January 15, 2013

520 years ago
1493

Exploration
Christopher Columbus departed Hispaniola for Spain, ending his first journey to the New World.

225 years ago
1788

Died on this date
Gaetano Latilla, 77. Italian composer. Mr. Latilla wrote 49 operas, and was the most important Italian opera composer in the period immediately preceding his nephew Niccolò Piccinni. Mr. Latilla died three days after his 77th birthday.

220 years ago
1793

World events
France's National Convention convicted deposed King Louis XVI of treason. 648 deputies voted to convict, none voted to acquit, and 23 abstained.

150 years ago
1863

Born on this date
Wilhelm Marx. Chancellor of Germany, 1923-1925; 1926-1928. Mr. Marx, a member of the German Centre Party, led governments that stabilized the economy after the hyperinflation of 1923, accepted the Dawes Plan for payment of World War I reparations, and joined the League of Nations. He died on August 5, 1946 at the age of 83.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Lloyd Bridges. U.S. actor. Mr. Bridges was a character actor in many movies and television programs, and was best known as the star of the television series Sea Hunt (1958-1961), and as the father of actors Beau and Jeff Bridges. He died on March 10, 1998 at the age of 85.

80 years ago
1933

Economics and finance
The Amana colony in Iowa abandoned co-operative living and began using United States currency.

70 years ago
1943

War
The Soviets began a counter-offensive at Voronezh.

Americana
Construction on The Pentagon, the world's largest office building, was completed in Arlington County, Virginia after 16 months.

60 years ago
1953

Politics and government
East German authorities began a purge of senior officials accused of plotting against the Communist regime.

Diplomacy
Testifying before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Secretary of State-designate John Foster Dulles argued that U.S. foreign policy should strive for the "liberation of captive peoples" living under Communist rule.

50 years ago
1963

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Snowball

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Ben--Michael Jackson (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Le lac majeur--Mort Shuman (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Coleman Francis, 53. U.S. movie director and actor. Mr. Francis directed The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961); The Skydivers (1963); and
Night Train to Mundo Fine (aka Red Zone Cuba) (1966).

War
U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered a halt to bombing in North Vietnam as a result of peace talks in Paris.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Hou! La menteuse--Dorothée (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Save Your Love--Renée and Renato (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: You Can't Hurry Love--Phil Collins

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Down Under--Men at Work

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Maneater--Daryl Hall & John Oates (5th week at #1)
2 Down Under--Men at Work
3 The Girl is Mine--Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
4 Mickey--Toni Basil
5 Dirty Laundry--Don Henley
6 Sexual Healing--Marvin Gaye
7 It's Raining Again--Supertramp
8 Truly--Lionel Richie
9 The Look of Love--ABC
10 Africa--Toto

Singles entering the chart were You Are by Lionel Richie (#54); I'm Alive by Neil Diamond (#68); Breaking Us in Two by Joe Jackson (#74); Tied Up by Olivia Newton-John (#81); The Blues by Randy Newman and Paul Simon (#84); I Can't Stand Still by Don Henley (#85); Windows by Missing Persons (#87); Dreamin' is Easy by Steel Breeze (#88); Are You Getting Enough Happiness by Hot Chocolate (#89); Got to Be There by Chaka Khan (#90); and Always by Firefall (#99).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Mickey--Toni Basil (4th week at #1)
2 Pass the Dutchie--Musical Youth
3 Gloria--Laura Branigan
4 Maneater--Daryl Hall & John Oates
5 Nobody--Sylvia
6 Rock This Town--Stray Cats
7 Truly--Lionel Richie
8 The Girl is Mine--Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
9 Come On Eileen--Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express
10 You Can't Hurry Love--Phil Collins

Singles entering the chart were Crimes of Passion by Rough Trade (#44); Shame on the Moon by Bob Seger (#45); and Allentown by Billy Joel (#47).

Died on this date
Meyer Lansky, 80. Russian-born U.S. gangster. Mr. Lansky was associated with Lucky Luciano and Bugsy Siegel, and helped to develop the National Crime Syndicate.

Football
NFL
Playoffs
Second Round
NFC
Minnesota 7 @ Washington 21

AFC
New York Jets 17 @ Los Angeles Raiders 14

John Riggins rushed 37 times for 185 yards and a touchdown as the Redskins defeated the Vikings before 54,593 fans at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in a game in which all the scoring took place in the first 20 minutes.

Scott Dierking rushed for the winning touchdown with 3;45 remaining in regulation time as the Jets edged the Raiders before 90,038 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Wesley Walker caught 7 passes for 169 yards for the Jets, while teammate Freeman McNeil rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown. The Raiders trailed 10-0 at halftime but scored 2 converted touchdowns in the 3rd quarter.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Always On My Mind--Pet Shop Boys (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Sean MacBride, 83. Irish politician. Mr. MacBride was Ireland's Minister of External Affairs from 1948-1951. He was a founding member and international chairman of Amnesty International and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974 and the Lenin Peace Prize for 1975-1976.

20 years ago
1993

Died on this date
Sammy Cahn, 79. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Cahn was nominated 23 times for the Academy Award for best song and won 4 times, for the lyrics to Three Coins in the Fountain (Three Coins in the Fountain, 1954); All the Way (The Joker is Wild, 1957); High Hopes (A Hole in the Head, 1959); and Call Me Irresponsible (Papa's Delicate Condition, 1963).

Crime
Mafia boss Salvatore "The Beast" Riina was arrested in Sicily after three decades as a fugitive.