Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

February 28

1993
David Koresh: Four federal agents and two cult members are killed in a shoot out with the Waco, Texas Branch Davidian leader, who claims to be Jesus Christ.

1983
M*A*S*H* final episode is watched by a record 125 million viewers.

1978
Basketball player Clifford Ray assists in an operation at Marine World in California by using his long arms to retrieve a large screw swallowed by a dolphin.

1967
First black marine to receive the Medal of Honor for the Vietnam War: PFC James Anderson, Jr. is killed when he jumps on an enemy grenade to save his comrades. For this he was awarded the honor the following year.

1940
First televised collegiate basketball game: W2XBS of New York City broadcast a game between Pittsburgh and Fordham.

1861
Territory of Colorado is established by Congress.

1849
First prospectors for the Gold Rush of '49 arrive in San Francisco.

1844
USS Princeton Explosion: While cruising on the Potomac, the newly-built war steamer fires one of its guns. The gun exploded killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Secretary of the Navy Thomas W. Gilmer, and nearly killing Pres. Tyler.

1827
First U.S. passenger railroad: The Baltimore & Ohio is incorporated. It began operation in 1830.

1787
Pittsburgh Academy is founded, became University of Pittsburgh (1908).

1944
Bernadette Peters (Bernadette Lazzara), American Tony-winning actress. Stage: Song and Dance (1985, Tony). Film: The Jerk (1979).

1942
Frank Bonner, American actor. TV: WKRP in Cincinnati (Herb Tarlek).

1942     d. 1969
Brian Jones, British singer, guitarist, founder of The Rolling Stones.

1940
Mario Andretti, Italian-born American auto racer, Indianapolis 500 winner. He is only person to be named "Driver of the Year" in three decades (1967, 1978, 1984); Only driver to win the Daytona 500, Indy 500, and Formula One world title; Oldest person to win an Indy race (1993, age 53)

1939
Tommy Tune, American Tony-winning choreographer, singer, dancer. He Directed and choreographed Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1978).

1933
Charles Durning, American actor. TV: Evening Shade (Dr. Elldrige).

1930
Gavin MacLeod, American actor. TV: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Murray) and The Love Boat (Capt. Stubing).

1928
Bettye Ackerman, American actress. TV: Ben Casey (Dr. Maggie Graham).

1915     d. 1977
Zero Mostel, American actor, singer. Stage: Fiddler on the Roof (1964, as Tevye singing If I Were a Rich Man).

1915     d. 1987
Sir Peter Brian Medawar, British Nobel-winning medical scientist. He was co-winner of a 1960 Nobel Prize for his work on skin grafting.

1907     d. 1988
Milton Caniff, American cartoonist, creator of Terry and the Pirates (1934) and Steve Canyon (1947).

1901     d. 1994
Linus Carl Pauling, American Nobel-winning chemist and vitamin C advocate. He also won a Nobel Peace Prize.

1860     d. 1929
Victor Louis Berger, Transylvanian-born American politician. He was the first socialist elected to the U.S. Congress (1910, House of Representatives for Wisconsin) and was one of the founders of the Socialist Party (1900).

1824     d. 1897
Charles Blondin (Jean Francois Gravelet), French acrobat, aerialist. He is best remembered for crossing Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He also crossed it blindfolded, pushing a wheelbarrow, carrying a man on his back, and on stilts.

1820     d. 1914
Sir John Tenniel, English illustrator. He illustrated Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

1993     b. 1909
Ruby Keeler (Ethel Hilda Keeler), American dancer, actress, frequently co-starred with Dick Powell. Film: 42nd Street (1933).

1989     b. 1906
Richard Willard Armour, American author, poet. Writings: It All Started With Eve (1956).

1985     b. 1922
Charita Bauer, American Emmy-winning actress. TV and radio: The Guiding Light (Bert Bauer, which she played for 35 years).

1978     b. 1911
Philip Ahn, American actor. TV: Kung Fu (Master Kan).

1977     b. 1905
Eddie Anderson, American actor. TV: The Jack Benny Program (Benny's valet Rochester).

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