November 2, 2012

220 years ago
1792

Politics and government
Voting began in the U.S. Presidential election. Incumbent President George Washington ran unopposed; Vice-President John Adams, recipient of the second-highest number of votes cast, was re-elected under the system then in place.

180 years ago
1832

Politics and government
Voting began in the U.S. Presidential election. President Andrew Jackson, representing the Democratic Party, was re-elected, taking 219 electoral votes to 49 for National Republican candidate Henry Clay and 7 for Anti-Masonic candidate William Wirt. Martin Van Buren was elected Vice-President.

160 years ago
1852

Politics and government
Franklin Pierce, representing the Democratic Party, was elected President of the United States, capturing 254 votes to 42 for Whig candidate Winfield Scott. John P. Hale, candidate for the Free Soil party, took 4.9% of the popular vote, but no electoral votes. William R. King was elected Vice-President.

130 years ago
1882

Died on this date
Cenobio Paniagua, 61. Mexican composer and conductor. Mr. Paniagua trained as a violinist before serving as conductor of the Cathedral Orchestra of Mexico City. He wrote several operas, including Catalina de Guisa--the first Mexican opera seria--as well as the oratorio Tobías, and 70 masses.

125 years ago
1887

Died on this date
Alfred Domett, 76. Colonial Secretary (Premier) of New Zealand, 1862-1863. Mr. Domett was a lawyer and poet in his native England before emigrating to New Zealand in 1842, and holding several offices before serving as Colonial Secretary. In November 1863, he moved that the N.Z. seat of government be moved; in 1865 it was moved from Auckland to Wellington. Mr. Domett was a member of the N.Z. Legislative Council from 1866-1874, but moved back to England in 1871, and his Legislative Council membership lapsed through absence.

Jenny Lind, 67. Miss Lind, "The Swedish Nightingale," was an opera singer whose popularity in Europe led to a very successful tour of the United States, performing 93 concerts from 1850-1852. She spent her later years in England, and died 27 days after her 67th birthday.

Communications
The first long-distance telephone call made on the Canadian Prairies took place, from Battleford to Edmonton, North-West Territories, more than 300 miles away.

110 years ago
1902

Transportation
The first four-cylinder gas-powered Locomobile was driven on the road for the first time.

100 years ago
1912

Business
The XIT Ranch in Texas, once one of the largest ranches in the world, sold its last head of cattle.

Football
IRFU
Hamilton (2-3) 29 @ Montreal (0-4) 12
Toronto (4-1) 12 @ Ottawa (3-1) 6

ORFU
Toronto Rugby & Athletic Association (1-1) 4 @ Hamilton (2-0) 18

Canadian university
McGill (4-0) 14 @ Queen's (1-3) 3
Royal Military College 21 @ Toronto 35 (exhibition)

80 years ago
1932

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Three Students

Football
CRU
ORFU
Toronto 14 @ St. Michael's College 2

WCRFU
Semi-finals (First game of 2-game total points series)
Vancouver 6 @ Calgary 5

The Meralomas, champions of the BCRU, edged the Altomahs, ARU champions, at Mewata Stadium, with the second game to be played in Vancouver three days later. The winner of the series would meet the winner of the other semi-final--a sudden-death game on November 5 in Winnipeg between MRU champion Winnipeg St. John's and SRU champion Regina Roughriders--in the Western final on November 12.

70 years ago
1942

At the movies
Once Upon a Honeymoon, directed by Leo McCarey, and starring Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers, received its premiere screening in Los Angeles.

War
British forces under General Bernard Montgomery began Operation Supercharge against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's German forces in Egypt.

60 years ago
1952

Football
CRU
IRFU
Toronto (7-3-1) 29 @ Montreal (1-10) 18

Uly Curtis and Joe Krol scored touchdowns in the 4th quarter as the Argonauts came from behind to defeat the Alouettes before 13,548 fans at Delorimier Stadium. Mr. Curtis's touchdowns were his 14th and 15th of the season. 19-year-old rookie Johnny Fedosoff also scored 2 touchdowns for Toronto, on a 50-yard pass from quarterback Nobby Wirkowski and a 13-yard rush. The last 4 Argonaut touchdowns were converted by Red Ettinger. Ray Cicia, Virgil Wagner, and Jim Ostendarp scored Montreal touchdowns. Ed Salem converted the first 2 TDs and Sam Etcheverry punted for a single.
The Alouettes led 18-11 in the 3rd quarter.

40 years ago
1972

Baseball
Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies, who had won 27 games for a team that had won just 59, was named the winner of the National League Cy Young Award for 1972.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Lester Roloff, 63. U.S. evangelist. Mr. Roloff was an independent fundamentalist Baptist preacher who created a chain of homes for addicted and homeless adults and children, often coming into conflict with political and legal authorities in his home state of texas. He and a female singing trio from one of his homes for adults were killed in the crash of a plane that Mr. Roloff was piloting during a storm.

Politics and government
In U.S. mid-term elections, Democrats won 20 of 33 U.S. Senate contests, reducing the Republicans’ advantage in the upper house of Congress to 54-46. The Democrats gained 26 seats in the House of Representatives, increasing their advantage to 267-166. Democrats also gained 7 governorships, outnumbering Republican state governors 34-16.

Diplomacy
Pope John Paul II continued his visit to Spain by greeting Felipe Gonzalez, Spain’s socialist Premier-elect, and expressed his support for Spain’s elected leaders.

Disasters
300-400 Soviet soldiers and 500-800 Afghan civilians were killed in a crash between a fuel truck and the lead truck of a Soviet military convoy inside a tunnel through the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan. Most of the deaths resulted from asphyxiation from fumes and smoke.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): La Bamba--Los Lobos (6th week at #1)

Canadiana
Melinda Gillies, Miss London, was named Miss Canada 1988.

Politics and government
Premier Zhao Ziyang, a protégé of outgoing leader Deng Xiaoping, was elected general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. A new 18-member Politburo was elected, including seven new members.

World events
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, addressing 6,000 Communist Party officials and visitors in the Kremlin, accused the late dictator Josef Stalin of committing enormous crimes. Mr. Gorbachev stated that contrary to the beliefs of some, Mr. Stalin well knew that “wholesale repressive measures and acts of lawlessness” had occurred. Mr. Gorbachev added that a commission would investigate the possibility of rehabilitating the reputations of innocent victims of Mr. Stalin. In a speech marking the 70th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution, Mr. Gorbachev praised Mr. Stalin for his policy of farm collectivization and for his leadership during World War II.

20 years ago
1992

Died on this date
Hal Roach, 100. U.S. movie producer. Mr. Roach was best known for putting Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy together as a comedy team, and also produced the Our Gang comedy films.

10 years ago
2002

Football
CFL
Edmonton (13-5) 8 @ Winnipeg (12-6) 20

Charles Roberts rushed 6 yards for a touchdown in the 1st quarter and Wayne Weathers recovered a fumble by Eskimo quarterback Jason Maas in the Edmonton end zone for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter as the Blue Bombers beat the Eskimos before 28,780 fans at Canad Inns Stadium. The Eskimos didn’t break the shutout until Ricky Ray completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ed Hervey with 9:42 remaining in the game. It was the last game for Edmonton running back Ronald Williams, who carried 4 times for 8 yards and got into a fight on the sidelines with teammate Elfrid Payton.

CIS
AUAA
Semi-Final
St. Francis Xavier 25 Acadia 11

Quebec
Semi-Finals
Concordia 29 @ Laval 21
Bishop’s 0 @ McGill 44

Jean-Michel Paquette rushed 34 times for 209 yards and a touchdown as the Stingers upset the Rouge et Or at PEPS Stadium in Ste.-Foy.

Danny Tai rushed for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Redmen routed the Gaiters at Molson Stadium in Montreal.

Ontario
Semi-finals
Western Ontario 20 @ Queen’s 55
York 14 @ McMaster 29

Tommy Denison completed 32 of 47 passes for an Ontario Conference-record 561 yards as the Golden Gaels routed the Mustangs in a snowstorm before 7,200 fans at Richardson Stadium in Kingston.

Kyle Pyear rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown, while Mike Ray kicked 5 field goals as the Marauders defeated the Yeomen at Les Prince Field in Hamilton. York quarterback Billy Barbosa threw 2 touchdown passes, but was intercepted 3 times. Ian De Coteau of the Yeomen led all receivers with 4 catches for 119 yards.

CWUAA
Semi-finals
Regina 39 @ Calgary 17

Mark Anderson threw 3 touchdown passes to Mike Thomas as the Rams beat the Dinos at McMahon Stadium.