February 28, 2020

1,150 years ago
870

Religion
The Fourth Council of Constantinople, which had opened on October 5, 1869, closed. The eighth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, which had been convened by Byzantine Emperor Basil I and pope Adrian II, deposed Photios as Patriarch of Constantinople and restored his predecessor, Ignatius. The council also reaffirmed the decisions of the Second Council of Nicaea in support of icons and holy images, and required the image of Christ to have veneration equal with that of the gospel book.

310 years ago
1710

War
14,000 Danish invaders commanded by Jørgen Rantzau were decisively defeated by an equally sized Swedish force under Magnus Stenbock in the Battle of Helsingborg. The battle was an attempt by the Danes to regain the Scanian lands, which had been lost to Sweden in 1658. This was the last time Swedish and Danish troops met on Swedish soil.

160 years ago
1860

Born on this date
George Lyman Kittredge. U.S. literary scholar. Professor Kittredge was known for his editions of the works of William Shakespeare and his studies of American folklore, especially folksongs. He died on July 23, 1941 at the age of 81.

150 years ago
1870

Religion
The Bulgarian Exarchate (Bulgarian Orthodox Church) was established by decree of Sultan Abdülaziz of the Ottoman Empire.

120 years ago
1900

War
The 118-day Siege of Ladysmith, Natal by Boer forces was lifted when the first party of the British relief column, led by Major Herbert Gough and including war correspondent Winston Churchill, rode into the township in the evening.

100 years ago
1920

Auto racing
AAA
Championship Car Series
Jimmy Murphy won a 250-mile race on the board track at Los Angeles Motor Speedway. Joe Thomas finished second and Ira Vail third in the 18-car field.

80 years ago
1940

On television today
The first live telecast of a basketball game occurred when a college match between Fordham University and the University of Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden was broadcast by the experimental station W2XBS to several hundred homes in New York. There was a 20-minute blackout due to technical problems.

Americana
U.S. population was reported at 131,669,275, with 12,865,518 Negroes (9.8%).

War
The U.S.S.R. gave Finland 48 hours to respond to its peace proposal. Soviet forces fought to within 7 miles of the Finnish city of Viborg.

World events
The United Kingdom announced a curb on Jewish land purchases in agricultural areas of Palestine.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to conference a bill providing for a $100-million increase in the lending authority of the Import-Export Bank.

Disasters
Floods in northern California from Tehchapi to the Oregon state line marooned 4,000 people and caused $1 million in damages.

75 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Amor, Amor--Bing Crosby (1st month at #1)

At the movies
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, starring Joan Blondell, Peggy Ann Garner, and James Dunn, received its premiere screening in New York City.





Literature
Richard Wright's autobiography Black Boy was published.

War
The Korean provisional government in Chungking, not yet recognized by any nation, declared war on Germany in order to participate in the founding conference of the United Nations in San Francisco. U.S. troops in Germany crossed the Erft River, the last natural obstacle before the Rhine River, in the vicinity of Sindorf. Soviet troops in Germany seized the Pomeranian rail centre of Neustettin. American forces in the Philippines landed on Palawan and quickly seized control of vital points without much opposition. U.S. Marines pushed forward on Iwo Jima, reaching the uncompleted northern air strip.

Diplomacy
U.S. charge d'affaires in Chungking George Atcheson sent a telegram to the U.S. State Department criticizing the Chinese Nationalist government as ineffectual, and urging more even-handed treatment of the Communists. The cable provoked a bitter conflict between the State Department's "China hands" and U.S. Army General Patrick Hurley, U.S. adviser to the Nationalist government.

The British House of Commons approved the decisions taken on Poland at the recent Yalta Conference.

Egyptian and Turkish representatives signed the United Nations declaration in Washington.

At the Inter-American Conference in Mexico City, the U.S.A. proposed a plan to guarantee hemispheric boundaries and an assurance that it would take action with Latin American states against any nation attacking their territorial integrity.

Defense
U.S. Army Air Forces commanding General Hap Arnold revealed that the Army's first jet-propelled combat plane, the P-80 Shooting Star, was in production.

Economics and finance
The U.S. State Department reached a Lend-Lease agreement with France to provide the latter with immediate and postwar reconstruction aid.

Labour
The U.S. National War Labor Board granted a wage increase of $2-$4 per week to 21,250 telephone employees in New York City, Louisville, Washington, and Memphis.

70 years ago
1950

On the radio
Philo Vance, starring Jackson Beck
Tonight’s episode: The Big Nick Murder Case

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Man Who Talked in His Sleep, starring Donald Briggs, Edith Atwater, and Ben Cooper



Diplomacy
After several days of debate, the Thai cabinet of Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram decided to recognize Bảo Đại's pro-French Vietnamese government.

Politics and government
Thai Foreign Minister Phot Sarasin, who opposed the recognition of Bảo Đại's Vietnamese government and didn't want to antagonize the governments of Indonesia and the People's Republic of China, resigned from the cabinet.

U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson refused, despite strong Republican Party pressure, to retract his declaration of support for former State Department official Alger Hiss, who had been convicted a month earlier of perjury.

Scandal
U.S. Commerce Department economist William Remington's $100,000 slander suit against former Soviet spy and Communist Elizabeth Bentley was settled in New York for $10,000. On September 12, 1948, Miss Bentley had appeared on the first-ever televised broadcast of the NBC news panel program Meet the Press, where she accused Mr. Remington of being a Communist. Mr. Remington launched his suit on October 6, 1948 against Miss Bentley, NBC, and its television sponsor, General Foods Corporation. Mr. Remington was later charged with perjury.

Religion
The Vatican authorized Roman Catholics to cooperate with members of other Christian sects in activities directed against Communism and toward a reunion of Christian churches.

Energy
The University of Illinois' new 300-million volt belatron, designed for research on nuclear binding forces, was publicly demonstrated for the first time.

Business
C.E. Hooper, Inc. announced the sale of its national U.S. radio and television ratings service (Hooperatings) to A.C. Nielsen Company.

60 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Across the Threshold, starring Patricia Collinge, George Grizzard, and Barbara Baxley

Olympics
Men's hockey @ Blyth Arena, Squaw Valley, California
Final Round
U.S.A. (5-0) 9 C.S.S.R. (2-3) 4
Sweden (1-3-1) 8 Germany (0-5) 2
Canada (4-1) 8 U.S.S.R. (2-2-1) 5

Roger Christian scored 3 goals--his second, third, and fourth of the game--as the United States erupted for 6 unanswered goals in the 3rd period to defeat Czechoslovakia and clinch the gold medal. Bob Cleary scored 2 goals in the 3rd period, with his brother Bill scoring the other.



Sven Johansson and Lars-Eric Lundvall each scored 2 goals in the 3rd period for the Swedes as they completed their rout of the Germans. Mr. Lundvall opened the scoring at 1:15 of the 3rd period.

Fred Etcher scored 2 goals and 2 assists, and Bob Attersley added a goal and 4 assists for the Canadians as they defeated the Soviets, outscoring the U.S.S.R. 4-2 in the 3rd period to clinch the silver medal. The Soviets won the bronze medal.

The Winter Olympic Games concluded with the U.S.S.R. leading the medal parade with 21: 7 gold, 5 silver, 9 bronze. The host U.S.A. finished with 10: 3 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze. Canada finished seventh with 2 gold (Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul in pairs figure skating, Anne Heggtveit in women’s slalom), 1 silver, 1 bronze.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Pretty Belinda--Chris Andrews (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France: The 5th--Ekseption (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Venus--Shocking Blue

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Dein schönstes Geschenk--Roy Black (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse (5th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head--Johnny Farnham (6th week at #1)
2 I Thank You--Lionel Rose
3 Smiley--Ronnie Burns
4 Venus--Shocking Blue
5 Jam Up Jelly Tight--Tommy Roe
6 Down on the Corner/Fortunate Son--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Superstar--Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers
8 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond
9 Two Little Boys--Rolf Harris
10 Arkansas Grass--Axiom

Singles entering the chart were All I Have to Do is Dream by Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell (#34); Walk a Mile in My Shoes by Joe South and the Believers (#35); and Hitchin' a Ride by Vanity Fare (#36).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Mijn Gebed--D.C. Lewis (4th week at #1)
2 Who'll Stop the Rain--Creedence Clearwater Revival
3 Seasons--Earth and Fire
4 Venus--Shocking Blue
5 Room to Move--John Mayall
6 Mighty Joe--Shocking Blue
7 Dear Ann--George Baker Selection
8 Our Father--Unit Gloria
9 Travelling in the U.S.A.--Bintangs
10 Het Stoomlied (Kunst- En Vliegwerk)--Ed & William Bever

Singles entering the chart were Feijenoord! by Het 1e Elftal Van Feijenoord (#27); Live for Tomorrow Harry Jones by Barrie Webb - O.P.M.C. (#28); Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) by Edison Lighthouse (#35); Spaanse Vliegenier by De Specials (#36); and Indian Pipe by Amsterdam (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
2 Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin/Everybody is a Star--Sly & the Family Stone
3 Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop the Rain--Creedence Clearwater Revival
4 Hey There Lonely Girl--Eddie Holman
5 No Time--The Guess Who
6 Ma Belle Amie--The Tee Set
7 Psychedelic Shack--The Temptations
8 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
9 Rainy Night in Georgia--Brook Benton
10 Venus--The Shocking Blue

Singles entering the chart were Celebrate by Three Dog Night (#48); Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum (#64); Instant Karma (We All Shine On) by John Ono Lennon (with the Plastic Ono Band) (#65); Stir it Up and Serve It by Tommy Roe (#83); To the Other Woman (I'm the Other Woman) by Doris Duke (#84); You're the One--Part II by Little Sister (#86); Long Lonesome Highway by Michael Parks (#88); Rock Island Line by Johnny Cash (#93); Silly, Silly Fool by Dusty Springfield (#95); Love, Peace and Happiness by the Chambers Brothers (#96); Can't Help Falling in Love by Andy Williams (#97); Tennessee Bird Walk by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan (#98); Message from a Black Man by the Whatnauts and the Whatnaut Band (#99); and Sparkle and Shine by the Clique (#100). Long Lonesome Highway was from the television series Then Came Bronson.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
2 Hey There Lonely Girl--Eddie Holman
3 Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin--Sly & the Family Stone
4 No Time--The Guess Who
5 Psychedelic Shack--The Temptations
6 Rainy Night in Georgia--Brook Benton
7 Travelin' Band--Creedence Clearwater Revival
8 Venus--The Shocking Blue
9 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
10 Rainy Night in Georgia--Brook Benton

Singles entering the chart were Who's Your Baby? by the Archies (#61); Let's Give Adam and Eve Another Chance by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (#77); Lay Lady Lay by Ferrante & Teicher (#83); Run Sally Run by the Cuff Links (#85); California Girl by Eddie Floyd (#91); Reflections of My Life by the Marmalade (#93); You're Right, Ray Charles by Joe Tex (#96); Don't Get Close by Little Anthony and the Imperials (#98); and Long Lonesome Highway by Michael Parks (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
2 Hey There Lonely Girl--Eddie Holman
3 Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop the Rain--Creedence Clearwater Revival
4 Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin/Everybody is a Star--Sly & the Family Stone
5 Rainy Night in Georgia--Brook Benton
6 Psychedelic Shack--The Temptations
7 No Time--The Guess Who
8 Ma Belle Amie--The Tee Set
9 Arizona--Mark Lindsay
10 Honey Come Back--Glen Campbell

Singles entering the chart were Come Together by Ike & Tina Turner and the Ikettes (#70); Silly, Silly Fool by Dusty Springfield (#84); Let's Give Adam and Eve Another Chance by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (#85); Stir it Up and Serve It by Tommy Roe (#87); Sparkle and Shine by the Clique (#88); Who's Your Baby? by the Archies (#89); You Keep Tightening Up on Me by the Box Tops (#90); Mississippi Mama by Owen B. (#91); To the Other Woman (I'm the Other Woman) by Doris Duke (#92); Run Sally Run by the Cuff Links (#93); Baby Make it Soon by the Flying Machine (#96); Cat Walk by the Village Soul Choir (#97); Don't Worry Baby by the Tokens (#98); Long Lonesome Highway by Michael Parks (#99); and Music to My Heart by the Obsession (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 No Time--The Guess Who
2 Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin--Sly & the Family Stone
3 Hey There Lonely Girl--Eddie Holman
4 Arizona--Mark Lindsay
5 Psychedelic Shack--The Temptations
6 Honey Come Back--Glen Campbell
7 Rainy Night in Georgia--Brook Benton
8 Ma Belle Amie--The Tee Set
9 Travelin' Band--Creedence Clearwater Revival
10 Walk a Mile in My Shoes--Joe South and the Believers

Singles entering the chart were Temma Harbour by Mary Hopkin (#69); Rag Mama Rag by the Band (#71); You, Me and Mexico by Edward Bear (#73); Instant Karma (We All Shine On) by John Ono Lennon (with the Plastic Ono Band) (#76); Celebrate by Three Dog Night (#79); 1984 by Spirit (#81); Can't Help Falling in Love by Andy Williams (#82); Melting Pot by Blue Mink (#84); Come Together by Ike & Tina Turner and the Ikettes (#85); Silly, Silly Fool by Dusty Springfield (#86); Brighton Hill by Jackie DeShannon (#90); Welfare Cadillac by Guy Drake (#91); Mississippi Mama by Owen B. (#92); Stir it Up and Serve It by Tommy Roe (#93); Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum (#94); Easy to Be Free by Rick Nelson (#95); Run Sally Run by the Cuff Links (#96); Point of View by Jose Feliciano (#97); Let's Give Adam and Eve Another Chance by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (#98); Gotta Hold on to this Feeling by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#99); and Sparkle and Shine by the Clique (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
2 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
3 Arizona--Mark Lindsay
4 That's Where I Went Wrong--The Poppy Family
5 Light of Love--The Cat
6 I Want You Back--The Jackson 5
7 Come and Get It--Badfinger
8 No Time--The Guess Who
9 Venus--The Shocking Blue
10 He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother--Hollies
Pick hit of the week: Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse

Married on this date
Crown Prince Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva of Nepal and Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Rana. The wedding was the culmination of a two-day Hindu ceremony that began with the Crown Prince riding an ornately-decorated elephant. The bride was from an aristocratic Nepalese family.

Diplomacy
French President Georges Pompidou arrived in Chicago as part of his tour of the United States, and was angered by demonstrations against France’s supplying of arms to Libya.

Crime
The "Chicago Seven" defendants were released on bond after the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals granted them bail--$25,000 each for the 5 convicted of crossing state lines to incite a riot, and $15,000 each for the 2 who were acquitted on incite-to-riot charges, but were convicted of contempt of court. Bail of $15,000 each was also set for the defense lawyers, who had been convicted of contempt of court.

40 years ago
1980

World events
The United Nations commission in Iran hearing grievances against the regime of the deposed shah met with about 1,500 Iranians, most of whom had been injured during demonstrations shortly before the shah was deposed a year earlier. The commission’s co-chairman, Mohammed Bedjaoui of Algeria, said to the crowd: "We will fulfill our mandate and...the international community will know to what unimaginable lengths the violations of human rights were carried on in this land."

Terrorism
13 of the hostages held at the Dominican Republic’s embassy in Colombia by April 19 Movement guerrillas were freed in exchange for food and supplies.

Politics and government
Andalusia approved its statute of autonomy within Spain in a referendum.

Transportation
The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that all the 1979 foreign cars and most domestic cars subjected to 35 miles-per-hour crash tests had failed to protect occupants. The test was only 5 mph over the speed specified in the minimum safety standards, and its purpose "was to see who tried to provide an extra measure of safety," according to agency spokesman David Umansky. The Chevrolet Citation, Plymouth Horizon, and Ford Mustang were praised for doing well on the test. The Citation almost passed the test at 40 mph. "Failure" in the crash test meant that a passenger would have been killed or very seriously injured in a similar crash.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 Chicago 2

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (2nd week at #1)

Personal
This blogger concluded a two-month term as museum assistant at Musee Heritage Museum in St. Albert, Alberta. It was an interesting and enjoyable job, and I was sorry to leave.

Diplomacy
South African Zulu chief Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi met with U.S. President George Bush in Washington and called on him to lift economic sanctions against South Africa.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 2 @ Los Angeles 4

Because of fights mainly consisting of players milling around and waltzing, this may have been the longest game I’ve ever seen that was completed in regulation time.

25 years ago
1995

War
Ecuador and Peru signed the Montevideo Declaration, "reiterating their commitment to proceed to an immediate and effective ceasefire," and effectively ending the month-old Cenepa War.

Crime
Raul Salinas de Gortari, brother of former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, was indicted for the September 1994 murder of Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu, deputy leader of the country's governing Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Carlos Salinas de Gortari's term as President had expired in December 1994.

Scandal
A judicial report on sexual abuse of boys at Kingsclear Training Centre in New Brunswick was released; it was critical of bureaucratic indifference that had allowed abuse to continue for almost 30 years.

Politics and government
Former Australian Liberal Party leader John Hewson resigned from Parliament, almost two years after the Liberals had lost the 1993 federal election.

Former Tennessee Governor and U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander announced that he would seek the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in the 1996 election. He urged that many federal programs be eliminated and responsibility given to state governments.

20 years ago
2000

Scandal
British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) confirmed its chief executive, John Taylor, had resigned over the safety scandal that had attracted severe criticism from watchdogs. A report published the previous week by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate confirmed that some safety records relating to a shipment of uranium and plutonium mixed oxide fuel to Japan had been faked at BNFL's Sellafield in Cumbria.

10 years ago
2010

Olympics
Closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympic Games were held at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.