1787 – Shays’ Rebellion suffers a setback when debt-ridden farmers, led by Capt Daniel Shays, fail to capture an arsenal at Springfield, Mass
1907 – Julia Ward Howe is first woman elected to National Institute of Arts and Letters (USA)
1968 – Robert Anderson’s “I Never Sang for My Father” premieres in NYC
1981 – Super Bowl XV: Oakland Raiders beat Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10 in New Orleans Super Bowl MVP: Jim Plunkett, Oakland, QB
1989 – Augusto Alcalde, 1st South American Zen teacher, receives Dharma Transmission
1991 – Brett Hull is 3rd NHLer to score 50 goals in less than 50 games (49)
1640 – William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire, English soldier and statesman (d. 1707)
1891 – Dame Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, Britain, actress (Cleopatra)
1966 – Paul Ranheim, NHL left wing (Hartford Whalers), born in St. Louis, Missouri
1971 – Kevin Williams, receiver/kick returner (Az Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys)
1978 – Denis Menchov, Russian cyclist
1980 – Michelle McCool, American professional wrestler
1494 – Ferdinand I, cruel king of Naples, dies
1896 – Frans C Baeckelmans, Flemish architect (Court of Justice), dies at 68
1908 – Ouida, English writer (b. 1839)
1977 – Donald Kerr, actor (Devil Bat, Killer Bats), dies at 85
1978 – Tango Duke, dies in Australia at 42; oldest known thoroughbred horse
2005 – Nettie Witziers-Timmer, Dutch athlete (b. 1923)