January 21, 2014

1,075 years ago
939

Died on this date
Yang Pu, 38 or 39. King of Wu, 920-927; Emperor of Wu, 927-937. Yang Pu, posthumously renamed Emperor Rui, was the last ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Wu, and the only one who claimed the title of Emperor. His adoptive son Xu Zhigao forced Yang Pu to abdicate in favour of him; Xu Zhigao then founded the Southern Tang dynasty. The cause of Yang Pu's death is unknown.

225 years ago
1789

Literature
The Power of Sympathy by William Hill Brown, widely considered to be the first American novel, was published in Boston by Isaiah Thomas and Company.

130 years ago
1884

Born on this date
Roger Baldwin. U.S. political and social activist. Mr. Baldwin was a social worker and probation officer before joining the American Union Against Militarism (AUAM), opposing U.S. participation in World War I, and registering as a conscientious objector. The AUAM created the Civil Liberties Bureau (CLB) in 1917, which became the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1920, with Mr. Baldwin serving as its Executive Director until 1950. He was influenced by the radical anarchism of Emma Goldman and praised the U.S.S.R. after a visit there in 1927, but became disenchanted with Communism over the next several decades, leadiing a campaign to purge the ACLU of Communists in the 1940s and condemning Communism as slavery in 1953. Mr. Baldwin died of heart failure on August 26, 1981 at the age of 97.

120 years ago
1894

Died on this date
Guillaume Lekeu, 24. Belgian composer. Mr. Lekeu was a pianist who composed about 50 works, mainly chamber music. He died the day after his 24th birthday, of typhoid fever resulting from contaminated sherbet. Many of his works remained unfinished.

90 years ago
1924

Died on this date
V.I. Lenin, 53. Soviet revolutionary leader. Born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, Mr. Lenin was chairman of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic from 1917 until his death and Premier of the U.S.S.R. from 1922 until his death, which occurred as a result of a series of strokes. Mr. Lenin was an organizer who put the economic theories of Karl Marx into action, and was the leading figure of the Bolshevik Revolution that plunged Russia into more than 70 years of Communist totalitarianism.

Curling
93 rinks began play in Edmonton in the Alberta Curling Association's seventh annual bonspiel.

70 years ago
1944

War
A Soviet offensive in the Leningrad area resulted in the capture of Mga, Vitino, and Mutakyuya. Australian troops advanced to the watershed of the Faria River in Ramu Valley, New Guinea, while Allied planes attacked Japanese positions on the upper reaches of the river. Aleutian-based U.S. bombers twice raided Japan's Paramushiro Island in the Kuriles.

Politics and government
The U.S.A. and U.K. reached an agreement with the Norwegian government-in-exile in London on terms of restoring civil administration once the Germans were driven out.

Bolivian President Gualberto Villaroel denied that his regime was sympathetic to fascism and that U.S. State Secretary Cordell Hull did not understand the reasons for its revolution.

Democratic national committeemen from 12 Midwestern U.S. states adopted a resolution endorsing Franklin D. Roosevelt for a fourth term as President of the United States.

Journalism
Esquire magazine sued in U.S. federal district court to restrain U.S. Postmaster General Frank Walker from revoking its second class mailing privileges.

Academia
Stevens Institute of Technology President Harvey Davis announced plans to establish the Stevens Research Foundation for postwar work on new products, uses for old ones, and better manufacturing methods.

Business
Construction magnates Joseph Maney, Guido Rugo, and Louis Perini, nicknamed the "Three Little Steam Shovels," bought control of the Boston Braves from the other members of the syndicate that had owned the National League baseball team.

60 years ago
1954

Defense
The first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, was launched in Groton, Connecticut by U.S. first lady Mamie Eisenhower.

Basketball
NBA
All-Star Game @ Madison Square garden, New York
East 98 West 93 (OT)

Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics scored 10 of the East's 14 points in overtime their victory over the West.

50 years ago
1964

On television tonight
The Fugitive, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Come Watch Me Die, with guest stars Robert Doyle, John Anderson, Russell Collins, and Bruce Dern

Music
Peter and Gordon were at Abbey Road studios in London to record the songs A World Without Love Nobody I Know, If I Were You, and You Don't Have to Tell Me. A World Without Love and Nobody I Know were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and If I Were You and You Don't Have to Tell Me were written by Peter Asher and Gordon Waller.

Space
The U.S.A. launched the satellite Relay 2. It was an active repeater communications satellite whose mission included measurement of radiation in orbit and measurement of radiation damage to solar cells.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): 48 Crash--Suzi Quatro

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Algo Más--Camilo Sesto (9th week at #1)

Diplomacy
Two days after three Soviet embassy staff and two of their wives had been expelled from China on charges of espionage, the U.S.S.R. responded by expelling a young Chinese diplomat on charges of espionage, and issued a strong protest to the earlier event, citing in particular the "barbarous" four-day detention of the five Soviet citizens.

Soccer
NASL
The Seattle franchise announced that the expansion team would be known as the Sounders, with that name receiving 32% of the votes in a public contest.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La Donna Cannone--Francesco De Gregori (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Thriller--Michael Jackson

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Love Me Just a Little Bit More (Totally Hooked on You)--Dolly Dots

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Pipes of Peace--Paul McCartney

#1 single in the U.K.: Pipes of Peace--Paul McCartney (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
2 Union of the Snake--Duran Duran
3 Break My Stride--Matthew Wilder
4 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
5 Twist of Fate--Olivia Newton-John
6 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
7 Say Say Say--Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
8 I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues--Elton John
9 The Curly Shuffle--Jump 'n The Saddle
10 Say it Isn't So--Daryl Hall-John Oates

Singles entering the chart were Nobody Told Me by John Lennon (#28); I Want a New Drug by Huey Lewis and the News (#57); Let's Stay Together by Tina Turner (#78); For a Rocker by Jackson Browne (#82); If Only You Knew by Patti LaBelle (#84); New Song by Howard Jones (#85); Over My Head by Toni Basil (#86); Love Has a Mind of its Own by Donna Summer with Matthew Ward (#88); I Will Follow by U2 (#89); and Runner by Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
2 Major Tom (Coming Home)--Peter Schilling
3 Say Say Say--Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
4 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
5 Twist of Fate--Olivia Newton-John
6 Union of the Snake--Duran Duran
7 Love is a Battlefield--Pat Benatar
8 Cum On Feel the Noize--Quiet Riot
9 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
10 All Night Long (All Night)--Lionel Richie

Singles entering the chart were Nobody Told Me by John Lennon (#37); Jump by Van Halen (#40); An Innocent Man by Billy Joel (#44); Holiday by Madonna (#48); and Doesn't Really Matter by Platinum Blonde (#50).

Died on this date
Jackie Wilson, 49. U.S. singer. Known as "Mr. Excitement," Mr. Wilson had an impressive string of singles on the U.S. pop and R&B charts from the late 1950s to the late 1960s, beginning with Reet Petite in 1957. 24 of his singles were top 40 hits in the U.S., and 6 of them hit the top 10. His biggest hit was Night, which hit #4 in the spring of 1960. Other notable hits included Lonely Teardrops (#7, 1960); Baby Workout (#5, 1963); and Higher and Higher (#6, 1967). Mr. Wilson's last U.S. top 40 hit was I Get the Sweetest Feeling, which peaked at #32 in the late summer of 1968. While performing at a Dick Clark oldies show at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on September 29, 1975, Mr. Wilson collapsed with a severe heart attack, falling head-first to the stage while singing Lonely Teardrops. A contributing factor may have been Mr. Wilson's practice of taking salt tablets in order to make him sweat on stage. He suffered serious brain damage, and spent the rest of his life in hospital, where, according to a 1987 report on the ABC-TV newsmagazine program 20/20, he was a victim of neglect. Dick Clark paid his hospital bills. The Commodores' 1985 hit Nightshift paid tribute to Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye. Mr. Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): C'è da spostare una macchina--Francesco Salvi (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): First Time--Robin Beck

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Can't Stay Away from You--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): High--David Hallyday (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Especially for You--Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Two Hearts--Phil Collins
2 Don't Rush Me--Taylor Dayne
3 Armageddon It--Def Leppard
4 My Prerogative--Bobby Brown
5 When I'm with You--Sheriff
6 Every Rose Has its Thorn--Poison
7 Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson
8 The Way You Love Me--Karyn White
9 When the Children Cry--White Lion
10 Put a Little Love in Your Heart--Annie Lennox and Al Green

Singles entering the chart were Lost in Your Eyes by Debbie Gibson (#42); Just Because by Anita Baker (#62); You're Not Alone by Chicago (#65); Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy) by Huey Lewis and the News (#66); You Got It by Roy Orbison (#85); Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (#89); Orinoco Flow by Enya (#93); Across the Miles by Survivor (#94); The Last Mile by Cinderella (#96); Stand by R.E.M. (#97); and (Believed You Were) Lucky by 'Til Tuesday (#98).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Two Hearts--Phil Collins
2 Don't Rush Me--Taylor Dayne
3 Armageddon It--Def Leppard
4 I Remember Holding You--Boys Club
5 Put a Little Love in Your Heart--Annie Lennox and Al Green
6 Every Rose Has its Thorn--Poison
7 Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson
8 My Prerogative--Bobby Brown
9 Born to Be My Baby--Bon Jovi
10 When I'm with You--Sheriff

Singles entering the chart were Paradise City by Guns 'N' Roses (#62); Lost in Your Eyes by Debbie Gibson (#70); Don't Tell Me Lies by Breathe (#72); The Love in Your Eyes by Eddie Money (#75); Just Because by Anita Baker (#80); Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy) by Huey Lewis and the News (#82); You're Not Alone by Chicago (#84); You Got It by Roy Orbison (#87); Stand by R.E.M. (#90); The Last Mile by Cinderella (#93); Across the Miles by Survivor (#94); and Let's Put the X in Sex by Kiss (#95).

Died on this date
Billy Tipton, 74. U.S. musician. Miss Tipton, born Dorothy Lucille Tipton, was a jazz pianist and saxophonist, who disguised herself as male beginning in 1933, and whose true identity wasn't revealed until after her death. She led various bands in the Pacific Northwestern United States until retiring in the 1970s because of arthritis. Miss Tipton died of a hemorrhaging peptic ulcer 23 days after her 74th birthday, and the autopsy results shocked almost everyone who knew her.

Carl Furillo, 66. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Furillo played right field with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1946-1960, batting .299 with 192 home runs and 1,058 runs bartted in in 1,806 games. In 1953 he led the National League with a .344 batting average. Mr. Furillo played in seven World Series, and was on the winning side in 1955 and 1959. If Mr. Furillo had had just one more hit, he would have finished his major league career with a .300 average.

War
As warfare between Afghan rebels and he Soviet-supported Afghan regime approached, West Germany announced that it was removing its last three envoys from the capital city of Kabul.

Politics and government
Brian Peckford announced his resignation after 10 years as Premier of Newfoundland, his resignation to take effect after the forthcoming provincial election.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by M. Karunanidhi, won 150 of 234 seats in the legislature in the Tamil Nadu state election. DMK's total was an increase of 125 from their total in the most recent election in 1984. Most of DMK's increase came at the expense of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, led by Janaki Ramachandran, who dropped from 97 seats to 2.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 4 Toronto 3
Pittsburgh 7 Edmonton 4

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting

Politics and government
The House of Councillors--the upper house of the Japanese Diet--voted 130-118 against Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa's package of political reforms that had been approved by the lower house. Some members of the Social Democratic Party, one of the partners in Mr. Hosokawa's coalition government, joined the Liberal Democrats in opposition, and Mr. Hosokawa's government appeared in danger of falling.

Crime
A jury in Manassas, Virginia, acquitted Loreena Bobbitt on charges of malicious and unlawful wounding for cutting off the penis of her husband John Bobbitt as he slept. Mr. Bobbitt had been acquitted of marital sexual assault in a trial in which Mrs. Bobbitt had testified that she had attacked her husband as a result of his abuse of her that morning and on other occasions. Mr. Bobbitt, whose penis had been reattached after surgery, had denied any sexual assault on his wife. After the acquittal of Mrs. Bobbitt, Prince William County Court Judge Herman Whisenant ordered her to undergo a psychiatric examination.

10 years ago
2004

Space
NASA's MER-A (the Mars Rover Spirit) ceased communication with mission control because of a problem in the management of its flash memory.

Abominations
The government of British Columbia ordered its marriage commissioners, numbering approximately 300, to perform sodomite and lesbian "weddings," saying they would be asked to resign if they did not comply.

Law
The U.S. recording industry sued 532 computer users it said were illegally distributing songs over the Internet.