December 5, 2016

520 years ago
1496

Abominations
King Manuel I of Portugal issued a decree ordering the expulsion of Jewish "heretics" from the country.

350 years ago
1666

Born on this date
Francesco Scarlatti. Italian composer. Mr. Scarlatti was the younger brother of composer Alessandro Scarlatti and the uncle of composer Domenico Scarlatti. Francesco Scarlatti was a violinist whose compositions included the choral works Psalm 110 and Psalm 51. He died in or after the age of 74 in 1741, the latest date for which any record exists for him.

250 years ago
1766

Business
In London, auctioneer James Christie held his first sale.

240 years ago
1776

Academia
The first scholastic fraternity in the United States--Phi Beta Kappa--was organized at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

225 years ago
1791

Died on this date
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 35. Austrian composer. A child prodigy who became one of the most renowned composers in history, Mr. Mozart wrote more than 800 works in various genres. He died in Vienna after a brief illness.

125 years ago
1891

Died on this date
Pedro II, 66. Emperor of Brazil, 1831-1889. Dom Pedro II, the seventh child of Emperor Pedro I, succeeded to the throne at the age of 5 upon his father's abdication. Dom Pedro II modernized the country, but was overthrown by a coup on November 15, 1889, and spent his last two years in exile with his family in Paris, dying three days after his 66th birthday.

120 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Carl Cori. Czech biochemist. Dr. Cori shared the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his wife Gerty "for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen." Bernardo Houssay was also honoured that year "for his discovery of the part played by the hormone of the anterior pituitary lobe in the metabolism of sugar." Dr. Cori died on October 20, 1984 at the age of 87.

Ann Nolan Clark. U.S. teacher and authoress. Mrs. Clark taught literacy to Native American children in New Mexico for 25 years, beginning in the early 1920s. She wrote books of fiction and non-fiction; her children's novel Secret of the Andes won the 1953 Newbery Medal. Mrs. Clark died on December 13, 1995, eight days after her 99th birthday.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Walt McPherson. U.S. basketball coach. Mr. McPherson coached the men's team at San Jose State University (1940-42, 1945-60), compiling a record of 261-207, and leading the Spartans to national championships in 1941, 1948, and 1949. He died on January 12, 2013 at the age of 96.

Hilary Koprowski. Polish-born U.S. physician. Dr. Koprowski fled Poland after the German invasion of the country in 1939, and eventually settled in the United States. He was best known for creating the world's first polio vaccine, which he tested first on himself in 1948. Dr. Koprowski's vaccine eventually led to the vaccine used by Dr. Albert Sabin. Dr. Koprowski died on April 11,2013 at the age of 96.

Edmontonia
Mike's News and Tobacco Stand, the city's first indoor newsstand, opened at 10062 Jasper Avenue, where it remained until April 1980. Owner John "Mike" Michaels had operated an outdoor newsstand on the northeast corner of Jasper Ave. and 101 St. since 1912. Mike's moved twice more during the 1980s before closing for good on April 15, 1986.

90 years ago
1926

Died on this date
Claude Monet, 86. French artist. Mr. Monet was one of the founders of French Impressionist painting, and was especially known for his paintings of the French countryside. He died three weeks after his 86th birthday.

Football
AFL
Los Angeles (6-6-2) 5 @ Chicago (5-5-3) 0

80 years ago
1936

Politics and government
The Soviet Union adopted a new constitution, and the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic was established as a full Union Republic of the U.S.S.R.

Football
CRU
Eastern Final @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Sarnia Imperials (ORFU) 26 Ottawa Rough Riders (IRFU) 20

The Imperials led 24-12 and held on to defeat the Rough Riders before 5,883 fans in what was described as a very exciting game. Orm Beach of the Imperials opened the scoring early in the game with a short touchdown rush, converted by Alex Hayes. Mike Hedgewick of Sarnia then scored a touchdown on an end run, and Mr. Hayes' convert gave the Imperials a 12-0 lead. The Rough Riders got on the scoreboard before the end of the 1st quarter on a pass from Tommy Daley to Andy Tommy. Tiny Herman's convert attempt was unsuccessful, leaving Sarnia with a 12-5 lead. A single point early in the 2nd quarter made the score 12-6, and the Rough Riders tied the game when Bunny Wadsworth fumbled attempting to rush for a touchdown, and Mr. Herman recovered in the Sarnia end zone for a touchdown, which he converted to tie the game. Two more Sarnia touchdowns, including another by Mr. Beach, gave the Imperials a 24-12 halftime lead. 2 single points gave Sarnia a 26-12 lead after 3 quarters, which became 26-14 with 2 Ottawa singles early in the 4th quarter. Rough Riders' quarterback Arnie McWatters rushed for a touchdown, converted by Mr. Herman, to make the score 26-20, and the Rough Riders drove as far as the Sarnia 35-yard line with about 3 minutes left in regulation time, but turned the ball over on downs. Mr. Wadsworth failed to finish the game, having been ejected in the 3rd quarter for "using the wrong kind of language to the officials," in the words of Tommy Munns of The Globe and Mail. Having defeated the IRFU champions, the ORFU champion Imperials prepared to play the WIFU champion Regina Roughriders for the Grey Cup, scheduled for December 12.

75 years ago
1941

War
The United Kingdom declared war on Finland, Hungary, and Romania after those countries rejected a British ultimatum to halt their attacks on Russia. In the Battle of Moscow, Marshal Georgy Zhukov launched a massive Soviet counter-attack of 100 divisions against the German army, and stopped the German troops along a 200-mile semi-circular front around Moscow. Germany agreed to a secret treaty with Japan for a war against the United States, and barring any separate peace. The Japanese government informed U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt that Japanese troops had been reinforced in northern French Indochina "with the object of taking precautionary measures" against Chinese troops along the border.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the $8,243,839,031 third supplemental national defense appropriation bill and sent it to the Senate.

Law
The New Jersey Supreme Court reversed the convictions of nine leaders of the German-American Bund, ruling that the state's 1935 "race hatred" law violated the free speech provisions of the federal and state constitutions.

70 years ago
1946

Defense
Despite a drop in enlistments, the U.S. War Department extended the draft suspension through January 1947

Politics and government
Elections for the Berlin City Council resulted in Social Democrats winning seven of 14 seats, allowing Socialist Otto Ostrowski to become Lord Mayor of Berlin.

The U.S. Senate Campaign Investigating Committee ended a four-day probe into the campaign tactics of Sen. Theodore Bilbo (Democrat--Mississippi) after hearing the testimony of over 50 Negroes who charged that they had been prevented from voting in the Mississippi Democratic primary.

U.S. Civilian Production Administrator John Small resigned.

U.S. President Harry Truman established a 15-man Committee on Civil Rights, with General Motors President Charles Wilson as chairman.

Energy
The Little Inch pipeline, operated by Tennessee Gas and Transmission Company, began moving natural gas from the southwestern United States to the northeastern part of the country at a rate of 50 million cubic feet per day.

Economics and finance
Despite an impassioned appeal from United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency director Fiorello La Guardia to the UN Economic and Financial Committee, The U.S.A. and U.K. refused to join any new international relief agency.

60 years ago
1956

Defense
Meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, the ambassadors of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan proposed that the Baghdad Pact be linked with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Southeast Asia Treaty Organization alliances.

Israeli Ambassador Abba Eban conferred in New York with United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, winning agreement on indefinite stationing of UN forces in the Sinai Desert.

Protest
Hungarian police and tanks in Budapest dispersed demonstrators who had gathered at the U.S., U.K., and French embassies to shout slogans against Premier Janos Kadar and demand the restoration to office of deposed Premier Imre Nagy.

Scandal
A U.S. federal grand jury opened an investigation of Representative Adam Clayton Powell (Democrat--New York) on charges of possible tax evasion, padding of his congressional payroll, and salary kickbacks.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Black is Black--Los Bravos (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Green, Green Grass of Home--Tom Jones

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Winchester Cathedral--The New Vaudeville Band (2nd week at #1)
2 Lady Godiva--Peter and Gordon
3 You Keep Me Hangin' On--The Supremes
4 Good Vibrations--The Beach Boys
5 Devil with a Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly--Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
6 Stop Stop Stop--The Hollies
7 I'm Ready for Love--Martha and the Vandellas
8 Born Free--Roger Williams
9 Holy Cow--Lee Dorsey
10 Look Through My Window--The Mamas and the Papas

Singles entering the chart were Help Me Girl by Eric Burdon & the Animals (#75); Cry by Ronnie Dove (#79); She Comes to Me by the Chicago Loop (#83); Knock on Wood by Eddie Floyd (#86); It's Not Funny Honey by Bobby Curtola (#88); Ghost Riders in the Sky by Baja Marimba Band (#93); Yo-Yo by Billy Joe Royal (#94); Behind the Door by Cher (#96); School Day by Jan & Dean (#97); Annie by the Rising Sons (#98); You Can Bring Me Heartaches by Lou Rawls (#99); and I Love My Dog by Cat Stevens (#100).

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight's episode: The Six Napoleons

Theatre
I Do! I Do! , starring Mary Martin and Robert Preston, opened at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in New York.

40 years ago
1976

Politics and government
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered losses in the general election, but held on to power with help from independent members of the Diet.

Football
NFL
Dallas 26 Philadelphia 7
Miami 45 Buffalo 27
Cleveland 13 Houston 10
Chicago 34 Seattle 7

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): In the Army Now--Status Quo (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
Shaka Zulu, on SABC Tonight's episode: Episode 7



Died on this date
Edward Youde, 62. U.K.-born diplomat and politician. Sir Edward spent most of his career with the British Foreign Office in China. He served as Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 1974-1978, and was Governor of Hong Kong from 1982 until his death from a heart attack in his sleep while on a visit to the British embassy in Beijing.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Zigzagging--Zig and Zag (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Robert Karvelas, 70. U.S. actor. Mr. Karvelas was best known for playing Larrabee in the television comedy series Get Smart (1965-1970); he was the cousin of Get Smart star Don Adams.

Law
Gun control legislation in Canada received royal assent. The bill banned imports of automatic assault weapons, and imposed safe-storage rules and a waiting period to buy guns. The measure, overseen by Justice Minister Kim Campbell, passed in the House of Commons only after Prime Minister Brian Mulroney moved to quell dissent in his caucus.

Business
A month after the death of U.K. publisher Robert Maxwell, administrators were called in to try to salvage Mr. Maxwell's business empire, which was at least £1 billion in debt.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Roses are Red--Aqua

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Breathe--The Prodigy (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Wilf Carter, 91. Canadian musician. Mr. Carter, a native of Port Hilford, Nova Scotia, moved to Calgary at the age of 18, and in 1930 began performing on radio as a country and western singer and guitarist, with a distinctive yodelling style. He made his first recordings in 1933, and became the first Canadian country artist to achieve popularity in the United States, where he was known as "Montana Slim," hosting his own radio program on CBS from 1934-1940. Mr. Carter was seriously injured in a car accident in 1940 and didn't resume touring until 1949, but was still able to record. He wrote more than 500 songs, and in 1971 was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Mr. Carter continued to perform and record until hearing loss forced him to retire in 1992. He died in Scottsdale Arizona, 13 days before his 92nd birthday. 10 years ago
2006

World events
Fijian Navy Commodore Frank Bainimarama overthrew the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and announced that he had "reluctantly" assumed the powers of the presidency.

Health
New York became the first city in the United States to ban trans fats in restaurants.