On This Day February 28th

 OTD

February 28th is the Fifty-ninth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 306 days remain until the end of the year.

 

Events

1525 – Aztec king Cuauhtémoc is executed on the order of conquistador Hernán Cortés.

1638 – The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh.

1844 – A gun explodes on board the steam warship USS Princeton during a pleasure cruise down the Potomac River, killing six, including Secretary of State Abel Upshur. President John Tyler, also on board, was not injured from the blast.

1953 – James Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes place on April 25 following publication in April's Nature (pub. April 2).

1983 – The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, with almost 106 million viewers. It still holds the record for the highest viewership of a season finale.

1997 – GRB 970228, a highly luminous flash of gamma rays, strikes the Earth for 80 seconds, providing early evidence that gamma-ray bursts occur well beyond the Milky Way.

 

Birthdays

1887 – William Zorach, Lithuanian American sculptor and painter (d. 1966)

1906 – Bugsy Siegel, American gangster (d. 1947)

1928 – Sylvia del Villard, actress, dancer, choreographer, and Afro-Puerto Rican activist (d. 1990)

1940 – Mario Andretti, Italian American racing driver.

1955 – Gilbert Gottfried, American comedian, actor, and singer (d. 2022)

 

Holiday Spotlight

LAUNCESTON CUP

Horse racing is an age-long sport that attracts thousands of people from all walks of life. Watching and cheering the athletes (equine and human) with the jockeys saddled on their racecourse is exciting. We love watching the amazing athletes dexterously using their natural strength, balance, muscle, and speed to compete vigorously in the race.

Globally, horse racing is a sport recognized and practiced. The history of the Launceston Cup dates to around 150 years ago. For this extended period, it has been the signature race for Launceston in Tasmania, Australia. As a culture, on Wednesday in February, thousands of locals would array in their beautiful apparel to grace the event that has become synonymous with the town, as it has been since 1985.

The sport started as a local event about a century ago. Still, as years passed, it began to garner the attention of dignitaries inside and outside Launceston, Tasmania, and even Melbourne. The first event attracted a crowd of about 6,000.

In recent years, the cup has drawn more attendees, numbering up to 12,000 when the weather is favorable. Every February, the Tasmanian Turf Club hosts the Launceston Cup and runs 2,400 meters at the Launceston Racecourse in Mowbray, Tasmania, Australia. It has become a renowned Group Three open handicap thoroughbred horse race.

Symbolically, the racecourse winner is awarded the Launceston Cup and the prize money. Today, the race is celebrated as a holiday each February 23. We encourage you to partake in this exciting event in the world of sports.

 

Others Include.

Car Keys and Small Change Day

Floral Design Day

Global Scouse Day

Inconvenience Yourself Day

International Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day

Linus Pauling Day

National Chocolate Souffle Day

National Public Sleeping Day

National Science Day

National Tooth Fairy Day

Pink Shirt Day 

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