February 15
1519: Pedro Menendez de Aviles – founder of Santa Elena, the first colonial capital of Spanish Florida on Parris Island in the Port Royal Sound – is born in Spain. Menendez de Aviles was the first Governor of Florida and the first European man to convert native Americans to Christianity.
2016: Beaufort author Pat Conroy announces publicly on his Facebook page that he is battling pancreatic cancer.
February 16
1970: Joe Frazier defeats Jimmy Ellis at Madison Square Garden in New York City to improve to 25-0 and win the WBA and vacant WBC world heavyweight titles.
February 20
1995: Dee Delaney is born in Beaufort. Delaney, a Seabrook native, was a star athlete at Whale Branch Early College High School, earning 14 total varsity letters in four sports – baseball, basketball, football and track. Delaney played college football at The Citadel, then the University of Miami (Fla.). Delaney has played for five teams (Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in the NFL and is still active.
– Compiled by Mike McCombs
