February 13, 2010

880 years ago
1130

Died on this date
Honorius II, 70. Roman Catholic Pope, 1124-1130. Honorius II, born Lamberto Scannabecchi, rose through the ecclesiastical hierarchy because of outstanding intellect and other abilities, finally succeeding Callixtus II as Pope. Honorius II was the first pope to confirm the election of the Holy Roman Emperor, and approved the Knights Templar in 1128. He distrusted the Benedictine order, and favoured new monastic orders such as the Augustinians and Cistercians. Pope Honorius II died four days after his 70th birthday, after almost a year-long period of illness. His death plunged the Roman Catholic Church into confusion; he was succeeded by Innocent II, but antipope Anacletus II also claimed the throne.

350 years ago
1660

Died on this date
Karl X, 37. King of Sweden, 1654-1660. Karl X acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his cousin Queen Christina. His reign was mainly occupied by the Second Northern War between Sweden and enemies that included the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Habsburg Monarchy, and Denmark-Norway. King Karl X caught a cold that developed into pneumonia--misdiagnosed by his doctors--and eventually into sepsis, which proved fatal. He was succeeded by his 4-year-old son Karl XI, whose regents immediately began negotiations aimed at ending the war.

140 years ago
1870

Born on this date
Leopold Godowsky. Lithuanian-born U.S. musician and composer. Mr. Godowsky was almost completely self-taught, and began playing piano and violin as a child. He moved to the United States at the age of 20, continuing his career as a popular concert pianist, and becoming a teacher of piano. As a composer, Mr. Godowsky was best known for his Java Suite and transcriptions of works by other composers, especially 53 Studies on Chopin's Études. Mr. Godowsky suffered a series of personal tragedies in the 1920s, and had a severe stroke in 1930, leaving him partially paralyzed. He died of stomach cancer on November 21, 1938 at the age of 68.

130 years ago
1880

Science
U.S. inventor Thomas Edison observed Thermionic emission.

110 years ago
1900

Born on this date
Barbara von Annenkoff. Russian-born German actress. Miss Annenkoff, whose birthday is also said to be February 25, 1898, was born Warwara Annenkowa in St. Petersburg, fled to Germany after the Bolsehvik Revolution, and settled in Berlin. She appeared in movies, plays, and radio programs. Miss Annenkoff's films included Bismarck 1862-1898 (1927) and Madame Bovary (1937). She died on November 30, 1978 at the age of 78 or 80.

Wingy Manone. U.S. musician. Joseph Matthews Manone was a jazz trumpeter, singer, composer, and bandleader. He lost his right arm in a streetcar accident at the age of 10, resulting in his nickname; he played the trumpet with his left arm and a prosthesis. Mr. Manone played with various bands and led his own band in a career spanning almost 60 years. His recordings included Tar Paper Stomp (1930); Isle of Capri (1934); and Party Doll (1957). Mr. Manone died on July 9, 1982 at the age of 82.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
William Shockley. U.K.-born U.S. physicist. Dr. Shockley shared the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics with John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain for co-inventing the transistor; his work helped to inspire the creation of "Silicon Valley" in California. In his later years, Dr. Shockley attracted controversy and criticism for his advocacy of eugenics. He died on August 12, 1989 at the age of 79.

90 years ago
1920

Baseball
The Negro National League was founded by a coalition of team owners at a meeting in a YMCA in Kansas City, Missouri. Rube Foster, president of the Chicago American Giants, was named NNL President.

70 years ago
1940

Theatre
The Unconquered, an adaptation by Ayn Rand of her novel We the Living (1936), opened at the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway in New York. It was produced and directed by George Abbott, and starred Helen Craig, John Emery, and Dean Jagger.

Literature
The American Booksellers Association announced its awards for 1939: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck--favourite fiction; Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo--most original book; Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de St. Exupery, favourite non-fiction.

War
Soviet forces claimed taking a total of 84 forts along the Mannheim Line in Finland, breaking through at Summa.

Diplomacy
Japan announced the abrogation of her arbitration treaty with the Netherlands.

Defense
The United States House of Representatives began debate on a record $966,722,878 Navy supply bill.

Law
The United States Supreme Court saved four transient Negro men in Florida from execution, ruling unanimously in Chambers v. Florida that their 1933 confessions and guilty pleas on murder and robbery charges had been obtained by violations of their constitutional rights. Future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall had argued the case for the accused.

60 years ago
1950

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Invisible Staircase, starring Clarence Derwent

Died on this date
Rafael Sabatini, 74. Italian-born author. Mr. Sabatini moved permanently to England at the age of 17, and learned English as his sixth language. He wrote 34 novels, numerous short stories, several plays, and six books of non-fiction, but was best known for his novels The Sea Hawk (1915); Scaramouche (1921); Captain Blood (1922); and Bellarion the Fortunate (1926). He died in Switzerland, after a long illness.

War
Responding to a U.S. protest, the Chinese Nationalist government in Taiwan promised that its aircraft would try to avoid bombing U.S. property in Shanghai for being used by the Communists for military purposes.

Defense
American and Canadian ground units began the 10-day maneuver Exercise Sweetbriar in Yukon Territory; it was the first combined sub-Arctic operation since World War II.

Reporting on their Far Eastern tour, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staffs said that they found U.S. armed forces in the area to be at high combat efficiency, and effectively unified. Admiral Forrest Sherman said that Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) in Japan General Douglas MacArthur had been given full command of naval forces in his theatre.

Protest
Communist unions failed in an effort to close all Italian ports to U.S. arms shipments through strikes.

Scandal
The U.S. State Department denied Senator Joseph McCarthy's (Republican--Wisconsin) charge that Communists were still working on the formulation of U.S. foreign policy.

Education
U.S. President Harry Truman asked Congress to reform the $2.7-billion veteran's education program by enacting regulations establishing closer supervision over schools and courses chosen by veterans.

Labour
Coal miners in the United States ignored United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis' order to end their strike in compliance with government injunctions.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Boom Boom Baby--Crash Craddock (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Romantica--Tony Dallara (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Marina--Rocco Granata and the International Quintet (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Why--Anthony Newley (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Teen Angel--Mark Dinning
2 Running Bear--Johnny Preston
3 Handy Man--Jimmy Jones
4 Where or When--Dion and the Belmonts
5 El Paso--Marty Robbins
6 The Theme from "A Summer Place"--Percy Faith and his Orchestra
7 Go, Jimmy, Go--Jimmy Clanton
8 Lonely Blue Boy--Conway Twitty
9 Beyond the Sea--Bobby Darin
10 He'll Have to Go--Jim Reeves

Singles entering the chart were This Magic Moment by the Drifters (#70); Let it Rock by Chuck Berry (#77); (There was a) Tall Oak Tree by Dorsey Burnette (#82); Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy by Freddy Cannon (#85); Alvin's Orchestra by David Seville and the Chipmunks (#88); Clementine by Jan & Dean (#93); Words (#94)/(Welcome) New Lovers (#100) by Pat Boone; and Whatcha' Gonna Do by Nat King Cole (also #100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Teen Angel--Mark Dinning
2 Handy Man--Jimmy Jones
3 Beatnik Fly--Johnny and the Hurricanes
4 Running Bear--Johnny Preston
5 What in the World's Come Over You--Jack Scott
6 Lucky Devil--Carl Dobkins, Jr.
7 Sandstorm--Johnny and the Hurricanes
8 Little Bitty Girl--Bobby Rydell
9 Snake in the Garden--Gerry Howard
10 He'll Have to Go--Jim Reeves

Singles entering the chart were Oh Dio Mio by Annette (#19); Wild One by Bobby Rydell (#21); About this Thing Called Love by Fabian (#27); Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin (#31); The Theme from "A Summer Place" by Percy Faith and his Orchestra (#35); Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy by Freddy Cannon (#40); Lady Luck by Lloyd Price and his Orchestra (#42); Puppy Love by Paul Anka (#47); Harbor Lights by the Platters (#48); Together by John Stone (#50); T.L.C. Tender Love and Care by Jimmie Rodgers (#55); It Took Dreams by Annette (#56); Too Much Tequila by the Champs (#57); (Welcome) New Lovers by Pat Boone (#58); Mary Don't You Weep by Stonewall Jackson (#59); and Harlem Nocturne by the Viscounts (#60). It Took Dreams was the B-side of O Dio Mio.

Defense
With the success of a nuclear test codenamed "Gerboise Bleue," France became the fourth country to possess nuclear weapons.

Protest
Negro college students staged the first of the Nashville sit-ins at three lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of a nonviolent direct-action campaign to end racial segregation in the United States.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Nature--The Fourmyula (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse (2nd week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Pretty Belinda--Chris Andrews (4th week at #1)
2 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
3 Without Love (There is Nothing)--Tom Jones
4 Don't Cry Daddy--Elvis Presley
5 Theresa--Dave Mills
6 Jam Up Jelly Tight--Tommy Roe
7 All I Have to Do is Dream--Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell
8 (Call Me) Number One--The Tremeloes
9 The Liquidator--The Harry J. All Stars
10 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary

Singles entering the chart were Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin (#17); and Jingle Jangle by the Archies (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother--Hollies
2 Arizona--Mark Lindsay
3 Venus--The Shocking Blue
4 Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin--Sly & the Family Stone
5 Walkin' in the Rain--Jay and the Americans
6 Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop the Rain--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
8 Walk a Mile in My Shoes--Joe South and the Believers
9 Fancy--Bobbie Gentry
10 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5

Singles entering the chart were The Thrill is Gone by B.B. King (#26); To Love Means to Be Free by Tony Green and Barry Stagg (#27); Evil Ways by Santana (#29); and Always Something There to Remind Me by R.B. Greaves (#30).

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Jennifer Tomkins--Street People
2 Fancy--Bobbie Gentry
3 Arizona--Mark Lindsay
4 Ma Belle Amie--The Tee Set
5 Walk a Mile in My Shoes--Joe South and the Believers
6 Groovy Grubworm--Harlow Wilcox and the Oakies
7 No Time--The Guess Who
8 Honey Come Back--Glen Campbell
9 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5
10 When Julie Comes Around--The Cuff Links

War
U.S. Defense Secretary Melvin Laird ended a three-day visit to Saigon by saying that American troop withdrawals could continue despite the stalemate at the Paris peace talks and a substantial enemy threat on the battlefield. He cited the progress of the program for Vietnamization of the war as a reason for his optimism.

30 years ago
1980

Died on this date
David Janssen, 48. U.S. actor. Mr. Janssen, born David Meyer, was best known as the star of the highly-rated dramatic television series The Fugitive (1963-1967). He also starred in the series Richard Diamond, Private Detective; (1957-1960); O'Hara: U.S. Treasury (1971-1972); and Harry O (1974-1976). His movies included Cult of the Cobra (1955); Dondi (1961); and The Green Berets (1968). Mr. Janssen was a heavy drinker and smoker, and died of a heart attack.

Edmontonia
Jane Haluschak was chosen Miss Teen Edmonton 1980.

Diplomacy
The administration of U.S. President Jimmy Carter endorsed the proposal of a "carefully defined" international commission into Iranian grievances as part of the process to gain the release of the hostages in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The U.S. opposed questioning of the hostages during the proposed inquiry. Previously, the U.S. had insisted that such a body could be formed only after the hostages were released. Administration officials claimed that the proposal had been under consideration before Sen. Ted Kennedy proposed it on January 28. In a televised news conference, President Carter said of Sen. Kennedy’s statements: "They’ve not been accurate. And they have not been responsible, and they have not helped our country...[His criticism] is very damaging to our country."

Olympics
The Winter Olympic Games opened in Lake Placid, New York, which had previously hosted the games in 1932.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 Minnesota 3

25 years ago
1985

Edmontonia
Jan Bailey was chosen Miss Teen Edmonton 1985.

20 years ago
1990

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

Diplomacy
At the first-ever meeting of NATO and Warsaw Pact ministers in Ottawa, a formula for German reunification talks was established. East and West Germany would discuss internal and domestic issues relating to reunification. External issues, such as "security of the neighbouring states," would be expanded to include the "Big Four" allies of World War II: The U.S.A.; U.S.S.R.; U.K.; and France. In another tentative breakthrough, the Soviets agreed to limit their troops in Europe to 195,000 and to a large limit--225,000--for U.S. troops in Europe.

West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and East German Premier Hans Modrow met in Bonn, and agreed to talks on uniting their two monetary systems under the West German deutschmark.

World events
Two days after being freed from prison, South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was welcomed home to Soweto by a crowd of 100,000.

Abominations
At its meeting in Los Angeles, the American Bar Association voted 238-106 to support a constitutional right to abortion. The resolution opposed legislation or other governmental action "that interferes with the confidential relationship between a pregnant woman and her physician or with the decision to terminate the pregnancy at any time before the fetus is capable if independent life."

The Soviet secret police force KGB admitted that 786,098 people had been shot to death as enemies of the state under the rule of Josef Stalin.

Business
Drexel Burnham Lambert Group Inc., a Wall Street firm which had become profitable in the 1980s through the use of junk bonds--securities that paid high interest rates and had high risk--filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The firm’s slide began in 1988 when it agreed to pay the U.S. government $650 million to settle insider-trading charges; subsequently, the value of junk bonds declined, and the firm’s leading junk bond trader, Michael Milken, was indicted on a number of charges. Company officials said that the bankruptcy filing would lead to DBLG’s liquidation.

10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Anders O. Aalborg, 85. Canadian politician. Mr. Aalborg, a native of Oxville, Alberta, was a teacher before entering politics. A member of the Social Credit Party, he represented Alexandra in the Alberta Legislative Assembly (1948-1971). He was Minister of Education (1952-1964) and Railways and Telephones (1967-1968) in the government of Premier Ernest Manning, and Provincial Treasurer (1964-1971) in the government of Mr. Manning and his successor, Harry Strom. Mr. Aalborg died in Surrey, British Columbia.

James Cooke Brown, 78. Philippine-born U.S. sociologist, linguist, and author. Dr. Brown created the artificial language Loglan in 1955, the same year he created the Parker Brothers board game Careers. He wrote science fiction, including the novel The Troika Incident (1970), set in 2070, where all books and periodicals are viewed on portable electronic "readers," and there is a worldwide free knowledge base similar to the Internet. Dr. Brown died in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

Popular culture
Charles Schulz’s farewell Peanuts strip appeared in newspapers, the day after Mr. Schulz’s death.

Crime
In New York, a former executive with the Bank of New York and her husband pled guilty to charges of laundering $1.8 million on behalf of members of the Russian mob.