February 8, 2010

1,890 years ago
120

Born on this date
Vettius Valens. Greek astrologer. Vettius Valens was best known for his 10-volume Anthology, which includes over 100 sample charts from his case files, and is the longest and most detailed work on astrology from that period. He died in his mid-50s, circa 175.

760 years ago
1250

War
The Battle of Al Mansurah began in Egypt between Crusader forces under the command of King Louis IX of France and Ayyubid forces led by Emir Fakhr-ad-Din Yusuf, Faris ad-Din Aktai and Baibars al-Bunduqdari.

420 years ago
1590

World events
Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva, Spanish colonial Governor of Nuevo Reino de León who was accused of several offenses, was tortured by the Inquisition in Mexico City. He was convicted 16 days later in an auto-da fe of concealing that his relatives secretly practiced Judaism, and sentenced to six years in exile. Admiral Carvajal died in the jail of the court on February 13, 1591.

320 years ago
1690

War
During King William's War, the Comte de Frontenac organized a surprise attack by Canadien troops and Indians--mostly Ojibwe and Algonquin warriors--against Schenectady, New York. 62 people--11 of them African slaves--were killed and 27 captured, including 5 African slaves. The raid was in retaliation for the August 5, 1689 raid by Mohawk warriors on Lachine, New France.

310 years ago
1700

Born on this date
Daniel Bernoulli. Dutch-born Swiss mathematician and physicist. Mr. Bernoulli, a member of a family of prominent mathematicians, moved to Basel with his family at a young age. He applied mathematics to mechanics--especially fluid mechanics--and did pioneering work in statistics and probability. Mr. Bernoulli gave his name to Bernoulli's principle, first published in his book Hydrodynamica (1838): an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in static pressure or a decrease in the fluid's potential energy. Mr. Bernoulli died on March 17, 1782 at the age of 82.

290 years ago
1720

Born on this date
Sakuramachi. Emperor of Japan, 1735-1747. Sakuramachi, born Teruhito, acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his father Nakamikado, but shoguns actually controlled the country. Emperor Sakuramachi abdicated in favour of his son Momozono, and died on May 28, 1750 at the age of 30.

200 years ago
1810

Born on this date
Norbert Burgmüller. German composer. Mr. Burgmüller wrote two symphonies and a piano concerto, as well as vocal, chamber, and piano works. He died at the age of 26 on May 7, 1936 when he suffered an epileptic seizure and drowned in a spring at Aachen.

190 years ago
1820

Born on this date
William Tecumseh Sherman. U.S. military officer. General Sherman served in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865), where he was praised for his military strategy--most notably leading Union troops on a march through Georgia and the Carolinas--and criticized for his "scorched earth" policy of total war against the Confederate States of America. He succeeded U.S. Grant as Commanding General of the Army, serving from 1869-1893. Gen. Sherman died on February 14, 1891, six days after his 71st birthday.

180 years ago
1830

Born on this date
Abdülaziz. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1861-1876. Abdülaziz, a son of Sultan Mahmud II, acceded to the throne upon the death of his brother Abdulmejid I. Sultan Abdülaziz modernized the Ottoman Navy; opened the Ottoman Empire's first railroads; implemented the empire's first civil code; became the first Ottoman sultan to visit Europe; established the Imperial Museum; took an interest in literature; and was a talented composer. On May 30, 1876, Sultan Abdülaziz was deposed by his ministers amidst rising public debt. He died six days later at the age of 46; his death was ruled as a suicide from cutting his wrists, but there have been accusations that he was assassinated. Sultan Abdülaziz was succeeded on the throne by his nephew Murad V.

160 years ago
1850

Born on this date
Kate Chopin. U.S. authoress. Miss Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty, wrote short stories and novels based in Louisiana, and is now acknowledged as a pioneer feminist authoress of Southern or Catholic background. Her major works are her two short story collections Bayou Folk (1894) and A Night in Acadie (1897). She died of a brain hemorrhage on August 22, 1904 at the age of 52, while visiting the World's Fair in St. Louis.

120 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Ray Bates. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Bates was a third baseman with the Cleveland Naps (1913) and Philadelphia Athletics (1917), batting .233 with 2 home runs and 70 runs batted in in 154 games. He played at least 950 games in at least 9 seasons in the minor leagues (1911-1923), hitting at least 30 homers, playing first base in his later years. Mr. Bates died on August 15, 1970 at the age of 80.

100 years ago
1910

Americana
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce.

70 years ago
1940

War
Soviet forces reported the capture of 13 forts on the Mannerheim Line in Finland.

Diplomacy
The League of Nations meeting at The Hague announced that a 32-member committee on economic and social problems would be created.

The Pan-American Neutrality Committee resolved that submarines of belligerents should be barred from neutral ports.

Politics and government
Chilean President Pedro Aguire Corda announced his new cabinet, which continued as a Popular Front coalition.

Delegates supporting a third term for Franklin D. Roosevelt as President of the United States filed for the Wisconsin Democratic Party primary race.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt met the heads of the State, War, and Navy Departments to discuss supplying raw materials to European nations.

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee approved President Franklin D. Roosevelt's nomination of Marriner Eccles and Chester Davis to the Federal Reserve Board.

Business
Despite a 54-day strike, Chrysler Corporation announced a doubling of profits for 1939 to $36, 879,829, or $8.47 per share.

Olympics
Werner Klingsberg of Germany was elected secretary-general of the International Olympic Committee at Lausanne, Switzerland.

60 years ago
1950

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Ben Wright and Eric Snowden, on ABC
Tonight’s episode: The Tanbark Trail

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Jackson Beck, on ABC

At the movies
Outside the Wall, written and directed by Crane Wilbur, and starring Richard Basehart, Marilyn Maxwell, Signe Hasso, and Dorothy Hart, opened in theatres.



Abominations
The East German People's Chamber passed a bill setting up a new State Security Ministry, whose police--the Stasi--would have unlimited authority to make arrests.

Defense
Israel enacted a law making unmarried women 18-29 eligible for compulsory Army service, farm labour, or public work.

Aviation
A U.S. Navy Neptune bomber set a distance record for carrier-launched planes by flying 5,156 miles non-stop from the Atlantic Ocean to San Francisco.

Education
The U.S. Office of Education issued its annual report, warning that American education was in a state of "deterioration" which could only be reversed by "an adequate supply of teachers and school buildings," costing $10 billion over the next 10 years. The report also urged that Communists be barred from teaching in U.S. schools.

Society
The Distilled Spirits Institute reported that more communities (85) in the United States had voted to end liquor bans in 1949 than to impose them (58). 18% of the country still lived in "dry" areas, according to the DSI.

Crime
Convict John Kalszewski testified at the Detroit trial of former United Auto Workers of America official Carl Bolton that Mr. Bolton had offered him $15,000 to kill UAW President Walter Reuther. Mr. Bolton was on trial for the 1948 shooting of Mr. Reuther.

Economics and finance
Yugoslavian heavy industry was partially decentralized as the country's six state governments took control of regional industry.

Labour
Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray sent the United Mine Workers of America $500,000 to help pay legal costs resulting from anticipated government action under the Taft-Hartley Act.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El Día de los Enamorados--Monna Bell

#1 single in France (IFOP): Le marchand de bonheur--Les Compagnons de la chanson (13th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Teen Angel--Mark Dinning
2 Running Bear--Johnny Preston
3 Where or When--Dion and the Belmonts
4 El Paso--Marty Robbins
5 Handy Man--Jimmy Jones
6 Lonely Blue Boy--Conway Twitty
7 What in the World's Come Over You--Jack Scott
8 He'll Have to Go--Jim Reeves
9 Why--Frankie Avalon
10 You Got What it Takes--Marv Johnson

Singles entering the chart were Eternally by Sarah Vaughan (#61); Delaware (#71)/I Know What God Is (#95) by Perry Como; Bad Boy by Marty Wilde (#90); A Closer Walk by Pete Fountain (#94); Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' by Ray Charles (#98); Honey Love by Narvel Felts (#99); and Clementine by Jan & Dean (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Music Vendor)
1 Teen Angel--Mark Dinning
2 Running Bear--Johnny Preston
3 He'll Have to Go--Jim Reeves
4 El Paso--Marty Robbins
5 What in the World's Come Over You--Jack Scott
6 Where or When--Dion and the Belmonts
7 Lonely Blue Boy--Conway Twitty
8 Handy Man--Jimmy Jones
9 Go, Jimmy, Go--Jimmy Clanton
10 Pretty Blue Eyes--Steve Lawrence

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Running Bear--Johnny Preston (3rd week at #1)
2 He'll Have to Go--Jim Reeves
3 First Name Initial--Annette with the Afterbeats
4 El Paso--Marty Robbins
5 Not One Minute More/You're My Love--Della Reese
6 Hound Dog Man/This Friendly World--Fabian
7 Lonely Blue Boy--Conway Twitty
8 Pretty Blue Eyes--Steve Lawrence
9 Teen Angel--Mark Dinning
10 Down by the Station--The Four Preps

Singles entering the chart were Wild One/Little Bitty Girl by Bobby Rydell (#27); Harbor Lights by the Platters (#34); Terry by Leigh Bell (#38); Midnite Special by Paul Evans (#41); Too Much Tequila by the Champs (#44); Amapola by Jacky Noguez and his Orchestra (#46); You Won't Be Satisfied/There was Once by Mike Minor (#48); Am I that Easy to Forget by Debbie Reynolds (#49); This Magic Moment by the Drifters (#54); Clap Your Hands by the Beau-Marks (#57); (There was a) Tall Oak Tree by Dorsey Burnette (#58); and Alvin's Orchestra by David Seville and the Chipmunks (#59).

Scandal
The payola (pay for broadcast airplay) hearings opened in the U.S. House of Representatives.

40 years ago
1970

War
Egyptian officials said that 12 civilians had been wounded when two Egyptian MiG-21 jets were downed by Israeli jets near Cairo. Officials in Jerusalem said that it was the first time that Israeli jets had encountered aerial resistance since they had begun deep penetration raids a month earlier.

Politics and government
Former Alabama Governor George Wallace, addressing a noisy rally in Birmingham, urged Southern governors to defy federal court integration orders. Mr. Wallace, the 1968 presidential candidate of the American Independence Party, promised to run for president in 1972 "if Nixon doesn’t do something about the mess our schools are in."

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles

#1 single in France (IFOP): Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough--Michael Jackson (5th week at #1)
2 The Part of Me that Needs You Most--Exile
3 Rise--Herb Alpert
4 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
5 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
6 She's in Love with You--Suzi Quatro
7 If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body (Would You Hold it Against Me)--Bellamy Brothers
8 Great Balls of Fire--Nightmare
9 Caravan Song--Barbara Dickson
10 Babe--Styx

Singles entering the chart were Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes (#16); Tired of Toein' the Line by Rocky Burnette (#18); and Run Like the Wind by Mike Batt & Friends (#19).

Died on this date
Nikos Xylouris, 43. Greek musician. Mr. Xylouris was known as the "Archangel of Crete" for the way that his songs and music capture the spirit of Crete. He was popular from the 1950s until his death after a long battle with lung and brain cancer.

Music
The single I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down/Girls Talk by Elvis Costello and the Attractions was released on F-Beat Records in the United Kingdom and on Columbia Records in North America.

Diplomacy
France announced that it would not attend a scheduled allied conference regarding the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan because it was not "of a nature to reduce international tension."

Defense
U.S. President Jimmy Carter revealed his plan to reinstate selective service draft registration.

Scandal
U.S. consumer advocate Ralph Nader criticized the leaks to the press several days earlier of names of U.S. public officials being investigated in the FBI’s Operation Abscam. Mr. Nader called the leaks of information to the press prior to its presentation to a grand jury "damned offensive," adding, "In the mind of millions of people these guys are guilty, and they haven’t even been charged."

It was reported that a nine-month FBI undercover investigation, nmed Brilab for "bribery-labor," had recorded several southwestern U.S. politicians and labour leaders taking bribes. A phony insurance company paid the bribes in order to obtain city and state employee insurance programs.

Track and field
Mary Decker set a world indoor record for the 1,500-metre run with a time of 4 minutes 0.8 seconds at the Wanamaker Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York.

25 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Shout--Tears for Fears (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Want To Know What Love Is--Foreigner (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Witness, starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, and Danny Glover, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
William Lyons, 83. U.K. automobile executive. Sir William and William Walmsley co-founded the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, and began manufacturing cars in the late 1920s. The first Jaguar model was offered in 1935, and the company was renamed Jaguar Cars Limited in 1945.

Marvin Miller, 71. U.S. actor and announcer. Mr. Miller, born Marvin Mueller, appeared in numerous movies and radio and television programs, but was best known as the voice of Robby the Robot in the movie Forbidden Planet (1956) and as Michael Anthony, the man handing out cheques in the television series The Millionaire (1955-1960).

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Del Shannon, 55. U.S. musician. Mr. Shannon, known for his falsetto voice, was born Charles Westover in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His first single, Runaway, spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and was the #5 single of the year. Additional hits included Hats Off to Larry (#5, 1961); Little Town Flirt (#12, 1963); and Keep Searchin’ (#9, 1964-1965). The Swiss Maid (1962) only reached #64 in the U.S.A., but hit #2 in Britain, and helped to boost the career of its composer, Roger Miller. Another single from 1962, Cry Myself to Sleep (#99 U.S.; #29, U.K.) reportedly served as the inspiration for Elton John’s falsetto refrain on Crocodile Rock (1972-1973). Mr. Shannon became the first artist to cover a Beatles’ composition when he recorded From Me to You, which went to #77 in the U.S.A. in the late summer-early fall of 1963, several months before Beatlemania hit America. On November 14, 1963, Mr. Shannon appeared with Bobby Vinton and Gene Pitney in the first rock and roll concert to be held at the Jasper Place Arena in Jasper Place, Alberta (then a suburb of Edmonton). He produced Brian Hyland’s version of Gypsy Woman, which hit #3 on the Hot 100 in late 1970. Mr. Shannon worked with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in the early 1980s, and the album Drop Down and Get Me produced the single Sea of Love, which hit #33 in 1982, Mr. Shannon’s first top 40 hit in the U.S. since 1965. A collaboration with Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne led to the single Walk Away in 1989, which failed to chart. Mr. Shannon had been prescribed Prozac for depression, and became another apparent victim of the drug when he shot himself. His last interview, given a short time before, gave no hint that he was about to commit suicide. He had just finished the vocals for an album, consisting mainly of new songs that he’d written. The album--Rock On--included Walk Away, and was released in the fall of 1991. It’s well worth listening to, and proved that Del Shannon still had talent. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

Politics and government
The day after former Prime Minister John Turner had announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, former cabinet minister Jean Chretien announced that he would seek the leadership.

Crime
U.S. District Court Judge William Hoeveler ruled that former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega had to stand trial in Miami, Florida on drug-trafficking charges.

Science
Montréal Mayor Jean Doré inaugurated l'Insectarium de Montréal (Montreal Insectarium) in the presence of several hundred visitors. The $4.1-million insectarium included the gift of 250,000 insects from entomologist Geoges Brossard.

10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Sid Abel, 81. Canadian-born U.S. hockey player, coach, and executive. Mr. Abel, a native of Melville, Saskatchewan, centred the "Production Line" with wingers Gordie Howe, and Ted Lindsay with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1940s and early 1950s. He played with the Red Wings (1938-43, 1946-52) and Chicago Black Hawks (1952-54), scoring 472 points on 189 goals and 283 assists in 612 regular season games and 28 goals and 30 assists in 97 Stanley Cup games. Mr. Abel helped the Red Wings win Stanley Cup championships in 1943, 1950, and 1952, and won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player in 1949. He coached the Black Hawks (1952-54); Red Wings (1958-68, 1969-70); St. Louis Blues (1971); and Kansas City Scouts (1976), while serving as general manager for the latter three teams. His record as a head coach was 382-427-155, with a playoff record of 32-44. Mr. Abel was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1969, and died two weeks before his 82nd birthday.

Derrick Thomas, 33. U.S. football player. Mr. Thomas was a linebacker with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-1999. He was regarded as one of the best pass rushers of his time, and appeared in nine Pro Bowls. His seven sacks in one game in 1990 set a single-game NFL record. Mr. Thomas died of a pulmonary embolism two weeks after being paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident. He was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

World events
The Irish Republican Army began issuing statements asserting its commitment to disarmament.

Politics and government
Texas Governor George W. Bush won the Republican Party U.S. presidential primary in Delaware. U.S. Senator John McCain, who made no effort in the state, finished second, with publisher Steve Forbes finishing third.