December 3, 2011

1,700 years ago
311

Died on this date
Diocletian, 66. Emperor of the Roman Empire, 284-305. Diocletian, a native of Croatia, was a cavalry commander who was proclaimed Emperor after the deaths of Emperor Carus and Carus's son Numerian during a campaign in Persia. Diocletian governed as an autocrat, but succeeded in delegating responsibility and bringing stability to the government. He was best known for his persecution of Christians (303-312), which was the largest and bloodiest persecution of Christians by Roman authorities. As with other persecutions, it failed to eradicate Christianity within the Empire. Diocletian voluntarily abdicated in 305 because of illness, and died, 19 days before his 67th birthday.

190 years ago
1821

Politics and government
U.S. President James Monroe delivered his fifth annual State of the Union message to Congress. The subjects included commercial relations between the United States and foreign countries.

150 years ago
1861

Politics and government
U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered his first annual State of the Union message to Congress. Subjects included the Civil War and foreign relations.

130 years ago
1881

Politics and government
Edgar Dewdney was installed in Regina as Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories; he served until 1888.

Journalism
The first edition of the daily newspaper Aamulehti (Morning Paper) was published in Tampere, Finland.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Glenn Hartranft. U.S. athlete. Mr. Hartranft won a silver medal in the men's shot put competition at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris and finished sixth in the discus throw. He set a world record in the discus throw in 1925. Mr. Hartranft was head football coach at San Jose State University in 1942, leading the Spartans to a 7-2 record. He was San Jose State's head baseball coach in 1944-1945. Mr. Hartranft died on August 12, 1970 at the age of 68.

Mildred Wiley. U.S. athlete. Miss Wiley won a bronze medal in the women's high jump competition at the 1928 Summer Olympic Games in Amsterdam. She died on February 7, 2000 at the age of 98.

Politics and government
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his first annual State of the Union message to Congress, in which he asked Congress to curb the power of trusts "within reasonable limits." He also praised his predecessor, William McKinley, who had been assassinated three months earlier.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Nino Rota. Italian composer. Mr. Rota, born Giovanni Rota Rinaldi, composed operas, ballets, and other classical works, but was primarily known for his more than 150 film scores. He was primarily associated with director Federico Fellini, but also wrote music for the first two films in The Godfather series, sharing the Academy Award with Carmine Coppola for The Godfather Part II (1974). One of Mr. Rota's most popular scores was for Romeo and Juliet (1968), directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Mr. Rota had a long career as a teacher, directing the Liceo Musicale in Bari, Italy for almost 30 years. He died from a coronary thrombosis on April 11, 1979 at the age of 67.

90 years ago
1921

Sport
The Canadian Badminton Association was founded in Montreal.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup
Edmonton 0 @ Toronto 23

Lionel Conacher tied a Grey Cup record with 15 points as he led the Argonauts to victory over the Eskimos before 9,558 fans at Varsity Stadium. The Eskimos, wearing blue and white, were the first western team to play for the Grey Cup. Mr. Conacher scored touchdowns in the 1st and 3rd quarter and added a field goal in the 2nd quarter and singles in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the first of which came on a missed field goal attempt. Toronto quarterback Shrimp Cochrane opened the scoring in the 1st quarter with a 3-yard touchdown rush on the first play after the Eskimos turned the ball over on downs when George Shieman's snap went over the head of punter Jack Fraser. Harry Batstone missed his first 2 convert attempts, but was successful on the third. Frank Sullivan rounded out the scoring in the 4th quarter with 2 singles on missed field goal attempts. Miles Palmer of the Eskimos rushed 25 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd half, but the play was called back on a penalty for illegal interference, and the Eskimos lost another fumble on the next play. Sinc McEvenue won the head coaching duel over Deacon White. Mr. Conacher left the game after 3 quarters to prepare to play in a hockey game that night for the Aura Lee club.

APFA
Akron (7-3-1) 0 @ Buffalo (9-0-2) 14
Cleveland (3-4) 17 @ New York (0-2) 0

Hockey
(Toronto) Sportsmen's Patriotic Association trophy
Granites 4 Aura Lee 2

Fresh from scoring 15 points for the Argonauts in their Grey Cup win over the Edmonton Eskimos at Varsity Stadium, Lionel Conacher played on defense for Aura Lee and scored a goal. Alex Romeril, who had also played for the Argonauts that day, was a substitute for the Granites.

75 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Part 3

70 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Karl Decker, 73. U.S. journalist. Mr. Decker was a correspondent for Hearst newspapers during the Spanish-American War in 1898; he was widely acclaimed for escuing the daughter of a Cuban revolutionary leader.

War
The German command reported that the "bulk of a New Zealand division" encircled southeast of Tobruk in Libya had been partly destroyed and partly captured. German troops encircled the Russian city of Tula. Moscow radio reported that Russian forces had driven the Germans to Taganrog, 40 miles west of Rostov.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved the $8,243,839,031 third supplemental defense appropriation bill for the current fiscal year.

Law
The Indian government announced in New Delhi that all civil disobedience prisoners "whose offenses have been formal or symbolic in character" would be freed immediately.

An extraordinary grand jury in Brooklyn, New York recommended the disbarment of Alfred E. Sith, Jr., son of former New York Governor Al Smith, on 11 charges of "professional misconduct, fraud, deceit, crime and misdemeanor."

Medicine
The Journal of the American Medical Association announced that a new method of treating infantile paralysis (polio) had been developed by Australian nurse Elizabeth Kenny, consisting of massage, movement, and re-education of paralyzed muscles as soon as possible after the disease was discovered.

Dr. John C. Larkin reported that "encouraging results" had been achieved in the treament of cancer during the past three years through the use of neutron rays created in the University of California's cyclotron.

Business
The U.S. National Association of Manufacturers, meeting in New York, adopted resolutions pledging "its utmost energies to the production of defense materials" and urging anti-strike legislation.

Labour
The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate in a record vote of 252-136 a defense anti-strike bill sponsored by Rep. Howard W. Smith (Democrat--Virginia), despite the opposition of leaders in the administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Football
NCAA
The Lambert Trophy was awarded in New York to Fordham University as the outstanding team in the eastern United States.

60 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Silent Supper, starring Vanessa Brown, Paul Valentine, Andrew Duggan, and Charlott Knight



Literature
Bill Mauldin's Army, a collection of 439 cartoons by Mr. Mauldin, was published in New York by Sloane.

The Prix Goncourt, France's highest literary honour, went to novelist and playwright Louis Poirier, who rejected the award.

War
Communist jets appeared for the first time over Seoul. The United Nations reported that its Korea War casualties outside of American and South Korean units totalled 7,605.

Politics and government
Colonel Adeeb Shishekly, Syrian Army chief of staff and leader of the previous week's coup against the People's Party cabinet, consolidated his control of the country, and appointed Col. Fawzi Silo as head of state, Prime Minister, and Defense Minister.

The Turkish Grand National Assembly passed a law making leadership of a Communist group a capital crime.

Energy
The governments of Canada and Ontario agreed to proceed with the St. Lawrence Power Development.

Oil
The Kuwait Oil Company announced the conclusion of an agreeement providing for an even division of profits with the Sheik of Kuwait.

Economics and finance
East Germany retaliated against West Germany's suspension of interzonal trade by halting coal shipments to West Berlin.

Labour
U.S. President Harry Truman created an 11-member Committee on Government Contract Compliance to insure observance of regulations which banned employment discrimination by businesses holding federal contracts. The order was assailed by Southerners, who opposed any enforcement of nondiscrimination, and by civil rights advocates, who felt it was too weak.

50 years ago
1961

Football
NFL
Cleveland (8-4) 38 @ Dallas (4-7-1) 17
Detroit (7-4-1) 16 @ Chicago (6-6) 15
Los Angeles (3-9) 21 @ Minnesota (3-9) 42
New York (9-3) 17 @ Green Bay (10-2) 20
Philadelphia (9-3) 35 @ Pittsburgh (5-7) 24
San Francisco (6-5-1) 17 @ Baltimore (7-5) 20
Washington (0-11-1) 24 @ St. Louis (5-7) 38

AFL
San Diego (11-1) 13 @ Houston (8-3-1) 33
Buffalo (6-7) 26 @ Oakland (2-10) 21
Boston (7-4-1) 28 @ Denver (3-10) 24
Dallas (4-8) 7 @ New York (7-5) 28

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey--Paul & Linda McCartney (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Mamy Blue--Pop Tops (5th week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Mammy Blue--Charisma (7th week at #1)
2 Butterfly--Danyel Gerard
3 Get Me Some Help--Neville Whitmill
4 Amen--Peanutbutter Conspiracy
5 You--Peter Maffay
6 Never Ending Song of Love--The New Seekers
7 Cousin Norman--Marmalade
8 Papa's Gonna Kiss it Better--William E.
9 Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast--Daniel Boone
10 The Desiderata--Les Crane

Singles entering the chart were Sultana by Titanic (#19); and Look Around (and You'll Find Me There) by Vince Hill (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 The Desiderata--Les Crane (2nd week at #1)
2 Hey Girl--Donny Osmond
3 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
4 It's a Cryin' Shame--Gayle McCormick
5 Mammy Blue--Pop-Tops
6 Brand New Key--Melanie
7 Two Divided by Love--The Grass Roots
8 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
9 Stones--Neil Diamond
10 Theme from Shaft--Isaac Hayes

Singles entering the chart were I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by the New Seekers (#24); American Pie by Don McLean (#27); Day After Day by Badfinger (#29); and I Can Smell that Funky Music by Eric Mercury (#30).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
2 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
3 Lovin' You Ain't Easy--Pagliaro
4 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
5 Got to be There--Michael Jackson
6 Brand New Key--Melanie
7 Hey Girl--Donny Osmond
8 The Desiderata--Les Crane
9 Everybody's Everything--Santana
10 Rock Steady--Aretha Franklin

Singles entering the chart were Respect Yourself by the Staple Singers (#29); I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by the New Seekers (#30); Scorpio by Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band (#31); Turned 21 by Fludd (#35); Love Me, Love Me, Love by Frank Mills (#36); Sunshine by Jonathan Edwards (#38); Day After Day by Badfinger (#39); and Friends with You by John Denver (#40).

War
Jets from Pakistan attacked at least four Indian airports, with reports that at least eight airfields had been hit.

Diplomacy
Canada signed a new extradition treaty with the U.S.A. Two new offenses were added: conspiracy to commit assault and unlawful seizure of aircraft.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 20 (CHED)
1 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Working for the Weekend--Loverboy
4 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
5 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
6 Here I Am--Air Supply
7 My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)--Chilliwack
8 Leather and Lace--Stevie Nicks with Don Henley
9 No Reply at All--Genesis
10 All Touch--Rough Trade
11 Lunatic Fringe--Red Rider
12 Oh No--Commodores
13 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
14 Don't Stop Believin'--Journey
15 Twilight--Electric Light Orchestra
16 I've Done Everything for You--Rick Springfield
17 Magic Power--Triumph
18 Trouble--Lindsey Buckingham
19 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
20 Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie

Edmonton's Top 10 (CFRN)
1 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
2 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
3 The Old Songs--Barry Manilow
4 Take Off--Bob and Doug McKenzie
5 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
6 The Theme from Hill Street Blues--Mike Post
7 Steal the Night--Stevie Woods
8 Oh No--Commodores
9 Harden My Heart--Quarterflash
10 Wired for Sound--Cliff Richard

Bob and Doug McKenzie were characters played by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis on the television comedy show SCTV. Accompanying vocals on Take Off were provided by Geddy Lee of Rush.

On television tonight
Bruce Hogle, news director of CFRN radio and television in Edmonton, delivered one of his more memorable editorials, blasting Metric Canada for paying $55,000 each to Bruno Gerussi and Madame Jehanne Benoit to make visits to five cities--five in western Canada for Mr. Gerussi, five in eastern Canada for Mme. Benoit--to promote the use of metric measurements in cooking. In his television editorial, which was an expansion of his "morning minutorial" on CFRN radio, Mr. Hogle awarded Metric Canada chairman Sandy MacArthur his "Turkey of the Week" award.

Labour
Stelco workers in Hamilton, Ontario ended the company's longest strike after 125 days.

Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier (32-4-1) fought a 10-round majority draw against Floyd "Jumbo" Cummings (15-1-1) at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago. Referee Nate Morgan scored the fight 46-45 in favour of Mr. Cummings, while the two judges scored it a draw. It was Mr. Frazier's first fight in 5½ years, and he went into permanent retirement after this bout.



25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: The Way You Are--Agnetha Fältskog and Ola Håkansson (3rd week at #1)

20 years ago
1991

Politics and government
Canadian Auditor General Denis Desautels issued his first Annual Report; he criticized farm aid, Indian Affairs, and investment of government pension funds.