1844 – Charles Gerard Conn was born in New York. His family moved to Elkhart, Ind., where he grew up to be mayor, Congressman, entrepreneur, and founder of a band instrument company which became world famous.
1921 – Indiana Governor Warren McCray met with members of the James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Association at the Statehouse. They shared with him a proposal to build a children’s hospital in tribute to the Hoosier Poet, who had died five years earlier. The Governor agreed that there was a need for a medical facility for children and pledged the state’s cooperation.
1945 – Bob Griese was born in Evansville. He became a star quarterback at Purdue and later led the Miami Dolphins to two Super Bowl victories in 1973 and 1974.
1953 – Gene Autry, famed singing cowboy of radio and movies, entertained a crowd of 14,000 youngsters at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. The three-hour show included Autry’s popular sidekick Pat Buttram and, of course, the “Wonder Horse, Champion.” Musical acts included the Hoosier Hotshots.
1978 – Many roads opened, and people started returning to work following the “Blizzard of ’78” that had paralyzed much of the state. Blowing snow, ice, and snow drifts had made travel nearly impossible and closed many schools and businesses. Winds gusted to 55 mph, and snow was 20 inches deep in areas.
2007 – The Indianapolis Colts won Super Bowl XLI in Miami, defeating the Chicago Bears, 29-17. The game on CBS was seen by over 93 million people, making it, at the time, the fifth-most watched program in TV history. The halftime show, headlined by rock star Prince, had a peak audience of 140 million viewers.