November 12, 2016

150 years ago
1866

Born on this date
Sun Yat-sen. 1st President of the Republic of China, 1912; Premier of China, 1919-1925. Dr. Sun, a physician, is regarded as the father of modern China because of his leadership in the revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty. He co-founded the governing political party Kuomintang (KMT), and served as its first leader. Dr. Sun died of liver cancer on March 12, 1925 at the age of 58; his death led to a power struggle between Chiang Kai-shek and Wang Ching-wei.

125 years ago
1891

Football
CRFU
Dominion Semi-Final
Montreal 8 @ Ottawa College 9

The referee, Dr. Ehler from Montreal, declared the final score to be 8-8 and the result a draw. 4,000 fans were in attendance.

120 years ago
1896

Died on this date
Joseph James Cheeseman, 53. 12th President of Liberia, 1892-1896. Mr. Cheeseman, a True Whig, was elected three times as President. He had to deal with territorial and tribal conflicts, and died in office. Mr. Cheeseman was succeeded as President by William D. Coleman.

100 years ago
1916

Died on this date
Percival Lowell, 61. U.S. astronomer. Mr. Lowell operated a cotton mill and travelled in the Orient before turning his attention to astronomy, founding Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1894. He was known for his interest in Mars, and popularized the view that the "canals" that appeared on the surface were signs of intelligent life. Mr. Lowell also claimed to see surface features on Venus, and devoted much time in his later years to searching for Planet X, believed to lie beyond Neptune. Many of Mr. Lowell's ideas have been discredited, but he has been credited with popularizing planetary science. He died of a stroke.

80 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Missing Leonardo da Vinci

Transportation
The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge opened to traffic.

75 years ago
1941

War
Temperatures around Moscow dropped to -12 °C as the U.S.S.R. launched ski troops for the first time against the freezing German forces near the city. The Soviet cruiser Chervona Ukraina was destroyed during the Battle of Sevastopol. U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the House of Commons that the Allies would be in possession of large quantities of ships in 1943, which would enable overseas operations to take place.

Defense
U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle said that the Departments of War and Justice had prepared plans for the control of aliens in time of war. He said that the situation among the Japanese on the Pacific coast was "very serious." Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives from southern states announced their opposition to the Senate resolution amending the Neutrality Act unless the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt took firmer steps to curb strikes in defense industries.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation announced that it had development of a pursuit plane, known as the P-40F, with fire power equivalent to 12-14 machine guns and a top speed of nearly 400 miles per hour.

Politics and government
Former Canadian Prime Minister Arthur Meighen, who had resigned as leader of the Conservative Party after losing the government and his seat in the 1926 federal election, was elected leader of the Conservative Party again--replacing interim leader R.B. Hanson--and urged that military conscripts be sent for service overseas. Prime Minister Mackenzie King opposed the idea.

Crime
George E. Browne and Willie Bioff, leaders of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, were sentenced to 8- and 10-year prison terms, respectively, six days after being convicted in New York of extorting $1.2 million from the movie industry.

Education
The U.S. National Women's Party dedicated the world's first feminist library in Washington, D.C. on the 126th anniversary of the birth of feminist pioneer Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Labour
Congress of Industrial Organizations leaders James B. Carey and John Brophy resigned from the U.S. National Defense Mediation Baord in protest against the NDMB's decision to reject the CIO United Mine Workers of America's demand for a closed shop. Other CIO unions withdrew their cases before the board.

Striking workers at the Lockheed, Vega, and Consolidated aviation plants in southern California voted to return to work after the National Labor Relations Board refused to order an election. In San Diego, 2,000 American Federation of Labor construction workers returned to work.

The Cuban Confederation of Workers voted to accept the government's wage offer and call off the strike of sugar mill workers.

Sport
At the National Horse Show in New York, the United States Army team won a jump-off with the Cuban team to win the International Military Perpetual Challenge Trophy for the third straight year.

70 years ago
1946

At the movies
Song of the South, produced by Walt Disney and starring James Baskett and Bobby Driscoll, received its premiere screening at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Died on this date
Madan Mohan Malaviya, 84. Indian educator, journalist, and politician. Mahamana Malaviya, a lawyer by profession, co-founded Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916, and was its vice chancellor from 1919-1938. He founded the English-language newspaper The Leader in 1909, and was chairman of the Hindustan Times (1924-1936). Mahamana Malaviya was a member of the Imperial Legislative Council/Central Legislative Assembly (1912-1926) while being a moderate advocate of Indian independence, and served three terms as president of the Indian National Congress. He was one of the founders of the Bharat Scouts and Guides.

War
The American prosecution at the Tokyo trial of accused Japanese war criminals introduced evidence to show that then-War Minister and future Prime Minister General Hideki Tojo was responsible for the July 1941 decision to go to war with the United Kingdom and United States.

Diplomacy
Spanish dictator Francisco Franco announced that Spain would not seek membership in the United Nations at this time in order to avoid "disunion among nations" which its application might provoke.

The United Nations Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Commission resumed debate on the charter of the proposed International Refugee Organization, with agreement only on special arrangements for Spanish Republican refugees.

World events
British authorities in Palestine announced that 1,050 Jewish refugees now held in Cyprus would be admitted to Palestine under quotas until the middle of January 1947.

Defense
The U.S. Navy announced a reorganization of its operating forces effective January 1947, including elimination of the 3rd and 4th Fleets.

Politics and government
Brazil's Supreme Electoral Tribunal increased the membership of the House of Deputies to 306.

Religion
Negro and white Baptists in Georgia met together for the first time, as the General Missionary Baptists Convention held a joint "good will" session in Savannah.

Crime
The U.S. Treasury Department announced that Robert Linville, "the most important international trafficker in narcotics known to the Narcotics Bureau at this time," had been arrested in Phoenix.

Medicine
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that three doctors at Chicago Children's Memorial Hospital had successfully operated on "blue babies" whose malformed hearts could not pump sufficient blood to their lungs.

Economics and finance
The Mexican government revealed the discovery of uranium in Chihuahua.

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board permitted corporate stockholders to buy new issues on 50% margin.

The Chicago Board of Trade restored prewar daily price limits for grain futures.

Labour
The U.S.S.R. announced a drive to mobilize 14-year-old boys and girls for labour reserve and training in industrial schools as part of the five-year plan goal of increasing the work force by 1.2 million workers each year.

Disasters
260 people were killed when a typhoon struck Negros Island in the Philippines.

60 years ago
1956

Music
Canadian contralto Maureen Forrester made her debut at the Town Hall in New York City.

War
In the midst of the Suez Crisis, 111 residents of the border town of Rafah were shot dead by Israeli soldiers following the invasion of the Gaza Strip and during Israeli occupation of the Sinai Peninsula. Palestinians claimed the act was a massacre of non-resisting civilians, while Israel claimed that refugees were resisting the occupying army.

Canadiana
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent founded the Canada Council/Conseil des arts, with funding from government and two major estates, to encourage the growth of the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly opened its 11th regular session in New York, voting to admit Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia to UN membership.

The Hungarian government informed United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold that it considered the sending of UN observers to Hungary "not warranted," claiming that "Soviet troops are in Hungary at the request of the Hungarian government."

Defense
Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S.S.R. Mohemmed el-Kony claimed that more than 50,000 Soviet citizens had volunteered to serve with Egypt's armed forces.

Politics and government
The Argentine Radical Party convention in Tucaman nominated Arturo Frondizi as its presidential candidate in the 1957 election.

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities began hearings on an alleged Communist campaign to repeal or liberalize the McCarran-Walter Immigration Act.

Olympics
Julius Hegyi, leader of Hungary's Olympic team, asked that a Free Hungarian flag bearing a shield rather than a red star be exhibited during the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne.

Football
CRU
WIFU
Finals
Saskatchewan 12 @ Edmonton 20 (Best-of-three series tied 1-1)

Edmonton head coach Pop Ivy, concerned that his team was getting complacent, installed Don Getty at quarterback and moved Jackie Parker to halfback, and the move paid off as Mr. Getty rushed for a touchdown and handed off to Normie Kwong and Johnny Bright for a touchdown each in leading the Eskimos over the Roughriders at Clarke Stadium. Mr. Parker and Bill Walker punted for singles, while Joe Mobra missed the convert attempts on all 3 Edmonton touchdowns. The only Saskatchewan touchdown was scored in the final minute of play.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Lady Godiva--Peter and Gordon (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Le Coeur en Bandoulière--Salvatore Adamo (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Strangers in the Night--Frank Sinatra (9th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Bend It--Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Little Man--Sonny and Cher (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Reach Out I'll Be There--Four Tops (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Poor Side of Town--Johnny Rivers

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Poor Side of Town--Johnny Rivers
2 Good Vibrations--The Beach Boys
3 Winchester Cathedral--The New Vaudeville Band
4 Last Train to Clarksville--The Monkees
5 Walk Away Renee--The Left Banke
6 Hooray for Hazel--Tommy Roe
7 You Keep Me Hangin' On--The Supremes
8 96 Tears--? (Question Mark) & the Mysterians
9 If I Were a Carpenter--Bobby Darin
10 Rain on the Roof--The Lovin' Spoonful

Singles entering the chart were Mellow Yellow by Donovan (#59); A Place in the Sun by Stevie Wonder (#62); Coming Home Soldier by Bobby Vinton (#82); That's Life by Frank Sinatra (#84); Mame by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass (#85); Have You Ever Loved Somebody by the Searchers (#88); Spanish Nights and You by Connie Francis (#89); Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra (#90); I'll Be Home by the Platters (#94); and We Got a Thing That's in the Groove by the Capitols (#98).

Space
The Gemini 12 crew of Command Pilot Jim Lovell and Pilot Buzz Aldrin completed a successful docking of their spacecraft with the Atlas/Agena Target Vehicle. Mr. Aldrin performed his first extravehicular activity, lasting 2 hours and 29 minutes; it was the longest and most successful space walk to date.

Protest
Hippies in Hollywood, California began a series of protests that became known as the "Riot on Sunset Strip" or the "Battle of Sunset Strip," against alleged police brutality.

Popular culture
Five men who were digging a grave at a cemetery near Clendenin, West Virginia, claimed to see a man-like figure fly low from the trees over their heads in what is often regarded as the first reported sighting of the Mothman.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Kiss and Say Goodbye--The Manhattans

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Daddy Cool--Boney M (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Daddy Cool--Boney M (5th week at #1)

At the movies
Two-Minute Warning, starring Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Martin Balsam, and Beau Bridges, opened in theatres.

Horse Racing
Canadian jockey Sandy Hawley broke thoroughbred racing's money-winning record for single year, with winnings of $4,255,912 for 1976.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Joey Killer--Magnus Uggla (8th week at #1)

25 years ago
1991

Abominations
Indonesian forces opened fire and killed at least 250 East Timorese pro-independence student protesters in the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, East Timor.

Politics and government
Nellie Cournoyea was elected leader of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly; she was a 12-year veteran of the Assembly.

June Rowlands was elected Mayor of Toronto, defeating Jack Layton; she became the first female mayor of the city.

20 years ago
1996

Crime
Jonathan Schmitz was convicted of second-degree murder for the March 9, 1995 shooting of Scott Amedure, an acquaintance who had revealed during a taping of The Jenny Jones Show several days earlier that he had a crush on Mr. Schmitz.

Disasters
A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakh Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane collided in mid-air near New Delhi, killing 349 in the deadliest mid-air collision to date.

Baseball
Pat Hentgen of the Toronto Blue Jays won the American League Cy Young Award for 1996, edging Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees, with 11 first place votes, 16 seconds and one third for 104 points. Mr. Hentgen was 20-10 with a 3.22 earned run average for a Toronto team that finished 74-88 and 18 games behind the East Division champion Yankees. Mr. Pettitte was 21-8 with a 3.87 ERA in helping the Yankees win the World Series.

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Alphonse Halimi, 74. Algerian-born French boxer. Mr. Halimi, nicknamed "la Petite Terreur," was world bantamweight champion from 1957-1959. He posted a record of 42-8-1 in a professional career from 1955-1964. Mr. Halimi died of pneumonia after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for several years. He fought in the first professional match held in Israel in 1962, and was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

Tom Slade, 54. U.S. football player. Dr. Slade played quarterback with the University of Michigan from 1971-1973. He was a starter in his first season, and led the Wolverines to an 11-0 regular season record before losing 13-12 to Stanford in the 1972 Rose Bowl. In his last two seasons, Mr. Slade backed up Dennis Franklin. He then went on to a successful career as a dentist, which ended with his death from leukemia. Bo Schembechler, Dr. Slade's head coach at Michigan and a close friend, died five days later.

Football
CFL
East Final
Toronto 24 @ Montreal 33

Robert Edwards rushed 24 times for 137 yards and a touchdown, while Anthony Calvillo passed for 252 yards and a touchdown for the Alouettes as they defeated the Argonauts before 35,607 fans at Olympic Stadium to win their second straight East Division title.



West Final
Saskatchewan 18 @ British Columbia 45

Dave Dickenson passed for 274 yards and connected with Paris Jackson for 2 touchdowns to help the Lions rout the Roughriders before 50,084 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.