December 13, 2009

240 years ago
1769

Academia
Dartmouth College in New Hampshire obtained its Royal Charter from King George III.

100 years ago
1909

Journalism
Edmonton's third daily newspaper, the Edmonton Capital, began publication. The Bulletin had been around since 1880, and the Journal since 1903. The Capital changed its name to the Daily Capital, and ceased publication toward the end of 1914.

80 years ago
1929

At the movies
Dynamite, produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and starring Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford, and Julia Faye, opened in theatres.

70 years ago
1939

War
The British Hunting Group G, consisting of the cruiser HMS Exeter and light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles located the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee near the coast of Argentina and Uruguay off the estuary of the River Plate. In the ensuing Battle of the River Plate--the first major naval battle of World War II--the Exeter was heavily damaged and was forced to retire, while the other ships were moderately damaged. Ajax and Achilles shadowed the Graf Spee until the German ship entered the harbour of Montevideo in neutral Uruguay for repairs. The ship's captain, Hans Langsdorff, released 62 crew members who had been captured from merchant ships that the Admiral Graf Spee had sunk on her most recent voyage. Under the Hague Convention of 1907, the Graf Spee was not entitled to remain in the port for more than 24 hours, without risking internment. Under the same convention, the Graf Spee had to give British merchant ships 24 hours start if they left port, and the British Consul arranged for the merchant ships in port to sail at 24 hour intervals, effectively locking the Graf Spee in the port whilst at the same time spreading propaganda about the vast fleet of British warships converging on the area.







60 years ago
1949

On the radio
Philo Vance, starring Jackson Beck
Tonight's episode: The Grey Glove Murder Case

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Gray Helmet, starring Bernard Kates, Jack Lemmon, and Mort Stevens

Politics and government
The Israeli Knesset voted to transfer all government offices except the defense and foreign ministries to the new city of Jerusalem; it was a move to thwart internationalization of the city.

Syrian Prime Minister Hashem al-Atassi resigned to become provisional President until the adoption of a new Syrian constitution.

Defense
A four-member U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs subcommittee, returning to Washington after a European trip, opposed German rearmament even as part of an international force.

Law
A U.S. federal district court in Birmingham, Alabama ruled that the city's racial zoning laws were unconstitutional.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Le marchand de bonheur--Les Compagnons de la chanson (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Specialty of the House, starring Robert Morley and Kenneth Haigh

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly approved the election of Poland to succeed Japan for the first year of a two-year term as a Security Council member under an East-West compromise which would allow Turkey to serve the balance of the term.

Politics and government
Greek Cypriots elected Archbishop Makarios as the first President of the Cypriot Republic. He received 144,501 votes (66.8% of the total), while his opponent, Ioannis Clerides, received 71,753 votes (33.2%).

French President Charles de Gaulle conferred with Senegalese and Malian leaders on upcoming sovereignty negotiations.

The Communist Party U.S.A. convention in New York passed policy resolutions advocating "a democratic road to socialism" in the United States.

Cuban armed forces leader Raul Castro denied that he was a Communist, but said that he would not lend himself "to the dirty business of anti-Communism."

Business
Plans were announced for the merger of the Henry Holt, Rinehart and John Winston book publishing firms.

Football
NFL
New York (10-2) 24 @ Washington (3-9) 10
Cleveland (7-5) 28 @ Philadelphia (7-5) 21
Chicago Cardinals (2-10) 20 @ Pittsburgh (6-5-1) 35
Baltimore (9-3) 45 @ Los Angeles (2-10) 26
Detroit (3-8-1) 14 @ Chicago Bears (8-4) 25
Green Bay (7-5) 36 @ San Francisco (7-5) 14

The Cardinals’ loss to the Steelers at Pitt Stadium was the last game the team ever played as the Chicago Cardinals; the team moved to St. Louis in 1960. The Packers’ win over the 49ers at Kezar Stadium was their fourth straight and earned them, in their first year under head coach Vince Lombardi, their first winning season since 1947.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Something/Come Together--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Theresa--Dave Mills (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Dans la maison vide--Michel Polnareff

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Lo straniero--Georges Moustaki (9th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Come Together/Something--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday--Stevie Wonder

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Sugar, Sugar--The Archies (8th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Something/Come Together--The Beatles
2 Penny Arcade--Roy Orbison
3 Suspicious Minds--Elvis Presley
4 The Star--Ross D. Wyllie
5 Picking Up Pebbles--Matt Flinders
6 Jean--Oliver
7 I'll Never Fall in Love Again--Bobbie Gentry
8 Without You/Hair--Doug Parkinson in Focus
9 Tracy--The Cuff Links
10 And When I Die--Blood, Sweat & Tears

Singles entering the chart were Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday by Stevie Wonder (#28); Western Union Man by Max Merritt and the Meteors (#29); Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head by Johnny Farnham (#36); You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling by Dionne Warwick (#39).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Oh Well!--Fleetwood Mac (4th week at #1)
2 Cha-La-La, I Need You--The Shuffles
3 Maanserenade--Marty
4 My Special Prayer--Percy Sledge
5 Air--Ekseption
6 Bourée--Jethro Tull
7 Yester-Me Yester-You Yesterday--Stevie Wonder
8 Mighty Joe--Shocking Blue
9 Beautiful People--Melanie
10 Suspicious Minds--Elvis Presley

Singles entering the chart were Marian by the Cats (#16); Another 45 Miles by the Golden Earring (#24); One Million Years by Robin Gibb (#27); Down on the Corner by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#29); The Flood by Ginger Ale (#30); Tonight Today by DBM & T (#32); I'm a Man by Chicago (#37); and Dynamite Woman by Sir Douglas Quintet (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye--Steam (2nd week at #1)
2 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary
3 Someday We'll Be Together--Diana Ross and the Supremes
4 Come Together/Something--The Beatles
5 Down on the Corner/Fortunate Son--Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 Take a Letter Maria--R.B. Greaves
7 Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday--Stevie Wonder
8 And When I Die--Blood, Sweat & Tears
9 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
10 Backfield in Motion--Mel and Tim

Singles entering the chart were She by Tommy James and the Shondells (#65); Point it Out by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (#76); Venus by the Shocking Blue (#77); She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning) by the Tokens (#81); When Julie Comes Around by the Cuff Links (#90); To Be Young, Gifted and Black by Nina Simone (#93); Is it Because I'm Black by Syl Johnson (#94); Land of 1000 Dances by the Electric Indian (#95); Six White Horses by Tommy Cash (#96); She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning) by Gene Pitney (#97); Alice's Rock & Roll Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie (#98); How I Miss You Baby by Bobby Womack (#99); and Big in Vegas by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 And When I Die--Blood, Sweat & Tears
2 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary
3 Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye--Steam
4 Come Together--The Beatles
5 Take a Letter Maria--R.B. Greaves
6 Fortunate Son--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond
8 Someday We'll Be Together--Diana Ross and the Supremes
9 Wedding Bell Blues--The 5th Dimension
10 Eli's Coming--Three Dog Night

Singles entering the chart were She by Tommy James and the Shondells (#73); No Time by the Guess Who (#74); Traces/Memories by the Lettermen (#82); She Came in Through the Bathroom Window by Joe Cocker (#83); Want You to Know by Rotary Connection (#86); Together by the Illusion (#88); Jennifer Tomkins by Street People (#89); Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby) by Lulu (#94); Look-Ka Py Py by the Meters (#96); Groovin' (Out on Life) by the Newbeats (#97); Let's Work Together (Part 1) by Wilbert Harrison (#98); Right or Left on Oak Street by Roy Clark (#99); and Six White Horses by Tommy Cash (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 And When I Die--Blood, Sweat & Tears
2 Something/Come Together--The Beatles
3 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary
4 Take a Letter Maria--R.B. Greaves
5 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond
6 Fortunate Son/Down on the Corner--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Heaven Knows--The Grass Roots
8 Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye--Steam
9 Cherry Hill Park--Billy Joe Royal
10 Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday--Stevie Wonder

Singles entering the chart were Venus by the Shocking Blue (#77); No Time by the Guess Who (#78); St. Louis by the Easybeats (#84); She by Tommy James and the Shondells (#87); Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby) by Lulu (#88); Traces/Memories by the Lettermen (#90); Six White Horses by Tommy Cash (#91); She Came in Through the Bathroom Window by Joe Cocker (#92); Want You to Know by Rotary Connection (#98); Together by the Illusion (#99); and Right or Left on Oak Street by Roy Clark (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Something--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond
3 Cherry Hill Park--Billy Joe Royal
4 Suspicious Minds--Elvis Presley
5 Down on the Corner--Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 Someday We'll Be Together--Diana Ross and the Supremes
7 And When I Die--Blood, Sweat & Tears
8 Life is a Song--Gainsborough Gallery
9 Eli's Coming--Three Dog Night
10 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head--B.J. Thomas
Pick hit of the week: Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin

Gainsborough Gallery were from Calgary. Life is a Song was the B-side of Hello, L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham, and was one of the last singles to be released in Canada on the reo label.

Died on this date
Raymond Spruance, 83. U.S. military officer and diplomat. Admiral Spruance commanded U.S. Navy forces in the Battle of Midway (1942) and the Battle of the Philippine Sea (1944) during World War II, with the former being the first major American victory over Japan. He served as President of the Naval War College (1946-1948) and as United States Ambassador to the Philippines (1952-1955).

World events
Three days after a military coup in Dahomey seized power and arrested President Emile Zinsou, a troika headed by Col. Paul Emile de Souza, former head of the military cabinet, was formed and freed Mr. Zinsou. It was also reported that three former presidents were returning from exile.

War
U.S. President Richard Nixon announced a reduction of 50,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam by April 15, 1970, the third troop ceiling reduction since he had taken office 11 months earlier. The casualty list for the week’s fighting in Vietnam reflected the increasing role played by South Vietnam compared to the United States (or, more accurately, the diminishing role played by the U.S. as a result of President Nixon’s policy of gradual withdrawal). For the week of December 7-13, there were 66 Americans killed, 441 South Vietnamese, and 2,007 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong.

Football
NFL
Baltimore (7-5-1) 10 @ Dallas (10-2-1) 27

AFL
Kansas City (11-3) 6 @ Oakland (12-1-1) 10

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 20 (CHED)
1 Please Don't Go--KC and the Sunshine Band
2 Babe--Styx
3 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
4 No More Tears (Enough is Enough)--Barbra Streisand/Donna Summer
5 Chiquitita--ABBA
6 Heartache Tonight--Eagles
7 3 Dressed Up as a 9--Trooper
8 You're Only Lonely--J.D. Souther
9 Still--Commodores
10 We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard
11 Dreaming--Blondie
12 Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles
13 Under My Thumb--Streetheart
14 If You Remember Me--Chris Thompson
15 Take the Long Way Home--Supertramp
16 Peter Piper--Frank Mills
17 Cool Change--Little River Band
18 Say Hello--April Wine
19 Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers
20 Tusk--Fleetwood Mac

Died on this date
Jon Hall, 64. U.S. actor. Mr. Hall, born Charles Felix Locher, was best known for his starring role in the movie The Hurricane (1937). He was also an inventor and aviator, and held patents on an underwater camera, optivision lenses and the design of the hulls of PT boats for the United States Navy. Mr. Hall was suffering from bladder cancer when he committed suicide.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark's Progressive Conservative government was defeated when the budget presented by Finance Minister John Crosbie was rejected in the House of Commons by a vote of 139-133. The highlight of the budget was an excise tax on gasoline of 18c per gallon, the purpose being to reduce the country’s budget and payments deficits and get Canada on the road to self-sufficiency in energy. If I recall correctly, three members of the PC caucus were away from the House, and the five Social Credit MPs abstained from voting because the government had refused to allocate gas tax revenue to Quebec. The Progressive Conservatives had taken power in June for the first time in 16 years after winning a plurality in the May 22 federal election. Mr. Clark decided that he was going to govern as if he had a majority, and declined to make a deal with the six (later five, after one of their members defected to the PC caucus) Social Credit MPs. Of course, Mr. Clark didn’t have a majority, and he found that out the hard way when the budget was defeated. Mr. Clark regarded the budget as a vote of non-confidence in the government, which meant that another federal election would be necessary.

World events
Eight days of violence in Iran’s provinces of Kurdistan and Azerbaijan ended.

United Nations relief official Henri Labouisse said that supplies were piling up in warehouses in Cambodia, but he blamed distribution delays on lack of transport within the country.

Defense
NATO’s foreign ministers offered to withdraw 13,000 U.S. troops from central Europe in return for the withdrawal of 30,000 Soviet troops. The new proposal was an apparent attempt by the foreign ministers to show that they were as interested in arms limitation as in rearmament.

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada invalidated seven sections of Bill 101, Quebec's law making French the only language in use in the courts and the National Assembly. The Court also ruled in favour of the use of French in the courts of Manitoba.

Oil
To bring their prices into line with other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, United Arab Emirates and Qatar raised their prices by as much as 33%. The four countries had been on the low end of the spectrum of prices and made the change in preparation for the meeting of OPEC’s ministers on December 17.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Lambada--Kaoma (9th week at #1)

Diplomacy
South African President F.W. de Klerk met with Communist terrorist Nelson Mandela for the first time, at Mr. de Klerk's office in Cape Town.

War
The Provisional Irish Republican Army launched an attack on a British Army temporary vehicle checkpoint near Rosslea, Northern Ireland. Two British soldiers were killed and two others were wounded.

10 years ago
1999

Politics and government
Candidates for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in 2000 debated in Des Moines, Iowa. Gary Bauer was unable to extract a pledge from front-runner George W. Bush to pick a foe of abortion as his vice presidential candidate. John McCain was the only candidate who opposed subsidies for the production of ethanol, a fuel based on Iowa’s staple crop of corn. Mr. McCain failed to persuade his rivals to pledge to stop using "soft money"--donations made, supposedly for issue advocacy, to political parties and therefore not subject to legal limitations.



Crime
Wen Ho Lee, the physicist formerly of Los Alamos National Laboratory who had been charged three days earlier with 59 counts of violating the U.S. Atomic Energy and Foreign Espionage acts, pled not guilty.