January 12, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Elena!

125 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Georges Carpentier. French boxer. Mr. Carpentier was world light heavyweight champion from 1920-1922, but was best known for challenging Jack Dempsey for the world heavyweight championship in Jersey City, New Jersey on July 2, 1921. The fight, which produced the first $1-million gate in boxing history, ended with Mr. Carpentier being knocked out in the 4th round. In a professional career running from 1908-1926, Mr. Carpentier compiled a record of 88-15-6-1. He died of a heart attack on October 28, 1975 at the age of 81.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Lance Wade, 27. U.S.-born U.K. military aviator. Wing Commander "Wildcat" Wade grew up in Texas, learned to fly in Arizona, and joined the U.K. Royal Air Force in Canada in December 1940. He became a flying ace, recording 23 combat victories (22 solo) before his death in a plane crash at Foggia, Italy on January 12, 1944.

War
On the second day of a new offensive in southern White Russia, Soviet troops advanced 9 miles along a 19-mile front. German forces in Italy lost Cervaro, 4 miles east of the Allied drive on Cassino. French troops took two heights in the northern section of the Cassino front and advanced more than half a mile. U.S. planes bombed Takao, Formosa in their second raid on the Japanese-held island.

Politics and government
All political activity in Argentina was outlawed by a decree.

Transportation
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt submitted to Congress plans for a 34,000-mile federally-aided road program, costing an estimated $750 million for 10-20 years and employing an estimated two million.

Business
A U.S. federal court jury in Providence, Rhode Island found the Anaconda Wire & Cable Company guilty of conspiracy to defraud the government with defective wire and cable.

Labour
American Federation of Labor President William Green and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray told U.S. President Roosevelt that labour would strongly oppose a compulsory labour system.

50 years ago
1964

World events
Rebels in Zanzibar began a revolt known as the Zanzibar Revolution and proclaimed a republic, overthrowing the sultanate of Jamshid bin Abdullah and the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shamte Hamadi just a month after Zanzibar had become independent of Great Britain.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): t Is weer voorbij die mooie zomer--Gerard Cox (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Merry X'mas Everybody--Slade (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Australia (Go-Set): Angie--Rolling Stones (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Joker--Steve Miller Band

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Time in a Bottle--Jim Croce
2 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
3 Show and Tell--Al Wilson
4 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
5 Helen Wheels--Paul McCartney and Wings
6 Living for the City--Stevie Wonder
7 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
8 Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy
9 Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up--Barry White
10 The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich

Singles entering the chart were Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) by the Rolling Stones (#72); Dark Lady by Cher (#85); The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion) by Gordon Sinclair (#88); Life is a Song Worth Singing by Johnny Mathis (#97); and Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks (#100).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Time in a Bottle--Jim Croce
2 The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich
3 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks
4 Painted Ladies--Ian Thomas
5 Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy
6 Big Time Operator--Keith Hampshire
7 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
8 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
9 Photograph--Ringo Starr
10 Hurricane of Change--Murray McLauchlan

Singles entering the chart were You're Sixteen by Ringo Starr (#34); I Shall Sing by Garfunkel (#38); The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand (#45); Love's Theme by the Love Unlimited Orchestra (#48); Let Me Be There by Olivia Newton-John (#51); A Fool Such as I by Bob Dylan (#52); A Song I'd Like to Sing by Kris and Rita (#53); If We Make it Through December by Merle Haggard (#54); Raised on Robbery by Joni Mitchell (#60); Hangin' Around by the Edgar Winter Group (#65); Sister Mary Elephant (Shudd-Up!) by Cheech and Chong (#66); Keep Your Head to the Sky by Earth, Wind & Fire (#67); Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) by Aretha Franklin (#69); Jim Dandy by Black Oak Arkansas (#70); Midnight Rider by Gregg Allman (#72); Abra-Ca-Dabra by the DeFranco Family (#74); Jessica by the Allman Brothers Band (#84); Let Your Hair Down by the Temptations (#86); The Last Time I Saw Him by Diana Ross (#90); Love Has No Pride by Linda Ronstadt (#91); Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up by Barry White (#93); I Love by Tom T. Hall (#94); It Doesn't Have to Be That Way by Jim Croce (#95); Americans by Byron MacGregor (#96); Livin' for You by Al Green (#99); and Please Daddy by John Denver (#100).

Calgary's top 10
1 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks (5th week at #1)
2 The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich
3 Spiders & Snakes--Jim Stafford
4 Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton-John
5 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
6 Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy
7 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
8 Top of the World--Carpenters
9 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
10 Time in a Bottle--Jim Croce
Pick hit of the week: I Thought of You Again--Susan Jacks

Died on this date
Patricia Ramsay, 87. U.K. royal family member. Princess Patricia, Queen Victoria's granddaughter, gave her name to the Alberta-based Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Patricia Lake in Jasper National Park is also named after her.

Jack Jacobs, 54. U.S.-born football player. "Indian Jack," a Creek from Oklahoma, was a quarterback, defensive back, and punter with the University of Oklahoma (1939-1941); Cleveland Rams (1942-1945); Washington Redskins (1946); Green Bay Packers (1947-1949); and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1950-1954). He achieved his greatest success in Winnipeg, setting numerous Western Interprovincial Football Union passing records, making the WIFU First All-Star Team in 1950 and 1952 and the Second Team in 1951. Mr. Jacobs led the Blue Bombers to WIFU championships in 1950 and 1953, and won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as the WIFU's most valuable player in 1952. He coached the London Lords of the Ontario Rugby Football Union in 1956-1957, also playing in 1956. Mr. Jacobs was an assistant coach with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1958-1960); Montreal Alouettes (1961-1962); and Edmonton Eskimos (1963). He played with and coached the Toledo Tornadoes of the United Football League in 1964, and even came out of retirement to play in one pre-season game with the Blue Bombers in 1966. Mr. Jacobs died of a heart attack.

Politics and government
The South Korean government of President Park Chung Hee detained at least six opposition leaders and assigned police to accompany more than 20 others on a 24-hours-per-day basis. Among those detained were four members of the National Assembly, including the president of one opposition party and the vice-president o the other.

30 years ago
1984

Diplomacy
In Washington, U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang signed accords on industrial cooperation, science and technology.

Health
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute issues a report establishing a relationship between heart attacks and high levels of cholesterol. The study of 3,806 middle-aged men, which had taken 10 years and cost $150 million, showed that diet and medication reduced cholesterol levels, but the researchers emphasized that a change in diet, by itself, could reduce the threat of heart disease. High consumption of saturated fats found in meats and dairy products was identified as a source of high levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Economics and finance
A commission appointed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan to find ways to eliminate waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending issued its report. The commission, headed by W.R. Grace & Company chairman J. Peter Grace, called for a revision of the federal pension system and cutbacks in a wide range of programs, including food stamps, Medicare, housing subsidies, and loans to farmers. The proposals would allegedly save $424.4 billion over three years. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said that the commission's proposals reflected the bias of the corporate executives who comprised most of the commission's membership.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Back to the Stone Age--Stone (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Especially for You--Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
The comedy program The Kids in the Hall debuted on CBC.

Politics and government
U.S. Vice President and President-elect George Bush named Admiral James Watkins (retired) as Secretary of Energy and former Education Secretary William Bennett as the nation's first "drug czar" in his forthcoming administration.

Business
The South Korean automaker Hyundai produced its first Sonata automobile at its Bromont, Quebec factory.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (4th week at #1)

War
The government of Mexico adopted a unilateral cease-fire in its war with the Zapatista National Liberation Army in the state of Chiapas.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Bill Clinton continued his visit to eastern Europe, meeting with the presidents of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, and saying that the United States was committed to the security of their countries. He also met in Kiev with Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk. The two presidents reconfirmed a commitment they had made with Russian President Boris Yeltsin under which Ukraine would give up its nuclear arsenal in return for compensation and security guarantees.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the index of prices charged by producers for finished goods had declined 0.1% in December and had risen only 0.2% for all of 1993.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Randy VanWarmer, 48. U.S. musician. Mr. VanWarmer was known for his song Just When I Needed You Most, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the spring of 1979. He died of leukemia.

Terrorism
Mohawk warriors burned down the house of Kanesetake reserve Chief James Gabriel and held 55 constables hostage. The Quebec government negotiated the release of the constables. The violence was in response to Chief Gabriel's attempt to evict alleged drug runners from the reserve.

Transportation
The world's largest ocean liner, RMS Queen Mary 2, made its maiden voyage.