November 17, 2020

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Louise Bingley and Nancy Stella Usma Castro!

230 years ago
1790

Born on this date
August Ferdinand Möbius. German mathematician and astronomer. Dr. Möbius was best known for his discovery of the Möbius strip, a non-orientable two-dimensional surface with only one side when embedded in three-dimensional Euclidean space. He died on September 26, 1868 at the age of 77.

220 years ago
1800

Politics and government
The United States Congress met in Washington, D.C. for the first time.

210 years ago
1810

War
In response to an ultimatum delivered to Sweden by France on November 13, Sweden declared war on its ally the United Kingdom to begin the Anglo-Swedish War, although no fighting ever took place.

200 years ago
1820

Exploration
Captain Nathaniel Palmer became the first American to see Antarctica. The Palmer Peninsula was later named after him.

110 years ago
1910

Died on this date
Ralph Johnstone, 30. U.S. aviator. Mr. Johnstone was a member of the Wright brothers' exhibition team, who was known for setting altitude records and daredevil stunts. Wilbur Wright wrote a letter to the team warning them against such stunts, but Mr. Johnstone failed to heed the warning, and was killed in an exhibition in Denver before 50,000 spectators when he failed to pull out of a deep dive, and crashed, thus becoming the first American to die piloting an airplane that crashed.

90 years ago
1930

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Boscombe Valley Mystery

Golf
Two months after winning the Grand Slam, Bobby Jones announced his retirement from competitive golf at the age of 28.

80 years ago
1940

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Norwood Builder

War
French Army General Maurice Gustav Gamelin and former Prime Ministers Leon Blum and Edouard Daladier were arrested and brought to the detention centre at Bourrasol, and were charged with responsibility for the French defeat by the Nazis. U.K. Air Chief Marshal C.T. Dowding was relieved of his duties and assigned to Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Aircraft Production, for special service in the United States.

Diplomacy
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler and King Boris III of Bulgaria conferred at Mr. Hitler's retreat at Berchtesgaden in an attempt to bring Bulgaria into the Tripartite Pact.

Accusations appeared in the Japanese press that a secret pact among Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States had been signed or was about to be signed in which Thailand was offered economic assistance if she retained her neutrality, and help in regaining territory lost to Indochina.

NBC announced the extension of radio rebroadcasting rights to include 20 Latin American republics "to speed the development of pan-American solidarity."

Defense
21 twin-engine Douglas bombers, comprising the U.S. Army Air Forces' 9th Bombardment Group, left for the Panama Canal Zone. U.S. Army pilots drove through a picket line without disturbance at the Vultee Aircraft plant in Downey, California, and flew 17 completed BT-13 basic training planes to Moffett Field in Sunnyvale, California.

Politics and government
A "United National Front" was formed in Tel Aviv by Pinchas Rutenberg, with the purpose of securing the unity of Palestine Jewry.

Economics and finance
Congress of Industrial Organizations President John L. Lewis warned that "the whole economy of the United States has been changed from a peace economy to a war economy," and that the economy may collapse when the war period came to an end.

Football
NFL
Green Bay (5-4) 3 @ New York (5-3-1) 7
Cleveland (4-5) 14 @ Brooklyn (6-3) 29
Detroit (5-4-1) 21 @ Philadelphia (0-9) 0
Chicago Bears (6-3) 3 @ Washington (8-1) 7

AFL
New York (4-3) 1 @ Buffalo (1-7) 0
Boston (4-4-1) 0 @ Columbus (7-1-1) 0

The game between the Yankees and Indians at Civic Stadium called after a storm dumped four inches of snow on the field, which was covered by a tarpaulin. The snow had partially melted overnight, and then froze on top of the cover, also freezing the tarp to the ground itself. Early-arriving fans assisted the grounds crew in a futile attempt to clear the field of snow and remove the tarp while other fans struggled to find usable seats in the stands. When the time for kickoff approached, it became apparent that the field would not be in playable condition for the game, so the officiating crew declared a forfeit in favor of the visiting Yankees.

75 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Till the End of Time--Perry Como with Russ Case and his Orchestra (Best Seller--10th week at #1; Juke Box--8th week at #1); Chickery Chick--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Airplay--1st week at #1); It's Been a Long, Long Time--Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen; Bing Crosby with Les Paul and his Trio (Honor Roll of Hits--1st week at #1)

Abominations
A British military court at Luneberg sentenced 11 men to death and 19 to prison terms for war crimes at the Nazi concentration camps of Belsen and Auschwitz.

War
The Nationalist Chinese delegation returned to Peking from the Manchurian capital of Changchun after failing to arrange for the landing of government troops.

The first Netherlands East Indies peace conference among Premier Sutan Sjahrir, Acting Governor Hubertus Van Mook, and Lieutenant General Philip Christison ended without result.

U.S. Chief of Naval Intelligence Rear Admiral Thomas Inglis told the U.S. Senate committee investigating the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii that on October 5, 1941, Japanese Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto had briefed pilots on the planned attack.

Diplomacy
The United Kingdom announced that it would accept Hungary's diplomatic representative, but without ambassadorial rank.

Defense
U.S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz reversed his position and said that he now opposed a merger of the United States military services.

70 years ago
1950

Defense
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Omar Bradley urged West German rearmament, claiming that the demands of the Korean War limited U.S. ability "to face an enemy at any other specific point."

Politics and government
French Minister for European Relations Guy Mollet resigned as secretary of the European Consultative Assembly's General Affairs Committee because he opposed pushing federalization plans without Britain's approval.

Protest
Following rioting by anti-British students, Egypt banned all political demonstrations in Cairo.

Religion
Lhamo Dondrub was officially named the 14th Dalai Lama.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Economic Cooperation Administration announced agreement on a five-year development program for the Philippines, involving a $250-million U.S. loan in return for Philippine promises to establish an "equitable" tax system; adopt a minimum wage for farm workers; and improve factory working conditions.

60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Lively--Lonnie Donegan

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): It's Now or Never--Elvis Presley (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Mark of Cain

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Black Night--Deep Purple (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Roger Rischer, 37. U.S. boxer. A heavyweight who fought former champion Sonny Liston and contenders such as Zora Folley, Cleveland Williams, Thad Spencer, and Eddie Machen, Mr. Rischer was the California state heavyweight champion from 1957-1965. His biggest victory was probably his 10-round decision over British champion Henry Cooper at Royal Albert Hall in London on November 16, 1964. Mr. Rischer's last fight came on January 21, 1969, when he was knocked down seven times and finally out in the 4th round by rising contender Mac Foster in Mr. Foster's hometown of Fresno, Calfornia. Mr. Rischer compiled a professional record of 29 wins, 13 losses, and 2 draws in a 15-year career. He died 22 days after being shot five times in his hometown of Oakland; he refused to identify the shooter.

Space
The U.S.S.R. landed Lunokhod 1 on Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) on the Moon. This was the first roving remote-controlled robot to land on another world, and was released by the orbiting Luna 17 spacecraft.





Abominations
U.S. Army Lieutenant William Calley went on trial for the March 16, 1968 massacre of more than 100 civilians in the Vietnamese village of My Lai.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Woman in Love--Barbra Streisand (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): I'm In the Mood for Dancing (Dancing Sister) (ダンシング・シスター)--The Nolans

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Xanadu--Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Santa Maria--Roland Kaiser (3rd week at #1)

Music
The Double Fantasy album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono was released on the Geffen label. For Mr. Lennon, it was his first album since Rock and Roll in 1975, and his first album of new material since Walls and Bridges in 1974. The first single from the new album, (Just Like) Starting Over, was already moving up the charts.

Diplomacy
Max Kampelman, co-chairman of the U.S. delegation at the Madrid Conference on European security and human rights, warned that the Atlantic alliance would not concede military superiority to the Soviets, but that the United States was still willing to negotiate arms control agreements with the Soviet Union.

Terrorism
Nigel Barry Hamer, the so-called "sixth man" in the 1970 kidnapping of British Trade Commissioner James Cross, pleaded guilty in Montreal to conspiracy, kidnapping, extortion, and forcible detention. Mr. Cross was kidnapped from his Montreal residence on October 5, 1970 by members of the Front de Liberation du Quebec (FLQ), a separatist terrorist organization. Five days after Mr. Cross was kidnapped, the FLQ kidnapped Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte, and murdered him a week later when their demands weren’t met. Mr. Cross was freed on December 3, 1970.

Crime
After seven days of deliberations, a jury in Greensboro, North Carolina acquitted six present or former members of the Ku Klux Klan of five counts of first-degree murder and one count of felonious rioting. In the fall of 1979 the Communist Workers Party had staged an anti-Klan rally, and five members had been killed when the defendants, who had armed themselves, drove into the crowd at the rally while firing their guns.

Canadian serial killer Clifford Olson raped and murdered his first child victim.

Politics and government
U.S. President-elect Ronald Reagan made his first trip to Washington since the election, visiting with leaders of the Democratic and Republican Parties, cultural and religious leaders, President Jimmy Carter, and Washington Mayor Marion Barry.

Religion
Pope John Paul II continued his visit to West Germany, meeting with Protestant and Jewish leaders in Mainz and conducting mass for priests and seminarians in Fulda.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Groove is in the Heart--Deee-Lite

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Cult of Snap--Snap! (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Verdammt - Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Une femme avec une femme--Mecano (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Show Me Heaven--Maria McKee
2 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
3 I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
4 Candy--Iggy Pop
5 Born to Be Wild--Steppenwolf
6 Have You Seen Her--MC Hammer
7 Thunderstruck--AC/DC
8 Freedom!--George Michael
9 Duet--Brigitte Kaandorp en Herman Finkers
10 Verdammt - Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim

Singles entering the chart were The Anniversary Waltz by Status Quo (#21); Keep on Running by Milli Vanilli (#29); It's a Shame (My Sister) by Monie Love featuring True Image (#33); New Power Generation by Prince (#34); and Doe Mij Maar Na by Vader Abraham en De Smurfen (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)
2 Pray--M.C. Hammer
3 More than Words Can Say--Alias
4 Groove is in the Heart--Deee-Lite
5 I'm Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
6 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
7 Something to Believe In--Poison
8 Because I Love You (The Postman Song)--Stevie B
9 I Don't Have the Heart--James Ingram
10 From a Distance--Bette Midler

Singles entering the chart were Justify My Love by Madonna (#46); I'm Not in Love by Will to Power (#61); Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C+C Music Factory (#74); Anything is Possible by Debbie Gibson (#75); Does She Love that Man? by Breathe featuring David Glasper (#80); You're Amazing by Robert Palmer (#82); Love Will Never Do (Without You) by Janet Jackson (#89); I'm Free by the Soup Dragons (#92); The Ghetto by Too $hort (#94); and Rockin' Over the Beat by Technotronic (#95).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
2 More Than Words Can Say--Alias
3 Pray--M.C. Hammer
4 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
5 Groove is in the Heart--Deee-Lite
6 Giving You the Benefit--Pebbles
7 Something to Believe In--Poison
8 I Don’t Have the Heart--James Ingram
9 I’m Your Baby Tonight--Whitney Houston
10 Knockin’ Boots--Candyman

Singles entering the chart were Justify My Love by Madonna (#47); I Wanna Get With U by Guy (#65); Anything is Possible by Debbie Gibson (#68); You're Amazing by Robert Palmer (#69); New York Minute by Don Henley (#70); I’m Not in Love by Will to Power (#73) The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss) by Cher (#77); and Falling to Pieces by Faith No More (#80).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Suicide Blonde--INXS (2nd week at #1)
2 More than Words Can Say--Alias
3 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
4 Black Cat--Janet Jackson
5 Stranded--Heart
6 Praying for Time--George Michael
7 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers
8 Say a Prayer--Breathe
9 So Close--Daryl Hall John Oates
10 Impulsive--Wilson Phillips

Singles entering the chart were You Gotta Love Someone by Elton John (#46); Freedom by George Michael (#63); You're Amazing by Robert Palmer (#65); New York Minute by Don Henley (#79); Keep Our Love Alive by Stevie Wonder (#80); The Way You Do the Things You Do by UB40 (#89); Birthday by Paul McCartney (#90); Kiss Me You Fool by the Northern Pikes (#95); and Full Circle by the Jeff Healey Band (#98). You Gotta Love Someone was from the movie Days of Thunder (1990).

Died on this date
Robert Hofstadter, 75. U.S. physicist. Dr. Hofstadter was awarded a share of the 1961 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his pioneering studies of electron scattering in atomic nuclei and for his thereby achieved discoveries concerning the structure of the nucleons."

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush, on his way to Paris for the summit that would mark the official end of the Cold War, visited Czechoslovakia, addressing an audience of 100,000 in Prague’s Wenceslas Square before speaking to the Federal Assembly.

Politics and government
The Supreme Soviet approved a plan put forward earlier in the day by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev that called for an emergency reorganization of the U.S.S.R.’s executive branch of government. The plan would put the executive branch directly under presidential control, but allow the 15 republics more decision-making powers. The office of Premier would be abolished and the council of heads of the republics, chaired by Mr. Gorbachev, would be elevated to the key role in the government.

Economics and finance
The United States House of Representatives passed a resolution to establish the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Environment
Fugendake, part of the Mount Unzen volcanic complex, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, became active again and erupted.

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio feauring L.V. (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio feauring L.V. (3rd week at #1)

20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Louis Néel, 95. French physicist. Dr. Néel was awarded a share of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics "for fundamental work and discoveries concerning antiferromagnetism and ferrimagnetism which have led to important applications in solid state physics." He died five days before his 96th birthday.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Bill Clinton continued his visit to Vietnam, meeting separately with Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong and Premier Phan Van Khai. Mr. Luong urged Mr. Clinton to provide help with a legacy of the Vietnam War--3.5 million mines and 300,000 tons of unexploded bombs that killed or injured 2,000 people each year. Mr. Luong said he believed that Agent Orange, a defoliant sprayed during the war by American troops in order to expose North Vietnamese positions, had caused thousands of birth defects. Mr. Clinton spoke at Vietnam National University and noted the immense sacrifices by both sides in the war. Although he had opposed the war at the time (while playing legal games with his draft board), he didn’t apologize for the U.S. role in the war. Mr. Clinton urged Vietnam to embrace free trade.

Crime
The teenaged boy who had fatally shot one student and wounded another at W. R. Myer High School in Taber, Alberta, on April 28, 1999 was sentenced to three years in prison.

Disasters
A landslide in Log pod Mangartom, Slovenia, killed seven people and caused millions of tolars in damage.

10 years ago
2010

Scandal
Brigadier General Daniel Menard resigned from the Canadian Army, charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate, and then urging her to cover it up. He left the ranks on December 17, and pled guilty at his court martial in July 2011, receiving a $7,000 fine and a symbolic demotion to the rank of colonel.