1519 Hernán Cortés leaves Cuba for the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico with 11 ships and 500 men
1678 John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” is published in Holborn, London, by Nathaniel Ponder
1861 King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia becomes first King of Italy
1885 Mark Twain publishes the “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” in the US
1917 1st major strike of the Russian “February Revolution” starts at the giant Putilov factory in Petrograd [NS=Mar 3]
2014 Ukrainian Revolution of 2014 begins as protesters, riot police and unknown shooters take part in violent events in the capital, Kiev, culminating after five days in the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych
Historical Events Today
Today In Film & TV
1952 4th Emmy Awards: first time awards presented based on nationwide basis, “The Red Skelton Show”, Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca win
Today In Music
1735 1st opera performed in America, “Flora”, in Charleston, South Carolina
Today In Sport
1981 20-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes first player in NHL history to score 5 career hat-tricks before age 21; scores 5 goals and 2 assists in 9-2 Oilers’ home win against St. Louis
Do You Know This Fact About Today?
1930 US astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto
Would You Believe This Fact About Today?
1685 Fort St. Louis is established by a Frenchman at Matagorda Bay thus forming the basis for France’s claim to Texas.
Famous Weddings
1922 Football player George Halas (27) weds Minnie Bushing
1937 Actress Mary Astor (30) weds film editor Manuel del Campo (23) in Yuma, Arizona
1940 Molecular biologist Francis Crick (23) weds Ruth Doreen Dodd
