February 5th
1881
Phoenix, Ariz., was incorporated.
1917
Congress passed the Immigration Act, which restricted Asian immigration, over President Wilson's veto.
1917
Mexico adopted its present constitution.
1937
FDR proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court justices—"packing" the court.
1977
Sugar Ray Leonard won his first pro fight. He beat Luis Vega in 6 rounds.
1994
Byron De La Beckwith was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Medgar Evers, 30 years after the crime in Jackson, Mississippi.
1997
Under international pressure, three of Switzerland's biggest banks created a fund worth 100 million Swiss francs for Holocaust victims and their families.
Birthdays
75 Hank Aaron Baseball Hall of Famer
75 Don Cherry Hockey player & broadcaster
67 Roger Staubach Football Hall of Famer
62 Darrell Waltrip Race car driver
61 Christopher Guest Actor, screenwriter ("This is Spinal Tap")
48 Tim Meadows Actor, comedian ("Saturday Night Live")
47 Jennifer Jason Leigh Actress
45 Duff McKagan Rock musician (Guns N' Roses)
41 Roberto Alomar Baseball player
41 Chris Barron Rock singer (Spin Doctors)
40 Bobby Brown R&B singer
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flyinillini75 Cigar Asylum Inmate
76 Hiram Stevens Maxim 2/5/1840 - 11/24/1916 American born inventor who invented the Maxim Gun
41 Belle Starr 2/5/1848 - 2/3/1889 American outlaw in Texas and Oklahoma territory
83 William Burroughs 2/5/1914 - 8/2/1997 American writer
87 Red Buttons 2/5/1919 - 7/13/2006 Comedian and actor