November 29, 2015

270 years ago
1745

War
French soldiers burned Saratoga and later Albany, New York to retaliate for the efforts of Mohawk Valley Indian trader William Johnson to get the Iroquois on the warpath.

160 years ago
1855

Transportation
The Grand Trunk Railway was completed west from Montréal to Brockville, Ontario.

130 years ago
1885

War
The Third Anglo-Burmese War ended after 22 days in a British victory and the end of the Burmese monarchy.

125 years ago
1890

Politics and government
The Meiji Constitution went into effect in Japan, and the first Diet convened.

Football
U.S. college
Charles "Red" Emerich scored 4 touchdowns--then worth 4 points each--to lead the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen to a 24-0 win over the United States Military Academy Cadets at West Point, New York, in the first annual Army-Navy game.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Yakima Canutt. U.S. cowboy, stuntman, and director. Enos Edward Canutt began a successful career as a rodeo rider as a teenager, winning numerous trophies in the late 1910s and early '20s, while appearing in bit parts in several movies before moving into stunt work. He worked on more than 300 films in a career spanning more than 40 years. In the 1940s he began directing films, and often worked as a second unit director of movies such as Ben-Hur (1959) and El Cid (1961). Mr. Canutt died of cardiac arrest on May 24, 1986 at the age of 90.

110 years ago
1905

Born on this date
Marcel Lefebvre. French-born Swiss clergyman. Most Rev. Lefebvre was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1929, and was asssociated with the Holy Ghost Fathers, eventually their Superior General. He was a major leader of the conservative bloc during the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) (1962-1965), and resigned from the leadership of the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1968 rather than implement reforms recommended by Vatican II. Most Rev. Lefebvre founded the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) in 1970, and was excommunicated by Pope John Paul II in 1988 after defying the pope and consecrating four bishops to carry on the work of SSPX. Most Rev. Lefebvre died of cancer on March 25, 1991 at the age of 85; Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications of the other four bishops in 2009.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Billy Strayhorn. U.S. musician. Mr. Strayhorn was a pianist and composer who was best known for his collaboration with bandleader Duke Ellington. Mr. Strayhorn's compositions included Take the 'A' Train; Lush Life; and A Flower is a Lovesome Thing. He died on May 31, 1967 at the age of 51 after a three-year battle with esophageal cancer.

90 years ago
1925

Football
NFL
Cleveland (3-7-1) 7 @ Providence (5-3-1) 7
Dayton (0-7-1) 0 @ New York (7-3) 23
Frankford (11-5) 0 @ Pottsville (9-2) 49
Rock Island (5-3-3) 0 @ Chicago Cardinals (9-1-1) 7
Columbus (0-9) 13 @ Chicago Bears (7-2-3) 14

Red Grange rushed for 140 yards in his second NFL game to help the Bears defeat the Tigers in a snowstorm at Cubs Park.

75 years ago
1940

At the movies
The Bank Dick, starring W.C. Fields, opened in theatres.



War
A Hungarian dispatch reported that fighting between the Romanian government of Prime Minister Ion Antonescu and the fascist Iron Guard was verging on civil war. Chinese guerrillas dynamited a Shanghai-Nanking express train carrying Japanese and Chinese officials to Nanking for the signing of the "peace treaty" between Japan and the Japanese sponsored government led by Wang Ching-wei. Thailand ordered French nationals to evacuate frontier provinces within 24 hours, after Thai patrols clashed with Indochinese border guards at the Cambodian frontier.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt reappointed Major General Thomas Holcomb as commandant of the Marine Corps for another four years.

Politics and government
U.S. President Roosevelt conferred with Representative Martin Dies (Democrat--Texas) on coordination of the work of the State and Justice Departments with the House Committee on Un-American Activities, chaired by Mr. Dies.

Economics and finance
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles reported that understandings had been reached in principle on aid to Greece.

A seat on the New York Stock Exchange was sold for $33,000, the lowest price since 1899.

70 years ago
1945

At the movies
The Lost Weekend, directed by Billy Wilder and starring Ray Milland and Jane Wyman, received its premiere screening in Los Angeles.



War
British Prime Minister Clement Attlee reported that British Empire battle casualties during World War II had totalled 1,246,025, with 353,652 killed. The U.S. Senate committee investigating the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii heard that Hawaii commanding General Walter Short had not received intercepted Japanese messages bearing on the forthcoming attack. Japanese Army General Tomoyuki Yamashita, on trial in Manila for war crimes, denied knowledge of atrocities committed under his command, and said that he would have punished the perpetrators if he had known. Films of 12 concntration camps were shown to the Nazi defendants at the war crimes trial in Nuremberg. Radio Moscow reported that the U.S.S.R. had agreed to the Chinese request that Soviet troop withdrawals from Manchuria be deferred until Nationalist forces were able to take over.

Europeana
The Constituent Assembly of Yugoslavia formally abolished the monarchy and declared the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was declared. King Peter II was already in exile in the United Kingdom when he was deposed.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman told reporters that he didn't favour further Big Three (U.S.A.; U.S.S.R.; U.K.) conferences, since the United Nations would soon be in a position to take over issues growing out of World War II. Mr. Truman modified his earlier support for a Palestine Jewish commonwealth, favouring formation of an Anglo-American fact-finding commission to study the Palestinian issue.

Iranian Ambassador to the United States Hussein Ala said that the U.S.S.R. had rejected Iran's request to send troops into Azerbaijan to put down the rebellion.

The International Women's Congress in Paris established the Women's International Democratic Federation with permanent headquarters there.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El Mundo (Il Mondo)--Jimmy Fontana (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Wishing it was You--Dickie Rock (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Make it Easy on Yourself--The Walker Brothers
2 Roses and Rainbows--Danny Hutton
3 Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)--The Byrds
4 May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose--"Little" Jimmy Dickens
5 Look Through Any Window--The Hollies
6 Round Every Corner--Petula Clark
7 You Really Got a Hold on Me--Little Caesar and the Consuls
8 It Was I--The Big Town Boys
9 Here it Comes Again--The Fortunes
10 Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues--Gordon Lightfoot

Singles entering the chart were Poor Little Fool by Terry Black (#32); Princess in Rags by Gene Pitney (#33); Flowers on the Wall by the Statler Brothers (#34); Misty by the Vibrations (#35); I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown and the Famous Flames (#36); You Didn't Have to Be So Nice by the Lovin' Spoonful (#37); Mother Nature, Father Time by Brook Benton (#39); and Sunday and Me by Jay & the Americans (#40).

Space
The Canadian Space Agency satellite Alouette 2, whose mission was to continue ionospheric research, was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California atop a NASA Thor Agena B rocket.

World events
A coup in Dahomey led by army chief of staff General Christophe Soglo deposed President Sourou Migan Apithy and Vice President Justin Ahomadegbe, with Tahiro Congacou, president of the national assembly, becoming provisional President until elections could be held and the constitution changed to avoid the overlapping powers that had led to strained relations between Messrs. Apithy and Ahomadegbe.

Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies traded infielder Ruben Amaro to the New York Yankees for shortstop Phil Linz. Mr. Amaro batted .212 with no home runs and 15 runs batted in in 118 games with the Phillies in 1965, while Mr. Linz hit .207 with 2 homers and 16 RBIs in 99 games with the Yankees.

The Cleveland Indians sold outfielder Al Luplow to the New York Mets. Mr. Luplow batted .133 with 1 home run and 4 runs batted in in 53 games with the Indians in 1965.

The Chicago Cubs drafted outfielder Ty Cline from the roster of the Richmond Braves of the AAA International League. Mr. Cline batted .191 with no home runs and 10 runs batted in in 123 games with the Milwaukee Braves in 1965.

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted catcher Jesse Gonder from the roster of the Richmond Braves. Mr. Gonder had begun the 1965 season with the New York Mets, batting .238 with 4 home runs and 9 runs batted in in 53 games with New York before being traded to the Milwaukee Braves on July 21, and batting .151 with 1 homer and 5 RBIs in 31 games with Milwaukee.

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted outfielder-first baseman Dave Roberts from the roster of the Oklahoma City 89ers of the AAA Pacific Coast League. Mr. Roberts batted .318 with a PCL-leading 38 home runs and 114 runs batted in in 144 games with Oklahoma City in 1965.

The Houston Astros drafted pitcher Frank Carpin from the roster of the Columbus Jets of the AAA International League. Mr. Carpin had posted a record of 4-0 with an earned run average of 2.67 in 19 games with Columbus in 1965 and 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 39 games with the parent Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cincinnati Reds drafted pitcher Don Nottebart from the roster of the Oklahoma City 89ers. Mr. Nottebart was 4-15 with an earned run average of 4.67 in 29 games with the parent Houston Astros in 1965.

The Washington Senators drafted infielder-outfielder Robert Saverine from the roster of the Oklahoma City 89ers, where he had been assigned by the parent Houston Astros on September 16 to complete the April 24 deal in which the Baltimore Orioles had traded pitcher Don Larsen to the Astros. Mr. Saverine batted .267 with 2 home runs and 30 runs batted in in 135 games with the Rochester Red Wings of the AAA International League in 1965, and led the IL in runs with 91.

The New York Mets drafted outfielder Bill Murphy from the roster of the Toledo Mud Hens of the AAA International League, a farm team of the New York Yankees. Mr. Murphy batted .291 with 18 home runs and 85 runs batted in in 99 games with Binghamton of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League in 1965.

The Atlanta Braves drafted outfielder Gary Geiger from the roster of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League, a farm team of the Boston Red Sox. Mr. Geiger had batted .200 with 1 home run and 2 runs batted in in 24 games with the Red Sox in 1965, missing three months with an injury.

The Cleveland Indians drafted pitcher Butch Heffner from the roster of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mr. Heffner had posted a record of 2-4 with an earned run average of 2.67 in 11 games with Toronto in 1965, and was 0-2 with a 7.16 ERA in 27 games with the parent Boston Red Sox.

The Baltimore Orioles drafted pitcher Gene Brabender from the roster of the Spokane Indians of the AAA Pacific Coast League. Mr. Brabender had spent the 1964 and 1965 seasons in the United States military.

The Orioles also drafted relief pitcher Moe Drabowsky from the roster of the Jacksonville Suns of the International League, a farm team of the St. Louis Cardinals. Mr. Drabowsky had posted a record of 1-5 with an earned run average of 4.38 in 14 games with the Kansas City Athletics in 1965, and was 8-2 with a 2.44 ERA in 17 games with the Vancouver Mounties of the AAA Pacific Coast League.

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted pitcher Joe Hoerner from the roster of the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Pacific Coast League. Mr. Hoerner was 8-3 with an earned average of 1.94 in 53 games with Oklahoma City in 1965.

The Cardinals also drafted shortstop Jimy Williams from the roster of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League. Mr. Williams batted .287 with 2 home runs and 31 runs batted in in 115 games with Waterloo of the Class A Midwest League in 1965.

The California Angels drafted first baseman Willie Montanez from the roster of the Jacksonville Suns of the International League. Mr. Montanez batted .234 with no home runs and 8 runs batted in in 32 games with the Sarasota Cardinals of the Sarasota Rookie League in 1965.

The New York Mets drafted pitcher Bill Hepler from the roster of the Hawaii Islanders of the AAA Pacific Coast League, a farm team of the Washington Senators. Mr. Hepler spent the 1965 season with Geneva of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League, posting a record of 13-10 with an earned run average of 3.85 in 28 games. He led the league in wins; innings pitched (192); hits allowed (192); runs allowed (112); earned runs alowed (89); and bases on balls allowed (124).

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Profondo rosso--Goblin

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): That's the Way (I Like It)--K.C. and the Sunshine Band

#1 single in the U.K.: Bohemian Rhapsody--Queen

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Fly, Robin, Fly--Silver Convention

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 That's the Way (I Like It)--K.C. and the Sunshine Band
2 Fly, Robin, Fly--Silver Convention
3 Island Girl--Elton John
4 Let's Do it Again--The Staple Singers
5 Nights on Broadway--Bee Gees
6 The Way I Want to Touch You--Captain & Tennille
7 My Little Town--Simon and Garfunkel
8 Saturday Night--Bay City Rollers
9 This Will Be--Natalie Cole
10 Sky High--Jigsaw

Singles entering the chart were He Ain't Heavy--He's My Brother by Olivia Newton-John (#80); Somewhere in the Night by Helen Reddy (#83); Birmingham Blues by the Charlie Daniels Band (#84); This Old Man by Purple Reign (#85); Somewhere in the Night by Batdorf and Rodney (#89); I Cheat the Hangman by the Doobie Brothers (#91); Valentine Love by Norman Connors (#93); How High the Moon by Gloria Gaynor (#94); Paloma Blanca by the George Baker Selection (#97); The Man on Page 602 by Zoot Fenster (#98); and In the Winter by Janis Ian (#100).

Winnipeg's Top 30 (CFRW)
1 They Just Can't Stop It (The Games People Play)--The Spinners
2 Island Girl--Elton John
3 S O S--ABBA
4 Sky High--Jigsaw
5 Lyin' Eyes--The Eagles
6 Bad Blood--Neil Sedaka
7 Who Loves You--The Four Seasons
8 The Way I Want to Touch You--Captain & Tennille
9 Heat Wave--Linda Ronstadt
10 Nights on Broadway--Bee Gees
11 Feelings--Morris Albert
12 Low Rider--War
13 My Little Town--Simon and Garfunkel
14 Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)--B.J. Thomas
15 I'm Sorry/Calypso--John Denver
16 Miracles--Jefferson Starship
17 Tonite is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love--April Wine
18 Rocky--Austin Roberts
19 The Homecoming--Hagood Hardy
20 Venus and Mars Rock Show--Wings
21 Saturday Night--Bay City Rollers
22 Just Too Many People--Melissa Manchester
23 Third Rate Romance--Amazing Rhythm Aces
24 Fox on the Run--Sweet
25 Get Out of the Kitchen--Shawne Jackson
26 Fly, Robin, Fly--Silver Convention
27 Make Me Your Baby--Suzanne Stevens
28 What the Hell I Got--Pagliaro
29 Oh Mama Mama--Brutus
30 Wasted Days and Wasted Nights--Freddy Fender

Died on this date
Graham Hill, 46; Tony Brise, 23. U.K. auto racing drivers. Mr. Hill won the World Driving Championship on the Formula One circuit in 1962 and 1968; the Indianapolis 500 in 1966; and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972 (with Henri Pescarolo), becoming the only driver to win all three events. He retired from racing in July 1975 to concentrate on his duties as owner of the Embassy Hill team, with Mr. Brise as the featured driver. Mr. Brise was a Formula One rookie in 1975, and competed in 10 races, 9 after joining Embassy Hill. His best finish was 6th in the Swedish Gran Prix. The two men and four other members of the Embassy Hill team were killed when their plane, piloted by Mr. Hill, crashed in thick fog at Arkley golf course, England.

Politics and government
Robert Muldoon led the National Party to victory over incumbent Prime Minister Wallace Rowling's Labour Party government in the New Zealand general election.

Hockey
NHL
Vancouver 4 @ Montreal 6
Washington 3 @ Minnesota 5

The Canadiens defeated the Canucks at the Montreal Forum in the national Hockey Night in Canada telecast.

The Capitals' loss to the North Stars at Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington was the beginning of a league record 25-game winless streak.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Take on Me--A-Ha (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Take on Me--A-Ha

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Ooh Aah Paul McGrath--Watch Your House (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
The United Nations Security Council voted 12-2 to authorize military action if Iraq did not withdraw its troops from Kuwait and release all foreign hostages by January 15, 1991.

Politics and government
Andrei Lukanov resigned as Premier of Bulgaria, saying that he had been unable to create a consensus behind solutions for the country’s economic difficulties.

In his first speech in the House of Commons since becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain the previous day, John Major said that the U.K.’s policy toward the European Community and a review of the controversial local government poll tax would be at the top of his agenda.

Baseball
An investment group led by Montréal Expos' president Claude Brochu agreed to acquire the National League club from financier Charles Bronfman.

20 years ago
1995

Politics and government
Members of the opposition NLD party withdrew from the national convention in Myanmar on drafting a new constitution, claiming that the people's needs would not be heard.

Economics and finance
Ontario Premier Mike Harris vowed to cut $6.2 billion in spending over 3 years and balance the budget by 2000, as part of the "Common Sense Revolution" of his Progressive Conservative government.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Wendie Jo Sperber, 47. U.S. actress. Miss Sperber appeared in movies such as I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978); Back to the Future (1985); and Back to the Future Part III (1990), and in the television comedy series Bosom Buddies (1980-1982). She died after a long battle with breast cancer.

Politics and government
Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, on the advice of Prime Minister Paul Martin, dissolved Parliament and called a general election for January 23, 2006.