Today In History
Today is Friday, Jan. 21, the 21st day of 2022. There are 344 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
› 2020: The U.S. reported its first known case of the new virus circulating in China, saying a Washington state resident who had returned the previous week from the outbreak’s epicenter was hospitalized near Seattle; U.S. officials stressed that they believed the overall risk of the virus to the American public remained low.
ON THIS DATE
› 1915: The first Kiwanis Club, dedicated to community service, was founded in Detroit.
› 1942: Pinball machines were banned in New York City after a court ruled they were gambling devices that relied on chance rather than skill (the ban was lifted in 1976).
› 1954: The first atomic submarine, the USS Nautilus, was launched at Groton, Connecticut (however, the Nautilus did not make its first nuclear-powered run until nearly a year later).
› 1976: British Airways and Air France inaugurated scheduled passenger service on the supersonic Concorde jet.
› 1977: On his first full day in office, President Jimmy Carter pardoned almost all Vietnam War draft evaders.
› 2003: The Census Bureau announced that Hispanics had surpassed blacks as America’s largest minority group.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus is 82. Opera singer-conductor Placido Domingo is 81. Actor Jill Eikenberry is 75. Country musician Jim Ibbotson is 75. Singer-songwriter Billy Ocean is 72. Former U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke is 72. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is 71. Actor-director Robby Benson is 66. Actor Geena Davis is 66. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., is 61. Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon is 59. Actor Charlotte Ross is 54. Actor John Ducey is 53. Actor Karina Lombard is 53. Actor Ken Leung is 52. Rock musician Mark Trojanowski (Sister Hazel) is 52. Rock singer-songwriter Cat Power is 50. Rock DJ Chris Kilmore (Incubus) is 49. Actor Vincent Laresca is 48. Singer Emma Bunton (Spice Girls) is 46. Actor Jerry Trainor is 45. Country singer Phil Stacey is 44. R&B singer Nokio is 43. Actor Izabella Miko is 41. Actor Luke Grimes is 38. Actor Feliz Ramirez is 30.