February 24, 2013

1,710 years ago
303

Abominations
Galerius Caesar, commander of legions in the eastern Roman Empire, issued an edict calling for the persecution of Christians in his area of the Empire.

710 years ago
1303

War
Scottish forces led by John Comyn and Simon Fraser defeated English forces led by Sir John Segrave in the Battle of Roslin in the First War of Scottish Independence.

475 years ago
1538

Diplomacy
Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and John Zápolya, King of Hungary, signed the Treaty of Nagyvárad in Grosswardein/Várad (modern-day Oradea, Romania), dividing the medieval Kingdom of Hungary.

210 years ago
1803

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Marbury v. Madison that any act of Congress that conflicted with the Constitution was null and void.

150 years ago
1863

Americana
Arizona, formerly part of the Territory of New Mexico, became a separate territory within the United States.

60 years ago
1953

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: They Haven't Killed Me Yet, starring Harry Lowe, Jr.

Died on this date
Bob La Follette, Jr., 58. U.S. politician. Mr. La Follette, the son of prominent politician Bob La Follette, Sr., represented Wisconsin in the United States Senate from 1925-1947. He was first elected as a Republican to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, and supported the cause of organized labour. Mr. La Follette and his brother Philip formed the Wisconsin Progressive Party in 1934, and he won re-election as a Progressive in 1934 and 1940. He was one of the Senate's leading isolationists, and helped found the America First Committee in 1940. When the Wisconsin Progressive Party dissolved, Mr. La Follette returned to the Republican Party, but was narrowly defeated in his state's Senate primary that year by Joseph McCarthy, who went on to win election to the Senate. He then warned of Communist infiltration into the U.S. government, and acted as an economic consultant to large corporations. Mr. La Follette committed suicide by shooting himself, 18 days after his 58th birthday. Some believed that he feared exposure by Sen. McCarthy's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations regarding Communists who had served on Sen. La Follette's subcommittee staff, while others believed that his suicide was the result of anxiety and depression that had long plagued him.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Ben--Michael Jackson (6th week at #1)
2 I'd Love You to Want Me--Lobo
3 You're So Vain--Carly Simon
4 I Am Woman--Helen Reddy
5 Crocodile Rock--Elton John
6 Nights in White Satin--The Moody Blues
7 Happy Xmas (War is Over)--John Lennon and Yoko Ono
8 I've Got to Have You--Carly Simon
9 Mad About You--Bruce Ruffin
10 You're a Lady--Peter Skellern

Singles entering the chart were Crazy Horses by the Osmonds (#29); Hi, Hi, Hi by Wings (#31); It's Never Really Over by Gary Travers (#33); Living in the Past by Jethro Tull (#36); Looking Through the Eyes of Love by the Partridge Family (#39); and Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul (#40).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Killing Me Softly with His Song--Roberta Flack

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Could it Be I'm Falling in Love--The Spinners
2 Crocodile Rock--Elton John
3 Dueling Banjos--Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell
4 Oh Babe, What Would You Say?--Hurricane Smith
5 Killing Me Softly with His Song--Roberta Flack
6 Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend--Lobo
7 Love Train--O'Jays
8 Last Song--Edward Bear
9 Do it Again--Steely Dan
10 Rocky Mountain High--John Denver

Singles entering the chart were One Man Parade by James Taylor (#76); If You Gotta Break Another Heart by Albert Hammond (#83); Step by Step by Joe Simon (#85); Wildflower by Skylark (#88); Armed and Extremely Dangerous by First Choice (#92); Keep Me in Mind by Lynn Anderson (#94); I'm Doin' Fine Now by New York City (#95); Let Your Yeah Be Yeah by Brownsville Station (#97); Rainbow Man by Looking Glass (#98); I' Been Watchin' You by Southside Movement (#99); and Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Summer Wine (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Crocodile Rock--Elton John (2nd week at #1)
2 Danny's Song--Anne Murray
3 You Are What I Am/That Same Old Obsession--Gordon Lightfoot
4 Oh Babe, What Would You Say--Hurricane Smith
5 Last Song--Edward Bear
6 Why Can't We Live Together--Timmy Thomas
7 Jambalaya (On the Bayou)--The Blue Ridge Rangers
8 Gypsy--Abraham's Children
9 Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend--Lobo
10 Do it Again--Steely Dan

Singles entering the chart were Also Sprach Zarathustra by Deodato (#60); My Blue Heaven by Chief Dan George (#88); Sing by the Carpenters (#90); Sandman by the Lettermen (#94); Pardon Me Sir by Joe Cocker (#95); Magic Woman Touch by the Hollies (#96); Dream Me Home by Mac Davis (#98); Master of Eyes by Aretha Franklin (#99); and Drift Away by Dobie Gray (#100).

Calgary’s Top 10
1 Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend--Lobo
2 Crocodile Rock--Elton John
3 You're So Vain--Carly Simon
4 Dancing in the Moonlight--King Harvest
5 Killing Me Softly with His Song--Roberta Flack
6 Groundhog--Chilliwack
7 Superfly--Curtis Mayfield
8 Pieces of April--Three Dog Night
9 Why Can't We Live Together--Timmy Thomas
10 Superstition--Stevie Wonder
Pick hit of the week: Dueling Banjos--Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Kavis Reed! The head coach of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos was born in Georgetown, South Carolina.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
Canada's Top 10 (The Record)
1 Goody Two Shoes--Adam Ant
2 Shame on the Moon--Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
3 Allentown--Billy Joel
4 We've Got Tonight--Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
5 When I'm With You--Sheriff
6 Stray Cat Strut--The Stray Cats
7 You Are--Lionel Richie
8 Baby, Come to Me--Patti Austin (with James Ingram)
9 Crazy--Supertramp
10 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club

War
A special commission of the United States Congress issued a reporte condemning the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

Politics and government
Veteran Edmonton alderman Ed Leger announced his candidacy for Mayor in the election scheduled for October 17, 1983.

Football
CFL
The Edmonton Eskimos named Pete Kettela as their head coach, replacing Hugh Campbell, who had become the head coach of the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League. Mr. Kettela, 42, was an assistant coach in charge of running backs with the Green Bay Packers when the Eskimos hired him. Despite a mediocre resume, Mr. Kettela was hired by general manager Norm Kimball because he was the only man who had applied to fill the large shoes of Mr. Campbell, with training camp only three months away. Mr. Campbell had led the team to six straight West Division titles from 1977-1982 and Grey Cup championships in the last five of those seasons.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Allt som jag känner--Tone Norum and Tommy Nilsson (2nd week at #1)

World events
The South African government of President P.W. Botha took sweeping actions against its black opponents, curtailing the activities of 17 groups and barring the country's largest labour federation from any political involvement. The government also restricted the activities and movements of 18 anti-apartheid leaders. The moves came a week in advance of state elections in Transvaal, where right-wing opponents of Mr. Botha accused his government of coddling opposition blacks. Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu denounced the measures as "rule with the jackboot."

Olympics
Matti Nykanen of Finland became the first person to win three gold medals in ski jumping in a single Winter Olympic games when Finland won the 90-metre men's team event. Mr. Nykanen had previously won the 70-metre and 90-metre men's events at Lake Louise, Alberta.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): No Limit--2 Unlimited

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Nose

Died on this date
Danny Gallivan, 75. Canadian sportscaster. Mr. Gallivan, a native of Sydney, Nova Scotia, was the voice of the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada from 1952-1984, and is fondly remembered as one of of the best--maybe the best--play-by-play broadcasters in hockey history. His colourful use of the English language included such descriptions as "There is, cascading and emanating from the benches and pews occupied by Canadiens' supporters, a groundswell of discontent." Mr. Gallivan was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

Bobby Moore, 51. U.K. soccer player. Mr. Moore, a defender, played professional soccer from 1958-1978. He was with West Ham United from 1958-1974 and was captain of the English team that won the World Cup in 1966. Mr. Moore ended his career with the independent professional club Edmonton Black Gold. He died of liver and bowel cancer.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced that he would be resigning from office after the Progressive Conservative party selected a new leader in June. This blogger was in the national capital region that day, and there were reports of federal government buildings hosting office parties in honour of Mr. Mulroney's announcement. If it hadn't been February, there probably would have been parades in the streets and fireworks. Mr. Mulroney had led his party since June 11, 1983 and had been Prime Minister since September 17, 1984.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Walter Scharf, 92. U.S. composer. Mr. Scharf began working on Broadway in New York City and moved to Hollywood in 1933. He was head of music for Republic Pictures (1942-1946), and worked on more than 100 movies, specializing in comedies, and receiving 10 Academy Award nominations. Mr. Scharf composed for numerous television programs--mainly dramas--and was best known for his scores for The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau documentaries, winning Emmy Awards for them in 1970 and 1974. He died of heart failure.

Diplomacy
Two days after the U.S.A., U.K., and Spain had submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for the authorization of military action against Iraq, a counter-resolution was submitted by France, Germany, and Russia, who were seeking intensified and extended inspections of Iraq's weapons facilities.

Disasters
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale flattened thousands of houses and other buildings in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China. By the following day, the death toll had reached 260 and many survivors had been left homeless.