Holidays
Presentation of the Lord
Commemorates the presentation of Jesus in the temple 40 days after his birth (also called Purification of the Virgin Mary or Candlemas).
Groundhog Day
If the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, expect six more weeks of winter.
The tradition derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early. They brought the tradition from Germany, substituting a groundhog for the German tradition of a badger.
This tradition itself may be derived from lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania began its annual celebration in 1887, which now features Punxsutawney Phil.
What Happened On
Late Night with David Letterman
February 2, 1982
NBC debuts the show hosted by David Letterman that would bring us stupid pet tricks, elevator races, top-ten lists, and Larry "Bud" Melman.
Sid & Nancy movie poster
Sid & Nancy movie poster
Sid & Nancy: Sid Vicious Dies of an Overdose
February 2, 1979
Former Sex Pistol member Sid Vicious dies after overdosing on heroin. He was awaiting trial for the stabbing death of his girlfriend, "nauseating Nancy" Spungen, four months earlier.
The film Sid and Nancy (1986) was based on their relationship.
In 2006, Vicious was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the four original members of the Sex Pistols.
Stalingrad after liberation
Photo Credit: RIA Novosti
Stalingrad after liberationPhoto Credit: RIA Novosti
World War II - Battle of Stalingrad
February 2, 1943
German troops surrender to Russia after a five-month battle, marking the end of Adolf Hitler's campaign in Russia. It was one of the bloodiest battles in history, with combined military and civilian casualties of nearly 2 million. The Russians managed to blockade the city, trapping nearly 300,000 German and Axis troops in the city. Without access to supplies, the Axis troops slowly starved during the Russian winter. The German loss at Stalingrad was the first loss that Hitler publicly acknowledged and marked a turning point in the war.
First edition cover and James Joyce (1922)
First edition cover and James Joyce (1922)
Ulysses
February 2, 1922
James Joyce's controversial novel Ulysses is published on the author's 40th birthday. Now considered one of the most important works of modernist literature, it was originally banned in the UK and US. Ulysses was declared obscene by the U.S. courts and throughout the 1920s, the United States Post Office Department burned copies of the novel it found in the mail.
It had been previously serialized in the American journal The Little Review (1918-1920).
Main waiting room
Main waiting room
Grand Central Terminal
February 2, 1913
New York's Grand Central Terminal officially opens. It is the largest commuter rail terminal in the Americas and serves 67 million passengers a year. It is also known as "Grand Central Station", the name of its predecessor that operated from 1900 to 1910.
Mexican War
February 2, 1848
The war between Mexico and the U.S. ends with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The U.S. acquired Texas and the land that would become California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona.
U.S. Representative Michael Myers (second from left) with envelope containing $50,000 that he just received from an undercover FBI Agent (left)
U.S. Representative Michael Myers (second from left) with envelope containing $50,000 that he just received from an undercover FBI Agent (left)
ABSCAM
February 2, 1980
It becomes known that the FBI over the past two years had videotaped politicians accepting bribes from a fraudulent Arabian company in return for various political favors. Six members of the U.S. House of Representatives, one U.S. Senator, a member of the New Jersey State Senate, members of the Philadelphia City Council, the Mayor of Camden, New Jersey, and an inspector for the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service would eventually be convicted. ABSCAM was short "Arab scam."
First U.S. Spacecraft to Strike the Moon
February 2, 1964
Ranger 6, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, strikes the Moon. Unfortunately, its camera equipment failed to operate.
Export-Import Bank of the U.S.
February 2, 1934
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes this organization to encourage trade between the U.S. and other nations.
Cub Scouts
February 2, 1914
The first Cub Scout pack is formed in Sussex, England.
U.S. Army Dental Corps
February 2, 1901
U.S. Army Dental Corps is founded by Congress.
First Professional Baseball League
February 2, 1876
The National League is formed. It consisted of Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis.
Birthdays
Farrah Fawcett
Born February 2, 1947 d. 2009
American actress. Her famous poster is the best-selling pinup poster of all time. TV: Charlie's Angels (1976-80, Jill Munroe) and The Burning Bed (1984). Film: Logan's Run (1976).
Meteorite Victim
Ann Elizabeth Fowler Hodges
Born February 2, 1920 d. 1972
American meteorite victim. She is the only known person to have been injured by a meteorite. She was struck by a 5.54 kg (12 lbs, 3 oz) meteorite fragment in Alabama when it crashed through the roof of her home, bounced off a large console radio, and hit Hodges while she was sleeping on the couch. The 34-year-old Hodges was badly bruised on the side of her body. Another fragment was found by a farmer the following day. Due to the publicity surrounding the event, the farmer was able to sell his fragment for enough money to buy a car and house. On the other hand, Hodges fought with her landlord over the rights to the meteorite for a over year. The landlord claimed it was her property because it fell through her roof. Hodges eventually paid the landlord $500 for the meteorite, but by that time the public had lost interest in the story and she was unable to sell it.
In 1992 a small meteorite fragment (3 g) struck a Ugandan boy in Mbale, but it had been slowed down by a tree and did not cause any injury.
Christie Brinkley (Christie Lee Hudson)
Born February 2, 1954
American model, actress. She has been on the cover of over 500 magazines, including the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and was the face of CoverGirl for 25 years.
Al McKay
Born February 2, 1948
American guitarist, with Earth, Wind & Fire. Music: Shining Star (1975, #1, Grammy), Best of My Love (1977, #1), and After the Love has Gone (1979, #2, Grammy).
Howard Bellamy
Born February 2, 1946
American singer, with the Bellamy Brothers. Music: Let Your Love Flow (1976, #1), If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body, Would You Hold It Against Me? (1979, #1), and Kids of the Baby Boom (1987, #1).
Graham Nash
Born February 2, 1942
English singer, with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
Bo Hopkins (William Hopkins)
Born February 2, 1938 d. 2022
American actor. TV: The Rockford Files (1978-79, disbarred lawyer John Cooper) and Dynasty (1981-87, Matthew Blaisdel).
Tom Smothers (Thomas Bolyn Smothers III)
Born February 2, 1937 d. 2023
American comedian, one of the Smothers Brothers. He was a competitive unicyclist, and a state champion gymnast on the parallel bars.
TV: The Smothers Brothers Show (1965-66) and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-69).
Robert Mandan
Born February 2, 1932 d. 2018
American actor. TV: Soap (1977-81, Chester Tate) and Private Benjamin (1982-83, Col. Fielding).
Elaine Stritch
Born February 2, 1925 d. 2014
American Theater Hall of Fame Emmy-winning actress. TV: My Sister Eileen (Ruth) and 30 Rock. Her one-woman show Elaine Stritch at Liberty, won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event.
James Dickey
Born February 2, 1923 d. 1997
American poet, novelist. U.S. Poet Laureate (1966). Writings: Deliverance (1970 He played the sheriff in the 1972 film adaptation).
Frank Albertson
Born February 2, 1909 d. 1964
American actor. Film: It's a Wonderful Life (1946, Sam Wainwright), and Bye Bye Birdie (1963, Sam the Mayor).
Gale Gordon (Charles Thomas Aldrich Jr.)
Born February 2, 1906 d. 1995
American actor. TV: The Lucy Show (1963-68, Mr. Mooney).
Ayn Rand
Born February 2, 1905 d. 1982
Russian-born American author. Writings: Anthem (1938), The Fountainhead (1943), and Atlas Shrugged (1957).
George Halas
Born February 2, 1895 d. 1983
American Football Hall of Famer, player-coach, co-founder of the NFL, and founder of the Chicago Bears. He is the all-time leader in coaching wins (324) and won a record 6 NFL championships. He was also the 1919 Rose Bowl MVP.
Charles J. Correll
Born February 2, 1890 d. 1972
American comedian. Radio: Amos 'n' Andy (1928-60, Andy). Amos 'n' Andy was the first U.S. syndicated radio program. It featured Correll and Freeman Gosden, both white actors, portraying black characters.
William Rose Benet
Born February 2, 1886 d. 1950
American Pulitzer-winning poet, novelist. Writings: The Dust Which is God (1941).
Johnston McCulley
Born February 2, 1883 d. 1958
American author, creator of Zorro. Writings: The Mark of Zorro (1920) and The Curse of Capistrano (1920).
First edition cover and James Joyce (1922)
First edition cover and James Joyce (1922)
James Joyce
Born February 2, 1882 d. 1941
Irish novelist. Although his novel Ulysses (1922) was banned in the U.S. until 1933, it is considered one of the greatest works of 20th-century fiction. Ulysses was declared obscene and throughout the 1920s, the United States Post Office Department burned copies of the novel it found in the mail.
It had been previously serialized in the American journal The Little Review (1918-1920).
Solomon R. Guggenheim
Born February 2, 1861 d. 1949
American philanthropist. In 1937 he founded the Guggenheim foundation, which maintains the museum in New York.
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
Born February 2, 1754 d. 1838
French statesman. He was foreign minister to Napoleon Bonaparte and King Louis XVIII, and was ambassador to Britain. One of history's greatest diplomats, he once stated, "Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts".
Sir William Phips
Born February 2, 1651 d. 1695
English Colonial leader and governor of the Massachusetts Colony (1692-94) during the Salem witchcraft trials.
Nell Gwyn
Born February 2, 1650 d. 1687
English actress. She was one of thirteen mistresses of King Charles II, by whom she had two children. She came to epitomize the rags-to-royalty tale.
Benedict XIII
Born February 2, 1649 d. 1730
religious leader, 245th Pope (1724-30).
Deaths
Gene Kelly
Died February 2, 1996 b. 1912
American Emmy-winning actor, dancer. Film: Singin' in the Rain (1952, with his famous dance scene).
Bertrand Russell
Died February 2, 1970 b. 1872
British mathematician, Nobel-winning philosopher, author. He was the most distinguished philosopher of his time. He introduced the concept of "Russell's Teapot" to illustrate that the burden of proof lies with the person making unfalsifiable claims rather than shifting the burden of proof to others - "If I claim that a teapot orbits the Sun somewhere between the Earth and Mars, I cannot expect others to believe me solely because my assertion could not be proven wrong." This is often used in the discussion of religion.
Quote: "The degree of one's emotions varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts."
Boris Karloff (William Henry Pratt)
Died February 2, 1969 b. 1887
English horror actor. Film: Frankenstein (1931, the monster) and The Mummy (1932, title role). TV: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966, narrator and voice of Grinch). Stage: Arsenic and Old Lace (1941, Jonathan Brewster) and Peter Pan (1951, Captain Hook).
John L. Sullivan
Died February 2, 1918 b. 1858
American boxer. Heavyweight champion (1882-92) and the last bare-knuckle champion. He was the first athlete to earn $1,000,000.
Mendeleev's 1871 periodic table
Mendeleev's 1871 periodic table
Dmitri Mendeleev
Died February 2, 1907 b. 1834
Russian chemist. He created the periodic table of elements (1869).
Bob (right) & Ray
Bob (right) & Ray
Bob Elliott
Died February 2, 2016 b. 1923
American Peabody-Emmy-winning comic actor, member of the radio comedy team Bob & Ray. TV: Get a Life (1990-92, bathrobe-wearing father of Chris Peterson, played by his real-life son Chris Elliott).
Gus Arriola
Died February 2, 2008 b. 1917
Mexican-American cartoonist. Creator of Gordo (1941-85).
Donald Pleasence
Died February 2, 1995 b. 1919
British actor. Film: The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965, the Devil), You Only Live Twice (1967, Ernst Blofeld), and Halloween (1978).
Bert Parks (Bert Jacobson)
Died February 2, 1992 b. 1914
American emcee. Host of the Miss America pageant (1954-79). While Parks was host of the TV game show County Fair, a contestant was badly burned when a stunt backfired. The stunt involved lighting a long fake firecracker fuse that the contestant's blindfolded wife was supposed to stamp out. To simulate the explosion, a mixture of flour and sawdust was dumped the contestant's head. But, the simulated explosion turned into a real one when the mixture was ignited by the match flame. The contestant was hospitalized with first and second degree burns on the face, neck, and arms.
Parks also played salesman Herb Tarlek's father in an episode of WKRP in Cincinnati (1980).
Alistair Maclean
Died February 2, 1987 b. 1922
Scottish novelist, World War II veteran. Writings: Guns of Navarone (1957) and Ice Station Zebra (1963).
Wendy Barrie (Wendy Jenkins)
Died February 2, 1978 b. 1912
British actress. TV: The Wendy Barrie Show.
Floretta McCutcheon
Died February 2, 1967 b. 1888
American bowler. Although considered the greatest woman bowler of all time, she had never held a bowling ball until she was 33. She bowled 10 perfect games of 300 points.
George Walton
Died February 2, 1804 b. 1751
American lawyer, signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, and governor of Georgia (1779-80, 1789-90).
Clement XIII
Died February 2, 1769 b. 1693
Italian religious leader, 248th Pope (1758-69).