December 5, 2017

525 years ago
1492

Exploration
Christopher Columbus became the first European to set foot on the island of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

260 years ago
1757

War
Prussian forces led by Frederick the Great defeated Austrian forces commanded by Prince Charles of Lorraine and Count Leopold Joseph von Daun in the Battle of Leuthen in Prussian Silesia (today part of Poland).

225 years ago
1792

Politics and government
Voting concluded in the U.S. presidential election; George Washington was re-elected President and John Adams was re-elected Vice President. Mr. Washington received 132 electoral votes--one from each elector. Mr. Adams, a Federalist, received 77 electoral votes, with the remainder going to Democratic Republican candidates George Clinton (50); Thomas Jefferson (4); and Aaron Burr (1).

180 years ago
1837

War
In the Upper Canada Rebellion, William Lyon Mackenzie led 800 rebels 5 miles down Yonge Street from Montgomery's Tavern to Toronto, where they were met by Dr. John Rolph and Robert Baldwin at Gallow's Hill below present day St. Clair Avenue. They discussed a truce, telling Mr. Mackenzie that Governor Francis Bond Head had promised to pardon all who laid down their weapons; Mr. Mackenzie refused. At 6 P.M., a group of 700 rebels led by Samuel Lount gathered at the Bloor Street tollgate and marched south; at present day College Street they were ambushed by Sheriff Jarvis and 27 men hiding in Mrs. Sharpe's vegetable garden. The rebels fled in disorder, leaving one dead; two days later they were routed by the militia. Lower Canada Governor Lord Gosford proclaimed martial law in Lower Canada.

170 years ago
1847

Politics and government
Jefferson Davis (Democrat--Mississippi) took his seat in the United States Senate, temporarily filling the seat of Jesse Speight, who had died seven months earlier. In January 1848, the Mississippi state legislature elected Mr. Davis to serve the remaining two years of Mr. Speight's term.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Józef Piłsudski. Chief of State of Poland, 1918-1922; Prime Minister of Poland, 1926-1928; 1930. Mr. Pilsudski, "First Marshal of Poland," was the person most responsible for the creation of the Second Republic of Poland in 1918, and served as the country's de facto dictator from 1926 until his death from liver cancer on May 12, 1935 at the age of 67.

130 years ago
1887

Law
The United Kingdom joined the Berne Convention (1886) for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

125 years ago
1892

Politics and government
Canadian Justice Minister John Thompson succeeded Sir John Abbott as Prime Minister of Canada. The native of Halifax became the first native of the Maritime provinces to become Prime Minister, and the first Roman Catholic Prime Minister. Mr. Abbott had succeeded Sir John A. Macdonald after Mr. Macdonald as Prime Minister 10 days after Mr. Macdonald had died in office on June 6, 1891, three months after the most recent federal election. James Colebrooke Patterson was sworn in as Minister of Militia and Defence, while future Prime Minister Mackenzie Bowell was appointed to the Senate from Ontario.

110 years ago
1907

Born on this date
Lin Biao. Chinese military leader. Lin Biao was a major Communist leader in the Chinese civil war in the 1940s, especially in northeastern China. He became prominent in politics after the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and was Chairman Mao Zedong's designated successor, but was killed in a plane crash in Mongolia on September 13, 1971 at the age of 63, after an apparent failed coup attempt against Chairman Mao. Lin Biao was subsequently denounced as a traitor by the Chinese Communist Party.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Wenche Foss. Norwegian actress and singer. Miss Foss appeared in plays, movies, and television programs in a career spanning 65 years. She was a mezzo-soprano who sang in operettas and musicals. Miss Wenche died in her sleep on March 28, 2011 at the age of 93 after several months of illness.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): White Christmas--Bing Crosby (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jock Delves Broughton, 59. U.K. nobleman. Sir Jock was a member of the "Happy Valley set" of English nobility living in Kenya in the early 1940s. He was acquitted of the 1941 murder of his wife's lover, Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll, but was never accepted back into the Happy Valley set and returned to England, where he committed suicide with an overdose of morphine.

War
The U.S. Navy Department revealed for the first time the extent of losses after the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: 10 ships sunk or greatly damaged; 247 of 475 planes destroyed or disabled; and 4,575 casualties, including 2,117 dead. U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle reported that since the Pearl Harbor attack, 12,071 aliens had been arrested, and 3,646 interned. Allied North African headquarters, confirming that German mechanized and infantry units had entered Tebourba, reported that they were now attacking with infantry supported by tanks and dive bombers.

Politics and government
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order giving War Manpower Commission Chairman Paul McNutt full control over all government manpower operations, including the Selective Service System.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of War Information reported that 1942 war production would total $47 billion, including 49,000 planes, 32,000 tanks, and 8.2 million tons of merchant shipping.

Sport
Willie Mosconi defeated Edwin Rudolph to clinch the world pocket billiards championship in Detroit.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Toronto RCAF Hurricanes 8 Winnipeg RCAF-Bombers 5

John Poplowski's 3-yard touchdown rush in the 3rd quarter provided the winning margin as the Hurricanes edged the RCAF-Bombers before 12,455 fans. Toronto led 2-0 at halftime on 2 singles in the 1st quarter: a 65-yard punt by Don Crowe, and a 47-yard punt by Fred Kijek. The Hurricanes narrowly escaped disaster in the 1st quarter when Eddie Thompson made a bad lateral, and Rube Ludwig recovered for Winnipeg on the Toronto 12-yard line. Winnipeg quarterback Wayne Sheley threw a pass intended for Ches McCance, and Mr. Thompson intercepted on his 2-yard line and returned it 65 yards to the Winnipeg 43. In the 3rd quarter, a series of passes culminated in a short touchdown pass from Mr. Sheley to Bill Boivin. Don Durno blocked Mr. McCance's convert attempt, leaving the RCAF-Bombers ahead 5-2. The Hurricanes then used their rushing game to great effect, and a 39-yard run by Mr. Crowe to the 3-yard line was immediately followed by Mr. Poplowski's touchdown. Mr. Crowe was wide on the convert attempt, leaving Toronto ahead 7-5 after 3 quarters. A 37-yard rush by Mr. Crowe in the 4th quarter put the Hurricanes into position for Mr. Crowe to punt for the game's final point. The Hurricanes rushed for 218 yards to 75 for the RCAF-Bombers, while Winnipeg outpassed Toronto 121 yards to 22. The game was transmitted by radio to Canadian military and government personnel in London at the Beaver Club and elsewhere.

70 years ago
1947

War
British troops were flown into the protectorate of Aden to end Jewish-Arab strife which had caused 75 deaths in the past four days.

Defense
The U.S. State Department announced an embargo on all U.S. arms shipments to the Middle East.

Politics and government
Italian Republican Party and rightist Socialists agreed to enter an enlarged anti-Communist coalition cabinet headed by Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi.

A U.S. federal grand jury in Washington indicted 10 film writers and executives for contempt of Congress for refusing to tell the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities whether they were Communists.

Society
U.S. Attorney General Tom Clark and Solicitor General Philip Perlman filed a Supreme Court brief arguing that real estate agreements designed to exclude racial or religious minorities were illegal.

Labour
The Chilean government broke a 24-hour strike of railroad workers demanding a cost-of-living bonus by threatening to fire "undesirable" workers.

American Federation of Labor local presidents meeting in Washington approved the creation of an $8-million political fund, to be financed through voluntary contributions by union members. AFL President William Green barred cooperation with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in political affairs.

Medicine
Massachusetts Institute of Technology radiologist Richard Dresser told a Radiological Society of North America meeting in Boston that a three-million volt X-ray machine had been used successfully in treatment of cancer.

Boxing
Joe Louis (57-1) retained his world heavyweight title with a 15-round split decision over Jersey Joe Walcott (44-12-2) at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mr. Louis was knocked down in the 1st and 4th rounds, and the decision was unpopular with the crowd.



60 years ago
1957

At the movies
Sayonara, directed by Joshua Logan and starring Marlon Brando, Patricia Owens, James Garner, Red Buttons, and Miyoshi Umeki, opened in theatres.



Plunder Road, directed by Hubert Cornfield, and starring Gene Raymond, Jeanne Cooper, and Wayne Morris, opened in theatres.



War
In a communique following his talks with United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, Syrian Foreign Minister Salah el-Bitar agreed to strengthen the Israeli-Syrian Mixed Armistice Commission.

Defense
West German Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano and British leaders agreed in London to request formation of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization committee to study continued West German funding of British NATO forces in West Germany.

The 16,000-ton U.S.S.R. icebreaker Lenin, the world's first atomic-powered surface vessel, was launched in Leningrad.

Labour
U.S. Labor Secretary James Mitchell, addressing the opening session of the annual American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations convention in Atlantic City, promised that the administration of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower would oppose national "right-to-work" proposals or subjection of unions to antitrust laws.

Horse racing
The Thoroughbred Racing Association named Dedicate, the leading four-year-old, as the outstanding American race horse of 1957.

50 years ago
1967

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

Politics and government
The Canadian Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism released its first report.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)--Rod Stewart

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Wanted (Shimei Tehai)--Pink Lady (12th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Rockollection--Laurent Voulzy (10th week at #1)

Died on this date
Aleksandr Vasilevsky, 82. U.S.S.R. politician. Marshal Vasilevksy joined the Soviet Red Army at the end of World War I and was Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces and Deputy Minister of Defense during World War II, and well as Minister of Defense from 1949 to 1953. He was responsible for planning and coordinating almost all decisive Soviet offensives of World War II.

Diplomacy
Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat broke all relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria and South Yemen. The move was in retaliation for the previous day's Declaration of Tripoli, which accused Mr. Sadat of "high treason" for his pursuit of peaceful relations with Israel, and announced a "freeze" on diplomatic relations with Egypt and a boycott of Egyptian companies that did business with Israel.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: La Bamba--Los Lobos (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Faith--George Michael (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Faith--George Michael (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Way You Make Me Feel--Michael Jackson

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): China in Your Hand--T'Pau (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): China in Your Hand--T'Pau (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
2 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
3 Faith--George Michael
4 Should've Known Better--Richard Marx
5 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany
6 Shake Your Love--Debbie Gibson
7 We'll Be Together--Sting
8 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
9 Is This Love--Whitesnake
10 Don't You Want Me--Jody Watley

Singles entering the chart were Tunnel of Love by Bruce Springsteen (#61); Say You Will by Foreigner (#66); You're All I Need by Motley Crue (#85); and In God's Country by U2 (#88).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Think We're Alone Now--Tiffany (2nd week at #1)
2 Mony Mony (Live)--Billy Idol
3 (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
4 Heaven is a Place on Earth--Belinda Carlisle
5 Faith--George Michael
6 Try--Blue Rodeo
7 Got My Mind Set on You--George Harrison
8 I've Been in Love Before--Cutting Crew
9 We'll Be Together--Sting
10 Causing a Commotion--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were I Need a Man by Eurythmics (#82); Tell it to My Heart by Taylor Dayne (#87); Tunnel of Love by Bruce Springsteen (#90); Say You Will by Foreigner (#91); Could've Been by Tiffany (#94); Crazy by Icehouse (#96); and Crying Out Loud for Love by the Box (#97).

Energy
Hydro-Québec signed a long-term $7.2 billion supply contract with the state of Vermont.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kurisumas ukyaroru no koroni ha--Junichi Inagaki (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Because the Night--Co.Ro featuring Tarlisa (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Sweat (A La La La La Long)--Inner Circle (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Dur dur d'être bébé!--Jordy (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): End of the Road--Boyz II Men (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston
2 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
3 If I Ever Fall in Love--Shai
4 The (Elvis) Letter--Wayne Newton
5 Rump Shaker--Wreckx-N-Effect
6 I'd Die Without You--PM Dawn
7 Layla--Eric Clapton
8 End of the Road--Boyz II Men
9 Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap!
10 Good Enough--Bobby Brown

Singles entering the chart were It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day by S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. (#73); I Don't Care by Shakespear's Sister (#90); and These are Days by 10,000 Maniacs (#97). It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day was from the movie The Bodyguard (1992).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Song Instead of a Kiss--Alannah Myles (3rd week at #1)
2 How Do You Talk to an Angel--The Heights
3 Do You Believe in Us--Jon Secada
4 Layla--Eric Clapton
5 To Love Somebody--Michael Bolton
6 Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses--U2
7 Drive--R.E.M.
8 Keep the Faith--Bon Jovi
9 Would I Lie to You?--Charles & Eddie
10 I'd Die Without You--PM Dawn

Singles entering the chart were Fare Thee Well Love by the Rankin Family (#89); I Wish the Phone Would Ring by Expose (#90); Jane's House by Sue Medley (#91); Harvest Moon by Neil Young (#93); Some Folks by Kim Mitchell (#94); Sometimes I Wish by Leslie Spit Treeo (#96); and Too Many Ways to Fall by Arc Angels (#98).

Politics and government
Ralph Klein was elected leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party, taking 59.1% of the votes in the second ballot to defeat former Health Minister Nancy Betkowski at Northlands AgriCom in Edmonton. Mr. Klein was sworn in as Premier of Alberta nine days later, replacing retiring Premier Don Getty.

Football
NCAA
Alabama 28 Florida 21

Antonio Langham's 26-yard interception return for a touchdown with 3 minutes 25 seconds left gave the Crimson Tide their victory over the Gators for the Southeastern Conference title and a 12-0 record.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Barbie Girl--Aqua (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Burnin'--Cue (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Perfect Day--Various Artists (2nd week at #1)