February 28, 2013

375 years ago
1638

Britannica
The Scottish National Covenant was signed by a large gathering in the kirkyard of Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. The covenanters pledged to maintain Presbyterianism as it had existed in 1580 as Scotland's official religion, rejecting any innovations introduced since that time. They also pledged loyalty to the king of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

175 years ago
1838

Canadiana
Robert Nelson, leader of the insurrectionist Patriotes, proclaimed the independence of Lower Canada and distributed a declaration of independence while he was encamped with 300 men at Alburg, Vermont. They were soon arrested by the U.S. Army for violating the law of neutrality of the United States.

130 years ago
1883

Popular culture
The first vaudeville theatre opened in Boston.

125 years ago
1888

Music
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Pezzo capriccioso for Cello & Orchestra received its premiere performance.

120 years ago
1893

Defense
The USS Indiana, the first battleship of the United States Navy that was comparable to foreign battleships of the time, was launched at Philadelphia. A crowd of 10,000 people was in attendance, including Benjamin Harrison, who had just one week remaining in his term as President of the United States.

100 years ago
1913

Died on this date
George Finnegan, 31. U.S. boxer. Mr. Finnegan won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the 1904 Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis, and then gained enough weight in several days to fight in the bantamweight division, where he defeated fellow American Oliver Kirk to win the silver medal.

80 years ago
1933

Abominations
The day after fire gutted the German Reichstag in Berlin, German President Paul von Hindenburg issued the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State--commonly known as the Reichstag Fire Decree--that suspended many of the civil liberties of German citizens until further notice.

70 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia: I Don't Want to Walk Without You--Harry James and his Music Makers (1st month at #1)

60 years ago
1953

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Because You're Mine--Mario Lanza; Nat "King" Cole

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Till I Waltz Again with You--Teresa Brewer (Best seller--3rd week at #1, Jukebox--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Till I Waltz Again with You--Teresa Brewer (4th week at #1)
2 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes--Perry Como
3 Tell Me You're Mine--The Gaylords
4 Have You Heard--Joni James
5 Oh Happy Day--Don Howard
--Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music
--[The Four Knights]
6 The Doggie in the Window--Patti Page
7 Anywhere I Wander--Julius LaRosa
8 Why Don't You Believe Me--Joni James
9 Side by Side--Kay Starr
10 Keep it a Secret--Jo Stafford

Singles entering the chart were New Juke Box Saturday Night by the Modernaires (#23); Kaw-Liga, with versions by Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys, and Dolores Gray with the Commanders (#30); and No Help Wanted, with versions by Rusty Draper, and the Carlisles (#38).

Science
Cambridge University scientists James Watson and Francis Crick announced that they had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule containing human genes.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): The Wayward Wind--Frank Ifield (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Printer's Devil, starring Burgess Meredith, Robert Sterling, and Pat Crowley

Died on this date
Rajendra Prasad, 78. 1st President of India, 1950-1962. Mr. Prasad was one of the leaders in India's independence movement.

Music
Sam Cooke recorded the song Another Saturday Night at RCA Studios in Los Angeles.

40 years ago
1973

Politics and government
A coalition of Fine Gael and Labour parties won the Irish national elections, defeating the governing Fianna Fail party, led by Prime Minister John Lynch. Fiana Fail had held power for 16 years.

Figure skating
At the world championships in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, Janet Lynn of the United States, who was in second place after the compulsory figures portion of the women's competition, fell twice during the short program and finished 12th, all but ending her chances of winning the world championship over Karen Magnussen of Canada, who was leading with the long program scheduled for the following night.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Gloria--Laura Branigan (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
M*A*S*H, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

This special 2 1/2-hour episode was the series' last after an 11-season, 251-episode run as one of the most popular series in history. 77% of the viewing audience (125 million viewers) tuned in, making it the most-watched episode of any television series ever, and the most-watched television broadcast until the 2010 Super Bowl.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle

Abominations
At least 32--Armenians claimed as many as 300--Armenians were killed during disorders in the city of Sumgait, Azerbaijan.

War
Iran bombed the city of Basra in southern Iraq.

Politics and government
In the contest for the U. S. presidential nominations, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis won the Democratic party caucuses in Maine, while Vice President George Bush won the Republican caucuses.

Olympics
Closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics were held at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): No Limit--2 Unlimited

Died on this date
Ruby Keeler, 82. Canadian-born U.S. dancer and actress. A native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Miss Keeler became a dancer on Broadway, married Al Jolson, and moved to Hollywood. Her most notable movies were her first three: 42nd Street (1933); Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933); and Footlight Parade (1933).

Ishiro Honda, 81. Japanese film director. Mr. Honda was known for directing Japanese monster movies, which achieved worldwide popularity in the 1950s and '60. His films included Godzilla (1954); Mosura (aka Mothra) (1961); Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964); Monster of Monsters: Ghidorah (aka Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster) (1964); Kingu Kongu no gyakushû (aka King Kong Escapes!) (1967).

Crime
Four agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were killed along with eight residents of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas when the BATF raided the cult's compound in an attempt to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh, who was sustpected of illegally stockpiling weapons.

World events
Three U.S. C-130 transport planes, flying from a base in Germany, began airdrops of aid packages to Bosnia.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Fidel Sánchez Hernández, 85. President of El Salvador, 1967-1972. General Sánchez Hernández became a cabinet minister in the government of Julio Adalberto Rivera, which had taken power in a military coup two years earlier, and succeeded to the presidency. He led the Salvadoran armed forces in the brief Soccer War against Honduras in 1969.

Dinos Dimopoulos, 81. Greek film director. Mr. Dimopoulos directed 47 movies from 1953-1993; his films included Astero (1959); Madalena (1960); and The Asphalt Fever (1967).

Politics and government
The Knesset voted to approve the new government of Israel, a four-party coalition under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Former Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus defeated his old rival and incumbent Vaclav Havel to win the country's presidency. In a combined vote of parliament, Mr. Klaus won 141-139.