December 5, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, King Rama IX of Thailand!

230 years ago
1782

Born on this date
Martin Van Buren. 8th President of the United States, 1837-1841. Mr. Van Buren was born in Kinderhook, New York. Among the positions he held before assuming the presidency were United States Senator from New York (1821-1828); Governor of New York (1829); U.S. Secretary of State (1829-1831); and Vice President of the United States (1833-1837). Mr. Van Buren died in Kinderhook on July 24, 1862 at the age of 79.

120 years ago
1892

Politics and government
Canadian Justice Minister John Thompson succeeded Sir John Abbott as Prime Minister of Canada. The native of Halifax became the first native of the Maritime provinces to become Prime Minister, and the first Roman Catholic Prime Minister. Mr. Abbott had succeeded Sir John A. Macdonald after Mr. Macdonald as Prime Minister 10 days after Mr. Macdonald had died in office on June 6, 1891, three months after the most recent federal election.

110 years ago
1902

Born on this date
Strom Thurmond. U.S. politician. Mr. Thurmond was Governor of South Carolina from 1947-1951 and represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954-1956 and again from 1956-2003. A Democrat when first elected, Mr. Thurmond opposed President Harry Truman's desegregation policies and ran for President of the United States in 1948 as the nominee of the States Rights Democratic Party--popularly known as "Dixiecrats"--winning four states and 39 electoral votes. Mr. Thurmond returned to the Democratic party, but switched his allegiance to the Republican Party in September 1964, and remained a Republican until his retirement on January 3, 2003. He died in his birthplace of Edgefield, South Carolina on June 26, 2003 at the age of 100.

80 years ago
1932

At the movies
The Death Kiss, directed by Edwin L. Marin, and starring David Manners, Adrienne Ames, and Bela Lugosi, received its premiere screening in San Bernardino, California.



70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): White Christmas--Bing Crosby (6th week at #1)

Sport
Willie Mosconi defeated Edwin Rudolph to clinch the world pocket billiards championship in Detroit.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Toronto RCAF Hurricanes 8 Winnipeg RCAF-Bombers 5

John Poplowski's 3-yard touchdown rush in the 3rd quarter provided the winning margin as the Hurricanes edged the RCAF-Bombers before 12,455 fans. Toronto led 2-0 at halftime on 2 singles in the 1st quarter: a 65-yard punt by Don Crowe, and a 47-yard punt by Fred Kijek. The Hurricanes narrowly escaped disaster in the 1st quarter when Eddie Thompson made a bad lateral, and Rube Ludwig recovered for Winnipeg on the Toronto 12-yard line. Winnipeg quarterback Wayne Sheley threw a pass intended for Ches McCance, and Mr. Thompson intercepted on his 2-yard line and returned it 65 yards to the Winnipeg 43. In the 3rd quarter, a series of passes culminated in a short touchdown pass from Mr. Sheley to Bill Boivin. Don Durno blocked Mr. McCance's convert attempt, leaving the RCAF-Bombers ahead 5-2. The Hurricanes then used their rushing game to great effect, and a 39-yard run by Mr. Crowe to the 3-yard line was immediately followed by Mr. Poplowski's touchdown. Mr. Crowe was wide on the convert attempt, leaving Toronto ahead 7-5 after 3 quarters. A 37-yard rush by Mr. Crowe in the 4th quarter put the Hurricanes into position for Mr. Crowe to punt for the game's final point. The Hurricanes rushed for 218 yards to 75 for the RCAF-Bombers, while Winnipeg outpassed Toronto 121 yards to 22. The game was transmitted by radio to Canadian military and government personnel in London at the Beaver Club and elsewhere.

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Here in My Heart--Al Martino (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Glacier Giant, starring Edith Fellows and Chester Morris

50 years ago
1962

Died on this date
Sophie Clark, 20. U.S. murder victim. Miss Clark was sexually assaulted and strangled with her nylon stockings in Boston, becoming the seventh victim of the Boston Strangler, and the first victim in a second wave of killings.

Boxing
Light heavyweight Eddie Cotton (43-13-1) won a unanimous 10-round decision over heavyweight Von Clay (17-9-2) at Seattle Center Arena.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: La Bamba--Los Lobos

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Faith--George Michael (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Faith--George Michael (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Way You Make Me Feel--Michael Jackson

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): China in Your Hand--T'Pau (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): China in Your Hand--T'Pau (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
2 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
3 Faith--George Michael
4 Should've Known Better--Richard Marx
5 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
6 Shake Your Love--Debbie Gibson
7 We'll Be Together--Sting
8 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
9 Is This Love--Whitesnake
10 Don't You Want Me--Jody Watley

Singles entering the chart were Tunnel of Love by Bruce Springsteen (#61); Say You Will by Foreigner (#66); You're All I Need by Motley Crue (#85); and In God's Country by U2 (#88).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany (2nd week at #1)
2 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
3 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
4 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
5 Faith--George Michael
6 Try--Blue Rodeo
7 Got My Mind Set on You--George Harrison
8 I've Been in Love Before--Cutting Crew
9 We'll Be Together--Sting
10 Causing a Commotion--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were I Need a Man by Eurythmics (#82); Tell it to My Heart by Taylor Dayne (#87); Tunnel of Love by Bruce Springsteen (#90); Say You Will by Foreigner (#91); Could've Been by Tiffany (#94); Crazy by Icehouse (#96); and Crying Out Loud for Love by the Box (#97).

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kurisumas ukyaroru no koroni ha--Junichi Inagaki (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Because the Night--Co.Ro featuring Tarlisa (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Sweat (A La La La La Long)--Inner Circle (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston
2 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
3 If I Ever Fall in Love--Shai
4 The (Elvis) Letter--Wayne Newton
5 Rump Shaker--Wreckx-N-Effect
6 I'd Die Without You--PM Dawn
7 Layla--Eric Clapton
8 End of the Road--Boyz II Men
9 Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap!
10 Good Enough--Bobby Brown

Singles entering the chart were It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day by S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. (#73); I Don't Care by Shakespear's Sister (#90); and These are Days by 10,000 Maniacs (#97). It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day was from the movie The Bodyguard (1992).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Song Instead of a Kiss--Alannah Myles (3rd week at #1)
2 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
3 Do You Believe in Us--Jon Secada
4 Layla--Eric Clapton
5 To Love Somebody--Michael Bolton
6 Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses--U2
7 Drive--R.E.M.
8 Keep the Faith--Bon Jovi
9 Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie
10 I'd Die Without You--PM Dawn

Singles entering the chart included Fare Thee Well Love by the Rankin Family (#89); I Wish the Phone Would Ring by Expose (#90); Jane's House by Sue Medley (#91); Harvest Moon by Neil Young (#93); and Some Folks by Kim Mitchell (#94).

Politics and government
Ralph Klein was elected leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party, taking 59.1% of the votes in the second ballot to defeat former Health Minister Nancy Betkowski at Northlands AgriCom in Edmonton. Mr. Klein was sworn in as Premier of Alberta nine days later, replacing retiring Premier Don Getty.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Ne Win, 91 or 92. Prime Minister of Burma, 1958-1960, 1962-1974; President of Burma, 1962-1981. Ne Win, a commander of the Burma National Army, founded the Burma Socialist Programme party and served as its chairman until 1988.

Roone Arledge, 71. U.S. television executive. Mr. Arledge was president of ABC Sports from 1968-1986 and ABC News from 1977-1998. He produced telecasts of American Football League games for ABC in the 1960s, as well as Wide World of Sports. Among the shows he created were Monday Night Football; ABC World News; Primetime; Nightline; and 20/20. Perhaps Mr. Arledge's most famous decision was to name Howard Cosell as one of the announcers for Monday Night Football, thus exposing him to a prime-time audience.

Scandal
At a 100th birthday celebration for fellow United States Senator Strom Thurmond (Republican--South Carolina), Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (Mississippi) attracted much criticism for praising Mr. Thurmond's 1948 U.S. presidential campaign as the nominee of the States Rights Democratic Party ("Dixiecrat"), which was largely run on the basis of support for racial segregation: "When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We’re proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over the years, either." Mr. Lott announced his resignation as Minority Leader 15 days later as a result of the controversy.