November 23, 2013

175 years ago
1838

Born on this date
Stephanos Skouloudis. Prime Minister of Greece, 1915-1916. Mr. Skouloudis was a successful businessman and banker before becoming a diplomat and politician. A member of the New Party, he was first elected to Parliament in 1881. Mr. Skouloudis was appointed as Prime Minister by King Constantine I during a time of national division over Greece's role in World War I, and former Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos's attempt to form a rival government. Mr. Skouloudis was unsuccessful, and was removed by King Constantine in favour of Alexandros Zaimis, whom Mr. Skouloudis had replaced. When the King abdicated in 1917 and Mr. Venizelos returned to power, Mr. Skouloudis was convicted of collaboration with the Central Powers, and served three years prison before his sentence was commuted and he was pardoned. He died on August 19, 1928 at the age of 89.

150 years ago
1863

War
In the U.S. Civil War, the Battle of Chattanooga began in Tennessee.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Harpo Marx. U.S. comedian. Born Adolph Marx (he later changed his first name to Arthur), Mr. Marx, the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers, was given his nickname because he played the harp. He was known for never speaking during the Marx Brothers' performances, and for wearing a blond wig and an overcoat full of various props, such as a bicycle horn. Mr. Marx died on September 28, 1964 at the age of 75.

120 years ago
1893

Football
CRU
Dominion Final
Queen's College 29 @ Montreal 11

110 years ago
1903

Opera
Italian singer Enrico Caruso made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, appearing in Rigoletto.

70 years ago
1943

War
In the face of concentrated German attacks, Soviet forces fell back in the sector west of Kiev. U.K. forces in Italy captured Alfedena in the the centre of the trans-peninsular line and a nearby road junction. United States forces seized control of the Tarawa and Makin atolls from the Japanese; American dead in the battle numbered 5,500. Chinese defenders at Changteh in central China repulsed a Japanese assault, killing more than 5,000 enemy troops.

Politics and government
Acting French delegate to Lebanon Yves Chataigneau announced that the Chamber of Deputies had repealed the ordinance suspending the French mandate in Lebanon.

Protest
More than 1,000 labour delegates demonstrated outside the British Parliament, demanding the removal of Home Secretary Herbert Morrison for releasing British Fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley.

Scandal
Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned Philadelphia Phillies' owner Bill Cox from organized baseball for betting on his own team.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Sugar Shack--Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs

#1 single in France: Pour Moi la Vie Va Commencer--Johnny Hallyday (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Se mi vuoi lasciare--Michele (9th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Vom Stadtpark die Laternen--Gitte and Rex Gildo (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): She Loves You--The Beatles

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'm Leaving it Up to You--Dale & Grace

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I'm Leaving it Up to You--Dale & Grace
2 Deep Purple--Nino Tempo & April Stevens
3 Sugar Shack--Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
4 It's All Right--The Impressions
5 Dominique--The Singing Nun
6 She's a Fool--Lesley Gore
7 Washington Square--The Village Stompers
8 Maria Elena--Los Indios Tabajaras
9 Everybody--Tommy Roe
10 Bossa Nova Baby--Elvis Presley

Singles entering the chart were Quicksand by Martha and the Vandellas (#80); Rags to Riches by Sunny & the Sunliners (#87); Popsicles and Icicles by the Murmaids (#88); Turn Around by Dick and DeeDee (#93); Stop Foolin' by Brook Benton and Damita Jo (#94); Ally Ally Oxen Free by the Kingston Trio (#95); The Impossible Happened by Little Peggy March (#96); Now! by Lena Horne (#97); I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying by the Miracles (#99); and That Boy John by the Raindrops (#100).

On the radio
Sherlock Holmes, starring Fridtjof Hansen Mjoen and Arne Bang-Hansen, on Norsk Rikskringkasting (Norwegian State Broadcasting Corporation)
Tonight's episode: Musgrave-ritualet (The Musgrave Ritual)

Politics and government
The day after assuming office upon the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson began carrying out his duties as the 36th President of the United States of America.

Crime
Canadians R.D. Lippert and W.D. Milne, arrested in Cuba in October, were tried for smuggling explosives and endangering Cuban security. Mr. Milne was freed, while Mr. Lippert was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Football
CFL
Western Finals
Saskatchewan 1 @ British Columbia 36 (British Columbia won best-of-three series 2-1)

The Lions routed the Roughriders on a rain-soaked field before 25,603 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver to advance to the Grey Cup for the first time in their 10-year history.

NCAA
Oklahoma 20 @ Nebraska 29

The Cornhuskers defeated the Sooners at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln to clinch the Big Ten championship in one of the few sports events to take place in the United States on the day following the assassination of President Kennedy. The game was telecast on the Hastings, Nebraska station KHAS.



40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: The Ballroom Blitz--The Sweet

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): I'd Love You to Want Me--Lobo (3rd week at #1)

Music
The album Ringo by Ringo Starr was released on Apple Records. The album featured three hit singles: Photograph; You're Sixteen; and Oh My My.

30 years ago
1983

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. withdrew from the talks with the U.S.A. in Geneva on reducing the number of intermediate-range nuclear missiles. The Soviets had repeatedly threatened to withdraw if the North Atlantic Treaty Organization proceeded with its deployment of U.S. missiles.

The U.S. administration of President Ronald Reagan announced that it would provide Grenada with $30 million in military and economic aid.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Labor Department reported that the Consumer Price Index had increased 0.4% in October.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Sarah--Mauro Scocco (2nd week at #1)

At the movies
Scrooged, directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, and starring Bill Murray, opened in theatres.



Scandal
In a televised address, former South Korean President Chun Doo Hwan admitted responsibility for corruption during his presidency of 1979-1987, and said he would return his accumulated wealth, $3 million in personal property and $20 million in political donations. Mr. Chun said he would enter exile at an undisclosed location in South Korea.

Politics and government
U.S. Vice-President and President-elect George Bush named retired Air Force general Brent Scowcroft as his choice to for the position of national security adviser. Mr. Scowcroft had held the same position under President Gerald Ford in the mid-1970s.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan announced that he would pocket-veto a bill that would have tightened restrictions on lobbying by former government officials. Mr. Reagan said the bill, which would have imposed restrictions on members of Congress and would have permanently barred contact by most ex-White House staffers and high U.S. officials with any government executives, excessive and discriminatory, arguing that it would discourage qualified people from entering government service.

Disasters
Five days of heavy rainfall in southern Thailand that had resulted in floodwaters, mudslides, and heavy logs sweeping through low-lying villages ended with nearly 1,000 deaths.

Hockey
NHL
Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings, playing against the Detroit Red Wings, scored his 600th career NHL goal.



20 years ago
1993

Labour
Members of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants returned to work five days after going on strike against American Airlines, and one day after U.S. President Bill Clinton and members of his administration had been successful in getting the airline and union to agree to arbitration.

10 years ago
2003

Politics and government
Eduard Shevardnadze resigned as President of Georgia after three weeks of demonstrations that began after November 2 parliamentary elections, which were alleged to be rigged.