February 8
1587 - Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded.
1693 - College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia received its charter, becoming the second institution of higher learning in the United States.
1837 - The Senate selected Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky as vice president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.
1870 - The National Weather Service was established under the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
1904 - The Russo-Japanese War began when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur in northeast China.
1910 - The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.
1915 - D.W. Griffith's controversial epic, "The Birth of a Nation", premiered in Los Angeles.
1922 - President Warren G. Harding had a radio installed in the White House.
1924 - The gas chamber was used for the first time as a method of execution in the United States. Gangster Gee Jon was put to death at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City.
1952 - Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed her accession to the British throne following the death of her father, King George VI.
1960 - The payola (pay for broadcast airplay) hearings opened in the House of Representatives. Dick Clark would testify in April.
1968 - Three college students died in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.
1971 - NASDAQ, the world's first electronic stock exchange, held its first trading day.
1980 - President Jimmy Carter revealed his plan to reinstate selective service draft registration.
1993 - General Motors sued NBC, alleging that the program "Dateline NBC" had rigged two crashes to show that GM pickup trucks were prone to fires. (NBC settled the lawsuit the following day.)
1996 - In a ceremony at the Library of Congress, President Clinton signed legislation revamping the telecommunications industry, saying it would "bring the future to our doorstep."
1999 - The U.S. Senate heard closing arguments in President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial.
2007 - Model and tabloid sensation Anna Nicole Smith died at age 39 from an accidental drug overdose.
2010 - Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop superstar in Los Angeles Superior Court. (Murray was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.)
Birthdays
21 - Kathryn Newton (actress)
23 - Jordan Todosey (actress)
28 - Klay Thompson (basketball player)
29 - Dani Harmer (actress)
29 - Chai Romruen (actor)
29 - Julio Jones (football player)
31 - Daphne Joy (model)
34 - Cecily Strong (actress/comedian)
41 - Pooch Hall (actor)
44 - Seth Green (actor)
46 - Paul "Big Show" Wright (professional wrestler)
48 - Stephanie Courtney (comedian)
57 - Vince Neil (singer)
64 - Joe Maddon (baseball manager)
75 - Creed Bratton (actor)
77 - Nick Nolte (actor)
86 - John Williams (composer)
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Today in Sports History - February 8
1896 - The Western Conference is formed (now known as the Big Ten Conference). Charter members were: Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan and the University of Chicago.
1935 - The first NFL draft is held; Jay Berwanger of University of Chicago is first pick (by Philadelphia Eagles); he never plays in the NFL.
1963 - The Dallas Texans of the AFL officially become the Kansas City Chiefs.
1972 - Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard selected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
1982 - The longest-playing infield foursome is broken up as the Los Angeles Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to the Oakland Athletics for minor leaguer Lance Hudson. The second baseman had played with Steve Garvey, Ron Cey and Bill Russell since 1974.
1984 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke Wilt Chamberlains record of 12,681 goals. He scored 15,836 goals before retiring in 1989.
1984 - The Winter Olympic Games open in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
1986 - Spud Webb (5 feet 7 inches tall) of Atlanta Hawks wins NBA Slam Dunk Competition.
1991 - Roger Clemens signs a record $5.3 million per year contract with the Boston Red Sox.
1992 - The Winter Olympic Games opened in Albertville, France.
1996 - Charles Barkley became the 22nd player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points.
1996 - NFL owners approve Art Modell's plans to move his Cleveland Browns franchise to Baltimore, but he has to leave the "Browns" name behind.
1997 - Scotty Bowman won his 1,000th NHL regular season game as a coach.
1997 - Mike Gartner (Phoenix Coyotes) became only the sixth player in NHL history to get 600 career goals and 600 career assists.
1998 - The first female ice hockey game in Olympic history was played. Finland beat Sweden 6-0.
1998 - NHL stops season until February 24th to accommodate the Olympics.
2003 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) became the second fastest NHL player to reach 1,000 career assists.
2009 - First baseman Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies agree to a three-year, US$54 million contract.
1587 - Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded.
1693 - College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia received its charter, becoming the second institution of higher learning in the United States.
1837 - The Senate selected Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky as vice president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.
1870 - The National Weather Service was established under the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
1904 - The Russo-Japanese War began when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur in northeast China.
1910 - The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.
1915 - D.W. Griffith's controversial epic, "The Birth of a Nation", premiered in Los Angeles.
1922 - President Warren G. Harding had a radio installed in the White House.
1924 - The gas chamber was used for the first time as a method of execution in the United States. Gangster Gee Jon was put to death at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City.
1952 - Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed her accession to the British throne following the death of her father, King George VI.
1960 - The payola (pay for broadcast airplay) hearings opened in the House of Representatives. Dick Clark would testify in April.
1968 - Three college students died in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.
1971 - NASDAQ, the world's first electronic stock exchange, held its first trading day.
1980 - President Jimmy Carter revealed his plan to reinstate selective service draft registration.
1993 - General Motors sued NBC, alleging that the program "Dateline NBC" had rigged two crashes to show that GM pickup trucks were prone to fires. (NBC settled the lawsuit the following day.)
1996 - In a ceremony at the Library of Congress, President Clinton signed legislation revamping the telecommunications industry, saying it would "bring the future to our doorstep."
1999 - The U.S. Senate heard closing arguments in President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial.
2007 - Model and tabloid sensation Anna Nicole Smith died at age 39 from an accidental drug overdose.
2010 - Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop superstar in Los Angeles Superior Court. (Murray was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.)
Birthdays
21 - Kathryn Newton (actress)
23 - Jordan Todosey (actress)
28 - Klay Thompson (basketball player)
29 - Dani Harmer (actress)
29 - Chai Romruen (actor)
29 - Julio Jones (football player)
31 - Daphne Joy (model)
34 - Cecily Strong (actress/comedian)
41 - Pooch Hall (actor)
44 - Seth Green (actor)
46 - Paul "Big Show" Wright (professional wrestler)
48 - Stephanie Courtney (comedian)
57 - Vince Neil (singer)
64 - Joe Maddon (baseball manager)
75 - Creed Bratton (actor)
77 - Nick Nolte (actor)
86 - John Williams (composer)
==============================
Today in Sports History - February 8
1896 - The Western Conference is formed (now known as the Big Ten Conference). Charter members were: Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan and the University of Chicago.
1935 - The first NFL draft is held; Jay Berwanger of University of Chicago is first pick (by Philadelphia Eagles); he never plays in the NFL.
1963 - The Dallas Texans of the AFL officially become the Kansas City Chiefs.
1972 - Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard selected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
1982 - The longest-playing infield foursome is broken up as the Los Angeles Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to the Oakland Athletics for minor leaguer Lance Hudson. The second baseman had played with Steve Garvey, Ron Cey and Bill Russell since 1974.
1984 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke Wilt Chamberlains record of 12,681 goals. He scored 15,836 goals before retiring in 1989.
1984 - The Winter Olympic Games open in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
1986 - Spud Webb (5 feet 7 inches tall) of Atlanta Hawks wins NBA Slam Dunk Competition.
1991 - Roger Clemens signs a record $5.3 million per year contract with the Boston Red Sox.
1992 - The Winter Olympic Games opened in Albertville, France.
1996 - Charles Barkley became the 22nd player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points.
1996 - NFL owners approve Art Modell's plans to move his Cleveland Browns franchise to Baltimore, but he has to leave the "Browns" name behind.
1997 - Scotty Bowman won his 1,000th NHL regular season game as a coach.
1997 - Mike Gartner (Phoenix Coyotes) became only the sixth player in NHL history to get 600 career goals and 600 career assists.
1998 - The first female ice hockey game in Olympic history was played. Finland beat Sweden 6-0.
1998 - NHL stops season until February 24th to accommodate the Olympics.
2003 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) became the second fastest NHL player to reach 1,000 career assists.
2009 - First baseman Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies agree to a three-year, US$54 million contract.
