December 18, 2016

160 years ago
1856

Born on this date
Graciano López Jaena. Filipino journalist. Mr. López Jaena was living in exile in Spain when he founded the newspaper La Solidaridad in 1889. He was one of the leaders of the Propaganda Movement, which advocated the reform of the Philippines, and was a key step toward a Philippine national identity. Mr. López Jaena died from tuberculosis in Barcelona at the age of 39 on January 20, 1896, seven months before the beginning of the Philippine Revolution.

130 years ago
1886

Born on this date
Ty Cobb. U.S. baseball player. Often called the greatest player ever, the "Georgia Peach," a native of Narrows, Georgia, was an outfielder with the Detroit Tigers (1905-1926) and Philadelphia Athletics (1927-1928), batting .366 with 117 home runs and 1,938 runs batted in, with 892 stolen bases, in 3,034 games, leading the American League in batting percentage from 1907-1909; 1911; 1914; and 1916-1919. His .366 lifetime percentage remains the career record, and his 4,189 hits was the career record until it was broken by Pete Rose in 1985 (I respect the research conducted by The Sporting News in 1981 that found that Mr. Cobb had been erroneously credited with a 2-for-3 performance in 1910). Mr. Cobb also managed the Tigers (1921-1926), compiling a record of 479-444. His fiery style of play and competitive nature made him many enemies--among teammates as well as opponents--and his reported racial attitudes would be considered very politically incorrect today. Mr. Cobb was one of the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, and died on July 17, 1961 at the age of 74.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Betty Grable. U.S. actress. Miss Grable Miss Grable was one of the most popular movie stars of the 1940s, and photographs of her "million dollar legs" made her one of the most popular pinup girls among American servicemen in World War II. Her movies included Million Dollar Legs (1939); Down Argentine Way (1940); Moon Over Miami (1941); Footlight Serenade (1942); Springtime in the Rockies (1942); Pin Up Girl (1944); Mother Wore Tights (1947); Call Me Mister (1951); and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953). Miss Grable died of lung cancer at the age of 56 on July 2, 1973.

War
The Battle of Verdun, which had begun on February 21, 1916, concluded with a French victory over German forces, commanded by Chief of staff Erich von Falkenhayn, who suffered 337,000 casualties.

75 years ago
1941

War
Japanese troops crossed the Lye Mun Passage after dark, in assault boats, landing craft and small boats towed by ferry steamers, to attack Hong Kong. Two platoons of the Winnipeg Grenadiers were deployed to seize the hills known as Jardine's Lookout and Mount Butler, where they engaged in intense fighting; heavily outnumbered, they were cut to pieces, and both platoon commanders were killed. British authorities in Malaya conceded that Imperial troops had fallen back about 100 miles in northern Malaya during the past 11 days. The Netherlands government-in-exile announced in London that Dutch and Australian forces had occupied the Portuguese section of the island of Timor. The British command announced that Axis forces in Libya "are now in full retreat." The U.S. Senate voted 79-2 in favour of its own draft bill making men aged 19-44 subject to military service. 100 enemy aliens seized in the San Francisco area were sent to a concentration camp in Montana. Noted American aviatrix Laura Ingalls was arraigned in Washington on a charge of failing to register as a paid agent of the German government.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department reported that an agreement had been reached for neutralizing the French possessions in the Caribbean area, including Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate Elections Committee voted 13-3 to recommend that the Senate bar William Langer (Republican--North Dakota) from taking his seat, on the grounds of moral turpitude. Sen. Langer had repeatedly been accused of attempting to bribe a federal judge.

Academia
Dr. Willard C. Rappleye of the Association of American Medical Colleges announced that 76 medical schools were planning to reduce their present four-year courses to three years by operating on a year-round basis because of war needs because of war needs for doctors.

70 years ago
1946

Movies
The U.S. National Board of Review of Motion Pictures listed the best films of 1946 as: Henry V; Open City; The Best Years of Our Lives; and Brief Encounter.

British Kinematograph Weekly reported that James Mason was the most popular British movie star of 1946.

Diplomacy
Sir William Fitzgerald, U.K. chief justice of Palestine, recommended the division of Jerusalem into Jewish and Arab sectors.

Crime
Four German prisoners of war were hanged at the Lethbridge Provincial Jail in Alberta for the murder of fellow prisoner Corporal Karl Lehmann at the Medicine Hat POW camp in September, 1944.

Politics and government
Union Nationale candidate Daniel Johnson was elected to the Quebec Legislative Assembly in a provincial by-election in Bagot; he received 4,725 votes to 3,585 for Liberal candidate Roland Bailly and 40 for independente Unionist Georges de Grandpré. The by-election was necessitated by the death of Liberal MLA Cyril Dumaine.

Science
Carl Anderson and Robert Brode reported the discovery of new high-energy cosmic rays.

Defense
The father of Henry Stewart, a Negro who had allegedly been refused enlistment in the United States Army on racial grounds, filed suit in Pittsburgh to stop further enlistment until segregation was banned.

Economics and finance
The Allied Far Eastern Commission in Washington eased Japan's reparations schedule to help the Japanese government combat inflation.

U.S. military authorities in Berlin banned the use of cigarettes for trading in the officially approved barter markets.

A bill to nationalize all of Britain's transport was approved by the House of Commons on its second reading.

60 years ago
1956

War
Israeli troops in the Sinai Peninsula withdrew to a line 47 miles east of the Suez Canal.

Diplomacy
Japan was admitted to the United Nations.

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ended three days of talks with U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon, acting as President Eisenhower's personal representative, flew to Austria to investigate the Hungarian refugee problem.

Crime
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested four men in New York and charged them with transporting across state lines several million dollars' worth of oilfield maps stolen from the Pittsburgh office of Gulf Oil Corporation.

Oil
With many industrial plants cutting back to a three-day work week, the United Kingdom resumed gasoline rationing for the first time since 1950.

50 years ago
1966

On television tonight
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, narrated by Boris Karloff, on CBS

This was the first U.S. telecast of the animated version of the story by Dr. Seuss, which had first been published in 1957.

Space
Saturn's moon Epimetheus was discovered by astronomer Richard Walker, three days after its co-orbital moon Janus had been identified by Audouin Dollfus.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Sei forte papà--Gianni Morandi (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): If You Leave Me Now--Chicago (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K (New Musical Express): Under the Moon of Love--Showaddywaddy (3rd week at #1)

Rhodesia's Top 10 (Lyons Maid)
1 Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee (10th week at #1)
2 In Zaire--Johnny Wakelin
3 Dancing Queen--ABBA
4 You to Me are Everything--The Real Thing
5 (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty--K C & the Sunshine Band
6 Arms of Mary--Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
7 Dr. Kiss Kiss--5000 Volts
8 Dance Little Lady Dance--Tina Charles
9 Why Did You Do It--Stretch
10 (What a) Wonderful World--Johnny Nash

Singles entering the chart were I Only Want to Be with You by the Bay City Rollers (#17); and Venus by the Stockley Sisters (#20).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart (5th week at #1)
2 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing--Leo Sayer
3 The Rubberband Man--The Spinners
4 You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
5 Love So Right--Bee Gees
6 Stand Tall--Burton Cummings
7 Muskrat Love--Captain and Tennille
8 After the Lovin'--Engelbert Humperdinck
9 Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word--Elton John
10 Nights are Forever Without You--England Dan & John Ford Coley

Singles entering the chart were Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band (#72); Hard Luck Woman by Kiss (#78); I Like to Do It by K.C. and the Sunshine Band (#81); Moody Blue by Elvis Presley (#90); Prisoner (Captured By Your Eyes) by the L.A. Jets (#91); Caledonia by Robin Trower (#93); Hey Baby by Ringo Starr (#95); and Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love) by the O'Jays (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart (4th week at #1)
2 Love So Right--Bee Gees
3 Muskrat Love--Captain and Tennille
4 Stand Tall--Burton Cummings
5 I Never Cry--Alice Cooper
6 Nadia's Theme (The Young and the Restless)--Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr.
7 Do You Feel Like We Do--Peter Frampton
8 Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word--Elton John
9 The Rubberband Man--The Spinners
10 You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.

Singles entering the chart were Dance Little Lady Dance by Tina Charles (#75); It's a Long Way There by Little River Band (#88); I Like Dreamin' by Kenny Nolan (#89); Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#90); Weekend in New England by Barry Manilow (#91); Someone to Lay Down Beside Me by Linda Ronstadt (#92); Night Moves by Bob Seger (#93); Baby, Baby I Love You by Terry Cashman (#94); Slow Dancing by the Funky Kings (#95); Lucky Man by Starbuck (#96); Back Into Your Arms by Dancer (#97); Do it to My Mind by Johnny Bristol (#98); If Not You by Dr. Hook (#99); and Heart on My Sleeve by Gallagher and Lyle (#100).

Hockey
NHL
Colorado 2 @ Toronto 4
Montreal 2 @ Los Angeles 0

As part of the celebration of the 25th season of Hockey Night in Canada on television, Foster Hewitt came out of retirement to call the play-by-play of the 2nd period of the Maple Leafs' win over the Rockies before 16,485 fans at Maple Leaf Gardens in the national telecast. It was Mr. Hewitt's last such appearance.

WHA
Quebec 2 @ Calgary 4

Football
NFL
NFC Divisional Playoff
Washington 20 @ Minnesota 35

See video.

AFC Divisional Playoff
New England 21 @ Oakland 24

See video.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CKRA)
1 The Next Time I Fall--Peter Cetera with Amy Grant
2 Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles
3 Amanda--Boston
4 The Way it Is--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
5 Human--Human League
6 The Lady in Red--Chris de Burgh
7 Hip to Be Square--Huey Lewis and the News
8 Don't Stand So Close to Me '86--The Police
9 Stand by Me--Ben E. King
10 I'll Be Over You--Toto

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: All Shook Up: Autumn 1957



The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Road Less Traveled, starring Cliff DeYoung and Margaret Klenck

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld Ontario's restrictions on Sunday shopping.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black or White--Michael Jackson (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Pfeiffer's Choice

Law
Québec completed a major overhaul of the Civil Code, governing all non-criminal law, after 35 years of reform.

Education
Daniel Johnson, president of Quebec's Permanent Ministerial Committee for Montreal Development, announced, during the presentation of Montreal's recovery plan, the creation of a graphic communications technology resource centre. The institution would provide businesses with services as well as training for their workforce; it was post-college training but not university.

20 years ago
1996

Died on this date
Irving Caesar, 101. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Caesar, born Isidor Keiser, wrote lyrics for such songs as Swanee; Crazy Rhythm; and Tea for Two. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.

Television
U.S. television industry executives agreed to adopt a content ratings system, which remains in effect to this day.

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Joseph Barbera, 95. U.S. animator. Mr. Barbera worked at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1937-1957; he and colleague William Hanna produced the Tom & Jerry cartoons. In 1957 Messrs. Hanna and Barbera founded Hanna-Barbera, the most successful animation studio in television. Hanna-Barbera produced such programs as The Flintstones (1960-1966) and The Jetsons (1962-1963, 1985, 1987), and won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards.

Disasters
The first of a series of floods struck Malaysia; the death toll of all flooding was at least 118, with over 400,000 people displaced.