Ken P's Today in History
February 21

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 21?

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 21 in ...

Personal computer history:

  • 1984 - Timex withdraws from the home computer business.
  • 1984 - IBM files a lawsuit against Eagle Computer for copyright violation of the BIOS used in the IBM PC. Eagle agrees on the same day to cease shipments of the infringing computers.
  • 1984 - Marshal Smith takes office as new president and CEO of Commodore International.
  • 2001 - At the Macworld Expo in Tokyo, Japan, Apple Computer introduces the iMac Special Edition, available in Flower Power, Dalmatian Blue, or Graphite designs. It features 500 or 600 MHz PowerPC G3 processor, 64 or 128 MB RAM, 256 kB Level 2 cache, 8x/4x/24x CD-RW drive, 15-inch monitor. Price is US$1199-1499.
  • 2001 - At the Macworld Expo in Tokyo, Japan, Apple Computer introduces the new Nvidia GeForce3TM graphics processor for Macintosh computers.
  • 2002 - Cuba issues a 65 centavos postage stamp depicting a personal computer.

Walt Disney Company history:

  • 1927 - Film Booking Offices releases the Alice Comedy film Alice's Rodeo to theaters. (also known as Alice at the Rodeo)
  • 1927 - Disney ships the 52nd Alice Comedy film, Alice in the Klondike, to Winkler Pictures.
  • 1947 - The Pluto film Pluto's House Warming is released. Butch also appears.
  • 1965 - The NBC TV network airs the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color show, entitled An Otter in the Family.
  • 1978 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the film Pete's Dragon for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score.
  • 1978 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the song "Candle on the Water" from the film Pete's Dragon for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Original Song.
  • 1978 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates the song "Somebody's Waiting for You" from the film The Rescuers for an Oscar Award in the category Music, Original Song.
  • 1984 - Turks and Caicos Islands issues ten postage stamps with various Disney characters participating in Olympic sports.
  • 1997 - Disney launches its redesigned Disney.com Internet Web site, with new sections promoting Disney's products and services in theater, cable television, publishing, records, home video, and online.
  • 1999 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. The family visits the "Wild Animal Kingdom", a reference to Disney's Animal Kingdom park.

World War II history:

  • 1921 - France and Poland make a secret military agreement, specifying that if Germany attacks either nation, the other will assist in defence. If Poland is attacked by Soviet Russia, France is to hold Germany in check on land and at sea.
  • 1941 - German pocket battleship Admiral von Scheer sinks Canadian merchant ship Canadian Cruiser in the western Indian Ocean. The captain and crew are taken prisoner.
  • 1943 - Near Tunisia, British 26th Armored Brigade Group pulls back to Thala.
  • 1944 - American forces begin landing on Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands.
  • 1944 - Over the day, the US 8th Air Force launches 861 bombers on various attacks.
  • 1944 - Over the day, the US 8th Air Force launches 600 bombers on various attacks.
  • 1945 - Allied forces break through the Siegfried Line in Europe.
  • 1945 - The US 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team liberates Corregidor, Philippines.
  • 1945 - (evening) 137 British bombers attack the Mittelland Canal in Germany, breaching it.
  • 1946 - A special people's court in Helsinki, Finland, finds former President Rysto Ryti guilty of leading Finland into war against Russia at the side of Germany. He is sentenced to ten years of hard labor in prison. Seven other former Government officials are also convicted, with sentences of 2 to 5 1/2 years.
  • 1995 - Brazil issues a postage stamp marking the 50th anniversary of the capture of Monte Castello, Italy.

Video game history:

  • 1986 - In Japan, Nintendo releases the Disk System for the Famicom. The system is a 128-kB disk drive to run software; disks can be rewritten with new games at special vending machines. Price of the Disk System is about US$100.
  • 1986 - Nintendo releases the Legend of Zelda video game for the Famicom Disk System in Japan.

Swedish history:

  • 1808 - Russian troops attack Finland.
  • 2001 - Legislation passes in the parliament allowing Swedish citizens to hold dual citizenship, as of July 1.

Canadian coin history:

  • 1982 - A 1944 5c piece struck in tombac (VF-20) sells for US$7,000 at the American Numismatic Association auction in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
  • 1990 - Governor General of Canada Ray Hnatyshyn unveils the Royal Canadian Mint's 1990 $100 gold coin, celebrating the United Nations International Literacy Year. The coin, designed by John Mardon, depicts a native Inuit woman teaching a child to write. Issue price is $245.
  • 2007 - In Lethbridge, Alberta, the Royal Canadian Mint officially releases the first of seventeen circulating 2010 Olympic coins. The 2007 25-cent piece depicts curling. The design was created by Glen Green.

Sports history:

  • 1931 - Chicago White Sox and New York Giants play first exhibition night game.
  • 1942 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Jane Vaughn.
  • 1942 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Bobby Specht.
  • 1945 - Eric Liddell, Scottish runner (Olympics-gold 1924), dies at age 43.
  • 1947 - Whipper Billy Watson beats Bill Longson, to become wrestling champion.
  • 1951 - South Carolina House urges "Shoeless Joe" Jackson be reinstated.
  • 1952 - Dick Button performs first figure skating triple jump in competition.
  • 1953 - Longest collegiate basketball game (six overtimes); Niagara beats Siena 88-81.
  • 1957 - Fort Worth Dodgers and Los Angeles Cubs "trade" minor league franchises.
  • 1960 - Fay Crocker wins LPGA Lake Worth Golf Open.
  • 1968 - American Major League Baseball announces a minimum annual salary of $10,000.
  • 1969 - José de Capriles, Mexican-born US Olympics fencer, dies.
  • 1969 - Ted Williams signs five-year contract to manage Washington Senators.
  • 1971 - Ruth Jessen wins LPGA Sears Women's World Golf Classic.
  • 1973 - Chicago Black Hawks play record 262nd NHL game without being shut-out.
  • 1974 - Tom Seaver becomes the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history when he signs a contract for US$172,000 per season with the New York Mets.
  • 1979 - Two Iowa girls High School basketball teams play four scoreless quarters; the game is won 4-2 in the fourth overtime period.
  • 1979 - Glendon Gibbs, cricketer (Test Cricket West Indies versus Australia 1955), dies.
  • 1980 - Hanni Wenzel is first Liechtensteiner to win Olympics gold (giant slalom).
  • 1980 - Eric Heiden skates Olympics record 1500 metre in 1:55.44.
  • 1982 - Beth Daniel wins LPGA Bent Tree Ladies Golf Classic.
  • 1983 - Donald Davis runs one mile backwards in 6 minutes 7.1 seconds.
  • 1983 - NBA San Diego Clippers begin a 29-game road losing streak.
  • 1985 - Evert van Benthem wins 13th Friese 11 city skating race.
  • 1985 - Largest NBA crowd to date: 44,970 (Atlanta Hawks at Detroit Pistons).
  • 1985 - Tim Raines is awarded a US$12 million salary for 1985 by arbitrator.
  • 1986 - Tennis star Jimmy Connors fined US$20,000 and suspended for ten weeks.
  • 1986 - In defiance of the Cincinnati Reds' policy, Rollie Fingers refuses to cut off his handlebar mustache, and retires from baseball.
  • 1987 - Cindy Rarick wins LPGA Tsumura Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open.
  • 1988 - Gustafson skates world record 10 km (13:48.20).
  • 1989 - Pete Rose meets with Commissioner Ueberroth to discuss his gambling.
  • 1992 - Kristi Yamaguchi of US wins Olympics gold medal in women's figure skating.
  • 1993 - 43rd NBA All-Star Game: West beats East 135-132 (overtime) at Salt Lake City.
  • 1993 - Sergei Bubka pole vaults world record indoor (6.15 metres).
  • 1995 - Canadian Football League's Sacramento Gold Miners become San Antonio Texans.
  • 1998 - Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open.
  • 2004 - Death of John Charles CBE, Welsh footballer (born 1931).

Space exploration history:

  • 1961 - Mercury-Atlas 2 reentry test reaches 172 km.
  • 1979 - Japan launches Hakucho x-ray satellite and Corsa-B (550/580 km).
  • 1981 - NASA launches Comstar D-4.
  • 1981 - Japan launches Hinotori satellite to study solar flares (580/640 k).
  • 1996 - Soyuz TM-23 launched into orbit.
  • 1997 - STS 82 (Discovery 22) lands.

Extreme weather history:

  • 1971 - Series of tornadoes cuts through Mississippi and Louisiana killing 117.
  • 1991 - In the Bering Sea, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurs. Believed to be the largest earthquake ever located in this area.
  • 1995 - RAF-pilot Jo Salter is first woman to fly in a tornado.
  • 1996 - Off the coast of Northern Peru, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurs.

Other history:

  • 1804 - The first locomotive, Richard Trevithick's, runs for first time, in Wales.

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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