December 18, 2011

740 years ago
1271

Asiatica
Kublai Khan renamed his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China.

150 years ago
1861

Born on this date
Lionel Monckton. U.K. composer. Mr. Monckton was Britain's leading composer for musical theatre during the Edwardian era, composing music for shows such as A Country Girl (1902); The Arcadians (1909); and The Boy (1917). He died on February 15, 1924 at the age of 62.

125 years ago
1886

Born on this date
Ty Cobb. U.S. baseball player. Often called the greatest player ever, the "Georgia Peach," a native of Narrows, Georgia, was an outfielder with the Detroit Tigers (1905-1926) and Philadelphia Athletics (1927-1928), batting .366 with 117 home runs and 1,938 runs batted in, with 892 stolen bases, in 3,034 games, leading the American League in batting percentage from 1907-1909; 1911; 1914; and 1916-1919. His .366 lifetime percentage remains the career record, and his 4,189 hits was the career record until it was broken by Pete Rose in 1985 (I respect the research conducted by The Sporting News in 1981 that found that Mr. Cobb had been erroneously credited with a 2-for-3 performance in 1910). Mr. Cobb also managed the Tigers (1921-1926), compiling a record of 479-444. His fiery style of play and competitive nature made him many enemies--among teammates as well as opponents--and his reported racial attitudes would be considered very politically incorrect today. Mr. Cobb was one of the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, and died on July 17, 1961 at the age of 74.

110 years ago
1901

Agriculture
William Motherwell founded the Territorial Grain Growers' Association (later the Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association) at a meeting in the Indian Head Planing Mill in Indian Head, Northwest Territories; the TGGA adopted resolutions dealing with such important matters as the appointment of a warehouse commissioner, loading platforms and car shortages.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Jules Dassin. U.S.-born film director. Mr. Dassin was known for film noir dramas such as Brute Force (1947); The Naked City (1948); and Night and the City (1950), but went to Europe in the early 1950s after being blacklisted in Hollywood. He achieved success in France and Greece, directing movies such as Rififi (1955) and Never on Sunday (1960). Mr. Dassin died on March 31, 2008 at the age of 96.

90 years ago
1921

Football
APFA
Chicago Cardinals (3-3-2) 0 @ Chicago Staleys (9-1-1) 0
Canton (5-2-3) 28 @ Washington (1-2) 14

The season ended with the Staleys, playing their last game under that name, claiming the American Professional Football Association championship over the Buffalo All-Americans, who had finished their season two weeks earlier with a record of 9-1-2.

70 years ago
1941

War
Japanese troops crossed the Lye Mun Passage after dark, in assault boats, landing craft and small boats towed by ferry steamers, to attack Hong Kong. Two platoons of the Winnipeg Grenadiers were deployed to seize the hills known as Jardine's Lookout and Mount Butler, where they engaged in intense fighting; heavily outnumbered, they were cut to pieces, and both platoon commanders were killed. British authorities in Malaya conceded that Imperial troops had fallen back about 100 miles in northern Malaya during the past 11 days. The Netherlands government-in-exile announced in London that Dutch and Australian forces had occupied the Portuguese section of the island of Timor. The British command announced that Axis forces in Libya "are now in full retreat." The U.S. Senate voted 79-2 in favour of its own draft bill making men aged 19-44 subject to military service. 100 enemy aliens seized in the San Francisco area were sent to a concentration camp in Montana. Noted American aviatrix Laura Ingalls was arraigned in Washington on a charge of failing to register as a paid agent of the German government.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department reported that an agreement had been reached for neutralizing the French possessions in the Caribbean area, including Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate Elections Committee voted 13-3 to recommend that the Senate bar William Langer (Republican--North Dakota) from taking his seat, on the grounds of moral turpitude. Sen. Langer had repeatedly been accused of attempting to bribe a federal judge.

Academia
Dr. Willard C. Rappleye of the Association of American Medical Colleges announced that 76 medical schools were planning to reduce their present four-year courses to three years by operating on a year-round basis because of war needs because of war needs for doctors.

60 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Pier 17, starring Lawrence Fletcher, Paul Langton, and Joe Mantell



War
Communist and American truce teams exchanged lists of Korean War prisoners in Panmunjom. Among prisoners listed by the Communists was General William Dean, U.S. Army 24th Infantry Division commander, and Colonel James Carne, commander of Britain's Gloucestershire Regiment.

World events
The Bolivian government announced the suppression of a revolutionary plot with the arrest of 30-40 members of the external National Revolutionary Movement.

Diplomacy
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled in favour of Norway's four-mile territorial water limit.

U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and French Prime Minister René Pleven ended a two-day conference in Paris by announcing that Britain would work "as closely as possible" with the Western European army and the European Coal and Steel Community without joining either institution.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Salah el-Din Bey conferred in Paris, but made "no decisive progress" toward settlement of the Sudan-Suez dispute.

Agriculture
The U.S.A. announced that it would send Jordan 9,650 tons of wheat to help relieve "a serious food shortage."

Economics and finance
Leading New York commercial banks raised their prime lending rates from 2.75% to 3%, the highest since 1923.

The U.S. National Production Authority banned the issuance of new automobile license plates for 1953 as a conservation measure.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Moliendo Café--Lucho Gatica (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): L'Auto-circulation--Henri Tisot (7th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 The Lion Sleeps Tonight--The Tokens
2 Please Mr. Postman--The Marvelettes
3 Run to Him--Bobby Vee
4 The Twist--Chubby Checker
5 Walk on By--Leroy Van Dyke
6 Goodbye Cruel World--James Darren
7 Let There Be Drums--Sandy Nelson
8 Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen--Neil Sedaka
9 Big Bad John--Jimmy Dean
10 Peppermint Twist - Part I--Joey Dee & the Starliters

Singles entering the chart were Baby it's You by the Shirelles (#65); A Little Bitty Tear by Burl Ives (#73); Twist-Her by Bill Black's Combo (#76); Do-Re-Mi by Lee Dorsey (#82); Room Full of Tears by the Drifters (#83); Multiplication by Bobby Darin (#86); Pocketful of Miracles by Frank Sinatra (#87); Seven Day Fool by Etta James (#95); Lost Someone by James Brown and the Famous Flames (#96); Pushin' Your Luck by Sleepy King (#98); I Could Have Loved You So Well by Ray Peterson (#99); and You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength by Gloria Lynne (#100). Pocketful of Miracles was a version of the title song of the movie.

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

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC
Tonight's episode: Charles Augustus Milverton

On television tonight
Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Remarkable Mrs. Hawk, starring Jo Van Fleet, John Carradine, Paul Newlan, and Bruce Dern



At the movies
Pocketful of Miracles, directed by Frank Capra, and starring Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange, and Arthur O'Connell, received its premiere screening in New York City.





Died on this date
Leo Reisman, 64. U.S. musician. Mr. Reisman was a popular violinist and bandleader who recorded more than 80 charted singles in a career spanning more than 40 years. Eddy Duchin and Mitch Miller were among the musicians who were members of his orchestra.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Mammy Blue--Charisma (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Pensiero--Pooh (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)--Benny Hill (2nd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Maggie May/Reason to Believe--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)
2 Banks of the Ohio--Olivia Newton-John
3 Mammy Blue--Joel Dayde
4 Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves--Cher
5 Love is a Beautiful Song--Dave Mills
6 Peace Train--Cat Stevens
7 Speak to the Sky--Ricky Springfield
8 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey--Paul & Linda McCartney
9 Imagine--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
10 A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall--Leon Russell

Singles entering the chart were Day by Day by Colleen Hewitt (#32); Sweet City Woman by the Stampeders (#36); Military Madness by Graham Nash (#37); and Wedding Song (There is Love) by Paul Stookey (#39).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 How Do You Do--Mouth & MacNeal
2 Non, Non, Rien N'a Changé--Poppys
3 Pappie Loop Toch Niet Zo Snel--Herman Van Keeken
4 I Will Return--Springwater
5 Without a Worry in the World--Rod McKuen
6 Schön ist es auf der Welt zu sein--Roy Black + Anita
7 Soley Soley--The Middle of the Road
8 Out of Sight, Out of Mind--Shocking Blue
9 Coz I Luv You--Slade
10 Reason to Believe/Maggie May--Rod Stewart

Singles entering the chart were (Is This the Way to) Amarillo by Tony Christie (#23); No Matter How I Try by Gilbert O'Sullivan (#31); 'k Heb Niks Gezien by Sjakie Schram (#35); Maxigold - Twéé-In-Één-Single by the Spencer Davis Group (#37); and Vrede by Ben Cramer (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Family Affair--Sly & the Family Stone (3rd week at #1)
2 Brand New Key--Melanie
3 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
4 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
5 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
6 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
7 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
8 All I Ever Need is You--Sonny & Cher
9 American Pie - Parts I and II--Don McLean
10 Cherish--David Cassidy

Singles entering the chart were It's One of Those Nights (Yes Love) by the Partridge Family (#57); Levon by Elton John (#80); Make Me the Woman that You Go Home To by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#83); You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth by the Undisputed Truth (#87); So Many People by Chase (#88); She's All I Got by Johnny Paycheck (#91); Keep on Keeping On by N.F. Porter (#94); Open the Door (Song for Judith) by Judy Collins (#96); Don't Say You Don't Remember by Beverly Bremers (#98); Without You by Nilsson (#99); and Keep Playin' that Rock 'n' Roll by Edgar Winter's White Trash (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Family Affair--Sly & the Family Stone (4th week at #1)
2 Brand New Key-Melanie
3 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
4 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
5 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
6 Cherish--David Cassidy
7 Rock Steady--Aretha Franklin
8 All I Ever Need is You--Sonny & Cher
9 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
10 Scorpio--Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band

Singles entering the chart were Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon/Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir (#63); Levon by Elton John (#73); Everybody Knows About My Good Thing Pt 1 by Little Johnny Taylor (#81); Black Dog by Led Zeppelin (#83); Keep on Keeping On by N.F. Porter (#95); What's Going On by Quincy Jones (#96); Scratch My Back (And Mumble in My Ear) by Clarence Carter (#97); Bang a Gong (Get it On) by T. Rex (#98); and Do the Funky Penguin Part I by Rufus Thomas (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites (2nd week at #1)
2 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
3 Brand New Key-Melanie
4 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
5 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
6 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
7 Cherish--David Cassidy
8 All I Ever Need is You--Sonny & Cher
9 American Pie--Don McLean
10 Respect Yourself--The Staple Singers

Singles entering the chart were Sugar Daddy by the Jackson 5 (#48); Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon/Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir (#55); Those were the Days by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton (as the Bunkers) (#70); Carolyn by Merle Haggard and the Strangers (#79); Black Dog by Led Zeppelin (#80); Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out) by the Persuaders (#83); Space Captain by Barbra Streisand (#84); Without You by Nilsson (#85); Once You Understand by Think (#87); Love Potion Number Nine by the Coasters (#89); Five Hundred Miles by Heaven Bound with Tony Scotti (#90); No Good to Cry by the Poppy Family (#91); The Harder I Try (The Bluer I Get) by Free Movement (#9); Fire and Water by Wilson Pickett (#99); and Scratch My Back by Clarence Carter (#100).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
2 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes
3 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
4 The Desiderata--Les Crane
5 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
6 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
7 Cherish--David Cassidy
8 Devil You--Stampeders
9 Brand New Key--Melanie
10 Lonesome Mary--Chilliwack

Singles entering the chart were Sugar Daddy by the Jackson 5 (#88); Too True Mama by Crowbar (#90); Uncle Jed by Perth County Conspiracy (#93); Devil Song by Aarons and Ackley (#94); Black Dog by Led Zeppelin (#96); I Turn to You by Spring (#97); No Sad Songs by Helen Reddy (#98); Whiskey Fire by Magic Bubble (#99); and The Witch Queen of New Orleans by Redbone (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Lonesome Mary--Chilliwack (2nd week at #1)
2 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
3 Do I Love You--Paul Anka
4 The Desiderata--Les Crane
5 Take it Slow--Lighthouse
6 I Don't Need No Doctor--Humble Pie
7 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
8 Everybody's Everything--Santana
9 Sour Suite--The Guess Who
10 Questions 67 and 68--Chicago
Pick hit of the week: (I Know) I'm Losing You--Rod Stewart with Faces

Died on this date
Bobby Jones, 69. U.S. golfer. Mr. Jones, one of the greatest golfers in history, won the Grand Slam (U.S. and British amateur championships, U.S. and British Opens) in 1930. He played in 31 major tournaments, winning 13. Mr. Jones retired from competitive golf in 1930 and appeared as himself in two series of instructional films that were released in 1931 and 1933, with several episodes featuring Hollywood stars in guest roles. Mr. Jones co-founded the Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, and renamed it the Masters in 1938. He practiced law in Atlanta after his retirement from golf, but in 1948 was diagnosed with syringomyelia; his mobility gradually declined, and he was using a wheelchair when he died from a chest aneurysm.

Diana Lynn, 45. U.S. musician and actress. Miss Lynn, born Dolores Loehr, was a child prodigy as a concert pianist before turning to acting, appearing in almost 70 movies and television programs from the early 1940s through the mid-1960s. She was best known for appearing in comedy films such as The Major and the Minor (1942); The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944); and Bedtime for Bonzo (1951), as well as three movies starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Miss Lynn died nine days after suffering a stroke.

Crime
Thieves stole over $1 million from a Windsor, Ontario branch of the Royal Bank of Canada. Six people were arrested several days later.

Economics and finance
The International Monetary Fund approved the new pattern of exchange rates among the world's leading currencies. The decision made legal an agreement reached the day before by a group of 10 leading industrial countries, who had recommended that currencies be permitted to fluctuate 2.25% above and below the new par values.

Football
NFL
St. Louis (4-9-1) 12 @ Dallas (11-3) 31

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: Ooa Hela Natten--Attack (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Bensonhurst Blues--Oscar Benton

Bensonhurst Blues was from the movie Pour la peau d'un flic (For a Cop's Hide) (1981).

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (4th week at #1)
2 Going Back to My Roots--Odyssey
3 It's My Party--Dave Stewart with Barbara Gaskin
4 It's You, It's You, It's You--Joe Dolan
5 Urgent--Foreigner
6 Dancing on the Floor (Hooked on Love)--Third World
7 Prince Charming--Adam & the Ants
8 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
9 Wired for Sound--Cliff Richard
10 Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie

Singles entering the chart were Die Royal Hotel by David Kramer (#14); and Tainted Love by Soft Cell (#18).

Defense
The Soviet heavy strategic bomber Tupolev Tu-160, the world's largest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft, and largest variable-sweep wing aircraft, made its first flight, with test pilot B.I. Veremey at the controls.

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CKRA)
1 The Next Time I Fall--Peter Cetera with Amy Grant
2 Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles
3 Amanda--Boston
4 The Way it Is--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
5 Human--Human League
6 The Lady in Red--Chris de Burgh
7 Hip to Be Square--Huey Lewis and the News
8 Don't Stand So Close to Me '86--The Police
9 Stand by Me--Ben E. King
10 I'll Be Over You--Toto

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: All Shook Up: Autumn 1957



The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Road Less Traveled, starring Cliff DeYoung and Margaret Klenck

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld Ontario's restrictions on Sunday shopping.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black or White--Michael Jackson (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Pfeiffer's Choice

Law
Québec completed a major overhaul of the Civil Code, governing all non-criminal law, after 35 years of reform.

Education
Daniel Johnson, president of Quebec's Permanent Ministerial Committee for Montreal Development, announced, during the presentation of Montreal's recovery plan, the creation of a graphic communications technology resource centre. The institution would provide businesses with services as well as training for their workforce; it was post-college training but not university.

10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Marcel Mule, 100. French musician and educator. Mr. Mule was perhaps the greatest classical saxophonist in history, playing in quartets and as a featured soloist from the 1920s until his retirement in 1967. He taught at the Paris Conservatoire for more than 20 years, and wrote several instructional books.

Dimitris Dragatakis, 87. Greek musician and composer. Mr. Dragatakis began his career in classical music as a violinist, but switched to viola and played with the Greek National Opera for 20 years. He incorporated Greek musical traditions into his own works, which included six symphonies, concertos, orchestral, choral, and chamber works.

Gilbert Bécaud, 74. French musician and actor. Mr. Bécaud, born François Gilbert Léopold Silly, was a popular pianist, singer, and songwriter who had a career spanning 50 years and was known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances. His best known song was Et maintenant (1961), which was covered by many artists as an instrumental, and with English lyrics, as What Now, My Love?. Mr. Bécaud appeared in several movies and television programs, and died of lung cancer.

Politics and government
The Parliament of France approved a bill giving slightly more autonomy to Corsica.

Terrorism
The Canadian Senate passed Bill C-36, the federal government's anti-terrorist legislation; police were given new powers of surveillance, arrest, and detention.

Economics and finance
The Canadian federal and provincial governments unanimously rejected American proposals regarding softwood lumber. While the Americans imposed customs sanctions on Canadian softwood lumber, Canada was demanding full access to the American market, without any limits.