February 25, 2009

230 years ago
1779

War
U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark accepted British Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton’s unconditional surrender of Fort Sackville at Vincennes, Indiana.

200 years ago
1809

Born on this date
John Hart. U.K.-born-Australian politician. Mr. Hart was a sailor who first visited Australia in 1828, and settled in Adelaide in 1846. He was first elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in 1851, holding various offices, and serving as Premier of South Australia three times (October 1865-March 1866; September-October 1868; May 1870-November 1871). Mr. Hart was still a member of the House of Assembly when he died suddenly on January 28, 1873, four weeks before his 64th birthday.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Homer Ferguson. U.S. politician, diplomat, and judge. Mr. Ferguson, a Republican, represented Michigan in the United States Senate from 1943-1955, chairing the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 1953-1955. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines (1955-1956) and then as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (1956-1971). Mr. Ferguson died on December 17, 1982 at the age of 93.

110 years ago
1899

Died on this date
Paul Reuter, 82. German-born U.K. journalist. Mr. Reuter, born Israel Josaphat, moved to England in 1845 and founded Reuters News Agency in 1851. He eventually became a baron.

Hockey
CAHL
Ottawa (4-4) @ Quebec (0-8) (Ottawa won by forfeit)
Montreal Victorias (6-1) 10 @ Montreal (3-5) 6

The Quebec Hockey Club had dropped out of the league after losing their first six games, and forfeited their last two scheduled games.

90 years ago
1919

Economics and finance
Oregon placed a one cent per gallon tax on gasoline, becoming the first U.S. state to levy a gasoline tax.

75 years ago
1934

Died on this date
John McGraw, 60. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. McGraw was an infielder with the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association and National League (1891-1899); St. Louis Cardinals (1900); Baltimore Orioles of the American League (1901-1902); and New York Giants (1902-1906), batting .334 with 13 home runs and 462 runs batted in in 1,099 games. The Orioles of the 1890s became a legendary team, in no small part because of the dirty style of play of men such as Mr. McGraw. He managed the NL Orioles in 1899 and the AL Orioles in 1901-1902, before running afoul of AL President Ban Johnson. Mr. McGraw then moved to the Giants, managing them until his resignation 40 games into the 1932 season. Under Mr. McGraw, the Giants won 10 NL pennants and World Series in 1905, 1921, and 1922. Mr. McGraw finished his managerial career with a record of 2,763-1,948, a winning percentage of .586. His total of wins remains second to Connie Mack's total of 3,731. Mr. McGraw's still holds the National League record with 2,669 wins. He came out of retirement to manage the National League in the first All-Star Game in 1933, which the American League won 4-2. Mr. McGraw was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.

70 years ago
1939

Defense
The first of 2​1⁄2 million Anderson air raid shelters appeared in North London.

60 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Your Show Time, hosted and narrated by Arthur Shields, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Invisible Wound, starring Reginald Denny and Maria Palmer

Space
A two-stage rocket reached a record altitude of 250 miles at a speed of 5,000 miles per hour above the White Sands proving grounds in New Mexico.

World events
15 Bulgarian Protestant leaders went on trial before a court in Sofia on charges of espionage and currency speculation. Three defendants read confessions in the opening session.

The Wuerttemberg-Baden Denazification Review Board nullified the eight-year prison sentence of former Riechsbank direcotr Hjalmar Schacht.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman appointed James McDonald the first U.S. Ambassador to Israel, while Eliahu Elath was named Israeli Ambassador to the U.S.A.

Defense
A 20,000-man U.S. Navy task force returned to the United States after completing Operation Micowex, a month of amphibious maneuvers in the North Pacific Ocean.

Transportation
Eastern and National Airlines agreed to interchange traffic between Florida and Texas.

Economics and finance
The German Economic Administration of the U.S.-U.K. zone nominated 12 management trustees to direct the heavy industry of the Ruhr, with nominees requiring the approval of the Western Allied military governors.

Business
The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Borad granted a $7.8-million increase in airmail subsidies to seven U.S. airlines in an attempt to offset 1948 airline losses.

General Motors promised a $10-$40 price reduction of new cars.

Labour
General Motors announced that wages of 341,000 employees would be cut on March 7 under its cost-of-living contract with the United Auto Workers of America due to falling living costs.

50 years ago
1959

Politics and government
The U.S. Republican National Committee appointed a 44-member commission headed by Charles Percy, president of Bell & Howell Company, to draft a statement of the Republican Party's positions and objectives for the next 10-12 years.

Protest
One Somali was killed and 14 wounded in political rioting in Mogadishu.

Energy
The first of four nuclear reactors under construction in Scotland began supplying current to Britain's national power grid.

Transportation
El Al Airlines began airlifts between Vienna and Lydda airport in Israel to handle increased numbers of Jewish emigrants from Romania.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da--The Beatles (5th week at #1)

Music
The single Memories/Charro by Elvis Presley was released on RCA Victor Records.

War
At the Paris peace talks, U.S. officials criticized the latest Viet Cong and North Vietnamese offensive against South Vietnam, saying that the attacks raised the question of whether the Communists really wanted peace.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon visited the House of Commons in London.

Protest
A high school student who identified himself as "Human Torch No. 2" died in Prague after setting himself afire in Saint Wenceslaus Square to protest the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.

Terrorism
A bomb exploded in Montreal, the tenth to explode in the city since the beginning of the year.

Politics and government
Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill said that he would not resign despite not being given a mandate for his moderate reform program aimed at meeting civil rights demands of the Roman Catholic minority in Northern Ireland.

Academia
Dr. William H. Masterson resigned as president of Rice University in Houston, Texas, three days after 1,000 students and 200 faculty members had rallied to protest his appointment.

Students at Pennsylvania State University complied with a court injunction and ended their occupation of the administration building.

Weather
Three days of heavy rain in southern California concluded with at least 12,500 homeless and 10 dead in mudslides and floods.

Disasters
A fire that swept through a Fifth Avenue office building in New York killed 11 and critically burned 5.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Y.M.C.A.--Village People

#1 single in Switzerland: Y.M.C.A.--Village People (6th week at #1)

War
Heavy fighting continued on the northern border between Vietnam and China. Chinese Deputy Premier Wang Chen claimed that China's invasion of Vietnamese territory would be "limited in scope and duration."

Fighting erupted along the border between Yemen and South Yemen as both nations accused each other of staging an invasion.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Jimmy Carter invited Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to join him and Egyptian Premier Mustafa Khalil at the Camp David peace talks in a bold move to hasten efforts to conclude a peace treaty.

Scandal
U.S. President Jimmy Carter disavowed recent comments by his brother Billy that were widely regarded as anti-Semitic, saying that he regretted them, and that they did not reflect his views.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La Donna Cannone--Francesco De Gregori (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Love of the Common People--Paul Young (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Radio Ga Ga--Queen

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Relax--Frankie Goes to Hollywood (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jump--Van Halen

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Jump--Van Halen
2 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
3 Joanna--Kool & The Gang
4 Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper
5 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
6 99 Luftballons--Nena
7 Nobody Told Me--John Lennon
8 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
9 Thriller--Michael Jackson
10 Let the Music Play--Shannon

Singles entering the chart were They Don't Know by Tracey Ullman (#66); Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) by Phil Collins (#70); Tonight by Kool & The Gang (#80); Make My Day by T.G. Sheppard with Clint Eastwood (#85); Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler (#88); and One in a Million by the Romantics (#89). Against All Odds was the title song of the movie.

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Red Red Wine--UB40 (2nd week at #1)
2 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
3 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
4 Nobody Told Me--John Lennon
5 99 Red Balloons--Nena
6 Jump--Van Halen
7 Break My Stride--Matthew Wilder
8 Thriller--Michael Jackson
9 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
10 Wrapped Around Your Finger--The Police

Singles entering the chart were Hold Me Now by Thompson Twins (#43); Footloose by Kenny Loggins (#44); Almost Over You by Sheena Easton (#47); All Right Now by the Santers (#48); and Don't Let Go by Wang Chung (#50).

Disasters
At least 508 people were killed in the explosion of an oil pipeline and the subsequent fire on the outskirts of Cubatao, Brazil.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): 051/222525--Fabio Concato (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): You Got It--Roy Orbison (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Buffalo Stance--Neneh Cherry

#1 single in France (SNEP): Pour toi Arménie--Charles Aznavour and various artists (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Belfast Child--Simple Minds

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Straight Up--Paula Abdul (3rd week at #1)
2 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
3 Wild Thing--Tone Loc
4 The Lover in Me--Sheena Easton
5 Born to Be My Baby--Bon Jovi
6 She Wants to Dance with Me--Rick Astley
7 You Got It (The Right Stuff)--New Kids on the Block
8 What I Am--Edie Brickell and New Bohemians
9 The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics
10 Walking Away--Information Society

Singles entering the chart were Heaven Help Me by Deon Estus (with George Michael) (#67); It's Only Love by Simply Red (#77); Seventeen by Winger (#78); Driven Out by the Fixx (#81); Radio Romance by Tiffany (#84); Birthday Suit by Johnny Kemp (#85); Falling Out of Love by Ivan Neville (#91); This Time by Kiara (Duet with Shanice Wilson (#93); I Can't Face the Fact by Gina Go-Go (#94); and Tribute (Right On) by the Pasadenas (#97).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
2 Straight Up--Paula Abdul
3 The Lover in Me--Sheena Easton
4 Born to Be My Baby--Bon Jovi
5 You Got It (The Right Stuff)--New Kids on the Block
6 She Wants to Dance with Me--Rick Astley
7 What I Am--Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
8 Wild Thing--Tone Loc
9 When I'm with You--Sheriff
10 Walking Away--Information Society

Singles entering the chart were Room to Move by Animotion (#65); Tribute (Right On) by the Pasadenas (#72); I Cry Myself to Sleep at Night by Romeo's Daughter (#75); Radio Romance by Tiffany (#80); Heaven Help Me by Deon Estus (with George Michael) (#82); Seventeen by Winger (#85); Halleluiah Man by Love and Money (#87); and One by Metallica (#89).

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush flew to Beijing.

Skiing
Rob Boyd won a World Cup downhill race in his home town of Whistler, British Columbia, becoming the first Canadian to win a FIS World Cup Ski race in Canada.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 St. Louis 3

Football
NFL
Jerry Jones, the new owner of the Dallas Cowboys, fired head coach Tom Landry, who had been the team's only head coach through their first 29 seasons. Mr. Landry had led the Cowboys to Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1978, and the classless manner of his dismissal outraged everyone with a sense of decency.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Glenn Seaborg, 86. U.S. chemist. Dr. Seaborg, leader of the team that created plutonium in 1941, won the 1951 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, for "discoveries in the chemistry of the transuranium elements." He served as chairman of the Atomic Energy Committee from 1961-1971, where he pushed for commercial nuclear energy and the peaceful applications of nuclear science. Dr. Seaborg contributed to the discovery of ten elements: plutonium; americium; curium; berkelium; californium; einsteinium; fermium; mendelevium; nobelium; and element 106, which was named seaborgium in his honour during his lifetime.

Crime
John William King, a self-described white supremacist, was sentenced to death by lethal injection by the same jury that had convicted him two days earlier of murder in the death of James Byrd, Jr., a Negro who had been seized by Mr. King and two others, tied to the back of a truck, and dragged to his death along rural roads near Jasper, Texas.