February 3, 2017

230 years ago
1787

War
Militia led by General Benjamin Lincoln crushed the remnants of Shays' Rebellion in Petersham, Massachusetts.

210 years ago
1807

Born on this date
Joseph E. Johnston. U.S. and C.S. military officer and politician. General Johnson joined the U.S. Army in 1829, and served with distinction in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole Wars. A native and resident of Virginia, he was one of the most senior officers in the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War. Gen . Johnson was a railroad and insurance executive after the war; a Democrat, he represented Virginia's 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1879-1881). He maintained friendly relations with former Union Army General William Tecumseh Sherman, and was an honourary pallbearer at Gen. Sherman's funeral in February 1991, doffing his hat out of respect despite it being a rainy day. Gen. Johnson developed a cold which turned into pneumonia, causing his death on March 21, 1891 at the age of 84.

War
A British military force under Brigadier-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty captured the Spanish Empire city of Montevideo.

100 years ago
1917

Diplomacy
The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.

90 years ago
1927

At the movies
When a Man Loves, starring John Barrymore, Dolores Costello, and Warner Oland, received its premiere screening at the Selwyn Theatre in New York City.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Old Lamp-Lighter--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra (6th week at #1)
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Hal Derwin
2 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons--King Cole Trio
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
3 Ole Buttermilk Sky--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Hoagy Carmichael
--Helen Carroll and the Satisfiers
--Paul Weston and his Orchestra with Matt Dennis
4 Huggin' and Chalkin'--Hoagy Carmichael
--Johnny Mercer
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
5 A Gal in Calico--Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
--Bing Crosby with the Calico Kids
--Johnny Mercer
6 Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers
7 Sonata--Perry Como
--Jo Stafford
8 The Whole World is Singing My Song--Les Brown and his Orchestra
9 Oh, But I Do--Margaret Whiting
--Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
--Harry James and his Orchestra
10 September Song--Frank Sinatra
--Dardanelle Trio

The only single entering the chart was I'll Close My Eyes, with versions by Andy Russell, and Johnny Desmond.

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Dying Detective

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis and Howard McNear, on MBS
Tonight`s episode: Vengeance in Vegas

60 years ago
1957

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: A Bottle of Wine, starring Herbert Marshall, Robert Horton, and Jarma Lewis

Baseball
Sam Crawford and Joe McCarthy were named to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Crawford was an outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds (1899-1902) and Detroit Tigers (1903-1917), batting .309 with 2,961 hits, 97 home runs and 1,525 runs batted in in 2,517 games. Mr. McCarthy managed the Chicago Cubs (1926-1930); New York Yankees (1931-1946); and Boston Red Sox (1946-1950), compiling a record of 2,125-1,333, for a record-high winning percentage of .615. He led the Yankees to World Series championships in 1932, 1936-1939, 1941, and 1943.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Hooray for Hazel--Tommy Roe

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Snoopy vs. the Red Baron--The Royal Guardsmen (3rd week at #1)
2 I'm a Believer/(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone--The Monkees
3 Knight in Rusty Armour--Peter and Gordon
4 Georgy Girl--The Seekers
5 Pretty Ballerina--The Left Banke
6 Go Go Round--Gordon Lightfoot
7 Armful of Teddy Bears--Barry Allen
8 Summer Wine--Nancy Sinatra with Lee Hazlewood
9 Cry Baby--Lennie Richards and the Nomads
10 Green, Green Grass of Home--Tom Jones
Pick hit of the week: So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star--The Byrds
New this week: One More Mountain to Climb--Ronnie Dove
Peek-A-Boo--The New Vaudeville Band
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy--The Buckinghams
Lonely Again--Eddy Arnold
You Tell Her, I Stutter--The New Happiness

Died on this date
Joe Meek, 37. U.K. songwriter and record producer. Mr. Meek was known for his innovative recording techniques such as overdubbing, sampling and reverb. Among the recordings he wrote and produced was the 1962 instrumental single Telstar by the Tornados, which was the biggest-selling single from Britain prior to the Beatles, and one of this blogger's favourite tunes. Mr. Meek was reportedly paranoid, suffering from financial problems, and was also a sodomite and necromancer. Mr. Meek shot his landlady Violet Shenton to death and then turned the gun on himself.

40 years ago
1977

Died on this date
Gil Dodds, 58. U.S. runner. Mr. Dodds, nicknamed "The Flying Parson," was the best miler in the United States from 1940-1944, setting American and world records at that distance, and winning the James E. Sullivan Award as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S.A. in 1943. He retired at the height of his career to train for the ministry, but came out of retirement to try to qualify for the 1948 Summer Olympic Games. Mr. Dodds caught the mumps and injured his achilles tendon a week before the qualifying meet, and retired from competitive athletics permanently. He worked with Youth for Christ, and coached track and cross-country running at Wheaton College from 1945-1959.

Diplomacy
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young began a one-week visit to Africa on behalf of the administration of U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

Protest
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat imposed harsh political curbs to prevent renewed riots over increases in food prices.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Justified & Ancient--The KLF (3rd week at #1)

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Just Another Day--John Mellencamp (2nd week at #1)
2 Don't Speak--No Doubt
3 Someone Who's Cool--The Odds
4 A Long December--Counting Crows
5 How Bizarre--OMC
6 Just Between You and Me--dc talk
7 Swallowed--Bush X
8 Do to You--Bryan Adams
9 Fly Like an Eagle--Seal
10 Mouth--Merril Bainbridge

Singles entering the chart included Don't Cry for Me Argentina by Madonna (#82); Superman's Dead by Our Lady Peace (#83); Saving Face by the Boomers (#92); Change the Locks by Tom Petty (#93); Night Train by Bruce Cockburn (#94); Electrolite by R.E.M. (#95); Good Day for the Blues by Storeyville (#96); The Lines You Amend by Sloan (#97); Believer by Chantal Kreviazuk (#98); Dancin' by Chris Isaak (#99); and I Believe in You and Me by Whitney Houston (#100).

10 years ago
2007

Terrorism
A market bombing in Baghdad killed at least 135 people and injured a further 339.