History of Today in India – 14 February

Explore the history of today 14 February in India, including important events, famous personalities, and milestones for UPSC SSC,Banking & PSC exams.

Last updated on 14 February 2026, 12:42 PM

📜 Important Events on 14 February in World History

• 14 Feb 2020: At least 22 people are killed in an attack on a village in Northwest Region, Cameroon. Read more
• 14 Feb 2019: Pulwama attack takes place in Lethpora in Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, India in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel and a suicide bomber were killed and 35 were injured. Read more
• 14 Feb 2018: Jacob Zuma resigns as President of South Africa. Read more
• 14 Feb 2018: A shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida is one of the deadliest school massacres with 17 fatalities and 17 injuries. Read more
• 14 Feb 2011: As a part of Arab Spring, the Bahraini uprising begins with a 'Day of Rage'. Read more
• 14 Feb 2008: Northern Illinois University shooting: A gunman opens fire in a lecture hall of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb County, Illinois, resulting in six fatalities (including the gunman) and 21 injuries. Read more
• 14 Feb 2005: In Beirut, 23 people, including former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, are killed when the equivalent of around 1,000 kg of TNT is detonated while Hariri's motorcade drives through the city. Read more
• 14 Feb 2005: Seven people are killed and 151 wounded in a series of bombings by suspected al-Qaeda-linked militants that hit Makati, Davao City, and General Santos, all in the Philippines. Read more
• 14 Feb 2005: YouTube is launched by a group of college students, eventually becoming the largest video sharing website in the world and a main source for viral videos. Read more
• 14 Feb 2004: In a suburb of Moscow, Russia, the roof of the Transvaal water park collapses, killing more than 28 people, and wounding 193 others. Read more
• 14 Feb 2003: Iraq disarmament crisis: UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix reports to the United Nations Security Council that disarmament inspectors have found no weapons of mass destruction in Ba'athist Iraq. Read more
• 14 Feb 2000: The spacecraft NEAR Shoemaker enters orbit around asteroid 433 Eros, the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid. Read more
• 14 Feb 1998: An oil tanker train collides with a freight train in Yaoundé, Cameroon, spilling fuel oil. One person scavenging the oil created a massive explosion which killed 120. Read more
• 14 Feb 1990: Ninety-two people are killed when Indian Airlines Flight 605 crashes in Bangalore, India. Read more
• 14 Feb 1990: The Voyager 1 spacecraft takes the photograph of planet Earth that later becomes famous as Pale Blue Dot. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Union Carbide agrees to pay $470 million to the Indian government for damages it caused in the 1984 Bhopal disaster. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini issues a fatwa encouraging Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses. Read more
• 14 Feb 1983: United American Bank of Knoxville, Tennessee collapses. Its president, Jake Butcher, is later convicted of fraud. Read more
• 14 Feb 1979: In Kabul, Setami Milli militants kidnap the American ambassador to Afghanistan, Adolph Dubs who is later killed during a gunfight between his kidnappers and police. Read more
• 14 Feb 1961: Discovery of the chemical elements: Element 103, Lawrencium, is first synthesized at the University of California. Read more
• 14 Feb 1954: First Indochina War – small French garrison at Đắk Đoa is overrun by the Viet Minh after a week's siege. Read more
• 14 Feb 1949: The Knesset (parliament of Israel) convenes for the first time. Read more
• 14 Feb 1949: The Asbestos Strike begins in Canada. The strike marks the beginning of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. Read more
• 14 Feb 1947: The act abolishing all noble ranks and related styles comes into force in Hungary. Read more
• 14 Feb 1946: The Bank of England is nationalized. Read more
• 14 Feb 1945: World War II: On the first day of the bombing of Dresden, the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces begin fire-bombing Dresden. Read more
• 14 Feb 1945: World War II: Navigational error leads to the mistaken bombing of Prague, Czechoslovakia by a United States Army Air Forces squadron of B-17s assisting in the Soviet Red Army's Vistula–Oder Offensive. Read more
• 14 Feb 1945: World War II: Mostar is liberated by Yugoslav partisans Read more
• 14 Feb 1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt meets King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia aboard the USS Quincy, officially beginning U.S.-Saudi diplomatic relations. Read more
• 14 Feb 1944: World War II: In the action of 14 February 1944, a Royal Navy submarine sinks a German-controlled Italian Regia Marina submarine in the Strait of Malacca. Read more
• 14 Feb 1943: World War II: Rostov-on-Don, Russia is liberated. Read more
• 14 Feb 1943: World War II: Tunisia Campaign: General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim's Fifth Panzer Army launches a counter-attack against Allied positions in Tunisia. Read more
• 14 Feb 1942: World War II: Battle of Pasir Panjang contributes to the fall of Singapore. Read more
• 14 Feb 1939: World War II: German battleship Bismarck is launched. Read more
• 14 Feb 1929: Saint Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven people, six of them gangster rivals of Al Capone's gang, are murdered in Chicago. Read more
• 14 Feb 1924: The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company changes its name to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). Read more
• 14 Feb 1920: The League of Women Voters is founded in Chicago. Read more
• 14 Feb 1919: The Polish–Soviet War begins. Read more
• 14 Feb 1918: Soviet Russia adopts the Gregorian calendar. Read more
• 14 Feb 1912: Arizona is admitted as the 48th and the last contiguous U.S. state. Read more
• 14 Feb 1912: The U.S. Navy commissions its first class of diesel-powered submarines. Read more
• 14 Feb 1903: The United States Department of Commerce and Labor is established (later split into the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor). Read more
• 14 Feb 1900: The British Army begins the Battle of the Tugela Heights in an effort to lift the Siege of Ladysmith. Read more
• 14 Feb 1899: Voting machines are approved by the U.S. Congress for use in federal elections. Read more
• 14 Feb 1879: The War of the Pacific breaks out when the Chilean Army occupies the Bolivian port city of Antofagasta. Read more
• 14 Feb 1876: Alexander Graham Bell applies for a patent for the telephone, as does Elisha Gray. Read more
• 14 Feb 1859: Oregon is admitted as the 33rd U.S. state. Read more
• 14 Feb 1855: Texas is linked by telegraph to the rest of the United States, with the completion of a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas. Read more
• 14 Feb 1852: Great Ormond St Hospital for Sick Children, the first hospital in England to provide in-patient beds specifically for children, is founded in London. Read more
• 14 Feb 1849: In New York City, James Knox Polk becomes the first serving President of the United States to have his photograph taken. Read more
• 14 Feb 1835: The original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in the Latter Day Saint movement, is formed in Kirtland, Ohio. Read more
• 14 Feb 1831: Ras Marye of Yejju marches into Tigray and defeats and kills Dejazmach Sabagadis in the Battle of Debre Abbay. Read more
• 14 Feb 1804: Karađorđe leads the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire. Read more

🎂 Important Births on 14 February in World History

• 14 Feb 2002: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, American football player Jaxon Smith-Njigba, also known by his initials JSN, is an American professional football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he set school records for receptions in a single game and receiving yards in a season. Smith-Njigba was selected 20th overall by the Seahawks in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. He became a starter in his second season, amassing 1,130 receiving yards and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. In the 2025 season, Smith-Njigba set a Seahawks franchise record with a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards on 119 receptions, earning him Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) honors. That same season, he helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl LX. Read more
• 14 Feb 2000: Gabriel Moreno, Venezuelan baseball player Gabriel José Moreno is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022 before being traded to the Diamondbacks during the offseason. In his first season with Arizona, Moreno won a Gold Glove Award and aided in the team's first National League pennant since 2001. Read more
• 14 Feb 1999: Tyler Adams, American soccer player Tyler Shaan Adams is an American professional soccer player who plays for Premier League club Bournemouth and the United States national team. Primarily a midfielder, he is capable of playing as a full-back on either side of the defense or midfield. Read more
• 14 Feb 1997: Jaehyun, South Korean singer and actor Jeong Yun-o, known professionally as Jaehyun, is a South Korean singer. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT and its sub-units NCT 127 and NCT DoJaeJung. He made his solo debut on August 26, 2024, with the studio album J. Read more
• 14 Feb 1997: Breel Embolo, Swiss footballer Breel Donald Embolo is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Rennes and the Switzerland national team. Read more
• 14 Feb 1996: Nikolaj Ehlers, Danish ice hockey player Nikolaj Ehlers is a Danish professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ehlers previously played ice hockey in Switzerland, where his father Heinz was a coach, and then moved to North America in 2013 to play with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). After one year with Halifax he was selected ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2014 NHL entry draft, and spent one more season in juniors before making the NHL in 2015. Read more
• 14 Feb 1996: Poasa Faamausili, New Zealand rugby league player Poasa Faamausili is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a prop for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Read more
• 14 Feb 1996: Lucas Hernandez, French footballer Lucas François Bernard Hernandez is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or left-back for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is the older brother of fellow professional footballer Théo Hernandez and the son of retired footballer Jean-François Hernandez. Read more
• 14 Feb 1993: Jadeveon Clowney, American football player Jadeveon Davarus Clowney is an American professional football defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks, winning the Ted Hendricks Award in 2012. Clowney was selected first overall in the 2014 NFL draft by the Houston Texans, where he spent five seasons. During his final three seasons with the Texans, Clowney received three consecutive Pro Bowl selections and one second-team All-Pro selection. Following his departure from Houston, he played with the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Carolina Panthers before joining the Cowboys in 2025. Read more
• 14 Feb 1993: Alberto Rosende, American actor and singer Alberto Carlos Rosende III is an American actor and singer, known for his role as Simon Lewis in the Freeform supernatural drama Shadowhunters from 2016 to 2019. From 2019 to 2024, he starred as Firefighter Blake Gallo in the NBC drama Chicago Fire. Read more
• 14 Feb 1992: Christian Eriksen, Danish footballer Christian Dannemann Eriksen is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg and the Denmark national team. Read more
• 14 Feb 1992: Freddie Highmore, English actor Alfred Thomas Highmore is an English actor. He is known for his starring roles beginning as a child, in the films Finding Neverland (2004), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Arthur and the Invisibles (2006), August Rush (2007), The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), and the voice of the titular robot boy in Astro Boy (2009). He won two consecutive Critics' Choice Movie Awards for Best Young Performer and received two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. Read more
• 14 Feb 1992: Petr Mrázek, Czech ice hockey player Petr Mrázek is a Czech professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Read more
• 14 Feb 1991: Karol G, Colombian singer and songwriter Carolina Giraldo Navarro, known professionally as Karol G, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Considered as one of the most influential reggaeton and urban pop artists, she has received awards including a Grammy, eight Latin Grammy Awards and five Billboard Music Awards. She was recognized as Woman of the Year and with a Rulebreaker Award at Billboard Women in Music, with the Spirit of Hope Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, and has eleven Guinness World Records. Read more
• 14 Feb 1991: Daniela Mona Lambin, Estonian footballer Daniela Mona Lambin is an Estonian footballer. She plays as a defender and a midfielder. Read more
• 14 Feb 1990: Chris Babb, American basketball player Chris Babb is an American professional basketball player for BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque of the French LNB Pro A. He played college basketball for Pennsylvania State University and Iowa State University. Read more
• 14 Feb 1990: Brett Dier, Canadian actor Brett Jordan Dier is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Michael Cordero Jr. on Jane the Virgin. He is also known for his recurring roles on the Canadian TV shows Bomb Girls and The L.A. Complex, and for his main role as "C.B." on the ABC sitcom Schooled. Read more
• 14 Feb 1990: Bogdan Kiselevich, Russian ice hockey player Bogdan Alexandrovich Kiselevich is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently a free agent. He last played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Florida Panthers. Read more
• 14 Feb 1990: Sefa Yılmaz, German-Turkish footballer Sefa Yılmaz is a Turkish footballer who plays as a winger. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Néstor Calderón, Mexican footballer Néstor Calderón Enríquez, also known as el Avión, is a Mexican former professional footballer who last played as a winger. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Adam Matuszczyk, Polish footballer Adam Matuszczyk is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder. A former member of the Poland national team, he can also be deployed as a left midfielder. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Emma Miskew, Canadian curler Emma Kathryn Miskew is a Canadian curler. She is a three-time World and five-time Canadian champion curler as a member of the Rachel Homan rink. She was Homan's longtime third until 2022 when she moved to second, when Tracy Fleury was added to the team. In addition to their World and Canadian championships, the Homan team represented Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Byron Mullens, American basketball player Byron James "B. J." Mullens is a British-American professional basketball player for the Manawatu Jets of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). Born in the United States, he holds British citizenship due to his English mother. He was drafted 24th overall by the Dallas Mavericks and immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2009 NBA draft. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Derek Norris, American baseball player Derek Russell Norris is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, and Tampa Bay Rays. Prior to playing professionally, Norris attended Goddard High School. After signing and spending a few seasons in the Washington Nationals' minor-league system, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics at the end of the 2011 season. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Brandon Sutter, Canadian ice hockey player Brandon Sutter is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Vancouver Canucks. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Jurij Tepeš, Slovenian ski jumper Jurij Tepeš is a Slovenian former ski jumper. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Kristian Thomas, English gymnast Kristian James Thomas is a British former artistic gymnast. A long-standing member of both the England and Great Britain men's teams, he was a member of the British team that won gold in the 2012 European Championships team event, and a historic bronze in the same event at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He won his first global individual medal in the 2013 World Championships, a bronze in vault; it was also the first global medal ever won in vault by a British male gymnast. In 2015 he won his first major international title, gold in the floor exercise at the 2015 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Read more
• 14 Feb 1988: Katie Boland, Canadian actress, producer, and screenwriter Katie Boland is a Canadian actress, writer, director, and producer. She began her career as a child actress in film and television and has since branched out into adult roles, in addition to writing, directing, and producing her own projects. Read more
• 14 Feb 1988: Ángel Di María, Argentinian footballer Ángel Fabián Di María is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Argentine Primera División club Rosario Central. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Argentine players of all time and one of the greatest wingers in the history of the sport, Di María is known for his dribbling ability, playmaking, rapid pace and agility. He is the joint all-time top assist provider in the UEFA Champions League (41). Read more
• 14 Feb 1988: Siim Liivik, Estonian ice hockey player Siim Liivik is an Estonian-Finnish professional ice hockey winger who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Read more
• 14 Feb 1987: Edinson Cavani, Uruguayan footballer Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez is an Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Boca Juniors. Nicknamed "El Matador", he is considered as one of the best strikers of his generation. Read more
• 14 Feb 1987: Tom Pyatt, Canadian ice hockey player Thomas Cullum Pyatt is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He spent most of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators. Pyatt also played in the National League (NL) with Genève-Servette HC and the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers and in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Skellefteå AIK. Read more
• 14 Feb 1987: David Wheater, English footballer David James Wheater is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender. Primarily a centre back, he announced his retirement on 1 September 2023. In 2023, he began coaching young players in his own academy W2 Football Academy. Read more
• 14 Feb 1987: Candice Wiggins, American basketball player Candice Dana Wiggins is an American former professional basketball player. She played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal, becoming the all-time leading scorer in Stanford and Pac-10 women's basketball history. Throughout her playing career, Wiggins played for the Minnesota Lynx, Tulsa Shock, Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and has played overseas in Spain and Greece. Wiggins has won a WNBA championship (2011) and a WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year (2008). Read more
• 14 Feb 1986: Michael Ammermüller, German racing driver Michael Ammermüller is a racing driver from Germany. After competing in various junior formulae, he became a test and reserve driver for the Red Bull Racing Formula One team in the 2007 season. Following this, he represented Germany in the final two seasons of the A1 Grand Prix series in 2007–08 and 2008–09, before competing for two seasons in ADAC GT Masters. In 2012, he began competing in the Porsche Supercup series for Walter Lechner Racing. He won three consecutive seasons, having won in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Read more
• 14 Feb 1986: Oliver Lee, English actor, director, and screenwriter Oliver Lee is an English actor. He played the role of Josh Jones in the Channel 4 television drama series Hollyoaks: In the City, during 2006; and Aiden Scotcher in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road, during 2011. He was born in Greater Manchester, England. He is married to Sophie Rosa Lee and they have 3 children. Read more
• 14 Feb 1986: Gao Lin, Chinese footballer Gao Lin is a Chinese former professional footballer who played as a forward. Read more
• 14 Feb 1986: Tiffany Thornton, American actress and singer Tiffany Dawn Thornton is an American former actress, radio personality and singer best known for her co-starring role as Tawni Hart on the Disney Channel Original Series, Sonny with a Chance and in its third season, So Random!. Read more
• 14 Feb 1985: Karima Adebibe, English model and actress Karima Adebibe is an English actress and model. Read more
• 14 Feb 1985: Tyler Clippard, American baseball player Tyler Lee Clippard is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, and Minnesota Twins. Read more
• 14 Feb 1985: Heart Evangelista, Filipino singer and actress Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco-Escudero, known professionally as Heart Evangelista, is a Filipina actress and model. She is the second wife of politician Francis Escudero. Read more
• 14 Feb 1985: Philippe Senderos, Swiss footballer Philippe Sylvain Senderos is a Swiss retired professional footballer who played as a defender. Read more
• 14 Feb 1985: Miki Yeung, Hong Kong singer and actress Miki Yeung is a Hong Kong cantopop singer and actress. In 2002, she joined the cantopop music idol group Cookies. In 2005, her film b420 was awarded the Grand Prix Award: The 19th Fukuoka Asian Film Festival. Currently she is the TV hostess of the programme Love Academy for the J2 channel. In 2012, she signed an artiste contract with TVB. Read more
• 14 Feb 1984: Matt Barr, American actor Matthew Jerome Barr is an American actor, best-known as Johnson "Johnse" Hatfield in Hatfields & McCoys (2012), Danny McNamara in the CBS/Paramount+ action–adventure television series Blood & Treasure (2019–2022), and Hoyt Rawlins in Walker (2021–2024) and its prequel Walker: Independence (2022–2023). Read more
• 14 Feb 1983: Callix Crabbe, Virgin Islander baseball player Callix Sadeaq Crabbe is a Virgin Islands American former professional baseball second baseman and current coach in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. He was the assistant hitting coach for the Texas Rangers from 2019 through 2021. Read more
• 14 Feb 1983: Rocky Elsom, Australian rugby player Rocky Elsom is an Australian former rugby union player. He played the positions of flanker and number eight. He was selected for 75 caps for Australia and scored 75 points. He is the most capped Australian blindside flanker. Elsom was the 76th Australian test captain, having replaced Stirling Mortlock in 2009 for two years. He played for the Wallabies from 2005 until 2011. Elsom played professionally for New South Wales, Brumbies and Leinster. Read more
• 14 Feb 1983: Bacary Sagna, French footballer Bacary Sagna is a French former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Read more
• 14 Feb 1982: Marián Gáborík, Slovak ice hockey player Marián Gáborík is a Slovak former professional ice hockey right winger. He began his playing career in the Slovak Extraliga with Dukla Trenčín for two seasons before being drafted third overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild, becoming the highest-drafted Slovak player in National Hockey League (NHL) history until Juraj Slafkovský, who was drafted 1st overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2022. Gáborík was the Wild's first-ever draft pick and would score the team's first-ever regular season goal. Read more
• 14 Feb 1982: John Halls, English footballer and model John Halls is a model and former English footballer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1982: Lenka Tvarošková, Slovak tennis player Lenka Tvarošková is a Slovak former tennis player. Read more
• 14 Feb 1981: Matteo Brighi, Italian footballer Matteo Brighi is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder. Read more
• 14 Feb 1981: Randy de Puniet, French motorcycle racer Randy de Puniet, sometimes known by his initials RdP, is a French motorcycle road racer who competed in Grands Prix racing between 1998 and 2014, achieving five wins in the 250cc class. He also competed in the Superbike World Championship during the 2015 season with little success. He currently competes in the MotoE World Cup, aboard an Energica Ego Corsa. Read more
• 14 Feb 1981: Brad Halsey, American baseball player (died 2014) Bradford Alexander Halsey was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees in 2004, for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005, and for the Oakland Athletics in 2006. Read more
• 14 Feb 1981: Kara Lawson, American basketball player and coach Kara Marie Lawson is an American basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team. She played professionally in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and has also been a basketball television analyst for ESPN and the Washington Wizards. Lawson primarily played as a shooting guard. She won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, a championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in the 2005 WNBA Finals, and coached the United States women's national 3×3 team to gold in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Lawson retired from the WNBA in 2015 to focus on her broadcasting career. She began her coaching career as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics of the NBA in 2019. Read more
• 14 Feb 1981: Jared Lorenzen, American football player (died 2019) Jared Raymond Lorenzen was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons with the New York Giants. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats, setting the school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns, and was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004. At 285 lb (129 kg), Lorenzen was the heaviest quarterback to play in the NFL. He was nicknamed "Hefty Lefty" because of his weight and being left-handed. Read more
• 14 Feb 1980: Josh Senter, American screenwriter and producer Joshua Ray Senter is an American screenwriter and novelist known for his work on the television series Desperate Housewives and his critically-acclaimed novel, Still the Night Call. Read more
• 14 Feb 1980: Michelle Ye, Hong Kong actress and producer Michelle Ye or Ye Xuan is a Chinese actress and producer. She is best known for her roles in Eternal Happiness, Triumph in the Skies, and Lost in the Chamber of Love. Her most notable role was in the 2009 film Accident, in which she won the 2010 Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. Read more
• 14 Feb 1978: Danai Gurira, American-Zimbabwean actress Danai Jekesai Gurira is a Zimbabwean-American actress, playwright, screenwriter, producer, and activist. She is best known for her starring roles as Michonne in the AMC horror drama franchise The Walking Dead and Okoye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her films have grossed $6.98 billion, making her the seventh highest-grossing actress of all time. Read more
• 14 Feb 1978: Richard Hamilton, American basketball player Richard Clay "Rip" Hamilton is an American former professional basketball player and current basketball analyst for CBS Sports HQ. Hamilton played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is best known for his nine-year stint with the Detroit Pistons, where he was a three-time All-Star. He helped lead the Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, back to back NBA Finals appearances, their best record in franchise history and the 2004 NBA championship. Read more
• 14 Feb 1978: Darius Songaila, Lithuanian basketball player and coach Darius Songaila is a Lithuanian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for BC Šiauliai of Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL). He has represented the Lithuania national team. He played at the power forward and center positions. Read more
• 14 Feb 1977: Anna Erschler, Russian mathematician Anna Gennadievna Erschler, née Dyubina,, is a Russian mathematician working in France. She specializes in geometric group theory and probability theory, in particular, random walks on groups. Read more
• 14 Feb 1977: Cadel Evans, Australian cyclist Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who competed professionally in both mountain biking and road bicycle racing. A four-time Olympian, Evans is one of three non-Europeans – along with Greg LeMond and Egan Bernal – to have won the Tour de France, winning the race in 2011. Read more
• 14 Feb 1977: Jim Jefferies, Australian comedian and actor Geoffrey James Nugent, known professionally as Jim Jefferies, is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. He created and starred in the FX sitcom Legit (2013–2014) and the Comedy Central late-night show The Jim Jefferies Show (2017–2019). In 2023, Jefferies began hosting The 1% Club. Read more
• 14 Feb 1977: Darren Purse, English footballer Darren John Purse is an English former professional footballer who now coaches the Cardiff City U23s. Read more
• 14 Feb 1977: Elmer Symons, South African motorcycle racer (died 2007) Elmer Symons was a motorcycle enduro racer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1976: Milan Hejduk, Czech-American ice hockey player Milan Hejduk is a Czech–American former professional ice hockey forward. Nicknamed "the Duke", he spent his entire 14-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Colorado Avalanche and retired holding the record for most career games as an Avalanche player with 1,020. In 2003, he won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer. He is a member of Czech Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. Read more
• 14 Feb 1976: Liv Kristine, Norwegian singer-songwriter Liv Kristine Espenæs is a Norwegian singer who has performed and composed songs mostly for various subgenres of heavy metal music. She started her career as a vocalist of gothic metal band Theatre of Tragedy, and is the former lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Leaves' Eyes. She is known for her work in close association with her then-husband and leader of German band Atrocity, Alexander Krull. She is vocalist in German band Midnattsol alongside her younger sister Carmen Elise Espenæs. She has also released a number of solo albums in various genres. Read more
• 14 Feb 1976: Rie Rasmussen, Danish model, film director, writer, photographer, and actress Rie Rasmussen is a Danish actress, director, writer, photographer and former model. She is best known for her acting roles in the films Femme Fatale (2002) and Angel-A (2005). Read more
• 14 Feb 1975: Viktor Kozlov, Russian ice hockey player and coach Viktor Nikolayevich Kozlov is a Russian former professional ice hockey center and coach. He is the current head coach of the Kontinental Hockey League's Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Read more
• 14 Feb 1975: Dámaso Marte, Dominican baseball player Dámaso Marte Saviñón is a Dominican former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played for the Seattle Mariners (1999), Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox (2002–2005), and New York Yankees (2008–2011). Read more
• 14 Feb 1974: Valentina Vezzali, Italian fencer and politician Maria Valentina Vezzali is an Italian politician and retired Olympic and World Champion foil fencer. As a fencer, Vezzali won six Olympic gold medals and was a 16-time World Champion in foil. She is one of only five athletes in the history of the Summer Olympic Games to have won five medals in the same individual event. She is widely considered to be the greatest women’s foilist in fencing history. Read more
• 14 Feb 1973: H. D. Ackerman, South African cricketer Hylton Deon Ackerman, also known as HD Ackerman, is a South African cricket commentator, coach, and former cricketer. He commentates for Supersport. He is currently also the head coach of the First XI and director at Guildford Grammar School in Perth, Western Australia. Read more
• 14 Feb 1973: Annalisa Buffa, Italian mathematician Annalisa Buffa is an Italian mathematician, specializing in numerical analysis and partial differential equations (PDE). She is a professor of mathematics at EPFL and holds the Chair of Numerical Modeling and Simulation. Read more
• 14 Feb 1973: Tyus Edney, American basketball player and coach Tyus Dwayne Edney Sr. is an American basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Pepperdine Waves men's team of the West Coast Conference (WCC). Listed at 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m), he played point guard. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins from 1991 to 1995, leading them to the 1995 NCAA national championship. His game-winning shot for UCLA in the second round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament is considered one of the most famous plays in NCAA Tournament history. A two-time All-EuroLeague First Team selection, he led Žalgiris Kaunas to the 1999 EuroLeague title and was named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP. He became an assistant coach for UCLA. Read more
• 14 Feb 1973: Steve McNair, American football player (died 2009) Stephen LaTreal McNair, nicknamed "Air McNair", was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He started his first two seasons with the Houston Oilers before the team relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, becoming the first franchise quarterback of the Tennessee Titans. McNair also played for two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Read more
• 14 Feb 1972: Drew Bledsoe, American football player and coach Drew McQueen Bledsoe is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars, receiving second-team All-American honors and winning Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 1992. Bledsoe was selected first overall in the 1993 NFL draft by the Patriots, where he spent his first nine seasons. As the Patriots' starting quarterback, Bledsoe ended a seven-year postseason drought and led them to four playoff appearances, two division titles, and one Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXI. He was also named to three Pro Bowls and became the youngest quarterback to receive the honor in 1995. Read more
• 14 Feb 1972: Musōyama Masashi, Japanese sumo wrestler Musōyama Masashi is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in January 1993, and he won promotion to the top makuuchi division in just four tournaments. He won thirteen special prizes and spent a total of 31 tournaments at komusubi and sekiwake before finally reaching the second highest rank of ōzeki in 2000, shortly after winning his only top division tournament championship or yūshō. He retired in 2004. He is now the head coach of Fujishima stable. Read more
• 14 Feb 1972: Najwa Nimri, Spanish actress and singer Najwa Nimri Urrutikoetxea is a Spanish actress and singer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1972: Jaan Tallinn, Estonian computer programmer, co-developed Skype Jaan Tallinn is an Estonian computer programmer and investor known for his participation in the development of Skype and file-sharing application FastTrack/Kazaa. Read more
• 14 Feb 1972: Rob Thomas, American singer-songwriter Robert Kelly Thomas is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist for the Florida-based rock band Matchbox Twenty, which he formed in 1995 and with whom he has released five studio albums. As a solo act, he is best known for his guest performance on Santana's 1999 single "Smooth", which won three Grammy Awards, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2018 was named the second-most successful song in the chart's history. His 2005 single, "Lonely No More" was his first to be released as a lead solo artist. It peaked at number six on the chart and led his debut solo album, …Something to Be (2005), which peaked atop the Billboard 200. Read more
• 14 Feb 1971: Kris Aquino, Filipino talk show host, actress, and producer Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino is a Filipino retired television presenter, former actress, talent manager and film producer. She is a recipient of 42 PMPC Star Awards for Television, 10 Golden Screen Awards and a FAMAS Award. Read more
• 14 Feb 1971: Gheorghe Mureșan, Romanian basketball player Gheorghe Dumitru "Ghiță" Mureșan, also known as "the Giant", is a Romanian-American former professional basketball player. At 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m), he is one of the two tallest players to have played in the NBA. Read more
• 14 Feb 1970: Giuseppe Guerini, Italian cyclist Giuseppe Guerini is a retired Italian professional road bicycle racer. He was known throughout his career as a climbing specialist and had pronounced success in cycling's Grand Tour events. He completed six editions of the Tour de France, five Vuelta a Españas and four Giros, managing two third-place finishes in the 1997 and 1998 Giro d'Italia. Read more
• 14 Feb 1970: Sean Hill, American ice hockey player Sean Ronald Hill is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for eight different teams. He won the Stanley Cup in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens. Read more
• 14 Feb 1970: Simon Pegg, English actor, director, and producer Simon John Pegg is an English actor, comedian and screenwriter. He came to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom Spaced (1999–2001), directed by Edgar Wright. He and Wright co-wrote the films Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World's End (2013), known collectively as the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, all of which saw Wright directing and Pegg starring alongside Nick Frost. Pegg and Frost also wrote and starred in the sci-fi comedy film Paul (2011). Read more
• 14 Feb 1970: Takashi Saito, Japanese baseball player Takashi Saito is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher who is currently the chief pitching coach for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Read more
• 14 Feb 1969: Meg Hillier, English journalist and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Dame Margaret Olivia Hillier, known as Meg Hillier, is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hackney South and Shoreditch since 2005. Hillier was a junior government minister from 2007 until 2010 and was succeeded by Caroline Flint as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in the Labour Party October 2011 reshuffle. She has been the chair of the Treasury Select Committee since 2024, having previously chaired the Public Accounts Committee from 2015 to 2024. Read more
• 14 Feb 1968: Jules Asner, American model and television host Jules Asner is an American screenwriter, author, former entertainment journalist, television personality, and model. Read more
• 14 Feb 1968: Chris Lewis, Guyanese-English cricketer Clairmonte Christopher Lewis is an English former cricketer, who played for Nottinghamshire, Surrey and Leicestershire in the 1990s. He played in 32 Test matches and 53 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for England between 1990 and 1998. He was a part of the English squad which finished as runners-up at the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Read more
• 14 Feb 1968: Scott McClellan, American civil servant and author, 25th White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is the former White House Press Secretary (2003–06) for President George W. Bush, he was the 24th person to hold this post. He was also the author of a controversial No. 1 New York Times bestseller about the Bush administration titled What Happened. He replaced Ari Fleischer as press secretary in July 2003 and served until May 10, 2006. McClellan was the longest serving press secretary under George W. Bush. Read more
• 14 Feb 1967: Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Greek-English businessman, founded easyJet Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is a Greek Cypriot entrepreneur. Born into a wealthy ship-owning family, he is best known for founding the low-cost airline easyJet and the Stelmar shipping line with start-up funds provided by his father, Loucas. EasyJet's foundation in 1995 marked the beginning of a series of ventures marketed under the "easy" brand, managed by easyGroup and chaired by Haji-Ioannou. Read more
• 14 Feb 1967: Calle Johansson, Swedish ice hockey player and coach Carl Christian "Calle" Johansson is a Swedish former assistant coach with the Washington Capitals and former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1987 and 2004, most of it with the Capitals. He has worked as hockey colour commentator for Swedish Canal+ and worked as an assistant for six seasons for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien before returning to the Capitals organization. Read more
• 14 Feb 1967: Manuela Maleeva, Bulgarian-Swiss tennis player Manuela Georgieva Maleeva is a Bulgarian former professional tennis player. She played on the WTA Tour between 1982 and 1994. Through her marriage, Maleeva began representing Switzerland officially from January 1990 until her retirement in February 1994. Read more
• 14 Feb 1967: Bernie Moreno, American politician and businessman Bernardo Moreno is an American politician and businessman serving since 2025 as the senior United States senator from Ohio. He is a member of the Republican Party. Read more
• 14 Feb 1967: Mark Rutte, Dutch businessman and politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th secretary general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024 and leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 2006 to 2023. Serving a total of almost 14 years, Rutte is the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history. Read more
• 14 Feb 1966: Petr Svoboda, Czech ice hockey player and agent Petr Svoboda is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was the first Czech to play over 1,000 games in the NHL. Read more
• 14 Feb 1964: Gianni Bugno, Italian cyclist and sportscaster Gianni Bugno is a retired Italian professional road racing cyclist. Read more
• 14 Feb 1964: Zach Galligan, American actor Zachary Wolfe Galligan is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Billy Peltzer in the comedy-horror films Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990). Read more
• 14 Feb 1963: Enrico Colantoni, Canadian actor, director, and producer Enrico Colantoni is a Canadian actor and director, known for portraying Mathesar in Galaxy Quest, Elliot DiMauro in the sitcom Just Shoot Me!, Keith Mars on the television series Veronica Mars, Louis Utz on the short-lived sitcom Hope & Gloria, crime lord Carl Elias on Person of Interest, and Sergeant Greg Parker on the television series Flashpoint. He has also had supporting roles in such films as The Wrong Guy, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Contagion, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and guest appearances on Monk, Numb3rs, Party Down, Stargate SG-1, and Bones. He also starred as Allen Conner in Remedy, played Laura Hollis's father in season three of the online web series Carmilla, and played Vincent Brambilla on TV program Allegiance. On the stage, he also acted in the off-Broadway play Fear at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Read more
• 14 Feb 1962: Sakina Jaffrey, American actress Sakina Jaffrey is an American actress. Jaffrey is best known for portraying as Linda Vasquez in the Netflix original series House of Cards, and Denise Christopher in the NBC series Timeless. Read more
• 14 Feb 1961: D'Wayne Wiggins, American musical artist (died 2025) D'Wayne Patrice Wiggins was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer best known as a founding member of the R&B/soul band Tony! Toni! Toné!. He formed Tony! Toni! Toné! in 1986 with his younger half brother, Charles Ray Wiggins, and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley. The band achieved three platinum albums and a slew of hits in the 1980s and '90s. Read more
• 14 Feb 1960: Philip Jones, English admiral Admiral Sir Philip Andrew Jones, is a retired senior Royal Navy officer. After service in the South Atlantic in 1982 during the Falklands War, he commanded the frigates HMS Beaver and HMS Coventry. He went on to be Flag Officer, Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff before being appointed Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff. Jones served as First Sea Lord from April 2016 to June 2019. Read more
• 14 Feb 1960: Jim Kelly, American football player and businessman James Edward Kelly is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL). Kelly played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning offensive MVP honors in the 1981 Peach Bowl. Read more
• 14 Feb 1960: Meg Tilly, American actress and author Meg Tilly is an American-Canadian actress and writer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1959: Renée Fleming, American soprano and actress Renée Lynn Fleming is an American soprano and actress, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for 18 Grammy Awards and has won five times. In December 2023, she was one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors. Other notable honors have included the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur from the French government, Germany's Cross of the Order of Merit, Sweden's Polar Music Prize and honorary membership in England's Royal Academy of Music. Unusual among artists whose careers began in opera, Fleming has achieved name recognition beyond the classical music world. Read more
• 14 Feb 1958: Grant Thomas, Australian footballer and coach Grant Thomas is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He most recently held the position of coach of the St Kilda Football Club from 2001–2006. He attended St Bede's College in Mentone. Read more
• 14 Feb 1957: Soile Isokoski, Finnish soprano and actress Soile Marja Isokoski is a Finnish lyric soprano, active in opera, concert works and lieder. Read more
• 14 Feb 1957: Alan Smith, English bishop Alan Gregory Clayton Smith is a British retired Anglican bishop. From 2009 until 2025, he was the Bishop of St Albans; from 2001 to 2009, he served as the area Bishop of Shrewsbury. Read more
• 14 Feb 1957: Ken Wahl, American actor Ken Wahl is an American retired actor. Rising to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, he starred in the CBS television crime drama Wiseguy. Read more
• 14 Feb 1956: Howard Davis Jr., American boxer and trainer (died 2015) Howard Edward Davis Jr. was an American professional boxer. Growing up on Long Island as the eldest of 10 children, Davis first learned boxing from his father. After being inspired by a movie about Muhammad Ali, Davis embarked on his amateur career. He won the 1976 Olympic gold medal one week after his mother died. He was also awarded the Val Barker Trophy at the Olympics, beating out such boxers as Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks and Leon Spinks. Read more
• 14 Feb 1956: Dave Dravecky, American baseball player David Francis Dravecky is an American former professional baseball player, motivational speaker, and author. A left-handed pitcher, Dravecky played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres (1982–87) and the San Francisco Giants (1987–89). He was named an All-Star in 1983 and played with the Padres in the 1984 World Series. Read more
• 14 Feb 1956: Katharina Fritsch, German sculptor and academic Katharina Fritsch is a German sculptor. She lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany. Read more
• 14 Feb 1955: Carol Kalish, American publisher (died 1991) Carol Kalish was an American writer, editor, comic book retailer, and sales manager. She worked as Direct Sales Manager and Vice President of New Product Development at Marvel Comics from 1981 to 1991. She is credited with pioneering the American comics direct market when it was in its adolescence, in part through a program wherein Marvel helped pay for comic book stores to acquire cash registers. Read more
• 14 Feb 1954: Jam Mohammad Yousaf, Pakistani politician, Chief Minister of Balochistan (died 2013) Jam Mir Mohammad Yousaf Aliani was the 12th Jam of Lasbela, and a former Chief Minister of the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Read more
• 14 Feb 1952: Sushma Swaraj, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of External Affairs (died 2019) Sushma Swaraj was an Indian lawyer, politician and diplomat who served as the 5th Chief Minister of Delhi, and also the Minister of External Affairs of India in the First Modi ministry from 2014 to 2019. She was the second person to complete a 5-year term as the Minister of External Affairs, after Jawaharlal Nehru. A senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Swaraj was the second woman to hold the office of Minister of External Affairs, after Indira Gandhi. She was elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. At the age of 25 in 1977, she became the youngest cabinet minister of the Indian state of Haryana. She also served as Chief Minister of Delhi for a short duration in 1998 and became the first female Chief Minister of Delhi. Read more
• 14 Feb 1951: Terry Gross, American radio host and producer Terry Gross is an American journalist who is the host and co-executive producer of Fresh Air, an interview-based radio show produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and distributed nationally by NPR. Since joining NPR in 1975, Gross has interviewed thousands of guests. Read more
• 14 Feb 1951: Kevin Keegan, English footballer and manager Joseph Kevin Keegan is an English former footballer and manager. Nicknamed "King Kev" or "Mighty Mouse", Keegan was recognised for his dribbling ability, as well as his finishing and presence in the air, and is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Read more
• 14 Feb 1950: Roger Fisher, American guitarist and songwriter Roger Fisher is an American guitarist primarily known as one of the founding members of the band Heart. His tenure lasted from 1967 until 1980. In 2013 Fisher was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Heart. Read more
• 14 Feb 1948: Mayra Gómez Kemp, Cuban-Spanish television host and actress (died 2024) Mayra Cristina Gómez Martínez, better known as Mayra Gómez Kemp, was a Cuban-Spanish television host, actress and singer. She was the host of Un, dos, tres… responda otra vez from 1982 to 1988. Read more
• 14 Feb 1948: Kitten Natividad, Mexican-American actress and dancer (died 2022) Francesca Isabel Natividad, known professionally as Kitten Natividad, was a Mexican-American film actress and exotic dancer. She was noted for her 44-inch bust, and appearances in cult films made by her ex-partner, director Russ Meyer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1948: Pat O'Brien, American journalist and author Patrick John O'Brien is an American author and radio host, best known for his work as a sportscaster with CBS Sports from 1981 to 1997, as well as his work as the anchor and host of Access Hollywood from 1997 to 2004, and The Insider from 2004 to 2008. Read more
• 14 Feb 1948: Wally Tax, Dutch singer-songwriter (died 2005) Wladimir "Wally" Tax was a Dutch singer and songwriter. He was founder and frontman of the Nederbeat group The Outsiders (1959–1969) and the rock group Tax Free (1969–1971). Read more
• 14 Feb 1948: Teller, American magician and actor Teller is an American magician. He is half of the comedy magic duo Penn & Teller, along with Penn Jillette, and usually does not speak during performances. Teller is a H.L. Mencken Fellow at the Cato Institute. Read more
• 14 Feb 1947: Tim Buckley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 1975) Timothy Charles Buckley III was an American musician. He began his career based in folk rock, but subsequently experimented with genres such as psychedelia, jazz, the avant-garde, and funk. Read more
• 14 Feb 1947: Judd Gregg, American lawyer and politician, 76th Governor of New Hampshire Judd Alan Gregg is an American politician and attorney who served as the 76th governor of New Hampshire from 1989 to 1993 and a United States senator from New Hampshire from 1993 to 2011 where he was Chairman of the Health Committee and the Budget Committee. A member of the Republican Party, he was a businessman and attorney in Nashua before entering politics. Gregg currently serves as the Chair of the Public Advisory Board at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Read more
• 14 Feb 1947: John Quayle, Australian rugby league player and administrator John Quayle is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and administrator in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australia national and New South Wales state representative lock or second-row forward, he played in the NSWRFL Premiership for the Eastern Suburbs and Parramatta clubs. Following his retirement Quayle became the NSWRL's first General Manager and later the ARL's chief executive officer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1947: Phạm Tuân, Vietnamese aviator and cosmonaut Phạm Tuân is a retired Vietnamese Air Force fighter pilot and cosmonaut. He became the first Vietnamese cosmonaut, and the first person of Asian origin to be in space when he was launched aboard the Soyuz 37 mission as an Interkosmos research cosmonaut. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Read more
• 14 Feb 1947: Stephen A. Schwarzman, American businessman Stephen Allen Schwarzman is an American businessman. He is the chairman and CEO of the private equity firm Blackstone Inc., which he established in 1985 with Peter G. Peterson. Schwarzman was chairman of President Donald Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum. Read more
• 14 Feb 1946: Bernard Dowiyogo, Nauru politician, President of Nauru (died 2003) Bernard Annen Auwen Dowiyogo was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru on seven separate occasions. During this time, he also served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Ubenide. Read more
• 14 Feb 1946: Gregory Hines, American actor, singer, and dancer (died 2003) Gregory Oliver Hines was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for History of the World, Part I (1981), Wolfen (1981), The Cotton Club (1984), White Nights (1985), Running Scared (1986), A Rage in Harlem (1991), The Gregory Hines Show (1997–1998), playing Ben on Will & Grace (1999–2000), and for voicing Big Bill on the Nick Jr. animated children's television program Little Bill (1999–2004). Read more
• 14 Feb 1945: Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein Hans-Adam II is the Prince of Liechtenstein, reigning since 1989. As a member of the Liechtenstein princely family, he also holds the title of Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf and Count of Rietberg. Read more
• 14 Feb 1945: Rod Masterson, American lieutenant and actor (died 2013) Rodney Gregory Masterson, Jr., known as Rod Masterson, was an American film and television actor from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Read more
• 14 Feb 1944: Carl Bernstein, American journalist and author Carl Milton Bernstein is an American investigative journalist and author. While a young reporter for The Washington Post in 1972, Bernstein was teamed up with Bob Woodward, and the two did much of the original news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals led to numerous government investigations and the eventual resignation of President Richard Nixon. The work of Woodward and Bernstein was called "maybe the single greatest reporting effort of all time" by long-time journalism figure Gene Roberts. Read more
• 14 Feb 1944: Alan Parker, English director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2020) Sir Alan William Parker was an English film director, screenwriter and producer. His early career, beginning in his late teens, was spent as a copywriter and director of television advertisements. After about ten years of filming adverts, many of which won awards for creativity, he began screenwriting and directing films. Read more
• 14 Feb 1944: Ronnie Peterson, Swedish racing driver (died 1978) Bengt Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1970 to 1978. Nicknamed "Superswede", Peterson twice finished runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1971 and 1978, and won 10 Grands Prix across nine seasons. Read more
• 14 Feb 1943: Maceo Parker, American saxophonist Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. Since the early 1990s, he has toured under his own name. Read more
• 14 Feb 1942: Michael Bloomberg, American businessman and politician, 108th Mayor of New York City Michael Rubens Bloomberg is an American businessman and politician. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P., and was its CEO from 1981 to 2001, and again from 2014 to 2023. Serving as the 109th mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, he was formerly a member of the Republican Party, switching to Independent in 2007. Bloomberg is the most recent Mayor of New York City to serve as a Republican or Independent. In 2018, he became a member of the Democratic Party, after which he ran an unsuccessful campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president of the United States. Bloomberg is a centibillionaire, worth $109.4 billion as of December 2025, making him the 17th richest person in the world. Read more
• 14 Feb 1942: Andrew Robinson, American actor and director Andrew Jordt Robinson is an American actor and the former director of the Master of Fine Arts acting program at the University of Southern California.
  Originally a stage actor, he works predominantly in supporting roles on television and in low-budget films. He is known for his portrayals of the psychopathic serial killer Scorpio in Dirty Harry (1971), Larry Cotton in the horror film Hellraiser (1987), and Elim Garak in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). He and his wife Irene have a daughter, actress Rachel Robinson, who appeared in Deep Space Nine episode "The Visitor". Read more
• 14 Feb 1942: Ricardo Rodríguez, Mexican racing driver (died 1962) Ricardo Valentín Rodríguez de la Vega was the first Mexican driver ever to take part in a Formula One Grand Prix, competing in the 1961 and 1962 Formula One seasons. Read more
• 14 Feb 1941: Donna Shalala, American academic and politician, 18th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Edna Shalala is an American retired politician and academic who served in the Carter and Clinton administrations, as well as in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021. Shalala is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she was awarded in 2008. Read more
• 14 Feb 1941: Paul Tsongas, American lawyer and politician (died 1997) Paul Efthemios Tsongas was an American politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1979 until 1985 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 until 1979. A member of the Democratic Party, he ran for president in 1992. He won eight contests during the presidential primaries but ultimately lost the nomination to Bill Clinton, who later won the general election. Read more
• 14 Feb 1939: Razzy Bailey, American country music singer-songwriter and musician (died 2021) Rasie Michael Bailey, better known as Razzy Bailey, was an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. In the early 1980s, he scored 5 No. 1s on the Billboard country music charts. Read more
• 14 Feb 1939: Blowfly, American singer-songwriter and producer (died 2016) Clarence Henry Reid was an American musician, songwriter and producer also known by the stage name and alternate persona Blowfly. He released over 25 parody albums as Blowfly and another three albums as Clarence Reid. Read more
• 14 Feb 1939: Eugene Fama, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Eugene Francis "Gene" Fama is an American economist and Nobel Laureate. He is best known for his empirical work on portfolio theory, asset pricing, and the efficient-market hypothesis. Read more
• 14 Feb 1937: John MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market, English politician, Secretary of State for Transport John Roddick Russell MacGregor, Baron MacGregor of Pulham Market,, is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Norfolk from 1974 to 2001. He served in the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1985–87), Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1987–89), Secretary of State for Education and Science (1989–90), Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council (1990–92), and Secretary of State for Transport (1992–94). He was made a life peer in 2001. Read more
• 14 Feb 1937: Magic Sam, American singer and guitarist (died 1969) Samuel Gene Maghett, known as Magic Sam, was an American Chicago blues musician. He was born in Grenada County, Mississippi, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter. After moving to Chicago at the age of 19, he was signed by Cobra Records and became well known as a bluesman after the release of his first record, "All Your Love", in 1957. He was known for his distinctive tremolo guitar playing. Read more
• 14 Feb 1936: Anna German, Polish singer (died 1982) Anna Wiktoria German-Tucholska was a Polish singer (lirico-spinto), immensely popular in Poland and in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and the 1970s. She released over a dozen music albums with songs in Polish, as well as several albums with Russian repertoire. Throughout her music career, she also recorded songs in the German, Italian, Spanish, English, and Latin languages. Read more
• 14 Feb 1935: David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn, Scottish academic and diplomat, 27th Governor of Hong Kong David Clive Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn is a retired British administrator, diplomat and Sinologist. He was the penultimate Commander-in-Chief and 27th Governor of Hong Kong. He served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the British Monarch's representative to the Assembly, in 2010 and 2011.
  He is also one of two living former governors of Hong Kong, alongside Chris Patten. He retired from the House of Lords on 12 February 2021 after sitting as a crossbencher for more than 28 years. Read more
• 14 Feb 1934: Florence Henderson, American actress and singer (died 2016) Florence Agnes Henderson was an American singer and actress. With a career spanning six decades, she is best known for her starring role as Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch. Henderson also appeared in film, as well as on stage, and hosted several long-running cooking and variety shows over the years. She appeared as a guest on many scripted and unscripted television programs and as a panelist on numerous game shows. Henderson was also a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2010. Read more
• 14 Feb 1933: Nell Hall Williams, American quilter (died 2021) Nell Hall Williams was an American artist associated with the Gee's Bend group of quilters. Her work is included in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Read more
• 14 Feb 1932: Harriet Andersson, Swedish actress Harriet Andersson is a Swedish actress, best known outside Sweden for being part of director Ingmar Bergman's stock company. She often plays impulsive, working class characters. Read more
• 14 Feb 1931: Brian Kelly, American actor and director (died 2005) Brian Kelly was an American actor and producer widely known for his role as Porter Ricks, the widowed father of two sons on the NBC television series Flipper. Read more
• 14 Feb 1929: Vic Morrow, American actor and director (died 1982) Vic Morrow was an American actor. He first gained attention for the role of juvenile delinquent Artie West in his debut film Blackboard Jungle (1955). He later came to prominence as one of the leads of the ABC drama series Combat! (1962–1967), which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series. Active on screen for over three decades, his film roles include Blackboard Jungle (1955), King Creole (1958), God's Little Acre (1958), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974), and The Bad News Bears (1976). Morrow continued acting up to his death during filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) when he and two child actors were killed in a helicopter crash on set. Read more
• 14 Feb 1928: William Allain, American lawyer and politician, 58th Governor of Mississippi (died 2013) William A. Allain was an American politician and lawyer who held office as the 59th governor of Mississippi as a Democrat from 1984 to 1988. Born in Adams County, Mississippi, he attended the University of Notre Dame and received a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1948. Read more
• 14 Feb 1928: Vicente T. Blaz, American general and politician (died 2014) Vincente Tomás Garrido Blaz, also known as Ben Blaz, was a Chamorro United States Marine Corps Brigadier General from the United States territory of Guam. Blaz served in the Marine Corps from 1951 until July 1, 1980. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reserve Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. Read more
• 14 Feb 1927: Lois Maxwell, Canadian-Australian model and actress (died 2007) Lois Ruth Maxwell was a Canadian actress. She was best known for portraying Miss Moneypenny in the first 14 Eon-produced James Bond films (1962–1985), from Dr. No in 1962 to A View to a Kill in 1985. Read more
• 14 Feb 1924: Juan Ponce Enrile, Filipino politician and lawyer (died 2025) Juan Furagganan Ponce Enrile Sr.,, also referred to by his initials JPE, was a Filipino politician and lawyer, who served as 26th President of the Senate of the Philippines from 2008 to 2013. Enrile was one of the longest-serving Filipino politicians in history, and one of the few to reach the age of 100. He was known for his role in the administration of Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos; his role in the failed coup that helped hasten the 1986 People Power Revolution and the ouster of Marcos; and his tenure in the Philippine legislature in the years after the revolution. Enrile served four terms in the Senate, in a total of twenty-two years and three-hundred twenty days, one of the longest-tenures in the history of the upper chamber. In 2022, at the age of 98, he returned to government office as the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel in the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, serving until his death in 2025. Read more
• 14 Feb 1924: Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma (died 2017) Patricia Edwina Victoria Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Baroness Brabourne,, , was a British peeress and third cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. She was the elder daughter of Admiral of the Fleet the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma and of heiress Edwina Ashley. She was the elder sister of Lady Pamela Hicks, the first cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the last surviving baptismal sponsor to her first cousin once removed King Charles III. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Read more
• 14 Feb 1923: Jay Hebert, American golfer (died 1997) Junius Joseph "Jay" Hebert was an American professional golfer. He won seven times on the PGA Tour including the 1960 PGA Championship. His younger brother, Lionel Hebert, also won the PGA Championship, in 1957, the last edition at match play. Jay played on the 1959 and 1961 Ryder Cup teams and was captain for the 1971 team. Read more
• 14 Feb 1921: Hugh Downs, American journalist, game show host, and producer (died 2020) Hugh Malcolm Downs was an American television presenter, radio personality, author, and music composer. A regular television presence from the mid 1940s until the late 1990s, he had several successful roles on morning, prime-time, and late-night television. For several years, he held the certified Guinness World Record for the most hours on commercial network television before being surpassed by Regis Philbin, who died 24 days after he did. Read more
• 14 Feb 1921: Hazel McCallion, Canadian businesswoman and politician, 3rd Mayor of Mississauga (died 2023) Hazel Mary Muriel McCallion was a Canadian politician who served as the fifth mayor of Mississauga. First elected in November 1978, McCallion was mayor for 36 years until her retirement in 2014, making her the longest-serving mayor in the city's history. She was a successful candidate in twelve municipal elections, having been acclaimed twice and re-elected ten times. She was nicknamed "Hurricane Hazel" for her outspoken political style with reference to the hurricane of 1954, which had a considerable impact. When the 1979 Mississauga train derailment occurred early in her tenure, she helped oversee evacuation of 200,000 residents from the resulting explosion, fire, and spill of hazardous chemicals. Read more
• 14 Feb 1917: Herbert A. Hauptman, American mathematician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2011) Herbert Aaron Hauptman was an American mathematician and Nobel laureate. He pioneered and developed a mathematical method that has changed the whole field of chemistry and opened a new era in research in determination of molecular structures of crystallized materials. Today, Hauptman's direct methods, which he continued to improve and refine, are routinely used to solve complicated structures. It was the application of this mathematical method to a wide variety of chemical structures that led the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to name Hauptman and Jerome Karle recipients of the 1985 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Read more
• 14 Feb 1916: Marcel Bigeard, French general (died 2010) Marcel Bigeard, personal radio call-sign "Bruno", was a French military officer and politician who fought in World War II, the First Indochina War and the Algerian War. He was one of the commanders in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and is thought by many to have been a dominating influence on French "unconventional" warfare thinking from that time onwards. He was one of the most decorated officers in France, and is particularly noteworthy because of his rise from being a regular soldier in 1936 to ultimately concluding his career in 1976 as a Lieutenant General and serving in the government of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Read more
• 14 Feb 1916: Masaki Kobayashi, Japanese director and producer (died 1996) Masaki Kobayashi was a Japanese filmmaker. He is best remembered for directing the epic war trilogy The Human Condition (1959–1961), the samurai films Harakiri (1962) and Samurai Rebellion (1967), and the horror anthology epic Kwaidan (1964). Senses of Cinema described him as "one of the finest depicters of Japanese society in the 1950s and 1960s." Read more
• 14 Feb 1916: Edward Platt, American actor (died 1974) Edward Cuthbert Platt was an American actor widely known for his portrayal of the Chief in the 1965–1970 NBC/CBS television series Get Smart. With his deep voice and mature appearance, he played an eclectic mix of characters over the span of his career. Read more
• 14 Feb 1915: Sally Gray, English actress and singer (died 2006) Constance Vera Browne, Baroness Oranmore and Browne, commonly known as Sally Gray, was an English film actress of the 1930s and 1940s. Her obituary in The Irish Times described her as "once seen as a British rival to Ginger Rogers." Read more
• 14 Feb 1913: Mel Allen, American sportscaster (died 1996) Mel Allen was an American sportscaster, best known for his long tenure as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. During the peak of his career in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Allen was arguably the most prominent member of his profession, his voice familiar to millions. Years after his death, he is still promoted as having been "The Voice of the Yankees." Read more
• 14 Feb 1913: Woody Hayes, American football player and coach (died 1987) Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American college football coach and player. He served as the head football coach at Denison University from 1946 to 1948, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, from 1949 to 1950, and Ohio State University from 1951 to 1978, compiling a career college football coaching record of 238–72–10. Hayes is widely considered the greatest Ohio State coach of all time. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1983. Read more
• 14 Feb 1913: Jimmy Hoffa, American trade union leader (died 1975) James Riddle Hoffa was an American labor union leader who served as the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) from 1957 to 1971. He was alleged to have ties to organized crime, and disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1975. Read more
• 14 Feb 1913: James Pike, American bishop (died 1969) James Albert Pike was an American Episcopal bishop, accused heretic, writer, and one of the first mainline religious figures to appear regularly on television. Read more
• 14 Feb 1912: Tibor Sekelj, Hungarian lawyer, explorer, and author (died 1988) Tibor Sekelj, also known as Székely Tibor according to Hungarian orthography, was a Hungarian born polyglot, explorer, author, and 'citizen of the world.' In 1986 he was elected a member of the Academy of Esperanto and an honorary member of the World Esperanto Association. Among his novels, travel books and essays, his novella Kumeŭaŭa, la filo de la ĝangalo, a children's book about the life of Brazilian Indians, was translated into seventeen languages, and in 1987 it was voted best Children's book in Japan. In 2011 the European Esperanto Union declared 2012 "The Year of Tibor Sekelj" to honor the 100th anniversary of his birth. Read more
• 14 Feb 1911: Willem Johan Kolff, Dutch physician and inventor (died 2009) Willem Johan "Pim" Kolff was a pioneer of hemodialysis, artificial heart, as well as in the entire field of artificial organs. Willem was a member of the Kolff family, an old Dutch patrician family. He made his major discoveries in the field of dialysis for kidney failure during the Second World War. He emigrated in 1950 to the United States, where he obtained US citizenship in 1955, and received a number of awards and widespread recognition for his work. Read more
• 14 Feb 1907: Johnny Longden, English-American jockey and trainer (died 2003) John Eric "Johnny" Longden was an American Hall of Fame and National Champion jockey and a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. His father emigrated to Canada in 1909, settling in Taber, Alberta. Read more
• 14 Feb 1903: Stuart Erwin, American actor (died 1967) Stuart Erwin was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Read more
• 14 Feb 1902: Thelma Ritter, American actress and singer (died 1969) Thelma Ritter was an American character actress who, known for her strong New York City accent, diminutive size, and plain look, favored working-class roles. She earned a Tony Award and six Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress, more than any other actress in the category. Read more
• 14 Feb 1900: Jessica Dragonette, American singer (died 1980) Jessica Dragonette was a singer who became popular on American radio and was active in the World War II effort. Read more
• 14 Feb 1898: Bill Tilman, English mountaineer and explorer (died 1977) Major Harold William Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar, was an English mountaineer and explorer, renowned for his Himalayan climbs and sailing voyages. Read more
• 14 Feb 1898: Fritz Zwicky, Swiss-American physicist and astronomer (died 1974) Fritz Zwicky was a Swiss astronomer. He worked most of his life at the California Institute of Technology in the United States of America, where he made many important contributions in theoretical and observational astronomy. He was the first to propose supernovas as giant explosions at the end of a star's life, and neutron stars as the remnants left over after supernovas. In 1933, Zwicky was the first to use the virial theorem to postulate the existence of unseen dark matter, describing it as "dunkle Materie". Read more
• 14 Feb 1895: Wilhelm Burgdorf, German general (died 1945) Wilhelm Emanuel Burgdorf was a German army general who rose to prominence during the final years of World War II. Burgdorf served as a commander of 529th Infantry Regiment from May 1940 to April 1942. In October 1944, Burgdorf assumed the role of the chief of the Army Personnel Office and chief adjutant to Adolf Hitler. In this capacity, he played a key role in the forced suicide of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Burgdorf committed suicide inside the Führerbunker on 2 May 1945 at the conclusion of the Battle of Berlin. Read more
• 14 Feb 1895: Max Horkheimer, German philosopher and sociologist (died 1973) Max Horkheimer was a German philosopher and sociologist best known for his role in developing critical theory as director of the Institute for Social Research, commonly associated with the Frankfurt School. Read more
• 14 Feb 1894: Jack Benny, American actor and producer (died 1974) Jack Benny was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with a highly popular comedic career in radio, television, and film. Read more
• 14 Feb 1892: Radola Gajda, Czech commander and politician (died 1948) Radola Gajda, born as Rudolf Geidl was a Czech military commander and politician. Read more
• 14 Feb 1891: Katherine Stinson, American aviator (died 1977) Katherine Stinson was an American aviation pioneer who, in 1912, became the fourth woman in the United States to earn the FAI pilot certificate. She set flying records for aerobatic maneuvers, distance, and endurance. She was the first female pilot employed by the U.S. Postal Service and the first civilian pilot to fly the mail in Canada. She was also one of the first pilots to ever fly at night and the first female pilot to fly in Canada, Japan, and China. She also was the first woman to fly over London, England. Read more
• 14 Feb 1890: Nina Hamnett, Welsh-English painter and author (died 1956) Nina Hamnett was a Welsh artist and writer, and an expert on sailors' shanties, who became known as the Queen of Bohemia. Read more
• 14 Feb 1890: Dick Richards, Welsh international footballer (died 1934) Richard William Richards was a Welsh footballer who played in various forward positions in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United and Fulham, and internationally for Wales. Read more
• 14 Feb 1888: Chandrashekhar Agashe, Indian industrialist (died 1956) Chandrashekhar Govind Agashe was an Indian industrialist, lawyer, educator, and philanthropist, best remembered as the founder of the Brihan Maharashtra Sugar Syndicate Ltd. He served as the managing agent of the company from its inception in 1934 till his death in 1956. Read more
• 14 Feb 1884: Nils Olaf Chrisander, Swedish actor and director (died 1947) Nils Olaf Chrisander was a Swedish actor and film director in the early part of the twentieth century. Read more
• 14 Feb 1884: Kostas Varnalis, Greek poet and playwright (died 1974) Kostas Varnalis was a Greek poet and writer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1882: John Barrymore, American actor (died 1942) John Barrymore was an American actor on stage, screen, and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage and briefly attempted a career as an artist, but appeared on stage together with his father, Maurice, in 1900, and then his sister Ethel the following year. He began his career in 1903 and first gained attention as a stage actor in light comedy, then high drama, culminating in productions of Justice (1916), Richard III (1920), and Hamlet (1922); his portrayal of Hamlet led to him being called the "greatest living American tragedian". Read more
• 14 Feb 1878: Julius Nieuwland, Belgian priest, chemist and academic (died 1936) Julius Aloysius Arthur Nieuwland, CSC, was a Belgian-born Holy Cross priest and professor of chemistry and botany at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. He is known for his contributions to acetylene research and its use as the basis for one type of synthetic rubber, which eventually led to the invention of neoprene by DuPont. Read more
• 14 Feb 1869: Charles Thomson Rees Wilson, Scottish physicist and meteorologist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1959) Charles Thomson Rees Wilson was a British meteorologist and physicist who shared the 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics with Arthur Compton for his invention of the cloud chamber. Read more
• 14 Feb 1860: Eugen Schiffer, German lawyer and politician, Vice-Chancellor of Germany (died 1954) Eugen Schiffer was a German lawyer and liberal politician. He served as Minister of Finance and deputy head of government in the Weimar Republic from February to April 1919. From October 1919 to March 1920, he was again deputy head of government and Minister of Justice. In 1921, he once more became Minister of Justice. Schiffer was a founder-member of the liberal German Democratic Party (DDP) in 1918 and 1919 and co-founder in 1946 of its East German successor party, the Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (LDPD). Read more
• 14 Feb 1859: George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., American engineer, inventor of the Ferris wheel (died 1896) George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. was an American civil engineer. He is mostly known for creating the original Ferris Wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition. Read more
• 14 Feb 1855: Frank Harris, Irish author and journalist (died 1931) Frank Harris was an Irish-American editor, novelist, short story writer, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day. Read more
• 14 Feb 1848: Benjamin Baillaud, French astronomer and academic (died 1934) Édouard Benjamin Baillaud was a French astronomer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1847: Anna Howard Shaw, American physician, minister, and activist (died 1919) Anna Howard Shaw was a leader of the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She was also a physician and one of the first women to be ordained as a Methodist minister in the United States. Read more
• 14 Feb 1846: Julian Scott, American soldier and drummer, Medal of Honor recipient (died 1901) {{Infobox military person
  |name=Julian A. Scott
  |birth_date= February 14, 1846
  |death_date= July 4, 1901 (aged 55)
  |image=Julian-scott-cdv.JPG
  |caption=
  |nickname=
  |birth_place=Johnson, Vermont, US
  |death_place=Plainfield, New Jersey, US
  |allegiance= [[United StatesUnion
  |branch= United States Army]]Union Army
  |serviceyears= 1861 – 1863
  |rank= Drummer
  |unit= 3rd Vermont Infantry
  |commands=
  |battles=American Civil War*Battle of Lee's Mills
  |awards=Medal of Honor
  |relations=
  |laterwork=
  }}
  Julian A. Scott, was born in Johnson, Vermont, and served as a Union Army drummer during the American Civil War, where he received America's highest military decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Lee's Mills. He was also an American painter and Civil War artist. Read more
• 14 Feb 1838: Margaret E. Knight, American inventor (died 1914) Margaret Eloise Knight was an American inventor, notably of a machine to produce flat-bottomed paper bags. She has been called "the most famous 19th-century woman inventor". She founded the Eastern Paper Bag Company in 1870, creating paper bags for groceries similar in form to the ones that would be used in later generations. Knight received dozens of patents in different fields and became a symbol for women's empowerment. Read more
• 14 Feb 1835: Piet Paaltjens, Dutch minister and poet (died 1894) François Haverschmidt, also written as HaverSchmidt, was a Dutch minister and writer, who wrote prose under his own name but remains best known for the poetry published under the pen name of Piet Paaltjens. Following his wife's death, he suffered from depression. He committed suicide in 1894. Read more
• 14 Feb 1829: Alfred Iverson Jr., American Confederate Army officer (died 1911) Alfred Iverson Jr. was a lawyer, an officer in the Mexican–American War, a U.S. Army cavalry officer, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served in the 1862–63 campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia as a regimental and later brigade commander. His career was fatally damaged by a disastrous infantry assault at the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. General Robert E. Lee removed Iverson from his army and sent him to cavalry duty in Georgia. During the Atlanta campaign, he achieved a notable success in a cavalry action near Macon, Georgia, capturing Union Army Maj. Gen. George Stoneman and hundreds of his men. Read more
• 14 Feb 1828: Edmond François Valentin About, French journalist and author (died 1885) Edmond François Valentin About was a French novelist, publicist and journalist. Read more
• 14 Feb 1824: Winfield Scott Hancock, American general and politician (died 1886) Winfield Scott Hancock was a major general in the United States Army and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican–American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War. Known to his Army as "Hancock the Superb", he was noted in particular for his personal leadership at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. His military service continued after the Civil War, as Hancock participated in the military Reconstruction of the South and the United States's western expansion and war with the Native Americans at the Western frontier. This concluded with the Medicine Lodge Treaty. From 1881 to 1885 he was president of the Aztec Club of 1847 for veteran officers of the Mexican-American War. Read more
• 14 Feb 1819: Christopher Latham Sholes, American journalist and politician, invented the typewriter (died 1890) Christopher Latham Sholes was an American inventor who invented the QWERTY keyboard, and, along with Samuel W. Soule, Carlos Glidden and John Pratt, has been contended to be one of the inventors of the first typewriter in the United States. He was also a newspaper publisher and Wisconsin politician. In his time, Sholes went by the names C. Latham Sholes, Latham Sholes, or C. L. Sholes, but never "Christopher Sholes" or "Christopher L. Sholes". Read more
• 14 Feb 1813: Lydia Hamilton Smith, African-American businesswoman (died 1884) Lydia Hamilton Smith was an American businesswoman and the long-time housekeeper and confidante of Thaddeus Stevens, later becoming a prominent entrepreneur after his death. Read more
• 14 Feb 1812: Fernando Wood, American merchant and politician, 73rd Mayor of New York City (died 1881) Fernando Wood was an American Democratic Party politician, merchant, and real estate investor who served as the 74th and 76th mayor of New York City. He also represented the city for several terms in the United States House of Representatives. Read more
• 14 Feb 1808: Michael Costa, Italian-English conductor and composer (died 1884) Sir Michael Andrew Angus Costa was an Italian-born conductor and composer who achieved success in England. Read more
• 14 Feb 1800: Emory Washburn, American historian, lawyer, and politician, 22nd Governor of Massachusetts (died 1877) Emory Washburn was an American lawyer, politician, and historian. He was Governor of Massachusetts for one term, and served for many years on the faculty of Harvard Law School. His history of the early years of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is considered a foundational work on the subject. Read more

🕊️ Important Deaths on 14 February in World History

• 14 Feb 2021: Carlos Menem, Argentine former president, lawyer, and statesman (born 1930) Carlos Saúl Menem was an Argentine politician who served as the president of Argentina for ten years, from 1989 to 1999. He identified as Peronist, serving as President of the Justicialist Party for 13 years, and his political approach became known as Menemism. Read more
• 14 Feb 2021: William Meninger, American Trappist monk and a principal developer of Centering Prayer (born 1932) William Austin Meninger, O.C.S.O. was an American Trappist priest who was a spiritual teacher and a principal developer of centering prayer, a method of contemplative prayer. Read more
• 14 Feb 2019: Andrea Levy, English author (born 1956) Andrea Levy was an English author best known for the novels Small Island (2004) and The Long Song (2010). She was born in London to Jamaican parents, and her work explores topics related to British Jamaicans and how they negotiate racial, cultural and national identities. Read more
• 14 Feb 2018: Ruud Lubbers, Dutch politician and diplomat, Prime Minister and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (born 1939) Rudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers was a Dutch politician, diplomat and businessman who served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 1982 to 1994, and as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2001 to 2005. He was a member of the Catholic People's Party (KVP), which later merged to become the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party. Read more
• 14 Feb 2018: Morgan Tsvangirai, 2nd Prime Minister of Zimbabwe (born 1952) Morgan Richard Tsvangirai was a Zimbabwean politician who was Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013. He was president of the Movement for Democratic Change, and later the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC–T), and a key figure in the opposition to then-president Robert Mugabe. Read more
• 14 Feb 2016: Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury, English lieutenant, engineer, and politician (born 1928) Eric Reginald Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury, was an English politician and human rights campaigner. He served as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Orpington from 1962 to 1970. He then served in the House of Lords, having inherited the title of Baron Avebury in 1971, until his death. In 1999, when most hereditary peers were removed from the House of Lords, he was elected by his fellow Liberal Democrats to remain. When he died, he was the longest serving Liberal Democrat peer. Read more
• 14 Feb 2016: Steven Stucky, American composer and academic (born 1949) Steven Edward Stucky was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer. Read more
• 14 Feb 2015: Louis Jourdan, French-American actor and singer (born 1921) Louis Jourdan was a French film and television actor. He was known for his suave roles in several Hollywood films, including Alfred Hitchcock's The Paradine Case (1947), Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948), Gigi (1958), The Best of Everything (1959), The V.I.P.s (1963) and Octopussy (1983). He played Dracula in the 1977 BBC television production Count Dracula. Read more
• 14 Feb 2015: Philip Levine, American poet and academic (born 1928) Philip Levine was an American poet best known for his poems about working-class Detroit. He taught for more than thirty years in the English department of California State University, Fresno and held teaching positions at other universities as well. He served on the Board of Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets from 2000 to 2006, and was appointed Poet Laureate of the United States for 2011–2012. Read more
• 14 Feb 2015: Franjo Mihalić, Croatian-Serbian runner and coach (born 1920) Franjo Mihalić was a Yugoslav and Croatian long-distance runner best known for his 1958 win at the Boston Marathon and his marathon silver medal in the 1956 Summer Olympics. Mihalić competed mostly in marathons, road races and cross country races, distinguishing himself by winning many top-level international competitions in the 1950s and setting a combined 25 Croatian and later Yugoslavian national records in long-distance track events between 5000 m and 25 km. In 1957, he became the inaugural winner of the Golden Badge, the award for the best sportsperson of Yugoslavia awarded by the daily Sport. He is regarded as the most accomplished male athlete in the history of Croatian, Serbian and Yugoslav track and field. Read more
• 14 Feb 2014: Tom Finney, English footballer (born 1922) Sir Thomas Finney was an English international footballer who played from 1946 to 1960 as a outside left for Preston North End and England. He is widely acknowledged to have been one of England's greatest ever players. He was noted for his loyalty to Preston, for whom he made 433 Football League and 39 FA Cup appearances, scoring a total of 210 goals. He played for England 76 times, scoring 30 goals. Read more
• 14 Feb 2014: Chris Pearson, Canadian lawyer and politician, 1st Premier of Yukon (born 1931) Christopher William Pearson was the second leader of the Yukon Progressive Conservative Party and the first premier of Yukon. Read more
• 14 Feb 2014: Mike Stepovich, American lawyer and politician, Governor of Alaska Territory (born 1919) Michael Anthony Stepovich was an American lawyer and politician who served as the last non-interim governor of the Territory of Alaska. Stepovich served as Territorial Governor from 1957 to 1958, and Alaska was given U.S. statehood in 1959. Read more
• 14 Feb 2013: Glenn Boyer, American historian and author (born 1924) Glenn G. Boyer was a controversial author who published three books and a number of articles about Wyatt Earp and related figures in the American Old West. He was the first person to reveal the existence of Wyatt Earp's second wife, Mattie Blaylock. His publications were for many years regarded as the authoritative source on Wyatt Earp's life. However, when other experts began to seek evidence supporting Boyer's work, he would or could not prove the existence of documents that he said he owned and had cited as essential sources. In one case, an individual he cited as a key source was exposed as a complete fabrication. His reputation and the authenticity of his work was seriously damaged. Although he retained many supporters, his work became surrounded by controversy. At least one critic wrote that all of Boyer's later work was "riddled with bogus material". Read more
• 14 Feb 2013: Ronald Dworkin, American philosopher and scholar (born 1931) Ronald Myles Dworkin was an American legal philosopher, jurist, and scholar of United States constitutional law. At the time of his death, he was Frank Henry Sommer Professor of Law and Philosophy at New York University and Professor of Jurisprudence at University College London. Dworkin had taught previously at Yale Law School and the University of Oxford, where he was the Professor of Jurisprudence, successor to philosopher H. L. A. Hart. Read more
• 14 Feb 2012: Mike Bernardo, South African boxer and martial artist (born 1969) Michael Shawn Bernardo was a South African kickboxer and boxer from Cape Town. Bernardo was known as Beru-chan in Japan, where he has taken part in K-1 World GPs since 1994. He holds notable wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Andy Hug (2×), Francisco Filho, Branko Cikatic, Stan Longinidis, Gary Goodridge and three consecutive wins over K-1 legend Peter Aerts. Read more
• 14 Feb 2012: Tonmi Lillman, Finnish drummer and producer (born 1973) Tonmi Lillman was a Finnish musician, best known as Otus, the former drummer of the Finnish rock band Lordi. Read more
• 14 Feb 2012: Dory Previn, American singer-songwriter (born 1925) Dorothy Veronica "Dory" Previn was an American lyricist, singer-songwriter and poet. Read more
• 14 Feb 2012: Péter Rusorán, Hungarian swimmer, water polo player, and coach (born 1940) Péter Rusorán was a Hungarian swimmer, water polo player and later water polo coach. As a player, he won the Olympic Games gold medal in 1964 and the bronze in 1960 and also obtained the Universiade title in 1965. As a coach, Rusorán won a number of national league titles both in Hungary and abroad and also triumphed on two occasions in the most prestigious continental competition, the European Champions Cup. Read more
• 14 Feb 2011: George Shearing, English-American pianist and composer (born 1919) Sir George Albert Shearing was a British jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records, MGM Records and Capitol Records. Shearing was the composer of over 300 songs, including the jazz standards "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Conception", and had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s. Read more
• 14 Feb 2010: Doug Fieger, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1952) Douglas Lars Fieger was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the rock band the Knack. He co-wrote "My Sharona," the biggest hit song of 1979 in the U.S., with lead guitarist Berton Averre. Read more
• 14 Feb 2010: Dick Francis, Welsh jockey and author (born 1920) Richard Stanley Francis was a British steeplechase jockey and crime writer whose novels centre on horse racing in England. Read more
• 14 Feb 2010: Linnart Mäll, Estonian historian, orientalist, and translator (born 1938) Linnart Mäll was an Estonian historian, orientalist, translator and politician. Read more
• 14 Feb 2009: Bernard Ashley, English engineer and businessman, co-founded Laura Ashley plc (born 1926) Sir Bernard Albert Ashley was an English businessman and engineer. He was the husband of Laura Ashley, and was her business partner from the founding of their fashion-textiles-centred business. Read more
• 14 Feb 2009: Louie Bellson, American drummer and composer (born 1924) Louie Bellson, often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, arranger, bandleader, and jazz educator, and is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums. Read more
• 14 Feb 2008: Perry Lopez, American actor (born 1929) Perry Lopez was an American film and television actor. His acting career spanned 40 years. Read more
• 14 Feb 2007: Ryan Larkin, Canadian animator and director (born 1943) Ryan Larkin was a Canadian animator, artist, and sculptor who rose to fame with the psychedelic Oscar-nominated short Walking (1968) and the acclaimed Street Musique (1972). He was the subject of the Oscar-winning film Ryan. Read more
• 14 Feb 2007: Gareth Morris, English flute player and educator (born 1920) Gareth Charles Walter Morris was a British flautist. He was the principal flautist of a number of London orchestras, including the Boyd Neel Orchestra, before joining the Philharmonia Orchestra. He was the principal flautist of this orchestra for 24 years and Professor of the Flute at the Royal Academy of Music from 1945 to 1985. Morris was known for using a wooden flute, at a time when most other players had switched to using metal flutes. Read more
• 14 Feb 2006: Lynden David Hall, English singer-songwriter and producer (born 1974) Lynden David Hall was an English singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who emerged during the late 1990s as part of the neo soul movement. In 1999, he was the first UK performer ever voted "Best Male Artist" by the readers of Britain's Blues & Soul magazine. His debut album, Medicine 4 My Pain, spawned the UK hit singles "Do I Qualify" and "Sexy Cinderella". In October 2003, Hall was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma; he died on 14 February 2006, aged 31. Read more
• 14 Feb 2005: Rafic Hariri, Lebanese businessman and politician, 60th Prime Minister of Lebanon (born 1944; assassinated) Rafic Bahaa El Deen al-Hariri was a Lebanese businessman and politician who served as prime minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 to 2004. Read more
• 14 Feb 2004: Marco Pantani, Italian cyclist (born 1970) Marco Pantani was an Italian road racing cyclist, widely regarded as one of the greatest climbing specialists in the history of the sport by measures of his legacy, credits from other riders, and records. He recorded the fastest ever climbs up the Tour's iconic venues of Mont Ventoux (46:00) and Alpe d'Huez (36:50), and other cyclists including Lance Armstrong and Charly Gaul have hailed Pantani's climbing skills. He is the second to last rider and one of only eight to ever win the Tour de France – Giro d'Italia double, doing so in 1998. He is the sixth of seven Italians, after Ottavio Bottecchia, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Gastone Nencini and Felice Gimondi, and before Vincenzo Nibali to win the Tour de France. Read more
• 14 Feb 2003: Johnny Longden, English jockey and trainer (born 1907) John Eric "Johnny" Longden was an American Hall of Fame and National Champion jockey and a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. His father emigrated to Canada in 1909, settling in Taber, Alberta. Read more
• 14 Feb 2002: Nándor Hidegkuti, Hungarian footballer and manager (born 1922) Nándor Hidegkuti was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a key member of the Hungary national team known as the Golden Team. Other members of the team included Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis and József Bozsik. In 1953, playing as a deep-lying centre-forward, a position which has retroactively been compared to the modern false 9 role, he scored a hat-trick for Hungary when they beat England 6–3 at Wembley Stadium. Playing from deep, Hidegkuti was able to distribute the ball to the other attackers and cause considerable confusion to defences. This was an innovation at the time and revolutionised the way the game was played. Read more
• 14 Feb 2002: Mick Tucker, English drummer (born 1947) Michael Thomas Tucker was an English musician, best known as the drummer of the glam rock and hard rock band Sweet. Read more
• 14 Feb 1999: John Ehrlichman, American lawyer and politician, 12th White House Counsel (born 1925) John Daniel Ehrlichman was an American political aide who served as White House Counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon. Ehrlichman was an important influence on Nixon's domestic policy, coaching him on issues and enlisting his support for environmental initiatives. Read more
• 14 Feb 1999: Buddy Knox, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1933) Buddy Wayne Knox was an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1957 rock and roll hit song, "Party Doll". Read more
• 14 Feb 1998: Peter Koch (wood scientist), American industrial engineer and wood scientist (born 1920) Peter Koch was an American engineer and wood scientist who was considered an expert in the field of wood technology by his peers. From 1963 to 1982, Koch led a team of US Forest Service scientists in forest products utilization research specific to forests of the southeastern US. Accomplishments by Koch and his research team included eight US patents plus hundreds of research publications. Read more
• 14 Feb 1996: Bob Paisley, English footballer and manager (born 1919) Robert Paisley was an English professional football manager and player who played as a wing-half. He spent almost 50 years with Liverpool and is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time. Reluctantly taking the job in 1974, he built on the foundations laid by his predecessor Bill Shankly and went on to become the most successful English manager in history. Paisley is the first of four managers to have won the European Cup three times. He is also one of five managers to have won the English top-flight championship as both a player and manager at the same club. Read more
• 14 Feb 1995: Michael V. Gazzo, American actor and playwright (born 1923) Michael Vincenzo Gazzo was an American playwright who later in life became a movie and television actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in The Godfather Part II (1974). Read more
• 14 Feb 1995: U Nu, Burmese politician, 1st Prime Minister of Burma (born 1907) Nu, commonly known as U Nu and also by the honorific name Thakin Nu, was a prominent Burmese statesman and the first Prime Minister of Union of Burma. He was educated at Rangoon University, where he developed his political ideas and became actively involved in the student movement. Nu's involvement in the nationalist movement deepened during his university years, and he quickly emerged as a leading figure advocating for Burma's independence from British colonial rule. Read more
• 14 Feb 1994: Andrei Chikatilo, Soviet serial killer (born 1936) Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo was a Ukrainian-born Soviet serial killer nicknamed "the Butcher of Rostov", "the Rostov Ripper", and "the Red Ripper" who sexually assaulted, murdered, and mutilated at least fifty-two women and children between 1978 and 1990 in the Russian SFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, and the Uzbek SSR. Read more
• 14 Feb 1994: Christopher Lasch, American historian and critic (born 1932) Robert Christopher Lasch was an American historian and social critic who was a history professor at the University of Rochester. Lasch's books, including The New Radicalism in America (1965), Haven in a Heartless World (1977), The Culture of Narcissism (1979), The True and Only Heaven (1991), and The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy were widely discussed and reviewed. The Culture of Narcissism became a surprise best-seller and won the National Book Award in the category Current Interest (paperback). Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: James Bond, American ornithologist and zoologist (born 1900) James Bond was an American ornithologist and expert on the birds of the Caribbean, having written the definitive book on the subject: Birds of the West Indies, first published in 1936. He served as a curator of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He is the namesake of the fictional British spy of the same name by writer Ian Fleming, and references to him permeate the resulting media franchise. Read more
• 14 Feb 1989: Vincent Crane, English pianist (born 1943) Vincent Rodney Cheesman, known professionally as Vincent Crane, was an English keyboardist, best known as the organist for the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and subsequently for Atomic Rooster. Read more
• 14 Feb 1988: Frederick Loewe, German-American composer (born 1901) Frederick Loewe was an American composer. He collaborated with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner on a series of Broadway musicals, including Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, and Camelot, all of which were made into films, as well as the original film musical Gigi (1958), which was first transferred to the stage in 1973. Read more
• 14 Feb 1987: Dmitry Kabalevsky, Russian pianist and composer (born 1904) Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky was a Soviet composer, conductor, pianist and pedagogue of Russian gentry descent. Read more
• 14 Feb 1986: Edmund Rubbra, English composer and conductor (born 1901) Edmund Rubbra was a British composer. He composed both instrumental and vocal works for soloists, chamber groups and full choruses and orchestras. He was greatly esteemed by fellow musicians and was at the peak of his fame in the mid-20th century. The best known of his pieces are his eleven symphonies. Although he was active at a time when many people wrote twelve-tone music, he decided not to write in this idiom; instead, he devised his own distinctive style. His later works were not as popular with the concert-going public as his previous ones had been, although he never lost the respect of his colleagues. Therefore, his output as a whole is less celebrated today than would have been expected from its early popularity. He was the brother of the engineer Arthur Rubbra. Read more
• 14 Feb 1983: Lina Radke, German runner and coach (born 1903) Karoline "Lina" Radke-Batschauer, nacida Karoline Batschauer, was a German track and field athlete. She was the first Olympic champion in the 800 m for women. Read more
• 14 Feb 1979: Adolph Dubs, American lieutenant and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Afghanistan (born 1920) Adolph Dubs, also known as Spike Dubs, was an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Afghanistan from May 13, 1978, until his death in 1979. He was killed during a rescue attempt after his kidnapping. Read more
• 14 Feb 1976: Gertrud Dorka, German archaeologist, prehistorian and museum director (born 1893) Gertrud Dorka was a German archaeologist, prehistorian, museum director and teacher. She was the museum director of the State Museum for Prehistory and Early History between 1947 and 1958. Read more
• 14 Feb 1976: George Washington Bacon III, American soldier, CIA agent, and mercenary (born 1946) George Washington Bacon III was an American soldier and intelligence officer. He served as a Green Beret in the U.S. Army, Paramilitary Officer in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and finally as a mercenary soldier. Read more
• 14 Feb 1976: Charlie Christodoulou, British soldier and mercenary of the Angolan Civil War (born 1951) Charles Christodoulou was a British soldier in the Parachute Regiment who later served as a foreign mercenary during the Angolan War of Independence of the 1970s. Known as 'Shotgun Charlie', he was involved in the murder of at least 167 people during that conflict. Read more
• 14 Feb 1975: Julian Huxley, English biologist and eugenicist, co-founded the World Wide Fund for Nature (born 1887) Sir Julian Sorell Huxley was an English evolutionary biologist, eugenicist and internationalist. He was a proponent of natural selection, and a leading figure in the mid-twentieth-century modern synthesis. He was secretary of the Zoological Society of London (1935–1942), the first director of UNESCO, a founding member of the World Wildlife Fund, the president of the British Eugenics Society (1959–1962), and the first president of the British Humanist Association. Read more
• 14 Feb 1975: P. G. Wodehouse, English novelist and playwright (born 1881) Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse was an English writer and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeves; the immaculate and loquacious Psmith; Lord Emsworth and the Blandings Castle set; the Oldest Member, with stories about golf; and Mr. Mulliner, with tall tales on subjects ranging from bibulous bishops to megalomaniac movie moguls. Read more
• 14 Feb 1974: Stewie Dempster, New Zealand cricketer and coach (born 1903) Charles Stewart Dempster was a New Zealand Test cricketer and coach. As well as representing New Zealand, he also played for Wellington, Scotland, Leicestershire and Warwickshire. Read more
• 14 Feb 1970: Herbert Strudwick, English cricketer and coach (born 1880) Herbert Strudwick was an English wicket-keeper. His record of 1,493 dismissals is the third-highest by any wicket-keeper in the history of first-class cricket. Read more
• 14 Feb 1969: Vito Genovese, Italian-American mob boss (born 1897) Vito Genovese was an Italian-born American mafioso and the leader of the Genovese crime family in New York City. A childhood friend and criminal associate of Lucky Luciano, Genovese took part in the Castellammarese War and helped Luciano shape the Mafia's rise as a major force in organized crime in the United States. He would later lead Luciano's crime family, which was renamed by the FBI after Genovese in 1957. Read more
• 14 Feb 1967: Sig Ruman, German-American actor (born 1884) Siegfried Carl Alban Rumann, billed as Sig Ruman and Sig Rumann, was a German-American character actor known for his portrayals of pompous and often stereotypically Teutonic officials or villains in more than 100 films. Read more
• 14 Feb 1959: Baby Dodds, American drummer (born 1898) Warren "Baby" Dodds was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is regarded as one of the best jazz drummers of the pre-big band era. He varied his drum patterns with accents and flourishes, and he generally kept the beat with the bass drum while playing buzz rolls on the snare. Early influences included Louis Cottrell, Sr., Dave Perkins, and Tubby Hall. Dodds was among the first drummers to be recorded improvising while performing. Read more
• 14 Feb 1958: Abdur Rab Nishtar, Pakistani politician, 2nd Governor of Punjab (born 1899) Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar was a Pakistani independence activist and politician from the North-West Frontier Province. He served as the first Minister of Communications of Pakistan from August 1947 to August 1949 and then as the second Governor of West Punjab from August 1949 to November 1951. Read more
• 14 Feb 1956: Harold Edward Dahl, American pilot and mercenary (born 1909) Harold Edward Dahl was a mercenary American pilot who fought in the Spanish Republican Air Force during the Spanish Civil War. He was a member of the "American Patrol" of the Andres Garcia La Calle group. He was nicknamed "Whitey" due to his very blond hair. Read more
• 14 Feb 1952: Maurice De Waele, Belgian cyclist (born 1896) Maurice De Waele was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. Read more
• 14 Feb 1950: Karl Guthe Jansky, American physicist and engineer (born 1905) Karl Guthe Jansky was an American physicist and radio engineer who in April 1933 first announced his discovery of radio waves emanating from the Milky Way in the constellation Sagittarius. An amateur astronomer, he is considered one of the founding figures of radio astronomy. Read more
• 14 Feb 1949: Yusuf Salman Yusuf, Iraqi politician (born 1901) Yusuf Salman Yusuf, better known by his nom de guerre Comrade Fahd, was one of the first Iraqi communist activists. He was the first secretary of the Iraqi Communist Party, from 1941 until his execution in 1949. He is generally credited with a vital role in the party's rapid organizational growth in the 1940s. For the last two years of his life, he directed the party from prison. Read more
• 14 Feb 1948: Mordecai Brown, American baseball player and manager (born 1876) Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown, nicknamed "Three Finger Brown" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and manager during the first two decades of the 20th century. Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth, Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand, and in the process gained a colorful nickname. He turned this handicap into an advantage by learning how to grip a baseball in a way that resulted in an exceptional curveball, which broke radically before reaching the plate. With this technique he became one of the elite pitchers of his era. Read more
• 14 Feb 1943: Dora Gerson, German actress and singer (born 1899) Dora Gerson was a German cabaret singer and stage and motion picture actress of the silent film era. She was murdered at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Read more
• 14 Feb 1943: David Hilbert, Russian-German mathematician, physicist, and philosopher (born 1862) David Hilbert was a German mathematician and philosopher of mathematics and one of the most influential mathematicians of his time. Read more
• 14 Feb 1942: Adnan Saidi, Malayan lieutenant (born 1915) Adnan bin Saidi was a Malayan military officer who served under the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade within the Malaya Command during the Second World War. Born in Selangor, Adnan pursued his education and graduated from the Sultan Idris Training College. He was initially a schoolteacher before enlisting in the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force (SSVF), where his leadership potential quickly became apparent. Rising through the ranks, he became a commissioned officer in the Malay Regiment, one of the few Malay officers at the time to attain such a position. Known for his discipline, strategic acumen and unwavering dedication, Adnan played a vital role in the defence of Singapore during the Japanese invasion. Read more
• 14 Feb 1937: Erkki Melartin, Finnish composer (born 1875) Erkki Gustaf Melartin was a Finnish composer, conductor, and teacher of the late-Romantic and early-modern periods. Melartin is generally considered to be one of Finland's most significant national Romantic composers, although his music—then and now—largely has been overshadowed by that of his contemporary, Jean Sibelius, the country's most famous composer. The core of Melartin's oeuvre consists of a set of six (completed) symphonies, as well as is his opera, Aino, based on a story from the Kalevala, Finland's national epic, but nevertheless in the style of Richard Wagner. Read more
• 14 Feb 1933: Carl Correns, German botanist and geneticist (born 1864) Carl Erich Correns was a German botanist and geneticist notable primarily for his independent discovery of the principles of heredity, which he achieved simultaneously but independently of the botanist Hugo de Vries, and for his acknowledgment of Gregor Mendel's earlier paper on that subject. Read more
• 14 Feb 1930: Thomas Mackenzie, Scottish-New Zealand cartographer and politician, 18th Prime Minister of New Zealand (born 1853) Sir Thomas Mackenzie was a New Zealand politician and explorer who briefly served as the 18th prime minister of New Zealand in 1912, and later served as New Zealand High Commissioner in London. Read more
• 14 Feb 1929: Thomas Burke, American sprinter, coach, and lawyer (born 1875) Thomas Edmund Burke was an American sprinter. He was the first Olympic champion in the 100 and 400 meter sprint races. Read more
• 14 Feb 1924: Amalie Andersen, Norwegian actress (born 1861) Tilda Amalie Andersen was a Norwegian actress. Read more
• 14 Feb 1923: Charles Henry Turner, American zoologist, educator, and comparative psychologist (born 1867) Charles Henry Turner was an American zoologist, entomologist, educator, and comparative psychologist, known for his studies on the behavior of insects, particularly bees and ants. Born in Cincinnati, Turner was the first African American to receive a graduate degree at the University of Cincinnati and the first African American to earn a PhD from the University of Chicago (1907). He spent most of his career as a high school teacher at Sumner High School in St. Louis. Turner was one of the first scientists to systematically examine the question of whether animals display complex cognition, studying arthropods such as spiders and bees. He also examined differences in behavior between individuals within a species, a precursor to the study of animal personality. Read more
• 14 Feb 1922: Heikki Ritavuori, Finnish lawyer and politician (born 1880; assassinated) Heikki Ritavuori was a Finnish lawyer, a politician from the National Progressive Party, a member of the Parliament of Finland and Minister of the Interior. He was the closest colleague of President K. J. Ståhlberg and was Minister of the Interior in J. H. Vennola's first and second cabinets from 1919 to 1922 for a total of 526 days. Minister Ritavuori was shot dead at the door to his home in Helsinki in February 1922. Read more
• 14 Feb 1910: Giovanni Passannante, Italian anarchist (born 1849) Giovanni Passannante was an Italian anarchist who attempted to assassinate king Umberto I of Italy, the first attempt against Savoy monarchy since its origins. Originally condemned to death, his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. The conditions of his imprisonment drove him insane and have been denounced as inhumane. Read more
• 14 Feb 1894: Eugène Charles Catalan, Belgian-French mathematician and academic (born 1814) Eugène Charles Catalan was a French and Belgian mathematician who worked on continued fractions, descriptive geometry, number theory and combinatorics. His notable contributions included discovering a periodic minimal surface in the space ; stating the famous Catalan's conjecture, which was eventually proved in 2002; and introducing the Catalan numbers to solve a combinatorial problem. Read more
• 14 Feb 1891: William Tecumseh Sherman, American general (born 1820) William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognition for his command of military strategy but criticism for the harshness of his scorched-earth policies, which he implemented in his military campaign against the Confederate States. British military theorist and historian B. H. Liddell Hart declared that Sherman was "the most original genius of the American Civil War" and "the first modern general". Read more
• 14 Feb 1885: Jules Vallès, French journalist and author (born 1832) Jules Vallès (1832–1885) was a French journalist, author, and left-wing political activist. Read more
• 14 Feb 1884: Lydia Hamilton Smith, African-American businesswoman (born 1813) Lydia Hamilton Smith was an American businesswoman and the long-time housekeeper and confidante of Thaddeus Stevens, later becoming a prominent entrepreneur after his death. Read more
• 14 Feb 1881: Fernando Wood, American merchant and politician, 73rd Mayor of New York City (born 1812) Fernando Wood was an American Democratic Party politician, merchant, and real estate investor who served as the 74th and 76th mayor of New York City. He also represented the city for several terms in the United States House of Representatives. Read more
• 14 Feb 1870: St. John Richardson Liddell, American general (born 1815) St. John Richardson Liddell was a prominent Louisiana planter who served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was an outspoken proponent of Southern emancipation of slaves in order to secure foreign assistance. Following the war, Liddell had a prominent feud with a former Confederate officer, Charles Jones, who eventually murdered Liddell near his home in 1870. Read more
• 14 Feb 1831: Vicente Guerrero, Mexican general and politician, 2nd President of Mexico (born 1782) Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña was a Mexican military officer from 1810–1821 and a statesman who became the nation's second president in 1829. He was one of the leading generals who fought against Spain during the Mexican War of Independence. According to historian Theodore G. Vincent, Vicente Guerrero lived alongside indigenous people in Tlaltelulco and had the ability to speak Spanish and the languages of the Indigenous. Read more
• 14 Feb 1831: Henry Maudslay, English engineer (born 1771) Henry Maudslay was an English machine tool innovator, tool and die maker, and inventor. He is considered a founding father of machine tool technology. His inventions were an important foundation for the Industrial Revolution. Read more
• 14 Feb 1808: John Dickinson, American lawyer and politician 5th Governor of Delaware (born 1732) John Dickinson, was an American Founding Father, attorney and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware. Dickinson was known as the "Penman of the Revolution" for his twelve Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, published individually in 1767 and 1768, and he also wrote "The Liberty Song" in 1768. Read more

Why is 14 February Important in World History?

Several significant political, cultural, educational, and sporting events took place on 14 February, making it an important topic for general knowledge and competitive examinations.

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What happened on 14 February in World history?

On 14 February, several important historical events, notable births, and major milestones occurred in World history.

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