January 27, 2009

150 years ago
1859

Born on this date
Wilhelm II. Kaiser of Germany and King of Prussia, 1888-1918. Kaiser Wilhelm II was the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria of Great Britain, and was related to many other European monarchs. He succeeded his father Friedrich III on the throne on June 15, 1988; Friedrich III had succeeded his father Wilhelm I just 99 days earlier, but Friedrich was already dying of throat cancer. Wilhelm II dismissed Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1890 and launched Germany on an aggressive foreign policy, contributing to the beginning of World War I. The Kaiser eventually lost the support of his military and was forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918, two days before the armistice was signed to end the fighting. The former Kaiser Wilhelm II lived the remainder of his life in exile in Doorn, Netherlands, and died on June 4, 1941 at the age of 82.

Canadiana
George-Étienne Cartier proclaimed Ottawa the capital of the Canadas; as co-Premier, he had strenuously lobbied for Ottawa as Queen Victoria's choice against Montréal, Kingston and Toronto, as a place where French Canadians could feel at home.

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
Will Marion Cook. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Cook began his musical career as a violinist, but soon became known for writing the music for Negro musicals such as Clorindy, or The Origin of the Cake Walk (1898); In Dahomey (1903); and In Darkeydom (1914). He died of pancreatic cancer on July 19, 1944 at the age of 75.

Japanica
Tokugawa rebels established the Ezo Republic in Hokkaidō.

70 years ago
1939

Aviation
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane, piloted by Ben Kelsey, made its first flight.

60 years ago
1949

War
Greek Communist guerrillas offered to discuss peace if the government agreed to a cease-fire and promised to release political prisoners and stop taking U.S. aid.

Politics and government
U.S. President Harry Truman nominated Export-Import Bank Chairman William M. Martin, Jr. as assistant Treasury Secretary. The U.S. Senate confirmed Lewis Hershey as Selective Service director. U.S. Representative Hugh Scott, Jr. (Republican--Pennsylvania) narrowly retained his position as Republican National Committee chairman, defeating challenges by Harold Stassen, Robert McCormick, and Robert Taft. The U.S. House of Representatives Republican conference replaced the House Republican Steering Committee with a Policy Committee chosen on a geographical basis; the measure reduced the policy-making influence of senior Republicans and gave greater weight to "progressives" within the party.

Religion
Athenagoras I was installed in Istanbul as Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Crime
Sam Carr, wanted in Canada on charges of spying for the U.S.S.R., was arrested in New York by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and taken to Ellis Island for deportation.

Society
U.S. Senator Richard Russell (Democrat--Georgia) introduced a measure providing federal aid to encourage the migration of Southern Negroes to northern states.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. and Romania signed a commercial agreement providing for a 150% increase in trade between the two countries.

Business
Former U.S. Postmaster General Robert Hannegan sold his interest in the St. Louis Cardinals baseball club to Fred Saigh, Jr. for about $1 million.

Disasters
A collision between the Chinese ship Taiping and the collier Kienyuan near Shanghai killed 600.

U.S. President Truman allotted $300,000 in disaster funds to snowbound west central and mountain states.

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Night of April 14th, starring Barbara Lord, Isabel Elsom, and Patrick Macnee



Died on this date
Frances Williams, 57. U.S. actress and dancer. Miss Williams starred in musical stage comedies, and has been credited with introducing the Charleston dance. She played herself in the original Broadway productions of The Cocoanuts (1925); George White's Scandals (1926); and George White's Scandals (1928).

Politics and government
U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev told delegates to the 21st Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union that the U.S.S.R. would continue to press for German reunification "by the Germans themselves" through talks between the East and West German governments.

Moroccan National Consultative Assembly President Mehdi Ben Barka proclaimed the formation of a leftist "party of the masses," to be called the Democratic Istiqial (Independence) Party.

Education
U.S. Senator Herman Talmadge (Democrat--Georgia) and seven other Democratic Senators from Southern states introduced a proposed constitutional amendment giving states and localities full power to decide whether to desegregate their schools.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kanashiki Tenshi (Those Were the Days)--Mary Hopkin

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Eloise--Barry Ryan (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)
2 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
3 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
4 Worst that Could Happen--Brooklyn Bridge
5 Touch Me--The Doors
6 If I Can Dream--Elvis Presley
7 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
8 Everyday People--Sly & the Family Stone
9 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
10 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell

Singles entering the chart were Crossroads by Cream (#69); Hey! Baby by Jose Feliciano (#70); River Deep--Mountain High by Deep Purple (#81); Take Care of Your Homework by Johnnie Taylor (#83); Light My Fire by Rhetta Hughes (#86); I Got a Line on You by Spirit (#87); I'm Gonna Hold on as Long as I Can by the Marvelettes (#89); Getting the Corners by the T.S.U. Tornadoes (#91); Witchi Tai To by Everything is Everything (#92); Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#93); He Called Me Baby by Ella Washington (#94); You Gave Me a Mountain by Frankie Laine (#95); Someday Soon by Judy Collins (#96); Me About You by the Lovin' Spoonful (#98); Cruel War by Sugar n' Spice (#99); and Almost Persuaded by Etta James (#100).

On television tonight
Dragnet 1966, starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, on NBC

This made-for-television movie was the pilot for the Dragnet 1967 series, but wasn't shown until this night.

World events
Iraq hanged 14 Iraqis (including 9 Jews), convicted of spying for Israel, stirring a new crisis in the Middle East. Israel denounced the action, and the United States cautioned Israel against retaliatory military action.

Protest
Students protesting against the closure of the London School of Economics seized control of the University of London Union building, saying that they wanted to establish an LSE-in-exile until their own college was reopened. The occupation ended the next day when medical students and others opposed to the occupation removed the protesters.

Northern Ireland Protestant leader Rev. Ian Paisley and his aide Ronald Bunting were each sentenced to three months in prison in Armagh for participating in an unlawful assembly during a Roman Catholic civil rights march there.

Disasters
Nine days of torrential rain in southern California left 91 dead.

Golf
George Archer won the Bing Crosby pro-am at Pebble Beach, California. First prize money was $25,000.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): I Can't Stop Loving You (Though I Try)--Leo Sayer

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Y.M.C.A.--Village People (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick--Ian Dury and The Blockheads

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Y.M.C.A.--Village People (2nd week at #1)
2 Paradise by the Dashboard Light--Meat Loaf
3 Stumblin' In--Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman
4 Le Freak--Chic
5 A Little More Love--Olivia
6 (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back--Peter Tosh (support vocals: Mick Jagger)
7 Blame it on the Boogie--The Jacksons
8 Song for Guy--Elton John
9 Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick--Ian Dury and the Blockheads
10 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart

Singles entering the chart were Chiquitita by ABBA (#16); You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) by Meat Loaf (#20); 'k Heb Hele Grote Bloemkoole by André Van Duin (als Meneer De Bok) (#22); Every Time I Think of You by the Babys (#29); Anyway You Do It by Liquid Gold (#34); and Late Night Show by Tiffany (#35).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Le Freak--Chic (5th week at #1)
2 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
3 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
4 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart
5 My Life--Billy Joel
6 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
7 Ooh Baby Baby--Linda Ronstadt
8 Hold the Line--Toto
9 Every 1's a Winner--Hot Chocolate
10 September--Earth, Wind & Fire

Singles entering the chart were I Just Fall in Love Again by Anne Murray (#57); Song on the Radio by Al Stewart (#60); Forever in Blue Jeans by Neil Diamond (#66); Baby, I Need Your Lovin' by Eric Carmen (#75); Maybe I'm a Fool by Eddie Money (#81); Music Box Dancer by Frank Mills (#84); Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart (#85); Theme from Superman (Main Title) by John Williams/London Symphony Orchestra (#86); Bad Brakes by Cat Stevens (#87); Livin' it Up (Friday Night) by Bell & James (#88); Stumblin' In by Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman (#89); Fancy Dancer by Frankie Valli (#90); and Shoot Me (With Your Love) by Tasha Thomas (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Le Freak--Chic (7th week at #1)
2 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
3 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
4 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart
5 Hold the Line--Toto
6 September--Earth, Wind & Fire
7 Ooh Baby Baby--Linda Ronstadt
8 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
9 Every 1's a Winner--Hot Chocolate
10 Fire--Pointer Sisters

Singles entering the chart were What a Fool Believes by the Doobie Brothers (#54); Song on the Radio by Al Stewart (#77); Forever in Blue Jeans by Neil Diamond (#78); Maybe I'm a Fool by Eddie Money (#82); Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart (#83); Music Box Dancer by Frank Mills (#84); Baby, I Need Your Lovin' by Eric Carmen (#85); Livin' it Up (Friday Night) by Bell & James (#88); Stumblin' In by Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman (#89); Call Out My Name by Zwol (#97); Oh Honey by Delegation (#98); and Superman by Herbie Mann (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
2 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
3 My Life--Billy Joel
4 Le Freak--Chic
5 Sharing the Night Together--Dr. Hook
6 Hold the Line--Toto
7 Promises--Eric Clapton and his Band
8 I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli
9 Ooh Baby Baby--Linda Ronstadt
10 (Our Love) Don't Throw it All Away--Andy Gibb

Singles entering the chart were Dancin' Shoes by Nigel Olsson (#88); Shake Your Groove Thing by Peaches & Herb (#90); Give You That Love by Rich Dodson (#92); Heaven Knows by Donna Summer (#93); What You Won't Do for Love by Bobby Caldwell (#95); You Stepped Into My Life by Melba Moore (#99); and Crazy Love by Poco (#100).

Religion
Pope John Paul II continued his Latin American visit in Mexico City, greeting Mexico's Polish community, and calling for a more traditional direction for the hemisphere's Roman Catholics.

Hockey
NHL
Boston 1 @ Montreal 3

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Come Back and Stay--Paul Young

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Jenseits von Eden--Nino de Angelo (5th week at #1)

Weather
It was 46 degrees F. in Edmonton, the most beautiful day of the year so far.

Popular culture
U.S. pop singer Michael Jackson suffered second-degree burns to his scalp during the filming of a Pepsi commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the U.S. merchandise trade deficit had totalled $69.4 billion in 1983, breaking the record of $42.7 billion reported in 1982.

Hockey
NHL
Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers registered an assist in the first period of a game against the New Jersey Devils at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, extending his point-scoring streak to a record 51 games.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): First Time--Robin Beck (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Thomas Sopwith, 101. U.K. aviator. Mr. Sopwith began flying in 1910 and in 1912 co-founded the Sopwith Aviation Company, which manufactured more than 18,000 aircraft for Allied forces in World War I, including the Sopwith Camel single-seat fighter plane.

Scandal
Two former executives of Unisys Corporation, a major U.S. defense contractor, pled guilty to making illegal campaign donations to members of Congress.

A civilian employee of the U.S. Marine Corps pled guilty to accepting $43,500 in bribes from a defense consultant to whom he had provided confidential information.

Religion
As part of Christian Awareness Week at the University of Alberta, Regent College professor Loren Wilkinson delivered a talk about the environment.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross national product had grown at an annual rate of 2% in the fourth quarter of 1988, reflecting the impact of the summer of 1988 drought on farm output. For the year as a whole, the economy grew 3.8%, its strongest showing in four years.

10 years ago
1999

Scandal
The United States Senate voted 56-44 to approve a slimmed-down list of just three witnesses to appear at the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. The three witnesses were former White House intern Monica Lewinsky; Vernon Jordan, a friend and adviser to Mr. Clinton; and White House advisor Sidney Blumenthal.

Religion
Pope John Paul II concluded his five-day visit to Mexico and St. Louis with a mass at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis before departing for Rome.

January 26, 2009

310 years ago
1699

War
The signing of the Treaty of Karlowitz to conclude the Austro-Ottoman War marked the end of Ottoman control in much of Central Europe and the rise of the Habsburg Monarchy as the dominant power in the region. It was the first time the Ottoman Empire had permanently ceded territory to the Christian powers.

140 years ago
1869

Died on this date
Duncan Gordon Boyes, 22. U.K. sailor. Midshipman Boyes joined the Royal Navy as a teenager, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his courage in carrying the Queen's Colour in the face of fire from Japanese forces in the bombardment of Shimonoseki on September 6, 1854, when he was 17. In February 1867, Midshipman Boyes and another sailor were dismissed from the service for disobeying orders and breaking into the Naval Yard in Bermuda after previously being refused admittance for not having passes. Mr. Boyes took to drink and suffered from depression; he moved to New Zealand to work with his brothers, but suffered a nervous breakdown and committed suicide by jumping out of the window of a house.

75 years ago
1934

Diplomacy
The German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact was signed.

70 years ago
1939

War
In the Spanish Civil War, troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy captured Barcelona as part of the Catalonia Offensive.

60 years ago
1949

Space
The Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory in California, the largest aperture optical telescope in the world for 28 years, saw first light, under the direction of Edwin Hubble.

War
The United States formally terminated its Army Advisory Group in China.

World events
Former German Chancellor Franz von Papen was freed by a German denazification court in Nuremberg, which reclassified him as a secondary Nazi offender.

Scandal
Former Newark, New Jersey Police Judge P. James Pellecchia was sentenced to 10-15 years' imprisonment by a court in Newark for embezzling $663,850 to cover gambling losses.

Economics and finance
The Dun & Bradstreet wholesale food price index dropped to $5.91, the lowest level since price controls ended in October 1946.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor International Brotherhood of Teamsters took over a 6,000-member Congress of Industrial Organizations United Distribution Workers local in St. Louis in an attempt to begin organization of department store workers.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Las Chicas De La Cruz Roja--Ana María Parra (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters (2nd week at #1)
2 My Happiness--Connie Francis
3 Donna--Ritchie Valens
4 16 Candles--The Crests
5 Stagger Lee--Lloyd Price
6 Gotta Travel On--Billy Grammer
7 A Lover's Question--Clyde McPhatter
8 Lonely Teardrops--Jackie Wilson
9 Goodbye Baby--Jack Scott
10 Whole Lotta Loving--Fats Domino

Singles entering the chart were Ambrose (Part Five) by Linda Laurie (#64); The Shag (Is Totally Cool) by Billy Graves (#72); First Anniversary by Cathy Carr (#82); I Got a Wife by the Mark IV (#84); I've Had It by the Bell Notes (#88); She Say (Oom Dooby Doom) by the Diamonds (#89); Alright, Okay, You Win by Peggy Lee (#94); Wicked Ruby by Danny Zella and his Zell Rocks (#95); Evening Rain by Earl Grant (#96); Plain Jane by Bobby Darin (#97); Raw-Hide by Link Wray and the Wraymen (#98); The Story of My Love by Conway Twitty (#99); and Tragedy by Thomas Wayne with the DeLons (#100). Alright, Okay, You Win was the other side of My Man, with had entered the chart on January 19 at #96 and was now off the chart.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Gotta Travel On--Billy Grammer (3rd week at #1)
2 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters
3 My Happiness--Connie Francis
4 The All American Boy--Bill Parsons
5 Manhattan Spiritual--Reg Owen and his Orchestra
6 Donna/La Bamba--Ritchie Valens
7 Goodbye Baby--Jack Scott
8 To Know Him is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears
9 I Got Stung/One Night--Elvis Presley
10 Stagger Lee--Lloyd Price

Singles entering the chart were The Lonely One by Duane Eddy and the Rebels (#40); She Say (Oom Dooby Doom) by the Diamonds (#44); First Anniversary by Cathy Carr (#46); It's Just a Matter of Time by Brook Benton (#50); Try Me by James Brown (#52); Nola, with versions by Billy Williams; and the Morgan Brothers (#56); Miss You by the Keymen (#59); and Oh Why/I Don't Need You Anymore by the Teddy Bears (#60).

Politics and government
Italian Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani resigned after Democratic Socialist defections from his coalition cabinet eroded his majority in the Chamber of Deputies.

40 years ago
1969

Protest
Police wielding truncheons and firing tear gas from pressure canisters broke up a march by hundreds of demonstrators in central Prague, the day after 500,000 people had taken to the streets on the occasion of the funeral of Jan Palach, the 20-year-old university student who had committed self-immolation in protest against the demoralization of his country following the recent Soviet occupation. The Czechoslovakian government reported that nine more students had committed or attempted suicide since the death of Mr. Palach.

Disasters
Nine people were killed and two missing in a hotel fire in Dunnville, Ontario.

Boxing
Jerry Quarry (30-2-4) scored a technical knockout of Aaron Eastling (17-4-2) at 2:41 of the 5th round of a heavyweight bout at Memorial Auditorium in Canton, Ohio. Mr. Eastling was knocked down 6 times.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (7th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Nelson Rockefeller, 70. Vice President of the United States of America, 1974-1977. Mr. Rockefeller, the second son of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. was a Republican, and Governor of New York from 1959-1973. In 1970 he signed the most liberal abortion law in the United States; he also gave his name to a report supporting population control. Mr. Rockefeller's desire to be President was obvious, but despite all his wealth, he was never quite able to achieve his greatest ambition. He accepted the Vice Presidency from Gerald Ford on condition that he not challenge Mr. Ford for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. Mr. Rockefeller died under rather embarrassing circumstances. Megan Marshack, his 31-year-old staff assistant, arrived at his brownstone town house at 13 West 54th Street, ostensibly to help him work on his latest book about his art collection. She arrived in a long black evening gown, which seems rather strange if she was there to do work. The authorized account is that Mr. Rockefeller collapsed on the floor with a heart attack at 11:15 P.M. However, family spokesman Hugh Morrow originally stated that death occurred at 10:15 P.M. in the Rockefeller Center office. To add to the confusion, Ponchitta Pierce, a journalist and friend of Miss Marshack, revealed on February 10 that Miss Marshack had phoned her on January 26 between 10:50 and 11:00 P.M. and told her that "Governor Rockefeller had suffered a heart attack." For a detailed account of Mr. Rockefeller's last day, see John Eastman's article on page 609 of The People's Almanac #3 (1981) by David Wallechinsky and Irving Wallace.

Politics and government
The Communist Party withdrew its support of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti's Christian Democratic government. The Communists had demanded full participation in the cabinet as the price of their continued support of the government.

Religion
Pope John Paul II continued his Latin American visit with eucharistic celebrations in Santo Domingo and Mexico City.

Labour
Leaders of the Retail Clerks International Union and the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen agreed to a merger which would create the biggest single union in the American Federation of Labour-Congress of Industrial Organizations. With a total membership of 1.2 million, the new union would be called the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 2 @ Atlanta 4

Goalie Pierre Hamel, called up by the Maple Leafs from the Moncton Hawks of the American Hockey League two days earlier, dressed as the backup to Mike Palmateer in their loss to the Flames at the Omni, while regular backup Paul Harrison was out with an injury. Mr. Hamel had played 4 games with the Maple Leafs early in the 1974-75 season, and had been in the minors ever since.

25 years ago
1984

Politics and government
The government of Canada announced a land claims settlement with Yukon first nations, who were to receive $620 million and title to 20,000 square kilometres.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Back to the Stone Age--Stone (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State James Baker ordered the closing of the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan.

Religion
As part of Christian Awareness Week at the University of Alberta, Campus Crusade for Christ speaker Michael Horner delivered a talk about sex.

10 years ago
1999

Religion
Pope John Paul II departed Mexico City and arrived in St. Louis and spoke at Kiel Center, delivering an address to young people.

January 25, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Zlata Antunovic!

450 years ago
1559

Died on this date
Christian II, 77. King of Denmark and Norway, 1513-1523; King of Sweden, 1520-1521. Christian II acceded to the thrones of Denmark and Norway upon the death of his father Hans. He reigned under the Kalmar Union, which united Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under a single monarch. King Christian attempted to maintain the Kalmar Union by waging war on Sweden (1518-1523), and succeeded in capturing the country in 1520, but the Stockholm Bloodbath--a massacre of leading Swedish civilians in November 1520--led to an uprising, and King Christian was deposed as King of Sweden in August 1521. He attempted reforms in Denmark in 1522 that incurred the wrath of the nobility and clergy, and he was deposed and exiled to the Netherlands. Christian II attempted to regain his thrones in 1531, but he was arrested and spent the rest of his life as a prisoner in the Netherlands, dying in Kalundborg Castle.

250 years ago
1759

Born on this date
Robert Burns. U.K. poet and lyricist. Mr. Burns was a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as the national poet of Scotland. His birthday is celebrated annually by those of Scottish ancestry. Mr. Burns is probably best known for writing the song Auld Lang Syne. He died of a rheumatic heart condition, perhaps exacerbated by an allegedly intemperate lifestyle, on July 21, 1796 at the age of 37.

130 years ago
1879

Economics and finance
The Bulgarian National Bank was founded.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Paul-Henri Spaak. Belgian politician and diplomat. One of the pioneers of European unification, Mr. Spaak, a socialist, was Prime Minister of Belgium in 1938-1939; 1946; and 1947-1949. He was President of the United Nations General Assembly in 1946-1947; President of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (forerunner of the European Economic Community) from 1952-1954; and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from 1957-1961. Mr. Spaak died on July 31, 1972 at the age of 73.

100 years ago
1909

Opera
Elektra by Richard Strauss received its premiere performance at the Dresden State Opera.

90 years ago
1919

War
The Battle of Shenkursk, a military intervention in the Russian Civil War in support of the White Russian government of Admiral Alexander Kolchak, concluded with Allied forces retreating before a stronger Bolshevik army.

Diplomacy
Canada joined other members of the Paris Peace Conference in approving the proposal to create the League of Nations.

70 years ago
1939

Boxing
Joe Louis (37-1) retained his world heavyweight title, knocking world light heavyweight champion John Henry Lewis (98-10-4) down three times and out at 2:29 of the 1st round at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was Mr. Louis's first fight since his 1-round knockout of former world champion Max Schmeling on June 22, 1938. It was the last fight for Mr. Lewis, who was forced to retire because of deteriorating eyesight.



70 years ago
1949

Died on this date
Nobuaki Makino, 87. Japanese politician. Count Makino was Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (1913-1914) and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan (1925-1935). He was one of the early leaders of the Liberalism movement in Japan, and was the de facto chief of the Japanese delegation at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.

Television
The first Emmy Awards were presented at the Hollywood Athletic Club in Los Angeles, with eligibility limited to programs produced in Los Angeles County and broadcast in the Los Angeles media market. The game show Pantomime Quiz was named the most popular program. The ceremony was telecast on Los Angeles station KTSL.

Politics and government
The first Israeli parliamentary election resulted in a large plurality for Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's Mapai (Socialist) Party. Mapai won 46 of 120 seats in the Constituent Assembly, folled by Mapam (19); United Religious Front (16); and Herut (14), with eight other parties winning at last one seat each.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. announced the creation of a Soviet-bloc counterpart to the Organization for European Economic Cooperation. The Council for Economic Mutual Assistance included all Eastern European states except Yugoslavia.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Come Prima--Dalida (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Out There - Darkness, starring Bette Davis, James Congdon, and Frank Albertson

At the movies
A Stranger in My Arms, directed by Helmut Käutner, and starring June Allyson, Jeff Chandler, Sandra Dee, Charles Coburn, Mary Astor, and Peter Graves, received its premiere screening in London.



Diplomacy
Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Broz Tito and Ceylonese Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike issued a joint communique at the conclusion of Marshal Tito's five-day visit to Ceylon, pledging to continue their neutralist policies.

Two days after Mexico had severed diplomatic relations with Guatemala, Guatemalan President Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes defended the strafing of a Mexican shrimp boat by Guatemalan planes, charging that Mexican fishermen had "continuously and pitilessly" robbd Guatemala's maritime resources.

Defense
West Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt said that Polish proposals for the creation of a nuclear-free zone in Europe could be "a basis for discussion" of a European settlement with the U.S.S.R.

Politics and government
Governors of the British East African territories of Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, and Zanzibar met with U.K. Colonial Secretary Alan Lennox-Boyd for talks on growing nationalist unrest in their areas.

Transportation
American Airlines inaugurated the jet age in the United States with the first scheduled transcontinental flight of a Boeing 707.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Eloise--Barry Ryan (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Biplane Evermore--The Royal Guardsmen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Casatchok--Dimitri Dourakine and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Scende la pioggia--Gianni Morandi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Eloise--Barry Ryan (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Ain't Got No--I Got Life--Nina Simone
2 Hair--Zen
3 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
4 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade
5 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees
6 Albatross--Fleetwood Mac
7 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
8 Eloise--Barry Ryan
9 Battle Hymn of the Republic--Andy Williams with the St. Charles Borromeo Choir
10 Bluebirds Over the Mountain--The Beach Boys

Singles entering the chart were Papa's Got a Brand New Bag by Otis Redding (#23); Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by the Beatles (#24); Spooky's Day Off by Swinging Soul Machine (#29); Mona Lisa by Ben Cramer (#30); Casatschok by Dimitri Dourakine en zijn Orkest (#35); Emptyness by the Shoes (#36); and Touch Me by the Doors (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (7th week at #1)
2 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
3 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
4 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
5 Everyday People--Sly & the Family Stone
6 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
7 Touch Me--The Doors
8 Worst that Could Happen--Brooklyn Bridge
9 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees
10 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield

Singles entering the chart were I'm Livin' in Shame by Diana Ross and the Supremes (#47); Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#62); Give it Up or Turnit a Loose by James Brown (#63); River Deep--Mountain High by Deep Purple (#72); Purple Haze by Dion (#78); The Greatest Love by Dorsey Burnette (#82); Indian Giver by 1910 Fruitgum Co. (#85); Let it Be Me by Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry (#90); The Carroll County Accident by Porter Wagoner (#93); Please Don't Desert Me Baby by Gloria Walker and the Chevelles (#98); Crossroads by Cream (#99); and Hey! Baby by Jose Feliciano (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
2 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
3 Touch Me--The Doors
4 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye
5 Hooked on a Feeling--B.J. Thomas
6 Soulful Strut--Young-Holt Unlimited
7 Worst that Could Happen--Brooklyn Bridge
8 Everyday People--Sly & the Family Stone
9 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees
10 If I Can Dream--Elvis Presley

Singles entering the chart were I'm Livin' in Shame by Diana Ross and the Supremes (#39); Woman Helping Man by the Vogues (#49); Indian Giver by 1910 Fruitgum Co. (#51); Crossroads by Cream (#53); Hey! Baby (#57)/My World is Empty Without You (#63) by Jose Feliciano; Someday Soon by Judy Collins (#61); I'm Gonna Hold on as Long as I Can by the Marvelettes (#63); Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#67); Give it Up or Turnit a Loose by James Brown (#69); River Deep--Mountain High by Deep Purple (#75); Bubble Gum Music by the Rock and Roll Dubble Bubble Trading Card Co. of Philadelphia-19141 (#80); I'm in Love with You by the Kasenetz-Katz Super Cirkus (#81); Almost Persuaded by Etta James (#83); Getting the Corners by the T.S.U. Toronadoes (#84); You Gave Me a Mountain by Frankie Laine (#87); The Greatest Love by Dorsey Burnette (#89); He Called Me Baby by Ella Washington (#92); I Got a Line on You by Spirit (#94); Me About You by the Lovin' Spoonful (#95); If by Al Hirt (#96); Only the Lonely by Sonny James (#97); Soul Shake by Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson (#98); Witchi Tai To by Everything is Everything (#99); and Light My Fire by Rhetta Hughes (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells (2nd week at #1)
2 Twilight Woman--The 49th Parallel
3 Sweet Cream Ladies--The Box Tops
4 Build Me Up Buttercup--The Foundations
5 Beyond the Clouds--The Poppy Family
6 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
7 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
8 This Magic Moment--Jay and the Americans
9 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
10 Bella Linda--The Grass Roots
Pick hit of the week: I'm Livin' in Shame--Diana Ross and the Supremes

War
Brazilian Army captain Carlos Lamarca deserted in order to fight against the country's military dictatorship, taking with him 10 machine guns and 63 rifles.

A the first plenary session of the four-party peace talks in Paris on the Vietnam War, chief U.S. negotiator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. proposed the immediate restoration of the neutralization of the demilitarized zone.

Protest
Six days after his death from self-immolation in protest aganist the demoralization of his country following its occupation by Soviet forces, Czechoslovakian student protester Mr. Palach was given a hero's funeral in Prague, with 500,000 people silently filling the streets. Clashes broke out between workers and police in Prague's Wenceslas Square.

30 years ago
1979

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Malicious Mischief

Religion
Pope John Paul II visited Mexico and the Dominican Republic to begin his first official papal visit outside Europe.

Politics and government
Iranian Prime Minister Shahpur Bakhtiar offered to resign if exiled Shi'ite Muslim leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini would delay his return to the country and allow the people to decide what kind of government they wanted.

Jean-Luc Pépin and John Robarts released the Report of the Task Force on Canadian Unity, recommending that Québec should have the power to maintain its language and culture, and that federal powers be reduced.

25 years ago
1984

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan delivered his State of the Union address to Congress, saying there was "renewed energy and optimism throughout the land" and "America is back--standing tall, looking to the '80s with courage, confidence and hope." He called for a "down payment" on the deficit--budget cuts of $100 billion over three years--but he opposed tax increases, and proposed that he have the authority to veto individual items in money bills. Mr. Reagan also said:

Tonight, I am directing NASA to develop a permanently manned space station, and to do it within a decade...We want our friends to help us meet this challenge and share in the benefits. NASA will invite other countries to participate, so we can strengthen peace, build prosperity and expand freedom for all who share our goals.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Good Life--Inner City

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Bring Me Edelweiss--Edelweiss

War
The Soviet foreign ministry announced that the final "withdrawal process" of departure of Soviet troops from Afghanistan was under way.

Politics and government
U.S. President George Bush appointed an eight-member commission to propose a code of ethics for government officials.

Hockey
NHL
Chicago 6 Edmonton 3

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Robert Shaw, 82. U.S. music conductor. Mr. Shaw was a conductor of choruses and orchestras, and became known as the "dean" of American choral conductors. He was music director of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra (1953-1957) and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (1967-1988), founded the Robert Shaw Chorale in 1948, and conducted the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. Mr. Shaw championed the work of modern composers, recorded in various genres, and won 14 Grammy Awards, among numerous honours. He died after a stroke.

Scandal
Six members of the International Olympic Committee faced expulsion following an inquiry into a corruption scandal.

Quebec Superior Court Justice Robert Flahiff was convicted in Montreal of laundering $1.7 million in drug money when he was a lawyer; he was sentenced to three years in prison in the most serious conviction ever delivered against a higher court judge.

Religion
Pope John Paul II continued his visit to Mexico, delivering an address at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City to "representatives of all the generations of the century."

Disasters
At least 1,000 people were killed when an earthquake struck Armenia, Colombia.

January 24, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Diana Ganske!

330 years ago
1679

Politics and government
King Charles II of England dissolved the Cavalier Parliament.

270 years ago
1739

War
Peshva warrior Chimnaji Appa defeated Portuguese forces and captured Tarapur Fort, India.

150 years ago
1859

Europeana
The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (later named Romania) was formed as a personal union under the rule of Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Hoyt Vandenberg. U.S. military officer. General Vandenberg, the nephew of U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenberg, saw action in World War II before serving as Director of Central Intelligence (1946-1947) and Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1948-1953). Gen. Vandenberg died of prostate cancer on April 2, 1954 at the age of 55. Vandenberg Air Force Base in California was named in his honour in 1958.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
Ismail Qemali, 75. Prime Minister of Albania, 1912-1914. Mr. Qemali was a founding father of modern Albania; he wrote the country's Declaration of Independence in 1912, and served as Albania's first Prime Minister, while also serving as Foreign Minister (1912-1913). Mr. Qemali died eight days after his 75th birthday.

70 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Maximilian Bircher-Benner, 71. Swiss physician. Dr. Bircher-Benner ran a sanatorium in Zurich, where he encouraged people to eat raw foods. He was credited with popularizing muesli, a dish based on raw oats, fruits, and nuts.

Disasters
Approximately 28,000 people were killed when the deadliest earthquake in Chilean history struck Chillán, in the south-central part of the country.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and George Spelvin (Wendell Holmes), on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Bloomsbury Ballad

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis, on MBS

Died on this date
Orlando Miller, 89. U.S. businessman. Mr. Miller was a leading paper merchant; he co-founded the National Association of Manufacturers.

War
The trial of Mildred Gillars, accused of treason for making radio propaganda broadcasts from Germany as "Axis Sally" during World War II, opened in Washington, D.C.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Julia--Johnny Dorelli

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): La Paloma--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (10th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): One Night/I Got Stung--Elvis Presley

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters (2nd week at #1)
2 My Happiness--Connie Francis
3 16 Candles--The Crests
4 Donna--Ritchie Valens
5 Stagger Lee--Lloyd Price
6 Gotta Travel On--Billy Grammer
7 The Chipmunk Song--The Chipmunks with David Seville
8 Lonely Teardrops--Jackie Wilson
9 Whole Lotta Loving--Fats Domino
10 To Know Him, is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears

Singles entering the chart were There Must Be a Way by Joni James (#60); I Got a Wife by the Mark IV (#70); Evening Rain by Earl Grant (#73); She Say (Oom Dooby Doom) by the Diamonds (#75); It's Only the Beginning by the Kalin Twins (#79); Who Cares by Don Gibson (#82); It's Just a Matter of Time by Brook Benton (#86); Miss You by the Keymen (#93); The Lonely One by Duane Eddy and the Rebels (#94); Bye Bye Blackbird by Art Mooney and his Orchestra (#95); The Shag (Is Totally Cool) by Billy Graves (#96); Rummy Polka by the Matys Brothers (#97); The Tipsy Piano by Helmut Zacharias and his Magic Violins (#98); You Can't Get to Heaven on Roller Skates by Betty Johnson (#99); and Eso es el Amor (This is Love) by Morty Palitz and his Orchestra (#100). It's Just a Matter of Time was the B-side of Hurtin' Inside.

Defense
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommended to President Dwight D. Eisenhower that any nuclear test ban agreement be limited to atmospheric tests, with underground tests excluded.

Agriculture
Pakistani President Mohammed Ayub Khan proclaimed land reform measures limiting West Pakistan holdings to 500 acres of irrigated land or 1,000 acres of unirrigated land.

Disasters
32 people were killed when a movie theatre collapsed in Kucuk Yali, Turkey.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes (2nd week at #1)

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
2 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
3 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye
4 Stand by Your Man--Tammy Wynette
5 If I Can Dream--Elvis Presley
6 Everyday People--Sly & the Family Stone
7 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
8 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees
9 Touch Me--The Doors
10 Bella Linda--The Grass Roots

Singles entering the chart were But You Know I Love You by the First Edition (#27); Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#28); Crossroads by Cream (#29); and Baby, Baby Don't Cry by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#30).

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Magic Carpet Ride--Steppenwolf
2 I Started a Joke--The Bee Gees
3 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
4 Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells
5 Cinnamon--Derek
6 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
7 Bella Linda--The Grass Roots
8 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
9 If I Can Dream--Elvis Presley
10 Electric Stories--The 4 Seasons

Politics and government
The Spanish government of Generalissimo Francisco Franco declared a "state of exception," suspending five articles of the Constitution, in the face of continuing civil unrest.

Northern Ireland Deputy Prime Minister Brian Faulkner resigned in protest against the government's decision to set up an independent commission to investigate the brawls that had interrupted marches by Roman Catholics demanding civil rights earlier in the month. Mr. Faulkner charged that the probe was "a political maneuver."

Terrorism
FLQ terrorists set off a bomb in a branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia in Montréal.

Protest
Students protesting the installation of steel security gates at the London School of Economics went on a rampage with crowbars, pickaxes and sledgehammers. 25 students were arrested, and the school was closed for three weeks.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick--Ian Dury and the Blockheads

Politics and government
Former Texas Governor, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, and former Democrat John Connally announced his candidacy for the 1980 Republican Party U.S. presidential nomination.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that consumer prices had risen again in December to give the nation a 9% average rate of inflation for 1978.

Weather
Another storm hit the midwestern United States, dropping 8 inches of snow.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 2 @ Minnesota 2
Chicago 5 @ Vancouver 0

Tony Esposito made 34 saves to earn the shutout in goal for the Black Hawks, who scored 5 goals on just 15 shots to blank the Canucks at Pacific Coliseum. Stan Mikita scored his 10th goal of the season with 5:21 remaining in the 2nd period to close the scoring. Glen Hanlon took the loss in goal for Vancouver.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): My Oh My--Slade

Television
ABC agreed to pay $386 million for U.S. rights to the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, a record sum to that date.

Technology
The first Apple Macintosh computer went on sale.

Defense
U.S. President Ronald Reagan went to Capitol Hill in Washington to lobby for keeping U.S. troops in Lebanon. After the meeting, Senator Howard Baker (Republican--Tennessee), the Minority Leader, said that Republican Senators would support the October 1983 resolution allowing Mr. Reagan to keep troops in Beirut for 18 months. House Speaker Tip O'Neill (Democrat--Massachusetts) said that Mr. Reagan had misled Congress about the likelihood of a political solution in Lebanon, and that he now favoured the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Lebanon.

Politics and government
Edmonton's city council gave final approval to replacing the commission board with an aldermanic executive committee. The result was to replace commissioners who knew their departments with politicians who didn't.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the consumer price index had increased 3.8% in 1983, the smallest annual increase since 1972.

20 years ago
1989

Died on this date
George Knudson, 51. Canadian golfer. Mr. Knudson, a native of Winnipeg, was regarded by many as having the best natural swing in golf during the 1960s and 1970s. He won 8 PGA tournaments and at least 19 other tournaments in a career that lasted from 1958-1980, and tied for second place in the 1969 Masters. Mr. Knudson died of lung cancer.

Ted Bundy, 42. U.S. criminal. Mr. Bundy had been convicted of killing a 12-year-old girl from Lake City Florida and two female students from Florida State University, but had actually killed dozens of others. He had fought his death sentence for 10 years, insisting on his innocence. In the last days of his life, Mr. Bundy had confessed to at least 16 other murders, but Florida Governor Bob Martinez had refused to stay his execution in order to learn further details. The day before his death, Mr. Bundy granted an interview to Christian psychologist James Dobson, claiming that his life of crime had begun with an early attraction to pornography. Some questioned the sincerity of Mr. Bundy's statements in the interview. Mr. Bundy was executed in the electric chair at Florida State Prison in Starke.

Religion
As part of the University of Alberta's Christian Awareness Week, Campus Crusade for Christ speaker Michael Horner debated U of A professor David Wangler on the subject of humanism. The part I remember is where Mr. Horner argued that such values as love and compassion are Christian values, and that humanists took the values from Christianity, but didn't say "Thank you."

10 years ago
1999

Religion
Pope John Paul II continued his visit to Mexico, holding mass at a racetrack and visiting a hospital.

Golf
David Duval shot the third single-round score of 59 in the history of PGA Tour competition, at the Bobe Hope Chrysler Classic in La Quinta, California. The others were by Al Geiberger (1977, Colonial Country Club, Memphis) and Chip Beck (1991, Sunrise Country Club, Las Vegas).

Hockey
NHL
All-Star Game @ Ice Palace, Tampa
North America 8 World 6

Rob Blake's goal with 5:37 remaining in the 2nd period proved to be the winner as the North Americans defeated the World before 19,758 fans. Wayne Gretzky of the New York Rangers, playing in his last All-Star Game, had 3 assists, and was named the game's most valuable player.

January 23, 2009

290 years ago
1719

Europeana
The Principality of Liechtenstein was created within the Holy Roman Empire.

220 years ago
1789

Academia
Georgetown College (now Georgetown University), the first Roman Catholic University in the United States, was established in Georgetown, Maryland (now part of Washington, D.C.).

160 years ago
1849

Academia
Elizabeth Blackwell graduated from Geneva Medical College in Geneva, New York, becoming the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.

130 years ago
1879

War
In the Anglo-Zulu War, the Battle of Rorke's Drift in Natal, South Africa ended with a British victory, with just over 150 U.K. and colonial troops defeating 3,000-4.000 Zulus.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Glen Kidston. U.K. military officer, auto racing driver, and aviator. Lieutenant Commander Kidston served with the Royal Navy in World War I, and tested submarines in the 1920s. He teamed with Woolf Barnato to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1930, and completed a record breaking flight from Netheravon, Wiltshire to Cape Town, South Africa in April 1931, covering the distance in 6½ days. However, Mr. Kidston was 32 when he was killed on the return journey on May 5, 1931, when his borrowed de Havilland Puss Moth broke up in mid-air while flying through a dust storm over the Drakensberg mountains.

Politics and government
The Malolos Constitution was inaugurated, establishing the First Philippine Republic, with Emilio Aguinaldo sworn in as the first President.

100 years ago
1909

Crime
In what became known as the Tottenham outrage, Jewish Latvian socialist immigrants Paul Helfeld and Jacob Lepidus stole £80 of workers' wages from the Schnurmann rubber factory in Tottenham, North London. A two-hour, six-mile police chase and shootout with the criminals resulted in 23 casualties, and the deaths of Police Constable William Tyler and bystander Ralph Joscelyne, 10. Mr. Lepidus, 25, committed suicide when caught; Mr. Helfeld, 21, shot himself, but didn't die until February 12.

Disasters
The Italian ship Florida rammed the White Star liner Republic off Nantucket, but all but 6 of Republic's 1,600 passengers were saved. Jack Binns, Republic's wireless operator, sent a CQD signal (the predecessor of SOS); it was the first time that radio was used in a major sea rescue.

80 years ago
1929

Died on this date
Laddie Boy, 8. U.S. presidential dog. Laddie Boy was an Airedale Terrier owned by U.S. President Warren G. Harding (1921-1923). Laddie Boy was the first presidential dog to attract national press attention, and was a poster boy for animal welfare issues. After Mr. Harding's death in 1923, First Lady Florence Harding gave Laddie Boy to Secret Service agent Harry Barker. Laddie Boy was a beloved pet of the Barker family until his death.

Baseball
Jacob Ruppert, co-owner of the New York Yankees, announced that in the coming season the team would wear numerals on the backs of their uniforms corresponding with their position in the batting order to help fans identify the players. Babe Ruth got #3 and Lou Gehrig #4. Soon, all teams had numbers on their uniforms.

60 years ago
1949

Died on this date
Joe Blythe, 58. U.S. politician. Mr. Blythe was treasurer of the Democratic National Committee.

Politics and government
Japan's third postwar parliamentary election gave an absolute majority in the Diet to Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida's Democratic Liberal Party, as they took 269 of 466 seats in the House of Representatives. The Democratic Party, led by Takeru Inokai, was second with 70 seats, a loss of 62 from the previous election. The Socialist Party, led by Tetsu Katayama, lost 96 seats, dropping to 48, while the Communists, led by Kyuichi Tokuda, increased from 4 seats to 35.

Disasters
The U.S. Air Force inaugurated "Operation Haylift" to drop feed to livestock cut off as a result of a series of blizzards over the west central and mountain states.

Fire destroyed the Regina transit barns, torching most of its 38 buses and streetcars.

Golf
Patty Berg won the Women's Golf Open in Tampa.

Tennis
Frank Kovacs won the men's singles title, and Welby Van Horn and Jim Evert won the men's doubles title at the National Professional Clay Court meet in St. Augustine, Florida.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): The Day the Rains Came--Jane Morgan

Diplomacy
Mexico broke diplomatic relations with Guatemala, following the strafing of Mexican shrimp boats by Guatemalan fighter planes.

Communist Chinese Premier Chou En-lai, in a note to India, repudiated the MacMahon line as a "product of British policy of aggression against the Tibet region of China."

Education
A special three-judge U.S. federal court enjoined state and city officials from closing any Norfolk, Virginia public schools under terms of Virginia's school closure law.

Energy
Scientists with the Soviet-bloc United Institute for Nuclear Research disclosed that they had put the world's largest atom smasher into full operation in Dubna, Russia.

Economics and finance
Finland and the U.S.S.R. began negotiations on a long-term trade pact to replace their current five-year trade accord.

40 years ago
1969

On television tonight
Dragnet 1969, on NBC
Tonight's episode: B.O.D.: DR-27

Labour
A five-day strike of 1,200 teachers began in Jersey City, New Jersey, closing the city's 35 public schools.

Disasters
Tornadoes striking at dawn killed 29 people and injured hundreds along a 40-mile stretch in the hill country of southern Mississippi.

15 miners were killed and 13 injured in an explosion in a gold mine in Weikom, South Africa.

30 years ago
1979

War
Israelis fired on guerrilla bases in Lebanon in the heaviest shelling there since the invasion of March 1978.

Politics and government
U.S. President Jimmy Carter delivered his State of the Union address, urging Congress to help his administration build a "new foundation" for the future by controlling inflation and supporting the projected Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)-II pact with the U.S.S.R.



The Republican National Committee chose Detroit as the site for its 1980 convention; chairman Bill Brock said that the choice emphasized the party's effort to win over urban and Negro voters.

Labour
Railway engineers in the United Kingdom went on their third one-day strike in an eight-day period.

Baseball
Willie Mays, the New York and San Francisco Giants' supreme center fielder who retired in 1973 with 660 home runs and 3,283 hits, was elected to the Hall of Fame; he was elected on the first ballot, with 409 of a possible 432 votes.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): All Night Long (All Night)--Lionel Richie (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (6th week at #1)

Defense
U.S. President Ronald Reagan sent to Congress a report alleging seven violations or possible violations by the U.S.S.R. of arms control agreements. They included the use of chemical weapons in Afghanistan and southeast Asia; electronic encoding of signals from missile test flights; and development of a second intercontinental ballistic missile beyond the one permitted by SALT II.

Politics and government
U.S. Attorney General William French Smith resigned in order to participate in the 1984 re-election campaign of President Ronald Reagan. Mr. Reagan nominated Edwin Meese to succeed Mr. Smith.

Weather
It was a beautiful, sunny day in Edmonton. The snow was melting, and it was nice enough to drive with the windows down--not at all like the weather in Edmonton today.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Kokomo--The Beach Boys (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Salvador Dali, 84. Spanish artist. Mr. Dali was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century and was a leading figure in the Surrealist movement.

Crime
The day before he was to be executed in the electric chair at Florida State Prison in Starke, U.S. serial murderer Ted Bundy granted an interview to Christian psychologist James Dobson, claiming that his life of crime had begun with an early attraction to pornography. Some, then and since, have questioned Mr. Bundy's sincerity in his last interview, but his comments served as a powerful statement on the evils of pornography.

Disasters
274 people were killed when an earthquake struck the Soviet republic of Tajikistan.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Jay Pritzker, 76. U.S. businessman. Mr. Pritzker and his brother Donald founded the Hyatt Hotel chain in 1957, and Jay owned Braniff Airlines from 1983-1988.

Diplomacy
Pope John Paul II continued his visit to Mexico City, meeting with heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Mexico.

January 22, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Nancy Lear!

1,770 years ago
239

Died on this date
Cao Rui, 33-35. Emperor of Cao Wei, 226-239. Cao Rui, posthumously renamed Emperor Ming, succeeded his father Cao Pi. Cao Rui conducted military campaigns against rival empires, and continued his father's policy of prohibiting princes holding offices. He died after a period of illness, and was succeeded on the throne by his adopted son Cao Fang.

320 years ago
1689

Politics and government
The Convention Parliament convened to determine if James II and VII, the last Roman Catholic monarch of England, Ireland and Scotland, had vacated the thrones when he fled to France in 1688.

230 years ago
1779

Died on this date
Claudius Smith, 42 or 43. U.S. guerrilla leader. Mr. Smith was a Loyalist during the American Revolution who led a band of guerrillas in New York known as the "cowboys." He was not known to have killed anyone, but when one of his men apparently robbed and killed Patriot leader Major Nathaniel Strong on October 6, 1778, Mr. Smith was hanged for the crime.

160 years ago
1849

Born on this date
August Strindberg. Swedish writer. Mr. Strindberg wrote more than 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction and non-fiction. His novel The Red Room (1879) is frequently called the first modern Swedish novel. He was known for his opposition to what he regarded as reactionary. In his later years, Mr. Strindberg became involved in the occult. He died of stomach cancer on May 14, 1912 at the age of 63.

War
The Siege of Multan ended after nine months when the last Sikh defenders of Multan, Punjab, surrendered to British forces.

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
José Vicente de Freitas. Prime Minister of Portugal, 1928-1929. General de Freitas served in World War I, and supported the military coup that seized power in 1926. He served as Instruction Minister from 1927-1929. Gen. de Freitas died on September 6, 1952 at the age of 83.

130 years ago
1879

War
In the Anglo-Zulu War, the Battle of Isandlwana resulted in a British defeat, while the Battle of Rorke's Drift, 71 kilometres away from Isandlwana began, resulting in a British victory the next day.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Amos Strunk. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Strunk was an outfielder with the Philadelphia Athletics (1908-1917, 1919-1920, 1924); Boston Red Sox (1918-1919); and Chicago White Sox (1920-1924), batting .284 with 15 home runs and 530 runs batted in in 1,512 games. He was a member of World Series championship teams in 1910, 1911, 1913, and 1918. His best season may have been 1916, when he batted .316 for a Philadelphia team that posted the worst record of any major league team in the 20th century. Mr. Strunk spent 50 years in the insurance business after his baseball career ended, and he died on June 22, 1979 at the age of 90.

Business
Columbia Phonograph was formed in Washington, D.C.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
U Thant. Burmese diplomat. Mr. Thant was 3rd Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1961-1971, dealing with world events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the independence of African colonies. He died on November 25, 1974 at the age of 65.

Ann Sothern. U.S. actress. Miss Sothern, born Harriette Arlene Lake, was known for her comic performances in numerous movies and television programs. She starred as the title character in the Maisie film series (1939-1947) and the radio program The Adventures of Maisie (1945-1953). Miss Sothern starred in the television comedy series Private Secretary (1953-1958), and The Ann Sothern Show (1958-1961). She was nominated for an Academy Award for her supporting performance in The Whales of August (1987), her final film. Miss Sothern died of heart failure on March 15, 2001 at the age of 92.

90 years ago
1919

Europeana
The Act Zluky was signed, unifying the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian National Republic.

60 years ago
1949

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys; Gene Autry (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): A Little Bird Told Me--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys (11th week at #1)
--The Dinning Sisters
2 On a Slow Boat to China--Kay Kyser Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Art Lund
3 My Darling, My Darling--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae with the Starlighters
--Doris Day and Buddy Clark
4 A Little Bird Told Me--Evelyn Knight and the Stardusters
--Blue Lu Barker
--Paula Watson
5 Until--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
6 You were Only Fooling (While I was Falling in Love)--Blue Barron and his Orchestra
--The Ink Spots
--Kay Starr
7 Cuanto la Gusta--Carmen Miranda and the Andrews Sisters
8 Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
9 Far Away Places--Margaret Whiting and the Crew Chiefs
--Bing Crosby
--Perry Como
10 Maybe You'll Be There--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were Down by the Station by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#35) and Here I'll Stay by Jo Stafford (#36).

On the radio
Tales of Fatima, starring Basil Rathbone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Fires at Schuyler Square

Died on this date
William Thomas Walsh, 57. U.S. historian. Mr. Walsh several biographies of notable Roman Catholics and occasional works of fiction, expressing a Roman Catholic viewpoint, and sometimes drawing accusations of anti-Semitism.

War
Nationalist forces in Peking surrendered the city to the Communists, while acting President Li Tsung-jen appointed a five-man delegation to negotiate an end to the civil war in the Communist capital of Yenan.

Israeli-Egyptian armistice negotiations in Rhodes were suspended because of disagreement over the extent of Israeli withdrawal to be required in the Negev desert.

Dutch Foreign Minister Derek Stikker rejected United Nations Security Council demands for a cease-fire in Java and Sumatra, claiming that it would result in "chaos."

Rebellious Karen nationalists in Burma isolated Rangoon from railroad connections with the rest of the country by cutting the Rangoon-Mandalay line near Toungoo.

Diplomacy
The 19-nation Asian Conference on Indonesia, meeting in New Delhi, demanded the withdrawal of Dutch forces from Indonesia by March 15 and the creation of an independent Indonesian state. The conference also recommended the creation of regional consultative agencies for Asia and Africa.

Crime
Jules Sioui, a Huron Indian, received a two-year prison sentence in Quebec for conspiracy to incite Canadian Indians to rebellion through his activities as secretary-treasurer of the "Government of the North American Indian Nation."

Academia
The University of Washington Board of Regents dismissed Professors Herbert Phillips and Joseph Butterworth for membership in the Communist Party and Prof. Ralph Gaundlach for refusing to state his position on Communism. The three immediately asked the American Association of University Professors to intervene on their behalf.

Journalism
Detroit Police Commissioner Harry Toy ordered newspaper reporters seeking unrestricted police and fire press cards to sign an anti-Communist loyalty oath.

Track and field
Herb McKenley ran the 220-yard dash in 21 seconds in Sydney to set a world record.

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
Playhouse 90, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Velvet Alley, starring Art Carney, Leslie Nielsen, Katherine Bard, and Jack Klugman

Rod Serling wrote this semi-autobiographical drama, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, about a writer who tries to achieve success in show business. The supporting cast included Bonita Granville, Micky Dolenz (as Micky Braddock), Dyan Cannon, and Burt Reynolds.



Died on this date
Thomas S. Gordon, 65. U.S. politician. Mr. Gordon, a Democrat, represented Illinois' 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1943-1959, serving as chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 1957-1959. He declined to seek re-election in 1958, and died 19 days after leaving office.

Mike Hawthorn, 29. U.K. auto racing driver. Mr. Hawthorn participated in 47 Formula One races from 1952-1958, winning three races, and in 1958 becoming the first British driver to win the world driving championship. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, but was involved in the crash that killed 84 spectators and another driver. Mr. Hawthorn was haunted by the death of friend and teammate Peter Collins in the 1958 German Grand Prix, and announced his retirement upon winning the championship. He was killed while apparently racing with an acquaintance on a wet highway, and was believed to be suffering from terminal kidney disease.

Diplomacy
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Carlos Romulo was recalled for consultation following the recall of U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Charles Bohlen.

Finnish President Urho Kekkonen arrived in Leningrad for talks with Soviet officials on improving bilateral trade and relations.

Journalism
An Ankara court suspended the opposition newspaper Ulus for two months and sentenced two of its officers to prison for printing articles offensive to the Turkish government.

Disasters
12 miners working in the Knox Coal Company's Port Griffith mine near Pittsburgh were trapped when flood waters entered the main shaft.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
2 Eloise--Barry Ryan
3 White Room--Cream
4 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
5 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
6 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles
7 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
8 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
9 Scarborough Fair--Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66
10 Elenore/Surfer Dan--The Turtles

Singles entering the chart were Both Sides Now by Judy Collins (#36); Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run) by the Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus (#39); and Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations (#40).

Space
The United States launched OSO 5, the fifth in the Orbiting Solar Observatory Series. The satellite carried eight experiments aimed at gathering high-resolution spectral data about the sun.

World events
U.S.S.R. Communist Party First Secretary Leonid Brezhnev survived what was seen as an assassination attempt, an incident that was not revealed to the public until after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Diplomacy
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announced its willingness to discuss an exchange of ambassadors with the People's Republic of China.

Politics and government
11 members of U.S. President Richard Nixon's cabinet were sworn in; the only exception was Walter Hickel, Mr. Nixon's nominee for Secretary of the Interior, whose confirmation by the Senate was delayed. Mr. Hickel took office on January 24.

Music
Elvis Presley met one of his idols, Roy Hamilton, for the only time. Mr. Presley was recording at Chips Moman's studio in Memphis late at night, and heard that Mr. Hamilton was recording at the same studio in the daytime. Mr. Hamilton, whose popularity had peaked in the mid-1950s, was attempting to revitalize his career by recording at Mr. Moman's studio. Mr. Presley made sure that he met Mr. Hamilton, and he was so impressed that he offered Mr. Hamilton a song called Angelica that had been written for him by the popular team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Mr. Hamilton did record Angelica, and did an excellent job. Unfortunately, Mr. Hamilton's comeback was not to be. Angelica was one of five songs that he recorded for Mr. Moman's AGP label for an intended album, but he suffered a debilitating stroke three months later, and died on July 20, aged 40. Angelica was the second of three singles by Mr. Hamilton released on AGP, but, like the others, it failed to chart. Meanwhile, Mr. Presley's sessions resulted in Suspicious Minds, one of his most popular songs, and the last to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.



Boxing
Bob Foster (34-4) retained his world light heavyweight title with a technical knockout of Frank DePaula (19-7-3) at 2:17 of the 1st round at Madison Square Garden in New York.



30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Chameleon Army--Pink Lady (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Tú--Umberto Tozzi (8th week at #1)

Politics and government
Former Manitoba Premier Ed Schreyer was installed as Governor General of Canada, succeeding Jules Leger.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Jimmy Carter submitted to Congress a budget of $532 billion for fiscal 1980, allowing for a deficit of $29 billion, as against the $37.4-billion deficit estimated for fiscal 1979. The budget included a 3% real increase in defense spending to $125.8 billion; $600 million in cuts to Social Security; allocation of $2.5 billion for Mr. Carter's anti-inflation wage insurance proposal; an increase of $900 million in foreign aid; and an emphasis on containing hospital costs.

Labour
20,000 public sector workers in the United Kingdom went on a one-day strike.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: ? (Fragezeichen)--Nena (3rd week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz said that U.S.-Soviet talks on reducing conventional armed forces in Europe would resume March 16.

Technology
The television commercial 1984, shown during the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl telecast on CBS, introduced the Apple Macintosh computer.

Football
Super Bowl XVIII @ Tampa Stadium, Tampa
Los Angeles Raiders 38 Washington 9

Marcus Allen rushed 20 times for a Super Bowl-record 191 yards, including touchdowns of 5 and 74 yards in the 3rd quarter, as the Raiders dethroned the defending Super Bowl champion Redskins before 72,920 fans (see video). Los Angeles opened the scoring in the 1st quarter when Derrick Jensen recovered a blocked punt in the Washington end zone. Chris Bahr converted that touchdown and Cliff Branch's 12-yard reception of a Jim Plunkett pass to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. Mark Mosely kicked a 24-yard field goal to get the Redskins on the scoreboard, but Jack Squirek returned an interception 5 yards for a touchdown and Mr. Bahr converted to give Los Angeles a 21-3 halftime lead. John Riggins rushed 1 yard for a Washington touchdown in the 3rd quarter to make the score 21-9, but the convert was unsuccessful, and Mr. Allen put the game away with his touchdown runs. Mr. Bahr converted them and kicked a 21-yard field goal in the 4th quarter to conclude the scoring. Mr. Plunkett completed 16 of 25 passes for 172 yards, while Washington quarterback Joe Theismann was 16 of 35 for 243 yards and 2 interceptions. Mr. Branch led all receivers with 94 yards on 6 receptions; Eddie Brown led the Redskins with 3 catches for 93 yards. The Raiders' defense held Mr. Riggins to 64 yards on 26 carries. The championship was the second for the Raiders in the previous four years--both under head coach Tom Flores--and their first since moving from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Bring Me Edelweiss--Edelweiss (2nd week at #1)

Football
Super Bowl XXIII @ Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami
San Francisco 20 Cincinnati 16

Joe Montana's 10-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining in regulation time concluded a 92-yard drive as the 49ers edged the Bengals before 75,597 fans (see video). The game was tied 6-6 in the 3rd quarter on 2 field goals each by Jim Breech of Cincinnati and Mike Cofer of San Francisco, but after Mr. Cofer's second FG tied the game, Stanford Jennings returned the kickoff 93 yards for the Bengals' only touchdown, converted by Mr. Breech to give the Bengals a 13-6 lead after 3 quarters. Mr. Montana threw 14 yards to Jerry Rice for the 49ers' first touchdown in the 4th quarter, with Mr. Cofer's convert tying the game 13-13. Mr. Breech then kicked a 40-yard field goal to give Cincinnati a 16-13 lead. Mr. Montana completed 23 of 36 passes for 357 yards, while Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason completed just 11 of 25 passes for 144 yards and an interception. Mr. Rice, who caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards and rushed once for 5 yards, was named the game's most valuable player. Cincinnati's Ickey Woods led all rushers with 20 carries for 79 yards. Mr. Taylor's winning touchdown was his only reception of the game. The championship was the third for the 49ers in the previous 8 years--all under head coach Bill Walsh--including a win over the Bengals in 1982.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Graham Staines, 57 or 58. Australian missionary. Mr. Staines visited India for the first time in 1965, and began a long career as a Christian missionary, particularly ministering among lepers. He and his sons Philip, 10, and Timothy, 6, were at a camp in Manoharpur in eastern India to attend an annual gathering. While asleep in their car, a mob of about 50 Hindus set fire to the car, and prevented them from leaving, allowing them to be burned alive. The trial court sentenced the ringleader of the mob to death, but the sentence was commuted by higher courts to life imprisonment.

Religion
Pope John Paul II arrived in Mexico City to begin a five day papal visit to Mexico and St. Louis.

Boxing
38-year-old Isaac Poole, weighing 256½ pounds, picked up his first win as a professional boxer after 14 straight defeats when he took a 4-round majority decision at Milander Auditorium in Hialeah, Florida over 58-year-old Levi Forte, who was coming off a 21-year layoff, and whose six most recent fights from 1969-1977 had ended in defeat. Mr. Forte, who weighed in at 238 pounds (more than 40 lbs. more than when he fought in the 1960s), retired for good after this bout with a career record of 19-28-2. Two of the judges scored the bout in favour of Mr. Poole, while the third scored it a draw. William Conners was the referee. Those who argue for the abolition of professional boxing can use as evidence the fact that this bout was allowed to take place.

January 21, 2009

1,070 years ago
939

Died on this date
Yang Pu, 38 or 39. King of Wu, 920-927; Emperor of Wu, 927-937. Yang Pu, posthumously renamed Emperor Rui, was the last ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Wu, and the only one who claimed the title of Emperor. His adoptive son Xu Zhigao forced Yang Pu to abdicate in favour of him; Xu Zhigao then founded the Southern Tang dynasty. The cause of Yang Pu's death is unknown.

260 years ago
1749

Disasters
The Teatro Filarmonico in Verona was destroyed by fire; it was rebuilt in 1754.

220 years ago
1789

Literature
The Power of Sympathy by William Hill Brown, widely considered to be the first American novel, was published in Boston by Isaiah Thomas and Company.

200 years ago
1809

Died on this date
Josiah Hornblower, 79. U.K.-born U.S. politician. Mr. Hornblower was a steam an mining engineer who moved to New Jersey in the 1750s. He sat in the New Jersey Assembly (1777-1780), serving as Speaker in 1780). Mr. Hornblow sat in the New Jersey Legislative Council (1781-1784), and was one of the state's delegates to the Continental Congress (1785-1786).

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
Grigori Rasputin. Russian mystic and political adviser. Mr. Rasputin first met Czar Nicholas II in 1905, and appeared to possess supernatural powers, demonstrated in healing young prince Alexei, who was a hemophiliac. Mr. Rasputin acquired increasing influence at the royal court, attracting increasing opposition from parliamentary politicians. On December 30, 1916, 22 days before his 48th birthday, Mr. Rasputin was shot several times, beaten, and finally drowned, as he proved very difficult to kill. The assassins were a loyalist group led by Prince Felix Yusupov. Mr. Rasputin's body was discovered in a Moscow river three days later.

125 years ago
1884

Born on this date
Roger Baldwin. U.S. political and social activist. Mr. Baldwin was a social worker and probation officer before joining the American Union Against Militarism (AUAM), opposing U.S. participation in World War I, and registering as a conscientious objector. The AUAM created the Civil Liberties Bureau (CLB) in 1917, which became the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1920, with Mr. Baldwin serving as its Executive Director until 1950. He was influenced by the radical anarchism of Emma Goldman and praised the U.S.S.R. after a visit there in 1927, but became disenchanted with Communism over the next several decades, leadiing a campaign to purge the ACLU of Communists in the 1940s and condemning Communism as slavery in 1953. Mr. Baldwin died of heart failure on August 26, 1981 at the age of 97.

110 years ago
1899

Hockey
CAHL
Montreal (2-2) 1 @ Quebec (0-3) 2
Montreal Shamrocks (2-1) 5 @ Montreal Victorias (1-1) 2

The Montreal Hockey Club refused to play the last 12 minutes of their game against the Quebec Hockey Club, alleging that referee Fred Chittick was drunk. The game was scheduled to be replayed on February 14, but Quebec declined, and the game was forfeited to Montreal.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
Ahmed Muhtar Pasha, 79. Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (1912). Ahmed Muhtar Pasha had a distinguished military career, rising to the rank of Field Marshal. He served as Governor of Crete (1875-1876, 1878) and took office as Grand Vizier on July 22, 1912, after an opposition group known as the Saviour Officers voided the parliamentary elections--which they regarded as corrupt--and seized power. Ahmed Muhtar Pasha resigned on October 29, 1912, after just four months in office, as a result of the government being taken by surprise at the eruption of the First Balkan War earlier in October.

Gojong, 66. King of Joseon, 1863-1897; Emperor of Korea, 1897-1907. Gojong succeeded Cheoljong as King of Joseon, with his father, the Heungseon Daewongun, serving as regent during his minority. In 1897, Gojong proclaimed the Empire of Korea, and proclaimed himself Emperor Gwangmu. He was forced to abdicate in favour of his son Sunjong in 1907, two years after Korea had lost her independence as a result of the Russo-Japanese War, and three years before Japan annexed Korea. Former Emperor Gwangmu died suddenly; many suspected that he had been poisoned by Japanese officials, and the March First Movement for Korean independence began as a result.

War
Members of the Irish Volunteers (or Irish Republican Army, IRA) ambushed Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officers who were escorting a consignment of gelignite explosives at Soloheadbeg, County Tipperary, resulting in the deaths of two RIC officers and the seizure of their weapons. This is widely regarded as the first engagement of the Irish War of Independence.

Politics and government
The First Dáil Éireann first convened at the Mansion House in Dublin, adopting a Declaration of Independence, calling for a new sovereign state: the Irish Republic.

75 years ago
1934

Disasters
The Chinese ship Weitung burned on the Yangtze River, killing 216.

60 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Your Show Time, hosted and narrated by Arthur Shields, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Necklace, starring Stanley Andrews and Fay Baker

This was the first episode of the series, which was the first U.S. television series to be shot on film instead of being shown live. The Necklace won an Emmy Award in 1950, making Your Show Time the first series to win an Emmy Award.

Died on this date
J.H. "Jimmy" Thomas, 74. U.K. politician. Mr. Thomas was a trade unionist who was elected to the House of Commons in 1910 as a member of the Labour Party, representing Derby. He was Secretary of State for the Colonies from January-November 1924 in the government of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. Mr. Thomas was expelled from the Labour Party in 1931 when he chose to remain in Mr. MacDonald's National Government, serving again in his cabinet post from August-November 1931 and November 1935-May 1936. Mr. Thomas was forced to resign from politics when it was revealed that he had been entertained by stock exchange speculators and had dropped heavy hints as to tax changes planned in the budget.

World events
The South Korean government reported an anti-Communist rising in the North Korean town of Haeju near the 38th parallel boundary.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. granted recognition to the military governments of Venezuela and El Salvador, emphasizing that the action did not "imply any judgment whatsoever as to the domestic policies" of either regime.

Politics and government
Chinese President Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek resigned, turning over leadership of the Nationalist government to Vice President Li Tsung-jen. Chiang immediately left Nanking and flew to his home in Fenghwa. His brother-in-law, T.V. Soong, resigned as Governor of Kwangtung Province in southern China.

The Polish government demoted Deputy Premier Wladyslaw Gomulka to assistant budget director for deviating from the Communist Party line on farm collectivization and Yugoslavia, while Socialist leader Edward Osubka-Morawski resigned as public administration minister for opposing the recent merger of the Communist and Socialist Parties.

South Dakota became the 22nd American state to ratify a proposed constitutional amendment limiting the U.S. President to two terms.

Football
NFL
National Football League directors approved the transfer of the Boston Yanks to New York.

AAFC
Unable to reach an agreement on a merger with the National Football League, the All-America Football Conference announced plans to operate as a seven-team league in 1949.

50 years ago
1959

Died on this date
Cecil B. DeMille, 77. U.S. movie producer and director. Mr. DeMille made over 70 films from 1914-1958, and was known for making large-scale spectacles that were commercially successful. His movies included The Ten Commandments (1923); Union Pacific (1939); and The Ten Commandments (1956). Mr. DeMille won the Academy Award for Best Picture for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). He died after a series of heart attacks.

Frances Gertrude McGill, 76. Canadian physician. Dr. McGill, a native of Minnedosa, Manitoba, became Saskatchewan's provincial bacteriologist in 1918 and provincial pathologist in 1920, serving in those capacities until 1942. She worked closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for many years as a forensic pathologist until her retirement in 1946.

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, 31. U.S. actor. Mr. Switzer achieved fame as Alfalfa, the kid with the cowlick in the Our Gang comedies. He found acting work hard to come by as he got older, and became a skilled hunting and fishing guide. Mr. Switzer was shot to death, in what was ruled a justifiable homicide, by an acquaintance in a dispute over $50 that Mr. Switzer said was owed to him. Mr. Switzer was romantically teamed with Elizabeth Taylor in her first movie, There's One Born Every Minute (1942). His last part was a small role in The Defiant Ones (1958).

Politics and government
Saar Premier Egon Reinert's cabinet resigned shortly before the scheduled opening of talks in Bonn on measures to begin the Saar's economic integration within West Germany under a Franco-German agreement.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Eloise--Barry Ryan (6th week at #1)

War
A U.S. Navy patrol boat sank 45 small basket-like boats south of Danang after 125 of them had been challenged and broke for the beach. A Communist rocket killed 2 U.S. sailors and wounded 14 others.

Crime
Clay Shaw, 55, owner of the International Trade Mart in New Orleans, went on trial in New Orleans, two years after he had been arrested by New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison and charged with conspiracy in the 1963 assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

Terrorism
FLQ terrorists set off a bomb on Boulevard Crémazie in Montréal.

Boxing
Johnny Famechon (48-4-6) won the World Boxing Council world featherweight title with a 15-round decision over defending champion Jose Legra (108-6-4) at Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London.



Hockey
NHL
All-Star Game @ Montreal Forum
West 3 East 3

Claude Larose of the Minnesota North Stars scored with 2:53 remaining in the game to give the West its tie against the East before 16,260 fans in the first All-Star Game played under a divisional format. Red Berenson of the St. Louis Blues scored the first Western goal in the 1st period, and St. Louis teammate Jim Roberts scored in the 2nd period. Frank Mahovlich of the Detroit Red Wings scored in the 1st and 3rd periods, and was named the game's most valuable player. Norm Ullman of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored the third Eastern goal in the 3rd period.



30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees

#1 single in Switzerland: Y.M.C.A.--Village People

Football
NFL
Super Bowl XIII @ Orange Bowl, Miami
Pittsburgh 35 Dallas 31

Terry Bradshaw completed 17 of 30 passes for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead the Steelers over the Cowboys before 79,484 fans in the best Super Bowl played to date. Mr. Bradshaw's first 2 touchdown passes were to John Stallworth, covering 28 and 75 yards. Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach completed 17 of 30 passes for 228 yards and 3 touchdowns; he almost had a fourth TD pass in the 3rd quarter, but tight end Jackie Smith, playing the last game of his 16-year Hall of Fame career, dropped a sure touchdown pass in the Pittsburgh end zone, and the Cowboys had to settle for a field goal.



30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La Donna Cannone--Francesco De Gregori (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Thriller--Michael Jackson

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Love Me Just a Little Bit More (Totally Hooked on You)--Dolly Dots

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Pipes of Peace--Paul McCartney

#1 single in the U.K.: Pipes of Peace--Paul McCartney (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
2 Union of the Snake--Duran Duran
3 Break My Stride--Matthew Wilder
4 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
5 Twist of Fate--Olivia Newton-John
6 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
7 Say Say Say--Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
8 I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues--Elton John
9 The Curly Shuffle--Jump 'n The Saddle
10 Say it Isn't So--Daryl Hall-John Oates

Singles entering the chart were Nobody Told Me by John Lennon (#28); I Want a New Drug by Huey Lewis and the News (#57); Let's Stay Together by Tina Turner (#78); For a Rocker by Jackson Browne (#82); If Only You Knew by Patti LaBelle (#84); New Song by Howard Jones (#85); Over My Head by Toni Basil (#86); Love Has a Mind of its Own by Donna Summer with Matthew Ward (#88); I Will Follow by U2 (#89); and Runner by Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
2 Major Tom (Coming Home)--Peter Schilling
3 Say Say Say--Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
4 Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes
5 Twist of Fate--Olivia Newton-John
6 Union of the Snake--Duran Duran
7 Love is a Battlefield--Pat Benatar
8 Cum On Feel the Noize--Quiet Riot
9 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
10 All Night Long (All Night)--Lionel Richie

Singles entering the chart were Nobody Told Me by John Lennon (#37); Jump by Van Halen (#40); An Innocent Man by Billy Joel (#44); Holiday by Madonna (#48); and Doesn't Really Matter by Platinum Blonde (#50).

Died on this date
Jackie Wilson, 49. U.S. singer. Known as "Mr. Excitement," Mr. Wilson had an impressive string of singles on the U.S. pop and R&B charts from the late 1950s to the late 1960s, beginning with Reet Petite in 1957. 24 of his singles were top 40 hits in the U.S., and 6 of them hit the top 10. His biggest hit was Night, which hit #4 in the spring of 1960. Other notable hits included Lonely Teardrops (#7, 1960); Baby Workout (#5, 1963); and Higher and Higher (#6, 1967). Mr. Wilson's last U.S. top 40 hit was I Get the Sweetest Feeling, which peaked at #32 in the late summer of 1968. While performing at a Dick Clark oldies show at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on September 29, 1975, Mr. Wilson collapsed with a severe heart attack, falling head-first to the stage while singing Lonely Teardrops. A contributing factor may have been Mr. Wilson's practice of taking salt tablets in order to make him sweat on stage. He suffered serious brain damage, and spent the rest of his life in hospital, where, according to a 1987 report on the ABC-TV newsmagazine program 20/20, he was a victim of neglect. Dick Clark paid his hospital bills. The Commodores' 1985 hit Nightshift paid tribute to Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye. Mr. Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): C'è da spostare una macchina--Francesco Salvi (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): First Time--Robin Beck

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Can't Stay Away from You--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): High--David Hallyday (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Especially for You--Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Two Hearts--Phil Collins
2 Don't Rush Me--Taylor Dayne
3 Armageddon It--Def Leppard
4 My Prerogative--Bobby Brown
5 When I'm with You--Sheriff
6 Every Rose Has its Thorn--Poison
7 Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson
8 The Way You Love Me--Karyn White
9 When the Children Cry--White Lion
10 Put a Little Love in Your Heart--Annie Lennox and Al Green

Singles entering the chart were Lost in Your Eyes by Debbie Gibson (#42); Just Because by Anita Baker (#62); You're Not Alone by Chicago (#65); Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy) by Huey Lewis and the News (#66); You Got It by Roy Orbison (#85); Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (#89); Orinoco Flow by Enya (#93); Across the Miles by Survivor (#94); The Last Mile by Cinderella (#96); Stand by R.E.M. (#97); and (Believed You Were) Lucky by 'Til Tuesday (#98).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Two Hearts--Phil Collins
2 Don't Rush Me--Taylor Dayne
3 Armageddon It--Def Leppard
4 I Remember Holding You--Boys Club
5 Put a Little Love in Your Heart--Annie Lennox and Al Green
6 Every Rose Has its Thorn--Poison
7 Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson
8 My Prerogative--Bobby Brown
9 Born to Be My Baby--Bon Jovi
10 When I'm with You--Sheriff

Singles entering the chart were Paradise City by Guns 'N' Roses (#62); Lost in Your Eyes by Debbie Gibson (#70); Don't Tell Me Lies by Breathe (#72); The Love in Your Eyes by Eddie Money (#75); Just Because by Anita Baker (#80); Give Me the Keys (And I'll Drive You Crazy) by Huey Lewis and the News (#82); You're Not Alone by Chicago (#84); You Got It by Roy Orbison (#87); Stand by R.E.M. (#90); The Last Mile by Cinderella (#93); Across the Miles by Survivor (#94); and Let's Put the X in Sex by Kiss (#95).

Died on this date
Billy Tipton, 74. U.S. musician. Miss Tipton, born Dorothy Lucille Tipton, was a jazz pianist and saxophonist, who disguised herself as male beginning in 1933, and whose true identity wasn't revealed until after her death. She led various bands in the Pacific Northwestern United States until retiring in the 1970s because of arthritis. Miss Tipton died of a hemorrhaging peptic ulcer 23 days after her 74th birthday, and the autopsy results shocked almost everyone who knew her.

Carl Furillo, 66. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Furillo played right field with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1946-1960, batting .299 with 192 home runs and 1,058 runs bartted in in 1,806 games. In 1953 he led the National League with a .344 batting average. Mr. Furillo played in seven World Series, and was on the winning side in 1955 and 1959. If Mr. Furillo had had just one more hit, he would have finished his major league career with a .300 average.

War
As warfare between Afghan rebels and he Soviet-supported Afghan regime approached, West Germany announced that it was removing its last three envoys from the capital city of Kabul.

Politics and government
Brian Peckford announced his resignation after 10 years as Premier of Newfoundland, his resignation to take effect after the forthcoming provincial election.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by M. Karunanidhi, won 150 of 234 seats in the legislature in the Tamil Nadu state election. DMK's total was an increase of 125 from their total in the most recent election in 1984. Most of DMK's increase came at the expense of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, led by Janaki Ramachandran, who dropped from 97 seats to 2.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 4 Toronto 3
Pittsburgh 7 Edmonton 4

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Susan Strasberg, 60. U.S. actress. Miss Strasberg, the daughter of acting coach Lee Strasberg, began her career on stage as a teenager, and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as the title character in The Diary of Anne Frank (1955). She appeared in various plays, movies, and television programs, but her career never reached the heights expected after her promising beginning. Miss Strasberg died of breast cancer.

Crime
In one of the largest drug busts in American history, the United States Coast Guard intercepted a ship with over 9,500 pounds of cocaine on board.