November 27, 2011

1,500 years ago
511

Died on this date
Clovis I, 45. King of the Salian Franks, 481-c. 509; King of the Franks, c .509-511. Clovis I succeeded his father Childeric I, as a king of Salian Franks, and eventually came to rule an area extending from what is now the southern Netherlands to northern France. He conquered several smaller Frankish kingdoms, becoming the first king of the Franks to unite all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler, and is thus regarded as the first king of what became known as France. Clovis I converted to Roman Catholicism in 496, and was baptized on Christmas Day in 508; his conversion led to widespread conversion to Catholicism of the Frankish peoples. King Clovis I's kingdom was divided among his four surviving sons.

310 years ago
1701

Born on this date
Anders Celsius. Swedish astronomer, physicist, and mathematician. Professor Celsius taught astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730-1744 and visited observatories in various European locations, but was best known for devising the temperature scale in 1742 that eventually bore his name. He died on April 25, 1744 at the age of 42.

200 years ago
1811

Died on this date
Andrew Meikle, 92. U.K. engineer. Mr. Meikle, a native of Scotland, invented windmill "spring sails" in the early 1770s, but was best known for inventing the threshing machine in the mid-1780s, which was regarded as one of the key developments of the British Agricultural Revolution in the late 18th century. He was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2011 as a charter member.

140 years ago
1871

Born on this date
Giovanni Giorgi. Italian physicist and electrical engineer. Professor Giorgi, who taught at several universities over a period of more than 35 years, introduced the rational units of electromagnetism in 1901, and in 1912 was among the first to propose a new theory that satisfied the principle of general relativity of motion and the principle of equivalence. In 1932 he elaborated a new physical theory which also reduces electromagnetic forces to metric forces. Prof. Giorgi proposed the Giorgi system of measurement, the precursor to the International System of Units (SI) that was adopted in 1960. He died on August 19, 1950 at the age of 78.

130 years ago
1881

Died on this date
Theobald Boehm, 87. German musician and composer. Mr. Boehm perfected the modern flute and improved its fingering system, while composing various works for flute.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Ted Husing. U.S. sportscaster. Mr. Husing was one of the pioneers of American radio and television sportscasting, working from the mid-1920s until 1954, when he was forced to retire because of blindness following surgery for a brain tumour. He spent most of his career with CBS, and was known for a commanding voice, rapid-fire speech, and editorial opinions, and his method of calling play-by-play for college football set a pattern for generations of future broadcasters. Mr. Husing died on August 10, 1962 at the age of 60 after years of declining health; he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1963 and the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1984.

Defense
The U.S. Army War College was founded by Secretary of War Elihu Root and President Theodore Roosevelt, and formally established by General Order 155.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
David Merrick. U.S. theatrical producer. Mr. Merrick, born David Margulois, was nominated for more than 40 Tony Awards, and won 11, in a Broadway career spanning more than 50 years from the 1940s to the 1990s. He died on April 25, 2000 at the age of 88.

90 years ago
1921

Died on this date
Douglas Cameron, 67. Canadian politician. Sir Douglas, a native of Hawkesbury, Canada West, was a lumber contractor before entering politics as a councillor (1901) and mayor (1902) of Rat Portage (now Kenora, Ontario). A Liberal, he represented Fort William and Lake of the Woods in the Ontario Legislative Assembly (1902-1905), and moved to Winnipeg shortly aftre losing his seat in the 1905 provincial election. Sir Douglas was an unsuccessful candidate in Winnipeg in the 1908 federal election, but was appointed by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, serving from 1911-1916. He called a Royal Commission of Enquiry into an ongoing scandal involving the construction costs of the province's new legislative buildings; the Commission's findings led to the resignation of Sir Rodmond Roblin as Premier.

Football
APFA
Canton (4-1-3) 15 @ Washington (0-1) 0
Dayton (4-4-1) 0 @ Buffalo (8-0-2) 7
Green Bay (3-2-1) 0 @ Chicago Staleys (7-0) 20
Cincinnati (1-2) 0 @ Evansville (3-2) 48

80 years ago
1931

Died on this date
Lya De Putti, 34. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. actress. Miss De Putti, a native of what is now part of Slovakia, was known for playing vamp characters in European movies in the early 1920s. She went to Hollywood in 1926, but had little success. Miss De Putti's movies included The Mistress of the World (1919); Varieté (1925); and The Sorrows of Satan (1926). She reportedly attempted suicide several times, and eventually died of pleurisy originating from surgery to remove a chicken bone from her throat.

70 years ago
1941

Movies
Boston banned the showing of Two-Faced Woman (1941), two days after Providence, Rhode Island had done the same, after the Catholic Legion of Decency gave the film a "C" rating for "condemned," citing its "immoral and un-Christian attitude toward marriage and its obligations: impudently suggestive scenes, dialogue, and situations: suggestive costumes."

War
The Royal Canadian Air Force's 417 Fighter Squadron was formed at Charmy Down, England. The British command announced that New Zealand forces in Libya had joined with U.K. troops from Tobruk at El Duda after recpturing Razegh. Berlin spokesmen claimed that German forces had broken through Soviet lines in the Tula-Stalinogorsk sector south of Moscow. Gondar in northern Ethiopia, the last outpost of Italy's East African Empire, surrendered at 2 P.M. after 7½ months of siege. Thai Prime Minister Bipul Songgram said that Japan had given assurances that its troop concentrations in Indochina did not indicate an imminent attack on Thailand.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull conferred at the White House with Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kichisaburō Nomura and envoy Saburō Kurusu.

U.S. President Roosevelt nominated George S. Messersmith to succeed Josephus Daniels as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.

Politics and government
Three Senators and nine Deputies lost their parliamentary seats in France because of a Vichy decree barring Jews from elective assemblies.

Economics and finance
Argentine Foreign Minister Enrique Ruiz-Guinazu and U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Norman Armour reached an agreement in Buenos Aires under which the U.S. Metals Reserve Company would buy all of Argentina's production of tungsten for three years.

U.S. Assistant Treasury Secretary John A. Sullivan announced that the Treasury did not "intend to suggest to the Congress any further taxes on income earned during the calendar year 1941."

Labour
U.S. President Roosevelt rejected the resignations of Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray from the National Defense Mediation Board.

National Association of Manufacturers President Charles Hook, testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Labor Committee, opposed compulsory arbitration of defense strikes.

60 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Mikki, starring Joan Chandler

War
U.S. and Communist negotiators at Panmunjom formally agreed on the establishment of a Korean cease-fire line on the present battle front, and to begin discussing truce enforcement proposals.

World events
The Czechoslovakian government announced the arrest of Rudolf Slansky, former deputy Premier in control of police and economic planning, on charges of "activities against the state."

Defense
A Nike missile, the first rocket to intercept an airplane, was fired at the White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico.

Scandal
The U.S. Army announced that none of the U.S. Military Academy football players dismissed for cheating would be accepted for reappointment to the academy.

Science
Linus Pauling of the California Institute of Technology won the American Chemical Society's first Gilbert Newton Lewis medal for contributions to theoretical chemistry.

Oil
The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company announced that it would pay its usual 30% dividend to shareholders this year due to profits from its "substantial" operations outside Iran.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Moliendo Café--Lucho Gatica (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): L'Auto-circulation--Henri Tisot (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Big Bad John--Jimmy Dean (4th week at #1)
2 Runaround Sue--Dion
3 Please Mr. Postman--The Marvelettes
4 Goodbye Cruel World--James Darren
5 Fool #1--Brenda Lee
6 Bristol Stomp--The Dovells
7 Heartaches--The Marcels
8 Tower of Strength--Gene McDaniels
9 Crazy--Patsy Cline
10 This Time--Troy Shondell

Singles entering the chart were Unchain My Heart by Ray Charles and his Orchestra (#62); Hey! Little Girl by Del Shannon (#78); I'll Never Stop Wanting You by Brian Hyland (#83); Searching by Jack Eubanks (#91); Happy Times (Are Here to Stay) by Tony Orlando (#93); Let's Go Trippin' by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones (#94); Poor Fool by Ike & Tina Turner (#95); Walkin' with My Angel by Bobby Vee (#96); Little Altar Boy by Vic Dana (#99); and Cotton Fields by the Highwaymen (#100).

On the radio
Macabre, on USAFRS Far East Network
Tonight's episode: The Man in the Mirror

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC
Tonight's episode: The Empty House

On television tonight
Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Closed Cabinet, starring Olive Sturgess, David Frankham, Peter Forster, Jennifer Raine, and Patricia Manning



Diplomacy
Argentine President Arturo Frondizi arrived in Ottawa to begin a four-day visit.

Disasters
The U.K. Royal Air Force began airlifting food supplies to flood victims in Somalia.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Mammy Blue--Charisma (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Mamy Blue--Pop Tops

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Coz I Luv You--Slade (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Banks of the Ohio--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)
2 Maggie May/Reason to Believe--Rod Stewart
3 Mammy Blue--Joel Dayde
4 Love is a Beautiful Song--Dave Mills
5 Signs--Five Man Electrical Band
6 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down--Joan Baez
7 Speak to the Sky--Ricky Springfield
8 Butterfly--Danyel Gerard
9 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey--Paul & Linda McCartney
10 Riders on the Storm--The Doors

Singles entering the chart were A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall by Leon Russell (#27); Spanish Harlem by Aretha Franklin (#29); Gonna See My Baby Tonight by the La De Das (#33); and Do You Know What I Mean by Lee Michaels (#37).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Without a Worry in the World--Rod McKuen
2 Non, Non, Rien N'a Changé--Poppys
3 Soley Soley--The Middle of the Road
4 Reason to Believe/Maggie May--Rod Stewart
5 Pappie Loop Toch Niet Zo Snel--Herman Van Keeken
6 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
7 Spanish Harlem--Aretha Franklin
8 Only Lies--Greenfield & Cook
9 Kom Van Dat Dak Af [Maxi Single]--Peter en Zijn Rockets
10 Schön ist es auf der Welt zu sein--Roy Black + Anita

Singles entering the chart were How Do You Do by Mouth & MacNeal (#19); Ik Heb 'n Vraag by Wilma (#23); I Will Return by Springwater (#28); Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself by the Bee Gees (#29); Out of Sight, Out of Mind by Shocking Blue (#30); A Sunny Day in Greece by Tee Set (#34); and Gypsys Tramps & Thieves by Cher (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes (2nd week at #1)
2 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher
3 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
4 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
5 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
6 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
7 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
6 Maggie May/Reason to Believe--Rod Stewart
8 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
9 Rock Steady--Aretha Franklin
10 The Desiderata--Les Crane

Singles entering the chart were American Pie - Parts I and II by Don McLean (#69); Hey Girl/I Knew You When by Donny Osmond (#70); Clean Up Woman by Betty Wright (#76); Hey Big Brother by Rare Earth (#77); Nothing to Hide by Tommy James (#78); Drowning in the Sea of Love by Joe Simon (#80); Me and Bobby McGee by Jerry Lee Lewis (#81); I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by the Hillside Singers (#87); Truckin' by the Grateful Dead (#91); Sour Suite by the Guess Who (#94); Love is Funny that Way by Jackie Wilson (#98); I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again by Buffy Sainte-Marie (#99); and Tightrope Ride by the Doors (#100). I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony), one of the most annoying songs of its time, was the theme song from a Coca-Cola television commercial.



U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
2 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
3 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
4 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher
5 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
6 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
7 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
8 Two Divided by Love--The Grass Roots
9 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
10 Everybody's Everything--Santana

Singles entering the chart were American Pie - Parts I and II by Don McLean (#70); Sour Suite by the Guess Who (#73); Let's Stay Together by Al Green (#77); Looking for a Love by J. Geils Band (#78); Lay Lady Lay by the Isley Brothers (#80); I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by the Hillside Singers (#82); Men are Getting Scarce by Chairmen of the Board (#83); Daisy Mae by Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds (#87); Treat Me Like a Good Piece of Candy by Dusk (#91); You Keep Me Holding On by Tyrone Davis (#93); Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' by Charley Pride (#94); I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by New Seekers (#95); Five Hundred Miles by Heaven Bound with Tony Scotti (#96); The Witch Queen of Orleans by Redbone (#98); and Fool Me by Joe South (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
2 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
3 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
4 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
5 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
6 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
7 Rock Steady--Aretha Franklin
8 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
9 Everybody's Everything--Santana
10 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher

Singles entering the chart were Day After Day by Badfinger (#70); Looking for a Love by J. Geils Band (#73); Hey Big Brother by Rare Earth (#77); Love is Funny that Way by Jackie Wilson (#78); Clean Up Woman by Betty Wright (#80); My Boy by Richard Harris (#82); I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by the Hillside Singers (#83); Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' by Charley Pride (#85); No Sad Song by Helen Reddy (#87); I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by New Seekers (#91); Turn Your Radio On by Ray Stevens (#92); The Witch Queen of Orleans by Redbone (#95); Sour Suite by the Guess Who (#97); and Can I by Eddie Kendricks (#100).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
2 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher
3 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
4 Two Divided by Love--The Grass Roots
5 Everybody's Everything--Santana
6 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
7 Absolutely Right--Five Man Electrical Band
8 I'm a Man--Chicago
9 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
10 I'd Love to Change the World--Ten Years After

Singles entering the chart were Pretty as You Feel by Jefferson Airplane (#65); L'Oiseau by Rene Simard (#77); A Natural Man by Lou Rawls (#82); Satisfaction by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#88); Respect Yourself by the Staple Singers (#89); Hallelujah by Sweathog (#93); I Don't Need No Doctor by Humble Pie (#96); Can I Get a Witness by Lee Michaels (#97); Hey Girl by Donny Osmond (#98); and My Boy by Richard Harris (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 The Desiderata--Les Crane
2 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher
3 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
4 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
5 Two Divided by Love--The Grass Roots
6 Stones--Neil Diamond
7 Bow Down to the Dollar--Joshua
8 Lonesome Mary--Chilliwack
9 Tell Me Why--Matthews' Southern Comfort
10 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
Pick hit of the week: Got to Be There--Michael Jackson

Space
The U.S.S.R.'s Mars 2 orbiter released a descent module; it malfunctioned and crashed, but was the first man-made object to reach the surface of Mars.

Football
NCAA
Army 24 Navy 23 @ John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Ooa hela natten--Attack (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Chi Mai--Ennio Morricone

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
2 Urgent--Foreigner
3 Wired for Sound--Cliff Richard
4 Green Door--Shakin' Stevens
5 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
6 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton
7 Hold on Tight--Electric Light Orchestra
8 It's My Party--Dave Stewart with Barbara Gaskin
9 Going Back to My Roots--Odyssey
10 Hooked on Classics--The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were It's You, It's You, It's You by Joe Dolan (#12); Pretend by Alvin Stardust (#15); and Prince Charming by Adam & the Ants (#16).

Died on this date
Lotte Lenya, 83. Austrian-born singer and actress. Miss Lenya, born Karoline Wilhelmine Charlotte Blamaue, was best known for singing the songs of her first husband, composer Kurt Weill. They moved to New York City in 1935, and Miss Lenya spent the rest of her life in the United States. She appeared in several movies, and was nominated for an Academy Award for her supporting performance in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961). Miss Lenya died of cancer.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black or White--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

War
The United Nations Security Council adopted Security Council Resolution 721, leading the way to the establishment of peacekeeping operations in Yugoslavia.

10 years ago
2001

Space
A hydrogen atmosphere was discovered on the extrasolar planet Osiris by the Hubble Space Telescope, the first atmosphere detected on an extrasolar planet.