February 16, 2017

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Veronica Jones!

275 years ago
1742

Politics and government
Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, a Whig, took office as British Prime Minister, succeeding Sir Robert Walpole.

80 years ago
1937

Technology
Wallace H. Carothers, a research chemist for Du Pont, received a United States patent for nylon.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Hey There--Rosemary Clooney (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Ich weiß was dir fehlt--Peter Alexander

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): The Garden of Eden--Frankie Vaughan (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Too Much--Elvis Presley (Best Seller--2nd week at #1); Young Love--Tab Hunter (Disc Jockey--1st week at #1; Top 100--1st week at #1); Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell (Jukebox--10th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Too Much--Elvis Presley
2 Young Love--Sonny James
--Tab Hunter
3 Don't Forbid Me--Pat Boone
4 Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell
5 Banana Boat (Day-O)--Harry Belafonte
6 The Banana Boat Song--The Tarriers
7 Moonlight Gambler--Frankie Laine
8 Marianne--Terry Gilkyson and the Easy Riders
--The Hilltoppers
9 Love is Strange--Mickey and Sylvia
10 Blue Monday--Fats Domino

Singles entering the chart were Butterfly, with versions by Charlie Gracie, and Andy Williams (#32); I'm Stickin' with You by Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids (#37); Kid Stuff by the McGuire Sisters (#39); Party Doll, with versions by Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids, and Steve Lawrence (#43); Lucky Lips by Ruth Brown (#44); Your Wild Heart, with versions by Joy Layne, and the Poni-Tails (#47); and Walkin' After Midnight by Patsy Cline (#48).

Died on this date
Leslie Hore-Belisha, 63. U.K. politician. Mr. Hore-Belisha, a Liberal, National Liberal, and eventually a Conservative, represented Plymouth Devonport in the House of Commons from 1923-1945, and served as Minister of Transport (1934-1937) and Secretary of State for War (1937-1940). As Minister of Transport he was credited with modernizing the British road system, but as Secretary of State for War he clashed with leading generals and was removed from the War Cabinet of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in January 1940. Mr. Chamberlain considered appointing Mr. Hore-Belisha as Minister of Information, but decided against it because of Foreign Office concerns about a Jewish politician being in such a position. Mr. Hore-Belisha was elevated to the peerage as Baron Hore-Belisha in 1954, and died after collapsing with a cerebral hemorrhage while making a speech in Rheims while leading a British parliamentary delegation to France.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): This is My Song--Petula Clark

This is My Song was written by Charlie Chaplin, and was from the movie A Countess from Hong Kong (1967), which he wrote, directed, and co-produced.

On television tonight
Dragnet 1967, starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Masked Bandits



30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde

World events
The trial of retired Ukrainian-born U.S. automobile worker John Demjanjuk, accused of being a Nazi guard dubbed "Ivan the Terrible" at the Treblinka extermination camp in Nazi-occupied Pland during World War II, began in Jerusalem.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Demjanjuk

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Rush--Big Audio Dynamite II (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Justified & Ancient--The KLF (featuring Tammy Wynette)

#1 single in Switzerland: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
This Week in Bible Prophecy, hosted by Peter and Paul Lalonde, premiered on Vision TV in Canada.

Died on this date
Jânio Quadros, 75. 22nd President of Brazil, 1961. Mr. Quadros, a member of several political parties during his career, was Governor of Sao Paulo from 1955-1959, and served as President of Brazil from January 31-August 25, 1961. He resigned in an apparent attempt to increase his power by appealing directly to the Brazilian people, but his resignation was accepted by the legislature.

Angela Carter, 51. U.K. authoress. Ms. Carter, born Angela Stalker, wrote novels, short stories, poetry, and other forms of fiction and non-fiction. Her best-known work was the novel Nights at the Circus (1984). She died of lung cancer.

Olympics
Men's hockey
United Team (Commonwealth of Independent States) 5 Canada 4

Tennis
Martina Navratilova defeated Jana Novotna 2 sets to 1 to win the Virginia Slims tournament in Chicago. The win was the 158th career championship for Miss Navratilova, breaking Chris Evert's record of 157.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Don't Speak--No Doubt (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): I Believe I Can Fly--R. Kelly (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): When I Die--No Mercy

#1 single in Switzerland: Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)--Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli (5th week at #1)

Auto racing
Jeff Gordon, aided by a crash that took out Dale Earnhardt 10 laps from the finish while Mr. Gordon was running third, won the Daytona 500 NASCAR event. At age 25 he became the youngest champion in the 39 years of the race.