February 1, 2017

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Snejka!

310 years ago
1707

Born on this date
Frederick, Prince of Wales. U.K. royal family member. Frederick, the eldest but estranged son of King George II, was born in Hanover and was left there at the age of 7 in the care of his grand-uncle when his grandfather King George I and the future George II went to England upon George I's accession to the throne in 1714. Frederick didn't see his parents again until 1728, when he went to England the year after his father acceded to the throne; Frederick was created Prince of Wales in 1729. He was a patron of the arts and sciences, and was Chancellor of the University of Dublin from 1728 until his death. Prince Frederick married Augusta of Saxe-Gotha in 1736; the couple had nine children, the last of whom was born after Prince Frederick died of what may have been a pulmonary embolism on March 31, 1751 at the age of 44. Prince Frederick was heir apparent to the throne, but when he died, that distinction was passed on to his eldest son, who acceded to the throne in 1760 as King George III.

120 years ago
1897

Economics and finance
Shinhan Bank, the oldest bank in South Korea, opened in Seoul.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Eiji Sawamura. Japanese baseball pitcher. Mr. Sawamura played with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Baseball League from 1936-1943, compiling a record of 63-22 with an earned run average of 1.74. He pitched 3 no-hitters, including the first in JBL history in 1936. Mr. Sawamura's best season was 1937, when he was 33-10 with an ERA of 1.38. He enlisted in the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, and was killed at the age of 27 in battle near Yakushima when his ship was torpedoed on December 2, 1944. The Sawamura Award, first presented in 1947, is given to the outstanding pitcher in Japanese baseball each season. Mr. Sawamura was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1959.

75 years ago
1942

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Five Orange Pips

Radio
Voice of America, the official external radio and television service of the United States government, begins broadcasting with programs aimed at areas controlled by the Axis powers.

War
The U.S. Navy conducted the Marshalls–Gilberts raids, the first offensive action by the United States against Japanese forces in the Pacific Theatre.

Politics and government
Josef Terboven, Reichskommissar of German-occupied Norway, appointed Vidkun Quisling as Minister President of the National Government.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Old Lamp-Lighter--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra (7th week at #1)

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Será, Será)--Doris Day (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): The Garden of Eden--Frankie Vaughan (2nd week at #1); Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Friedrich Paulus, 66. German military officer. Generalfeldmarschall Paulus commanded the Sixth Army in the Battle of Stalingrad from August 1942-February 1943. He was captured by Soviet forces on January 31, 1943, and later turned against the German Nazi regime. Generalfeldmarschall Paulus moved to East Germany in 1943, and died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Green, Green Grass of Home--Tom Jones (2nd week at #1)
2 Ooh La La--Normie Rowe
3 It's Not Easy--Normie Rowe
4 Good Vibrations--The Beach Boys
5 Friday on My Mind--The Easybeats
6 Single Girl--Sandy Posey
7 Knight in Rusty Armour--Peter and Gordon
8 Let it Be Me (EP)--Johnny Young
9 Mellow Yellow--Donovan
10 I'm a Believer--The Monkees

Singles entering the chart were Georgy Girl by the Seekers (#27); Gimme Some Lovin' by the Spencer Davis Group (#28); and Happy Jack by the Who (#39).

Music
The Beatles were in studio two at Abbey Road in London, where they began recording the song Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Daddy Cool--Boney M. (10th week at #1)

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

Diplomacy
U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale returned from a 10-day mission to Europe and Japan.

Environment
Marin County, California began rationing water following severe drought in western states.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Good Times--Jimmy Barnes featuring INXS

#1 single in Switzerland: Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)--Mel & Kim (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: T'en va pas--Elsa (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Alessandro Blasetti, 86. Italian movie director. Mr. Blasetti had a career that spanned more than four decades, and was the leading Italian director during the country's Fascist regime. His first film, Sun (1929), was described by Duce Benito Mussolini as "the dawn of the Fascist film."

Law
Ethiopian voters gave overwhelming approval to a new constitution establishing a civilian Communist government.

Football
NFL
Pro Bowl @ Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
AFC 10 NFC 6

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Let's Talk About Sex--Salt-N-Pepa (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Garagara hebi ga yattekuru--Ton'neruzu

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Black or White--Michael Jackson (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John

#1 single in France (SNEP): Black or White--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Goodnight Girl--Wet Wet Wet (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me-George Michael/Elton John

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John
2 Can't Let Go--Mariah Carey
3 Diamonds and Pearls--Prince and the New Power Generation
4 All 4 Love--Color Me Badd
5 Mysterious Ways--U2
6 The Way I Feel About You--Karyn White
7 Finally--Ce Ce Peniston
8 I Love Your Smile--Shanice
9 Black or White--Michael Jackson
10 Smells Like Teen Spirit--Nirvana

Singles entering the chart were I Can't Dance by Genesis (#62); Too Much Passion by the Smithereens (#70); The Time Alone with You by Bad English (#74); Can't Cry Hard Enough by the Williams Brothers (#78); You are the One by Chris Cuevas (#79); Thinkin' Back by Color Me Badd (#81); You're All that Matters to Me by Curtis Stigers (#83); Uhh Ahh by Boyz II Men (#86); Masterpiece by Atlantic Starr (#87); The Globe by Big Audio Dynamite II (#89); and You Think You Know Her by Cause and Effect (#90)..

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Mysterious Ways--U2
2 Black or White--Michael Jackson
3 Can't Let Go--Mariah Carey
4 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me-George Michael/Elton John
5 There Will Never Be Another Tonight--Bryan Adams
6 No Regrets--Tom Cochrane
7 No Son of Mine--Genesis
8 Keep Coming Back--Richard Marx
9 All 4 Love--Color Me Badd
10 Change--Lisa Stansfield

Singles entering the chart were I Can't Dance by Genesis (#34); Remember the Time by Michael Jackson (#40); I'll Get By by Eddie Money (#49); Good for Me by Amy Grant (#52); King of the Heap by the Odds (#53); Hearts Don't Think (They Feel) by Natural Selection (#56); Love Me All Up by Stacy Earl (#57); To Be with You by Mr. Big (#65); Levon by Jon Bon Jovi (#68); Hazard by Richard Marx (#72); Give it All Up by Darby Mills and the Unsung Heroes (#75); I Love Your Smile by Shanice (#76); Again Tonight by John Mellencamp (#83); Vibeology by Paula Abdul (#84); and Make You a Believer by Sass Jordan (#87).

Law
Former Union Carbide Chief Executive Officer Warren Anderson was declared by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal a fugitive under Indian law for failing to appear in the case of the 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, which had resulted in thousands of deaths. Mr. Anderson was the chief defendant facing a charge of culpable homicide.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): One and One--Robert Miles and Maria Nayler (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Freed from Desire--Gala (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Freed from Desire--Gala (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Finally Found Someone--Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Beetlebum--Blur

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Un-Break My Heart--Toni Braxton (9th week at #1)

Died on this date
Herb Caen, 80. U.S. journalist. Mr. Caen wrote a column of local interest and events for the San Francisco Chronicle for most of the period from 1938 until his death on February 1, 1997 at the age of 80. He wrote his column for the San Francisco Examiner from 1950-1958.

Hockey
NHL
Ottawa 2 Toronto 1

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Gian Carlo Menotti, 95. Italian composer. Mr. Menotti wrote music and libretto for more than two dozen operas, winning Pulitzer Prizes for The Consul (1950) and The Saint of Bleecker Street (1955).