November 26, 2016

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Scott Bradley. U.S. composer and conductor. Mr. Bradley was an organist who became known for composing and conducting music for cartoons, including those starring Tom and Jerry, Droopy, Barney Bear, Screwy Squirrel, and George and Junior. He died on April 27, 1977 at the age of 85.

90 years ago
1926

Diplomacy
Vincent Massey took up his duties as first Canadian Ambassador to the United States; it was Canada's first official diplomatic posting to a foreign country after the Balfour Report and Dominion independence.

80 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Part 2

75 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Ernest Lapointe, 65. Canadian politician. Mr. Lapointe, a Liberal, represented Kamouraska in the House of Commons from 1904-1919 and Quebec East from 1919 until his death. He was Minister of Marine and Fisheries in the Government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King from 1921-1924, and Minister of Justice from 1924 until his death. Mr. Lapointe served as Mr. King's "Quebec lieutenant," as Mr. King did not speak French, and had little interest in Quebec affairs.

Movies
New York Roman Catholic Archbishop Francis Spellman issued a pastoral letter denouncing Two-Faced Woman as "dangerous to public morals." It was the first time a movie had been so singled out.

Literature
The Limited Editions Club awarded its gold medal to Ernest Hemingway for his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, chosen as the book published in the previous three years that was most likely to become a classic.

War
Japan's 1st Air Fleet departed Hitokappu Bay for Hawaii. Soviet forces recaptured Rostov and drove German troops on the southern front back 50 miles to the Mius River. Dispatches reported that German forces were driving toward Stalinogorsk, 120 miles southeast of Moscow, in an apparent attempt to encircle the capital.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull presented the Outline of Proposed Basis for Agreement Between the United States and Japan to Japanese Ambassador to the U.S.A. Kichisaburō Nomura, demanding that Japan withdraw from China and French Indochina, in return for which the United States would lift economic sanctions.

Asiatica
The Lebanese government issued a proclamation in Beirut declaring the independence of Lebanon under Free French and British protection.

Scandal
The U.S. Senate committee investigating defense contracts heard testimony that waste and nepotism were extensive in the building of a shell-loading plant in Milan, Tennessee. Committee Chairman Sen. Harry Truman (Democrat--Missouri) said that the evidence was "shocking."

The Panamanian government ordered the arrest of Third Vice President Anibal Rios, now in Colombia, on charges of peculation while he was Panama's Minister of Education.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 218-63 to defeat Rep. Albert Gore's (Democrat--Tennessee) amendment to the price control bill freezing wages, prices, and rents.

Labour
American Federation of Labor President William Green, Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray, CIO Secretary James Carey, and Socialist Party leader Norman Thomas expressed opposition to anti-strike legislation now being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives Labor Committee.

70 years ago
1946

World events
A British soldier and a Jew were reported killed and 21 soldiers wounded as 3,375 Jewish refugees resisted transfer to Cyprus from Haifa.

Diplomacy
Haiti was admitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), bringing the total number of voting nations to 29.

U.S. President Harry Truman and Mrs. Truman held a diplomatic banquet for representatives of 30 nations, the first since 1939.

Defense
U.K. Prime Minister Clement Attlee blamed delays in demobilization of the armed forces on slow progress with the European peace treaties.

Politics and government
The Egyptian Chamber of Deputies gave a vote of confidence to Prime Minister Ismail Sidky Pasha, enabling him to sign the proposed security pact with Britain.

The U.S. House of Representatives Campaign Expenditures Committee announced that it would conduct an investigation of New York's 18th District, home of Rep. Vito Marcantonio (American Labor Party) to determine if voters had been intimidated or coerced.

Economics and finance
The Preparatory Committee of the International Conference on Trade and Employment ended its six-week London meeting with the adoption of a draft world trade charter aimed at expanding employment through reduction of trade barriers.

60 years ago
1956

Died on this date
Tommy Dorsey, 51. U.S. musician. Mr. Dorsey was a trombonist and bandleader who became known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing." He and his older brother Jimmy, a clarinetist, played together in several bands before forming their own band in the late 1920s. A personality clash led to a split in the Dorsey Brothers band in 1935, and Jimmy and Tommy each went on to have tremendous success leading their own bands. The brothers reconciled in the late 1940s, and reunited musically after Jimmy broke up his orchestra in 1953. Tommy Dorsey choked to death a week after his 51st birthday, after eating a heavy meal and taking a sleeping pill; he started choking, and was too sedated to rise from his bed.

Olympics
Bob Richards of the United States, winner of the gold medal in the men's pole vault competition in 1952, won the gold medal again, this time with an Olympic record height of 14 feet 11½ inches in Melbourne.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Sorry/Funny Feelin'--The Easybeats

#1 single in France: L'Heure de la Sortie--Sheila (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Bang Bang--Equipe 84

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Bend It--Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): No Milk Today--Herman's Hermits (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Good Vibrations--The Beach Boys (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You Keep Me Hangin' On--The Supremes (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Winchester Cathedral--The New Vaudeville Band
2 You Keep Me Hangin' On--The Supremes
3 Good Vibrations--The Beach Boys
4 Poor Side of Town--Johnny Rivers
5 Devil with a Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly--Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
6 I'm Your Puppet--James and Bobby Purify
7 Last Train to Clarksville--The Monkees
8 Lady Godiva--Peter and Gordon
9 Rain on the Roof--The Lovin' Spoonful
10 Born Free--Roger Williams

Singles entering the chart were Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies by the Association (#57); I Need Somebody by ? and the Mysterians (#62); Single Girl by Sandy Posey (#66); Happenings Ten Years Time Ago by the Yardbirds (#68); Please Don't Ever Leave Me by the Cyrkle (#71); You Can Bring Me All Your Heartaches by Lou Rawls (#73); Behind the Door by Cher (#83); Tell it Like it Is by Aaron Neville (#84); Bad Misunderstanding by the Critters (#86); Ghost Riders in the Sky by Baja Marimba Band (#88); Pushin' Too Hard by the Seeds (#91); Questions and Answers by the In Crowd (#93); Help Me Girl by Eric Burdon & the Animals (#94); (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet by the Blues Magoos (#96); Blue Autumn by Bobby Goldsboro (#97); Sunshine Superman by Willie Bobo (#98); The Eggplant that Ate Chicago by Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band (#99); and I'm Gonna Make You Love Me by Dee Dee Warwick (#100).

Football
CFL
Grey Cup @ Empire Stadium, Vancouver
Saskatchewan 29 Ottawa 14

George Reed rushed 23 times for 133 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown, to help the Roughriders defeat the Rough Riders before 36,553 fans and win their first Grey Cup championship, in their ninth attempt. Saskatchewan quarterback Ron Lancaster completed touchdown passes to Jim Worden in the 1st quarter, Alan Ford in the 2nd quarter, and Hugh Campbell in the 4th quarter. Ottawa quarterback Russ Jackson completed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Whit Tucker to open the scoring, and connected with Mr. Tucker for an 85-yard TD in the 2nd quarter. The halftime score was 14-14, but the Saskatchewan defense did a tremendous job of containing Mr. Jackson and the Ottawa offense in their own end of the field in the 2nd half. It was the last game in the 15-year professional career of Saskatchewan guard Reg Whitehouse, and the first Grey Cup to be televised in colour.



Continental Football League
Western Division Final
Charleston 24 @ Orlando 31



Hockey
NHL
Boston 2 @ Toronto 4

This was the Hockey Night in Canada telecast that many Canadians watched after the Grey Cup was over.



40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Howzat--Sherbet

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Daddy Cool--Boney M (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Daddy Cool--Boney M (7th week at #1)

Football
NCAA
Pittsburgh 24 Pennsylvania State 7
Oklahoma 20 Nebraska 17

Tony Dorsett of the University of Pittsburgh ended his regular-season collegiate career as the NCAA's all-time leading ground-gainer with 6,082 yards, before winning the Heisman Memorial Trophy and leading the Panthers to the national title. The record stood until Ricky Williams of Texas finished with 6,279 yards in 1998.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): The Way You Are--Agnetha Fältskog and Ola Håkansson (2nd week at #1)

At the movies
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, generally regarded as the best of the Star Trek movies (and the only one this blogger has seen), opened in theatres.



Scandal
U.S. President Ronald Reagan announced the members of what would become known as the Tower Commission to investigate the Iran–Contra affair.

25 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Bob Johnson, 60. U.S. hockey coach. "Badger Bob" coached the University of Wisconsin Badgers from 1966-1975 and 1976-1982, winning national championships in 1973, 1977, and 1981. He coached the United States Olympic team in 1975-1976, and U.S. national teams in various tournaments from 1973-1991. Mr. Johnson was head coach of the Calgary Flames from 1982-1987, leading them to the Stanley Cup finals in 1986. After three years as president of USA Hockey, Mr. Johnson returned to coaching with the Pittsburgh Penguins, leading them to his--and their--first Stanley Cup championship in 1991. He died of brain cancer, which was diagnosed while he was preparing Team USA for the Canada Cup tournament. Mr. Johnson was replaced as head coach of the Penguins by Scotty Bowman, who led them to another Stanley Cup victory in 1992. Mr. Johnson was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.

Movies
The Genie Awards, recognizing the best in Canadian cinema for 1990 and 1991, were handed out at the Pantages Theatre in Toronto. Black Robe won six awards, including Best Picture and Direction (Bruce Beresford).

Asiatica
The National Assembly of Azerbaijan abolished the autonomous status of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of Azerbaijan and renamed several cities back to their original names.

Baseball
Major league owners ratified the collective bargaining agreement in a five-year contract retroactive to 1996, to run through the year 2000. They also voted to adopt interleague play and revenue sharing for small-market teams such as the Montreal Expos.

20 years ago
1996

Died on this date
Michael Bentine, 74. U.K. comedian. Mr. Bentine wrote and appeared in numerous radio and televisin programs in a career spanning 50 years, but was perhaps best known as an original member of the cast of the radio program The Goon Show (1951-1953). He was a close friend of Peter Sellers, and often wrote for Mr. Sellers. Mr. Bentine died of prostate cancer.