On this Day…
February 20
In 1962, the first American spaceman entered earth's orbit when 40-year-old Lt. Col. John Glenn was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard Friendship 7. The flight had been postponed ten times, several of them during countdown, with Glenn strapped inside the capsule. Even the final flight was plagued with delays, and the last orbit was flown entirely by manual control. The epic mission lasted four hours 55 minutes, at between 99 and 162 miles high, covering in three orbits a total of 81,000 miles. On his return, Glenn dropped safely into the sea and promptly became a national hero. He received the t. largest tickertape reception in the history of New York City, and later the sanitation department estimated hat a total of 3,474 tons of paper had fallen on him!
In 1892," Lady Windermere's Fan," was first performed in London. At the end of his brilliant comedy, Oscar Wilde stepped on stage and made the following little speech: "Ladies and Gentlemen: I have enjoyed this evening immensely. The actors have given us a charming rendering of a delightful play, and your appreciation has been the most intelligent. I congratulate you on the great success of your performance, which persuades me that you think almost as highly of the play as I do myself!"
- from Today's the Day! By Jeremy Beadle
In Christian history -
In 1902, Italian cardinal Gioacchino Pecci was elected Pope (Leo XIII) after the death of Pope Pius IX. Leo XIII's papacy was best known for his teaching encylicals and for the establishment of the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
- from This Day in Christian History By William D. Blake
In the Philippines -
In1862, Francisco Baltazar, so-called "Prince of Tagalog Poets" for his impact on Filipino Literature, equivalent of William Shakespeare, died at the age 73. Born on April 2, 1788, in Bigaa, Bulacan, Baltazar, widely known through his nom-de-plume Francisco Balagtas, wrote “Florante at Laura,” considered as one of the masterpieces of Philippine literature. Notably, Balagtas is so greatly revered in the Philippines that the term for Filipino debate in extemporaneous verse is named after him: "Balagtasan."
- (www.kahimyang.info)
In Cebu -
In 1952, Col. Ramon Enriquez took over as commander of the III Military Area with headquarters in Cebu.
- from Cebuano Studies Center, University of San Carlos