November 8, 2011

180 years ago
1831

Born on this date
Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton. U.K. diplomat, politician, and poet. Lord Lytton joined the Diplomatic Service in 1849 and held posts in numerous European countries before serving as Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1876-1880). He was criticized for his handling of the Great Famine (1876-1878), with his policies said to be influenced by his social Darwinism. Lord Lytton ordered an invasion that began the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1878; the war was short and bloody, although the British ended up winning. Lord Lytton was elevated to the House of Lords in 1881, and returned to diplomacy in 1887, serving as British Ambassador to France until his death in Paris on November 24, 1891, 16 days after his 60th birthday. Lord Lytton wrote several volumes of poetry under the pseudonym Owen Meredith, but was accused of plagiarizing several of his works.

175 years ago
1836

Born on this date
Milton Bradley. U.S. businessman. Mr. Bradley was a draftsman and lithographer before founding the Milton Bradley Company, maunfacturer of board games, in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1860. He died on May 30, 1911 at the age of 74, and was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2004 and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.

150 years ago
1861

World events
An international incident between the U.K. and U.S.A. was created when U.S. Navy Captain Charles Wilkes ordered the crew of U.S.S. San Jacinto to intercept the British ship R.M.S. Trent and arrest C.S.A. commissioners James Mason and John Slidell.



110 years ago
1901

Died on this date
James Agnew, 86. U.K.-born Australian physician and politician. Sir James, a native of Ireland, received his medical education in London and Glasgow before emigrating to Australia in 1839. He had a medical and surgical practice in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart (1841-1877), leaving medicine to enter politics. Sir James was a member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council (1877-1881, 1884-1887), serving as a cabinet minister and then as Premier of Tasmania (1886-1887). He resigned from politics after just a little more than a year in office as Premier.

Protest
Bloody clashes took place in Athens, following the publication in the newspaper Akropolis of a translation into modern spoken Greek of the Gospel of Matthew.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Al Brosch. U.S. golfer. Mr. Brosch played professionally from the early 1930s through the early '60s, primarily as a club pro. He won 25 tournaments, including the Long Island Open ten times, the Long Island PGA nine times, and the Metropolitan PGA six times. Mr. Brosch died on December 10, 1975 at the age of 64.

80 years ago
1931

Football
NFL
Frankford (1-6-1) 0 @ New York (5-3) 13
Brooklyn (2-9) 0 @ Providence (2-3-2) 7
Staten Island (2-4-1) 0 @ Green Bay (9-0) 26
Chicago Cardinals (2-3) 14 @ Cleveland (2-4) 6
Portsmouth (8-2) 6 @ Chicago Bears (4-3) 9



75 years ago
1936

War
In the Spanish Civil War, Francoist troops failed in their effort to capture Madrid, but began the 3-year Siege of Madrid afterward.

70 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Piano Concerto in B Flat--Freddy Martin (6th week at #1)

War
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler, speaking in Munich, said that he had ordered German warships to fire on American ships only if attacked, declaring, "The German officer who does not defend himself, I will place before a court martial." The United Kingdom announced that British bombers had carried out the greatest aerial offensive of the war the previous night and today, ranging from Oslo to the Italian air base at Brandisi. 500 planes took part in raids on Germany.

Diplomacy
The Japanese government announced that it had protested to Panama against "discriminatory racial treatment" in the closing of Japanese businesses there.

Defense
U.S. Navy Secretary Frank Knox announced that a Navy base had been established in Iceland with Rear Admiral James L. Kauffman as commandant.

Scandal
U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle asked the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee to impeach retired Federal Judge J. Warren Davis on charges of misconduct.

Labour
American Federation of Labor Teamsters President Daniel Tobin rejected U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's appeal that he call off the union's strike in Detroit.

Football
CRU
ERFU
Finals
Toronto Argonauts 16 @ Ottawa 8 (First game of 2-game total points series)

Annis and Bill Stukus each scored a touchdown for the Argonauts, with Annis adding 2 converts and a field goal. Jimmy Folwell punted for a single to complete the Toronto scoring. Tony Golab scored the Rough Riders' touchdown, converted by George Fraser. Arnie McWatters punted for 2 singles to complete the Ottawa scoring.

WIFU
Finals
Winnipeg 6 @ Regina 8 (Regina led best-of-three series 1-0)

Ken Charlton scored a touchdown and 2 singles for the Roughriders, while Toar Springstein converted Mr. Charlton's touchdown. Ches McCance converted his own touchdown for the Blue Bombers.

60 years ago
1951

At the movies
Quo Vadis, directed by Mervyn LeRoy, and starring Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn, and Peter Ustinov, opened in theatres.







Television
The first Sylvania Awards for television achievement were presented in New York City. Your Show of Shows won four awards, and Fireside Theatre won three. The "grand award" was not awarded, as the committee found no program that measured up to its concept of "truly outstanding entertainment."

Defense
Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, U.S.S.R. Foreign Minister Andrei Vishinski rejected U.S. President Harry Truman's latest arms control proposal and reiterated Soviet demands for the complete destruction of existing atomic weapons stocks.

The Canadian Defense Ministry announced that the U.S.A. planned to increase its military orders in Canada to help offset Canadian purchases in the United States.

Crime
Negro prisoner Walter Lee Irvin charged in a Eustis, Florida hospital that Sheriff Willis McCall had deliberately killed prisoner Samuel Shepherd and had then shot him (Mr. Irvin) twice while transporting them from Railford State Prison to Lake County jail in Tavares.

Economics and finance
The U.S. National Production Authority barred major changes in models of automobiles, television sets, refrigerators, and other civilian items for the next year in an order prohibiting the purchase of machine tools for such changes.

50 years ago
1961

World events
The day after Ecuadorean President Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra had been forced to resign, the Ecuadorean Air Force attacked Quito and forced army leaders to accept leftist Vice President Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy as President. Army units had favoured Supreme Court Chief Justice Camillo Gallegos Toledo as President.

Politics and government
John Robarts was sworn in as Premier of Ontario, succeeding Leslie Frost as head of the province's Progressive Conservative government.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy addressed various issues in a press conference at the State Department Auditorium in Washington.



40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Banks of the Ohio--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ame no Midōsuji--Ouyang Fei Fei

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mammy Blue--Pop-Tops (3rd week at #1)

Montrealana
According to the 1971 Canadian census, Metropolitan Montréal had a population of 2,720,413.

Hockey
NHL
The National Hockey League approved franchises in Long Island and Atlanta, to begin play in the 1972-73 season.

Football
NFL
Los Angeles (4-3-1) 17 @ Baltimore (6-2) 24



30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Say I Love You--Renée Geyer (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Japanese Boy--Aneka (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
Aeroméxico Flight 110, a McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 jet en route from Acapulo to Guadalajara, crashed near Zihuatanejo, Mexico, killing all 18 people on board.

Football
CFL
Eastern Semi-Final
Montreal 16 @ Ottawa 20

Backup quarterback Kevin Starkey completed a pass to Tony Gabriel for the winning touchdown for the Rough Riders in the 4th quarter of an entertaining game at Lansdowne Park. It was the last game as Montreal's head coach for Jim Eddy, and the last game for a number of Montreal players, such as tight end Peter Dalla Riva and linebacker Wally Buono. It was the last game played by the Montreal team as the Alouettes until 1986; from 1982-1985, the Montreal team was known as the Concordes.



Western Semi-Final
British Columbia 15 @ Winnipeg 11

The Blue Bombers had beaten the Lions 46-10 and 49-22 in their two regular season games and jumped out to an 8-0 lead on a cold Sunday afternoon at Winnipeg Stadium, but the B.C. defense was able to keep Winnipeg quarterback Dieter Brock from completing long passes. Rookie B.C. defensive tackle Rick Klassen helped the cause by outplaying Winnipeg guard Larry Butler. John Henry White had a good game on the ground for the Lions, including a 54-yard run in the 4th quarter to move the Lions out of danger when they appeared to be losing the battle of field position. The Blue Bombers' only touchdown came early, on a pass from Mr. Brock to Eugene Goodlow. The Lions scored their only touchdown in the 2nd quarter on a pass from quarterback Joe Paopao to Ricky Ellis.

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Holiday Rap--M.C. Miker G & D.J. Sven (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Take My Breath Away--Berlin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Don't Leave Me This Way--The Communards (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Take My Breath Away--Berlin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Every Loser Wins--Nick Berry (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Amanda--Boston

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Amanda--Boston
2 True Colors--Cyndi Lauper
3 Human--Human League
4 True Blue--Madonna
5 I Didn't Mean to Turn You On--Robert Palmer
6 Typical Male--Tina Turner
7 Take Me Home Tonight--Eddie Money
8 You Give Love a Bad Name--Bon Jovi
9 All Cried Out--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
10 The Next Time I Fall--Peter Cetera with Amy Grant

Singles entering the chart were Stay the Night by Benjamin Orr (#79); Falling in Love (Uh-Oh) by Miami Sound Machine (#81); Love in Siberia by Laban (#86); Touch Me (I Want Your Body) by Samantha Fox (#87); I Want to Make the World Turn Around by Steve Miller Band (#89); and Coming Around Again by Carly Simon (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 True Colors--Cyndi Lauper
2 The Lady in Red--Chris de Burgh
3 Spirit in the Sky--Doctor and the Medics
4 Human--Human League
5 Rumors--Timex Social Club
6 When I Think of You--Janet Jackson
7 True Blue--Madonna
8 Friends and Lovers--Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson
9 Amanda--Boston
10 Two of Hearts--Stacey Q

Singles entering the chart were Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles (#77); Notorious by Duran Duran (#80); Love is Forever by Billy Ocean (#82); Is This Love by Survivor (#86); Foolish Pride by Daryl Hall (#88); Thorn in My Side by Eurythmics (#92); Strangers in Love by Body Electric (#97); and All Along You Knew by Honeymoon Suite (#98).

Died on this date
Vyacheslav Molotov, 96. U.S.S.R. politician. Mr. Molotov, born Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Skryabin, joined the Bolshevik movement soon after joining the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) in 1906. He played a major role in the early decades of the Soviet Union, holding several positions. Mr. Molotov was probably best known as Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars (Premier) from 1930-1941 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1939-1949 and 1953-1956. He was the principal Soviet signatory of the Nazi–Soviet non-aggression pact of 1939 (also known as the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact).

King Clancy, 83. Canadian hockey player, coach, official, and executive. Francis Michael Clancy played in the National Hockey League with the Ottawa Senators from 1921-1930 and the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1930-1936 (including the first 6 games of the 1936-37 season), scoring 136 goals, making him the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history at the time of his retirement. He was a first-team all-star in 1931 and 1934, and a second-team all-star in 1932 and 1933. Mr. Clancy was a member of Stanley Cup champion teams in 1923, 1927, and 1932, and on March 31, 1923, in a Stanley Cup game against the Edmonton Eskimos, became the first player to play all 6 positions in a single game. He coached the Montreal Maroons of the NHL and the Cincinnati Mohawks and Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League, leading the Hornets to the Calder Cup championship in 1952. Between his NHL and AHL coaching days, Mr. Clancy spent 11 years as an NHL referee. Mr. Clancy coached the Maple Leafs for several seasons in the 1950s, and then was made the team's assistant general manager. He returned to coaching on an interim basis when Punch Imlach fell ill during the 1966-67 season, and when John McLellan fell ill during the 1971-72 season. In both cases, Mr. Clancy helped to calm the Maple Leafs when they were struggling, and the team responded well. Mr. Clancy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958 and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. He spent his last years in the company of his friend Harold Ballard, not only in attendance at Maple Leafs' home games, but at home games of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. Mr. Ballard had purchased the Tiger-Cats in 1978, and Mr. Clancy died just 22 days before they won the Grey Cup.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (11-7) 24 @ British Columbia (12-6) 36

The Lions scored 26 points off 6 Winnipeg turnovers as they defeated the Blue Bombers before 54,723 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. It was the Lions' second win over the Blue Bombers in as many games, and clinched second place for the B.C. in the West Division, forcing the Blue Bombers to play the semi-final in Vancouver a week later. It was the only CFL game for Winnipeg defensive back Lyndell Jones.

CIAU
OQIFC
Final
Bishop's 38 Carlton 19

Tom Harris passed for 485 yards to lead the Gaiters over the Ravens.

20 years ago
1991

Defense
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, attending a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Rome, said that Canada would join the European Community in imposing economic sanctions on Yugoslavia in an attempt to stop the Balkan civil war; Mr. Mulroney confirmed that the NATO alliance was still needed.