This Day In History

[MedicCook]

February 16th

1804
U.S. frigate Philadelphia, captured and held by Barbary pirates at Tripoli during the Tripolitan War, was set fire to and destroyed by a small group of men led by Stephen Decatur.

1868
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized in New York City.

1918
Lithuania proclaimed its independence from Russia.

1923
The tomb of King Tutankhamen, discovered in 1922, was opened.

1937
Wallace H. Carothers, a research chemist for Du Pont, received a patent for nylon.

1959
Fidel Castro became the leader of Cuba after having ousted the right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista.

1968
The country's first 911 phone system went into service in Haleyville, Ala.

2004
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig approved the swap of Alex Rodriguez (Texas Rangers) and Alfonso Soriano (New York Yankees). The Rangers would also get a minor league player in the deal.


Birthdays
51 Ice-T Actor, rapper ("Law and Order: Special Victims Unit")
50 John McEnroe Tennis player
48 DMK Cigar Asylum Inmate
48 Andy Taylor Rock musician (Duran Duran)
44 Dave Lombardo Rock musician (Slayer)
37 Jerome Bettis Football player
37 Taylor Hawkins Rock musician (Foo Fighters)
?? kiwi michelle Cigar Asylum Inmate
?? jbonnefsc Cigar Asylum Inmate
?? White97Jimmy Cigar Asylum Inmate
?? Cigars&More Cigar Asylum Inmate

63 Henry Wilson 2/16/1812 - 11/22/1875 Vice President of the United States (1873-75)
81 Katharine Cornell 2/16/1893 - 6/9/1974 American stage actress
75 Edgar Bergen 2/16/1903 - 9/30/1978 American ventriloquist and comedian
62 Sonny Bono - 2/16/1935 - 1/5/1998 American record producer, singer, actor, and politician