January 28, 2016

175 years ago
1841

Born on this date
Henry Morton Stanley. U.K. journalist and explorer. Mr. Stanley, born John Rowlands, was working as a journalist when he travelled to Africa in search of medical missionary David Livingstone, and found him in Tanganyika, reportedly greeting him with the words, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" Mr. Stanley led several other expeditions to Africa, and claimed the Congo on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium. Mr. Stanley sat in the U.K. House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Unionist Party from 1895-1900, and died on May 10, 1904 at the age of 73.

170 years ago
1846

War
British East India Company forces commanded by Sir Harry Smith defeated Sikh forces led by Ranjodh Singh Majithia in the Battle of Aliwal in India.

120 years ago
1896

Crime
Walter Arnold of East Peckham, Kent, England became the first person to be convicted of speeding in an automobile. He was fined one shilling, plus costs, for speeding at 8 miles per hour (13 kilometres per hour), thereby exceeding the contemporary speed limit of 2 mph (3.2 kmh).

110 years ago
1906

Born on this date
Pat O'Callaghan. Irish athlete. Mr. O'Callaghan won the men's hammer throw at the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympic Games, becoming the first person to win an Olympic medal under the Irish flag instead of the British flag. He died on December 1, 1991 at the age of 85.

100 years ago
1916

Opera
Goyescas by Enrique Granados received its premiere performance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with the composer in attendance.

Society
The Manitoba Legislature passed the Temperance Act, which allowed the use of liquor at home but prohibited public bars.

Law
Louis D. Brandeis was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, becoming its first Jewish member.

75 years ago
1941

War
U.S. Chief of Staff General George Marshall said that there were growing indications that Germany would attempt to invade Britain in the spring of 1941. The Japanese Finance Ministry reported that about $4.1 billion had been spent on the war against China.

Defense
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Congress must pass the Lend-Lease bill if the Allies wwere to continue to fight.

Americana
The United States Census Bureau reported that the nation's population was growing older, with a median age of 28.9 years in 1940.

Transportation
Spanish dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco nationalized the nation's transportation systems in order to ease the food situation.

Journalism
Panamanian President Arnulfo Arias ordered the deportation of Edward W. Scott, correspondent for Reuters and United Press, for reporting that Mr. Arias sympathized with the Axis.

Economics and finance
U.S. Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray revealed a plan to increase steel output by coordinating the steel industry as a single production unit.

Labour
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce committee announced its opposition to anti-strike laws as contrary to the fundamental rights of citizens.

70 years ago
1946

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Symphony--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra with Clyde Rogers (2nd week at #1)
--Bing Crosby
--Jo Stafford
--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
2 I Can't Begin to Tell You--Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro
--Andy Russell
--Harry James and his Orchestra
3 It Might as Well Be Spring--Paul Weston and his Orchestra with Margaret Whiting
--Dick Haymes
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
4 Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters
5 Dig You Later (A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba)--Perry Como and the Satisfyers
6 Chickery Chick--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir
--Evelyn Knight and the Jesters
7 It's Been a Long Long Time--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby with Les Paul and his Trio
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
--Stan Kenton and his Orchestra
8 Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief--Betty Hutton
9 Waitin' for the Train to Come In--Peggy Lee
--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson
10 That's for Me--Dick Haymes
--Jo Stafford

Singles entering the chart were You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You by Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (#25) and Oh! What it Seemed to Be, with versions by Frankie Carle and his Orchestra and Frank Sinatra (#29).

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

At the movies
Three Strangers, directed by Jean Negulesco, and starring Sydney Greenstreet, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Peter Lorre, received its premiere screening.



War
At the trial in Manila of accused Japanese war criminals, Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma's defense counsel John Skeen argued that the defendant had never ordered atrocities, and filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee began debate on the refugee problem.

Iranian delegate to the United Nations Security Council Sayed Hassan Taquzadeh charged that the U.S.S.R. had been violating the 1942 Treaty of Alliance and the Teheran Declaration by aiding the rebels in Azerbaijan.

Former French Prime Minister Leon Blum was appointed France's special ambassador to foreign countries on the problems of finance, economics, and food.

Politics and government
Chinese Communist, Democratic League, and Youth Party representatives at the Political Consultative Conference rejected a Nationalist offer to share seven or eight seats in a proposed cabinet, with the Kuomintang holding 10-12 seats for itself.

Korean Communists refused to participate in the 35-man all-party unification committee being organized under U.S.-U.S.S.R. sponsorship.

Protest
A 60-day state of siege was declared in Chile as a result of a clash between police and members of the Workers Federation in Santiago.

Terrorism
U.K. High Commissioner Sir Alan Cunningham decreed the death penalty for terrorists attacking British military facilities in Palestine.

Journalism
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Benton protested the refusal of Associated Press and United Press to supply the State Department with news releases, claiming it was the result of rivalries between the news services.

Economics and finance
The U.S. State Department invited 34 members of the International Monetary Fund and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to a conference at Wilmington Island, Georgia on March 3, 1946.

Labour
260,000 striking butchers and meat packers retured to work at 134 plants in the United States that had been seized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Golf
Ben Hogan shot 68 in an 18-hole playoff to defeat Herman Keiser and win the Phoenix Open.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Yellow Rose of Texas--Mitch Miller, his Orchestra and Chorus (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Der Mond hält seine Wacht--Peter Alexander (10th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Sixteen Tons--"Tennessee" Ernie Ford (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Memories are Made of This--Dean Martin (Best Seller--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--4th week at #1; Jukebox--1st week at #1; Top 100--3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Memories are Made of This--Dean Martin (3rd week at #1)
--[Gale Storm]
2 The Great Pretender--The Platters
3 Sixteen Tons--"Tennessee" Ernie Ford
4 Rock and Roll Waltz--Kay Starr
5 Band of Gold--Don Cherry
6 Lisbon Antigua--Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
7 Dungaree Doll--Eddie Fisher
8 See You Later, Alligator--Bill Haley and his Comets
9 It's Almost Tomorrow--The Dream Weavers
--Jo Stafford
10 Love and Marriage--Frank Sinatra

Singles entering the chart were Tutti Frutti, with versions by Little Richard and Pat Boone (#29); Seven Days, with versions by the Crew-Cuts, Dorothy Collins, and Clyde McPhatter (#33); When You Lose the One You Love by David Whitfield with Mantovani (#41); Such a Day, with versions by Rita Raines and Vera Lynn (#45); and These Hands by Len Dresslar (#50).

On television tonight
Stage Show, hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, on CBS

Elvis Presley was the guest on this night's program, making his first television appearance. The program was produced by Jackie Gleason, and aired immediately prior to The Honeymooners.



The Honeymooners, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The $99,000 Answer



50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Day Tripper/We Can Work it Out--The Beatles (7th week at #1)
2 The Sounds of Silence--Simon & Garfunkel
3 My Love--Petula Clark
4 It's Good News Week--Hedgehoppers Anonymous
5 Tijuana Taxi/Zorba the Greek--Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
6 A Must to Avoid--Herman's Hermits
7 As Tears Go By--The Rolling Stones
8 Lies--The Knickerbockers
9 Spanish Eyes--Al Martino
10 Breakin' Up is Breakin' My Heart--Roy Orbison
Pick hit of the week: It Won't Be Wrong--The Byrds
New this week: The Dedication Song--Freddy Cannon
Homeward Bound--Simon & Garfunkel
Ain't No Way--Glenn Yarbrough
Poor Baby--The Staccatos
This Golden Ring--The Fortunes

40 years ago
1976

Politics and government
Spanish Prime Minister Carlos Arias Navarro announced plans to reform parliament, modify the anti-terrorism law, and legalize some political groups.

The United States Congress overrode President Gerald Ford's veto of a bill sppropriatiing $45 billion for the Department of Labor and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Economics and finance
The Saskatchewan government of Premier Allan Blakeney authorized the provincial takeover of potash mines.

30 years ago
1986

Disasters
The U.S. space shuttle Challenger blew up just 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida, killing all 7 crew members. This blogger was in the shower at the time, with the radio tuned to Edmonton station CFRN. The song that was playing--which was interrupted with the announcement of the disaster--was I’m on Fire by Bruce Springsteen. The crew of mission STS-51-L were: Dick Scobee, 46, the mission commander; U.S. Navy Commander Michael Smith, 40, pilot; Judy Resnik, 36, engineer; Ronald McNair, 35, physicist; U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Ellison Onizuka, 39, engineer; Gregory Jarvis, 41, engineer; and Christa McAuliffe, 37, a teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, who had been selected as the winner of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s "Teacher in Space" competition. She was to give two lessons from space while her students watched on television.



25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ai wa Katsu--(愛は勝つ)--Kan (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Raptori--Debi Gibson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Beinhart--Torfrock

War
Canadian CF-18 fighter planes faced anti-aircraft fire over Kuwait without damage. Iraqi fighter planes fled to Iran, where they were offered sanctuary.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and Soviet Foreign Minister Aleksandr Bessmertnykh announced in Washington that a summit scheduled for February in Moscow between U.S. President George Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev had been postponed indefinitely. The official explanation was that Mr. Bush needed to stay in Washington while the Gulf War was continuing. Problems with the strategic arms reduction treaty, which was to be signed in Moscow, were also cited. Unidentified sources in the White House said the postponement was also related to the Soviet invasion of Latvia and Lithuania.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): How Bizarre--OMC

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Scotland (OCC): Spaceman--Babylon Zoo (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Burne Hogarth, 84. U.S. cartoonist. Mr. Hogarth drew a number of newspaper comic strips, most notably the Sunday edition of Tarzan (1937-1945, 1947-1950).

Jerry Siegel, 81. U.S. author. Mr. Siegel, with artist Joe Shuster, created Superman, first published in 1938.

Joseph Brodsky, 55. U.S.S.R.-born U.S. poet. Mr. Brodsky, who emigrated to the United States in 1972 after being expelled from the Soviet Union, was awarded the 1987 Nobel Prize in Literature "for an all-embracing authorship, imbued with clarity of thought and poetic intensity." He was named United States Poet Laureate in 1991. Mr. Brodsky died of a heart attack after years of heart trouble.

Football
NFL
Super Bowl XXX @ Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
Dallas 27 Pittsburgh 17

Emmitt Smith rushed for 2 touchdowns and Larry Brown made 2 interceptions in critical situations to help the Cowboys defeat the Steelers before 76,347 fans (see video). Mr. Brown was named the winner of the Pete Rozelle Trophy as the game's most valuable player.

10 years ago
2006

Disasters
The roof of one of the buildings at the Katowice International Fair in Chorzów/Katowice, Poland, collapsed due to the weight of snow, killing 65 and injuring more than 170 others.