January 30, 2014

225 years ago
1789

War
Tây Sơn forces emerged victorious against Qing armies and liberated the capital Thăng Long in the Battle of Ngọc Hồi-Đống Đa in Vietnam.

170 years ago
1844

Born on this date
Richard T. Greener. U.S. lawyer, academic, and diplomat. Mr. Greener was the first Negro to graduate from Harvard College, obtaining a bachelor's degree in 1870. He obtained a law degree from the University of South Carolina and practiced law before serving as dean of Howard University Law School from 1878-1880. Mr. Greener returned to the practice of law before accepting diplomatic posts in Bombay (1898-1901) and Vladivostok (1901-1905). He died on May 2, 1922 at the age of 78.

125 years ago
1889

Died on this date
Archduke Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, 30; Baroness Mary Vetsera, 17. Prince Rudolf, eldest son of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria-Hungary and heir apparent th the throne, was separated from his wife, Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, when he met and began an affair with Baroness Vetsera. The emperor demanded that the couple end their relationship, but in a suicide pact, Prince Rudolf shot Baroness Vetsera and then himself in the Imperial hunting lodge at Mayerling in the Vienna Woods.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
John Ireland. Canadian-born U.S. actor. Mr. Ireland, a native of Vancouver, appeared in such movies as A Walk in the Sun (1945); My Darling Clementine (1946); All the King’s Men (1949); The Basketball Fix (1951); Queen Bee (1955); Spartacus (1960); and 55 Days at Peking (1963). He died on March 21, 1992 at the age of 78.

David Wayne. U.S. actor. Born Wayne McMeekan in Traverse City, Michigan, Mr. Wayne had a career in theatre, cinema, and television that spanned almost 50 years. He won Tony Awards for his performances in Finian's Rainbow (1947) and The Teahouse of the August Moon (1954). His movies included Adam's Rib (1949); With a Song in My Heart (1952); O. Henry's Full House (1952); The Three Faces of Eve (1957); The Last Angry Man (1959); and The Andromeda Strain (1971). Mr. Wayne died on February 9, 1995 at the age of 81.

80 years ago
1934

Died on this date
Frank Nelson Doubleday, 72. U.S. publisher. Mr. Doubleday founded the publishing firm Doubleday & McClure Company in 1897.

70 years ago
1944

War
The Battle of Cisterna, part of Operation Shingle, began in central Italy. As Soviet troops made further advances into Estonia, German colonists were reported fleeing from the Baltic area. American troops landed on Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Chinese troops reportedly captured the Tanai River ferry station of Taro in northern Burma.

Diplomacy
The Polish government-in-exile in London asked the U.S.A. and U.K. to define the boundaries they though Poland should have after the end of World War II.

Society
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Frank Murphy announced the formation of the National Committee Against Nazi Persecution and Extermination of the Jews.

60 years ago
1954

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Pretend--Nat "King" Cole (5th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Oh, Mein Papa (Oh! My Pa-Pa)--Eddie Fisher; (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Oh, Mein Papa (Oh! My Pa-Pa)--Eddie Fisher (5th week at #1)
--Eddie Calvert
2 Stranger in Paradise--Tony Bennett
--The Four Aces
--Tony Martin
3 That's Amore--Dean Martin
4 Changing Partners--Patti Page
--[Kay Starr]
5 Rags to Riches--Tony Bennett
6 Secret Love--Doris Day
7 The Gang that Sang "Heart of My Heart"--The Four Aces
-- Don Cornell, Alan Dale, and Johnny Desmond
8 Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)--Teresa Brewer
9 Woman--Johnny Desmond
10 The Creep--The Three Suns

Singles entering the chart were From the Vine Came the Grape by the Gaylords (#20); Make Love to Me! by Jo Stafford (#21); Harmony Brown by the Four Lads (#29); You're My Everything by Joni James (#33); Why by Nat "King" Cole (#34); Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell (#41)/Lovin' Spree (#42) by Eartha Kitt; Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell by Georgia Gibbs (#41, charting with the version by Eartha Kitt); You Made Me Love You by Bob Manning (#43); and Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries by Jaye P. Morgan (#45). Why was the B-side of Answer Me, My Love, which charted at #25.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: It's All Right--The Impressions (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Needles and Pins--The Searchers

Music
Sam Cooke was at RCA Studio in Los Angeles, where he recorded the songs A Change is Gonna Come and Falling in Love.

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the satellites Elektron 1--whose mission was to study Earth's inner radiation region--and Elektron 2--whose mission was to study Earth's outer radiation region.

The United States launched the lunar probe Ranger 6, whose mission was to phtograph and impact the surface of the moon.



World events
In a bloodless coup, General Nguyễn Khánh overthrew General Dương Văn Minh's military junta in South Vietnam.

Terrorism
A group calling itself Comité révolutionnaire du Québec raided an armoury in Montreal for weapons and ammunition.

Olympics
The IX Winter Olympic games opened in Innsbruck, Austria.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: I'd Love You to Want Me--Lobo (11th week at #1)

Politics and government
U.S. President Richard Nixon delivered his State of the Union address to Congress, presenting a 10-point program to check inflation, lessen the energy crisis, enhance world peace, and institute domestic reforms in the areas of health, welfare, and transportation. He also pledged that he would not resign, saying, "One year of Watergate is enough," referring to the growing scandal surrounding the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the subsequent cover-up. Recognizing the "special responsibility" of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and its impeachment investigation, Mr. Nixon promised that he would cooperate with the committee, but would be limited by the precedent set by every other president "by never doing anything that weakens the office of the Presidency or weakens the ability of Presidents in the future." Mr. Nixon's 10 goals included a continued policy of detente with the U.S.S.R.; a "lasting peace" in the Middle East; a check in inflation without recession; and new initiatives in world trade. He also promised a new system of comprehensive health insurance which would guarantee high quality care to every American; "a crucial breakthrough" in public transportation; federal aid to education reforms; and a "new road toward reform of the welfare system." Mr. Nixon also disclosed that the executive budget for fiscal 1975 would be set at $304.4 billion, an increase of $29.7 billion over the previous year.



30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Original Sin--INXS

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Lee McCall, 33 (?). South African criminal. Mr. McCall, a member of the Stander Gang--three escaped convicts who had begun robbing banks on October 1983--was killed in a shootout with police at the gang's hangout in Houghton, Gauteng, South Africa.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Kokomo--The Beach Boys (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson (4th week at #1)

Weather
At 5 A.M. in Edmonton it was raining, but the rain had changed to snow by 7 A.M., and by noon the snow was knee-high. The city ended up being hit by its biggest one-day snowfall in 104 years, as the temperature dropped from above freezing to almost -30 F. in the worst single day of weather that this blogger has experienced. People who worked downtown but lived elsewhere were offered free hotel accommodation, as they were unable to get home.

War
The U.S. government criticized increased Soviet bombing of Afghanistan as a "scorched-earth policy," while the Soviet commander insisted the attacks were necessary because rebels had not allowed safe passage for Soviet troops withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Diplomacy
The foreign ministers of Syria and Iran, meeting in Damascus, signed a peace pact aimed at ending fighting between rival Shiite Muslim militias in Lebanon. Syria had supported Amal, the more moderate group, while Iran had supported the more radical group Hezbollah. More than 500 people had been killed since violence between them had begun in April 1988. Under the new truce, Amal would control security in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah could also remain in the area.

The United States closed its embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, four days after being ordered to do so by U.S. Secretary of State James Baker.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney shuffled his cabinet, appointing six new ministers and re-assigning the responsibilities of 19 others; Lucien Bouchard was sworn in as Minister of the Environment.

Crime
Former criminal lawyer Joel Steinberg was found guilty in New York City of first-degree manslaughter in the death by beating of his 6-year-old illegally-adopted daughter Lisa. Damaging testimony against Mr. Steinberg had been given by his lover, Hedda Nussbaum.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: I Can See Clearly Now--Jimmy Cliff (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (12th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: U Got 2 Let the Music--Cappella (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Things Can Only Get Better--D: Ream (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Pierre Boulle, 81. French author. Mr. Boulle was best known for his novels Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï (The Bridge over the River Kwai) (1952) and La planète des singes (Planet of the Apes) (1963).

Chess
Yugoslavian-born Péter Lékó became, at age 14, the youngest grandmaster in history.

Football
NFL
Super Bowl XXVIII @ Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Dallas 30 Buffalo 13

James Washington returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown and Emmitt Smith followed with 17- and 1-yard touchdown rushed as the Cowboys outscored the Bills 24-0 before 72,817 fans to defeat Buffalo in the Super Bowl for the second straight year (see video). Thurman Thomas rushed 4 yards for the Bills' only touchdown in the 2nd quarter. In a duel of Canadian-born kickers, Eddie Murray of Dallas kicked 3 field goals and 3 converts, while Buffalo's Steve Christie kicked 2 field goals and a convert. Mr. Smith, who rushed 30 times for 132 yards and caught 4 passes for 26 yards, was named the game's most valuable player.

10 years ago
2004

Society
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a century-old law that allowed parents, and in some cases, teachers and caregivers, to spank children, as long as "reasonable" force was used and guidelines were set.

Protest
A two-day general strike in the Dominican Republic ended with five people dead in clashes with police. The strike had been called to protest President Hipolito Mejia's decision to adopt the policies of the International Monetary Fund to help mend the country's economy.