December 22, 2014

1,770 years ago
244

Born on this date
Diocletian. Emperor of the Roman Empire, 284-305. Diocletian, a native of Croatia, was a cavalry commander who was proclaimed Emperor after the deaths of Emperor Carus and Carus's son Numerian during a campaign in Persia. Diocletian governed as an autocrat, but succeeded in delegating responsibility and bringing stability to the government. He was best known for his persecution of Christians (303-312), which was the largest and bloodiest persecution of Christians by Roman authorities. As with other persecutions, it failed to eradicate Christianity within the Empire. Diocletian voluntarily abdicated in 305 because of illness, and died on December 3, 311 or 312, 19 days before his 67th or 68th birthday.

175 years ago
1839

Born on this date
John Nevil Maskelyne. U.K. magician and inventor. Mr. Maskelyne worked as a stage magician for more than 40 years, inventing illusions that are still used today. He was skeptical of claims of supernatural powers, and founded the Occult Committee in 1914 to expose those he regarded as frauds. Mr. Maskelyne's book Sharps and Flats: A Complete Revelation of the Secrets of Cheating at Games of Chance and Skill (1894) is still considered a standard work. He invented the pay toilet and other devices of the Victorian era. Mr. Maskelyne died on May 18, 1917 at the age of 77.

150 years ago
1864

War
In the U.S. Civil War, Union Army General William T. Sherman sent a message to President Abraham Lincoln from Georgia, saying, "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah," concluding Gen. Sherman's "March to the Sea."

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
George Hutson. U.K. runner. Mr. Hutson won bronze medals in the men's 5000-metre run and the 3000-metre team race at the 1912 Summer Olympic Games in Stockholm. He died on September 14, 1914 at the age of 34 when he was killed in the Battle of the Marne while serving as a sergeant with the Royal Sussex Regiment.

Carroll Reece. U.S. politician. Mr. Reece, a Republican, represented Tennessee's 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1921-1931, 1933-1947, 1951-1961), and was chairman of the Republican National Committee (1946-1948). He led the House's Reece Committee (1954),, originally the Cox Committee (1952-1953), which investigated the use of funds by tax-exempt organizations (non-profit organizations) to see if they were being used to support Communism. Mr. Reece's commission concluded, "Some of the larger foundations have directly supported 'subversion' in the true meaning of that term--namely, the process of undermining some of our vitally protective concepts and principles. They have actively supported attacks upon our social and governmental system and financed the promotion of socialism and collectivist ideas." Mr. Reece died of lung cancer on March 19, 1961 at the age of 71, shortly after beginning his 18th term as a Congressman.

Minor Watson. U.S. actor. Mr. Watson was a character actor who appeared in 113 movies from 1913-1956. He died on July 28, 1965 at the age of 75.

120 years ago
1894

Abominations
French Army Captain Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism.

Golf
The United States Golf Association, which sets the rules for the game in addition to administering the United States Open, was founded in New York City at a meeting of delegates from five clubs: Newport (Rhode Island) Golf Club; St. Andrew's Golf Club in Yonkers, New York; The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts; Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York; and Chicago Golf Club.

90 years ago
1924

Hockey
NHL
Babe Dye scored 5 goals as the Toronto St. Patricks routed the Boston Bruins 10-2 at Mutual Street Arena in Toronto.

75 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Ma Rainey, 53 or 57. U.S. singer. Mrs. Rainey was billed as the "Mother of the Blues," and was one of the first blues singers to record, making over 100 recordings from 1923-1928, including Bo-Weevil Blues (1923); See See Rider Blues (1924); and Black Bottom (1927). She recorded with Louis Armstrong and toured until her retirement in 1935. Mrs. Rainey died of a heart attack.

Protest
Indian Muslims observed a "Day of Deliverance" to celebrate the resignations of members of the Indian National Congress over their not having been consulted over the decision to enter World War II with the United Kingdom.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Harry Langdon, 60. U.S. actor. Mr. Langdon was one of the most popular comedy performers of the silent film era, starring in movies such as The Strong Man (1926); Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926); and Long Pants (1927). His career began to decline after he took over the directing chores for his own pictures, and most of his performances took place in short and low-budget movies. Mr. Langdon was one of the writers of the Laurel and Hardy movies Block-Heads (1938); The Flying Deuces (1939); A Chump at Oxford (1940); and Saps at Sea (1940), and co-starred with Oliver Hardy in Zenobia (1939). Mr. Langdon died from a cerebral hemorrhage.

War
The office of U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that 250,000 more fighting men would have to be found for Britain's armies in 1945. During the Battle of the Bulge, Germany demanded the surrender of American troops at Bastogne, Belgium; U.S. Army Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe reportedly replied: "Nuts!" The U.S.S.R. threw about 240,000 troops into battle in Latvia. Japanese troops retreating through the Chinese province of Kwangsi stiffened their resistance at Hochih, 95 miles northwest of Liuchow. The Vietnam People's Army was formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indochina.

50 years ago
1964

On television tonight
The Fugitive, starring David Janssen, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Devil's Carnival, with guest stars Philip Abbott, Warren Oates, Dee Pollock, and Madeleine Sherwood

Defense
The first test flight of the Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" reconnaissance plane took place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

Transportation
The Eastern Townships Autoroute opened in Quebec.

40 years ago
1974

Died on this date
Sterling North, 68. U.S. author. Mr. North was best known for his children's novel Rascal (1963).

Africana
Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli voted to become the independent nation of Comoros. Mayotte remained under French administration.

Terrorism
The Irish Republican Army was blamed for a bomb that was thrown at the London home of former British Prime Minister Edward Heath. Mr. Heath was away, but returned home 10 minutes later.

Hockey
NHL
Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins became the sixth player to score 500 career goals.

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Buffalo 14 @ Pittsburgh 32

NFC Divisional Playoff
Washington 10 @ Los Angeles 19

Franco Harris rushed 24 times for 74 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Steelers, led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw, rolled up 438 yards in net offense as they defeated the Bills before 49,841 fans at Three Rivers Stadium. Pittsburgh's Roy Gerela opened the scoring with a 21-yard field goal, but Buffalo quarterback Joe Ferguson completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Paul Seymour, and John Leypoldt's convert gave the Bills a 7-3 lead after the 1st quarter. The Steelers erupted for 4 touchdowns--only 2 of them converted--in the 2nd quarter, beginning with a 27-yard pass from Mr. Bradshaw to Rocky Bleier. Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson, who was held to 49 yards rushing for the game, scored the only touchdown of the 2nd half on a 3-yard pass from Mr. Ferguson in the 3rd quarter.

The Rams trailed the Redskins 10-7 in the 3rd quarter before 77,925 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the Los Angeles defense recovered 2 Washington fumbles and David Ray kicked 2 field goals to give the Rams a 13-10 lead, before linebacker Isiah Robertson intercepted a Sonny Jurgensen pass in the 4th quarter and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown to clinch the victory. The Rams opened the scoring in the 1st quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from James Harris to Bob Klein, converted by Mr. Ray. The Redskins replied with a 35-yard field goal by Mike Bragg in the 1st quarter and a 1-yard touchdown rush by Moses Denson in the 2nd quarter, converted by Mr. Bragg.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I Just Called To Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): When The Rain Begins To Fall--Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): When The Rain Begins To Fall--Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid

#1 single in the U.K.: Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Like a Virgin--Madonna

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Wild Boys--Duran Duran (2nd week at #1)
2 Like a Virgin--Madonna
3 I Feel for You--Chaka Khan
4 Cool it Now--New Edition
5 Sea of Love--The Honeydrippers
6 Out of Touch--Daryl Hall John Oates
7 We Belong--Pat Benatar
8 Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham!
9 Valotte--Julian Lennon
10 Run to You--Bryan Adams

Singles entering the chart were Careless Whisper by Wham! featuring George Michael (#29); Money Changes Everything by Cyndi Lauper (#57); Sugar Walls by Sheena Easton (#60); The Old Man Down the Road by John Fogerty (#62); Do They Know it's Christmas? by Band Aid (#67); Lovergirl by Teena Marie (#84); Treat Her Like a Lady by the Temptations (#85); Mr. Telephone Man by New Edition (#86); Turn Up the Radio by Autograph (#88); Do it Again by the Kinks (#89); and Naughty Naughty by John Parr (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Sea of Love--The Honeydrippers
2 I Feel for You--Chaka Khan
3 The Wild Boys--Duran Duran
4 I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder
5 Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham!
6 Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean
7 Strut--Sheena Easton
8 Out of Touch--Daryl Hall John Oates
9 All Through the Night--Cyndi Lauper
10 Valotte--Julian Lennon

Singles entering the chart were Mistake No. 3 by Culture Club (#86); Money Changes Everything by Cyndi Lauper (#92); Method of Modern Love by Daryl Hall John Oates (#94); In Neon by Elton John (#95); Neutron Dance by the Pointer Sisters (#96); and Make No Mistake, He's Mine by Barbra Streisand (with Kim Carnes) (#97).

Died on this date
Leon Burns, 42. U.S. football player. Mr. Burns was involved in an armed robbery as a teenager, and served four years in prison (although maintaining his innocence) before playing running back with Laney College (1967-1968) and California State University, Long Beach (1969-1970), leading the nation in yards rushing (1,659) and touchdowns rushing (26) in 1969, and rushing for more than 1,000 yards in his senior year. He played in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers (1971) and St. Louis Cardinals (1972) and in the World Football League with the Portland Storm (1974), rushing 87 times for 292 yards (3.4 yards average per carry) and 3 touchdowns, catching 9 passes for 46 yards (5.1 average), and returning 3 kickoffs for 26 yards (8.7 average) in 28 NFL games, and rushing 51 times for 193 yards (3.8 average) in the WFL. Mr. Burns was shot and killed outside his apartment complex in southeast Los Angeles; his murder, which remains unsolved, was thought to be motivated by robbery.

Popular culture
Harrumph! Egad! Fap! Our Boarding House, a comic panel created by Gene Ahern that had been running since September 16, 1921, was published in newspapers for the last time, as the final creative team, cartoonist Les Carroll and writer Tom McCormick, had decided to retire. It ended with one of Major Amos B. Hoople’s inventions finally making big money. An Arab sheik had sold all his oil interests and wanted to market solar energy, using one of the Major’s patents. He offered Major Hoople $5 million to fly to his country immediately, or he would move to nuclear power. Major Hoople accepted, and he and Martha left the boarding house with Buster, Clyde, Mack, and Twiggs still living there, and three servants to do the work of Mrs. Hoople. Twiggs predicted that they’d be closed within a week. The Edmonton Journal was one of the few papers still carrying Our Boarding House to the very end. Every few years they’d drop the feature, only to bring it back when readers complained. Our Boarding House inspired a radio series titled Major Hoople that ran in 1942-1943 with Arthur Q. Bryan in the title role, but no episodes are known to survive.

Crime
New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot four Negro youths on a Manhattan subway train, claiming they were about to rob him.

Football
NFL
AFC Wild Card Playoff
Los Angeles Raiders 7 @ Seattle 13

NCAA
Sun Bowl
Maryland 28 Tennessee 27

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Samuel Beckett, 83. Irish-born French playwright and novelist. Mr. Beckett’s works included Waiting for Godot (1952) and Krapp’s Last Tape (1959). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for 1959. I’ve never bothered reading any of his stuff, because I have no interest in whiny Europeans who spend their time complaining about the God they say doesn’t exist.

World events
As up to 150,000 pro-democracy protesters massed to defy Securitate forces in Romania, it was reported that the defense minister had committed suicide, though it was later determined that he had been shot for refusing to order the army to fire on the demonstrators. Military units joined the rebels. President Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena, his chief deputy in the government, fled Bucharest by helicopter. They landed and seized a car, but were in turn captured by insurgents near Tirgoviste. A coalition of former Communist officials, military officers, students, and others formed the National Salvation Front to run the country.

Germanica
Berlin’s most famous landmark, the Brandenburg Gate, opened for the first time in nearly 30 years.

War
The Organization of American States condemned the U.S.A.’s invasion of Panama.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Super Gut--Mo-Do

Diplomacy
North Korean officials returned the body of U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer David Hilemon to U.S. officials, five days after the reconnaissance helicopter carrying CWO Hilemon and CWO Bobby Hall had been shot down over N.K. territory, resulting in the death of CWO Hilemon and the capture of CWO Hall.

Politics and government
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose governing coalition in parliament was falling apart, submitted his resignation to President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. Mr. Berlusconi would lead a caretaker government until elections were held.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross domestic product had grown at an annual rate of 4% in the third quarter of 1994.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Doug Ault, 54. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Ault was a first baseman with the Texas Rangers (1976) and Toronto Blue Jays (1977-1978, 1980), batting .236 with 17 home runs and 86 runs batted in in 256 games. He was the Blue Jays' first baseman in their first game ever, and hit his first 2 home runs--and the first 2 in the history of the Blue Jays--as they defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-5 before 44,649 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. However, Mr. Ault had a hitch in his swing that he was unable to correct, and pitchers soon took advantage of this weakness. Mr. Ault played in Japan and the Mexican League before finishing his playing career in 1982, and then became a manager in the Blue Jays' minor league organization, winning two pennants. However, he was unable to find work in professional baseball after 1994, and other endeavors and marital problems eventually led him to commit suicide by shooting himself.