December 30, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Michael Nesmith and Gladys Lucy Pomazongo Levano!

950 years ago
1066

Abominations
The Granada massacre took place when a Muslim mob stormed the royal palace in the Spanish city of Granada, crucified Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela, and massacred much of the Jewish population of the city.

425 years ago
1591

Died on this date
Innocent IX. Roman Catholic Pope, 1591. Innocent IX, born Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti, became a priest in 1544 and was made a cardinal in 1583. He succeeded Gregory XIV on thee papal throne, and was crowned on November 3, 1591. He died after less than two months in office, and was succeeded by Clement VIII.

200 years ago
1816

Diplomacy
The Treaty of St. Louis (1816) between the United States and the united Ottawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi Indian tribes was proclaimed.

175 years ago
1841

Died on this date
Vitus Bering, 60. Danish explorer. Commander Bering was a cartographer served in the Russian Navy and led the First Kamchatka Expedition (1725-1731), which explored the Asian Pacific Coast, and the Great Northern Expedition (1733-1743), which explored the Arctic coast of Siberia and parts of the North American coastline. He died of scurvy on an uninhabited island, later named in his honour, near the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Bering Strait and Bering Sea are among the things named in Commander Bering's honour.

120 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Tom Keene. U.S. actor. Mr. Keene, whose real name was George Duryea, also acted under the name Richard Powers. He appeared in more than 120 movies and television programs, mainly low-budget Westerns. Mr. Keene's movies included Our Daily Bread (1934) and Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959). He died of cancer on August 4, 1963 at the age of 66.

Died on this date
José Rizal, 35. Filipino writer and polymath. Dr. Rizal, an ophthalmologist by profession, was a Philippine nationalist who was a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Movement, which advocated political reforms for the colony under Spain. His writings were blamed by Spanish authorities for helping to incite the Philippine Revolution in 1896. While en route to Cuba via Spain to minister to victims of yellow fever. Dr. Rizal was arrested and charged with rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy. Despite disavowing the revolution in its present state, he was convicted by a court martial and was executed by a Spanish firing squad in Manila. Dr. Rizal is regarded as a national hero in the Philippines.

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Montreal Victorias 6 @ Winnipeg Victorias 5 (1-game challenge)

Ernie McLea scored 3 goals, including the winner on a breakaway with less than 2 minutes remaining, to give Montreal the Cup over defending champion Winnipeg at Granite Rink in the first challenge to be played outside Montreal. Mr. McLea became the first player to score a hat trick in a Stanley Cup game. Winnipeg took an early 3-0 lead and led 4-2 at halftime.

110 years ago
1906

Politics and government
The All-India Muslim League was founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India.

100 years ago
1916

Died on this date
Grigori Rasputin, 47. Russian mystic and political adviser. Mr. Rasputin first met Czar Nicholas II in 1905, and appeared to possess supernatural powers, demonstrated in healing young prince Alexei, who was a hemophiliac. Mr. Rasputin acquired increasing influence at the royal court, attracting increasing opposition from parliamentary politicians. Mr. Rasputin was shot several times, beaten, and finally drowned, as he proved very difficult to kill. The assassins were a loyalist group led by Prince Felix Yusupov. Mr. Rasputin's body was discovered in a Moscow river three days later.

Europeana
The last coronation in Hungary is performed at Matthias Church in Budapest for King Charles IV and Queen Zita.

80 years ago
1936

Labour
The United Auto Workers of America staged its first sit-down strike in Detroit.

Basketball
NCAA
Georgetown 46 New York 40
Stanford 45 Long Island 31

Hank Luisetti, pioneer of the one-handed shot, scored 15 points to lead the Indians over the Blackbirds in the second game of a doubleheader before 17,623 fans at Madison Square Garden in New York, ending Long Island's 43-game winning streak.

75 years ago
1941

Movies
The New York Film Critics Circle Awards for 1941 were presented. The winners were: Picture--Citizen Kane; Director--John Ford (How Green was My Valley); Actor--Gary Cooper (Sergeant York); Actress--Joan Fontaine (Suspicion).

Diplomacy
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed the Canadian parliament in Ottawa, where he delivered his "Some chicken...some neck" speech, and then posed for a famous photograph by Yousuf Karsh. Go here to see the full text of the speech.



U.K. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden returned to London from his conference in Moscow with U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin.

War
The U.S.S.R. announced that Soviet troops on the Caucasian front had landed on the Crimean peninsula, occupying the town and fortress of Kerch. Dispatches from Manila reported that Japanese troops were within 100 miles of the city. U.S. aviator Charles Lindbergh was revealed to have volunteered for active serice in the U.S. Army Air Forces. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that there were 25,829,788 men in the continental United States aged 20-44 who could be drafted for military service.

Space
Dr. Edwin Hubble of the Mount Wilson Observatory in California said that as a result of six years of observation through the observatory's 100-inch telescope, he doubted the theory that the universe was expanding.

Politics and government
Philippine President Manuel Quezon and Vice President Sergio Osmena were inaugurated into their second terms in a wartime ceremony near U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur's headquarters.

Lieutenant General A.E. Percival declared martial law in Singapore, following four Japanese air raids the previous night.

Crime
Seven people were indicted in New York on charges of sending vital information to Germany.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that plans were underway to boost U.S. war production to 50% of the national income, or about $50 billion in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1942.

U.S. federal Price Administrator Leon Henderson froze wholesale cigarette prices at the levels prevailing on December 26, and fixed maximum retail prices for automobile tires and tubes at the level in effect on November 25.

Labour
Greyhound companies agreed to arbitrate the strike of 1,800 bus drivers.

70 years ago
1946

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Old Lamp-Lighter--Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye (Vocal refrain by Billy Williams and Choir)
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Hal Derwin
2 Ole Buttermilk Sky--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Michael Douglas and the Campus Kids)
--Hoagy Carmichael
--Helen Carroll and the Satisfiers
--Paul Weston and his Orchestra with Matt Dennis
3 Rumors are Flying--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra
--The Andrews Sisters with Les Paul
--Betty Rhodes
--Tony Martin
4 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons--King Cole Trio
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
5 A Gal in Calico--Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
--Bing Crosby with the Calico Kids
--Johnny Mercer
6 The Things We Did Last Summer--Frank Sinatra
--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
7 Huggin' and Chalkin'--Hoagy Carmichael
--Johnny Mercer
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
8 The Whole World is Singing My Song--Les Brown and his Orchestra
9 Passe--Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
--Margaret Whiting
10 Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were the version of (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons by Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra That's the Beginning of the End, with versions by Perry Como; and the King Cole Trio (#32).

On the radio
The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis and Howard McNear, on MBS
Tonight`s episode: The Payoff

Died on this date
Charles Wakefield Cadman, 65. U.S. composer and critic. Mr. Cadman was appointed music editor and critic for the Pittsburgh Dispatch in 1908, and was regarded as a leading expert on American Indian music, writing and lecturing on the subject, and allowing it to influence his compositions. He moved to Los Angeles in the 1920s, helping to found the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, performing there as a piano soloist, and composing scores for motion pictures in the early years of sound movies. Mr. Cadman wrote music in various genres, but was best known for his 40-year collaboration with lyricist Nelle Richmond Eberhart, who wrote librettos for his operas and words for his songs. He died six days after his 65th birthday.

Movies
The New York Film Critics Circle Awards for 1946 were presented. The winners were: Picture--The Best Years of Our Lives; Director--William Wyler (The Best Years of Our Lives); Actor--Laurence Olivier (Henry V); Actress--Celia Johnson (Brief Encounter); Foreign Language Film--Open City.

War
After conferring with French officials in Indochina, French Overseas Territories Minister Marius Moutet reiterated France's determination to re-establish "order" in the territory before resuming negotiations with nationalist guerrillas.

Politics and government
Republican Party U.S. congressional leadership filled majority posts in the new Senate: Arthur Vandenberg (Michigan)--President pro tempore; Wallace White, Jr. (Maine)--Majority floor leader; Robert Taft (Ohio)--steering committee chairman; Kenneth Wherry (Nebraska)--Majority whip; Eugene Milliken (Colorado)--Republican conference chairman.

Science
University of California physicist Glenn Seaborg, co-discoverer of plutonium, americium, and curium, was named "chemist of the year" in an American Chemical Society poll.

Energy
Despite Soviet objections, the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission appoved a U.S.-sponsored nuclear control plan recommending the creation of a strong international inspection agency not subject to a great power veto.

Argentina and Uruguay signed a pact allowing Argentina to receive electric power from the Uruguay River power project.

Economics and finance
Venezuela became the 40th nation to join the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

The Allied Control Council in Berlin announced the adoption of a law forbidding Germany to manufacture, possess, import, or export any equipment that may be used to wage war.

Labour
A U.S. federal circuit court of appeals in Chicago upheld the right of a union in a closed shop to force the discharge of a member for joining a rival union.

60 years ago
1956

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: John Brown's Body, starring Leora Dana, Russell Collins, and Hugh Marlowe

Football
NFL
Championship @ Yankee Stadium, New York
Chicago Bears 7 @ New York 47

The Giants led 13-0 after the 1st quarter and 34-7 at halftime as they coasted to victory over the Bears before 56,836 fans.



50 years ago
1966

Hit Parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 I'm a Believer/(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone--The Monkees (2nd week at #1)
2 Snoopy vs. the Red Baron--The Royal Guardsmen
3 Sugar Town--Nancy Sinatra
4 Single Girl--Sandy Posey
5 Cry Baby--Lennie Richards and the Nomads
6 Mellow Yellow--Donovan
7 Good Vibrations--The Beach Boys
8 That's Life-Frank Sinatra
9 Good Thing--Paul Revere and the Raiders
10 Devil with a Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly--Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Pick hit of the week: It's Only Love--Tommy James and the Shondells
New this week: Coming Home Soldier--Bobby Vinton
Pretty Ballerina--The Left Banke
I've Got to Have a Reason--The Dave Clark Five
Dead End Street--The Kinks
Pushin' Too Hard--The Seeds

Died on this date
Christian Herter, 71. U.S. politician. Mr. Herter, a Republican, sat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1930-1942); represented Massachusetts' 10th District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1943-1953); and served as Governor of Massachusetts (1953-1957). He was U.S. Undersecretary of State (1957-1959), and succeeded John Foster Dulles as Secretary of State on April 22, 1959, when Mr. Dulles resigned after falling fatally ill with cancer. As Secretary of State, Mr. Herter had to deal with Cold War issues such as the status of Berlin and the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro. He took a cautious approach in dealing with the U.S.S.R., while taking a hard line on Cuba. Mr. Herter served as U.S. Trade Representative from 1962 until his death.

Boxing
Chartchai Chionoi (41-10-2) was knocked down twice in the 2nd round, but recovered to score a technical knockout of defending champion Walter McGowan (23-5-1) at 50 seconds of the 9th round at Kittikachorn Stadium in Bangkok to win the World Boxing Council world flyweight title.

40 years ago
1976

Hockey
WHA
International Series (exhibition)
U.S.S.R. (2-1) 10 @ Houston 1

30 years ago
1986

Environment
The British government announced plans to phase out the use of canaries as carbon monoxide detectors in coal mines.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Sore ga Daiji (それが大事)--Daiji-man Brothers Band

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Live and Let Die--Guns N' Roses (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Let's Talk About Sex--Salt-N-Pepa (7th week at #1)

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Child--Mark Owen (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Time to Say Goodbye--Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Head Over Feet--Alanis Morissette (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Lew Ayres, 88. U.S. actor. Mr. Ayres had a career that spanned 65 years, but was best known for his starring role in the movie All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and for playing Dr. Kildare in a series of nine films from 1938-1942. He died two days after his 88th birthday.

Juan Antonio Canta, 30. Spanish musician. Mr. Canta, whose real name was Juan Antonio Castillo Madico, was a singer-songwriter and guitarist who co-founded the pop group Pabellón psiquiátrico, who recorded four albums from 1987-1991. He then became a solo artist, and was best known for the single La danza de los 40 limones, which reached number one on the PROMUSICAE chart for five weeks in May-June 1996. Mr. Canta suffered from constant depression, and committed suicide by hanging himself at his home in Córdoba.

Protest
250,000 workers in Israel shut down services in protest against proposed budget cuts by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Saddam Hussein, 69. President of Iraq, 1979-2003; Prime Minister of Iraq, 1979-1991, 1994-2003. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti, a member of the Ba'ath Party, played a prominent role in the coup which seized power in 1968, and formally assumed Iraq's highest offices in 1979. He governed as a dictator, waging an inconclusive war against Iran from 1980-1988, and an invasion of Kuwait in 1990 that resulted in defeat for Iraq in the Gulf War of 1991. Mr. Hussein's government collapsed in 2003 as a result of the invasion of Iraq by American forces, and Saddam went into hiding. He was captured in December 2003, and was hanged after being convicted of crimes against humanity.

Michel Plasse, 58. Canadian hockey goaltender. Mr. Plasse, a native of Montreal, was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1968 National Hockey League amateur draft. He played with the St, Louis Blues (1970-71); Montreal Canadiens (1972-74); Kansas City Scouts (1974-75); Pittsburgh Penguins (1975-76); Colorado Rockies (1976-80); and Quebec Nordiques (1980-82), compiling a record of 92-136-54 with a goals against average of 3.79 and 2 shutouts in 299 regular season games. While playing with the Kansas City Blues of the Central Hockey League on February 21, 1971, Mr. Plasse scored into an empty net against the Oklahoma City Blazers, becoming the first goalie in professional hockey history to score a goal. He died of a heart attack in La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas, Quebec.

Terrorism
Two people were killed and 52 injured in the explosion of a van bomb at Madrid-Barjas Airport. 10 Days later, the Basque nationalist and separatist organisation ETA claimed responsibility for the attack.

Disasters
400-500 people died when the Indonesian ferry MV Senopati Nusantara sank in a storm in the Java Sea.