January 22, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Betty Walters and Nancy Lear!

350 years ago
1666

Died on this date
Shah Jahan, 73. Mughal Emperor of India, 1628-1658. Shah Jahan, born Prince Khurram, succeeded his father Jahangir as Emperor. Shah Jahan was best known for erecting the Taj Mahal at Agra in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan fell ill in 1658; he recovered, but was deposed and kept under house arrest by his son Aurangzeb.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Antonio Gramsci. Italian philosopher and politician. Mr. Gramsci was a Marxist who joined the Italian Socialist Party in 1913 and helped to found the Partito Comunista d'Italia – PCI (Communist Party of Italy) in 1921, leading the party from 1921-1924. He became one of the most important figures in Marxist thought, emphasizing the importance of Marxists capturing political power by first capturing the culture of a society. Mr. Gramsci was exiled in 1926 and then imprisoned from 1927-1934 by the Fascist regime of Duce Benito Mussolini. He was conditionally released because of his poor health, and died on April 27, 1937 at the age of 46.

Franz Alexander. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. psychoanalyst. Dr. Alexander, a native of Budapest, was associated with the Berlin Psychoanalytic Institute in the early 1920s, and in 1930 moved to the University of Chicago, working at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. In the 1950s he was one of the first members of the Society for General Systems Research. Dr. Alexander was one of the founders of psychosomatic medicine and psychoanalytic criminology. He died on March 8, 1964 at the age of 73.

120 years ago
1896

Hockey
The first women's hockey team in the Northwest Territories was organized in Regina.

110 years ago
1906

Disasters
The American Red D Line steamer SS Valencia ran aground on rocks on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, killing at least 117 people, including all women and children aboard.

75 years ago
1941

War
After a 20-day siege, Australian and Free French troops captured the Libyan city of Tobruk from Italian forces during Operation Compass, and took 14,000 additional Italian prisoners.

Protest
Codreanists revolting against Romanian Premier Ion Antonescu seized the Bucharest radio station and claimed control of government buildings and naval stations in Constanza.

Politics and government
The Japanese Diet surrendered its right to publicly examine the policies of the cabinet in exchange for a government promise not to amend the election law.

The Chilean Chamber of Deputies passed a bill outlawing the Communist Party.

Diplomacy
Wendell Willkie, unsuccessful 1940 Republican Party candidate for President of the United States, departed for England aboard the Lisbon-bound Yankee Clipper, three days after conferring with President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull.

Defense
U.S. Senator George Norris (Independent--Nebraska), who had voted against America's entry into World War in in 1917, said that he favoured the Lend-Lease bill, but that it should be limited to two years. U.S. Socialist Party leader Norman Thomas testified before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee that the Lend-Lease bill amounted to undeclared war.

Law
James Clark McReynolds, who had been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since being appointed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, submitted his resignation to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, effective February 1, 1941.

Labour
More than 9,000 United Auto Workers at the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company plant in West Allis, Wisconsin went on strike for a closed shop and higher wages. The company was working on $26-million worth of defense orders.

Baseball
Three days after pitcher Bob Feller had signed his 1941 contract with the Cleveland Indians for $30,000--reportedly the highest salary ever paid to a pitcher--the Detroit Tigers revealed that they had paid Bobo Newsom $30,000 in 1940, and that he would be paid more in 1941. Mr. Newsom posted a record of 21-5 with an earned run average of 2.83 in helping the Tigers win the American League pennant in 1940, and was 2-1 with a 1.38 ERA in the World Series, which the Tigers lost to the Cincinnati Reds 4 games to 3.

70 years ago
1946

War
At the hearings of the United States Senate committee on the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, General Walter Short, Army commanding officer at Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack, stated that the War Department had made him a "scapegoat" instead of admitting its failure to supply him with real information.

World events
At Chahar Cheragh Square in the Kurdish city of Mahabad, Iran, Qazi Muhammad declared the independent people's Republic of Mahabad with himself as President and Haji Baba Sheikh as Prime Minister.

Diplomacy
The United Kingdom announced that it would welcome a United Nations inquiry into its activities in Greece and the Dutch East Indies.

Defense
The U.S.A., U.S.S.R., and U.K. revealed an agreement to divide the main units of the German fleet equally among themselves.

Labour
United Press reported that current strikes in the United States were costing the 1.65 million workers involved about $13.5 million per day in wages.

Acting on a U.S. Supreme Court mandate, U.S. Federal Judge Philip Sullivan of Chicago dismissed the U.S. government's suit against Montgomery Ward & Company. The suit arose from then-U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's order for the Army to seize seven Montgomery Ward plants after the company refused to carry out National War Labor Board orders.

Disasters
13 people were killed when 20 carloads of surplus ammunition exploded and destroyed a large section of Torre Annunziata, Italy.

60 years ago
1956

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Older Sister, starring Joan Lorring, Carmen Mathews, Polly Rowles, and Patricia Hitchcock

Football
CFC
The Canadian Football Council, a forerunner of the Canadian Football League, was founded in Toronto.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): We Can Work it Out/Day Tripper--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: La Bohème--Charles Aznavour (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Plip!--Rita Pavone (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Marmor, Stein und Eisen bricht--Drafi Deutscher

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): We Can Work it Out/Day Tripper--The Beatles (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Keep on Running--The Spencer Davis Group (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Sounds of Silence--Simon & Garfunkel (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 We Can Work It Out--The Beatles (4th week at #1)
2 The Sounds of Silence--Simon & Garfunkel
3 As Tears Go By--The Rolling Stones
4 Five O'Clock World--The Vogues
5 She's Just My Style--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
6 A Must to Avoid--Herman's Hermits
7 The Men in My Little Girl's Life--Mike Douglas
8 Barbara Ann--The Beach Boys
9 No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)--The T-Bones
10 Flowers on the Wall--The Statler Brothers

Singles entering the chart were When Liking Turns to Loving by Ronnie Dove (#71); Breakin' Up is Breakin' My Heart by Roy Orbison (#74); A Hard Day's Night by the Ramsey Lewis Trio (#77); Cleo's Mood by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#79); The Rains Came by the Sir Douglas Quintet (#81); A Little Bit of Soap by the Exciters (#84); We Know We're in Love by Lesley Gore (#88); Love is All We Need by Mel Carter (#89); Elusive Butterfly by Bob Lind (#92); Tired of Being Lonely by the Sharpees (#94); Baby Scratch My Back by Slim Harpo (#95); Think Twice by Jackie Wilson and LaVern Baker (#97); This Can't Be True by Eddie Holman (#98); Michelle by Bud Shank (#99); Take Me for What I'm Worth by the Searchers (#100); Can't You See (You're Losing Me) by Mary Wells (also #100); and My Answer by Jimmy McCracklin (also #100).

Died on this date
Herbert Marshall, 75. U.K.-born U.S. actor. Mr. Marshall was a successful stage actor who lost his right leg in battle during World War I in 1917, but wore a prosthesis and became a popular leading man in movies in Britain, and later, in Hollywood. His movies included Murder! (1930); Blonde Venus (1932); Trouble in Paradise (1932); Foreign Correspondent (1940); and The Fly (1958). Mr. Marshall's smooth voice made him a popular radio actor, and he starred in the series The Man Called 'X' (1944-1952).

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Say You, Say Me--Lionel Richie (3rd week at #1)

Crime
Three Sikhs were found guilty of the 1984 assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and were sentenced to hang. One a bodyguard, was found guilty of shooting Mrs. Gandhi. Another bodyguard who fired shots at Mrs. Gandhi had been killed by security guards. The two other convicted men were found guilty of conspiring to murder Mrs. Gandhi. The chief defense lawyer said he would appeal. Some Indians were concerned that extremist Sikhs might respond violently if the death sentences were carried out.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross national product, the broadest measure of the output of goods and services, had increased, after inflation, by 2.3% in 1985, representing a sharp decline from the 6.6% increase in 1984. The growth rate in the fourth quarter of 1985 was at an annual rate of 2.4%. The U.S. Labor Department reported that the consumer price index had risen only 3.8% in 1985, the fourth consecutive year that it had risen in the 3.8-4.0% range.

25 years ago
1991

War
The Canadian House of Commons voted 217-47 to endorse the United Nations resolution on military action against Iraq; most New Democratic Party members voted against the bill. Iraq released more video footage of two captured American pilots with badly bruised faces who appeared to have been coerced into speaking out against the United Nations’ war against Iraq. U.S. President George Bush denounced the abuse of the pilots, saying it violated "every convention which protects prisoners." British Prime Minister John Major denounced Iraq’s plan to place the prisoners at strategic locations in order to discourage Allied air attacks as "inhuman, illegal and totally contrary to the Geneva Convention." Three Scuds and one Patriot missile hit Ramat Gan in Israel, injuring 96 people; three elderly people died of heart attacks.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Jesus to a Child--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Spaceman--Babylon Zoo

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (7th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
2 Exhale (Shoop Shoop)--Whitney Houston
3 You'll See--Madonna
4 Name--Goo Goo Dolls
5 Breakfast at Tiffany's--Deep Blue Something
6 Hand in My Pocket--Alanis Morissette
7 Free as a Bird--The Beatles
8 When Love and Hate Collide--Def Leppard
9 Good Mother--Jann Arden
10 Good Intentions--Toad the Wet Sprocket

Singles entering the chart were 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins (#86); So Far Away by Rod Stewart (#91); Birmingham by Amanda Marshall (#93); (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Celine Dion (#94); Diggin' on You by TLC (#95); Caught a Lite Sneeze by Tori Amos (#96); Promises Broken by Soul Asylum (#99); and Anywhere Is by Enya (#100).

Politics and government
Kostas Simitas took office as Prime Minister of Greece, six days after Andreas Papandreou had announced his resignation because of ill health.

Business
Molson Inc. announced the sale of its money-losing chemical unit, Diversity Corp., to Unilever for $780 million in Canada's largest brewery undoing diversification.

10 years ago
2006

Politics and government
Evo Morales was inaugurated as President of Bolivia, becoming the country's first indigenous president.

Basketball
NBA
Toronto 104 @ Los Angeles Lakers 122

Kobe Bryant scored 81 points--second-highest single-game total in National Basketball Association history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points in 1962--to lead the Lakers over the Raptors at Staples Center.



Football
NFL
AFC Championship
Pittsburgh 34 @ Denver 17

Ben Roethlisberger completed 21 of 29 passes for 275 yards and touchdowns to Cedrick Wilson and Hines Ward, and rushed for another touchdown of his own, as the Steelers defeated the Broncos before 76,775 fans at Invesco Field at Mile High. The Pittsburgh defense forced 4 turnovers in the 1st half, enabling the Steelers to take a 24-3 halftime lead.



NFC Championship
Carolina 14 @ Seattle 34

Shaun Alexander rushed for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns, while the Seattle defense forced 4 turnovers and allowed only 36 yards rushing as the Seahawks defeated the Panthers before 67,837 fans at Qwest Field.