February 28, 2017

190 years ago
1827

Transportation
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was incorporated, becoming the first railroad in the U.S.A. offering commercial transportation of both people and freight.

170 years ago
1847

War
U.S. forces won a decisive victory over Mexican forces in the Battle of the Sacramento River, leading to the capture of the Mexican city of Chihuahua.

150 years ago
1867

Diplomacy
70 years of Holy See–United States relations were ended by a Congressional ban on federal funding of diplomatic envoys to the Vatican. Relations between the U.S.A. and the Vatican were not restored until January 10, 1984.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Kenneth Wherry. U.S. politician. Mr. Wherry, a Republican, began his political career in Pawnee City, Nebraska, serving as a city councillor (1927, 1929) and Mayor (1929-1931, 1938-1942), while also sitting in the Nebraska State Senate (1929-1932). He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican Party nomination for Governor of Nebraska (1932) and for the U.S. Senate (1934). Mr. Wherry represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate from 1943 until his death. Sen. Wherry represented a constituency that included a large population of German ancestry, and he supported a post-World War II policy that expressed concern for the plight of the people of Germany. He held old-style Republican isolationist views, opposing American entry into World War II; the Cold War; the Korean War; Marshall Plan aid to Europe; and homosexuals and Communists in government. Sen. Wherry was Senate Minority Whip (1943-1947); Majority Whip (1947-1949); and Minority Leader (1949-1951); he died from pneumonia at the age of 59 on November 29, 1951, several weeks after undergoing abdominal surgery.

120 years ago
1897

World events
Queen Ranavalona III, the last monarch of Madagascar, was deposed by a French military force.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Ernesto Alonso. Mexican actor and director. Mr. Alonso acted in several movies, but was best known for acting in and directing telenovelas (soap operas). He died on August 7, 2007 at the age of 90.

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 (2nd month at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Moonlight Cocktail--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra

War
In the Battle of Sunda Strait in the Dutch East Indies, the U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Houston was sunk with 693 crew members killed, along with the Royal Australian Navy cruiser HMAS Perth, which lost 375 men.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Houston_(CA-30)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sunda_Strait
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Perth_(D29)

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Prisoner of Love--The Ink Spots; Perry Como (1st month at #1)

Protest
Civil disorder in Taiwan was put down with the loss of an estimated 30,000 civilians.

50 years ago
1967

On television tonight
The Fugitive, starring David Janssen, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Goodbye My Love, with guest stars Jack Lord and Marlyn Mason

The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Doomsday Minus One

Died on this date
Henry Luce, 68. Chinese-born U.S. publisher. Mr. Luce, the son of a Presbyterian missionary, moved to the United States at the age of 15. He and Briton Haddon founded Time magazine in 1923, followed by Fortune (1930); Life (1936); and Sports Illustrated (1954). Mr. Luce also produced The March of Time (1935-1951) newsreels. He was known for his opposition to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as his opposition to the U.S.S.R. Mr. Luce remained active until his death from cardiac arrest.

Terrorism
Five people in Aden, South Arabia were killed at a funeral for six victims of a bomb explosion the previous day.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Way You Do It--Pussyfoot (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Shitsuren Restaurant--Kentaro Shimizu (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Daddy Cool--Boney M. (2nd week at #1)

Journalism
The Calgary morning newspaper The Albertan switched from a broadside to a tabloid format, with a noticeable and immeidate decline in quality.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Si può dare di più--Gianni Morandi, Enrico Ruggeri, Umberto Tozzi (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Final Countdown--Europe (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Reet Petite--Jackie Wilson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)--George Michael and Aretha Franklin

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Stand by Me--Ben E. King

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Stand by Me--Ben E. King

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Stand by Me--Ben E. King (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi (3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi (3rd week at #1)
2 Open Your Heart--Madonna
3 Jacob's Ladder--Huey Lewis and the News
4 Will You Still Love Me?--Chicago
5 Keep Your Hands to Yourself--Georgia Satellites
6 You Got it All--The Jets
7 Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox
8 (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)--Beastie Boys
9 Ballerina Girl--Lionel Richie
10 Respect Yourself--Bruce Willis

Singles entering the chart were Come as You Are by Peter Wolf (#68); I Will Be There by Glass Tiger (#85); Keep Your Eye on Me by Herb Alpert (#87); Power by Kansas (#88); It's Tricky by Run-D.M.C. (#89); and Never Enough by Patty Smyth (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox
2 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters
3 Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott
4 Keep Your Hands to Yourself--Georgia Satellites
5 C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil
6 Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles
7 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi
8 Will You Still Love Me?--Chicago
9 Respect Yourself--Bruce Willis
10 Ballerina Girl--Lionel Richie

Singles entering the chart were Wild Horses by Gino Vannelli (#87); I Knew You were Waiting (For Me) by Aretha Franklin and George Michael (#89); Tonight, Tonight, Tonight by Genesis (#90); Dancing with My Mirror by Corey Hart (#93); Lean on Me by Club Nouveau (#94); Brother Louie by Modern Talking (#97); and Only Love Remains by Paul McCartney (#98).

Died on this date
Joan Greenwood, 65. U.K. actress. Miss Greenwood had a stage career spanning almost 50 years, and appeared in movies such as Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949); The Man in the White Suit (1951); and Tom Jones (1963). She died as the result of acute bronchitis and asthma, four days before her 66th birthday.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Das Boot--U96 (6th week at #1)

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Time to Say Goodbye--Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (12th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vänner--Together

Space
GRB 970228, a highly luminous flash of gamma rays, struck the Earth for 80 seconds, providing early evidence that gamma-ray bursts occur well beyond the Milky Way.

Disasters
About 3,000 people were killed when an earthquake struck northern Iran, near the city of Ardabil.

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., 89. U.S. historian. Professor Schlesinger specialized in American history, and won the Pulitzer Prize for his Master's thesis, Age of Jackson (1945). He served as an adviser and "court historian" to President John F. Kennedy from 1961-1963, and his book A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House (1965) also won a Pulitzer Prize.

Music
This blogger, with enjoyable female company, attended a concert by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Winspear Centre for Music. Conductor William Eddins was also the featured performer on the piano.