Today in History

Today in History

Today is Thursday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2018. There are 312 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Feb. 22, 1732 (New Style date), the first president of the United States, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County in the Virginia Colony.

On this date:

In 1630, English colonists in the Massachusetts Bay Colony first sampled popcorn brought to them by a Native American named Quadequina for their Thanksgiving celebration.

In 1862, Jefferson Davis, already the provisional president of the Confederacy, was inaugurated for a six-year term following his election in November 1861.

In 1892, "Lady Windermere's Fan" by Oscar Wilde was first performed at London's St. James' Theater.

In 1909, the Great White Fleet, a naval task force sent on a round-the-world voyage by President Theodore Roosevelt, returned after more than a year at sea.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first radio broadcast from the White House as he addressed the country over 42 stations.

In 1935, it became illegal for airplanes to fly over the White House.

In 1943, Pan Am Flight 9035, a Boeing 314 flying boat, crashed while attempting to land in Lisbon, Portugal. Twenty-five people were killed; 14 survived, including actress-singer Jane Froman.

In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 race was held; although Johnny Beauchamp was initially declared the winner, the victory was later awarded to Lee Petty.

In 1967, more than 25,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops launched Operation Junction City, aimed at smashing a Vietcong stronghold near the Cambodian border. (Although the communists were driven out, they later returned.)

In 1974, Pakistan officially recognized Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).

In 1980, the "Miracle on Ice" took place in Lake Placid, New York, as the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviets, 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.)

In 1997, scientists in Scotland announced they had succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named "Dolly." (Dolly, however, was later put down after a short life marred by premature aging and disease.)

Ten years ago: Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq in their first major ground incursion against Kurdish rebel bases in nearly a decade. Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez gave birth to twins, a girl and a boy. Civil rights activist Johnnie Carr died in Montgomery, Alabama, at age 97.

Five years ago: The Justice Department joined a lawsuit against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong alleging the former seven-time Tour de France champion had concealed his use of performance-enhancing drugs and defrauded his longtime sponsor, the U.S. Postal Service. (The case is headed to trial.)

One year ago: The Trump administration lifted federal guidelines that said transgender students should be allowed to use public school bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity. Most of the Dakota Access pipeline opponents abandoned their protest camp ahead of a government deadline to get off the federal land. A shooting at a bar in Olathe, Kansas, left one man dead and two others wounded; witnesses said a man yelled, "Get out of my country" before opening fire on two Indian nationals who worked as engineers at GPS-maker Garmin. (A suspect has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, as well as federal hate crime charges.)

Today's Birthdays: Actor Paul Dooley is 90. Actor James Hong is 89. Actor John Ashton is 70. Actress Miou-Miou is 68. Actress Julie Walters is 68. Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving is 68. Actress Ellen Greene is 67. Former Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is 66. Former White House adviser David Axelrod is 63. Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 59. World Golf Hall of Famer Vijay Singh is 55. Actress-comedian Rachel Dratch is 52. Actor Paul Lieberstein is 51. Actress Jeri Ryan is 50. Actor Thomas Jane is 49. TV host Clinton Kelly is 49. Actress Tamara Mello is 48. Actress-singer Lea Salonga is 47. Actor Jose Solano is 47. International Tennis Hall of Famer Michael Chang is 46. Rock musician Scott Phillips is 45. Singer James Blunt is 44. Actress Drew Barrymore is 43. Actress Liza Huber is 43. Rock singer Tom Higgenson (Plain White T's) is 39. Actor Zach Roerig is 33. Actor Daniel E. Smith is 28.

Thought for Today: "The passion for setting people right is in itself an afflictive disease." -- Marianne Moore, American poet (1887-1972).