February 29 (2021)

225 years ago
1796

Diplomacy
The Jay Treaty, negotiated November 19, 1794, came into force, defining the boundary in North America between Loyalist and American territories. Both parties had free use of the Great Lakes.

125 years ago
1896

Born on this date
William A. Wellman. U.S. movie director. Mr. Wellman was known for movies such as Wings (1927); The Public Enemy (1931); A Star is Born (1937); Beau Geste (1939); The Ox-Bow Incident (1943); and The High and the Mighty (1954). He won an Academy Award for his story for A Star is Born. Mr. Wellman died on December 9, 1975 at the age of 79.

Morarji Desai. Prime Minister of India, 1977-1979. Mr. Desai was affiliated with several parties and held several positions before leading the Janata Party to victory and becoming India's first Prime Minister from a party other than the Congress Party. He died on April 10, 1995 at the age of 99.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Spaceman--Babylon Zoo (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Spaceman--Babylon Zoo (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Sinclair Ross, 88. Canadian author. Mr. Ross, a native of Shellbrook, Saskatchewan, was known for The Lamp at Noon and Other Stories (1968), and the novels As For Me and My House (1941); The Well (1958); Whir of Gold (1970); and Sawbones Memorial (1974).

Ralph Rowe, 71. U.S. baseball player and coach. Mr. Rowe was an outfielder in various minor leagues from 1942-1961, batting .296 with 89 home runs. He made it as high as the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League (1949) and the Springfield Cubs of the International Leauge (1952). Mr. Rowe managed in the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins organization from 1959-1971, winning four league championships. He served as the Twins' third base coach from 1972-1975 and as the batting coach with the Baltimore Orioles from 1981-1984; he was with the Orioles when they won the World Series in 1983.

Wes Farrell, 56. U.S. songwriter and record producer. Mr. Farrell was one of the most prolific songwriters in pop music in the 1960s and early '70s, co-writing such songs as Boys and Hang On Sloopy, and numerous songs for the Partridge Family. He died of cancer.

War
The siege of Sarajevo officially ended, four years to the day since Bosnian Muslims and Croats had voted in a referendum to break away from Yugoslavia.

World events
A Greek warship and a Turkish naval vessel collided in Greek waters. The countries were in a dispute over an island in the Aegean Sea, and Turkey had recalled her ambassador from Greece a week earlier. Greece had rejected an offer from the United States to mediate the dispute.

Defense
The United Nations extended the mandate of its mission in Haiti, although the United States indicated that it would pull out as scheduled. Canada took command of the mission.

Economics and finance
The Venezuelan government of President Rafael Caldera Rodriguez suspended talks with the International Monetary Fund, following demonstrations by students, professors, and civil servants protesting IMF-enforced changes. The suspension delayed the release of a $7.5-billion rescue package.

Disasters
Faucett Flight 251, a Boeing 737-200 jet, crashed on approach to Rodríguez Ballón International Airport at Arequipa, Peru while making its first stop on a flight from Lima to Tacna. All 123 passengers and crew were killed.