January 12, 2015

320 years ago
1695

War
The Ottoman Empire surrendered the fortress of Gyula, which had been the centre of an Ottoman sanjak (subprovince) in what is now Hungary since 1566, to Habsburg forces.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Johannes Vares. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1940-1944. Dr. Vares, a physician who wrote poetry under the pseudonym Johannes Barbarus, led a Communist puppet government after the Soviet conquest of Estonia in 1940. He fled to Russia after the German invasion and occupation of Estonia in 1941, but returned in 1944 after the U.S.S.R. reconquered the country. On April 20, 1944, the Electoral Committee of the Republic of Estonia held a clandestine meeting where they ruled Mr. Vares' appointment to be illegal; he also came under suspicion from the Soviet secret police force NKVD because of his activities in the Estonian war of independence, and committed suicide at Kadriorg Palace in the capital city of Tallinn on November 29, 1946 at the age of 56.

120 years ago
1895

Environment
The National Trust was founded in the United Kingdom.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Paul Jarrico. U.S. screenwriter. Mr. Jarrico, born Israel Shapiro, was a Communist Party member who wrote screenplays for movies such as Tom, Dick and Harry (1941); Song of Russia (1943); Thousands Cheer (1943); The Search (1948); and The Las Vegas Story (1952). He was blacklisted from Hollywood in the early 1950s, and wrote the screenplay for Salt of the Earth (1954), the only Hollywood movie to be blacklisted. Mr. Jarrico used the pseudonym Peter Achilles to write screenplays in later years, including Call Me Bwana (1963). He was killed in a car accident on October 28, 1997 at the age of 82.

Americana
Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado was formed by an act of the United States Congress.

Politics and government
The United States House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote.

75 years ago
1940

Television
The experimental NBC station W2XBS in New York City was linked to General Electric’s station WRGB in Schenectady, New York by a radio relay system developed by General Electric, marking "the first time that two television stations broadcast simultaneously the same regular programs.” The first program transmitted from W2XBS to WRGB was a play titled Meet the Wife.

War
In collaboration with the Saturday Review of Literature, the Gallup Poll reported that 31% of American writes polled believed that the United States would enter the European war, while 69% believed the U.S. would stay out of the war. Soviet planes bombed the Finnish cities of Helsinki, Abo, and Lahti for the first time since December 25, 1939.

Diplomacy
Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas asserted that the Monroe Doctrine had been replaced in 1936 by the "principle of American solidarity."

Politics and government
A Gallup Poll indicated that 63% of American voters approved of the performance of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Labour
Apex Hosiery Company of Philadelphia appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court to obtain more than $700,000 in alleged damages from a labour union as a result of a sit-down strike in 1937.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers condemned both the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations for conducting a "civil war" that was detrimental to the working man.

Academia
University of Chicago President Robert Hutchins defended the institution's decision to drop football, saying the sport was a handicap to education.

Disasters
23 people in Buenos Aires had died in a heat wave.

70 years ago
1945

War
As Allied armies pushed in on all sides, German forces were in full retreat from their Belgian bulge, abandoning 100 square miles. Soviet forces began a huge offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe. U.S. forces in the Philippines continued their advance on Luzon unchecked, with the capture of San Carlos and Malasiqui. Terms of the U.K.-ELAS truce in Greece were announced, providing for the cessation of hostilities at 1 A.M. on January 15.

Law
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an order placing Nazi saboteurs in the United States under the jurisdiction of military tribunals, to be tried by military commissions.

Diplomacy
Philippine President Sergio Osmena arrived in the United States for conferences on relief and rehabilitation measures.

Politics and government
Frank Briggs (Democrat) was appointed a United States Senator from Missouri to serve the remaining two years of the term of Vice President-elect Harry Truman.

60 years ago
1955

On television tonight
Kraft Television Theatre, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Patterns, starring Richard Kiley, Everett Sloane, and Ed Begley

This drama about corporate office politics was the first teleplay by Rod Serling to become a hit, and earned him an Emmy Award. The reviews were so enthusiastic that the play was broadcast again--live--on February 9, 1955.

50 years ago
1965

On television tonight
The Fugitive, starring David Janssen, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The End is But the Beginning, with guest stars Barbara Barrie and Andrew Duggan

At the movies
Baby the Rain Must Fall, directed by Robert Mulligan, and starring Steve McQueen, Lee Remick, and Don Murray, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Lorraine Hansberry, 34. U.S. playwright. Miss Hansberry was best known for A Raisin in the Sun (1959), the first play by a Negro woman to be performed on Broadway. She died of pancreatic cancer.

Diplomacy
Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato arrived in Washington for two days of talks with U.S. President Lyndon Johnson.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Mike Moser, 22. Canadian basketball player. Mr. Moser, a centre with the University of Waterloo Warriors, was a member of Canada's national team, and was with the squad in the United States as they were playing a four-game series against American schools. He died in St. Petersburg, Florida, several days after being hospitalized with flu-like symptoms; the cause of death was said to be endocarditis, an inflammation around the heart. The Warriors went on to win the national championship without him in a thrilling national final, but would have had a much easier time winning it with him.

Ray Mittleider, 20. U.S. football player. Mr. Mittleider was a quarterback with Boise State University. He was stricken with leukemia in August 1974, and did not play during the 1974 season.

Football
NFL
Super Bowl IX @ Tulane Stadium, New Orleans
Pittsburgh 16 Minnesota 6

Franco Harris rushed 34 times for 158 yards and a touchdown, and the "Steel Curtain" defense allowed only 9 first downs and 119 yards net offense as the Steelers defeated the Vikings before 80,997 fans to win their first Super Bowl and first NFL championship. Pittsburgh defensive end Dwight White sacked Minnesota quarterback Fran Tarkenton for a safety touch midway through the 2nd quarter, and the Steelers led 2-0 at halftime. Minnesota fullback Bill Brown fumbled the 2nd-half kickoff, and Pittsburgh linebacker Marv Kellum recovered on the Minnesota 30-yard line. Mr. Harris then rushed 9 yards for a touchdown, and Roy Gerela's convert gave the Steelers a 9-0 lead. The Vikings got on the scoreboard with 10:33 remaining in regulation time when Matt Blair blocked Bobby Walden's punt and Terry Brown recovered for a touchdown. However, Fred Cox missed the convert, and the Steelers used up the clock on a 66-yard march, and quarterback Terry Bradshaw passed 4 yards to Larry Brown for a touchdown with 3:31 remaining, converted by Mr. Gerela. In addition to Mr. Harris, Rocky Bleier rushed 17 times for 65 yards, and the Steelers amassed 333 yards rushing. The Vikings were limited to 17 yards rushing, with Chuck Foreman carrying 10 times for just 18 yards and Dave Osborn carrying 8 times for -1 yard. Mr. Bradshaw completed 9 of 14 passes for 96 yards, while Mr. Tarkenton was 11 for 26 for 102 yards and 3 interceptions.



30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Careless Whisper--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Like a Virgin--Madonna (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Like a Virgin--Madonna (3rd week at #1)
2 Cool it Now--New Edition
3 Sea of Love--The Honeydrippers
4 All I Need--Jack Wagner
5 Run to You--Bryan Adams
6 We Belong--Pat Benatar
7 I Want to Know What Love Is--Foreigner
8 You're the Inspiration--Chicago
9 Born in the U.S.A.--Bruce Springsteen
10 Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid

No singles entered the chart.

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (2nd week at #1)
2 Like a Virgin--Madonna
3 I Feel for You--Chaka Khan
4 Sea of Love--The Honeydrippers
5 Ti Amo--Laura Branigan
6 The Wild Boys--Duran Duran
7 Run to You--Bryan Adams
8 We Belong--Pat Benatar
9 Valotte--Julian Lennon
10 Smalltown Boy--Bronski Beat

Singles entering the chart were California Girls by David Lee Roth (#72); Jamie by Ray Parker, Jr. (#93); On the Line by Rough Trade (#95); and Storm Before the Calm by Luba (#96).

25 years ago
1990

Died on this date
Laurence J. Peter, 70. Canadian-born U.S. educator and author. Dr. Peter, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, was best known for his book The Peter Principle (1969), in which he asserted that employees rose up the hierarchy of their workplace at their levels of competence until they reached their levels of incompetence.

World events
East German Premier Hans Modrow said that no new national security force would be formed before national elections, and admitted that secret police had continued to spy on the political opposition.

Protest
A large crowd gathered in Bucharest to protest the perceived influence of Communists in the leadership of Romania. Ion Iliescu, chairman of the National Salvation Front and interim President, managed to calm the crowd somewhat by announcing that the Communist Party had been outlawed.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that producer prices for all of 1989 had risen 4.8%, the highest rate since a 7.1% increase in 1981.

The Canadian dollar reached 86.5c U.S.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Super Gut--Mo-Do (4th week at #1)

Music
The Allman Brothers Band, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, and Frank Zappa were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

War
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman said that he would not allow United Nations peacekeeping troops to remain in his country after their current mandate expired in March. He said that the 12,000 troops did not "provide conditions necessary for establishing lasting peace and order."

Economics and finance
U.S. President Bill Clinton and U.S. Congressional leaders agreed on a bailout package for Mexico that would grant Mexico as much as $40 billion in loan guarantees. The plan would require the approval of both houses of Congress.

10 years ago
2005

Space
The U.S. probe Deep Impact, whose mission was to study the interior composition of the comet Tempel 1 (9P/Tempel) by releasing an impactor into the comet, was launched from Cape Canaveral on a Delta II rocket.