January 26, 2020

525 years ago
1495

Born on this date
Go-Nara. Emperor of Japan, 1526-1557. Go-Nara, the second son of Emperor Go-Kashiwabara, acceded to the throne upon the death of his father. He was Emperor until his death on September 27, 1557 at the age of 62, and was succeeded by his son Ōgimachi.

520 years ago
1500

Exploration
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón became the first European to set foot in Brazil, disembarking on the shore called "Praia do Paraíso" in present-day Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco.

425 years ago
1595

Born on this date
Antonio Maria Abbatini. Italian composer. Mr. Abbatini wrote three operas, but was mainly known for his church music, publishing books of masses, psalms, antiphons, and motets. He lived into his eighties, and died after March 15, 1679 (or 1677).

400 years ago
1620

Died on this date
Amar Singh I, 60. Maharana of Mewar, 1597-1620. Amar Singh I succeeded his father Pratap as Maharana (King) of Mewar, a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. He was a renowned warrior, fighting numerous battles against forces of the Mughal Empire, eventually entering into a treaty with Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1615. Maharana Amar Singh I was succeeded on the throne by his eldest son Karan Singh II.

320 years ago
1700

Disasters
The 8.7–9.2 Mw Cascadia earthquake took place off the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Japanese records. It caused a tsunami which struck the coast of Japan.

225 years ago
1795

Died on this date
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, 62. German composer. Mr. Bach, the fifth son of Johann Sebastian Bach, was a harpsichordist who wrote keyboard sonatas, symphonies, oratorios, liturgical choir pieces, and motets, operas and songs.

160 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Harry Daugherty. U.S. politician. Mr. Daugherty, a Republican, was U.S. Attorney General from 1921-1924 in the administrations of Presidents Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. As a member of the "Ohio Gang"--Republican cronies of Mr. Harding dating back to the President's days as a United States Senator--Mr. Daugherty was suspected of involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal involving payments of kickbacks from oil companies to government officials in exchange for extremely favourable extraction leases in Wyoming. He was officially cleared of wrongdoing, but after the death of Mr. Harding on August 2, 1923, new President Calvin Coolidge, at first reluctant to dismiss Mr. Daugherty, received his resignation on March 28, 1924. In 1926 Mr. Daugherty was indicted for improperly receiving funds in the sale of American Metal Company assets during World War I, and narrowly escaped conviction. He spent his later years attempting to rehabilitate his reputation, and died on October 12, 1941 at the age of 81, after a year of declining health.

150 years ago
1870

Died on this date
Victor de Broglie, 84. Prime Minister of France, 1835-1836. The duc de Broglie supported a constitutional monarchy, and was appointed to the Council of State under Emperor Napoleon I in 1809. He was a member of the Doctrinaires (1830-1848); Resistance Party (1830-1848); and Party of Order (1848-1851). The duc de Broglie held several cabinet posts before serving as Prime Minister, resigning after the defeat of his government over a tax proposal. He was France's Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1847-1848), and represented Eure in the National Assembly (1849-1851). The duc de Broglie's political career ended with Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte's coup d'état on December 2, 1851, and he devoted his later years to literary pursuits. He was a member of the Académie française from 1855 until his death.

Americana
Virginia, which had seceded and joined the Confederate States of America in 1861, rejoined the Union.

140 years ago
1880

Born on this date
Douglas MacArthur. U.S. military officer. One of the most famous figures in U.S. military history, General MacArthur was Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and commanded U.S. Army forces in the Far east in World War II. He oversaw U.S. occupation of Japan in the years immediately following World War II, and commanded United Nations forces in the Korean War from 1950-1951, until being removed from command by U.S. President Harry Truman for disobeying a direct order from his Commander-in-Chief. Gen. MacArthur died on April 5, 1964 at the age of 84.

100 years ago
1920

Born on this date
Al "Bummy" Davis. U.S. boxer. Mr. Davis, born Albert Abraham Davidoff, was a lightweight and welterweight, who compiled a record of 65-10-4 in a professional career running from 1937-1945. He scored a 3-round technical knockout of former world lightweight champion Tony Canzoneri in 1939, and fought two non-title bouts against world welterweight champion Fritzie Zivic in 1940 and 1941. The first fight, on November 15, 1940, resulted in Mr. Davis's disqualification in the 2nd round; he had been thumbed in the eye, and responded with at least 10 low blows in a row, kicking referee Billy Cavanaugh after being disqualified. Mr. Davis was shot to death by armed robbers at Dudy's Bar in Brownsville, New York on November 21, 1945 at the age of 25. Mr. Davis, who had recently sold the bar, chased the robbers after being shot three times, but a fourth shot proved fatal.

Hans Holzer. Austrian-born U.S. paranormal investigator and author. Mr. Holzer moved to New York City with his parents in 1938. He wrote more than 120 books on supernatural phenomena, and investigated such incidents as the Amityville Horror in the 1970s. His endorsement of psychics and mediums and fields of study such as psychic archaeology and spirit photography has been criticized as pseudoscientific. Mr. Holzer died on April 26, 2009 at the age of 89.

90 years ago
1930

Indianica
The Indian National Congress declared January 26 as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj ("Complete Independence"), which occurred 17 years later.

80 years ago
1940

Music
Frank Sinatra made his first public appearance as a vocalist with Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, at the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, Illinois.

War
Soviet forces broke the Finns' strongest defense, the Mannerheim Line, at Summa on the Karelian Isthmus.

Diplomacy
Dutch Foreign Minister Eduard van Kleffens said that the Netherlands would retain its membership in the League of Nations.

Politics and government
Idaho Governor C.A. Bottolfsen, a Republican, appointed John W. Thomas to fill the United States Senate seat that had been vacated by the death on January 19 of William Borah (Republican).

U.S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler (Democrat--Montana) demanded that President Franklin D. Roosevelt state now whether or not he would seek a third term in office.

The Mexican Communist Party announced that it would purge those members not loyal to the U.S.S.R.

Economics and finance
The Japanese-American commercial treaty of 1911 expired, but the U.S. refrained from imposing the higher tonnage and import duties permitted under U.S. law.

Labour
New York Judge Thomas Thacher condemned the quasi-judicial authority of the National Labor Relations Board and urged review of agency decisions by an independent legal authority.

75 years ago
1945

At the movies
The Jade Mask, starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Tom Pendergast, 71. U.S. politician. Mr. Pendergast was the Democratic Party boss in Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, controlling political activity there from approximately 1925-1939, when his career was ended by a conviction for income tax evasion. Mr. Pendergast's most famous protege was Harry Truman, who was elected to the United States Senate in 1934, and took office as Vice President of the United States six days before Mr. Pendergast's death.

War
U.S. Army Second Lieutenant Audie Murphy stood on top of a tank destroyer and killed or wounded 50 German soldiers while being wounded himself in actions in France that earned him the Medal of Honor. U.S. Army troops joined the attack north of Aachen, supporting British forces against the German salient west of the Roer River. The Soviet Red Army reached the Baltic Sea at Tolkemit and began encircling the German Fourth Army near Heiligenbeil in East Prussia. The Japanese drive against U.S. air bases in southeastern China continued to progress in the provinces of Hunan, Kiangsi, and Kwangtung.

Diplomacy
It was reported that Herbert Pell would not return to London as the American commissioner of the United Nations War Crimes Commission because of the congressional failure to appropriate $30,000 for his salary and expenses.

Politics and government
The United States Senate Commerce Committee rejected former Vice President Henry Wallace as Secretary of Commerce, and approved the George bill to separate federal lending agencies from the Department.

Business
A syndicate consisting of Larry MacPhail, Dan Topping, and Del Webb purchased 96.88% of the New York Yankees baseball team and its minor league properties for $2.8 million from the heirs of the late Colonel Jacob Ruppert.

70 years ago
1950

On television tonight
Escape, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: The Bellhop Story, starring Jack Lescoulie, Nancy Sheridan, and Frankie Thomas

Indianica
The independent Republic of India was officially born, after nearly 100 years of British rule. In Delhi, the capital, the day began with the 34th and last Governor-General of India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, reading out a proclamation announcing the birth of the Republic of India. The new President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, then took the oath of office.

War
Indonesian government forces battled an armed force of deserters in Jakarta.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A., U.K., and France invited West Germany to establish consulates in the three countries.

Western Allied military commanders in Berlin protested the renewal of "abnormal restrictions" on passage of cargo through the Soviet zone of Germany.

Panama and the United States settled a series of damage claims dating back to 1906, with Panama agreeing to pay the U.S.A. $350,000.

Defense
Testifying before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Defense Secretary Louis Johnson said that Taiwan was of "strategic significance" to the United States, but not important enough to justify occupation of the island by American forces.

Medicine
Science reported the discovery of terramycin, a soil-mold drug potentially effective in treating infections diseases.

Business
American Associated Insurance Companies of St. Louis issued the first insurance policy for babysitters.

60 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Call from Tomorrow, starring Margaret Phillips and Arthur Franz



Football
NFL
Pete Rozelle, the 33-year-old general manager of the Los Angeles Rams, was elected commissioner of the National Football League, succeeding Bert Bell, who had died on October 11, 1959. Mr. Rozelle was named on the 23rd ballot after others, including Marshall G. Leahy, a San Francisco lawyer, and Austin H. Gunsel, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation man who had temporarily succeeded Mr. Bell, were considered and rejected.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head--Johnny Farnham (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kuroneko no Tango--Osamu Minagawa (15th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Paxarinos--Víctor Manuel (2nd week at #1)

On the radio
The Challenge of Space, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: The Way Back

Music
The single Bridge Over Troubled Water/Keep the Customer Satisfied by Simon & Garfunkel was released on Columbia Records.

Protest
Anti-government riots characterized as the worst in peacetime Philippine history erupted in Manila and other Philippine cities.

Law
Two key points of the U.S. Selective Service law were settled when the Supreme Court ruled that students who had lost their draft deferments because of antiwar activities could challenge their reclassification in court, and that the Selective Service System lacked the legal authority to declare students delinquent for turning in their draft cards.

Television
More than 120 models of colour television sets were termed extraordinary fire hazards by the U.S. National Commission on Product Safety. A federal fact-finding agency, the commission called on the 11 manufacturers of the models to repair or replace them.

Economics and finance
Before a nationwide television audience, U.S. President Richard Nixon signed a veto message sending the $19.7-billion health, education, and anti-poverty appropriations bill back to Congress. Mr. Nixon called the measure untimely, misdirected, and most important, inflationary.

Boxing
George Foreman (15-0) knocked out Jack O’Halloran (18-6-2) at 1:10 of the 5th round of a heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. On the undercard, Chuck Wepner (20-5-2) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Manuel Ramos (23-10-2) in another heavyweight bout.





40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Disco Bambina--Heather Parisi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): I Have a Dream--ABBA (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Brass in Pocket--Pretenders

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Brass in Pocket--Pretenders (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Brass in Pocket--Pretenders (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 I Have a Dream--ABBA (3rd week at #1)
2 Rapper's Delight--Sugarhill Gang
3 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
4 David's Song (Who'll Come with Me)--Kelly Family
5 Fly Too High--Janis Ian
6 Rap-O Clap-O--Joe Bataan
7 What's a Matter Baby--Ellen Foley
8 Nederland, Die Heeft De Bal--André Van Duin & Het Nederlands Elftal
9 It Will Come in Time--Billy Preston and Syreeta
10 Sara--Fleetwood Mac

Singles entering the chart were Do That to Me One More Time by Captain & Tennille (#26); Que Sera Mi Vida by the Gibson Brothers (#27); Alie Van de Wegenwacht by Corrie Van Gorp (#28); Het Grote Sprookjeslied by Corry, Bonnie St. Claire, Sandy, Alexander Curly, Willem Duyn, Nico Haak (#32); Bloemetjes Gordijn by Wim Kersten en de Viltjes (#35); and Cathy's Clown by the Tarney Spencer Band (#36).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Rock with You--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Do That to Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille
3 Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers
4 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
5 Cruisin'--Smokey Robinson
6 Send One Your Love--Stevie Wonder
7 We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard
8 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
9 The Long Run--Eagles
10 Sara--Fleetwood Mac

Singles entering the chart were Desire by Andy Gibb (#44); Refugee by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (#63); Three Times in Love by Tommy James (#82); Haven't You Heard by Patrice Rushen (#86); You Might Need Somebody by Turley Richards (#88); and Special Lady by Ray, Goodman & Brown (#89).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Rock With You--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)
2 Do That to Me One More Time--The Captain and Tennille
3 Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers
4 Cruisin'--Smokey Robinson
5 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
6 Ladies Night--Kool & The Gang
7 We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard
8 Don't Do Me Like That--Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
9 Jane--Jefferson Starship
10 This is It--Kenny Loggins

Singles entering the chart were Desire by Andy Gibb (#49); Refugee by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (#65); Give it All You Got by Chuck Mangione (#79); I Thank You by ZZ Top (#82); Peanut Butter by Twennynine featuring Lenny White (#83); Kiss Me in the Rain by Barbra Streisand (#85); The Hardest Part by Blondie (#86); Bad Times by Tavares (#88); Special Lady by Ray, Goodman & Brown (#90); I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats (#93); You Might Need Somebody by Turley Richards (#95); Haven't You Heard by Patrice Rushen (#96); Years by Wayne Newton (#97); and Rockin' Into the Night by 38 Special (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Rock With You--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers
3 Do That to Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille
4 The Long Run--Eagles
5 Please Don't Go--KC & the Sunshine Band
6 Cruisin'--Smokey Robinson
7 Babe--Styx
8 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
9 Ladies Night--Kool & The Gang
10 Don't Do Me Like That--Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Singles entering the chart were Desire by Andy Gibb (#39); Refugee by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (#59); Back on My Feet Again by the Babys (#62); With You I'm Born Again by Billy Preston & Syreeta (#75); Give it All You Got by Chuck Mangione (#80); Special Lady by Ray, Goodman & Brown (#83); Got to Love Somebody by Sister Sledge (#86); Bad Times by Tavares (#87); Haven't You Heard by Patrice Rushen (#88); I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats (#90); Dig the Gold by Joyce Cobb (#95); Small Paradise by John Cougar (#97); and You Might Need Somebody by Turley Richards (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Rapper's Delight--Sugarhill Gang
2 Message in a Bottle--The Police
3 Don't Do Me Like That--Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4 Please Don't Go--KC & the Sunshine Band
5 Babe--Styx
6 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
7 Cool Change--Little River Band
8 We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard
9 No More Tears/Enough is Enough--Barbra Streisand/Donna Summer
10 I Don't Like Mondays--The Boomtown Rats

Singles entering the chart were Remember (Walking in the Sand) by Aerosmith (#82); Night to Remember by Prism (#87); When I Wanted You by Barry Manilow (#89); Wonderland by the Commodores (#90); Janine by Trooper (#96); On the Radio by Donna Summer (#98); and An American Dream by the Dirt Band (#99).

Died on this date
Simon Kapwepwe, 57. 2nd Vice President of Zambia, 1967-1970. Mr. Kapwepwe was a founding member of the Northern Rhodesian African Congress--later renamed the African National Congress--in 1948. He was a member of various independence parties before serving as Vice President to President Kenneth Kaunda. The two men eventually drifted apart, and Mr. Kapwepwe was replaced as Vice President in October 1970, although he was allowed to remain as Minister of Culture and Minister of Local Government. Mr. Kapwepwe left the United National Independence Party (UNIP) in 1971 to become leader of the new United Progressive Party in 1971; he was elected to Parliament, but was imprisoned by Mr. Kaunda from February 4-December 31, 1972. The day after his release, Mr. Kaunda declared Zambia to be a one-party (UNIP) state. Mr. Kapwepwe withdrew from politics, but accepted Mr. Kaunda's offer to rejoin the UNIP in 1977. His challenge to Mr. Kaunda for the party's presidential nomination in 1978 was disqualified, ending Mr. Kapwepwe's career. He died two days after suffering a stroke.

Diplomacy
Israel and Egypt established diplomatic relations.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 8 @ Toronto 3

30 years ago
1990

Died on this date
Lewis Mumford, 94. U.S. sociologist and historian. Mr. Mumford was best known for his studies of cities and urban architecture. His books included The City in History (1961) and The Myth of the Machine (2 volumes, 1967; 1970).

Space
The Canadian Space Agency signed a $146-million contract with Spar Aerospace for the first phase of Radarsat, to be launched in 1994 to send back high-resolution images of Arctic ice, oil spills, etc.

Law
A Canadian inquiry’s report said that the justice system that was supposed to protect him "failed Donald Marshall at every turn." Mr. Marshall, a Micmac Indian, spent 11 years in prison for a 1971 murder that he did not commit. The inquiry into his wrongful conviction and the subsequent mishandling of appeals found that Nova Scotia’s justice system was both incompetent and racist in the handling of his case. False testimony was given at Mr. Marshall’s trial by the police chief in charge of the case, who also pressured young witnesses to falsify stories. The investigation also found that crucial evidence that could have exonerated Mr. Marshall was kept from his lawyer, who was preparing an appeal. The report was also highly critical of a 1983 Nova Scotia Court of Appeal ruling which, although it found Mr. Marshall innocent of the crime, said he was partly to blame for the false conviction because he had lied to police.

World events
U.S. District Court Judge William Hoeveler ordered former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega held in custody in Florida without bail.

Politics and government
Romanian Vice President Dumitru Mazilu resigned and accused the regime of the National Salvation Front of using "Stalinist practices."

Economics and finance
The U.S. Commerce Department reported that the gross national product grew 2.9% (later revised to 3.0%) for 1989, down from 4.4% for 1988.

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Kourin, kourin--Sikaduo (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Pat Welsh, 79. U.S. actress. Mrs. Welsh provided the voice of the title character in the movie E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982).

War
Ecuadorean Special Forces attacked Peruvian forces in the Peruvian territory of Quebrada Fashin, beginning the Cenepa War.

Economics and finance
The United States House of Representatives voted 300-132 to approve an amendment to the United States Constitution that would require Congress, in each year beginning with the fiscal year of 2002, to approve a federal budget that was balanced. The language, however, contained a loophole allowing the approval of a budget with a deficit, providing that it received the support of three-fifths of the members of both houses.

20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
A.E. van Vogt, 87. Canadian-born U.S. author. A native of Edenburg, Manitoba, Mr. van Vogt wrote science fiction for about 60 years. His novels included The World of Null-A (1948) and The Mixed Men (1952).

Don Budge, 84. U.S. tennis player. Mr. Budge was ranked the top player in the world from 1937-1940 and 1942. In 1938 he became the first player, male or female, to win the Grand Slam--Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open--in a single year. Mr. Budge died several weeks after being seriously injured in an auto accident.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch withdrew from the contest for the Republican Party U.S. presidential nomination for 2000 after taking just 1% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses two days earlier. Sen. Hatch endorsed Texas Governor George W. Bush. The remaining candidates in the Republican and Democratic Parties debated in Manchester, New Hampshire. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley criticized Vice President Al Gore on a broad front and accused him of not telling the truth in charges he made during the campaign.

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Louis Auchincloss, 92. U.S. author. Mr. Auchincloss wrote more than 60 books, many of them novels about "old money" families in New York and New England. His novels included The House of Five Talents (1960); Portrait in Brownstone (1962); and East Side Story (2004). Mr. Auchincloss died of complications from a stroke.