January 18, 2019

500 years ago
1519

Born on this date
Isabella Jagiellon. Queen consort of Hungary, 1539-1540. Isabella, the daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland, became Queen consort of Hungary when she married King John I, who died nine days after the birth of their son John Sigismund. Isabelle spent the rest of her life either acting as her son's regent or engaging in succession disputes on his behalf. She died after a long illness at the age of 40 on September 15, 1559.

240 years ago
1779

Born on this date
Peter Mark Roget. U.K. physician and lexicographer. Dr. Roget practiced medicine for more than 40 years, and was one of the founders of what became the Royal Society of Medicine. He invented the log-log slide rule in 1815 and wrote numerous scholarly papers, but was best known for compiling his Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (1952), a collection of related words. Dr. Roget died on September 12, 1869 at the age of 90.

180 years ago
1839

Died on this date
Pierre-Theophile Decoigne; François-Xavier Hamelin; Joseph Robert; Ambroise Sanguinet; Charles Sanguinet. Canadian rebels. Messrs. Decoigne (notary), Hamelin (farmer and Lieutenant of Militia), Robert (farmer and Captain of Militia), and the brothers Sanguinet (farmers), were publicly hanged at the Prison du Pied-du-courant at the corner of Rue Notre-Dame and Rue de Lorimier in Montreal for their roles in the 1837-38 Lower Canada Rebellion.

170 years ago
1849

Born on this date
Edmund Barton. Prime Minister of Australia, 1901-1903. Sir Edmund, an independent before joining the Protectionist Party in 1887, was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1879. He was Speaker of the Assembly before serving two terms as Attorney General. Sir Edmund was an early proponent of Australian federation, and became the country's first Prime Minister when federation took effect on January 1, 1901. He resigned as Prime Minister to become one of the first Justices on the High Court of Australia, serving from October 5, 1903 until his death on January 7, 1920, 11 days before his 71st birthday.

140 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Henri Giraud. French military officer and politician. Général d'Armée Giraud served in both world wars and escaped from German prison camps in both wars. After escaping from Dresden during World War II, he returned to France, where he was loyal to the Vichy government but refused to cooperate with the Germans. Général Giraud secretly cooperated with the Allies, and assumed command of French troops in North Africa after the December 24, 1942 assassination of Admiral François Darlan. Général Giraud eventually had a falling-out with Free French leader Général Charles de Gaulle, and retired in 1944. As a member of the Republican Party of Liberty, Général Giraud was elected to the French Constituent Assembly in 1946, remained a member of the War Council, and helped to draft the constitution of the Fourth Republic. He died on March 11, 1949 at the age of 70.

125 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Toots Mondt. U.S. wrestler and promoter. Joseph Raymond Mondt wrestled from 1912-1942, and was a pioneer, as both wrestler and promoter, in promoting professional wrestling as entertainment. He and Vince McMahon, Sr. founded the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1963, but Mr. Mondt's influence in the operation declined, and he died virtually penniless on June 11, 1976 at the age of 82, after a long illness. Mr. Mondt was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.

100 years ago
1919

Died on this date
John, 13. U.K. royal family member. Prince John was the fifth son and youngest child of King George V and Queen Mary. Prince John was an epileptic, and his condition worsened over time; his death came after a severe seizure.

War
Leaders of Allied nations met in Versailles, France to begin what became known as the Paris Peace Conference, seeking to negotiate an official end to World War I.

Politics and government
Ignace Jan Paderewski became Prime Minister of the newly independent Poland.

Canadiana
The 1,700-seat Granada Theatre opened on Wellington Street in Sherbrooke, Quebec; the decor was inspired by southern Spain.

80 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Cliff Heathcote, 40. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Heathcote was an outfielder with the St. Louis Cardinals (1918-1922); Chicago Cubs (1922-1930); Cincinnati Reds (1931-1932); and Philadelphia Phillies (1932), batting .275 with 42 home runs and 448 runs batted in in 1,415 games. He and Max Flack were traded for each other between games of a doubleheader between the Cardinals and Cubs at Cubs Park on May 30, 1922. Both players appeared in both games. Mr. Heathcote died of a pulmonary embolism.

75 years ago
1944

Music
The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosted its first jazz concert. The performers were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge, and Jack Teagarden.

War
In two new northern offensives, Soviet troops broke the German lines 25 miles west of Leningrad and on the Volkhov front north of Novgorod. British troops crossed the Garigliano River at the southern end of the Italian front, and despite strong opposition, managed to establish bridgeheads at three points. Allied forces opened a new offensive in the Kyankshaw area of northern Burma. Australia and New Zealand concluded an agreement for cooperative action in the South Pacific theatre.

Politics and government
William T. Cosgrove announced his resignation, because of poor health, as leader of the United Irish, the opposition party in the Dail Eirann.

Economics and finance
Dr. Herbert Lehman announced the appointment of Alekseyovich Menshikov, a member of the U.S.S.R. delegation, as deputy director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.

The U.S. Federal Economic Administration reported that American Lend-Lease shipments to the U.S.S.R. had reached a record $338 million in November 1943.

Business
U.S. War Secretary Henry Stimson returned the railroads to private operation after U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced agreements calling for wage increases of 1%-5%.

70 years ago
1949

At the movies
Dynamite, directed and co-produced by William H. Pine, and starring William Gargan and Virginia Welles, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Charles Ponzi, 66. Italian-born U.S. criminal. Mr. Ponzi, born Carlo Ponzi, was a notorious con man in 1919-1920. He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeeming them at face value in the United States as a form of arbitrage, while using the investments of later investors to pay the earlier investors. This method of doing business is referred to as a "Ponzi scheme." Mr. Ponzi's scheme collapsed after costing investors more than $20 million over the course of a year. He served more than 13 years in prison on numerous charges, was deported to Italy, and ended up in Rio de Janeiro, where he died in poor health and near poverty.

Paul Alling, 52. U.S. diplomat. Mr. Alling held various posts in the Middle East, and was U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan from 1947-1948. He died in Washington, D.C. of amoebic dysentery.

War
The U.S.S.R. rejected a Nationalist Chinese appeal for Big Four mediation of the Chinese civil war.

World events
Bowing to U.S. pressure, U.K. Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin agreed to release 11,000 Jewish immigrants interned in Cyprus, and urged Arab nations to negotiate a permanent peace settlement with Israel.

Defense
The United Kingdom, Argentina, and Chile agreed to refrain from naval maneuvers in Antarctica below 60 S latitude.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate confirmed Dean Acheson as U.S. Secretary of State.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives approved new committee chairmen, including Emanuel Cellar (New York) for the Judiciary Committee and John Wood (Georgia) for the Un-American Activities Committee.

Crime
New York U.S. Federal Judge Harold Medina severed the trial of Communist Party U.S.A. leader William Z. Foster from that of 11 other leading Communists because of Mr. Foster's poor health.

Energy
Ontario Hydro started the conversion of electricity in Ontario to 60 cycles from 25 cycles.

60 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Come Prima--Dalida

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: A Personal Matter, starring Wayne Morris and Joe Maross

Died on this date
Ernest Irons, 81. U.S. physician. Dr. Irons and Dr. James Herrick discovered the first published case of sickle cell anemia in 1904. Dr. Irons was a bacteriologist, but was best known for his leadership roles in various organizations. He was dean of Rush Medical College; president of the American College of Physicians (1944-1946); and president of the American Medical Association (1949-1950), leading opposition to U.S. President Harry Truman's proposal for a national health plan. Dr. Irons died of a heart attack while recuperating from a mugging he had suffered outside his home in Chicago two months earlier.

Politics and government
South Korea's opposition Democratic Party, led by Chough Pyong Ok, announced that it would file suit to prevent President Syngman Rhee from appointing all municipal and village officials under an autonomy law passed by Parliament in December.

Protest
Former Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff called for a general strike and "national day of mourning" to protest the establishment of "British dictatorship" in Malta.

Bowling
Marian Ladewig of Grand Rapids, Michigan won her seventh U.S. All-Star Tournament (later renamed the United States Open). The best woman performer in the history of the sport, she won eight national opens in all, and was voted Bowler of the Year nine times.

50 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Eloise--Barry Ryan

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Biplane Evermore--The Royal Guardsmen

#1 single in France: Casatchok--Dimitri Dourakine and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Scende la pioggia--Gianni Morandi

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Eloise--Barry Ryan

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Quick Joey Small--Real McCoy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Hair--Zen (3rd week at #1)
2 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
3 Ain't Got No--I Got Life--Nina Simone
4 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade
5 Eloise--Barry Ryan
6 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
7 Battle Hymn of the Republic--Andy Williams with the St. Charles Borromeo Choir
8 Albatross--Fleetwood Mac
9 Bluebirds Over the Mountain--The Beach Boys
10 In the Beginning--Boots

Singles entering the chart were I Started a Joke by the Bee Gees (#14); Sabre Dance by Love Sculpture (#27); Roly by Raymond Froggatt (#31); I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye (#33); Kiele, Kiele, Kiele ... by Toon Hermans en De Driedonken Blaaskapel (#35); Fox on the Run by Manfred Mann (#37); and Something's Happening by Herman's Hermits (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (6th week at #1)
2 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
3 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
4 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
5 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
6 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
7 For Once in My Life--Stevie Wonder
8 Touch Me--The Doors
9 Worst that Could Happen--Brooklyn Bridge
10 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield

Singles entering the chart were Take Care of Your Homework by Johnnie Taylor (#67); But You Know I Love You by the First Edition (#71); I Got a Line on You by Spirit (#74); There'll Come a Time by Betty Everett (#76); Home Cookin' by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#77); He Called Me Baby by Ella Washington (#78); Getting the Corners by the T.S.U. Toronadoes (#82); Bubble Gum Music by the Rock and Roll Dubble Bubble Trading Card Co. of Philadelphia-19141 (#87); Poor Side of Town by Al Wilson (#88); May I by Bill Deal & the Rhondels (#89); The Grooviest Girl in the World by the Fun and Games (#90); Kum Ba Yah by Tommy Leonetti (#93); I'm Gonna Hold on as Long as I Can by the Marvelettes (#94); Will You Be Staying After Sunday by the Peppermint Rainbow (#96); This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) by Tammi Terrell (#97); Fox on the Run by Manfred Mann (#98); Mendocino by the Sir Douglas Quintet (#99); and That's Your Baby by Joe Tex (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (5th week at #1)
2 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
3 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
4 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
5 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
6 Touch Me--The Doors
7 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
8 Cloud Nine--The Temptations
9 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
10 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees

Singles entering the chart were Home Cookin' by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#81); There'll Come a Time by Betty Everett (#86); Dizzy by Tommy Roe (#89); Riot by Hugh Masakela (#91); That's Your Baby by Joe Tex (#93); The Grooviest Girl in the World by the Fun and Games (#94); 30-60-90 by Willie Mitchell (#95); Freedom Train by James Carr (#96); Kay by John Wesley Ryles I (#97); Hello it's Me by the Nazz (#98); Mendocino by the Sir Douglas Quintet (#99); and Shake a Poo Poo by Chet “Poison” Ivey and the Fabulous Avengers (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
2 Twilight Woman--The 49th Parallel
3 Beyond the Clouds--The Poppy Family
4 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
5 Elephant Candy--The Fun and Games
6 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
7 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
8 Bella Linda--The Grass Roots
9 Recipe for Love--The Dew Line
10 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee

At the movies
The Battle of El Alamein, directed by Giorgio Ferroni, and starring Frederick Stafford, George Hilton, and Michael Rennie, opened in theatres in Sweden.



War
Viet Cong and South Vietnamese representatives agreed to hold expanded peace talks in Paris, two days after U.S. and North Vietnamese delegates had also agreed on expanded talks. U.S. sources said that it was likely that the withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam would be limited to 50,000, after S.V. President Nguyen Van Thieu confirmed that he had requested the withdrawal of some U.S. troops in 1969. American combat deaths in Vietnam for the week of January 12-18 totalled 190, bringing the total since 1961 to 31,181.

World events
A state of siege was declared in Bolivia following the discovery of a plot to overthrow President Rene Barrientos Ortuno.

Politics and government
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill doubling the President's annual salary to $200,000, effective with the inauguration of Richard Nixon two days hence.

Disasters
A second air disaster within a week hit Los Angeles International Airport when United Airlines Flight 266, a Boeing 727 jet, plunged into Santa Monica Bay, 9 miles from the airport, killing all 32 passengers and 6 crew members aboard.

Seven people were killed and five injured when fire swept through a nursing home in Greenville, Mississippi.

40 years ago
1979

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Moment of Truth

Delta House, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Legacy

This was the first episode of the short-lived comedy series, a spinoff from the movie National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).

Oil
The American Petroleum Institute reported that U.S. petroleum demand for 1978 had risen at the slowest rate since the recession of 1974-75. The demand in 1978 averaged 18.7 million barrels per day, up 1.4% from the 1977 level, compared with a 5% increase for 1977 and a 6.9% increase for 1976.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Commerce Department released preliminary statistics that indicated that the economy had grown by 6.1 % in the final three months of 1978, confirming to the administration of President Jimmy Carter that there would not be a recession.

30 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vingar--Mikael Rickfors (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Just Between Me and You and Kirk and Paul and Carla and Becky

Died on this date
Bruce Chatwin, 48. U.K. author. Mr. Chatwin was known for his novels On the Black Hill (1982) and Utz (1988). He was a sodomite who died of AIDS.

World events
The Central Committee of the United Workers' (Communist) Party in Poland called for the eventual legalization of the trade union movement Solidarity. Party leader General Wojciech Jaruzelski allied himself with party moderates during the debate in the committee, saying "times have changed" and "We are aiming for new solutions." His resolution passed by a vote of 228-32. Under its provisions, Solidarity would undergo a two-year trial period during which it would not strike and would cooperate with Polish authorities.

Health
A whooping cough (diptheria) epidemic hit the Indian community of Hobbema, Alberta.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the merchandise trade deficit had widened to $12.51 billion in November 1988.

Business
The Hudson's Bay Company announced the merger of the Simpsons and The Bay stores in the region of Montreal; 900 employees were laid off.

A merger of the Canadian breweries Molson and O'Keefe was announced.

20 years ago
1994

Died on this date
Lee Roy Caffey, 52. U.S. football player. Mr. Caffey was a linebacker at Texas A&M University (1960-1962) before playing in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles (1963); Green Bay Packers (1964-1969); Chicago Bears (1970); Dallas Cowboys (1971); and San Diego Chargers (1972). He played with NFL championship teams in 1965-1967 and 1971, the last three of which won Super Bowls. Mr. Caffey died after a long battle with colon cancer.

World events
An explosion of uncertain origin near the village of Cando, Galicia, Spain resulted in damage to terrain and trees. Witnesses reported seeing a fireball in the sky lasting almost a full minute.

Scandal
Lawrence Walsh, the independent counsel who had headed the investigation of the 1980s Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal, issued his final report, most of which summarized facts and evidence already known. In his report, Mr. Walsh said he had found evidence of complicity in the affair and subsequent cover-up among President Ronald Reagan, Secretary of State George Shultz, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Attorney General Edwin Meese, and Central Intelligence Agency Director William Casey. Of these, only Mr. Weinberger had faced charges, and he had been pardoned by President George Bush. At a press conference, Mr. Walsh rebuked Mr. Bush for pardoning Mr. Weinberger and five others, and said that his investigation--which took 6 1/2 years and cost $37 million--had been handicapped by Congress, which had granted immunity from prosecution to key witnesses for their testimony in Congressional hearings.

Politics and government
U.S. Navy Admiral Bobby Ray Inman (retired) withdrew as President Bill Clinton's nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense, asserting that elements of the media and political leadership would rather destroy reputations than work effectively to govern the country. Four days earlier, Mr. Inman had contended that U.S. Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (Republican--Kansas) was planning to make the nomination, which required Senate approval, a politically partisan issue.

The Mexican government of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari said that it would address concerns raised by Zapatista National Liberation Army rebels in the state of Chiapas.

Hockey
NHL
Ottawa 4 Edmonton 3 (OT)

10 years ago
2009

Politics and government
In elections for the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) led with 35 of 84 seats, followed by the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) (32); National Conciliation Party (11); Christian Democratic Party (5); and Democratic Change (1).

Football
NFL
NFC Championship
Philadelphia 25 @ Arizona 32

Kurt Warner completed touchdown passes of 9, 62, and 1 yards to Larry Fitzgerald in the 1st half to help the Cardinals take a 24-6 halftime lead as they held off a 2nd-half rally to defeat the Eagles before 70,650 fans at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time in their history, and to the NFL championship game since they were the Chicago Cardinals in 1948.

AFC Championship
Baltimore 14 @ Pittsburgh 23

The Pittsburgh defense forced 5 turnovers, including a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown by Troy Polamalu, and 3 turnovers in the last 3:13 of regulation time, to defeat the Ravens before 65,350 fans at Heinz Field. Ben Roethlisberger completed a 65-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes for the only offensive Pittsburgh touchdown, and Jeff Reed added 3 field goals and 2 extra points. Willis McGahee scored both Baltimore touchdowns on rushes of 3 and 1 yards.