February 17, 2018

180 years ago
1838

Abominations
In the Weenen Massacre, 282 Voortrekkers--Afrikaaners and Dutch pioneers making their way to the interior of South Africa--were killed by Zulus, as well as 250 or 252 members of the Khoikhoi and Basuto tribes that were accompanying the Voortrekkers. The dead Voortrekkers numbered 41 men, 56 woman, and 185 children.

170 years ago
1848

Died on this date
George W. Campbell, 79. U.K.-born U.S. politician. Mr. Campbell, a native of Scotland, moved with his family to North Carolina in 1772. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, he represented Tennessee in the House of Representatives from 1803-1809, chairing the House Ways and Means Committee from 1807-1809, and represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate from 1811-1814 and 1815-1818, chairing the Senate Finance Committee from 1815-1818. Mr. Campbell was U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from February-October 1814 in the administration of President James Madison, and served as U.S. Minister to Russia from 1819-1820. He died eight days after his 79th birthday.

125 years ago
1893

Born on this date
Wally Pipp. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Pipp was a first baseman with the Detroit Tigers (1913); New York Yankees (1915-1925); and Cincinnati Reds (1926-1928), batting .281 with 90 home runs and 998 runs batted in in 1,872 games. He led the American League in home runs in 1916 (12) and 1917 (9), becoming the first Yankee to lead the AL in homers. Mr. Pipp was the Yankees' first baseman when they won their first three pennants from 1921-1923, and their first World Series in 1923. In 1925, he was in a slump and was removed from the starting lineup in favour of rookie Lou Gehrig, whom he had scouted. Mr. Pipp was unable to regain his starting position, and was claimed on waivers by the Reds before the following season. He died on January 11, 1965 at the age of 71.

75 years ago
1943

War
German forces in Tunisia drove 22 miles west from Sidi bou Zid to the vicinity of Sbeitla, and other Axis units advanced 40 miles toward Feriana in Tunisia. Japanese troops landed in Kwangchow on the Luichow Peninsula, 260 miles west-southwest of Hong Kong.

Defense
The U.S. Navy carrier-based Vought F4U-1 Corsair fighter, with a 2,000-horsepower engine, was demonstrated in East Hartford, Connecticut.

Diplomacy
Madame Chiang Kai-shek, wife of Chinese leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, visited U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House in Washington.

Politics and government
Three Indian members of the British Viceroy's Council resigned because of the Viceroy's refusal to release Hindu nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Roosevelt wrote House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Robert Doughton (Democrat--North Carolina) that he wanted individual net incomes limited to $25,000 for single people and $50,000 for married couples for the duration of World War II. The U.S. Office of Price Administration froze the sale of canned meat and fish to halt hoarding, pending rationing scheduled to begin April 1. Dr. W.W. Rubey of the U.S. Geological Survey reported that a new vanadium mine, rich enough to meet the current deficit, had been discovered in southwestern Wyoming.

70 years ago
1948

Died on this date
Imam Yahya, 78. Imam of Yemen, 1918-1948. His majesty Amir al-Mumenin al-Mutawakkil 'Ala Allah Rab ul-Alamin Imam Yahya bin al-Mansur Bi'llah Muhammad Hamidaddin, Imam and Commander of the Faithful succeeded his father as Imam of the Zaydis in 1904, and became ruler of all Yemen in November 1918. He and his grandson were assassinated by Al-Qardaei to begin the Alwaziri coup. The Alwazirs promptly installed their own supreme ruler, Imam Abdullah bin Ahmad al-Wazir.

Politics and government
The Soviet Council of Ministers named Alexei Kosygin to replace Arseny Zverev as Finance Minister.

American Labor Party candidate Leo Isacson was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the traditionally Democrat-voting 24th District of the Bronx in New York, taking 55.9% of the vote.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved the European Recovery Program, voting to finance the program's first year in part with $3 billion from the current Treasury surplus.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't/I Beg of You--Elvis Presley (Best Seller--2nd week at #1); Sugartime--The McGuire Sisters (Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); At the Hop--Danny and the Juniors (Top 100--7th week at #1)

Movies
New York Giants' halfback Frank Gifford signed a seven-year contract with Warner Brothers Pictures.

Diplomacy
The Tunisian government announced that it had accepted U.S. and U.K. offers to intervene in the French-Tunisian dispute growing out of the recent French reprisal bombing of Sakiet-Sidi-Youssef.

Economics and finance
Yugoslavia's Communist Party Politburo charged in a report that factory managers and local political officials had abused their privileges for personal profit at the expense of the workers.

Scandal
Recently-dismissed U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Legisative Oversight chief counsel Bernard Schwartz told the subcommittee that presidential aide Sherman Adams was guilty of "grossly improper" intervention in a 1953 Civil Aeronautics Board case involving North American Airlines and its attorney, Murray Chotiner.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)--Johnny Farnham (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Riquita--Georgette Plana (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): L'ora dell'amore--I Camaleonti (10th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): World--The Bee Gees

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)--Manfred Mann

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Everlasting Love--The Love Affair (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Mien Waar Is M'n Feestneus?--Toon (3rd week at #1)
2 Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band
3 Nights in White Satin--The Moody Blues
4 World--The Bee Gees
5 Tin Soldier--Small Faces
6 Baby, Come Back--The Equals
7 The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde--Georgie Fame
8 Bend Me, Shape Me--The American Breed
9 Little Bird--Tielman Brothers
10 2000 Light Years from Home/She's a Rainbow--The Rolling Stones

Singles entering the chart were Green Tambourine by the Lemon Pipers (#22); De Fanfare (A Banda) by Johnny & Rijk/Fanfare--A Banda by Han Grevelt/De Fanfare by De Labanda's (#29); and Waar Is De Neus Van Toon? by Thijs Van Der Molen (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)
2 Green Tambourine--The Lemon Pipers
3 Spooky--The Classics IV
4 I Wish it Would Rain--The Temptations
5 Nobody But Me--The Human Beinz
6 Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band
7 Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You--The Lettermen
8 Baby, Now that I've Found You--The Foundations
9 Bend Me, Shape Me--The American Breed
10 I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite--Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart

Singles entering the chart were Too Much Talk by Paul Revere and the Raiders (#54); Maybe Just Today by Bobby Vee and the Strangers (#64); Lovey Dovey by Otis and Carla (#66); Kiss Me Goodbye by Petula Clark (#68); Playboy by Gene and Debbe (#81); Dance to the Music by Sly and the Family Stone (#83); You've Got to Be Loved by the Montanas (#88); For Your Precious Love by Jackie Wilson and Count Basie (#89); Country Girl--City Man by Billy Vera and Judy Clay (#92); Love is All Around by the Troggs (#94); At the Top of the Stairs by the Formations (#96); Soul Coaxing (Ame Caline) by Raymond Lefevre and his Orchestra (#98); Dr.Jon (The Medicine Man) by Jon & Robin and the In Crowd (#99); and Soul Serenade by Willie Mitchell (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Zabadak!--Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
2 Baby, Now that I've Found You--The Foundations
3 Spooky--The Classics IV
4 Nobody But Me--The Human Beinz
5 I Can Take or Leave Your Loving--Herman's Hermits
6 We Can Fly--The Cowsills
7 Bottle of Wine--The Fireballs
8 Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra
9 I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite--Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart
10 Green Tambourine--The Lemon Pipers

Singles entering the chart were Dear Delilah by Grapefruit (#61); The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde by Georgie Fame (#67); Love is Blue by Vicky (#71); Come Back Baby by the Gettysbyrg Address (#75); The End of Our Road by Gladys Knight & the Pips (#78); The Click Song Number One by Cher (#81); Men are Gettin' Scarce by Joe Tex (#86); Keep on Running by E.G. Smith and the Power (#91); Night Fo' Last by Shorty Long (#92); Music Music Music by the Happenings (#93); Handbags and Gladrags by Chris Farlowe (#94); She Can't Be My Girl by 50-Sir John A. (#96); Kiss Me Goodbye by Petula Clark (#97); Suddenly You Love Me by the Tremeloes (#98); Circus by Sonny and Cher (#99); and Country Girl--City Man by Billy Vera and Judy Clay (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Nobody But Me--The Human Beinz
2 Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra
3 I Can Take or Leave Your Loving--Herman's Hermits
4 Everything that Touches You--The Association
5 Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition was In)--The First Edition
6 1941--Tom Northcott
7 Spooky--The Classics IV
8 We Can Fly--The Cowsills
9 Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You--The Lettermen
10 Words--The Bee Gees

Singles entering the chart were Tell Mama by Etta James (#24); The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde by Georgie Fame (#26); I'm Gonna Make You Love Me by Madeline Bell (#27); We're a Winner by the Impressions (#28); Strawberry Shortcake by Jay and the Techniques (#29); and Skip a Rope by Henson Cargill (#30).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)
2 Itchycoo Park--Small Faces
3 Green Tambourine--The Lemon Pipers
4 Bend Me, Shape Me--The American Breed
5 Skip a Rope--Henson Cargill
6 Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band
7 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly--Hugo Montenegro, his Orchestra and Chorus
8 I Can Take or Leave Your Loving--Herman's Hermits
9 Simon Says--1910 Fruitgum Company
10 Nobody But Me--The Human Beinz
Pick hit of the week: Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition was In)--The First Edition

Olympics
Jean-Claude Killy of France won his third gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, winning the men's slalom ski event after Karl Schranz of Austria was disqualified for missing a gate.

Basketball
The James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opened in Springfield, Massachusetts.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): 2-4-6-8 Motorway--Tom Robinson Band (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Mull of Kintyre--Wings (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Ti amo--Umberto Tozzi (2nd week at #1)

Music
The album The Kick Inside by Kate Bush was released in the United Kingdom on EMI Records.

Terrorism
The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated an incendiary bomb at the La Mon restaurant, near Belfast, killing 12 and seriously injuring 30 others, all Protestants. At least 20 people were arrested.

Crime
The three men convicted in the 1976 kidnapping of 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver in Chowchilla, California were all sentenced to life in prison. Richard Schoenfeld, 23, could be considered for parole in six months as a youthful offender. His brother James, 26, and Frederick Woods, also 26, were given no chance of parole, because three of the children had suffered "bodily harm."

Hockey
CHL
Dallas 5 @ Kansas City 1
Salt Lake City 6 @ Tulsa 4

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Allt som jag känner--Tone Norum & Tommy Nilsson

Died on this date
Karpoori Thakur, 64. Indian politician. Mr. Thakur, a Socialist, was Chief Minister of Behar from December 1970-June 1971 and December 1977-April 1979. He died 24 days after his 64th birthday.

Olympics
In men's hockey, the U.S.S.R. defeated the United States 7-5 at the Olympic Saddledome in Calgary.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 4 @ Edmonton 4

A late goal by Mark Messier gave the Oilers their tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs at Northlands Coliseum. The Oilers had jumped out to a 3-0 lead, only to have the Maple Leafs come back with four straight goals. The tie gave the Maple Leafs their first point in Edmonton since a 6-6 tie on January 26, 1983.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (6th week at #1)

Disasters
About 900 people drowned when the overloaded passenger ferry Neptune sank near Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

20 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Bob Merrill, 76. U. S. songwriter. Mr. Merrill, born Henry Robert Merrill Levan, wrote 18 U.S. top 10 hits from 1949-1956, including If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked a Cake; How Much is that Doggie in the Window?; and Mambo Italiano. Barbra Streisand's signature song, People, was also written by Mr. Merrill. Mr. Merrill also achieved success on Broadway, writing the lyrics for Funny Girl (1964) and Carnival! (1961), among many others. He also wrote screenplays, including Mahogany (1975). Mr. Merrill was suffering from depression linked to various ailments when he committed suicide by shooting himself in his car.

Canadiana
Statistics Canada released results of its 1996 census question on race; of non-aboriginal and non-white Canadians identifying themselves as visible minorities, 27% were Chinese, 21% South Asians, and 18% Blacks.

Olympics
The U.S.A. defeated Canada 3-1 to win the gold medal in women's hockey in Nagano, Japan; it was the first time women's hockey had been a medal sport. In men's hockey, the Czech Republic defeated the U.S.A. 4-1.

10 years ago
2008

Disappeared on this date
Marilyn Bergeron, 24. Canadian woman. Miss Bergeron, a native of Chicoutimi, Quebec, moved with her family to the Quebec City area in 1998. She moved to Montreal in 2005, but returned to her parents' home in February 2008, saying that she no longer felt safe in Montreal, although she wouldn't give details. The day after completing her move back to Quebec, Miss Bergeron told her parents she was going for a walk, and stopped at an automated teller machine in Loretteville; she was last confirmed to have been seen in a restaurant in Saint-Romuald, 12 miles south of her parents' home. Miss Bergeron was reported to have been seen in Hawkesbury, Ontario, just across the Ottawa River from Quebec, in 2010. Quebec City police reportedly believe she committed suicide, while her family suspects foul play.

Europeana
Kosovo declared its independence as the Republic of Kosovo, in defiance of Serbia and Russia.