February 16, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Veronica Jones!

150 years ago
1862

Died on this date
William Pennington, 65. U.S. politician. Mr. Pennington, a Republican, was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly (1828) and Governor of New Jersey (1837-1843). He represented New Jersey's 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1859-1861), and was Speaker of the House (1860-1861). Mr. Pennington died from an accidental morphine overdose.

80 years ago
1932

Died on this date
Ferdinand Buisson, 90. French politician. Mr. Buisson was a member of the Radical-Socialist party who was president of the French Human Rights League from 1913-1926. He and Ludwig Quidde of Germany shared the 1927 Nobel Peace Prize "[for] contributions to Franco-German popular reconciliation."

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads (Best Seller--7th week at #1, Disc Jockey--6th week at #1, Juke Box--4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads (3rd week at #1)
2 Slow Poke--Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys
--Arthur Godfrey
--Helen O'Connell
3 Tell Me Why--The Four Aces
--Eddie Fisher
4 The Little White Cloud that Cried--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
5 (It's No) Sin--The Four Aces
--Eddy Howard
6 Shrimp Boats--Jo Stafford
7 Any Time--Eddie Fisher
8 Undecided--The Ames Brothers and Les Brown and his Band of Renown
9 Charmaine--Mantovani and his Orchestra
10 Tiger Rag--Les Paul and Mary Ford

Singles entering the chart were Wimoweh by the Weavers and Gordon Jenkins (#30); I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise by Georges Guetary (#35); Baby Doll (#38)/Oops! (#48) by Doris Day; The Blacksmith Blues by Ella Mae Morse (#44); Why Don't You Love Me by Rosemary Clooney (#47); and Oops! by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (#48). Why Don't You Love Me was the B-side of Be My Life's Companion, which charted at #17.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: A Piano in the House, starring Barry Morse and Joan Hackett

40 years ago
1972

On television tonight
Rod Serling's Night Gallery, on NBC
Tonight's episode: I'll Never Leave You--Ever, starring Lois Nettleton, Royal Dano, and John Saxon; There aren't any More MacBanes, starring Joel Grey and Howard Duff

Labour
A lengthy miners' strike in Great Britain was now causing shortages of electrical power.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: Cambodia--Kim Wilde (4th week at #1)

Scandal
United States Senator Harrison Williams (Democrat—New Jersey) was sentenced to three years in prison and fined $50,000 after being convicted of bribery and conspiracy in the Abscam investigation into political corruption, which involved Federal Bureau of Investigation agents disguised as Arabs offering bribes to politicians. Mr. Williams protested his innocence and announced that he planned to appeal the conviction.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Stay--Shakespears Sister

On television tonight
This Week in Bible Prophecy, hosted by Peter and Paul Lalonde, premiered on Vision TV in Canada.

Olympics
Men's hockey
United Team (Commonwealth of Independent States) 5 Canada 4

Tennis
Martina Navratilova defeated Jana Novotna 2 sets to 1 to win the Virginia Slims tournament in Chicago. The win was the 158th career championship for Miss Navratilova, breaking Chris Evert's record of 157.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Billy Ward, 80. U.S. musician. Mr. Ward, born Robert L. Williams, was a child prodigy and a classically-trained pianist who achieved success as bandleader, arranger, and occasional songwriter and singer for the rhythm and blues group Billy Ward and his Dominoes. The group, whose lead singers included Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson, had a string of hits from 1950-1958, including Sixty Minute Man (1951); Have Mercy Baby (1952); These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You) (1953); Rags to Riches (1953); Star Dust (1957); and Deep Purple (1958). Billy Ward and his Dominoes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2006.

Music
The musicians of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, who had gone on strike the previous day, performed the first of several weekly free concerts—sponsored by Michael Ritter--at All Saints Anglican Cathedral. This blogger was in attendance.