January 4, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Angela Ieriti and Agness Nyambe!

360 years ago
1649

Politics and government
England's Rump Parliament voted to put King Charles I on trial.

200 years ago
1809

Born on this date
Louis Braille. French educator. Mr. Braille went blind in both eyes by the age of 5 after a childhood accident. He attended a school for blind children, and by the age of 15, had largely completed the creation of the reading system of raised dots that was named for him. The Braille system was largely ignored during Mr. Braille's lifetime, but began to achieve wider use in 1854, two years after his death from a respiratory illness--perhaps tuberculosis--on January 6, 1852, two days after his 43rd birthday.

170 years ago
1839

Died on this date
Christopher Buckley. Canadian rebel. Mr. Buckley was executed in Kingston for his role in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.

Diplomacy
Upper Canada Rebellion leader William Lyon Mackenzie was arrested in Buffalo, New York for violating U.S. neutrality laws.

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
Tommy Corcoran. U.S. baseball player and umpire. Mr. Corcoran was a shortstop with the Pittsburgh Burghers (1890); Philadelphia Athletics (1891); Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1892-1896); Cincinnati Reds (1897-1906); and New York Giants (1907), batting .256 with 34 home runs and 1,137 runs batted in in 2,205 games. On August 7, 1903, he made 14 assists, which remains the major league record for a 9-inning game. Mr. Corcoran became an umpire after his playing days, and umpired for a season in the Federal League. He died on June 25, 1960 at the age of 91.

130 years ago
1879

Business
The Winnipeg Board of Trade was registered.

125 years ago
1884

World events
The Fabian Society, an organization dedicated to bringing in socialism worldwide through gradual and stealthy methods, was created. Judging by conditions in 2009, they seem to have been, and continue to be, rather successful.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
M. Patanjali Sastri. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, 1951-1954. Mr. Sastri began his career as a lawyer in 1914, specializing in tax law. He was appointed to the Madras High Court in 1939 and in 1947 to the Federal Court, which became the Supreme Court. Justice Sastri acceded to the position of Chief Justice on November 7, 1951, and served until reaching retirement age on his 65th birthday. He served on various boards until his death from a heart attack on March 16, 1963 at the age of 74.

Transportation
Vancouver, British Columbia's Granville Street Bridge, the first of three on the site, opened to traffic.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
Georg von Hertling, 75. Chancellor of the German Empire, 1917-1918. Mr. Hertling, a member of the Centre Party, was Minister-President of Bavaria from 1912-1917 before serving as Chancellor of the German Empire and Minister-President of Prussia. He was viewed as a puppet of German military leaders during the last year of World War I, and was forced to resign as Chancellor on September 30, 1918 when it was clear that he was unable to manage the collapse of the home front. Mr. Hertling died just three months later.

Art
Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden was in London to open an exhibit of over 400 World War I paintings by British and Canadian artists.

60 years ago
1949

Died on this date
August H. Pfund, 69. U.S. physicist. Dr. Pfund was an authority on optics; he invented the Pfund telescope--a method for achieving a fixed telescope focal point regardless of where the telescope line of sight is positioned--and the Pfund sky compass, which greatly helped transpolar flights by allowing the determination of the Sun's direction in twilight.

War
Dutch Prime Minister Willem Drees left Holland to begin a peace mission to Indonesia.

Scandal
A U.S. House of Representatives special committee cleared high officials in the administration of President Harry Truman of charges that they had used confidential information to speculate in the commodity markets.

Economics and finance
A United Nations Security Council committee of experts issued a plan for settlement of the Berlin currency control dispute, calling for the creation of separate banking systems for East and West Berlin and a new bank of issue for the entire city under the supervision of the U.S.A., U.S.S.R., U.K., and France.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): When--The Kalin Twins (17th week at #1)

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Six People, No Music, starring John McGiver, Peggy Cass, and Howard Smith

Space
The U.S.S.R. lunar probe Lunik 1, which was intended to crash on the Moon, made its closest approach at 3,725 miles, but ended up flying by the Moon because of an incorrectly-timed stage burn during its January 2 launch.

War
Under a truce negotiated by Indonesian Army Colonel Gaharu and Darul Islam leader Daub Beurech, fighting ended in the Atjeh Province of North Sumatra between government forces and Danul Islam guerrillas.

Protest
Serious rioting began in the Belgian Congolese capital of Leopoldville, after African police tried to disperse a banned political meeting of the Abako organization of Lower Congolese. Demonstrators drew police gunfire when they smashed European shops and shouted anti-Belgian slogans.

Diplomacy
U.S. and Soviet Red Army political advisers reached agreement at the Marienborn checkpoint to to end detention by Soviet authorities of an American truck convoy bound for West Germany along the autobahn from West Berlin.

The U.S.S.R. rejected Italian requests for permission to organize a Red Cross search for missing Italian World War II prisoners believed to be alive in Soviet territory.

Chess
Bobby Fischer, 15, retained his U.S. championship by winning the national tournament in New York.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): White Room--Cream/Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Little Arrows--Leapy Lee (8th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Casatchok--Dimitri Dourakine and his Orchestra

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Zum zum zum--Sylvie Vartan (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heidschi Bumbeidschi--Heintje (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Lily the Pink--The Scaffold (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Lily the Pink--The Scaffold (4th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Hair--Zen
2 Eloise--Barry Ryan
3 Battle Hymn of the Republic--Andy Williams with the St. Charles Borromeo Choir
4 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
5 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade
6 Jerushala'im Shel Zahav--Rika Zarai
7 Lea--The Cats
8 Ain't Got No--I Got Life--Nina Simone
9 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
10 In the Beginning--Boots

Singles entering the chart were Albatross by Fleetwood Mac (#33); In Your Life by the Tower (#35); and Race with the Devil by the Gun (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (4th week at #1)
2 For Once in My Life--Stevie Wonder
3 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
4 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
5 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
6 Cloud Nine--The Temptations
7 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
8 Stormy--Classics IV
9 Who's Making Love--Johnnie Taylor
10 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas

Singles entering the chart were Baby, Baby Don't Cry by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#53); I Forgot to Be Your Lover by William Bell (#81); Rain in My Heart by Frank Sinatra (#82); Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations (#84); Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by Arthur Conley (#88); She's a Lady by John Sebastian (#89); You Showed Me by the Turtles (#90); If it Wasn't for Bad Luck by Ray Charles and Jimmy Lewis (#92); Looking Back by Joe Simon (#94); Ain't Got No; I Got Life by Nina Simone (#99); and Goodnight My Love by Paul Anka (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (3rd week at #1)
2 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
3 Stormy--Classics IV
4 I Love How You Love Me--Bobby Vinton
5 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
6 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
7 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
8 Cloud Nine--The Temptations
9 For Once in My Life--Stevie Wonder
10 Cinnamon--Derek

Singles entering the chart were Baby, Baby Don't Cry by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#78); Long Line Rider by Bobby Darin (#83); Daddy Sang Bass by Johnny Cash (#84); I Can't Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You) by Al Martino (#93); and Will You Be Staying After Sunday by the Peppermint Rainbow (#95).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
2 Beyond the Clouds--The Poppy Family
3 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
4 Elephant Candy--The Fun and Games
5 Recipe for Love--The Dew Line
6 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
7 Of a Dropping Pin--The Guess Who?
8 Bella Linda--The Grass Roots
9 Revolution/Hey Jude--The Beatles
7 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
10 White Houses--Eric Burdon and the Animals
Pick hit of the week: I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Aydee Ramirez!

Died on this date
Paul Chambers, 33. U.S. musician. Mr. Chambers was a jazz double bassist who was a key figure in the development of the use of the instrument in jazz, serving as a bandleader or sideman. He was especially known for working with Miles Davis' "first great quintet" (1955-1963) and with pianist Wynton Kelly (1963-1968). Mr. Chambers developed addictions to heroin and alcohol, which likely contributed to his death from tuberculosis.

Diplomacy
In a treaty signed in Fez, Spain, Spain agreed to return its North African enclave of Ifni to Morocco on June 30, 1969.

Protest
A 73-mile march of Roman Catholic students that had begun on January 1 in Belfast, Northern Ireland was disrupted 7 miles short of its destination in Londonderry when 200 Protestants attacked 100 marchers, leaving 111 injured, including two policemen. The students were protesting discrimination in housing, voting, and employment.

Disasters
Two days of earthquakes in northeastern Iran killed at least 50 people and injured 300.

Floods in central Java left more than 2,000 families homeless.

30 years ago
1979

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Friend's Affair

Protest
The Ohio State Controlling Board approved an out-of-court settlement of the civil liability case that had come out of the shootings of students by National Guardsmen at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. The nine students who had been wounded and the parents of the four students who had been killed would receive a total of $675,000. The first civil suit had ended in 1975 with a judgment in federal court against the plaintiffs, but a retrial had been granted as a result of procedural errors in the first trial. After the state board made the award, the second trial was ended as it was about to hear testimony. A statement of regret that had been sought by the plaintiffs was signed by Governor James Rhodes and the 27 National Guardsmen who were defendants in the case.

Hockey
NHL-U.S.S.R. exhibition
Super Series '79
Soviet Wings 5 @ Detroit 6

25 years ago
1984

War
Israeli forces bombed Shiite Muslim positions in eastern Lebanon. Lebanese police reported that many civilians were among the more than 100 people killed. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said that there could be no pullout of the international force from Beirut unless the United States provided an alternative force.

Diplomacy
Rev. Jesse Jackson, his entourage, and U.S. Navy Lieutenant Robert Goodman arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, the day after Rev. Jackson had concluded his trip to Syria with a visit with Syrian Foreign Minister Abdel Halim Khaddam, which followed an order from Syrian President Hafez al-Assad that Lt. Goodman, who had been shot down near Beirut on December 4, 1983, be released.

Hockey
NHL
Minnesota 8 @ Edmonton 12

Wayne Gretzky scored 8 points in a game--4 goals and 4 assists--for the second time in his NHL career as the Oilers beat the North Stars at Northlands Coliseum.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland):

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vingar--Mikael Rickfors (2nd week at #1)

War
Two U.S. Navy F-14 fighter planes and two Libyan MiG-23 fighters clashed in international waters off the Libyan coast, and both Libyan planes were downed. U.S. Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci said that the U.S. pilots took evasive action, but that the Libyans closed in with apparent "hostile intent."

Politics and government
U.S. Vice President George Bush presided over a joint session of Congress--the first day of business for the 101st United States Congress. The principal task was the announcement of the votes cast for president and vice-president in the 1988 election by members of the Electoral College. Mr. Bush, the Republican party candidate for President, announced his own victory, with 426 votes to 111 for Massachusetts Governor and Democratic party candidate Michael Dukakis. One Democratic elector voted for U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen (Democrat--Texas), who had been Mr. Dukakis's vice-presidential running mate.

Economics and finance
The United States Congressional Budget Office estimated that the federal deficit for the 1990 fiscal year would be $141 billion, much higher than the White House estimate of $125 billion. CBO calculations were based on higher interest rates and slower economic growth than White House estimates.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Iron Eyes Cody, 94. U.S. actor. Mr. Cody, born Espera Oscar de Corti, portrayed American Indians in at least 200 movies and numerous television programs. He's probably best remembered for his supporting performance as Chief Iron Eyes in the Bob Hope movie The Paleface (1948), and for shedding a tear in the "Keep America Beautiful" television public service announcements in the early 1970. Although Mr. Cody always promoted himself as an Indian, it was proven after his death that he was actually of Sicilian ancestry.

Politics and government
Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura, who had been elected two months earlier as an independent candidate, was sworn in as governor of Minnesota.