A look back in History – February

1/2/1709: Alexander Selkirk (basis for “Robinson Crusoe”), rescued.

2/2/1536: Buenos Aires founded.

3/2/1959: Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holly, rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, killed.

4/2/1932: First winter Olympic Games held in US (Lake Placid, New York).

5/2/1971: Apollo 14 (US) made third manned landing on Moon.

6/2/1935: Monopoly invented.

8/2/1725: Peter the Great, Russian Czar, died.

10/2/1912: Joseph Lister, English, founder of aseptic surgery, died.

11/2/1929: Lateran Treaty (independence of Vatican City) signed.

13/2/1945: Soviet forces captured Budapest.

14/2/1895: “The Importance of Being Ernest,” by Oscar Wilde, premiered.

15/2/1989: Russian army withdrew from Afghanistan.

17/2/1960: Elvis Presley received his first gold album.

18/2/1546: Martin Luther, founder of Protestantism, died.

19/2/1986: USSR MIR space station launched.

21/2/1931: Camera exposure meter invented by W.N. Goodwin.

23/2/1954: First field testing of polio vaccine in Pittsburgh, USA.

24/2/1991: US and UN ground offensive began against Iraq.

25/2/1964: Cassius Clay became heavyweight champion (beat Sonny Liston).

28/2/1972: “French Connection” dmg bust occurred in Marseilles.