December 8, 2015

250 years ago
1765

Born on this date
Eli Whitney. U.S. inventor. Mr. Whitney invented the cotton gin--a labour-saving device that removes the seeds from cotton--in 1794. He died of prostate cancer on January 8, 1825 at the age of 59.

150 years ago
1865

Born on this date
Rüdiger von der Goltz. German military officer. Major General von der Goltz commanded the German infantry division of Guards on Foot in France during World War I before being transferred to Finland in March 1918 to help the nationalist government in the civil war against Finnish "reds" and Soviet troops. He then commanded the army of the Baltic German-established Government of Latvia. Major General von der Goltz died on November 4, 1946 at the age of 80.

130 years ago
1885

Died on this date
William Henry Vanderbilt, 64. U.S. railroad magnate. "Billy" Vanderbilt was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and became the richest American after taking over his father's fortune in 1877. Billy owned at least a dozen railroads, and donated to numerous philanthropic causes. His estate was divided among his eight children and his wife Maria.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Bohuslav Martinů. Czech-born composer. Mr. Martinů was a violinist with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra who moved to Paris in 1923 to study composition. He moved to the United States in 1941, and back to Europe in 1953, dying in Switzerland. Mr. Martinů wrote 6 symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores, and numerous other orchestral, chamber, instrumental, and vocal works. He died on August 28, 1959 at the age of 68.

Transportation
The Alberta Railway and Coal Company Railway opened its Lethbridge-Great Falls line for business.

100 years ago
1915

Literature
Canadian physician John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields was first published in Punch magazine.

75 years ago
1940

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: Black Peter

War
The German freighter Idarwald was reported captured by the British cruiser Diomede off the coast of Cuba inside the American neutrality zone. Admrial Domenico Cavagnari resigned as chief of staff of the Italian Navy, and was succeeded by Admiral Arturo Riccardi.

Defense
A letter from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt warned that the loss of British shipping in the Atlantic Ocean was reaching the crisis stage. He added that "the moment approaches when we shall no longer be able to pay cash" for military supplies and equipment.

Diplomacy
U.S. Senator Elbert Thomas (Democrat--Utah) proposed that the United States cancel the United Kingdom's $5-billion war debt in exchange for U.S. control of all British colonies in the Western Hemisphere except Canada, to be effective until two years after the end of the European war.

Politics and government
The National Women's Party, meeting in Washington, adopted resolutions to fight legal discrimination against women and to conduct an extensive campaign to have the United States Congress pass an equal rights amendment to the Constitution.

Labour
The Labor Policies Advisory Committee of the U.S. National Defense Advisory Commission pledged labour's cooperation with the national defense program, and promised not to impede production before all conciliation facilities of the federal government had been exhausted.

Football
NFL Championship
Chicago Bears 73 @ Washington 0

The Bears, who had lost 7-3 to the Redskins three weeks earlier, scored 11 touchdowns in the most lopsided game in NFL history. 36,034 attended the game at Griffith Stadium, almost all of whom went home disappointed.





70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): It's Been a Long, Long Time--Bing Crosby with Les Paul and his Trio (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Juke Box--2nd week at #1); Chickery Chick--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir (Airplay--3rd week at #1); It's Been a Long, Long Time--Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen; Bing Crosby with Les Paul and his Trio (Honor Roll of Hits--4th week at #1);

War
Allied Supreme Commander in the Pacific General Douglas MacArthur ordered the trial of Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma--who oversaw the "Bataan Death March--and the trials of four other Japanese commanders in the Philippines.

Abominations
Peronistas fired into a mass meeting of the Democratic Union in Buenos Aires, killing 4 people and wounding 40.

Labour
United Auto Workers of America rejected U.S. President Harry Truman's appeal to end its 18-day strike against General Motors, and denounced his legislative proposals.

60 years ago
1955

Boxing
Floyd Patterson (27-1) scored a technical knockout of Jimmy Slade (32-16-5) at 2:05 of the 7th round of a heavyweight bout at Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

50 years ago
1965

Religion
Pope Paul VI adjourned the fourth session of the Second Vatican Council, concluding the ecumenical council that had been convoked by his predecessor, Pope John XXIII, and opened on October 11, 1962.

Society
The Race Relations Act came into force in the United Kingdom, making racial discrimination unlawful in public places. Discrimination in housing and employment wasn't then covered by the act.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Mamma Mia--ABBA (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Sentimental--Hiromi Iwasaki

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Amor, amor--Lolita

Politics and government
In the Yellowknife civic election, former Mayor Fred Henne had 843 votes to 836 for incumbent Bob Findlay, necessitating a judicial recount on January 2, 1976.

War
Indonesian troops sized Dili, the capital of East Timor.

Diplomacy
The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Israel for air attacks against Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

Football
NFL
Denver (5-7) 10 @ Oakland (10-2) 17

Baseball
The San Francisco Giants traded pitcher Pete Falcone to the St. Louis Cardinals for third baseman Ken Reitz. Mr. Falcone posted a record of 12-11 with an earned run average of 4.17 in 34 games with the Giants in 1975, while batting .062 with no home runs or runs batted in. Mr. Reitz batted .269 with 5 home runs and 63 RBIs in 161 games with the Cardinals in 1975.

30 years ago
1985

Politics and government
Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo, a member of the Christian Democrats, won a runoff election by a 2-1 margin to become the first civilian President of Guatemala in more than 30 years. His party also won a narrow majority in the national congress and gained control of a majority of the nation’s municipalities. Mr. Cerezo, a lawyer said he would introduce a "rule of law" and close a branch of the police implicated in the kidnappings and killings of leftists.

Oil
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries announced after a ministerial meeting in Geneva that it would abandon its official pricing structure in favour of a new strategy of trying to increase its share of the world market.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Show Me Heaven--Maria McKee (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Une femme avec une femme--Mecano (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (2nd week at #1)
2 Sadeness Part I--Enigma
3 It Takes Two--Rod Stewart & Tina Turner
4 The Anniversary Waltz--Status Quo
5 Show Me Heaven--Maria McKee
6 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
7 I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
8 I'll Be Your Baby Tonight--Robert Palmer and UB40
9 Doin' the Do--Betty Boo
10 Thunderstruck--AC/DC

Singles entering the chart were Pray by MC Hammer (#20); Love Rears its Ugly Head by Living Colour (#25); A Better Love by Londonbeat (#27); Justify My Love by Madonna (#28); Leven en Laten Leven by Corry Konings (#31); Don't Worry by Kim Appleby (#32); and A Little Time by the Beautiful South (#36).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Because I Love You (The Postman Song)--Stevie B
2 I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
3 From a Distance--Bette Midler
4 Something to Believe In--Poison
5 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
6 Groove is in the Heart--Deee-Lite
7 Impulsive--Wilson Phillips
8 The Way You Do the Things You Do--UB40
9 Tom's Diner--DNA featuring Suzanne Vega
10 Justify My Love--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were Play That Funky Music by Vanilla Ice (#66); Moneytalks by AC/DC (#76); Round and Round by Tevin Campbell (#78); Where Does My Heart Beat Now by Celine Dion (#80); Just a Little Bit Longer by Maxi Priest (#84); I Don't Know Anybody Else by Black Box (#86); Shelter Me by Cinderella (#89); Go for It! (Heart and Fire) by Joey B. Ellis and Tynetta Hare (#92); Love Me Just for Me by Special Generation (#95); and Show Me the Way by Styx (#96).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I’m Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)
2 Because I Love You (The Postman Song)--Stevie B
3 From a Distance--Bette Midler
4 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
5 Groove is in the Heart--Deee-Lite
6 The Way You Do the Things You Do--UB40
7 Something to Believe In--Poison
8 Impulsive--Wilson Phillips
9 More Than Words Can Say--Alias
10 High Enough--Damn Yankees

Singles entering the chart that week were Do the Bartman by the Simpsons (#44--album track); Play That Funky Music by Vanilla Ice (#62); Moneytalks by AC/DC (#67); Shelter Me by Cinderella (#69); House Full of Reasons by Jude Cole (#70); Around the Way Girl by L.L. Cool J (#74); Where Does My Heart Beat Now by Celine Dion (#78); The Swalk by Notorious (#80); and Crash (Have Some Fun) by TKA (with Michelle Visage) (#83).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 More than Words Can Say--Alias (3rd week at #1)
2 Stranded--Heart
3 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
4 Something to Believe In--Poison
5 Impulsive--Wilson Phillips
6 So Close--Daryl Hall John Oates
7 I’m Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
8 From a Distance--Bette Midler
9 Miracle--Jon Bon Jovi
10 One and Only Man--Steve Winwood

Singles entering the chart were Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (#70); Wiggle It by 2 in a Room (#84); I Stand in Wonder by Rita Coolidge (#90); I Couldn't Help Myself by Sara Hickman (#93); Operator Central by Haywire (#94); Give it Up by Colin James and Bonnie Raitt (#95); Liberty by Kon Kan (#98); Feels Good by Tony! Toni! Tone! (#99); and World in My Eyes by Depeche Mode (#100).

Space
The probe Galileo flew past Earth for the first time.



Football
NCAA
Army 30 Navy 20 @ Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio feauring L.V. (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Father and Son--Boyzone (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Philip Lawrence, 48. U.K. schoolteacher. Mr. Lawrence, a head teacher at St George's Roman Catholic School, Maida Vale, London, died after being stabbed outside the school while helping a 13-year-old pupil who was being assaulted by a gang.

Music
The Grateful Dead announced that they were breaking up, four months after the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

Politics and government
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien agreed to British Columbia's demands, giving the province a constitutional veto, along with each of Québec, Ontario, Atlantic Canada, and the three remaining western provinces. The government also announced a $1.5-billion deal to privatize the country's air traffic control network, the first large-scale transfer of government services to the private sector.

Religion
Chinese authorities enthroned their choice as Panchem Lama, six days after Tibetan monks had begun a hunger strike to protest the detention of the Dalai Lama's candidate.

10 years ago
2005

Environment
Canadian scientists at a conference in Montreal said that the Great Lakes were losing their ability to cope with environmental stress and ward off a catastrophic breakdown; they blamed the disappearance of wetlands and the degradation of shorelines.