January 17, 2020

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Tanya Sokolova!

1,625 years ago
395

Died on this date
Theodosius I, 48. Roman Emperor, 379-395. Theodosius "the Great" was a military commander who filled a leadership vacancy and became Emperor of the Eastern Empire in 379. He fought two successful civil wars and ended up ruling both the Eastern and Western Empire in 392, but at great cost to the Empire. Empire Theodosius I persecuted Christians in the early years of his reign, but later made Nicene Christianity the official state religion, and abolished pagan Roman practices. He died, six days after his 48th birthday, from a disease involving severe edema. His sons Arcadius and Honorius succeeded him as Emperors in the East and West, respectively, and the Roman Empire was never again united.

980 years ago
1040

Died on this date
Mas'ud I, 41 or 42. Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire, 1030-1040. Mas'ud I acceded to the throne of the Ghaznavid Empire by seizing power from his younger twin Mohammad, who had been nominated by their father Sultan Mahmud 50 days earlier. Mas'ud I had Mohammad blinded and imprisoned. Mas'ud I suffered military reversals in the western part of the Empire, which resulted in Muhammad being restored to power. Mas'ud I was imprisoned and killed on the orders of either Muhammad or Muhammad's son Ahmed.

425 years ago
1595

War
During the French Wars of Religion, King Henry IV of France declared war on Spain.

200 years ago
1820

Born on this date
Anne Brontë. U.K. authoress and poetess. Miss Brontë, the younger sister of authoresses Charlotte and Emily Brontë, was known for her novels Agnes Grey (1847) and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848). Anne Brontë died on May 28, 1849 at the age of 29, of what is now suspected to have been pulmonary tuberculosis.

170 years ago
1850

Born on this date
Alexander Taneyev. Russian composer. Mr. Taneyev was a high-ranking government official who was also a pianist who wrote two operas, four symphonies, pieces for piano, and orchestral and chamber works. He died on February 7, 1918, three weeks after his 68th birthday.

160 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Douglas Hyde. 1st President of Ireland, 1938-1945. Mr. Hyde, an independent politician, was known as a promoter of the Irish language. He sat in the Seanad (Senate) from 1922-1925 and then for a week in 1938 immediately prior to his appointment as President. He opted not to run for re-election in 1945, and died on July 12, 1949 at the age of 89, after several years of declining health.

140 years ago
1880

Born on this date
Mack Sennett. Canadian-born U.S. movie director and producer. Mr. Sennett, born Michael Sinnott in Richmond, Quebec, moved to Connecticut when he was 17 and eventually made his way to New York, where he began his film career with the Biograph Company, acting, directing, and performing other functions. Mr. Sennett then moved to Edendale, California, where he founded Keystone Studios in 1912. Mr. Sennett soon became famous for his silent comedy short films, with much slapstick involving the Keystone Kops and the Sennett Bathing Beauties. In 1917, Mr. Sennett left Keystone Studios and founded the Mack Sennett Comedies Corporation in 1917, moving to Pathé Exchange distribution in the mid-1920s. He made the transition to sound films in the late 1920s, and won an Academy Award in the category of Best Short Subject, Novelty for Wrestling Swordfish (1931). Mr. Sennett's studio went bankrupt in November 1933, and he went into retirement soon after. He was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 1938, and died on November 5, 1960 at the age of 80.

100 years ago
1920

World events
Anarchists Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman, arriving at Hanko, Finland after being deported from the United States, announced that they would organize a society in Soviet Russia known as the Russian Friends of American Liberty to promote social revolution in the U.S.A.

Law
A year after it was ratified, the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect. It read:

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all the territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

The amendment didn’t prohibit drinking alcohol, or even buying it.



90 years ago
1930

Died on this date
Gauhar Jaan, 56. Indian singer. Miss Jaan, born Angelina Yeoward, helped to popularize several genres of Indian classical music as one of the first performers to record music on 78 rpm records in India. She made more than 600 recordings in more than 10 languages from 1902-1920.

80 years ago
1940

Literature
Abraham Lincoln: The War Years by Carl Sandburg and The Revolution of Nihilism by Herman Rauschning were chosen by Current History as the best non-fiction books of 1939.

War
Intense cold (-54 F. in Viborg and -49 F. in Moscow) paralyzed war moves on land in Finland and the U.S.S.R.

Weather
The coldest temperatures in 20 years gripped Scandinavia, the Baltic states, and Russia.

Defense
Costa Rica granted the United States Navy permission to protect its territorial waters.

Diplomacy
The United States protested British interference with mail from the U.S. intended for Europe.

Economics and finance
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Henry Grady told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee that the influx of the world's gold supply to the United States would continue until other nations were able to pay for American purchases.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Vic Donahey (Ohio) filed a declaration of his candidacy for the 1940 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.

75 years ago
1945

War
In a letter to House of Representatives Military Affairs Committee Chairman Andrew May, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appealed for quick enactment of "work or fight" legislation for men aged 18-45. In new gains in the Maeseyck sector of the Netherlands, British forces took Dieteren. U.S. forces in Belgium captured Petit Thier and Vielsalm. 5 years, 3 months, and 20 days after Nazi forces had marched into Warsaw, the White Russian Army, commanded by Marshal Grigori Zhukov, along with Polish forces from Lublin, captured the Polish capital, sweeping around the city on both flanks and penetrating west almost to Lodz. The Nazis began the evacuation of the Auschwitz death camp in Poland as Soviet forces closed in. Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, famous for rescuing tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, was taken into Soviet custody in Budapest, and was never publicly seen again.

Economics and finance
A French decree nationalized the Renault automobile works, which would be under "national management," with the workers participating through an "enterprise committee."

Disasters
Almost 1,500 people died in a sudden flood of the Mosna River in Peru.

70 years ago
1950

On the radio
Philo Vance, starring Jackson Beck
Tonight’s episode: The Talking Corpse Murder Case, aka The Catty Corpse Murder Case

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Summer Storm, starring E.G. Marshall, Jack Dimond, and Morton Stevens



Died on this date
Henry Allen, 81. U.S. politician. Mr. Allen, a Republican, owned several newspapers before entering politics. He was Governor of Kansas (1919-1923), and represented the state in the United States Senate (1929-1930). As Governor, Mr. Allen admired the policies of Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini, and succeeded in pushing through a similar industrial court provision. Mr. Allen died after a cerebral thrombosis.

Jewel Ens, 60. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Ens was an infielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1922-1925), batting .290 with 1 home runs and 24 runs batted in in 67 games. He played at least 13 seasons in the minor leagues (1908-1921). Mr. Ens managed the Pirates from 1929-1931, compiling a record of 176-167. He coached in the National League for several years before managing the Indianapolis Indians (1941) of the American Association and Syracuse Chiefs (1942-1949) of the International League, leading the Chiefs to Governors' Cup championships in 1942, 1943, and 1947. Mr. Ens was still managing the Chiefs at the time of his death from pneumonia; he was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame later in 1950.

Science
The University of California announced the creation of the new element berkelium (#97 in the periodic table), in its Berkeley cyclotron.

Diplomacy
Switzerland recognized the People's Republic of China.

Defense
The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 79, voting for the UN Commission on Conventional Armaments to resume discussion of non-atomic disarmament, with emphasis on a French plan for a world arms census.

Politics and government
The British Labour Party issued its electoral campaign program, promising maintenance of full employment and social welfare programs; continued food price controls; and nationalization of remaining important industries.

Crime
11 thieves stole more than $2 million from the Brink's Building in Boston.

Testimony concluded in the New York perjury trial of former U.S. State Department official Alger Hiss.

60 years ago
1960

Football
NFL
Pro Bowl @ Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
West 38 East 21

Baltimore Colts’ quarterback Johnny Unitas was voted the game’s outstanding back, while his Baltimore teammate Eugene "Bid Daddy" Lipscomb was voted the top lineman. Red Hickey of the San Francisco 49ers was the winning head coach over Buck Shaw of the Philadelphia Eagles.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Abbey Road (LP)--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Venus--The Shocking Blue

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Mi ritorni in mente--Lucio Battisti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Dein schönstes Geschenk--Roy Black (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Two Little Boys--Rolf Harris (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Two Little Boys--Rolf Harris (5th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Something/Come Together--The Beatles
2 Suspicious Minds--Elvis Presley
3 Penny Arcade--Roy Orbison
4 Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head--Johnny Farnham
5 Picking Up Pebbles--Matt Flinders
6 And When I Die--Blood, Sweat & Tears
7 Take a Letter Maria--R.B. Greaves
8 Down on the Corner/Fortunate Son--Creedence Clearwater Revival
9 I'll Never Fall in Love Again--Bobbie Gentry
10 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond

Singles entering the chart were Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby) by Lulu (#36) and Think About Tomorrow Today/A Dog, a Siren and Memories by the Master's Apprentices (#38).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Marian--The Cats (5th week at #1)
2 Mighty Joe--Shocking Blue
3 Tonight Today--DBM & T
4 Marie Jolie--Aphrodite's Child
5 Thanks--J. Vincent Edward
6 Another 45 Miles--The Golden Earring
7 Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin
8 The Flood--Ginger Ale
9 Het Zal Je Kind Maar Wezen--Adèle Bloemendaal, Leen Jongewaard, Piet Römer en koor
10 Jin-Go-La-Ba--Santana

Singles entering the chart were Wat Een Spreker is die Man by Seth Gaaikema (#21); Mijn Gebed by D.C. Lewis (#22); Melting Pot by Blue Mink (#28); Bij Ons Staat Op de Keukendeur 't is Niet Altijd Rozegeur by Tony Bass (#29); Someday We'll Be Together by Diana Ross + the Supremes (#31); Seasons by Earth and Fire (#34); She Came in Through the Bathroom Window by Joe Cocker (#36); and Nobody's Child by Karen Young (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas (3rd week at #1)
2 Venus--The Shocking Blue
3 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5
4 Someday We'll Be Together--Diana Ross and the Supremes
5 Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin
6 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary
7 Don't Cry Daddy/Rubberneckin'--Elvis Presley
8 Jam Up Jelly Tight--Tommy Roe
9 Down on the Corner/Fortunate Son--Creedence Clearwater Revival
10 Midnight Cowboy--Ferrante & Teicher

Singles entering the chart were Honey Come Back by Glen Campbell (#78); The Touch of You by Brenda and the Tabulations (#84); Give Me Just a Little More Time by the Chairmen of the Board (#85); Psychedelic Shack by the Temptations (#95); If Walls Could Talk by Little Milton (#97); Country Preacher by Cannonball Adderley (#98); The Ghetto (Part 1) by Donny Hathaway (#99); and Shades of Green by the Flaming Ember (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas (2nd week at #1)
2 Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin
3 Venus--The Shocking Blue
4 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5
5 Jam Up Jelly Tight--Tommy Roe
6 Someday We'll Be Together--Diana Ross and the Supremes
7 Don't Cry Daddy--Elvis Presley
8 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary
9 Jingle Jangle--The Archies
10 Without Love (There is Nothing)--Tom Jones

Singles entering the chart were Psychedelic Shack by the Temptations (#44); Honey Come Back by Glen Campbell (#50); Oh What a Day by the Dells (#72); If I were a Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carter (#75); If I Never Knew Your Name by Vic Dana (#80); Got to See If I Can't Get Mommy (To Come Back Home) by Jerry Butler (#88); Ma Belle Amie by the Tee Set (#89); Barbara, I Love You by the New Colony Six (#93); The Touch of You by Brenda and the Tabulations (#94); Freight Train by Duane Eddy (#95); Compared to What by Les McCann and Eddie Harris (#96); Save the Country by Thelma Houston (#97); Mr. Limousine Driver by Grand Funk Railroad (#99); and Answer Me, My Love by the Happenings (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas (3rd week at #1)
2 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5
3 Venus--The Shocking Blue
4 Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin
5 Jam Up Jelly Tight--Tommy Roe
6 Someday We'll Be Together--Diana Ross and the Supremes
7 Jingle Jangle--The Archies
8 La La La (If I Had You)--Bobby Sherman
9 Don't Cry Daddy/Rubberneckin'--Elvis Presley
10 Early in the Morning--Vanity Fare

Singles entering the chart were Honey Come Back by Glen Campbell (#48); Let a Man Come In and Do the Popcorn by James Brown (#70); Oh What a Day by the Dells (#75); Got to See If I Can't Get Mommy (To Come Back Home) by Jerry Butler (#83); Jesus is Just Alright by the Byrds (#86); Back to Dreaming Again by Pat Shannon (#91); If I Never Knew Your Name by Vic Dana (#92); Then She's a Lover by Roy Clark (#94); 1984 by Spirit (#96); The Touch of You by Brenda and the Tabulations (#97); and You are My Sunshine by Dyke and the Blazers (#98).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas (2nd week at #1)
2 Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin
3 Jingle Jangle--The Archies
4 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5
5 Jam Up Jelly Tight--Tommy Roe
6 Don't Cry Daddy/Rubberneckin'--Elvis Presley
7 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary
8 La La La (If I Had You)--Bobby Sherman
9 One Tin Soldier--The Original Caste
10 Venus--The Shocking Blue

Singles entering the chart were How Can I Forget by Marvin Gaye (#72); I Love You by Otis Leavill (#76); Guess Who by Ruby Winters (#79); Hikky Burr (Part 1) by Bill Cosby with the Bunions Bradford Band (#82); Won't Find Better by New Hope (#90); Honey Come Back by Glen Campbell (#91); Didn't I (Blow Your Mind this Time) by the Delfonics (#93); If I were a Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carter (#94); Kool's Back Again by Kool & The Gang (#95); Mr. Limousine Driver by Grand Funk Railroad (#96); You are My Sunshine by Dyke and the Blazers (#97); Got to See If I Can't Get Mommy (To Come Back Home) by Jerry Butler (#98); Want You to Know by Rotary Connection (#99); and Oh What a Day by the Dells (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 That's Where I Went Wrong--The Poppy Family
2 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
3 Cold Turkey--Plastic Ono Band
4 No Time--The Guess Who
5 Don't Cry Daddy--Elvis Presley
6 Fancy--Bobbie Gentry
7 Something--The Beatles
8 Venus--The Shocking Blue
9 La La La (If I Had You)--Bobby Sherman
10 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond
Pick hit of the week: I Want You Back--The Jackson 5

Died on this date
Billy Stewart, 32. U.S. singer. Mr. Stewart, an artist on the rhythm and blues Chess label, had several hit singles in the mid-1960s. His biggest hit was Summertime, which hit #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. He and four members of his band--Norman Rich, 39; William Cathey, 32; Rico Hightower, 22--were killed in an auto accident when the car driven by Mr. Stewart struck a bridge abutment and plunged into the Neuse River near Smithfield, North Carolina.

War
The U.S. Command in Saigon disclosed that the bodies of two Americans found in a shallow grave by Marines in Thua Thien Province in the northernmost 1st Corps area of South Vietnam were those of Captain David R. Devers and Master Sergeant John H. O’Neill, who had been paraded as prisoners by the Viet Cong through several villages and then executed in front of a village church north of Hue. Captured on August 13, 1966, they were killed on September 30, 1966, after 49 days.

Law
A report published by a joint U.S. Congressional subcommittee on economy in government accused the departments of Interior and Justice of depriving Indians of their water rights. The report, written by William H. Veeder, an Interior Department expert on Indian water resources, concluded that Indians had suffered "irreparable" damage.

Oddities
Michael James Brody, 21, a self-proclaimed millionaire who had been giving away money, showed an empty wallet to some of the people who had accosted him near his father’s Manhattan apartment, shouted obscenities at others, and then left by private plane for Puerto Rico. His bank said that Mr. Brody’s account was insufficient to cover cheques he’d written.

Football
AFL
All-Star Game @ Astrodome, Houston
West 26 East 3

San Diego Chargers’ quarterback John Hadl, who handed off to fellow Charger Dickie Post for a 1-yard touchdown and completed a 21-yard pass to another San Diego teammate, Lance Alworth, for another--both in the 1st quarter--was the Most Valuable Player in the American Football League’s final game. Jan Stenerud of the Kansas City Chiefs converted one of the touchdowns and kicked a 38-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter to make the score 16-0. Jim Turner of the New York Jets responded with a 44-yard field goal to cut the West’s lead to 16-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Mr. Stenerud kicked a 30-yard field goal early in the 4th quarter to make the score 19-3, and then Mike Livingston of the Kansas City Chiefs, who had dressed in place of injured teammate Len Dawson, drove the West downfield, and rushed 12 yards for the AFL’s final touchdown. Mr. Stenerud’s convert made the final score 26-3. 30,170 were in attendance at the Astrodome. Lou Saban of the Denver Broncos was the winning head coach, while George Wilson of the Miami Dolphins took the loss in what turned out to be his final game as a professional head coach. The game also marked the end of the career of veteran Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Jack Kemp, who retired to pursue a career in politics. He shared the quarterbacking duties for the East with Mike Taliaferro of the Boston Patriots. Mr. Hadl completed 18 of 26 passes for 224 yards, but also threw 3 interceptions. The game was telecast on NBC, with Charlie Jones calling the play-by-play and Al DeRogatis providing colour commentary. The AFL merger with the NFL, which had been agreed to in 1966, was to take effect with the 1970 season.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
Edmonton’s Top 20 (CHED)
1 Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles
2 I Don’t Like Mondays--The Boomtown Rats
3 Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers
4 Do That to Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille
5 Jane--Jefferson Starship
6 Chiquitita--ABBA
7 Don’t Do Me Like That--Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
8 Rock with You--Michael Jackson
9 Babe--Styx
10 The Long Run--Eagles
11 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
12 Please Don’t Go--KC & the Sunshine Band
13 Yes I’m Ready--Teri DeSario with K.C.
14 Say Hello--April Wine
15 We Don’t Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard
16 Message in a Bottle--The Police
17 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
18 Cool Change--Little River Band
19 Find Your Way--Surrender
20 This is It--Kenny Loggins

Defense
Pakistani President Mohammed Zia ul-Haq dismissed the U.S. offer of $400 billion in economic and military aid over the next two years as "peanuts," and said that his country needed much more than that amount.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
B.B. Gabor, 41. Canadian musician. Born Gabor Hegedus in Hungary, Mr. Gabor fled to England and then to Canada after the 1956 Soviet invasion of his homeland. His self-titled debut album appeared in 1980, and the single Soviet Jewellery (Nyet Nyet Soviet) reached #1 in Calgary in June of that year. Subsequent singles were unsuccessful, although Little Thing, which sounds as though it were by Bryan Adams, received some airplay in February 1982. Attempts to revive his career failed, and Mr. Gabor was found in his Toronto apartment, his death ruled a suicide.

Politics and government
The Romanian government lifted the ban on the Communist Party that had been announced five days earlier, and cancelled a referendum that was to decide the party’s fate.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the merchandise trade deficit for November was $10.5 billion, the largest for any month in 1989.

25 years ago
1995

Disasters
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake occurred near Kobe, Japan, causing extensive property damage and killing 6,434 people, injuring 26,500 others, destroying or damaging more than 100,000 buildings, and leaving 300,000 people homeless.

Politics and government
Former Italian Treasury Minister Lamberto Dini, asked four days earlier by President Oscar Scalfaro to form a new cabinet, announced a cabinet that was politically neutral.

Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo and the leaders of Mexico's four largest political parties signed an agreement providing for a broad-based overhaul of election laws, including those relating to fund-raising and spending. Government and opposition leaders also agreed to hold new elections in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, where widespread fraud had been alleged in 1994.

Economics and finance
The Canadian dollar dropped to 70.49c U.S., its lowest level in nine years.

20 years ago
2000

War
With thousands of civilians still in the Chechen capital of Grozny, Russian forces opened an intense air and artillery bombardment of the city.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator and Democratic Party presidential candidate Bill Bradley challenged Vice President Al Gore to appeal to President Bill Clinton to issue an executive order that would ban racial profiling by police.

Weather
Saint John, New Brunswick was hit by about 2 feet of snow with winds gusting to about 45 miles per hour.

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Jyoti Basu, 95. Indian politician. Mr. Basu, a member of the Communist Party of India from 1940-1964 and a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after an ideological split in 1964, represented Baranagar in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from 1951-1972 and 1977-2001, and was the state's Premier from 1977-2000.

Michalis Papakonstantinou, 90. Greek politician. Mr. Papakonstantinou, a journalist by trade, was a member of the New Democracy Party, and served as Greece's Minister of Foreign Affairs (1992-1993) in the cabinet of Prime Minister Konstantinos Mitsotakis.

Erich Segal, 72. U.S. author and screenwriter. Dr. Segal, a professor of Greek and Latin literature at several Ivy League universities, was best known for writing the novel (1970) and screenplay (1970) Love Story. He was also one of the writers of the movie Yellow Submarine (1968). Dr. Segal died of a heart attack after battling Parkinson's disease for 30 years.

World events
Rioting began between Muslim and Christian groups in Jos, Nigeria, resulting in at least 326 deaths.

Football
NFL
NFC Divisional Playoff
Dallas 3 @ Minnesota 34

AFC Divisional Playoff
New York Jets 17 @ San Diego 14

See video.