December 30, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Michael Nesmith and Gladys Lucy Pomazongo Levano!

1,975 years ago
39

Born on this date
Titus. Emperor of the Roman Empire, 79-81. Titus, the son of Vespasian, served as a military commander under his father. When Vespasian became Emperor in 69, Titus completed the suppression of the rebellion in Judea, sacking Jerusalem and destroying the Second Temple in 70. Titus served as prefect of the Praetorian Guard and acceded to the throne upon the death of his father, becoming the first Roman Emperor to succeed his biological father. He oversaw the completion of the Colosseum and eased the suffering caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 and a fire in Rome in 80, but died from a fever on September 13, 81 at the age of 41, and was succeeded as Emperor by Domitian.

190 years ago
1824

Born on this date
Aleksey Lobanov-Rostovsky. Russian politician and diplomat. Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky held several diplomatic posts, including two terms as Russian minister to Constantinople. He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by Czar Nikolai II in March 1895, and attempted to establish a Russian hegemony among the nationalities of the Balkans, while supporting the integrity of the Ottoman Empire. Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky also supported China's interests against those of Japan. He died suddenly of heart disease on August 30, 1896 at the age of 71 while travelling with Czar Nikolai, and was succeeded as Foreign Minister by Mikhail Muraviev.

180 years ago
1834

Disasters
Fire destroyed the Parliament buildings of Upper Canada at York.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Bert Parks. U.S. radio and television announcer. Born Bertram Jacobson, Mr. Parks hosted several radio and television game shows, but was best known for hosting the annual Miss America telecast from 1955-1979. He died on February 2, 1992 at the age of 77.

Jo Van Fleet. U.S. actress. Miss Van Fleet won the Academy Award for her supporting performance in East of Eden (1955) and a Tony Award for her starring performance in The Trip to Bountiful (1953). She died on June 10, 1996 at the age of 81.

80 years ago
1934

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Today’s episode: The Case with Two Solutions

Born on this date
Del Shannon. U.S. musician and singer. Mr. Shannon, born Charles Westover, was best known for his first and biggest hit single, Runaway, which spent 4 weeks as the #1 single in the U.S.A. in the spring of 1961. Other hits included Hats Off to Larry (#5, 1961); Little Town Flirt (#12, 1963); Handy Man (#22, 1964); Keep Searchin' (#9, 1964-1965); and Sea of Love (#33, 1982). He shot himself to death while under the influence of Prozac on February 8, 1990.

70 years ago
1944

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't Fence Me In--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Best Seller--2nd week at #1; Juke Box--3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Romain Rolland, 78. French author. Mr. Rolland was awarded the 1915 Nobel Prize for Literature "as a tribute to the lofty idealism of his literary production and to the sympathy and love of truth with which he has described different types of human beings." His best-known work was the 10-volume novel Jean Christophe (1903-1912).

War
U.S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler (Democrat--Montana) proposed that the Senate proclaim its own peace aims "in the absence of the President taking a stand." Three American divisions launched attacks on both sides of the Bastogne corridor and thrusted into the German salient in Belgium. Moircy was taken but was lost to a German counterattack later in the day. U.S. planes made their deepest penetration of the Japanese-held Philippines, sinking eight ships at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon.

Politics and government
King George II of Greece issued a royal proclamation in London appointing Archbishop Damaskinos as his regent.

Economics and finance
U.S. Army authorities in control of the Montgomery Ward & Company offices in Chicago seized the firm's books and set their accountants to study them. Two days earlier, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had ordered the Army to seize Montgomery Ward's executive offices and other facilities in Chicago and Detroit for the company's refusal to obey National War Labor Board orders.

Labour
U.S. Stabilization Director Fred Vinson approved the National War Labor Board adjustments in the "Little Steel" wage formula.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Todo El Tiempo Del Mundo--Manolo Otero (2nd week at #1)

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in France (SNEP): Ghostbusters--Ray Parker, Jr.

#1 single in Switzerland: When the Rain Begins to Fall--Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora (6th week at #1)

Football
NFL
NFC Divisional Playoff
Chicago 23 @ Washington 19

AFC Divisional Playoff
Pittsburgh 24 @ Denver 17

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Lambada--Kaoma (14th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Hélène--Roch Voisine (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid II (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard)
: Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (3rd week at #1)
2 Don't Know Much--Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville)
3 Rhythm Nation--Janet Jackson
4 Just Like Jesse James--Cher
5 With Every Beat of My Heart--Taylor Dayne
6 Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic featuring Felly
6 This One's for the Children--New Kids on the Block
8 Just Between You and Me--Lou Gramm
9 Living in Sin--Bon Jovi
10 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton

Singles entering the chart were All or Nothing by Milli Vanilli (#64); C'Mon and Get My Love by D Mob introducing Cathy Dennis (#80); Black Velvet by Alannah Myles (#85); and Timeless Love by Saraya (#92).

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (3rd week at #1)

Football
NCAA
Sun Bowl
Pittsburgh 31 Texas A&M 28

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Old Pop in an Oak--Rednex (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Love Me for a Reason--Boyzone

Crime
John Salvi shot two women to death and wounded at least five others when he opened fire with a rifle at two neighbouring abortion clinics in Brookline, Massachusetts.

War
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Hall, captured by North Korea after his renaissance helicopter had been shot down over N.K. air space on December 17, was released, after U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Hubbard met with N.K. officials in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. The U.S. agreed to express its "sincere regret" over the incident.

Scandal
U.S. Representative Newt Gingrich (Republican--Georgia), due to become Speaker of the House of Representatives when the 104th Congress was sworn in four days later, said that he would give up a $4.5-million advance payment from HarperCollins Publishing, Inc. for two books, one he was writing about conservative political philosophy and the other an anthology of writings on democracy for which he was providing commentary. Mr. Gingrich had been heavily criticized by the liberal mainstream media for the deal; although he was forfeiting the advance, he said he would go ahead with the books, for which he would receive royalties.

Economics and finance
On the last trading day of the year, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 3,834.44, a modest increase of 80.35 points or 2.1% for all of 1994.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Artie Shaw, 94. U.S. musician and bandleader. Mr. Shaw, born Arthur Arshawsky, was a clarinetist and one of the most popular bandleaders of the Swing Era of the 1930s and '40s. His best-known records included Begin the Beguine; Stardust; Frenesi; and Nightmare. Mr. Shaw was a compulsive perfectionist, which led him to retire from the music business in 1954, and made him a difficult person to live with--he was married eight times. Mr. Shaw came out of retirement in the 1980s and led another orchestra for several years.

Disasters
194 people perished in a fire at the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires.