On This Day: January 28

Updated January 27, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Jan. 28, 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members.

Go to article »

On Jan. 28 , 1887, Arthur Rubinstein, the Polish-American virtuoso pianist, was born. Following his death on Dec. 20, 1982, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1547 England’s King Henry VIII died.

1853 Cuban revolutionary Jose Marti was born in Havana.

1871 France surrendered in the Franco-Prussian War.

1909 The United States ended direct control over Cuba.

1915 The Coast Guard was created by an act of Congress.

1916 Louis D. Brandeis was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the Supreme Court, becoming its first Jewish member.

1945 During World War II, Allied supplies began reaching China over the newly reopened Burma Road.

1959 Vince Lombardi was named head coach of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.

1973 A cease-fire officially went into effect in the Vietnam War.

1999 Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, honoring a personal request for mercy from Pope John Paul II, spared a triple murderer from execution.

2003 President George W. Bush said in his State of the Union address that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had sought uranium from Africa. (The claim was later disputed by former ambassador Joseph Wilson, who had been asked by the CIA to investigate.)

2009 In a swift victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House approved a huge $819 billion stimulus bill 244-188 with Republicans unanimous in opposition.

2010 Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke won Senate confirmation for a second term.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

French President Nicolas Sarkozy turns 57 years old today.

AP Photo/Yves Logghe

Actor Alan Alda (“M*A*S*H”) turns 76 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1947 Jeanne Shaheen, U.S. senator, D-N.H., turns 65

1950 Barbi Benton, Actress, turns 62

1957 Nick Price, Golfer, turns 55

1968 Sarah McLachlan, Rock singer, turns 44

1969 Kathryn Morris, Actress (“Cold Case”), turns 43

1977 Joey Fatone Jr., Singer (‘N Sync), turns 35

1977 Rick Ross, Rapper, turns 35

1979 Rosamund Pike, Actress, turns 33

1980 Nick Carter, Singer (Backstreet Boys), turns 32

1981 Elijah Wood, Actor (“Lord of the Rings” movies), turns 31

Historic Birthdays

Arthur Rubinstein 1/28/1887 – 12/20/1982 Polish-American virtuoso pianist.Go to obituary »

52 Henry VII 1/28/1457 – 4/21/1509
English King

63 Sir Henry Morton Stanley 1/28/1841 – 5/10/1904
English/American explorer

43 William Seward Burroughs 1/28/1855 – 9/15/1898
American inventor

78 Franklin Hooper 1/28/1862 – 8/14/1940
American editor in chief of Encyclopedia Britiannica.

81 (Sidonie-Gabrielle) Colette 1/28/1873 – 8/3/1954
French writer

78 Auguste Piccard 1/28/1884 – 3/24/1962
Swiss-bn. Belgian physicist, balloonist, deep sea diver

55 Ernst Lubitsch 1/28/1892 – 11/30/1947
German/American film director

68 Dame Kathleen Lonsdale 1/28/1903 – 4/1/1971
British crystallographer

44 Jackson Pollock 1/28/1912 – 8/11/1956
American painter

80 Virgilio Ferreira 1/28/1916 – 3/1/1996
Portuguese teacher and novelist

1547	England’s King Henry VIII died.
1853	Cuban revolutionary Jose Marti was born in Havana.
1871	France surrendered in the Franco-Prussian War.
1909	The United States ended direct control over Cuba.
1915	The Coast Guard was created by an act of Congress.
1916	Louis D. Brandeis was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the Supreme Court, becoming its first Jewish member.
1945	During World War II, Allied supplies began reaching China over the newly reopened Burma Road.
1959	Vince Lombardi was named head coach of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
1973	A cease-fire officially went into effect in the Vietnam War.
1999	Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, honoring a personal request for mercy from Pope John Paul II, spared a triple murderer from execution.
2003	President George W. Bush said in his State of the Union address that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had sought uranium from Africa. (The claim was later disputed by former ambassador Joseph Wilson, who had been asked by the CIA to investigate.)
2009	In a swift victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House approved a huge $819 billion stimulus bill 244-188 with Republicans unanimous in opposition.
2010	Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke won Senate confirmation for a second term.

1947	Jeanne Shaheen, U.S. senator, D-N.H., turns 65
1950	Barbi Benton, Actress, turns 62
1957	Nick Price, Golfer, turns 55
1968	Sarah McLachlan, Rock singer, turns 44
1969	Kathryn Morris, Actress (“Cold Case”), turns 43
1977	Joey Fatone Jr., Singer (‘N Sync), turns 35
1977	Rick Ross, Rapper, turns 35
1979	Rosamund Pike, Actress, turns 33
1980	Nick Carter, Singer (Backstreet Boys), turns 32
1981	Elijah Wood, Actor (“Lord of the Rings” movies), turns 31

52	Henry VII 1/28/1457 – 4/21/1509 English King
63	Sir Henry Morton Stanley 1/28/1841 – 5/10/1904 English/American explorer
43	William Seward Burroughs 1/28/1855 – 9/15/1898 American inventor
78	Franklin Hooper 1/28/1862 – 8/14/1940 American editor in chief of Encyclopedia Britiannica.
81	(Sidonie-Gabrielle) Colette 1/28/1873 – 8/3/1954 French writer
78	Auguste Piccard 1/28/1884 – 3/24/1962 Swiss-bn. Belgian physicist, balloonist, deep sea diver
55	Ernst Lubitsch 1/28/1892 – 11/30/1947 German/American film director
68	Dame Kathleen Lonsdale 1/28/1903 – 4/1/1971 British crystallographer
44	Jackson Pollock 1/28/1912 – 8/11/1956 American painter
80	Virgilio Ferreira 1/28/1916 – 3/1/1996 Portuguese teacher and novelist