December 17, 2015

225 years ago
1790

Archaeology
The Aztec calendar stone was discovered in Mexico City during repairs on the Mexico City Cathedral.

180 years ago
1835

Disasters
The Great Fire of New York, which had begun the previous evening, concluded with the destruction of hundreds of buildings in Manhattan.

150 years ago
1865

Music
Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished) received its premiere performance in Vienna, conducted by Johann von Herbeck.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Joachim of Prussia. German royal family member. Prince Joachim was the youngest son and sixth child of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Independence leaders in Ireland and Georgia considered him as a potential monarch in the late 1910s, but that never eventuated. Prince Joachim married Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt in 1916, but the couple divorced in 1920. He was reportedly suffering from severe depression at his status as a commoner after his father's abdication, and committed suicide by shooting himself in Potsdam on July 18, 1920 at the age of 29.

110 years ago
1905

Transportation
The first Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) passenger train arrived in Edmonton.

100 years ago
1915

War
The 167th Infantry Battalion of Quebec was mobilized for service in World War I.

90 years ago
1925

Defense
A 10-member military court in Washington, D.C. convicted United States Army General Billy Mitchell of insubordination and suspended him without pay for five years for his public criticism of the Army in its neglect of the value of air power.

Agriculture
The majority of Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company members voted to amalgamate with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.

80 years ago
1935

Aviation
The Douglas DC-3 made its first flight.

75 years ago
1940

War
HMCS Wetaskiwin was commissioned for the Royal Canadian Navy at Esquimalt, British Columbia.

Diplomacy
The United States Justice Department refused to renew the temporary visitor's permit of Princess Stefanie Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillinghurst of Hungary and ordered her to leave the country by December 21.

Defense
Verne Marshall announced the formation of the No Foreign War Committee to counter the propaganda of the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies (CDAAA).

Science
The world's larges industrial X-ray unit, with a potential of one million volts--more than twice the energy of previous machines--and capable of peering into metals and detecting their inner structure 40 times faster than hitherto possible, was demonstrated at the research laboratories of General Electric in Schenectady, New York.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt held a press conference where he described his plans to aid the United Kingdom. Outlining a program to be known as Lend-Lease, he said it was analogous to lending a neighbour whose house was burning your "garden hose."

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's Been a Long Long Time--Harry James and his Orchestra (5th week at #1)
--Bing Crosby with Les Paul and his Trio
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
--Stan Kenton and his Orchestra
2 Chickery Chick--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir
--Evelyn Knight and the Jesters
3 It Might as Well Be Spring--Paul Weston and his Orchestra with Margaret Whiting
--Dick Haymes
4 I Can't Begin to Tell You--Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro
--Andy Russell
--Harry James and his Orchestra
5 I'll Buy that Dream--Helen Forrest and Dick Haymes
--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
6 That's for Me--Dick Haymes
--Jo Stafford
7 Till the End of Time--Perry Como
--Dick Haymes
--Les Brown and his Orchestra
8 Waitin' for the Train to Come In--Peggy Lee
--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson
9 Symphony--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
10 It's Only a Paper Moon--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
--Ella Fitzgerald and the Delta Rhythm Boys

Singles entering the chart were In the Middle of May by Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (#30); At the Fat Man's by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#35); Buzz Me by Ella Mae Morse (#37); and I'm Glad I Waited for You, with versions by Peggy Lee and Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (#46). In the Middle of May was the B-side of Symphony.

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Second Generation

War
The prosecution at the Nazi war crimes trial in Nuremberg asked the tribunal to declare the entire Nazi leadership corps guilty of war crimes and its 500,000 members subject to punishment.

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King said that Canada had protested against being excluded from peace talks.

The United States Senate passed the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency fund bill and the Wagner-Taft resolution urging free entry of Jews into Palestine and establishment of a Jewish Commonwealth.

Speaking in Washington, famed aviator Charles Lindbergh urged "a world organization backed by military power" and guided by "Christian ideals" to prevent the misuse of power as exemplified by Nazi Germany.

Politics and government
U.S. Army Major General Archer Lerch, newly-appointed military governor of Korea, declared that he would continue the U.S. program of establishing a free Korean government and then withdrawing troops.

Defense
The United States Army Air Force revealed details of its six-engine Consolidated-Vultee XB-36, which would weigh over 125 tons and have a 5,000-mile radius and a 3,650-horsepower engine.

Labour
U.S. President Harry Truman ordered the Fair Employment Practices Commission to investigate discrimination against displaced war workers seeking peacetime jobs, following a report by FEPC Chairman Malcolm Ross of widespread racial and religious discrimination.

Football
NCAA
Bo McMillin of Indiana University was selected by the New York World Telegram as U.S. college football coach of the year for 1945. The Hoosiers won the Big Ten conference championship with a record of 9-0-1, and finished fourth in the Associated Press poll for the national championship.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Ballad of Davy Crockett--"Tennessee" Ernie Ford; Fess Parker (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Der Mond hält seine Wacht--Peter Alexander (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets (6th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sixteen Tons--"Tennessee" Ernie Ford (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Disc Jockey--4th week at #1; Jukebox--3rd week at #1; Top 100--3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sixteen Tons--"Tennessee" Ernie Ford (4th week at #1)
2 Memories are Made of This--Dean Martin
3 Autumn Leaves--Roger Williams
4 I Hear You Knocking--Gale Storm
5 Moments to Remember--The Four Lads
6 Only You (And You Alone)--The Platters
--The Hilltoppers
7 He--Al Hibbler
--The McGuire Sisters
8 Love is a Many-Splendored Thing--The Four Aces
9 It's Almost Tomorrow--The Dream Weavers
10 Love and Marriage--Frank Sinatra

Singles entering the chart were Dungaree Doll (#30)/Everybody's Got a Home But Me (#37) by Eddie Fisher; Everybody's Got a Home by Roy Hamilton (#37, charting with the version by Eddie Fisher); Lisbon Antigua by Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra (#48); and What is a Wife by Steve Allen (#49). Everybody's Got a Home But Me was from the Broadway musical Pipe Dream (1955).

On television tonight
The Honeymooners, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Something Fishy

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 40 (CJCA)
1 Day Tripper/We Can Work it Out--The Beatles
2 Over and Over--The Dave Clark Five
3 Flowers on the Wall--The Statler Brothers
4 One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)--Barry Young
5 The Sounds of Silence--Simon & Garfunkel
6 England Swings--Roger Miller
7 Get Off My Cloud--The Rolling Stones
8 She's Just My Style--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
9 Taste of Honey--Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
10 Hang on Sloopy--The Ramsey Lewis Trio
11 Puppet on a String--Elvis Presley
12 1-2-3--Len Barry
13 Sunday and Me--Jay and the Americans
14 Princess in Rags--Gene Pitney
15 Let's Hang On--The 4 Seasons
16 I Will--Dean Martin
17 I Hear a Symphony--The Supremes
18 You Didn't Have to Be So Nice--The Lovin' Spoonful
19 You've Got to Hide Your Love Away--The Silkie
20 The Little Girl I Once Knew--The Beach Boys
21 Love Me Again--Barry Allen
22 Make the World Go Away--Eddy Arnold
23 Fever--The McCoys
24 My Love--Petula Clark
25 The Hoochie Coochie Coo--Wes Dakus
26 Careless/Satin Pillows--Bobby Vinton
27 It's Good News Week--Hedgehoppers Anonymous
28 Spanish Eyes--Al Martino
29 Don't Think Twice--The Wonder Who?
30 Thunderball--Tom Jones
31 I Can Never Go Home Anymore--The Shangri-Las
32 Lies--The Knickerbockers
33 Crystal Chandelier--Carl Belew
34 Five o'clock World--The Vogues
35 As Tears Go By--The Rolling Stones
36 Sinner Man--Trini Lopez
37 Just Like Me--Paul Revere and the Raiders
38 Goodtime Music--The Beau Brummels
39 It's My Life--The Animals
40 Hole in the Wall--The Packers
Pick hit of the week: A Must to Avoid--Herman's Hermits
Teen pick hit of the week: My Generation--The Who
Canadian hit maker: It was I--Big Town Boys
New this week: Like a Baby--Len Barry
As Tears Go By--The Rolling Stones
I've Got to Be Somebody--Billy Joe Royal
Some Sunday Morning--Wayne Newton

Diplomacy
The United Kingdom imposed an oil embargo against Rhodesia, in force immediately.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Kerby Farrell, 62. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Farrell was a first baseman with the Boston Braves (1943) and Chicago White Sox (1945), batting .262 with no home runs and 55 runs batted in in 188 games. He also pitched in 5 games with the Braves, losing his only decision and posting an earned run average of 4.30. He managed in the minor leagues for 21 seasons--posting a record of 1,710-1,456 (.540), and was named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News in 1954, 1956, and 1961. In 1954 and 1956, Mr. Farrell led the Indianapolis Indians to American Association pennants and Junior World Series championships. Mr. Farrell managed the Cleveland Indians in 1957, but the Indians finished sixth in the American League with a 76-77 record--a considerable decline from recent seasons--and Mr. Farrell returned to the minor leagues. He coached with the White Sox (1966-1969) and Indians (1970-1971) before dying of a heart attack.

Crime
Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was sentenced to life in prison for her September 4, 1975 attempt on the life of U.S. President Gerald Ford. She was paroled in 2009.

Baseball
The Oakland Athletics released veteran pitcher Sonny Siebert, ending his 12-year major league career. Mr. Siebert played with the Cleveland Indians (1964-1969); Boston Red Sox (1969-1973); Texas Rangers (1973); St. Louis Cardinals (1974); and San Diego Padres (1975) before being traded to Oakland on May 16 for infielder Ted Kubiak. Mr. Siebert compiled a career major league record of 140-114 with an earned run average of 3.21. He posted consecutive 16-8 records in 1965 and 1966, and pitched 2 scoreless innings in the 1966 All-Star Game. In 1975 Mr. Siebert was 3-2 with an ERA of 4.33 in 6 games with San Diego, and batted .375 (3 for 8). In 17 games with Oakland he was 4-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 17 games, and batted 0 for 1.

30 years ago
1985

Diplomacy
Guatemalan President-elect Marco Vincio Cerezo Arevalo met in Washington with officials of the U.S. administration of President Ronald Reagan and members of Congress. Mr. Cerezo, the first civilian in more than 30 years to be elected President of Guatemala, told the officials that he was neutral in the conflicts in Central America, but would actively seek solutions.

Politics and government
General Tito Okello, who had unseated Ugandan President Milton Obote in August, reached an accord with the National Resistance Army, a force based in the southwestern part of the country.

Environment
The Ontario government of Premier David Peterson ruled that acid rain polluters must cut sulphur dioxide emissions by 64% in the next eight years.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Justify My Love--Madonna

Abominations
The Goods and Services Tax became law in Canada when the bill received royal assent in the Senate chamber in a ceremony boycotted by Liberal Party senators and Members of Parliament. The 7% tax would take effect on January 1, 1991 and would replace the 13.5% manufacturers tax.

Politics and government
The Canadian House of Commons created a special 17-member Joint Senate-Commons Committee to devise a new amending formula for the Constitution; the committee was co-chaired by Senator Gérald Beaudoin and MP Jim Edwards, and was to report by June 20, 1991.

U.S. President George Bush nominated former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander to succeed Laura Cavazos as Secretary of Education. Ms. Cavazos had resigned on December 12.

Barrie Chivers of the New Democrats won an Alberta provincial by-election in the riding of Edmonton-Strathcona to replace fellow ND Gordon Wright, MLA, who had recently died of cancer.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V.

#1 single in Switzerland: Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (6th week at #1)

Politics and government
The Communist Party, led by Gennady Zyuganov, won the largest number of seats--157 of 450--in the Duma in the Russian general election. The Communist total was an increase of 115 from the most recent election in 1993. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) was second with 64, a decrease of 13. The new Our Home--Russia Party, led by Viktor Chernomyrdin, was third with 55 seats in its first election.

Fanmi Lavalas candidate René Préval easily won the Haitian presidential election, taking more than 80% of the vote.

10 years ago
2005

Protest
Anti-World Trade Organization protesters rioted in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Terrorism
U.S. President George W. Bush acknowledged he'd personally authorized a secret eavesdropping program in the United States following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.