Today's Puzzle
What is always in front of you, but can't be seen?
Holidays
Burglar threatened with marriage or else
Burglar threatened with marriage or else
Leap Day
Also known as Bachelor's Day. In 1288, Scotland enacted a law allowing women to propose marriage on Leap Day; the man was fined if he refused. The woman was required to wear a red petticoat while proposing.
What Happened On
First Playboy Club
February 29, 1960
Hugh Hefner opens his first Playboy Club, in Chicago. By 1961, it was the busiest night club in the world.
First Black Actress to Win an Oscar
February 29, 1940
Hattie McDaniel wins for her supporting role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. However, she was racially segregated from her co-stars at the awards ceremony and had to sit at a separate table at the back of the room.
Columbus Uses Lunar Eclipse to Frighten Indians
February 29, 1504
Christopher Columbus "makes the Moon go out." He used his knowledge of the upcoming lunar eclipse to frighten the indigenous people of Jamaica into bringing his crew much-needed supplies.
The previous June, Columbus had beached his two last caravels and was stranded in Jamaica. At first the indigenous people of the island brought Columbus and his crew supplies and fed them, but after six months they stopped. In desperate need of supplies, Columbus noted an upcoming lunar eclipse and told the inhabitants that God was angry with them would make the rising full Moon appear "inflamed with wrath".
When the lunar eclipse and red Moon appeared on schedule, and the indigenous people were frightened and resumed bringing Columbus and his crew supplies.
First Woman Secretary of a National Political Party
February 29, 1944
Dorothy McElroy Vredenburg is appointed secretary of the Democratic National Committee (1944-1989). This also made her the youngest person elected as an officer of either the Democratic or Republican party.
First U.S. Extradition Treaty with a Foreign Country
February 29, 1796
The Jay Treaty - signed with Great Britain in 1794 - is proclaimed law.
Deerfield Massacre
February 29, 1704
French and Indians attack the garrison in Deerfield, Massachusetts to recover a stolen bell. Forty-seven people were killed and 120 were taken prisoner.
Birthdays
Dinah Shore (Fannye Rose Shore)
Born February 29, 1916 d. 1994
American singer, Emmy-winning TV personality. She won a total of 10 Emmy awards, more than any other performer. She had her own TV variety show, The Dinah Shore Show, from 1951-57.
At eighteen months old, she developed polio. The disease left her with a deformed foot and limp.
She was the first Jewish cheerleader at Vanderbilt University.
Sgt. William Harvey Carney
Born February 29, 1840 d. 1908
American soldier. His acts of bravery in the Civil War were the first actions to earn an African American the Medal of Honor. In 1863, during the Civil War assault on Fort Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina, Carney, although seriously wounded, struggled across the battlefield carrying the Union flag. His citation reads, "When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under a fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded."
Although his were the first actions for which a Medal of Honor was awarded to an African American, he wasn't awarded his medal until 1900, during which time other African Americans had received their award for actions which occurred after his heroics.
It is believed he escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad.
This battle is portrayed in the film Glory (1989).
Pedro Zamora
Born February 29, 1972 d. 1994
Cuban-American AIDS activist. He appeared in MTV's Real World series. He was one of the first openly gay men with AIDS in the media.
Gretchen Christopher
Born February 29, 1940
American singer, with the high school group The Fleetwoods. Music: Come Softly to Me (1959, #1) and Mr. Blue (1959, #1).
Howard Nemerov
Born February 29, 1920 d. 1991
American Pulitzer-winning poet, third U.S. poet laureate.
Jimmy Dorsey
Born February 29, 1904 d. 1957
American bandleader of the Big Band Era, brother of Tommy.
Jean Negulesco
Born February 29, 1900 d. 1993
Rumanian film director. Film: How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) and Three Coins in a Fountain (1954).
William Augustus Wellman
Born February 29, 1896 d. 1975
American film director, Wings (1927, winner of the first Best Picture Oscar), Public Enemy (1931), and The Ox-Bow Incident (1943).
Gioachino Rossini (Gioachino Antonio Rossini)
Born February 29, 1792 d. 1868
Italian operatic composer. Opera: The Barber of Seville (1816) and William Tell (1829).
Ann Lee
Born February 29, 1736 d. 1784
English mystic, religious leader. Founded Shakerism in America (1774).
John Byrom
Born February 29, 1692 d. 1763
English poet. Writings: Three Black Crows and Fig and Sutton. He invented and published (1767) a system of shorthand titled The Universal English Shorthand.
Paul III (Alessandro Farnese)
Born February 29, 1468 d. 1549
Italian religious leader, 220th Pope (1534-49). Nicolaus Copernicus dedicated to him his book On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. It described a solar system in which the Earth revolved around the Sun.
He officially recognized The Society of Jesus (later called Jesuits) in 1540.
Deaths
Davy Jones (David Thomas Jones)
Died February 29, 2012 b. 1945
English singer, actor, one of The Monkees (1966-71). Music: Last Train to Clarksville (1966) and I'm a Believer (1966).
Jones played the Artful Dodger in the original London (1960) and Broadway (1962) productions of Oliver! In 1964, Jones as part of the cast of Oliver! appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show the same night as the Beatles' first appearance on the show. Jones said of the experience, "I watched the Beatles from the side of the stage, I saw the girls going crazy, and I said to myself, this is it, I want a piece of that."
Jones also played himself in an episode of The Brady Bunch, titled "Getting Davy Jones".
Jones shares his birthday with Monkees bandmate Michael Nesmith.
Frank Albertson
Died February 29, 1964 b. 1909
American actor. Film: It's a Wonderful Life (1946, Sam Wainwright), and Bye Bye Birdie (1963, Sam the Mayor).
Melvin Purvis
Died February 29, 1960 b. 1903
American FBI agent, was the FBI agent in charge during the killings of John Dillinger and "Pretty Boy" Floyd.
Pat Garrett
Died February 29, 1908 b. 1850
American sheriff. He shot and killed Billy the Kid (1881).
Ludwig I
Died February 29, 1868 b. 1786
King of Bavaria (1825-48). He made dancer Lola Montez a countess and gave her authority over state affairs. This led to the revolution (1848) which forced his resignation.
Saint Hilarius
Died February 29, 468 b. ????
religious leader, 46th Pope (461-468).