January 26, 2017

180 years ago
1837

Americana
Michigan was admitted to the Union as the 26th state.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Just Walking in the Rain--Johnnie Ray (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Oh Billy Boy--Club Argentina (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell (Best Seller--8th week at #1; Disc Jockey--8th week at #1; Jukebox--7th week at #1; Top 100--8th week at #1);

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell (9th week at #1)
2 Young Love--Sonny James
--Tab Hunter
3 The Banana Boat Song--The Tarriers
4 Banana Boat (Day-O)--Harry Belafonte
5 The Green Door--Jim Lowe
6 Blueberry Hill--Fats Domino
7 Moonlight Gambler--Frankie Laine
8 Love Me Tender--Elvis Presley
9 Just Walking in the Rain--Johnnie Ray
10 A Rose and a Baby Ruth--George Hamilton IV

Singles entering the chart were Too Much (#25)/Playing for Keeps (#43) by Elvis Presley; and Take Me Back Baby by Guy Mitchell (#44). Take Me Back Baby was the other side of Knee Deep in the Blues, charting at #26.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): I'm a Believer--The Monkees (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Dragnet 1967, starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Kidnapping



At the movies
The Deadly Affair, produced and directed by Sidney Lumet, and starring James Mason, Maximilian Schell, Harriet Andersson, Harry Andrews, and Simone Signoret, recieved its premiere screening in New York City.


Died on this date
Crawford Gordon, 52. Canadian industrialist. Mr. Gordon was a leader of wartime defense production in Canada under Minister of Munitions and Supply C.D. Howe during World War II, but was better known as president of the aircraft production company A.V. Roe and Company in the 1950s. Under Mr. Gordon's leadership, the A.V. Roe and Co. produced the Avro Arrow, the world's most advanced fighter plane. The Canadian government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker cancelled the Arrow project on February 20, 1959, and Mr. Gordon was dismissed as A.V. Roe's president shortly thereafter. He never recovered from the Arrow cancellation, lost most of his fortune--which had been $3 million at his peak--and drank himself to death in New York City. Dan Aykroyd played Mr. Gordon in the two-part television movie The Arrow (1997).

Space
The United States launched the weather satellite ESSA (Environmental Science Services Administration) 4 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K (New Musical Express): Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington

On television tonight
Roots, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Part IV

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Funkytown--Pseudo Echo (6th week at #1)

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Live and Let Die--Guns N' Roses

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Let's Talk About Sex--Salt-n-Pepa (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John

Died on this date
José Ferrer, 80. U.S. actor. Mr. Ferrer, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, won a Tony Award for his starring role in Cyrano de Bergerac (1947), and an Academy Award for Best Actor for reprising his role in the movie (1950), becoming the first Puerto Rican actor to win an Oscar. His other movies included Moulin Rouge (1952); The Caine Mutiny (1954); and The Great Man (1956). Mr. Ferrer died 18 days after his 80th birthday.

Defense
Russian President Boris Yeltsin announced that Russia would stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons.

Football
NFL
Super Bowl XXVI @ Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis
Washington 37 Buffalo 24

Mark Rypien completed touchdown passes to Earnest Byner and Gary Clark, and handed off to Gerald Riggs for two short touchdown runs to lead the Redskins over the Bills before 63,130 fans (see video). Chip Lohmiller added 4 converts and 3 field goals to complete the scoring for the Redskins, who led 24-0 in the 3rd quarter and 37-10 before Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly completed touchdown passes to Pete Metzelaars and Don Beebe in the 4th quarter. Thurman Thomas scored the Bills' first touchdown on a 1-yard rush in the 3rd quarter.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Freak--Silverchair

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Don't Speak--No Doubt (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)--Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli

#1 single in Switzerland: Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)--Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Jeane Dixon, 93. U.S. astrologer and psychic. Mrs. Dixon, born Lydia Pinckert, was one of the best-known astrologers and psychics of the 20th century, who made some correct predictions, and numerous incorrect predictions. For example, she reportedly correctly predicted (in 1956) the assassination of the U.S. President who would be elected in 1960 (John F. Kennedy), but incorrectly predicted Richard Nixon as the winner of that election. Mrs. Dixon died 20 days after her 93rd birthday.

Football
NFL
Super Bowl XXXI @ Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans
Green Bay 35 New England 21

Brett Favre completed touchdown passes of 54 yards to Andre Rison in the 1st quarter and Antonio Freeman in the 2nd quarter, and rushed 2 yards for a touchdown late in the 2nd quarter, but it was Desmond Howard's 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter that clinched the Packers' win over the Patriots before 72,301 fans for their first Super Bowl championship in 29 years (see video).

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Gump Worsley, 77. Canadian hockey goaltender. Lorne Worsley, who was nicknamed after comic strip character Andy Gump, played with the New York Rangers (1952-53, 1954-63; Montreal Canadiens (1963-69); and Minnesota North Stars (1970-74), posting a record of 335-352-150 with a goals against average of 2.88 with 43 shutouts in 861 regular season games, and 40-26 with a 2.78 GAA and 5 shutouts in 70 playoff games. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 1952-53, and the Vezina Trophy for the team allowing the fewest goals in 1965-66 and 1967-68. Mr. Worsley didn't play on any good teams until he went to Montreal, leading the team to Stanley Cup championships in 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969. He was one of the last goalies to play without a mask, wearing one for only the last six games of his career. Mr. Worsley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980, and died four days after suffering a heart attack.