February 24, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Kavis Reed!

270 years ago
1739

War
The army of Iranian ruler Nader Shah defeated the forces of Mughal Emperor of India Muhammad Shah in the Battle of Karnal in Punjab.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
George Robson. U.K.-born U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Robson was born in England before moving to Ontario and eventually settling in Indiana. He participated in three Indianapolis 500s, winning in 1946. Just over three months later, at the age of 37, he was killed when his car collided with that of George Barringer, who was also killed, during the Atlanta 100 on September 2, 1946.

August Derleth. U.S. writer. Mr. Derleth wrote more than 100 books and 150 short stories, as well as poems and essays. He was best known for the novels, non-fiction, and poetry that comprised the Sac Prairie Saga, inspired by his home town of Sauk City, Wisconsin. Mr. Derleth also created the fictional detective Solar Pons, a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes, who was the subject of 70 short stories and a novel. Mr. Derleth died of a heart attack on July 4, 1971 at the age of 62.

Riccardo Freda. Egyptian-born Italian film director and screenwriter. Mr. Freda wrote and/or directed movies in various genres in a career spanning almost 60 years. His films included I Vampiri (1957); The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962); and Revenge of the Musketeers (1994). Mr. Freda died on December 20, 1999 at the age of 90.

80 years ago
1929

Died on this date
André Messager, 75. French composer and conductor. Mr. Messager wrote eight ballets and 30 comic operas, operettas, and other works. His best-known works included the ballet Les Deux Pigeons (1886) and the comic opera Véronique (1898). As a conductor, Mr. Messager was best known for the premiere performance of Pelléas et Mélisande (1902) by Claude Debussy. Mr. Messager died after a short illness.

60 years ago
1949

Movies
Hamlet, directed by and starring Laurence Olivier, won the BAFTA award as the Best Film from Any Source.

Space
The United States launched the sounding rocket Bumper 5 from White Sands Proving Grounds in White Sands, New Mexico; the mission was a success.

War
The Armistice Agreements were signed in Rhodes, formally ending the hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Nationalist Chinese peace envoys met with Communist leaders Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai at Communist headquarters near Peking. U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson met with 30 Republican congressmen who were demanding greater aid to the Nationalist Chinese government; he refused to promise any change in U.S. policy toward China.

Yugoslavian Deputy Foreign Minister Ales Beber offered to reduce his country's demands on Austria at a London conference on the Austrian peace treaty.

Diplomacy
Pro-Soviet U.S. writer Anna Louise Strong arrived in New York after being deported from the U.S.S.R. on espionage charges.

Defense
The U.S. Air Force displayed a prototype of its newest jet fighter, the Republic XF-91, designed to fly at 700-900 miles per hour for high-altitude interception.

Oil
The U.S. Commerce Department lifted a 10-month restriction against exports of steel from completion of the 1,067-mile Trans-Arabian pipeline from Saudi Arabia to the Mediterranean Sea.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Senate Banking Committee passed a bipartisan bill providing $1.8 billion in grants, loans, and direct contributions for construction of low-cost public housing.

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Epilogue, starring Julie Adams, Charles Aidman, Charles Herbert, and William Schallert



Diplomacy
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev warned that if the West refused to sign a peace treaty with the two German states, the U.S.S.R. would negotiate a separate pact with East Germany and terminate its occupation functions in Berlin.

Oddities
American Airlines pilot Peter Killian saw what appeared to be three flying saucers accompanying his plane en route to Detroit from Newark; his sightings were substantiated by pilots of two other planes in the vicinity.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Blue Light Yokohama--Ayumi Ishida (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Eloise--Barry Ryan (6th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Build Me Up Buttercup--The Foundations
2 Everyday People--Sly & the Family Stone
3 Touch Me--The Doors
4 Can I Change My Mind--Tyrone Davis
5 Worst that Could Happen--Brooklyn Bridge
6 You Showed Me--The Turtles
7 Games People Play--Joe South
8 This Magic Moment--Jay and the Americans
9 Indian Giver--1910 Fruitgum Co.
10 These Eyes--The Guess Who?

Singles entering the chart were I Don't Know Why by Stevie Wonder (#68); Shotgun by the Vanilla Fudge (#71); The Weight by Aretha Franklin (#77); Albatross by Fleetwood Mac (#80); When He Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters) by Peaches and Herb (#83); Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show by Neil Diamond (#84); Back Door Man by Derek (#87); Soul Experience by Iron Butterfly (#89); King Size by Jayson Hoover (#92); My Deceiving Heart by the Impressions (#94); Snatching it Back by Clarence Carter (#95); I Like What You're Doing (To Me) by Carla Thomas (#96); Anything You Choose by Spanky and Our Gang (#97); Put the Torch to Me by Marquis (#98); Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' by Crazy Elephant (#99); and Twenty-Five Miles by Edwin Starr (#100).

Space
The United States launched Mariner 6 from Cape Kennedy, Florida; the probe was destined to fly by Mars in late July.

War
Israeli jets bombed two alleged guerrilla camps used as bases by Al Fatah on the Damascus-Beirut road in Syria, and claimed that hundreds of commandos were caught in the 30-minute strike and that two Syrian planes had been downed. The Israeli air strike was in retaliation for 12 terrorist attacks on Israeli-held Golan Heights from Syrian bases during the previous two weeks.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon continued his European trip with a visit to London. He was met by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson and had lunch with Queen Elizabeth II.

France declared that it would refuse to attend any meetings of the Western European Union until the WEU Permanent Council agreed to her condition that all meetings be called unanimously.

Politics and government
Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill fell short in an effort to win a mandate for his moderate reform program aimed at meeting civil rights demands of Ulster's Roman Catholic minority in the N.I. general election. Although Mr. O'Neill's Ulster Unionist Party won 36 of 52 seats in the House of Commons, the UUP was split into pro-O'Neill and anti-O'Neill factions, with 13 of the UUP's 36 seats going to the anti-O'Neill faction. The Nationalist Party, led by Eddie McAteer, was next with 6 seats. Mr. O'Neill retained his seat in the rural riding of Bannside with 7,745 votes to 6,631 for Protestant leader Rev. Ian Paisley.

Academia
Students at Pennsylvania State University occupied the administration building. U.S. President Nixon wrote a letter of praise to University of Notre Dame president Theodore Hesburgh endorsing Rev. Hesburgh's "get tough" policy on student protesters.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): My Life--Billy Joel

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Mi scappa la pipì, papà--Pippo Franco (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Chiquitita--ABBA (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Heart of Glass--Blondie (4th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back--Peter Tosh (support vocals: Mick Jagger) (3rd week at #1)
2 Chiquitita--ABBA
3 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)--Meat Loaf
4 'k Heb Hele Grote Bloemkoole--André Van Duin (als Meneer De Bok)
5 Le Freak--Chic
6 Now that We Found Love--Third World
7 How You Gonna See Me Now--Alice Cooper
8 Every Time I Think of You--The Babys
9 Fire!--Pointer Sisters
10 Ik Ben Verliefd Op John Travolta--Sandy

Singles entering the chart were Tragedy by the Bee Gees (#21); The Runner by the Three Degrees (#29); Save the Last Dance for Me by Jerry Lee Lewis and Friends (#30); Let's Start the Dance by Bohannon (#32); and Ruthless Queen by Kayak (#33).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (3rd week at #1)
2 Fire--Pointer Sisters
3 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
4 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
5 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
6 Tragedy--Bee Gees
7 Le Freak--Chic
8 Lotta Love--Nicolette Larson
9 Somewhere in the Night--Barry Manilow
10 I was Made for Dancin'--Leif Garrett

Singles entering the chart were Watch Out for Lucy by Eric Clapton and his Band (#77); It Hurts So Bad by Kim Carnes (#78); Love Ballad by George Benson (#81); Roxanne by the Police (#82); You Can't Win (Part 1) by Michael Jackson (#83); Call Out My Name by Zwol (#85); Stay the Night by the Faragher Brothers (#88); Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop) by Parliament (#89); Make it Last by Brooklyn Dreams (#90); Can You Read My Mind by Maureen McGovern (#92); This is It by Dan Hartman (#93); and Heartaches by BTO (#94). Can You Read My Mind was from the movie Superman (1978).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (4th week at #1)
2 Fire--Pointer Sisters
3 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
4 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
5 Le Freak--Chic
6 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
7 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
8 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
9 Shake Your Groove Thing--Peaches & Herb
10 Shake It--Ian Matthews

Singles entering the chart were Love Ballad by George Benson (#83); I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get it Girl) by Instant Funk (#84); Stay the Night by the Faragher Brothers (#86); Blow Away by George Harrison (#88); Our Love is Insane by Desmond Child and Rouge (#96); and Love Struck by Stonebolt (#98).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart
2 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
3 Fire--Pointer Sisters
4 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
5 Lotta Love--Nicolette Larson
6 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
7 Every 1's a Winner--Hot Chocolate
8 Shake It--Ian Matthews
9 My Life--Billy Joel
10 Somewhere in the Night--Barry Manilow

Singles entering the chart were Giving Up, Giving In by the Three Degrees (#92); Pick on Me by Dan Hill (#96); Instant Replay by Dan Hartman (#97); and For Your Love by Chilly (#100).

Defense
U.S. President Jimmy Carter named Army Chief of Staff General Bernard H. Rogers to succeed General Alexander Haig as commander of United States forces in Europe and Supreme Commander of NATO forces.

Scandal
Joshua Eilberg, former Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania, was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 5 years' probation after pleading to charges that while in office he illegally accepted money for helping his former law firm obtain a $14.5 million grant for a Philadelphia hospital.

Disasters
A coal gas explosion ripped through Number 26 Colliery in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, killing 12 men.

Hockey
NHL
Detroit 1 @ New York Islanders 3
St. Louis 4 @ Montreal 6
New York Rangers 4 @ Toronto 2
Boston 4 @ Vancouver 3

Islanders' right wing Mike Bossy reached the 50-goal mark for the second consecutive season when he knocked in his second goal of the night in his team's win over the Wings at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Maggie--Foster and Allen (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Tyrone Mitchell, 28. U.S. criminal. Mr. Mitchell killed two children and injured 12 more in a shooting at the 49th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles before turning the gun on himself. He had suffered a nervous breakdown when his parents, four sisters, and a brother had died in the mass suicide of the People's Temple cult in Jonestown, Guyana on November 18, 1978.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the consumer price index had increased 0.6% in January, the largest increase since April 1983.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): First Time--Robin Beck (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Sparky Adams, 94. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Adams was an infielder with the Chicago Cubs (1922-1927); Pittsburgh Pirates (1928-1929); St. Louis Cardinals (1930-1933); and Cincinnati Reds (1933-1934), batting .286 with 9 home runs and 394 runs batted in in 1,424 games. He hit .314 with the Cardinals when they won the National League pennant in 1930, and .293 with a league-leading 46 doubles as the Cardinals won the World Series in 1931. Mr. Adams was, at 5' 4 1/2", the shortest player in the major leagues during his career, and was the last surviving member of the Cardinals' 1931 World Series championship team.

Music
John O'Conor finished recording the album Nocturnes of John Field at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts.

World events
48 days after his death, Japan's Emperor Hirohito was buried in Tokyo in a day-long Shinto ceremony. 160 countries were represented, and 55 heads of state were in attendance, including U.S. President George Bush.

Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa offered a $3-million bounty for the death of British novelist Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses (1988), deemed to be disrespectful to the prophet Muhammad.

Protest
Indian police shot and killed 12 people and wounded 40 during a riot in Bombay against Salman Rushdie.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board increased its discount rate--the rate on loans paid by financial institutions--from 6.5% to 7.0%, the highest level in almost three years.

Disasters
United Airlines Flight 811, a Boeing 747-122 jet bound for Auckland from Honolulu, suffered a cargo door failure 16 minutes after takeoff, blowing 9 passengers out of the business-class section to their deaths.

10 years ago
1999

Scandal
In a television interview broadcast this night, Juanita Broaddrick claimed that U.S. President Bill Clinton had raped her in a Little Rock hotel room in April 1978 while she was attending a nurses' conference.

Law
The Macpherson Report into the 1993 murder of Negro teenager Stephen Lawrence in London stated that the Metropolitan Police force was "institutionally racist," and condemned officers for "fundamental errors." Mr. Lawrence was stabbed to death by white youths at a London bus stop, but charges charges were dropped because of lack of evidence, and a later private prosecution by Mr. Lawrence's parents was similarly unsuccessful.