January 9, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Olga!

220 years ago
1792

War
The Treaty of Jassy between Russian and the Ottoman Empire was signed in Moldavia, ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–92 and confirming Russia's increasing dominance in the Black Sea.

70 years ago
1942

At the movies
Today I Hang, written and directed by Oliver Drake, and starring Walter Woolf King, Mona Barrie, and William Farnum, opened in theatres.



Boxing
Joe Louis (52-1) knocked down Buddy Baer (51-7) 3 times and out at 2:56 of the 1st round at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain his world heavyweight title. It was the second unsuccessful challenge for Mr. Baer in the previous eight months, and was his last professional fight.



50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Bad Actor, starring Robert Duvall, Carole Eastman, and Charles Robinson

40 years ago
1972

Basketball
NBA
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 120-104, ending the Lakers' record 33-game winning streak.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Don't You Want Me--The Human League (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Physical--Olivia Newton-John (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Physical--Olivia Newton-John (4th week at #1)

25 years ago
1987

War
Iran launched a large assault on Iraqi positions near the city of Basra. Most fighting occurred east of Basra in the Fish Lake region, with Iranian artillery pounding the city. Iraq bombed a number of Iranian cities, including Tehran and Qom, while Iran fired long-range missiles into Baghdad. Iranian ground forces reportedly made some headway, but at a cost of a reported 50,000 casualties, while Iraqi casualties were reported as high as 20,000.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate for December 1986 was 6.6%, down 0.2% from November, and at the lowest level since March 1980.

The U.S. Labor Department also announced that, for all of 1986, prices paid by producers for finished goods had declined 2.5%, the sharpest drop since 1949, and the first decline since 1963.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives--Queen (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Bill Naughton, 81. U.K. playwright and author. Mr. Naughton, a native of Ireland, was best known for his play (1963) and novel (1966) Alfie, which was made into a movie in 1966.

Steve Brodie, 72. U.S. actor. Mr. Brodie, born John Stevenson, usually played tough guys in films such as Out of the Past (1947); Crossfire (1947); and Desperate (1947). He died of cancer.

Europeana
The Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina proclaimed the creation of Republika Srpska, a new state within Yugoslavia.

Scandal
Alison Halford, the United Kingdom's most senior policewoman, was suspended from duty for a second time following a police authority meeting. She had accused higher authorities of sex discrimination in her efforts to gain further promotion.

Economics and finance
The United States government reported that the economy had contracted in 1991 for the first time in nine years. The U.S. Labor Department reported that the producer price index for finished goods had declined 0.1% in 1991, the first decline in wholesale prices in five years.