January 9, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Olga!

730 years ago
1283

Died on this date
Wen Tianxiang, 46. Chinese scholar and military leader. Wen, the Duke of Xinguo, was imprisoned in 1278 for refusing to submit to the Yuan forces of Kublai Khan and was finally executed.

520 years ago
1493

Exploration
While sailing near what is now the Dominican Republic, Christopher Columbus saw three manatees and mistook them for mermaids.

225 years ago
1788

Americana
Connecticut entered the Union as the 5th state to ratify the Constitution.

220 years ago
1793

Aviation
Jean-Pierre Blanchard became the first person to fly a balloon in the United States, departing Philadelphia and landing in Deptford Township, New Jersey.

150 years ago
1863

War
In the U.S. Civil War, the Battle of Fort Hindman began in Arkansas.

140 years ago
1873

Died on this date
Napoleon III, 64. Emperor of the French, 1852-1870; 1st President of France, 1848-1852. Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon I, was elected President in 1848 and became the last monarch of France after initiating a coup d'état in 1851. He was captured after the Battle of Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War and was deposed by forces of the new Third Republic.

110 years ago
1903

Australiana
Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson, eldest son of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was named Governor-General of Australia. He had been acting Governor-General since the resignation of the Earl of Hopetoun in July 1902, and accepted the appointment for a one-year term at his own suggestion.

Baseball
New York businessmen Frank Farrell and Bill Devery bought the Baltimore Orioles franchise from the American League and moved it to New York, where the team became known as the Highlanders, and, officially in 1913, the Yankees.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Richard Nixon. 37th President of the United States of America, 1969-1974; Vice-President of the United States of America, 1953-1961. The only president to resign from office, Mr. Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, California. This blogger will observe 18 1/2 minutes' silence in honour of the event.

90 years ago
1923

Died on this date
Katherine Mansfield, 34. N.Z.-born U.K. authoress. Miss Mansfield was one of the most celebrated short story writers of the 1910s and early 1920s. She died in France of tuberculosis.

World events
In what became known as the Klaipeda Revolt, the Supreme Committee for the Salvation of Lithuania Minor (SCSLM) usurped power in the Klaipeda Region (Memel Territory) in protest against the League of Nations decision to leave the area as a mandated region under French control.

Aviation
Juan de la Cierva made the first autogyro flight at Cuatro Vientos Airfield in Madrid.

70 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): White Christmas--Bing Crosby (11th week at #1)

Died on this date
R.G. Collingwood, 53. U.K. philosopher, historian, and archaeologist. Robin George Collingwood was best known for his books The Principles of Art (1938) and The Idea of History (1946). He was known as an authority on Roman Britain, conducting numerous excavations. Professor Collingwood died after a series of strokes.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Here in My Heart--Al Martino (9th week at #1)

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Conqueror's Isle, starring Ray Montgomery

50 years ago
1963

Football
NFL
Cleveland Browns' owner Art Modell fired head coach and general manager Paul Brown. Mr. Brown, after whom the team was named, had been the team's only head coach since its founding in 1946, and had led them to four league championships in the All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) and three more (1950; 1954-1955) after the AAFC merged with the NFL in 1950. Ther Browns' performance had declined slightly in recent years, and the team had posted a 7-6-1 record in 1962.

30 years ago
1983

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: The Model Wife

Football
NFL
Playoffs
First Round
AFC
(6) New York Jets 44 @ (3) Cincinnati 17
(5) San Diego 31 @ (4) Pittsburgh 28

NFC
(5) Atlanta 24 @ (4) Minnesota 30
(7) Tampa Bay 17 @ (2) Dallas 30

Because the player's strike had shortened the regular season to 9 games, the league used a 16-team playoff format, with seedings in each conference determined by the teams' regular season records.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Étienne--Guesch Patti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: La Bamba--Los Lobos (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Fairytale of New York--The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Always on My Mind--Pet Shop Boys (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): So Emotional--Whitney Houston

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Cash Box): Faith--George Michael (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Faith--George Michael (4th week at #1)

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional playoff
Indianapolis 21 @ Cleveland 38

NFC Divisional playoff
Minnesota 36 @ San Francisco 24

Bernie Kosar completed 20 of 31 passes for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns and Earnest Byner rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown and caught 4 passes for 36 yards and a touchdown as the Browns defeated the Colts before 79,372 fans at Cleveland Stadium.

Anthony Carter caught 10 passes for 227 yards and the Vikings scored 17 points in the 2nd quarter to take a 20-3 halftime lead as they upset the #1-seed 49ers before 63,008 fans at Candlestick Park.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston

#1 single in France: Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (12th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Cash Box): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Canada (RPM): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Paul Hasluck, 87. Governor-General of Australia, 1969-1974. Sir Paul was a member of Parliament in Australia from 1949-1969 and a cabinet minister from 1951-1969 before being appointed Governor-General.

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional playoff
Buffalo 24 @ Pittsburgh 3

NFC Divisional playoff
Washington 13 @ San Francisco 20

The Bills forced 4 turnovers and recorded 7 quarterback sacks as they defeated the Steelers before 60,407 fans at Three Rivers Stadium.

Steve Young passed for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns as the 49ers overcame 4 turnovers to end the Redskins' reign as Super Bowl champions before 64,991 fans at Candlestick Park.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Will McDonough, 67. U.S. sportswriter. Mr. McDonough wrote for the Boston Globe from 1960 until his death of a heart attack. He was best known for his coverage of the National Football League.