Birthdays of important personalities on February 17

1444: Rudolf Agricola, [Roelof Huysman], Dutch humanist/organist
1490: Charles de Bourbon, officer/governor (Lombardy)
1519: Fran?ois de Guise, [Balafr?], French general strategist (Calais)
1583: J Henry Alting, Dutch theologist
1653: Arcangelo Corelli, Fusignano Italy, violinist/comp (Concerto Grossi)
1699: Hans Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, German architect (Sanssouci)
1723: Tobias Mayer, "method of lunars" for longitude determination
1740: Horace B de Saussure, Swiss physicist/geologist
1752: Friedrich M Klinger, German playwright (Wirrwarr)
1758: John Pinkerton, Scottish historian
1774: Raphaelle Peale, US, painter (After the Rain-1823)
1781: Ren?-Th?ophile-Hyacinthe Lannec, France, inventor (stethoscope)
1804: Samuel Read Anderson, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1883
1824: William Farrar "Baldy" Smith, Mjr Gen (Union volunteers), died in 1903
1837: Francis Jay Herron, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1902
1837: Sam[uel] van Houten, Dutch (lib) minister (child labor laws)
1844: A Montgomery Ward, found mail-order business (Montgomery Ward)
1849: Selwyn Image, Bodiam Sussex, painter
1853: Jaroslav Vrchlicky, [Emil Fr?da], Czech poet (1 night on Karlstein)
1854: Friedrich A Krupp, German arms manufacturer
1855: Otto Liman von Sanders, German general in Turkey (WW I)
1857: Samuel Sidney McClure, Irish-American newspaper editor/publisher
1862: Mori Ogai [Mori Rintar?), Japanese author (Maihime/Gan)
1864: Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, NSW Australia, poet (Waltzing Matilda)
1867: William Cadbury, England, chocolate manufacturer (Cadbury)
1870: Louis de Raet, Belgian economist/founder (Flemish People's Party)
1874: Thomas J Watson, US, representative/founder (IBM)
1877: Henri Vandeputte, Belgian author/poet (L'homme Jeune)
1879: Dorothy Canfield Fisher, US, novelist (Book-of-Month-Club)
1880: Alvaro Obregon, general/president Mexico (1920-24)
1884: Arthur Vanderpoorten, Flemish minister of Internal affairs (1940)
1888: Otto Stern, German/US physicist (Stern-Gerlach-experiment, Nobel 1943)
1888: Ronald Aburthnott Knox, English priest/writer (Viaduct Murder)
1889: H[aroldson] L Hunt, Texas oil multi-millionaire
1891: Georg Britting, writer
1892: Theodor Plievier, German writer (Des Kaisers Kulis, Stalingrad)
1895: Edna Park Edwards, PA
1902: Marian Anderson, Phila, operatic contralto (banned by D.A.R.)
1904: Albert Kuyle, [Louis Kuitenbrouwer], Dutch writer (Jesus' Robe)
1906: Galo Plaza Lasso, pres of Ecuador (1948-52), head of OAS (1968-75)
1907: Charles B Timmer, Dutch translator/writer (Russia Black on White)
1908: Walter L "Red" Barber, Miss, sports announcer (Bkln Dodgers, NY Yanks)
1909: Joseph "Poeske" Scherens, Belgian cyclist (champ sprinter 1932-37)[NS]
1909: Marjorie Lawrence, Australia, soprano (Venus-Tannh?user)
1910: Ai Qing, poet
1914: Albert Westerlinck, [Jos? J M Aerts], Flemish literary
1914: Per-Jakez Helias, writer/teacher
1918: Charles A Hayes, (Rep-D-IL, 1983- )
1918: Olive Gibbs, peace campaigner
1920: Colin Franklin, doctor
1920: Trevor Oswald Ling, religious studies professor
1922: Tommy Edwards, rock vocalist (It's All in the Game)
1923: Alden Winship Clausen, Hamilton Ill, banker (Pres of World Bank)
1924: Margaret Truman, Mo, pres daughter/writer (Murder at FBI)/pianist
1925: Fritz Behrendt, German/Dutch cartoon character (The Slogan)
1929: Chaim Potok, NYC, novelist (Promise)
1929: Yasser Arafat, PLO-leader (Achille Lauro, Nobel 1994)
1933: Bobby Lewis, rocker (Tossin' & Turnin')
1933: Craig Thomas, (Rep-R-Wyoming)
1934: Barry Humphries, Australia TV host (Dame Edna Everage)
1937: Mickey McGill, US vocalist (Dells-Love is Blue)
1938: Mary Frances Berry, educator/head (US Commission on Civil Rights)
1939: Mary Ann Mobley, Biloxi Ms, Miss America-1959/actr (Diff'rent Strokes)
1941: Gene Pitney, Hartford Ct, vocalist/songwriter (Town Without Pity)
1941: Heidi Biebi, German Fed Rep, downhill skier (Olympic-gold-1960)
1942: Huey Newton, Black Panther leader
1944: Bernie Grant, British politician (Labour)
1945: Willie J L Swildens-Rozendal, Dutch MP (PvdA)
1946: Valdemar Bandolowski, Denmark, yachting (Olympic-gold-1976, 80)
1947: Ben Cramer, Dutch vocalist (Clown)
1949: Fred Frith, English guitarist/violinist/bassist (Skeleton Crew)
1950: Rick Medlocke, rock guitarist/vocalist (Blackfoot)
1958: Karen Lende O'Connor, Concord Ma, equestrian 3-day (Oly-silver-96)
1959: Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines, US, 100m swimmer (Olympic-gold-1984)
1959: Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge, basketball & football star
1962: David McComb, Australia, vocalist/songwriter (Triffids)
1962: Hennie Meijer, soccer player (Cambuur L, FC Heerenveen)
1964: Mike Campbell, Seattle WA, pitcher (Chic Cubs)
1965: Jim Bowie, Japanese/US baseball infielder (Oakland Athletics)
1966: Luc Robitaille, Montreal, NHL left wing (NY Rangers, Pitts Penguins)
1966: Melissa Brooke-Belland, rocker (Voice of the Beehive-Let it Bee)
1967: Gary Shuchuk, Edmonton, NHL center (LA Kings)
1968: Patrick Uterwijk, pop guitarist (Pestilence, Consuming Impulse)
1969: Traci Adell, New Orleans La, playmate (July, 1994)
1970: Tommy Moe, Anchorage Alaska, nordic skiier (Olympic-gold/silver-1994)
1972: Vladimir Vujtek, NHL forward (Team Czech Oly-Gold-1998, Tampa Bay)
1972: William Floyd, full back (San Francisco 49ers)
1975: Todd Harvey, Hamilton, NHL center (Dallas Stars)
1975: Vaclav Prospal, NHL forward (Team Czech Oly-Gold-1998, Philadelphia)
1981: Donielle Thompson, Wheatridge CO, gymnast (World-bronze-95, Oly-96)

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