November 28, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Chris Milner and Dede Hill!

430 years ago
1582

Married on this date
William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway. The English playwright, 18, and Miss Hathaway, 26, were married in Stratford-upon-Avon.

150 years ago
1862

War
Union forces under General John Blunt drove Confederate forces commanded by General John Marmaduke back into the Boston Mountains in northwestern Arkansas in the Battle of Cane Hill in the U.S. Civil War.

100 years ago
1912

Died on this date
Justine Masson. Canadian woman. Miss Masson, a resident of Montreal, was known as the world's heaviest woman, weighing 780 pounds. Her weight apparently affected her mind, and she was taken in charge by Assistance Publique and committed to St. Jean de Dieu Asylum, where she died. It was said that in fits of insanity Miss Masson would break down the walls of the rooms in which she was held, and it was necessary to build a special house for her outside the main building.

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): White Christmas--Bing Crosby (5th week at #1)

Football
CRU
Eastern Final
(Ottawa) Uplands RCAF 13 @ Toronto RCAF 18

Bill Stukus threw 2 touchdown passes as the Hurricanes defeated the Flyers before 10,000 fans at Varsity Stadium to advance to the Grey Cup. Toronto jumped to an early lead in the first quarter when Eddie Thompson returned a short punt 20 yards for a touchdown and converted to give the Hurricanes a 6-0 lead. In the 2nd quarter, Thain Simon took a lateral from quarterback Bobby Coulter and rushed 16 yards for a touchdown for Uplands. Buddy Hellyer kicked the convert and the game was tied 6-6. Mr. Coulter then lateralled to Mr. Hellyer on a punt return, and Mr. Hellyer covered 45 yards. However, Mr. Simon fumbled, and Toronto recovered. Mr. Stukus moved the Hurricanes downfield and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Fred Kijek. Don Crowe converted to give the Hurricanes a 12-6 lead. Ottawa's Tony Golab missed a field goal that went for a single to make the score 12-7. The Flyers then blocked one of Mr. Kijek's punts, and the ball bounced into the Toronto end zone. Mr. Buell of the Flyers insisted that he had recovered for an Ottawa touchdown, but Mr. Wilson, the referee, ruled that the ball had crossed the dead ball line before Mr. Buell had recovered it, and ejected Mr. Buell for objecting so strenuously. The Flyers were credited with a safety touch on the play, and the Hurricanes led 12-9 at halftime. Mr. Kijek punted for a single to give Toronto a 13-9 lead early in the 3rd quarter, and then Mr. Stukus completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jack Parry. The convert was unsuccessful, leaving the Hurricanes ahead 18-9. Mr. Golab punted for a single and then kicked a field goal to make the score 18-13 after 3 quarters, and the 4th quarter was scoreless.

NCAA
Holy Cross (5-4-1) 55 Boston College (8-1) 12

Quarterback Johnny Grigas rushed for 2 touchdowns and passed for 2 more as the Crusaders routed the Eagles in one of the biggest upsets in college footall history. Going into the game, Boston College had posted 5 shutouts, allowed only 19 points, and had allowed an average of only 29 yards of offense per game, and had been chosen to play in the Sugar Bowl--a selection that was rescinded as a result of the loss. The Eagles had scheduled a post-game celebration at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, but the party was cancelled, which probably saved their lives (see below).

Disasters
492 people were killed and hundreds more injured in a fire at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston in the deadliest nightclub fire in American history.

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Here in My Heart--Al Martino (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Invigorating Air, starring Joseph Buloff

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Havergal Brian, 96. U.K. composer. Mr. Brian composed 32 symphonies, 21 of them after the age of 80. His best-known work is probably Gothic Symphony, composed between 1919 and 1927, but not performed until 1961.

Politics and government
U.S. President Richard Nixon, recently re-elected, began shuffling his cabinet in preparation for his upcoming second term in office. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Elliott Richardson was appointed Secretary of Defense, replacing Melvin Laird, who had resigned after earlier announcing his intention to serve only one term. Budget Director Caspar Weinberger replaced Mr. Richardson at HEW, while Roy Ash, former president of Litton Industries, took Mr. Weinberger’s place as Budget Director. Treasury Secretary George Shultz retained his post and was also designated as head of a new cabinet-level Council on Economic Policy in the White House. The moves were seen as ushering in an “age of managers” to trim the bureaucracy.

Disasters
58 of 76 people aboard a Japan Air Lines jet were killed when it crashed in flames and exploded two minutes after taking off from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on a trans-Siberian flight to Tokyo.

30 years ago
1982

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: The Beaumont Affair

Football
CFL
Grey Cup @ Exhibition Stadium, Toronto
Edmonton 32 Toronto 16

The Eskimos led 20-14 after an exciting 1st half and outscored the Argonauts 12-2 in a rain-soaked 2nd half to become the first—and so far only—team to win 5 straight Grey Cups. Dave Cutler opened the scoring for the Eskimos on a 38-yard field goal in the 1st quarter. Toronto took a 7-3 lead after the quarter on an 84-yard touchdown pass from Condredge Holloway to Emanuel Tolbert, who was playing his first game in a Toronto uniform after being acquired earlier in the season from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On the first play of the 2nd quarter, Edmonton quarterback Warren Moon threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly, converted by Mr. Cutler. Toronto came back with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mr. Holloway to Terry Greer. Dean Dorsey’s second convert of the game gave the Argonauts a 14-10 lead. Edmonton regained the lead on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Mr. Moon to Mr. Kelly at 9:08 of the 2nd quarter, converted by Mr. Cutler. Mr. Cutler kicked a 29-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining until halftime to give the Eskimos a 6-point lead. A downpour started at halftime, and the rain affected play for the remainder of the game. Edmonton running back Jim Germany fumbled at the Toronto 7-yard line, and Harold Woods recovered for the Argonauts. On the next play, Mr. Holloway completed a pass to Cedric Minter, who fumbled, and Dan Kepley recovered for the Eskimos on the Toronto 37-yard line. Neil Lumsden then rushed 1 yard for a touchdown on a third-down gamble to give the Eskimos a 26-14 lead. Mr. Cutler was wide on his convert attempt, becoming the first kicker to miss a convert in a Grey Cup since George Springate of the Montreal Alouettes exactly 12 years earlier. Mr. Cutler kicked field goals of 44 and 33 yards in the 4th quarter, and Edmonton punter Hank Ilesic conceded a safety touch with 2:10 remaining to close the scoring. Mr. Moon completed 21 of 33 passes for 319 yards, and led all rushers with 91 yards on 9 carries. Mr. Kelly caught 6 passes for 111 yards, while Mr. Greer caught 7 for 105, as did Mr. Minter. Mr. Holloway completed 17 of 35 passes for 319 yards. The Edmonton defense, led by tackle Dave Fennell, sacked Mr. Holloway 7 times, while Mr. Moon was sacked just once, despite pre-game boasting by the Toronto defensive line. It was the final game as a CFL head coach for Edmonton’s Hugh Campbell, who compiled a record of 81-22-5, for a record percentage of .773. It was also the final game for the legendary Maggie Cheshire—a favourite of this blogger—as a member of the Eskimos’ cheerleaders, the CHQT QT’s.

25 years ago
1987

30 years ago
1987

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

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Bad--Michael Jackson

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Faith--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Faith--George Michael (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): China in Your Hand--T'Pau (2nd week at #1)

#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 (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
2 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
3 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
4 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
5 Should've Known Better--Richard Marx
6 Faith--George Michael
7 Breakout--Swing Out Sister
8 Brilliant Disguise--Bruce Springsteen
9 We'll Be Together--Sting
10 Shake Your Love--Debbie Gibson

Singles entering the chart were Seasons Change by Expose (#64); Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac (#76); Push It by Salt-N-Pepa (#78); What's Too Much by Smokey Robinson (#81); Throwaway by Mick Jagger (#86); Criticize by Alexander O'neal (#87); Pump Up the Volume by M/A/R/R/S/ (#88); Could've Been by Tiffany (#89); and You and Me Tonight by Deja (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
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 Causing a Commotion--Madonna
8 It's a Sin--Pet Shop Boys
9 Brilliant Disguise--Bruce Springsteen
10 Here I Go Again--Whitesnake

Singles entering the chart were Dude (Looks Like a Lady) by Aerosmith (#91); Hazy Shade of Winter by the Bangles (#92); I Do You by the Jets (#95); and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man by Prince (#96).

Scandal
A Negro girl named Tawana Brawley was found covered with feces and wrapped in garbage bags in Wappingers Falls, New York, sparking a campaign of false accusations by race-baiter Al Sharpton and others.

Disasters
All 159 people aboard a South African jetliner were killed when it plunged into the Indian Ocean.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ai no Wave--Yumi Matsutoya

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Don't You Want Me--Felix (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Because the Night--Co.Ro featuring Tarlisa (4th week at #1)

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

#1 single in France (SNEP): Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie (2nd week at #1)

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

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

Singles entering the chart were 7 by Prince and the New Power Generation (#52); Wicked by Ice Cube (#56); Yesterdays by Guns N' Roses (#70); This Could Be the One by Bad Company (#82); Games by Chuckii Booker (#88); Love Can Move Mountains by Celine Dion (#90); Ain't Nobody Like You by Miki Howard (#95); and Something Good by Utah Saints (#96).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Song Instead of a Kiss--Alannah Myles (2nd 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 Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie
6 Walking on Broken Glass--Annie Lennox
7 Drive--R.E.M.
8 To Love Somebody--Michael Bolton
9 I Will Be Here for You--Michael W. Smith
10 Washed Away--Tom Cochrane

Singles entering the chart were When She Cries by Restless Heart (#77); Tumbleweed by Alannah Myles (#82); My Temptation by Vivienne Williams (#90); Flesh and Blood by Wilson Phillips (#96); Empty House by In and Out (#97); Bed of Roses by Rockhead (#98); and Hold Me in Your Arms by Southern Sons (#99).

10 years ago
2002

Terrorism
In attacks on Israeli targets in Kenya, two shoulder-fired missiles narrowly missed an Israeli charter plane carrying 261 Israelis that was taking off from Mombasa airport, and a car bomb destroyed an Israeli-owned seaside hotel, killing 10 Kenyans and 3 Israelis. Al-Qaeda was believed to be involved, although Kenyan authorities, who held a dozen foreigners for questioning, reported no clear links. In the wake of the attacks, more than 250 Israelis were flown back to Israel from Kenya.

Politics and government
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won a primary vote 56%-40% against Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a challenge over leadership of the Likud Party.

Health
The report by former Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow on Canada’s health care system was released, calling for a $15-billion infusion in federal funding by 2006, along with extensive modernization and streamlining. The report also stated that increasing private provisions was unnecessary.