February 6, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Bob Powless and Brian Poluk!

800 years ago
1215

Died on this date
Hōjō Tokimasa, 76. Hōjō Shikken (Regent) of Japan, 1199-1205. Hōjō Tokimasa was the first Hōjō shikken (regent) of the Kamakura bakufu (shogunate). He abdicated in 1205 and retired to a Buddhist monastery.

350 years ago
1665

Born on this date
Anne. Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, 1702-1714. Anne, the daughter of King James II, succeeded her cousin, William III, upon his death. The major events of her reign included the union of England and Scotland in 1707. Queen Anne was the last British sovereign to preside over a meeting of the Privy Council, and the last to refuse royal asset to a bill passed by Parliament. She died on August 1, 1714 at the age of 49 after many years of failing health, leaving no surviving children, and was succeeded on the throne by King George I, Elector of Hanover, the nearest Protestant heir.

320 years ago
1695

Died on this date
Ahmed II, 52. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1691-1695. Ahmed II, a son of Sultan Ibrahim, succeeded his older brother Suleiman II on the throne, after being imprisoned for nearly 43 years during the reigns of his brothers. He implemented tax reforms, but after Grand Vizier Köprülüzade Fazıl Mustafa Pasha, upon whom he had greatly relied, was killed in battle in 1691, the Ottoman Empire suffered a string of military defeats against Habsburg forces. Sultan Ahmed II died 25 days after the surrender of the fortress of Gyula, which had been the centre of an Ottoman sanjak (subprovince) in what is now Hungary since 1566. Ahmed II was succeeded by his younger brother Mustafa II.

275 years ago
1740

Died on this date
Clement XII, 87. Roman Catholic Pope, 1730-1740. Clement XII, born Lorenzo Corsini, was a lawyer before entering the clergy. He was Archbishop of Nicomedia, nuncio to Vienna, and papal treasurer before succeeding Benedict XIII as pope. Pope Clement XII presided over a surplus in papal finances, oversaw building projects, and issued the first public papal condemnation of Freemasonry. He died of complications from gout, and was succeeded by Benedict XIV.

200 years ago
1815

Transportation
The first railroad charter in the United States was given to John Stevens and others for the New Jersey Railroad.

175 years ago
1840

Diplomacy
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand, establishing a British Governor of New Zealand, recognizing Māori ownership of their lands and other properties, and giving the Māori the rights of British subjects.

170 years ago
1845

Born on this date
Isidor Straus. Bavarian-born U.S. businessman and politician. Mr. Straus moved to the United States with his family in 1854, living in Georgia before moving to New York City after the Civil War. He opened a crockery department in the basement of Macy's department store, and he and his brother Nathan gained full ownership of R.H. Macy & Co. by 1896. Isidor Straus was a Democrat who represented New York's 15th District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1894-1895), but declined U.S. President Grover Cleveland's offer of the position of Postmaster General. Mr. Straus was 67 when he and his wife Ida travelled on the maiden voyage of RMS Titanic; he refused to board a lifeboat while the ship was sinking, and Mrs. Straus refused to leave him. They died when the Titanic sank at 2:20 A.M. on April 15, 1912.

160 years ago
1855

Died on this date
Josef Munzinger, 63. Swiss politician. Mr. Munzinger was one of the first seven councillors elected to the Swiss Federal Council in 1848. He was President of the Confederation in 1851.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Babe Ruth. U.S. baseball player. George Herman Ruth began his major league career with the Boston Red Sox (1914-1919) as a pitcher before moving to the outfield, where he became the most famous player in baseball history, especially after joining the New York Yankees. He played with the Yankees from 1920-1934 and the Boston Braves in 1935, with more hitting records than can be mentioned here. Less well known are his pitching achievements, which included leading the American League in winning percentage (.750) in 1915; in shutouts (9) and earned run average (1.75) in 1916; and setting a record for consecutive scoreless innings in World Series competition that stood for 45 years. The Sultan of Swat died of cancer on August 16, 1948 at the age of 53.

Bob La Follette, Jr.. U.S. politician. Mr. La Follette, the son of prominent politician Bob La Follette, Sr., represented Wisconsin in the United States Senate from 1925-1947. He was first elected as a Republican to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, and supported the cause of organized labour. Mr. La Follette and his brother Philip formed the Wisconsin Progressive Party in 1934, and he won re-election as a Progressive in 1934 and 1940. He was one of the Senate's leading isolationists, and helped found the America First Committee in 1940. When the Wisconsin Progressive Party dissolved, Mr. La Follette returned to the Republican Party, but was narrowly defeated in his state's Senate primary that year by Joseph McCarthy, who went on to win election to the Senate. He then warned of Communist infiltration into the U.S. government, and acted as an economic consultant to large corporations. Mr. La Follette committed suicide by shooting himself on February 24, 1953, 18 days after his 58th birthday. Some believed that he feared exposure by Sen. McCarthy's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations regarding Communists who had served on Sen. La Follette's subcommittee staff, while others believed that his suicide was the result of anxiety and depression that had long plagued him.

80 years ago
1935

Popular culture
The Parker Brothers board game Monopoly® went on sale for the first time.

75 years ago
1940

War
The Allied War Council met in Paris to discuss a French offer to aid Finland in her war against the U.S.S.R. Japanese spokesmen claimed penetration of the province of Ningsia in northwestern China.

Diplomacy
Delegates from 10 League of Nations members met in The Hague to establish a committee for the study of economic and social problems.

British envoy Sir Stafford Cripps left Chungking for Sinkiang on his inspection tour of the Chinese war zone.

70 years ago
1945

War
U.S. forces in Germany reached to within less than 3 miles of the largest of five dams controlling the level of the Roer River. Russian troops in Germany broke across the Oder River an established a 50-mile-long bridgehead on the western bank. Japanese forces in China took the abandoned U.S. air base sites at Namyung in the province of Kwangtung and Kanhsien in the province of Kiangsi.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Wedding--Julie Rogers

#1 single in France: Sacré Charlemagne--France Gall (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Non son degno di te--Gianni Morandi (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Das ist die Frage aller Fragen--Cliff Richard (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): The French Song (Quand le soleil dit bonjour aux montagnes)--Lucille Starr

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'--The Righteous Brothers

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'--The Righteous Brothers

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'--The Righteous Brothers
2 Downtown--Petula Clark
3 The Name Game--Shirley Ellis
4 This Diamond Ring--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
5 Love Potion No. 9--The Searchers
6 Hold What You've Got--Joe Tex
7 All Day and All of the Night--The Kinks
8 Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)--Del Shannon
9 Shake--Sam Cooke
10 My Girl--The Temptations

Singles entering the chart were Ferry Cross the Mersey by Gerry & the Pacemakers (#69); Hurt So Bad by Little Anthony and the Imperials (#71); Can't You Hear My Heartbeat by Herman's Hermits (#77); Jerk and Twine by Jackie Ross (#78); Ask the Lonely by the Four Tops (#80); He was Really Sayin' Somethin' by the Velvelettes (#85); Don't Mess Up a Good Thing by Fontella Bass and Bobby McClure (#87); Like a Child by Julie Rogers (#89); Orange Blossom Special by Johnny Cash (#92); The Man by Lorne Greene (#97); It's Gotta Last Forever by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (#98); and Don't Come Running Back to Me by Nancy Wilson (#100). The version of Goldfinger by John Barry and his Orchestra was mentioned with the version by Shirley Bassey (charting at #40), but was not charted.

Vancouver's Top 50 (CFUN)
1 Downtown--Petula Clark (2nd week at #1)
2 The Name Game--Shirley Ellis
3 The "In" Crowd--Dobie Gray
4 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'--The Righteous Brothers
5 Laugh, Laugh--The Beau Brummels
6 All Day and All of the Night--The Kinks
7 Give Him a Great Big Kiss--The Shangri-Las
8 Heart of Stone--The Rolling Stones
9 This Diamond Ring--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
10 Let's Lock the Door (And Throw Away the Key)--Jay and the Americans
11 Break Away (From That Boy)--The Newbeats
12 Shakin' All Over--Chad Allan and the Expressions (Guess Who?)
13 Boom Boom--The Animals
14 Tell Her No--The Zombies
15 Love Potion No. 9--The Searchers
16 I Go to Pieces--Peter and Gordon
17 Bye, Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)--The 4 Seasons
18 I Feel Fine/She's a Woman--The Beatles
19 I'll Be There--Gerry and the Pacemakers
20 Somewhere--P.J. Proby
21 What Have They Done to the Rain--The Searchers
22 Say it Again--Terry Black
23 Come On Do the Jerk--The Miracles
24 It's Alright--Adam Faith
25 No Arms Can Ever Hold You--The Bachelors
26 That Weepin' Willow Tree--Ray Griff
27 Wild One--Martha and the Vandellas
28 Ferry Cross the Mersey--Gerry & the Pacemakers
29 It's About Time--Bobby Curtola
30 Hold What You've Got--Joe Tex
31 The Crying Game/Thanks a Lot--Brenda Lee
32 The Jolly Green Giant--The Kingsmen
33 Shake/A Change is Gonna Come--Sam Cooke
34 Come See About Me--The Supremes
35 Look of Love--Lesley Gore
36 Goodnight--Roy Orbison
37 My Girl--The Temptations
38 It's Gotta Last Forever--Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas
39 Cupid--Johnny Rivers
40 Goldfinger--Shirley Bassey
41 Cry Tomorrow--Tom Northcott
42 Somewhere in Your Heart--Frank Sinatra
43 Red Roses for a Blue Lady--Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra
44 Like a Child--Julie Rogers
45 Lemon Tree--Trini Lopez
46 Willow Weep for Me--Chad & Jeremy
47 The Birds and the Bees--Jewel Akens
48 King of the Road--Roger Miller
49 You'll Always Be the One I Love/You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You--Dean Martin
50 Apache '65--The Arrows
Pick hits of the week: 1 Yeh, Yeh--Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
2 Can't You Hear My Heartbeat--Herman's Hermits

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): January--Pilot

War
Six days of civil war between Ethiopian government troops and rebels in the province of Eritrea had produced 1,200 deaths in the city of Asmara.

Politics and government
A by-election for Sri Lanka's National State Assembly in the Kankesanthurai Electoral District was won by Tamil United Front candidate S.J.V. Chelvanayakam over Communist Party candidate V. Ponnampalam, with Mr. Chelvanayakam, who had resigned his seat in 1972 in protest over Sri Lanka's new Constitution, taking more than 72% of the vote. The result emboldened the Tamil movement.

Economics and finance
The Alberta government of Premier Peter Lougheed cut personal income tax by 28%, making Albertans the lowest-taxed Canadians.

30 years ago
1985

Died on this date
James Hadley Chase, 78. U.K.-born Swiss author. Mr. Chase, born René Raymond, wrote 90 novels under several pseudonyms. 50 of his novels were made into movies. Mr. Chase's novels included No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939) and Twelve Chinks and a Woman (1941).

Kevin Lapa, 24. Canadian football player. Mr. Lapa, a native of Kamloops, British Columbia, played linebacker at Weber State University and was chosen by the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League in the second round of the 1983 CFL college draft. After returning to Weber State for one more year, he reported to the Lions, where he played defensive end, wearing #70. He saw some action in pre-season games, but cancer was discovered in his mouth during the pre-season. he underwent surgery and spent the entire 1984 season on the Lions’ disabled list, although he was able to practice with the team on occasion. Mr. Lapa succumbed to the cancer in Kamloops.

25 years ago
1990

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight’s episode: She, My Friend and I

Died on this date
Jimmy Van Heusen, 77. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Van Heusen, born Edward Babcock, was kwown for writing the music to Sammy Cahn's lyrics for songs in musical shows and movies. He was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, and won four times for Best Original Song: Swinging on a Star (Going My Way) (1944); All the Way (The Joker is Wild) (1957); High Hopes (A Hole in the Head) (1959); and Call Me Irresponsible (Papa's Delicate Condition) (1963). He also won an Emmy Award with Mr. Cahn for the song Love and Marriage, written for the Producers' Showcase presentation of Our Town.

Politics and government
Soviet Premier Nikolai Ryzhkov, responding to calls for a multiparty political system, said that a multiparty system, in effect, already existed. Hard-liners on the Communist Party Central Committee warned that any moves toward a multiparty system or free enterprise could lead to the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

Business
A Canadian federal competition tribunal approved the $5-billion Imperial Oil takeover of Texaco Canada.

Hockey
NHL
New Jersey 2 Edmonton 2

Brett Hull of the Dallas Stars became the first son of a 50-goal scorer to score 50 goals in a season himself. Brett scored his 50th goal of the season at Chicago Stadium against the Blackhawks, the team with which Mr. Hull's father Bobby had posted five 50-goal seasons.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: All I Need is Love--Indiana (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Zombie--Ororo (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Cotton Eye Joe--Rednex (18th week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Zombie--The Cranberries

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Insensitive--Jann Arden (2nd week at #1)
2 On Bended Knee--Boyz II Men
3 Bang and Blame--R.E.M.
4 Take a Bow--Madonna
5 You Don't Know How it Feels--Tom Petty
6 The Sweetest Days--Vanessa Williams
7 When I Come Around--Green Day
8 You Wreck Me--Tom Petty
9 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
10 Buddy Holly--Weezer

Singles entering the chart were You Lose You Gain by John Bottomley (#69); Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex (#71); Little Bitty Pretty One by Huey Lewis (#84); Kiss from a Rose by Seal (#85); Have a Little Faith by Joe Cocker (#86); I Know by Dionne Farris (#87); I Belong to You by Toni Braxton (#88); Far Out by Cinger (#90); Always and Forever by Luther Vandross (#91); Prime of Life by Neil Young (#92); Look What Love Has Done by Patty Smyth (#95); and High Head Blues by the Black Crowes (#96).

Terrorism
Siddig Ibrahim Siddig Ali, one of 12 men accused in the plot to bomb he United Nations building in New York and kill political leaders, changed his plea to guilty and said that fellow defendant Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman had played a principal role in the conspiracy. Mr. Siddig Ali told the court that in addition to the UN, the conspirators planned to bomb a Federal Bureau of Investigation office, a bridge, and two tunnels. Mr. Siddig Ali said that he had been Sheik Abdel Rahman's bodyguard and translator.

Politics and government
The United States House of Representatives voted 294-134 in favour of a bill giving the President a line-item veto--the authority to reject individual spending items in legislation before signing the overall bill. Under the House bill, a presidential rejection of a specific spending item would hold unless both houses of Congress overturned his veto within 20 days by two-thirds majorities. The line-item veto was available to governors of 43 states, and had been endorsed in 1994 by most Republican Party candidates in the congressional elections.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Bill Clinton submitted to Congress his budget for the fiscal year of 1996. As he had promised previously, the budget contained tax breaks for the middle class, and spending cuts totalling $144 billion over five years. The budget put spending at $1.61 trillion and projected continuing annual deficits of close to $200 billion through 2005.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 7 San Jose 3

10 years ago
2005

Politics and government
Tony Blair, who had taken office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1997, marked his 2,838th day in office, becoming the Labour Party's longest-serving Prime Minister. The previous record was held by Harold Wilson, Prime Minister from 1964-1970 and 1974-1977. Britain's longest-serving Prime Minister was Sir Robert Walpole, who governed for 20 years and 314 days from 1721-1742.

Football
NFL
Super Bowl XXXIX @ Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville
New England 24 Philadelphia 21

Corey Dillon rushed 2 yards for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri converted and added a 22-yard field goal as the Patriots scored 10 points in the 4th quarter to break a 14-14 tie and held on to defeat the Eagles before 78,125 fans to win the Super Bowl for the second straight year. Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis with 1:48 remaining in regulation time and David Akers converted, but the Eagles were unable to complete the comeback.