January 5, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Laura-Belle Robinson!

370 years ago
1643

Society
The first legal divorce in Britain's American colonies took place when the Quarter Court of Boston granted Anne Clarke of the Massachusetts Bay Colony a divorce from her adulterous husband Denis Clarke.

300 years ago
1713

Died on this date
Jean Chardin, 69. French voyager. Mr. Chardin's 10-volume Voyages de monsieur le chevalier Chardin en Perse et autres lieux de l'Orient is still widely regarded as one of the finest works of scholarship on the Near East and Persia.

190 years ago
1823

Born on this date
José María Iglesias. President of Mexico, 1876-1877. Mr. Iglesias, a lawyer and law professor by profession, was first elected to Congress in 1852, and held several posts, including Secretary of Justice in the Liberal cabinet of President Benito Juárez. He served on the Mexican Supreme Court in the late 1850s, and was President of the Chamber of Deputies in the late 1860s, retiring for health reasons in 1871. Mr. Iglesias was elected President of the Supreme Court in 1873, and ruled the election of Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada as President in 1876 illegal because of fraud. Mr. Iglesias claimed the presidency under the constitution, holding the office from October 31, 1876-January 2, 1877. His presidency was disputed by General Porfirio Díaz, whose forces defeated those of Mr. Iglesias and forced him to flee to the United States on January 16, 1877. He returned to Mexico without incident and declined all invitations for public office, choosing to edit various journals. Mr. Iglesias died on December 17, 1891, 19 days before his 69th birthday.

Died on this date
George Johnston, 58. U.K.-born Australian military officer and politician. Mr. Johnston was Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales in 1808 after his predecessor, Wiliam Bligh, was deposed in the Rum Rebellion.

130 years ago
1883

Born on this date
Döme Sztójay. Prime Minister of Hungary, 1944. Mr. Sztójay, born Dimitrije Stojaković, was Hungarian Ambassador to Germany from 1935-1944. He forged strong ties with the Nazi regime. When German forces occupied Hungary in March 1944, Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy named Mr. Sztójay as Prime Minister as an alternative to outright Nazi rule. Mr. Sztójay legalized the Arrow Cross party and increased the deportation of Hungarian Jews. Mr. Horthy was able to exert enough pressure to force Mr. Sztójay's resignation on August 29, 1944 in favour of Géza Lakatos. Mr. Sztójay fled Hungary when Soviet troops invaded in April 1945, but he was captured by American forces and returned to Hungary, where he was convicted of war crimes and executed in Budapest by a firing squad on August 22, 1948 at the age of 63.

80 years ago
1933

Died on this date
Calvin Coolidge, 60. 30th President of the United States, 1923-1929. The only president born on July 4, Mr. Coolidge attracted national attention in 1919 when he used his authority as Governor of Massachusetts to end the Boston police strike. He was chosen as Republican presidential candidate Warren G. Harding's running mate in 1920, and became Vice-President on March 4, 1921. When Mr. Harding died suddenly on August 2, 1923, Mr. Coolidge took the oath of office as President from his father, a Vermont Justice of the Peace. Mr. Coolidge won respect for his refusal to shield the members of the "Ohio Gang" from prosecution in the Teapot Dome oil lease scandal which had engulfed the Harding administration in 1923, and easily won re-election in 1924. Mr. Coolidge surprised the nation in 1927 when he announced "I do not choose to run for president in 1928." While he was in the White House, his son Calvin, Jr. died at the age of 16 from an infection, and it's been speculated that it was that tragedy that robbed Calvin, Sr. of his desire for another term. Mr. Coolidge was known as "Silent Cal" for his ability to hold his tongue. His most famous quote was "If you don't say anything, you won't be called on to repeat it." At a social function, a woman bet him she could get him to say more than two words. He replied, "You lose." Mr. Coolidge left office on March 4, 1929, and returned home to Massachusetts. His autobiography, published later that year, gave more space to the blacksmith who worked on his father's farm than to foreign policy. Calvin Coolidge died of natural causes at his home in Northampton. Mister, we could use a man like Calvin Coolidge again.

Americana
Construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge, connecting San Francisco Peninsula with the southern end of Marin County.

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Kenneth Walker, 44. U.S. military officer. Mr. Walker was a brigadier general in the United States Army Air Forces who was known for his advocacy of strategic bombardment. He was shot down and killed while leading a bombing raid over Rabaul, New Guinea, and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Big Girls Don't Cry/Connie-O--The 4 Seasons

#1 single in France: L'idole des Jeunes--Johnny Hallyday (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Speedy Gonzales--Pat Boone (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Junge, komm bald wieder--Freddy Quinn (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Dance On!--The Shadows

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Telstar--The Tornados (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Telstar--The Tornados (2nd week at #1)
2 Limbo Rock--Chubby Checker
3 Go Away Little Girl--Steve Lawrence
4 Bobby's Girl--Marcie Blane
5 Return to Sender--Elvis Presley
6 Big Girls Don't Cry--The 4 Seasons
7 Pepino the Italian Mouse--Lou Monte
8 Hotel Happiness--Brook Benton
9 Zip-A-Dee Doo Dah--Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans
10 You are My Sunshine--Ray Charles

Singles entering the chart were He's Sure the Boy I Love by the Crystals (#74); Hey Paula by Paul and Paula (#85); Little Tin Soldier by the Toy Dolls (#87); Wild Weekend by the Rebels (#88); The Popeye Waddle by Don Covay (#92); What to Do with Laurie by Mike Clifford (#93); My Man--He's a Lovin' Man by Betty LaVett (#97); Big Boat by Peter, Paul and Mary (#98); Call on Me by Bobby Bland (#100); and From the Bottom of My Heart by Dean Martin (also #100).

Died on this date
Rogers Hornsby, 66. U.S. baseball player and manager. One of the greatest hitters in history, "Rajah" was a second baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals (1915-1926, 1933); New York Giants (1927); Boston Braves (1928); Chicago Cubs (1929-1932); and St. Louis Browns (1933-1937), batting .358 with 301 home runs and 1,584 runs batted in in 2,259 games. His career batting percentage is second only to Ty Cobb's .366. Mr. Horsby won 6 straight National League batting titles with the Cardinals (1920-1925) and with the Braves in 1928. He also led the NL in home runs in 1922 and 1925. Mr. Hornsby was the manager of the Cardinals in 1925 and 1926, and managed the Giants and Braves while he played with them. He managed the Cubs from 1930-1932 and the Browns from 1933-1937. After years of playing and managing in the minor leagues, Mr. Hornsby returned to the Browns as manager in 1952, but was disliked by the players and fired by owner Bill Veeck in mid-season. Mr. Hornsby was then hired by the Cincinnati Reds, leading them through the end of the 1953 season. Mr. Hornsby compiled a record of 701-812 in 14 seasons as a majaor league manager, leading the Cardinals to their first World Series championship in 1926. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942, and died of a heart attack after serving as third base coach for the legendarily-awful expansion New York Mets in 1962.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Ich wünsch' mir 'ne kleine Miezekatze--Wums Gesang (3rd week at #1)

25 years ago
1988

Died on this date
Pete Maravich, 40. U.S. basketball player. Pistol Pete's 44.2 average points per game at Louisiana State University (1967-70) is an NCAA record that still stands. Mr. Maravich played in the National Basketball Association with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Jazz, and Boston Celtics from 1970-1980, retiring because of a leg injury. He was a five-time NBA all-star in his 10-year career. Mr. Maravich came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour at the age of 35, and died in the arms of Dr. James Dobson while on a visit to the headquarters of Focus on the Family. His death was caused by a heart defect so rare (a missing left coronary artery) that it was said that only 2 of every 500 doctors would ever see it during the course of their careers. At the age of 25 Pistol Pete made the eerily prophetic comment that he didn't want to play 10 years in the NBA and die of a heart attack at the age of 40. Fortunately, when that event did happen, he entered into the presence of the Lord.

20 years ago
1993

Environment
The Liberian-registered tanker MV Braer ran aground off the Shetland Islands, resulting in the spilling of 84,700 tons of crude oil into the North Sea.

10 years ago
2003

Football
NFL
AFC Wild Card playoff
Cleveland 33 @ Pittsburgh 36

NFC Wild Card playoff
New York Giants 38 @ San Francisco 39

The Steelers trailed 24-7 in the 3rd quarter, but scored 2 touchdowns in the last 3:06 of regulation time to defeat the Browns before 62,595 fans at Heinz Field. Cleveland led 33-21 until Pittsburgh quarterback Tommy Maddox completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, reducing the deficit to 33-28 after the convert. The Steelers' defense forced the Browns to punt, and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala rushed 3 yards for a touchdown with 54 seconds remaining to give Pittsburgh the lead. Mr. Maddox passed to Jerome Tuman for a 2-point convert to make the score 36-33. Time ran out with the Browns in possession on the Steeler's 29-yard line. Mr. Maddox completed 30 of 48 passes for 367 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Cleveland quarterback Kelly Holcomb completed 26 of 43 passes for 429 yards and 3 touchdowns.

A 13-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia to Tai Streets with 1 minute left in regulation time provided the winning margin as the 49ers came back from a 38-14 3rd-quarter deficit to edge the Giants before 66,318 fans at San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point. The touchdown drive was set up when veteran New York long snapper Trey Junkin, who had just come out of retirement, made a bad snap on a 42-yard field goal attempt, and the kick went wide. A 2-point convert attempt on Mr. Streets' touchdown was unsuccessful, and the Giants marched into field goal range, but Mr. Junkin made a bad snap again on a 41-yard field goal attempt, and a pass was incomplete. The Giants were penalized for having an ineligible receiver downfield on the play, but the wrong man was flagged, although another New York player was illegally downfield. The Giants protested--and NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira admitted--that the 49ers should have been penalized for pass interference on the play, which would have resulted in a replay of the down from the San Francisco 23-yard line.