FEBRUARY 26 ~ ON THiS DAY in History

1815 ~ Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from Elba on the 26th February 1815.

1829 ~ Levi Strauss the German-American fashion designer and founder of Levi Strauss & Co. was born on the 26th February 1829 (died 1902).

1846 ~ Buffalo Bill the American soldier and hunter was born on the 26th February 1846 (died 1917).

1852 ~ John Harvey Kellogg the American surgeon and co-creator of Corn flakes was born on the 26th February 1852 (died 1943).

1909 ~ Kinemacolor, the 1st successful color motion picture process was first shown to the general public on the 26th February 1909, at the Palace Theatre in London.

1917 ~ The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded the 1st jazz record on the 26th February 1917, for the Victor Talking Machine Company in New York. In 1917 the spelling of the band’s name was changed to Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

1919 ~ The Grand Canyon was established as a United States National Park on the 26th February 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of the U.S. Congress. It is now known as the Grand Canyon National Park.

1920 ~ The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the 1st German Expressionist film and early horror movie by Robert Wiene premièred in Berlin on the 26th February 1920.

1916 ~ Jackie Gleason the American actor and singer was born on the 26th February 1916 (died 1987). YouTube video: Jackie Gleeson in The Honeymooners: The Really Lost Debut Episodes…

1920Tony Randall the American actor, director, and producer was born on the 26th February 1920 (died 2004). Tony Randall was best known as known as Felix Unger in the 1970s television series The Odd Couple. YouTube video: The Odd Couple TV Show Opening Theme Season Two 1970…

1929 ~ Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming was established as a 96,000 acre national park on the 26th February 1929, when President Calvin Coolidge signed an Executive Order.

1932 ~ Johnny Cash the American singer-songwriter and guitarist from The Tennessee Three and The Highwaymen was born on the 26th February 1932 (died 12th September 2003 aged 71). YouTube video: Johnny Cash – Live from Austin, Texas 1987…

1935Robert Watson-Watt carried out a demonstration near Daventry on the 26th February 1935, which lead directly to the development of RADAR in the United Kingdom.

1943Bob Hite the American singer-songwriter from Canned Heat was born on the 26th February 1943 (died 1981). YouTube video: “Going up the Country” – Canned Heat at Woodstock 1969…YouTube video: Canned Heat – On The Road Again (1968)

1945 ~ Peter Brock the Australian race car driver was born in Richmond,_Victoria on the 26th February 1945 (died 8th September 2006 aged 61) He grew up in the country town of Hurstbridge, where he continued to live throughout his life. Peter Brock was also known as Brocky, Peter Perfect, The King of the Mountain and one of Australia’s best-known successful motor racing drivers. Peter Brock was associated with Holden for almost 40 years. Peter Brock won the Bathurst 1000 endurance race 9 times, the Sandown 500 touring car race 9 times, the Australian Touring Car Championship 3 times, the Bathurst 24 Hour once and inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame in 2001. Brock’s business activities also included the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) that produced Brock’s racing machine and modified high-performance road versions of his racing cars. YouTube video: Peter Brock – The Legend…

1950Helen Clark the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand was born on the 26th February 1950.

1953 ~ Michael Bolton the American singer-songwriter was born Michael Bolotin on the 26th February 1953. Michael Bolton originally performed in hard rock and heavy metal bands from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, and recorded as the frontman of the band BlackjackYouTube video: Michael Bolton – How Am I Supposed To Live Without You (1989) This song was originally recorded by Laura Branigan in 1983. It was originally written by Michael Bolton and Doug James in 1989…YouTube video: Blackjack – Love Me Tonight (1979): This is Michael Bolton before becoming the crooner in the mid 1980s. Note: Bruce Kulick on guitar before joining KiSS in 1985…

1966 ~ AS-201 was launched on the 26th February 1966, which was the 1st flight of the Saturn IB rocket.

1968LiONEL ROSE (MBE) the Australian bantamweight boxer made history on the 26th February 1968 by becoming the 1st Indigenous Australian to be a world champion boxer when he defeated Masahiko Harada aka Fighting Harada in Tokyo.On the 26th February 1968 in Tokyo, Lionel Rose made history by becoming the 1st Aboriginal Australian to be a world champion boxer when he defeated Masahiko Harada aka Fighting HaradaYouTube video: Lionel Rose vs Fighting Harada (Colour) 27 Feb 1968 Tokyo, Japan (see the whole fight on video)…

The world title win made Lionel Rose an instant national hero and icon in Australia, with more than 100,000 people coming to see him at a reception at Melbourne Town Hall. In 1969 Elvis Presley requested to see Lionel Rose. (see photo below)…

Lionel Rose & Elvis Presley shape up on the set of The Trouble With Girls, 1969 movie in the making
Lionel Rose & Elvis Presley shape up on the set of The Trouble With Girls, 1969 movie in the making

Lionel Rose was born on the 21st June 1948 (died 8th May 2011 aged 62). Lionel was born and raised in hardship at Jacksons Track and Warragul, where learned to box from his father, Roy. When he was 10 his teacher Ian Hawkins gave Lionel a pair of boxing gloves when he saw him shadow boxing. When he was about 15, he trained under Frank Oakes a Warragul trainer, whose daughter Jenny he later married). Lionel won the Australian amateur flyweight title at 15.

Lionel Rose started a singing career during his time off boxing, and had a nationwide hit in 1970 with I Thank You (1969) (written by Johnny Young). Lionel also recorded Please Remember Me (1970) and Good Old Country Song (1970). YouTube video: Lionel Rose singing I Thank You…

Lionel Rose the bantamweight boxer and first Indigenous Australian to win a world title as celebrity barman at The Rock Pool Hall in Kilsyth ~ 9th August 2000 (newspaper photo by Anton K. Kressnig)
Lionel Rose the bantamweight boxer and first Indigenous Australian to win a world title as celebrity barman at The Rock Pool Hall in Kilsyth ~ 9th August 2000 (newspaper photo by Anton K. Kressnig)

YouTube video: Lionel (2008) Lionel Rose Documentary…

1971 ~ Earth Day was proclaimed on the 26th February 1971, when the U.N. Secretary General U Thant signed United Nations proclamation of the vernal equinox as Earth DayOfficial website: www.EarthDay.org

1979Corinne Bailey Rae the British singer-songwriter and guitarist was born Corinne Jacqueline Bailey on the 26th February 1979.

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