January 22, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Nancy Lear!

1,775 years ago
239

Died on this date
Cao Rui, 33-35. Emperor of Cao Wei, 226-239. Cao Rui, posthumously renamed Emperor Ming, succeeded his father Cao Pi. Cao Rui conducted military campaigns against rival empires, and continued his father's policy of prohibiting princes holding offices. He died after a period of illness, and was succeeded on the throne by his adopted son Cao Fang.

325 years ago
1689

Politics and government
The Convention Parliament convened to determine if James II and VII, the last Roman Catholic monarch of England, Ireland and Scotland, had vacated the thrones when he fled to France in 1688.

190 years ago
1824

War
The Ashantis defeated British forces in the Gold Coast.

150 years ago
1864

Politics and government
The first session of the Legislative Council of British Columbia opened in Sapperton.

140 years ago
1874

Politics and government
Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie led his Liberal Party to a decisive win over former Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald's Conservatives, winning 138 of 206 seats in the House of Commons in the Canadian federal election. The Conservatives, who had been hurt by the revelations of contracts for building the Canadian Pacific Railway, were reduced to 67 seats. Louis Riel was elected as in the Manitoba riding of Provencher, but would be prevented from taking his seat by a warrant for his arrest sworn in Ontario.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Amos Strunk. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Strunk was an outfielder with the Philadelphia Athletics (1908-1917, 1919-1920, 1924); Boston Red Sox (1918-1919); and Chicago White Sox (1920-1924), batting .284 with 15 home runs and 530 runs batted in in 1,512 games. He was a member of World Series championship teams in 1910, 1911, 1913, and 1918. His best season may have been 1916, when he batted .316 for a Philadelphia team that posted the worst record of any major league team in the 20th century. Mr. Strunk spent 50 years in the insurance business after his baseball career ended, and he died on June 22, 1979 at the age of 90.

Business
Columbia Phonograph was formed in Washington, D.C.

110 years ago
1904

Born on this date
Arkady Gaidar. U.S.S.R. writer. Mr. Gaidar was a Communist who wrote more than a dozen novels, mainly for children. He was a war correspondent for the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, and was a machine gunner with partisans on the eastern front, when he was killed in combat near the Russian village of Lyuplyava on October 26, 1941 at the age of 37.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Dimitris Dragatakis. Greek musician and composer. Mr. Dragatakis began his career in classical music as a violinist, but switched to viola and played with the Greek National Opera for 20 years. He incorporated Greek musical traditions into his own works, which included six symphonies, concertos, orchestral, choral, and chamber works. Mr. Dragatakis died on December 18, 2001 at the age of 87.

90 years ago
1924

Politics and government
Ramsay MacDonald took office as the first Labour Party Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

70 years ago
1944

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Paper Doll--The Mills Brothers (Best Seller--12th week at #1); Shoo-Shoo Baby--The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Jukebox--2nd week at #1)

War
The U.S. 5th Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, launched Operation Shingle and established a beachhead at Anzio, south of Rome. Canadians manned a static front on the Adriatic coast. U.S.S.R. troops took 70 localities on the Leningrad front, with the Leningrad-Mga-Kirishi railroad falling under complete Soviet control.

Politics and government
The Cuban Communist Party changed its name to the Popular Socialist Party.

The U.S. Democratic National Committee met in Washington and named Robert Hannegan as its chairman. Chicago was selected as the site of the 1944 Democratic National Convention, and lauded the work of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

U.S. President Roosevelt established a War Refugee Board to take action for the immediate rescue of as many as possible of Europe's persecuted people.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor Executive Council's postwar planning committee suggested that labour be represented on all diplomatic delegations dealing with postwar problems, and that labour attaches be added to U.S. diplomatic staffs.

Scandal
A one-man circuit court grand jury in Lansing, Michigan returned indictments charging conspiracy and bribery against 13 members and 7 former members of the state legislature and 6 automobile finance company executives.

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Oh, Mein Papa (Oh! My Pa-Pa)--Eddie Calvert (3rd week at #1)

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Les divorcés--Michel Delpech (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
The Israeli Knesset voted 76-35 to approve the agreement signed four days earlier by which Egypt and Israel would separate their forces along the Suez Canal. The agreement called for Israeli forces to abandon their bridgehead on the western bank of the Suez Canal and to withdraw forces to a 5-7 1/2-mile zone 14-20 miles east of the canal and west of Gidi and Mitla Passes. The accord called for Egyptian forces to remain on the east bank in a 5-7 1/2-mile zone. The United Nations Emergency Force would patrol a buffer zone 3 1/2-5 miles wide between the Egyptian and Israeli forces. The disengagement was to be completed within 40 days. The Knesset vote followed a nine-hour debate centring on opposition charges that the agreement was one-sided in favour of Egypt.

Politics and government
The first session of the legislature of Northern Ireland to be attended by the Protestant-Roman Catholic coalition that had taken power on January 1 was disrupted by protests from the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Rev. Ian Paisley.

Energy
The two-day National Energy Conference of the government of Canada and provincial premiers opened in Ottawa. The conference concluded with agreements to subsidize Eastern prices and stabilize those in the rest of the country.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: ? (Fragezeichen)--Nena (3rd week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz said that U.S.-Soviet talks on reducing conventional armed forces in Europe would resume March 16.

Technology
The television commercial 1984, shown during the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl telecast on CBS, introduced the Apple Macintosh computer.

Football
Super Bowl XVIII @ Tampa Stadium, Tampa
Los Angeles Raiders 38 Washington 9

Marcus Allen rushed 20 times for a Super Bowl-record 191 yards, including touchdowns of 5 and 74 yards in the 3rd quarter, as the Raiders dethroned the defending Super Bowl champion Redskins before 72,920 fans (see video). Los Angeles opened the scoring in the 1st quarter when Derrick Jensen recovered a blocked punt in the Washington end zone. Chris Bahr converted that touchdown and Cliff Branch's 12-yard reception of a Jim Plunkett pass to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. Mark Mosely kicked a 24-yard field goal to get the Redskins on the scoreboard, but Jack Squirek returned an interception 5 yards for a touchdown and Mr. Bahr converted to give Los Angeles a 21-3 halftime lead. John Riggins rushed 1 yard for a Washington touchdown in the 3rd quarter to make the score 21-9, but the convert was unsuccessful, and Mr. Allen put the game away with his touchdown runs. Mr. Bahr converted them and kicked a 21-yard field goal in the 4th quarter to conclude the scoring. Mr. Plunkett completed 16 of 25 passes for 172 yards, while Washington quarterback Joe Theismann was 16 of 35 for 243 yards and 2 interceptions. Mr. Branch led all receivers with 94 yards on 6 receptions; Eddie Brown led the Redskins with 3 catches for 93 yards. The Raiders' defense held Mr. Riggins to 64 yards on 26 carries. The championship was the second for the Raiders in the previous four years--both under head coach Tom Flores--and their first since moving from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Bring Me Edelweiss--Edelweiss (2nd week at #1)

Football
Super Bowl XXIII @ Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami
San Francisco 20 Cincinnati 16

Joe Montana's 10-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining in regulation time concluded a 92-yard drive as the 49ers edged the Bengals before 75,597 fans (see video). The game was tied 6-6 in the 3rd quarter on 2 field goals each by Jim Breech of Cincinnati and Mike Cofer of San Francisco, but after Mr. Cofer's second FG tied the game, Stanford Jennings returned the kickoff 93 yards for the Bengals' only touchdown, converted by Mr. Breech to give the Bengals a 13-6 lead after 3 quarters. Mr. Montana threw 14 yards to Jerry Rice for the 49ers' first touchdown in the 4th quarter, with Mr. Cofer's convert tying the game 13-13. Mr. Breech then kicked a 40-yard field goal to give Cincinnati a 16-13 lead. Mr. Montana completed 23 of 36 passes for 357 yards, while Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason completed just 11 of 25 passes for 144 yards and an interception. Mr. Rice, who caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards and rushed once for 5 yards, was named the game's most valuable player. Cincinnati's Ickey Woods led all rushers with 20 carries for 79 yards. Mr. Taylor's winning touchdown was his only reception of the game. The championship was the third for the 49ers in the previous 8 years--all under head coach Bill Walsh--including a win over the Bengals in 1982.

20 years ago
1994

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

#1 single in Italy: Penso Positivo--Jovanotti (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Saturday Night--Whigfield (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Living on My Own (1993)--Freddie Mercury (15th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Ik wil niet dat je liegt/Waarheen waarvoor--Paul de Leeuw (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Things Can Only Get Better--D: Ream

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
2 Hero--Mariah Carey
3 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
4 Again--Janet Jackson
5 All that She Wants--Ace of Base
6 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
7 Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams
8 Shoop--Salt-n-Pepa
9 Can We Talk--Tevin Campbell
10 The Power of Love--Celine Dion

Singles entering the chart were Now and Forever by Richard Marx (#57); Whatta Man by Salt-n-Pepa featuring En Vogue (#69); Dirty Dawg by NKOTB (#75); U Send Me Swingin' by Mint Condition (#83); I'm in Love by Lisa Keith (#84); and One on One by To Be Continued... (#94).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
2 Hero--Mariah Carey
3 All That She Wants--Ace of Base
4 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
5 Again--Janet Jackson
6 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
7 Can We Talk--Tevin Campbell
8 What's My Name?--Snoop Doggy Dogg
9 I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)--Meat Loaf
10 Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams

The only single entering the chart was Groove Thang by Zhane (#49).

Died on this date
Jean-Louis Barrault, 83. French actor and director. Mr. Barrault played mime Jean-Gaspard Deburau in the movie Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise) (1945), and appeared in The Longest Day (1962). He was known for directing and acting in plays, often with his wife Madeleine Renaud. Mr. Barrault died of a heart attack.

Telly Savalas, 72. U.S. actor. Mr. Savalas was best known as the star of the television detective series Kojak (1973-1978). His best-known movie performance was in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Hockey
NHL
All-Star Game @ Madison Square Garden, New York
East 9 West 8

Alexei Yashin of the Ottawa Senators scored with 3:42 remaining in regulation time to complete the Eastern Conference's comeback from an 8-6 3rd-period deficit and defeat the Western Conference before 18,200 fans. New York Rangers' goalie Mike Richter was named the game's most valuable player.



10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Billy May, 87. U.S. musician. Mr. May played trumpet in several big bands in the 1940s before starting his own band. He was perhaps best known for his work as a bandleader and arranger for singers with Capitol Records in the 1950s, including Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole. Mr. May also arranged and conducted the music for Jack Webb's album You're My Girl (1958), in which the actor talked his way through 12 romantic ballads.

Ann Miller, 80. U.S. actress and dancer. Born Johnnie Lucille Collier, Miss Miller was known for her shapely legs, appearing in movie musicals such as Easter Parade (1948); On the Town (1949); and Kiss Me Kate (1953). She made a strong comeback co-starring with Mickey Rooney in the Broadway musical Sugar Babies (1979).

Health
The government of Thailand announced that it was investigating three possible cases of the avian flu virus, which had recently infected over 10 people and forced a cull of millions of chickens in nearby Vietnam.