November 30, 2017

350 years ago
1667

Born on this date
Jonathan Swift. U.K. writer. Very Rev. Swift, a native of Dublin, was an Anglican cleric who was appointed Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dubin in 1713. He has been described as "a Whig in politics and a Tory in religion." Dean Swift was a satirist, essayist, and poet who remains best known for his satires Gulliver's Travels (1726) and A Modest Proposal (1729). He suffered from severe physical and mental problems from the late 1730s until his death on October 19, 1745 at the age of 77.

310 years ago
1707

War
The second Siege of Pensacola ended with the failure of British forces and Creek Indians to capture Pensacola, Florida, then under Spanish rule.

200 years ago
1817

Born on this date
Theodor Mommsen. German jurist, historian, and politician. Professor Mommsen was awarded the 1902 Nobel Prize in Literature as "the greatest living master of the art of historical writing, with special reference to his monumental work, A History of Rome." He was a delegate to the Prussian House of Representatives from 1863-1866 and 1873-1879, and a delegate to the Reichstag from 1881-1884. Professor Mommsen died on November 1, 1903, 29 days before his 86th birthday.

180 years ago
1837

War
In the Lower Canada Rebellion, Colonel George Wetherall and his troops made a triumphal return to Montréal with 30 prisoners and the Liberty Pole that had been erected at Saint-Charles. Patriote leaders Dr. Jean-Olivier Chénier and Amury Girod, with 200 men try to secure weapons at Oka, while Patriotes took control of Saint-Eustache.

125 years ago
1892

Died on this date
Dimitrios Valvis, 78. Prime Minister of Greece, 1886. Judge Valvis was President of the Court of Cassation from 1872-1885, and served as a caretaker Prime Miniser from May 9-21, 1886, between the administrations of Theodoros Deligiannis and Charilaos Trikoupis.

110 years ago
1907

Football
CRU
Dominion Final @ Montreal Amateur Athletic Association Grounds
Peterboro 10 @ Montreal 75

The Winged Wheelers, champions of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union in the IRFU's first year of existence, scored 13 touchdowns as they came from behind to rout Peterboro Football Club, champions of the Ontario Rugby Football Union. Peterboro took a 6-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the game on a touchdown by Mr. Hurtubise, converted by Mr. Colledge. Montreal then came back with a touchdown by Hammy Gordon, a pair by Mr. Kelly, and another by Mr. Craig to take a 23-6 lead after the 1st quarter. Mr. Colledge kicked a field goal to make the score 23-9, but Messrs. Lessor and Gillmor scored TDs to give the Winged Wheelers a 35-10 halftime lead. Messrs. Molson, Savage, Gillmor and Craig scored touchdowns in the 3rd quarter, and Messrs. Kelly, Reynolds, and Murphy added TDs in the 4th. In addition to his touchdown, Mr. Molson kicked 7 converts, while Mr. Stinson kicked a pair of singles and Mr. Mulhern added a single for the MAAA. It remains the most lopsided national championship game in Canadian history.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire--Horace Heidt and his Orchestra; The Ink Spots (2nd month at #1)

Died on this date
Buck Jones, 50. U.S. actor. Mr. Jones, born Charles Frederick Gebhart, was a star of Western movies--almost all of which have been forgotten--from 1914 until his death. He was at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston on November 28, 1942 when a fire broke out, and was one of 492 fatalities, dying 12 days before his 51st birthday; he reportedly escaped the fire, but was badly burned when he went back inside to help people.

War
Two Russian offensives on the central and Stalingrad fronts continued amidst snowstorms. Allied forces in Tunisia drove eastward from Djedeida to split Axis forces holding Tunis and Bizerte. A smaller squadron of Japanese destroyers led by Rear Admiral Raizō Tanaka defeated a U.S. cruiser force under Rear Admiral Carleton H. Wright in the Battle of Tassafaronga in Ironbottom Sound near the Tassafaronga area on Guadalcanal

Labour
U.S. Director of Economic Stabilization James Byrnes lifted the ceiling on agricultural wages and issued orders transferring control of farm labour pay rates under $2,400 per year to Agriculture Secretary Claude Wickard.

Baseball
Bill Terry announced his resignation as general manager of the New York Giants' farm system.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): (There's No Business Like) Show Business--Bing Crosby; Dick Haymes and the Andrews Sisters (1st month at #1)

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and Alfred Shirley, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Cradle that Rocked Itself

Died on this date
Ernst Lubitsch, 55. German-born U.S. movie director. Mr. Lubitsch began his career in Germany and moved to the United States in 1922. He was known for directing comedies of manners, such as Trouble in Paradise (1932); Ninotchka (1939); The Shop Around the Corner (1940); and To Be or Not to Be (1942). Mr. Lubitsch's films were said to have "the Lubitsch touch," but this blogger regards him as the most overrated director of Hollywood's golden age. He died of a heart attack.

War
In the aftermath of the previous day's United Nations resolution to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, Jewish-Arab strife began in Palestine, resulting in the deaths of seven Jews. The Arab Mayor of Nablus proclaimed a jihad (holy war) against Palestinian Jews.

Chinese Communist forces took the Manchurian rail centre of Changtu.

Economics and finance
The Bavarian government invalidated the will of the late German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler as it applied to his Bavarian property, which was made subject to seizure under the denazification law.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Around the World--Bing Crosby; Nat "King" Cole (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Siebenmal in der Woche--Vico Torriani (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Mary's Boy Child--Harry Belafonte (2nd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Send Me--Sam Cooke
2 Jailhouse Rock--Elvis Presley
3 Silhouettes--The Rays
4 Wake Up Little Susie--The Everly Brothers
5 Chances Are--Johnny Mathis
6 April Love--Pat Boone
7 Raunchy--Bill Justis and his Orchestra
--Ernie Freeman
8 Melodie d'Amour (Melody of Love)--The Ames Brothers
9 My Special Angel--Bobby Helms
10 Little Bitty Pretty One--Thurston Harris
--Bobby Day and the Satellites

Singles entering the chart were the version of Love Me Forever by Eydie Gorme (#34, charting with the version by the Four Esquires); Why Don't They Understand by George Hamilton IV (#38); At the Hop by Danny and the Juniors (#43); Put a Light in the Window by the Four Lads (#46); Wild is the Wind by Johnny Mathis (#48); If I Can Help Somebody by Billy Eckstine (#55); Everyday by Buddy Holly (#60); and When School Starts Again by Tony Perkins (also #60). Wild is the Wind was the title song of the movie.

Canada's top 18 (150 Listening Posts Coast-to-Coast)
1 You Send Me--Sam Cooke
2 April Love--Pat Boone
3 Jailhouse Rock--Elvis Presley
4 Silhouettes--The Rays
5 Wake Up Little Susie--The Everly Brothers
6 Chances Are--Johnny Mathis
7 Kisses Sweeter than Wine--Jimmie Rodgers
8 All the Way--Frank Sinatra
9 My Special Angel--Bobby Helms
10 You Send Me--Teresa Brewer
11 Melodie d'Amour (Melody of Love)--The Ames Brothers
12 Just Born--Perry Como
13 Little Bitty Pretty One--Thurston Harris
14 Be-Bop Baby--Ricky Nelson
15 Silhouettes--The Diamonds
16 I'm Available--Margie Rayburn
17 Raunchy--Bill Justis and his Orchestra
18 The Twelfth of Never--Johnny Mathis

Died on this date
Beniamino Gigli, 67. Italian singer. Mr. Gigli was the most famous tenor of his generation, enjoying a career in opera from 1914-1955.

Politics and government
The Labour Party won 48.5% of the vote and 41 seats in the House of Representatives in the New Zealand general election.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Technical Assistance Administration announced a grant of $10 million to Jordan for economic development projects.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Hamilton 32 Winnipeg 7

Ray "Bibbles" Bawel returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring in the 1st quarter, and was deprived of a possible touchdown in a bizarre incident in the 4th quarter as he helped the Tiger-Cats rout the injury-riddled Blue Bombers before 27,051 fans in the last Gey Cup ever played at Varsity Stadium, and the first ever televised live coast-to-coast. Hamilton quarterback Bernie Faloney rushed 6 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter; the convert on Mr. Faloney's TD failed because of a high snap, and the Tiger-Cats led 13-0 at halftime. Winnipeg quarterback Kenny Ploen led his team downfield early in the 3rd quarter, but Gerry James, playing with a broken hand, lost a fumble at the Hamilton 5-yard line, and the Tiger-Cats took their 13-0 lead into the 4th quarter. Gerry McDougall and Cookie Gilchrist each ran for unconverted TDs to make the score 25-0. Mr. Bawel, playing his last game, intercepted a pass and appeared to be headed for another touchdown when a spectator on the sidelines tripped him as he went by. There was no specific rule covering such a play, but half the distance to the Winnipeg goal line was marched off from where Mr. Bawel went down, and Mr. Gilchrist rushed 16 yards for his second touchdown, converted by Mr. Oneschuk. Barry Roseborough replaced Mr. Ploen and completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Mendyk, converted by Mr. Ploen to close the scoring.







50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Love You Tokyo--Los Primos (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
Dragnet 1968, starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Pyramid Swindle



Asiatica
The People's Republic of South Yemen was founded, with Abdul Rahman al-Iryani as Republican Council President and Hassan al-Amri as Prime Minister. The former Federation of South Arabia was proclaimed an independent country by the United Kingdom on November 28.

Politics and government
The four-day Confederation of Tomorrow Conference of Canada's provincial premiers, hosted by Ontario Premier John Robarts at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, concluded; the premiers agreed on the need to alter the Constitution.

The Pakistan Peoples Party was founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who became its first chairman.

Pro-Soviet communists in the Philippines established Malayang Pagkakaisa ng Kabataan Pilipino as its new youth wing.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Mull of Kintyre--Wings

Died on this date
Terence Rattigan, 66. U.K. playwright. Sir Terence was known for plays such as French Without Tears (1936); The Winslow Boy (1946); The Browning Version (1948); and Separate Tables (1954). He died of bone cancer.

Politics and government
The National Party of Prime Minister John Vorster won 135 of 165 seats in the House of Assembly in the South African general election, taking 64.8% of the vote. The National Party's total was an increase of 15 from the most recent election in 1974. The Progressive Federal Party, led by Colin Eglin, won 17 seats in its first election, and became the official opposition. The New Republic Party, led by Radclyffe Cadman, finished third with 10 seats, a decline of 31 from 1974. The South African Party, led by Myburgh Streicher, won the remaining 3 seats.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley

Television
The Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunication Commission approved several new Canadian specialty channels: YTV; VisionTV; CBC Newsworld; The Weather Network/MeteoMedia; and one pay-television channel, The Family Channel.

Defense
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev acknowledged in an interview that the U.S.S.R. was working on its own version of the Strategic Defense Initiative being developed in the United States. Mr. Gorbachev said that a Soviet SDI would not be built or deployed, but that basic research would move forward.

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average closed at 1,833.55, a decline for the month of 159.98 points.

Football
NFL
Los Angeles Raiders (4-7) 37 @ Seattle (7-4) 14

Bo Jackson rushed for 221 yards--a team single-game record--and 3 touchdowns as the Raiders ended a 7-game losing streak with their win over the Seahawks before 62,802 fans at the Kingdome in the Monday night game. One of Mr. Jackson's runs covered 91 yards. This blogger enjoyed seeing his old friend Chris Woods play wide receiver for the Raiders, wearing jersey #88.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Simo Goes Poing!--KCD (2nd week at #1)

Literature
Michael Ondaatje won the Governor-Genera of Canada's Award for English Fiction for the novel The English Patient.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Barbie Girl--Aqua (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--N-Trance featuring Rod Stewart (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Barbie Girl--Aqua

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Evel Knievel, 69. U.S. motorcyclist and stuntman. Robert Craig Knievel, Jr. was the most popular daredevil of the 1960s and '70s, and became famous for his risky motorcycle jumps. He died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Disasters
Fire destroyed much of the beachfront shopping area in the resort town of Wasaga Beach, Ontario.