On this Day…
February 28
In 1940, racing driver Mario Andretti was born in Italy. He emigrated to the United States at age 19, and worked his way up through rock-star racing to become Formula One world champion in 1978. Now in his forties, he's only five feet six inches tall and compensates for his lack of height with his extra powerful arms and shoulders. He is believed to be the most popular driver on the circuit, and is certainly one of the most experienced. He started racing at 13, and has won not only the Indianapolis and Daytona 500s, but also the Serbing 12-hour endurance race and three U.S. Auto Club national championships!
In 1844,a big shot killed the big shots when the ten-ton "Peace marker" cannon, capable of hurling a 212- pound shot three miles, exploded at a demonstration aboard the first propeller driven warship, the U.S.S. Princeton. Among the six dead were the U.S. secretary of state and secretary of the Navy. President John Tyler and his fiancée were below decks together at the time, and escaped unharmed! - from Today's the Day! By Jeremy Beadle
In Christian history -
In 1784, English churchman John Wesley chartered a movement within Anglicanism that came to be known as Methodism. - from This Day in Christian History
By William D. Blake
In the Philippines -
In 1847, Roman Ongpin, philantropist and a rich Chinese businessman who supported the Katipuneros during the 1896 uprising against Spain, was born in Binondo, Manila. Ongpin, who owned an art supplies store called El 82 in Binondo, secretly supported the Katipuneros by providing food and money to buy rifles, ammunition and supplies for the Filipino independence movement. His store also became a convenient meeting place for Filipinos and a source of propaganda updates and events of the day. Ongpin's generosity never stopped as he even donated to General Emilio Aguinaldo a big part of the insurance paid when his store was burned down, and simply opened a new store. During the American occupation, Ongpin continued to support the cause of the revolution which led to his imprisonment. He died on December 10, 1912 at the age of 65. His remains were interred at the North Cemetery. In his honor, a statue was erected beside Binondo Church at one end of the street named after him. - (www.kahimyang.info)
In Cebu -
In 1922, a strong earthquake hit Cebu and destroyed, among others, the tile roofing of the San Nicolas Church. - from Cebuano Studies Center, University of San Carlos