December 14, 2017

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Wendy Welt!

Married on this date
Happy Anniversary, Eileen and Leo Sasakamoose!

730 years ago
1287

Disasters
50,000-80,000 people in the Netherlands and northern Germany were killed when the Zuiderzee sea wall collapsed, causing what became known as St. Lucia's flood.

600 years ago
1417

Died on this date
John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, 39-57 (?). English religious leader. Sir John was a leader of the Lollards, who rejected Roman Catholic pilgrimages and doctrines such as the worship of saints and transubstantiation, and demanded that the Bible be translated into English. He was convicted of heresy in 1413 and imprisoned in the Tower of London, but escaped, and headed a revolt against his erstwhile friend King Henry V in January 1414. The revolt was unsuccessful, but Lord Cobham escaped again, and spent the better part of four years in Wales, until he was captured and brought back to London, where he was hanged at St. Giles-in-the-Fields Church and then burned at the stake as a traitor. Foxe's Book of Martyrs states that Sir John's execution took place in 1418.

475 years ago
1542

Died on this date
James V, 30. King of Scots, 1513-1542. King James V died of a brief illness, just six days after the birth of his only surviving legitimate child, Princess Mary Stuart. She immediately succeeded him on the throne as Mary, Queen of Scots.

180 years ago
1837

War
In the Upper Canada Rebellion, Dr. Charles Duncombe and his 300 rebel followers dispersed as Colonel Alan MacNab's militia moved west from Hamilton to Sodom. Col. MacNab took 500 prisoners from the surrounding area over the next few days, but freed most of them after approval from Governor Arthur. In the Lower Canada Rebellion, Governor Sir John Colborne led 2,000 soldiers to the town of St-Eustache, in the County of Deux-Montagnes, 20 miles northwest of Montréal, and defeated a force of 400 rebels, led by Dr. Jean-Olivier Chénier and Amury Girod. Nearly 100 rebels were killed, including Dr. Chénier, in five hours of withering British cannon and grapeshot fire. Soldiers set fire to the church, and shot any who tried to escape by jumping out windows; 18 were taken prisoner, and the village was burned to the ground.

110 years ago
1907

Disasters
The schooner Thomas W. Lawson, the largest-ever ship without a heat engine, ran aground and foundered near the Hellweather's Reef within the Isles of Scilly in a gale, killing pilot William "Cook" Hicks and 16 seamen. Captain George W. Dow and engineer Edward L. Rowe were the only survivors, probably because they managed to get on deck from the rigging and jumped into the sea before the ship capsized.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
June Taylor. U.S. dancer and choreographer. Miss Taylor danced in nightclubs before turning to choreography. She was best known for the June Taylor Dancers, who were featured on Jackie Gleason's television variety program in the 1950s and '60s. Miss Taylor won an Emmy Award in 1955. She choreographed the Miami Dolphins' cheerleaders from 1978-1990, and died on May 16, 2004 at the age of 86.

90 years ago
1927

Religion
The U.K. House of Lords voted 241-88 to approve the act authorizing the new Church of England Prayer Book.

Disasters
50 people were killed when fire destroyed the older part of the Hospice St. Charles Orphanage in Quebec City.

75 years ago
1942

War
Ethiopia declared war on Germany, Japan, and Italy. German forces in Tunisia commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel moved back to a position near Buerat, 250 miles west of Mersa Brega, countering a British plan to trap his forces. Allied troops, mostly American, occupied the village of Buna on the northeastern coast of New Guinea. U.S. bombers attacked the Myohaung railroad junction near Mandalay, Burma.

World events
Argentine President Ramon Castillo decreed an indefinite state of siege under which public discussion of the international situation was banned and press was censored.

Politics and government
U.K. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and Free French leader General Charles de Gaulle signed an agreement in London whereby Britain turned over administration of pacified Madagascar to the Free French.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of War Information announced that the U.S.A., U.K., and Canada had formed a joint committee to make recommendations to assure an adequate supply of Allied steel.

Business
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the 1941 Federal Communications Commission order barring any company from owning more than one radio network and forbidding exclusive network contracts for affiliated stations.

Labour
The Bolivian government declared a state of siege after tin miners struck for a 100% pay increase plus a bonus.

70 years ago
1947

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and Alfred Shirley, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Sussex Vampire

Died on this date
Stanley Baldwin, 80. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1923-1924, 1924-1929, 1935-1937. Mr.--later Earl--Baldwin, a Conservative, represented Bewdley in the House of Commons from 1905-1937. He became Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister after the resignation of Andrew Bonar Law because of illness, and led the party for the next 14 years. Mr. Baldwin is perhaps best remembered as being in office as Prime Minister during the debate on rearmament in the mid-1930s and the crisis surrounding the abdication of King Edward VIII in 1936. Mr. Baldwin resigned as Prime Minister shortly after the coronation of King George VI in 1937, and spent his last years in the House of Lords as Earl Baldwin of Bewdley.

Exploration
Commodore Finn Ronne's South Polar expedition concluded an aerial mapping program covering 230,000 square miles of hitherto unexplored territory.

Politics and government
Democratic Action Party candidate Romulo Gallegos was elected President of Venezuela in the country's first popular presidential election.

The Italian cabinet of Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi was expanded to include Right Socialists and Republican Party members.

Economics and finance
The Soviet government introduced several anti-inflation measures, including a 90% revaluation of the ruble; elimination of food rationing; and introduction of price ceilings on food and consumer goods.

Golf
Jimmy Demaret won the Miami Open, bringing his 1947 earnings to $26,556, highest among professional golfers.

Football
AAFC
Championship @ Yankee Stadium, New York
Cleveland 14 @ New York 3

Marion Motley rushed 33 times for 109 yards, and Otto Graham and Dub Jones rushed for touchdowns as the Browns defeated the Yankees before 60,103 fans to win their second straight All-America Football Conference championship. Mr. Motley rushed 51 yards to set up Mr. Graham's 1-yard quarterback sneak with 2 minutes remaining in the 1st quarter to open the scoring. Harvey Johnson kicked a 12-yard field goal for the Giants at 4:14 of the 2nd quarter. Neither offense could mount an attack after that until Tom Colella intercepted a pass from New York quarterback Spec Sanders and returned it to the New York 41-yard line in the 4th quarter. Mr. Graham marched the Browns downfield, and Mr. Jones rushed 4 yards for a touchdown with 4:56 remaining in the game. Lou Groza converted both touchdowns. The Yankees had two scoring chances in the final minutes, but lost a fumble and then took a penalty that moved them out of scoring range.



60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Around the World--Bing Crosby; Nat "King" Cole (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Siebenmal in der Woche--Vico Torriani (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Mary's Boy Child--Harry Belafonte (4th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Send Me--Sam Cooke (2nd week at #1)
--Teresa Brewer
2 Raunchy--Bill Justis and his Orchestra
--Ernie Freeman
3 Jailhouse Rock--Elvis Presley
4 Silhouettes--The Rays
5 Kisses Sweeter than Wine--Jimmie Rodgers
6 April Love--Pat Boone
7 All the Way--Frank Sinatra
8 Peggy Sue--Buddy Holly
9 Chances Are--Johnny Mathis
10 Wake Up Little Susie--The Everly Brothers

Singles entering the chart were I'll Come Running Back to You by Sam Cooke (#39); No Love (But Your Love) by Johnny Mathis (#42); Penny Loafers and Bobby Socks by Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones (#50); Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms (#54); A Very Special Love, with versions by Johnny Nash, and Debbie Reynolds (#57); and Santa and the Satellite by Buchanan and Goodman (#60). No Love (But Your Love) was the B-side of Wild is the Wind, charting at #26.

At the movies
A Farewell to Arms, directed by Charles Vidor and starring Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones, opened in theatres. It was the final film for producer David O. Selznick.

Space
General John Medaris, commander of the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency at Huntsville, Alabama, said that the United States must develop "an engine with a million-pound thrust" by 1961 to remain in the space race.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly rejected a Greek resolution calling for self-determination for Cyprus, after U.K. State Minister Allan Noble called the measure a disguised plea for Greek annexation of Cyprus.

Transportation
The Québec City airport opened at l'Ancienne-Lorette.

Scandal
A jury in Seattle convicted Teamsters union President Dave Beck of embezzling $1,900 received from the sale of a Cadillac owned by the Western Conference of Teamsters.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Love You Tokyo--Los Primos (5th week at #1)

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



At the movies
In Cold Blood, written, produced, and directed by Richard Brooks and starring Scott Wilson and Robert Blake, opened in theatres.

Music
Simon and Garfunkel were at Columbia Studios in New York, where they recorded the song Save the Life of My Child.

Diplomacy
The People's Republic of South Yemen was admitted by acclamation to the United Nations, becoming the UN's 123rd member.

World events
The day after failing in an attempt to gain enough military support to launch a successful counter-coup against the Regime of the Colonels, King Constantine II fled Greece with his family and close advisers to exile in Rome.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson, who had been in office since April 1963, announced his intention to retire in the spring or early summer of 1968.

Disasters
A U.S. Navy plane with 14 aboard was reported missing on a flight from Alaska to Oak Harbor, Washington.

Boxing
Hiroshi Kobayashi (51-6-2) won the world super featherweight title with a knockout of defending champion Yoshiaki Numata (33-5) at 1:56 of the 12th round at Kokugikan in Tokyo. Mr. Numata was knocked down once in round 6 and 3 times in round 12.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Mull of Kintyre--Wings (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta and Karen Lynn Gorney, opened in theatres.

Diplomacy
Representatives of Egypt, Israel, the United States, and the United Nations met in Cairo to begin procedural negotiations for a future conference on Middle East peace. Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, the U.S.S.R., and Palestine Liberation Organization were all invited, but did not attend. U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance concluded his five-day tour of six Middle East countries to demonstrate U.S. support for a peace conference. As the Cairo meeting began, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin flew to the United States.

Terrorism
Achilleas Kyprianou, son of Cypriot President Spyros Kyprianou, was kidnapped by members of the right-wing group EOKA-B. Achilleas, a second lieutenant in the Cypriot National Guard, was seized at the gate of a military camp in the Troodas Mountains. EOKA-B, which wanted political union with Greece, demanded the release of 25 imprisoned members in exchange for Achilleas' life. President Kyprianou refused to release the prisoners, but promised that no action would be taken against the kidnappers if his son were released. Achilleas Kyrianou was released unharmed four days later.

Protest
Many American farmers, angered at the high cost of farming and the low prices received from what they produced, began a strike to seek the approval of U.S. President Jimmy Carter's administration's approval for higher floor prices for crops and 100% parity. The American Agriculture Movement, claiming the support of 800,000 of the U.S.A.'s 2.5 million farmers, said that they would refuse to buy equipment and supplies for spring planting unless the government came to the farmers' aid.

Hockey
WCHL
Exhibition
Moscow Selects 11 @ Calgary 3

This blogger and a classmate were among those in attendance at the Stampede Corral to see the Selects rout a team composed of Wranglers and other Western Canada Hockey League stars. John Paul Kelly opened the scoring for Calgary, but the game went downhill from there.

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox traded pitcher Ferguson Jenkins to the Texas Rangers for pitcher John Poloni and cash. Mr. Jenkins, who had previously played with the Rangers in 1974-1975, was 10-10 with an earned run average of 3.68 in 28 games with the Red Sox in 1977. Mr. Poloni was 1-0 with an ERA of 6.43 in 2 games with the Rangers, and 8-13 with a 5.15 ERA in 29 games with the Tucson Toros of the AAA Pacific Coast League in 1977.

The Milwaukee Brewers released infielder Ken McMullen, ending his 16-year major league career; he finished with a career batting average of .248 with 156 home runs and 606 runs batted in in 1,583 games. Mr. McMullen batted .228 with 5 homers and 19 RBIs in 63 games with the Brewers in 1977, and had the distinction of hitting a home run as a pinch hitter in his final plate appearance.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley (3rd week at #1)

Sport
Sprinter Ben Johnson was named Canada's Male Athlete of the Year.

Football
NFL
Chicago (10-3) 0 @ San Francisco (11-2) 41

Jerry Rice caught 3 touchdown passes from Steve Young to tie two NFL records as the 49ers routed the Bears before 63,509 fans at Candlestick Park. Mr. Rice, with his first TD, tied the record of 11 consecutive games scoring a touchdown. His third TD tied was his 18th of the season, tied the single season record for touchdown receptions in a season, set by Mark Clayton of the Miami Dolphins in 1984. Amazingly, Mr. Rice tied the record despite missing 3 games because of the NFL players' strike earlier in the season.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Simo Goes Poing!--KCD (4th week at #1)

War
A helicopter carrying refugees from Tkvarcheli, Abkhazia, Georgia was shot down, resulting in at least 52 deaths, including 25 children. The incident resulted in more concerted Russian military involvement on behalf of Abkhazia.

Politics and government
Ralph Klein officially took office as Premier of Alberta, replacing the retiring Don Getty.

Boxing
World heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe held a news conference and dumped his World Boxing Council championship belt into a garbage can, saying "If Lewis wants the belt, he has to get it out of the garbage." The WBC then declared Lennox Lewis the new WBC heavyweight champion. Mr. Bowe had defeated Evander Holyfield on November 13, 1992 to win the undisputed title, after signing an agreement with the WBC to make his first title defense--if he should defeat Mr. Holyfield--against the winner of the October 31, 1992 elimination bout in London between Mr. Lewis and Razor Ruddock. Mr. Lewis scored a 2-round technical knockout of Mr. Ruddock.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Tubthumping--Chumbawamba (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): As Long as You Love Me--Backstreet Boys (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (12th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Barbie Girl--Aqua (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Stubby Kaye, 79. U.S. actor. Mr. Kaye, born Bernard Solomon Kotzin, was best known for his supporting performances in the Broadway musical (1950) and film (1955) Guys and Dolls, and the Broadway musical (1956) and film (1959) Li'l Abner. He died of lung cancer.

Emily Cheney Neville, 77. U.S. writer. Mrs. Neville was a journalist before writing novels for adolescent readers. Her works included It's Like This, Cat (1963), which won the Newbery Medal in 1964. Mrs. Neville died two weeks before her 78th birthday.

Kurt Winter, 51. Canadian musician. Mr. Winter, a native of Winnipeg, was a guitarist and songwriter who was best known for being a member of the rock group The Guess Who from 1970-1974 and 1977-1979. He wrote the songs Hand Me Down World and Bus Rider, and co-wrote, with Guess Who leader Burton Cummings, songs such as Rain Dance; Runnin' Back to Saskatoon; and Clap for the Wolfman. Mr. Winter remained a resident of Winnipeg, preferred a life away from the music business in his later years, and died from the effects of years of heavy drinking.

Weather
This blogger was working at a Christmas tree lot, and it was so warm in Edmonton that there was no snow, and I was able to sit outside in shorts.

10 years ago
2007

Space
The Earth observation satellite RADARSAT-2 was launched for the Canadian Space Agency by the European-Russian company Starsem, using a Soyuz FG launch vehicle, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It was a commercial radar satellite with enhanced marine surveillance, ice monitoring, disaster management, environmental monitoring, resource management and mapping in Canada and around the world, built and managed by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), and assembled, integrated and tested at the David Florida Laboratory near Ottawa.