December 2, 2008

180 years ago
1828

Politics and government
Voting concluded in the U.S. presidential election. Democratic Party candidate Andrew Jackson earned 178 electoral votes (56.0% of the popular vote) to 83 electoral votes (43.6% of the popular vote) for incumbent President and National Republican Party candidate John Quincy Adams.

160 years ago
1848

Europeana
Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I abdicated, and was succeeded by his nephew Franz Josef I.

120 years ago
1888

Born on this date
M.J. Coldwell. Canadian politician. Mr. Coldwell, a native of Seaton, England, immigrated to Canada in 1910. He sat in the House of Commons from 1935-1958 and led the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) from 1942-1960. Mr. Coldwell died on August 25, 1874 at the age of 85.

110 years ago
1898

Born on this date
Indra Lal Roy. Indian military aviator. Lieutenant Roy served in the U.K. Royal Flying Corps, and was the only Indian air ace of World War I, recording 10 victories in just over 170 hours of flying time before being killed in a dogfight over Carvin, France on July 22, 1918 at the age of 19.

100 years ago
1908

Chinatica
Puyi, Emperor Xuantong, acceded to the throne at the age of 2 years 10 months.

90 years ago
1918

Died on this date
Edmond Rostand, 50. French poet and playwright. Mr. Rostand was best known for his play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). He died of influenza during the worldwide epidemic.

80 years ago
1928

Labour
The Ruhr industrial conflict resulting from the lockout of 213,000 German metalworkers virtually ended when the socialist trade unions followed the example of the Catholic trade unions in accepting the government's offer of mediation.

75 years ago
1933

Politics and government
A disastrous financial situation forced Newfoundland to give up self-governing dominion status and suspend its constitution.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup Semi-Final
Winnipeg 0 @ Toronto Argonauts 13

Andy Mullen returned a Greg Kabat punt 40 yards for a touchdown and Ted Morris intercepted 2 laterals and made long returns to get the Argonauts out of trouble as they blanked the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club before 8,359 fans at Varsity Stadium and advanced to the Grey Cup against the Sarnia Imperials, champions of the Ontario Rugby Football Union. Winnipeg quarterback Russ Rebholz was handicapped by a broken thumb, but was able to march his team inside the Toronto 10-yard line three times, but one long lateral resulted in a lost fumble, and Mr. Morris intercepted the others. Mr. Morris returned one of them 80 yards to the Winnipeg 7-yard line, where the Winnipeg defense stiffened and held the Argonauts to a single. Mr. Morris returned his other intercepted lateral 90 yards, dribbling the ball to the Winnipeg goal line, but he overran the ball in the end zone, and a Winnipeg player recovered for a rouge.

70 years ago
1948

War
Chinese Nationalist forces abandoned the rail junction of Suchow to Communists, retreating southward to reinforce the defense of Nanking.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. officially recognized the separate Communist government in East Berlin, promising to give it all necessary "help and support."

Politics and government
The Indian Constituent Assembly adopted a Charter of Liberty guaranteeing freedoms of speech, assembly, property ownership, and work.

Time editor and former Communist Whittaker Chambers led U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities investigators to a microfilmed cache of secret State, War, and Navy Department documents on his farm in Westminster, Maryland. Journalists dubbed the microfilms, hidden in a hollowed-out pumpkin, the "pumpkin papers." After inspecting the material, committee member Rep. Karl Mundt (Republican--South Dakota) declared that it revealed the existence of "a vast network of Communist espionage in the State Department." Mr. Chambers claimed that he had received the documents from a secret contact in the State Department.

Economics and finance
The French National Assembly approved a resolution condemning U.S. and U.K. plans to put Ruhr industry under German control.

Labour
Anti-Communist Canadian union leaders organized the Canadian Association of International Union Representatives, with Vice President Frank Hall of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks as chairman.

Football
NCAA
The United States Military Academy won the Lambert Trophy representing Eastern U.S. college football supremacy.

Baseball
The Baseball Writers Association of America named St. Louis Cardinals' left fielder Stan Musial as the Most Valuable Player in the National League for the second straight season. "Stan the Man" batted .376 with 39 home runs and 131 runs batted in in 155 games in 1948, leading the NL in batting; slugging (.702); runs (135); hits (230); doubles (46); triples (18); and runs batted in.

60 years ago
1958

War
The Cuban government disclosed that General Martin Diaz Tamayo had been relieved as Army chief of operations and recalled from command of anti-guerrilla operations in Oriente Province. Gen. Luis Robainas was appointed to succeed him.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. warned Japan to abandon her "shackling military commitments" in current talks on revision of the 1951 U.S.-Japan security treaty.

World events
Burmese officials arrested Bo Mya Thway, leader of the opposition National United Front, and 11 other suspects on charges of plotting against the Ne Win government.

Energy
Eugene Wigner, professor of mathematical physics at Princeton University, received the $50,000 Enrico Fermi award for his role in the development of nuclear reactors.

Football
NCAA
Army halfback Pete Dawkins was named the winner of the Heisman Trophy as the outstanding college football player in the United States for 1958.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi no Kisetsu--Pinky and the Killers (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Hey Jude--The Beatles (3rd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
2 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
3 Stormy--Classics IV
4 Magic Carpet Ride--Steppenwolf
5 Chewy, Chewy--Ohio Express
6 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
7 Who's Making Love--Johnnie Taylor
8 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
9 Both Sides Now--Judy Collins
10 I Love How You Love Me--Bobby Vinton

Singles entering the chart were A Ray of Hope by the Rascals (#62); Bella Linda by the Grass Roots (#65); Crosstown Traffic by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (#72); Going Up the Country by Canned Heat (#73); The Girl Most Likely by Jeannie C. Riley (#74); Papa's Got a Brand New Bag by Otis Redding (#76); Nightmare by Arthur Brown (#78); Bluebirds Over the Mountain by the Beach Boys (#79); If I Can Dream by Elvis Presley (#80); This is My Country by the Impressions (#82); Nobody by 3 Dog Night (#83); I Put a Spell on You by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#88); They Don't Make Love Like They Used To by Eddy Arnold (#91); Vance by Roger Miller (#94); Good Time Girl by Nancy Sinatra (#95); Rainbow Ride by Andy Kim (#96); Sea Shell by the Strawberry Alarm Clock (#98); and Goodnight My Love by the Duprees (#100).

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

Academia
San Francisco State College President S.I. Hayakawa reopened the college, which had been closed for eight days when violence followed a strike called by student thugs on November 6. Pres. Hayakawa stationed several hundred police on the campus and forbade rallies. Many teachers had joined the strike, which had been called by thugs to back 15 demands they called "non-negotiable." The demands were mostly concerned with creating courses in black studies, and enrolling more Negroes. The strike dragged on for 134 days, until March 20, 1969.

Protest
New York City high school students high school students, mostly Negro, began five days of rampages through several schools and subways in demonstrations to protest the lengthened school day and cancelled vacations imposed to make up for time lost during the teachers' strike over the school decentralization issue. Most of the disorders raged in Brooklyn's Ocean-Hill Brownsville district, the focus of the strike dispute. Teachers and policemen were injured when the rioters broke into schools, smashing furnitures and equipment. 132 arrests were made.

Disasters
All 39 people aboard a twin-engine airliner were killed when it crashed near Anchorage, Alaska.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Una donna per amico--Lucio Battisti (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord--Boney M. (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You Don't Bring Me Flowers--Barbra & Neil

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Get Off--Foxy
2 Dreadlock Holiday--10 cc
3 Trojan Horse--Luv'
4 Kiss You All Over--Exile
5 Dear John--Teach In
6 Guust Flater En De Marsupilami--Wij Zijn Twee Vrienden
7 Bicycle Race--Queen
8 Hot Shot--Karen Young
9 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer
10 Love Don't Live Here Anymore--Rose Royce

Singles entering the chart were Felicidad by BZN (#20); Giving Up, Giving In by the Three Degrees (#24); Well All Right by Santana (#29); Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart (#30); Too Much Heaven by the Bee Gees (#31); and Tango Motion by the Millionaires (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Don't Bring Me Flowers--Barbra & Neil (2nd week at #1)
2 How Much I Feel--Ambrosia
3 I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli
4 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer
5 Sharing the Night Together--Dr. Hook
6 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder
7 I Love the Night Life (Disco 'round)--Alicia Bridges
8 Kiss You All Over--Exile
9 Time Passages--Al Stewart
10 (Our Love) Don't Throw it All Away--Andy Gibb

Singles entering the chart were Radioactive by Gene Simmons (#82); You Need a Woman Tonight by Captain and Tennille (#88); You've Really Got a Hold on Me by Eddie Money (#89); Light the Sky on Fire by Jefferson Starship (#90); and A Little Lovin' (Keeps the Doctor Away) by the Raes (#93).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer (2nd week at #1)
2 How Much I Feel--Ambrosia
3 Whenever I Call You "Friend"--Kenny Loggins
4 Ready to Take a Chance Again--Barry Manilow
5 I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli
6 You Needed Me--Anne Murray
7 Double Vision--Foreigner
8 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder
9 Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)--Styx
10 Sharing the Night Together--Dr. Hook

Singles entering the chart were In the Bush by Musique (#78); I Will Play a Rhapsody by Burton Cummings (#81); A Man I'll Never Be by Boston (#84); Words Right Out of My Mouth by Meat Loaf (#90); You Thrill Me by Exile (#98); September by Earth, Wind & Fire (#99); and The Gambler by Kenny Rogers (#100).

Abominations
A testimonial fund-raising dinner in honour of Peoples Temple dictator Rev. Jim Jones, endorsed by 75 prominent leaders, was scheduled to be held in San Francisco. The gala was cancelled two weeks earlier because of the guest of honour's permanent inability to appear.

Hockey
NHL
Buffalo 1 @ Montreal 8
New York Rangers 2 @ Toronto 5

Football
NCAA
Navy 28 Army 0 @ John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Come Back and Stay--Paul Young (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Lebanese President Amin Gemayel concluded two days of talks in Washington. Mr. Reagan and U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz reportedly urged Mr. Gemayel to widen his political base and extend the army's control in southern Lebanon, possibly by replacing some Israeli forces and thus encouraging Syria to negotiate its own withdrawal from Lebanon.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that unemployment had fallen in November from 8.7% to 8.2%.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin (5th week at #1)

At the movies
Tequila Sunrise, written and directed by Robert Towne, and starring Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, and Michelle Pfeiffer, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Geno Spriggs, 20. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Spriggs, the son of former major league outfielder George Spriggs, was a third baseman and shortstop in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization with the Pirates (1987) in the rookie classification Gulf Coast League (1987) and Princeton Pirates in the Appalachian League (1988), batting .245 with 1 home run and 27 runs batted in in 90 games. He was killed in a car accident.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida on a four-day secret mission for the U.S. Department of Defense. The crew were: Robert Gibson, Commander; Guy Gardner, Pilot; Richard Mullane, Jerry Ross, and William Shepherd, Mission Specialists.



Politics and government
Benazir Bhutto took office as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to lead the government of a Muslim nation. She promised to free political prisoners, obey the rule of law, and work for an end to restrictions on unions, the press, and the rights of women.

U.S. Vice President and President-elect George Bush met with the members of the Democratic party ticket whom he'd defeated, Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, and his vice-presidential running mate, U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate in November was 5.4%, an increase of 0.1% from October.

Disasters
700 people were known to have died and thousands may have been killed in a cyclone that struck Bangladesh.