[Amnorix]

January 29

1845. Edgar Allen Poe publishes "the Raven"

1850. Henry Clay introduces the Compromise of 1850 to the US Congress. A compromise designed to lessen growing hostilities between Northern and Southern states, particular with regard to the expansion of slavery, the contained among its provisions the Fugitive Slave Act, which was reviled in the North.

1886. Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline powered automobile.

1936. The first inductees to the baseball Hall of Fame are inducted. Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner are the sole inductees. None earns 100% of the vote (Ty Cobb was the highest at slightly over 98%), establishing a tradition that holds to this day of not giving anyone 100% of the vote. Such notables as Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Grover Cleveland Alexander and Rogers Hornsby weren't voted in in the first year.

1944. I include this out of special consideration for you guys -- the last battleship commissioned by the United States -- the USS Missouri -- is launched.

2002. President George W. Bush gives his "Axis of Evil" speech.