Ken P's Today in History
February 17

Copyright © 2006-2008 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: kpolsson@islandnet.com
URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/today/
(this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing a single day's events)

What happened in history on this day: February 17?

Since 1995, I have been collecting information on a variety of topics, creating several timelines of history. Here you will find specific events from those databases for this day, on the topics of personal computers, video games, the Walt Disney Company, Chevrolet Corvettes, A&W Root Beer, Sweden, and Canadian coins.

On February 17 in ...

Personal computer history:

  • 1994 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. Appearing is a personal computer with keyboard and monitor.
  • 1997 - Apple Computer unveils many updated desktop and portable Macintosh computers: PowerBook 3400 and 4400, and Power Macintosh 7300, 8600, and 9600.
  • 1997 - Apple Computer unveils the eMate handheld computer. Weight is 4 pounds.
  • 1997 - Apple Computer introduces the Newton MessagePad 2000. It features 32-bit StrongARM 162 MHz processor and 5 MB RAM.
  • 2000 - In San Francisco, California, Microsoft unveils the Windows 2000 operating system. Upgrade price is US$189 from Windows 95 or Windows 98, or US$129 from Windows NT.

Walt Disney Company history:

  • 1934 - The Mickey Mouse film Camping Out is released to theaters. Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow, and Horace Horsecollar also appear.
  • 1958 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Perri for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Scoring.
  • 1958 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film The Truth About Mother Goose for an Oscar Award in the category Short Subjects, Cartoons.
  • 1958 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Portugal for an Oscar Award in the category Short Subjects, Live-Action Subjects.
  • 1958 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film The Wetback Hound for an Oscar Award in the category Short Subjects, Live-Action Subjects.
  • 1959 - Final filming of the second season of the Zorro TV show is completed.
  • 1960 - The Satellite View of America exhibit at Disneyland closes.
  • 1963 - The NBC TV network airs the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color show, entitled Banner in the Sky: To Conquer the Mountain. It is the first part of the film Third Man on the Mountain.
  • 1983 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Tron for an Oscar Award in the category Sound.
  • 1983 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Tron for an Oscar Award in the category Costume Design.
  • 1984 - Disney re-releases the film Fantasia to theaters.
  • 1988 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates Robin Williams for his role in the film Good Morning, Vietnam for an Oscar Award in the category Actor.
  • 1993 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Aladdin for an Oscar Award in the category Sound.
  • 1993 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Aladdin for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Original Score.
  • 1993 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the song "Friend Like Me" from the film Aladdin for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Original Song.
  • 1993 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the song "Whole New World" from the film Aladdin for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Original Song.
  • 1993 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Aladdin for an Oscar Award in the category Sound Effects Editing.
  • 1995 - Buena Vista Pictures releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film Heavyweights to theaters in the USA.
  • 1997 - Antigua & Barbuda issues eleven postage stamps depicting Disney characters.
  • 2006 - Disney releases the live-action feature film Eight Below to theaters in the USA.
  • 2008 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US.
    • "Shady and the Vamp" is a reference to Disney's film Lady and the Tramp, complete with spaghetti at the restaurant scene.
    • The walking dog seen in the dog pound during the "Shady and the Vamp" segment is a reference to the Disney character, Goofy.
    • After surviving a gas chamber, the dog says "This place is no picnic, but it sure beats working for Disney".

Chevrolet Corvette history:

  • 1954 - The Detroit Auto Show opens for press previews, in Michigan. The Ford Motor Company shows its new two-seat convertible, calling it a "personal car", with the name "Fairlane". Two days later, the official name Thunderbird will be announced.
  • 1963 - At the Daytona International Raceway in Daytona Florida, the Three-Hour Continental race is held.
    • Finishing 3rd in GT III class and 3rd overall is the Grady Davis #11 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Dick Thompson.
    • Finishing 5th in GT III class and 6th overall is the Dixie Motor #5 Corvette Sting Ray driven by Johnny Allen.
    • Finishing 12th in GT III class and 22nd overall is the Tony Denman #19 Corvette driven by Tony Denman.

  • 1989 - Universal Pictures releases the film The 'Burbs in the USA. A gray 1984-89 Corvette Sport Coupe gets its driver side window shot out.

World War II history:

  • 1940 - Erich von Manstein meets with Adolf Hitler in Berlin, and convinces him to change the attack on the West to be a main thrust through the Ardennes.
  • 1942 - The Australian Cabinet authorizes the War Cabinet for total mobilization for war.
  • 1943 - (morning) Near Tunisia, the German 21st Panzer Division launches an attack on American positions in front of Sbeitla. By nightfall, American forces pull back. In three days of fighting, US forces lost 150 tanks, almost 3000 men, against minor German losses.
  • 1994 - Marshall Islands issues a postage stamp marking the 50th anniversary of the Japanese defeat at Truk.

Video game history:

  • 1999 - Sony Computer Entertainment America releases the Syphon Filter video game for the PlayStation in the US.
  • 2003 - Nintendo releases the Mario Party-e for the e-Reader in the US
  • 2005 - Microsoft issues a recall of power cords on 14.1 million Xbox consoles worldwide, following 30 reports if failure of defective electrical components, causing minor injury or property damage. The recall covers consoles made before Jan. 13, 2004 in Europe, and consoles made before Oct. 23, 2003 everywhere else.

Swedish history:

  • 1347 - King Magnus Eriksson grants a charter to the Kopparberget copper mining company at Falun.

Canadian coin history:

  • 1969 - The "Government Reorganization Act" is introduced in the House of Commons. The proposed Act would make the Royal Canadian Mint a Crown Corporation.

Sports history:

  • 1882 - First Test Cricket match played at Sydney Cricket Ground.
  • 1923 - Ottawa Senator Cy Denneny becomes NHL's all time scorer (143 goals).
  • 1924 - Johnny Weissmuller sets 100-yard freestyle record (52.4 seconds).
  • 1926 - Tennis star Suzanne Lenglen beats Helen Wills in their only match.
  • 1929 - John Read cricketer (batted in 17 Tests for England for 463 runs), dies.
  • 1931 - First telecast of a sporting event in Japan (baseball).
  • 1931 - Hockey's Hershey Bears (now with AHL) first game.
  • 1939 - Katwijk soccer team forms.
  • 1940 - Bradman scores 135 in a non-Shield match for South Africa versus West Australia.
  • 1941 - Joe Louis knocks out Gus Dorazio in two for heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1943 - New York Yankees Joe DiMaggio, enlists into the US army.
  • 1949 - Ice Pairs Championship at Paris won by Andrea Kékessy/Ede Király of Hungary.
  • 1949 - Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Paris won by Alena Vrzanova of Czechoslovakia.
  • 1949 - Men's Figure Skating Championship in Paris won by Richard Button of USA.
  • 1953 - Baseball star/pilot Ted Williams uninjured as plane shot down in Korea.
  • 1955 - Ice Dance Championship at Vienna Austria won by J Westwood/Demmy of Great Britain.
  • 1955 - Ice Pairs Championship at Vienna won by Frances Dafoe and Bowden of Canada.
  • 1955 - Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Tenley Albright os the USA.
  • 1955 - Mike Souchak sets PGA 72-hole record of 257.
  • 1956 - Ice Dance Championship at Garmisch won by Pamela Weight/P Thomas of Great Britain.
  • 1956 - Ice Pairs Championship at Garmisch won by Schwarz and Oppelt of Austria.
  • 1956 - Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Garmisch won by Carol Heiss of the USA.
  • 1956 - Men's Figure Skating Championship in Garmisch won by H A Jenkins of the USA.
  • 1957 - Mary Lena Faulk wins LPGA Saint Petersburg Golf Open.
  • 1959 - Tim Mara, co-founder of NFL's New York Giants, dies.
  • 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain of NBA Philadelphia Warriors scores 67 points versus Saint Louis Hawks.
  • 1963 - Toru Terasawa runs world record marathon (2:15:15.8).
  • 1964 - 101st member elected to baseball's Hall of Fame (Luke Appling).
  • 1965 - US-Japan baseball relations suspended over Masanori Murakami dispute.
  • 1968 - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opens in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
  • 1971 - England regains cricket Ashes with a 2-0 series win.
  • 1973 - Rodney Redmond scores 107 on debut versus Pakistan, his only Test Cricket.
  • 1974 - 49 die in stampede for seats at soccer match, Cairo, Egypt.
  • 1974 - Carol Mann wins LPGA Naples Lely Golf Classic.
  • 1976 - New Zealand scores their first innings win in Test Cricket, versus India.
  • 1976 - Richard Hadlee takes 7-23 versus India, his first match-winning spell.
  • 1979 - Eric Heiden equals skating world record 1000 metre (1:14.99).
  • 1980 - Dot Germain wins LPGA S&H Golf Classic.
  • 1980 - Buddy Baker wins Daytona 500 (177.6 MPH/285.8 kph).
  • 1982 - Commencement of Sri Lanka's first Test Cricket match, versus England.
  • 1983 - Bob Bourne fails on 8th New York Islanders' penalty shot.
  • 1985 - First day/night game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia versus England.
  • 1985 - Hein Vergeer becomes world champion skater.
  • 1985 - Laffit Pincay Jr is third to ride 6,000th winners at Santa Anita.
  • 1987 - New York Yankees' first baseman Don Mattingly wins his US$1.975 million arbitration case breaking the record for the largest amount ever awarded to a player set by Jack Morris just four days ago.
  • 1989 - Former baseball player/manager Leo Durocher injured in a car crash.
  • 1989 - Lefty Gomez, New York Yankees pitching great, dies at age 80.
  • 1989 - Orel Hershiser, Dodger pitcher signs record US$7.9 million, three-year contract.
  • 1991 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Todd Eldredge.
  • 1993 - Leslie Townsend, cricket all-rounder (England in four Tests 1930-34), dies.
  • 1993 - Mark Foster swims world record 50 metre free style (21.60 seconds).
  • 1995 - Detroit Tigers' manager Sparky Anderson takes unpaid leave due to baseball strike.
  • 1996 - First full ODI for the Netherlands versus New Zealand, cricket World Cup Nolan Clarke makes ODI debut for Netherlands at age 47.
  • 2003 - The Atlanta Braves and Greg Maddux agree the largest one-year contract in major league baseball history: US$14.75 million.
  • 2003 - Death of 23-year old Steve Belcher of multi-organ failure, possibly linked to use of ephedra; American baseball player (Baltimore Orioles).
  • 2007 - Death of Mike Awesome, American professional wrestler (born 1965).
  • 2008 - In Daytona, Florida, the 50th NASCAR Daytona 500 race is held. Winner is Ryan Newman of Penske Racing.

Space exploration history:

  • 1791 - Messier catalogs M83 (spiral galaxy in Hydra).
  • 1959 - First weather satellite launched, Vanguard 2, 9.8 kg.
  • 1965 - US Ranger 8 launched, will transmit 7,137 lunar pictures.
  • 1966 - French satellite Diapason D-1A launched into Earth orbit.
  • 1967 - Kosmos 140 (Soyuz test) launches into Earth orbit.

Extreme weather history:

  • 1926 - Avalanche buries 75 in Sap Gulch Bingham Utah, 40 die.
  • 1962 - Storm in Hamburg, Germany, kills 265.
  • 1993 - Haitian ferry boat capsize in storm, killing approximately 1,215 out of 1,500 passengers.
  • 1996 - In Irian Jaya Region, Indonesia, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake occurs. At least 164 people killed or missing, 423 injured, 5,043 houses destroyed or damaged. Extensive damage from the tsunami, which reached heights of 7 metres.
  • 2004 - (to February 20) A nor'easter blizzard devastates Atlantic Canada, dumping more than 95 centimetres on some areas.
  • 2006 - As many as 1,800 people die when a mudslide occurs on Leyte Island in the Philippines.

Other history:

  • 2008 - Kosovo Albanians declare independence of Serbia.

You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history.

Bookmark this URL:   http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/today/   and revisit each day. (this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing the current day's events)

Or, visit my Timelines of History page.

Other web pages of interest:

  • Chronology of World History
  • What's Notable About this Year?
  • Ken P's Coin/Stamp/Bill Novelties
  • Copyright © 2006-2008 Ken Polsson (email: kpolsson@islandnet.com).
    URL=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/today/
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