November 6, 2008

480 years ago
1528

Exploration
Shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca became the first known European to set foot in the area now known as Texas.

140 years ago
1868

War
Red Cloud, a leader of the Oglala Lakota Native American tribe, signed the second Treaty of Fort Laramie, ending his war and establishing the Great Sioux Reservation.

120 years ago
1888

Politics and government
Former United States Senator Benjamin Harrison of Indiana, the candidate of the Republican Party, defeated President Grover Cleveland, the Democratic Party nominee, in the U.S. Presidential election, 233 electoral votes to 168. Mr. Cleveland and his vice-presidential running mate, Allen G.Thurman, outpolled Mr. Harrison and his running mate, Levi P. Morton, 5,534,488 (48.6%) to 5,443,892 (47.8%) in the popular vote.

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Tony Canzoneri. U.S. boxer. Mr. Canzoneri was one of the few men to win world titles in more than one weight division, and to hold more than one simultaneously. He was world featherweight champion (1928); lightweight champion (1930-1933, 1935-1936); and light welterweight champion (1931-1932, 1933). Mr. Canzoneri compiled a record of 137-24-10 in a professional career from 1925-1939. He died on December 9, 1959 at the age of 51, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

90 years ago
1918

Died on this date
Battling Jim Johnson, 31. U.S. boxer. Mr. Johnson was a heavyweight who compiled a record of 32-38-11-1-1 in a professional career from 1909-1918. A Negro, he fought fellow Negroes Sam Langford 13 times, Joe Jeannette 11 times, and Sam McVea 7 times, but the highlight of his career was challenging Jack Johnson for the world heavyweight title in Paris on December 19, 1913. The fight was regarded as lackluster, and champion Johnson reportedly broke his left arm in the 3rd round, possibly explaining why the challenger held him to a 10-round draw. Battling Jim Johnson was preparing for yet another fight against Mr. Langford in Lowell, Massachusetts, but it was postponed because of the influenza epidemic. While waiting for the fight to be rescheduled, Mr. Johnson caught the flu and died in Boston.

Alan McLeod, 19. Canadian military officer. Lieutenant McLeod, a native of Stonewall, Manitoba and a resident of Winnipeg, joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. He received the Victoria Cross for rescuing his observer, Lt. Arthur Hammond, when their plane was shot down on March 27, 1918. Lt. McLeod was wounded three times in that incident and suffered other injuries; he was sent home to Winnipeg, but arrived as the influenza epidemic was spreading, and he caught it and was dead within a week of coming home.

Politics and government
The Provisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland was established.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Arnold Rothstein, 46. U.S. gangster. Mr. Rothstein, nicknamed "The Brain," was a leader of Jewish organized crime in New York City, and was a pioneer in running organized crime like a corporation, and seeing Prohibition as a business opportunity. He was accused of fixing sports events, most notably the 1919 World Series. Mr. Rothstein died two days after being shot at Park Central Hotel in Manhattan, reportedly after refusing to pay a large debt from a thre-day poker game in October that he claimed had been fixed. Gambler George "Hump" McManus was acquitted of the murder, and no one was ever convicted, although various figures have been named as suspects.

Politics and government
Republican Party candidate Herbert Hoover, with Charles Curtis as his vice presidential running mate, was elected President of the United States. Mr. Hoover received 444 electoral votes (58.2% of the popular vote), while New York Governor and Democratic party presidential candidate Al Smith and running mate Joseph T. Robinson receive 87 electoral votes (40.8% of the popular vote. In the Senate, Republicans won 18 of 32 seats up for election, a gain of 6 at the expense of the Democrats; Henrik Shipstead of the Farmer-Labor Party retained his seat in Minnesota. The results increased the Republican lead in the Senate to 53-39, with 1 Farmer-Labor and 3 vacancies. In the House of Representatives, Republicans won 270 of 435 seats, an increase of 32. The Democrats won 164 seats, a decrease of 30. The Farmer-Labor Party lost one of its two seats, and the Socialist Party lost its only seat.

French Prime Minister Raymond Poincare and his Government of National Union were forced to resign by the extreme section of the Radical-Socialist Party.

60 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 A Tree in the Meadow--Margaret Whiting (6th week at #1)
2 Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys
--The Dinning Sisters
3 It's Magic--Doris Day
--Dick Haymes and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
--Tony Martin
--Gordon MacRae
4 Twelfth Street Rag--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra
5 Maybe You'll Be There--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
6 My Happiness--The Pied Pipers
--Ella Fitzgerald
--Jon and Sondra Steele
7 You Call Everybody Darlin'--Al Trace and the Revelers
--The Andrews Sisters
8 Until--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
9 Blue Bird of Happiness--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae
10 Cool Water--Vaughn Monroe and the Sons of the Pioneers

Singles entering the chart were Corn Belt Symphony, with versions by Nev Simons and the Ambassadors of Note; and Jack Emerson with the Chet Howard Trio (#23); What Did I Do, with versions by Dinah Shore; and Margaret Whiting (#25); The Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Vic Damone (#26);

War
Eastern China Field Army Deputy commander-in-chief General Su Yu launched a large offensive toward Xuzhou, defended by seven different armies under the General Suppression Headquarters of Xuzhou Garrison, the Huaihai Campaign, beginning the largest operational campaign of the Chinese Civil War.

Egyptian troops abandoned the Negev desert, withdrawing southward along the Mediterranean coast to the Gaza area.

Diplomacy
Italy and France eliminated visa requirements fo citizens of both countries on trips of less than three months.

Crime
German film director Leni Riefenstahl was acquitted by a denazification court in Villingen on charges of collaborating with Germany's Nazi regime.

Football
IRFU
Montreal (7-5) 26 @ Hamilton (1-10-1) 9
Ottawa (10-2) 14 @ Toronto (5-6-1) 12

WIFU
Finals
Calgary 4 @ Saskatchewan 4 (First game of 2-game total points series)

Eric Chipper kicked a 35-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the game to give the Rough Riders their win over the Argonauts at Varsity Stadium.

Calgary quarterback Keith Spaith punted for a single in each quarter, with his point in the 4th quarter giving the Stampeders their tie against the Roughriders before 7,000 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. The Stampeders led 2-0 at halftime, but Harry Hood was rouged on a punt by Ken Charlton to get the Roughriders on the scoreboard before Mr. Spaith restored Calgary's 2-point lead. Gabe Patterson kicked a 20-yard field goal to give the Roughriders a 4-3 lead in the 4th quarter. The tie was the first blemish on Calgary's record in 1948, having won all 12 regular season games.

Canadian university
Western Ontario 34 McGill 9
Toronto 4 Queen's 0

50 years ago
1958

War
The French Army command for Algeria denied the charges of the Tunisian government that French troops, supported by 42 tanks, had invaded Tunisia in pursuit of Algerian guerrillas.

Politics and government
Two days after dissolving his minority Social Christian cabinet, Belgian Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens formed a coalition Social Christian-Liberal cabinet controlling 125 of 212 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

A special three-judge U.S. federal court in Jackson, Mississippi upheld the constitutionality of a state registration law which the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples contended was adopted solely to bar Negroes from voting.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): With a Little Help from My Friends--Joe Cocker

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles (5th week at #1)
2 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin
3 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
4 Harper Valley P.T.A.--Jeannie C. Riley
5 Mary, Mary/What am I Doing Hangin' 'Round--The Monkees
6 Over You--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
7 (The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation--Don Fardon
8 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash
9 1,2,3, Red Light--1910 Fruitgum Company
10 I've Gotta Get a Message to You/Kitty Can--The Bee Gees

Singles entering the chart were My Special Angel by the Vogues (#34); Bang-Shang-A-Lang by the Archies (#37); and Rose Coloured Glasses by Johnny Farnham (#39).

At the movies
Head, directed, co-produced, and co-written by Bob Rafelson, and starring the Monkees, received its premiere screening in New York City.





Died on this date
Charles Munch, 77. French musician and conductor. Mr. Munch was a violinist and concertmaster before beginning his career as a conductor at the age of 41. He led various orchestras in a career of more than 30 years, most notably the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with whom he first performed in 1946, and served as music director from 1949-1962, leading the BSO in concerts, radio broadcasts, and recordings. Mr. Munch founded the Orchestre de Paris in 1967, and died of a heart attack at his hotel in Richmond, Virginia, while leading the orchestra on its first American tour.

Protest
Several hundred people in Prague demonstrated against the U.S.S.R.

Medicine
Surgeons in Toronto performed the world's first plastic cornea implant in a human eye.

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Three Times a Lady--Commodores (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kisetsu no Naka de--Chiharu Matsuyama

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)

Canadiana
Heidi Quiring, representing Manitoba, was named Miss Canada at the annual pageant in Toronto, which was televised on CTV.





World events
In the wake of severe rioting in Tehran and other cities, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi declared martial law in Iran.

Labour
The New York Times and New York Daily News resumed publication after reaching settlements with 10 unions representing 11,000 workers, ending an 88-day strike.

25 years ago
1983

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

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: Pushkin Papers

Football
CFL
Hamilton (5-10-1) 21 @ Montreal (5-10-1) 21
Saskatchewan (5-11) 27 @ Calgary (8-8) 23

Bernie Ruoff's 39-yard field goal with 45 seconds remaining in the game gave the Tiger-Cats the tie in the game and the third and final playoff spot in the Eastern Division before 41,157 fans at Olympic Stadium. The Tiger-Cats won the playoff spot on the basis of the better record in games between the teams, having defeated the Concordes 35-30 in Hamilton on September 5. Lester Brown, who rushed for 65 yards on 15 carries, scored both Montreal touchdowns on 8-yard runs in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Hamilton quarterback Dieter Brock, who completed 23 of 38 passes for 307 yards, completed touchdown passes of 2 yards to Mark Bragagnolo in the 1st quarter and 30 yards to Scott Collie in the 3rd quarter. Montreal quarterback Kevin Starkey completed just 10 of 22 passes for 124 passes and 3 interceptions while rushing 10 times for 23 yards in his final CFL game. It was the first game in a Montreal uniform for former Edmonton Eskimo and B.C. Lion safety Pete Lavorato, and the only game in a Montreal uniform for former Winnipeg Blue Bomber linebacker James Reed.

Mike Washington rushed 2 yards for a touchdown with 27 seconds remaining to give the Roughriders their win before 28,260 fans at McMahon Stadium and eliminate the Stampeders from playoff contention. They had finished with the same record as the Edmonton Eskimos and had split the two games between them, with each team scoring 46 points, and both teams had posted 3-5 records within the Western Division, but the Eskimos were awarded the third and final playoff spot on the basis of a better points for-and-against ratio within the division. The touchdown was set up on a bad snap from centre Ted Milian--who had been acquired by the Stampeders in a trade with the Eskimos early in the season--to punter Mike McTague with 1:20 remaining, and Rusty Olsen's fumble recovery gave the Roughriders possession of the ball on the Calgary 42-yard line. Calgary led 12-0 after the 1st quarter on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Bernard Quarles to Waymon Alridge, a convert and field goal by J.T. Hay, and 2 singles by Mr. McTague. The Roughriders, with the wind advantage in the 2nd quarter, came back with 11 points on a 12-yard touchdown rush by quarterback Homer Jordan, and a convert, single, and field goal by Dave Ridgway, but Mr. Quarles rushed 5 yards for a touchdown with 1:02 remaining in the 1st half, and Mr. Hay's convert gave the Stampeders a 19-11 lead. Saskatchewan had the wind behind them in the 3rd quarter, and after an exchange of singles, John Park rushed 1 yard for a touchdown, and Mr. Ridgway's convert and single on a wide field goal attempt tied the game 20-20 after 3 quarters. Calgary took the wind in the 4th quarter and scored 3 single points on a missed field goal by Mr. Hay and punts of 61 and 78 yards by Mr. McTague, the last coming with 2:45 left to give the Stampeders a 23-20 lead. Calgary slotback Tom Forzani, playing the last game of his 11-year CFL career, caught 8 passes for 195 yards, the best single-game yardage total of his career. The game also marked the end of the 6-year CFL career of Mr. Milian. It was the last game in a Calgary uniform for rookie running back Ray Crouse, who rushed 14 times for only 20 yards. The defeat marked the end of the line for Jack Gotta after 7 seasons as general manager and 5 seasons as head coach of the Stampeders. For the Eskimos, it was their 12th straight season in the playoffs.



20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Desire--U2 (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: A Groovy Kind of Love--Phil Collins (2nd week at #1)

Disasters
730 people were killed when an earthquake struck southwestern China, near the Burmese border.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (9-9) 9 @ Toronto (14-4) 49
Ottawa (2-16) 11 @ Saskatchewan (11-7) 45
Calgary (6-12) 19 @ Edmonton (11-7) 20

The Argonauts amassed 442 yards net offense and restricted the Hamilton offense to 194 net yards as they routed the Tiger-Cats before 24,503 fans in the last regular season game at Exhibition Stadium. It was the final game in the four-year CFL career of Hamilton receiver Ron Ingram, who had returned to the Tiger-Cats after spending most of the season with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Jeff Fairholm scored 2 touchdowns and Dave Ridgway set league single-season records for field goals (55) and points (215) as the Roughriders routed the Rough Riders before 25,615 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. It was the last game for Bob Weber as Ottawa's head coach; he posted a record of 2-13 after replacing his brother-in-law, the fired Fred Glick, on an interim basis. Among the players whose careers ended with this game was Ottawa quarterback Roy Dewalt, who played just 4 games in an Ottawa uniform to conclude his 9-year CFL career.

Jerry Kauric's 25-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining in regulation time gave the Eskimos their win over the Stampeders before 27,499 fans at Commonwealth Stadium, clinching first place in the West Division despite committing 6 turnovers. The Eskimos and Roughriders had split the two games between them, with the Eskimos outscoring the Roughriders 58-53. Henry "Gizmo" Williams scored both Edmonton touchdowns on passes from quarterback Tracy Ham. Edmonton offensive tackle Blake Dermott suffered a season-ending knee injury. It was the final CFL game for Calgary offensive lineman Rudy Phillips, as well as for quarterback Erik Kramer, who missed all of the following season with a knee injury before moving to the National Football League.



10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Sky Low Low, 70. Canadian wrestler. Sky Low Low, whose real name was Marcel Gauthier, was 3' 6" and weighed 86 pounds, and wrestled professionally from the 1940s through the 1980s, and was world midget champion. He died of a heart attack, and was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002.

Transportation
The Electric Tilt Train entered service in Queensland, Australia, becoming one of the fastest trains in the country and the fastest narrow gauge train in service.