January 20, 2012

120 years ago
1892

Basketball
The first official game of basketball was played on a YMCA court in Springfield, Massachusetts. There were nine players to a side, and peach baskets hung at each end of the court.

80 years ago
1932

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Beryl Coronet

75 years ago
1937

Politics and government
Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated into his second term as 32nd President of the United States of America, becoming the first U.S. president to be inaugurated on January 20. Inaugurations previously took place on March 4, but with the long "lame duck" period between President Herbert Hoover's loss to Mr. Roosevelt in the election of November 1932 and the March 4, 1933 inauguration, it was thought expedient to move the date forward to speed the transition to a new administration. John Nance Garner was inaugurated into his second term as U.S. Vice-President.

70 years ago
1942

Abominations
At the Wannsee Conference, the Nazis formulated their "final solution" regarding Jews in Germany.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Nata per me--Adriano Celentano (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): The Young Ones--Cliff Richard (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): The Young Ones--Cliff Richard

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Twist--Chubby Checker (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Twist--Chubby Checker (7th week at #1)
2 The Lion Sleeps Tonight--The Tokens
3 Peppermint Twist - Part I--Joey Dee & the Starliters
4 I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)--Barbara George
5 Can't Help Falling in Love--Elvis Presley
6 Norman--Sue Thompson
7 A Little Bitty Tear--Burl Ives
8 The Wanderer--Dion
9 Unchain My Heart--Ray Charles
10 Baby It's You--The Shirelles

Singles entering the chart included To a Sleeping Beauty by Jimmy Dean (#73); Crying in the Rain by the Everly Brothers (#75); Midnight in Moscow, with versions by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen; and Jan Burgens and his New Orleans Syncopators (#85); A Little Too Much by Clarence Henry (#86); Tears from an Angel (#88)/Island in the Sky (#100) by Troy Shondell; Percolator by Billy Joe and the Checkmates (#89); Chip Chip by Gene McDaniels (#90); Oliver Twist by Rod McKuen (#92); My Boomerang Won't Come Back by Charlie Drake (#93); Pictures in the Fire (#94)/I'll See You in My Dreams (#98) by Pat Boone; The Lost Penny by Brook Benton (#96); and Hey! Baby by Bruce Channel (also #100). The Looking Ahead chart had Surfin' by the Beach Boys, on Candix 331, listed at #17, marking the Beach Boys' first appearance on the Cash Box singles or Looking Ahead charts.

On television tonight
The Roaring 20's, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The People People Marry

This was the 45th and last episode of the series.

40 years ago
1972

Economics and finance
The number of people in the U.K. listed as unemployed topped one million for the first time since the 1930s.

10 years ago
2002

World events
The publication of photographs of prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba sparked concern that their rights were being abused.

Football
NFL
AFC
Divisional Playoff
Baltimore 10 @ Pittsburgh 27

NFC
Divisional Playoff
Green Bay 17 @ St. Louis 45