On this day: January 21

Pentagon Acknowledges Cold War-Era Secret Tunnel Network

In January 1994 the Pentagon publicly confirmed the existence of a network of Cold War-era tunnels beneath military and government sites, long suspected by researchers and local communities but rarely admitted in official records.

John McEnroe Disqualified from 1990 Australian Open for Misconduct

On January 21, 1990, John McEnroe was disqualified from the Australian Open after an on‑court incident resulting in default for repeated code violations and misconduct. The decision ended his participation in the tournament and drew wide attention to player discipline at Grand Slam events.

Police Name Suspect in Black Dahlia Case

On January 21, 1947, Los Angeles police publicly identified a man they had focused on in the investigation into Elizabeth Short's killing—known in the press as the 'Black Dahlia'—though the case remained officially unsolved and the identification was contested.

Earliest documented facial reconstruction from a skull, 1912

On January 21, 1912, Hungarian anatomist and artist László Batthyány (often credited as L. P. A. Bethe or by other variants) published one of the first documented attempts to reconstruct a face from a human skull, marking an important early step in forensic and anatomical portraiture.

Jackie Smith drops would-be touchdown in Super Bowl XIII

In Super Bowl XIII (January 21, 1979), Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith dropped a pass in the end zone late in the first half that would have tied the game; the play is remembered as one of the most consequential drops in Super Bowl history.