January 31, 2017

125 years ago
1892

Died on this date
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 57. U.K. clergyman. Mr. Spurgeon, the "Prince of Preachers," had been pastor of Metropolitan Tabernacle in London since 1861. For more about and by C.H. Spurgeon, see the sites Charles Spurgeon Quotes and The Spurgeon Archive. I particularly recommend the section from the latter site on the Down-Grade controversy, which not only remains relevant, but more so with each day.

110 years ago
1907

Died on this date
Timothy Eaton, 72. U.K.-born- Canadian businessman. Mr. Eaton, a native of Ireland, moved to Ontario at the age of 20. He founded T. Eaton Company in Toronto in 1869; the store grew into one of Canada's largest department store chains until Mr. Eaton's descendants neglected the business, and it went bankrupt in 1999, with the Eaton name disappearing completely from the stores in 2002. Timothy Eaton died of pneumonia.

100 years ago
1917

War
Germany announced that its U-boats would resume unrestricted submarine warfare after a two-year hiatus.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): In the Mood--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra; Joe Loss and his Orchestra (1st month at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Chattanooga Choo Choo--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (9th week at #1)

Died on this date
Henry Larkin, 82. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Larkin was a first baseman and outfielder with the Philadelphia Athletics (1884-1889, 1891); Cleveland Infants (1890); and Washington Senators (1892-1893), batting .303 with 53 home runs and 836 runs batted in in 1,184 games. He tied for the American Association lead in doubles in 1885 (37) and led the AA in doubles in 1886 (36). Mr. Larkin hit for the cycle on June 16, 1885, and hit 4 doubles in a game later that season. He managed the Infants in 1890, the only year of the Players League.

War
Allied forces were defeated by the Japanese at the Battle of Malaya, and retreated to the island of Singapore.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra; The Merry Macs (1st month at #1)

60 years ago
1957

Disasters
Eight people on the ground in Pacoima, California were killed following the mid-air collision between a Douglas DC-7 airliner and a Northrop F-89 Scorpion fighter jet.

50 years ago
1967

On television tonight
The Fugitive, starring David Janssen, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Breaking of the Habit, with guest stars Eileen Heckart, Linden Chiles, and Antoinette Bower

The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Leeches

Died on this date
Eddie Tolan, 58. U.S. runner. Mr. Tolan, nicknamed the "Midnight Express," won gold medals in the men's 100- and 200-metre runs at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, becoming the first non-European to be regarded as the world's fastest man. He died of kidney failure.

Football
CFL
The Edmonton Eskimos traded offensive end Tommy-Joe Coffey, quarterback Bill Redell, and defensive halfbacks Marshall Starks and Ed Turek to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for quarterback Frank Cosentino, offensive halfback Gerry McDougall, and defensive halfbacks Don Sutherin and Billy Wayte. Mr. Coffey had led the Canadian Football League in pass receptions in 1964 and 1965, and had caught 60 passes for 902 yards and 2 touchdowns in 1966, while leading the Eskimos in scoring with 58 points, and being named to the All-Canadian All-Star team. Mr. Redell began the 1966 season as the Eskimos' starting quarterback, but was unsuccessful and was moved to defensive halfback, where he made 6 interceptions and was named to the All-Western All-Star team. Mr. Cosentino, a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, had been sharing the Hamilton quarterbacking duties with Bernie Faloney and then Joe Zuger since joining the team in 1960; in 1966 he completed 57 of 123 passes for 913 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Mr. Sutherin, in his eighth season with the Tiger-Cats, led the team in scoring in 1966 with 67 points. Mr. Wayte went to Hamilton in 1965 from the Montreal Alouettes in an eight-player trade. The trade between the Eskimos and the Tiger-Cats turned out to be a disaster for the Eskimos and general manager Norm Kimball. Mr. Coffey, already regarded as one of the CFL's greatest receivers ever, played six seasons for Hamilton, helping them to two Grey Cup championships, while Mr. Redell became a starting defensive halfback for two seasons in Hamilton, and Mr. Turek played five seasons as a backup. Mr. Starks was cut by the Tiger-Cats at the end of the 1967 pre-season and left the CFL. Mr. Cosentino played two mediocre seasons in Edmonton, while Mr. McDougall was moved to flanker and was cut after just one regular season game, without catching a pass. Messrs. Sutherin and Wayte were reluctant to move west, and refused to report to Edmonton, necessitating further deals between the two clubs.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Way You Do It--Pussyfoot

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Seishun Jidai--Koichi Morita and the Top Gallants (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: The Final Countdown--Europe (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Final Countdown--Europe

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)--Mel and Kim (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)--Mel and Kim (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Jack Your Body--Steve "Silk" Hurley

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Jack Your Body--Steve "Silk" Hurley (2nd week at #1)

Jack Your Body was released as a 12-inch single, and at 25 minutes, was apparently too long to be properly classified as a single. Otherwise, Reet Petite by Jackie Wilson would have been #1 for the 5th straight week.

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters
2 Open Your Heart--Madonna
3 Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott
4 C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil
5 Land of Confusion--Genesis
6 Control--Janet Jackson
7 Change of Heart--Cyndi Lauper
8 Someday--Glass Tiger
9 Will You Still Love Me?--Chicago
10 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi

Singles entering the chart were Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship (#66); That Ain't Love by REO Speedwagon (#70); Skin Trade by Duran Duran (#77); Fire by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (#79); Don't Leave Me this Way by the Communards (#84); Midnight Blue by Lou Gramm (#85); Ain't So Easy by David and David (#87); Kiss You (When it's Dangerous) by Eight Seconds (#89); and Hooked on You by Sweet Sensation (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Can't Help Falling in Love--Corey Hart
2 Everybody Have Fun Tonight--Wang Chung
3 Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles
4 Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott
5 C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil
6 You Give Love a Bad Name--Bon Jovi
7 Stand by Me--Ben E. King
8 The Way it Is--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
9 The Lady in Red--Chris de Burgh
10 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters

Singles entering the chart were Brand New Lover by Dead or Alive (#85); Mandolin Rain by Bruce Hornsby and the Range (#88); Don't Dream it's Over by Crowded House (#92); Let's Go by Wang Chung (#94); Big Mistake by Peter Cetera (#96); Midnight Blue by Lou Gramm (#97); Stop to Love by Luther Vandross (#98); Too Much or Nothing by General Public (#99); and Every Beat of My Heart by Rod Stewart (#100).

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Das Boot--U96 (2nd week at #1)

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Time to Say Goodbye--Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Un-Break My Heart--Toni Braxton (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Shadow Conspiracy, starring Charlie Sheen, Donald Sutherland, and Linda Hamilton, opened in theatres. It received terrible reviews, which led this blogger to see it four days later, on cheap Tuesday. As a bad movie buff, I wasn't disappointed.





Waiting for Guffman, directed by, co-written by, and starring Christopher Guest, opened in theatres.



10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Molly Ivins, 62. U.S. journalist. Ms. Ivins was a syndicated columnist with the Dallas Times-Herald, and later the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she was known for her humourous expression of liberal social views and criticism of politicians such as President George W. Bush. She died after a long battle with breast cancer.

World events
Suspects were arrested in Birmingham, England and accused of plotting the kidnap, holding and murder by beheading of a serving Muslim British soldier in Iraq.