November 21, 2017

200 years ago
1817

Disasters
St John's, Newfoundland suffered its second disastrous fire in three weeks, after the previous conflagration of November 7, 1817 and another on February 12, 1816. 2,600 of a total population of 10,000 were left homeless.

150 years ago
1867

Politics and government
Major General Joseph Mower made sweeping removals of civil officers in New Orleans.

Disasters
A collision on the Cincinnati and Dayton railway at Lockland, Ohio resulted in a fire that consumed an entire train, with five passengers burning to death.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Frank Umont. U.S. football player and baseball umpire. Mr. Umont played guard and tackle with the New York Giants from 1943-1945. He umpired 3,147 regular season games in the American League from 1954-1973, plus four World Series, an American League Championship Series, and four Major League All-Star Games. Mr. Umont died on June 20, 1991 at the age of 73.

90 years ago
1927

On the radio
Edmonton radio station CKUA began broadcasting at 580 AM. The station, operated by the University of Alberta (hence the last two call letters), replaced the privately-owned CFCK at the same frequency.

Labour
500 unarmed striking coal miners at the Columbine Mine in Serene, Colorado were allegedly attacked with machine guns by a detachment of state police dressed in civilian clothes, resulting in the death of six miners and the wounding of dozens of others.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): White Christmas--Bing Crosby (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Leopold Berchtold, 79. Austro-Hungarian diplomat and politician. Count Berchtold was Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to Russia from 1906-1911 and Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary from 1912-1915. He was best known for presenting a 10-point ultimatum to Serbia following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. The Serbian government accepted nine of the 10 points, but acceptance of all 10 was required, and Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, a declaration that led to World War I.

J. B. M. Hertzog, 76. Prime Minister of South Africa, 1924-1939. James Barry Munnik Hertzog served on the Orange Free State High Court and was a general during the Boer War of 1899-1902. He led the National Party to victory in the 1924 general election, and was still in office when the National Party merged with the South African Party to form the United Party in 1934. Mr. Hertzog's government instituted measures to improve the conditions of working class white people, and promoted the interests of Afrikaners in South Africa. Mr. Hertzog promoted a foreign policy of independence from the British Empire, but when he favoured neutrality at the beginning of World War II, his government was defeated.

War
Russian forces began a large offensive supported by tanks south of Stalingrad and on the Kalmuck Steppe. Several hundred U.K. Royal Air Force bombers attacked Turin in the heaviest raid on any Italian city to date in World War II. While British armoured units continued to repulse German attacks in Tunisia, U.S. Flying Fortresses bombed Tunis.

Politics and government
The U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee approved a bill granting President Franklin D. Roosevelt the power to suspend laws hampering "free movement of persons, property and information" to and from the United States but restricting immigration of aliens to those necessary for the war effort. President Roosevelt appointed New York Governor Herbert Lehman as director of foreign relief and rehabilitation to furnish aid to war victims in areas reoccupied by United Nations forces.

Football
Ottawa Senior City Football League
Final
Uplands RCAF 9 Rough Riders 0

Tony Golab starred against his former team as the Flyers blanked the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park to end their three-year reign as Eastern champions.

ORFU
Toronto Balmy Beach (7-3) 11 Toronto Oakwood Indians (3-7) 6
Hamilton (6-4) 3 @ HMCS York (5-4-1) 0
Toronto RCAF Hurricanes (8-1-1) 26 @ Kitchener-Waterloo (0-10) 0

Dave Ferris recovered a fumbled punt for a touchdown with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game to break a 6-6 tie and give Balmy Beach their win over the Indians in the first game of a doubleheader at Varsity Stadium, winning the right to play the Hurriacanes in the league final. Sammy Sward's 50-yard punt was fumbled by Mickey McDonald of the Indians; Balmy Beach's Leo Deadey dribbled the ball downfield, and Bob Reid dribbled it into the Indians' end zone, where Mr. Ferris fell on it for the touchdown. Balmy Beach's other points came on a field goal by Mr. Reid and 3 singles by Mr. Sward. Annis Stukus kicked 33- and 38-yard field goals for the Indians. His second field goal tied the game in the 4th quarter, and came after teammate Bob Henry had fielded one of Mr. Sward's punts on his own 2-yard line, returned it 5 yards, and lateralled to Doug Pyzer, who had gone another 60 yards to the Balmy Beach 43. Mr. Ferris went to hospital after the game, where he was operated on for stomach ulcers.

Al Lenard's 23-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter gave the Wildcats their win over HMCS York in the second game of the doubleheader at Varsity Stadium.

Eddie Thompson scored 3 touchdowns and 3 converts to lead the Hurricanes over the Panthers in Kitchener. RCAF middle wing Mike Ozarko suffered a season-ending knee injury.

70 years ago
1947

War
A U.S. military court in Yokohama sentenced Japanese Captain Yoshio Tsuneyoshi to life imprisonment for the deaths of 1,400 U.S. prisoners held at Camp O'Donnell in the Philippines during World War II.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly passed a U.S. resolution urging the Big Five to discuss revision of the veto rule and empowering the newly-created Interim Committee on Peace and Security to consider the problem.

The United Nations Balkan Commission met in Paris and voted to establish its headquarters in Salonika.

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman appointed General Omar Bradley as chief of staff of the Army to succeed Dwight D. Eisenhower upon the latter's retirement.

Economics and finance
Delegates from 63 nations participating in the United Nations Trade and Employment Conference met in Havana to establish an International Trade Organization.

Boxing
The New York State Athletic Commission indefinitely suspended middleweight Jake LaMotta for failing to disclose information about his health prior to his November 14 bout with Billy Fox, which Mr. Fox won by technical knockout in the 4th round. In 1960, Mr. LaMotta testified before the U.S. Congress that he had thrown the fight.

60 years ago
1957

Died on this date
Francis Burton Harrison, 83. U.S. politician. Mr. Harrison, a Democrat, represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1903-1905 and 1907-1913. He was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson as Governor-General of the Philippines, and held the office until 1921, overseeing the process of transferring authority to the Filipino government. Mr. Harrison served as an adviser to Filipino governments in later years, and was granted Philippine citizenship in 1936.

Ethel Sack Cody, 62. U.S. actress. Mrs. Cody appeared in vaudeville.

Politics and government
Ethiopia's first elected parliament elected Social Affairs Minister Hallemariam Kebede as President of the 210-member Chamber of Deputies.

Protest
Several youths were killed as university students in several Venezuelan cities protested President Marcos Pérez Jiménez's announcement that a plebiscite would replace scheduled elections.

50 years ago
1967

On television tonight
The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Labyrinth

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Just Want to Be Your Everything--Andy Gibb (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Wanted (Shimei Tehai)--Pink Lady (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Rockollection--Laurent Voulzy (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Ron Willis, 34. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Willis, a native of Willisville, Tennessee, was a relief pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals (1966-1969); Houston Astros (1969); and San Diego Padres (1970), compiling a record of 11-12 with an earned run average of 3.32 and 19 saves in 188 games, and batting .160 with no home runs and 3 runs batted in. He led St. Louis pitchers in games (65) in 1967, when he earned 10 saves and helped the Cardinals win the World Series. Mr. Willis was with the Cardinals when they won the National League pennant in 1968, and appeared in 3 games in each of those World Series, but pitched poorly. He died of a brain tumour.

Diplomacy
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat continued his visit to Jerusalem as he and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin repeated pledges of "no more war" and issued a communique pledging to continue the dialogue they had begun both in public and private meetings.

West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt began a four-day visit to Poland for talks with Polish Communist Party First Secretary Edward Gierek.

Society
The first U.S. National Women's Conference concluded in Houston by approving a 25-point plan for national action on women's equality. The 1,442 voting delegates rejected just one point of the original agenda: a cabinet-level women's department. Three points--freedom for abortion, sodomite/lesbian rights, and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment--drew the most debate and controversy. In the final moments of the conference, 300 pro-life and pro-family delegates opposed to the points walked off the convention floor after singing God Bless America. They complained that selective exercise of parliamentary procedure had prevented minority delegates from speaking or amending resolutions. The 25-point agenda also included recommendations for expanded child-care centres; federal programs for battered wives and abused children; affirmation of rights of older and disabled women; and the elimination of discrimination in employment, insurance, credit, and other institutional policies.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Faith--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): La Bamba--Los Lobos (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Faith--George Michael

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Faith--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): China in Your Hand--T'Pau

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): China in Your Hand--T'Pau

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): China in Your Hand--T'Pau (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
2 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
3 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
4 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
5 Brilliant Disguise--Bruce Springsteen
6 Breakout--Swing Out Sister
7 Should've Known Better--Richard Marx
8 Bad--Michael Jackson
9 Causing a Commotion--Madonna
10 Little Lies--Fleetwood Mac

Singles entering the chart were The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson (#44); I Want to Be Your Man by Roger (#83); Can't Stay Away from You by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (#87); I Can't Help It by Bananarama (#89); and I Found Someone by Cher (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol (4th week at #1)
2 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
3 Causing a Commotion--Madonna
4 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
5 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
6 Try--Blue Rodeo
7 Bad--Michael Jackson
8 Here I Go Again--Whitesnake
9 It's a Sin--Pet Shop Boys
10 Brilliant Disguise--Bruce Springsteen

Singles entering the chart were When a Man Loves a Woman by Luba (#85); The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson (#89); Black and Blue by Haywire (#93); There's the Girl by Heart (#94); That's What Love is All About by Michael Bolton (#96); and Angel by Errol Starr (#97).

Died on this date
Jim Folsom, 79. U.S. politician. "Big Jim" Folsom was Governor of Alabama from 1947-1951 and 1955-1959. He was one of the first southern governors to support integration and civil rights for Negro Americans.

Horse racing
1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand nosed out 1987 Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba to win the Breeders' Cup Classic at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. It was the first duel between Kentucky Derby winners since 1979. Ferdinand was ridden by 57-year-old Bill Shoemaker.



Football
CIAU
Vanier Cup @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
McGill 47 British Columbia 11

Michael Soles rushed 25 times for 203 yards and touchdowns of 9 and 48 yards as the Redmen won their first Vanier Cup, upsetting the previously unbeaten Thunderbirds before 14,326 fans—including this blogger—on a sunny but cold Saturday afternoon. McGill running back Gerry Ifill carried 11 times for 64 yards and touchdowns of 1 and 13 yards and also caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bryan Fuller. Linebacker Wayne McCrae scored the other McGill touchdown on a 67-yard interception return in the 4th quarter. Chuck Petitpas was 5 for 6 on convert attempts and added 2 field goals. Mike Marasco rushed 1 yard for the only UBC touchdown midway through the 4th quarter and then rushed for a 2-point convert. Mike Bellefontaine’s 27-yard field goal gave the Thunderbirds a 3-0 lead after the 1st quarter before the Redmen erupted for 40 straight points—17 in the 2nd quarter, 7 in the 3rd, and 16 in the 4th before Mr. Marasco broke the string. McGill amassed 344 yards rushing as Mr. Fuller passed just 8 times, completing 3 for 46 yards. UBC quarterback Jordan Gagner, winner of the Hec Crighton Trophy as the most outstanding player in Canadian university football for 1987—and the worst player ever to win the award—completed 20 of 44 passes for 228 yards. Mr. Marasco rushed 18 times for 103 yards and caught 5 passes for 39. Mr. Bellefontaine led all receivers with 4 catches for 89 yards. The Thunderbirds entered the game as 21-point favourites, but their loss was—and remains—the most lopsided in Vanier Cup history. Amazingly, McGill didn’t score until Mr. Fuller’s touchdown pass to Mr. Ifill at the 7:23 mark of the 2nd quarter. Mr. Soles won the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the game’s Most Valuable Player and was named the outstanding offensive player, while McGill defensive back Floyd Salazar was named the outstanding defensive player. Veteran broadcaster Norm Marshall called the radio play-by-play on CKO. It was the first national championship for McGill since 1960, and the only national championship for veteran head coach Charlie Baillie. It was so cold that when the UBC cheerleaders were nice enough to pose for a photo for me, I couldn’t take the picture because the shutter on my camera was frozen.



25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): End of the Road--Boyz II Men

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kurisumas ukyaroru no koroni ha--Junichi Inagaki

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Don't You Want Me--Felix

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Because the Night--Co.Ro featuring Tarlisa (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Heading for a fall--Vaya con Dios (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): End of the Road--Boyz II Men

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
2 End of the Road--Boyz II Men
3 I'd Die Without You--PM Dawn
4 Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough--Patty Smyth with Don Henley
5 Free Your Mind--En Vogue
6 Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap!
7 If I Ever Fall in Love--Shai
8 What About Your Friends--TLC
9 Jump Around--House of Pain
10 Layla--Eric Clapton

Singles entering the chart were I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston (#47); Gangsta by Bell Biv DeVoe (#77); When She Cries by Restless Heart (#81); It's Alright by Classic Example (#83); Love Shoulda Brought You Home by Toni Braxton (#84); Walk on the Ocean by Toad the Wet Sprocket (#89); I Got a Thing 4 Ya! by Lo-Key? (#93); Washed Away by Tom Cochrane (#94); and Here We Go Again! by Portrait (#95). I Will Always Love You was from the movie The Bodyguard (1992).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Song Instead of a Kiss--Alannah Myles
2 Walking on Broken Glass--Annie Lennox
3 Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie
4 Layla--Eric Clapton
5 Do You Believe in Us--Jon Secada
6 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
7 Washed Away--Tom Cochrane
8 I Will Be Here for You--Michael W. Smith
9 Digging in the Dirt--Peter Gabriel
10 Drive--R.E.M.

Singles entering the chart were Faithful by Go West (#40); Steam by Peter Gabriel (#80); I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston (#83); Dig a Little Deeper by Rik Emmett (#84); In the Still of the Night by Boyz II Men (#86); No Ordinary Love by Sade (#88); I Don't Care by Shakespear's Sister (#92); This Could Be the One by Bad Company (#93); Heal the World by Michael Jackson (#95); and War of Man by Neil Young (#98).

Died on this date
Kaysone Phomvihane, 72. Prime Minister of Laos, 1975-1991; President of Laos, 1991-1992. Mr. Kaysone, born Nguyen Cai Song, was Chairman of the Central Committee of the People's Revolutionary Party (i.e., Communist) from 1955 until his death, which came while he was still in office as President.

Politics and government
Publisher Mel Hurtig was chosen leader of the National Party of Canada by 40 delegates at the party's founding convention. Most members were active in the Council of Canadians.

Disasters
A major tornado struck the Houston, Texas area during the afternoon. Over the next two days the largest tornado outbreak ever to occur in the United States during November spawned over 100 tornadoes.

Football
CIAU
Vanier Cup @ SkyDome, Toronto
Queen’s 31 St. Mary’s 0

Brad Elberg rushed 23 times for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Golden Gaels posted the first shutout in Vanier Cup history before 28,645 fans. Mr. Elberg ran 1 yard for his first TD in the 1st quarter, 23 yards for his next score with 4 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter, and 1 yard for his last touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Quarterback Tim Pendergast threw a 78-yard pass to Brian Alford in the 2nd quarter. Jamie Galloway converted all 4 touchdowns and added a 22-yard field goal in the 4th quarter. Mr. Pendergast completed 7 of 14 passes for 209 yards, while St. Mary’s quarterback David Sykes was 13 for 30 for just 93 yards and 2 interceptions. Mr. Elberg won the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the game’s Most Valuable Player. It was the first Vanier Cup win for Queen’s since 1978.



20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Barbie Girl--Aqua (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Burnin'--Cue (2nd week at #1)

Economics and finance
The five-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting opened in Vancouver, British Columbia. Controversy arose when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used force and pepper spray to remove peaceful protesters who had a permit to be there.

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Fernando Fernán Gómez, 86. Peruvian-born Spanish actor, director, and writer. Mr. Gómez appeared in more than 200 movies and television programs, directing 30, and writing more than 30 in a career spanning more than 60 years, winning more than 40 national and international awards. He also wrote more than a dozen plays and almost a dozen novels. Mr. Gómez died from heart failure aggravated by pneumonia and colon cancer.

Tom Johnson, 79. Canadian-born U.S. hockey player and coach. Mr. Johnson was a defenceman with the Montreal Canadiens (1947-48, 1950-63) and Boston Bruins (1963-65), scoring 264 points on 51 goals and 213 assists in 979 regular season games and 8 goals and 15 assists in 111 playoff games. He was a member of Stanley Cup championship teams in 1953 and 1956-60, and was awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the National Hockey League's best defenceman in 1958-59. He coached the Bruins from 1970-73--leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 1972--and spent more than 30 years with the Bruins' organization. Mr. Johnson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1970, and died of heart failure.

Politics and government
Brad Wall was sworn in as Premier of Saskatchewan, succeeding Lorne Calvert.

Religion
Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet issued an open apology to Quebeckers on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church, for historical attitudes of anti-Semitism, racism, indifference to aboriginal concerns and women's rights, and discrimination against homosexuals.

Health
U.S. officials announced the recall of more than 500,000 pieces of Chinese-made children's jewellery contaminated with lead.