January 4, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Angela Ieriti, Agness Nyambe, and Aydee Ramirez!

170 years ago
1843

Died on this date
Stevens T. Mason, 31. U.S. politician. Mr. Mason, a Democrat, was a member of a politically powerful family, and was only 19 when he was appointed as acting territorial secretary of Michigan Territory, and was 22 when he was appointed as acting territorial Governor in 1834. He was elected Governor of Michigan in 1835, and was instrumental in guiding the territory into statehood in 1837. Mr. Mason remains the youngest governor of a state in American history. Early in 1838, he aided the state militia in suppressing the Patriot War, an attempt by irregulars to invade and annex parts of Canada. An attempt by Mr. Mason to fund internal improvements through the sale of $5 million in bonds fell through in 1837, and he neglected to run for re-election in 183, leaving office at the expiraton of his term in January 1840. Mr. Mason attempted to establish a private law practice, but had difficulty building a clientele, and died of pneumonia.

150 years ago
1863

Died on this date
Roger Hanson, 35. C.S. military leader. Mr. Hanson was a general in the army of the Confederate States of America who died two days after being wounded in the Battle of Stones River at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Religion
The New Apostolic Church was established in Hamburg.

110 years ago
1903

Died on this date
Topsy, 27. U.S. circus elephant. An elephant with the Forepaugh Circus, Topsy had killed three people--including an abusive trainer--in three years, and was considered by her owners to be a threat to people. She was electrocuted at Coney Island, New York under the supervision of Thomas Edison, who filmed the event and released it under the title Electrocuting an Elephant (1903).

100 years ago
1913

Died on this date
Alfred von Schlieffen, 79. German military leader. Count Schlieffen was Chief of the Imperial German General Staff from 1891-1906. His 1905 plan for a two-front war against Russia in the east and France in the west was implemented at the beginning of World War I in 1914, but failed to deliver the quick victory that Germany hoped to achieve.

80 years ago
1933

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: Death in the Club Window

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, 31. Polish-born Greek athlete and saboteur. Mr. Iwanow-Szajnowicz, a native of Warsaw, moved to Greece with his mother and stepfather in 1926. He was a swimmer who won the national championship in the 100-metre freestyle competition, but moved back to Warsaw, becoming a Polish citizen in 1935 and the top player on the Polish national water polo team. Mr. Iwanow-Szajnowicz aided Polish and Greek resistance fighters in World War II, and was effective in sabotaging German aircraft and U-boats. He was eventually betrayed, captured, escaped, recaptured, and executed by a firing squad in Athens.

War
Russian forces recaptured the German airbase of Chernishkovsky and the railway station of Chernishkov, 100 miles west of Stalingrad. U.S. troops attacked Japanese forces on Guadalcanal and gained high ground near Mount Aesten. Australian and American forces completed the destruction of Japanese forces in the Buna Mission area of New Guinea.

Politics and government
The Panamanian National Assembly voted to continue President Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia in office for the next two years.

Crime
A District of Columbia grand jury indicted 33 people and the New York Evening Enquirer for sedition, charging them with conspiring to impair the morale and loyalty of the armed forces.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the three-year statute of limitations nullified the 1941 conviction of former Kansas City Democratic Party boss Tom Pendergast for contempt because of bribes he had received in 1936.

Oil
U.S. Petroleum Administrator Harold Ickes said that only 1 million barrels could be delivered to the East Coast of the United States daily, despite a demand for 1.5 million barrels per day.

Economics and finance
Chase Manhattan Bank of New York reported assets of over $4.5 billion, the first time a bank had listed assets above $4 billion.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland: Return to Sender--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 The Night has a Thousand Eyes--Bobby Vee
2 Bobby's Girl--Marcie Blane
3 Return to Sender--Elvis Presley
4 My Dad--Paul Petersen
5 From a Jack to a King--Ned Miller
6 I Saw Linda Yesterday--Dickey Lee
7 Go Away Little Girl--Steve Lawrence
8 It's Up to You--Rick Nelson
9 Shake Me I Rattle (Squeeze Me I Cry)--Marion Worth
10 The Lonely Bull--The Tijuana Brass

On television tonight
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Thirty-First of February, starring David Wayne, William Conrad, Elizabeth Allen, Staats Cosworth, and Bob Crane

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland: Happy Xmas (War is Over)--John Lennon and Yoko Ono

30 years ago
1983

Football
CFL
Don Matthews was named head coach of the British Columbia Lions. Mr. Matthews had been a defensive assistant coach with the Edmonton Eskimos from 1977-1982; during this period the Eskimos had won six straight Western titles and had won the Grey Cup in the last five of these years.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley (6th week at #1)

10 years ago
2003

Football
NFL
AFC Wild Card playoff
Indianapolis 0 @ New York Jets 41

NFC Wild Card playoff
Atlanta 27 @ Green Bay 7

Chad Pennington completed 19 of 25 passes for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Jets took a 24-0 halftime lead and coasted to victory over the Colts before 78,524 fans at Giants Stadium. Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning completed just 14 of 31 passes for 137 yards and 3 interceptions.

The Falcons took a 24-0 halftime lead and coasted to victory as they handed the Packers their first home playoff loss ever before 65,358 fans at Lambeau Field. The Atlanta defense forced 5 Green Bay turnovers, while Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick rushed for 64 yards and passed for 117.