Today in History for 27th February 2017:
Historical Events
1531 – Evangelical German monarchy/towns form Schmalkaldische Union
1667 – Abraham Crijnssen conquers Fort Willoughby (Zeelandia), Suriname
1930 – Bouvet Island declared a Norwegian dependency
1969 – President Nixon visits West Berlin
1988 – Bonnie Blair (US) wins Olympic 500m speed skating in record 39.1
1991 – Ben Elton’s “Silly Cow” premieres in London
Famous Birthdays
1784 – Job Plimpton, composer
1893 – Ralph Linton, US cultural anthropologist (Tree of Culture)
1924 – M M Shearer, former Lord Lieutenant of Shetland
1939 – Kenzo Takada, Japanese director (Dream After Dream)
1944 – Graeme Pollock, cricketer (South African batting prodigy)
1973 – “Pooh” Clark, rocker (High-5)
Famous Deaths
1731 – Angelo Predieri, composer, dies at 76
1913 – Adam Sedgwick, English zoologist (Peripatus), dies at 58
1943 – Kostis Palamas, Greek poet, twice nominated for the Nobel prize (b. 1859)
1952 – Theodorus Pangalos, Greek general/dictator 1926, dies at 74
2006 – Linda Smith, British comedian (b. 1958)
2008 – William F. Buckley, Jr., American conservative author and commentator (b. 1925)