On this day, Feb. 5
1865 The Pittsburgh Clearing House Association was opened for business with John Harper as president.
1917 Mexico’s constitution was adopted by the Constitutional Convention in Santiago de Queretaro.
1941 Dr. I. Hope Alexander, city health director, stepped up his efforts for a smokeabatement campaign as a black smoke pall blotted out the sun and hung over the city. The Allegheny County Medical Society endorsed efforts to obtain an anti-smoke law. 1971 Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell stepped onto the surface of the moon in the first of two lunar excursions.
1988 The Arizona House impeached Republican Gov. Evan Mecham setting the stage for his trial in the state Senate, where he was convicted of obstructing justice and misusing state funds allegedly funneled to his Pontiac dealership.
2006 The Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL in Detroit, defeating the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10. Immediately after the game, Steelers running back and Detroit native Jerome Bettis announced his retirement.
Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).
Hank Aaron, 86. Actor Stuart Damon, 83. Tony-winning playwright John Guare, 82. Financial writer Jane Bryant Quinn, 81. Actor David Selby, 79. Singer-songwriter Barrett Strong, 79. Football Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, 78. Movie director
Michael Mann, 77. Rock singer Al Kooper, 76. Actress Charlotte Rampling, 74. Racing Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, 73. Actress Barbara Hershey, 72. Actor Christopher Guest, 72. Actor Tom Wilkinson, 72. Actor-comedian Tim Meadows, 59. Actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, 58. Actress Laura Linney, 56. Rock musician Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), 56. World Golf Hall of Famer Jose Maria Olazabal, 54. Actor-comedian Chris Parnell, 53. Rock singer Chris Barron (Spin Doctors), 52. Singer Bobby Brown, 51. Actor Michael Sheen, 51. Actor David Chisum, 50. Actorsinger Darren Criss, 33. Actor Alex Brightman, 33. Actor Henry Golding, 33. Thought for today: “Men do not desire to be rich, but to be richer than other men.”