1288 - Scotland established this day as one when a woman could propose marriage to a man. In the event that he refused the proposal he was required to pay a fine.

1860 - The first electric tabulating machine was invented by Herman Hollerith.

1904 - In Washington, DC, a seven-man commission was created to hasten the construction of the Panama Canal.

1940 - Hattie McDaniel became the first black person to win an Oscar. She won Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind."

1944 - The invasion of the Admiralty Islands began with "Operation Brewer." U.S. General Douglas MacArthur led his forces onto Los Negros.

1944 - Dorothy McElroy Vredenburgh of Alabama became the first woman to be appointed secretary of a national political party. She was appointed to the Democratic National Committee.

1944 - The Office of Defense Transportation, for the second year in a row, restricted attendance at the Kentucky Derby to residents of the Louisville area. This was an effort to prevent a railroad traffic burden during wartime.

1952 - In New York City, four signs were installed at 44th Street and Broadway in Times Square that told pedestrians when to walk.

1964 - Dawn Fraser got her 36th world record. The Australian swimmer was timed at 58.9 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle in Sydney, Australia.

1972 - Jack Anderson revealed a memo written by ITT's Washington lobbyist, Dita Beard, that connected ITT's funding of part of the Republican National Convention.

1988 - "Day by Day" premiered on NBC-TV.

Music History

1792 - Composer Gioachino Antonio Rossini was born.

1852 - Composer Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen was born.

1932 - Bing Crosby and the Mills Brothers teamed up to record "Shine."

1972 - John Lennon's U.S. immigration visa expired. It was the beginning of a 3 1/2 year fight for Lennon to stay in the U.S.

1980 - Buddy Holly's glasses and the Big Bopper's wristwatch were found in old police files by the Mason City Sheriff. The items were worn by the men when their plane crashed of February 3, 1959.

2000 - In Guilford, Surrey, Eric Clapton had his driving privileges suspended for six months and was fined about $570 dollars for speeding.

2000 - Puff Daddy plead not guilty to charges that he had attempted to bribe a professional driver to take responsibility for a 9mm handgun that had been found in a vehicle with Puff Daddy following a shooting in 1999.

2000 - The city of Autlan de Navarro, Mexico announced plans to build a public monument to tribute Carlos Santana.

Birthdates which occurred on February 29:

1468 Paul III last Renaissance pope (1534-49)
1692 Edward Cave England, printer (Gentlemen's Magazine)
1696 Esprit Joseph Antoine Blanchard composer
1728 Robert Bage English writer (Criticism by Peter Faulkner)
1736 Anna Lee Manchester England, founder (Shaker movement in America)
1784 Franz von Klenze German architect (Hermitage, St-Petersburg)
1792 Gioacchino Rossini Pesaro Italy, composer (Barber of Seville)
1792 Karl Ernst von Baler Russia, naturalist (discovered human ovum)
1796 [Lambert] Adolphe J Quetelet Belgian astronomer/meteorology
1812 Hermann Hirschboch German composer
1820 Adolf Schimon composer
1828 Antonio Guzman Blanco President of Venezuela
1840 John Philip Holland Liscannor Ireland, pioneer in submarine building
1852 Frederic Hymen Cowen composer
1860 Herman Hollerith inventor (1st electric tabulating machine)
1884 Alfred Sendrey composer
1896 William W Wellman Brookline MA, director (Star is Born)
1896 Omer C F L Tulippe Belgian geographer
1896 Ranchhodji Morarji Desai premier of India (1977-79)
1896 Stanley Swash CEO (Woolworths)
1896 Wladimir Rudolfovich Vogel composer
1900 Yórgos Seféris [Seferi dis], Greek diplomat/poet (Strofi)
1904 Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenberdorft Sr near Hamburg, Germany; had a Christian name for every letter in the alphabet, shortened it to Mr Wolfe Plus 585 Sr
1904 Jimmy Dorsey Shenandoah PA, orchestra leader (Stage Show)
1904 John "Pepper" Martin baseballer (NL stolen base leader 1933,34,36)
1904 Alan Richardson composer
1908 Alf Gover cricketer (bowled in 4 Tests for England/famous coach)
1908 Balthus painter (Valerie)
1920 Arthur Franz Perth Amboy NJ, actor (Invaders From Mars, Young Lions)
1920 James Mitchell Sacramento CA, actor (Palmer-All My Children)
1920 Louise Wood director of Girl Scouts of USA (1961-72)
1920 Michele Morgan actress (Bluebeard, Joan of Paris)
1924 David Beattie British Governor-General of New Zealand
1924 Otto Hutter physiologist
1928 Alan Loveday British violinist
1928 Joss Ackland London England, actor (Queenie, To Kill a Priest)
1928 McHenry Boatwright signer
1932 Gavin Stevens cricket (Australian bat on 59-60 India/Pakistan tour)
1936 Alex Rocco actor (Blue Knight, Stanley, Stunt Man)
1936 Alwin Schockemohle Germany, equestrian jumper (Olympics-gold-1976)
1936 Henri "Rocket" Richard NHL center (Montréal Canadiens)
1936 Jack R Lousma Grand Rapids MI, Colonel USMC/astronaut (Skylab 3, STS-3)
1940 Gretchen Christopher Olympia WA, American Pop Singer/Songwriter, Founder and Female Lead of The Fleetwoods (Come Softly To Me, Mr Blue)
1944 David Briggs record producer
1944 Dennis Farina Chicago IL, actor (Mike Torello-Crime Story)
1944 Phyllis Frelich Devil's Lake ND, actor (Love is Never Silent)
1948 Nikolai Pimenov USSR, coxless pair rowers (Olympics-silver-1976)
1948 Yuri Pimenov USSR, coxless pair rowers (Olympics-silver-1976)
1948 Patricia [Anne] McKillip US, sci-fi author (Fool's Run)
1952 Bart Stupak (Representative-D-MI)
1952 Raisa Smetanina USSR, cross country skier (Olympics-gold-1976, 80, 92)
1952 Raul Gonzalez Mexican 50K speed walker (world record)
1952 Tim[othy] Powers US, sci-fi author (Epitaph in Rust, Night Moves)
1956 Randy Jackson rocker (Zebra-Tell Me What You Want)
1964 Henrik Sundstrom Sweden, tennis star
1964 James RB Ogilvy son of English princess Alexandra
1968 Bryce Paup NFL linebacker (Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills)
1968 Cary Conklin NFL quarterback (San Francisco 49ers)
1968 Chucky Brown NBA forward (Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks)
1972 Antonio Sabato Jr actor (Jagger Cates-General Hospital)
1972 Chris Devine Allentown PA, diver (Olympics-96)
1972 Cyrus Beasley Rowe NY, rower (Olympics-1996)
1972 Fabien Bownes NFL wide receiver (Chicago Bears)
1972 Mark Farraway CFL offensive linebacker (Edmonton Eskimos)
1976 Bryan Gillooly Auburn NY, diver (Olympics-96)

Deaths which occurred on February 29:

0468 St Hilary [Pope Hilarius] Catholic Pope (461-468), dies
0642 Oswald English missionaries/saint, dies in battle
1528 Patrick Hamilton Scottish protestant martyr, burned at stake
1604 John Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury (1583-1604), dies at about 74
1844 Thaddaus Weigl composer, dies at 67
1852 John Landseer printer/engraver (Royal Academy), dies
1868 [Charles] Louis I [Augustus] King of Bavaria (L Montez), dies at 81
1916 Edward H J Keurvels Flemish conductor/composer (Parisina), dies at 62
1928 Adolphe Appia Swiss set designer/theorist, dies at 65
1928 Armando V Diaz Italian marshal/minister of War (1922-24), dies at 66
1932 "Big Ed" Morris pitcher (Boston Red Sox), dies
1940 Edward Frederic Benson novelist, dies
1956 Elpidio Quirino President of Philippines (1949-53), dies at 65
1964 Frank Albertson actor (Chico & Man, Room Service), dies at 55
1964 Victor van Straelen Flemish biologist/paleontologist, dies at 74
1980 Yigol Alton Israeli Foreign Minister, dies at 61
1984 Roland Culver actor (Thunderball), dies of heart problems at 83
1992 Earl Scheib CEO (Earl Scheib Auto Paint), dies at 85
1992 Johnny Mack British actor (Time Lord-Dr Who), dies at 70
1996 Duncan Stuart Wilson Fighter pilot-MacDonald dies at 83
1996 Joe Minogue journalist, dies at 72
1996 John Grant Rear Admiral, dies at 87
1996 Wes Farrell songwriter, dies at 56

Thank you MrsB! I love all of it! And, thank you for helping me when I've been absent!