code: private static Date parse(String date) {
          for (int i = 0; i < fmt.length; i++) {
              try {
                  SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat(fmt[i]);
                  return df.parse(date);
              } catch (ParseException E) {
                  // keep trying
              }
          }
          throw new IllegalArgumentException(date);
      }
docs: parse the date using the formats above. This is thread safe.
  
  @param date
  @return