February 18, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Paul Jelley and Ezra Levant!

175 years ago
1838

Born on this date
Ernst Mach. Austrian physicist. Dr. Mach was known for his study of shock waves and the creation of the Mach number (a quantity representing the ratio of speed of an object moving through a fluid and the local speed of sound). He died on February 19, 1916, the day after his 78th birthday.

140 years ago
1873

Died on this date
Vasil Levski, 35. Bulgarian revolutionist. Mr. Levski was a leader of the Internal Revolutionary Organisation, which attempted to free Bulgaria from the rule of the Ottoman Empire. He was hanged by Ottoman authorities in Sofia.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Matilda Allison. U.S. teacher and civil servant. Miss Allison was permanently blinded by an injury at the age of 7. She became a teacher of newly-blind war veterans in California, and in 1919 became the first blind person in California, and possibly the United States, to pass a civil service examination. Miss Allison taught braille transcription and office skills. She died on November 21, 1973 at the age of 85.

100 years ago
1913

Politics and government
Raymond Poincare took office as President of France.

90 years ago
1923

Died on this date
Alois Rašín, 55. Czechoslovakian politician. Mr. Rašín, Czechoslovakia's finance minister, died 44 days after being shot in Prague by anarchist Josef Šoupal.

80 years ago
1933

Died on this date
James. J. Corbett, 66. U.S. boxer. "Gentleman Jim" knocked out John L. Sullivan in the 21st round to win the world heavyweight championship on September 7, 1892, and held the title until he was knocked out in the 14th round by Bob Fitzsimmons on March 17, 1897. He had just 24 professional fights, comipiling a record of 14 wins (including three "newspaper decisions"), 4 losses, 3 draws, and 3 no contests. A fictionalized movie biography of Mr. Corbett, Gentleman Jim, starring Errol Flynn, was released in 1942.

70 years ago
1943

Politics and government
Hans and Sophie Scholl, leaders of the Weisse Rose (White Rose) youth resistance movement in Germany, were arrested by the Gestapo for opposing the Nazi regime.

War
German Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels, speaking at the Berlin Sportspalast, called for total war by the German people against the Allies.

60 years ago
1953

On the radio
I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews
Tonight’s episode: Black Gospel

50 years ago
1963

At the movies
Summer Holiday, starring Cliff Richard and the Shadows, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom.

Music
Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You was released as a single in Canada on Capitol Records 72076, becoming the first single by the Beatles to be released in Canada. The version of Love Me Do featured Ringo Starr on drums. The more familiar version of the song featured session musician Andy White on drums.

Football
CFL
The Edmonton Eskimos traded quarterback Jackie Parker to the Toronto Argonauts for halfbacks Joe Hernandez and Jon Rechner, defensive back Mike Wicklum, centre and kicker Bill Mitchell, guard Zeke Smith, and $15,000. In 9 seasons with the Eskimos from 1954-1962, Mr. Parker had won almost every honour imaginable, including the Schenley Award as the country's Most Outstanding Player in 1957, 1958, and 1960.

40 years ago
1973

Died on this date
Frank Costello, 82. Italian-born U.S. gangster. Mr. Costello, known as the "Prime Minister of the Underworld," headed the Luciano crime family, one of the biggest in the United States. Mr. Costello became a celebrity in 1951 when he testified before the U.S. Senate hearings on organized crime headed by Senator Estes Kefauver. Mr. Costello agreed to testify, while his face not be shown on television. The camera showed close-ups of Mr. Costello's hands as he gave his testimony.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sexual Healing--Marvin Gaye (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst)--Peter Schilling (4th week at #1)

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Always on My Mind--Pet Shop Boys (2nd week at #1)

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): I Feel You--Depeche Mode

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Isser Harel, 91 (?) . Israeli government official. Mr. Harel directed Israel's Mossad intelligence agency from 1952-1963, and oversaw the capture of former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann in Argentina in 1960 and his subsequent transport to Israel.

Crime
198 people were killed and nearly 150 others injured when an unemployed taxi driver named Kim Dae-han ignited a gasoline-filled container inside a subway train in Daegu, South Korea.