On This Day in History - January 22nd - Almanac

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 22, the 22nd day of 2020 with 344 to follow.

The moon is waning. Morning stars are Jupiter, Mars and Uranus. Evening stars are Neptune, Uranus and Venus.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include Russian Czar Ivan III, known as Ivan the Great, in 1440; British writer/explorer Walter Raleigh in 1552; English philosopher/statesman Francis Bacon in 1561; British poet Lord George Byron in 1788; D.W. Griffith in 1875; Chief Justice of the United States Fred Vinson in 1890; U.N. Secretary-General U Thant in 1909; actor Ann Sothern in 1909; soul singer Sam Cooke in 1931; actor Piper Laurie in 1932 (age 88); actor Bill Bixby in 1934; television chef Graham Kerr in 1934 (age 86); author Joseph Wambaugh in 1937 (age 83); television chef Jeff Smith in 1939; actor John Hurt in 1940; Journey lead singer Steve Perry in 1949 (age 71); filmmaker Jim Jarmusch in 1953 (age 67); actor Linda Blair in 1959 (age 61); singer Michael Hutchence in 1960; actor Diane Lane in 1965 (age 55); actor/producer DJ Jazzy Jeff in 1965 (age 55); restaurateur Guy Fieri in 1968 (age 52); actor Olivia d'Abo in 1969 (age 51); actor Matt Iseman in 1971 (age 49); actor Gabriel Macht in 1972 (age 48); actor Balthazar Getty in 1975 (age 45); actor Beverley Mitchell in 1981 (age 39).

On this date in history:

In 1771, Spain ceded the Falkland Islands to Britain.

In 1901, Queen Victoria of Britain died at age 82 after a reign of 64 years. She was succeeded by her son, Edward VII.

In 1914, attorneys for world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, an African-American prizefighter, filed a brief for a new trial with the U.S. Court of Appeals, challenging Johnson's conviction under the Mann Act.

In 1924, senators investigating the Teapot Dome lease scandal declared they would use all the legal powers of the government to get to the truth.

In 1943, U.S. and Australian troops took New Guinea in the first land victory over the Japanese in World War II.

In 1944, U.S. troops invaded Italy, landing at Anzio beach in a move to outflank German defensive positions.

In 1973, in its historic Roe v. Wade decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down state bans and made abortion legal.

In 1987, Glen Tremml, 27, pedaled the ultralight aircraft Eagle over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for a human-powered flight record of 37.2 miles.

In 1991, Iraq launched a Scud missile attack against Israel, injuring 98 people.

In 1998, Theodore Kaczynski, known as the "Unabomber," accused of sending bombs that killed and wounded people, pleaded guilty to all counts against him in California and New Jersey. He was sentenced to life in prison.

In 2003, the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to be the first secretary of Homeland Security by a 94-0 vote.

In 2008, Heath Ledger, star of Brokeback Mountain, A Knight's Tale and The Dark Knight, died of a drug overdose. He was 28.

In 2012, Joe Paterno, the former Penn State football coach who won a record 409 games in his storied six-decade career but was forced out amid a sex scandal involving an ex-assistant coach, died of lung cancer. He was 85.

In 2014, the New York Yankees agreed to a seven-year, $155 million contract with right-handed pitcher Masahiro Tanaka of Japan.

In 2018, Congress passed a funding bill to reopen the government after a three-day shutdown but without resolving an immigration issue that led to the temporary stoppage.

A thought for the day: "Friendship is love without his wings." -- British poet Lord Byron