November 21, 2008

225 years ago
1783

Aviation
Frenchmen Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes made the first free flight in a Montgolfier balloon, reaching a peak altitude of about 3,000 feet and traveling about 5 1/2 miles in 25 minutes. They took off from the garden of the Château de la Muette in the Bois de Boulogne, in the presence of King Louis XVI, and landed at the Butte-aux-Cailles, then on the outskirts of Paris.

180 years ago
1838

War
The United States government said that Americans entering Canada in violation of the U.S. neutrality law would not be given protection, effectively ending the activities of the Hunters Lodges and other republican factions who were rebelling against authorities in Upper and Lower Canada.

110 years ago
1908

Football
CRU
Dominion Semi-Final
Toronto Amateur Athletic Club 8 @ Hamilton Tigers 31

100 years ago
1918

Abominations
Polish troops and civilians began a three-day pogrom against Jews and Christians in Lwów (now Lviv), Ukraine, killing at least 50 Jews and at least 270 Christians.

Europeana
The Flag of Estonia, previously used by pro-independence activists, was formally adopted as the national flag of the Republic of Estonia.

90 years ago
1928

Communications
The British House of Commons voted 258-134 in favour of the cable merger plan putting telegraph and wireless resources into private hands.

Education
In South Sudbury, Massachusetts, a mutiny of boy students at Wayside Inn Trade School, run by Henry Ford for state wards, was revealed when it was learned that three of the four teachers had resigned because of the refusal of the Ford resident manager, and later Mr. Ford himself, to expel the school bully.

Football
Canadian university
Exhibition
Alberta 20 @ British Columbia 11 (First game of 2-game series)

Freddie Hess scored 19 points on 3 touchdowns, a convert, and 3 singles to lead U of A over UBC before 1,500 fans at Athletic Park in Vancouver. Messrs. Dirom and Shandro scored B.C. touchdowns.

80 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Leopold Godowsky, 68. Lithuanian-born U.S. musician and composer. Mr. Godowsky was almost completely self-taught, and began playing piano and violin as a child. He moved to the United States at the age of 20, continuing his career as a popular concert pianist, and becoming a teacher of piano. As a composer, Mr. Godowsky was best known for his Java Suite and transcriptions of works by other composers, especially 53 Studies on Chopin's Études. Mr. Godowsky suffered a series of personal tragedies in the 1920s, and had a severe stroke in 1930, leaving him partially paralyzed. He died of stomach cancer.

70 years ago
1948

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and George Spelvin (Wendell Holmes), on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Discordant Bells

Died on this date
John Weir, 57. U.S. military officer. General Weir headed the Allied commission that investigated European war crimes after World War II. He died of a heart attack.

Literature
The New York Herald Tribune listed Remembrance Rock by Carl Sandburg as the best-selling fiction book, and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie as the best-selling non-fiction book.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): It's All in the Game--Tommy Edwards (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Mel Ott, 49. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Ott played right field with the New York Giants from 1926-1947, batting .304 with 511 home runs and 1,860 runs batted in in 2,730 games. He led or co-led the National League in home runs six times; led the Giants in home runs for 18 straight years (1928-1945); and was the NL career leader in homers at the time of his retirement. Mr. Ott was known for his "foot in the bucket" batting style of lifting his forward (right) foot prior to swinging. He managed the Giants from 1942-1948, compiling a record of 464-530, and then managed the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League in 1951-1952 (184-164). Mr. Ott was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. He was a colour commentator on radio broadcasts of Detroit Tigers games from 1956-1958. Mr. Ott and his wife were seriously injured in a car accident, and he died a week or so later.

Politics and government
A Soviet-East German commission met in East Berlin to begin discussion of the transfer to East German control of U.S.S.R. functions in the four-power administration of Berlin.

Labour
6,700 members of the International Association of Machinists went out on strike throughout the United States, immobilizing Trans World Airlines in a wage dispute.

50 years ago
1968

On television tonight
Dragnet 1969, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Training: DR-18



Politics and government
The Québec Legislative Assembly voted to abolish the upper house or provincial Senate, and to change the name of the Legislative Assembly to the National Assembly.

U.S. President-elect Richard Nixon named Washington newspaperwoman Mrs. Gerry Van der Heuvel as his press secretary, and designated former San Diego Union editor Herb Klein as director of communications for the Executive Branch, a post described as similar to "assistant to the President."

Terrorism
FLQ terrorists exploded a bomb on Boulevard St-Laurent in Montréal.

40 years ago
1978

On television tonight
The Paper Chase, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Moot Court



Diplomacy
The Israeli cabinet voted 15-2 in favour of a U.S. draft of an Egypt-Israel peace treaty that included a pledge of self-determination for Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, while rejecting an Egyptian demand for a specific timetable for such action.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 4 @ Atlanta 3

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (5th week at #1)

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You--Glenn Medeiros

Died on this date
Carl Hubbell, 85. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Hubbell, who was known for having the screwball as his main pitch, played with the New York Giants from 1928-1943, compiling a record of 253-154 with an earned run average of 2.98 in 535 games, batting .191 with 4 home runs and 101 runs batted in. He led or co-led the National League in wins three times; in winning percentage twice; and in earned run average three times. Mr. Hubbell set a major league record with 24 consecutive wins from 1936-1937, and was named the NL's Most Valuable Player in 1933 and 1936. He pitched a no-hitter in 1929, and in the 1934 Major League All-Star Game struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in succession. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. Mr. Hubbell was the New York/San Francisco Giants' director of player development from 1943-1978, and was a scout with the team after that until his death from injuries suffered in a car accident, oddly, 30 years to the day after his teammate, Mel Ott, and from the same cause.

Politics and government
The Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney won a second consecutive majority of seats in the House of Commons in the Canadian federal election. The PCs won 169 of 295 seats to 83 for the Liberals, who remained as the official opposition. The New Democratic Party won 43 seats. The PCs won 43% of the popular vote to 32% for the Liberals and 20% for the NDP. The election had been fought mainly over the issue of free trade with the United States, which was favoured by the PCs and opposed by the Liberals and NDP. It was the first election for the Reform Party of Canada, a western-based conservative party. Reform won no seats, but took about 15% of the vote in Alberta. Reform Party leader Preston Manning put up a strong battle against former Prime Minister Joe Clark in the Alberta riding of Yellowhead. It was the last election in which the Social Credit party fielded candidates; they contested only 9 ridings, winning a total of just 3,407 votes and not coming close to winning any seats. Among the successful PC candidates was Scott Thorkelson in Edmonton Strathcona, who won with only 32% of the vote, the lowest share of any federal PC candidate in Alberta in 20 years. Mr. Thorkelson, who had failed in an attempt to be elected president of the University of Alberta Student Union in 1980, won despite committing such blunders as going door-knocking on Halloween. Another successful first-time candidate was Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservatives, a former cabinet minister in the Social Credit government of British Columbia, who barely won in Vancouver Centre, finishing just 269 votes ahead of NDP candidate Johanna Den Hertog.

10 years ago
1998

Football
CIAU
Atlantic Bowl @ Huskies Stadium, Halifax
Concordia 25 Acadia 24

Churchill Bowl @ Griffiths Stadium, Saskatoon
Western Ontario 17 @ Saskatchewan 33

David Miller-Johnston's fourth field goal of the game, a 45-yard kick with 1:21 remaining in regulation time, gave the Stingers their win over the Axemen. Acadia quarterback Trevor Martin completed 30 of 46 passes for 329 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

Doug Rozon rushed for 214 yards and a touchdown to help the Huskies defeat the Mustangs. Saskatchewan quarterback Ryan Reid completed 15 of 21 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown.