February 25, 2019

240 years ago
1779

War
U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark accepted British Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton’s unconditional surrender of Fort Sackville at Vincennes, Indiana.

210 years ago
1809

Born on this date
John Hart. U.K.-born-Australian politician. Mr. Hart was a sailor who first visited Australia in 1828, and settled in Adelaide in 1846. He was first elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in 1851, holding various offices, and serving as Premier of South Australia three times (October 1865-March 1866; September-October 1868; May 1870-November 1871). Mr. Hart was still a member of the House of Assembly when he died suddenly on January 28, 1873, four weeks before his 64th birthday.

130 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Homer Ferguson. U.S. politician, diplomat, and judge. Mr. Ferguson, a Republican, represented Michigan in the United States Senate from 1943-1955, chairing the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 1953-1955. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines (1955-1956) and then as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (1956-1971). Mr. Ferguson died on December 17, 1982 at the age of 93.

120 years ago
1899

Died on this date
Paul Reuter, 82. German-born U.K. journalist. Mr. Reuter, born Israel Josaphat, moved to England in 1845 and founded Reuters News Agency in 1851. He eventually became a baron.

Hockey
CAHL
Ottawa (4-4) @ Quebec (0-8) (Ottawa won by forfeit)
Montreal Victorias (6-1) 10 @ Montreal (3-5) 6

The Quebec Hockey Club had dropped out of the league after losing their first six games, and forfeited their last two scheduled games.

100 years ago
1919

Economics and finance
Oregon placed a one cent per gallon tax on gasoline, becoming the first U.S. state to levy a gasoline tax.

80 years ago
1939

Defense
The first of 2​1⁄2 million Anderson air raid shelters appeared in North London.

75 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Charles McNary, 69. U.S. politician. Mr. McNary, a Republican, represented Oregon in the United States Senate from 1917-1944 and was Senate Minority Leader from 1933-1944. He was the Republican Party's candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1940, as Wendell Willkie's running mate. Mr. McNary died after unsuccessful surgery for a brain tumor, and the day after he had been re-elected Minority Leader.

James Reid Moir, 64. U.K. archaeologist. Mr. Moir established the existence of man in the Pliocene Epoch (approximately 5.332 million-2.588 million years before the present).

War
British troops captured the town of Kyauktaw in the Kaladan Valley of western Burma. U.S. Selective Service Commission Director Lewis Hershey told the U.S. Senate Agricultural Committee that the bottom of the manpower barrel had been reached. Tokyo radio reported a cabinet decision to restructure Japanese national life for the war effort, which meant a belt-tightening process.

Diplomacy
The Polish government-in-exile notified the U.K. that it would not accept the Curzon Line as a basis for border discussions with the U.S.S.R.

Journalism
The Soviet newspaper Pravda denounced "assistants of William Randolph Hearst" for "spilling poisoned ink to wreck the anti-Hitler coalition." Pravda referred to specific editorials in newspapers owned by the American magnate which outlined supposed Soviet plans to annex the Balkan countries.

Politics and government
General Edelmiro Farrell was named "Vice President in exercise of the executive power," assuming functions as acting President of Argentina, the day after the "resignation" of General Pedro Ramirez on grounds of "ill health."

70 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Your Show Time, hosted and narrated by Arthur Shields, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Invisible Wound, starring Reginald Denny and Maria Palmer

Space
A two-stage rocket reached a record altitude of 250 miles at a speed of 5,000 miles per hour above the White Sands proving grounds in New Mexico.

World events
15 Bulgarian Protestant leaders went on trial before a court in Sofia on charges of espionage and currency speculation. Three defendants read confessions in the opening session.

The Wuerttemberg-Baden Denazification Review Board nullified the eight-year prison sentence of former Riechsbank direcotr Hjalmar Schacht.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman appointed James McDonald the first U.S. Ambassador to Israel, while Eliahu Elath was named Israeli Ambassador to the U.S.A.

Defense
A 20,000-man U.S. Navy task force returned to the United States after completing Operation Micowex, a month of amphibious maneuvers in the North Pacific Ocean.

Transportation
Eastern and National Airlines agreed to interchange traffic between Florida and Texas.

Economics and finance
The German Economic Administration of the U.S.-U.K. zone nominated 12 management trustees to direct the heavy industry of the Ruhr, with nominees requiring the approval of the Western Allied military governors.

Business
The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Borad granted a $7.8-million increase in airmail subsidies to seven U.S. airlines in an attempt to offset 1948 airline losses.

General Motors promised a $10-$40 price reduction of new cars.

Labour
General Motors announced that wages of 341,000 employees would be cut on March 7 under its cost-of-living contract with the United Auto Workers of America due to falling living costs.

60 years ago
1959

Politics and government
The U.S. Republican National Committee appointed a 44-member commission headed by Charles Percy, president of Bell & Howell Company, to draft a statement of the Republican Party's positions and objectives for the next 10-12 years.

Protest
One Somali was killed and 14 wounded in political rioting in Mogadishu.

Energy
The first of four nuclear reactors under construction in Scotland began supplying current to Britain's national power grid.

Transportation
El Al Airlines began airlifts between Vienna and Lydda airport in Israel to handle increased numbers of Jewish emigrants from Romania.

50 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da--The Beatles (5th week at #1)

Music
The single Memories/Charro by Elvis Presley was released on RCA Victor Records.

War
At the Paris peace talks, U.S. officials criticized the latest Viet Cong and North Vietnamese offensive against South Vietnam, saying that the attacks raised the question of whether the Communists really wanted peace.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon visited the House of Commons in London.

Protest
A high school student who identified himself as "Human Torch No. 2" died in Prague after setting himself afire in Saint Wenceslaus Square to protest the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.

Terrorism
A bomb exploded in Montreal, the tenth to explode in the city since the beginning of the year.

Politics and government
Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill said that he would not resign despite not being given a mandate for his moderate reform program aimed at meeting civil rights demands of the Roman Catholic minority in Northern Ireland.

Academia
Dr. William H. Masterson resigned as president of Rice University in Houston, Texas, three days after 1,000 students and 200 faculty members had rallied to protest his appointment.

Students at Pennsylvania State University complied with a court injunction and ended their occupation of the administration building.

Weather
Three days of heavy rain in southern California concluded with at least 12,500 homeless and 10 dead in mudslides and floods.

Disasters
A fire that swept through a Fifth Avenue office building in New York killed 11 and critically burned 5.

40 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Y.M.C.A.--Village People

#1 single in Switzerland: Y.M.C.A.--Village People (6th week at #1)

War
Heavy fighting continued on the northern border between Vietnam and China. Chinese Deputy Premier Wang Chen claimed that China's invasion of Vietnamese territory would be "limited in scope and duration."

Fighting erupted along the border between Yemen and South Yemen as both nations accused each other of staging an invasion.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Jimmy Carter invited Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to join him and Egyptian Premier Mustafa Khalil at the Camp David peace talks in a bold move to hasten efforts to conclude a peace treaty.

Scandal
U.S. President Jimmy Carter disavowed recent comments by his brother Billy that were widely regarded as anti-Semitic, saying that he regretted them, and that they did not reflect his views.

30 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): 051/222525--Fabio Concato (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): You Got It--Roy Orbison (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Pour toi Arménie--Charles Aznavour and various artists (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Belfast Child--Simple Minds

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Buffalo Stance--Neneh Cherry
2 Tonight - Live--Tina Turner (Duet with David Bowie)
3 You Got It--Roy Orbison
4 She Drives Me Crazy--Fine Young Cannibals
5 We Cheer You Up (Join the Pin-Up Club)--Barbarella
6 Baby Don't Forget My Number--Milli Vanilli
7 Belfast Child (EP track)--Simple Minds
8 Four Letter Word--Kim Wilde
9 It's Only Love--Simply Red
10 Bring Me Edelweiss--Edelweiss

Singles entering the chart were Wild Thing by Tone Lōc (#21); My Prerogative by Bobby Brown (#23); Every Rose Has its Thorn by Poison (#26); The Living Years by Mike + the Mechanics (#29); Respect by Adeva (#30); and Countdown by the Countdown All Star Band (#35).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Straight Up--Paula Abdul (3rd week at #1)
2 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
3 Wild Thing--Tone Loc
4 The Lover in Me--Sheena Easton
5 Born to Be My Baby--Bon Jovi
6 She Wants to Dance with Me--Rick Astley
7 You Got It (The Right Stuff)--New Kids on the Block
8 What I Am--Edie Brickell and New Bohemians
9 The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics
10 Walking Away--Information Society

Singles entering the chart were Heaven Help Me by Deon Estus (with George Michael) (#67); It's Only Love by Simply Red (#77); Seventeen by Winger (#78); Driven Out by the Fixx (#81); Radio Romance by Tiffany (#84); Birthday Suit by Johnny Kemp (#85); Falling Out of Love by Ivan Neville (#91); This Time by Kiara (Duet with Shanice Wilson (#93); I Can't Face the Fact by Gina Go-Go (#94); and Tribute (Right On) by the Pasadenas (#97).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
2 Straight Up--Paula Abdul
3 The Lover in Me--Sheena Easton
4 Born to Be My Baby--Bon Jovi
5 You Got It (The Right Stuff)--New Kids on the Block
6 She Wants to Dance with Me--Rick Astley
7 What I Am--Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
8 Wild Thing--Tone Loc
9 When I'm with You--Sheriff
10 Walking Away--Information Society

Singles entering the chart were Room to Move by Animotion (#65); Tribute (Right On) by the Pasadenas (#72); I Cry Myself to Sleep at Night by Romeo's Daughter (#75); Radio Romance by Tiffany (#80); Heaven Help Me by Deon Estus (with George Michael) (#82); Seventeen by Winger (#85); Halleluiah Man by Love and Money (#87); and One by Metallica (#89).

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush flew to Beijing.

Skiing
Rob Boyd won a World Cup downhill race in his home town of Whistler, British Columbia, becoming the first Canadian to win a FIS World Cup Ski race in Canada.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 St. Louis 3

Football
NFL
Jerry Jones, the new owner of the Dallas Cowboys, fired head coach Tom Landry, who had been the team's only head coach through their first 29 seasons. Mr. Landry had led the Cowboys to Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1978, and the classless manner of his dismissal outraged everyone with a sense of decency.

25 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Without You--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Jersey Joe Walcott, 80. U.S. boxer. Mr. Walcott, born Arnold Cream, made several attempts to win the world heavyweight championship before finally succeeding. On July 18, 1951, in his fifth fight for the title, Mr. Walcott knocked out Ezzard Charles in the 7th round at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, becoming, at 37, the oldest man yet to win the title. After a successful defense against Mr. Charles, he lost the title when he was knocked out by Rocky Marciano on September 23, 1952. The two fought a rematch on May 15, 1953, and Mr. Walcott retired with a record of 51-18-2 after being knocked out in the 1st round.

Weather
It snowed in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Terrorism
U.S.-born Israeli physician Baruch Goldstein, 38, opened fire with an automatic rifle on Muslim worshippers at the Mosque of Abraham in Hebron, killing between 30 and 54 people before being beaten to death by iron bars.

Olympics
16-year-old Oksana Baiul of Ukraine won the gold medal in the women's figure skating competition at the Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Four of the nine judges gave higher marks to Nancy Kerrigan of the United States, who won the silver medal. Tonya Harding, who had won the U.S. women's title after Miss Kerrigan had been forced to withdraw from the U.S. championship after being clubbed on the leg after a practice--as a result of a plot involving members of Ms. Harding's social circle and in which she had been implicated--finished eighth.

Baseball
Phil Rizzuto, the New York Yankees' shortstop from 1941-1942 and 1946-1956, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee at age 76 after 28 years of waiting. Mr. Rizzuto, nicknamed "Scooter," batted .273 with 38 home runs and 563 runs batted in in 1,661 games, and had played with 7 World Series championship teams. He had long been regarded as a borderline candidate for the Hall of Fame.

20 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Glenn Seaborg, 86. U.S. chemist. Dr. Seaborg, leader of the team that created plutonium in 1941, was awarded the 1951 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, for "discoveries in the chemistry of the transuranium elements." He served as chairman of the Atomic Energy Committee from 1961-1971, where he pushed for commercial nuclear energy and the peaceful applications of nuclear science. Dr. Seaborg contributed to the discovery of ten elements: plutonium; americium; curium; berkelium; californium; einsteinium; fermium; mendelevium; nobelium; and element 106, which was named seaborgium in his honour during his lifetime.

Crime
John William King, a self-described white supremacist, was sentenced to death by lethal injection by the same jury that had convicted him two days earlier of murder in the death of James Byrd, Jr., a Negro who had been seized by Mr. King and two others, tied to the back of a truck, and dragged to his death along rural roads near Jasper, Texas.

10 years ago
2009

Died on this date
Philip José Farmer, 91. U.S. author. Mr. Farmer was a science fiction writer who wrote almost 60 novels and over 100 short stories and novellas. He frequently worked sexual and religious themes into his work.

Defense
Members of the Bangladesh Rifles mutinied at their headquarters in Pilkhana, resulting in 74 deaths, in addition to 8 mutineers killed.

Disasters
Turkish Airlines Flight 1951, a Boeing 737 jetliner en route from Istanbul, crashed during landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, primarily due to a faulty radio altimeter, resulting in the death of nine passengers and crew, including all three pilots.