November 21, 2021

1,010 years ago
1011

Died on this date
Reizei, 61. Emperor of Japan, 967-969. Reizei, born Norihira-shinnō, acceded to the throne shortly after the death of his father Murakami. He abdicated in favour of his younger brother En'yū, and lived in retirement until his death.

160 years ago
1861

Politics and government
Confederate President Jefferson Davis appointed Judah Benjamin as Secretary of War.

150 years ago
1871

Diplomacy
Grand Duke Alexei, a son of Czar Aleksandr II of Russia, arrived in New York Harbor as the head of a delegation of the Imperial Russian Navy. The Grand Duke spent three months in the United States, with a six-day visit to Canada in December.

130 years ago
1891

Football
Dominion Final
Osgoode Hall 21 @ Montreal 10

125 years ago
1896

Football
CRU
Dominion Final
Ottawa College 12 @ University of Toronto 8

100 years ago
1921

Born on this date
Donald Sheldon. U.S. aviator. Mr. Sheldon, a native of Colorado, grew up in Wyoming and flew 26 missions as a gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress with the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and four other decorations. He settled in Talkeetna, Alaska, from where he operated Talkeetna Air Service as a bush pilot, pioneering the technique of glacier landings on Mount McKinley. Mr. Sheldon died of cancer on January 26, 1975 at the age of 53.

Canadiana
King George V proclaimed Canada's Coat of Arms: he designated white and red as the official Canadian colours; on the crest, a red maple leaf was added in the right paw of the lion and three maple leaves joined by one stem in the crest.

90 years ago
1931

Football
CRU
Eastern Semi-Final
University of Western Ontario 7 @ Sarnia (ORFU) 1

The Mustangs punted for 5 singles and added a safety touch as they upset the Imperials before 4,500 fans at Davis Field. Bummer Stirling's single gave the Imperials a 1-0 lead, but that was all the scoring Sarnia managed.

IRFU
Exhibition
Montreal 7 @ Toronto 0

NFL
Cleveland (2-6) 7 @ Providence (4-3-2) 13

NCAA
Southern California 16 @ Notre Dame 14

Johnny Baker's last-minute field goal gave the Trojans the victory over the Ramblers before 52,000 fans in South Bend, Indiana. It was Notre Dame's first loss in three years and their first in their new stadium, which had been dedicated the previous year to their late coach, Knute Rockne.

80 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Henrietta Vinton Davis, 81. U.S. actress and social activist. Miss Davis was the most prominent Negro actress of the 19th century before becoming the first international organizer for the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL), an organization founded by Marcus Garvey promoting the interests of Negroes and their return to Africa. She broke with Mr. Garvey in 1932 and became first Assistant President General of the rival UNIA, Inc., becoming its president in 1934.

War
German forces captured Rostov, at the mouth of the Don River.

Defense
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Icelandic Minister to the United States Thor Thors signed a Lend-Lease agreement, with the United States assuming the United Kingdom's financial obligations to Iceland, amounting to $20 million per year. The 35,000-ton battleship Indiana, the third to be launched in 1941 and 20th in the United States Navy, was launched six months ahead of schedule at Newport News, Virginia.

Oil
Standard Oil Company of New Jersey President W.S. Farish announced that the American oil companies whose properties had been expropriated by the Mexican government in 1938 had rejected the U.S.-Mexican oil pact.

Labour
11 pickets were wounded when non-strikers opened fire on 150 strikers at a coal mine in Edenborn, Pennsylvania.

Philip Murray was unanimously re-elected President of the U.S. Congress of Industrial Organizations, and declared that labour would fight any legislative attempt to bar strikes or freeze wages.

75 years ago
1946

At the movies
The Best Years of Our Lives, directed by William Wyler and starring Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, and Virginia Mayo, opened in theatres.



War
23 German doctors pled not guilty before an American court in Nuremberg to charges of torturing thousands of concentration camp inmates in medical "experiments" during World War II.

The Greek government announced that Communist guerrillas had been defeated in a nine-day battle at Skra near the Yugoslavian border.

Politics and government
General Nuri Pasha took office as Prime Minister of Iraq.

Muslim League leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah revealed in New Delhi that the League would not participate in the Indian Constituent Assembly meeting scheduled for December 9, 1946 due to continued killing of Indian Muslims in clashes with Hindus.

Religion
The North Carolina Baptist Convention in Asheville defeated a resolution banning racial segregation in churches.

Labour
A strike of 400,000 coal miners in the United States began when Congress of Industrial Organizations United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis refused to obey a court order for postponement of the contract termination date. Mr. Lewis was ordered to appear at federal district court in Washington, D.C. and "show cause" why he should not be prosecuted for contempt of court.

70 years ago
1951

War
U.S. Air Force General Hoyt Vandenberg told a Pentagon press conference that the Communists were making a "massive effort" to challenge U.S. air superiority in Korea and had about 1,400 planes (including 700 MiG jets) in the area.

The Palestine Conciliation Commission reported that it had given up its present effort to promote a permanent peace between Israel and the Arab states since neither side would "substantially" compromise on its peace demands.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. protested the inclusion of funds for anti-Communist underground movements in the latest U.S. Mutual Security Act, charging that this was a violation of the 1933 Litvinov agreement under which Soviet-American relations were established.

Law
The Ohio State Supreme Court upheld a loyalty oath program in the Cleveland public schools.

Energy
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's Patent Compensation Board made its first award to Cyril McClellan, who received $7,500 for developing a method of separating isotopes used at Brookhaven Natonal Laboratory.

Disasters
A typhoon swept the central Philippines, causing 60 deaths.

Football
CRU
Eastern Final
Sarnia (ORFU) 17 @ Ottawa (IRFU) 43

Only 4,361 fans showed up at Lansdowne Park on a Wednesday afternoon to see the Rough Riders rout the Imperials to advance to the Grey Cup. Pete Karpuk and Matt Anthony scored 2 touchdowns each for Ottawa. Steve Hatfield of the Rough Riders scored the game's first major, and other Ottawa touchdowns were scored by Bob Simpson and Howie Turner. Bob Gain converted all 7 and added a field goal. Jack "Corky" Duchene rushed for 3 touchdowns for Sarnia; Johnny Chorostecki converted one of them, and added a single.

60 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): When the Girl in Your Arms is the Girl in Your Heart--Cliff Richard and the Norrie Paramor Orchestra

When the Girl in Your Arms is the Girl in Your Heart was from the movie The Young Ones (1961).

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: You Can't Be a Little Girl All Your Life, starring Dick York and Carolyn Kearney

Americana
The Ala Moana Office Building opened in Honolulu; La Ronde, the first revolving restaurant in the United States, was on the 23rd floor.

40 years ago
1971

War
Indian troops, partly aided by Mukti Bahini (Bengali guerrillas), defeated the Pakistan army in the Battle of Garibpur in Bangladesh.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 4 @ Buffalo 3

This was the Sunday broadcast on CBC radio.

Football
NFL
San Diego (4-6) 33 @ Oakland (7-1-2) 34
San Francisco (6-4) 6 @ Los Angeles (6-3-1) 17
Dallas (8-2) 13 @ Washington (6-3-1) 0
Denver (1-8-1) 10 @ Kansas City (7-2-1) 28
New York Jets (4-6) 20 @ Buffalo (0-10) 7
Minnesota (8-2) 23 @ New Orleans (3-5-2) 10
New York Giants (4-6) 13 @ Pittsburgh (5-5) 17
Philadelphia (3-6-1) 37 @ St. Louis (3-7) 20
Houston (1-8-1) 13 @ Cincinnati (3-7) 28
New England (4-6) 7 @ Cleveland (5-5) 27
Detroit (6-3-1) 28 @ Chicago (6-4) 3
Baltimore (7-3) 14 @ Miami (8-1-1) 17

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Tainted Love--Soft Cell (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police (3rd week at #1)
2 Pretend--Alvin Stardust
3 R.R. Express--Rose Royce
4 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
5 Super Freak--Rick James
6 Let's Groove--Earth Wind & Fire
7 Ain't No Mountain High Enough/Remember Me--Boys Town Gang
8 Love Games--Level 42
9 O Superman--Laurie Anderson
10 Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees--Marcia Hines

Singles entering the chart were Should I Do It by the Pointer Sisters (#30); Comin' in and Out of Your Life by Barbra Streisand (#31); Good Year for the Roses by Elvis Costello (#33); Teenage Queenie by Pussycat (#36); and Jantje Beton by Willeke Alberte (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
2 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
3 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
4 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
5 Here I Am (Just When I Thought I was Over You)--Air Supply
6 Tryin' to Live My Life Without You--Bob Seger
7 The Night Owls--Little River Band
8 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
9 Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do)--Christopher Cross
10 The Theme from Hill Street Blues--Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton

Singles entering the chart were Shake it Up by the Cars (#76); She's Got a Way by Billy Joel (#79); Let Me Love You Once by Greg Lake (#83); If I Were You by Lulu (#85); Blaze of Glory by Kenny Rogers (#86); WKRP in Cincinnati by Steve Carlisle (#87); Come Go with Me by the Beach Boys (#89); and Falling in Love by Balance (#90). WKRP in Cincinnati was the title song from the television comedy series that had been running on CBS since 1978.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
2 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
3 Arthur's Theme--Christopher Cross
4 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
5 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
6 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
7 Here I Am--Air Supply
8 Oh No--Commodores
9 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
10 The Night Owls--Little River Band

Singles entering the chart were Shake it Up by the Cars (#77); She's Got a Way by Billy Joel (#82); Let Me Love You Once by Greg Lake (#83); If I Were You by Lulu (#84); Come Go with Me by the Beach Boys (#86); My Kinda Lover by Billy Squier (#88); Blaze of Glory by Kenny Rogers (#89); and WKRP in Cincinnati by Steve Carlisle (#93).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
2 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
3 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
4 Here I Am (Just When I Thought I was Over You)--Air Supply
5 Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do)--Christopher Cross
6 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
7 I've Done Everything for You--Rick Springfield
8 The Night Owls--Little River Band
9 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
10 Oh No--Commodores

Singles entering the chart included Shake it Up by the Cars (#78); and Let Me Love You Once by Greg Lake (#89).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 The Friends of Mr. Cairo--Jon and Vangelis (2nd week at #1)
2 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
3 Arthur's Theme--Christopher Cross
4 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
5 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
6 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
7 No Reply at All--Genesis
8 My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)--Chilliwack
9 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
10 Physical--Olivia Newton-John

Singles entering the chart were More Stars on 45 by Stars on 45 (#39); Leather and Lace by Stevie Nicks with Don Henley (#41); I've Done Everything for You by Rick Springfield (#42); Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Diana Ross (#44); The Love of a Woman by Klaatu (#45); Desire by Roni Griffith (#46); Lovin', Kissin' and Huggin' by Powder Blues (#47); and Don't Let Him Know by Prism (#49).

Died on this date
Harry von Zell, 75. U.S. announcer and actor. Mr. von Zell was an announcer for various radio programs, including The March of Time and the shows of comedians such as Eddie Cantor and George Burns in a career spanning more than 40 years. He worked in television in its early years, and starred in his own series of comedy short films for Columbia Pictures (1946-1950). Mr. von Zell died of cancer.

Football
CIAU
Atlantic Bowl
Queen's 14 Acadia 40 @ Halifax

Larry Priestnall rushed for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Axemen to an easy win over the Golden Gaels at Huskies Stadium. Acadia scored 17 points in the first 10 minutes of the game and led 40-0 until Queen's scored 2 converted touchdowns late in the 4th quarter.

Western Bowl
Western Ontario 31 @ Alberta 32

Reg Gilmour's 32-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining in regulation time enabled the defending national champion Golden Bears to advance to the College Bowl again. Mr. Gilmour's kick came on a second-down play, immediately after quarterback Jaimie Crawford had thrown a short sideline pass into the arms of UWO defensive back Bill Harshaw, who dropped it. Mr. Crawford completed 21 of 40 passes for 320 yards and touchdowns of 53 and 55 yards to Troy Ciochetti, and another touchdown to Peter Eshenko. Mr. Gilmour converted all 3 touchdowns and added 2 more field goals and 2 singles. Western running back Greg Marshall rushed for 206 yards and 1 touchdown and was voted the game's most valuable player. Mike Kirkley also rushed for a Mustang touchdown. Western quarterback Andy Rossit completed just 4 of 15 passes for 48 yards, but was able to connect for touchdowns to Craig Board and Ryan Potter. Kevin Rydeard added 4 converts and a field goal. Western scored 21 of its points in the 2nd quarter and 10 in the 3rd. 1,317 fans, including this blogger, were in attendance at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. The Golden Bears haven't won such an important game since that cloudy Saturday afternoon. For Mr. Marshall, it turned out to be his last complete game.

NCAA
Utah 28 @ Brigham Young 56

Brigham Young quarterback Jim McMahon passed for 565 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead the Cougars to victory.

30 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Zigzagging--Zig and Zag (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Sonny Werblin, 81. U.S. entertainment and sports executive. David Abraham Werblin began working as an agent with the Music Corporation of America in 1932, and led MCA's television division in the 1950s and '60s. He and partners bought the American Football League's New York Titans in 1963 and renamed them the Jets. In 1965, the Jets signed rookie quarterback Joe Namath to a then-unheard of salary of $427,000 over three years, paving the way for modern highly-paid athletes. Mr. Werblin was bought out by his partners before the 1968 season, just before the Jets went on to win their only (so far) Super Bowl championship. Mr. Werblin built the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey and ran it from 1971-1977, and headed Madison Square Garden and its properties--including the New York Rangers and New York Knickerbockers--from 1978-1984. He died of a heart attack just a few days after the death of his third and youngest son Hubbard, 46.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Security Council chose Boutros Boutros-Ghali to be the new Secretary-General of the UN.

Football
CFL
Thanks to the generosity of Mike "Pinball" Clemons of the Toronto Argonauts, this blogger was in attendance at the Manitoba Cenennial Concert Hall in downtown Winnipeg as the outstanding player awards were handed out. Dan Gallagher was the emcee, and Argonauts' co-owner John Candy made a cameo appearance. Burton Cummings performed, as did Maestro Fresh Wes. British Columbia Lions' quarterback Doug Flutie was named the league's Most Outstanding Player, and Lions' running back Jon Volpe was named Most Outstanding Rookie, beating out Raghib "Rocket" Ismail of the Toronto Argonauts. Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon was among those in attendance. 25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Where Do You Go--No Mercy (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Breathe--The Prodigy

Died on this date
Abdus Salam, 70. Pakistani physicist. Dr. Salam, the most prominent physicist in Pakistani history, shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics with Sheldon Glashow and Steven Weinberg "for their contributions to the theory of the unified weak and electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles, including, inter alia, the prediction of the weak neutral current." He died of progressive supranuclear palsy.

Politics and government
The Canadian Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples released its report. The RCAP recommended that the federal government set up 60-80 new First Nations bodies with self-government, pegging the cost at $30 billion. The RCAP sat for five years and cost $51.2 million.

Education
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Canadian provincial governments weren't constitutionally obliged to fund religious schools; the funding of Roman Catholic schools in Ontario was a separate matter because it was guaranteed at Confederation.

Disasters
33 people were killed and more than 80 injured in an explosion caused by a gas leak at a Humberto Vidal shoe shop in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico.

20 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Gardner McKay, 69. U.S. actor. Mr. McKay was a sculptor and photographer before taking up acting. He was best known for co-starring in the television series Boots and Saddles (1958-1959) and Adventures in Paradise (1959-1962). Mr. McKay quit acting in the late 1960s, and resumed his career as an artist, in addition to writing plays and novels, and teaching writing at several universities. He died of prostate cancer.

Abominations
U.K. singer and music producer Jonathan King was sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of sexual assaults on teenage boys between 1982 and 1987.

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Anne McCaffrey, 85. U.S.-born authoress. Miss McCaffrey was a science fiction and fantasy writer who was best known for the Dragonriders of Pern, a series of novellas and novels that she began in 1967, and was contined with and by her son Todd McCaffrey. She moved to Ireland in 1970, and became an Irish citizen.