TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1626, Charles I was crowned king of England. In 1848, the war between the U.S. and Mexico ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In 1921, airmail service began between New York and San Francisco. In 1990, South African president F.W. de Klerk ended the ban on the African National Congress and promised to free Nelson Mandela.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: James Joyce (1882-1941), author; George Halas (1895-1983), football coach/team owner; W.H. Auden (1907-1973), poet; Jussi Bjoerling (1911-1960), opera singer; Elaine Stritch (1926- ), actress/comedienne, is 82; Stan Getz (1927-1991), jazz musician; Farrah Fawcett (1947- ), actress, is 61; Christie Brinkley (1954- ), model, is 54; Shakira (1977- ), singer, is 31.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1936, the first inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame were announced: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "I've put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that's the only way of insuring one's immortality." - James Joyce
TODAY'S FACT: Since the release of the popular movie Groundhog Day (1993), crowds of up to 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania each year on February 2 to see whether Punxsutawney Phil observes his shadow.
TODAY'S NUMBER: 96 - number of times in the 120-year history of Groundhog Day that Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow.
TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter (January 30) and new moon (February 6).
