February 26, 2015

200 years ago
1815

World events
Former French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte escaped, in the ship Swiftsure, from the island of Elba off the coast of Tuscany, where he had been in exile since April 1814.

130 years ago
1885

Diplomacy
The 15-nation Congress of Berlin agreed to give the Congo to King Leopold II as his personal possession, and gave Nigeria to the United Kingdom.

80 years ago
1935

Defense
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to be re-formed, violating the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. Reichsmarshall Hermann Goering began Luftwaffe operations.

Robert Watson-Watt carried out a demonstration near Daventry, England, which led directly to the development of radar in the United Kingdom.

Baseball
After 15 seasons with the New York Yankees, right fielder Babe Ruth was given his release, and signed with the Boston Braves as a player and executive.

75 years ago
1940

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce
Tonight’s episode: The Reigate Puzzle

Diplomacy
The Pan-American Neutrality Committee established sharp limitations on auxiliary ships of belligerent nations in American territorial waters.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles delivered a confidential message from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in Rome.

Defense
The United States Air Defense Command was established at Mitchell Field on Long Island, New York.

Journalism
U.S. newsman James R. Young was indicted in Tokyo for violating the Japanese army code by disseminating slanderous material about the Japanese military.

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that only the National Labor Relations Board, not labour unions, could take the initiative in compelling employers to comply with NLRB orders.

Medicine
Dr. H.J. Corper of National Jewish Hospital in Denver announced the isolation of a tuberculosis vaccine.

Academia
British philosopher Bertrand Russell was appointed a professor at City College of New York.

Education
The U.S. National Education Association's legislative committee charged that U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's policies toward public education were meaningless.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Rum and Coca-Cola--The Andrews Sisters (2nd week at #1)
--Abe Lyman and his Orchestra
--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
2 Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive--Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
--Artie Shaw and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
3 Don't Fence Me In--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Kate Smith
--Horace Heidt and his Musical Knights
4 Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night in the Week)--Frank Sinatra
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
5 I Dream of You (More than You Dream I Do)--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
--Andy Russell
--Frank Sinatra
--Perry Como
6 Confessin' (That I Love You)--Ella Fitzgerald and the Song Spinners
--Perry Como
7 I'm Making Believe--The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald
8 There Goes that Song Again--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
9 Cocktails for Two--Spike Jones and his City Slickers
10 Robin Hood--Les Brown and his Orchestra
--Tony Pastor and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were the versions of Rum and Coca-Cola by Abe Lyman and his Orchestra; and Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra; My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time, with versions by Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day); and the Phil Moore Four (#16); Candy, with versions by Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra; and Dinah Shore (#25); Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry by Harry James and his Orchestra (#27); Poor Little Rhode Island by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (#35); I Wanna Get Married by Gertrude Niesen (#36); and I Wonder, with versions by Louis Prima and his Orchestra; and Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra.

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax

War
Canadian Army Sergeant Aubrey Cosens was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in Rhine fighting. The Syrian Chamber of Deputies voted approval of a declaration of war against Germany and Japan. U.S. troops in Germany reached 10 1/2 miles west of Cologne and opened artillery barrages against the city. U.S. Marine observation planes began operating from the southern airfield on Iwo Jima.

Diplomacy
The Allies returned the Algerian supply centre of Oran to the French.

Defense
U.S. Army Air Forces commanding General Hap Arnold warned in his annual report that the United States would be the first target in the next war, and that air power would be the next weapon.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Hugh Butler (Republican--Nebraska) accused President Franklin D. Roosevelt of "secrecy," and demanded that he give Congress an account of the conduct of foreign policy, particularly at the recent Yalta Conference.

Economics and finance
At the Inter-American Conference in Mexico City, the U.S.A. proposed an "economic charter" designed to help the conversion to peacetime economies and raise living standards in the hemisphere.

Society
The U.S. nationwide midnight curfew on entertainment went into effect. In New York City, police were instructed to take the names and addresses of all people violating the curfew.

Labour
In accordance with the Smith-Connally Act, the United Mine Workers of America filed formal notice of a possible strike when contracts expired on March 31, 1945.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Hold My Hand--Don Cornell; Nat "King" Cole (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Give Me Your Word--Tennessee Ernie Ford (2nd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sincerely--The McGuire Sisters (Best Seller--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1); Hearts of Stone--The Fontane Sisters (Jukebox--3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Melody of Love--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)
--David Carroll and his Orchestra
--The Four Aces
2 Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)--The Penguins
--The Crew-Cuts
3 Sincerely--The McGuire Sisters
4 Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)--Perry Como
--The Crew-Cuts
5 Tweedlee Dee--Georgia Gibbs
--LaVern Baker and the Gliders
6 Hearts of Stone--The Fontane Sisters
--The Charms
7 Let Me Go Lover--Joan Weber
8 The Crazy Otto--Johnny Maddox and the Rhythmasters
9 Mr. Sandman--The Chordettes
--The Four Aces
10 The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane--The Ames Brothers
--Archie Bleyer

Singles entering the chart were The Ballad of Davy Crockett by Bill Hayes (#19); Pledging My Love, with versions by Johnny Ace and Teresa Brewer (#20); Danger! Heartbreak Ahead by Jaye P. Morgan (#21); Birth of the Boogie (#24)/Mambo Rock (#35) by Bill Haley and his Comets; The Sand and the Sea by Nat "King" Cole (#27); A Man Chases a Girl (Until She Catches Him) by Eddie Fisher (#28); and If Anyone Finds This, I Love You by Kay Starr (#44). The Ballad of Davy Crockett was the theme song of several episodes of the television anthology series Disneyland; the first program about Davy Crockett was broadcast on ABC on December 15, 1954. The Sand and the Sea was the B-side of Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup, which was currently uncharted after entering the chart on February 12 for two weeks.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Eight Days a Week--The Beatles
2 Ferry Cross the Mersey--Gerry & the Pacemakers
3 This Diamond Ring--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
4 Little Things--Bobby Goldsboro
5 King of the Road--Roger Miller
6 The Jolly Green Giant--The Kingsmen
7 The Birds and the Bees--Jewel Akens
8 Easy Come, Easy Go--Barry Allen
9 Love Potion No. 9--The Searchers
10 Goldfinger--Shirley Bassey
Pick hit of the week: The Boy from New York City--The Ad Libs
New this week: Can't Go to Sleep--Formula 1
Let the People Talk--Neil Sedaka
For Mamma--Jerry Vale
Little Sidewalk Surfer Girl--The Hondells
(Here They Come) From All Over the World--Jan & Dean
Cry is All I Do--The Esquires

(Here They Come) From All Over the World was the theme from The T.A.M.I. Show, a two-day rock concert at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California on October 28 and 29, 1964, which was filmed and released as a movie, opening in theatres on December 29, 1964.

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the satellite Cosmos 58.

Boxing
Zora Folley (69-7-4) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Oscar Bonavena (8-1) in a heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City.



40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Stephen Tibble, 22. U.K. police officer. Police Constable Tibble had been with the London police force for just six months when he was shot to death by Irish Republican Army terrorist Liam Quinn, who escaped to San Francisco.

Politics and government
Jean Marchand resigned as Quebec leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, but stayed on as Minister of Transport in the cabinet of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

30 years ago
1985

Died on this date
Tjalling Koopmans, 74. Dutch-born U.S. economist. Dr. Koopmans shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with Leonid Kantorovich "for their contributions to the theory of optimum allocation of resources."

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): No Titlist--Rie Miyazawa

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Pump ab Das Bier--Werner Wichtig (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Cornell Gunter, 53. U.S. singer. Mr. Gunter was an original member of the Platters in the early 1950s, before joining the Flairs, and later, the Coasters, with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He was shot to death in his car in Las Vegas.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. began pulling its 73,500 troops out of Czechoslovakia, agreeing to be out by July 1991.

Politics and government
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega conceded defeat to Violetta Chamorro in the previous day’s general election.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 2 @ Vancouver 5

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Tomorrow--Silverchair (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Old Pop in an Oak--Rednex (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Cotton Eye Joe--Rednex (14th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jack Clayton, 73. U.K. film director. Mr. Clayton directed just seven theatrical films, but they included Room at the Top (1959); The Innocents (1961); and The Great Gatsby (1974). He died of a heart attack three days before his 74th birthday.

Music
This blogger attended a matinee performance of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, with David Hoyt conducting. The guest soloist was violinist Leila Josefowicz.

Scandal
Barings Bank, the United Kingdom's oldest investment banking institute, collapsed after securities broker Nick Leeson lost $1.4 billion by speculating on the Singapore International Monetary Exchange using futures contracts.

Economics and finance
China agreed to take a number of steps to enforce copyright laws and close down the illegal manufacturing of copies of U.S. motion picture and music recordings. The moves came before U.S. tariffs of as much as 100% went into effect on a wide range of goods imported from China.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Jef Raskin, 61. U.S. computer scientist. Mr. Raskin was best known for conceiving and beginning the Macintosh project in 1979 when he was with Apple Computers. He was a man of various interests, and was a skilled musician and artist. Mr. Raskin died of pancreatic cancer, 11 days before his 62nd birthday.