Today is Tuesday, February 9, the 40th day of 2010. There are 325 days left in the year.
1540 _ The first recorded race meet in England (Roodee Fields, Chester)
1674 _ English re-conquer New York from Netherlands
1863 _ Fire extinguisher patented by Alanson Crane
1885 _ First Japanese arrive in Hawaii
1923 _ Soviet Aeroflot airlines established
1943 _ FDR orders minimal 48-hour workweek in war industry
1963 _ First flight of Boeing 727 jet
1964 _ First appearance of Beatles on ``Ed Sullivan Show" (73.7 million viewers)
1972 _ British government declares state of emergency after month-long miners' strike
1985 _ Madonna's ``Like a Virgin" album goes No. 1 for three weeks