February 3
Today is the 34th day of 2017, there are 331 days left in the year.
1468 - Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, died.
1783 - Spain formally recognized American independence.
1809 - The territory of Illinois was established.
1867 - Crown Prince Mutshuhito became Japan's 122nd emperor at age 14 four days after the death of his father, Emperor Komei. He would oversee Japan's transition from a feudal state to a capitalist world power.
1870 - The 15th Amendment to the Constitution was passed, giving black Americans the right to vote.
1913 - The 16th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, which established a federal income tax.
1917 - The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, the same day an American cargo ship, the SS Housatonic, was sunk by a U-boat off Britain after the crew was allowed to board lifeboats.
1924 - Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, died in Washington, D.C. at age 67.
1930 - Chief Justice of the United States, and former president, William Howard Taft, resigned from his seat on the Supreme Court for health reasons. (He died a month later.)
1943 - During World War II, the U.S. transport ship Dorchester, which was carrying troops to Greenland, sank after being hit by a German torpedo; of the more than 900 men aboard, only 230 survived.
1959 - Rock singers Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and Big Bopper died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.
1966 - The Soviet probe Luna 9 became the first manmade object to make a soft landing on the surface of the moon.
1971 - Apollo 14 astronauts Alan B. Shepard and Edger D. Mitchell landed on the lunar surface on the third successful mission to the moon.
1988 - The U.S. House of Representatives rejected President Ronald Reagan's request for more than $36 million in aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
1989 - Alfredo Stroessner, president of Paraguay for more than 30 years, was overthrown in a military coup.
1995 - Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot the space shuttle when she took off aboard Discovery.
1998 - Texas executed Karla Faye Tucker, the first woman to be put to death since 1984.
2006 - An Egyptian passenger ferry sank in the Red Sea during bad weather, killing more than 1,000 passengers.
2011 - Tens of thousands of protesters staged unprecedented demonstrations against Yemen's autocratic president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key U.S. ally in battling Islamic militants.
Birthdays
27 - Sean Kingston (singer)
28 - Julio Jones (football player)
28 - Keenan Kampa (dancer)
29 - Chantelle Paige (singer)
30 - Daniel Jacobs (boxeR)
31 - Lucas Duda (baseball player)
33 - Sara Carbonero (TV host)
35 - Bridget Regan (actress)
39 - Amal Clooney (lawyer)
39 - Kelly Sullivan (actress)
40 - Maitland Ward (actress)
41 - Isla Fisher (actress)
47 - Warwick Davis (actor)
53 - Ellen Thomas (actress)
61 - Nathan Lane (actor)
67 - Morgan Fairchild (actress)
74 - Blythe Danner (actress)
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Today in Sports History - February 3
1876 - Albert Spalding used $800 to start a sporting goods company, and would go on to manufacture the first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball and football.
1912 - Professional football in the United States set some new rules, of which included shortening the field to 100 yards, increasing touchdowns from five points awarded to six, increasing from three downs to four to gain a first down and moving the kickoff from midfield back to the 40-yard line.
1948 - Dick Button becomes the first ever world figure skating champion from the United States.
1965 - The Milwaukee Braves offer the city of Milwaukee $500,000 to terminate their lease a year early; the proposal is turned down.
1972 - The eleventh Winter Olympic Games opened in Sapporo, Japan.
1975 - Billy Herman, Earl Averill and Bucky Harris are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1979 - The Minnesota Twins trade Rod Carew to the California Angels for four players.
1993 - Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott is suspended for one year from baseball due to racist comments attributed to her.
1998 - Dino Ciccarelli of the Florida Panthers becomes the ninth player in NHL history to score 600 goals.
2001 - The XFL made its football debut. The inaugural games same the Las Vegas Outlaws defeat the New York/New Jersey Hitmen 19-0 and the Orlando Rage defeat the Chicago Enforcers 33-29. Other teams in the league included the Birmingham Thunderbolts, the Los Angeles Xtreme, the San Francisco Demons and the Memphis Maniax.
2002 - The New England Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in New Orleans to win Super Bowl XXXVI. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named MVP. It was the first Super Bowl title for New England.
2008 - The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14 in Glendale, Arizona to win Super Bowl XLII. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named MVP. The game is considered one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history as the Patriots entered the game undefeated and attempted to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams in NFL history to finish a season with a perfect record.
2012 - Federal prosecutors dropped their investigation of Lance Armstrong, ending a two-year effort at determining whether the seven-time Tour de France winner and his teammates had participated in a doping program. (In January 2013, Armstrong publicly admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs.)
2013 - The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in New Orleans to win Super Bowl XLVII. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was named MVP. The game featured two brothers coaching against each other, with John Harbaugh leading the Ravens and Jim Harbaugh the 49ers.
Today is the 34th day of 2017, there are 331 days left in the year.
1468 - Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, died.
1783 - Spain formally recognized American independence.
1809 - The territory of Illinois was established.
1867 - Crown Prince Mutshuhito became Japan's 122nd emperor at age 14 four days after the death of his father, Emperor Komei. He would oversee Japan's transition from a feudal state to a capitalist world power.
1870 - The 15th Amendment to the Constitution was passed, giving black Americans the right to vote.
1913 - The 16th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, which established a federal income tax.
1917 - The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, the same day an American cargo ship, the SS Housatonic, was sunk by a U-boat off Britain after the crew was allowed to board lifeboats.
1924 - Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, died in Washington, D.C. at age 67.
1930 - Chief Justice of the United States, and former president, William Howard Taft, resigned from his seat on the Supreme Court for health reasons. (He died a month later.)
1943 - During World War II, the U.S. transport ship Dorchester, which was carrying troops to Greenland, sank after being hit by a German torpedo; of the more than 900 men aboard, only 230 survived.
1959 - Rock singers Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and Big Bopper died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.
1966 - The Soviet probe Luna 9 became the first manmade object to make a soft landing on the surface of the moon.
1971 - Apollo 14 astronauts Alan B. Shepard and Edger D. Mitchell landed on the lunar surface on the third successful mission to the moon.
1988 - The U.S. House of Representatives rejected President Ronald Reagan's request for more than $36 million in aid to the Nicaraguan Contras.
1989 - Alfredo Stroessner, president of Paraguay for more than 30 years, was overthrown in a military coup.
1995 - Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot the space shuttle when she took off aboard Discovery.
1998 - Texas executed Karla Faye Tucker, the first woman to be put to death since 1984.
2006 - An Egyptian passenger ferry sank in the Red Sea during bad weather, killing more than 1,000 passengers.
2011 - Tens of thousands of protesters staged unprecedented demonstrations against Yemen's autocratic president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key U.S. ally in battling Islamic militants.
Birthdays
27 - Sean Kingston (singer)
28 - Julio Jones (football player)
28 - Keenan Kampa (dancer)
29 - Chantelle Paige (singer)
30 - Daniel Jacobs (boxeR)
31 - Lucas Duda (baseball player)
33 - Sara Carbonero (TV host)
35 - Bridget Regan (actress)
39 - Amal Clooney (lawyer)
39 - Kelly Sullivan (actress)
40 - Maitland Ward (actress)
41 - Isla Fisher (actress)
47 - Warwick Davis (actor)
53 - Ellen Thomas (actress)
61 - Nathan Lane (actor)
67 - Morgan Fairchild (actress)
74 - Blythe Danner (actress)
=====================================
Today in Sports History - February 3
1876 - Albert Spalding used $800 to start a sporting goods company, and would go on to manufacture the first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball and football.
1912 - Professional football in the United States set some new rules, of which included shortening the field to 100 yards, increasing touchdowns from five points awarded to six, increasing from three downs to four to gain a first down and moving the kickoff from midfield back to the 40-yard line.
1948 - Dick Button becomes the first ever world figure skating champion from the United States.
1965 - The Milwaukee Braves offer the city of Milwaukee $500,000 to terminate their lease a year early; the proposal is turned down.
1972 - The eleventh Winter Olympic Games opened in Sapporo, Japan.
1975 - Billy Herman, Earl Averill and Bucky Harris are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1979 - The Minnesota Twins trade Rod Carew to the California Angels for four players.
1993 - Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott is suspended for one year from baseball due to racist comments attributed to her.
1998 - Dino Ciccarelli of the Florida Panthers becomes the ninth player in NHL history to score 600 goals.
2001 - The XFL made its football debut. The inaugural games same the Las Vegas Outlaws defeat the New York/New Jersey Hitmen 19-0 and the Orlando Rage defeat the Chicago Enforcers 33-29. Other teams in the league included the Birmingham Thunderbolts, the Los Angeles Xtreme, the San Francisco Demons and the Memphis Maniax.
2002 - The New England Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in New Orleans to win Super Bowl XXXVI. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named MVP. It was the first Super Bowl title for New England.
2008 - The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14 in Glendale, Arizona to win Super Bowl XLII. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named MVP. The game is considered one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history as the Patriots entered the game undefeated and attempted to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams in NFL history to finish a season with a perfect record.
2012 - Federal prosecutors dropped their investigation of Lance Armstrong, ending a two-year effort at determining whether the seven-time Tour de France winner and his teammates had participated in a doping program. (In January 2013, Armstrong publicly admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs.)
2013 - The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in New Orleans to win Super Bowl XLVII. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was named MVP. The game featured two brothers coaching against each other, with John Harbaugh leading the Ravens and Jim Harbaugh the 49ers.
