November 9, 2009

1,050 years ago
959

Died on this date
Constantine VII, 54. Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 913-959. Constantine VII, an illegitimate son of Emperor Leo VI, served as junior co-Emperor under his father, and uncle Alexander (908-913), and was then under the regency of his mother Zoe Karbonopsina (913-919), and had several co-Emperors (920-944). He devoted himself primarily to scholarly pursuits, and delegated his authority to bureaucrats and generals. Emperor Constantine was succeeded on the throne by his son Romanos II; it was rumoured that Romanos II may have poisoned his father.

620 years ago
1389

Born on this date
Isabella of Valois. Queen consort of England, 1396-1399. Isabella was wed at the age of 6 to King Richard II of England in a political arrangement. When he died in custody after being deposed, Isabella went into mourning rather than accede to King Henry IV's demand that she marry his son, the future King Henry V. She was eventually allowed to return to France, where she married her cousin Charles, Duke of Orleans, in 1406. Isabella died in childbirth on September 13, 1409 at the age of 19.

280 years ago
1729

War
Spain, France, and the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Seville to end the Anglo-Spanish War, although the underlying tensions were left unresolved.

210 years ago
1799

World events
Napoleon Bonaparte led the Coup of 18 Brumaire, ending the Directory government and becoming First Consul of its successor (Consulate Government).

160 years ago
1849

Communications
The first telegraph message between Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia was transmitted.

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
Marie Dressler. Canadian-born U.S. actress. Miss Dressler, born Leila Marie Koerber in Cobourg, Ontario, won the Academy Award for Best Actress of 1930-1931 for Min and Bill (1930). Other notable movies of hers included Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914); Anna Christie (1930); and Dinner at Eight (1933). Miss Dressler died of cancer on July 28, 1934 at the age of 65.

120 years ago
1889

Football
ORFU
Ottawa College 11 Queen’s University 9 @ Brockville

This was the fourth successful defense of the title for Ottawa College in 1889, and the second unsuccessful challenge for Queen’s University.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
Eduard Müller, 70. Swiss politician. Mr. Müller, a member of the Free Democratic Party, was Mayor of Bern (1888-1895) and President of the Swiss National Council (1890-1891) before serving on the Swiss Federal Council (1895-1919), holding various posts until his death on November 9, 1919, three days before his 71st birthday.

Football
Wisconsin-Illinois professional
Chicago Chilar Athletic Club 0 @ Green Bay Packers (9-0) 46

80 years ago
1929

At the movies
The Virginian, directed by Victor Fleming, and starring Gary Cooper, Walter Huston, Richard Arlen, and Mary Brian, opened in theatres.



Football
CRU
ORFU
Hamilton (2-4) 9 @ Windsor (3-3) 10

NFL
Providence (2-4-2) 0 @ Frankford (6-2-2) 7

70 years ago
1939

On the radio



War
In the Venlo incident, U.K. Secret Intelligence Service agents S.P. Best and Richard Stevens were abducted by German Sicherheitsdienst (SD-Security Service) agents on the outskirts of the Dutch town of Venlo, 16 feet from the German border. The incident was used to justify the subsequent German invasion of the Netherlands.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Ben Wright and Eric Snowden, on ABC

World events
Colombian President Mariano Ospina Perez declared a state of siege in an effort to suppress widespread unrest over forthcoming presidential elections.

Law
The East German People's Charter restored full civil and economic rights to former Nazis not convicted of war crimes.

Labour
United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis ordered 380,000 Eastern soft-coal miners back to work for the rest of November to "enhance the remote possibility of agreement" with mine operators.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Finals
Ottawa 7 @ Montreal 22 (First game of 2-game total points series)

Montreal's star halfback Virgil Wagner, the IRFU scoring champion, missed the game because of illness, but Bob Cunningham and Bronco Reese filled in admirably for the Alouettes as they beat the Rough Riders before a capacity crowd of 15,000 at Royals Stadium. Howie Turner passed to Bob Paffrath for a touchdown, converted by Eric Chipper, to give the Rough Riders an early 6-0 lead, but the Alouettes came back with a touchdown pass from Frank Filchock to Ralph Toohy, converted by Ches McCance. Mr. Turner punted for a single to give Ottawa a 7-6 halftime lead. The game turned in the third quarter when Ottawa's Pete Karpuk fumbled a punt from Fred Kijek, and Glen Douglas returned it for a touchdown. A penalty nullified the convert, leaving the Alouettes ahead 11-7. Mr. Filchock then completed a touchdown pass to Tom Manastersky; John Wagoner blocked Mr. McCance's convert, and the score remained 16-7. Montreal then put the game away on a run down the sidelines by Mr. Cunningham after taking a pitchout from Mr. Filchock. Mr. McCance converted.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): You are My Destiny--Paul Anka (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Mack the Knife--Bobby Darin (6th week at #1)
2 Mr. Blue--The Fleetwoods
3 Put Your Head on My Shoulder--Paul Anka
4 Don't You Know--Della Reese
5 Lonely Street--Andy Williams
6 Teen Beat--Sandy Nelson
7 Deck of Cards--Wink Martindale
8 Primrose Lane--Jerry Wallace with the Jewels
9 Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat--Paul Evans
10 Heartaches by the Number--Guy Mitchell

Singles entering the chart were Marina by Rocco Granata and the International Quintet (#80); Uh! Oh! Part 2 by the Nutty Squirrels (#86); Happy Anniversary by Jane Morgan (#87); El Paso by Marty Robbins (#88); Happy Anniversary by the Four Lads (#90); One More Chance by Rod Bernard (#93); Don't Destroy Me by Crash Craddock (#94); I'm Movin' On by Ray Charles and his Orchestra (#96); Old Shep by Ralph DeMarco (#98); There I've Said it Again by Sam Cooke (#99); and Wont'cha Come Home by Lloyd Price and his Orchestra (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Living Doll--Cliff Richard and the Drifters (3d week at #1)
--David Hill
2 Mack the Knife--Bobby Darin
3 Heartaches by the Number--Guy Mitchell
4 Teen Beat--Sandy Nelson
5 Deck of Cards--Wink Martindale
6 Lonely Street--Andy Williams
7 Mr. Blue--The Fleetwoods
8 Morgen--Ivo Robic and the Song-Masters
9 Broken-Hearted Melody--Sarah Vaughan
10 Battle Hymn of the Republic--The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with the Philadelphia Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were I've Been Around by Fats Domino (#28, charting with its other side, Be My Guest); Reveille Rock by Johnny and the Hurricanes (#39); Clouds by the Spacemen (#42); Midnight Stroll by the Revels (#44); My Heart Became of Age by Annette with the Afterbeats (#45); Uh! Oh! Parts 1 and 2 by the Nutty Squirrels (#49); Honestly and Truly by Tommy Edwards (#52); Have a Nice Weekend by the McGuire Sisters (#59); and Uncle Satchmo's Lullaby by Louis Armstrong (#60).

Defense
American and Canadian delegates meeting in Camp David, Maryland reached an agreement on the eventual stationing of U.S. nuclear weapons at North American defense bases in Canada.

The U.S. Air Force ordered the Boeing Airplane Company to develop and build the DynaSoar manned space glider, and ordered the Martin Company to build the vehicles booster rocket.

Protest
Police in Kampala, Uganda arrested Ugandan National Congress leader Abu Mayanja as he led a demonstration against legislation banning African boycotts.

Environment
U.S. Health, Education and Welfare Secretary Arthur Flemming announced that some cranberries grown in Washington and Oregon in 1958 and 1959 were contaminated with aminotriazole, a weed killer capable of causing thyroid cancer in rats.

Business
Bayerische Motorenworke Chairman Hans Feith announced in Munich that the bankrupt automobile firm's board had voted to surrender control of BMW to Daimler Benz Corporation, a merger which would make Benz Europe's second-largest auto manufacturer.

Football
CFL
Two days after being humiliated 43-0 by the Ottawa Rough Riders in the IRFU semi-final, the Montreal Alouettes fired head coach Doug "Peahead" Walker. In 8 seasons Mr. Walker compiled a record of 65-57-1, .533. The Alouettes won three straight eastern titles from 1954-1956, but failed to win a Grey Cup. Mr. Walker's tenure with the Alouettes remains a CFL record for a head coach with one team without ever winning a Grey Cup.

40 years ago
1969

Disasters
A cyclone hit coastal areas of India's Andhra state, leaving 18 dead and many injured.

Football
CFL
Eastern Semi-Final
Hamilton 9 @ Toronto 15

Toronto quarterback Tom Wilkinson completed 7 of 10 passes and scored the Argonauts' only touchdown on a quarterback sneak in front of a capacity crowd of 33,135 at CNE Stadium. Tom Johansen converted Mr. Wilkinson's touchdown and added 2 field goals, while Dave Mann punted for 2 singles. John Manel dove 1 yard for the only Hamilton touchdown in the third quarter. Tommy-Joe Coffey, who had kicked a field goal earlier, missed the convert. Joe Zuger started at quarterback for the Tiger-Cats, but completed just 8 of 22 passes for 136 yards and 3 interceptions before leaving the game (although continuing s the Tiger-Cats' punter) after suffering a hit to the head while directing the team toward their only touchdown. Mr. Manel took over at quarterback and directed a few running plays, capping the drive with his touchdown, but he suffered an eye injury on the play, and John Eckman came in to finish at quarterback. Mr. Eckman was 4 for 8 in passing for 69 yards, but his desperation pass on the last play of the game was intercepted by Pete Martin on the Toronto goal line. Bill Symons of the Argonauts rushed 18 times for 82 yards; Dave Fleming led the Tiger-Cats with 12 carries for 65 yards. Frank Cosentino shared the Toronto quarterbacking duties with Mr. Wilkinson, completing 3 of 7 passes with 2 interceptions.

NFL
Green Bay (5-3) 6 @ Baltimore (5-3) 14
Atlanta (2-6) 21 @ Detroit (5-3) 27
New Orleans (1-7) 17 @ Dallas (7-1) 33
San Francisco (1-6-1) 30 @ Los Angeles (8-0) 41
Philadelphia (3-4-1) 28 @ Washington (4-2-2) 28
Pittsburgh (1-7) 7 @ Chicago (1-7) 38
Cleveland (5-2-1) 3 @ Minnesota (7-1) 51
New York (3-5) 17 @ St. Louis (3-4-1) 42

AFL
Cincinnati (4-4-1) 31 @ Houston (4-4-1) 31
San Diego (4-5) 3 @ Kansas City (8-1) 27
Denver (4-5) 10 @ Oakland (7-1-1) 41
Miami (2-6-1) 17 @ Boston (1-8) 16
Buffalo (2-7) 6 @ New York (7-2) 16

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Oh! Susie--Secret Service (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Aline--Christophe (5th week at #1)

Defense
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) computers and the Alternate National Military Command Center in Fort Ritchie, Maryland detected a purported massive Soviet nuclear strike because a technician in NORAD had loaded a test tape, but had failed to switch the system status to "test," causing a stream of constant false warnings to spread to two "continuity of government" bunkers as well as command posts worldwide. After reviewing the raw data from satellites and checking the early-warning radars, the alert was cancelled.



Crime
Four men were convicted of the murder of 12-year-old Carl Bridgewater, who was killed after he stumbled across the men committing a burglary while he was on his round delivering newspapers at Yew Tree Farm in Stourbridge, Staffordshire, England.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Lambada--Kaoma (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Never Too Late--Kylie Minogue

Died on this date
Bill Neilson, 64. Australian politician. Mr. Neilson, a member of the Labour Party, sat in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1946-1977, holding various cabinet posts. He succeeded retiring Eric Reece as Premier of Tasmania on March 31, 1975, and retired from politics on December 1, 1977 because of nervous exhaustion.

World events
The East German government lifted travel and emigration restrictions, and exit visas were issued to those who asked for them. Within hours, thousands of Germans from East and West massed at the Berlin Wall, many of them sitting atop the barrier that had been there since 1961. At midnight East Germany's Communist rulers gave permission for gates along the Wall to be opened. A spokesman for the Soviet foreign ministry said that the changes in East Germany were welcome.

Politics and government
A conference of Canadian first ministers in Ottawa failed to resolve opposition to the Meech Lake constitutional accord that had been raised by Manitoba and Newfoundland. Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells threatened to rescind his province's ratification unless the accord was altered to protect Newfoundland's ability to get transfer payments from the federal government.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 4 @ Philadelphia 1

John Kordic scored one of the Maple Leafs' goals in their win over the Flyers at the Spectrum.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Mabel King, 66. U.S. actress and singer. Mrs. King appeared in the Broadway (1975) and film (1978) versions of the musical The Wiz, but was best known for playing Mama Thomas in the television comedy series What's Happening!! (1976-1978). She appeared in various movies and television programs through the 1980s. Mrs. King suffered from diabetes in later years, which led to the amputations of both legs and one arm.

Disasters
TAESA Flight 725, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 en route from Tijuana to Mexico City via Guadalajara and Uruapan, crashed after takeoff from Uruapan International Airport, killing all 18 people on board.