December 25, 2016

950 years ago
1066

Britannica
William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy was crowned King William I of England, at Westminster Abbey, London.

240 years ago
1776

War
General George Washington and his Continental Army troops crossed the Delaware River for a surprise attack against Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Kenneth Anderson. Indian-born U.K. military officer and politician. General Sir Kenneth served in both world wars, and was best known for commanding the British First Army during Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa and the subsequent Tunisian Campaign. He served as Governor of Gibraltar from 1947-1952. General Sir Kenneth died of pneumonia on April 29, 1959 at the age of 67.

90 years ago
1926

Died on this date
Taishō, 47. Emperor of Japan, 1912-1926. Taishō, whose personal name was Yoshihito, succeeded his father Meiji. Emperor Taishō died of a heart attack and was succeeded as Emperor by his son Hirohito.

75 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Richard S. Aldrich, 57. U.S. politician. Mr. Aldrich, a son of U.S. Senator Nelson Aldrich and a cousin of the Rockefellers, was a Republican, and a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives (1914-1916) and Senate (1916-1918). He represented Rhode Island's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1923-1933).

War
British forces surrendered Hong Kong to invading Japanese forces; 290 members of the Royal Rifles of Canada (a Quebec unit) and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were dead, and 493 wounded. Major John Crawford and 1,975 Canadian soldiers were captured and incarcerated at the Sham Shui Po prison camp at Kowloon for 44 months. Japanese soldiers continued their destruction of St. Stephen's College hospital in Hong Kong, killing over 100 British, Canadian and Indian wounded soldiers, as well as a number of doctors and nurses. Manila and Tokyo dispatches reported that Japanese troops had advanced at three points on the Phillipine island of Luzon despite strong resistance. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to assume command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

World events
Reuters reported from Bhagalpur, India that 320 Hindu leaders, including Dr. Syamprosad Mookerjee, finance minister of the Bengal government, had been arrested for trying to attend a conference that had been banned.

Communications
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Australian Prime Minister John Curtin formally opened a 7,420-mile direct radio-telegraph communications system between the two countries.

Politics and government
The male population of Saint Pierre voted by more than 98% for association with Free French forces, as opposed to collaboration with the Axis.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Jesse Jones announced the creation of a Small Business Unit in the Commece Department under William Shepardson.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Congressional-Executive Joint Committee on Non-Essential Expenditures, headed by Senator Harry F. Byrd (Democrat--Virginia), recommended total savings of $1.7 billion in non-defense expenditures.

Labour
Representatives of Air Associates, Inc. and the Congress of Industrial Organizations United Auto Workers of America reached an agreement in Bendix, New Jersey on a one-years contract, providing wage increases and a modified union shop.

70 years ago
1946

Died on this date
W.C. Fields, 66. U.S. actor. Mr. Fields, born William Claude Dukenfield, was famous (and beloved by this blogger) for his misanthropic persona, side-of-the-mouth vocal delivery, large nose, juggling skill, and fondness for alcohol. His movies included It's a Gift (1934); You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939); and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941). He died as a result of years of heavy drinking.

Emir Mohammed Zeinati. Palestinian crime victim. Mr. Zeinati, an Arab landowner, was slain in Haifa by unknown assassins, apparently for selling land to Jews.

Asiatica
Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands proclaimed the Provisional State of East Indonesia, including all of the former Dutch East Indies east of Java and Borneo except New Guinea.

Diplomacy
The U.K. and France signed an agreement eliminating visa requirements and other restrictions on citizens of one country travelling in the other.

Politics and government
Boycotted by Communists, China's Constitutional Assembly passed a new constitution, based on British and American models, which would go into effect on January 1, 1947. Communist spokesmen called the charter "illegal' and said that it would not be recognized in Communist-held areas.

French High Commissioner for Indonesia Admiral Thierry d'Argenlieu issued a Christmas message stating, "France does not intend in the present stage of evolution of the Indochinese people to give them total and unconditional independence."

Chile's Socialist Party rejected a proposed alliance with the Communists.

Energy
The first European self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was initiated within the U.S.S.R.'s F-1 nuclear reactor.

Nuclear scientist C. Rogers McCullough revealed that researchers were constructing the world's first atomic power pile for peacetime use at Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Gas for industrial use was cut off in six New Jersey counties, following a strike at the Jersey City and Piscataway Township plants of the Public Service and Electric Company.

60 years ago
1956

At the movies
Checkpoint, directed by Ralph Thomas, and starring Anthony Steel, Odile Versois, Stanley Baker, and James Robertson Justice, received its premiere screening in London.



40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Sei forte papà--Gianni Morandi (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): If You Leave Me Now--Chicago (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K (BMRB): When a Child Is Born (Soleado)--Johnny Mathis

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart (7th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing--Leo Sayer
2 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart
3 You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
4 The Rubberband Man--The Spinners
5 Stand Tall--Burton Cummings
6 Love So Right--Bee Gees
7 After the Lovin'--Engelbert Humperdinck
8 Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word--Elton John
9 Dazz--Brick
10 Livin' Thing--Electric Light Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were Fancy Dancer by the Commodores (#90); Don't Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston (#92); Be My Girl by the Dramatics (#93); In the Mood by Henhouse Five Plus Two (#94); My Pearl by Automatic Man (#96); Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow by Tom Jones (#97); When Love is New by Arthur Prysock (#98); Daddy Cool by Boney M (#99); and Midnight Love Affair by Carol Douglas (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)--Rod Stewart (5th week at #1)
2 Muskrat Love--Captain and Tennille
3 Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word--Elton John
4 Stand Tall--Burton Cummings
5 Love So Right--Bee Gees
6 You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)--Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
7 The Rubberband Man--The Spinners
8 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing--Leo Sayer
9 Livin' Thing--Electric Light Orchestra
10 I Never Cry--Alice Cooper

Singles entering the chart were New Kid in Town by the Eagles (#91); Shake Your Rump to the Funk by the Bar-Kays (#92); Living Next Door to Alice by Smokie (#93); Save it for a Rainy Day by Stephen Bishop (#94); Fightin' on the Side of Love by the T.H.P. Orchestra (#95); Love Theme from "A Star is Born" (Evergreen) by Barbra Streisand (#96); Dancing Queen by ABBA (#97); Year of the Cat by Al Stewart (#98); Open Sesame by Kool & The Gang (#99); and (She's Just A) Fallen Angel by Starz (#100).

At the movies
The Eagle Has Landed, directed by John Sturges and starring Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, and Robert Duvall, opened in theatres in Finland and Sweden.





Football
NCAA
Fiesta Bowl
Oklahoma 41 Wyoming 7

30 years ago
1986

Football
NCAA
Blue-Gray Game @ Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama
Blue 31 Gray 7

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black or White--Michael Jackson (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Wilbur Snyder, 62. U.S. football player and wrestler. Mr. Snyder was a tackle and kicker who joined the Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Interprovincial Football Union during the 1952 season. He scored just 3 points in the regular season, but scored 29 points in 5 playoff games; with the Eskimos facing elimination in the best-of-three WIFU finals, Mr. Snyder scored 13 points on a touchdown, 2 converts, and 2 field goals to help the Eskimos to an 18-12 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and added 7 points in a 22-11 win in the third game as the Eskimos advanced to the Grey Cup. Mr. Snyder kicked a convert for the Eskimos in their 22-11 loss to the Toronto Argonauts in the 1952 Grey Cup, and began wrestling professionally in the off-season in western Canada. Mr. Snyder scored 51 points in the 1953 regular season and 15 points in 3 playoff games as the Eskimos lost the WIFU finals to the Blue Bombers. He retired from football to wrestle full-time, holding various regional championship belts in National Wrestling Alliance territories until his retirement in 1984. Mr. Snyder was often referred to as "The World's Most Scientific Wrestler," and was particularly known for pioneering the abdominal stretch.

Diplomacy
Canada recognized the independent statehood of 11 member republics of the former U.S.S.R.; Canada had recognized Ukraine on December 2.

Politics and government
As the U.S.S.R. was dissolving, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation.

Football
NCAA
Blue-Gray Game @ Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama
Gray 20 Blue 12

20 years ago
1996

Died on this date
Bill Hewitt, 68. Canadian sportscaster. Mr. Hewitt, the son of legendary hockey broadcaster Foster Hewitt, began working with his father on Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts in the mid-1950s, and eventually succeeded Foster Hewitt as the television voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs, retiring in 1981. Bill Hewitt died of heart failure 17 days after his 68th birthday.

Football
NCAA
Blue-Gray Game @ Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama
Blue 44 Gray 34

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
James Brown, 73. U.S. musician. Mr. Brown, nicknamed "Soul Brother Number One" and "the hardest-working man in show business," was probably the most successful Negro recording artist in history, placing more than 50 singles in the top 10 of the Billboard Rhythm and Blues chart, with 16 singles reaching #1. He was active for more than 50 years, and was about to embark on a concert tour when he died of congestive heart failure. Among the concerts that were cancelled because of Mr. Brown's death was one scheduled for the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton on January 9, 2007. Mr. Brown led a complicated private life, which resulted in lengthy court battles over his estate.