Today in History for 19th February 2023

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1771 - French astronomer Charles Messier adds M46-M49 to his catalog (galactic clusters in Puppis and Hydra and galaxy in Virgo)
1819 - British explorer William Smith discovers the South Shetland Islands, and claims them in the name of King George III
1945 - US 5th Fleet launches invasion of Iwo Jima against the Japanese with 30,000 US Marines
1985 - Canned and bottled Cherry Coke introduced by Coca-Cola
1992 - In a blockbuster NHL trade, Pittsburgh Penguins send Mark Recchi, Brian Benning and LA's 1st round 1992 pick (Jason Bowen) to the Philadelphia Flyers for Kjell Samuelsson, Rick Tocchet and Ken Wregget
2014 - Death toll in Ukraine reaches 26 after Government crackdown on protesters

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Famous Birthdays

1920 - Jaan Kross, Estonian writer (d. 2007)
1923 - Donald Lybbert, American composer (Zap; Lines for the Fallen), and educator (Hunter College, 1954-80), born in Cresco, Iowa (d. 1981)
1940 - [William] Smokey Robinson, American soul singer-songwriter (The Miracles - "You Really Got A Hold On Me"; "Tears Of A Clown"; "My Girl"), born in Detroit, Michigan
1979 - Mariska [Anna Maria Rahikainen], Finnish rapper, born in Helsinki, Finland
1981 - Ronnie Arniell, Canadian professional wrestler
1993 - Victoria Justice, American Actress (The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody, Lola Martinez in Nickelodeon show Zoey 101)

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Famous Deaths

1545 - Pierre Brully [Peter Brulius], Calvinist minister, burned to death for teaching Protestant doctrine in Tournai
1878 - Charles-François Daubigny, French painter of the Barbizon school, dies at 61
1948 - Bob Groom, American baseball pitcher (Washington Senators; no-hitter 1917 St. Louis Browns), dies at 63
1957 - Maurice Garin, Italian-born French road bicycle racer (winner of Tour de France in 1903), dies at 85
1993 - Michael Morrison, actor (Caleb-As the World Turns), dies at 33
1994 - Derek Jarman, English filmmaker (The Tempest), artist and gay rights activist, dies of AIDS at 52

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