January 1, 2012

120 years ago
1892

Americana
Annie Moore, a 15-year-old Irish girl, became the first immigrant to enter the Ellis Island Immigration Station.

110 years ago
1902

Football
U.S. university
Tournament East-West Game (Rose Bowl) @ Pasadena
Michigan 49 Stanford 0

Neil Snow scored 5 touchdowns and Curtis Redden added 2 more as the Wolverines routed Stanford before a crowd estimated at 8,500 at Tournament Park. The game was so lopsided that the game now known as the Rose Bowl wasn't played again until 1916.

75 years ago
1937

Died on this date
J. Gresham Machen, 55. U.S. theologian. Dr. Machen, a native of Baltimore, was Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary from 1914-1929. It was during this period that modernism--the basis of which is the idea that the Bible was mainly of human, rather than divine, origin--became increasingly influential. Dr. Machen was one of the great defenders of Biblical Christianity against modernism. In 1929, he finally left Princeton Seminary and founded Westminster Theological Seminary. As modernism increasingly influenced missionary activities of the Northern Presbyterian Church, Dr. Machen founded, in 1933, the Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions, which he and fellow Bible-believers had a right to do. The NPC leadership, now controlled by modernists, suspended Dr. Machen and seven colleagues--including Carl McIntire--and defrocked Dr. Machen. Francis Schaeffer, in his book The Great Evangelical Disaster (1984), argued that the defrocking of J. Gresham Machen was the most sociologically significant event in America in the first half of the 20th century, since it showed that the modernists had succeeded in taking over the churches. Dr. Machen became the principal figure in the founding of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1936. His trial and defrocking had taken a toll on his health, and Dr. Machen took ill and died while visiting Bismarck, North Dakota to fulfill speaking engagements. A number of Mr. Machen's books are still available, including The Origin of Paul's Religion (1921); Christianity and Liberalism (1923); What is Faith? (1925); and The Virgin Birth of Christ (1930).

70 years ago
1942

At the movies
The Man Who Came to Dinner, starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, and Monty Woolley, received its premiere screening in New York City.



Diplomacy
Representatives of 26 nations signed the Declaration by United Nations.

Football
NCAA
Rose Bowl @ Duke Stadium, Durham, North Carolina
Oregon State 20 @ Duke 16

Because of fears of a Japanese invasion of the west coast of the United States in the first few weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl was moved to Duke University. Oregon State quarterback Bob Dethman threw touchdown passes of 31 yards to George Zellick and 68 yards to Gene Gray in the 3rd quarter. Attendance was estimated at 56,000.



60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Routine Patrol

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Lion Sleeps Tonight--The Tokens (3rd week at #1)

On the radio
Macabre, on USAFRS Far East Network
Tonight's episode: The Crystalline Man

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC
Tonight's episode: The Problem of Thor Bridge

On television tonight
Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: An Attractive Family, starring Richard Long, Leo G. Carroll, and Joyce Bulifant



Music
Two groups auditioned at the London studios of Decca Records in attempts to obtain a recording contract. The Beatles--John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best--performed first, recording 15 songs, but were turned down. The second group, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, were signed to a contract.



World events
Western Samoa gained its independence from New Zealand, becoming the Independent State of Western Samoa.

Defense
The United States Navy SEALs were established.

40 years ago
1972

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)--Benny Hill (4th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
2 Maggie May/Reason to Believe--Rod Stewart
3 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
4 The Banks of the Ohio--Olivia Newton-John
5 Speak to the Sky--Rick Springfield
6 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey--Paul and Linda McCartney
7 Mammy Blue--Joel Dayde
8 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher
9 Love is a Beautiful Song--Dave Mills
10 Freedom Come, Freedom Go--The Fortunes

Singles entering the chart were Cherish by David Cassidy (#20); The Desiderata by Les Crane (#24); Ranger's Waltz by the Mom and Dads (#38); Easy Loving by Freddie hart (#39); and Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West) by Benny Hill (#40).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Brand New Key--Melanie (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
2 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean
3 Brand New Key-Melanie
4 Cherish--David Cassidy
5 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
6 All I Ever Need is You--Sonny and Cher
7 Scorpio--Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
8 Let's Stay Together--Al Green
9 Hey Girl--Donny Osmond
10 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night

Singles entering the chart were Stay with Me by the Faces (#70); Jingle Bells by the Singing Dogs (#72); Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison (#89); If I Could See the Light by 8th Day (#91); Under My Wheels by Alice Cooper (#93); Open the Door (Song for Judith) by Judy Collins (#94); Get Up and Get Down by the Dramatics (#99); and Joy by Apollo 100 (#100). Joy was an instrumental pop synthesizer version of J.S. Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

Society
A law went into effect in India depriving the nation's maharajas of titles, privileges, and tax-free privy purses.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Ooa Hela Natten--Attack (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Victor Buono, 43. U.S. actor. A beefy actor who looked much older than his years, Mr. Buono was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), and starred in The Strangler (1964). He made frequent appearances as King Tut in the television series Batman (1966-1968). In June 1979, Mr. Buono performed at the Stage West dinner theatre at the Mayfield Inn in Edmonton, Alberta, starring in Warren Graves' play Mors Draculae. He died of a heart attack at his ranch in Apple Valley, California.

Diplomacy
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru became the first Latin-American to hold the title of Secretary-General of the United Nations.

25 years ago
1987

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Secrets and Surprises: Autumn 1948



Canadiana
Iqaluit changed its name from Frobisher Bay in keeping with the Northwest Territories government's decision to restore indigenous names; Iqaluit means the place where the fish are.

Law
The Law Society of Upper Canada allowed Ontario lawyers to advertise their services.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black or White--Michael Jackson (7th week at #1)

Europeana
Russia officially became a nation, the day after the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

10 years ago
2002

Diplomacy
The Open Skies mutual surveillance treaty, initially signed in 1992, officially came into force.

World events
A law granting autonomy to the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya (West Papua) went into effect, and the province's name was officially changed to Papua.

Economics and finance
The euro became the currency for 12 of the European Union's 15 member states: Germany; France; Italy; Spain; Greece; Austria; Belgium; Finland; Ireland; Luxembourg; The Netherlands; and Portugal.

Taiwan officially joined the World Trade Organization as Chinese Taipei.

Defense
Military conscription in Spain officially ended.