November 25, 2008

330 years ago
1678

War
After a series of difficult marches, the allied Mataram and Dutch troops successfully assaulted the Trunajaya rebel stronghold of Kediri in eastern Java.

250 years ago
1758

War
British forces captured Fort Duquesne, Pennsylvania from French control.

130 years ago
1878

Politics and government
John Campbell, Duke of Argyll, Marquess of Lorne, 33, was installed as Governor General of Canada; his wife was Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Princess Louise, after whom many places in Alberta are named, including the province itself (Alberta was her third given name).

90 years ago
1918

Europeana
Vojvodina, formerly Austro-Hungarian crown land, proclaimed its secession from Austria–Hungary to join the Kingdom of Serbia.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
L.H. Garrison; Tilden Johnson. U.S. aviators. Messrs. Garrison and Johnson were air mail pilots. Mr. Garrison was heading westbound and Mr. Johnson eastbound, and both were killed in crashes in Ohio.

Crime
Standard Oil Company of Indiana chairman Colonel Robert W. Stewart was acquitted by a District of Columbia Supreme Court jury of perjury before a Senate committee. The prosecution admitted the truth of Col. Stewart's assertion that there had not been a physical quorum of the committee present when he had testified.

Disasters
A two-day typhoon on the central Philippine coasts killed 250 people.

60 years ago
1948

Defense
The Convair B-36B, the most powerful propeller-driven plane in the world, was delivered to the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Fort Worth, Texas.

Politics and government
Venezuela's military junta installed a non-party cabinet, promising to protect U.S. oil investments and other foreign property.

Economics and finance
France accepted U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall's offer to participate in the supervision of Ruhr industrial development.

Labour
75,000 dock workers on both coasts of the United States ended their strikes after reaching contract agreements with employers. The International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union gained its demand for a 15c hourly wage increase after an 85-day strike, while the International Longshoremen's Association ended a 16-day strike with an agreement on a 13c hourly increase.

National Airlines settled a 10-month strike by members of the American Federation of Labor Air Line Pilots Association, promising to reinstate all union members at the expense of non-union pilots hired during the strike.

50 years ago
1958

On the radio
Thirty-Minute Theatre, on BBC
The New Catacomb, starring Howard Marion-Crawford and Brian Wilde



Died on this date
Charles Kettering, 82. U.S. inventor. Mr. Kettering was director of research at General Motors from 1920-1947. He held 186 patents, and was responsible for the electronic starting motor and leaded gasoline. Mr. Kettering invented the freon refrigerant and developed the "Bug" aerial torpedo, considered the world's first aerial missile.

Diplomacy
U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon arrived in London to begin a four-day visit, saying that U.S. forces would remain in Berlin "until a German settlement acceptable to the German people has been achieved."

Politics and government
The Senegalese Territorial Assembly in St. Louis declared its acceptance of autonomy within the French Community.

Democratic Party candidates won all major offices in Alaskan elections.

Agriculture
Corn farmers of all 26 corn-producing U.S. states voted in a referendum to end 25 years of production controls in favour of Agriculture Secretary Ezra Taft Benson's new price support plan.

Baseball
The Baseball Writers Association of America named Chicago Cubs' shortstop Ernie Banks as the Most Valuable Player in the National League for 1958. He batted .313 and slugged .614 with 47 home runs and 129 runs batted in while playing in all 154 games, leading the NL in homers, RBIs, and slugging percentage.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi no Kisetsu--Pinky and the Killers (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Hey Jude--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
2 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
3 Magic Carpet Ride--Steppenwolf
4 White Room--Cream
5 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash
6 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
7 Who's Making Love--Johnnie Taylor
8 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
9 Stormy--Classics IV
10 Hey Jude--The Beatles

Singles entering the chart were Till by the Vogues (#49); Do You Wanna Dance by the Mamas and the Papas (#56); Son-of-a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield (#57); Love Machine by the O'Kaysions (#68); White Houses by Eric Burdon and the Animals (#71); Yesterday's Rain by Spanky and Our Gang (#72); American Boys by Petula Clark (#73); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (#87); I Don't Live Today by Purple Haze (#88); Hang 'em High by Booker T. & the M.G.'s (#92); Just Ain't No Love by Barbara Acklin (#93); Stand by Your Man by Tammy Wynette (#94); Privilege by the Sugar Shoppe (#96); Rockin' in the Same Old Boat by Bobby Bland (#97); Of a Dropping Pin by the Guess Who? (#98); Reach Out by Merrilee Rush (#99); and Don't Cry My Love by the Impressions (#100).

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

Died on this date
Upton Sinclair, 90. U.S. writer. Mr. Sinclair was a socialist who was known for promoting his views and calling for social reform in novels such as The Jungle (1906); The Brass Check (1919); and Oil! (1927). The Jungle, an expose of the meatpacking industry, influenced the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. Mr. Sinclair was a member of the Socialist Party before joining the Democratic Party and running for Governor of California in 1934 under the slogan End Poverty in California (EPIC). He was unsuccessful, but fought a strong campaign against incumbent Republican Governor Frank Merriam. From 1940-1953, Mr. Sinclair wrote 11 novels featuring the character Lanny Budd, who influences world events. The third novel in the series, Dragon's Teeth (1942), won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Paul Siple, 59. U.S. geographer and explorer. Dr. Siple was still an Eagle Scout when he was chosen to accompany Admiral Richard Byrd's Antarctic expeditions in 1928-1929 and 1933-1935. He participated in four more Antarctic expeditions, including all of Adm. Byrd's expeditions. Dr. Siple and Charles Passel developed the wind chill factor, and Dr. Siple coined the term. Dr. Siple died 23 days before his 60th birthday, and two years after suffering a stroke.

Environment
Redwood National Park in California was dedicated by U.S. First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.

Protest
Police charged 104 students after a three-day occupation of the Simon Fraser University administration building in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Disasters
More than 20 people, including 6 Americans, were killed when an Air America C-46 plane chartered by the Agency for International Development crashed in northern Laos.

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Una donna per amico--Lucio Battisti (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord--Boney M.

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Rat Trap--The Boomtown Rats (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): MacArthur Park--Donna Summer (3rd week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf (#22); Sandy by John Travolta (#25); Hammer Horror by Kate Bush (#29); Als Je Weggaat by Vader Abraham (#34); and Sweet Talkin' Woman by Electric Light Orchestra (#38). Sandy was from the movie Grease (1978).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Don't Bring Me Flowers--Barbra & Neil
2 How Much I Feel--Ambrosia
3 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer
3 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder
5 I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli
6 Kiss You All Over--Exile
7 Ready to Take a Chance Again--Barry Manilow
8 Sharing the Night Together--Dr. Hook
9 Double Vision--Foreigner
10 I Love the Night Life (Disco 'round)--Alicia Bridges

Singles entering the chart were A Little More Love by Olivia Newton-John (#69); Lotta Love by Nicolette Larson (#83); Shake It by Ian Matthews (#85); I Believe You by the Carpenters (#89); Home and Dry by Gerry Rafferty (#90); Got to Be Real by Cheryl Lynn (#95); and Tulsa Time by Don Williams (#99).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 MacArthur Park--Donna Summer
2 You Needed Me--Anne Murray
3 Whenever I Call You "Friend"--Kenny Loggins
4 How Much I Feel--Ambrosia
5 Ready to Take a Chance Again--Barry Manilow
6 Hot Child in the City--Nick Gilder
7 Reminiscing--Little River Band
8 I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli
9 Beast of Burden--The Rolling Stones
10 Double Vision--Foreigner

Singles entering the chart were Ooh Baby Baby by Linda Ronstadt (#83); Driftwood by the Moody Blues (#86); Le Freak by Chic (#89); Love Me Again by Rita Coolidge (#91); Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen (#92); Children of Sanchez by Chuck Mangione (#94); So Young, So Bad by Starz (#95); I was Made for Dancin' by Leif Garrett (#96); Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? by Chris Rea (#98); Mary Jane by Rick James (#99); and Don't Cry Out Loud by Melissa Manchester (#100).

Hockey
NHL
Chicago 8 @ Montreal 3
Colorado 6 @ Toronto 3

Football
CIAU-NAIA
Shrum Bowl @ Empire Stadium, Vancouver
British Columbia 22 Simon Fraser 14

Dan Smith completed 16 of 30 passes for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns to Chris Davies, and Gord Penn rushed 1 yard for a touchdown, to help the Thunderbirds defeat the Clansmen before 12,131 fans. Simon Fraser marched to the UBC 13-yard line late in the game, but B.C. defensive back Chris Thompson knocked down Nelson Martin's pass to tight end Jim Dziedzina in the end zone on the last play of the game. It was UBC's first win in the Shrum Bowl, which was being played for the first time since 1971. Mr. Davies caught 8 passes for 154 yards. Simon Fraser quarterback Nelson Martin completed 10 of 35 passes for 138 yards, and rushed 4 yards for the only SFU touchdown. Walt Passaglia converted and added 2 field goals and a single.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin (4th week at #1)

Crime
Convicted murderer Allan Legere, who had escaped from jail in Moncton, New Brunswick on May 3, was captured by police in Nelson, N.B. after a six-month killing spree and a huge manhunt.

10 years ago
1998

At the movies
Babe: Pig in the City, co-written, co-produced, and directed by George Miller, and starring Magda Szubanski, James Cromwell, and Mickey Rooney, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Nelson Goodman, 92. U.S. philosopher. Dr. Goodman was known for his work on counterfactuals; mereology; the problem of induction; irrealism; and aesthetics.

Flip Wilson, 64. U.S. comedian. Clerow Wilson, Jr. was one of the most popular comedians in the early 1970s as host of the television variety series The Flip Wilson Show (1970-1974). He was known for his character Geraldine Jones, and the catchphrases "The Devil made me do it!" and "What you see is what you get!" Mr. Wilson cut back his performing schedule in later years, and died of liver cancer, 13 days before his 65th birthday.

Politics and government
The Turkish government of Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz collapsed after losing a no-confidence motion 314-214 over corruption allegations.