January 29

January 29: This Day in History

• 1845— Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven was published in the New York Evening Mirror.
• 1886— Karl Benz patented his Motorwagen, widely regarded as the first true automobile powered by a gasoline engine.
• 1936— The first class of the Baseball Hall of Fame was inducted, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Honus Wagner.
• 1979— Brenda Ann Spencer opened fire at a San Diego elementary school, killing two adults and injuring nine children.

Famous Birthdays on January 29

• Tom Selleck (1945) — actor known for Magnum P.I. and Blue Bloods
• Oprah Winfrey (1954) — media mogul, talk show host, and philanthropist
• Adam Lambert (1982) — singer and American Idol runner-up who fronts Queen
• Sara Gilbert (1975) — actress and talk show host known for Roseanne
• Heather Graham (1970) — actress known for Boogie Nights and Austin Powers

What Happens on January 29?

Did You Know? January 29 Fun Facts

• Oprah Winfrey, born January 29, 1954, grew up in poverty and went on to become one of the wealthiest self-made women in history.
• Karl Benz's 1886 Motorwagen patent, filed on January 29, is officially recognized as the birth certificate of the automobile.
• The Raven, published January 29, 1845, made Edgar Allan Poe immediately famous — though he reportedly received only nine dollars for it.