Today in History
Today is Tuesday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2017. There are 306 days
left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Feb. 28, 1917, The
Associated Press reported that the United States had obtained a
diplomatic communication sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur
Zimmermann to a German official in Mexico; the "Zimmermann Note," which
had been intercepted and decoded by Britain, proposed a German alliance
with Mexico and Japan should the U.S. enter World War I. (Outrage over
the telegram helped propel America into the conflict.) On this date: In
1844, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded as the ship was
sailing on the Potomac River, killing Secretary of State Abel P.
Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others. In 1861,
the Territory of Colorado was organized. In 1942, the heavy cruiser USS
Houston and the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth were attacked by
Japanese forces during the World War II Battle of Sunda Strait; both
were sunk shortly after midnight on March 1 with a total loss of more
than 1,000 men. In 1953, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C.
Crick announced they had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.
In 1960, a day after defeating the Soviets at the Winter Games in Squaw
Valley, California, the United States won its first Olympic hockey gold
medal by defeating Czechoslovakia, 9-4. In 1967, American magazine
publisher Henry R. Luce died in Phoenix, Arizona, at age 68. In 1975,
42 people were killed in London's Underground when a train smashed into
the end of a tunnel. In 1986, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme
(PAHL'-meh) was shot to death in central Stockholm. (The killing
remains unsolved.) In 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious
compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons
charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff
began. In 1996, Britain's Princess Diana agreed to divorce Prince
Charles. (Their 15-year marriage officially ended in August 1996; Diana
died in a car crash in Paris a year after that.) In 1997, in North
Hollywood, California, two heavily armed and armored robbers, after
bungling a bank heist, came out firing, unleashing their arsenal at
police, bystanders, cars and TV choppers before they were killed. In
2013, Benedict XVI became the first pope in 600 years to resign, ending
an eight-year pontificate. (Benedict was succeeded the following month
by Pope Francis.) Ten years ago: A federal judge in Miami ruled that
suspected al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla (hoh-ZAY' puh-DEE'-uh) was
competent to stand trial on terrorism support charges, rejecting
arguments that he was severely damaged by 3 1/2 years of interrogation
and isolation in a military brig. (Padilla was convicted later in the
year of supporting al-Qaida and terrorism conspiracy and was sentenced
to 17 years in prison, a term that was later increased to 21 years.)
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. died in New
York at age 89. Five years ago: Republican Mitt Romney won presidential
primary victories in Arizona and Michigan. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine,
announced she would not seek re-election, citing what she called the
increasingly polarized climate of Washington. Angela Castro, 88, an
elder sister of Cuban leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, died in Havana.
Matt Kenseth won his second Daytona 500, holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr.
in a post-midnight victory after rain had postponed the start of the
race for the first time in its 54-year history from Sunday to Monday.
One year ago: One of Pope Francis' top advisers, Australian Cardinal
George Pell, testifying before an investigative commission in Sydney
via videolink from Rome, acknowledged that the Catholic Church had made
"enormous mistakes" in allowing thousands of children to be raped and
molested by priests over centuries. "Spotlight" won the Academy Award
for best picture of 2015; Brie Larson was recognized as best actress
for "Room" while Leonardo DiCaprio was named best actor for "The
Revenant. Oscar-winning actor George Kennedy, 91, died in Middleton,
Idaho. Today's Birthdays: Architect Frank Gehry is 88. Actor Gavin
MacLeod is 86. Singer Sam the Sham is 80. Actor-director-dancer Tommy
Tune is 78. Hall of Fame auto racer Mario Andretti is 77. Actor Frank
Bonner is 75. Actress Kelly Bishop is 73. Actress Stephanie Beacham is
70. Writer-director Mike Figgis is 69. Actress Mercedes Ruehl is 69.
Actress Bernadette Peters is 69. Former Energy Secretary Steven Chu is
69. Actress Ilene Graff is 68. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul
Krugman is 64. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is 62. Basketball Hall of
Famer Adrian Dantley is 62. Actor John Turturro is 60. Rock singer
Cindy Wilson is 60. Actress Rae Dawn Chong is 56. Actress Maxine Bahns
is 48. Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 48. Rock singer Pat Monahan is 48.
Author Daniel Handler (aka "Lemony Snicket") is 47. Actress Tasha Smith
is 46. Actor Rory Cochrane is 45. Actress Ali Larter is 41. Country
singer Jason Aldean is 40. Actor Geoffrey Arend is 39. Actress Michelle
Horn is 30. Actress True O'Brien (TV: "Days of Our Lives") is 23.
Actress Madisen Beaty is 22. Actress Quinn Shephard is 22. Actor Bobb'e
J. Thompson is 21. (Eds: Bobb'e is correct) Thought for Today:
"Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know.
Daniel J. Boorstin, American historian, educator and Librarian of
Congress (1914-2004).
