1877 – Congress establishes the Electoral Commission to determine the disputed presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden.
1915 – Alexander Graham Bell in NY calls Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
1924 – 1st Winter Olympic Games open in Chamonix, France.
1937 – 1st broadcast of “Guiding Light” on NBC radio.
1945 – Grand Rapid, Michigan, becomes 1st US city to fluoridate its water.
1945 – NY Yankees sold by Ruppert estate to construction magnate Del Webb and partners Dan Topping and Larry MacPhail for $2.8 million.
1950 – 73 degrees F, highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in January.
1955 – Columbia University scientists develop an atomic clock accurate to within one second in 300 years.
1961 – 1st live, nationally televised presidential news conference with JFK.
1964 – The Beatles get their first US #1, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (Cashbox).
1971 – Charles Manson & 3 women followers convicted of Tate-LaBlanca murders.
1978 – MLB San Diego Padres trade pitcher Dave Tomlin & $125,000 to Texas Rangers for Gaylord Perry (He wins 1978 Cy Young Award)
1982 – 9th American Music Awards: Pat Benatar & Kenny Rogers win.
1988 – Vice President George H.W. Bush and Dan Rather famously clash on “CBS Evening News” as Rather attempts to question Bush about his role in Iran-Contra affair.
1993 – Sears announces it is closing its catalog sales department after 97 years.
1999 – Earthquake hits Columbia, South America, killing around 300 and injuring 1000.
2004 – NASA’s Opportunity rover (Mer-B) lands on the surface of Mars.
2015 – NFL Pro Bowl, University of Phoenix, Glendale, AZ: Team Irvin beast Team Carter, 32-28: MVP’s: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans, DE; Mathew Stafford, Detroit Lions, QB.
2019 – Longest-ever US government shutdown ends after 35 days when President Donald Trump agrees to three week negotiations on border security by a House-Senate conference committee.
2021 – Janet Yellen is confirmed as the first female treasury secretary by the US Senate.
About Author
