November 3, 2014

1,975 years ago
39

Born on this date
Lucan. Roman poet. Marcus Annaeus Lucanus was best known for his 10-book epic Pharsalia.(61-65). He joined the conspiracy of Gaius Calpurnius Piso against Emperor Nero in 65, and was compelled to commit suicide on April 30, 65 at the age of 25.

1,370 years ago
644

Died on this date
Umar, 59 or 60. 2nd Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, 634-644. Umar ibn Al-Khattab was a senior companion of the prophet Muhammad, and succeeded Abu Bakr as caliph. The caliphate expanded under Umar's leadership, conquering the Levant, Egypt, and Persia. Umar visited Jerusalem in 637, and lifted the ban on Jews in Jerusalem that had been imposed by Christians. He died in Medina, three days after being stabbed by a Persian slave named Piruz Nahavandi--later known as Abu Lulu--whose motivation was not clear. On his deathbed, Umar appointed a six-man commission to select his successor; they chose Uthman ibn Affan.

325 years ago
1689

Born on this date
Josef Brentner. Bohemian composer. Mr. Brentner was known for choral works, many of which have been lost; most of those that survive date from 1716-1720. He died on June 28, 1742 at the age of 52.

175 years ago
1839

War
The first Opium War between China and Great Britain began.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Billy Barker. Canadian military aviator. Wing Commander Barker, a native of Dauphin, Manitoba, joined the Canadian Army soon after the beginning of World War I in 1914, and transferred to the British Royal Flying Corps in 1916. He was credited with one captured, two (and seven shared) balloons destroyed; 33 (and two shared) aircraft destroyed; and five aircraft "out of control," the highest "destroyed" ratio for any British aviator. W.C. Barker was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on October 27, 1918, when he downed four enemy aircraft despite being severely wounded. He went into business with fellow Canadian air ace Billy Bishop after the war, was acting director of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and served as the first president of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. W.C. Barker never completely recovered from his wounds, and became a heavy drinker. He was killed on March 12, 1930 at the age of 35 when he lost control of his Fairchild KR-21 biplane trainer during a demonstration flight for the RCAF at Air Station Rockcliffe, near Ottawa. W.C. Barker's funeral cortege in Toronto attracted 50,000 spectators, and was the largest national state event in the city's history. He remains the most decorated soldier in Canadian history.

Sofoklis Venizelos. Prime Minister of Greece, 1944; 1950; 1950-1951. Mr. Venizelos, a Liberal, was Prime Minister of the Greek government in exile in Cairo from April 13-26, 1944, and led two short-lived Liberal governments after becoming leader of the party in 1948. He died on February 7, 1964 at the age of 69.

80 years ago
1934

Football
CRU
IRFU
Hamilton (2-1-2) 0 @ Montreal (3-1-1) 13
Toronto (2-2-1) 14 @ Ottawa (1-4) 6

75 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Charles Tournemire, 69. French composer. Mr. Tournemire was an organist who wrote eight symphonies--one of them choral; four operas; 12 chamber works; and 18 piano solos. He was best known for his organ music, especially L'Orgue Mystique.

70 years ago
1944

War
Allied troops in Belgium occupied Antwerp. Soviet forces in Hungary captured Alsonemedi and were within 6 miles of Budapest. Two supreme commanders of the Slovak National Uprising, Generals Ján Golian and Rudolf Viest, were captured by German forces in Pohronský Bukovec, Slovakia. U.S. troops in the Philippines overran Carigara on the north coast of Leyte Island. Chinese troops captured Lungling in the Chinese province of Yunnan, the last major Allied objective in the drive to open the Burma Road. Japanese forces surrounded Kweilin the Chinese province of Kwangsi.

Politics and government
Spanish dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco, in an interview, claimed that Spain had never been Fascist or Nazi and had never been allied secretly or otherwise with Axis powers.

Aviation
The International Aviation Conference in Chicago adopted a resolution accepting the principle of international cooperation in postwar commercial aviation.

Health
U.S. Army Surgeon General Major General Norman Kirk said that the incidence of malaria had been reduced by one-quarter since the early part of World War II.

Economics and finance
The U.S. War Production Board authorized the production of 12,400 domestic electric ranges.

Labour
Officials of all major Congress of Industrial Organizations unions in Alameda, California issued a statement calling members of Local 1304 who were abstaining from machinist work on 82 ships in San Francisco "enemies of labor and of the nation."

60 years ago
1954

At the movies
Godzilla opened in theatres in Japan, marking the first appearance of the title character.

Died on this date
Henri Matisse, 84. French artist. Mr. Matisse was a painter and sculptor who was one of the major figures in 20th century modern art, and was often compared with Pablo Picasso. He was known for the use of colour in his paintings.

Football
CRU
ORFU
Finals
Sarnia 12 @ Kitchener-Waterloo 13 (OT) (Kitchener-Waterloo led best-of-three series 1-0)

Bob Celeri's 52-yard punt single was the only point of the 10-minute overtime period as the Dutchmen edged the Imperials. Sarnia had a chance to win the game in the last minute of regulation time, but Cookie Gilchrist's 25-yard field goal attempt was wide, and according to the ground rules in place at the stadium in Kitchener that was less-than-regulation size, the ball would have had to touch the field before going out of the end zone to count as a point. Instead, the kick sailed through on the fly. On the second-last play of overtime, Mr. Celeri lost a fumble on his own 39-yard line, and the Imperials recovered. Instead of attempting a punt for a single to tie the game, Mr. Gilchrist attempted another field goal. The kick was wide, and Mr. Celeri succeeded in running the ball out of the K-W end zone. The Dutchmen took a 12-0 lead in the 1st quarter on a 15-yard fumble return for a touchdown by tackle Jay Fry and a TD run by Bill Tonegusso, both converted by Paul Amodio. Mr. Gilchrist kicked field goals of 20 yards in the 2nd quarter and 49 yards in the 3rd. John Chorostecki scored a touchdown on a short rush in the 4th quarter, and Mr. Gilchrist's convert tied the game. The Sarnia defense also stopped the K-W offense on three downs from the Imperials' 1-yard line.

50 years ago
1964

Politics and government
Lyndon Johnson, who had taken office as President of the United States upon the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, was elected in his own right, capturing, with vice presidential running mate Hubert Humphrey, 486 electoral votes (61.1% of the popular vote) to 52 electoral votes (38.5%) for Republican Party candidate Barry Goldwater and running mate William Miller (see also here).

40 years ago
1974

Football
CFL
Toronto (6-9-1) 24 @ Hamilton (7-9) 26
Calgary (6-10) 9 @ Winnipeg (8-8) 19

The Tiger-Cats intercepted Mike Rae's first 2 passes as they took an early 17-0 lead and held on to defeat the Argonauts before 32,790 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium and beat them out of the third and last playoff spot in the Eastern Football Conference. It was the last game for Joe Moss as head coach of the Argonauts.

The Blue Bombers defeated the Stampeders before 16,569 fans at Winnipeg Stadium to clinch fourth place in the Western Football Conference in a rare game between two teams that had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Among players whose careers ended with this game were Calgary defensive back Larry Robinson and receiver Gerry Shaw, and Winnipeg running back Dave Buchanan and receiver Bob Kraemer.

NFL
Buffalo (7-1) 29 @ New England (6-2) 28
Cleveland (2-6) 35 @ San Diego (2-6) 36
Houston (3-5) 27 @ New York Jets (1-7) 22
Minnesota (6-2) 17 @ Chicago (3-5) 0
New Orleans (3-5) 14 @ Detroit (4-4) 19
Philadelphia (4-4) 0 @ Pittsburgh (6-1-1) 27
St. Louis (7-1) 14 @ Dallas (4-4) 17
Washington (5-3) 17 @ Green Bay (3-5) 6
Cincinnati (5-3) 24 @ Baltimore (1-7) 14
Oakland (7-1) 28 @ Denver (3-4-1) 17
New York Giants (2-6) 33 @ Kansas City (3-5) 27
Atlanta (2-6) 7 @ Miami (6-2) 42

The Dolphins' rout of the Falcons at the Orange Bowl was the last game for Norm Van Brocklin as Atlanta's head coach; he was fired and replaced by Marion Campbell. Mr. Van Brocklin had taken over as Atlanta's head coach after the third game of the 1968 season.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Sounds Like a Melody--Alphaville (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): I Just Called To Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Purple Rain--Prince and the Revolution

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Freedom--Wham! (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Freedom--Wham! (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder (4th week at #1)
2 Hard Habit to Break--Chicago
3 Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean
4 Purple Rain--Prince and the Revolution
5 Blue Jean--David Bowie
6 Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham!
7 Lucky Star--Madonna
8 Let's Go Crazy--Prince and the Revolution
9 Drive--The Cars
10 I'm So Excited--Pointer Sisters

Singles entering the chart were The Wild Boys by Duran Duran (#42); Run to You by Bryan Adams (#68); Concealed Weapons by J. Geils Band (#88); and Catch My Fall by Billy Idol (#89).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder (3rd week at #1)
2 Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham!
3 Let's Go Crazy--Prince and the Revolution
4 The Warrior--Scandal featuring Patty Smyth
5 Missing You--John Waite
6 The Glamorous Life--Sheila E.
7 Blue Jean--David Bowie
8 We're Not Gonna Take It--Twisted Sister
9 Drive--The Cars
10 Dynamite--Jermaine Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Walking on a Thin Line by Huey Lewis and the News (#86); Edge of a Dream by Joe Cocker (#89); Heaven's on Fire by Kiss (#90); We Belong by Pat Benatar (#91); I Feel for You by Chaka Khan (#94); I Can't Hold Back by Survivor (#98); and All We Are by Kim Mitchell (#99).

Football
CIAU
OQIFC
Semi-Finals
McGill 29 @ Queen's 65



WIFL
Saskatchewan (3-5) 7 @ Alberta (7-1) 29

Jeff Funtasz rushed 17 timed for 105 yards and 3 touchdowns to finish the season with 915 yards, breaking Dalton Smarsh’s 9-year-old team record for yards rushing in a single season. Mr. Funtasz’s first touchdown covered 54 yards in the first quarter. The other Alberta touchdown was scored by cornerback Sheldon Weinkauf on a 49-yard interception return. Steve Kasowski converted all 4 touchdowns, while Rick Magee added single. Saskatchewan quarterback Doug Siemens, who threw 4 interceptions, threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Joe Mahnic in the second quarter, converted by Greg Holtz. Mark Denesiuk, Joel Brown, and Darren Brezden, who all played quarterback for the Golden Bears, combined to throw 5 interceptions. Only 338 fans, including this blogger, were in attendance at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton to see the Golden Bears finish first in the west for the first time in 4 years.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Lambada--Kaoma (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Dorothy Fuldheim, 96. U.S. journalist. Mrs. Fuldheim, known as the "First Lady of Television News," was credited as the first woman in the United States to host a television news broadcast and to host her own TV show, on WEWS in Cleveland. She joined the station in 1947, before it went on the air, and became known for her interviews and for interspersing opinion with news items. Mrs. Fuldheim continued her career until 1984, when a stroke caused her retirement.

Basketball
NBA
Sarunas Marciulionis of the Golden State Warriors and Aleksandr Volkov of the Atlanta Hawks became the first players from the U.S.S.R. to play in a regular-season NBA game. Mr. Marciulionis, of Lithuania, scored 19 points against the Phoenix Suns, and Mr. Volkov, of Russia, was held scoreless against the Indiana Pacers.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Feeling So Real--Moby

Crime
Susan Smith of Union, South Carolina, was charged with the October 25 murders of her sons Michael, 3, and Alexander, 14 months. Mrs. Smith, a white woman, had told police that an armed Negro man had taken her car and driven off with the boys. Police, in charging Mrs. Smith, said that she had strapped the boys into safety seats, and had driven the car to the edge of a lake and allowed the car to roll downhill into the lake, drowning the boys.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Sergejs Žoltoks (Sergei Zholtok), 31. Latvian hockey player. Mr. Zholtok was a centre who played with six teams in 10 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1992-2004, scoring 111 goals and 147 assists in 588 games. He was playing for HK Riga 2000 in the Belorussian Hockey League when he left a game with 5 minutes remaining, and collapsed and died in the dressing room of a heart arrhythmia that had previously affected him.

Politics and government
Hamid Karzai was declared the winner of Afghanistan's first presidential election.