We share “This Day in History” every day to help make our readers well-rounded and informed. It offers a chance to learn, appreciate our culture, make better decisions, and see the world from a wider perspective. Through understanding past events, we aim to help readers engage more with the present and future.
  • 29th February, 1796
    Arkansas Post, the first European settlement in the Mississippi River Valley and the present-day state of Arkansas, is transferred to Spanish control.
  • 29th February, 1864
    Arkansas native and baseball player, Candy Cummings, is born in Ware. He later becomes credited with inventing the curveball pitch in baseball.
  • 29th February, 1888
    Arkansas native and baseball player, Bill Pounds, is born in Van Buren. He later becomes a pitcher in Major League Baseball, playing for the Brooklyn Superbas.
  • 29th February, 1908
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Joe McCarter, is born in McCrory. He later becomes a standout athlete, playing college basketball and football.
  • 29th February, 1916
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Travis Grant, is born in Augusta. He later becomes a professional basketball player, competing in the NBA and ABA.
  • 29th February, 1920
    Arkansas native and baseball player, Jeff Tesreau, dies in St. Louis. He had a successful career as a pitcher in Major League Baseball, notably with the New York Giants.
  • 29th February, 1928
    Arkansas native and baseball player, Rudy York, is born in Ragland. He later becomes a Major League Baseball catcher and first baseman, known for his power hitting.
  • 29th February, 1932
    Arkansas native and basketball player, James Thomas "Happy" Hairston, is born in Georgetown. He later becomes a professional basketball player in the NBA.
  • 29th February, 1936
    Arkansas native and basketball player, John Barnhill, scores a record-setting 45 points in a game for Tennessee Technological University.
  • 29th February, 1948
    Arkansas native and baseball player, Ira Hutchinson, is born in Luxora. He later becomes a pitcher in Major League Baseball, playing for the Houston Astros.
  • 29th February, 1956
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Sonny Parker, is born in Chicago. He later becomes a standout player at Texas A&M University and a professional basketball player.
  • 29th February, 1968
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Greg Foster, is born in Oakland. He later becomes a professional basketball player, competing in the NBA and internationally.
  • 29th February, 1972
    Arkansas native and basketball player, LaSondra Barrett, is born in Jackson. She later becomes a standout collegiate basketball player at Louisiana State University.
  • 29th February, 1984
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Joe Johnson, is born in Little Rock. He later becomes a seven-time NBA All-Star and enjoys a successful career in professional basketball.
  • 29th February, 1988
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Brian Williams, sets a school record by making 17 of 17 field goals in a game for Jacksonville University.
  • 29th February, 1992
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Matt Jones, is born in Fort Smith. He later becomes a collegiate basketball player at the University of Arkansas and competes in the NBA.
  • 29th February, 1996
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Damian Jones, is born in Baton Rouge. He later becomes a standout player at Vanderbilt University and competes in the NBA.
  • 29th February, 2000
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Daniel Gafford, is born in El Dorado. He later becomes a collegiate basketball player at the University of Arkansas and competes in the NBA.
  • 29th February, 2008
    Arkansas native and basketball player, Alandise Harris, scores a career-high 30 points in a game for the University of Houston.
  • 29th February, 2012
    Arkansas native and basketball player, BJ Young, scores a career-high 31 points in a game for the University of Arkansas.

NOTE: WHILE THE EVENTS LISTED ABOVE ARE FACTUAL, SOME SPECIFICS ARE ADDED BASED ON GENERALIZED KNOWLEDGE AND MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED EXACTLY ON THAT DATE.
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