December 1, 2018

250 years ago
1768

Disasters
The Danish slave ship Fredensborg sank in a storm off Tromøya in Norway.

190 years ago
1828

World events
Argentine General Juan Lavalle, returning to Buenos Aires with troops who had fought in the Cisplatine War, deposed provincial Governor Manuel Dorrego, beginning the Decembrist revolution and reigniting the Argentine Civil Wars.

125 years ago
1893

Died on this date
Eduard Franck, 76. German musician and composer. Mr. Franck was a classical pianist and music teacher, whose compositions included four symphonies, and numerous chamber and keyboard works. He wasn't as well known as some of his contemporaries, perhaps because many of his works weren't published until late in his life.

Literature
The Adventure of the Final Problem by A. Conan Doyle, twelfth and last in a series of short stories published in book form in 1894 as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, was published in the December 1893 issue of The Strand Magazine.

120 years ago
1898

Born on this date
Stuart Garson. Canadian politician. Mr. Garson represented Fairford in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly from 1927-1948; he was first elected as a member of the Progressive Party, and succeeded John Bracken in 1943 as Premier, leading a Liberal-Progressive coalition government. Mr. Garson entered federal politics in 1948, and was elected as a Liberal in Marquette, serving as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, and later as Solicitor General, in the cabinet of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. Mr. Garson was one of several cabinet ministers to lose his seat in the 1957 federal election, ending his political career. He died on May 5, 1977 at the age of 78.

Cyril Ritchard. Australian-born actor. Mr. Ritchard, born Cyril Trimnell-Ritchard, had a career spanning almost 60 years, and was best known for playing Captain Hook in the Broadway musical Peter Pan (1954), winning a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. His films included Blackmail (1929). Mr. Ritchard died on December 18, 1977, 17 days after his 79th birthday.

100 years ago
1918

At the movies
The Birth of a Race, directed by John W. Noble, and starring Louis Dean, Harry Dumont, and others, opened in theatres.



Europeana
Transylvania united with Romania, following the incorporation of Bessarabia (March 27) and Bukovina (November 28), thus concluding the Great Union.

The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) was proclaimed.

With the signing of the Act of Union, Denmark recognized the Kingdom of Iceland as a fully sovereign state in personal union with Denmark through a common monarch.

90 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Homer Ballard. U.S. aviation executive. Mr. Ballard was president of Sunbeam Air Transportation Company, of Denver, Colorado. He and four others were killed in a plane crash near Spur, Texas.

Diplomacy
U.S. President-elect Herbert Hoover continued his goodwill tour of Latin America with a visit to Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Exploration
U.S. Navy Commander Richard Byrd's South Polar Expedition left Dunedin, New Zealand for the Antarctic ice barrier in Ross Sea, 2,300 miles, where they planned to land and establish their main base.

Agriculture
The U.S. Agriculture Department estimated the 1928 cotton crop at 14,373,000 bales.

Disasters
An earthquake shook Chile early in the morning, causing considerable damage in the southern provinces. The dead numbered 77 at Talca; 78 at Constitucion; and 150 at Rancagua and elsewhere. Loss to property was estimated at $19 million.

Horse racing
Clyde Van Dusen, a son of Man o'War, won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, Louisville, covering the 1-mile distance in a time of 1:38 4/5.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Hamilton Amateur Athletic Association Grounds
Regina 0 @ Hamilton 30

Jimmy Simpson and Brian Timmis each scored two touchdowns as the Tigers whipped the Roughriders before 4,767 fans. Ken Walker scored the other touchdown, while Pep Leadley drop-kicked 3 converts, and Huck Welch punted for 2 singles. The Hamilton crowd was shocked by the sight of two Regina players playing with bare legs showing; apparently this had never been seen in the east before, and it didn't go over well.

75 years ago
1943

War
U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin concluded their four-day Tehran Conference on the course of World War II in Europe and the post-war division of Germany. The 1st Canadian Infantry Division started to take control of the bridgehead on the Sangro River in Italy. Strong German counterattacks in all sectors held Soviet forces to small gains. After 40 hours of street fighting, Chinese troops drove Japanese forces from Changteh, Hunan Province. U.S. planes continued their attacks on Japanese targets in the Marshall Islands, northwest of the Gilberts.

Diplomacy
The Swedish liner Gripsholm reached Jersey City, New Jersey with 1,222 American and 217 Canadian civilian repatriates from Japan.

Politics and government
Representatives of 25 American Negro groups announced through the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples a political code pledging support for a party that worked for full Negro rights. James Johnson, a Negro, was sworn in as a collector of internal revenue for the New York district; it was one of the highest federal positions held by a Negro.

Economics and finance
Ration point values for beef and 15 processed foods were lowered, and citrus juices and soups were made point-free, effective December 5, 1943.

Labour
The Congress of Industrial Organizations United Steel Workers of America policy committee voted to demand a 17c-per-hour wage increase for its 750,000 members working on 30-day contracts.

Football
NCAA
The U.S. Naval Academy won the 1943 Lambert Trophy, symbolic of football supremacy on the East Coast of the United States.

Baseball
William G. Bramham was re-elected President of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues for a five-year term.

70 years ago
1948

Died on this date
Frank Brett Noyes, 85. U.S. journalist. Mr. Noyes was manager and treasurer (1887-1901) and president (1910-1938) of the Washington Evening Star; editor of the Chicago Recorder-Herald (1901-1910); and president of the Associated Press (1900-1938).

World events
A meeting of Palestinian Arab leaders in Jericho proclaimed Transjordan's King Abdullah as "King of all Palestine." The move set off riots in Damascus, forcing the resignation of Syrian Prime Minister Jamil Mardam Bey's cabinet.

Politics and government
Berlin's regular City Assembly, meeting in the British sector, proclaimed a state of emergency after East Berlin police barred acting Mayor Ferdinand Friedenburg from entering his office in City Hall.

Oddities
The body of an unidentified man was found on Somerton beach, Glenelg, just south of Adelaide, South Australia; the man remains unidentified.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): To Know Him, is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 I Got Stung/One Night--Elvis Presley (2nd week at #1)
2 Queen of the Hop--Bobby Darin
3 To Know Him is to Love Him--The Teddy Bears
4 I Got a Feeling/Lonesome Town--Ricky Nelson
5 Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio
6 Problems/Love of My Life--The Everly Brothers
7 Beep Beep--The Playmates
8 Cannonball--Duane Eddy and the Rebels
9 Treasure of Your Love--Eileen Rodgers
10 Come On Let's Go--Ritchie Valens

Singles entering the chart were Coquette by Fats Domino (#11, charting with its A-side, Whole Lotta Lovin'); Turvy II by Cozy Cole (#40); The Chipmunk Song by the Chipmunks with David Seville (#44); The Teen Commandments by Paul Anka, George Hamilton IV and Johnny Nash (#46); The Wedding by June Valli (#48); 16 Candles by the Crests (#52); Fake Out by Frankie Sardo (#53); So Much by Little Anthony and the Imperials (#56); Need Your Love by Bobby Freeman (#58); Sing, Sing, Sing by the Bernie Lowe Orchestra (#59); and Donna by Ritchie Valens (#60).

Literature
Francis Walter of Belgium won the Prix Goncourt for his novel St. Germain, ou La Negociation.

Diplomacy
Emperor Hirohito and Crown Prince Akihito of Japan greeted Philippine President Carlos Garcia as he arrived in Tokyo to begin a six-day state visit.

Defense
U.S., U.K., and U.S.S.R. delegates to talks in Geneva on the suspension of nuclear tests started work on a draft test-ban treaty.

Politics and government
The French Equatorial African Territorial Assembly voted to establish the Central African Republic within the French Community.

French President Rene Cote announced that he would not seek re-election in upcoming presidential balloting.

Crime
Colombian bandits killed 50 people in an attack on the south central town of Huila.

Health
Danish officials reported substantial increases in Scandinavian radioactivity levels.

Disasters
92 children and 3 nuns died in a fire of unknown origin at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago.

50 years ago
1968

Theatre
The musical Promises, Promises, with book by Neil Simon, songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and starring Jerry Orbach and Jill O'Hara, opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway in New York.

Music
The movie soundtrack album Head by the Monkees was released on Colgems Records in the U.S.A. and on RCA Victor Records elsewhere.

Politics and government
Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente (COPEI) (Independent Political Electoral Organization Committee) candidate Rafael Caldera was elected President of Venezuela in a close race, receiving 29.08% of the vote; Democratic Action (AD) candidate Gonzalo Barrios was next with 28.24%, followed by Democratic Republican Union (URD) candidate Miguel Ángel Burelli Rivas with 22.2%, and People's Electoral Movement (MEP) candidate Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa with 19.3%. In congressional elections, AD won 66 of 214 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, followed by COPEI (59); MEP (25); Nationalist Civic Crusade (CCN) (21); and DRU (10). COPEI's total was a gain of 20 from before the election. AD won 19 of 52 Senate seats, followed by COPEI (16); MEP (5); CCN (4); and DRU (3).

Protest
A special panel of the U.S. National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence issued a 233-page report titled Rights in Conflict, scoring Chicago police for using excessive brutality and action tantamount to a "police riot" in handling the demonstrations during the Democratic National Convention from August 25-29, 1968.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (7th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): You're the Greatest Lover--Luv' (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (12th week at #1)

Oil
Shell Oil Company became the first petroleum firm to begin nationwide rationing of gasoline in the United States to its dealers, with the announcement that it was limiting them to 75% of the previous month's deliveries. A company spokesman said that the allocation was necessary due to a "dramatic increase in demand" and federal regulations which "held...prices to an unrealistically low level."

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Stand Up for Your Love Rights--Yazz & the Plastic Population (3rd week at #1)

Edmonton's top 9 (CKRA)
1 Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby)--Will to Power
2 Wild, Wild West--Escape Club
3 How Can I Fall--Breathe
4 Kokomo--The Beach Boys
5 Look Away--Chicago
6 I Don't Want Your Love--Duran Duran
7 Hold Me Now--One-To-One
8 Waiting for a Star to Fall--Boy Meets Girl
9 The Loco-Motion--Kylie Minogue

Died on this date
J. Vernon McGee, 84. U.S. clergyman. Dr. McGee pastored a number of Presbyterian churches before serving as the pastor of the non-denominational Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles from 1949-1970. Dr. McGee is probably best known for his Thru the Bible radio ministry, a series of broadcasts covering the entire Bible over a five-year period. His messages are still being broadcast today, which shows that if your messages are entirely taken from the Bible, you'll never be out of date.

World events
Pravda reported that 28 people had died in renewed ethnic and religious strife in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Violence in the regions had driven 100,000 people from their homes.

Terrorism
Four armed men hijacked a bus carrying thirty schoolchildren and one teacher in Ordzhonikidze, U.S.S.R. (now Vladikavkaz in Russia), and were later given an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft and ransom in exchange for the release of the hostages.

Politics and government
The Supreme Soviet approved sweeping changes in the U.S.S.R.'s political structure. The changes had been endorsed by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in June. Under the plan, the Supreme Soviet would become more representative and have real power. The upper house, the Congress of People's Deputies, would have 2,250 members, who in turn would name the 400 or more members of the lower house, the Supreme Soviet. The plan created a new office of President, limited to two five-year terms. Before the existing Supreme Soviet voted to approve the plan, a Latvian delegate asked that all republics be allowed to veto national laws. In the vote to approve the changes, 5 Latvians dissented and 27 Lithuanians and Estonians abstained.

Benazir Bhutto, whose Pakistani People's Party had led the November 16 parliamentary elections with 92 of 205 seats, was named to be Pakistan's next President by the country's acting president.

Scandal
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Vice-President and President-elect George Bush received subpoenas to testify for the defense in the trial of former National Security Council member Oliver North, who was facing various charges in connection with the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal. Mr. Reagan, responding to a request by Mr. North's lawyers for 3,500 secret documents, Mr. Reagan said that his administration had a duty to withhold the classified papers.

Health
The first World AIDS Day was observed.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had risen by 0.1% in October; the figure was later raised to 0.4%.

Business
NBC agreed to pay $401 million for U.S. television broadcast rights for the 1992 Summer Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain.

Religion
This blogger and fellow observer Chris Milner attended a presentation in Edmonton by an American speaker known as Yogi Satchakrananda Bodhisattvaguru, leader of the monastic community Raj-Yoga Math and Retreat near Deming, Washington. The yogi wore sneakers under his robe and turban, detracting somewhat from his appearance as a holy man. Yogi Satchakrananda's talk consisted of the usual New Age mumbo-jumbo about how we create our own reality.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)--Meat Loaf (5th week at #1)

Radio
Sportscaster Bryan Hall, talk show host Ron Collister, and morning personality Gord Whitehead were among the people who officially joined Edmonton AM radio station CHED after many years with CJCA, but their former station grabbed the headlines by suddenly going off the air at noon. Doug Main made the announcement that the station was turning its broadcasting license over to the Canadian Radio and Television Commission. CJCA station manager and weekday afternoon talk show host Peter Weissbach had made many personnel and programming changes in a relatively short time and had succeeded in improving the station's rating, but the moves had the effect of creating an impression of instability and scared off advertisers. CJCA returned to the airwaves several months later after changing its format to Christian talk and music.

20 years ago
1998

Law
A new law went into effect in Canada that required all three million gun owners to be licensed, and every one of an estimated seven million rifles and handguns to be registered.

Football
CFL
Kay Stephenson announced his resignation as head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos, effective December 15. Mr. Stephenson, a former quarterback with the Buffalo Bills in the American Football League, had been head coach of the Sacramento Gold Miners/San Antonio Texans in the CFL from 1993-1995. He seemed to have trouble adjusting to Canadian football, and the style of football that the Eskimos served up in 1998 didn't go over well with the fans. The Eskimos' 9-9 record was their poorest in 15 years, and, including playoffs, they lost all four of their games against provincial arch-rival Calgary Stampeders. Still, they won a thrilling semi-final at home against the British Columbia Lions, and they weren't to win another playoff game until 2002. Kay Stephenson was a fine man, but not the right man for the Eskimos.

10 years ago
2008

Died on this date
Paul Benedict, 70. U.S. actor. Mr. Benedict was best known for playing English next-door neighbour Harry Bentley in the television comedy series The Jeffersons (1975-1981, 1983-1985).

Politics and government
The Liberal Party and New Democratic Party of Canada tabled an official coalition agreement, agreeing to form a coalition government with the backing of the Bloc Québécois if they succeeded in ousting the Conservative minority government in a vote of non-confidence. The coalition were in the process of drafting a letter to Governor-General Michaëlle Jean requesting the institution of a coalition government, and the ousting of the Conservative minority government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper elected by Canadian voters two months earlier.

Economics and finance
The Toronto Stock Exchange dropped more than 800 points, the worst plunge since the crash of October 19, 1987.