Bacon, English politician (b. 1509)
• 1618 - Philip William, Prince of Orange (b. 1554)
• 1626 - John Dowland, English composer and lutenist (b. 1563)
• 1762 - Tobias Mayer, German astronomer (b. 1723)
• 1771 - Jean Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan, French geophysicist (b. 1678)
• 1773 - King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia (b. 1701)
• 1778 - Laura Bassi, Italian scholar (b. 1711)
• 1790 - Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1741)
• 1803 - Marie Dumesnil, French actress (b. 1713)
• 1806 - Lachlan McIntosh, Scottish-born American military and political leader (b. 1725)
• 1810 - Andreas Hofer, Tyrolean national hero (executed) (b. 1767)
• 1871 - Paul Kane, Irish-born painter (b. 1810)
• 1893 - P.G.T. Beauregard, American Confederate general (b. 1818)
• 1895 - Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist writer (b. 1818)
• 1907 - Henri Moissan, French chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1852)
• 1916 - Klas Pontus Arnoldson, Swedish writer and pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1844)
• 1920 - Robert Peary, American explorer (b. 1856)
• 1961 - Percy Grainger, Australian composer (b. 1882)
• 1963 - Ferenc Fricsay, Hungarian conductor (b. 1914)
• 1966 - Chester Nimitz, American admiral (b. 1885)
• 1968 - Anthony Asquith, British film director and writer (b. 1902)
• 1969 - Ernest Ansermet, Swiss conductor (b. 1883)
• 1970 - Sophie Treadwell, American playwright and journalist (b. 1885)
• 1972 - Maria Goeppert-Mayer, German physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1906)
• 1972 - Walter Winchell, American journalist (b. 1897)
• 1976 - René Cassin, French judge, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1887)
• 1976 - Kathryn Kuhlman, American evangelist (b. 1907)
• 1980 - J.B. Rhine, American parapsychologist (b. 1895)
• 1981 - Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg, magazine editor, socialite (b. 1904)
• 1983 - Fritz Köberle, Austrian-Brazilian physician (b. 1910)
• 1985 - Clarence "Ducky" Nash, American voice actor (b. 1904)
• 1992 - Roberto D'Aubuisson, Salvadoran politician (b. 1944)
• 1992 - Dick York, American actor (b. 1928)
• 1993 - Ferruccio Lamborghini, Italian automobile manufacturer (b. 1916)
• 1996 - Solomon Asch, American psychologist (b. 1907)
• 1996 - Tōru Takemitsu, Japanese composer (b. 1930)
• 1999 - Sarah Kane, English playwright (b. 1971)
• 1999 - Gene Siskel, American film critic (b. 1946)
• 2000 - Anatoly Sobchak, Russian politician (b. 1937)
• 2001 - Rosemary DeCamp, American actress (b. 1910)
• 2003 - Maurice Blanchot, French author (b. 1907)
• 2003 - Orville Freeman, American politician (b. 1918)
• 2003 - Harry Jacunski, American football player
• 2003 - Ty Longley, American guitarist (Great White) (b. 1971)
• 2003 - Mushaf Ali Mir, Pakistani Chief of the Air Staff (b. 1947)
• 2005 - Pam Bricker, American jazz singer and Thievery Corporation vocalist (b. 1954)
• 2005 - Sandra Dee, American actress (b. 1944)
• 2005 - John Raitt, American actor (b. 1917)
• 2005 - Hunter S. Thompson, American journalist and author (b. 1937)
• 2005 - Tom Willmore, English geometer (b. 1919)
• 2006 - Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster (b. 1919)
• 2006 - Lucjan Wolanowski, Polish journalist, writer and traveller (b. 1920)
• 2007 - F. Albert Cotton, American chemist (b. 1930)

Holidays and observances

• February 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

Wikipedia information about February 20 This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "February 20". It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer). Help contribute to Americola and edit this article.