31 January

André-Jacques Garnerin
31 January 1769 – 18 August 1823
French inventor who developed the first modern silk parachute. » more

Franz Schubert
31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828
Austrian composer of symphonies and chamber music. » more

Henri Desgrange
31 January 1865 – 16 August 1940
French editor of L’Auto magazine who championed the initial Tour de France in 1903. » more

Zane Grey
31 January 1872 – 23 October 1939
American author, wrote western novels. » more

Anna Pavlova
12 February 1881 –23 January 1931
Russian ballerina, Imperial Russian Ballet’s principal ballerina.

Mario Lanza
31 January 1921 – 7 October 1959
American tenor and movie star. » more

Norman Mailer
31 January 1923 – 10 November 2007
American author and film director. » more

Beatrix of the Netherlands
31 January 1938
Dutch monarch. » more

Today’s Quote
If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.
… Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)

Today’s No. 1 Hit
1985 – I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner

Today’s events
31 January 1858 – Launch of ‘The Great Eastern’ steamship, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
31 January 1893 – Debut of the ‘Westminster Gazette’ newspaper, in London.
31 January 1930 – Scotch Tape goes on sale by the 3M company.
31 January 1958 – Explorer 1 is launched: America’s first satellite.