November 4, 2008

250 years ago
1758

War
A British raiding party led by Colonel Robert Monckton destroyed the Acadian village of Grimross (Gagetown) in what is now New Brunswick, burning 50 buildings and all of the winter’s supply of food.

210 years ago
1798

War
The Russo-Ottoman siege of Corfu began.

200 years ago
1808

Politics and government
Voting began in the U.S. presidential election, with James Madison the most prominent of three Democratic-Republican candidates, and Charles Pinckney as the Federalist nominee.

170 years ago
1838

War
Robert Nelson again proclaimed the independence of Lower Canada before a crowd of 700 Patriotes in Napierville. Cyrille Côté and a hundred Patriotes from Châteauguay under the command of Messrs. Cardinal and Duquet attacked Caughnawaga looking for arms while the Mohawks attended church. Iroquois counterattacked and beat back the rebels, taking Messrs. Cardinal and Duquet prisoner. In Montreal, Governor Sir John Colborne declared martial law. Joined by several hundred Habitants, Mr. Nelson was declared President of the newly proclaimed Canadian Republic.

Journalism
Francis Hincks founded the Toronto Examiner newspaper, having for its motto, "Responsible Government and the Voluntary Principle."

140 years ago
1868

War
Camagüey, Cuba revolted against Spain during the Ten Years' War.

90 years ago
1918

Died on this date
Wilfred Owen, 25. Lieutenant Owen is regarded as the greatest of the World War I poets; his works describing the horrors of the Great War included Dulce et Decorum Est. Lt. Owen was awarded the Military Cross for courage and leadership for his actions near the French village of Joncourt on October 1, 1918, and was killed in action during the crossing of the Sambre–Oise Canal, just a week before the end of hostilities.

Ralph Worrell, 21. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Worrell, a lefthander, was the ace of the staff with the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. 1918 was his first year with the Orioles, and he led the IL in games (40); starts (37); complete games (30); wins (25); innings pitched (321); and hits allowed (112). He won 25 games and lost 10, with an earned run average of 2.24 as the Orioles finished third in the IL with a record of 74-53. Mr. Worrell enlisted in the United States Army after the baseball season ended, and he was stationed in a truck training facility on the University of Virginia campus when he fell victim to the influenza epidemic.

War
The Armistice of Villa Giusti between Italy and Austria-Hungary was implemented.

80 years ago
1928

Politics and government
Liberal Party candidate General Jose Maria Moncada Tapia was elected President of Nicaragua, receiving 57.37% of the vote to defeat Conservative Party candidate Adolfo Benard, who received 42.63%. The election was held under a board headed by U.S. Marines General Frank McCoy; on guard were 5,000 Marines and 2,000 American sailors. The Liberals won 5 of 9 Senate seates up for election and 17 of 25 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, leaving both parties with 12 seats in the Senate, and the Conservatives with a 24-19 lead in the Chamber of Deputies.

The National Liberal Party cabinet of Romanian Prime Minister Vintilă Brătianu resigned.

75 years ago
1933

Football
IRFU
Ottawa (3-2) 4 @ Toronto (3-2) 21
Montreal (4-1) 9 @ Hamilton (0-5) 2

The Tigers set an IRFU single-game record with 16 fumbles in their loss to the Winged Wheelers at the H.A.A.A. Grounds.

60 years ago
1948

At the movies
The Snake Pit, directed by Anatole Litvak and starring Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens, Leo Genn, and Celeste Holm, opened in theatres.

Road House, directed by Jean Negulesco, and starring Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde, Celeste Holm, and Richard Widmark, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Jake Powell, 40. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Powell played left field with the Washington Nationals (1930, 1934-1936, 1943-1945); New York Yankees (1936-1940); and Philadelphia Phillies (1945), batting .271 with 22 home runs and 327 runs batted in in 688 games. He was traded to the Yankees in the middle of the 1936 season for Ben Chapman, and went on to be the hitting star of the 1936 World Series, batting .455, while also being a member of World Series championship teams through 1939. Mr. Powell was accused of deliberately breaking the wrist of Detroit Tigers' star Hank Greenberg in a collision at first base in 1936, and was suspended for 10 days in 1938 after a radio interview with Chicago broadcaster Bob Elson in which he claimed to be a policeman in Dayton, Ohio in the off-season and kept in shape by "cracking n-----s over the head with my blackjack." Injuries shortened Mr. Powell's playing career, but he made a comeback during World War II, when talented players were scarce. A minor league comeback in 1948 was unsuccessful, and Mr. Powell was arrested in Washington, D.C. for passing bad cheques; while in the police station, he drew out a pistol and fatally shot himself in the head.

War
Chinese Communist forces took the Manchurian port of Yingkow, leaving the southern port of Hulutao as the only Nationalist escape route from Manchuria.

Defense
The U.S. Air Force announced the formation of the RAND (Research and Development) Corporation, a non-profit military research organization.

Literature
The 1948 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to T.S. Eliot of the United Kingdom "for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry."

Science
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 1948 Nobel Prize in Physics to Patrick Blackett of the United Kingdom "for his development of the Wilson cloud chamber method, and his discoveries therewith in the fields of nuclear physics and cosmic radiation." The 1948 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Arne Tiselius of Sweden "for his research on electrophoresis and adsorption analysis, especially for his discoveries concerning the complex nature of the serum proteins."

Scandal
U.S. House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee Chairman J. Parnell Thomas refused to testify before a federal grand jury in Washington on charges of padding his congressional payroll and accepting kickbacks.

50 years ago
1958

Television
CBS dropped the quiz program The $64,000 Question after three years on the air, because of dwindling audience ratings blamed on a New York investigation into the coaching of contestants.

Politics and government
Democratic Party candidates made large gains in U.S. congressional and gubernatorial elections. Of the 35 Senate seats being contested--including two in Alaska, whose statehood was still two months away--27 went to the Democrats, including 10 in which Republican incumbents were defeated. The net gain of 12 seats for the Democrats gave them a 63-35 majority. The Democrats gained 49 seats in the House of Representatives, giving them 283 seats to 183 for the Republicans, with 1 independent. Democrats won 21 of 34 gubernatorial elections, giving them a 35-14 majority. In New York, Republican Nelson Rockefeller defeated incumbent Democrat Averell Harriman. In Wisconsin, Democrat Gaylord Nelson defeated incumbent Republican Vernon Wallace Thompson. In Oregon, Republican Mark Hatfield defeated incumbent Democrat Robert D. Holmes. In California, Democrat Pat Brown easily defeated Republican William Knowland, who had resigned as his party's leader in the U.S. Senate to run for Governor, while Governor Goodwin Knight, a Republican, was retiring as Governor to run for the U.S. Senate.

Belgian Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens dissolved his minority Social Christian cabinet.

Tom Mboya led African legislators out of the Kenya Legislative Council after Governor Sir Evelyn Baring made it clear that he would not revise Kenya's current constitutional status.

Labour
Voters in California, Colorado, Idaho, Ohio, and Washington rejected "right-to-work" proposals.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi no Kisetsu--Pinky and the Killers (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Oh Lord, Why Lord--Pop-Tops

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin (2nd week at #1)
2 Hey Jude--The Beatles
3 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash
4 Elenore--The Turtles
5 Over You--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
6 White Room--Cream
7 Midnight Confessions--The Grass Roots
8 Sweet Blindness--The 5th Dimension
9 Shape of Things to Come--Max Frost and the Troopers
10 Piece of My Heart--Big Brother and the Holding Company

Singles entering the chart were Promises, Promises by Dionne Warwick (#70); Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries by Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson (#79); Smell of Incense by Southwest F.O.B. (#82); Shame, Shame by the Magic Lanterns (#83); Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell (#86); Kentucky Woman by Deep Purple (#89); Shake by the Shadows of Knight (#90); Goody Goody Gumdrops by the 1910 Fruitgum Company (#91); Cinnamon by Derek (#92); Too Weak to Fight by Clarence Carter (#95); Main Street by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#96); For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder (#97); Both Sides Now, with versions by the Johnsons; and Judy Collins (#98); The Ol' Race Track by the Mills Brothers (#99); and Today by Jimmie Rodgers (#100).

On television tonight
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Peter Cushing and Nigel Stock, on BBC 1
Tonight's episode: Thor Bridge

Diplomacy
Talks between representatives of the United Kingdom and Rhodesia, aimed at resolving the constitutional dispute between them, began in Salisbury

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Una donna per amico--Lucio Battisti (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Mama Leone--Bino (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Sandy--John Travolta

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Summer Nights--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You Needed Me--Anne Murray

#1 single in Canada (RPM): You Needed Me--Anne Murray (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Hopelessly Devoted to You--Olivia Newton-John (4th week at #1)
2 Dreadlock Holiday--10 cc
3 Summer Nights--John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John & Cast
4 Hot Shot--Karen Young
5 Tell Me Your Plans--The Shirts
6 Greased Lightnin'--John Travolta
7 Guust Flater En De Marsupilami--Wij Zijn Twee Vrienden
8 It's Raining--Darts
9 Dear John--Teach In
10 Get Off--Foxy

Singles entering the chart were Bicycle Race by Queen (#19); Forever Autumn by Jeff Wayne featuring Justin Hayward (#29); MacArthur Park by Donna Summer (#30); and An Everlasting Love by Andy Gibb (#32).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder (3rd week at #1)
2 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer
3 Kiss You All Over--Exile
4 You Needed Me--Anne Murray
5 Whenever I Call You "Friend"--Kenny Loggins
6 Double Vision--Foreigner
7 Beast of Burden--The Rolling Stones
8 How Much I Feel--Ambrosia
9 Who are You--The Who
10 You Never Done it Like That--Captain & Tennille

Singles entering the chart were My Life by Billy Joel (#65); Part-Time Love by Elton John (#72); Here Comes the Night by Nick Gilder (#80); Hold Me, Touch Me by Paul Stanley (#84); I was Made for Dancin' by Leif Garrett (#86); Love Me Again by Rita Coolidge (#87); Driftwood by the Moody Blues (#88); Blame it on the Boogie by the Jacksons (#89); Don't Hold Back by Chanson (#90); and Take Me to the River by the Talking Heads (#96).

Diplomacy
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, in an address to the Egyptian Parliament, declared that he would not meet with a four-man delegation from the Arab League's Baghdad Summit, sent to offer aid. The delegation, led by Lebanese Prime Minister Selim al-Hoss, intended to pledge $50 billion over the next 10 years if Egypt would cease her peace negotiations with Israel. Mr. Sadat said, "Not all the world's billions can buy Egypt's will."

Hockey
NHL
Atlanta 2 @ Montreal 4
Toronto 4 Colorado 4

Football
CFL
Ottawa (11-5) 8 @ Montreal (8-7-1) 26
Edmonton (10-4-2) 11 @ British Columbia (7-7-2) 33

Montreal defensive end Junior Ah You returned a blocked punt 18 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring as the Alouettes beat the Rough Riders before 54,159 fans at Olympic Stadium.

Canadian rookie running back Don Taylor, who had carried just once for 1 yard in his previous 8 games, carried 14 times for 136 yards and touchdowns of 1 and 70 yards to help the Lions win their fourth straight game to end the season, beating the Eskimos before 20,822 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Mr. Taylor entered the game to replace Larry Key, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 2nd quarter. Ricky Ellis scored the other B.C. touchdown, his first in the CFL, on a 77-yard pass from Jerry Tagge on the first play of the 2nd half; Lui Passaglia added 3 converts and 4 field goals. Bruce Lemmerman, out since the second pre-season game with a broken collarbone, played the entire game at quarterback for the Eskimos, completing 23 of 38 passes for 294 yards, with 2 interceptions and a touchdown to Waddell Smith in the 2nd quarter. Edmonton running back Pat McNeil rushed 13 times for 49 yards, with 3 fumbles--2 lost--in his second and last CFL game. Joe Jackson played at defensive tackle for the Eskimos in his only CFL game.

CIAU
AUAA
Final
St. Francis Xavier 12 Acadia 9

OQIFC
Final
McGill 1 @ Queen's 23

OUAA
Final
Wilfrid Laurier 19 @ Western Ontario 14

WIFL
Final
Calgary 8 @ British Columbia 26

Peter Bowes quarterbacked a touchdown drive in the 3rd quarter to help the X-Men defeat the defending AUAA champion Axemen.

Jim Rutka threw 2 touchdown passes for the Golden Gaels as they beat the Redmen at Richardson Stadium in Kingston.

Jim Reid scored the go-ahead touchdown with less than 5 minutes left in regulation time, and Conrad deBarros intercepted a Jamie Bone pass at the Wilfrid Laurier 10-yard line with 30 seconds remaining as the Golden Hawks upset the defending national champion Mustangs at J.W. Little Memorial Stadium in London.

John MacKay rushed 1 yard for a touchdown in the 1st quarter and 10 yards for a TD in the 3rd quarter to help the Thunderbirds defeat the defending WIFL champion Dinosaurs at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver. Dan Smith threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Chris Davies in the 3rd quarter for the other UBC TD. Paul Colborne, who shared quarterbacking duties with Darrell Moir, completed a 13-yard to John Tietzen for the Calgary touchdown in the 2nd quarter; a 2-point convert attempt was unsuccessful. Tony Kuchera scored the other 2 Calgary points on singles off missed field goal attempts. The poor punting of Calgary's Gord Elser--11 punts for a 25-yard average--played a major role in the game, and the Dinosaurs were frequently called for no yards, giving the Thunderbirds good field position.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): I Like Chopin--Gazebo (3rd week at #1)

Terrorism
28 Israeli soldiers and 32 Arabs were killed when a truck carrying a bomb crashed into the Israeli headquarters compound in Tyre, Lebanon.

Diplomacy
The United States promised Grenada more than $3 million in economic aid.

Energy
Atomic Energy of Canada sold Turkey a Candu nuclear reactor worth over $1 billion.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin

Diplomacy
Huge crowds greeted British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on her visit to Gdansk, Poland, where she met with Solidarity trade union movement leader Lech Walesa.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate had declined 0.1% in September.

10 years ago
1998

Space
Richard N. Zare, a chemistry professor from Stanford University, delivered a lecture titled The Search for Life on Mars before several hundred people at Myer Horowitz Theatre on the University of Alberta campus. He stated that media accounts tended to sensationalize reports of the possibility of life on Mars, while the scientists themselves were actually rather tentative in their positions. It was an informative and entertaining lecture, well-promoted and well-attended, but there was no coverage in either Edmonton daily newspaper or the U of A newspaper.