November 10, 2009

460 years ago
1549

Died on this date
Paul III, 81. Roman Catholic Pope, 1534-1549. Paul III, born Alessandro Farnese, was appointed a cardinal in 1493, and acceded to the papacy following the death of Clement VII. Pope Paul apparently had difficulty living up to his vow of celibacy, as he had a mistress by whom he had five children. Pope Paul III initiated the Counter-Reformation with the Council of Trent in 1545, recognized new religious orders such as the Jesuits and Barnabites, and patronized the arts and sciences, while using nepotism to advance his family interests. He was succeeded by Julius III.

350 years ago
1659

Died on this date
Afzal Khan. Indian military leader. Afzal Khan was a general who served during the Bijapuri Sultanate of Ali Adil Shah II. In a purported peace meeting with Maratha leader Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj in which both men were supposed to be unarmed, Afzal Khan attacked his enemy with a dagger, but Shivahi was wearing armour under his clothing, and was unharmed. He then fatally stabbed Afzal Khan; the incident was immediately followed by the Battle of Pratapgarh.

War
Maratha forces led by Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj defeated the Adilshahi forces of Afzal Khan in the Battle of Pratapgarh in India.

250 years ago
1759

Born on this date
Friedrich Schiller. German physician, poet, playwright, and philosopher. Dr. Schiller practiced medicine, but was better known as Germany's most important classical playwright. He wrote philosophical papers, linking morality and aesthetics in philosophical poems. Dr. Schiller was a close friend of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and the two combined to write satirical poems to express their liberal views. Dr. Schiller died of tuberculosis on May 9, 1805 at the age of 45.

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
Gaetano Bresci. Italian criminal. Mr. Bresci moved to the United States in his late twenties, where he became involved with anarchists. He returned to Italy and assassinated King Umberto I on July 29, 1900. Mr. Bresci was sentenced to penal servitude for life on Santo Stefano Island, but was found dead in prison on May 22, 1901 at the age of 31. He was reported to have hanged himself, but many suspected that he was murdered.

Died on this date
John Wool, 85. U.S. military officer. Major General Wool served with the United States Army in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the American Civil War; he was 77 when the latter war began, and was the oldest general on either side. Maj. Gen. Wool was regarded as a superb organizer, and was outraged when he was forcibly retired at the age of 79 by President Abraham Lincoln. He pressed for reinstatement until his death.

130 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Patrick Pearse. Irish revolutionary. Mr. Pearse trained as a lawyer, but tried only one case before moving into education. He established a bilingual school (English and Irish) as a way of preserving and promoting Irish culture. Mr. Pearse joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913, and was regarded as the leading voice of the Easter Rising in 1916. He was 36 when he was executed by firing squad on May 3, 1916 for his role in the Easter Rising.

Vachel Lindsay. U.S. poet. Mr. Lindsay achieved popularity in the 1910s, and was known for "singing poetry," in which verses were meant to be sung or chanted. Mr. Lindsay performed his poems in a theatrical manner in his personal appearances, which contributed to his popularity. He began to experience financial problems in the late 1920s, and these led to his suicide by drinking a bottle of the disinfectant Lysol on December 5, 1931, 25 days after his 52nd birthday.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Claude Rains. U.K.-born U.S. actor. Mr. Rains was a popular character actor who appeared in such movies as The Invisible Man (1933); The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939); The Sea Hawk (1940); The Wolf Man (1941); Casablanca (1942); Mr. Skeffington (1944); Notorious (1946); and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). He died on May 30, 1967 at the age of 77.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Johnny Marks. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Marks was known for writing Christmas songs such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1949); Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (1958); and A Holly Jolly Christmas (1964). He died on September 3, 1985 at the age of 75.

80 years ago
1929

Football
CRU
Canadian university
Manitoba 1 @ Alberta (2-2) 12

Most of the scoring took place in the 1st quarter as U of A defeated U of M at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton. Mr. Jacobs singled to give Manitoba a 1-0 lead, but Alberta responded with a pair of singles to take a 2-1 lead, and Freddie Hess scored an unconverted touchdown to make the score 7-1 after the 1st quarter. U of A led 9-1 at halftime and 10-1 after 3 quarters.

NFL
Orange (2-3-3) 0 @ New York (7-0-1) 22
Boston (3-3) 6 @ Staten Island (2-2-3) 14
Frankford (7-2-2) 7 @ Providence (2-5-2) 6
Green Bay (8-0) 14 @ Chicago Bears (4-3-1) 0
Minneapolis (1-6) 0 @ Chicago Cardinals (3-4-1) 8

The Steam Rollers' loss to the Yellow Jackets at the Cycledrome in Providence was their third loss in five days, and thier fourth game in six days.

75 years ago
1934

Football
CRU
IRFU
Montreal (3-2-1) 8 @ Toronto (3-2-1) 11
Ottawa (1-5) 5 @ Hamilton (3-1-2) 10

The Tigers' win at the H.A.A.A. Grounds gave them the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union championship.

WCRFU
Finals
Game 1
Regina 22 @ Vancouver Meralomas 2

Canadian university
Hardy Cup
Saskatchewan 12 @ Alberta 2

The Huskies scored 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter to defeat the Golden Bears at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton. The Golden Bears broke a 0-0 tie with a single in the 3rd quarter and another early in the 4th quarter to take a 2-0 lead, but Jack Belles intercepted a Hal Richard pass and returned it 20 yards. Mr. Belles, playing quarterback when the Huskies had the ball, then passed to Frank Kells for a touchdown to give Saskatchewan the lead. Clarence Garvie scored a rouge to increase the Saskatchewan lead to 6-2, and the Huskies put the game away on a fake punt when Mr. Weaver passed to Mr. Kells for another TD, with Mr. Weaver converting.

60 years ago
1949

Politics and government
The Danube River Commission was established in Galtai, Romania, with all important posts held by Soviet-bloc states.

Economics and finance
The French cabinet agreed to U.K. and U.S. suggestions for a cutback in the dismantling of West German factories on the condition that German steel production be kept below the present annual limit of 11.5 million tons.

Business
Financier Cyrus Eaton, testifying before a U.S. House of Representatives judiciary subcommittee investigating monopolies, accused the Securities and Exchange Commission of maintaining an "unholy alliance" with leading Wall Street investment banking firms.

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Message from Clara, starring Barbara Baxley and Robert Ellenstein



Movies
A U.S.A.-U.S.S.R. film exchange began with simultaneous premieres of the American film Marty (1955) in Moscow and the Soviet film The Cranes are Flying (1957) in Washington.

Diplomacy
French President Charles de Gaulle announced plans for a pre-summit visit to France by U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev.

Defense
Japanese Foreign Minister Alichiro Fujiyama told the Diet that the new U.S.-Japanese security treaty would require the United States to hold "prior consultations" with the Japanese government on the use of American bases in Japan in offensive operations.

Politics and government
Belgian Colonial Minister August de Schryver announced plans to form separate local governments of the kingdoms of Ruanda and Urundi, ending their subordination to the Belgian Congo administration.

The formation of a Cuban government-in-exile headed by Domingo Gomez Gimeranez was announced in New York.

Business
General Motors suspended all passenger car production for lack of steel, increasing strike-caused layoffs to 213,600.

Football
CRU
ORFU
Finals
Sarnia 17 @ London 14 (Sarnia won best-of-three series 2-0)

Chuck Stanley scored 2 touchdowns at Labatt Park to lead the Golden Bears to their second straight ORFU title. Ed Vernes converted one of Mr. Stanley’s touchdowns and added a field goal, while Tony Aloisio punted for a single. Earl Kaiser and Larry Aldrich scored touchdowns for the Lords, both of which were converted by Mr. Kaiser.

40 years ago
1969

On television today
Sesame Street, on PBS

This was the first regular episode of the children's program, after five test episodes had been shown to limited audiences in New York and Philadelphia.



At the movies
Marooned, directed by John Sturges, and starring Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, James Franciscus, and Gene Hackman, opened in theatres.



Change of Habit, starring Elvis Presley, Mary Tyler Moore, and Barbara McNair, opened in theatres. It was Mr. Presley's final film acting role.



War
U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew called anti-Vietnam War protesters a "strident minority" who performed a "carnival in the streets." Transportation Secretary John Volpe told a news conference that the rallies were led or inspired by Communists.

Diplomacy
New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller's report on four fact-finding missions to Latin America was released. It stressed the need for sweeping reforms of U.S. policies in the hemisphere and warned that the Latin American nations were in a crisis and at a crossroads due to "the pace and intensity of change, imposed-on rampant inflation, urban violence, grinding poverty, embittering injustice and flaming nationalism."

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Zimbabwe Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): I Don't Like Mondays--The Boomtown Rats

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Se Tornassi--Julio Iglesias (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)--ABBA

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): One Day at a Time--Lena Martell (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 We Belong to the Night--Ellen Foley (2nd week at #1)
2 Message in a Bottle--The Police
3 Sure Know Something--Kiss
4 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A man after midnight)--ABBA
5 Whatever You Want--Status Quo
6 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough--Michael Jackson
7 A Brand New Day--The Wiz Stars featuring Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
8 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
9 Tusk--Fleetwood Mac
10 Knock on Wood--Amii Stewart

Singles entering the chart were Weekend by Earth, Wind & Fire (#28); Laugh and Walk Away by the Shirts (#30); No More Tears (Enough is Enough) by Donna Summer/Barbra Streisand (#34); She's in Love with You by Suzi Quatro (#35); Money by the Flying Lizards (#36); and Ooh, Yes I Do by Luv' (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Heartache Tonight--Eagles
2 Dim All the Lights--Donna Summer
3 Still--Commodores
4 Rise--Herb Alpert
5 Pop Muzik--M
6 Babe--Styx
7 No More Tears/Enough is Enough--Barbra Streisand/Donna Summer
8 Tusk--Fleetwood Mac
9 You Decorated My Life--Kenny Rogers
10 Please Don't Go--KC and the Sunshine Band

Singles entering the chart were Head Games by Foreigner (#63); Chiquitita by ABBA (#70); Deja Vu by Dionne Warwick (#83); Rapper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang (#84); Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles (#86); Mistrusted Love by Mistress (#89); and The Shape of Things to Come by the Headboys (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Heartache Tonight--Eagles
2 Still--Commodores
3 Dim All the Lights--Donna Summer
4 Pop Muzik--M
5 Rise--Herb Alpert
6 Babe--Styx
7 You Decorated My Life--Kenny Rogers
8 Tusk--Fleetwood Mac
9 No More Tears/Enough is Enough--Barbra Streisand/Donna Summer
10 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough--Michael Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Head Games by Foreigner (#60); Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles (#83); Third Time Lucky (First Time I was a Fool) by Foghat (#84); Ready for the '80s by the Village People (#87); Savannah Nights by Tom Johnston (#88); Lay it on the Line by Triumph (#90); Chiquitita by ABBA (#93); I Just Can't Control Myself by Nature's Divine (#97); and Since You Been Gone by Rainbow (#99).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Good Girls Don't--The Knack
2 Heartache Tonight--Eagles
3 Sail On--Commodores
4 Lead Me On--Maxine Nightingale
5 Pop Muzik--M
6 I'll Never Love this Way Again--Dionne Warwick
7 Rise--Herb Alpert
8 Sad Eyes--Robert John
9 Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough--Michael Jackson
10 Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)--Robert Palmer

Singles entering the chart were Cool Change by Little River Band (#91); Send One Your Love by Stevie Wonder (#93); Holiday in Hollywood by Richard Stepp (#95); This is It by Kenny Loggins (#97); Message in a Bottle by the Police (#99); and Let Me Know (I Have a Right) by Gloria Gaynor (#100).

Music
Bill Haley and his Comets, and Yul Brynner were among the artists who performed before Queen Elizabeth II in the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane, London. Mr. Haley reportedly regarded this as the highlight of his career.



Diplomacy
Fearing clashes between American and Iranian demonstrators in the United States, U.S. President Jimmy Carter ordered the deportation of Iranian students illegally in America.

Environment
A 106-car Canadian Pacific freight train carrying explosive and poisonous chemicals from Windsor, Ontario derailed in Mississauga, just west of Toronto, causing a massive explosion and the largest peacetime evacuation in Canadian history and one of the largest in North American history.

Football
CFL
Western Semi-Final
British Columbia 2 @ Calgary 37

Ken Johnson threw 3 touchdown passes as the Stampeders erupted for 29 points in the third quarter. Willie Armstead, James Sykes, and Mike McTague caught the touchdown passes, while Ray Odums returned a blocked punt 32 yards for another third-quarter major. J.T. Hay converted all 4 and added 2 field goals and 3 singles. The Stampeders led just 5-1 before Mr. Hay kicked a 37-yard field goal on the last play of the first half. The Lions scored the first and last points of the game on punt singles by Lui Passaglia. The Stampeders dominated the statistics as well as the scoreboard, amassing 28 first downs to B.C.’s 11 and 533 yards of net offense to 133 for the Lions. Willie Armstead caught 10 passes for 197 yards to lead the Calgary attack, while Kelvin Kirk caught 5 for 127. Mr. Johnson completed 28 of 36 passes for 467 yards in what was probably the best game of his CFL career. Ricky Ellis, playing his first game of the season after returning from an NFL tryout, led the Lions with 4 receptions for 41 yards. Larry Key carried 4 times for -5 yards. Jim Young, playing the final game of a 13-year career with the Lions (and 15 years as a professional) didn’t catch a pass. The game was also the last in the 10-year career of B.C. guard Larry Watkins. 31,424 were in attendance at McMahon Stadium.



CIAU
Forest City Bowl
Queen’s 14 @ Western Ontario 32

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 8 @ Winnipeg 4
St. Louis 5 @ Montreal 3

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I Just Called To Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): I Just Called To Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Purple Rain--Prince and the Revolution (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Freedom--Wham! (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: I Feel for You--Chaka Khan

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Purple Rain--Prince and the Revolution
2 Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean
3 I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder
4 Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham!
5 Blue Jean--David Bowie
6 Hard Habit to Break--Chicago
7 I Feel for You--Chaka Khan
8 Lucky Star--Madonna
9 Strut--Sheena Easton
10 I'm So Excited--Pointer Sisters

Singles entering the chart were Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen (#52); Understanding by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (#67); The Boys of Summer by Don Henley (#69); Call to the Heart by Giuffria (#84); Heaven (Must Be There) by Eurogliders (#85); Jungle Love by the Time (#87); Supernatural Love by Donna Summer (#89); and The Gap by Thompson Twins (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham!
2 I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder
3 The Glamorous Life--Sheila E.
4 Purple Rain--Prince and the Revolution
5 Missing You--John Waite
6 The Warrior--Scandal featuring Patty Smyth
7 Dynamite--Jermaine Jackson
8 Blue Jean--David Bowie
9 Lucky Star--Madonna
10 Hard Habit to Break--Chicago

Singles entering the chart were Stranger in Town by Toto (#91); Hello Again by the Cars (#93); I Need You Tonight by Peter Wolf (#94); Burning in Love by Honeymoon Suite (#98); and Heaven (Must Be There) by Eurogliders (#99).

Horse racing
The first afternoon-long Breeders' Cup series was held at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California, with Wild Again, a 31-1 longshot, holding off Slew O' Gold and Gate Dancer before a crowd of 64,254 to win the $3 million Cup Classic.



Football
CIAU
Ontario-Quebec Final
Queen's 37 @ Bishop's 35

Ontario Final
Guelph 31 @ Western Ontario 26

Western Final
Hardy Cup
Calgary 33 @ Alberta 18

A 15-yard touchdown passs from Pete Harrison to Scott Bissessar with 15 seconds remaining gave the Queen's Golden Gaels the win at Coulter Field in Lennoxville, Quebec. The Gaiters erased a 30-1 halftime deficit and took the lead on a 92-yard touchdown reception by Steve Lalonde with 1:32 remaining in the fourth quarter.

7,000 rain-soaked fans at J.W. Little Memorial Stadium in London left disappointed when Western Ontario running back Blake Marshall fumbled on the Guelph 1-yard line in the final seconds, allowing the Gryphons to preserve the win.

Josh Borger caught 11 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown to lead the Dinosaurs to a lopsided victory over the Golden Bears to win the Hardy Trophy in front of 1,208 frozen fans at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton. Lew Lawrick completed 17 of 35 passes for 259 yards; in addition to the touchdown pass to Mr. Borger, he also completed a scoring strike to Ken Szarka. Mark Petros scored the other Calgary touchdown on a 2-yard run in the first quarter, while Brian DeMug added 3 converts and 4 field goals. Alberta quarterbacks Mark Denesiuk and Darren Brezden combined to throw 6 interceptions. The Golden Bears, who made just 2 first downs in the first half, were trailing 33-4 until they struck for 2 touchdowns in the last 2:32 of the game. Jeff Funtasz rushed 2 yards for a touchdown at 13:28, and Mr. Denesiuk completed a pass to Brad Clark for a 2-point convert. The Golden Bears quickly got the ball back, and Mr. Denesiuk threw a 29-yard pass to Mr. Clark with 15 seconds left; a 2-point convert was unsuccessful. Alberta's earlier points came from a field goal and single off a missed field goal by Rick Magee.

NCAA
Maryland 42 @ Miami (Florida) 40

University of Maryland quarterback Frank Reich threw 6 touchdown passes in the second half as the Terrapins came back from a 31-0 halftime deficit to defeat the University of Miami Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl.



20 years ago
1989

World events
East Germany opened more crossing points, and East Germans by the hundreds of thousands poured into the West to shop, look around, and be reunited with family and friends.

Politics and government
Todor Zhivkov, who had led Bulgaria's Communist Party since 1954 and had been President of Bulgaria since 1971, resigned both posts at a meeting of the party's Central Committee. Mr. Zhivkov, 78, was regarded as a hard-line Communist and loyal supporter of the U.S.S.R. The Central Committee named Foreign Minister Petar Mladenov to succeed him as the party's general secretary.

Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the 10 premiers concluded a conference in Ottawa without making any progress to resolve their differences on the Meech lake constitutional accord. Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells threatened to withdraw his province's support for the accord, while Gary Filmon of Manitoba and Frank McKenna of New Brunswick reiterated their positions that the accord needed substantial amendment before it would be approved by their legislatures.

10 years ago
1999

At the movies
This blogger, with attractive female company, attended a preview screening of Being John Malkovich, one of the more original movies of recent years.

Crime
Kip Kinkel, who had killed his parents before fatally shooting 2 students and wounding 22 others at his school in Oregon in May 1998, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was 15 at the time of his rampage.