Updated February 27, 2012, 1:28 pm
On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to serve warrants on the Branch Davidians; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began.
Go to article »On Feb. 28, 1901, Linus Pauling, the American Nobel Prize-winning chemist and political activist, was born. Following his death on Aug. 19, 1994, his obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
1827 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co. was incorporated. 1854 About 50 slavery opponents met in Ripon, Wis., to call for creation of a new political group that became the Republican Party. 1861 The Territory of Colorado was organized. 1940 College basketball was televised for the first time as station W2XBS aired the Pittsburgh-Fordham and Georgetown-NYU games from Madison Square Garden in New York. 1953 Scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule that contains the human genes, at Cambridge University. 1960 The U.S. Olympic hockey team won the gold medal, defeating Czechoslovakia 9-4 at Squaw Valley, Calif. 1972 President Richard M. Nixon and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai issued the Shanghai Communique at the conclusion of Nixon’s historic visit to China, a step toward the eventual normalization of relations between the two countries. 1974 The United States and Egypt re-established diplomatic relations after a seven-year break. 1983 The album “War” by U2 was released. 1991 Allied and Iraqi forces suspended their attacks as Iraq pledged to accept all United Nations resolutions concerning Kuwait. 1993 A gun battle erupted at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to serve warrants; four agents and six Davidians were killed and a 51-day standoff began. 2005 Lebanon’s pro-Syrian prime minister, Omar Karami, resigned amid large anti-Syria street demonstrations in Beirut. 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. died at age 89. Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Actress-singer Bernadette Peters turns 64 years old today.
AP Photo/Peter Kramer
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu turns 64 years old today.
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
1923 Charles Durning, Actor, turns 89 1931 Gavin MacLeod, Actor (“Love Boat,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”), turns 81 1931 Dean Smith, Hall of Fame basketball coach, turns 81 1939 Tommy Tune, Dancer, choreographer, turns 73 1940 Mario Andretti, Auto racer, turns 72 1944 Kelly Bishop, Actress (“Gilmore Girls”), turns 68 1948 Mercedes Ruehl, Actress, turns 64 1955 Adrian Dantley, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 57 1955 Gilbert Gottfried, Comedian, turns 57 1957 John Turturro, Actor, turns 55 1957 Cindy Wilson, Rock singer (B-52s), turns 55 1962 Ken Whisenhunt, Football coach, turns 50 1969 Robert Sean Leonard, Actor (“House”), turns 43 1973 Eric Lindros, Hockey player, turns 39 1976 Ali Larter, Actress (“Heroes”), turns 36
Historic Birthdays
Linus Pauling 2/28/1901 – 8/19/1994 American Nobel Prize-winning chemist.Go to obituary »
59 Michel de Montaigne 2/28/1533 – 9/23/1592
French writer of essays71 Gabriele Rossetti 2/28/1783 – 4/24/1854
Italian poet, revolutionary, and scholar93 Sir John Tenniel 2/28/1820 – 2/25/1914
English illustrator and satirical artist78 Douglas McGarel Hogg 2/28/1872 – 8/16/1950
English lawyer and politician85 Geraldine Farrar 2/28/1882 – 3/11/1967
American operatic soprano70 Ben Hecht 2/28/1894 – 4/18/1964
American novelist, playwright, and newspaperman41 Bugsy Siegel 2/28/1906 – 6/20/1947
American gangster who started Las Vegas gambling81 Milton Caniff 2/28/1907 – 4/3/1988
American comic-strip artist86 Sir Stephen Spender 2/28/1909 – 7/16/1995
English poet and critic83 Vincente Minnelli 2/28/1903 – 7/25/1986
American film and stage director82 Denis Parsons Burkitt 2/28/1911 – 3/23/1993
English surgeon and medical researcher62 Zero Mostel 2/28/1915 – 9/8/1977
American actor, singer, and comedian
