Died On This Date - Feb. 21

Fonteyn, Dame. Margot (Margaret)
b. May 18, 1919 d. February 21, 1991
Ballerina. She became the most internationally famous dancer of her age. Considered to be very lyrical and expressive, she is noted for her roles as ‘Giselle' and ‘Odette'. She studied with dancing masters H. Bosustov in Ealing, with G. Goncharov in Shanghai and with N. Legat and Astafieva in London before being accepted at Sadler's Wells School in 1934. In the same year with made her debut with the Vic Wells Ballet as a snowflake in 'The Nutcracker'.

Julius II, Pope
b. December 5, 1443 d. February 21, 1513
Catholic Pope.

Wilkinson, Theodore Stark
b. December 22, 1888 d. February 21, 1946
Mexican Campaign (Vera Cruz) Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He graduated 1st in the United States Naval Academy class of 1909. Besides serving in the occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico, he also served in WWI and WWII. In WWI he was a member of the Bureau of Ordnance; here he helped to fulfill the creation of anti-submarine depth charges that were the backbone of the mission to mine the North Sea. Before WWII he served as Secretary of the General Board of the Navy.

Bates, Paul L.
b. March 4, 1908 d. February 21, 1995
United States Army Officer. He was the white Colonel who refused to court martial future Baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson. Colonel Bates was the commander of the first black tank battalion to go into battle in World War II. At a segregated boot camp in Texas, he refused to court martial a black officer for refusing to move to the back of a bus at Fort Hood. That officer was Jackie Robinson, who was tried for insubordination, acquitted, and went on to break the color barrier in major.

Estes, Llewellyn
G. b. December 27, 1843 d. February 21, 1905
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the Civil War first as a Captain in the 1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry regiment, then as Major and Assistant Adjutant General on the Staff of Maj. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery at Flint River, Georgia on August 30, 1864. His citation reads “Voluntarily led troops in a charge over a burning bridge”. He had been ordered by General Oliver O. Howard to drive away rebel troops.

Jones, Sherman 'Roadblock'
b. February 10, 1935 d. February 21, 2007
Major League Baseball Player. He was a pitcher for three seasons (1960 to 1962) with the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets. He was a member of the 1961 National League Pennant-winning Reds. After retiring from baseball, Jones was a police officer in Kansas City, Kansas and later was elected to and served in both the Kansas State House of Representatives and Kansas State Senate. In 48 career regular season games, Jones won 2 and lost 6 with a 4.73 lifetime era.

Pearl, Daniel
b. October 10, 1963 d. February 21, 2002
Reporter for the Wall Street Journal. Kidnapped by Islamic extremists in Karachi, Pakistan on January 23, 2002. On February 21, 2002, he was confirmed dead by the United States Department of State.

Hayward, Louis
b. March 19, 1909 d. February 21, 1985
Actor. Born Seafield Grant in Johannesburg, South Africa. He made his Broadway debut in "Point Valaine" in 1934 and won the 'New York Critics Circle Award'. His first Hollywood movie was "The Flame Within" in 1935. Other film credits include "Anthony Adverse," "The Man in the Iron Mask" and "The Son of Monte Cristo." He was married for a time to actress Ida Lupino.

Moore, Robin
b. September 30, 1925 d. February 21, 2008
Author. Born Robert L. Moore, he is best known as the author of "The Green Berets" (1965) and "The French Connection" (1969). Both were made into famous films, "The Green Berets" starring John Wayne in 1968. "The French Connection", starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, won the Best Picture Oscar for 1971. His many novels included "Pitchman" (1966), "The Happy Hooker" (1972), "Dubai" (1976), "Tales of The Green Beret" (1985), "Area 51" (1997) and "Hunting Down Saddam" (2004).

Horton, Tim (Miles Gilbert)
b. January 12, 1930 d. February 21, 1974
Professional Hockey Player. A native of Cochrane, Ontario, Horton played for teams in the NHL, AHL, OHA-Jr, and the NOJHA hockey leagues. At 5'10", and 180lbs, he played for the Copper Cliff Jr. Redmen from 1946 to 1947, St. Michael's Majors from 1947 to 1949, Toronto Maple Leafs from 1949-1950, 1951-1970, Pittsburgh Hornets from 1949 to 1952, New York Rangers from 1969 to 1971, Pittsburgh Penguins from 1971 to 1972, and the Buffalo Sabres from 1972 to 1974.

Sims, Clifford Chester
b. June 18, 1942 d. February 21, 1968
Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the United States Army during the war in Viet Nam as a Staff Sergeant in Company D, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery near Hue, Republic of Vietnam, on February 21, 1968. His citation reads "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Sims distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader.

Ruhl, Donald Jack
b. July 2, 1923 d. February 21, 1945
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Columbus, Montana, he was educated in the grammar schools of Columbus, and graduated from high school at Joliet, Montana, in 1942. During his High School years, he worked as a general farm hand on a 400-acre farm for $15 a week, room and board. The farm was ran with no mechanical machines, so it was here that he gained physical strength and endurance that would help him with his training in the Marine Corp.

Mizell, Vinegar Bend (Wilmer)
b. August 13, 1930 d. February 21, 1999
Major League Baseball Player, US Congressman. Tagged “Vinegar Bend Mizell” early in his career for his home town of Vinegar Bend, Alabama, he played Major League baseball as a pitcher for 9 seasons (1952 to 1953, 1956 to 1962) with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets. Played his first 6 1/4 seasons with the Cardinals (he served in the US Army in 1954 and 1955), being a stalwart in a pitching rotation for teams that often finished in the bottom half of the League.

Lenox, James
b. August 19, 1800 d. February 21, 1880
Educator, Philanthropist. An American bibliophile, he was a founder of the Presbyterian Hospital, New York City. The son of a wealthy Scot merchant, he used his inheritance to acquire rare books and works of art. He donated his manuscripts and artwork to the City of New York, and the collection formed the foundation of the New York City Public Library.