December 27, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Marilyn Draper!

300 years ago
1714

Born on this date
George Whitefield. English-born clergyman. Mr. Whitefield was an Anglican who became one of the founders of Methodism. He preached a moderate form of Calvinism, and differed with Methodist founder John Wesley on issues such as eternal election, perseverance of the saints, and sanctification. Mr. Whitefield was cross-eyed and small of stature, but his booming voice enabled him to be heard by thousands of people at once in the open air. He arrived in America in 1738 and became one of the most popular preachers of the 18th century. He and Jonathan Edwards were the most noteworthy preachers of the "Great Awakening" in both Britain and America. Mr. Whitefield died on September 30, 1770 at the age of 55.

200 years ago
1814

War
In the War of 1812, the American schooner USS Carolina was destroyed; it was the last of Commodore Daniel Patterson's makeshift fleet that fought a series of delaying actions prior to the Battle of New Orleans.

90 years ago
1924

Hockey
NHL
The Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Maroons played to a 1-1 tie in the first game between the teams at the Montreal Forum.

75 years ago
1939

War
Finnish forces held off a Soviet attack in the Battle of Kelja.

Disasters
Erzincan, Turkey was hit by an earthquake, killing 30,000.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Amy Beach, 77. U.S. composer. Mrs. Beach was a pianist who became the first successful female American composer when her Gaelic Symphony was performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896. She wrote about 150 songs, as well as works for piano, and other compositions.

Movies
The New York Film Critics Circle named Going My Way as the best picture of 1944, with Leo McCarey winning for Best Director and Barry Fitzgerald for Best Actor. Talullah Bankhead was named Best Actress for her performance in Lifeboat.

War
U.S. Army forces under General George Patton cut a northward path through the German salient in Belgium to relieve troops surrounded at Bastogne. U.S. forces captured Manhay, Humain, Surre, Boluide, and Boschleiden. Nazi elite troops were ordered to fight to the last man in house-to-house combat against Soviet troops in Budapest. U.S. air strikes drove off the Japanese task force on Mindoro Island in the Philippines.

Politics and government
A conference in Athens of Greek political leaders agreed to a regency under Archbishop Damaskinos.

Economics and finance
The U.S. War Production Board ordered a reduction in the use of lead for civilian production in 1945 because of war needs.

Labour
Harry Bridges, president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations International Longshoremen's Union, asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a final adjudication of the order to deport him to Australia.

60 years ago
1954

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Ronald Howard and H. Marion Crawford
Tonight's episode: The Case of the Red Headed League



50 years ago
1964

Died on this date
Chris Gage, 37. Canadian musician. Mr. Gage, a native of Regina, was a jazz pianist who declined offers to tour with Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee and Gerry Mulligan. He led the Chris Gage Trio, which was the house band on the short-lived CBC television program Quintet (1962). Mr. Gage committed suicide in North Vancouver.

Football
NFL
Championship @ Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
Baltimore 0 @ Cleveland 27

Frank Ryan threw 3 touchdown passes to Gary Collins, and Jim Brown rushed 27 times for 114 yards, as the Browns blanked the Colts before 79,544 fans, with all the scoring coming in the 2nd half. Among those whose playing careers ended with this game was Cleveland defensive tackle Bob Gain, who began his professional career with the Ottawa Rough Riders' Grey Cup championship team in 1951 and then joined the Browns, playing with their NFL championship teams in 1954 and 1955.





40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet--Bachman-Turner Overdrive (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Tränen Lügen Nicht--Michael Holm

Ottawa's top 13 (CFGO)
1 Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas
2 When Will I See You Again--The Three Degrees
3 I Can Help--Billy Swan
4 One Man Woman/One Woman Man--Paul Anka with Odia Coates
5 My Melody of Love--Bobby Vinton
6 Laughter in the Rain--Neil Sedaka
7 Everlasting Love--Carl Carlton
8 Cat's in the Cradle--Harry Chapin
9 Junior's Farm--Paul McCartney & Wings
10 Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds--Elton John
11 Angie Baby--Helen Reddy
12 I've Got the Music in Me--Kiki Dee Band
13 Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)--Reunion

Died on this date
Amy Vanderbilt, 66. U.S. authoress. Miss Vanderbilt was best known for Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette (1952) and Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cook Book (1961). She died from a fractured skull after falling from the second-floor window of her New York town house, although it was unclear if her death was suicide or accidental.

Football
NFL
The Kansas City Chiefs fired Hank Stram, who had been the team's only head coach since the franchise's beginning as the Dallas Texans in 1960. Mr. Stram led the Texans to the American Football League championship in 1962 in their last season before moving to Kansas City. The Chiefs won the AFL championship in 1966, losing to the Green Bay Packers in the first Super Bowl. Three years later, the Chiefs closed out the 10-year history of the AFL by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV, with the AFL-NFL merger taking effect in 1970. The Chiefs posted a 5-9 record in 1974, the worst in the history of the team, and indications were that there would be a considerable decline in attendance in 1975 if something wasn't done to improve the team in the off-season.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins

World events
The Romanian Revolution concluded, as the last minor street confrontations and stray shootings abruptly ended in Bucharest.

War
American military officials released casualty figures regarding the U.S. invasion of Panama which had begun on December 20. 23 U.S. soldiers, 3 American civilians, 297 Panamanian soldiers, and at least 400 Panamanian civilians were killed. 322 U.S. soldiers, 1 American civilian, 123 Panamanian soldiers, and at least 2,000 Panamanian civilians were wounded or injured.

20 years ago
1994

Died on this date
J.B.L. Reyes, 92. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, 1954-1972. Jose Benedicto Luna Reyes began practicing law at the age of 21, and was a law professor and leader of the Philippine resistance against Japanese occupation during World War II. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals after the war, serving on the Court before he was elevated to the Supreme Court. Dr. Reyes was highly regarded, and it was said that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos waited until Dr. Reyes' retirement before imposing martial law. Dr. Reyes served as the first president of the Integrated Bar Association after his retirement, and opposed martial law and the presence of American military bases in the Philippines.

10 years ago
2004

Space
Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reached Earth. It was the brightest extrasolar event known to have been witnessed on the planet.

Politics and government
The final run-off vote in Ukraine's presidential election resulted in a narrow victory for Viktor Yushchenko over Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.