Notable Birthdays for January 23
Joseph Hewes (1730-1779) - Signer of Declaration of Independence signatory.
John Hancock (1737-1793) - The first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Calvin Edward Pratt (1828-1896) - Brigadier General for the Union Army.
John Browning (1855-1926) - Founder of the Browning Arms Company.
William Morgan (1870-1972) - PE instructor who invented the "mintonette" (the volleyball).
Eugene Sullivan (1872-1962) - Inventor of PYREX® Glass.
Claribel Kendall (1889-1965) - Mathematician.
Wally Parks (1913-2007) - Founder of the National Hot Rod Association.
David Douglas Duncan (1916-2018) - One of the first photographers to take pictures of combat.
Gertrude B. Elion (1918-1999) - Drug researcher who developed leukemia and herpes drug treatments.
Walter Frederick Morrison (1920-2010) - Invented of the Frisbee.
Anita Pointer (1948-2022) - Singer of the pop group the Pointer Sisters.
Charlie Papazian (1949-Still Living) - Founder of the the Association of Brewers and the Great American Beer Festival.
Michael R. Matz (1951-Still Living) - World famous horse trainer and equestrian.
Ruth Haring (1955-2018) - Chess player and President of the U.S. Chess Federation.
Mariska Hargitay (1964-Still Living) - Actress in the long-running t.v. series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Tito Ortiz (1975-Still Living) - Mixed martial artist.
Memorable Events for January 23
1789 - Georgetown College is founded and opens its doors.
1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first female doctor in the U.S.
1849 - Jesse K. Park and Cornelius S. Watson are granted a patent for an envelope-making machine.
1879 - The National Archery Association is formed in IN.
1941 - Charles Lindbergh testifies before Congress recommending the U.S. negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler.
1957 - Inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sells the rights to his flying disc (later renamed the Frisbee) to the Wham-O toy company.
1961 - The Supreme Court rules cities and states have the right to censor films.
1964 - The 24th Amendment prohibiting the use of poll taxes in national elections is ratified.
1983 - A cerebral palsy telethon raises $14.7 million.
1986 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first members. The inductees include Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.