November 26, 2013

725 years ago
1288

Born on this date
Go-Daigo. Emperor of Japan, 1318-1339. Go-Daigo, born Takaharu-shinnō, acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his second cousin Emperor Hanazono. Go-Daigo overthrew the Kamagura shogunate in 1333 and established the Kenmu Restoration, which in turn was overthrown by the Ashikaga shogunate in 1336. He was the last Emperor to have real power until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Go_Daigo died on September 19, 1339 at the age of 50, and was succeeded on the throne by his son Emperor Go-Murakami.


160 years ago
1853

Born on this date
Bat Masterson. Canadian-born U.S. gambler and lawman. Bartholomew Masterson, a native of Henryville, Canada East, moved to the United States with his family as a child, and went to the Great Plains with his brothers in the 1870s to hunt buffalo and gamble. He was a U.S. Army scout in the mid-1870s, and settled in Dodge City, Kansas, where he was elected Ford County Sheriff in November 1877, and was involved in several incidents over the next few years. Mr. Masterson was appointed city marshal in Trinidad, Colorado in 1882, moved to Denver, and finally settled in New York City in 1902. He became a sportswriter and boxing timekeeper, and wrote tales of his adventures. Mr. Masterson died of a heart attack at his newsroom desk on October 25, 1921 at the age of 67, shortly after finishing a column for the New York Morning Telegraph.

140 years ago
1873

Born on this date
Tom Sharkey. U.S. boxer. "Sailor Tom" was a heavyweight who compiled a record of 49-9-6-1-1 in a professional career from 1893-1904, and is regarded as one of the hardest punchers in history. He won by disqualification over Bob Fitzsimmons on Dec. 2, 1896 in a bout that was billed as being for the world heavyweight title, with James J. Corbett currently inactive. Referee Wyatt Earp's decision to call a foul against Mr. Fitzsimmons after Mr. Sharkey was knocked down was heavily criticized, and the result was decided in court in favour of Mr. Sharkey. Mr. Sharkey lost a 20-round decision to Jim Jeffries in 1898, and a 25-round decision to Mr. Jeffries in 1899 in a challenge for the world title that Mr. Jeffries had won earlier in the year. Mr. Sharkey won by disqualification over Mr. Corbett in 1898, and was knocked out in 2 rounds by Mr. Fitsimmons in 1900. He died on April 17, 1953 at the age of 79.

130 years ago
1883

Died on this date
Sojourner Truth, 86 (?). U.S. feminist and abolitionist. Ms. Truth, born Isabella Baumfree, was a slave in New York who escaped in 1826. She eventually settled in Battle Creek, Michigan and spoke against slavery and in favour of women's rights, and aided the Union cause in the U.S. Civil War.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Ford Beebe. U.S. movie director and screenwriter. Mr. Beebe wrote and/or directed more than 200 films, specializing in "B" Westerns and action serials, in a career spanning 60 years. He died on November 26, 1978, his 90th birthday.

75 years ago
1938

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Rich Little!

The master impressionist was born in Ottawa, Ontario.

Football
IRFU
Finals
Toronto 5 @ Ottawa 3 (Toronto won 2-game total points series 14-4)

ORFU
Finals
Montreal 0 @ Sarnia 15 (Sarnia won 2-game total points series 24-5)

Annis Stukus kicked a 25-yard field goal in the 1st quarter and Bob Isbister punted for 2 singles later in the game as the Argonauts eliminated the Rough Riders before 13,000 fans at Lansdowne Park. The Ottawa points were scored in the 2nd half in unusual manners on kicking plays. Dave Sprague blocked one of Mr. Isbister's punts into the Toronto end zone in the 3rd quarter and the Argonauts recovered, giving Mr. Sprague a single. In the 4th quarter, Eddie Rocano's punt was fielded by Toronto's Art West in the field of play and he went back into his own end zone and was trapped for a safety touch.

The Imperials took a 13-0 lead in the 2nd quarter and coasted to victory over the Nationals before 4,000 fans in a snowstorm at Davis Field. The winning point came on the opening kickoff when Sarnia's Hugh "Bummer" Stirling returned the ball 80 yards to the Montreal 20-yard line and lateralled to Pat Parsons, who almost took it for a touchdown, but fumbled into the Montreal end zone, and Montreal's Jules Atcheson kicked it through the end zone for a single point. Mr. Stirling was ejected in the 2nd quarter--much to the displeasure of the fans--after the Imperials had built their big lead.

NCAA
Army 14 Navy 7 @ Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Edward "Butch" O'Hare, 29. U.S. aviator. Lieutenant Commander O'Hare became the United States Navy's first air ace on February 20, 1942 when he single-handedly attacked and shot down or disabled several Japanese bombers approaching his aircraft carrier. He was awarded the Medal of Honor two months later, becoming the USN's first recipient of the award. Lt. Cdr. O'Hare was killed when he was shot down by a Japanese torpedo bomber. In 1949, Orchard Depot Airport near Chicago was renamed O'Hare International Airport.

War
Bolivia declared war on the Axis and indicated her adherence to the Atlantic Charter. The Cairo Conference of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Chinese leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek ended with an Allied commitment to invade Burma in the near future, and at war's end to strip Japan of all Pacific islands occupied since 1914 and the territories "stolen" from China, such as the Pescadores, Formosa, and Manchuria. A detailed report by U.S. Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower on the conduct of General George Patton, read to the Senate, disclosed that Gen. Patton had "dealt roughly" with two hospitalized soldier victims of "battle anxiety" during the Sicilian campaign. Gen. Eisenhower described Gen. Patton's conduct as "unseemly and indefensible." U.S.S.R. forces captured Gomel in southern White Russia, the last German bastion east of the Dnieper River. Australian troops captured Satelberg, the last Japanese forward base in northeastern New Guinea. The British India Steam Navigation Company liner HMT Rohna was sunk by a Henschel Hs 293 guided glide bomb launched by a Luftwaffe aircraft in an air attack in the Mediterranean Sea north of Béjaïa, Algeria. Of the 1,138 men who were killed, 1,015 were U.S. personnel. The attack was the largest loss of U.S. troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 819 survivors were rescued. The U.S. Navy announced that 745 Japanese ships of all types had been sunk since the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department approved recent French action to ease tension in Lebanon, and expressed sympathy for the independence aspirations of both Lebanon and Syria.

Law
The U.S. Senate passed and sent to President Roosevelt a bill repealing the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Academia
The U.S. Office of Education reported that enrollment in colleges and other institutions of higher learning had declined 8% since 1942.

Economics and finance
U.S. Senator Hugh Butler (Republican--Nebraska) filed a report with the Senate on a trip he had made through 20 Latin American countries in which he charged that the U.S. government was "lavishing" more than $6 billion in "wasteful and unnecessary projects which are breeding hate, suspicion and contempt for this country."

United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration conference chairman Dean Acheson rejected an Indian request for aid, saying that the aid was for liberated countries only.

Labour
The regional office of the U.S. War Manpower Commission ordered a 48-hour work week in the Chicago area effective December 1, 1943.

Disasters
Earthquakes in Turkey killed 4,000 people and injured 3,000.

60 years ago
1953

Television
The U.K. House of Lords voted 157-87 in favour of the Conservative government's proposals for the introduction of commercial television in Great Britain.

50 years ago
1963

On television tonight
The Fugitive, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Nightmare at Northoak, with guest stars Nancy Wickwire, Frank Overton, and Paul Carr

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Angie--Rolling Stones (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Les vieux mariés--Michel Sardou

Died on this date
Albert DeSalvo, 42. U.S. criminal. Mr. DeSalvo confessed to being the Boston Strangler, who killed 13 women in the Boston area between June 1962 and January 1964, but later retracted the confession. He was never convicted of any of the Boston Strangler killings, but was sentenced to life in prison in 1967 for assaults on four other women, as well as burlgary and armed robbery. Mr. DeSalvo was found stabbed to death in the infirmary at Massachusetts Correctional Institution—Walpole in Walpole, Massachusetts.

Labour
A marathon negotiation session that had begun at 3 P.M. the previous day resulted in a tentative pact producing a 48-hour delay, averting a transit strike in Edmonton. The agreement was reached at 3:54 A.M., just 6 minutes before a deadline imposed by Local 569 of the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union.

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average declined 29.05 points, with all 30 blue-chip stocks showing a decline. It was the largest single-day decline since May 28, 1962. Prices on the Toronto Stock Exchange declined across a broad front with losses outnumbering gains by more than 4-1 in active mid-morning trading. The Montreal Stock Exchange was lower in light trading.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Comment ça va--The Shorts (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew--The Rock Steady Crew

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Uptown Girl--Billy Joel (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Uptown Girl--Billy Joel (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): All Night Long (All Night)--Lionel Richie (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 All Night Long (All Night)--Lionel Richie
2 Say Say Say--Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
3 Islands in the Stream--Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton
4 Uptown Girl--Billy Joel
5 Cum On Feel the Noize--Quiet Riot
6 Love is a Battlefield--Pat Benatar
7 Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler
8 One Thing Leads to Another--The Fixx
9 Say it Isn't So--Daryl Hall-John Oates
10 Heart and Soul--Huey Lewis and the News

Singles entering the chart were Running with the Night by Lionel Richie (#55); That's All by Genesis (#69); In the Mood by Robert Plant (#82); Send Me an Angel by Real Life (#83); The Sign of Fire by the Fixx (#86); and State of the Nation by Industry (#88).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 All Night Long (All Night)--Lionel Richie
2 Islands in the Stream--Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton
3 In a Big Country--Big Country
4 Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)--Sheena Easton
5 Uptown Girl--Billy Joel
6 Say Say Say--Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
7 True--Spandau Ballet
8 Modern Love--David Bowie
9 Making Love Out of Nothing at All--Air Supply
10 Crumblin' Down--John Cougar Mellencamp

Singles entering the chart were Blue World by the Moody Blues (#45); Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder (#47); You Don't Believe by Alan Parsons Project (#49); and Tender is the Night by Jackson Browne (#50).

World events
The government of El Salvador cracked down on 21 military and security men who were suspected of having ties to death squads that had murdered thousands of Communists, labour leaders, advocates of land reform, and other civilians.

Crime
An armed gang stole £25 million worth of gold bullion from the Brinks Mat warehouse near Heathrow Airport in London.

Canadiana
Pam Dennis, a 20-year-old nurse at McMaster University Medical Centre, was named Miss Grey Cup 1983 in Vancouver. Miss Dennis represented the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I Don't Want Your Love--Duran Duran (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Teardrops--Womack & Womack (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Teardrops--Womack & Womack (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Amor de mis amores--Paco (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): First Time--Robin Beck

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): First Time--Robin Beck (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Bad Medicine--Bon Jovi (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Bad Medicine--Bon Jovi
2 Desire--U2
3 Wild, Wild West--Escape Club
4 Kissing a Fool--George Michael
5 How Can I Fall?--Breathe
6 Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby)--Will to Power
7 Look Away--Chicago
8 I Don't Want Your Love--Duran Duran
9 The Loco-Motion--Kylie Minogue
10 Walk on Water--Eddie Money

Singles entering the chart were Holding On by Steve Winwood (#54); Born to Be My Baby by Bon Jovi (#66); As Long as You Follow by Fleetwood Mac (#72); Walking Away by Information Society (#78); Kiss by The Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones (#87); My Song by Glass Tiger (#89); and Cross My Heart by Eighth Wonder (#90).

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz denied Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat permission to travel to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly because of his "association with terrorism."

Law
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet declared illegal the November 16 declaration by Estonia's Supreme Soviet that it had the right to veto national legislation affecting Estonia.

Religion
This blogger and fellow observer Chris Milner attended a performance by disgraced televangelist Peter Popoff at the Chateau Lacombe hotel in Edmonton. Mr. Popoff claimed that he had prayed that a recently-deceased man who was being transported for burial would be raised to life. According to Mr. Popoff, the man woke up in the hearse, and the driver of the hearse, a backslidden Pentecostal preacher, promptly pulled the car over, got down on his knees, and rededicated himself to the Lord. I found that story very hard to believe.

10 years ago
2003

War
The first formal cease-fire between India and Pakistan in the disputed state of Kashmir went into effect.

Diplomacy
While stopping short of recommending sanctions, the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution censuring Iran over its nuclear program.