February 3, 2020

500 years ago
1520

Died on this date
Sten Sture the Younger, 26 or 27. Regent of Sweden, 1512-1520. Sten Sture the Younger succeeded his father Svante Nilsson as regent as the result of a coup against High Councillor Eric Trolle, who had been chosen by the council. Sten Sture the Younger wanted Sweden to remain independent of Denmark, but his forces were defeated by Danish forces in the Battle of Bogesund on January 19, 1520, and he died 15 days after being wounded in the battle.

330 years ago
1690

Economics and finance
The colony of Massachusetts issued the first paper money in the Americas.

200 years ago
1820

Died on this date
Gia Long, 57. Emperor of Vietnam, 1802-1820. Gia Long, born Nguyễn Ánh, was the second son of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát of southern Vietnam, and was forced into hiding in 1777 after his family was slain in the Tây Sơn revolt. He eventually obtained French support and defeated the Tây Sơn. Gia Long succeeded in unifying Vietnam, and imposed a regime of Confucian orthodoxy. He died five days before his 58th birthday, and was succeeded by his son Minh Mạng.

190 years ago
1830

Born on this date
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1885-1886; 1886-1892; 1895-1902. The Marquess of Salisbury, a Conservative, died 50 years to the day that he'd first entered the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Stamford in Lincolnshire. He was the last British Prime Minister to lead his full administration from the House of Lords, which he'd entered in 1868. Lord Salisbury's motto was "Whatever happens will be for the worse, and therefore it is in our interest that as little should happen as possible." He died on August 22, 1903 at the age of 73. Mister, we could use a man like Lord Salisbury again.

Europeana
The London Protocol of 1830, an amendment to the 1829 Protocol among the United Kingdom, France, and Russia, established the full independence and sovereignty of Greece from the Ottoman Empire as the final result of the Greek War of Independence.

150 years ago
1870

Law
The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. It reads:

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

140 years ago
1880

Baseball
The Worcester Worcesters, who had played in the minor league National Base-Ball Association, were admitted to the National League as its eighth franchise, replacing the Syracuse Stars, who had disbanded near the end of the 1879 season.

120 years ago
1900

Born on this date
Mabel Mercer. U.K.-born U.S. singer. Miss Mercer was a vaudeville and music hall singer in Britain and Europe before moving to the United States at the beginning of World War II. She achieved success as a nightclub singer in New York City, making occasional recordings from 1942-1980. She died on April 20, 1984 at the age of 84.

100 years ago
1920

Born on this date
Russell Arms. U.S. singer and actor. Mr. Arms appeared in plays, films, and television programs, but was best known as a singer on the television program Your Hit Parade (1952-1957). He died on February 13, 2012, 10 days after his 92nd birthday.

Tony Gaze. Australian military aviator and auto racing driver. Squadron Leader Gaze served with the U.K. Royal Air Force in World War II, achieving 12½ combat victories. He was a racing driver from 1954-1956, achieving numerous podium finishes in Australia and New Zealand, but little success in Europe. Squadron Leader Gaze died on July 29, 2013 at the age of 93.

Henry Heimlich. U.S. physician. Dr. Heimlich was a thoracic surgeon who became famous for devising the Heimlich maneuver--described in Emergency Medicine in 1974--a technique of hand thrusts in the abdomen to stop choking. He also invented the Micro Trach portable oxygen system for ambulatory patients and the Heimlich Chest Drain Valve, or "flutter valve," which drains blood and air out of the chest cavity. Dr. Heimlich died on December 17, 2016 at the age of 96.

90 years ago
1930

Politics and government
The Communist Party of Vietnam was founded at a "Unification Conference" held in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

80 years ago
1940

At the movies
Calling Philo Vance, starring James Stephenson, opened in theatres. The film was a remake of The Kennel Murder Case (1933), which had starred William Powell.

War
German planes bombed the British coast from the Tyne River to Norfolk, claiming the sinking of 14 ships.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department asked both French and Japanese authorities to assure safe passage over the Haiphong-Yunan railroad in China.

Politics and government
The Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee announced its endorsement of Franklin D. Roosevelt for a third term as President of the United States.

The "farm bloc" of the United States Senate moved to restore budget cuts in the Agriculture bill, the day after the House of Representatives had voted a cut of $66.9 million.

Economics and finance
Robert J. Watt, U.S. delegate to the International Labour Organization meeting in Geneva, urged that body to prepare a plan for the world's transition from a war to a peace-time economy.

75 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't Fence Me In--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Best Seller--7th week at #1; Airplay--2nd week at #1; Juke Box--8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Roland Freisler, 51. German lawyer and judge. Mr. Freisler, who joined the Nazi Party in 1925, was State Secretary of the Reich Ministry of Justice and President of the Volksgerichtshof (People's Court) from 1942-1945. The court operated outside constitutional authority and conducted show trials of those who were accused of political actions against the regime of Fuehrer Adolf Hitler. Mr. Freisler was conducting a session of the Volksgerichtshof when he was killed in an Allied bombing raid on Berlin.

War
As part of Operation Thunderclap, 1,000 B-17s of the U.S. 8th Air Force dropped 2,256 tons of bombs on Berlin, killing 2,500-3,000 people and leaving another 120,000 homeless. U.S. troops in Belgium cleared the last German forces with the capture of Krewinkel. Soviet forces in eastern Germany reached a point 6 miles west of Kuestrin and 11 miles west of Frankfurt an der Oder in their drive on Berlin. Peace talks between the Greek government and the EAM-ELAS factions opened in Athens. U.S. and Filipino forces began a month-long battle to retake Manila from Japan. Troops with the U.S. 6th Army broke into the suburbs of Manila and liberated over 5,000 Allied prisoners held at Manila General Hospital, the University of Manila, and other locations.

Defense
The New York Times reported that over 50 United States Senators supported the proposal of Sen. Arthur Vandenberg (Republican--Michigan) for immediate Allied pacts to keep Germany and Japan demilitarized.

Baseball
Major league club owners adopted a new charter with only one major change, whereby the owners could not appeal decisions of the Commissioner to the courts.

70 years ago
1950

Died on this date
Sid Field, 45. U.K. comedian. Mr. Field was a music hall performer throughout England for many years before achieving popularity on stage in London in the 1940s. He appeared in just three movies, and was starring as Elwood P. Dowd in a stage version of Harvey when he died of a heart attack. Mr. Field was a great influence on Laurence Olivier, Tony Hancock, and many other performers.

World events
Klaus Fuchs, a top British atomic scientist said to have known everything about construction of the U.S. atomic bomb, was arrested in London as a Soviet spy.

Diplomacy
Poland, Romania, Hungary, and North Korea recognized Ho Chi Minh's Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Communist China protested to United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie against the continued representation of Nationalist China in the UN.

Panamanian President Arnulfo Arias said that Peruvian and Venezuelan exiles in Panama would not be permitted to make speeches denouncing their governments.

Law
The U.S. Senate passed a bill to create a single code of military justice for the armed forces.

Agriculture
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Charles Brannan ordered the dumping of 25 million bushels of American-grown potatoes in an effort to keep prices up.

60 years ago
1960

Died on this date
Fred Buscaglione, 38. Italian singer and actor. Mr. Buscaglione was popular on stage and in recordings and movies in the mid-late 1950s, playing the comic character of a mobster with a penchant for whiskey and women. He was killed in a car accident in Rome.

World events
British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, in an address to the South African parliament in Cape Town, delivered his "Wind of Change" speech, acknowledging the increasing desire of Negro peoples in Africa to govern themselves, and offering a rebuke to South Africa’s apartheid system. He had delivered the "Wind of Change" speech in Accra, Ghana on January 10, but it had gone unnoticed at that time. Part of the text of the speech may be found here. South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd promptly offered his response to Mr. Macmillan's speech.



50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Venus--Shocking Blue

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye--Steam

Space
The U.S.A. launched Space Electric Rocket Test (SERT) II, a probe whose purpose was to demonstrate the capability of electric ion thrusters to operate in space.



40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Montego Bay--Jon Stevens (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd

Crime
The 36-hour riot and hostage-taking at New Mexico state penitentiary in Santa Fe concluded when more than 250 state police and National Guardsmen recaptured the prison without firing a shot. New Mexico Governor Bruce King had spoken with inmates over the telephone, and according to officials, this act and negotiations with prison spokesmen enabled the peaceful retaking of the prison. 33 inmates were killed in the incident. Witnesses said that execution squads of prisoners armed with axes and blowtorches had tortured and murdered fellow prisoners, especially those purported to be informers. Some of the deaths were from overdoses of drugs obtained from the prison infirmary, and smoke inhalation from fires that were set. About 600 of the prison’s 1,1366 inmates eventually fled the building but remained in the prison yard. The 11 hostages taken when the siege began were released one by one until only three remained when police entered the prison. Prison officials made public 11 demands by inmates, including less crowding, better food, and improved recreation and education facilities. The prison held 1/3 more prisoners than it was designed for.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 Los Angeles 3

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Love Shack--The B-52's (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Lambada--Kaoma (19th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield

#1 single in France (SNEP): Les Valses de Vienne--François Feldman (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Me So Horny--The 2 Live Crew
2 Got to Get--Rob 'n' Raz featuring Leila K
3 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
4 Get a Life--Soul II Soul
5 Words--The Christians
6 Get Into It--Tony Scott
7 Inna City Mamma--Neneh Cherry
8 Homely Girl--UB40
9 In Private--Dusty Springfield
10 Whatcha' Gonna Do with My Lovin'--Inner City

Singles entering the chart were Get Up! (Before the Night is Over) by Technotronic (#18); Nothing Compares to U by Sinéad O'Connor (#26); Ik Zie 'n Pils by De Havenzangers (#27); En Nou die Hèndjes de Lucht In by Van Alles Wè m.m.v. C.V. De Loeiers (#28); Fools Gold by the Stone Roses (#30); I Can't Stand It by Twenty 4 Seven featuring MC FixxIt (#32); Op De Deksel Van De Jampot... by Vader Abraham (#33); and I'm Not the Man I Used to Be by Fine Young Cannibals (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton (3rd week at #1)
2 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
3 Downtown Train--Rod Stewart
4 Two to Make it Right--Seduction
5 Janie's Got a Gun--Aerosmith
6 I Remember You--Skid Row
7 Free Fallin'--Tom Petty
8 Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic featuring Felly
9 Just Between You and Me--Lou Gramm
10 Everything--Jody Watley

Singles entering the chart were Keep it Together by Madonna (#56); Love Me for Life by Stevie B (#69); I Wish it Would Rain Down by Phil Collins (#71); Forever by Kiss (#72); All Around the World by Lisa Stansfield (#78); That's What I Like by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (#91); 1-2-3 by the Chimes (#93); and You're the Only Woman by the Brat Pack (#94).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Downtown Train--Rod Stewart
2 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton
3 Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic featuring Felly
4 Two to Make it Right--Seduction
5 Everything--Jody Watley
6 Just Between You and Me--Lou Gramm
7 Free Fallin'--Tom Petty
8 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
9 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
10 I Remember You--Skid Row

Singles entering the chart were Keep it Together by Madonna (#70); Forever by Kiss (#73); All Around the World by Lisa Stansfield (#83); Walk on By by Sybil (#85); Get Up! (Before the Night is Over) by Technotronic (#87); Wouldn't Change a Thing by Kylie Minogue (#89); If U were Mine by U-Krew (#90); There's a Party Going On by Yvonne (#92); Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz (#95); and Fly High Michelle by Enuff Z’Nuff (#96).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (8th week at #1)
2 Downtown Train--Rod Stewart
3 Just Between You and Me--Lou Gramm
4 Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic featuring Felly
5 Janie's Got a Gun--Aerosmith
6 Free Fallin'--Tom Petty
7 Peace in Our Time--Eddie Money
8 Just Like Jesse James--Cher
9 We Didn't Start the Fire--Billy Joel
10 Don't Know Much--Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville)

Singles entering the chart were Almost Hear You Sigh by the Rolling Stones (#75); Tender Lover by Babyface (#77); Boots or Hearts by the Tragically Hip (#80); Love Will Lead You Back by Taylor Dayne (#82); All My Life by Linda Ronstadt (with Aaron Neville) (#85); Get Up! (Before the Night is Over) by Technotronic (#87); True Blue Love by Lou Gramm (#89); Sometimes She Cries by Warrant (#91); and Love Don't Come Easy by the Alarm (#93).

Music
Bobby Vee and the Crickets performed in Mr. Vee's home town of Fargo, North Dakota. Also on the bill was Del Shannon, giving what turned out to be his last live performance; he shot himself five days later while under the influence of Prozac.

Politics and government
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev told the Communist Party’s Central Committee, "We should abandon the ideological dogmatism that became ingrained during the past decades."

The Bulgarian parliament confirmed Andrei Lukanov as the country’s new Premier.

Scandal
Darryl Strawberry's baseball career took a dramatic turn for the worse when the 27-year-old five-time all-star outfielder for the New York Mets entered a centre for drug and alcohol abuse in Manhattan to treat what the team described as a drinking problem.

Horse racing
Bill Shoemaker, 58, the greatest jockey in history, rode in his last race, finishing fourth at Santa Anita Park. He retired with 8,833 victories in 40,350 races.

Hockey
NHL
Pittsburgh 4 @ Toronto 8

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Stay Another Day--East 17 (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Think Twice--Celine Dion (3rd week at #1)

Space
The United States Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin mission STS-63. The crew was James Wetherbee (Commander); Eileen Collins (Pilot); and Mission Specialists Bernard Harris; Michael Foale; Janice Voss; and Vladimir Titov. Ms. Collins was the first woman to pilot a space shuttle mission. The shuttle's mission was to dock with the Russian space station Mir.



Economics and finance
U.S. President Bill Clinton announced that he favoured a minimum wage of $5.15 per hour, higher than the current figure of $4.25 per hour. He said that if the minimum wage was not increased, it would stand at a 40-year low in 1996.

The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate had increased in January by 0.3% to 5.7%.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 Toronto 3

10 years ago
2000

Diplomacy
Austria’s European allies froze bilateral ministerial contacts, while Israel recalled its ambassador from Austria.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met, but failed to make any headway in discussions over which additional land on the West Bank was to be transferred to the Palestinian National Authority.

Politics and government
Austrian President Thomas Klestil approved the new coalition government of the People’s Party and the Freedom Party, but persuaded People’s Party leader Wolfgang Schussel and Freedom Party leader Joerg Haider to support democratic principles and renounce Austria’s past ties to the Nazis.

The Toronto police union called off a controversial fund-raising campaign aimed at financing bids to defeat politicians the union leadership didn’t like.

Business
A record for the biggest corporate merger was set when Britain’s Vodafone Airtouch Group PLC said it would acquire Mannesmann AG. Vodafone was the biggest wireless telephone company in the world, while Mannesmann was Germany’s largest. The all-stock transaction was valued at the equivalent of $183 billion U.S. Vodafone had attempted a hostile takeover, and after it appeared that Mannesmann’s shareholders would favour a merger, negotiations led to a superficially amicable agreement. The merged company would have 42 million subscribers.