December 31, 2018

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Mike Matson!

280 years ago
1738

Born on this date
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis. U.K. military officer and politician. Lord Cornwallis was one of the leading British generals in the American War of Independence. He led his forces to victory in the Battle of Camden in 1780, and recorded a Pyrrhic victory at Guilford Court House in March 1781. Lord Cornwallis surrendered to American forces at Yorktown in October 1781, effectively ending hostilities in the war. Lord Cornwallis then held several vice-regal offices, including Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William (India) (1786-1793, 1805) and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1798-1801). He died of a fever on October 5, 1805 at the age of 66, just over two months into his second term in India.

140 years ago
1878

Born on this date
Elizabeth Arden. Canadian-born cosmetics magnate. Miss Arden, born Florence Nightingale Graham in Woodbridge, Ontario, founded what is now Elizabeth Arden, Inc. in New York City in 1910. She died on October 18, 1966 at the age of 87.

Technology
Karl Benz, working in Mannheim, Germany, filed for a patent on his first reliable two-stroke gas engine; he was granted the patent in 1879.

110 years ago
1908

Born on this date
John Kirby. U.S. musician. Mr. Kirby was a jazz double bassist who led a "chamber jazz" sextet whose popularity peaked from 1938-1941 with recordings of songs such as Loch Lomond and Undecided. The group broke up when two members joined the armed services during World War II, and another died. Mr. Kirby was unable to regain his success after World War II, drank heavily, and suffered from diabetes; he died on June 14, 1952 at the age of 43.

Simon Wiesenthal. Austrian activist. Mr. Wiesenthal spent several years during World War II in Nazi concentration camps, and spent his postwar years hunting fugitive Nazi war criminals. He died on September 20, 2005 at the age of 96.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Ray Graves. U.S. football player and coach. Mr. Graves was a center with the University of Tennessee Volunteers (1940-1941); Philadelphia Eagles (1942, 1946), and Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers "Steagles" (1943). He was an assistant coach with the University of Tennessee (1944-1945) and University of Georgia (1951-1959), but was best known as head coach of the University of Florida Gators (1960-1969), compiling a record of 70-31-4. Mr. Graves' last season was his best, as the Gators were 9-1-1 in the regular season, and upset Tennessee 14-13 in the Gator Bowl. Mr. Graves was also largely responsible for the promotion of the drink that became known as Gatorade, volunteering his team to experiment with using the drink in 1965, and witnessing positive results. Mr. Graves was the U of F's director of athletics from 1960-1979. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990, and died on April 10, 2015 at the age of 96.

Health
A total of 3,259 Albertans had died so far in the influenza pandemic.

90 years ago
1928

On the radio
The New Year's Eve performance by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians was broadcast for the first time.

80 years ago
1938

Technology
The first breath test for drivers, the "drunkometer," was introduced in Indianapolis.

75 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Had the Craziest Dream--Vera Lynn; Harry James and his Music Makers (1st month at #1)

War
The Royal Canadian Air Force was at its peak, with 215,000 men and women, and 78 squadrons, including 35 overseas and 6 heading there. Canada had produced 11,000 planes so far. The first German V-2 rockets rolled off the assembly line at the Mittelbau-Dora slave labour camp, an underground facility in the Harz Mountains. Production chief Arthur Rudolph later declared that the first rockets had been rejected and sent back underground for rework.

Politics and government
The Allied Military Government ordered the removal from public office in Italy of all members of organizations of a Fascist tinge.

The Argentine government dissolved all political parties.

Crime
Louis Kaufman was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and fined $10,000, and six others with him received 10-year prison terms and $10,000 fines for extortion in the motion picture industry. U.S.S.R. forces recaptured the rail centre of Zhitomir, 87 miles west of Kiev, as Soviet penetration of the German lines reached 200 miles.

70 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): When You were Sweet Sixteen--Al Jolson; Perry Como (1st month at #1)

War
Chinese President Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek issued a peace proposal to the Chinese Communists, offering to resign and allow the formation of a coalition government based on the Nationalist constitution. Communist leaders immediately rejected any compromise with the Nationalist regime.

The Dutch government declared its "police action" in Java at an end, with all objectives taken.

Politics and government
The Republican-controlled 80th United States Congress adjourned as Senate Democrats chose Kenneth McKellar (Tennessee) as president pro tempore and Scott Lucas (Illinois) as majority leader for the 81st Congress. Democratic U.S. congressional leaders agreed to the continued operation of the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities, but promised that witnesses would have greater protection.

Disasters
Heavy precipitation followed by floods struck the northeastern United States, causing four deaths and isolating many towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

60 years ago
1958

World events
In the wake of accelerated guerrilla activities throughout Cuba and the capture of Santa Clara by Fidel Castro's forces, Cuban President Fulgencio Batista decided to abandon resistance and leave the country.

Diplomacy
United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold arrived in Jerusalem for talks with Middle Eastern leaders on easing Arab-Israeli tension and possible settlement of the Arab refugee problem.

Indonesian President Sukarno and Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Broz Tito pledged in a joint communique to continue their neutralist foreign policies.

The U.S.A., U.K., and France proposed renewed East-West efforts to settle the Berlin dispute as part of broad negotiations for a reunified Germany, a German peace treaty, and a European security settlement.

Labour
Newfoundland loggers struck against the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company for wage increases and for improvements in living conditions at wood camps; Premier Joseph Smallwood intervened to settle the strike on February 12, 1959.

Tennis
The United States defeated Australia 3-2 to regain the Davis Cup, which had been won by Australian teams since 1954.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Eloise--Barry Ryan (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Wilfrid Hamel, 73. Canadian politician. Mr. Hamel, a native of Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, was a Liberal member of the Quebec Legislative Assembly (1939-1948), representing the riding of Saint-Sauveur and serving in the cabinet of Premier Adélard Godbout as Minister of State and Minister of Land and Forests. He was defeated in the 1948 and 1952 provincial elections. Mr. Hamel was Mayor of Quebec City from 1953-1965; he died in Quebec City.

George Lewis, 68. U.S. musician. Mr. Lewis, born Joseph Louis Francois Zenon, was a jazz clarinetist from New Orleans who achieved fame when he toured nationally and internationally in the 1950s and '60s.

Aviation
The prototype of the Soviet jetliner Tupolev Tu-144, the first civilian supersonic transport in the world, made its first flight, near Moscow, two months before the first flight of the Concorde.

Politics and government
The Legislative Assembly of Québec officially became the Québec National Assembly, and the Legislative Council was abolished.

Terrorism
Bombs exploded near Montreal City Hall and a federal building, with no injuries reported.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ):

#1 single in Switzerland: Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord--Boney M. (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Ice Castles, directed by Donald Wrye, and starring Lynn-Holly Johnson and Robby Benson, received its premiere screening.

On television tonight
The annual New Year's Eve dance at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City was telecast on CBS for the last time. Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, whose New Year's Eve performances had first been broadcast on radio in 1928, and who had performed at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City beginning in 1929, had had their New Year's Eve performances televised since 1956, when they were still at the Roosevelt Hotel. Since 1959, the band had performed at the Waldorf-Astoria. Mr. Lombardo died on November 5, 1977 at the age of 75, and the band played two more New Year's Eves, with 1978-79 being the last; the band broke up shortly thereafter.

Died on this date
Basil Wolverton, 69. U.S. cartoonist. Mr. Wolverton was known for his grotesque caricatures. His work appeared in such magazines as Life in the 1940s and Mad in the 1950s. Mr. Wolverton was an elder in Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God from 1943 until his death.

World events
The U.S. government recommended that dependents of Americans in Iran should leave that country.

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Houston 31 @ New England 14

Dan Pastorini completed touchdown passes of 71 yards to Mike Haynes and 19 and 13 yards to Mike Barber in the 2nd quarter as the Oilers erupted for 21 points to break a 0-0 tie and coasted to victory over the Patriots before 60,881 fans at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

NFC Divisional Playoff
Minnesota 10 @ Los Angeles 34

The Rams scored 24 unanswered points in the 2nd half to break a 10-10 tie and eliminate the Vikings before 69,631 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Minnesota quarterback Fran Tarkenton, playing the last game of his 19-year NFL career, completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ahmad Rashad with 6 seconds remaining in the 1st half, but produced only 58 yards of offense in the 2nd half.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): C'è da spostare una macchina--Francesco Salvi (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Orinoco Flow--Enya (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40):

#1 single in France (SNEP): Pourvu qu'elles soient douces--Mylène Farmer (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Mistletoe and Wine--Cliff Richard (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Mistletoe and Wine--Cliff Richard (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Every Rose Has its Thorn--Poison (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Every Rose Has its Thorn--Poison (2nd week at #1)
2 My Prerogative--Bobby Brown
3 Two Hearts--Phil Collins
4 Waiting for a Star to Fall--Boy Meets Girl
5 Don't Rush Me--Taylor Dayne
6 Armageddon It--Def Leppard
7 Giving You the Best That I Got--Anita Baker
8 Smooth Criminal--Michael Jackson
9 Look Away--Chicago
10 In Your Room--Bangles

Singles entering the chart were Girl You Know it's True by Milli Vanilli (#81); The Living Years by Mike + the Mechanics (#83); I Beg Your Pardon by Kon Kan (#89); The Great Commandment by Camouflage (#91); Chip Away the Stone by Aerosmith (#93); and Tears Run Rings by Marc Almond (#95).

Disasters
At least 51 people died when a boat transporting New Year's Eve celebrants sank at the entrance of the bay in Rio de Janeiro.

Hockey
NHL
New Jersey 6 @ Pittsburgh 8

Pittsburgh centre Mario Lemieux scored a goal in each of the five possible ways: even strength, by power play, shorthanded, by penalty shot and into an empty net, in the victory over the Devils at Pittsburgh Civic Arena. He assisted on the 3 Pittsburgh goals that he didn't score.

Football
NFL
NFC Divisional Playoff
Philadelphia 12 @ Chicago 20

Mike Tomczak completed a 64-yard touchdown pass to Dennis McKinnon in the 1st quarter and handed off to Neal Anderson for a 4-yard TD run in the 2nd quarter to help the Bears defeat the Eagles before 65,534 fans at Soldier Field in a game that was nicknamed the "Fog Bowl." Philadelphia quarterback Randall Cunningham completed 27 of 54 passes for 407 yards, but was unable to produce a touchdown.

AFC Divisional Playoff
Seattle 13 @ Cincinnati 21

Stanley Wilson rushed for a pair of 3-yard touchdowns and Ickey Woods rushed 1 yard for another TD as the Bengals took a 21-0 halftime lead and withstood a 13-point 4th-quarter rally to defeat the Seahawks before 58,560 fans at Riverfront Stadium. David Krieg passed 7 yards to John L. Williams for the first Seattle touchdown and rushed 1 yard for the second, but Norm Johnson missed the convert attempt on Mr. Krieg's TD with 6:04 remaining in regulation time, and the Seahawks were never able to get back into scoring position.

25 years ago
1993

Died on this date
Zviad Gamsakhurdia, 54. 1st President of Georgia, 1991-1992. Mr. Gamsakhurdia was a philologist and dissident who served as Chairman of the Supreme Council of Georgia from November 14, 1990-April 14, 1991, when he became the independent republic's first president. He faced much opposition and accusations of dictatorial behaviour, and was deposed in a violent coup d'état on January 6, 1992. Mr. Gamsakhurdia was leading a "government in exile" in the western Georgian city of Zugdidi, and died in the western Georgian village of Khibula under circumstances that remain unclear.

Music
Barbra Streisand performed her first paid concert in 22 years, singing to a sellout crowd at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average closed at 3,754.09, a 13.7% increase for the year.

20 years ago
1998

Economics and finance
The European Exchange Rate Mechanism froze the values of the legacy currencies in the Eurozone, and established the value of the euro currency.

10 years ago
2008

Died on this date
Donald E. Westlake, 75. U.S. author. Mr. Westlake was best known for his crime novels, especially comic capers, usually set in New York City. He was known for creating the characters Parker and John Dortmunder, each featuring in a series of novels. Mr. Westlake was also a screenwriter, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay for The Grifters (1990). He died of a heart attack while on vacation with his wife in Mexico, on his way to a New Year's Eve dinner.

December 30, 2018

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Gladys Lucy Pomazongo Levano!

180 years ago
1838

Born on this date
Émile Loubet. 7th President of France, 1899-1906; Prime Minister of France, 1892. Mr. Loubet, a member of the Democratic Republican Alliance, was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1876, and was elected to the Senate in 1885. He served as Minister of Public Works (1887-1888), and was Minister of the Interior while serving as Prime Minister from February-December 1892. Mr. Loubet became President of the Senate in 1896 and President of the Republic in 1899. As President, Mr. Loubet dealt with the relations between the Roman Catholic church and the state, saw the forging of the Entente Cordiale with the United Kingdom, and inaugurated the Paris Exhibition of 1900. He died on December 20, 1929, 10 days before his 91st birthday.

110 years ago
1908

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Edmonton Thistles 7 @ Montreal Wanderers 6 (Montreal won 2-game total goals challenge series 13-10)

The defending champion Wanderers retained the Cup as they won the series against the Thistles, champions of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, at Montreal Arena. All but one of the Edmonton players were ringers, joining the team just for the Stanley Cup challenge.

100 years ago
1918

War
The 68th Canadian Battery joined Allied forces in attacking Bolshevik forces at Kadish, Siberia.

75 years ago
1943

At the movies
Whispering Footsteps, directed by Howard Bretherton, and starring John Hubbard, Rita Quigley, Joan Blair, and Charles Halton, opened in theatres.



War
After a week-long counterattack by Soviet forces west of Kiev, German divisions fled along a 186-mile front. Yugoslavian partisans reported driving German forces from the Croatian provinces of Banija and Kordun. Allied forces proceeded across the Garigliano River at the Tyrrhenian end of the Italian front. U.K. troops pushed a mile beyond Ortona along the Adriatic coast on the route to Pescara. U.S. Marines seized control of the Cape Gloucester air strips as surviving Japanese troops fled to the surrounding hills on New Britain Island.

World events
Indian independence activist Subhas Chandra Bose raised the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair.

Americana
Dr. George Fisher was named National Scout Commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America, succeeding the late Daniel Beard.

Journalism
After a long series of hearings in Washington in which U.S. Post Office lawyers sought to prove that Esquire magazine was "lewd and lascivious," U.S. Postmaster General Frank Walker ordered second class mailing privileges withdrawn effective February 28, 1944.

Transportation
The U.S. War Department announced that it would retain control of the nation's railroads because the threatened strike had been "postponed" and not "cancelled."

Economics and finance
The U.S. Treasury reported expenditures for 1943 at $87.932 billion, of which $82.142 billion was for war costs. The U.S. Office of Price Administration took a number of canned vegetables and fruits off the ration list.

70 years ago
1948

Theatre
The musical Kiss Me, Kate, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack, and starring Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, and Lisa Kirk, opened at the New Century Theatre on Broadway in New York, after a 3½-week tryout in Philadelphia.

Literature
Human Knowledge: Its Scope and Limits by Bertrand Russell was published in New York by Simon and Schuster.

War
Chinese Communist forces reached the Yangtze River east of Nanking.

Politics and government
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities issued the pamphlet 100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Government, charging that Communist spy operations continued in the State Department and other agencies despite President Harry Truman's loyalty check program. The report urged restrictions on Communist activity and increased penalties for contempt of Congress.

The Spanish government established a 14-member Council of the Kingdom as an advisory board representing all administrative and legislative agencies.

Religion
The Vatican announced the excommunication of all Roman Catholics who had a hand in the December 27 arrest of Josef Cardinal Mindszenty by Hungarian authorities on charges of treason, espionage, and black market dealings.

Health
The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization announced plans for joint campaigns in 1949 against malaria, tuberculosis, venereal disease, and malnutrition.

60 years ago
1958

Movies
The New York Film Critics Circle announced their awards for the best achievements of 1958: Picture--The Defiant Ones; Director--Stanley Kramer (The Defiant Ones); Actor--David Niven (Separate Tables); Actress--Susan Hayward (I Want to Live!).

War
Thousands died in the bloodiest fighting in Cuba's history as rebels led by Fidel Castro threatened to overthrow the military regime of President Fulgencio Batista.

The Guatemalan Air Force sank several Mexican fishing boats alleged to have breached maritime borders, killing three and sparking international tension.

Society
Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion pledged action to ease restrictions on Israel's 213,000 Muslims and to return properties formerly held by Muslim religious and charitable institutions.

Politics and government
Liberal Republicans in the U.S. Senate nominated Sen. John Sherman Cooper (Kentucky) as their candidate for Senate Republican Party leader and Sen. Thomas Kuchel (California) as party whip.

Law
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed a nine-member Commission on International Rules of Judicial Procedure, which included former U.S. Attorney General Herbert Brownell, Jr.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi no Kisetsu--Pinky and the Killers (14th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Trygve Lie, 72. Norwegian politician and diplomat. Mr. Lie, a member of the Labour Party, sat in the Norwegian Parliament from 1937-1949 and held several cabinet posts, including Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1940-1946, with the period of 1940-1945 being when the government was in exile in London while Norway was under German occupation. Mr. Lie was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1946-1952, but was criticized as ineffective in the position, and resigned in November 1952, during his second term in office. Mr. Lie returned to local politics in Norway, and died of a heart attack.

Disasters
40-70 people were reported missing in a slum landslide in Rio de Janeiro.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Una donna per amico--Lucio Battisti (11th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord--Boney M. (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord--Boney M. (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Le Freak--Chic (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Le Freak--Chic (3rd week at #1)
2 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
3 You Don't Bring Me Flowers--Barbra & Neil
4 My Life--Billy Joel
5 Sharing the Night Together--Dr. Hook
6 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
7 Hold the Line--Toto
8 (Our Love) Don't Throw it All Away--Andy Gibb
9 Ooh Baby Baby--Linda Ronstadt
10 September--Earth, Wind & Fire

Singles entering the chart were Every Time I Think of You by the Babys (#84); Sing for the Day by Styx (#86); You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester (#87); I Don't Know if it's Right by Evelyn "Champagne" King (#88); Silver Lining by Player (#89); and The Football Card by Glenn Sutton (#95).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Just Wanna Stop--Gino Vannelli
2 You Don't Bring Me Flowers--Barbra & Neil
3 I Love the Night Life (Disco 'round)--Alicia Bridges
4 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
5 Le Freak--Chic
6 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
7 Sharing the Night Together--Dr. Hook
8 (Our Love) Don't Throw it All Away--Andy Gibb
9 My Life--Billy Joel
10 Strange Way--Firefall

Singles entering the chart were Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart (#74); Somewhere in the Night by Barry Manilow (#88); Shattered by the Rolling Stones (#90); The Moment that it Takes by Trooper (#92); Got to Be Real by Cheryl Lynn (#96); Radioactive by Gene Simmons (#97); Lost in Your Love by John Paul Young (#98); Pretty Girls by Lisa Dal Bello (#99); and I Don't Wanna Lose You by Daryl Hall and John Oates (#100).

Crime
After a $5.8-million, two-year inquiry into the assassinations of U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations declared that the two men were probably assassinated as the result of conspiracies, though it was not able to pinpoint the conspirators in either instance. The committee urged the Justice Department to review the findings to determine further action.

Hockey
NHL
The National Hockey League agreed to expand from 17 to 21 teams by absorbing the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets from the disbanding World Hockey Association for the 1979-80 season.

Boston 1 @ Montreal 6

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Denver 10 @ Pittsburgh 33

Franco Harris rushed for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Terry Bradshaw completed touchdown passes to Lynn Swann and John Stallworth in the 4th quarter as the Steelers eliminated the defending American Football Conference Broncos before 48,923 fans at Three Rivers Stadium.

NFC Divisional Playoff
Atlanta 20 @ Dallas 27

Backup quarterback Danny White passed 2 yards for a touchdown to Jackie Smith in the 3rd quarter and handed off to Scott Laidlaw for a 1-yard TD in the 4th quarter as the Cowboys outscored the Falcons 14-0 in the 2nd half before 60,338 fans at Texas Stadium. Mr. White replaced starter Roger Staubach, who was knocked out with a concussion. Mr. Laidlaw's 4th-quarter TD was his second of the game; he rushed 13 yards for the game's first touchdown in the 1st quarter.

NCAA
Woody Hayes was fired after 28 seasons as head coach of the Ohio State University Buckeyes, the day after he had punched Clemson University middle guard on the Ohio State sidelines after Mr. Bauman had returned an interception in the last 2 minutes of the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, preserving the Tigers' 17-15 win over the Buckeyes (see video). Mr. Hayes led Ohio State to national championships in 1954, 1957, 1958, and 1968 and produced four undefeated seasons.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin (9th week at #1)

Died on this date
Bob Foxworth, 65. U.S. boxer. Mr. Foxworth was a light heavyweight who was national Amateur Athletic Union champion (1942-1943, 1946), and compiled a professional record of 20-3 from 1946-1948. He knocked out future heavyweight contender Bob Satterfield in 1 round and lost a 10-round split decision to future world light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim, both in 1947. Mr. Foxworth scored a 4-round technical knockout of Leonard Morrow on September 1, 1948, but suffered a detached retina in the 1st round, and was forced to retire.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Senate passed the bill approving the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had declined 0.2% in November.

On the last trading day of 1988, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 2,168.57, an increase of 11.8% from its 1987 close. The year's gain of 229.74 points still left it far below the figure of 2,722.42 before the collapse of October 19, 1987.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): The Sign--Ace of Base (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
Israel and the Vatican signed an agreement of mutual recognition to put an end to Jewish-Roman Catholic hostilities.

20 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Sam Muchnick, 93. Ukrainian-born U.S. wrestling promoter. Mr. Muchnick, who moved to the United States with his parents in 1911, co-founded the National Wrestling Alliance in 1948 and served as its president from 1950-1960 and 1963-1975.

December 29, 2018

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Christine Gotaas!

1,110 years ago
908

Died on this date
Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz, 47. Abbasid poet. Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz was a leading Arabic poet and the author of the Kitab al-Badi, an early study of Arabic forms of poetry. He was persuaded to participate in a palace revolt on December 17, 908, and was installed as Caliph, but was overthrown the same day, and went into hiding. Abdallah ibn al-Mu'tazz was found on December 29 and immediately strangled.

810 years ago
1208

Died on this date
Zhangzong, 40. Emperor of China, 1189-1208. Zhangzong, born Madage, was the sixth Emperor of the Jin dynasty. He succeeded his grandfather Shizong on the throne, and promoted the customs and language of his own Jurchen people. Emperor Zhangzong reportedly spoiled his favourite concubine and appointed her family members to government positions, while the empire declined, although Zhangzong's armies successfully withstood a 2 1/2-year war against Southern Song invading forces. Emperor Zhangzong died without a male heir, and was succeeded by his uncle Wanyan Yongji.

510 years ago
1508

War
Portuguese forces under the command of Francisco de Almeida attacked Khambhat at the Battle of Dabul in India.

225 years ago
1793

War
The Second Battle of Wissembourg concluded in France between French forces commanded by General Lazare Hoche and an army of Austrians, Prussians, Bavarians, and Hessians led by General Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser. The French forced their enemies to withdraw to the east bank of the Rhine River.

220 years ago
1798

Society
Upper Canada's Marriage Act recognized marriages not performed by the Anglican Church as legal; this included the Roman Catholic Church, Church of Scotland, Presbyterian Church, Calvinist Church and Lutheran Church.

210 years ago
1808

Born on this date
Andrew Johnson. 17th President of the United States of America, 1865-1869. Mr. Johnson, a Democrat, represented Tennessee's 1st Congressional District from 1843-1853; was Governor of Tennessee from 1853-1857; represented Tennessee in the United States Senate from 1857-1862; was Military Governor of Tennessee from 1862-1865; and was Vice President of the United States from March 4-April 15, 1865 before replacing the assassinated Abraham Lincoln as President. Lacking political support from Republicans, he became the first U.S. President to be impeached, and came within one vote of conviction. Mr. Johnson served as a United States Senator from Tennessee again from March 5, 1875 until his death from a stroke on July 31, 1875 at the age of 66.

150 years ago
1868

Politics and government
Sir John Young, 2nd Baronet Lisgar was named as Governor General of Canada to succeed Lord Monck; he served from February 2, 1869-June 21, 1872.

75 years ago
1943

Theatre
South Pacific, a drama written by Howard Rigsby and Dorothy Heyward, directed by Lee Strasberg, and starring Canada Lee and Ruby Dee (in her Broadway debut), opened at the Cort Theatre on Broadway in New York.

War
U.K. Royal Navy Admiral Bertram Ramsay and Royal Air Force Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory were named to command Allied sea and air forces, respectively, under Supreme Commander for Europe General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Soviet Red Army captured Korosten, an important rail centre 90 miles northwest of Kiev. U.S. troops broke into San Vittore, Italy, 5 miles east of Cassino. Yugoslavian partisan units penetrated the Yugoslav-Italian border, attacking the German garrisons at Castelnuovo and Gouiza. U.S. Marines advanced to within a half-mile of the Japanese airstrip at Cape Gloucester, New Britain Island.

Diplomacy
Cuba and Costa Rica announced that they would withhold recognition of the new Bolivian revolutionary government.

Politics and government
The MacArthur for President Club entered U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur's name in the 1944 Illinois U.S. presidential primary.

Academia
Brazilian President Getulio Vargas became the first chief executive to be elected to the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Labour
Leaders of U.S. railway, conductors, firemen's, and switchmen's unions told their members not to on strike on December 30, but they refused to accept President Franklin D. Roosevelt as an arbiter in the wage dispute.

Sport
U.S. middle-distance runner Gil Dodds was named the 1943 winner of the John E. Sullivan Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship.

70 years ago
1948

War
Israeli troops continued their advance along the Mediterranean coast, crossing into Egyptian territory at El Arish.

Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary James Forrestal issued his first annual report on the national defense establishment, urging the introduction of universal military training; increased military aid to anti-Communist governments; and greater power for the Defense Secretary over the separate service secretaries. He revealed that Defense Department researchers were studying an "earth satellite vehicle program" for military use. The U.S. Navy reported the successful testing of the heaviest armed single-engine carrier-based aircraft, the Martin M-1 Mauler.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Chipmunk Song--The Chipmunks with David Seville (2nd week at #1)

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 The Chipmunk Song--The Chipmunks with David Seville (3rd week at #1)
2 Gotta Travel On--Billy Grammer
3 To Know Him is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears
4 I Got Stung/One Night--Elvis Presley
5 Queen of the Hop--Bobby Darin
6 Problems/Love of My Life--The Everly Brothers
7 I Got a Feeling/Lonesome Town--Ricky Nelson
8 Bimbombey--Jimmie Rodgers
9 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters
10 Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio

Singles entering the chart were The All American Boy by Bill Parsons (#41); May You Always by the McGuire Sisters (#45); You are Beautiful by Johnny Mathis (#50, charting with its other side, Let's Love); The Hawaiian Wedding Song/House of Bamboo by Andy Williams (#52); Teasin' by the Quaker City Boys (#54); Rock-a-Conga by the Applejacks (#55); The Girl on Page 44 by the Four Lads (#56); The One Rose by Teresa Brewer (#57); Tall Paul by Annette (#58); and Lovers Never Say Goodbye by the Flamingos (#59).

War
Rebel Rif tribal leaders threatened to attack French military garrisons in Morocco if they were not removed immediately.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. signed a cultural agreement in Washington providing for the construction of an American science-cultural exhibit in Moscow and a similar Soviet exhibit in New York.

Economics and finance
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa opened its first meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A multilateral $329-million economic aid program for Argentina, the largest ever devised for a Latin American nation, was announced in Washington.

Labour
Radio-Canada's 75 producers began a three-month strike; considered "a taste of the quiet revolution", the strike heralded the advent of "French Power" at the network.

50 years ago
1968

Football
NFL
Championship
Baltimore 34 @ Cleveland 0

Tom Matte rushed 17 times for 88 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Colts routed the Browns before 80,628 fans at Municipal Stadium.



AFL
Championship
Oakland 23 @ New York 27

62,627 fans were at Shea Stadium to watch the hometown Jets, champions of the Eastern Division, edge the Raiders to win their only American Football League championship (see videos here and here). New York quarterback "Broadway Joe" Namath completed just 19 of 49 passes, but 3 of his passes went for touchdowns. Don Maynard caught 2 of Mr. Namath's scoring passes, including a 6-yard play for the winning score in the fourth quarter. Pete Lammons scored the other Jets' touchdown. Pete Banaszak rushed for an Oakland touchdown, and Fred Biletnikoff scored the other on a 29-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica. George Blanda added 3 field goals for the Western Division champions, who went into the game as defending AFL champions.



40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (11th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Le monde est fou, le monde est beau--Julio Iglesias; Y.M.C.A.--Village People

Politics and government
In a continuing effort to halt the violence and disorder that threatened to topple his regime, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi of Iran named Shahpur Bakhtiar, a member of the opposition, as Prime Minister of a new civilian government, to replace the military government that the Shah had set up in November.

Football
NCAA
Gator Bowl @ Jacksonville, Florida
Clemson 17 Ohio State 15

Middle guard Charlie Bauman made an interception with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game to preserve the Tigers' victory over the Buckeyes. When Mr. Bauman stepped out of bounds at Ohio State bench, Buckeyes' head coach Woody Hayes punched Mr. Bauman (see video). The incident led to Mr. Hayes' dismissal the next day, after 28 seasons as Ohio State's head coach.



30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Back to the Stone Age--Stone

Defense
The U.S. Defense Secretary's Commission on Base Realignment and Closure issued its recommendation. To save an estimated $5.6 billion over 20 years, it proposed the closing of 54 bases, the partial shutdown of 5, and the "realignment" of 54 others. The Defense Secretary and Congress would have to accept the recommendation on an "all-or-nothing" basis.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
In a draft proposal, Israel offered the Palestine Liberation Organization joint control of border checkpoints, and proposed to increase the area of Palestinian autonomy around Jericho to 43 square miles. PLO chairman Yasser Arafat rejected this compromise, and the Palestinians continued to insist on a greater sphere of autonomy and sole control of border crossings from Egypt and Jordan.

War
Canadian forces made their 1,000th relief flight into Sarajevo.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had increased 0.5% in November.

20 years ago
1998

World events
Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed one million lives.

Disasters
Six people died after mountainous seas smashed into yachts taking part in the prestigious Sydney-Hobart race.

10 years ago
2008

Sport
Canada's junior hockey team was named Canadian Press Team of the Year for its gold medal win at the World Junior Championship at the beginning of the year.

December 28, 2018

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Heather Pick!

1,600 years ago
418

Religion
Boniface I was elected Roman Catholic Pope, succeeding Zosimus, who had died two days earlier.

1,125 years ago
893

Disasters
An earthquake destroyed the Armenian city of Dvin.

130 years ago
1888

Born on this date
F. W. Murnau. German film director. Mr. Murnau was one of the major directors of the silent era, and was known for such German films as Nosferatu (1922); Der letzte Mann (The Last Laugh) (1924); and Faust (1926). He moved to Hollywood and directed such movies as Sunrise (1927) and 4 Devils (1928). Mr. Murnau died on March 11, 1931 at the age of 42, the day after being seriously injured in a car accident, and a week before the premiere of his last movie, Tabu.

110 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Lew Ayres. U.S. actor. Mr. Ayres had a career that spanned 65 years, but was best known for his starring role in the movie All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and for playing Dr. Kildare in a series of nine films from 1938-1942. He died on December 30, 1996, two days after his 88th birthday.

Disasters
The 7.1 Mw Messina earthquake shook Southern Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing 75,000-200,000 people.

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Edmonton Thistles 3 @ Montreal Wanderers 7 (First game of 2-game total goals challenge series)

Harry Smith scored 5 goals for the defending champion Wanderers as they defeated the Thistles, champions of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, at Montreal Arena. All but one of the Edmonton players were ringers, joining the team just for the Stanley Cup challenge.

90 years ago
1928

Politics and government
Major General the Honourable Hugh Havelock McLean, of Rothesay, New Brunswick, was installed as Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.

80 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Florence Lawrence, 52. Canadian-born U.S. actress. Miss Lawrence, born Florence Bridgwood in Hamilton, Ontario, moved to Buffalo, New York at the age of 12. She appeared in almost 300 movies--mostly from 1906-1915--and became known as the "first movie star." Miss Lawrence was known as "The Biograph Girl" for her work in most of that studio's films in 1908-1909, and became the first actor to be identified by name on screen in 1910. Her career rapidly declined after she suffered serious injuries on a set in 1915, and she suffered financial losses and bad marriages. Miss Lawrence was diagnosed in 1937 with a rare incurable bone disease, and suffered from chronic pain and depression, but attempted to keep working. She was to report to a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer set on December 28, 1938, but phoned in sick, and then committed suicide by poison.

75 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Steve Evans, 58. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Evans played right field with the New York Giants (1908); St. Louis Cardinals (1909-1913); Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1914-1915); and Baltimore Terrapins (1915), batting .287 with 32 home runs and 466 runs batted in in 978 games. His best season was 1914, when he led the Federal League in triples (15) and slugging (.556), while finishing second in batting (.348), doubles (41), homers (12), and RBIs (96). Mr. Evans excelled at being hit by a pitch, leading the National League in that category from 1910-1912; he was hit 31 times in 1910, a major league record that stood for 61 years until Ron Hunt of the Montreal Expos was hit 50 times in 1971. He also set a record by being hit three times in one game. Mr. Evans played at least 4 seasons in the minor leagues (1907-1908, 1916-1917), batting .288 in 466 games.

Movies
The New York Film Critics Circle announced their awards for the best achievements of 1943: Picture--Watch on the Rhine; Director--George Stevens (The More the Merrier); Actor--Paul Lukas (Watch on the Rhine); Actress--Ida Lupino (The Hard Way).

War
After eight days of brutal house-to-house fighting, the Battle of Ortona concluded with the victory of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division over the German 1st Parachute Division and the capture of the Italian town of Ortona. French Moroccan troops made short advances west of Castel San Vincenzo in the Italian mountains in the centre of the trans-peninsular front. U.S.S.R. forces continued their drive west of Kiev, advancing on a 65-mile front and reaching Behji, five miles northeast of Korosten.

Labour
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 300 strikes in November involving 500,000 workers, costing 2,285,000 man-days of idleness, amounting to one-third of 1% of available working time.

70 years ago
1948

At the movies
Highway 13, directed by William Berke, and starring Robert Lowery and Pamela Blake, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Mahmoud El Nokrashy Pasha, 60. Prime Minister of Egypt, 1945-1946, 1946-1948. Mr. Nokrashy, a member of the Saadist Institutional Party (SIP), was the second Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Egypt. He formally outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood in December 1948 out of concern that the Brotherhood would move against the monarchy. Three weeks later, Mr. Nokrashy was gunned down in the main building of the Ministry of Interior by Abdel Meguid Ahmed Hassan, a veterinary student at the University of King Fouad I and a member of the Brotherhood, who was dressed as a lieutenant. Mr. Nokrashy was succeeded as Prime Minister by Ibrahim Abdel Hady Pasha.

Radio
Hooperatings listed the most popular programs in the United States as The Jack Benny Program; Family Theater; and Walter Winchell.

Television
Hooperatings listed Texaco Star Theater, starring Milton Berle, as the most popular program in New York.

Economics and finance
Representatives of the U.S.A., U.K., France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, meeting in London, agreed on the formation of an international Ruhr Authority (excluding the U.S.S.R.) to supervise much of West Germany's heavy industry. France gained a U.S. and U.K. guarantee that Germany's industrial potential would never be allowed to threaten French security.

Yugoslavia's first post-World War II trade delegation to Italy began discussions in Rome on a commercial treaty.

Business
The U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee urged a tightening of anti-trust laws, with provisions for mandatory suspension of business executives convicted of anti-trust violations, and revisions of tax laws advantageous to large companies.

60 years ago
1958

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Mrs. Herman and Mrs. Fenimore, starring Mary Astor, Russell Collins, and Doro Merande

Politics and government
Cuban guerrilla leader Fidel Castro's radio broadcast announced plans for the establishment of a provisional Cuban government, to be headed by Manuel Urrutia Lleo, who had recently returned to Cuba from exile in the United States.

Economics and finance
French Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle announced that taxes would be increased on corporations, people with high incomes, and luxury items, and that the devaluation of the franc and abolition of protective trade controls would "place the nation on a basis of truth and severity."

Labour
The Independent Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union settled a three-week strike which had shut down nine major New York City newspapers and idled 15,000 non-striking newspaper workers.

Disasters
Fire fanned by high winds destroyed the port of Koniya and part of Setouchi on Amani-O-Shima Island in the Ryukyus.

Football
NFL
Championship
Baltimore 23 @ New York 17 (OT)

In what many Americans still claim was the greatest professional football game ever played, Alan Ameche rushed 1 yard for a touchdown 8:16 into sudden-death overtime to give the Colts their win over the Giants before 64,185 fans at Yankee Stadium. For the Colts, champions of the NFL's Western Conference, it was their first NFL title. After a first-quarter field goal by Pat Summerall gave the Eastern Conference champion Giants a 3-0 lead, the Colts took a 14-3 halftime lead on a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Mr. Ameche and a 15-yard scoring pass from Johnny Unitas to Raymond Berry. Mel Triplett rushed 1 yard for a touchdown late in the third quarter to cut the lead to 14-10, and then Frank Gifford scored on a 15-yard pass from Chuck Conerly early in the fourth quarter to give the Giants a 17-14 lead. With less than two minutes remaining, Mr. Unitas drove the Colts downfield, and Steve Myhra tied the game with a 20-yard field goal with 7 seconds left in regulation time. The Giants got the ball to start the overtime period, but were unable to move it, and Mr. Unitas drove the Colts from their own 20 for the winning score. This was not only the first NFL championship game to go into overtime, but is considered to be the game that established professional football as a game that could be successfully promoted on television.





50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles (13th week at #1)

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Little Arrows--Leapy Lee (7th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Pauvre Verlaine--Salvatore Adamo

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Zum zum zum--Sylvie Vartan (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heidschi Bumbeidschi--Heintje (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Lily the Pink--The Scaffold (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Lily the Pink--The Scaffold (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Eloise--Barry Ryan (4th week at #1)
2 Hair--Zen
3 Battle Hymn of the Republic--Andy Williams with the St. Charles Borromeo Choir
4 Lea--The Cats
5 Jerushala'im Shel Zahav--Rika Zarai
6 Just a Little Bit of Peace in My Heart--Golden Earrings
7 Going Up the Country--Canned Heat
8 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
9 Lily the Pink--The Scaffold
10 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da--The Marmalade

Singles entering the chart were Ain't Got No--I Got Life by Nina Simone (#25); Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations (#30); De Glimlach Van een Kind by Willy Alberti (#32); Blackberry Way by the Move (#34); Nostalgic Toilet by Cuby & Blizzards (#37); and Bluebirds Over the Mountain by the Beach Boys (#40). Ain't Got No--I Got Life was a medley of two songs originally from Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. The version of Bluebirds Over the Mountain that was released in the Netherlands was different from the version released in North America; because of an error in the mixing instructions, the Dutch version contained acoustic guitar and percussion sounds missing from the North American version.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Heard it Through the Grapevine--Marvin Gaye (2nd week at #1)
2 Stormy--Classics IV
3 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
4 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion
5 I Love How You Love Me--Bobby Vinton
6 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
7 For Once in My Life--Stevie Wonder
8 Both Sides Now--Judy Collins
9 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me--Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations
10 Cloud Nine--The Temptations

Singles entering the chart were Touch Me by the Doors (#53); California Soul by the 5th Dimension (#56); Tit for Tat (Ain’t No Taking Back) by James Brown (#73); You Showed Me by the Turtles (#78); Does Anybody Know I'm Here by the Dells (#80); Can I Change My Mind by Tyrone Davis (#82); Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations (#84); Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March by the Box Tops (#86); May I by Bill Deal & the Rhondels (#90); Things I'd Like to Say by the New Colony Six (#91); I'm Into Lookin' for Someone to Love Me by Bobby Vee (#92); If it Wasn't for Bad Luck by Ray Charles and Jimmy Lewis (#93); The Thought of Loving You by Crystal Mansion (#94); Rain in My Heart by Frank Sinatra (#95); Goodnight My Love by Paul Anka (#97); Games People Play by Joe South (#99); and Poor Side of Town by Al Wilson (#100).

At the movies
Uptight, directed, co-produced, and co-written by Jules Dassin, and starring Raymond St. Jacques and Ruby Dee, opened in theatres.

War
Helicopter-born Israeli commandos bombed Beirut International Airport, destroying 13 Lebanese airliners.

Disasters
All 12 people aboard a DC-3 were killed when it crashed in rugged terrain south of San Diego.

Tennis
Arthur Ashe, a 25-year-old U.S. Army lieutenant fresh from winning the United States Open, played a key role in the United States Davis Cup team's 4-1 victory over Australia that returned the Cup to the United States for the first time since 1963.

40 years ago
1978

Business
Crows Nest Industries and Crow's Nest Pass Oil and Gas Company amalgamated.

Disasters
United Airlines Fight 173, a DC-8 jet en route to Portland, Oregon, crashed into a residential area five miles southeast of the airport while attempting an emergency landing; amazingly, only 10 of the 185 people on board were killed.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vingar--Mikael Rickfors

Terrorism
British investigators said that a powerful plastic explosive had destroyed the Boeing 747 that had exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland a week earlier, killing 270 people. "Conclusive evidence" of an explosive device had been found in a metal luggage holder in the wreckage.

25 years ago
1993

Died on this date
William L. Shirer, 89. U.S. journalist. Mr. Shirer was a reporter, first for wire services and then for the Columbia Broadcasting System, who covered events in Germany from 1934-1940. His best-known books were Berlin Diary (1941); Midcentury Journey (1952); and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1960).

Howard Caine, 67. U.S. actor. Mr. Caine, born Howard Cohen, played Nazi Major Hochstetter in the television comedy series Hogan's Heroes (1965-1971).

Politics and government
In single-constituency elections in Russia, results showed the Liberal Democrats, led by nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, with 64 seats, followed by Russia's Choice--led by President Boris Yeltsin--with 58. Next in order were Communists--48; Agrarian Party--33; Women of Russia--23; and Yabloko ("Apple") bloc--22. Other parties held many seats, and 130 deputies claimed no party affiliation.

Crime
Six bombs--four of which exploded--sent by courier or through the mail killed five people and wounded two in western New York state. All the bombs were delivered to relatives of the girlfriend of one of the two suspects who were arrested the next day.

British customs officials seized £70 million of Colombian cocaine which was thought to be directly linked to the Mafia.

Abominations
The United States Energy Department said that 800 people had been exposed to radiation in government experiments from the 1940s to the 1960s.

10 years ago
2008

Disasters
Two snow avalanches near Fernie, British Columbia killed eight people and injured three others.

Sport
Minnesota Twins' first baseman Justin Morneau was named the Canadian Press male athlete of the year; he hit .300, had 23 home runs and 129 runs batted in; with 97 runs scored, he was directly responsible for 27 per cent of his team's 829 runs in 2008.

Football
NFL
The Detroit Lions completed a 0-16 season, the NFL's worst ever, with a 31-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

December 27, 2018

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Marilyn Draper and Ana!

500 years ago
1518

Died on this date
Mahmood Shah Bahmani II 48 (?). Sultan of the Bahmani Sultanate, 1482-1518. Mahmood Shah Bahmani II, the son of Muhammad Shah Lashkari, succeeded his father on the throne of the first independent Muslim kingdom in South India. He had to deal with unrest among the nobility, especially regional governors. Sultan Mahmood Shah Bahmani II was succeeded by his son Ahmed Shah Bahmani II.

170 years ago
1848

Communications
A telegraph line from Calais, Maine to Saint John, New Brunswick was completed, allowing for dispatches to be sent to Boston, New York, and other major North American centres.

160 years ago
1858

Born on this date
Juan Luis Sanfuentes. 17th President of Chile, 1915-1920. Mr. Sanfuentes, a Liberal Democrat, became Chilean Finance Minister in 1901, and served as President of the Senate from 1906-1909. As a coalition candidate of the Liberal Democratic and Conservative Parties in 1915, he defeated Liberal Alliance candidate Javier Ángel Figueroa by just one electoral vote in a campaign filled with accusations of fraud; the National Congress settled the election with a vote in favour of Mr. Sanfuentes. Mr. Sanfuentes presided over prosperity during his term, but his popularity declined toward the end, after he took a hard line against striking coal miners and trade unionists. He died on July 16, 1930 at the age of 71.

Died on this date
Alexandre Pierre François Boëly, 73. French musician and composer. Mr. Boëly was a pianist, organist, and violist who rejected the music fashions of his time in favour of earlier composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach. Mr. Boëly composed over 300 works, especially chamber music and pieces for piano or organ.

130 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Thea von Harbou. German actress, director, and screenwriter. Miss Harbou was married to director Fritz Lang from 1922-1933, and helped to write the screenplays for films of his such as Metropolis (1927) and Spione (Spies) (1928). The couple divorced in 1933, and Miss Harbou remained loyal to Germany, staying in the country through the years of Nazi rule. She died on July 1, 1954 at the age of 65.

100 years ago
1918

War
The Greater Poland Uprising against German rule began.

80 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Zona Gale, 64. U.S. writer. Miss Gale wrote in various genres, but was best known for her novels and short stories about life in the midwestern United States. She adapted her novel Miss Lulu Bett (1920) into a play, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1921, making Miss Gale the first woman to achieve the honour. Miss Gale died of pneumonia.

75 years ago
1943

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Tired Captain

Died on this date
Ants Kurvits, 56. Estonian military officer and politician. Major General Kurvits served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I, and commanded the Estonian Defense League from 1918-1921. He commanded the Estonian Border Guard from 1922-1939, serving briefly as Estonian Minister of War in 1924. Maj. Gen. Kurvits was deported to a Soviet prison camp in 1941, following the U.S.S.R. occupation of Estonia, and died in Soviet imprisonment.

War
Defending German paratroopers started to abandon the Italian town of Ortona after a week of fierce fighting with Major-General Christopher Vokes' 1st Canadian Division. Infantry from the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada suffered heavy casualties; 1,372 Canadians were killed in taking Ortona and environs. U.S.S.R. troops occupied 30 places near Vitebsk and cut the Vitebsk-polotsk railway near Dvorishche. U.S. Marines consolidated their beachheads on both sides of Cape Gloucester, New Britain Island, and advanced inland.

Diplomacy
The Inter-American Emergency Committee for the Political Defense of the Continent adopted a resolution not to recognize regimes established by force without prior investigation and consultation by all American governments.

Labour
The U.S. Fair Employment Practices Commission asked U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to enforce its order to 16 southeastern railroads and 7 unions to end discrimination against Negroes. U.S. President Roosevelt ordered War Secretary Henry Stimson to take over all railroads as of & P.M. today, as three operating unions continued their refusal to accept his arbitration.

70 years ago
1948

On the radio
The Adventure of the Speckled Band, starring Howard Marion-Crawford as Sherlock Holmes and Finlay Currie as Dr. Watson, on BBC Home Service

Mr. Marion-Crawford played Dr. Watson in the television series Sherlock Holmes (1954-1955).

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis, on MBS

War
Guerrilla resistance to Dutch occupation of the Indonesian Republic began with scattered attacks on Dutch outposts near Jakarta.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia signed a commercial agreement in Moscow providing for a sharp reduction in trade between the two countries.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Io--Domenico Modugno (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): La Paloma--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): When--The Kalin Twins (16th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): It's Only Make Believe--Conway Twitty

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Chipmunk Song--The Chipmunks with David Seville (2nd week at #1)
2 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters
3 Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio
4 To Know Him, is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears
5 One Night--Elvis Presley
6 Beep Beep--The Playmates
7 Problems--The Everly Brothers
8 Lonesome Town--Ricky Nelson
9 I Got Stung--Elvis Presley
10 My Happiness--Connie Francis

Singles entering the chart were Green Chri$tma$ by Stan Freberg (#67); Red River Rose by the Ames Brothers (#70); The Little Drummer Boy by the Harry Simeone Chorale (#71); Let's Love (#73)/You are Beautiful (#89) by Johnny Mathis; (All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings by Paul Anka (#75); Blue Hawaii by Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (#77); May You Always by the McGuire Sisters (#83); Teasin' by the Quaker City Boys (#84); The Hawaiian Wedding Song (#85)/The House of Bamboo (#86) by Andy Williams; Tomorrow by Donnie Owens (#91); Santa and the Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley (#93); Pretty Girls Everywhere by Eugene Church and the Fellows (#95); Merry Christmas Baby by Chuck Berry (#97); and It's Magic by Teddy Randazzo (#100).

Space
U.S. physicist James Van Allen reported the existence of two definite fields of radiation around the Earth: the first was 1,400-3,400 miles up, the second 8,000-12,000 miles above the Earth.

War
A Cuban guerrilla column led by Che Guevara attacked Santa Clara, capital of Las Villas Province, shortly before dawn. Fidel Castro's guerrilla forces also captured the Santiago-Bayamo highway.

Americana
A Gallup Poll reported that for the sixth consecutive year, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower headed the list of the ten living men most admired by Americans.

Economics and finance
The French cabinet announce a 17.55% devaluation of the franc, making it freely convertible if held by traders or persons residing outside the franc zone.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): My Little Lady--The Tremeloes

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Abraham, Martin and John--Dion (3rd week at #1)
2 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
3 Wichita Lineman--Glen Campbell
4 Magic Carpet Ride--Steppenwolf
5 Cinnamon--Derek
6 Hey Jude--The Beatles
7 Chewy Chewy--Ohio Express
8 Son-of-a Preacher Man--Dusty Springfield
9 If I Can Dream--Elvis Presley
10 Scarborough Fair--Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66

Space
Apollo 8's lunar orbital mission ended successfully as the crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 7:51 A.M. Pacific Standard Time. The crew set a speed record of 24,530 miles per hour in re-entering the earth's atmosphere.





Defense
The People's Republic of China exploded a hydrogen bomb, its second thermonuclear device.

Disasters
27 people were killed when a twin-engine turboprop plane approaching O'Hare International Airoport in Chicago smashed into a hangar in fog and burst into flames.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Merry Xmas Everybody--Slade (3rd week at #1)

Merry Xmas Everybody had previously spent two weeks at #1 in December 1973, when it was originally a hit.

Died on this date
Houari Boumédiène, 46. 2nd President of Algeria, 1976-1978. Mr. Boumédiène, born Mohamed Ben Brahim Boukharouba, was part of the movement that declared independence for Algeria from France in 1962. He served as Defense Minister until 1965, when he led the movement that ousted revolutionary leader Ahmed Ben Bella. Mr. Boumédiène served as chairman of the Revolutionary Council from 1965-1976, when he became President. He died in office of a rare blood disease.

Bob Luman, 41. U.S. musician. Mr. Luman was a country singer-songwriter who had numerous hit singles in the 1960s and '70s. His best-known song was Let's Think About Living (1960), which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Country and Hot 100 charts, and reached #3 on the Australian pop singles chart. Mr. Luman died of pneumonia.

Chris Bell, 27. U.S. musician. Mr. Bell was a guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Memphis who co-founded the rock group Big Star with Alex Chilton, former lead singer of the Box Tops, in the early 1970s. Big Star failed to achieve commercial success, and neither did Mr. Bell in a subsequent solo career, but his music has influenced subsequent artists. Mr. Bell was killed in a car accident, 16 days before his 28th birthday.

Politics and government
Spain became a democracy after 40 years of fascist dictatorship.

Journalism
The tabloid newspaper Montréal-Matin ceased publication after 48 years.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 1 Boston 1

30 years ago
1988

Died on this date
Hal Ashby, 59. U.S. movie director. Mr. Ashby won the Academy Award for film editing for In the Heat of the Night (1967) before becoming a director. His movies included Harold and Maude (1971); The Last Detail (1973); Shampoo (1975); Bound for Glory (1976); Coming Home (1978); and Being There (1979). He died of pancreatic cancer.

Disasters
250 people were missing and feared drowned when a river ferry capsized and sank en route to Dhaka, Bangladesh.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (6th week at #1)

10 years ago
2008

Died on this date
Delaney Bramlett, 69. U.S. musician. Mr. Bramlett was a singer-songwriter and guitarist who performed in various genres, but was best known for his work in the late 1960s and early '70s with his wife Bonnie and various musicians, performing as Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. Their single Never Ending Song of Love (1971) remains popular. Mr. Bramlett died of complications following gall bladder surgery.

War
Citing rocket attacks from Palestinian armed groups, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead, a three-week operation on Gaza.

December 26, 2018

1,750 years ago
268

Died on this date
Dionysius. Roman Catholic Pope, 259-268. Dionysius succeeded Sixtus II and commenced reorganizing the Roman church, following the persecution under Emperor Valerian I and the edict of toleration by his successor Emperor Gallienus. Pope Dionysius was succeeded by Felix I.

1,600 years ago
418

Died on this date
Zosimus. Roman Catholic Pope, 417-418. Zosimus succeeded Innocent I on March 18, 417. He took part in jurisdictional disputes, and condemned Pelagianism after convening a synod on the issue, but was reported to have a fractious temper, which led to divisions among the clergy. Pope Zosimus was succeeded by Boniface I.

225 years ago
1793

War
The Second Battle of Wissembourg began in France between French forces commanded by General Lazare Hoche and an army of Austrians, Prussians, Bavarians, and Hessians led by General Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser.

125 years ago
1893

Born on this date
Mao Zedong. Chairman of the People's Republic of China, 1949-1976. Chairman Mao co-founded the Chinese Communist Party in 1921, and made his name as lead of the "Long March" to northern China to flee attacks from the Nationalists in the 1930s. Civil war resulted in a Communist triumph in 1949, and Mao became the leader of the People's Republic of China. Mao's policies, including the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward, resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of people; his regime killed more Christians than the number of Jews killed by the German Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler. Chairman Mao's death on September 9, 1976 at the age of 82 left the world a better place, but left a huge power vacuum in China.

110 years ago
1908

Boxing
Jack Johnson (49-5-10-1-2), who had followed Tommy Burns (42-4-8) around the world in attempting to get a championship match, finally succeeded in wresting the world title away from his much smaller Canadian opponent in a mismatch in Sydney, Australia that was stopped by police in the 14th round. Mr. Johnson, the first Negro to win the championship belt, continually taunted Mr. Burns throughout the fight as he kept the white man at bay. Mr. Johnson's victory outraged white people, including journalist Jack London, who witnessed the spectacle, and immediately called for former champion Jim Jeffries, who had retired to his farm in 1905, to come back and wipe the "golden smile" from Mr. Johnson's face.



100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Georgios Rallis. Prime Minister of Greece, 1980-1981. Mr. Rallis, a member of the People's Party and then the New Democracy Party, was first elected to Parliament in 1950, and held numerous cabinet posts before becoming Prime Minister. He resigned from New Democracy and became an independent shortly after N.D. lost the 1981 parliamentary elections. Mr. Rallis died on March 15, 2006 at the age of 87.

Olga Lopes-Seale. Guyanese-born Barbadian singer and radio hostess. Dame Olga worked with Radio Demerara in Guyana, earning the nickname "Auntie Olga." She emigrated with her husband to Barbados, where she was known as the "Vera Lynn of the Caribbean," and continued her work in radio, while engaging in charitable activities. Dame Olga died on February 4, 2011 at the age of 92.

75 years ago
1943

Literature
The American Library Association reported that a survey of 110 libraries revealed a decrease in public reading, but an improvement in taste, with entertainment reading suffering a heavy decline in favour of works dealing with international politics, aviation, and postwar planning.

War
General A.G.L. "Andy" McNaughton retired as commander of the First Canadian Army in Europe after falling out of favour with Minister of National Defence J.L. Ralston over his opposition to fragmentation of the Canadian Army Overseas. U.K. naval units attacked and sank the German battleship Scharnhorst in Arctic waters off North Cape, Norway, leaving Germany with two known battleships, the Tirpitz and Gneisenau. Only 36 of the 1,968 men aboard the Scharnhorst survived. Soviet troops resumed their offensive and rolled back German forces 25 miles on a 50-mile front in Ukraine. Street-by-street fighting continued in Ortona, Italy as Allied forces slowly cleared the northwestern part of the Adriatic port.

Science
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers announced that the 1943 Edison Medal was being awarded to Dr. Vannevar Bush for "development of new applications of mathematics to engineering problems."

Business
The Bolivian government announced that Axis firms there would be nationalized and their operations transferred to Bolivians.

Football
NFL Championship
Washington 21 @ Chicago Bears 41

Sid Luckman threw 5 touchdown passes and rushed for 64 yards to lead the Bears over the Redskins before 34,320 fans at Wrigley Field in a game played in such cold weather that it was nicknamed the "Ice Bowl." Mr. Luckman threw 2 touchdown passes each to Harry Clark and Dante Magnani and another to Jim Benton. Bronko Nagurski, who had come out of retirement late in the season, rushed 3 yards in the 2nd quarter for the other Chicago touchdown to conclude his Hall of Fame career. Washington quarterback Sammy Baugh completed touchdown passes to Andy Farkas and Joe Aguirre, and Mr. Farkas rushed 1 yard for a touchdown to open the scoring in the 2nd quarter. The championship was the third for the Bears in the previous four years.



70 years ago
1948

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and George Spelvin (Wendell Holmes), on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Blue Carbuncle

Died on this date
Rocco Franceschini, 50. U.S. labour leader. Mr. Franceschini was president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations United Shoe Workers of America, one of the unions currently under investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities, suspected of being dominated by Communists.

Defense
The last Soviet occupation troops left North Korea.

Abominations
Cardinal József Mindszenty was arrested in Hungary and accused of treason and conspiracy.

World events
Jewish immigration to Israel since the end of the British mandate passed 100,000.

Politics and government
A nine-man investing committee of the Social Science Research Council reported in New York that political pollsters "acted in good faith but used poor judgment" during the 1948 U.S. presidential campaign. Pollsters predicted an easy victory for Republican Party candidate Thomas Dewey, and were surprised and embarrassed when President Harry Truman won the election.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): It's Only Make Believe--Conway Twitty (2nd week at #1)

War
Cuban guerrillas captured Cavaiaguan and Sancti Spiritus in their approach from the east to Santa Clara, capital of Las Villas Province.

Journalism
An Associated Press poll of news editors named French President-elect Charles de Gaulle as "man of the year."

Sport
Tennis star Althea Gibson was named the outstanding female athlete in the United States for 1958 in an Associated Press poll of sportswriters and broadcasters, winning the honour for the second straight year.

50 years ago
1968

Terrorism
Arab terrorists fired on an Israeli airliner in Athens, killing one passenger.

Politics and government
The Communist Party of the Philippines was established by Jose Maria Sison, breaking away from the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930.

40 years ago
1978

Hockey
NHL
New York Islanders 5 Toronto 1

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Kokomo--The Beach Boys

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You--Glenn Medeiros (6th week at #1)

Football
NFL
NFC Wild Card Playoff
Los Angeles Rams 17 @ Minnesota 28

Joey Browner made interceptions to set up touchdowns by Alfred Anderson and Allen Rice in the 1st quarter as the Vikings took a 14-0 lead and coasted to victory over the Rams before 57,666 fans at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)--Bitty McLean (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Babe--Take That (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Mr Blobby--Mr Blobby (2nd week at #1)

Abominations
The Boston Globe reported that from 1946-1956, scientists at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology had given doses of radiation in milk to 19 mentally retarded boys to study effects on the digestive system.

20 years ago
1998

War
Iraq announced its intention to fire upon U.S. and U.K. warplanes that patrolled the northern and southern no-fly zones.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 2 Toronto 1

10 years ago
2008

Sport
Chantal Petitclerc was voted the Canadian Press Canadian female athlete of the year, becoming the first Paralympian to receive the award since it was created in 1933. Miss Petitclerc won five gold medals and set three world records at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.

December 25, 2018

260 years ago
1758

Space
Based on predictions by Edmond Halley in 1705, Johann Georg Palitzsch observed a comet that was later named Halley's Comet.

150 years ago
1868

Died on this date
Linus Yale, Jr., 47. U.S. inventor and businessman. Mr. Yale, the son of a lockmaker, also invented locks, including the pin tumbler safe lock, and co-founded Yale Lock Manufacturing Company in 1868. He died of a heart attack while on a business trip to New York City.

Politics and government
U.S. President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to everyone involved in the Southern rebellion that resulted in the Civil War.

140 years ago
1878

Born on this date
Louis Chevrolet. Swiss-born U.S. auto racing driver and automobile executive. Mr. Chevrolet drove race cars and designed engines in his native country before moving to Paris, Montreal, New York City, and Detroit. On November 8, 1911, Mr. Chevrolet, along with W.C. Durant and William Little and Edwin Campbell, founded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, which joined General Motors in 1917. In 1916, Louis and younger brothers Arthur and Gaston founded the Frontenac Motor Corporation. As a driver, he competed in the Indianapolis 500 in 1915 (finishing 20th); 1916 (12th); 1919 (7th); and 1920 (18th). Because of America’s entry into World War I, there was no 500-mile race at Indianapolis on Decoration Day in 1917 and 1918, but there was a 250-mile race at Cincinnati on that date in 1917, and Louis Chevrolet was the winner. He lost his wealth in the stock market crash in 1929, and was forced to go back to work as a mechanic in a Chevrolet factory. He died nearly penniless in Detroit on June 6, 1941 at the age of 62.

110 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Quentin Crisp. U.K. actor and raconteur. Mr. Crisp, born Denis Charles Pratt, was an openly effeminate sodomite who worked as a model for 30 years. His experiences provided material for his autobiography The Naked Civil Servant (1968), which was adapted into a made-for-television film in 1975. The success of the film led to a successful career for Mr. Crisp as a raconteur, performing one-man shows in packed theatres. He had small roles in several films, including Orlando (1991). Mr. Crisp died of a heart attack on November 21, 1999 at the age of 90.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Anwar Sadat. 3rd President of Egypt, 1970-1981; Vice President of Egypt, 1964, 1969-1970; Prime Minister of Egypt, 1973-1974, 1980-1981. Colonel Sadat served in the Egyptian Army from 1938-1952, and participated in the military revolution that overthrew King Farouk in 1952. He held various offices, including Speaker of the National Assembly (1960-1969). Mr. Sadat acceded to the presidency after the death of Gamal Nasser, and made some changes, including allowing more than one political party. Mr. Sadat and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad of Syria initiated the Yom Kippur War against Israel in October 1973; in March 1979, Mr. Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty, several months after the Camp David Accords, earning Messrs. Sadat and Begin the Nobel Peace Prize. Although Mr. Sadat was highly regarded internationally as a statesman, he was unpopular with Islamic elements at home. On October 6, 1981, Mr. Sadat, 62, and 11 others were shot to death by a squad led by Lieutenant Khalid Islambouli during the annual parade celebrating the anniversary of the 1973 crossing of the Suez Canal by Egyptian forces. Vice President Hosni Mubarak, one of 28 people wounded in the attack, succeeded Mr. Sadat as President.

Defense
Major General Ants Kurvits, commander of the Estonian Defence League in Tartu County, began forming the Viljandi Volunteer Battalion.

90 years ago
1928

At the movies
In Old Arizona, the first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors, received its premiere screening in Los Angeles; it was directed by Raoul Walsh and Irving Cummings, and starred Edmund Lowe, Warner Baxter, and Dorothy Burgess.



Died on this date
Miles Burke, 43. U.S. boxer. Mr. Burke won the silver medal in the flyweight division at the 1904 Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis, losing the gold medal bout to fellow American George Finnegan by a technical knockout in the 1st round. Mr. Burke was allegedly three pounds over the 105-pound weight limit for flyweights, but was allowed to compete because no other opponent could be found. He died 18 days before his 44th birthday.

80 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Karel Čapek, 48. Czech author and playwright. Mr. Čapek wrote fiction and non-fiction, in which he expressed his opposition to both Fascism and Communism. He was best known for his science fiction, especially the play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (1921), which introduced the word "robot." Mr. Čapek suffered from fragile health, and died of pneumonia.

75 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Paper Doll--The Mills Brothers (8th week at #1)

War
Allied forces in Italy captured Mount Sammucro, 6 miles east of Cassino. U.S.S.R. troops captured 200 more inhabited places in their drive on Vitebsk. U.S. Marines made two landings at points east and west of Cape Gloucester, New Britain Island. Chinese troops occupied Kungan, forcing the Japanese across the Hutu River in an eastward retreat.

Diplomacy
The Ecuadorian government ordered German and Italian nationals held incommunicado, and notified all Axis subjects to leave the country.

Disasters
A fire razed the waterfront area of Wildwood, New Jersey, destroying three theatres, an amusement pier, and other buildings, causing $1 million in damage.

70 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys (8th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Buttons and Bows--Dinah Shore and the Happy Valley Boys (7th week at #1)
--The Dinning Sisters
--Betty Rhodes
2 On a Slow Boat to China--Kay Kyser Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Art Lund
3 My Darling, My Darling--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae with the Starlighters
--Doris Day and Buddy Clark
4 Maybe You'll Be There--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
5 Until--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
6 All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)--Spike Jones and his City Slickers
7 You were Only Fooling (While I was Falling in Love)--Blue Barron and his Orchestra
--The Ink Spots
--Kay Starr
8 Cuanto la Gusta--Carmen Miranda and the Andrews Sisters
9 Twelfth Street Rag--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra
10 Life Gits Tee-jus Don't It--Carson Robison with the Pleasant Valley Boys

Singles entering the chart were Galway Bay by Bing Crosby (#26) and I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Les Brown and his Orchestra (#39).

At the movies
Command Decision, directed by Sam Wood, and starring Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon, Van Johnson, and others, opened in theatres in Los Angeles.

Music
A Down Beat poll listed Duke Ellington's band as the most popular group in the United States.

War
Chinese nationals abandoned Changkiakow, one of their few remaining industrial centres in northern China, to the Communists.

Education
The U.S. Federal Security Agency revived the National Advisory Committee on the Education of Negroes, appointing Ambrose Calliver of the U.S. Office of Education to head the agency.

60 years ago
1958

Defense
The U.S. Army reported that it had dropped 70,000 men during the past fiscal year as mentally or physically unfit.

Politics and government
Dispatches from Cairo reported the arrest of leading Syrian Communist Party members and the closing of the Syrian Communist daily newspaper Al Nour in an anti-Communist crackdown ordered by U.A.R. President Gamal Nasser.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Lily the Pink--The Scaffold (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles (11th week at #1)
2 White Room--Cream
3 Little Arrows--Leapy Lee
4 Love Child--Diana Ross and the Supremes
5 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin
6 (The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation--Don Fardon
7 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash
8 With a Little Help from My Friends--Joe Cocker
9 Elenore/Surfer Dan--The Turtles
10 All Along the Watchtower--The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Singles entering the chart were The Great Escape by Ray Stevens (#29); Goody Goody Gumdrops by the 1910 Fruitgum Co. (#36); See Saw by Aretha Franklin (#38); and Kentucky Woman/Hush by Deep Purple (#39).

Space
A Service Propulsion System engine burn at 12:34 A.M. Central Standard Time was successful, sending the Apollo 8 spacecraft on a course for home after 10 orbits of the moon.

Abominations
44 members of families of striking Dalit workers were burned to death by a gang, allegedly led by their landlords, in Tamil Nadu, India.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Y.M.C.A.--Village People

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Chameleon Army--Pink Lady (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Tú--Umberto Tozzi (4th week at #1)

Space
The U.S.S.R. probe Venera 11, launched on September 9, 1978, made a soft landing on Venus, four days after the arrival of Venera 12. Venera 11 transmitted information for 95 minutes, until its flight platform flew out of range.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ):

#1 single in Switzerland: Orinoco Flow--Enya (3rd week at #1)

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Penso Positivo--Jovanotti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Saturday Night--Whigfield

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): The Sign--Ace of Base (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Living on My Own (1993)--Freddie Mercury (12th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Het pizzalied (Effe wachte...)--André van Duin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Mr Blobby--Mr Blobby (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Hero--Mariah Carey

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Again--Janet Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Hero--Mariah Carey
3 Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams
4 All That She Wants--Ace of Base
5 Breathe Again--Toni Braxton
6 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
7 I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf
8 Can We Talk--Tevin Campbell
9 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
10 Shoop--Salt-N-Pepa

Singles entering the chart were Daughter by Pearl Jam (#23) and Stay (Faraway, So Close!) by U2 (#67).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Please Forgive Me--Bryan Adams (4th week at #1)
2 Both Sides of the Story--Phil Collins
3 Hero--Mariah Carey
4 I'll Always Be There--Roch Voisine
5 Said I Loved You...But I Lied--Michael Bolton
6 All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
7 Again--Janet Jackson
8 5 Days in May--Blue Rodeo
9 All That She Wants--Ace of Base
10 All About Soul--Billy Joel

Singles entering the chart were You're Coming Home by the Jeff Healey Band (#71); Tones of Home by Blind Melon (#83); The Bottle by the Christians (#87); Crying in the Rain by Art Garfunkel and James Taylor (#95); Bless the World by David Wilcox (#96); Run Baby Run by Sheryl Crow (#97); Bad Thing by Cry of Love (#98); and I'm in Love by Lisa Keith (#99).

10 years ago
2008

Died on this date
Eartha Kitt, 81. U.S. singer and actress. Miss Kitt, born Eartha Keith, was known for her distinctive singing style featuring clear enunciation, achieving hit singles in the early 1950s such as C'est Si Bon and Santa Baby. She played Catwoman in the final season of the television series Batman (1967-1968), but her career in the United States was derailed when she made comments critical of the Vietnam War at a White House luncheon in 1968. Miss Kitt made a comeback in stage musicals in the late 1970s, and in later years appeared as a voice actress in animated television series--winning three Daytime Emmy Awards--in addition to appearing in movies, resuming her successful live performing career, and being involved in social activism. Miss Kitt died of colon cancer.

Weather
Canada had its first coast-to-coast white Christmas since 1971.