November 21, 2013

230 years ago
1783

Aviation
Frenchmen Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes made the first free flight in a Montgolfier balloon, reaching a peak altitude of about 3,000 feet and traveling about 5 1/2 miles in 25 minutes. They took off from the garden of the Château de la Muette in the Bois de Boulogne, in the presence of King Louis XVI, and landed at the Butte-aux-Cailles, then on the outskirts of Paris.

175 years ago
1838

War
The United States government said that Americans entering Canada in violation of the U.S. neutrality law would not be given protection, effectively ending the activities of the Hunters Lodges and other republican factions who were rebelling against authorities in Upper and Lower Canada.

75 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Leopold Godowsky, 68. Lithuanian-born U.S. musician and composer. Mr. Godowsky was almost completely self-taught, and began playing piano and violin as a child. He moved to the United States at the age of 20, continuing his career as a popular concert pianist, and becoming a teacher of piano. As a composer, Mr. Godowsky was best known for his Java Suite and transcriptions of works by other composers, especially 53 Studies on Chopin's Études. Mr. Godowsky suffered a series of personal tragedies in the 1920s, and had a severe stroke in 1930, leaving him partially paralyzed. He died of stomach cancer.

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
J. William Ditter, 55. U.S. politician. Mr. Ditter, a Republican, represented Pennsylvania's 17th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1933 until his death in a plane crash.

War
A Japanese force of 80,000 made progress toward Changteh in China.

World events
The Honduran government thwarted a plot to assassinate President General Tiburcio Carias Andino.

French authorities released Lebanese President Bechara el Khoury, Prime Minister Riad Solh, and two other ministers in order to relieve tension there; Messrs. Khooury and Solh had been arrested 10 days earlier on the orders of Charles de Gaulle, reportedly for favouring immediate Lebanese independence.

60 years ago
1953

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)--Les Paul and Mary Ford (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rags to Riches--Tony Bennett (Best Seller--1st week at #1); You, You, You--The Ames Brothers (Disc Jockey--4th week at #1; Jukebox--5th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Eh, Cumpari--Julius LaRosa
2 Rags to Riches--Tony Bennett
3 Ebb Tide--Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra
4 Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)--Les Paul and Mary Ford
5 You, You, You--The Ames Brothers
6 St. George and the Dragonet--Stan Freberg
7 Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)--Teresa Brewer
8 Many Times--Eddie Fisher
9 You Alone (Solo Tu)--Perry Como
10 Oh!--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt (#19); Stranger in Paradise by Tony Bennett (#21); Changing Partners by Patti Page (#32); A Baby Cried by Lou Monte (#41); Marie by the Four Tunes (#43); and Don't Forget to Write by June Valli (#46).

Boxing
Sonny Liston (3-0) won a 6-round split decision over Bennie Thomas (5-2) in a heavyweight bout at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis.

Football
CRU
WIFU-ORFU
Grey Cup Semi-Final
Toronto Balmy Beach 4 @ Winnipeg 24

The Blue Bombers set a still-standing record by playing their sixth playoff game, defeating Balmy Beach before 15,000 fans at Winnipeg Stadium to advance to the Grey Cup. It was the first time that the ORFU champions had played the WIFU champions for the right to go to the Grey Cup; for years, the ORFU champions had played the IRFU champions in the eastern final, but those games were no longer profitable, and Balmy Beach was happy to receive $16,000 as its share for playing the western champions.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): You'll Never Walk Alone--Gerry and the Pacemakers (4th week at #1)

Politics and government
U.S. President John F. Kennedy arrived in San Antonio, Texas (see also here and here), and was welcomed at the airport by 120,000 people. He dedicated the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base Medical Center and visited the laboratory there before flying to Houston, where he was welcomed by 100,000 people. President Kennedy had a heated discussion in his hotel room with Vice President Lyndon Johnson regarding a rift between Senator Ralph Yarborough and Governor John Connally--both Democrats from Texas--and had dinner in his suite with Houston Chronicle publisher J. Howard Creekmore. Mr. Kennedy then spoke at a meeting of the League of United Latin American Citizens before addressing a testimonial dinner at Sam Houston Coliseum honouring veteran Democratic Congressman Albert Thomas. President Kennedy then flew to Fort Worth, where he, his wife Jacqueline, and their party checked into a three-room sute at the Texas Hotel.









Business
Former U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and actress Joan Crawford were in Dallas for a function of Pepsi-Cola Company, of whose board of directors they were members.



40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: I'd Love You to Want Me--Lobo

Died on this date
Matilda Allison, 85. U.S. teacher and civil servant. Miss Allison was permanently blinded by an injury at the age of 7. She became a teacher of newly-blind war veterans in California, and in 1919 became the first blind person in California, and possibly the United States, to pass a civil service examination. Miss Allison taught braille transcription and office skills.

Scandal
The White House disclosed that there was a gap of 18½ minutes in the tape of a conversation between U.S. President Richard Nixon and aide Bob Haldeman on June 20, 1972, three days after the break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Presidential counsel Fred Buzhardt said that White House tests could not provide any explanation for the gap, which did contain "an audible tone," but no conversation.

Politics and government
Seven weeks of negotiations between U.K. Secretary of State for Ulster William Whitelaw and Northern Ireland political leaders culminated in a compromise plan to create an 11-man executive body in which Protestants and Roman Catholics would share power.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (5th week at #1)

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros

Died on this date
Carl Hubbell, 85. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Hubbell, who was known for having the screwball as his main pitch, played with the New York Giants from 1928-1943, compiling a record of 253-154 with an earned run average of 2.98 in 535 games, batting .191 with 4 home runs and 101 runs batted in. He led or co-led the National League in wins three times; in winning percentage twice; and in earned run average three times. Mr. Hubbell set a major league record with 24 consecutive wins from 1936-1937, and was named the NL's Most Valuable Player in 1933 and 1936. He pitched a no-hitter in 1929, and in the 1934 Major League All-Star Game struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in succession. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. Mr. Hubbell was the New York/San Francisco Giants' director of player development from 1943-1978, and was a scout with the team after that until his death from injuries suffered in a car accident, oddly, 30 years to the day after his teammate, Mel Ott, and from the same cause.

Politics and government
The Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney won a second consecutive majority of seats in the House of Commons in the Canadian federal election. The PCs won 169 of 295 seats to 83 for the Liberals, who remained as the official opposition. The New Democratic Party won 43 seats. The PCs won 43% of the popular vote to 32% for the Liberals and 20% for the NDP. The election had been fought mainly over the issue of free trade with the United States, which was favoured by the PCs and opposed by the Liberals and NDP. It was the first election for the Reform Party of Canada, a western-based conservative party. Reform won no seats, but took about 15% of the vote in Alberta. Reform Party leader Preston Manning put up a strong battle against former Prime Minister Joe Clark in the Alberta riding of Yellowhead. It was the last election in which the Social Credit party fielded candidates; they contested only 9 ridings, winning a total of just 3,407 votes and not coming close to winning any seats. Among the successful PC candidates was Scott Thorkelson in Edmonton Strathcona, who won with only 32% of the vote, the lowest share of any federal PC candidate in Alberta in 20 years. Mr. Thorkelson, who had failed in an attempt to be elected president of the University of Alberta Student Union in 1980, won despite committing such blunders as going door-knocking on Halloween. Another successful first-time candidate was Kim Campbell of the Progressive Conservatives, a former cabinet minister in the Social Credit government of British Columbia, who barely won in Vancouver Centre, finishing just 269 votes ahead of NDP candidate Johanna Den Hertog.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Sweat (A La La La La Long)--Inner Circle (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Bill Bixby, 59. U.S. actor. Mr. Bixby was known for his supporting role in the television comedy series My Favorite Martian (1963-1966) and his starring roles in the television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969-1972) and The Incredible Hulk (1978-1982). He died of prostate cancer.

Art
A piece of street sculpture in Edmonton was rescued by its artist after being sold as scrap metal.

Football
CFL
Eastern Final
Hamilton 19 @ Winnipeg 20

Western Final
Edmonton 29 @ Calgary 15

Troy Westwood's fourth field goal of the game with 21 seconds remaining in regulation time gave the Blue Bombers their win over the Tiger-Cats before 23,332 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Paul Osbaldiston kicked 4 field goals for the Tiger-Cats, but his 44-yard field goal attempt into the wind on the final play fell short. Winnipeg's only touchdown came in the 1st quarter on a 3-yard pass from Sammy Garza to Gerald Wilcox on a third-down gamble. Most of Hamilton's scoring came in the 2nd quarter, when Dave Dinnall rushed 4 yards for a touchdown and Paul Osbaldiston converted and added 3 field goals to give the Tiger-Cats a 19-13 lead, which held through a scoreless 3rd quarter. Bob Cameron punted 68 yards for a single early in the 4th quarter to reduce the deficit to 19-14 before Mr. Westwood kicked his last 2 field goals.



Damon Allen threw 4 touchdown passes as the Eskimos spoiled the Stampeders' plans to defend their Grey Cup championship at home, defeating their provincial rivals before 20,218 fans at McMahon Stadium in one of the coldest games in history. The temperature was -21 C, with the windchill reaching -35. The Stampeders scored their only touchdown just 3 minutes into the game on a 64-yard punt return by PeeWee Smith. Mark McLoughlin converted and added a field goal to give Calgary a 10-0 lead after the 1st quarter. Glenn Harper punted for a single to get the Eskimos on the scoreboard, and Damon Allen completed a 73-yard pass to Jim Sandusky for a touchdown, converted by Sean Fleming. Mr. McLoughlin added another field goal to give the Stampeders a 13-8 halftime lead on a snow-covered field. Groundskeepers cleared the field at halftime, which seemed to help the Edmonton offense, as they used the strong running of Lucius Floyd to control the ball in the 2nd half. Mr. Allen completed another TD pass to Mr. Sandusky in the 3rd quarter, and Mr. Fleming's convert gave the Eskimos a 15-13 lead after 3 quarters. In the 4th quarter, Mr. Allen connected with Eddie Brown, who carried several Calgary defenders across the goal line to complete a 32-yard touchdown pass. Mr. Allen then found Henry "Gizmo" Williams for a 37-yard gain, and then completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jay Christensen. The Stampeders scored their final points in the dying seconds when Mr. Harper conceded a safety touch. Edmonton head coach Ron Lancaster, who had played in his share of cold-weather games, said this was the coldest game he was ever involved in. This blogger was supposed to be there, but I got only a block away from home in Edmonton--where the weather was similar--when the wind whipped up, bringing back memories of a cold game many years earlier, and I turned around and went back to bed.