December 7, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Elena and Consuelo!

70 years ago
1944

War
The U.S. War Department disclosed revised plans that now permitted 18-year-olds to enter combat zones. On the Saar front in Germany, U.S. forces entered Forback; the Saarbrucken and Saarlautern bridgeheads were merged; and other units moved into the Pachtener-Buchwald woods. British and Greek forces cleared ELAS resistance from about 3 square miles of Athens, and British naval units shelled ELAS positions at Piraeus. U.S. forces in the Philippines split the Japanese forces on the west coast of Leyte Island with an amphibious landing 3 miles south of Ormoc. As Saipan-based U.S. B-29 bombers struck at Tokyo, other U.S. planes based in China struck at Mukden, Manchuria.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King won a non-confidence vote in the House of Commons in the wake of the measure to send conscripted troops overseas.

Italian Prime Minister Ivanoe Bonomi formed a new cabinet.

U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius stated that the U.S. was in agreement with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that the Greek people should determine their own form of government.

Chinese Communist leader Chou En-lai reported that Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek had rejected the Communist proposal for a coalition government.

Aviation
The International Civil Aviation Conference concluded in Chicago with agreements setting up a permanent committee to regulate international air traffic. The interim agreement was to become effective for three years once it was accepted by 26 nations.

Economics and finance
The U.S. War Production Board ordered civilian production for the first quarter of 1945 to be held at present levels.

Football
NCAA
The Maxwell Memorial Football Club in Philadelphia elected U.S. Military Academy halfback Glenn Davis as the outstanding player of 1944 in U.S. college football.

60 years ago
1954

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight's episode: The Six Napoleons

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ma Vie--Alain Barriere (4th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Ringo--Lorne Greene
2 She's Not There--The Zombies
3 Come a Little Bit Closer--Jay and the Americans
4 You Really Got Me--The Kinks
5 I'm Gonna Be Strong--Gene Pitney
6 Mr. Lonely--Bobby Vinton
7 Time is on My Side--The Rolling Stones
8 Mountain of Love--Johnny Rivers
9 Big Man in Town--The 4 Seasons
10 Everything's Alright--The Newbeats

Singles entering the chart were She's a Woman by the Beatles (#18); Saturday Night at the Movies by the Drifters (#28); Walk Away by Matt Monro (#30); Shaggy Dog by Mickey Lee Lane (#32); My Love, Forgive Me (Amore, Scusami) by Robert Goulet (#33); Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun) by Del Shannon (#34); Since I Don't Have You by Chuck Jackson (#38); Alone and Lonely by Bobby Curtola (#39); and Love Potion No. 9 by the Searchers (#40).

On television tonight
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Misadventure, starring Barry Nelson, Lola Albright, George Kennedy, and Michael Bregan

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Sing a Song of Love--George Baker Selection (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: You're the First, the Last, My Everything--Barry White

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 When Will I See You Again--The Three Degrees
2 Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas
3 I Can Help--Billy Swan
4 Angie Baby--Helen Reddy
5 Cat's in the Cradle--Harry Chapin
6 Do It (’Til You’re Satisfied)--B.T. Express
7 My Melody of Love--Bobby Vinton
8 Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)
9 Wishing You were Here--Chicago
10 You're the First, the Last, My Everything--Barry White

Singles entering the chart were Struttin' by Billy Preston (#77); One Tear by Eddie Kendricks (#78); Rock N' Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life) by Mac Davis (#84); You're No Good by Linda Ronstadt (#89); Do Your Thing by James & Bobby Purify (#91); Mama Don't Allow No Parkin' by Brownsville Station (#93); Where were All My Friends by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (#94); Philadelphia by B.B. King (#99); and Safe at Home by the Souther, Hillman, Furay Band (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 My Melody of Love--Bobby Vinton (2nd week at #1)
2 Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)--Reunion
3 You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet--Bachman-Turner Overdrive
4 I Can Help--Billy Swan
5 So You are a Star--The Hudson Brothers
6 When Will I See You Again--The Three Degrees
7 Whatever Gets You Thru the Night--John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band
8 Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas
9 Longfellow Serenade--Neil Diamond
10 Back Home Again--John Denver

Singles entering the chart were The Entertainer by Billy Joel (#89); Can You Give it All to Me by Myles and Lenny (#91); Linda Put the Coffee On by Ray Materick (#92); Without Love by Aretha Franklin (#93); When a Child is Born by Michael Holm (#94); Sugar Pie Guy by the Joneses (#96); If by Telly Savalas (#97); My Eyes Adored You by Frankie Valli (#98); Postcard by the Who (#99); and Mandy by Barry Manilow (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 So You are a Star--The Hudson Brothers (3rd week at #1)
2 Carrie's Gone--J.C. Stone
3 You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet--Bachman-Turner Overdrive
4 After the Goldrush--Prelude
5 Ramona--Stampeders
6 Angie Baby--Helen Reddy
7 Cat's in the Cradle--Harry Chapin
8 Pencil Thin Mustache--Jimmy Buffett
9 Whatever Gets You Thru the Night--John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band
10 Can't Get Enough--Bad Company
Pick hit of the week: My Melody of Love--Bobby Vinton

Music
Stevie Wonder, on just his second visit to Canada, performed the first concert ever held at Edmonton Coliseum.

Football
NFL
Atlanta (2-11) 10 @ Minnesota (9-4) 23
Cleveland (4-9) 17 @ Dallas (8-5) 41

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)--Billy Ocean

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): The Wild Boys--Duran Duran

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): The Never Ending Story--Limahl (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Charles Ray Hatcher, 55. U.S. criminal. Mr. Hatcher was a serial killer who confessed to 16 murders between 1969-1982. He hanged himself in his cell at Missouri State Penitentiary in Mound City four days after a jury had recommended life imprisonment for him instead of the death penalty.

LeeRoy Yarbrough, 46. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Yarbrough was a stock car driver on the NASCAR circuit from 1960-1972, winning 14 of 198 races. His best season was 1969, when he won 7 races. Mr. Yarbrough's career was shortened by hard crashes, which may have caused memory lapses and brain injuries, and led him to drink. He was institutionalized in 1980 after attempting to strangle his mother, and never recovered. Mr. Yarbrough died the day after having a violent seizure and striking his head when he fell.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): When You Come Back to Me--Jason Donovan

Died on this date
Haystack Calhoun, 55. U.S. wrestler. William Dee Calhoun, who earned his nickname by throwing haystacks around with ease, was one of the most popular professional wrestlers of the 1950s and '60s. He stood 6'4" and weighed 640 pounds.

Politics and government
Czechoslovakian Premier Ladislav Adamec resigned, and President Gustav Husak named Marian Calfa to replace him. The new cabinet announced that day had only 10 Communists among its 21 members.

The Lithuanian parliament voted overwhelmingly to adopt a multiparty political system, the first time any republic in the U.S.S.R. had taken such a step. The vote was to remove Article 6 of the republic’s constitution guaranteeing the Communist Party a monopoly on power.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 5 St. Louis 2

20 years ago
1994

Died on this date
J.-C. Tremblay, 55. Canadian hockey player. Jean-Claude Tremblay was a defenceman with the Montreal Canadiens (1959-72) and Quebec Nordiques (1972-79). He played on five Stanley Cup-winning teams with the Canadiens and one Avco World Trophy championship team with the Nordiques. Mr. Tremblay died of kidney cancer.

Economics and finance
U.S. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan warned Congress that continued economic expansion would bring on inflationary pressures, which the Fed would seek to suppress.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Jerry Scoggins, 91. U.S. musician. Mr. Scoggins was best known for singing The Ballad of Jed Clampett, the theme song for the television comedy series The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971).

Frederick Fennell, 90. U.S. orchestra conductor. Mr. Fennell conducted several orchestras in a career that lasted for half a century, but was best known as conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble from 1952-1961.

Jay Van Andel, 80. U.S. business executive. Mr. Van Andel and Richard DeVos co-founded Amway Corporation in 1959.

Politics and government
Hamid Karzai was sworn in as Afghanistan's first popularly-elected president.