1874 – Jesse James gang robs a train at Gads Hill, Missouri.
1905 – First automobile to exceed 100 mph driven by Arthur MacDonald in Daytona Beach, Florida.
1920 – Phi Beta Fraternity incorporates at Howard University.
1927 – National League rules future Baseball Hall of Fame infielder Rogers Hornsby can’t hold stock in the St. Louis Cardinals and play for the New York Giants. He earns $2,916 dividend on same day.
1928 – Scotch tape is marketed by 3M Company.
1934 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt devalues US dollar in relation to gold at $35 per ounce.
1941 – In his 13th title defense, Joe Louis knocks out Red Burman in the 5th round at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain the NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown.
1945 – US 4th Infantry Division occupies Elcherrath, Germany.
1950 – President Harry Truman publicly announces support for the development of a hydrogen bomb.
1958 – United States launches its first artificial satellite, Explorer 1.
1961 – US Air Force launches Samos spy satellite to replace U-2 flights.
1971 – “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison hits #1 on United Kingdom pop chart.
1981 – “The Tide is High” by Blondie hits #1 in the United States.
1988 – Super Bowl XXII, Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, CA: Washington Redskins beat Denver Broncos 42-10. Most Valuable Player is Washington quarterback Doug Williams.
1994 – Dow Jones hits a record 3,978.36.
1995 – President Bill Clinton authorizes a $20 billion loan to Mexico to stabilize its economy.
2000 – Alaska Airlines flight 261 MD-83, experiencing horizontal problems, crashes in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Point Mugu, California, killing all 88 persons aboard.
2009 – Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Serena Williams wins 10th Grand Slam singles title, beating Dinara Safina of Russia 6-0, 6-3.
2015 – Atlanta Hawks set a NBA monthly win record as they move to 17-0 for January with a 91-85 win against the Philadelpha 76ers.
2019 – US border agency seizes its biggest fentanyl bust. It’s nearly 254 pounds hidden in a tractor-trailer in Nogales, Arizona.
About Author
