February 21

February 21 in the history of the Birmingham District:

• 2010: UAB Women & Infants Center opened.
• 2009: Tony's Terrific Hot Dogs closed.
• 1997: Abortion clinic bomber Eric Robert Rudolph detonated a bomb outside the Otherside Lounge, a nightclub in Atlanta.
• 1994: Hithchiker Vickie Deblieux was picked up in Trussville by four teenagers who beat and kicked her to death and later mutilated her corpse.
• 1945: Marine Sergeant Ross Gray single-handedly cleared a mine field on Iwo Jima while taking enemy small arms fire, earning a Medal of Honor for his heroism.
• 1913: The dormant Oxmoor Furnaces were put back into blast to supply iron for World War I.
• 1899: 5 miners were killed in the 1899 Blocton No. 2 Mine explosion.
• 1883: The Elyton Land Company sold Central Park (Linn Park), East Park (Marconi Park) and West Park (Kelly Ingram Park) to the City of Birmingham for $10 each.

B. O. Hargrove, born February 21, 1887

Births

• 1961: State Representative and Birmingham City Council member John Hilliard was born.
• 1954: State Senator Sundra Escott was born.
• 1948: Southern Living editor John Floyd was born in Selma, Dallas County.
• 1931: Artist and historian James Walker was born in Birmingham.
• 1920: Jazz musician Sam Ranelli was born.
• 1919: Attorney Louis Oberdorfer was born in Birmingham.
• 1887: Fire Chief B. O. Hargrove was born.
• 1869: United Daughters of the Confederacy leader Eula Smith was born.

Deaths

• 2019: Real estate agent Bettie Hurd died.
• 2013: Attorney Louis Oberdorfer died on his 94th birthday in Washington D.C.
• 2000: Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer Ron Casey died.
• 1994: Hithchiker Vickie Deblieux was picked up in Trussville by four teenagers who beat and kicked her to death and later mutilated her corpse.
• 1914: Birmingham Barons manager Harry Vaughn died in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• 1899: 5 miners were killed in the 1899 Blocton No. 2 Mine explosion.

Sports

• 2001: The Birmingham Thunderbolts lone season began.