January 31, 2014

1,700 years ago
314

Religion
Silvester I took office as Roman Catholic Pope, succeeding Pope Miltiades.

510 years ago
1504

Diplomacy
France ceded Naples to Aragon.

200 years ago
1814

Politics and government
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas became the first Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, the highest official in what is now Argentina.

175 years ago
1839

Politics and government
John "Radical Jack" Lambton, Lord Durham, the outgoing Governor of Canada, handed his Report on the Affairs of British North America to British Prime Minister. Lord Durham blamed the power of the Family Compact and Chateau Clique ruling elites for the 1837 rebellions, and recommended uniting the Canadas under one responsible government, with English the only official language, so as to assimilate the French Canadians.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Isham Jones. U.S. musician. Mr. Jones, a saxophonist, wrote the music for such songs as We're in the Army Now, I'll See You in My Dreams, and It Had to Be You, but was best known for leading one of the most popular "sweet" bands of the 1920s and '30s. He died of cancer on October 19, 1956 at the age of 62.

Percy Helton. U.S. actor. A man who looked like a slightly smaller version of Nikita Khrushchev (or a slightly larger version of Porky Pig), Mr. Helton was a character actor who appeared in small roles in many movies and television programs, often playing shady characters. He had a hoarse voice and talked fast. Mr. Helton died at the age of 77 on September 11, 1971, the same day as the death of Mr. Khrushchev.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Branch Rickey, Jr.. U.S. baseball administrator. Mr. Rickey, the son of the legendary general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates, developed the Pirates' farm system in the 1950s, which was largely responsible for producing the World Series championship team of 1960. He was a diabetic who didn't take proper care of himself, leading to a premature and painful death on April 10, 1961 at the age of 47.

Jersey Joe Walcott. U.S. boxer. Mr. Walcott, born Arnold Cream, made several attempts to win the world heavyweight championship before finally succeeding. On July 18, 1951, in his fifth fight for the title, Mr. Walcott knocked out Ezzard Charles in the 7th round at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, becoming, at 37, the oldest man yet to win the title. After a successful defense against Mr. Charles, he lost the title when he was knocked out by Rocky Marciano on September 23, 1952. The two fought a rematch on May 15, 1953, and Mr. Walcott retired with a record of 51-18-2 after being knocked out in the 1st round. He died on February 25, 1994 at the age of 80.

80 years ago
1934

At the movies
The Ninth Guest, directed by Roy William Neill, and starring Donald Cook and Genevieve Tobin, opened in theatres.



70 years ago
1944

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Ev'ry Night About This Time--The Ink Spots (1st month at #1)

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Dog that Howled at the Night

Died on this date
Jean Giraudoux, 61. French author and playwright. Mr. Giraudoux wrote more than 20 novels, but was better known for his plays, including Ondine (1939) and The Madwoman of Chaillot (1945).

War
U.S.S.R. troops fought their way into the suburbs of Kingisepp, an important communications point only eight miles east of the Estonian frontier. During the Anzio campaign in Italy, the U.S. Army 1st Ranger Battalion (Darby's Rangers) was destroyed behind enemy lines in a heavily outnumbered encounter at the Battle of Cisterna. American forces landed on Kwajalein Atoll and other islands in the Japanese-held Marshall Islands.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull revealed that 89 specific protests against the mistreatment of U.S. prisoners of war and war internees had been made to Japan from January 13, 1942-January 27, 1944, without result.

Health
George Adams, secretary of the American Advisory Committee for Southeast China, arrived in Chungking from Kwangtung Province and said that one million people had died there of starvation and cholera, which had wiped out 80% of the population of some villages.

Education
The New Jersey Supreme Court upheld the right of two Negro children to attend a public school near their home instead of being forced to go 16 blocks to an all-Negro school.

Economics and finance
U.S. Federal Works Administrator Major General Philip B. Fleming announced that the Works Progress Administration, which had ended eight years of operation on June 30, 1943, had expended $10.1 billion in federal funds.

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Granada--Vico Torriani (1st month at #1)

Died on this date
Howard Armstrong, 63. U.S. radio engineer. Mr. Armstrong was one of the greatest pioneers of radio; he held 42 patents and was best known as the inventor of frequency modulation (FM) radio. Years of litigation battles with his former employer, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), broke his spirit, and he committed suicide by jumping out the window of his 13th-floor New York apartment. His wife Marion eventually won all of his legal battles.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Glad All Over--The Dave Clark Five

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 I Want to Hold Your Hand--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 Roll Over Beethoven--The Beatles
3 Don't Talk to Him--Cliff Richard and the Shadows
4 Puppy Love--Barbara Lewis
5 Surfin' Bird--The Trashmen
6 She Loves You--The Beatles
7 Daisy Petal Pickin'--Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
8 Forget Him--Bobby Rydell
9 Shindig--The Shadows
10 Who Needs It--Gene Pitney
Pick hit of the week: Stop and Think it Over--Dale & Grace
New this week: My True Carrie, Love--Nat King Cole
The Harem--Mr. Acker Bilk
Worried Guy--Johnny Tillotson
White on White--Danny Williams
Hey Little Star--Ann-Margret
I'll Be a Fool--Buddy Greco

On television tonight
Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Black Leather Jackets, starring Lee Kinsolving, Michael Forest, Tom Gilleran, Shelley Fabares, and Michael Conrad

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Night Caller, starring Felicia Farr, Bruce Dern, David White, and Leslie Barringer

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Tiger Feet--Mud

Died on this date
Samuel Goldwyn, 94. Polish-born U.S. film producer. Mr. Goldwyn, born Szmuel Gelbfisz in Warsaw, was one of the founders of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, and later, Goldwyn Pictures, which merged into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1924. As an independent producer, Mr. Goldwyn won the Academy Award for Best Picture for The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). He was also given the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1947 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1958.

Glenn Morris, 61. U.S. decathlete. Mr. Morris won the gold medal in the decathlon at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, setting a world and Olympic record with 7,900 points.

Disasters
96 of 101 people aboard a Pan Am Boeing 707 jetliner were killed when it crashed in Pago Pago, American Samoa.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): My Oh My--Slade (2nd week at #1)

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators had risen 0.6% in December 1983, thus reversing the one-month decline in November.

25 years ago
1989

Died on this date
William Stephenson, 92. Canadian-born U.K. soldier and spy. Sir William, a native of Winnipeg, fought for Canada in World War I, and moved to England in the early 1920s. He founded and led British Security Coordination, relaying secrets between British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was known by his code name Intrepid, and is said to have been the real-life inspiration for Ian Fleming's fictional spy James Bond.

Music
The album Mystery Girl by Roy Orbison was released on Virgin Records. Shortly after recording the album, Mr. Orbison had died of a heart attack on December 6, 1988 at the age of 52.

Politics and government
Testifying before the United States Senate Armed Services Committee, conservative activist Paul Weyrich said that he had on several occasions observed former U.S. Senator (Republican--Texas) and Secretary of Defense nominee John Tower in a drunken condition and socializing with women who were not Mr. Tower's wife.

Scandal
The trial of former U.S. Marine Colonel and National Security Council member Oliver North on 12 charges related to the 1986 Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal began.

Hockey
NHL
Vancouver 6 Edmonton 2
Calgary 8 Los Angeles 5

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): The Sign--Ace of Base (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (3rd week at #1)
2 The Power of Love--Celine Dion
3 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
4 Found Out About You--Gin Blossoms
5 Mary Jane's Last Dance--Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
6 Hero--Mariah Carey
7 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
8 Amazing--Aerosmith
9 Linger--The Cranberries
10 I'll Always Be There--Roch Voisine

Singles entering the chart were Since I Don't Have You by Guns 'N' Roses (#73); A Matter of Moments by Moneyhouse (#75); I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing by Pet Shop Boys (#76); Creep by Stone Temple Pilots (#78); Day in the Sun by Peter Frampton (#81); Love, Love, Love by Hemingway Corner (#82); Cornflake Girl by Tori Amos (#85); and Under the Same Sun by the Scorpions (#86).

Diplomacy
The day after being issued a visa by the United States, Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fein--the political arm of the Irish Republican Army--arrived in New York City, but was limited to meetings and interviews in the metropolitan area. He appeared on the television show Larry King Live on CNN.

Economics and finance
The Dow-Jones industrial average closed at a record high of 3,978.36.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Eleanor Holm, 90. U.S. swimmer. Miss Holm won the gold medal in the women's 100-metre backstroke at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and was favoured to win the event at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, but she was suspended from the team after a drinking party aboard the ship transporting the team across the Atlantic Ocean.