What Happened on January 17
Significant Events
- 1773 Captain James Cook becomes 1st to cross Antarctic Circle (66° 33' S)
- 1873 A group of Modoc warriors defeats the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold, a part of the Modoc War.
- 1912 Captain Robert Scott's expedition arrives at the South Pole, one month after Roald Amundsen
- 1941 Kuomintang forces under orders from Chiang Kai-shek open fire at communist forces, resuming the Chinese Civil War after World War II
- 1946 United Nations Security Council holds its 1st meeting
- 1991 Operation Desert Storm begins, with US-led coalition forces bombing Iraq, during the Gulf War
Did You Know?
First day Prohibition comes into effect in the US as a result of the 18th amendment
On January 17, 1920
Famous Birthdays
Benjamin Franklin
(1706 - 1790)
Arnold Rothstein
(1882 - 1928)
Al Capone
(1899 - 1947)
Betty White
96 Years Old
Jacques Plante
(1929 - 1986)
Muhammad Ali
(1942 - 2016)
Would You Believe?
Doomsday Clock set to five minutes to midnight in response to North Korea's 1st nuclear test
On January 17, 2007
Famous Weddings
- 38 BC Roman Republican Leader Octavian, later Augustus 1st Roman Emperor, marries Livia Drusilla
- 1827 Religious leader Joseph Smith Jr (21) weds church group movement leader Emma Smith (22) in South Bainbridge, New York
- 1926 Comedian George Burns marries comedienne Gracie Allen
- 1946 Actor John Wayne (38) weds actress Esperanza Baur in Long Beach, California
- 1955 Murderer Charles Manson (20) weds waitress Rosalie Jean Willis (17)
Famous Divorces
- 1990 NFL coach Jimmy Johnson (46) divorces Linda Kay Cooper after 26 years of marriage
George Bancroft
Rutherford B. Hayes
Juliette Gordon Low
T. H. White
Bobby FischerJanuary in History
The Man Who Saved Elton John's Life
Long John Baldry was born on this day - a friend of stars from Rod Stewart to The Beatles and who, in 1969, famously took Elton John aside and saved the life.
January 12, 1941
British Museum Opens its Doors
The British Museum opened to visitors on January 15, 1759. Fearing damage to the collections by unruly hordes, nobody was admitted without a ticket.
January 15, 1759
Squaring Up for Radio Commentary
This was the day when the BBC broadcast live sports commentary for the first time and introduced a novel way of involving listeners in the action.
January 15, 1927
The British: 139. Zulu Warriors: 4,000. Let Battle Begin
It was one of the most remarkable military engagements ever: the day that 139 British soldiers took on 4,000 Zulu warriors – and won.
January 22, 1879