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On this day in history - January 2

What Happened On This Day – January 2

  • 1981 The “Yorkshire Ripper” is caught

    Peter Sutcliffe confessed to murdering 13 women and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

  • 1971 66 football fans die in the Ibrox disaster

    Over 200 people were injured in the crush, which occurred at the end of an association football game between the Glasgow-based clubs, Rangers, and Celtic, at Ibrox Park.

  • 1967 Ronald Reagan is sworn in as Governor of California

    Reagan became the 40th U.S. president in 1981.

  • 1959 Luna 1 is launched

    The Soviet spacecraft was the first to reach the vicinity of the moon and orbit the sun.

  • 1860 Urban Le Verrier announces the discovery of the planet Vulcan

    Despite a thorough search, the planet was never actually sighted.

Illustration of stork, signifying birth

Births On This Day,
January 2

  • 1936 Roger Miller

    American singer-songwriter, actor

  • 1928 Daisaku Ikeda

    Japanese spiritual leader

  • 1920 Isaac Asimov

    American chemist, author

  • 1905 Michael Tippett

    English composer

  • 1873 Thérèse of Lisieux

    French nun

Illustration of tombstone, signifying death

Deaths On This Day,
January 2

  • 1995 Siad Barre

    Somalian military officer, politician, 3rd President of Somalia

  • 1989 Safdar Hashmi

    Indian playwright, actor, director

  • 1960 Fausto Coppi

    Italian cyclist

  • 1904 James Longstreet

    American general, diplomat

  • 1892 George Biddell Airy

    English mathematician, astronomer