February 5, 2019

1,230 years ago
789

Africana
Idris I reached Volubilis and founded the Idrisid dynasty, ceding Morocco from the Abbasid caliphate and founding the first Moroccan state.

370 years ago
1649

Britannica
11 days after the execution of King Charles I, Charles II was proclaimed King of England and Scotland by the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

170 years ago
1849

Academia
The University of Wisconsin at Madison's first class met at Madison Female Academy.

160 years ago
1859

Europeana
Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Prince of Moldavia, was also elected as prince of Wallachia, joining the two principalities as a personal union called the United Principalities, an autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire, which ushered the birth of the modern Romanian state.

150 years ago
1869

Economics and finance
The largest alluvial gold nugget in history, called the "Welcome Stranger", was found in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia.

130 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Recep Peker. Prime Minister of Turkey, 1946-1947. Mr. Peker, a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), held various cabinet posts in a parliamentary career of almost 30 years. Despite being Prime Minister during a period of multi-party rule, he opposed a multi-party system, and supported an authoritarian one-party state. Mr. Peker died on April 1, 1950 at the age of 61.

Academia
Catholic Oblate College of Ottawa became Ottawa College.

110 years ago
1909

Technology
Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announced the creation of Bakelite, the world's first synthetic plastic.

100 years ago
1919

Born on this date
Tim Holt. U.S. actor. The son of actor Jack Holt, Tim Holt was known for his appearances in such movies as Stagecoach (1939); The Magnificent Ambersons (1942); Hitler's Children (1943); My Darling Clementine (1946); and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). He died of bone cancer on February 15, 1973, 10 days after his 54th birthday.

Andreas Papandreou. Prime Minister of Greece, 1983-1989, 1993-1996. Dr. Papandreou began his education in Greece, but left for the United States in the 1930s after being accused of Trotskyism by the fascist regime of Ioannis Metaxas. Dr. Papandreou was an economist at various universities in North America before returning to Greece in 1959. He was imprisoned when a military dictatorship took power in 1967, but was allowed to move to Sweden, where he formed the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK). When the military junta fell in 1974, Dr. Papandreou returned to Greece, dissolved the PAK, and founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), which he led until his death. As Prime Minister, he led governments that initiated leftist domestic policies, while charting an independent foreign policy. Dr. Papandreou resigned as Prime Minister because of ill health five months before his death from heart and kidney failure on June 23, 1996 at the age of 77.

Red Buttons. U.S. actor. Mr. Buttons, born Aaron Chwatt, was a burlesque comedian and then a successful actor on Broadway before achieving success in television with variety program The Red Buttons Show (1952-1955). He won the Academy Award for his supporting performance in a dramatic role in Sayonara (1957). Mr. Buttons was also known for his regular appearances on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast in the 1970s and '80s, where he would mention people who "never got a dinner." He died of complications from cardiovascular disease on July 13, 2006, at the age of 87.

Business
Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith launched United Artists.

80 years ago
1939

Politics and government
Generalísimo Francisco Franco became the 68th "Caudillo de España," or Leader of Spain.

75 years ago
1944

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?)--Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra with Eugenie Baird (Best Seller--2nd week at #1); Shoo-Shoo Baby--The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Jukebox--4th week at #1)

War
The U.S.S.R. reported that Soviet troops over the past several days had penetrated 85 miles into Poland, taking 200 inhabited places. U.S. forces completed their occupation of Kwajalein, Ebeye, and Loi in the Marshall Islands.

Politics and government
Several hundred Lithuanian descendants petitioned U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to restore Lithuania to its status as an independent nation--a status which it held prior to the Soviet invasion and occupation in 1940.

Oil
The Petroleum Reserves Corporation of the United States announced that it would build a pipeline across Arabia from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.

Track and field
Gil Dodds won the one-mile run at the Melrose Games in New York in a time of 4:10.6, finishing three yards ahead of Bill Hulse.

70 years ago
1949

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys; Gene Autry (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): A Little Bird Told Me--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters (3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 A Little Bird Told Me--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters
--Blue Lu Barker
--Paula Watson
2 Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys
--The Dinning Sisters
3 On a Slow Boat to China--Kay Kyser Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Art Lund
4 My Darling, My Darling--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae with the Starlighters
--Doris Day and Buddy Clark
5 Far Away Places--Bing Crosby
--Margaret Whiting and the Crew Chiefs
--Perry Como
6 Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
7 You were Only Fooling (While I was Falling in Love)--Blue Barron and his Orchestra
--The Ink Spots
--Kay Starr
8 I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm--Les Brown and his Orchestra
9 Powder Your Face with Sunshine (Smile! Smile! Smile!)--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
10 The Pussy Cat Song (Nyow! Nyot Nyow!)--Patty Andrews and Bob Crosby
--Perry Como with the Fontane Sisters

Singles entering the chart were More Beer! by the Andrews Sisters #23); So in Love by Patti Page (#32); and Once in Love with Amy by Frank Sinatra (#33).

On the radio
Tales of Fatima, starring Basil Rathbone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Cairo Curse

War
Lebanon and Syria agreed to enter the Rhodes peace conference on condition that Israeli troops leave Lebanese soil.

World events
The three-day treason trial of Josef Cardinal Mindszenty ended in Budapest as he expressed regret for acting against the government and declared that he was not an enemy of the Hungarian people.

Politics and government
The day after the attempted assassination of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi by reporter Fakhr Raiee and student demonstrations against foreign oil concessions in Iran, the Iranian government outlawed the leftist Tudeh Party.

Weather
A four-day blizzard centred in Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming ended after disrupting Chicago-California rail traffic.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor Executive Council concluded a seven-day meeting in Miami after unanimously approving U.S. President Harry Truman's proposed revision of the Taft-Hartley Act.

60 years ago
1959

Died on this date
Don Law, 38. U.S. actor. Mr. Law reportedly played "Fats" in the Our Gang series of comedy short films.

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev invited U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to visit the Soviet Union and to being with him any American leaders he desired.

World events
Congolese sources reported that an estimated 1,000 unemployed Africans were being arrested in Leopoldville each day and removed to transit camps for return to tribal areas of the Belgian Congo.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate a bill extending the draft for four years.

Society
U.S. President Eisenhower asked Congress to enact a seven-point program of civil rights legislation.

Economics and finance
The 21st Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union adjourned after adopting a new seven-year economic plan advanced by Premier Khrushchev.

The U.S. Senate passed and sent to the House of Representatives a $2.675-billion omnibus housing bill.

50 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Blackberry Way--The Move

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Eloise--Barry Ryan (2nd week at #1)
2 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
3 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
4 I Started a Joke/Kilburn Towers--The Bee Gees
5 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles
6 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
7 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
8 White Room--Cream
9 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
10 Scarborough Fair--Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66

Singles entering the chart were Edge of Reality/If I Can Dream by Elvis Presley (#24); Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da by the Marmalade (#36); and Such a Lovely Way by the Groop (#40).

Died on this date
Thelma Ritter, 66. U.S. actress. Miss Ritter was nominated for Academy Awards for her supporting performances in All About Eve (1950); The Mating Season (1951); With a Song in My Heart (1952); Pickup on South Street (1953); Pillow Talk (1959); and Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). She won the Tony Award (shared with her co-star, Gwen Verdon) for Best Actress in a Musical for New Girl in Town (1957). Miss Ritter died of a heart attack, nine days before her 67th birthday.

Space
The communications satellite Intelsat III F-1 was launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Operated by the multi-nation International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium, the synchronous (fixed-position) satellite carried 1,200 circuits for voice, television, teletype, and data communications.

Diplomacy
United States Ambassador Charles Yost met with French Ambassador Armand Berard in the first of the United Nations' Big Four talks to prepare the way for a Middle East peace settlement.

Politics and government
Kai-Uwe von Hassel was elected President of the West German Bundestag, succeeding Eugen Gerstenmaier.

Weather
It was -39 F. in Yellowknife, the date that "Kiskay Piskum" was supposed to occur.

Labour
Three major unions in Italy, demanding higher pensions, joined a general strike which shut down top industries, ports, and air, rail, and bus transportation for 24 hours.

Disasters
An air taxi service plane crashed and burned after takeoff from Port Angeles, Washington, killing all 10 aboard.

Boxing
Denny Moyer (59-19-3) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Frankie Niblett (15-34-11) in a light heavyweight bout at the Silver Slipper in Las Vegas.

Football
NFL
The Green Bay Packers' board of directors held a three-hour meeting, after which it was announced that they had decided to let general manager Vince Lombardi out of the final five years of his contract in order to become head coach and executive vice president of the Washington Redskins.

40 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Champion--Alice (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): It's Downtown--New Trolls

Politics and government
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini named Mehdi Bazargan as head of a "provisional government" in Iran; Mr. Bazargan, a member of the opposition National Front, had been imprisoned for five years in the early 1960s for his opposition to Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi. Shahpur Bakhtiar was still the official Prime Minister of Iran.

Diplomacy
Chinese Deputy Premier Deng Xiaoping concluded his nine-day visit to the United States, having followed his visit to Washington, D.C. with visits to Atlanta, Houston, and Seattle. He displayed his interest in American technology by visiting a Ford Motor Company plant near Atlanta, the Johnson Space Center and the Hughes Tool Company in Houston, and a Boeing Aircraft Company plant near Seattle.

Protest
3,000 farmers, in a demonstration organized by the American Agriculture Movement, drove their tractors, trucks, and campers into Washington, D.C., tying up traffic, as they demanded higher farm price supports. More than 20 farmers were arrested by the end of the day, and police contained the protest by blocking off the exits from the Washington Mall, where the tractors had congregated. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland said that the farmers were motivated by "just old fashioned greed," and that the administration of President Jimmy Carter would not change the support levels. The Agriculture Department had recently estimated 1978 net farm income at $28.1 billion, nearly 30% above the 1977 net.

Crime
Sara Jane Moore, who was serving a life sentence for attempting to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975, scaled a 12-foot fence with a fellow prisoner at the minimum-security Federal Reformatory for Women in Anderson, West Virginia, and the two escaped. They were caught 4 hours later and 30 miles away, attempting to hitchhike.

30 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Angel of Harlem--U2 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Bring Me Edelweiss--Edelweiss (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Joe Raposo, 51. U.S. composer. Mr. Raposo was best known for writing scores and songs for children's television programs, especially Sesame Street and The Electric Company. He died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, three days before his 52nd birthday.

War
The last Soviet troops departed the Afghan capital of Kabul, ending the U.S.S.R.'s nine-year military involvement in Afghanistan.

World events
Two days after being deposed in a military coup, former Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner, 76, fled into exile in Brazil.

Skiing
Karen Percy of Canada won a silver medal in the Women's World Alpine Championship; at Vail, Colorado.

Hockey
NHL
New Jersey 4 Edmonton 2

25 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Give It Up--Cut 'N' Move

#1 single in Italy: The Rhythm of the Night--Corona

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Saturday Night--Whigfield (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): La solitudine--Laura Pausini

#1 single in France (SNEP): Happy Nation--Ace of Base

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Ik wil niet dat je liegt/Waarheen waarvoor--Paul de Leeuw (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Things Can Only Get Better--D: Ream (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (3rd week at #1)
2 Hero--Mariah Carey
3 The Power of Love--Celine Dion
4 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
5 The Sign--Ace of Base
6 All that She Wants--Ace of Base
7 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
8 Again--Janet Jackson
9 Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams
10 Shoop--Salt-N-Pepa

Singles entering the chart were Bump n' Grind by R. Kelly (#59); Laid by James (#76); If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night) by MeShell Ndegeocello (#85); and Sound of Da Police by KRS-One (#93).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (3rd week at #1)
2 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
3 Hero--Mariah Carey
4 All that She Wants--Ace of Base
5 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
6 Again--Janet Jackson
7 Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams
8 Can We Talk--Tevin Campbell
9 The Power of Love--Celine Dion
10 Shoop--Salt-N-Pepa

Singles entering the chart were Understanding by Xscape (#17); The Sign by Ace of Base (#28); Choose by Color Me Badd (#29); So Much in Love by All-4-One (#34); Having a Party by Rod Stewart with Ronnie Wood (#45); Life (Everybody Needs Somebody To Love) by Haddaway (#47); Goody Goody by Lisette Melendez (#48); Will You Be There (In The Morning) by Heart (#49); Always on My Mind by SWV (#51); Now and Forever by Richard Marx (#53); Whatta Man by Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue (#58); I'm in the Mood by Ce Ce Peniston (#60); Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (#61); Cannonball by the Breeders (#63); I Love Music by Rozalla (#67); Stay by Eternal (#68); Betcha'll Never Find by Chantay Savage (#69); (Lay Your Head On My) Pillow by Tony Toni Tone (#70); U Send Me Swingin' by Mint Condition (#77); Dunky Butt (Please Please Please) by 12 Gauge (#78); Funk Dat/Why is It? by Sagat (#81); Give it Up by Goodmen (#84); I'm in Love by Lisa Keith (#86); Dirty Dawg by NKOTB (#87); and We Ain't Goin' Out Like That by Cypress Hill (#89).

Music
This blogger and a female acquaintance were in attendance at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium to see the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in concert. Michael Morgan was the guest conductor, violinist Corey Cerovsek was the guest soloist.

War
68 people were killed and 200 injured when a mortar bomb fired from the hills overlooking Sarajevo exploded in the city's main market square.

Crime
Byron De La Beckwith was sentenced to life in prison for the 1963 murder of Negro civil rights leader Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi. Mr. Beckwith had been tried twice in 1964 for the murder, but two juries composed entirely of white people had deadlocked. On the basis of new evidence, Mr. Beckwith was tried again, and a jury of eight Negroes and four whites convicted him.

Hockey
NHL
Detroit 4 @ Toronto 3

20 years ago
1999

Scandal
At the impeachment trial of U.S. President Bill Clinton, a transcript of the testimony of former White House intern Monica Lewinsky was released, showing that she still denied that anyone had asked her to lie or submit a false affidavit in Paula Jones's sexual harassment case against Mr. Clinton. Miss Lewinsky said that she now had "mixed feelings" toward Mr. Clinton.

10 years ago
2009

Business
The Ontario Securities Commission reached a $77-million settlement with top executives of Research In Motion, maker of the BlackBerry; it was alleged they had put in place an improper stock option regime that cost RIM over $100 million.

Disasters
The United States Navy guided missile cruiser USS Port Royal ran aground on a coral reef off the island of Oahu, causing no fatalities, some damage to the ship, and damage to the reef.