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 20th
- Christian Feast Day

- World Day of Social Justice (International)



February 20th
- 2010 - In Madera Island, Portugal, heavy rain causes floods and mudslides, leaving at least 43 deaths in the worst disaster on the history of the archipelago.

- 2009 - Two Tamil Tigers aircraft packed with C4 explosives en-route to the national airforce headquarters were shot down by the Sri Lankan military before reaching their target, in a kamikaze style attack.

- 2005 - Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout.

- 2003 - During a Great White concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, a pyrotechnics display sets the club ablaze, killing 100 and injuring over 200 others.

- 1998 - American figure skater Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest gold-medalist at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

- 1992 - Texas industrialist Ross Perot's U.S. presidential campaign begins after he opened up the possibility of running as an independent candidate while appearing on the talk show Larry King Live.

- 1991 - A gigantic statue of Albania's long-time leader, Enver Hoxha, is brought down in the Albanian capital Tirana, by mobs of angry protesters.

- 1989 - An IRA bomb destroys a section of a British Army barracks in Ternhill, England

- 1987 - Unabomber: In Salt Lake City, a bomb explodes in a computer store.

- 1976 - The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization disbands.

- 1965 - Ranger 8 crashes into the moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.

- 1962 - Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth, making three orbits in 4 hours, 55 minutes.

- 1959 - The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.

- 1952 - Emmett Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.

- 1944 - World War II: The "Big Week" began with American bomber raids on German aircraft manufacturing centers.

- 1944 - World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Island.

- 1943 - American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies.

- 1943 - The Parícutin volcano begins to form in Parícutin, Mexico.

- 1943 - The Saturday Evening Post publishes the first of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms in support of United States President Franklin Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union address theme of Four Freedoms.

- 1942 - Lieutenant Edward O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace.

- 1935 - Caroline Mikkelsen becomes the first woman to set foot in Antarctica.

- 1933 - The Congress of the United States proposes the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution that will end Prohibition in the United States.

- 1931 - The Congress of the United States approves the construction of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge by the state of California.

- 1913 - King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark commencement of work on the construction of Canberra.

- 1909 - Publication of the Futurist Manifesto in the French journal Le Figaro.

- 1901 - The legislature of Hawaii Territory convenes for the first time.

- 1873 - The University of California opens its first medical school in San Francisco, California.

- 1872 - In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens.

- 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Olustee occurs – the largest battle fought in Florida during the war.

- 1835 - Concepción, Chile is destroyed by an earthquake.

- 1813 - Manuel Belgrano defeats the royalist army of Pío de Tristán during the Battle of Salta.

- 1810 - Andreas Hofer, Tirolean patriot and leader of rebellion against Napoleon's forces, is executed.

- 1798 - Louis Alexandre Berthier removes Pope Pius VI from power.

- 1792 - The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington.

- 1547 - Edward VI of England is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.

- 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark.



February 20th
- 1991 - Giovanni Kyeremateng Italian footballer

- 1989 - Iga Wyrwal, Polish Glamour Model

- 1988 - Rihanna, Barbadian singer

- 1988 - Jiah Khan, Indian actress

- 1986 - Diego Reis, Brazilian footballer

- 1985 - Ryan Sweeney, American baseball player

- 1985 - Yulia Volkova, Russian singer (t.A.T.u.)

- 1984 - Brian McCann, American baseball player

- 1984 - Gilles Pagnon, French-German rugby player

- 1984 - Ramzee Robinson, American football player

- 1983 - Jose Morales, Puerto Rican baseball player

- 1983 - Justin Verlander, American baseball player

- 1982 - Jason Hirsh, American baseball player

- 1981 - Tony Hibbert, English footballer

- 1981 - Chris Thile, American musician

- 1980 - Artur Boruc, Polish footballer

- 1980 - Imanol Harinordoquy, French rugby union footballer

- 1978 - Lauren Ambrose, American actress

- 1978 - Jakki Degg, English glamour model/actress

- 1978 - Jay Hernandez, American actor

- 1978 - Julia Jentsch, German actress

- 1977 - Bartosz Kizierowski, Polish swimmer

- 1977 - Stephon Marbury, American basketball player

- 1977 - T.J. Slaughter, American football player

- 1977 - Amal Hijazi, Lebanese singer and model

- 1976 - Rohan Gavaskar, Left-handed batsman, India ODI 2004 (son of Sunil Gavaskar)

- 1976 - Ed Graham, English drummer (The Darkness)

- 1976 - Gail Kim, Canadian professional wrestler

- 1975 - Liván Hernández, Cuban baseball player

- 1975 - Brian Littrell, American singer (Backstreet Boys)

- 1974 - Ophelie Winter, French actress

- 1973 - Kimberley Davies, Australian actress

- 1972 - Brent Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player

- 1972 - K-OS, Canadian musician/rapper

- 1971 - Calpernia Addams, transgender activist

- 1971 - Jari Litmanen, Finnish footballer

- 1971 - Shawn McKenzie, American programmer

- 1969 - Vaginal Davis, American drag queen and performance artist

- 1969 - Gedo, Japanese professional wrestler

- 1969 - Danis Tanovic, Bosnian film director and screenwriter

- 1969 - Tommy Vardell, National Football League fullback

- 1969 - Siniša Mihajlovi?, Serbian footballer

- 1968 - Ted Hankey, English darts player

- 1967 - Kurt Cobain, American musician (Nirvana) (d. 1994)

- 1967 - David Herman, American comedian

- 1967 - Katherine Soucie, American voice actress

- 1967 - Andrew Shue, American television actor

- 1967 - Lili Taylor, American actress

- 1966 - Cindy Crawford, American model

- 1965 - Ron Eldard, American actor

- 1964 - French Stewart, American actor

- 1964 - Rodney Rowland, American actor

- 1963 - Charles Barkley, American basketball player

- 1963 - Ian Brown, English singer (The Stone Roses)

- 1963 - Jon Lynn Christensen, former Nebraska Congressman

- 1963 - Marilisa Xenogiannakopoulou, Greek politician

- 1962 - Kenn Nesbitt, American children's author

- 1961 - Imogen Stubbs, British actress

- 1960 - Joel Hodgson, American comedian (Mystery Science Theater 3000)

- 1960 - Kee Marcello, Swedish guitarist

- 1959 - Bill Gullickson, American baseball player

- 1957 - Glen Hanlon, Canadian ice hockey coach

- 1956 - Rick Green, Canadian ice hockey player

- 1956 - Charlie Adler, American voice actor

- 1954 - Anthony Stewart Head, English actor

- 1954 - Patty Hearst, American socialite

- 1954 - Jon Brant, American musician (Cheap Trick)

- 1953 - Riccardo Chailly, Italian conductor

- 1953 - Poison Ivy, American musician (The Cramps)

- 1951 - Edward Albert, American actor (d. 2006)

- 1951 - Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

- 1951 - Randy California, American guitarist (Spirit) (d. 1997)

- 1951 - Phil Neal, English footballer

- 1950 - Walter Becker, American guitarist (Steely Dan)

- 1950 - Ken Shimura, Japanese performer and actor

- 1950 - Tony Wilson, British journalist and impresario (d. 2007)

- 1949 - Ivana Trump, Czech-born American socialite

- 1948 - Pierre Bouchard, Canadian ice hockey player

- 1948 - Jennifer O'Neill, Brazilian-born actress

- 1947 - André van Duin, Dutch comedian

- 1947 - Eggert Magnusson, Icelandic football executive

- 1947 - Peter Osgood, English footballer (d. 2006)

- 1947 - Peter Strauss, American actor

- 1946 - Brenda Blethyn, English actress

- 1946 - Richard Cocciante, French-Italian singer and songwriter

- 1946 - Sandy Duncan, American singer and actress

- 1946 - J. Geils, American guitarist (The J. Geils Band)

- 1945 - Andrew Bergman, American screenwriter and film director

- 1945 - Brion James, American actor (d. 1999)

- 1945 - Annu Kapoor, Indian actor

- 1944 - Robert de Cotret, French Canadian politician (d. 1999)

- 1944 - Willem van Hanegem, Dutch footballer and coach

- 1943 - Moshe Cotel, American composer and pianist

- 1943 - Antonio Inoki, Japanese professional wrestler

- 1943 - Mike Leigh, British film director

- 1942 - Charlie Gillett, British radio DJ

- 1942 - Mitch McConnell, American politician

- 1942 - Claude Miller, French film director and screenwriter

- 1942 - Phil Esposito, Canadian ice hockey player

- 1941 - Lim Kit Siang, Democratic Socialist opposition party in Malaysia

- 1941 - Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canadian singer

- 1940 - Jimmy Greaves, English footballer

- 1939 - Frank Arundel, English footballer (d.1994)

- 1938 - Richard Beymer, American actor

- 1937 - Robert Huber, German chemist, Nobel laureate

- 1937 - Roger Penske, American racing driver, race team owner and entrepreneur

- 1937 - Nancy Wilson, American singer

- 1936 - Marj Dusay, American actress

- 1936 - Larry Hovis, American actor (d. 2003)

- 1936 - Shigeo Nagashima, Japanese baseball player and coach

- 1934 - Bobby Unser, American racing driver

- 1932 - Adrian Cristobal, Filipino writer (d. 2007)

- 1930 - Willie Cunningham, Northern Irish footballer (d. 2007)

- 1929 - Amanda Blake, American actress (d. 1989)

- 1927 - Roy Cohn, American lawyer (d. 1986)

- 1927 - Ibrahim Ferrer, Cuban musician (Buena Vista Social Club) (d. 2005)

- 1927 - Sidney Poitier, American actor

- 1926 - Richard Matheson, American author

- 1925 - Robert Altman, American film director (d. 2006)

- 1925 - Heinz Kluncker, German trade union leader (d. 2005)

- 1925 - Tochinishiki Kiyotaka, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 44th Yokozuna (d. 1990)

- 1924 - Gloria Vanderbilt, American socialite and clothing designer

- 1923 - Forbes Burnham, President of Guyana (d. 1985)

- 1920 - Evgeny Dragunov, Russian weapons designer (d. 1991)

- 1919 - James O'Meara, British Battle of Britain Spitfire Flying Ace (d. 1974)

- 1918 - Leonore Annenberg, American Billionaire (d. 2009)

- 1917 - Juan Vicente Torrealba, Venezuelan harpist and composer

- 1914 - John Daly, South African–born broadcaster (d. 2001)

- 1913 - Tommy Henrich, American baseball player (d. 2009)

- 1912 - Pierre Boulle, French author (d. 1994)

- 1907 - Malcolm Atterbury, American actor (d. 1992)

- 1906 - Gale Gordon, American television and radio actor (d. 1995)

- 1904 - Alexei Kosygin, Premier of the Soviet Union (d. 1980)

- 1902 - Ansel Adams, American photographer (d. 1984)

- 1901 - Cecil Harmsworth King, English newspaper owner (d. 1987)

- 1901 - Muhammad Naguib, President of Egypt (d. 1984)

- 1899 - Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman (d. 1992)

- 1898 - Enzo Ferrari, Italian automobile manufacturer, designer and racing car driver (d. 1988)

- 1898 - Jimmy Yancey, American pianist (d. 1951)

- 1893 - Russel Crouse, American playwright (d. 1966)

- 1893 - Elizabeth Holloway Marston, American psychologist (d. 1993)

- 1888 - Georges Bernanos, French writer (d. 1948)

- 1887 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (d. 1967)

- 1880 - Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen, French aristocrat and novelist (d. 1923)

- 1867 - Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife (d. 1931)

- 1866 - Carl Westman, Swedish architect and designer (d. 1936)

- 1850 - Nérée Beauchemin, Canadian physician and poet (d. 1931)

- 1848 - Edward Henry Harriman, American railroad executive (d. 1909)

- 1844 - Ludwig Boltzmann, Austrian physicist (d. 1906)

- 1844 - Joshua Slocum, Canadian seaman and adventurer (d. 1909)

- 1839 - Benjamin Waugh, American minister; founder of the NSPCC (d. 1908)

- 1819 - Alfred Escher, Swiss politician, railroad entrepreneur (d. 1882)

- 1802 - Charles de Bériot, Belgian violinist (d. 1870)

- 1794 - William Carleton, Irish novelist (d. 1869)

- 1759 - Johann Christian Reil, German physician, founder of psychiatry (d. 1813)

- 1757 - John 'Mad Jack' Fuller, English philanthropist (d. 1834)

- 1753 - Louis Alexandre Berthier, French marshal (d. 1815)

- 1751 - Johann Heinrich Voß, German poet (d. 1826)

- 1745 - Henry James Pye, English poet (d. 1813)

- 1633 - Jan de Baen, Dutch portrait painter (d. 1702)

- 1631 - Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, English statesman (d. 1712)

