January 8, 2017

375 years ago
1642

Died on this date
Galileo Galilei, 77. Italian scientist. Mr. Galilei was one of the greatest scientists in history, with achievements too numerous to mention here.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Emily Greene Balch. U.S. economist and activist. Professor Balch taught at Wellesley College (1913-1919), and was later an editor of The Nation. She was a longtime pacifist, a participant in Henry Ford's International Committee on Mediation, and winner of a share of the 1946 Nobel Peace Prize "for her work with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom." Miss Balch died on January 9, 1961, the day after her 94th birthday.

Politics and government
Negro American men were granted the right to vote in Washington, D.C.

140 years ago
1877

War
Crazy Horse and his warriors fought their last battle against the United States Cavalry at Wolf Mountain, Montana Territory.

125 years ago
1892

Crime
A Chilean court indicted three Chileans and one American for their roles in the October 16, 1891 brawl between U.S. sailors and Chilean nationals outside the True Blue Saloon in Valparaiso.

75 years ago
1942

Died on this date
Joseph Franklin Rutherford, 72. U.S. religious leader. Judge Rutherford was the second president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, succeeding Charles Taze Russell on January 6, 1917, and serving until his death. Judge Russell adopted the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" for the organization in 1931. He was succeeded as President by Nathan H. Knorr.

50 years ago
1967

Music
Simon and Garfunkel were at Columbia Studio A in New York City, where they recorded the song At the Zoo.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Sei forte papà--Gianni Morandi (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Somebody to Love--Queen

#1 single in Ireland: If You Leave Me Now--Chicago (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K (BMRB): When a Child Is Born (Soleado)--Johnny Mathis (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. (2nd week at #1)
2 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing--Leo Sayer
3 Car Wash--Rose Royce
4 I Wish--Stevie Wonder
5 After the Lovin'--Engelbert Humperdinck
6 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart
7 Dazz--Brick
8 Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word--Elton John
9 Hot Line--Sylvers
10 Love Me--Yvonne Elliman

Singles entering the chart were Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac (#66); Baby Don't You Know by Wild Cherry (#82); Spring Affair by Donna Summer (#92); Up Your Nose by Gabriel Kaplan (#99); and Secrets by the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Muskrat Love--Captain and Tennille
2 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart
3 Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word--Elton John
4 You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
5 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing--Leo Sayer
6 Stand Tall--Burton Cummings
7 Love So Right--Bee Gees
8 Livin' Thing--Electric Light Orchestra
9 Hot Line--Sylvers
10 The Rubberband Man--The Spinners

Singles entering the chart were Dazz by Brick (#83); Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band (#84); Hard Luck Woman by Kiss (#85); I Like to Do It by K.C. and the Sunshine Band (#86); Free by Deniece Williams (#87); You've Got Me Runnin' by Gene Cotton (#88); Moody Blue by Elvis Presley (#89); Prisoner (Captured by Your Eyes) by the L.A. Jets (#90); Caledonia by Robin Trower (#91); Hey Baby by Ringo Starr (#93); Can't Let a Woman by Ambrosia (#94); Fancy Dancer by the Commodores (#95); Be My Girl by the Dramatics (#96); Darlin', Darlin', Darlin' Baby by the O'Jays (#97); Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow by Tom Jones (#98); Midnight Love Affair by Carol Douglas (#99); and Keep Me Cryin' by Al Green (#100).

Hockey
NHL
Buffalo 4 @ Toronto 2
Washington 2 @ Montreal 7

WHA
International Series (exhibition)
U.S.S.R. (6-2) 1 @ Quebec 6

Football
NCAA
Hula Bowl @ Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
West 20 East 17

Senior Bowl
North 27 South 24

30 years ago
1987

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Inner Struggles: Fall, 1975



Economics and finance
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 2,002.25, its first finish above 2,000.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black or White--Michael Jackson (8th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Road Test

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush, in Tokyo for trade talks with Japanese government and business leaders, fell ill with intestinal flu during a state dinner at the residence of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, vomited on the Prime Minister, and returned to his suite at the Akasaka Palace.

Politics and government
Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder, who had attracted little support, withdrew from the contest for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in order to concentrate on his duties as governor.

Health
Canadian Health Minister Benoit Bouchard announced a temporary ban on silicone breast implants, two days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had issued a ban on the implants in the United States.

20 years ago
1997

Died on this date
Melvin Calvin, 85. U.S. chemist. Dr. Calvin was awarded the 1961 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his research on the carbon dioxide assimilation in plants." He and colleagues Andrew Benson and James Bassham discovered the Calvin cycle.

Personal
The Northern Alberta branch of the Monarchist League of Canada held a dinner at Rosie's restaurant in old Strathcona in Edmonton, with this blogger in attendance.

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Yvonne De Carlo, 84. Canadian-born U.S. actress. Miss De Carlo, born Margaret Yvonne Middleton in West Point Grey, British Columbia, played exotic women in numerous movies in the 1940s and '50s, but was best known for playing Lily Munster in the television comedy series The Munsters (1964-1966).

Terrorism
A Moroccan man convicted of aiding three of the four pilots who committed the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001 was sentenced by a German court to the maximum 15 years in prison.