January 1, 2014

1,610 years ago
404

Died on this date
Telemachus. Christian monk. Telemachus was torn to pieces by an infuriated Roman mob for trying to stop a gladiators' fight held in the public arena in Rome.

1,600 years ago
414

Married on this date
Galla Placidia, half-sister of Roman Emperor Honorius, was married to the Visigothic king Ataulf at Narbonne.

300 years ago
1714

Politics and government
Philippe Pasteur de Costebelle was appointed Governor of Cape Breton (Ile Royale).

275 years ago
1739

Exploration
Bouvet Island, the world's remotest island, was discovered by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier.

210 years ago
1804

World events
French rule ended in Haiti as Haiti became the first Negro republic and the second independent country in North America after the United States.

150 years ago
1864

Born on this date
Alfred Stieglitz. U.S. photographer. Mr. Stieglitz was one of the most significant photographers in the United States in the 20th century. He also was responsible for promoting the art of Georgia O'Keeffe, whom he fell in love with and eventually married. Mr. Stieglitz died on July 13, 1946 at the age of 82.

130 years ago
1884

Born on this date
Tom Downey. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Downey was an infielder with the Cincinnati Reds (1909-1911); Philadelphia Phillies (1912); Chicago Cubs (1912); and Buffalo Blues (1914-1915), batting .240 with 7 home runs and 188 runs batted in in 651 games. He played 10 seasons in the minor leagues (1902-1919), and died on August 3, 1961 at the age of 77.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Hack Miller. U.S. baseball player. Lawrence H. Miller, nicknamed for his resemblance to wrestler Georg Hackenschmidt, played left field with the Brooklyn Robins (1916); Boston Red Sox (1918); and Chicago Cubs (1922-1925), batting .323 with 38 home runs and 205 runs batted in in 349 games, and was 0 for 1 in 1 game with the Red Sox as they won the World Series. He hit .326 with 85 homers in 1,288 games in 12 seasons in the minor leagues (1914-1929). Mr. Miller was known for his incredible feats of strength, but he had trouble controlling his weight and using his strength to full advantage on the diamond. He worked as a longshoreman for 25 years after his playing career ended, and died on September 17, 1971 at the age of 77.

Died on this date
Heinrich Hertz, 36. German physicist. Dr. Hertz first conclusively proved the existence of the electromagnetic waves theorized by James Clerk Maxwell's electromagnetic theory of light. The unit of frequency – cycle per second – was named in his honour. Dr. Hertz died of a rare form of vasculitis called granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Calgariana
Calgary was incorporated as Alberta's first city, under Chapter 33, Ordinance of North-West Territories. The population had grown to almost 4,000 people in the decade following the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway; it was the only community between Winnipeg and the Pacific Ocean with a water works and sewer system.

100 years ago
1914

Aviation
The world's first airline, St. Petersburg Tampa Airboat Line, began operation in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Baseball
The New York Giants and Chicago White Sox continued their post-season exhibition tour, arriving at Brisbane, Australia aboard the S.S. St. Albans at midnight as the New Year began. Later in the day, the Giants edged the White Sox 2-1.

80 years ago
1934

Law
Alcatraz Island became a United States federal prison.

70 years ago
1944

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Paper Doll--The Mills Brothers (9th week at #1)

War
U.S. Army Lieutenant General Ira Eaker said that American planes had made 64,000 offensive sorties over Europe in 1943, dropping 55,000 tons of bombs. Lt. Gen. Alexander Vandergrift took over as Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. The Soviet offensive west of Kiev moved to within 27 miles of the Polish border. In an attack on Keviang, New Ireland, Allied planes left two Japanese cruisers and one destroyer afire as a result of repeated torpedo and bomb hits.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Labor Department reported that retail prices of staple articles had risen 3.5% in 1943, the smallest yearly increase since 1940.

Labour
Theodore Kheel was named executive director of the U.S. National War Labor Board.

Football
NCAA
Cotton Bowl
Randolph Field 7 Texas 7

Rose Bowl
Southern California 29 Washington 0

Orange Bowl
Louisiana State 19 Texas A&M 14

Sugar Bowl
Georgia Tech 20 Tulsa 18

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Answer Me--Frankie Laine (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Duff Cooper, 63. U.K. politician and diplomat. Mr. Cooper was Britain's Secretary of State for War from 1935-1937 and First Lord of the Admiralty in 1937-1938. He resigned his position after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement handing the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia to the German Nazi regime. Mr. Cooper served as Ambassador to France from 1944-1948.

Television
NBC made the first U.S. coast-to-coast National Television System Committee colour broadcast when it telecast the Tournament of Roses Parade from Pasadena, California, with public demonstrations given across the United States on prototype colour receivers.

50 years ago
1964

Died on this date
Bechara El Khoury, 73. 1st President of the Republic of Lebanon, 1943-1952. Mr. Khoury, founder of the Ad-Dustour party, was Prime Minister of the French Mandate of Lebanon from 1927-1928 and May-October 1929. He was 6th President of the French Mandate of Lebanon from September 21-November 11, 1943, when he was arrested by Free French troops and imprisoned in the Rashaya Tower for 11 days. Mr. Khoury was freed on November 22, which was immediately proclaimed as Lebanon's independence day, and he became the new republic's first president. He resigned on September 18, 1952 in the wake of public demonstrations against economic problems and accusations of corruption in his regime.

40 years ago
1974

Died on this date
Dutch Weems, 22. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mark Edward Weems played 5 seasons in the Baltimore Orioles' minor league system (1969-1973), compiling a record of 24-19 with an earned run average of 3.58 and 44 saves in 201 games, batting .200 with 3 home runs and 6 runs batted in. He was 9-7 with a 3.91 ERA and 4 saves in 39 games with the Rochester Red Wings of the International League in 1973, and joined Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League after the season. Mr. Weems was swimming on New Year's Day when he was swept out to sea and drowned; teammates Bob Bailor, Don Hood, and Ray Miller spent three days searching for his body.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Come Back and Stay--Paul Young (5th week at #1)

World events
Brunei became independent of the United Kingdom.

War
Leftist guerrillas blew up the largest bridge in El Salvador and routed several national guardsmen in the process, as rebel-operated radio said that the attack marked the beginning of a new offensive.

Business
American Telephone & Telegraph was divested of its 22 Bell System companies under terms of an antitrust agreement.

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Pittsburgh 10 @ Los Angeles Raiders 38

NFC Divisional Playoff
Los Angeles Rams 7 @ Washington 51

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Teardrops--Womack & Womack (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Orinoco Flow--Enya (4th week at #1)

Environment
The Montreal Protocol came into force, stopping the use of chemicals contributing to ozone depletion.

Economics and finance
The Canada-U.S. free trade agreement went into effect, cutting or eliminating tariffs on trade over a 10-year period, and setting up a dispute settlement mechanism.

Disasters
A ferry ran out of fuel and sank off the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, resulting in the deaths of 79 of the 120 people aboard.

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Houston 10 @ Buffalo 17

Quarterback Jim Kelly led drives that resulted in touchdowns for Robb Riddick and Thurman Thomas as the Bills defeated the Oilers before 79,532 fans at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York in a game that featured several missed field goals and turnovers.

NFC Divisional Playoff
Minnesota 9 @ San Francisco 34

Joe Montana passed for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns to Jerry Rice, while Roger Craig rushed for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns as the 49ers easily beat the Vikings befoere 61,848 fans at Candlestick Park.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Penso Positivo--Jovanotti (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Saturday Night--Whigfield (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): The Sign--Ace of Base (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Living on My Own (1993)--Freddie Mercury (13th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Het pizzalied (Effe wachte...)--André van Duin (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Mr Blobby--Mr Blobby (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Hero--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)
2 Again--Janet Jackson
3 All that She Wants--Ace of Base
4 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
5 I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf
6 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
7 Gangsta Lean--DRS
8 What's My Name?--Snoop Dogg
9 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
10 Shoop--Salt-n-Pepa

Singles entering the chart were So Much in Love by All-4-One (#66); The Sign by Ace of Base (#68); I'm in the Mood by CeCe Peniston (#81); Addams Family (Whoomp!) by Tag Team (#84); I Never Knew Love by Doug Stone (#87); Having a Party by Rod Stewart (#91); You Don't Have to Worry by Mary J. Blige (#95); and Funk Dat/Why is It? by Sagat (#97). Addams Family (Whoomp!) was from the movie Addams Family Values (1993).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Cash Box): Again--Janet Jackson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, 93. 11th Governor-General of New Zealand, 1967-1972. Dr. Porritt was surgeon to the future King Edward VIII and was surgeo to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. He served as a military surgeon during World War II. In 1924, Mr. Porritt won the bronze medal in the men's 100-metre run at the Summer Olympic games in Paris--the "Chariots of Fire" race. He won gold medals in the men's 100-metre and 200-metre runs and a silver medal in the men's 110-metre hurdles at the World Student Games in Warsaw that year. Dr. Porritt served as chairman of the British Empire (later Commonwealth) Games Federation from 1950-1966.

Cesar Romero, 86. U.S. actor. Mr. Romero appeared in many movies, often as a Latin lover, but was best known as the Joker in the television series Batman (1966-1968).

War
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation initiated twelve days of armed conflict in the Mexican state of Chiapas by seizing four towns, including San Cristobal de los Casas, the state's second-largest town. The rebels issued a statement objecting to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)--which they said would benefit only the wealthy--and to the expulsion of Indians from communal farmlands.

Law
A reformed Civil Code of Québec, the legal text defining civil laws in the province, went into effect, after almost 40 years of preparation.

Economics and finance
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect.

Hockey
NHL
Los Angeles 7 @ Toronto 4

10 years ago
2004

World events
Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Cyprus, Malta and the Czech Republic joined the European Union.

Politics and government
In a vote of confidence, General Pervez Musharraf wins 658 out of 1,170 votes in the Electoral College of Pakistan, and according to Article 41(8) of the Constitution of Pakistan, was "deemed to be elected" to the office of President until October 2007.