March 5, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Olivia Mananquil!

200 years ago
1815

Born on this date
Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha. Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, 1852, 1855-1856, 1858-1859, 1861, 1867-1871. Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha was a prominent official during the Tanzimat period (1839-1876) of reform within the Ottoman Empire. He was best known as the architect of the Ottoman Reform Edict of 1856, and for his role in the Treaty of Paris (1856) that ended the Crimean War. Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha alternated between the offices of Grand Vizier and Foreign Minister from 1855 until his death on September 7, 1871 at the age of 56, after a three-month bout with tuberculosis.

Died on this date
Franz Mesmer, 80. German physician and astrologist. Dr. Mesmer was known for his belief that there was a natural energetic transference that occurred between all animated and inanimate objects that he called animal magnetism. His method of treating patients was later called mesmerism, but is better known today as hypnosis.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
John Aasen. U.S. actor. Mr. Aasen was a 7'2" sideshow performer who appeared in 14 movies, including Why Worry? (1923); Should Married Men Go Home? (1928); and Bengal Tiger (1936). He died from pneumonia on August 1, 1938 at the age of 48.

120 years ago
1895

Died on this date
Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baronet Rawlinson, 84. U.K. military officer, archaeologist, and politician. Sir Henry was a British East India Company officer in Persia, India, and Ottoman Arabia from the late 1820s through the mid-1850s. While in Baghad in the 1840s, he studied cuneiform, and became known as the Father of Assyriology. Sir Henry spent most of his last 40 years in London. A Liberal, he represented Reigate (1858) and Frome (1865-1868) in the House of Commons, and was President of the Royal Geographical Society (1871-1873, 1874-1876). Sir Henry died a month before his 85th birthday.

Nikolai Leskov, 64. Russian writer. Mr. Leskov wrote novels, short stories, plays, and journalism, mainly about contemporary Russian society. He was held in high esteem by more famous authors such as Leo Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, and Anton Chekhov. Mr. Leskov's included the novella Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (1865) and the novels The Cathedral Clergy (1872) and The Enchanted Wanderer (1873). He died 17 days after his 64th birthday, after a period of declining health.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Henry Hicks. Canadian politician. Mr. Hicks, a Liberal, was a Member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly for Annapolis from 1945-1960 and Premier of Nova Scotia from 1954-1956. He represented Nova Scotia in the Canadian Senate from 1972-1990. Mr. Hicks was killed at the age of 75, along with his wife Rosalie, in a car accident on December 9, 1990.

75 years ago
1940

Music
John Henry: A Railroad Ballad for Orchestra by Aaron Copland received its premiere performance on NBC radio.

Abominations
Six high-ranking members of the Soviet politburo, including General Secretary Josef Stalin, signed an order for the execution of 25,700 Polish intelligentsia, including 14,700 Polish prisoners of war, in what would become known as the Katyn massacre.

War
British naval forces intercepted seven Italian coal-carrying ships from Rotterdam and took them into British ports.

Politics and government
William George Clark of Fredericton was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.

A Gallup Poll reported that American voters now favoured political candidates who urged economy over those who urged government spending programs.

Economics and finance
Uruguayan President Alfredo Baldomier said that the United States should assist Latin American nations to relieve their dependence on European trade markets.

El Salvador's Finance Ministry announced its intention to establish a branch of the Inter-American Bank in San Salvador.

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 A Little on the Lonely Side--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
7 Sleigh Ride in July--Dinah Shore
--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby
8 Cocktails for Two--Spike Jones and his City Slickers
9 I'm Beginning to See the Light--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra
10 My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra
--Phil Moore Four

The only single entering the chart was Dream by the Pied Pipers (#37).

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Doomed Sextet

Died on this date
János Garay, 56. Hungarian fencer. Mr. Garay won a silver medal in team saber at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, and a gold medal in the same event at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. He was one of 437,000 Jews deported from Hungary after the country was occupied by German forces in 1944, and was murdered at Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in Oberösterreich, Austria.

Lena Baker, 44. U.S. convicted criminal. Ms. Baker, a Negress from Georgia, worked as a maid to support her family. In 1944, she began working for Ernest Knight, an older white man who had broken his leg. Mr. Knight kept Ms. Baker in a condition of virtual slavery, and committed multiple sexual assaults against her. One night, an argument between the two escalated, and she shot him while they were struggling over his gun. Ms. Baker reported the incident to police and claimed to have acted in self-defense, but an all-white, all-male jury convicted her of capital murder on the first day of her trial. She was executed in the electric chair at Georgia State Prison, becoming the only woman in Georgia to be executed by electrocution. In 2005, the Georgia Parole Board granted Ms. Baker a full and unconditional posthumous pardon.

War
Three U.S. troops columns smashed into Cologne, pushing toward the city's centre. Soviet forces took Stettin's outer bastions of Stargard and Naugard.

Diplomacy
The Inter-American Conference in Mexico City decided that Argentina must adhere to the Act of Chapultepec, declare war on the Axis, and sign the declaration of the United Nations before she could be restored to the American family of nations.

Politics and government
The New York State Senate completed work on the Ives-Quinn anti-discrimination bill and sent it to Governor Thomas Dewey.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated Fred Vinson to succeed Jesse Jones as Federal Loan Administrator in charge of the RFC.

Labour
7,000 London dock workers who had gone on strike two days earlier because they had been asked to report to work at an outside rather than an inside place, refused to follow the orders of their union leaders to resume work.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Hold My Hand--Don Cornell; Nat "King" Cole (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Give Me Your Word--Tennessee Ernie Ford (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sincerely--The McGuire Sisters (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Disc Jockey--4th week at #1; Jukebox--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Melody of Love--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (5th week at #1)
--David Carroll and his Orchestra
--The Four Aces
2 Sincerely--The McGuire Sisters
3 Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)--The Penguins
--The Crew-Cuts
4 Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)--Perry Como
--The Crew-Cuts
5 Hearts of Stone--The Fontane Sisters
--The Charms
6 Tweedlee Dee--Georgia Gibbs
--LaVern Baker and the Gliders
7 The Crazy Otto--Johnny Maddox and the Rhythmasters
8 Mr. Sandman--The Chordettes
--The Four Aces
9 The Ballad of Davy Crockett--Bill Hayes
10 Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In)--Cowboy Church Sunday School

Singles entering the chart were It May Sound Silly by the McGuire Sisters (#26); The Fish by Mindy Carson (#32); Softly, Softly by Jaye P. Morgan (#42); Lazy Gondolier by Mantovani and his Orchestra (#44); I've Been Thinking by the Four Lads (#45); My Anxious Heart by the Four Coins (#48); Foolishly by the Three Chuckles (#49); and Bubbles by Frankie Laine (#50).

Died on this date
Antanas Merkys, 68. Prime Minister of Lithuania, 1939-1940. Mr. Merkys, leader of the Lithuanian Nationalist Party, was the last Prime Minister of an independent Lithuania before its annexation by the U.S.S.R. He was captured while attempting to flee Lithuania and was deported to Russia, where he was imprisoned until 1954. When Mr. Merkys was released from prison, he was not allowed to return to Lithuania.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Eight Days a Week--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 Ferry Cross the Mersey--Gerry & the Pacemakers
3 King of the Road--Roger Miller
4 The Birds and the Bees--Jewel Akens
5 This Diamond Ring--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
6 Little Things--Bobby Goldsboro
7 Goldfinger--Shirley Bassey
8 Can't You Hear My Heartbeat--Herman's Hermits
9 Easy Come, Easy Go--Barry Allen
10 The Jolly Green Giant--The Kingsmen
Pick hit of the week: (Here They Come) From All Over the World--Jan & Dean
New this week: I'll Never Find Another You--The Seekers
That'll Be the Day--The Everly Brothers
Baby the Rain Must Fall--Glenn Yarbrough
The Woman from Liberia--Unit Four plus Two
Long Lonely Nights--Bobby Vinton
Me and You--The Regents

Baby the Rain Must Fall was the title song of the movie.

Music
The single The Minute You're Gone by Cliff Richard was released in the United Kingdom and on Capitol Records in Canada. The B-side, Just Another Guy, was written by the then-unknown Neil Diamond.

Died on this date
Pepper Martin, 61. U.S. baseball player. Johnny Leonard Roosevelt Martin, "The Wild Horse of the Osage," was an outfielder with the St. Louis Cardinals (1928, 1930-1940, 1944), batting .298 with 59 home runs and 501 runs batted in in 1,189 games. He was best known for his World Series play, batting .500 (12 for 24) with 5 stolen bases in the Cardinals' seven-game upset of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931, and .355 (11 for 31) in the Cardinals' seven-game win over the Detroit Tigers in 1934.

Protest
A Leftist uprising erupted in Bahrain against British colonial presence.

Boxing
Ernie Terrell (37-4) won a unanimous 15-round decision over Eddie Machen (47-6-2) at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago to win the vacant World Boxing Association world heavyweight title. The WBA had stripped Muhammad Ali of the title for agreeing to a rematch with former champion Sonny Liston.



40 years ago
1975

Terrorism
18 people in Tel Aviv were killed in an attack by eight Palestinian guerrillas.

Technology
The first meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club took place in Gordon French's garage in Menlo Park, California.

Hockey
NHL
Detroit 3 @ Toronto 4

Darryl Sittler scored his 29th goal of the season and third of the game with 22 seconds remaining in the 3rd period to give the Maple Leafs their win over the Red Wings before 16,392 fans at Maple Leaf Gardens in the Wednesday Hockey Night in Canada telecast on CTV. Blaine Stoughton opened the scoring for Toronto in the 1st period and Mr. Sittler scored his first goal of the game before Bart Crashley got Detroit on the scoreboard. Mike Korney scored twice in the 2nd period to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead, but Mr. Sittler scored at 4:13 of the 3rd period to tie the game. Gord McRae made 31 saves in goal for Toronto, while Jim Rutherford made 43 saves in a losing effort for Detroit.

Baseball
The Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League signed outfielder Tony Conigliaro, who was attempting a comeback after almost four years of retirement. Mr. Conigliaro had played for the Boston Red Sox--parent club of the Pawtucket Red Sox--from 1964-1970, and was one of the top sluggers in the game until a severe beaning in August 1967 left him with damaged vision in his left eye. He missed the rest of the 1967 season and all of 1968, but made a successful comeback in 1969. Mr. Conigliaro was traded to the California Angels after the 1970 season, but his vision began to deteriorate, and he retired in July 1971 and was put on the Angels' voluntary retired list until being released on November 25, 1974.

The San Diego Padres opened their training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona, about 10 days later than most other major league teams, saving the club $30,000.

30 years ago
1985

Hockey
NHL
Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders became the first National Hockey League player to score 50 goals in eight consecutive seasons. Wayne Gretsky and Guy Lafleur each accomplished the feat in six straight seasons.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kiss Me Now (今すぐＫｉｓｓ　Ｍｅ)--Lindberg

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

Died on this date
Gary Merrill, 74. U.S. actor. Mr. Merrill was known for supporting roles in movies such as Twelve O'Clock High (1949) and All About Eve (1950), and for appearances in numerous television programs. He was married to actress Bette Davis from 1950-1960.

Canadiana
Tonya Goss, Miss Niagara Region, was chosen Miss Teen Canada 1990. She turned out to be the last winner; the pageant was becoming too expensive for the sponsors, and there were no more Miss Teen Canadas after this year.

World events
A day after Negro nationalists believed to be sympathetic to the African National Congress had overthrown the president of the South African "homeland" of Ciskei, South Africa sent soldiers and police into Ciskei. Looting and arson had become widespread, and 27 people had been killed.

Scandal
Eight Canadian flour mills were charged with rigging prices for food aid in the amount of $500 million over 12 years.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Cotton Eye Joe--Rednex

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Old Pop in an Oak--Rednex (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis

Defense
The Canadian Airborne Regiment was officially disbanded at a laying-up of the colours ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario; 660 paratroopers were dismissed.

Politics and government
Former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari ended his two-day hunger strike after current President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon said that he would absolve Mr. Salinas of sole responsibility for the current economic crisis and of having obstructed the investigation into the murder of Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta, the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)'s original nominee for President in 1994.