On this day, Feb. 2

1876 The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in New York. 1911 The new St. Joseph’s Hospital was opened to the public.

1925 The legendary Alaska Serum Run ended as the last of a series of dog mushers brought a life-saving treatment to Nome, the scene of a diphtheria epidemic, six days after the drug left Nenana.

1949 The Aluminum Co. of America announced plans for the nation’s first all-aluminum office skyscraper.

1989 The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in Philadelphia for the first time in 15 years with a 5-3 win. 2011 Supporters of President Hosni Mubarak charged into Cairo’s central square on horses and camels brandishing whips while others rained firebombs from rooftops in what appeared to be an orchestrated assault against protesters trying to topple Egypt’s leader of 30 years. Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Comedian Tom Smothers, 84. Rock singer-guitarist Graham Nash, 79. Television executive Barry Diller, 79. Actor Bo Hopkins, 77. Country singer Howard Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers), 75. TV chef Ina Garten, 73. Actor Jack McGee, 72. Actor Brent Spiner, 72. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, 69. The former president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, 69. Model Christie Brinkley, 67. Actor Michael Talbott, 66. Actor Kim Zimmer, 66. Actor Michael T. Weiss, 59. Actor-comedian Adam Ferrara, 55. Rock musician Robert DeLeo (Army of Anyone; Stone Temple Pilots), 55. Actor Jennifer Westfeldt, 51. Rapper T-Mo, 49. Actor Marissa Jaret Winokur, 48. Actor Lori Beth Denberg, 45. Singer Shakira, 44. Actor Rich Sommer, 43. Actor Zosia Mamet, 33. Thought for today: “It was naive of the 19th century optimists to expect paradise from technology — and it is equally naive of the 20th century pessimists to make technology the scapegoat for such old shortcomings as man’s blindness, cruelty, immaturity, greed and sinful pride.”

— Peter F. Drucker, authority on business management (1909-2005)