The following events occurred in February 1973:
February 1, 1973 (Thursday) The "bantustan" of Venda, located in northeast South Africa near the border with Rhodesia, became the fifth of the "homelands" set for the white-ruled nation's black residents, with limited self-government. Plans for eventual separation as a nominally independent nation separate from South Africa would be made effective on September 13, 1979. Patrick Mphephu was named the Chief Minister of Venda. North Vietnam's government provided the names of only seven of the 319 Americans who had been listed by the U.S. as having been captured in Laos. There were 308 U.S. servicemen and four civilians who had been listed as missing in action or as prisoners of war."Hanoi Lists Only 7 POWs Held in Laos; Fate of 308 in Doubt", Los Angeles Times, February 2, 1973, p. I-1 The United Kingdom's five Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly called the "Law Lords" and serving as Britain's highest court, ruled 4 to 1 that private clubs in the UK could continue to refuse memberships on the grounds of race, reversing a decision by a lower court. The court ruling declared that the Race Relations Act 1968 did not apply to private clubs because the clubs did not provides goods or services to the general public, and that "a refusal to elect to membership on the ground of colour would not be unlawful." "British Court Upholds Clubs' Racial Bars", Los Angeles Times, February 2, 1973, p. I-12 Jean Poiret's farce La Cage aux Folles, was premièred at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. Metropolitan State University, established in St. Paul, Minnesota, as a night school college for working adults, had its first graduates, a class of 12 of the 50 students admitted in 1972. The United States First Fleet was inactivated by the U.S. Navy and its duties and equipment were transferred to the United States Third Fleet. The Ekin Airbuggy, a single-seat autogyro powered by a Volkswagen 75 horsepower engine, made its first flight. Although the "flying motorcycle" would not become operational, the Airbuggy would go on sale in December 1975."English sale of new gyroplane", Flight International magazine, December 11, 1975, p. 852 Joseph Lyles, 17, became the 28th victim of serial killer Dean Corll, whom he had befriended after being introduced by a 17-year-old neighbor, David Owen Brooks.David Hanna, Harvest of Horror: Mass Murder in Houston (Belmont Tower, 1975) p. 30 The remains of Lyles, buried on a beach in Jefferson County, Texas, would not be located until more than 10 years later, and would not be identified until 2009."Relative of Long-lost Murder Victim: 'We Pretty Much Lost Hope'", Houston Chronicle, August 31, 2015Dallas News archives Police News, May 2010 edition Born: Abu Saleh al-Afri, Iraqi terrorist who was the later the financier for the ISIS, the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" group; as Muwaffaq Mustafa Mohammed al-Karmoush in Iraq (killed in U.S. airstrike, 2015)
February 2, 1973 (Friday) Three people were killed and 139 injured when a mentally-ill man walked into the Concord Cafeteria in Miami Beach, Florida, poured gasoline out of a large jar, and set it afire with a match."Explosive Is Set Off In Cafeteria, Injures 90 in Miami Beach", The New York Times, February 3, 1973, p. 1 James R. Schlesinger became the new U.S. Director of Central Intelligence, succeeding Richard M. Helms, who resigned after almost seven years as DCI. At the same time, five new members of the presidential cabinet secretaries were sworn in— Elliot Richardson (Defense), Frederick B. Dent (Commerce), Peter J. Brennan (Labor), James T. Lynn (HUD) and Claude S. Brinegar (Transportation)."Nixon Presides as Five Take Oath for Cabinet", Los Angeles Times, February 3, 1973, p. I-3 Pope Paul VI created the offices of 30 new Roman Catholic cardinals from 17 nations, with seven from Italy. The addition increased the size of the College of Cardinals to 145."Abp. Medeiros among 30 named cardinals", Boston Evening Globe, February 2, 1973, p. 1 Thirteen people were killed in an explosion that leveled the Chatterbox Cafe and a neighboring Coast to Coast hardware store in Eagle Grove, Iowa."Dig for Blast Victims— Fear 15 Killed in Tragedy", by Norman Brewer, Des Moines Tribune, February 3, 1973, p. 1"Death Toll 12, One Missing in Iowa Blast", Los Angeles Times, February 4, 1973, p. I-4 The Midnight Special, introduced by Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith), began an 8-season run as the first U.S. network series to run at 1:00 in the morning, premiering on NBC. A pilot episode had been shown on August 19, 1972, and the series premiere was hosted by Helen Reddy, with Ike and Tina Turner as the opening act."'Midnight Special' TV Milestone", by Jerry Coffey, Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram, February 2, 1973, p. 7-CThe Midnight Special episode guide, Internet Movie Database. President Richard Nixon sent his written State of the Union message to Congress rather than speaking to a joint session."State of Union 'sound and full of promise,' Nixon tells Congress", by Aldo Beckman, Chicago Tribune, February 3, 1973, p. 4 For the first time since 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was recovering from a heart attack, the President of the United States had the text printed rather than speaking on national television."State of the Union Report Will Be Silent", UPI report in Modesto (CA) Bee, January 31, 1973, p. 2 Born: Latino (stage name for Roberto de Souza Rocha), Brazilian singer; in Rio de Janeiro Died: Margaret Lowenfeld, 82, British pioneer in child psychology
February 3, 1973 (Saturday) Six people were shot to death and more wounded in two shootings by the Ulster Defense Association and by the British Army that happened within a few hours of each other in the predominantly-Catholic New Lodge neighborhood of Belfast in Northern Ireland."8 Killed, 15 Hurt in Pitched Belfast Battles", Los Angeles Times, February 5, 1973, p. I-6 Three of the dead were Irish Republican Army members, while another three were civilians who happened to be in the group fired upon."New Lodge Six Inquiry", by Fern Lane, An Phoblacht (Dublin), November 21, 2002 "Crocodile Rock", a song about a dance that never actually existed, reached the top of the U.S. charts, giving Elton John his first U.S. number-one single. A Scottish Cup tie at Glebe Park, Brechin, gave the stadium its highest ever attendance, greater than the total population of the town of Brechin. Born: Ilana Sod, Mexican newscaster; in Mexico City
February 4, 1973 (Sunday) The U.S. comic strip Hägar the Horrible, which would become popular worldwide, made its debut as a Sunday feature,"Hagar the Horrible Press Debut Today", Sunday Press (Atlantic City NJ), February 4, 1973, p.A1 with a daily version bowing in even more newspapers on Monday, February 5."New comic strip makes its debut", Hattiesburg (MS) American, February 5, 1973, p.1 Created by cartoonist Dik Browne, who also worked on Hi and Lois, the strip about a medieval viking and his family was introduced by King Features Syndicate. The first round of voting took place in the elections for the 18-member Conseil national in the principality of Monaco. The ruling Union Nationale et Démocratique (UND) won 16 seats, but for the first time since being created in 1962, did not control the entire parliament. The other two seats were won by Charles Soccal of the Democratic Union Movement for one of the 13 races decided in the first round), and Jean-Eugène Lorenzi the Monegasque Action party who won the runoff election against UND's Edmond Laforest de Minotty by 47 votes.Journal de MonacoNohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1357 An avalanche in Austria killed 10 members of a Bavarian skiing club, after sweeping down the side of Kirchspitze mountain in the Zillertal Alps near Innsbruck. The 36-member group was from Bad Aibling in West Germany and 24 were buried."11 Skiers in Austria Killed in Avalanches", UPI report in Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle, February 5, 1973, p.1"10 Skiers Killed by Avalance", Lubbock (TX) Avalanche-Journal, February 5, 1973, p.1 The 1976 Winter Olympics were awarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the Austrian city of Innsbruck after the U.S. city of Denver had become the first Olympic site to turn down an award to host the Games. Innsbruck finished ahead of Lake Placid, New York in the U.S., Chamonix in France, and Tampere in Finland."1976 Winter Olympics Awarded to Innsbruck— Austrian Resort Town Also Hosted Games in 1964", Los Angeles Times, February 5, 1973, p. III-1 Former Tunisian Finance Minister and Minister for Planning Ahmed Ben Salah, who had been jailed since 1970 after being convicted of treason, financial irregularities, falsification of statistics and "lack of trust in the head of state", was able to escape from prison in Tunis and fled to freedom in neighboring Algeria. The U.S. television news show 60 Minutes aired a segment, "The Selling of Colonel Herbert", which led to the CBS network being sued for libel by U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel) Anthony Herbert. The lawsuit would lead to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1979 in Herbert v. Lando, which rejected a claim of First Amendment protection against discovery requests of the editorial process. Herbert would end up losing his lawsuit in 1986.
February 5, 1973 (Monday) The People's Republic of China and Japan agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations. By agreement between the two nations, Chen Chu, the Deputy Representative of China to the United Nations, was named ambassador to Tokyo and Heishiro Ogawa Japan's emissary to Tokyo."The World", Los Angeles Times, February 6, 1973, p. I-2 "Riding a wave of popularity," "Lynch Orders Surprise Election Feb. 28 in Republic of Ireland", Los Angeles Times, February 6, 1973, p. I-5 the Republic of Ireland's Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Jack Lynch asked President Éamon de Valera to dissolve Parliament and to order a national election for the 144-seat Dáil Éireann, to be held on February 28. Lynch had set as a goal the strengthening of his government's position in bargaining with the UK on the future of Northern Ireland. The move would backfire. The Army of the Kingdom of Laos halted Operation Maharat II against the Communist Pathet Lao guerrillas after five weeks. A U.S. Air Force spy plane was shot down over Laos one week after the Paris Peace Accords had officially ended the United States involvement in the Vietnam War."U.S. Spy Plane Down in Laos; Crew Lost", Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1973, p. I-5 All eight crew of the EC-47 airplane were listed as killed, though the remains of only four crewmen would be located and their classification would later be changed to missing in action (MIA).Mark Sauter and Jim Sanders, The Men We Left Behind: Henry Kissinger, the politics of deceit and the tragic fate of POWs after the Vietnam War (University of Wisconsin, 1993)