February 11, 2010

475 years ago
1535

Born on this date
Gregory XIV. Roman Catholic Pope, 1590-1591. Pope Gregory XIV, born Niccolٍ Sfondrato or Sfondrati, succeeded Urban VII on December 5, 1590. He intervened on the side of the Catholic party in the French Wars of Religion, and excommunicated King Henry IV of France as a heretic. Gregory XIV was in poor health when he assumed the papacy, and died from a large gallstone on October 16, 1591 at the age of 56. He was succeeded by Innocent IX.

360 years ago
1650

Died on this date
René Descartes, 53. French mathematician and philosopher. Mr. Descartes was a rationalist who was famous for his principle "cogito er sum" ("I think, therefore I am"). He emphasized the idea that mind and body are distinct but closely joined. Mr. Descartes is credited as the father of analytical geometry, used in the discovery of infinitesimal calculus and analysis. He died of either pneumonia or pleurisy in Stockholm, where he had gone to give lessons to Queen Christina.

225 years ago
1785

Music
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 was given its premiere performance in Vienna.

220 years ago
1790

Society
The Religious Society of Friends, better known as Quakers, petitioned the United States Congress for the abolition of slavery.

210 years ago
1800

Born on this date
Henry Fox Talbot. U.K. inventor and scientist. Mr. Talbot was a polymath whose interests included integral calculus, optics, history, chemistry, and etymology. He was best known as a pioneer in photography; he invented the salted paper and calotype processes, and his work in the 1840s on photomechanical reproduction led to the creation of the photoglyphic engraving process, the precursor to photogravure. Mr. Talbot died on September 17, 1877 at the age of 77.

180 years ago
1830

Born on this date
Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff. German musician, composer, and conductor. Mr. Bronsart von Schellendorff was a classical pianist who studied under Franz Liszt. He conducted in Leipzig and Berlin before serving as general manager of the Royal Theatre in Hanover (1867-1887). Mr. Bronsart von Schellendorf's compositions included two symphonies and a piano concerto. He died on November 3, 1913 at the age of 83.

170 years ago
1840

Opera
La fille du régiment (The Daughter of the Regiment) received its premiere performance by the Paris Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse in Paris.

150 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Rachilde. French authoress and playwright. Rachilde, whose real name was a symbolist novelist, playwright, and essayist who was the most prominent woman associated with the Decadent Movement in late 19th-century France. Her works included the novels Monsieur Vénus (1884); La Marquise de Sade (1887); and La Jongleuse (1900). Rachilde died on April 4, 1953 at the age of 93.

130 years ago
1880

Politics and government
The Honourable Robert Duncan Wilmot, of Lincoln, was appointed Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Andy O'Brien. Canadian journalist. Mr. O'Brien, a native of Renfrew, Ontario, and the son of a trainer of hockey and baseball teams, was a sportswriter with the Montreal Standard, Montreal Star, and Weekend magazine, and wrote several books, in a career spanning more than 40 years. He covered 12 Olympic Games, 6 Commonwealth Games, 45 Stanley Cups, and 31 Grey Cups. Mr. O'Brien was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985. He died in Montreal, after a long illness, on April 19, 1987 at the age of 77.

70 years ago
1940

Died on this date
John Buchan, Lord Tweedsmuir, 63. U.K. author and Governor General of Canada, 1935-1940. Mr. Buchan was known for novels such as Prester John (1910); The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915); and Greenmantle (1916). A Scottish nationalist, he represented the Unionist party in the House of Commons before being named to the House of Lords Baron Tweedsmuir of Elsfield prior to his appointment as Governor General of Canada. Lord Tweedsmuir became the first Governor General to visit the Arctic, and promoted the Canadian tour of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He died five days after falling while suffering a stroke and suffering a severe head injury.

War
The Haiphong-Yunan railroad in China was closed for several months because of damage by Japanese bombing.

Politics and government
Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, candidate of the Partido Republicano Nacional (National Republican Party) (PRN) was elected President of Costa Rica, receiving 84.5% of the vote against two opponents. In legislative elections, PRN candidates received 85% of the votes for 45 seats in the Constitutional Congress.

U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt upheld the right of the Communist-dominated American Youth Congress not to condemn the U.S.S.R. for its invasion of Finland.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Temporary National Economic Committee opened hearings on supposed monopolies in the insurance industry.

The United States Commerce Department reported that nine states maintained restrictive trade barriers against each other.

60 years ago
1950

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): "A" You're Adorable--Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters; Tony Pastor (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rag Mop--The Ames Brothers (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy--Red Foley (Jukebox--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Can Dream, Can't I?--The Andrews Sisters (6th week at #1)
2 Dear Hearts and Gentle People--Bing Crosby
--Dinah Shore
3 The Old Master Painter--Dick Haymes
--Richard Hayes
--Phil Harris and his Orchestra
4 Johnson Rag--Jack Teter Trio
--Jimmy Dorsey and his Original "Dorseyland" Jazz Band
--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
5 There's No Tomorrow--Tony Martin
6 A Dreamer's Holiday--Perry Como
--Buddy Clark with the Girl Friends
7 Rag Mop--The Ames Brothers
--Ralph Flanagan and his Orchestra
--Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra
--Johnnie Lee Wills and his Boys
8 Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy--Red Foley
--Bing Crosby
9 The Wedding Samba--Edmundo Ros and his Orchestra
--Carmen Miranda and the Andrews Sisters
10 Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (The Magic Song)--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae
--Perry Como

Singles entering the chart were I Said My Pajamas (And Put on My Pray’rs) by Tony Martin and Fran Warren (#22); Music! Music! Music! by Teresa Brewer with the Dixieland All Stars (#28); A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes by Perry Como (#35); Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later than You Think) by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (#37); Half a Heart is All You Left Me (When You Broke My Heart in Two), with versions by Al Morgan; and Eddy Howard and his Orchestra (#38); and It Isn't Fair by Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra (#40). A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes was the other side of Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (The Magic Song).

Diplomacy
Greece recognized the pro-French governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Defense
Physicist Albert Einstein, speaking on a television forum conducted by former U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, warned against production of the hydrogen bomb, which he said could bring about "radioactive poisoning of the atmosphere and hence destruction of any life on Earth."

Politics and government
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida's Democratic Liberal Party joined with the Democratic Party to form a single conservative group with a strong majority in the House of Representatives.

Science
Scientists at a New York Academy of Sciences meeting agreed that bald men could not grow new hair by any known method.

Labour
U.S. Federal Judge Richmond Keech signed two injunctions sought by the government to force striking coal miners to return to work. United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis, bowing to the injunctions, ordered the walkout to end on February 13.

50 years ago
1960

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

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Little Egypt, with guest stars Susan Cummings, Anthony George, and Fred Clark

At the movies
Sink the Bismarck!, directed by Lewis Gilbert, and starring Kenneth More, Carl Möhner, and Dana Wynter, received its premiere screening at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, with the Duke of Edinburgh among those present.





40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Then Came Bronson, starring Michael Parks, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Mating Dance for Tender Grass

Space
Japan became the fourth country to put a satellite into orbit.

Britannica
Prince Charles assumed his seat in the House of Lords in a ceremony marking the completion of his presentation as heir to the throne.

Diplomacy
U.S. and U.S.S.R. atomic experts gathered in Moscow to resume technical discussions on peaceful uses of nuclear explosions.

Spanish Foreign Minister Gregorio Lopez Bravo concluded three days of meetings with French officials in the first official visit to France of a Spanish foreign minister since World War II.

Defense
The withdrawal of 4,200 U.S. troops from Thailand was disclosed by the U.S. embassy in Bangkok, leaving a total of 43,800 agreed upon by U.S. President Richard Nixon and Thai Prime Minister Thanon Kittikachorn during Mr. Nixon’s 1969 tour.

Al Fatah, largest of the 10 Palestinian commando groups operating in Jordan, announced a Unified Command of the commandos in order to strengthen their dealings with Jordan’s King Hussein.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Please Don't Go--KC & the Sunshine Band

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Daitokai--Crystal King (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Man Gave Names to All the Animals--Bob Dylan (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
R. C. Majumdar, 95. Indian historian. Dr. Ramesh Chandra Majumdar was best known as the general editor of and contributor to The History and Culture of the Indian People (1951-1977), an 11-volume work which took 26 years to complete.

Scandal
U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti appointed Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, to investigate how news organizations obtained confidential information about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Operation Abscam.

Crime
Eight days after the end of a riot and hostage-taking at New Mexico state penitentiary in Santa Fe, 482 prisoners had been sent out of state and 538 remained. New Mexico Governor Bruce King estimated that $60 million might be needed to replace the ruined prison, which had undergone extensive physical damage.

25 years ago
1985

Scandal
Clive Ponting, assistant secretary to the British Minister of Defence, was acquitted of breaching section two of the Official Secrets Act at the Central Criminal Court in London. He had been charged with leaking two documents about the sinking of the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano in the 1982 Falklands War. He had sent information to the Labour MP for Linlithgow, Tam Dalyell, in July 1984, but the jury found this did not entail "communicating information to an unauthorised person," which was illegal.

20 years ago
1990

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

#1 single in Switzerland: Girl I'm Gonna Miss You--Milli Vanilli

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield (6th week at #1)
2 Bakerman--Laid Back
3 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
4 Sit and Wait--Sydney Youngblood
5 Don't Know Much--Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville)
6 Leave a Light On--Belinda Carlisle
7 I Feel the Earth Move--Martika
8 Girl I'm Gonna Miss You--Milli Vanilli
9 Listen to Your Heart--Roxette
10 The Road to Hell (Part 2)--Chris Rea

The only single entering the chart was All or Nothing by Milli Vanilli (#14).

World events
South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, 71, was released from prison. In his first speech, in Cape Town, he urged that pressure be kept on the white government until the apartheid system of racial segregation was destroyed.

Boxing
In one of the greatest upsets in history, James "Buster" Douglas (30-4-1) came back from an 8th-round knockdown to knock out Mike Tyson (37-1) at 1:22 of the 10th round of their fight at the Tokyo Dome to win the world heavyweight title. Mr. Tyson had been such a prohibitive favourite that the only betting establishment in Las Vegas willing to provide a line laid odds of 42-1.



10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Lord Kitchener, 77. Trinidadian musician. Born Aldwyn Roberts, Lord Kitchener was a calypso and jazz musician whose career spanned more than 50 years until his death from bone marrow cancer. His songs included Shops Too Early and Green Fig.

Roger Vadim, 72. French film director. Mr. Vadim, born Roger Vadim Plemiannikov, was known for erotic movies, especially And God Created Woman (1956); Barbarella (1968); and Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971). He died of cancer, 16 days after his 72nd birthday.

Politics and government
Great Britain resumed direct control over Northern Ireland, stripping power from the province’s 10-week-old Protestant-Catholic administration in an effort to save the coalition. It was clear that the Irish Republican Army would not meet any of the conditions set for the February 12 decommissioning of weapons, and the British government wished to avert the resignation of First Minister David Trimble. The IRA proposed that the British government remove some of its installations in Northern Ireland while the IRA turned over its arms. British Secretary for Northern Ireland Peter Mandelson acknowledged that the proposal was a step in the right direction, but it came too late to prevent the suspension.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, the U.S. Reform Party’s highest-ranking public official, withdrew from the national party, saying it was "hopelessly dysfunctional," and he deplored the prospect of political columnist Pat Buchanan becoming the party’s presidential nominee for 2000.

After running an ad likening Texas Governor George W. Bush to U.S. President Bill Clinton as someone who bent the truth, U.S. Senator John McCain, one of Mr. Bush’s rivals for the Republican Party’s 2000 presidential nomination, promised to run no more negative ads.