February 12, 2017

200 years ago
1817

War
An Argentine/Chilean patriotic army, after crossing the Andes, defeated Spanish troops in the Battle of Chacabuco near Santiago, Chile.

180 years ago
1837

Born on this date
Thomas Moran. U.K.-born U.S. painter. Mr. Moran, a painter of western landscapes was born in Bolton, Lancashire, but moved to the United States as a boy. He died on August 25, 1926 at the age of 89.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Dom DiMaggio. U.S. baseball player. Mr. DiMaggio, the younger brother of Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder Joe DiMaggio and major league center fielder Vince DiMaggio, played center field with the Boston Red Sox from 1940-1942 and 1946-1953, batting .298 with 87 home runs and 618 runs batted in in 1,399 games. He led the American League in games played in 1948 (155); tied for the AL lead in runs in 1950 (131) and led outright in runs in 1951 (126); and led the AL in stolen bases in 1950 (15). Mr. DiMaggio, like his brothers, was regarded as an outstanding defensive outfielder. He became a successful businessman after his baseball career, and died at the age of 92 on May 8, 2009.

75 years ago
1942

At the movies
Captains of the Clouds, starring James Cagney, the first Hollywood movie to be filmed entirely in Canada, received its premiere screening in New York City.

Died on this date
Grant Wood, 50. U.S. artist. Mr. Wood, a native of rural Iowa, was known for his paintings of the rural Midwestern United States. His best known work was American Gothic (1930), one of the most famous paintings in American history. Mr. Wood died of pancreatic cancer, the day before his 51st birthday.

Eugene Esmonde, 32. U.K. military aviator. Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde flew with the Royal Air Force from 1928 until his death, 17 days before his 33rd birthday, when he was shot down while leading an attack on the German cruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen, which were attempting to return to their home base from Brest through the English Channel. Lt.-Cdr. Esmonde was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his action.

70 years ago
1947

Space
The largest observed iron meteorite to date created an impact crater in Sikhote-Alin, in the U.S.S.R.

Popular culture
Crowds gathered at shop windows in Paris to see Christian Dior's New Look fashion: longer skirts, nipped-in waists and padded shoulders.

Boxing
World bantamweight champion Harold Dade (18-1-2) won a 10-round decision over Speedy Cabanela (33-17-4) in a non-title bout at Oakland Auditorium.

60 years ago
1957

Died on this date
Edwin C. Hill, 72. U.S. journalist. Mr. Hill was a newscaster with CBS, NBC, and ABC radio, hosting The Human Side of the News (1932-1952). He narrated the syndicated radio program Freedom U.S.A. (1952).

50 years ago
1967

War
The four-day truce in the Vietnam War ended; 18 U.S. soldiers were killed by enemy forces during the cease-fire.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Sei forte papà--Gianni Morandi (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Living Next Door to Alice--Smokie

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Living Next Door to Alice--Smokie (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K (BMRB): Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Torn Between Two Lovers--Mary MacGregor (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Torn Between Two Lovers--Mary MacGregor
2 Blinded by the Light--Manfred Mann's Earth Band
3 New Kid in Town--Eagles
4 Enjoy Yourself--The Jacksons
5 Fly Like an Eagle--Steve Miller Band
6 I Wish--Stevie Wonder
7 I Like Dreamin'--Kenny Nolan
8 Year of the Cat--Al Stewart
9 Weekend in New England--Barry Manilow
10 Night Moves--Bob Seger

Singles entering the chart were Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!) by Elton John (#67); Maybe I`m Amazed by Wings (#68); The First Cut is the Deepest by Rod Stewart (#72); Dedication by the Bay City Rollers (#88); Couldn`t Get it Right by Climax Blues Band (#96); Theme from King Kong (Part 1) by the Love Unlimited Orchestra (#97); Sailing Ships by Mesa (#98); and Angel in Your Arms by Hot (#100). Maybe I`m Amazed was a live version of a song that had been a track on Paul McCartney`s album McCartney (1970), but hadn`t previously been released as a single. Theme from King Kong (Part 1), as the title indicates, was a version of the theme from the movie King Kong (1976).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Car Wash--Rose Royce
2 Torn Between Two Lovers--Mary MacGregor
3 Blinded by the Light--Manfred Mann's Earth Band
4 I Wish--Stevie Wonder
5 New Kid in Town--Eagles
6 Hot Line--Sylvers
7 Walk This Way--Aerosmith
8 Lost Without Your Love--Bread
9 Enjoy Yourself--The Jacksons
10 Weekend in New England--Barry Manilow

Singles entering the chart were Race Among the Ruins by Gordon Lightfoot (#95); I`m Scared by Burton Cummings (#96); I`ve Got Love on My Mind by Natalie Cole (#97); Special Arrangement by Sweet Blindness (#98); Party Song by the Lavender Hill Mob (#99); and Tattoo Man by Denise McCann (#100).

Diplomacy
United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim concluded his 10-day tour of the Middle East.

Hockey
NHL
Boston 3 @ Montreal 8

Basketball
CIAU
Calgary 90 Victoria 75

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 30 (CHED)
1 Can't Help Falling in Love--Corey Hart
2 C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil
3 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters
4 Land of Confusion--Genesis
5 Open Your Heart--Madonna
6 Control--Janet Jackson
7 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi
8 Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott
9 Change of Heart--Cyndi Lauper
10 You're What I Look For--Glass Tiger
11 Will You Still Love Me?--Chicago
12 Jacob's Ladder--Huey Lewis and the News
13 Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox
14 Kiss You (When it's Dangerous)--Eight Seconds
15 Keep Your Hands to Yourself--Georgia Satellites
16 We're Ready--Boston
17 You Got it All--The Jets
18 Ballerina Girl--Lionel Richie
19 Love You Down--Ready for the World
20 Respect Yourself--Bruce Willis
21 Talk to Me--Chico DeBarge
22 Brand New Lover--Dead or Alive
23 I'll Be All Right Without You--Journey
24 Stay the Night--Benjamin Orr
25 Big Time--Peter Gabriel
26 I Wanna Go Back--Eddie Money
27 Nothing Could Stand in Your Way--Alfie Zappacosta
28 Mandolin Rain--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
29 The Final Countdown--Europe
30 Ain't No Cure for Love--Jennifer Warnes

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: A Crowded Room: Autumn 1949



At the movies
The Gods Must Be Crazy, Edmonton's longest-running movie, was screened for the final time at the Principal Plaza Cineplex, where it had been running every day since October 12, 1984.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Justified & Ancient--The KLF (featuring Tammy Wynette) (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Of Mastodons and Men

Politics and government
The current Constitution of Mongolia took effect.