February 17, 2016

175 years ago
1841

Died on this date
Ferdinando Carulli, 71. Italian composer. Mr. Carulli was a classical guitarist who composed more than 400 works for the instrument, including chamber works and several concertos. He died eight days after his 71st birthday.

120 years ago
1896

Canadiana
Isabel, Lady Aberdeen, the wife of Governor General John Hamilton-Gordon, the Earl of Aberdeen, hosted, with help from Dr. John Bourinot, the clerk of the House of Commons and a prominent historian, the Grand Historical Ball – a Canadian history costume pageant in the Senate chamber of the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. The 800 participants were costumed in period clothes, and ten courts of players depict the history of the Norsemen, Cabot, Cartier, and on to the United Empire Loyalists, performing dances appropriate to their set time period. Dancing and drinking continued until 5 A.M.

75 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Juvenal Viegas Silva. Brazilian politician. Mr. Viegas, the leader of the Brazilian Communist Party, was killed by police in Porto Alegre while resisting arrest.

Diplomacy
Bulgaria and Turkey signed a declaration of friendship and non-aggression.

Defense
U.S. Senator Alben Barkley (Democrat--Kentucky) began debate in the Senate on the Lend-Lease bill by saying that the only way to stop German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler was to defeat him.

Politics and government
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Communist Party USA General Secretary Earl Browder's appeal of his four-year prison sentence and $2,000 fine for using a falsely-obtained passport.

Economics and finance
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles rejected former U.S. President Herbert Hoover's multinational plan to feed three million people in Belgium, saying that it was Germany's obligation to feed the population she had conquered.

Labour
The American Federation of Teachers executive council urged that charters of teachers' locals in New York City and Philadelphia be revoked because of Communist influence.

Boxing
Joe Louis (46-1) retained his world heavyweight title with a knockout of Gus Dorazio (51-10-1) at 1:30 of the 2nd round before 15,903 fans at Convention Hall in Philadelphia.

70 years ago
1946

Died on this date
Dorothy Gibson, 56. U.S.-born French actress. Miss Gibson, born Dorothy Brown, appeared in silent films in the 1910s. She survived the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912, and starred in Saved from the Titanic (1912), the first movie about the disaster. Miss Gibson moved to France following the dissolution of her marriage in 1919, eventually becoming a Nazi sympathizer and alleged spy. She renounced her sympathies in 1944 and was imprisoned in Italy as an anti-Fascist agitator, but escaped and returned to Paris, where she died of a heart attack.

War
The Chinese government in Chungking reported the resumption of fighting between Nationalists and Communists in Manchuria.

Polish emigre army commander Wladyslaw Anders denied Soviet and Yugoslav charges that his troops were menacing the peace.

Diplomacy
Adrian Pelt of the Netherlands was appointed assistant secretary of the United Nations in charge of conferences and services, while Arkady Sobolev of the U.S.S.R. was named to head the department of Security Council affairs.

Politics and government
Ismail Sidky Pasha formed a new Egyptian cabinet, composed of five liberals and seven independents.

Belgian parliamentary elections gave Socialists and Communists a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, and right-wing parties a majority in the Senate.

Aviation
The 1945 Fawcett Award for "the greatest scientific contribution to the progress of aviation" was given to Fred E. Weick, designer of the Ercoupe "spinproof" plane.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Memories are Made of This--Dean Martin

At the movies
World in My Corner, directed by Jesse Hibbs, and starring Audie Murphy, Barbara Rush, Jeff Morrow, and John McIntire, received its premiere screening in New York City.



50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): These Boots are Made for Walkin'--Nancy Sinatra

At the movies
The Chase, directed by Arthur Penn, and starring Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, E.G. Marshall, and Angie Dickinson, received its premiere screening in Boston.





Space
France launched the technical research satellite Diapason from its Sahara Desert base in Algeria.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): A Good Heart--Feargal Sharkey

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Janey, Don't You Lose Heart--Bruce Springsteen (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. envoy Philip Habib met separately in Manila with incumbent Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and challenger Corazon Aquino in an attempt to resolve the dispute over the result of the February 7 presidential election.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Do the Bartman--The Simpsons (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Sadeness Part I--Enigma (10th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (3rd week at #1)
2 Hello Afrika--Dr. Alban featuring Leila K.
3 Sadeness Part I--Enigma
4 Keep on Running--Milli Vanilli
5 To Love Somebody--Jimmy Somerville
6 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
7 Fantasy--Black Box
8 I'll Be Your Baby Tonight--Robert Palmer and UB40
9 Justify My Love--Madonna
10 Kränk di net--Jazz Gitti & her Disco Killers

Singles entering the chart were Beinhart by Torfrock (#27); and All the Man that I Need by Whitney Houston (#29).

Died on this date
Travis Williams, 45. U.S. football player. Mr. Williams, nicknamed "The Roadrunner," was a running back and kick returner at Arizona State University before playing with the Green Bay Packers (1967-1970) and Los Angeles Rams (1971-1972). His best season in the National Football League was his first, whe rushed 35 times for 188 yards (5.4 per carry) and 1 touchdown; caught 5 passes for 80 yards (16.0 average) and 1 touchdown; and returned 18 kickoffs for 739 yards and record 4 touchdowns, setting NFL records for kickoff return average and TDs in a season as he helped the Packers win the Super Bowl. Mr. Williams spent the entire 1972 season on the injured list with a knee injury, which finished his career. In 62 games he rushed 289 times for 1,166 yards (4.0 average) and 6 touchdowns; caught 52 passes for 598 yards (11.5 average) and 5 TDs; returned 13 punts for 213 yards (16.4 average) and a touchdown; and returned 102 kickoffs for 2,801 yards (29.7 average) and 6 TDs, scoring 108 points on 18 touchdowns. Mr. Williams fell on hard times with drinking, poverty, and homelessness after his playing career, and died of heart failure.

Theatre
This blogger attended a performance of William Shakespeare's Richard III at Thrust Theatre in the University of Alberta's fine arts building. I enjoyed the play, but found the Thrust Theatre to be a most uncomfortable place to sit.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Boombastic--Shaggy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Spaceman--Babylon Zoo

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (12th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (12th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): 15 miljoen mensen--Fluitsma & Van Tijn

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Spaceman--Babylon Zoo (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (12th week at #1)
2 Missing--Everything But the Girl
3 Exhale (Shoop Shoop)--Whitney Houston
4 Not Gon' Cry--Mary J. Blige
5 Nobody Knows--The Tony Rich Project
6 Sittin' Up in My Room--Brandy
7 Hey Lover--LL Cool J
8 Be My Lover--La Bouche
9 One of Us--Joan Osborne
10 Name--Goo Goo Dolls

Singles entering the chart were I Want to Come Over by Melissa Etheridge (#32); Don't Cry by Seal (#33); Promises Broken by Soul Asylum (#63); Can't Be Wasting My Time by Mona Lisa featuring Lost Boyz (#66); Microphone Master by Das EFX (featuring Mobb Deep) (#86); I Will Survive by Chantay Savage (#90); Not a Dry Eye in the House by Meat Loaf (#93); and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate by H-Town (#97). Can't Be Wasting My Time was from the movie Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (10th week at #1)
2 Missing--Everything But the Girl
3 One of Us--Joan Osborne
4 Not Gon' Cry--Mary J. Blige
5 Exhale (Shoop Shoop)--Whitney Houston
6 Be My Lover--La Bouche
7 Nobody Knows--The Tony Rich Project
8 Til I Hear it from You/Follow You Down--Gin Blossoms
9 Sittin' Up in My Room--Brandy
10 Tonite's Tha Night--Kris Kross

Singles entering the chart were Follow You Down; Jesus to a Child by George Michael (#47); Get Money by Junior M.A.F.I.A. (#49); All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do) by Joe (#58); I Want to Come Over by Melissa Etheridge (#68); Oh Virginia by Blessid Union Of Souls (#85); and I Will Survive by Chantay Savage (#86).

Space
NASA's Discovery Program began as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft lifted off on the first mission ever to orbit and land on an asteroid, 433 Eros.



War
Two days of negotiations began in Rome among the parties in the Bosnian peace agreement.

Politics and government
Michel Gauthier was elected interim leader of the Bloc Québecois, replacing BQ founder Lucien Bouchard, who had moved to provincial politics to become leader of the Parti Québecois and Premier of Quebec. Meanwhile, Glen Clark won the leadership of the British Columbia New Democratic Party; the former Employment and Investment Minister was sworn in as B.C. Premier on February 22, replacing Mike Harcourt.

Disasters
The 8.2-Mw Biak earthquake shook the Papua province of eastern Indonesia with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A large tsunami followed, leaving 166 people dead or missing and 423 injured.

Chess
World champion Garry Kasparov won the sixth and final game of his match in Philadelphia against the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue, winning 4-2--3 wins to 1, with 2 draws.

10 years ago
2006

Disasters
A massive mudslide occurred in Southern Leyte, Philippines resulting in an official death toll of 1,126.

Olympics
Canada won three more medals at the Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy: Duff Gibson won the gold medal and Jeff Pain the silver in men's skeleton, while Dominique Maltais won a bronze medal in women's snowboard cross.