February 17, 2012 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

Updated February 16, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Feb. 17, 1972, President Nixon departed on his historic trip to China.

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On Feb. 17, 1874, Thomas J. Watson, Sr., the American industrialist who built I.B.M., was born. Following his death on June 19, 1956, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1865 Columbia, S.C., burned as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in.

1904 Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly” had its world premiere at La Scala in Milan, Italy.

1933 Newsweek magazine was first published.

1947 The Voice of America began broadcasting to the Soviet Union.

1972 President Richard M. Nixon departed on a historic trip to China.

1976 The Eagles’ album “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” was released.

1992 Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced in Milwaukee to life in prison.

1995 Colin Ferguson was convicted of six counts of murder in the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road shootings that also wounded 19 people.

1996 World chess champion Garry Kasparov beat IBM supercomputer “Deep Blue,” winning a six-game match in Philadelphia.

2002 The new Transportation Security Administration took over supervision of aviation security from the airline industry and the Federal Aviation Administration.

2005 President George W. Bush named John Negroponte to be the first national intelligence director.

2008 Kosovo declared itself a nation in defiance of Serbia and Russia.

2009 President Barack Obama signed a $757 billion economic stimulus package into law..

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt turns 31 years old today.

AP Photo/Kristian Dowling

Actor Chord Overstreet (“Glee”) turns 23 years old today.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

1925 Hal Holbrook, Actor, turns 87

1934 Dame Edna, Comedian, turns 78

1935 Johnny Bush, Country singer, turns 77

1936 Jim Brown, Football Hall of Famer, turns 76

1939 Mary Ann Mobley, Actress, turns 73

1954 Rene Russo, Actress, turns 58

1962 Lou Diamond Phillips, Actor, turns 50

1963 Michael Jordan, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 49

1963 Larry the Cable Guy, Actor, comedian (“Blue Collar TV”), turns 49

1964 Michael Bay, Director, turns 48

1971 Denise Richards, Actress, turns 41

1972 Billie Joe Armstrong, Rock musician (Green Day), turns 40

1974 Jerry O’Connell, Actor, turns 38

1981 Paris Hilton, Heiress, turns 31

Historic Birthdays

Thomas J. Watson, Sr. 2/17/1874 – 6/19/1956 American industrialist who built IBM.Go to obituary »

59 Arcangelo Corelli 2/17/1653 – 1/8/1713
Italian violinist and composer

34 Gustavo Adolfo Becquer 2/17/1836 – 12/22/1870
Spanish poet and author

70 A. Montgomery Ward 2/17/1843 – 12/7/1913
American mail-order merchant

76 Andrew B. Paterson 2/17/1864 – 2/5/1941
Australian poet, journalist and songwriter

54 Andre Maginot 2/17/1877 – 1/7/1932
French statesman for whom Maginot Line was named

85 H. L. Hunt 2/17/1889 – 11/29/1974
American oil tycoon

76 Hans J. Morgenthau 2/17/1904 – 7/19/1980
German-bn. American political scientist and historian

84 Red Barber 2/17/1908 – 10/22/1992
American baseball broadcaster

75 Arthur Kennedy 2/17/1914 – 1/5/1990
American character actor

47 Huey P. Newton 2/17/1942 – 8/22/1989
American activist who co-founded the Black Panthers

1865	Columbia, S.C., burned as the Confederates evacuated and Union forces moved in.
1904	Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly” had its world premiere at La Scala in Milan, Italy.
1933	Newsweek magazine was first published.
1947	The Voice of America began broadcasting to the Soviet Union.
1972	President Richard M. Nixon departed on a historic trip to China.
1976	The Eagles’ album “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” was released.
1992	Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced in Milwaukee to life in prison.
1995	Colin Ferguson was convicted of six counts of murder in the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road shootings that also wounded 19 people.
1996	World chess champion Garry Kasparov beat IBM supercomputer “Deep Blue,” winning a six-game match in Philadelphia.
2002	The new Transportation Security Administration took over supervision of aviation security from the airline industry and the Federal Aviation Administration.
2005	President George W. Bush named John Negroponte to be the first national intelligence director.
2008	Kosovo declared itself a nation in defiance of Serbia and Russia.
2009	President Barack Obama signed a $757 billion economic stimulus package into law..

1925	Hal Holbrook, Actor, turns 87
1934	Dame Edna, Comedian, turns 78
1935	Johnny Bush, Country singer, turns 77
1936	Jim Brown, Football Hall of Famer, turns 76
1939	Mary Ann Mobley, Actress, turns 73
1954	Rene Russo, Actress, turns 58
1962	Lou Diamond Phillips, Actor, turns 50
1963	Michael Jordan, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 49
1963	Larry the Cable Guy, Actor, comedian (“Blue Collar TV”), turns 49
1964	Michael Bay, Director, turns 48
1971	Denise Richards, Actress, turns 41
1972	Billie Joe Armstrong, Rock musician (Green Day), turns 40
1974	Jerry O’Connell, Actor, turns 38
1981	Paris Hilton, Heiress, turns 31

59	Arcangelo Corelli 2/17/1653 – 1/8/1713 Italian violinist and composer
34	Gustavo Adolfo Becquer 2/17/1836 – 12/22/1870 Spanish poet and author
70	A. Montgomery Ward 2/17/1843 – 12/7/1913 American mail-order merchant
76	Andrew B. Paterson 2/17/1864 – 2/5/1941 Australian poet, journalist and songwriter
54	Andre Maginot 2/17/1877 – 1/7/1932 French statesman for whom Maginot Line was named
85	H. L. Hunt 2/17/1889 – 11/29/1974 American oil tycoon
76	Hans J. Morgenthau 2/17/1904 – 7/19/1980 German-bn. American political scientist and historian
84	Red Barber 2/17/1908 – 10/22/1992 American baseball broadcaster
75	Arthur Kennedy 2/17/1914 – 1/5/1990 American character actor
47	Huey P. Newton 2/17/1942 – 8/22/1989 American activist who co-founded the Black Panthers