February 25, 2020

450 years ago
1570

Religion
Pope Pius V excommunicated England's Queen Elizabeth I.

410 years ago
1610

Canadiana
Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt set sail from Dieppe, France for Acadia, to re-occupy the settlement of Port Royal in what is now Nova Scotia. On board was 17-year-old Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour, returning to Acadia for the second time.

175 years ago
1845

Born on this date
George Reid. Prime Minister of Australia, 1904-1905. Sir George, who was born in Scotland and moved to Australia as a child, led the Free Trade Party from 1891-1908 and went back and forth from state politics in New South Wales to federal politics, serving as Premier of New South Wales from 1894-1899. He was Prime Minister for just under 11 months during a time when protectionist parties were divided, without his party having a majority in either house of Parliament. When the protectionist parties were united, Sir George was soon voted out of office. He was Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1910-1916, and was then elected unopposed to the British House of Commons as a Unionist candidate, representing self-governing Dominions in supporting the Allied effort in World War I. Sir George died of a cerebral thrombosis on September 12, 1918 at the age of 73.

150 years ago
1870

Politics and government
Hiram R. Revels (Republican-Mississippi) became the first black member of the United States Senate as he was sworn in to fill a vacancy that had existed since Mississippi's secession from the Union in 1861. Mr. Revels had been elected to the U.S. Senate on January 25 by an 81-15 vote of the Mississippi State Senate, but was opposed by southern Democrats. The Republican-dominated U.S. Senate voted 48-8 in his favour on February 25, whereupon Mr. Revels was sworn in.

140 years ago
1880

Disasters
New Brunswick’s first Legislative Assembly building, Province Hall, was destroyed by fire in Fredericton. Located on the site of the current building, the cornerstone of Province Hall had been laid by Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Carleton in 1799.

110 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Millicent Fenwick. U.S. politician. Mrs. Fenwick, a Republican, represented New Jersey's 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1975-1983 before serving as United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture from 1983-1987. She died on September 16, 1992 at the age of 82.

Died on this date
Worthington Whittredge, 89. U.S. artist. Mr. Whittredge was a landscape painter of the Hudson River School.

100 years ago
1920

Born on this date
Philip Habib. U.S. diplomat. Mr. Habib was a career diplomat who was best known for his work as President Ronald Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East (1981–1983); in that role he averted an Israel-Syria war and an Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization war in 1981, and then negotiated a peaceful end to Israel's 1982 siege of Beirut. Mr. Habib died of a cardiac arrhythmia on May 25, 1992 at the age of 72, while on vacation in France.

Sun Myung Moon. Korean cult leader. Rev. Moon, whose birthday is also said to have been on January 6, 1920, was born Moon Yong Myeong in what is now North Korea and was raised in a Confucianist family who converted to Christianity when he was a child. He was imprisoned in a North Korean labour camp in the late 1940s, but escaped to South Korea in 1950, his internment having hardened him in to a staunch anti-Communist. In 1954, Rev. Moon formally founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity--popularly known as the Unification Church--in Seoul. He proclaimed that Jesus Christ was divine but no God, and had redeemed man spiritually, but because he hadn't married, had not therefore redeemed man physically. Rev. Moon taught that he and his second wife Hak Ja Han (he had previously been married and divorced) were humanity's "True Parents" who had come to link married families to God; the Unification Church became internationally known for its blessing ceremonies--often referred to as "mass weddings" for married couples. Rev. Moon moved to the United States in 1971, retaining his South Korean citizenship, and founded numerous front organizations and sponsored conferences featuring high-profile speakers, some of whom claimed unawareness of the true identity of the sponsor. The Unification Church's members, derisively referred to as "Moonies," practiced the doctrine of "heavenly deception," meaning that it was permissible to lie in order to serve the interests of Rev. Moon and the Unification Church. In 1982, Rev. Moon was convicted of conspiracy and filing false income tax returns in the United States, and served 13 months of an 18-month prison sentence. He received support during this time from both evangelical leaders and liberal churches. Rev. Moon also founded the Washington Times newspaper in 1982, using it to spread his views. Rev. Moon appeared to be correct in predicting the eventual fall of Communism, but was very wrong in claiming to be the Messiah and the Second Coming of Christ; the true Second Coming of Christ will occur when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. Rev. Moon died in South Korea on September 3, 2012 at the age of 92; he has been quiet since then, and is most likely still in his grave.

80 years ago
1940

On television tonight
The New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 at Madison Square Garden in New York in the world's first televised hockey game, broadcast on Westinghouse station W2XBS-TV in New York.

War
Foreign ministers of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden announced that their countries would act as a unit to gain the belligerents' respect for their neutral rights. Japan began constructing extensive fortifications in the Shanghai and Tsingtao areas, indicating her desire to hold the Chinese sea coast.

Diplomacy
Francis B. Sayre, high commissioner of the Philippines, said that the United States would leave the islands as scheduled in 1946.

Politics and government
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt left his name on the Illinois Democratic primary ballot for President of the United States in 1940, to face Vice President John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner. In the Republican Party, New York District Attorney Thomas Dewey became the only candidate, as New York Congressman Hamilton Fish and New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia withdrew their names.

Economics and finance
The U.S. National Economy League issued a plan for a balanced federal budget of $7.282 billion.

75 years ago
1945

Radio
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's international shortwave service, Voice of Canada--later renamed Radio Canada International--officially opened in Ottawa.

War
The U.S. 1st Army took Dueren, while the 9th Army reported the capture of 15 other German towns. Soviet forces took the Pomeranian stronghold of Preussisch Friedland and sent tank spearheads to within 60 miles of the Baltic coast. Marianas-based U.S. bombers attacked Tokyo, destroying 240 square blocks of the city.

Politics and government
Rome reported an announcement issued by Harold Macmillan saying that the Allied Control Committee had relinquished control over liberated Italian territory, and that Italy could now appoint its own functionaries without committee approval except in cases of military necessity, which had to be approved by the Supreme Allied Commander.

Defense
Jack Woolams, chief test pilot with Bell Aircraft Corporation, flew the first prototype of Bell's new twin-jet fighter plane XP-83, and found it underpowered and unstable.

Aviation
Pan American Airways signed a contract in San Diego for 15 giant six-engined clippers from Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation for postwar travel abroad. The planes each weighed 160 tons; had a range of 4,200 miles; carried 204 passengers and 15,300 pounds of baggage; flew at 310-342 miles per hour; and could travel between London and New York in a little over nine hours.

Hockey
NHL
Maurice "Rocket" Richard scored his 45th goal of the season for the Montreal Canadiens in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Montreal Forum. The goal, against goalie Frank McCool with about 3 minutes remaining in the game, gave Mr. Richard a league record for a single season, breaking the previous record of 44 set by Joe Malone of the Canadiens in 22 games in the NHL's first season, 1917-18.

70 years ago
1950

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): "A" You're Adorable--Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters; Tony Pastor (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy--Red Foley (Best Seller--2nd week at #1; Disc Jockey--1st week at #1; Jukebox--3rd week at #1);

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy--Red Foley
--Bing Crosby
2 Rag Mop--The Ames Brothers
--Ralph Flanagan and his Orchestra
--Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra
--Johnnie Lee Wills and his Boys
3 There’s No Tomorrow--Tony Martin
4 Dear Hearts and Gentle People--Bing Crosby
--Dinah Shore
5 Johnson Rag--Jack Teter Trio
--Jimmy Dorsey and his Original "Dorseyland" Jazz Band
--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
6 The Old Master Painter--Dick Haymes
--Richard Hayes
--Phil Harris and his Orchestra
7 I Can Dream, Can’t I?--The Andrews Sisters
8 Music! Music! Music!--Teresa Brewer with the Dixieland All Stars
9 The Cry of the Wild Goose--Frankie Laine
10 I Said My Pajamas (And Put on My Pray’rs)--Tony Martin and Fran Warren

Singles entering the chart were Have I Told You Lately that I Love You? by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters (#30); Big Movie Show in the Sky (#37)/The Yodel Blues (#39) by Bing Crosby; and Big Movie Show in the Sky (#37)/The Yodel Blues (#39) by the Modernaires (both sides charting with the versions by Bing Crosby). Have I Told You Lately that I Love You? was the other side of Quicksilver, charting at #17.

On television tonight
The variety program Your Show of Shows, starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca, was broadcast for the first time, as the second half of the two-hour program Saturday Night Review.

Died on this date
George Minot, 64. U.S. physician. Dr. Minot shared the 1934 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with George Whipple and William Parry Murphy "for their discoveries concerning liver therapy in cases of anaemia." Dr. Minot began developing complications associated with diabetes in 1940, and suffered a serious stroke in 1947, which partially paralyzed him.

Defense
The U.S. Defense Department announced plans to buy more B-36 bombers and increase the size of Air Force B-29 groups from 30-65 planes each.

Politics and government
The U.S.S.R. announced the creation of a separate Navy Ministry under Admiral Ivan Yumashev. The Armed Forces Ministry became the Ministry of the Army.

Football
NFL
Doak Walker, who had starred as a halfback for three years at Southern Methodist University, signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Lions for $38,000.

60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Er du glad i meg ennå, Karl Johan?--Nora Brockstedt (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Unhired Assassin: Part 1, with guest stars Joe Mantell, Claude Akins, and Robert Middleton

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Want You Back--The Jackson 5

On television tonight
Then Came Bronson, starring Michael Parks, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Still Waters

Diplomacy
French President Georges Pompidou addressed a joint session of the United States Congress, and received a courteous reception and a good turnout, despite a threatened boycott of some members.



War
U.S. Senator Charles Mathias (Republican--Maryland) charged that United States military activities in Laos clearly "violate the spirit" of Congressional measures seeking to bar the use of American ground troops in Laos. Sen. Mathias cited a report that hundreds of former Green Beret troops had been hired by the CIA to serve in Laos. Other Senators, Republican and Democratic, joined in the criticism.

Protest
In a second night of rioting, a student mob protesting the Vietnam war at the Santa Barbara campus of the University of California spread to the adjoining community of Isla Vista and burned down a Bank of America branch, along with other buildings and a police car. They also pelted police with bottles, bricks, and Molotov cocktails. After 26 policemen were injured and 36 people arrested, California Governor Ronald Reagan declared a state of "extreme emergency" and called in the National Guard. Earlier in the day, William Kunstler, chief attorney for the "Chicago Seven," had addressed the students, and Gov. Reagan asked the state’s attorney general to determine whether Mr. Kunstler had crossed state lines to incite a riot. The students said that the riots were in protest against the administration’s failure to reinstate a professor who had been fired and against alleged abuses, such as rent gouging, in the community.

Crime
After 12 days of unruly sessions in the preliminary hearings of 13 Black Panthers charged the previous April with plotting to bomb public places, possession of illegal weapons, attempted murder, and attempted arson, New York Supreme Court Justice John Murtagh ordered a recess until the defendants promised in writing that they would observe proper courtroom behaviour.

After nine hours of deliberation by an all-white jury, three white Detroit policemen and a Negro private guard were acquitted of conspiracy to violate the civil rights of 10 occupants of the Algiers Motel during the Detroit riots in which three Negro men were found dead in the motel annex on July 26, 1967. The acquitted were suspended patrolmen Ronald August, David Senak, and Robert Paille. The guard was Melvin Dismukes. The prosecution had charged the men with use of excessive force in obtaining information about sniping during the riots.

Politics and government
The United States Supreme Court voted 5-3 to require most--and possibly all--elected local governmental units to be elected according to nearly equal population districts. The ruling requiring one-man, one-vote was addressed to school board elections.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Daitokai--Crystal King (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Man Gave Names to All the Animals--Bob Dylan (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band (3rd week at #1)

World events
The government of Suriname was overthrown by a military coup led by Dési Bouterse.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Jimmy Carter said that inflation had "reached a crisis stage," and pointed to the failure of Congress to adopt a comprehensive energy policy as a major cause of the situation.

Statistics on the clothing industry in Quebec reported that as of 1977, the province accounted for 64.1% of Canada's output. The sector was mainly concentrated in the Montreal region, and employed mainly a female workforce. In 1979, there were 1,500 establishments in the province of Quebec, providing employment to 61,194 people.

Hockey
NHL
The Edmonton Oilers traded right wing Bobby Schmautz to the Colorado Rockies for forward Don Ashby. Mr. Schmautz had begun the season with the Boston Bruins, and was traded to the Oilers on December 10, 1979. In 29 games with Edmonton he scored 8 goals and 8 assists. The trade reunited Mr. Schmautz with head coach Don Cherry, who had coached Mr. Schmautz with the Bruins from 1974-79. Mr. Ashby had been the Toronto Maple Leafs' first draft choice in 1975, but had never fulfilled the promise that the Maple Leafs had thought that he'd possessed. He had 1 assist in 11 games with the Rockies in 1979-80, and 27 goals and 27 assists in 45 games with the Fort Worth Texans of the Central Hockey League.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Welcome to Our World--John Grenell (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Bakerman--Laid Back (2nd week at #1)
2 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
3 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic
4 Sit and Wait--Sydney Youngblood
5 Rich in Paradise "Going Back to My Roots"--F.P.I. Project
6 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
7 Don't Know Much--Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville)
8 Got to Get--Rob 'n' Raz featuring Leila K.
9 Leave a Light On--Belinda Carlisle
10 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

The only single entering the chart was Nothing Compares 2 U.

Politics and government
The National Opposition Union (UNO) defeated the Sandanista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in the Nicaraguan general election, ending more than 10 years of Sandanista rule. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, who belonged to no party, defeated President Daniel Ortega 55%-41%, and the UNO also won more seats in the National Assembly, taking 51 of 92 seats to 39 for the Sandanistas. The 1978 assassination of Mrs. Chamorro’s husband, an editor, had helped to provoke the overthrow of the regime of President Anastasio Somoza by the Sandanistas in 1979, but Mrs. Chamorro, who initially supported the FSLN, turned against them as they shifted more toward Marxism. Dissatisfaction with the economy was regarded as the prime factor in the defeat of the Sandanistas. 2,000 foreign observers monitored the election. A few days before the election, the Edmonton Journal published an editorial warning the United States to abide by the results of the election; the Journal apparently wasn’t expecting the FSLN to lose.

Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa told provincial Liberals at a party general council meeting that Quebec would not return to the Canadian constitutional bargaining table if the Meech Lake accord failed. The party agreed to establish a committee to start examining the province’s options if the accord was not ratified by the June 25 deadline. Although he did not specifically advocate provincial independence if Meech Lake failed, Mr. Bourassa said that Quebec would not "practice federalism on our knees." Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon, whose province had not yet approved the accord, described Mr. Bourassa’s action as "sabre-rattling." Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells said that Mr. Bourassa was bluffing, and that Newfoundland would not be influenced by the action.

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl concluded two days of talks. At a press conference they endorsed the concept of a united Germany within NATO. Mr. Bush said that the United States formally recognized the current German-Polish border. Some Poles were concerned that a united Germany might want to regain territory ceded to Poland after World War II.

Protest
Hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets in more than 30 cities in the U.S.S.R.

Hockey
NHL
Calgary 10 Edmonton 4

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Another Night--Real McCoy (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Here Comes the Hotstepper--Ini Kamoze

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): A Girl Like You--Edwyn Collins (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Short Dick Man--Fingers featuring Gillette (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): No Limit--Irene Moors & de Smurfen (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Think Twice--Celine Dion (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna
2 Creep--TLC
3 On Bended Knee--Boyz II Men
4 Another Night--Real McCoy
5 Baby--Brandy
6 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
7 You Gotta Be--Des'ree
8 If You Love Me--Brownstone
9 Sukiyaki--4 P.M.
10 Hold My Hand--Hootie & the Blowfish

Singles entering the chart were Foe tha Love of $ by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featuring Eazy-E (#48); Brooklyn Zoo by Ol' Dirty Bastard (#65); Shook Ones Part II by Mobb Deep (#66); Thank You by Boyz II Men (#73); I Live My Life for You by Firehouse (#76); 1-Luv by E-40 (featuring Leviti) (#92); This is How We Do It by Montell Jordan (#93) and Can't Wait by Redman (#94).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 Creep--TLC
3 On Bended Knee--Boyz II Men
4 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
5 If You Love Me--Brownstone
6 Hold My Hand--Hootie & the Blowfish
7 You Gotta Be--Des'ree
8 Every Day of the Week--Jade
9 I Know--Dionne Farris
10 Sukiyaki--4 P.M.

Singles entering the chart were If I Wanted To/Like the Way I Do by Melissa Etheridge (#16); Red Light Special by TLC (#45); Thank You by Boyz II Men (#50); If You Think You're Lonely Now by K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci (#60); Come Back by Londonbeat (#62); You Got It by Bonnie Raitt (#64); If You Don't Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself) by Pete Droge (#67); Dream About You/Funky Melody by Stevie B (#83); Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) by Van Halen (#85); I Live My Life for You by Firehouse (#87); and Never Find Someone Like You by Keith Martin (#90).

Music
Frank Sinatra made his last appearance as a singer before an audience of 1,200 select guests at the Palm Desert Marriott Ballroom, on the last night of the Frank Sinatra Desert Classic golf tournament.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 5 Winnipeg 2

20 years ago
2000

Crime
A jury of eight whites and four Negroes acquitted four white New York City police officers on all charges in the shooting death of Amadou Diallo in February 1999. Mr. Diallo, an unarmed Negro native of Guinea, was struck by 19 of 41 shots fired at him in the vestibule of his Bronx apartment building. He had begun to remove a wallet from his apartment; police said they thought it was a gun. The policemen were originally charged with two counts of second-degree murder, but lesser charges, including manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, were added during the trial. The prosecution contended that the officers had fired at Mr. Diallo without identifying themselves or giving any verbal warnings. The defense denied this and called the incident a "tragedy, not a crime." The not-guilty verdict prompted demonstrations against the police in the Bronx and elsewhere.

Business
BCE Inc. announced an offer to buy the Canadian television network CTV for $2.3 billion.