October 31, 2012

125 years ago
1887

Born on this date
Chiang Kai-shek. Chinese military and political leader. Mr. Chiang was the major military and political leader of China from 1928 until his Nationalist forces were defeated by Communists in 1949. Mr. Chiang and his forces fled the Chinese mainland and relocated on the island of Taiwan, where he served as President of the Republic of China until his death on April 5, 1975 at the age of 87.

120 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Aleksandr Alekhine. Russian-born French chess player. Mr. Alekhine was a Grandmaster who emigrated to France in 1921. He defeated José Raúl Capablanca to win the world championship in 1927, and dominated tournament play until losing his title to Max Euwe in 1935. Mr. Alekhine regained the championship in the rematch against Mr. Euwe in 1937, and cooperated with occupying Nazi authorities in France during World War II in order to protect his French wife's assets. Mr. Alekhine's wartime activities resulted in his not being invited to tournaments outside the Iberian peninsula. He was preparing to defend his title in Estoril, Portugal when he was found dead in his hotel room on March 24, 1946 at the age of 53; his death was attributed to a heart attack, although one reported witness to the autopsy said that Mr. Alekhine had choked on a piece of meat. Mr. Alekhine was opposed to Communism and the Soviet government, and conspiracy theories assert that he was murdered and the evidence altered.

Transportation
The Norfolk and Western Railroad was opened for traffic to Portsmouth, Ohio.

Boxing
Joe Choynski (19-4) knocked out George Godfrey (22-5-11) in the 15th round of a light heavyweight bout at Coney Island Athletic Club, Coney Island, New York.

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): White Christmas--Bing Crosby

Football
CRU
Ottawa Senior City Football League
Uplands RCAF (2-1) 13 Rough Riders (2-1) 6

2,500 fans were in attendance at Lansdowne Park.

ORFU
Kitchener-Waterloo (0-7) 5 @ HMCS York (4-2-1) 18
Toronto RCAF Hurricanes (6-0-1) 20 Toronto Balmy Beach (4-3) 10
Toronto Oakwood Indians (2-5) 5 @ Hamilton (4-3) 20

WSCFL
Finals (1st game of 2-game total points series)
RCAF 18 Bombers 14

Johnny Lake scored a touchdown, 2 converts, and 2 field goals as the
Bombers scored all their points in the 2nd half to beat the Flyers at
Osborne Stadium. Wally “Chick” Chikowski scored the other RCAF touchdown. Bud Moorhouse and Ken Preston scored touchdowns for the Bombers; Frank Mathers kicked 1 convert and Ches McCance added a field goal.

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Tomb of King Tarus, starring Walter Abel, Charles Nolte, and Richard Purdy



50 years ago
1962

Space
The United States launched the satellite Anna 1B, whose mission was to conduct geodetic measurements.

40 years ago
1972

Politics and government
15 members of the cabinet of Chilean President Salvador Allende resigned in order to give him a free hand in attempting to deal with the state of emergency that had been declared in response to increasing civil disturbances. Among those resigning were four who were targets of impeachment proceedings begun the day before by the Chilean Congress for “violations of the constitution.” The Congress had the power to impeach cabinet ministers by a simple majority vote in both chambers. Radomiro Tomic, a Christian Democrat and one of the two men who had been defeated by Mr. Allende in the 1970 presidential elections, appealed for a “democratic truce” until the congressional elections scheduled for March 1973.

30 years ago
1982

Religion
Pope John Paul II began a nine-day visit to Spain, becoming the first pontiff to visit the country.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (5-10) 34 @ Montreal (2-13) 32
British Columbia (8-7) 19 @ Calgary (9-6-1) 25

Skip Walker rushed 21 times for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Rough Riders eliminated the Concordes from playoff contention before 17,179 fans at Olympic Stadium. Ottawa quarterback Chris Isaac completed a 77-yard touchdown pass to Carl Powell on the first play from scrimmage just 29 seconds into the game. Defensive back Billy Hardee scored the other Rough Rider touchdown on a 21-yard fumble return in the 2nd quarter. Montreal quarterback Johnny Evans completed 30 of 50 passes for 352 yards and 4 touchdowns—2 to Marc Lacelle and 1 each to Brian DeRoo and Nick Arakgi. Two 2-point convert attempts were unsuccessful. Mr. Arakgi caught 12 passes for 125 yards, and Mr. DeRoo caught 8 for 155.

J.T. Hay kicked 6 field goals—4 in the 4th quarter—as the Stampeders clinched the third and last playoff spot in the West Division and eliminated the Lions from playoff contention before 31,980 fans at McMahon Stadium. James Sykes rushed 16 times for 107 yards, including a 7-yard run for the only Calgary touchdown late in the 2nd quarter. John Henry White scored the only B.C. touchdown on a 5-yard pass from Joe Paopao in the 2nd quarter. Darrell Smith of the Stampeders led all receivers with 121 yards on 8 receptions.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Bad--Michael Jackson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): La Bamba--Los Lobos (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): You Win Again--Bee Gees (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): You Win Again--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): You Win Again--Bee Gees (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Bad--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Bad--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
3 Causing a Commotion--Madonna
4 U Got the Look--Prince
5 Casanova--Levert
6 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
7 Brilliant Disguise--Bruce Springsteen
8 Let Me Be the One--Expose
9 Little Lies--Fleetwood Mac
10 Breakout--Swing Out Sister

Singles entering the chart were So Emotional by Whitney Houston (#49); If You Let Me Stay by Terence Trent D'Arby (#89); and System of Survival by Earth, Wind and Fire (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
2 Here I Go Again--Whitesnake
3 Paper in Fire--John Cougar Mellencamp
4 I Heard a Rumour--Bananarama
5 Only in My Dreams-Debbie Gibson
6 La Bamba--Los Lobos
7 Causing a Commotion--Madonna
8 Bad--Michael Jackson
9 Lost in Emotion--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
10 When Smokey Sings--ABC

Singles entering the chart were Got My Mind Set on You by George Harrison (#89); Boy's Night Out by Timothy B. Schmit (#92); Shake Your Love by Debbie Gibson (#94); Candle in the Wind by Elton John (#95); Don't You Want Me by Jody Watley (#96); and Valerie by Steve Winwood (#97).

Politics and government
Motivated by the need for democratic reforms and by discontent with the Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, delegates at a convention in Winnipeg officially founded the Reform Party of Canada.

Football
CIAU
AUAA
St. Mary’s 26 Acadia 25
Mount Allison 24 St. Francis Xavier 23

OQIFC
Semi-Finals
Bishop’s 39 Carleton 0
McGill 27 Queen’s 24

OUAA
Semi-Finals
Guelph 22 @ Western Ontario 20
Windsor 13 @ Wilfrid Laurier 32

WIFL
Saskatchewan (2-6) 15 @ British Columbia (8-0) 27

The previously-unbeaten Mustangs gave up 3 interceptions and lost 2 fumbles as they lost to the Gryphons before 3,000 fans at J.W. Little Memorial Stadium in London. Carl Ljunberg converted 1 of 2 Guelph touchdowns and kicked 3 field goals, including 2 in the last 5 minutes of the game to provide the margin of victory. Mr. Ljunberg’s 21-yard field goal with 2:13 remaining in the 4th quarter gave the Gryphons a 22-19 lead. Western had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Ray Macoritti missed a 25-yard field goal attempt and it went for a single point with 6 seconds left. Jeff Feagan rushed 2 yards for a touchdown, converted by Mr. Ljunberg, to open the scoring midway through the 1st quarter. A single by Mr. Macoritti got UWO on the scoreboard before the quarter was over, and the Mustangs took an 8-7 lead in the 2nd quarter on a 9-yard touchdown rush by John Wright, converted by Mr. Macoritti. The touchdown came after the Western defense had stopped Guelph on a third-down-and-2-yards-to-go gamble. Mr. Ljunberg kicked a 33-yard field goal, and the Gryphons led 10-8 at halftime. Another single by Mr. Macoritti made the score 10-9. A fumble on a handoff from Mr. Jurus to Mr. Wright was recovered by Guelph, and quarterback Mike Shoemaker fired a 37-yard touchdown pass to Brian Campbell; the convert attempt was unsuccessful. Mr. Macoritti kicked a 27-yard field goal, and the Gryphons led 16-12 after 3 quarters. Early in the 4th quarter, the Gryphons had the ball at the Western 3-yard line, but fumbled on a rushing play, and defensive back Paul Josephs recovered for the Mustangs in their end zone, resulting in UWO taking possession at its own 25. On the first play, Rob Stewart rushed 79 yards; Brendan Lenko then rushed 6 yards for a touchdown, and Mr. Macoritti’s convert gave the Mustangs a 19-16 lead with exactly 10 minutes remaining. However, the Gryphons drove for the tying field goal and got the winning field goal after making an interception off Mr. Jurus. Mr. Stewart led all rushers with 107 yards on 9 carries, while Mr. Wright rushed 13 times for 81 yards. Mr. Campbell led all receivers with 151 yards on 8 receptions.

Jordan Gagner completed 17 of 24 passes for 250 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown to Craig Keller, to help the Thunderbirds defeat the Huskies at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver. Mike Marasco led the UBC rushing attack with 101 yards and 2 touchdowns.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Achy Breaky Heart--Billy Ray Cyrus (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Zero--B'z (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Erotica--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Don't You Want Me--Felix (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Heading for a Fall--Vaya con Dios (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Sweat (A La La La La Long)--Inner Circle (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): End of the Road--Boyz II Men

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (12th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 End of the Road--Boyz II Men (7th week at #1)
2 Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough--Patty Smyth with Don Henley
3 Erotica--Madonna
4 I'd Die Without You--PM Dawn
5 Jump Around--House of Pain
6 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
7 When I Look Into Your Eyes--Firehouse
8 Free Your Mind--En Vogue
9 Please Don't Go--K.W.S.
10 She's Playing Hard to Get--Hi-Five

Singles entering the chart were Saving Forever for You by Shanice (#63); Keep the Faith by Bon Jovi (#65); Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effect (#66); Slow and Sexy by Shabba Ranks (featuring Johnny Gill) (#82); and No One Else on Earth by Wynonna (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough--Patty Smyth with Don Henley (7th week at #1)
2 Layla--Eric Clapton
3 End of the Road--Boyz II Men
4 Walking on Broken Glass--Annie Lennox
5 Nothing Broken But My Heart--Celine Dion
6 Song Instead of a Kiss--Alannah Myles
7 Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad--Def Leppard
8 Digging in the Dirt--Peter Gabriel
9 Not Enough Time--INXS
10 Washed Away--Tom Cochrane

Singles entering the chart were Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses by U2 (#50); Never Saw a Miracle by Curtis Stigers (#75); Hotel Illness by the Black Crowes (#86); Twister by the Northern Pikes (#92); An Emotion Away by Alanis (#93); My Name is Prince by Prince (#95); Little Miss Can't Be Wrong by Spin Doctors (#96); Money Love by Neneh Cherry (#97); and What About Your Friends by TLC (#99).

Abominations
It was announced that five American nuns in Liberia had been shot to death near the capital city of Monrovia; the killings were blamed on rebels loyal to Charles Taylor.

Religion
Pope John Paul II admitted that the Roman Catholic Church had erred in convicting Galileo Galilei of heresy 350 years earlier for saying that the Earth revolved around the sun.

Football
CFL
Toronto (6-11) 12 @ Ottawa (9-8) 31
Winnipeg (10-7) 29 @ British Columbia (3-14) 26

Quarterback Tom Burgess passed to James Ellingson for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown of his own, and handed off to Darren Joseph for another as the Rough Riders eliminated the Argonauts from playoff contention before 24,694 fans at Lansdowne Park in the last game there before it was renamed Frank Clair Stadium. Joe Sardo scored the other Ottawa touchdown on a 57-yard return of a blocked punt in the 2nd quarter. Raghib “Rocket” Ismail rushed 4 yards for the only Toronto touchdown in the 1st quarter. Mr. Joseph finished with 89 yards on 15 carries. The Argonauts became the first team to miss the playoffs the year after winning the Grey Cup since the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1973, and the first CFL team to lose all of its road games in a season since the Montreal Concordes in 1982.

Michael Richardson rushed 28 times for 161 yards and Danny McManus completed touchdown passes to Rob Crifo in the 1st quarter and Larry Thompson in the 3rd quarter as the Blue Bombers held on to beat the Lions before 18,183 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. B.C. quarterback Mike Johnson threw touchdown passes to offensive lineman Carl Coulter, Darren Flutie, and Mike Trevathan. Mr. Coulter, normally an offensive lineman, was playing tight end on a short-yardage play from the Winnipeg 3-yard line when he caught his touchdown pass in the 2nd quarter.

CIAU
AUAA
St. Mary’s 56 St. Francis Xavier 17
Mount Allison 32 Acadia 29

OQIFC
Semi-Finals
Bishop’s 21 Ottawa 13
Queen’s 24 McGill 21

OUAA
Semi-finals
Western Ontario 34 Wilfrid Laurier 31
Guelph 31 Toronto 17 (OT)



CWUAA
Manitoba (3-4-1) 18 @ Saskatchewan (3-5) 15

CWUAA-U.S. (Exhibition)
British Columbia 14 @ Western Washington 24

Jon Brunaugh rushed for 279 yards to help the Vikings defeat the Thunderbirds in Bellingham.

10 years ago
2002

Diplomacy
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham confirmed that U.S. officials had transferred Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen, from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where 600 suspected al-Qaeda combatants were being held. Mr. Khadr had been wounded and captured after throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. army medic after a firefight in Afghanistan.