November 2, 2011

1,040 years ago
971

Born on this date
Mahmud of Ghazni. Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire, 998-1030. Mahmud acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Sabuktigin and after winning a war of succession with his brother Ismail. Mahmud was the first independent ruler of the Turkic dynasty of Ghaznavids. He transformed his kingdom into a Persianate Sunni Islam military empire extending from northwestern Iran proper to the Punjab in the Indian subcontinent, Khwarazm in Transoxiana, and Makran. Sultan Mahmud died on April 30, 1030 at the age of 58, and was succeeded by his son Muhammad.

190 years ago
1821

Born on this date
George Bowen. U.K. colonial administrator. Sir George, a native of Ireland, held various posts in the British Empire, including Governor of Queensland (1859-1868); Governor of New Zealand (1868-1873); Governor of Victoria (1873-1879); Governor of Mauritius (1879-1880); and Governor of Hong Kong (1883-1887). After his term in Hong Kong, he headed a Royal Commission in Malta to devise a constitution for the island; all of its recommendations were adopted. Sir George was then named to Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and died on February 21, 1899 at the age of 77.

150 years ago
1861

Politics and government
Lord Monck was appointed Governor General of Canada; he served from November 28, 1861-June 30, 1867.

120 years ago
1891

Born on this date
David Townsend. U.S. art director. Mr. Townsend worked with several movie studios from 1919 until his death in a car accident at the age of 43 on August 5, 1935 while scouting locations in Sonora Pass in California for Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936).

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
James Dunn. U.S. actor. Mr. Dunn appeared in plays, films, and television programs in a career spanning more than 40 years. He first attracted notable attention as the male lead in the Broadway musical Sweet Adeline (1929), and became a star in the movie Bad Girl (1931). Heavy drinking and bad decisions hurt Mr. Dunn's career, but he made a comeback in a supporting role in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), winning an Academy Award for his performance. Mr. Dunn co-starred in the television comedy series It's a Great Life (1954-1956). He died on September 1, 1967 at the age of 65, from complications following stomach surgery.

Football
CRU
ORFU
Ottawa (3-1) 10 @ Toronto (3-1) 13
Hamilton (1-3) 7 @ Kingston (1-3) 5

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Odysseas Elytis. Greek poet and critic. Mr. Elytis was awarded the 1979 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his poetry, which, against the background of Greek tradition, depicts with sensuous strength and intellectual clear-sightedness modern man's struggle for freedom and creativeness." He died on March 18, 1996 at the age of 84.

90 years ago
1921

Business
Leo Dandurand and partners Joseph Cattarinich and Louis Letourneau, acquired the Montreal Canadiens hockey club from the widow of George Kennedy for $11,000.

70 years ago
1941

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Case of the Walking Corpse

War
The German command reported that German and Romanian troops had captured the Crimean capital of Simferopol. Finnish President Risto Ryti told Henry Taylor of the North American Newspaper Alliance in Helsinki that "there are no German officers or soldiers in the Finnish units" battling against the U.S.S.R.

Defense
General Sir Archibald Wavell, commander of the British Indian Army, arrived in Singapore to confer on the Far Eastern situtation.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order placing the entire Coast Guard under the orders of Navy Secretary Frank Knox.

Communist Party USA Chairman William Z. Foster declared that the United States should "scrap the Neutrality Act and enter into a full military alliance" with the U.S.S.R. and U.K.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King issued an order-in-council imposing a ceiling on prices, effective November 17, based on maximum prices between September 15 and October 11.

U.S. Army Brigadier General Philip Fleming, wage and hour administrator, signed five orders increasing the minimum wage rates for about 320,000 workers in the shoe, furniture, jewellery, gray iron foundry, and lumber industries.

Football
NFL
Chicago Cardinals (2-4-1) 10 @ New York (5-2) 7
Green Bay (7-1) 16 @ Chicago Bears (5-1) 14
Pittsburgh (0-7) 3 @ Washington (5-1) 23
Detroit (2-4-1) 14 @ Cleveland (2-6) 0
Philadelphia (2-5) 6 @ Brooklyn (4-3) 15

60 years ago
1951

At the movies
The Raging Tide, directed by George Sherman, and starring Shelley Winters, Richard Conte, Stephen McNally, Charles Bickford and Alex Nicol, received its premiere screening in San Francisco.





War
A platoon of the Royal Canadian Regiment defended a vital area against a full battalion of Chinese troops in the Battle of the Song-gok Spur. The engagement lasted into the early hours the next day. The U.S. Defense Department announced total U.S. Korean War casualties thus far at 97,514 (16,480 dead).

Defense
Up to 6,000 U.K. troops arrived at Fayid, in the Canal Zone of Egypt, to quell anti-British disturbances and guard the safety of British citizens.

U.S. President Harry Truman signed a $4.14-billion military construction bill and a $1.67-billion strategic materials stockpiling bill, calling both "tragically insufficient" for U.S. defense needs.

World events
Tunisian nationalist leader Habib Bourguiba was barred by French officials from the Tangier International Zone, where he planned to confer with Moroccan nationalists.

Communications
Television and radio industry representatives meeting at the White House tentatively approved U.S. government plans to control communications signals in case of imminent attack.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Export-Import Bank granted a $1-million to Bolivia to finance expanded production of tungsten for sale to the United States.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Take Good Care of My Baby--Bobby Vee (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Walkin' Back to Happiness--Helen Shapiro (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Genna Brothers

At the movies
El mundo de los vampiros (The World of the Vampires), directed by Alfonso Corona Blake, and starring Mauricio Garces, Erna Martha Bauman, and Silvia Fournier, opened in theatres in Mexico.



Died on this date
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa I, 67. Hakim of Bahrain, 1942-1961. Sheikh Salman bin Hamad acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Sheikh Salman bin Hamad achieved educational reforms and improvements in health during his reign, which ended when he died, likely as a result of overwork. He was succeeded by his son Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

James Thurber, 66. U.S. humourist and cartoonist. Mr. Thurber was known for his short stories and cartoons, published mainly in The New Yorker magazine, from the late 1920s until his death from pneumonia. His stories were collected in books such as My World—And Welcome to It (1942) and The Thurber Carnival (1945).

Defense
U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States would make the necessary preparation to resume nuclear tests in the atmosphere "so as to be ready in case it becomes necessary to conduct them...to maintain our responsibility for free world security."

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvنllstoppen): Anna och Mej--Lalla Hansson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Mamy Blue--Pop-Tops (4th week at #1)

Defense
The government of Canada mothballed the experimental hydrofoil antisubmarine naval vessel Bras d'Or for at least five years, due to high costs.

Science
National Research Council of Canada scientist Gerhard Herzberg was awarded the 1971 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his contributions to the knowledge of electronic structure and geometry of molecules, particularly free radicals."

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): You Weren't in Love with Me--Billy Field

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku--Masahiko Kondō (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ma Quale Idea--Pino D'Angio (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Ja, wenn wir alle Englein wنren--Fred Sonnenschein und seine Freunde (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Tom Doornbos, 90. Dutch-born Canadian character. Mr. Doornbos, who could have played Ebenezer Scrooge without changing costume, was one of the great legends of Yellowknife.

Wally Wood, 54. U.S. cartoonist and illustrator. Mr. Wood wrote and drew for comic books, magazines, and other media from the late 1940s through the 1970s. He was perhaps best known for his work with E.C. Comics, including Mad magazine (1952-1964). Mr. Wood smoked and drank heavily, suffered four strokes, and had kidney problems; his failing health and declining career prospects led him to commit suicide by shooting himself.

25 years ago
1986

Died on this date
Paul Frees, 66. U.S. actor and announcer. Mr. Frees, born Solomon Hersh Frees, provided the voices for characters in numerous cartoons and radio programs, and served as narrator for movies and radio and television programs. He died of heart failure.

Terrorism
American hostage David Jacobsen was freed in Beirut after being held in captivity by Islamic Jihad for 17 months.

Music
In what turned out to be his last live appearance, Liberace performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York. He died on February 4, 1987.

Track and field
Grete Waitz of Norway was the winner of the women's competition in the New York City Marathon for the eighth time, and fifth year in a row.

Football
CFL
Montreal (4-13) 21 @ Toronto (9-8) 25

The Argonauts, behind quarterback J.C. Watts, rallied for 2 touchdowns in the last 52 seconds to defeat the Alouettes before 23,488 fans at Exhibition Stadium. After Mr. Watts rushed 6 yards for a touchdown, converted by Lance Chomyc, the Argonauts recovered a short kickoff, and Mr. Watts quickly marched the team downfield, completing a 13-yard pass to Paul Pearson for the winning touchdown, converted by Mr. Chomyc, with 19 seconds remaining.



British Columbia (11-6) 26 @ Winnipeg (11-6) 20

B.C. quarterback Roy Dewalt played one of the best games in his career as he led the Lions to victory over the Blue Bombers before 31,817 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Snow began falling in the second half, but the Lions, normally thought of as a fair-weather team, played inspired football. Lui Passaglia led the Lions with 4 field goals and 2 converts. The Blue Bombers' loss--their first at home in 1986--clinched first place in the West Division for the Edmonton Eskimos.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): The Fly--U2

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): The Fly--U2

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Asi Me Gusta--Chimo Bayo (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (15th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): James Brown is Dead--L.A. Style (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): The Fly--U2

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 James Brown is Dead--L.A. Style (2nd week at #1)
2 Let's Talk About Sex!--Salt-N-Pepa
3 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams
4 Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)--Rozalla
5 Can't Stop this Thing We Started--Bryan Adams
6 Cream--Prince and the New Power Generation
7 Hail Hail Rock 'n Roll--Garland Jeffreys
8 Something Got Me Started--Simply Red
9 35 Koeien--André Van Duin
10 Good Vibrations--Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (featuring Loleatta Holloway)

Singles entering the chart were Change by Lisa Stansfield (#23); The Fly by U2 (#27); No Son of Mine by Genesis (#29); Is it Good to You by Heavy D and the Boyz (#36); Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by Oleta Adams (#37); and Vrienden Voor Het Leven by Danny De Munk (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Romantic--Karyn White
2 Emotions--Mariah Carey
3 Cream--Prince and the New Power Generation
4 Do Anything--Natural Selection featuring Niki Haris
5 Can't Stop this Thing We Started--Bryan Adams
6 Hole Hearted--Extreme
7 Real Real Real--Jesus Jones
8 O.P.P.--Naughty by Nature
9 Don't Want to Be a Fool--Luther Vandross
10 The One and Only--Chesney Hawkes

Singles entering the chart were Keep Coming Back by Richard Marx (#47); No Son of Mine by Genesis (#53); Pop That Coochie by the 2 Live Crew (#70); Shot of Poison by Lita Ford (#78); I Wanna Be Your Girl by Icy Blu (#89); Change by Lisa Stansfield (#92); True Companion by Marc Cohn (#94); and Monsters and Angels by Voice of the Beehive (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Romantic--Karyn White (2nd week at #1)
2 Emotions--Mariah Carey
3 Can't Stop this Thing We Started--Bryan Adams
4 Cream--Prince and the New Power Generation
5 Hole Hearted--Extreme
6 Do Anything--Natural Selection featuring Niki Haris
7 Good Vibrations--Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (featuring Loleatta Holloway)
8 Something to Talk About--Bonnie Raitt
9 Real, Real, Real--Jesus Jones
10 Don't Cry--Guns 'N' Roses

Singles entering the chart were No Son of Mine by Genesis (#46); Keep Coming Back by Richard Marx (#47); All 4 Love by Color Me Badd (#62); 2 Legit 2 Quit by MC Hammer (#84); Wild Side by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (#86); Home Sweet Home '91 by Motley Crue (#88); Radio Song by R.E.M. (#89); and Angel Baby by Angelica (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Emotions--Mariah Carey
2 Can't Stop this Thing We Started--Bryan Adams
3 Life is a Highway--Tom Cochrane
4 Calling Elvis--Dire Straits
5 Hole Hearted--Extreme
6 What About Now--Robbie Robertson
7 Love...Thy Will Be Done--Martika
8 Get a Leg Up--John Mellencamp
9 The Real Love--Bob Seger
10 My Town--Glass Tiger

Singles entering the chart were The Fly by U2 (#50); Senza una Donna (Without a Woman) by Zucchero and Paul Young (#69); Guaranteed by Level 42 (#79); Why Must I Always Explain by Van Morrison (#90); Set Adrift on Memory Bliss by PM Dawn (#91); Heavy Fuel by Dire Straits (#92); What Time is Love? by the KLF (#93); The Road of Hope by the Kite (#96); Street of Dreams by Nia Peeples (#97); Running Back to You by Vanessa Williams (#98); and I'll Respect You by Debbie Johnson (#99).

Died on this date
Irwin Allen, 76. U.S. television and film producer and director. Mr. Allen created the television series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-1968); Lost in Space (1965-1968); The Time Tunnel (1966-1967); and Land of the Giants (1968-1970), but became better known as the "Master of Disaster" for films such as The Poseidon Adventure (1972); The Towering Inferno (1974); and The Swarm (1978). He died of a heart attack.

Mort Shuman, 54. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Shuman was best known for his partnership with Doc Pomus, which resulted in some of the biggest hit songs of the late 1950s and early '60s, such as A Teenager in Love; This Magic Moment; Save the Last Dance for Me; and Can't Get Used to Losing You. Mr. Shuman died of cancer, 10 days before his 55th birthday.

Society
Judith Reisman, author of such books as Kinsey, Sex and Fraud (1990) and Soft Porn Plays Hardball (1991), addressed a small but attentive audience--including this blogger--at Bernard Snell Auditorium at University Hospital.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-15) 26 @ British Columbia (11-7) 17

The Lions just needed to beat the Tiger-Cats--who hadn't won a road game all year-at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver to clinch first place in the West Division for the first time in 4 years, but Don McPherson--making his first start in the CFL--won the quarterbacking duel against Doug Flutie, the league's outstanding player. The Lions' loss opened the door for the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders to finish ahead of them.



10 years ago
2001

Football
CFL
Calgary (8-10-0-1) 22 @ Winnipeg (14-4) 15

The Stampeders clinched the CFL's final playoff spot with their win over the Blue Bombers at Winnipeg Stadium.