December 21, 2017

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Juliette Richard!

210 years ago
1807

Died on this date
John Newton, 82. U.K. sailor and clergyman. Mr. Newton was a Royal Navy sailor and a captain of slave ships, who came to know Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord in 1748. He eventually renounced slavery, and pursued theological studies. Mr. Newton founded the Clapham Sect and was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1764. Mr. Newton is best known today for writing the hymns Amazing Grace and Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken. He said, "John Newton is a great sinner--but Christ is a great Saviour."

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Walter Hagen. U.S. golfer. Mr. Hagen was the most important figure in the early years of professional golf, as professionalism was frowned on at the time he came along. Mr. Hagen turned professional in 1912, and won 75 professional tournaments, including 11 of what today are considered major tournaments (he won the Western Open five times, when that was regarded as an elite tournament). "Sir Walter" was known for his flamboyant wardrobe and style of play, and he made big money endorsing golf equipment. Mr. Hagen died after a long battle with throat cancer on October 6, 1969 at the age of 76.

Rebecca West. U.K. writer. Dame Rebecca, a liberal who was known for her opposition to both Nazism and Communism, wrote both fiction and non-fiction. Her books included The Return of the Soldier (1918); Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (1941); The Meaning of Treason (1949); A Train of Powder (1955); and The New Meaning of Treason (1964). She died on March 15, 1983 at the age of 90.

110 years ago
1907

Abominations
The Chilean Army massacred at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners and their families at Domingo Santa María School in Iquique, Chile.

Journalism
In Quebec, a group of Roman Catholics, including Archbishop of Quebec Monseigneur Louis-Nazaire Bégin, published the first issue of the independent daily newspaper L'Action sociale catholique.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Heinrich Böll. German author. Mr. Böll was awarded the 1972 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his writing which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature." He died on July 16, 1985 at the age of 67.

80 years ago
1937

At the movies
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length animated colour movie, received its premiere screening at the Cathay Circle Theatre in Hollywood.

Died on this date
Frank B. Kellogg, 80. U.S. politician. Mr. Kellogg, a Republican, represented Minnesota in the United States Senate from 1917-1923. He was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, serving from 1924-1925. Mr. Kellogg then served in the Coolidge administration as Secretary of State from 1925-1929. He and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand authored the Pact of Paris (Kellogg-Briand Pact), which outlawed war as a means of resolving disputes among the signatories, and remains in effect. Mr. Kellogg was awarded the 1929 Nobel Peace Prize "[F]or the Kellogg-Briand pact, whose signatories agreed to settle all conflicts by peaceful means and renounced war as an instrument of national policy." He served as an associate judge on the Permanent Court of International Justice from 1930-1935, and died of pneumonia the day before his 81st birthday.

Ted Healy, 41. U.S. comedian and actor. Mr. Healy, born Ernest Lea Nash, performed in vaudeville and later in movies, and was best known for forming the Three Stooges in the 1920s as his supporting act. The Stooges split from Mr. Healy and rejoined him in 1932, making several movies with him before permanently separating from him in 1934. Mr. Healy appeared in several movies on his own before dying under suspicious circumstances. He was at the Trocadero nightclub in Los Angeles, reportedly celebrating the birth of his son, and reports differ as to whether he died of a heart attack or as the result of a beating.

75 years ago
1942

Space
Dr. Fred Whipple of Harvard University announced the discovery of a new bright comet, which would come within 40 million miles of Earth in January 1943.

War
Russian troops advanced 12-15 miles along the Voronezh front, while German forces retreated in disorder, abandoning equipment and supplies on the battlefield. British forces in Burma pushed 11 miles through the jungle to occupy Alethangyaw, 45 miles from Akyab.

World events
The Bolivian Revolutionary Party leader denied that his party had any responsibility for the recent plot to overthrow the government.

Politics and government
The Ceylon National Congress passed a resolution demanding postwar freedom from British rule and asking for guarantees from the United Nations.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Nevada divorces were valid and must be recognized by other states.

The U.S. Supreme court overturned a New York Circuit Court ruling that an accused man could not waive a jury trial on the advice of his lawyer.

Economics and finance
The Wartime Prices and Trade Board implemented butter rationing in Canada.

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 Christmas Bride

Married on this date
U.S. Army General Claire Chennault, leader of the Flying Tigers in World War II, married Chinese Central News Agency reporter Anna Chan in Shanghai.

War
The Jewish Agency for Palestine officially approved Haganah reprisal raids on Arab villages in Palestine.

Politics and government
The first post-World War II elections of deputies to local Soviets was held in the Soviet republics of Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia, Armenia, and Karelia, with Communists running unopposed.

Labour
The Congress of Industrial Organizations Textile Workers of America ratified a wage agreement granting a 10% increase to 75,000 union members in Northern cotton and rayon mills.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Diana--Paul Anka

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Wo meine Sonne scheint--Caterina Valente

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Mary's Boy Child--Harry Belafonte (5th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Raunchy--Bill Justis and his Orchestra
--Ernie Freeman
2 You Send Me--Sam Cooke
3 April Love--Pat Boone
4 Jailhouse Rock--Elvis Presley
6 Kisses Sweeter than Wine--Jimmie Rodgers
7 Great Balls of Fire--Jerry Lee Lewis
8 At the Hop--Danny and the Juniors
9 Silhouettes--The Rays
10 All the Way--Frank Sinatra

Singles entering the chart were The Big Beat (#45)/I Want You to Know (#49) by Fats Domino; A Broken Promise by the Four Coins (#48); Desire Me (#53)/(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (#58) by Sam Cooke; Fever by Earl Grant (#55); and Hey, Schoolgirl by Tom and Jerry (#60). The Big Beat was the title song of the the movie. Tom and Jerry were later better known by their real names, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.

Died on this date
Eric Coates, 71. U.K. composer. Mr. Coates was known for composing light works such as By the Sleepy Lagoon (1930) and the main title march from the movie The Dam Busters (1955). He died of a stroke.

Married on this date
U.S. actor Robert Alda and Italian actress Flora Marina were married in Las Vegas.

Diplomacy
Hungarian representative to the United Nations Peter Mod refused to transmit to his government a message from the UN Special Committee on Hungary expressing concern over reports of trials of Hungarian anti-Communist leaders and urging that "humanitarian standards" be observed.

Defense
Addressing the Supreme Soviet in Moscow, U.S.S.R. Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko rejected North Atlantic Treaty Organization offers for renewed East-West disarmament negotiations through the United Nations or in a foreign ministers' conference, claiming that the U.S.S.R. would be outnumbered in either case by the "aggressive" members of NATO.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Love You Tokyo--Los Primos (6th week at #1)

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



Died on this date
Louis Washkansky, 54. Lithuanian-born S.A. medical patient. Mr. Washkansky, who had been admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town on September 14 because of congestive heart failure, died of double pneumonia as a result of a weakened immune system 18 days after becoming the world's first recipient of a heart transplant, in an operation performed by a team led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson was in Australia, where he conferred with South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu.

Disasters
A British Royal Air Force plane crashed near Fort William, Scotland, killing 13.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Mull of Kintyre--Wings (4th week at #1)

Labour
The U.K. Trades Union Congress General Council voted 20-17 to reject firemen's demands for a public campaign against a 10% limit on wage increases.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 3 @ Toronto 2

Larry Robinson scored with 48 seconds remaining in the game to give the Canadiens their win over the Maple Leafs in a nationally-televised game from Maple Leaf Gardens.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Ralph Nelson, 71. U.S. film and television director. Mr. Nelson won an Emmy Award for Best Direction--One Hour or More for the drama Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956) and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for Lilies of the Field (1963). Other movies of his included Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962); Soldier in the Rain (1963); Father Goose (1964); Duel at Diablo (1966); and Charly (1968).

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Help Us Back Home Sarajevo--Colours

Died on this date
Stella Adler, 91. U.S. actress and teacher. Miss Adler, the sister of actors Luther and Jay Adler, performed in Yiddish theatre and with the Group Theatre in New York before going to Hollywood, appearing in movies such as Shadow of the Thin Man (1941). She returned to New York, where she became one of America's best known teachers of acting.

Albert King, 69. U.S. musician. Mr. King, born Albert Nelson, was a blues guitarist and singer who was most notable for his influence on other musicians, such as Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Mr. King recorded from the 1950s to the 1980s, and was perhaps best known for the single Born Under a Bad Sign (1967). He died of a heart attack. Mr. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Diplomacy
Canadian External Affairs Minister Barbara McDougall said that Canada would recognize the new Czech and Slovak republics; the Czechoslovakia federation was to be dissolved on January 1, 1993 after 74 years.

Environment
Canadian Fisheries Minister John Crosbie said that the European Community would stop overfishing on high seas outside Canada's 200-mile limit; since 1986, quotas had been ignored on Newfoundland's Grand Banks.

Disasters
54 passengers and 2 crew members were killed, with 106 others badly injured, in the crash of Martinair MP 495, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, at Faro Airport in Portugal. The plane, with 327 passengers and 27 crew members aboard, was on its way from Amsterdam, and landed in the vicinity of a large thunderstorm.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Tubthumping--Chumbawamba (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): As Long as You Love Me--Backstreet Boys (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (13th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Barbie Girl--Aqua (4th week at #1)

Football
NFL
New York Jets (9-7) 10 @ Detroit (9-7) 13

Barry Sanders of the Lions rushed for 184 yards in a season-ending victory over the Jets at the Silverdome in Pontiac, becoming the third back in NFL history - after O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills in 1973 and Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams in 1984 - to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.