January 18, 2018

240 years ago
1778

Exploration
English Captain James Cook became the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he named the "Sandwich Islands."

230 years ago
1788

Australiana
The First Fleet, carrying a load of sheep and 736 convicts, arrived in Botany Bay.

150 years ago
1868

Born on this date
Kantarō Suzuki. Prime Minister of Japan, 1945. Admiral Suzuki began serving in the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1888. He opposed Japan's war against the United States before and during World War II, and took office as Prime Minister on April 7, 1945. He contributed to the final peace negotiations with the Allies and survived two assassination attempts on August 15, resigning as Prime Minister two days later. Admiral Suzuki died of natural causes on April 17, 1948 at the age of 80.

120 years ago
1898

Died on this date
Henry Liddell, 86. U.K. clergyman and academic. Rev. Liddell was ordained a Church of England minister in 1838. He was headmaster at Westminster School (1846-1855); Dean of Christ Church, Oxford (1855-1891); and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1870-1874). He wrote A History of Rome from the Earliest Times to the Establishment of the Empire (1855), and, with Robert Scott, co-authored A Greek-English Lexicon (1843). Rev. Liddell died 19 days before his 87th birthday.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Frederick C. Bock. U.S. military aviator. U.S. Army Air Forces Major Bock served in the Pacific theatre during World War II, and flew the B-29 bomber The Great Artiste that dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. He earned a doctorate in zoology after the war, and worked in research laboratories in Chicago. Dr. Bock died of cancer on August 25, 2000 at the age of 82.

90 years ago
1928

World events
In London, Wilfred Francis McCartney, of British birth, and George Hansen, a German, were each found guilty of espionage on behalf of the U.S.S.R. and sentenced to ten years in prison.

80 years ago
1938

Disasters
Fire destroyed the Collège du Sacré-Coeur in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec; 47 people were killed, including 5 nuns and 42 students.

75 years ago
1943

War
The U.S.S.R. announced that Soviet forces broken the long Nazi siege of Leningrad with the recapture of Schlusselburg, 25 miles to the east on Lake Ladoga. An estimated 500 U.K. Royal Air Force planes attacked Berlin, leaving large fires raging. Australian troops took Sanananda Village, Sanananda Poin, Cape Killerton, and Wye Point on New Guinea.

Abominations
The Nazis resumed deportation of Jews from Warsaw to the death camp at Treblinka, Poland, inciting the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Politics and government
The U.S. Democratic National Committee elected Postmaster General Frank Walker to succeed Edward Flynn as its chairman. The U.S. Senate confirmed Prentiss Brown to succeed Leon Henderson as head of the Office of Price Administration.

Business
The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of the American Medical Association and the Medical Society of the District of Columbia on charges of conspiring to block the operation of the Washington medical co-operative Group Health Inc.

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Wage Hour Law did not affect warehousemen and wholesalers who sold and distributed products entirely in one state.

Claiming that its mediation efforts had failed, the U.S. National War Labor Board turned the anthracite coal miners' strike over to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

70 years ago
1948

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and Alfred Shirley, on MBS
Tonight's episode:  The Lucky Shilling

Died on this date
Joseph Freeman, 50. U.S. accused criminal. Mr. Freeman, a co-defendant in the munitions fraud case involving Congressman Andrew May and munitions manufacturers Murray and Henry Garsson, died of a heart attack in Los Angeles.

Literature
The New York Herald Tribune reported House Divided by Ben Ames Williams as the best-selling fiction book, and Inside U.S.A. by John Gunther as the best-selling non-fiction book.

Space
Czech astronomer Antonin Mrkos discovered a new comet, which was to bear his name.

Politics and government
The Committee of One Thousand, whose membership included scientist Albert Einstein, poet Archibald MacLeish, and politician Rexford Tugwell, established headquarters in Washington, D.C. to work for abolition of the U.S. House of Representatives committee on Un-American Activities.

Progressive Citizens of America ended a two-day conference in Chicago by establishing committees to create a third party supporting the 1948 U.S. presidetntial candidacy of former U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace.

Protest
Indian Hindu nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi ended a five-day fast in New Delhi when Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh leaders promised to guarantee peace among their followers.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Diana--Paul Anka (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Wo meine Sonne scheint--Caterina Valente (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Only You (And You Alone)--The Platters (10th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Great Balls of Fire--Jerry Lee Lewis

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 At the Hop--Danny and the Juniors (3rd week at #1)
2 Peggy Sue--Buddy Holly
3 Great Balls of Fire--Jerry Lee Lewis
4 Raunchy--Bill Justis and his Orchestra
--Ernie Freeman
5 April Love--Pat Boone
6 Waitin' in School--Ricky Nelson
7 The Stroll--The Diamonds
8 You Send Me--Sam Cooke
9 Kisses Sweeter than Wine--Jimmie Rodgers
10 Stood Up--Ricky Nelson

Singles entering the chart were Get a Job by the Silhouettes (#25); Witchcraft (#31)/Tell Her You Love Her (#56) by Frank Sinatra; The Swingin' Shepherd Blues, with versions by the Moe Koffman Quartette, and the Johnny Pate Quintet (#38); Angel Smile (#39)/Back in My Arms (#60) by Nat "King" Cole; Yellow Dog Blues by Joe Darensbourg and the Dixie Flyers (#41); Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como (#45); You are My Destiny by Paul Anka (#46); Bertha Lou by Clint Miller (#49); and 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) by the Four Preps (#54).

Died on this date
Matthew Neely, 83. U.S. politician. Mr. Neely, a Democrat, was regarded as a master orator, and represented West Virginia's 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1913-1921, 1945-1947); served as Governor of West Virginia (1941-1945); and represented West Virginia in the United States Senate (1923-1929, 1931-1941, 1949-1958). He died in office, and Republican John Hoblitzell was appointed on January 25 to fill the remainder of his Senate term. Mr. Neely remains the only West Virginian to have sat in both houses of Congress and to have also served as the state's Governor.

War
French warships halted a Yugoslavian freighter off Oran and seized 150 tons of Czech arms from its cargo to keep them from falling into the hands of Algerian nationalists.

World events
Spanish Interior Minister Camilo Alonso Vega announced the arrest of 44 suspects for conspiracy to organize a general strike against dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco and to revive the Spanish Communist Party.

Protest
200 Lumbee Indians chased 50 Ku Klux Klan members off a field near Maxton, North Carolina on which the Klan planned to hold a rally.

Hockey
NHL
Boston 3 @ Montreal 0

Willie O'Ree, playing on a line with Don McKenney and Gerry Toppazzini, became the first Negro player to appear in a National Hockey League game when he played for the Bruins in their win over the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum. After playing the next night, Mr. O'Ree returned to the minors before playing 43 games with the Bruins in 1960-61, scoring 4 goals and 10 assists (he was pointless in his earlier 2 games).

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Love You Tokyo--Los Primos (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Daydream Believer--The Monkees (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Bert Wheeler, 72. U.S. comedian and actor. Mr. Wheeler and Robert Woolsey comprised the comedy team Wheeler & Woolsey. Their movies, such as Rio Rita (1929); Half Shot at Sunrise (1930); Diplomaniacs (1933); Hips, Hips, Hooray! (1934); and Kentucky Kernels (1934) were credited with saving the RKO studio from bankruptcy in the 1930s. Their film So This is Africa (1933) was one of the first movies released under the Production Code, and gave the censors more problems than any other Hollywood movie of the time. The teaming of Wheeler & Woolsey ended with the death of Robert Woolsey from kidney disease in 1938.

Arthur Vandenberg, Jr., 60. U.S. political aide. Mr. Vandenberg, the son of U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenberg (Republican--Michigan), served on his father's staff, and was national chairman of the Citizens for Eisenhower committee, promoting the candidacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952. Mr. Vandenberg then served as appointments secretary to President-elect Eisenhower from November 1952-January 1953. A week before Mr. Eisenhower's inauguration, Mr. Vandenberg took a leave of absence, ostensibly because of stomach ulcers. It was later revealed that Mr. Vandenberg had failed to pass the security test because he was a sodomite. Mr. Vandenberg taught international relations at the University of Miami for several years, and then worked as a public relations consultant.

Defense
The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. submitted to the United Nations Disarmament Committee a revised draft of a treaty designed to halt the spread of nuclear weapons. The new draft included an article providing for international inspection and control systems.

Protest
U.S. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson hosted a White House luncheon for 50 white and Negro men and women to discuss her husband President Lyndon Johnson's proposals for fighting crime in the streets. Singer and actress Eartha Kitt told Mrs. Johnson that Negro youths were rebelling because her husband's administration was sending them to be killed in the Vietnam War. Mrs. Johnson, through tears, replied, "Because there is a war on--and I pray that there will be a just and honest peace--that still doesn't give us a free ticket not to try to work for better things such as against crime in the streets, better education, and better health for our people."

Disasters
A 750-foot television tower under construction collapsed in Chacabuco, Argentina, killing seven people.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Mull of Kintyre--Wings (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Carl Betz, 56. U.S. actor. Mr. Betz was known for his roles in the television series The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966) and Judd for the Defense (1967-1969), winning an Emmy Award for his work on the latter series. He died of lung cancer.

Diplomacy
President Anwar Sadat recalled the Egyptian delegation from peace talks in Jerusalem because, he reportedly told U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Israel was seeking "land and not peace."

Law
The European Court of Human Rights found the United Kingdom's government guilty of mistreating prisoners in Northern Ireland, but not guilty of torture.

Disasters
The $1.4 million roof of the Hartford Civic Center, home of the World Hockey Association's New England Whalers, caved in under 4.8 inches of wet snow. The building was empty and there were no injuries, although 5,000 people had been at a basketball game there just 6 hours earlier. The Whalers were forced to move their home games to Springfield, Massachusetts until the roof was repaired. According to the official report, design deficiencies caused the collapse.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Faith--George Michael

Transportation
Prince Edward Islanders voted 59.4% in favour of a bridge or tunnel connecting them to the Canadian mainland; the Confederation Bridge opened on May 31, 1997.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie

Americana
The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday was observed in all 50 states for the first time.

20 years ago
1998

Hockey
NHL
All-Star Game @ Rogers Arena, Vancouver
North America 8 World 7

Mark Messier of the Vancouver Canucks scored 4 minutes into the 3rd period, which proved to be the winner as North America edged the World before 18,422 fans. Teemu Selanne of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim scored 3 goals for the World, and was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

10 years ago
2008

Died on this date
Lois Nettleton, 80. U.S. actress. Miss Nettleton was best known for her many appearances on television in a career spanning more than 50 years. She won two Emmy Awards, and was nominated for Emmy Awards on three other occasions.

Georgia Frontiere, 80. U.S. businesswoman. Mrs. Frontiere, born Violet Frances Irwin, was married seven times, most notably to Carroll Rosenbloom, owner of the Baltimore Colts and later the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. When he died, she inherited majority ownership of the franchise, and remained active as the team's owner for the rest of her life, moving the franchise to St. Louis in 1995. She was married to composer Dominic Frontiere from 1980-1988.