December 9, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Mary-Ann Murphy and Natalia!

850 years ago
1165

Died on this date
Malcolm IV, 24. King of Scots, 1153-1165. Malcolm IV was the eldest son of Earl Henry, who was the son of King David I. When Earl Henry died in 1152, Malcolm became the heir to the throne, and succeeded his grandfather. He was known for his religious zeal and interest in knighthood and warfare, but, like his father, suffered from poor health. His death may have been the result of Paget's disease. Malcolm IV died without heirs and was succeeded by his brother William I.

450 years ago
1565

Died on this date
Pius IV, 66. Roman Catholic Pope, 1559-1565. Pius IV, born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was not closely related to the Medici family of Florence. He succeeded Paul IV as pope, and convened the Council of Trent for the thired and final time in 1562. Pius IV was succeeded as pope by Pius V.

240 years ago
1775

War
Continental Army forces routed British forces in the Battle of Great Bridge in Virginia.

180 years ago
1835

War
The Texian Army captured San Antonio.

140 years ago
1875

Americana
The Massachusetts Rifle Association, "America's Oldest Active Gun Club", held its first meeting in Boston.

110 years ago
1905

Law
The French Chamber of Deputies passed the law on the Separation of the Churches and the State.

80 years ago
1935

Died on this date
Walter Liggett, 49. U.S. journalist. Mr. Liggett worked at several newspapers in New York City before moving to Minnesota, where he wrote exposes of organized crime--especially its involvement in the state's Farmer-Labor Party government--for the Midwest American. Mr. Liggett was machine-gunned to death outside his home by gangster Isadore Blumenfeld, but Mr. Blumenfeld was acquitted of the crime.

Football
NCAA
The Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, later renamed the Heisman Trophy, was awarded for the first time to the outstanding player in U.S. college football. The winner was halfback Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago.

75 years ago
1940

War
Operation Compass began when British and Indian troops under the command of Major-General Richard O'Connor attacked Italian forces near Sidi Barrani in Egypt.

Diplomacy
Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka said in Tokyo that if Japan and the United States "keep their heads cool," there would be no serious clash between them. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Antigua and conferred with Sir Gordon Lethem, Governor of the British Leeward Islands. General Henri-Fernand Dentz was appointed French High Commissioner to Syria and Lebanon, succeeding the late Jean Chiappe.

Politics and government
Adhémar Raynault was elected Mayor of Montreal, receiving 16,565 votes to 15,591 for Léon Trépanier, a margin of 974 votes. Raoul Trépanier, with 9,565 votes, and Dave Rochon, with 8,862 votes, finished third and fourth respectively in this ballot in which eight candidates took part. Only about 28% of eligible voters participated in the election, which was necessitated by the internment of former Mayor Camillien Houde, imprisoned for his anti-conscriptionist positions.

Economics and finance
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull said that the United States would not make a $100-million loan to Spain, but that the U.S. may send food shipments, which would stop if Spain entered the European war.

Labour
American Federation of Labor carpenters went on strike at the $4.5-million U.S. War Department building in Washington. Wright Aeronautical Corporation and the Independent Wright Aeronautical Employes Association signed a contract providing for a 7% wage increase and a ban on strikes.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) announced that it had signed 10-year agreements with 135 music publishers who controlled more than 200,000 songs.

Business
Alexis Thompson of New York purchased the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from Art Rooney, who purchased a half-interest in the Philadelphia Eagles.

Football
NCAA
The Downtown Athletic Club of New York awarded the 1940 Heisman Trophy to University of Michigan halfback Tom Harmon as the outstanding player in U.S. college football.

70 years ago
1945

Died on this date
Yun Chi-ho, 80. Korean political activist. Mr. Yun was a leading advocate of Korean independence in the 1890s and 1900s. He was in prison from 1911-1917 for opposing Japan's occupation of Korea. Mr. Yun was still politically active when he died 17 days short of his 81st birthday.

Radio
The Network Hooper Rating reported that Bob Hope, Fibber McGee and Molly, Radio Theater, and Walter Winchell led the list of the most popular programs in the United States.

World events
U.S. Army General George Patton suffered a broken neck when an Army truck crashed into his car near Mannheim, Germany.

A Romanian court sentenced former Education Minister Ferenc Rainess to death for treason.

An Argentine Army-Navy court sentenced former President Arturo Rawson and General Osvaldo Martin to prison for inciting a coup attempt on September 25, 1945.

Scandal
Argentine President Juan Peron was reported to have protected important Argentine businessmen suspected of being enemy agents.

Energy
Dr. Ernest O. Lawrence said that a new 4,000-ton supercyclotron was being built in Berkeley, California, to be ready in 1946, which would permit artificial production of cosmic rays and production of atomic energy from iron ore and other sources cheaper than uranium.

Football
NFL
New York (3-6-1) 0 @ Washington (8-2) 17
Boston (3-6-1) 7 @ Philadelphia (7-3) 35

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets (3rd week at #1)

Protest
A mob of 3,000 in Montreal demonstrated against higher transit fares, causing $100,000 in damage to city buses and streetcars

Boxing
Sugar Ray Robinson (138-4-2) regained the world middleweight title by knocking out defending champion Carl "Bobo" Olson (71-8) at 2:51 of the 2nd round at Chicago Stadium. Mr. Robinson retired as champion in 1952, and Mr. Olson won the vacant title in 1953, but Mr. Robinson came out of retirement in 1955. It was the third fight between the two, all won by Mr. Robinson.



50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): The Carnival is Over--The Seekers (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
A Charlie Brown Christmas, on CBS

This was the first broadcast of the first Peanuts animated special. The first Canadian broadcast was on CBC on December 24, 1965.

At the movies
Thunderball, starring Sean Connery as James Bond, received its premiere screening in Tokyo.



Died on this date
Branch Rickey, 83. U.S. baseball player, manager, and executive. Mr. Rickey, nicknamed "The Mahatma," was a catcher with the St. Louis Browns (1905-1906, 1914) and New York Highlanders (1907), batting .239 with 3 home runs and 39 runs batted in in 120 games. He managed the Browns from 1913-1915 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1919-1925, compiling a record of 597-664-16. Mr. Rickey was also the Browns' general manager from 1913-1915 and 1919 before moving to the Cardinals, holding the same position from 1919-1942. With the Cardinals, Mr. Rickey developed the idea of a farm system of minor league teams feeding the major league club; the Cardinals won six pennants under his leadership, and World Series championships in 1926, 1931, 1934, and 1942. Mr. Rickey then moved on to the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming part-owner and putting together the team that won National League pennants in 1947 and 1949, before selling his share of the club in 1950. His most famous act was signing Jackie Robinson, who, in 1947, became the first Negro player in modern major league baseball. Mr. Rickey served as president of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1950-1955, but had no success at all. He came out of retirement to rejoin the Cardinals as an executive after the 1962 season, and the team won the World Series in 1964. Mr. Rickey died 26 days after suffering a stroke while delivering a speech in Columbia, Missouri, and his death occurred 11 days before his 84th birthday. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.

Oddities
A fireball was seen from Michigan to Pennsylvania; witnesses reported something crashing in the woods at Kecksburg, Pennsylvania, 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds traded right fielder Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Badschun and outfielder Dick Simpson. Mr. Robinson had batted .296 with 33 home runs and 113 runs batted in in 156 games in 1965; in 10 seasons with the Reds, he hit .303 with 324 homers and 1,009 RBIs. Mr. Pappas was 13-9 with an earned run average of 2.61 in 34 games in 1965; in 8 seasons with the Orioles he was 110-74 with an ERA of 3.24. Mr. Baldschun had been acquired by the Orioles on December 6 from the Philadelphia Phillies, with whom he had posted a record of 5-8 with a 3.82 ERA in 65 games. In 5 seasons with Philadelphia he was 39-34 with a 3.18 ERA in 333 games, all in relief. Mr. Simpson had been acquired by the Orioles on December 2 from the California Angels, for whom he had batted .222 with no home runs and 3 runs batted in in 8 games after hitting .301 with 24 homers and 79 RBIs in 149 games with the Seattle Rainiers of the AAA Pacific Coast League.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
William A. Wellman, 79. U.S. movie director. Mr. Wellman was known for movies such as Wings (1927); The Public Enemy (1931); A Star is Born (1937); Beau Geste (1939); The Ox-Bow Incident (1943); and The High and the Mighty (1954). He won an Academy Award for his story for A Star is Born.

Jeff Heath, 60. Canadian-born U.S. baseball player. Mr. Heath, a native of Fort William, Ontario, was a left fielder with the Cleveland Indians (1936-1945); Washington Nationals (1946); St. Louis Browns (1946-1947); and Boston Braves (1948-1949), batting .293 with 194 home runs and 887 runs batted in in 1,383 games. In 1941 he became the first player in American League history to hit at least 20 doubles, 20 triples, and 20 home runs in the same season. Mr. Heath batted .319 with the Braves in 1948, but broke his ankle sliding into home plate in one of the last few games of the regular season, and missed the World Series and most of the following season. Mr. Heath had a hot temper that impeded his career; he settled in Seattle, and died there of a heart attack.

Yellowknifiana
Sir John Franklin Territorial High School hosted the second and last night of its annual Festival of Fine Arts at the gymnasium. The festival included performances by the stage and concert bands and the grade 11 and 12 music class; a dramatic reading by Gaelynn Wall of a script by Father Rene Fumoleau; and the one-act plays My Swinging Swain and The Unhappy Santa. Cathy Brown turned in an outstanding performance in My Swinging Swain, while Sherry Holden did the same in her co-starring role in The Unhappy Santa. This blogger was one of the Music 12 students serving as ushers.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Gerald Ford signed a $2.3-billion seasonal loan authorization to prevent New York City from having to default.

Baseball
The Cleveland Indians purchased catcher Ray Fosse from the Oakland Athletics. Mr. Fosse, who had played with the Indians from 1967-1972 before being traded to Oakland, batted just .140 with no home runs and 12 runs batted in in 82 games in 1975. The Indians traded catcher and first baseman John Ellis to the Texas Rangers for catcher Ron Pruitt and pitcher Stan Thomas. Mr. Ellis batted .230 with 7 home runs and 32 runs batted in 92 games in 1975, and didn't get along with Cleveland manager Frank Robinson. Mr. Pruitt hit .176 with no homers or RBIs in 14 games with Texas in 1975 after batting .277 with 9 home runs and 42 runs batted in in 77 games with the Spokane Indians of the AAA Pacific Coast League. Mr. Thomas was 4-4 with an earned run average of 3.11 and 3 saves in 46 games with Texas in 1975.

The Philadelphia Phillies traded outfielder Mike Anderson to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Ron Reed. Mr. Anderson batted .259 with 4 homers and 28 RBIs in 115 games in 1975. Mr. Reed began 1975 with the Atlanta Braves, posting a record of 4-5 with a 4.22 ERA in 10 games before being traded to St. Louis and going 9-8 with a 3.23 ERA in 24 games as a Cardinal. He batted .183 with the Braves and Cardinals in 1975, with no home runs and 7 runs batted in in 34 games.

The Houston Astros released veteran relief pitcher Wayne Granger. Mr. Granger was 2-5 with an ERA of 3.65 and 5 saves in 55 games in 1975, and batted 0 for 9.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Power of Love--Jennifer Rush (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love--Akiko Kobayashi (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Part-Time Lover--Stevie Wonder (6th week at #1)

Business
Canadian financier Conrad Black acquired a controlling interest in the London newspaper Daily Telegraph.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat (6th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Sadeness Part I--Enigma
2 I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat
3 Keep on Running--Milli Vanilli
4 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
5 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
6 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers
7 I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
8 Crazy for You--David Hasselhoff
9 Ich hab' geträumt von dir--Matthias Reim
10 The Invisible Man--Dance with a Stranger

Singles entering the chart were Unchained Melody; and I'll Be Your Baby Tonight by Robert Palmer and UB40 (#26).

Politics and government
Solidarity trade union movement leader Lech Walesa won a landslide victory in the runoff election to become President of Poland over Polish-Canadian businessman Stanislaw Tyminski. Mr. Walesa captured more than 74% of the vote in the two-man contest and attributed his win to the support of Solidarity members. The movement, which had been divided in recent months, had united behind Mr. Walesa after Premier Tadeusz Mazowiecki had urged Solidarity to end its feuding and back Mr. Walesa in the runoff.

Religion
Pope John Paul II canonized Marguerite d'Youville, who founded in 1755 the Sisters of Charity of the Hôpital Général (Soeurs grises or Grey Nuns). The Quebec native became the first Canadian-born person to be canonized.

Transportation
The last train left Midway, British Columbia.

20 years ago
1995

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

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Ik ben een vent--Jimmy B

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Ademnood--Linda, Roos & Jessica

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Earth Song--Michael Jackson

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (2nd week at #1)
2 Exhale (Shoop Shoop)--Whitney Houston
3 Hey Lover--LL Cool J
4 Fantasy--Mariah Carey
5 Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V.
6 Diggin' on You--TLC
7 You Remind Me of Something--R. Kelly
8 You'll See--Madonna
9 Name--Goo Goo Dolls
10 Runaway--Janet Jackson

Singles entering the chart were You'll See; One of Us by Joan Osborne (#26); Soon as I Get Home by Faith Evans (#40); Too Hot by Coolio (#43); Tonite's Tha Night by Kris Kross (#44); Natural One by Folk Implosion (#54); Wonder by Natalie Merchant (#57); Friends of P. by the Rentals (#82); East 1999 by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (#95); and We Got It by Immature (featuring Smooth) (#96). Natural One was from the movie Kids (1995).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
2 Exhale (Shoop Shoop)--Whitney Houston
3 Diggin' on You--TLC
4 Fantasy--Mariah Carey
5 Hey Lover--LL Cool J
6 Name--Goo Goo Dolls
7 You Remind Me of Something--R. Kelly
8 Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V.
9 Tell Me--Groove Theory
10 Back for Good--Take That

Singles entering the chart were When Love and Hate Collide by Def Leppard (#67); I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan (#68); Soon as I Get Home by Faith Evans (#70); Wonder by Natalie Merchant (#71); Lie to Me by Bon Jovi (#79); We Got It by Immature (featuring Smooth) (#83); Fast Life by Kool G Rap and D.J. Polo (#87); and Sometimes I Miss You So Much (Dedicated to the Christ Consciousness) by P.M. Dawn (#89). Lie to Me was the A-side of Something for the Pain.

Died on this date
Douglas Corrigan, 88. U.S. aviator. "Wrong Way" Corrigan became famous for flying from Brooklyn to Ireland in July 1938, although his flight plan called for him to fly to Long Beach, California, whence he had come. Mr. Corrigan always denied that he had intentionally flown across the Atlantic Ocean.

Politics and government
U.S. Representative Kweisi Mfume (Democrat---Maryland) was chosen to head the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).