November 27, 2008

140 years ago
1868

War
In the Battle of Washita River, United States Army Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led an attack on Black Kettle’s Southern Cheyenne camp living on reservation land in Oklahoma. The dead included woman and children, and debate continues as to whether the action was a battle or a massacre.

110 years ago
1898

Disasters
The Portland Gale ravaged the Maritimes and New England, killing more than 400 people and sinking more than 150 boats and ships. The U.S. passenger sidewheeler SS Portland, with an estimated 193-245 people aboard, including 63 crew, sank off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, with the loss of everyone aboard.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Nelson Rehmeyer, 59. U.S. crime victim. Mr. Rehmeyer, who lived alone on a farm near Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, was killed when he resisted efforts of a superstition-crazed man and two youths to cut a lock of hair from his head to be buried eight feet underground, to break a spell they thought had been cast over a family.

Diplomacy
U.S. President-elect Herbert Hoover continued his goodwill tour of Latin America with a visit to Corinto, Nicaragua.

Politics and government
"To keep the crooks out" of government work, the U.S. Civil Service Commission announced that it was planning to install fingerprinting systems in 250 cities.

Crime
Henry Blackmer, a fugitive U.S. Senate witness in the Teapot Dome oil leasing scandal of 1923, was arraigned in Paris on the application of the U.S. government for his extradition on a warrant charging perjury in his income tax return. The French advocate general advised the court that the offense charged was not a crime in France and therefore was not extraditable.

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 (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys (3rd week at #1)
--The Dinning Sisters
2 On a Slow Boat to China--Kay Kyser Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Art Lund
3 Maybe You'll Be There--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
4 Twelfth Street Rag--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra
5 A Tree in the Meadow--Margaret Whiting
6 Until--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
7 Underneath the Arches--Primo Scala’s Banjo and Accordian Orchestra with the Keynotes
--The Andrews Sisters
8 Say Something Sweet to Your Sweetheart--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae with the Starlighters
9 It's Magic--Doris Day
--Dick Haymes and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
--Tony Martin
10 My Darling, My Darling--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae with the Starlighters
--Doris Day and Buddy Clark

Singles entering the chart were By the Way, with versions by Perry Como; and Jo Stafford (#27); and Brush Those Tears from Your Eyes by Evelyn Knight (#32).

Scandal
U.K. Prime Minister Clement Attlee appointed a special tribunal headed by Justice George Lynskey to investigate charges of corruption in the Board of Trade and other government agencies.

Energy
Soviet authorities in Germany ordered a sharp reduction in electric power due to a coal shortage caused by a cutoff of British shipments from the Ruhr.

Agriculture
Hungarian Deputy Premier Matyas Rakosi announced a program of farm collectivization.

Labour
The French General Confederation of Labour ended the eight-week strike of coal miners after most miners returned to work.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Calgary 12 Ottawa 7

The Stampeders won the Grey Cup for the first time with a 12-7 win over the Rough Riders before 20,013 fans. In a game that saw momentum switch back and forth, Ottawa scored the only point of the first quarter on a punt single by Tony Golab. Calgary struck just before halftime. Quarterback Keith Spaith completed a pass to Woody Strode at the Ottawa 14-yard line for a 30 yard gain. The Rough Riders were so busy arguing that Mr. Strode had caught the ball out of bounds that they failed to notice Normie Hill of the Stampeders lying on the ground, in bounds, on the opposite side of the field. The ball was quickly snapped for the next play, and Mr. Hill jumped up and went to the goal line to grab Mr. Spaith's pass. He was hit by an Ottawa defender as the pass arrived, and the ball popped up in the air, but Mr. Hill caught it sitting down. The "sleeper play" touchdown, converted by Fred Wilmot, gave Calgary a 6-1 halftime lead. The Rough Riders scored early in the third quarter, taking possession at the Calgary 46 after illegal interference was called against the Stampeders on the second-half kickoff. Quarterback Bob Paffrath finished the drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak. Eric Chipper's convert gave the Rough Riders a 7-6 lead. With about 5 minutes gone in the fourth quarter, the Rough Riders were enjoying a wide advantage in play when, from about the Ottawa 40, Mr. Paffrath threw a lateral to halfback Pete Karpuk. Mr. Karpuk fumbled, and an official blew his horn to indicate that the pass was offside. Mr. Karpuk and other players made no attempt to pick up the ball, but there was no whistle to end the play, so Mr. Strode finally scooped it up, and ran to the Ottawa 15 and lateralled to Jim Mitchener, who was stopped at the 10. Pete Thodos ran for the touchdown on the next play, and Mr. Wilmot converted to make the score 12-7. The Rough Riders were unable to score in the remaining ten minutes. The win culminated the wildest Grey Cup week that had yet been seen. It was the first time since 1911 that a Calgary team had won the western title, and the first time a Calgary squad had been to the Grey Cup. Trainloads of fans accompanied the team, and the subsequent partying in downtown Toronto marked the beginning of tghe modern Grey Cup week. The win also enabled the Stampeders to finish the season undefeated. They won all 12 of their regular season games, but were held to a tie by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first game of the two-game total points WIFU finals, before winning the second game.



NCAA
Army 21 Navy 21 @ Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia

50 years ago
1958

Died on this date
Georgi Damyanov, 66. Head of State of Bulgaria, 1950-1958. Mr. Damyanov, a Communist, was Bulgaria's Defense Minister from 1946-1950 and Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly (head of state) from 1950 until his death. He was succeeded in the latter position by Dimitar Ganev.

Football
NCAA
The Maxwell Club of Philadelphia named Army halfback Pete Dawkins as the winner of the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college football player in the United States for 1958.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): The Good, the Bad and the Ugly--Hugo Montenegro, his Orchestra and Chorus (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles (8th week at #1)
2 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
3 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin
4 (The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation--Don Fardon
5 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash
6 Harper Valley P.T.A.--Jeannie C. Riley
7 1,2,3, Red Light--1910 Fruitgum Company
8 Over You--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
9 Elenore/Surfer Dan--The Turtles
10 Cinnamon--Derek

Singles entering the chart were All Along the Watchtower by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (#27); Chewy Chewy by Ohio Express (#28); Abraham, Martin and John by Dion (#35); Mexican Whistler by Roger Whittaker (#39); and Let's Take a Walk by Tommy Leonetti (#40).

At the movies
Hellfighters, starring John Wayne, Katharine Ross, Jim Hutton, and Vera Miles, opened in theatres.

Basketball
ABA
Los Angeles 111 @ Kentucky 107 (OT)

Penny Ann Early, 25, became the first woman to play major professional basketball, when she played for the Colonels for a few seconds in their loss to the Stars before 5,345 fans at Louisville Convention Center. She took the ball out of bounds in the Kentucky backcourt early in the game and inbounded it to teammate Bobby Rascoe, whereupon Kentucky coach Gene Rhodes called time out and removed her from the game. Warren Davis led Los Angeles with 23 points, while Kentucky's Louie Dampier led all scorers with 30 points.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Three Times a Lady--Commodores (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kisetsu no Naka de--Chiharu Matsuyama (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
George Moscone, 49. U.S. politician. Mr. Moscone, a Democrat, was a member of the California State Senate from 1967-1976 serving as Majority Leader. He was Mayor of San Francisco from 1976 until his death, and was notable for appointing sodomites and members of racial minority groups to various positions. Three days after his 49th birthday, Mr. Moscone was assassinated by Dan White, an opponent of his. Mr. White, a former policeman, had recently resigned from the city's Board of Supervisors, but had changed his mind and asked Mr. Moscone to reappoint him. Mr. Moscone refused, but offered to meet with Mr. White to discuss the matter. Mr. White, carrying his old police revolver, sneaked through a window in City Hall in order to avoid the metal detector, and fatally shot Mr. Moscone. Mr. Moscone's death occurred nine days after the mass suicide/murder of over 900 people at the Peoples Temple compound at Jonestown, Guyana; Jonestown leader Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple had helped significantly in Mr. Moscone's election campaign in 1975. Mr. Moscone was succeeded as Mayor by Board of Supervisors President Dianne Feinstein.

Harvey Milk, 48. U.S. politician. Mr. Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 and took office in January 1978, becoming the first non-incumbent openly sodomite man to win election to public office in the United States, and sponsored a sodomite rights bill that was regarded as the most stringent in the United States. After assassinating Mayor Moscone, Dan White re-loaded his gun, walked across City Hall, and fatally shot Mr. Milk, turning himself in to police shortly afterward.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Day We Beat the Russians, on CBC

This was a documentary about the Penticton Vees, who defeated the U.S.S.R. to win the world hockey championship in 1955.

Disasters
183 people were killed in the crash of a Colombian Boeing 747 near Madrid.

Football
CFL
Grey Cup @ B.C. Place Stadium, Vancouver
Toronto 18 British Columbia 17

Joe Barnes completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Minter with 2:44 remaining in regulation time to provide the winning margin as the Argonauts edged the Lions before 59,345 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver to win the Grey Cup for the first time in 31 years. The Argonauts outscored the Lions 11-0 in the 2nd half and would have won by a larger margin if Hank Ilesic hadn't missed 3 field goals, 2 of which went for single points, before finally kicking a 43-yard field goal with 9:15 remaining in the 4th quarter to reduce Toronto's deficit to 17-12. A 2-point convert attempt after Mr. Minter's touchdown was unsuccessful, but the Lions weren't able to get close enough to attempt a tying point. B.C. opened the scoring on a 45-yard pass from Roy Dewalt to Merv Fernandez with 2:04 left in the 1st quarter; Lui Passaglia's convert gave the Lions a 7-0 lead. The Argonauts tied the game with 7:50 remaining in the 2nd quarter on a 14-yard pass from starting quarterback Condredge Holloway to Jan Carinci, converted by Mr. Ilesic. A 20-yard touchdown pass from Mr. Dewalt to John Henry White, converted by Mr. Passaglia, restored the B.C. lead with 2:33 remaining in the 1st half, and Mr. Passaglia's 31-yard field goal with 23 seconds left gave the Lions a 17-7 halftime lead. Mr. Barnes replaced Mr. Holloway to begin the 2nd half, and was named the game's outstanding offensive player. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 36 yards on 3 carries. Toronto defensive back Carl Brazley was named the outstanding defensive player; he made an interception and returned it 11 yards; created an important turnover by stripping the ball from B.C. running back Ray Strong; and returned 9 punts for 58 yards and 3 kickoffs for 82. B.C. defensive tackle Rick Klassen, with 2.5 quarterback sacks, was awarded the Dick Suderman Memorial Trophy as the outstanding Canadian. Toronto defensive end James Curry, who had played the first 8 games of the season with the Lions before joining the Argonauts for the last 2 games of the regular season, led his team with 1.5 sacks. Mr. Holloway completed 7 of 15 passes for 95 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Mr. Dewalt was 28 for 47 for 325 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception. Mr. Fernandez caught 7 passes for 130 yards to lead all receivers, but the Lions' inexperience at one wide receiver position hurt them, as youngsters Jacques Chapdelaine and Mark deBrueys each caught just 1 pass for 8 yards. Mr. Minter caught 6 for 68, while teammate Terry Greer caught 4 for 73. Mr. Minter rushed 8 times to equal Mr. Barnes' total of 36 yards, while Mr. Strong, in his sixth and last CFL game, led the Lions with 6 carries for 35 yards. Although his placekicking was poor, Mr. Ilesic punted 8 times for a 47.0-yard average, and B.C. head coach Don Matthews credited Mr. Ilesic's punting with keeping the Lions penned deep in their own zone in the 2nd half. Mr. Passaglia punted 11 times for a 41.9-yard average, well below the 50.2-yard average that he had posted during the regular season to set a CFL record. The game was the first Grey Cup to be played at B.C. Place Stadium, and the first to be played indoors. It was the only Grey Cup win for Bob O'Billovich as a head coach. Mr. Ilesic, who had finished each of his first 7 CFL seasons by playing in the Grey Cup, became the first--and so far, only--player to play for Grey Cup championship teams in 6 straight seasons, having played for the Edmonton Eskimos for the previous 6 years.



20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): The Only Way is Up--Yazz and the Plastic Population (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: A Groovy Kind of Love--Phil Collins (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
John Carradine, 82. U.S. actor. Mr. Carradine, born Richmond Reed Carradine, was known for his rich, deep voice, and acted in Shakespearean roles on stage, but was better known as a character actor in several hundred movies and television programs, especially horror movies and Westerns in a career spanning about 60 years. His sons David, Keith, and Robert became actors.

Diplomacy
United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar said that U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz's denial the previous day of permission for Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat to travel to New York to address the UN General Assembly because of Mr. Arafat's "association with terrorism" would harm diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.

Politics and government
In a speech to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev deplored the "disastrous" rise of nationalism, citing the Soviet republics of Estonia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Abominations
World heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was baptized at a Baptist church in Cleveland in a ceremony attended by Rev. Jesse Jackson, boxing promoter Don King, and about 700 others. According to a news report, Mr. Tyson, wearing a white robe, stepped into a pool of water, immersed himself, and then embraced Rev. Henry Payden, who presided over the ceremony along with Rev. Jackson. Rev. Hayden said, "Mike, now your job is to take the message of Christ to the people." Mr. Tyson's subsequent conduct, which included a conviction for rape that resulted in a prison term, and a profession of belief in Islam, indicates that while he professed saving faith in Jesus Christ, he didn't possess saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Football
CFL
Grey Cup @ Lansdowne Park, Ottawa
Winnipeg 22 British Columbia 21

Trevor Kennerd's fourth field goal of the game, from 30 yards, broke a 19-19 tie with 2:55 remaining in regulation time, and Mike Gray's interception at the Winnipeg 2-yard line foiled a late drive as the Blue Bombers, playing in the Grey Cup for the first time since moving to the East Division in 1987, edged the Lions before 50,604 fans. The Lions led 7-4 after the 1st quarter on a 14-yard touchdown rush by Tony Cherry, converted by Lui Passaglia, sandwiched between a 42-yard punt single by Bob Cameron and a 22-yard field goal by Mr. Kennerd. Mr. Kennerd kicked a 43-yard field goal to tie the game at 4:40 of the 2nd quarter, but B.C. quarterback Matt Dunigan threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to David Williams, and Mr. Passaglia's convert gave the Lions a 14-7 lead with 6:38 remaining in the 1st half. Just 1:24 later, the Blue Bombers tied the score on a 35-yard pass from quarterback Sean Salisbury to James Murphy, converted by Mr. Kennerd. Mr. Passaglia missed a 41-yard field goal attempt, but it went for a single with 1:05 remaining, giving B.C. a 15-14 halftime lead. Mr. Passaglia and Mr. Kennerd exchanged field goals in the 3rd quarter, and then a single on a missed FG by Mr. Kennerd tied the score 18-18 with 3:45 left in the quarter. Mr. Passaglia boomed an 84-yard punt single 1:19 later to give the Lions the lead, bu Mr. Cameron punted 49 yards for a single on the last play of the 3rd quarter to make the score 19-19. After Mr. Kennerd kicked his last field goal, Mr. Dunigan drove the Lions to the Winnipeg 7-yard line and appeared to have the Lions in good shape to tie or win the game, but Mr. Gray, a defensive tackle, batted one of his passes and intercepted to kill the drive. Mr. Cameron conceded a safety touch with 58 seconds remaining in regulation time and B.C. defensive back Anthony Drawhorn returned the subsequent kickoff 38 yards to the Lions' 45-yard line, but Mr. Cherry was penalized for unnecessary roughness, moving the ball back to the 30. The Lions were unable to move the ball in the final seconds. Mr. Murphy, who led all receivers with 165 yards on 5 receptions--including a 71-yard gain to set up one of Mr. Kennerd's field goals--was named the game's outstanding offensive player. Mr. Gray was named the outstanding defensive player, and Mr. Cameron, who averaged 47.3 yards on 11 punts, was named the outstanding Canadian. Mr. Cherry led all rushers with 23 carries for 133 yards, including one gain of 52 yards. Tim Jessie led the Blue Bombers with 35 yards on 8 carries. Mr. Williams led B.C. receivers with 78 yards on 3 receptions, and expressed criticism after the game of some of the play-calling of B.C. head coach Larry Donovan. Mr. Salisbury completed just 12 of 32 passes, but for 246 yards with 1 touchdown and no interceptions. Mr. Dunigan was 14 for 32 for 196 yards, 1 TD and 2 interceptions. Mr. Passaglia averaged 45.7 yards on 9 punts.



10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Barbara Acklin, 55. U.S. singer-songwriter. Miss Acklin was a soul singer who had several hit singles in the late 1960s and early '70s, with her biggest hit being Love Makes a Woman, which reached #3 on the Billboard Rhythm and Blues chart and #15 on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1968. She also had some success as a songwriter, especially in partnership with Eugene Record, lead singer of the Chi-Lites; the two combined to write Have You Seen Her (#1 R&B, #3 Hot 100) (1971). Miss Acklin died of pneumonia as she was beginning to record a new album in an attempt to revive her career.