So you want to have a drink but you aren't sure why? Here are some GREAT reasons to call your friends over and have a party.

February 16th


- Restoration of Lithuania's Statehood Day, celebrate the independence of Lithuania from Russia and Germany in 1918 (Lithuania)
- Christian Feast Day

February 16th


- 2006 - The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army.
- 2005 - The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia.
- 2005 - The National Hockey League cancels the entire 2004-2005 regular season and playoffs, becoming the first major sports league in North America to do so over a labor dispute.
- 1999 - In Uzbekistan, a bomb explodes and gunfire is heard at the government headquarters in an apparent assassination attempt against President Islom Karimov.
- 1999 - Across Europe, Kurdish rebels take over embassies and hold hostages after Turkey arrests one of their rebel leaders, Abdullah Öcalan.
- 1996 - Shaquille O'Neal, at the time playing for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association, makes his only career 3-point shot against the Milwaukee Bucks.
- 1993 - Western Australia's and Australia's first female Premier, Carmen Lawrence, is voted out of office.
- 1991 - Nicaraguan Contras leader Enrique Bermúdez is assassinated in Managua.
- 1987 - The trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of being a Nazi guard dubbed "Ivan the Terrible" in Treblinka extermination camp, starts in Jerusalem.
- 1986 - The Soviet liner MS Mikhail Lermontov runs aground in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.
- 1985 - Hezbollah is founded.
- 1983 - The Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia kill 75.
- 1978 - The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago, Illinois).
- 1968 - In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service.
- 1961 - Explorer program: Explorer 9 (S-56a) is launched.
- 1961 - The DuSable Museum of African American History is chartered.
- 1959 - Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1.
- 1957 - The "Toddlers' Truce", a controversial television close down between 6.00pm and 7.00pm is abolished in the United Kingdom.
- 1947 - Canadians are granted Canadian citizenship after 80 years of being British subjects. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King becomes the first Canadian citizen.
- 1945 - World War II: American forces land on Corregidor island in the Philippines.
- 1943 - World War II: Red Army troops re-enter Kharkov.
- 1940 - World War II: Altmark Incident: The German tanker Altmark is boarded by sailors from the British destroyer HMS Cossack. 299 British prisoners are freed.
- 1937 - Wallace H. Carothers receives a United States patent for nylon.
- 1936 - Elections bring the Popular Front to power in Spain.
- 1934 - The Austrian Civil War ends with the defeat of the Social Democrats and the Republican Schutzbund.
- 1934 - Commission of Government is sworn in as form of direct rule for the Dominion of Newfoundland.
- 1923 - Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
- 1918 - The Council of Lithuania unanimously adopts the Act of Independence, declaring Lithuania an independent state.
- 1899 - President of France Félix Faure dies in office.
- 1899 - Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur Iceland's first football club is founded.
- 1868 - In New York City the Jolly Corks organization is renamed the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
- 1866 - Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington becomes British Secretary of State for War.
- 1862 - American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Donelson, Tennessee.
- 1859 - The French Government passes a law to set the A-note above middle C to a frequency of 435 Hz, in an attempt to standardize the pitch.
- 1852 - Studebaker Brothers wagon company, precursor of the automobile manufacturer, is established.
- 1838 - Weenen Massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus.
- 1804 - First Barbary War: Stephen Decatur leads a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate USS Philadelphia.
- 1742 - Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, becomes British Prime Minister.
- 1646 - Battle of Great Torrington, Devon – the last major battle of the first English Civil War.
- 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with Mongol Khagan of the Mongol Empire.
- 116 - Emperor Trajan sends laureatae to the Roman Senate at Rome on account of his victories and being conqueror of Parthia.

February 16th


- 1992 - Avan Jogia, Canadian actor
- 1991 - Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg
- 1988 - Denílson Pereira Neves, Brazilian footballer
- 1988 - Diego Capel, Spanish footballer
- 1987 - Theresa Goh, Singaporean paralympic swimmer
- 1985 - Zoi Dimoschaki, Greek swimmer
- 1984 - Ous Mellouli, Tunisian swimmer
- 1983 - Tuomo Ruutu, Finnish ice hockey player
- 1982 - Lupe Fiasco, American hip hop artist
- 1982 - Alemão, Portuguese footballer
- 1981 - Jerry Owens, American baseball player
- 1981 - Qyntel Woods, American basketball player
- 1981 - Jay Howard, British racing driver
- 1980 - Agim Kaba, American actor and film producer
- 1980 - Ashley Lelie, American football player
- 1979 - Valentino Rossi, Italian motorcycle racer
- 1979 - Eric Mun, Korean rapper (Shinhwa)
- 1978 - Tia Hellebaut, Belgian athlete
- 1978 - John Tartaglia, Broadway actor and Muppeteer
- 1978 - Wasim Jaffer, Indian cricketer
- 1977 - Brad Walst, American bassist (Three Days Grace)
- 1977 - Ian Clarke, Irish computer programmer
- 1977 - Ahman Green, American football player
- 1976 - Eric Byrnes, American baseball player
- 1976 - Kyo, Japanese singer (Dir en grey)
- 1976 - Joe Odagiri, Japanese actor
- 1975 - Nanase Aikawa, Japanese singer
- 1975 - Vanina Ickx, Belgian racing driver
- 1975 - Don Jeffcoat, American actor
- 1974 - Fanis Katergiannakis, Greek footballer
- 1974 - Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, American actor
- 1974 - Johnny Tri Nguyen, Vietnamese-born American stuntman and martial artist
- 1974 - Luis Figueroa, Puerto Rican baseball player
- 1973 - Christian Bassedas, Argentine footballer
- 1973 - Cathy Freeman, Australian athlete
- 1973 - Nikos Kostakis, Greek footballer
- 1973 - Maureen Johnson, American author
- 1972 - Jerome Bettis, American football player
- 1972 - Sarah Clarke, American actress
- 1971 - Amanda Holden, British actress
- 1970 - Serdar Ortac, Turkish popstar
- 1970 - Angelo Peruzzi, Italian footballer
- 1969 - David Heath, American professional wrestler
- 1969 - Holly Aird, English actress
- 1968 - Warren Ellis, British comic writer
- 1967 - John Valentin, baseball player
- 1967 - Keith Gretzky, Canadian hockey player
- 1965 - Dave Lombardo, Cuban-born drummer (Slayer)
- 1964 - Bebeto, Brazilian footballer
- 1964 - Christopher Eccleston, English actor
- 1963 - Dano Halsall, Swiss swimmer
- 1962 - John Balance, English musician (Coil, Psychic TV) (d. 2004)
- 1961 - Andy Taylor, English musician (Duran Duran, The Power Station)
- 1961 - Eric Red, American screenwriter and director
- 1961 - LaGaylia Frazier, American-Swedish singer
- 1960 - Pete Willis, English guitarist (Def Leppard)
- 1960 - Cherie Chung, Hong Kong actress
- 1959 - John McEnroe, American tennis player
- 1959 - Kelly Tripucka, American basketball player
- 1958 - Natalie Angier, American journalist and author
- 1958 - Ice-T, American rapper and actor
- 1958 - Lisa Loring, American actress
- 1958 - Oscar Schmidt, Brazilian basketball player
- 1958 - Herb Williams, American basketball player and coach
- 1958 - Michael W. Burns, American politician
- 1957 - LeVar Burton, American actor
- 1956 - James Ingram, American singer
- 1956 - Vincent Ward, New Zealand director and screenwriter
- 1955 - Hunt Block, American actor
- 1954 - Michael Holding, Jamaican West Indies cricketer
- 1954 - Iain Banks, Scottish author
- 1954 - Margaux Hemingway, American actress and model (d. 1996)
- 1953 - George Martin, English footballer
- 1953 - Lanny McDonald, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1953 - Roberta Williams, American video game designer
- 1952 - Barry Foote, American baseball player
- 1951 - William Katt, American actor
- 1950 - Peter Hain, British politician
- 1950 - Kazuki Tomokawa, Japanese acid-folk singer
- 1950 - Roman Tam, Hong Kong singer (d. 2002)
- 1948 - Eckhart Tolle, German writer and motivational speaker
- 1946 - Ian Lavender, English actor
- 1945 - Jeremy Bulloch, English actor
- 1944 - Richard Ford, American novelist
- 1944 - António Mascarenhas Monteiro, 2nd President of Cape Verde
- 1943 - Brig Owens, American football player
- 1941 - Kim Jong-il, North Korean leader
- 1939 - Czes?aw Niemen, Polish singer-songwriter and composer (d. 2004)
- 1939 - Adolfo Azcuna, Filipino Supreme Court jurist
- 1938 - John Corigliano, American composer
- 1938 - Barry Primus, American actor
- 1937 - Yuri Manin, Russian mathematician
- 1936 - Jill Kinmont, American skier
- 1935 - Sonny Bono, American entertainer politician (d. 1998)
- 1934 - Harold Kalin, American singer (d. 2005)
- 1934 - Herbert Kalin, American singer (d. 2006)
- 1934 - August Coppola, American academic; father of Nicolas Cage (d. 2009)
- 1934 - Marlene Hagge, American professional golfer
- 1932 - Gretchen Wyler, American actress and dancer (d. 2007)
- 1932 - Otis Blackwell, American songwriter and singer (d. 2002)
- 1932 - Harry Goz, American actor (d. 2003)
- 1932 - Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone
- 1931 - George E. Sangmeister, American politician (d. 2007)
- 1931 - Ken Takakura, Japanese actor
- 1929 - Peter Porter, Australian poet (d. 2010)
- 1929 - Gerhard Hanappi, Austrian footballer (d. 1980)
- 1927 - June Brown, British actress
- 1926 - Margot Frank, German-born Dutch Jewish holocaust victim (d. 1945)
- 1926 - John Schlesinger, English film director (d. 2003)
- 1925 - Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitarist (d. 2004)
- 1922 - Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, German night fighter pilot (d. 1950)
- 1921 - Jean Behra, French race car driver (d. 1959)
- 1921 - Araucaria, British crossword compiler
- 1921 - Vera-Ellen, American actress (d. 1981)
- 1920 - Anna Mae Hays, American army general
- 1918 - Patty Andrews, American singer
- 1916 - Bill Doggett, American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist (d. 1996)
- 1915 - Jim O'Hora, American college football coach (d. 2005)
- 1915 - Elisabeth Eybers, South African poet (d. 2007)
- 1915 - Michael Relph, British film producer and director (d. 2004)
- 1909 - Hugh Beaumont, American actor (d. 1982)
- 1909 - Jeffrey Lynn, American actor (d. 1995)
- 1909 - Richard McDonald, American fast food entrepreneur (d. 1998)
- 1906 - Vera Menchik, British-born Czech chess player (d. 1944)
- 1904 - Karl-Heinz Bürger, German Nazi figure (d. 1988)
- 1904 - George F. Kennan, American historian and diplomat (d. 2005)
- 1903 - Edgar Bergen, American ventriloquist (d. 1978)
- 1903 - George-Henri Lévesque, Quebec priest and sociologist (d. 2000)
- 1901 - Vincent Coleman, American actor (d. 1971)
- 1901 - Wayne King, American musician and orchestra leader (d. 1985)
- 1901 - Chester Morris, American film actor (d. 1970)
- 1898 - Katharine Cornell, American actress (d. 1974)
- 1896 - Eugénie Blanchard, French supercentenarian (d. 2010)
- 1891 - Hans F. K. Günther, German eugenicist (d. 1967)
- 1887 - Kathleen Clifford, American actress (d. 1962)
- 1886 - Van Wyck Brooks, American historian and critic (d. 1963)
- 1884 - Robert J. Flaherty, American filmmaker (d. 1951)
- 1883 - Elizabeth Craig, British writer (d. 1980)
- 1880 - Frank Burke, American baseball player (d. 1946)
- 1878 - Pamela Colman Smith, British writer and occultist (d. 1951)
- 1876 - George Macaulay Trevelyan, English historian (d. 1962)
- 1874 - Marie Gutheil-Schoder, German soprano (d. 1935)
- 1866 - Billy Hamilton, American baseball player (d. 1940)
- 1866 - Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet (d. 1949)
- 1856 - Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur (d. 1944)
- 1856 - Willem Kes, Dutch conductor (d. 1934)
- 1848 - Hugo de Vries, Dutch botanist (d. 1935)
- 1847 - Philipp Scharwenka, Polish-German composer (d. 1917)
- 1845 - George Kennan, American explorer (d. 1924)
- 1838 - Henry Adams, American historian and novelist (d. 1918)
- 1834 - Ernst Haeckel, German zoologist and philosopher (d. 1919)
- 1831 - Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (d. 1895)
- 1826 - Julia Grant, First Lady of the United States (d. 1902)
- 1826 - Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German poet (d. 1886)
- 1824 - Peter Kozler, Slovenian cartographer and geographer (d. 1879)
- 1822 - Sir Francis Galton, English explorer and biologist (d. 1911)
- 1821 - Heinrich Barth, German explorer (d. 1865)
- 1812 - Henry Wilson, American politician 18th Vice President of the United States (d. 1875)
- 1804 - Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold, German physiologist (d. 1885)
- 1802 - Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, American philosopher (d. 1866)
- 1786 - Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1859)
- 1761 - Charles Pichegru, French general (d. 1804)
- 1727 - Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, Austrian scientist (d. 1817)
- 1698 - Pierre Bouguer, French mathematician (d. 1758)
- 1643 - John Sharp, English Archbishop of York (d. 1714)
- 1620 - Friedrich Wilhelm I of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia (d. 1688)
- 1543 - Kano Eitoku, Japanese painter (d. 1590)
- 1519 - Gaspard de Coligny, French Huguenot leader (d. 1572)
- 1497 - Philipp Melanchthon, German humanist and reformer (d. 1560)
- 1222 - Nichiren Daishonin, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism (d. 1282)
- 1032 - Emperor Yingzong of China (d. 1067)