February 26, 2020

250 years ago
1770

Born on this date
Anton Reicha. Bohemian-born composer. Mr. Reicha was a flautist who was known for writing wind quintets. He was a theorist and teacher of composition; his students included Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz, and César Franck. Mr. Reicha was unwilling to have his compositions published, which contributed to the relative obscurity into which he ultimately fell.

Died on this date
Giuseppe Tartini, 77. Italian composer. Mr. Tartini was a violinist who wrote at least 135 concerti for the instrument. His best-known composition is the Devil's Trill Sonata.

170 years ago
1850

Died on this date
Daoguang, 67. Emperor of China, 1820-1850. Daoguang, born Aisin Gioro Mianning, acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Jiaqing. Daogang's reign was marked by the First Opium War (1839-1842) and the beginning of the Taipei Rebellion, which almost brought down the Qing dynasty. He was regarded as well-meaning but ineffective, and was succeeded by his eldest son Xianfeng.

150 years ago
1870

Transportation
A 312-foot-long pneumatic subway, the first in New York City, was opened; funding for a larger version never materialized.

120 years ago
1900

Born on this date
Halina Konopacka. Polish-born athlete and poet. Miss Konopacka won a bronze medal in the shot put and a gold medal in the discus throw at the 1926 Women's World Games in Gothenburg, and a gold medal in the discus throw at the 1930 Women's World Games in Prague. She won the gold medal in the women's discus throw competition at the 1928 Summer Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Miss Konopacka married former Polish Treasury Minister Ignacy Matuszewski in 1928; the couple emigrated to the United States in 1941. Miss Konopacka had poetry published in major magazines, and had at least one collection published. She died on January 28, 1989, 29 days before hier 89th birthday.

100 years ago
1920

At the movies
Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari), directed by Robert Wiene, and starring Werner Krauss and Conrad Veidt, received its premiere screening at the Marmorhaus theatre in Berlin.



Born on this date
Tony Randall. U.S. actor. Mr. Randall, born Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg, appeared in plays, films, and television programs in a career spanning six decades. He was best known for co-starring as Felix Unger in the television comedy series The Odd Couple (1970-1975), winning a Primetime Emmy Award in 1975. Mr. Randall's movies included The Mating Game (1959); Pillow Talk (1959); and 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964). He founded the National Actors Theatre in 1991, and earned a reputation as the greatest talk show guest in the history of television. Mr. Randall underwent coronary bypass surgery in December 1993, but developed pneumonia after the operation, and never left the hospital until his death on May 17, 2004 at the age of 84.

Danny Gardella. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Gardella was a left fielder with the New York Giants (1944-1945) and St. Louis Cardinals (1950), batting .267 with 24 home runs and 85 runs batted in in 169 games. In 1946 he was one of several major league players who jumped to the Mexican League, which was offering more money than the major leagues. Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler responded with a five-year ban on players who jumped to the Mexican League for violating the reserve clause of their contracts. Mr. Gardella challenged the legality of the reserve clause in court, but accepted an offer of amnesty from Mr. Chandler in 1949. Mr. Gardella appeared in 1 game with the Cardinals in 1950, but was then sent back to the minor leagues, where he finished his career in 1951. He died on March 6, 2005, eight days after his 85th birthday.

90 years ago
1930

Died on this date
Mary Whiton Calkins 66. U.S. philosopher and psychologist. Professor Calkins taught Greek and philosophy at Wellesley College before studying psychology at Harvard University under William James. She returned to Wellesley College and taught psychology as part of the philosophy department. Prof. Calkins was known for her research on dreams, memory, and self-psychology. She was subject to much discrimination on account of her sex, most notably denial of a doctorate in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard, despite earning all the requirements. Prof. Calkins was the first woman in the United States to establish a psychology laboratory (1891) and to be elected president of the American Psychological Association (1905) and president of the American Philosophical Association (1918), as well as being the first woman to hold positions in both associations. She retired in 1929 after teaching at Wellesley College for 40 years; despite Harvard's denial of her degree, Prof. Calkins is regarded as the first woman to get a doctorate in psychology.

80 years ago
1940

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Reigate Puzzle

Diplomacy
The Pan-American Neutrality Committee established sharp limitations on auxiliary ships of belligerent nations in American territorial waters.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles delivered a confidential message from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in Rome.

Defense
The United States Air Defense Command was established at Mitchell Field on Long Island, New York.

Journalism
U.S. newsman James R. Young was indicted in Tokyo for violating the Japanese army code by disseminating slanderous material about the Japanese military.

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that only the National Labor Relations Board, not labour unions, could take the initiative in compelling employers to comply with NLRB orders.

Medicine
Dr. H.J. Corper of National Jewish Hospital in Denver announced the isolation of a tuberculosis vaccine.

Academia
British philosopher Bertrand Russell was appointed a professor at City College of New York.

Education
The U.S. National Education Association's legislative committee charged that U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's policies toward public education were meaningless.

75 years ago
1945

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Rum and Coca-Cola--The Andrews Sisters (2nd week at #1)
--Abe Lyman and his Orchestra
--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
2 Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive--Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
--Artie Shaw and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
3 Don't Fence Me In--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Kate Smith
--Horace Heidt and his Musical Knights
4 Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night in the Week)--Frank Sinatra
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
5 I Dream of You (More than You Dream I Do)--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
--Andy Russell
--Frank Sinatra
--Perry Como
6 Confessin' (That I Love You)--Ella Fitzgerald and the Song Spinners
--Perry Como
7 I'm Making Believe--The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald
8 There Goes that Song Again--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
9 Cocktails for Two--Spike Jones and his City Slickers
10 Robin Hood--Les Brown and his Orchestra
--Tony Pastor and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were the versions of Rum and Coca-Cola by Abe Lyman and his Orchestra; and Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra; My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time, with versions by Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day); and the Phil Moore Four (#16); Candy, with versions by Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra; and Dinah Shore (#25); Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry by Harry James and his Orchestra (#27); Poor Little Rhode Island by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (#35); I Wanna Get Married by Gertrude Niesen (#36); and I Wonder, with versions by Louis Prima and his Orchestra; and Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra.

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax

War
Canadian Army Sergeant Aubrey Cosens was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in Rhine fighting. The Syrian Chamber of Deputies voted approval of a declaration of war against Germany and Japan. U.S. troops in Germany reached 10½ miles west of Cologne and opened artillery barrages against the city. U.S. Marine observation planes began operating from the southern airfield on Iwo Jima.

Diplomacy
The Allies returned the Algerian supply centre of Oran to the French.

Defense
U.S. Army Air Forces commanding General Hap Arnold warned in his annual report that the United States would be the first target in the next war, and that air power would be the next weapon.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Hugh Butler (Republican--Nebraska) accused President Franklin D. Roosevelt of "secrecy," and demanded that he give Congress an account of the conduct of foreign policy, particularly at the recent Yalta Conference.

Economics and finance
At the Inter-American Conference in Mexico City, the U.S.A. proposed an "economic charter" designed to help the conversion to peacetime economies and raise living standards in the hemisphere.

Society
The U.S. nationwide midnight curfew on entertainment went into effect. In New York City, police were instructed to take the names and addresses of all people violating the curfew.

Labour
In accordance with the Smith-Connally Act, the United Mine Workers of America filed formal notice of a possible strike when contracts expired on March 31, 1945.

70 years ago
1950

Died on this date
Harry Lauder, 79. U.K. entertainer. Sir Harry, a native of Scotland, worked as a coal miner for 10 years before embarking as a singer and actor, becoming a popular music hall and vaudeville performer in Britain and other British Empire countries from the mid-1890s through the mid-1930s, coming out of semi-retirement to entertain troops during World War II. He wrote his own songs, and began making recordings in 1902, with his best-known song being Roamin' in the Gloamin' (1911). Sir Harry was the highest-paid performer in the world by 1911, and was the first British artist to sell a million records, doubling that total by 1928. He died after years of declining health.

World events
The Cairo Egyptian Gazette reported that King Imam Ahmed of Yemen had broken up a revolutionary plot led by his brother, former Education Minister Seif el Islam Ismail, who was now in jail.

Diplomacy
People's Republic of China Chairman Mao Tse-tung (Mao Zedong) and Premier Chou En-lai (Zhou Enlai) returned to China from their negotiations in the U.S.S.R.

Politics and government
Former U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace addressed the Progressive Party's second annual convention in Chicago, disavowing Communism, but assuring the party's Communists that they would not be purged.

Environment
Speaking at a University of Chicago Round Table Conference, four atomic scientists warned that the hydrogen bomb could be made to exterminate the world's entire population by enveloping the globe in radioactive dust.

Business
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission ordered the American Dental Association, six of its officers, and 143 manufacturers and distributors to end an alleged conspiracy to fix prices and curb competition in dental goods.

60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Why--Anthony Newley (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Why--Anthony Newley (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: Mirror Image, starring Vera Miles and Martin Milner

Disasters
A New York-bound Alitalia airliner crashed into a cemetery in Shannon, Ireland shortly after takeoff, killing 34 of the 52 people on board.

Olympics
David Jenkins of the U.S.A. won the men's figure skating gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, California. The audience gasped when Mr. Jenkins performed a spectacular "sit spin," fearing he was falling. Mr. Jenkins followed in the footsteps of his brother Hayes, who won the men's singles gold medal in the 1956 games in Cortina, Italy.



Boxing
Eddie Machen (32-2-1) scored a technical knockout of Billy Hunter (17-7-3) at 2:11 of the 9th round of a heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden in New York.

50 years ago
1970

On television tonight
Dragnet 1970, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Burglary: The Dognappers



Music
The album Hey Jude by the Beatles was released on Apple Records. It was originally to be titled The Beatles Again, and that title appeared on the labels of early copies, including the one owned by this blogger.

Radio
The U.S. network National Public Radio was incorporated, replacing the National Educational Radio Network.

World events
In Saigon, a four-day sojourn in the National Assembly by an opposition deputy, Tran Ngoc Chau, ended when national policemen dragged him away to begin serving a 20-year prison sentence for pro-Communist activity. The arrest came in the face of a legal appeal, which was believed to entitle Mr. Chau to freedom pending a decision.

Politics and government
Senegalese President Léopold Sédar Senghor named Planning and Industry Minister Abdou Diouf as the nation's Prime Minister; the office was being restored after being abolished in 1963.

Terrorism
Jacques Lanctôt and Pierre Marcil were arrested in Montreal for possession of firearms and then released on bail. The Montreal police suspected a plot on their part to kidnap the Israeli consul in Montreal, Moïse Golan. Mr. Marcil was arrested again a month later in connection with this affair, while Mr. Lanctôt participated in the kidnapping of British Trade Commissioner James Cross in October 1970.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (Hot Press): Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers

World events
There were widespread arrests of Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan suspected of instigating anti-Soviet protests and strikes.

The five-man United Nations commission to investigate Iranian grievances against the deposed Shah received testimony from five Iranian jurists and more than 140 invalids who claimed to be victims of the shah’s regime. Ali Reza Nobari, the governor of Iran’s central bank, testified that "we have documents showing that the total amount of money plundered by the former imperial family was 500 billion rials," equivalent to U.S. $7.14 billion.

Politics and government
Former California Governor and current U.S. Republican Party presidential candidate Ronald Reagan fired his campaign manager, John Sears, who was opposed by conservatives in Mr. Reagan’s campaign for his attempts to moderate Mr. Reagan’s conservative image in order to broaden his support.

Mr. Reagan won the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire with 50% of the vote; George Bush was second with 24%, followed by Howard Baker with 13% and John Anderson with 10%. Mr. Reagan won 15 delegates to the party’s national convention, while Mr. Bush won 5. President Jimmy Carter won the Democratic primary with 49% of the vote and 10 delegates to Sen. Ted Kennedy’s 38% and 9 delegates and Jerry Brown’s 10%.

Energy
U.S. Energy Department officials said that they foresaw the price of gasoline going to $1.50 per gallon by the end of the year.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): No Titlist--Rie Miyazawa

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Pump ab Das Bier--Werner Wichtig (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Cornell Gunter, 53. U.S. singer. Mr. Gunter was an original member of the Platters in the early 1950s, before joining the Flairs, and later, the Coasters, with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He was shot to death in his car in Las Vegas.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. began pulling its 73,500 troops out of Czechoslovakia, agreeing to be out by July 1991.

Politics and government
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega conceded defeat to Violetta Chamorro in the previous day’s general election.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 2 @ Vancouver 5

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Tomorrow--Silverchair (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Old Pop in an Oak--Rednex (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Cotton Eye Joe--Rednex (14th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jack Clayton, 73. U.K. film director. Mr. Clayton directed just seven theatrical films, but they included Room at the Top (1959); The Innocents (1961); and The Great Gatsby (1974). He died of a heart attack three days before his 74th birthday.

Music
This blogger attended a matinee performance of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, with David Hoyt conducting. The guest soloist was violinist Leila Josefowicz.

Scandal
Barings Bank, the United Kingdom's oldest investment banking institute, collapsed after securities broker Nick Leeson lost $1.4 billion by speculating on the Singapore International Monetary Exchange using futures contracts.

Economics and finance
China agreed to take a number of steps to enforce copyright laws and close down the illegal manufacturing of copies of U.S. motion picture and music recordings. The moves came before U.S. tariffs of as much as 100% went into effect on a wide range of goods imported from China.

20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
George L. Street III, 86. U.S. military officer. Captain Street was submariner with the U.S. Navy from 1941-1966. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions above and beyond the call of duty while commanding USS Tirante in March 1945, launching torpedoes that destroyed three Japanese ships in the Yellow Sea.

Scandal
The British government announced that it was suing former British spy David Shayler for breach of confidence over secret service files. Attempts at criminally prosecuting Mr. Shayler for violating the Official Secrets Act had so far proven unsuccessful. Mr. Shayler had fled to France in 1997, and was fighting British attempts to extradite him.

Skiing
Mélanie Turgeon, 23, of Alma, Québéc won a super-giant slalom World Cup race at Innsbruck, Austria, covering the course in 1 minute 32.23 seconds, 0.36 seconds ahead of Austria's Renate Goetschl.