February 26, 2009

180 years ago
1829

Born on this date
Levi Strauss. German-born U.S. clothing magnate. Mr. Strauss, born Löb Strauß in Bavaria, moved with his family to New York City at the age of 18. He founded Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco in 1847. The company, originally a dry goods business, became the first company to manufacture blue jeans. Mr. Strauss died on September 26, 1902 at the age of 73, leaving an estate of about $125 million (more than $3 billion today).

130 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Frank Bridge. U.K. composer. Mr. Bridge was a violist in string quartets who composed chamber and choral works, as well as works for piano and organ. He died on January 10, 1941 at the age of 61.

120 years ago
1889

Died on this date
Karl Davydov, 50. Russian musician and composer. Mr. Davydov was nicknamed the "czar of cellists" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and composed several dozen works, mainly for cello. He died 17 days before his 51st birthday.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Max Petitpierre. President of the Swiss Confederation, 1950, 1955, 1960. Mr. Petitpierre, a member of the Free Democratic Party, was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1944-1961, heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during that period. He died on March 25, 1994, 27 days after his 95th birthday.

100 years ago
1909

Movies
Kinemacolor, the first successful colour motion picture process, was first shown to the general public, at the Palace Theatre in London.

90 years ago
1919

Environment
The United States Congress passed An Act to Establish the Grand Canyon National Park in the State of Arizona, and An Act to Establish the Lafayette National Park at Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine.

80 years ago
1929

Environment
U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signed an executive order establishing the 96,000-acre Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

60 years ago
1949

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys; Gene Autry (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): A Little Bird Told Me--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 A Little Bird Told Me--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters (4th week at #1)
--Paula Watson
2 Far Away Places--Bing Crosby
--Perry Como
--Margaret Whiting and the Crew Chiefs
3 Powder Your Face with Sunshine (Smile! Smile! Smile!)--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
4 Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
5 I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm--Les Brown and his Orchestra
--The Mills Brothers
6 Red Roses for a Blue Lady--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
7 So Tired--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
8 Galway Bay--Bing Crosby
9 The Pussy Cat Song (Nyow! Nyot Nyow!)--Patty Andrews and Bob Crosby
--Perry Como with the Fontane Sisters
10 Down by the Station--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians

Singles entering the chart were You, You are the One, with versions by the Ames Brothers; and Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (#20); Sunflower by Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (#36); Bewildered by Billy Eckstine (#37); You Was by Doris Day and Buddy Clark (#39); and Careless Hands, with versions by Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra; and Mel Torme (#40).

On the radio
Tales of Fatima, starring Basil Rathbone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: The Invisible Caballero

Asiatica
Pakistan incorporated Baluchistan, a territory bordering on Iran and Afghanistan, as the country's fifth province.

Diplomacy
The Dutch government promised to release all interned Indonesian Republic leaders, and called a conference of Indonesian political groups in The Hague.

Politics and government
Dissident members of the Colorado Party in Paraguay removed provisional President Raimundo Rolon in favour of former Education Minister Felipe Molas Lopez.

Track and field
NCAA
James Sholtz of the United States Military Academy set a world record in the shot put of 60 feet 7 3/4 inches at the intercollegiate 4-A indoor championships in New York. Michigan State University won the overall title.

50 years ago
1959

Died on this date
Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife, 67. U.K. Royal Family member. Princess Alexandra, a granddaughter of King Edward VII, was the daughter of Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, who had married Princess Louise of Wales, daughter of the future King Edward VII. Princess Alexandra married Prince Arthur of Connaught in 1913.

World events
Southern Rhodesian Prime Minister Sir Edgar Whitehead proclaimed a state of emergency and outlawed all African nationalist groups.

Defense
The British House of Commons rejected a Labour Party resolution criticizing the Conservative government's defense policy for excessive reliance on nuclear weapons.

Agriculture
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ezra Taft Benson designated three methods of rendering livestock unconscious before slaughter under a new humane-slaughtering law.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. and the People's Republic of China signed a short-term trade agreement in Moscow providing for the exchange of $1.75 billion worth of Soviet industrial equipment for Chinese goods.

Football
NFL
In one of the biggest trades in National Football League history, Los Angeles Rams' general manager Pete Rozelle dealt eight players and a draft choice to the Chicago Cardinals for star running back Ollie Matson, who had been with the Cardinals since 1952. In 1958, Mr. Matson had rushed for 505 yards on 129 carries with 5 touchdowns; caught 33 passes for 465 yards and 3 touchdowns; completed 1 of 2 passes for 4 yards; and returned 14 kickoffs for 497 yards and 2 touchdowns.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?--Peter Sarstedt

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold (3rd week at #1)
2 Eloise--Barry Ryan
3 I Started a Joke/Kilburn Towers--The Bee Gees
4 Build Me Up Buttercup--The Foundations
5 Edge of Reality/If I Can Dream--Elvis Presley
6 Star Crossed Lovers--Neil Sedaka
7 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
8 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
9 Lily the Pink/Mrs. Cardinal's Board House--The Irish Rovers
10 Scarborough Fair--Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66

Singles entering the chart were Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells (#27); Something's Happening/It's Nice to Be Out by Herman's Hermits (#33); Touch Me by the Doors (#35); Stand by Your Man by Tammy Wynette (#36); This Magic Moment by Jay and the Americans (#39); and Adios Amor by Jose Feliciano (#40).

Died on this date
Karl Jaspers, 86. German-born Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher. Dr. Jaspers practiced as a psychiatrist before turning to philosophy in 1921, remaining in Germany--often under threat from arrest by the Nazis--until moving to Switzerland in 1948. He wrote the book General Psychopathology (1913), advocating the diagnosis of symptoms of mental illness by their form rather than by their content. As a philosopher, Dr. Jaspers was associated with existentialism, although he rejected the label. He drew on the work of Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, and wrote on themes of individual freedom, arguing that as individuals question reality, they reach a point that the scientific method cannot transcend, and therefore make a leap of faith toward transcendence, experiencing authentic "Existenz." Dr. Jaspers died three days after his 86th birthday.

Levi Eshkol, 73. Prime Minister of Israel, 1963-1969. A native of Russia, Mr. Eshkol replaced David Ben-Gurion as Israel's Prime Minister in June 1963. He was Prime Minister during Israel's tremendous victory in the Six Day War in June 1967, although he was regarded at the time as being hesitant in his leadership. Mr. Eshkol's health gradually failed, and he became the first Israeli Prime Minister to die in office.

Space
The weather satellite ESSA-9, operated by the Environmental Science Services Administration, was launched by the United States from Cape Kennedy, Florida as the last in the TIROS Operational Satellite Series.

War
Heavy fighting broke out at two major military installations near Saigon as North Vietnamese and Viet Cong artillery attacks continued.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon arrived in Bonn, where he was welcomed by West German Chancellor Kurt Kiesinger. Mr. Nixon allayed West German fears about U.S. troop redeployment, indicating that he had no plans to reduce the estimated 225,000 stationed there; he also addressed the Bundestag. During a half day spent in West Berlin, where radical students unfurled banners inscribed "Black Power," and threw eggs, paint, and rocks at his limousine, Mr. Nixon restated the American pledge to defend the city.

World events
The Syrian Army. under the command of Defense Minister Lieutenant General Hafez al-Assad, seized control of the government to force greater cooperation with Iraq and the U.A.R. against Israel.

Politics and government
A few hours after the death of Levi Eshkol, the Israeli cabinet named Yigal Allon acting Prime Minister.

The White House announced that Representative Rogers Morton of Maryland would be the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, succeeding Ray Bliss. Mr. Morton's brother, Sen. Thurston B. Morton of Kentucky, had also been the national party chairman.

Academia
The University of Chicago's faculty council called for the use of police to keep campus order, and the expulsion of disruptive students.

Disasters
20 were reported killed after an earthquake and tidal waves razed Madjene on Celebes Island, Indonesia.

Boxing
Leotis Martin (28-5) won a 10-round split decision over Alvin "Blue" Lewis (19-3) in a heavyweight bout at Olympia Stadium in Detroit. Exactly three months earlier, Mr. Martin had scored a 9-round technical knockout over Mr. Lewis.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Le Freak-Chic

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Hero (Hero ni Naru Toki, Sore wa Ima)--Kai Band

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I was Made for Dancin'--Leif Garrett

Died on this date
Urban Henry, 43. U.S. football player. Mr. Henry played tackle at Georgia Institute of Technology (1955-1957), and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League in 1958. He went to the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League instead, and played with the Lions from 1958-1960, making the Western Interprovincial Football Union All-Star team at defensive tackle in each of his last two seasons. Mr. Henry played with the Rams (1961); Green Bay Packers (1963); and Pittsburgh Steelers (1964). Longtime B.C. Lions' executive Bobby Ackles, in his autobiography The Water Boy (2007), wrote about his friendship with Mr. Henry, and reported that Mr. Henry was a skilled painter, mainly of landscapes. Mr. Henry died of a heart attack.

Space
There was a total eclipse of the sun, visible from the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean; Central America; North America (except for western Alaska); the arctic regions; Greenland; Iceland; the north Atlantic Ocean; and western Europe. It was too cloudy in Calgary that morning to notice much of an effect.

Politics and government
In the United States, the Republican Party caucus at the National Governors Association meeting called for a balanced federal budget, and asked Congress to study proposals for a constitutional amendment to limit spending.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Street Dance--Break Machine

#1 single in Switzerland: Jenseits von Eden--Nino de Angelo (5th week at #1)

War
The withdrawal of U.S. Marines from Beirut was completed, and the enemy bunkers were occupied by Lebanese units opposed to Lebanese President Amin Gemayel.

Scandal
Rev. Jesse Jackson, a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in the November 1984 election, apologized to Jewish voters for having referred earlier to Jews as "Hymies" and to New York City as "Hymietown."

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Kiss--The Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones

#1 single in Switzerland: First Time--Robin Beck (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Roy Eldridge, 78. U.S. musician. Mr. Eldridge was a jazz trumpeter and occasional singer with a number of bands, including those led by Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa, and Artie Shaw. Dizzy Gillespie was one of the musicians who cited Mr. Eldridge as a musical influence.

Diplomacy
Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini told Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze that the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan cleared the way for closer Soviet-Iranian ties.

U.S. President George Bush met with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in Beijing.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Michael Avallone, 74. U.S. author. Mr. Avallone, using his own name and various pseudonyms, wrote at least 223 novels (he claimed over 1,000). He was best known for mystery and secret agent novels, as well as novelizations of movies and television programs.

War
The United Nations Security Council, reversing a January decision, voted to pull its peacekeeping force out of Angola.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator John Kerry (Democrat--Massachusetts) withdrew from the contest for his party's presidential nomination for 2000.