October 28, 2008

240 years ago
1768

Died on this date
Michel Blavet, 68. French musician and composer. Mr. Blavet was a flute and bassoon virtuoso, who composed mainly for flute. His surviving works include a concerto and three books of sonatas.

190 years ago
1818

Died on this date
Abigail Adams, 73. U.S. First Lady, 1797-1801. Mrs. Adams, born Abigail Smith, married future President John Adams in 1764, and served as his closest adviser. She is best remembered for the 1,200 letters she and her husband exchanged, and is sometimes regarded as a founder of the United States. Mrs. Adams died of typhoid fever less than a month before her 74th birthday.

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Arturo Frondizi. 35th President of Argentina, 1958-1962. Mr. Frondizi joined the Radical Civic Union in 1932, and was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1946. He founded the Intransigent Radical Civic Union in 1956 and took office as President three years after a coup had deposed Juan Peron. Mr. Frondizi implemented economic and educational reforms, and cultivated good relations with both the United States and non-aligned nations. He lifted the ban on the Perónist Party early in 1962, and was deposed by a military coup on March 29, 1962. Mr. Frondizi founded the Integration and Development Movement (MID) in 1963, but his influence within government gradually declined until his death on April 18, 1995 at the age of 86.

90 years ago
1918

Europeana
Czechoslovakia declared her independence from Austria-Hungary, marking the beginning of an independent Czechoslovak state, after 300 years.

Politics and government
A new Polish government in western Galicia was established, triggering the Polish–Ukrainian War.

Economics and finance
The second Canadian Victory Loan for $300 million raised $660 million.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Francis J. Sears. U.S. law enforcement agent; Hugh Duffy. U.S. mechanic. Mr. Sears, a federal prohibition agent, and Mr. Duffy were trapped in the cistern room of the government-supervised Publicker Commercial Alcohol Company in Philadelphia when explosions liberated flaming alcohol. The men were showered with the flaming liquid and burned to death. The explosions caused $2 million in damage.

Politics and government
Liberal Party candidates Vicente Mejía Colindres and Rafael Diaz Chávez were elected President and Vice President, respectively, of Honduras, in a rare peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Mr. Mejia received 56.6% of the vote to 43.4% for National Party candidate Tiburcio Carías Andino. The National Party won 26 seats in Congress to 21 for the Liberals, with one seat vacant.

Protest
Just after French Minister of Public Instruction Eduard Herriot had completed the dedication of a monument at Pons in southwestern France to anti-clerical former Prime Minister Emile Combes, a riot occurred between Catholic enthusiasts and the Guard Republicaine. A young royalist belonging to Léon Daudet's organization Camelots du Roi smashed the statue's face with a hammer, and was shot to death by police.

75 years ago
1933

Football
CRU
IRFU
Ottawa (3-1) 12 @ Montreal (3-1) 18
Hamilton (0-4) 5 @ Toronto (2-2) 11

70 years ago
1938

Boxing
John Henry Lewis (100-10-5) retained his world light heavyweight title with a 15-round unanimous decision over Al Gainer (73-18-5) before 2,200 fans at New Haven Arena in New Haven, Connecticut. It was Mr. Lewis's last title defense; he retired the following year because of vision problems, after being knocked out by world heavyweight champion Joe Louis.

60 years ago
1948

War
A U.S. tribunal in Nuremberg convicted 11 high German commanders of crimes against humanity during World War II after acquitting them of plotting a war of aggression. Among the convicted was General Walter Warlimont, Fuehrer Adolf Hitler's former general staff aide.

Protest
40,000 workers in Stuttgart demonstrating against high prices were dispersed by U.S. tanks and cavalry after some protesters began to attack shops.

Science
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences named Paul Müller of Switzerland the winner of the 1948 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his 1939 discovery of the insecticidal properties of DDT.

50 years ago
1958

Literature
The novella Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote was published in New York by Random House.

The Soviet Writers Union expelled 1958 Nobel Prize recipient Boris Pasternak.

Religion
The Sacred College of Cardinals elected Angelo Roncalli, Patriarch of Venice, to succeed the late Pope Pius XII, taking the name John XXIII.

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker began a seven-week tour of Commonwealth and North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, stopping first in New York for a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold and an address to the Pilgrims Society.

Science
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences named Pavel Cherenkov, Ilya Frank, and Igor Tamm of the U.S.S.R. as winners of the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery and the interpretation of the Cherenkov effect," an electromagnetic radiation emitted when a charged particle (such as an electron) passes through a dielectric medium at a speed greater than the phase velocity of light in that medium. Frederick Sanger of the United Kingdom was named the winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his work on the structure of proteins, especially that of insulin."

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi no Kisetsu--Pinky and the Killers (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Get on Your Knees--Los Canarios (5th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin
2 Hey Jude--The Beatles
3 Fire--Arthur Brown
4 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash
5 Over You--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
6 Little Green Apples--O.C. Smith
7 Elenore--The Turtles
8 I've Gotta Get a Message to You--The Bee Gees
9 White Room--Cream
10 Piece of My Heart--Big Brother and the Holding Company

Singles entering the chart were You're All Around Me by Percy Sledge (#68); California Earthquake by Mama Cass (#70); Where Do I Go by Carla Thomas (#78); The Great Escape by Ray Stevens (#80); Abraham, Martin and John by Dion (#82); Bring it on Home to Me by Eddie Floyd (#84); I Love How You Love Me by Bobby Vinton (#85); Not Enough Indians by Dean Martin (#86); The Yard Went on Forever by Richard Harris (#90); Talking About My Baby by Gloria Walker (#92); You Got Me by Mandala (#95); Stormy by the Classics IV (#97); Happy Feeling by the Happy Feeling (#99); and You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire by the Amboy Dukes (#100).

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

At the movies
The Legendary Champions, a documentary written and directed by Harry Chapin, and narrated by Norman Rose, opened in theatres.



30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Una donna per amico--Lucio Battisti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Mama Leone--Bino

#1 single in Ireland: Summer Nights--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Summer Nights--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Hopelessly Devoted to You--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)
2 Summer Nights--John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John & Cast
3 Dreadlock Holiday--10 cc
4 Hot Shot--Karen Young
5 It's Raining--Darts
6 Three Times a Lady--Commodores
7 Grease--Frankie Valli
8 Tell Me Your Plans--The Shirts
9 Guust Flater En De Marsupilami--Wij Zijn Twee Vrienden
10 Again and Again--Status Quo

Singles entering the chart were Get Off by Foxy (#20); Mexican Girl by Smokie (#24); Beach Boy Gold by Gidea Park (#29); Respectable by the Rolling Stones (#32); Sing for the Day by Styx (#34); and Realite by Next One (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder (2nd week at #1)
2 Kiss You All Over--Exile
3 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer
4 You Needed Me--Anne Murray
5 Whenever I Call You "Friend"--Kenny Loggins
6 Reminiscing--Little River Band
7 Beast of Burden--The Rolling Stones
8 Right Down the Line--Gerry Rafferty
9 Who are You--The Who
10 You Never Done it Like That--Captain & Tennille

Singles entering the chart were You Don't Bring Me Flowers by Barbra & Neil (#57); Le Freak by Chic (#87); My Best Friend's Girl by the Cars (#88); We've Got Tonite by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (#89); and Do You Feel All Right by K.C. & the Sunshine Band (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 You Needed Me--Anne Murray
2 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder
3 Reminiscing--Little River Band
4 Kiss You All Over--Exile
5 Whenever I Call You "Friend"--Kenny Loggins
6 Right Down the Line--Gerry Rafferty
7 Who are You--The Who
8 Back in the U.S.A.--Linda Ronstadt
9 Don't Look Back--Boston
10 Beast of Burden--The Rolling Stones

Singles entering the chart were Alive Again by Chicago (#74); Time Passages by Al Stewart (#80); Raining in My Heart by Leo Sayer (#84); One Nation Under a Groove by Funkadelic (#85); Like Sunday in Salem by Gene Cotton (#86); I'm Every Woman by Chaka Khan (#87); Promises by Eric Clapton and his Band (#88); (Our Love) Don't Throw it All Away by Andy Gibb (#89); Substitute by Clout (#90); Hot Summer Nights by Walter Egan (#91); The Dream Never Dies by the Cooper Brothers (#92); Fun Time by Joe Cocker (#93); Keep on Jumpin' by Musique (#94); Let Me Love You by Peter Pringle (#95); Instant Replay by Dan Hartman (#96); I Will Be in Love with You by Livingston Taylor (#97); New York Groove by Ace Frehley (#98); Y.M.C.A. by the Village People (#99); and When You Feel Love by Bob McGilpin (#100).

Died on this date
Clairette, 89. French-born Canadian actress, singer, and impresario. Clairette, born Claire Oddera, performed on stage and in radio and films in France before emigrating to Quebec in 1956. She continued to perform, but was better known for operating the Chez Clairette nightclub in Montreal, which served as a venue for up-and-coming artists, including Robert Charlebois.

Rukmani Devi, 55. Sri Lankan singer and actress. Miss Devi, born Daisy Rasammah Daniels, was Sri Lanka's most popular female recording artist, and appeared in 99 movies before her death in a car accident.

Figure skating
Fumio Igarashi of Japan upset world champion Charles Tickner of the United States to win the men's singles competition at Skate Canada before 3,200 fans at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. Canadian champion Brian Pockar of Calgary won the bronze medal, with Vern Taylor of Toronto fourth. Lisa-Marie Allen won the women's singles title, followed by Claudia Kristofics-Binder of Austria, Kristina Wegelius of Finland, Sandy Lenz of the United States, and Janet Morrissey of Ottawa. Krisztina Regoczy and Andras Sallay of Hungary won the gold medal in ice dancing, followed by Lorna Wighton and John Dowding of Toronto and Marina Zueva and Andrei Vitman of the U.S.S.R.

Hockey
NHL
New York Rangers 2 @ Montreal 1
Boston 5 @ Toronto 3
Vancouver 2 @ New York Islanders 5
Atlanta 4 Pittsburgh 2
Detroit 7 Chicago 2
Colorado 1 Minnesota 0
St. Louis 7 Buffalo 7

WHA
Cincinnati 4 Quebec 3
Indianapolis 3 Winnipeg 1

Football
CFL
Hamilton (4-10-1) 9 @ Ottawa (11-4) 34

Wayne Tosh blocked a Bill Palmer punt and Ken Downing recovered in the Hamilton end zone just 1:17 into the game to open the scoring, and the Rough Riders recovered 2 more fumbles and intercepted 3 passes as they routed the Tiger-Cats before 20,775 fans at Lansdowne Park. Ottawa receiver Peter Stenerson caught a 35-yard pass from quarterback Condredge Holloway and passed 9 yards to Ross Clarkson for another TD, while Mr. Holloway rushed 1 yard for the last TD. backup quarterback Roy Henry, on his only CFL rush, ran 2 yards for the Hamilton touchdown in the 3rd quarter, and Jimmy Jones passed to Leif Pettersen for a 2-point convert.

CIAU
AUFC
Prince Edward Island (4-3) 42 Mount Allison (1-6) 3
St. Mary's (4-3) 37 Acadia (4-3) 32
St. Francis Xavier (6-1) 13 New Brunswick (2-5) 1

OQIFC
East Semi-Finals
McGill 45 Bishop's 20
Queen's 17 Carleton 13 (OT)

West Semi-Finals
Windsor 7 @ Western Ontario 38
Wilfrid Laurier 30 Waterloo 23

WIFL
Alberta (5-3) 2 @ British Columbia (6-2) 19

Al Chorney returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown 2:42 into the game to provide all the necessary scoring for the Thunderbirds as they beat the Golden Bears at Thunderbird Stadium to clinch first place in the Western Intercollegiate Football League and eliminate Alberta from playoff contention. John MacKay rushed 1 yard for the other TD late in the 2nd quarter, following a B.C. recovery of an Alberta fumble at the U of A 30-yard line. Marco Cyncar, playing his final university game, scored the Alberta points on singles from wide field goal attempts. Among those playing their final game was Alberta quarterback Dan McDermid, who completed just 8 of 26 passes for 51 yards and 4 interceptions.

25 years ago
1983

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

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): I Like Chopin--Gazebo (2nd week at #1)

War
The United Nations Security Council voted 11-1, with 3 abstentions, in favour of a resolution condemning the U.S. invasion of Grenada. The U.S.A. cast the only negative vote, constituting a veto of the resolution. Admiral Wesley McDonald, commander of U.S. forces in the Atlantic Ocean, said that 500 or more Cubans were still at large in Grenada and might have fled to the hills. He said that 638 Cubans and 17 Grenadians were being held prisoner, and that 36 Cuban and Grenadian fighters had been killed and 56 wounded. 700 U.S. Army Rangers began to withdraw from the country. The United States Senate voted 64-20 in favour of a resolution applying the War Powers Resolution to the invasion, meaning that U.S. troops had to be withdrawn from Grenada by December 24 unless Congress approved an extension.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): One Moment in Time--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)

Abominations
The French government ordered the pharmaceutical firm Groupe Roussell Uclaf to resume distribution of RU-486, a pill designed to induce an abortion early in pregnancy. The firm had announced two days earlier that it was ceasing distribution of the drug because of opposition from opponents of abortion.

Economics and finance
The United States government reported that the federal budget deficit for the 1988 fiscal year ended September 30 had been $155.1 billion, an increase of $5.4 billion over the previous year.

10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Ted Hughes, 68. U.K. poet and author. Mr. Hughes was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1984 until his death, and also wrote fiction for children. He was married to writer Sylvia Plath from 1956 until her suicide in 1963. Mr. Hughes died of a heart attack while undergoing treatment for colon cancer.

Politics and government
Glen Murray became the first openly-sodomite to be elected Mayor of a major Canadian city, defeating six other candidates in the Winnipeg municipal election.