December 13, 2012

370 years ago
1642

Exploration
Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand.

150 years ago
1862

War
In the U.S. Civil War, the Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of General Robert E. Lee, turned the tide in the Battle of Fredericksburg, repelling a series of attacks by the Army of the Potomac under General Ambrose Burnside.

120 years ago
1892

Religion
The Cincinnati Presbytery of the U.S. Presbyterian Church voted 31-27 to suspend Henry P. Smith, professor at Lane Theological Seminary, for heresy.

90 years ago
1922

Died on this date
Hannes Hafstein, 61. Minister for Iceland, 1904-1909, 1912-1914. Mr. Hafstein, the son of Governor of North and East Iceland Pétur Havstein, was the first Icelander to be appointed to the Danish Cabinet while being responsible to the Icelandic Althing. He was managing director of the Bank of Iceland after both his terms as Minister, resigning as director of the Bank in 1917 because of declining health. Mr. Hafstein died nine days after his 61st birthday.

75 years ago
1937

Abominations
Japanese troops under the command of General Matsui Iwane destroyed much of the Chinese capital of Nanking, murdered 150,000 male "war prisoners" and 50,000 male civilians, and raped at least 20,000 women and girls in what became known as the Rape of Nanking.

70 years ago
1942

Football
NFL
Championship
Chicago Bears 6 @ Washington 14

Two years after being humiliated 73-0 at home by the Bears in the NFL championship game, the Redskins defeated the previously undefeated Bears before 36,006 fans at Griffith Stadium to win their second NFL title. The Bears opened the scoring early in the 2nd quarter when Lee Artoe returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown. Mr. Artoe missed the convert, and the Bears led 6-0. Later in the quarter, Washington quarterback Sammy Baugh completed a 39-yard touchdown pass to Wilbur Moore. Bob Masterson converted to put the Redskins ahead 7-6. Andy Farkas rushed 1 yard for a touchdown midway through the 3rd quarter, and Mr. Masterson converted to give the Redskins a 14-6 lead. Neither team mounted mush of an offense: the Bears rushed for 102 yards and passed for 119, while the Redskins rushed for 104 and passed for just 66. Mr. Baugh completed 5 of 13 passes for 66 yards and 2 interceptions, while Chicago quarterbacks Sid Luckman and Charlie O’Rourke completed 8 of 17 for 119 yards and 3 interceptions. The Bears had posted an 11-0 record during the regular season, while the Redskins had been 10-1.

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart--Vera Lynn; Eddy Howard (4th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Why Don't You Believe Me--Joni James (Best seller--2nd week at #1, Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); The Glow-Worm--The Mills Brothers (Juke Box--2nd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Why Don't You Believe Me--Joni James
--Patti Page
2 The Glow-Worm--The Mills Brothers
3 It's in the Book (Parts 1 and 2)--Johnny Standley
4 I Went to Your Wedding--Patti Page
5 You Belong to Me--Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and his Orchestra
--Patti Page
6 Lady of Spain--Eddie Fisher
--Les Paul
7 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes--Perry Como
8 Trying--The Hill Toppers
9 Jambalaya--Jo Stafford
10 Takes Two to Tango--Pearl Bailey

Singles entering the chart were I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by Jimmy Boyd (#16); Oh Happy Day by Don Howard (#19); My Baby's Coming Home by Les Paul and Mary Ford (#27); Till I Waltz Again with You by Teresa Brewer (#31); A Full Time Job (#34)/Ma Says, Pa Says (#38) by Doris Day and Johnnie Ray; and Everything I Have is Yours by Eddie Fisher (#41). My Baby's Coming Home is the B-side of Mr. Paul's version of Lady of Spain.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Return to Sender--Elvis Presley

On television tonight
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Bonfire, starring Peter Falk and Dina Merrill

Space
The United States launched the satellites Injun 3 and Relay 1. The mission of the former was to study cosmic rays, while the mission of the latter was to act as a communications repeater, and was the first such satellite to be launched.

40 years ago
1972

Space
Apollo 17 astronauts Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt began their third and last moonwalk at 3:26 P.M. Mountain Standard Time (5:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time). In 7 hours and 15 minutes they collected 150 pounds of lunar samples and took 9 gravimeter measurements. It was the last moonwalk ever performed.

Health
The pharmaceutical branch of the Distillers' Company offered more than 300 British victims of thalidomide a new compensation deal said to be worth £11.85 million over 10 years.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Faith--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: La Bamba--Los Lobos (9th week at #1)

Football
NFL
New York Giants (4-9) 24 @ St. Louis (6-7) 27

31,324 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium saw the Cardinals play their last home game after 28 seasons in St. Louis. They became the Phoenix Cardinals in 1988.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Die da--Die Fantastischen Vier (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Die da--Die Fantastischen Vier

Died on this date
K.C. Irving, 93. Canadian industrialist. A native of Bouctouche, New Brunswick, Mr. Irving formed the Irving Oil Company in 1924, and extended his business interests to include transportation, oil refining, mining, pulp and paper, and communications. His fortune was estimated to be $8.5 billion at the time of his death.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Zal Yanovsky, 57. Canadian musician. Mr. Yanovsky, a Toronto native who moved to New York, played lead guitar and sang with the folk-rock group the Mugwumps, who recorded briefly in 1964, before joining the Lovin’ Spoonful, who had a string of hit singles from 1965-1967. Mr. Yanovsky and bass guitarist Steve Boone were busted for marijuana possession in 1966. Mr. Yanovsky was threatened with deportation to Canada, so he and Mr. Boone identified their supplier to the authorities. Mr. Yanovsky became disenchanted with the musical direction of the group in 1967, and departed that summer after recording the single Six O’Clock. He eventually returned to Canada, performing and composing as a solo artist, and opening a restaurant named Chez Piggy in Kingston, Ontario.

Diplomacy
The European Union announced that Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia would become members of the EU as of May 1, 2004.