525 years ago
1496
Abominations
King Manuel I of Portugal issued a decree ordering the expulsion of Jewish "heretics" from the country.
230 years ago
1791
Died on this date
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 35. Austrian composer. A child prodigy who became one of the most renowned composers in history, Mr. Mozart wrote more than 800 works in various genres. He died in Vienna after a brief illness.
140 years ago
1881
Born on this date
René Cresté. French actor. Mr. Cresté began his career on stage before moving into films, appearing in more than 50 movies. He was best known for starring as the title character in the 24-episode adventure serial Judex (1917-1918). Mr. Cresté died of tuberculosis on November 30, 1922, five days before his 41st birthday.
130 years ago
1891
Died on this date
Pedro II, 66. Emperor of Brazil, 1831-1889. Dom Pedro II, the seventh child of Emperor Pedro I, succeeded to the throne at the age of 5 upon his father's abdication. Dom Pedro II modernized the country, but was overthrown by a coup on November 15, 1889, and spent his last two years in exile with his family in Paris, dying three days after his 66th birthday.
125 years ago
1896
Born on this date
Carl Cori. Czech biochemist. Dr. Cori shared the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his wife Gerty "for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen." Bernardo Houssay was also honoured that year "for his discovery of the part played by the hormone of the anterior pituitary lobe in the metabolism of sugar." Dr. Cori died on October 20, 1984 at the age of 87.
Ann Nolan Clark. U.S. teacher and authoress. Mrs. Clark taught literacy to Native American children in New Mexico for 25 years, beginning in the early 1920s. She wrote books of fiction and non-fiction; her children's novel Secret of the Andes won the 1953 Newbery Medal. Mrs. Clark died on December 13, 1995, eight days after her 99th birthday.
120 years ago
1901
Born on this date
Walt Disney. U.S. entertainment magnate. Mr. Disney was a pioneer in the field of animation, creating such memorable characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. He eventually produced live-action films, hosted his own television program, and created the Disneyland amusement park, which opened in Anaheim, California in 1955. Mr. Disney was nominated for 59 Academy Awards, and won 22--the greatest number of any single person. He was a heavy smoker who died of lung cancer on December 15, 1966, 10 days after his 65th birthday. Mr. Disney was the first famous person whose death this blogger can remember as a current event.
Werner Heisenberg. German physicist. Dr. Heisenberg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for 1932 "for the creation of quantum mechanics." He remained in Germany during the Nazi regime and worked on their nuclear fission project. Dr. Heisenberg was captured by Allied forces at the end of World War II and was detained in England for several months, but was returned to Germany early in 1946, and spent the rest of his life in West Germany. He died on February 1, 1976 at the age of 74.
Milton H. Erickson. U.S. psychiatrist and psychologist. Dr. Erickson specialized in medical hypnosis and family therapy, and was noted for his approach to the unconscious mind as creative and solution-generating, in contrast to the ideas of Sigmund Freud. He was the founding president of the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis and a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychopathological Association. Dr. Erickson promoted the use of hypnosis as a method of conacting the unconscious mind and its resources. He was influential in the fields of brief therapy, strategic family therapy, family systems therapy, solution focused brief therapy, and neuro-linguistic programming. Dr. Erickson died on March 25, 1980 at the age of 78.
110 years ago
1911
Born on this date
Władysław Szpilman. Polish musician and composer. Mr. Szpilman was a concert pianist who wrote works for piano, songs, orchestral works, and film scores. As a Jew, he was interned in the Warsaw Ghetto and later at the Treblinka death camp during World War II, but was able to survive, and resumed his career after the war. Mr. Szpilman died on July 6, 2000 at the age of 88; he was the subject of the movie The Pianist (2002).
Politics and government
U.S. President William Howard Taft delivered the first part of his four-part annual State of the Union message to Congress. Part I dealt with the Anti-Trust Statute.
100 years ago
1921
Born on this date
Alvy Moore. U.S. actor. Mr. Moore was a character actor on stage, screen, and television in a career spanning more than 40 years. He was best known for playing county agricultural agent Hank Kimball on the television comedy series Green Acres (1965-1971). Mr. Moore died of heart failure on May 4, 1997 at the age of 75.
Soccer
The Football Association banned women's football in England from league grounds, a ban that stayed in place for 50 years.
90 years ago
1931
Died on this date
Vachel Lindsay, 52. U.S. poet. Mr. Lindsay achieved popularity in the 1910s, and was known for "singing poetry," in which verses were meant to be sung or chanted. Mr. Lindsay performed his poems in a theatrical manner in his personal appearances, which contributed to his popularity. He began to experience financial problems in the late 1920s, and these led to his suicide by drinking a bottle of the disinfectant Lysol, 25 days after his 52nd birthday.
Abominations
The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow was destroyed on orders from Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, who intended to use the site for a Palace of the Soviets to house the country's legislature, the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. The latter building was never completed.
Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Molson Stadium, Montreal
Montreal 22 Regina 0
The Winged Wheelers concluded a perfect season with their only Grey Cup win, becoming the first team from outside Ontario to win the cup, as they shut out the Roughriders before 5,112 fans in the only Grey Cup ever played at Molson Stadium. Huck Welch opened the scoring in the first quarter with a punt single, and Pete Jotkus scored the game's first touchdown when Regina's Eddie James fumbled a punt, and Mr. Jotkus dribbled the ball from the Roughrider 35-yard line to the goal line before picking it up. Mr. Welch's convert gave the Winged Wheelers a 7-0 lead, which they maintained until halftime. Mr. Welch punted for another single to make the score 8-0, and then Montreal quarterback Warren Stevens, playing his final game after just one season in Canadian football, completed a long pass to Kenny Grant for the first touchdown pass in Grey Cup history. The convert was unsuccessful, and the Winged Wheelers led 13-0 after 3 quarters. Mr. Welch kicked a field goal early in the 4th quarter to make the score 16-0, and Mr. Stevens scored the game's final touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. He lined up as if to pass for the convert, but found running room and ran the ball in himself for the convert, making the final score 22-0. The field was frozen and covered with snow, and the Winged Wheelers wore basketball shoes that gave them a distinct advantage in footing over the Roughriders, who wore regular cleats. It was the fourth straight year in which the Roughriders had lost the Grey Cup, and their fifth Grey Cup defeat in as many appearances. Warren Stevens, who lad led the Winged Wheelers to a 6-0 regular season record in the IRFU, retired to become the head coach of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.
80 years ago
1941
War
In the Battle of Moscow, Marshal Georgy Zhukov launched a massive Soviet counter-attack of 100 divisions against the German army. Germany agreed to a secret treaty with Japan for a war against the United States, and barring any separate peace. The Japanese government informed U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt that Japanese troops had been reinforced in northern French Indochina "with the object of taking precautionary measures" against Chinese troops along the border.
Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the $8,243,839,031 third supplemental national defense appropriation bill and sent it to the Senate.
Law
The New Jersey Supreme Court reversed the convictions of nine leaders of the German-American Bund, ruling that the state's 1935 "race hatred" law violated the free speech provisions of the federal and state constitutions.
75 years ago
1946
Defense
Despite a drop in enlistments, the U.S. War Department extended the draft suspension through January 1947
Politics and government
Elections for the Berlin City Council resulted in Social Democrats winning seven of 14 seats, allowing Socialist Otto Ostrowski to become Lord Mayor of Berlin.
The U.S. Senate Campaign Investigating Committee ended a four-day probe into the campaign tactics of Sen. Theodore Bilbo (Democrat--Mississippi) after hearing the testimony of over 50 Negroes who charged that they had been prevented from voting in the Mississippi Democratic primary.
U.S. Civilian Production Administrator John Small resigned.
U.S. President Harry Truman established a 15-man Committee on Civil Rights, with General Motors President Charles Wilson as chairman.
Energy
The Little Inch pipeline, operated by Tennessee Gas and Transmission Company, began moving natural gas from the southwestern United States to the northeastern part of the country at a rate of 50 million cubic feet per day.
Economics and finance
Despite an impassioned appeal from United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency director Fiorello La Guardia to the UN Economic and Financial Committee, The U.S.A. and U.K. refused to join any new international relief agency.
70 years ago
1951
Died on this date
Joe Jackson, 64. U.S. baseball player. "Shoeless Joe," so nicknamed because he once played in the outfield without shoes because they were causing discomfort, was an outfielder with the Philadelphia Athletics (1908-1909); Cleveland Naps/Indians (1910-1915); and Chicago White Sox (1915-1920), batting .356 with 54 home runs and 785 runs batted in in 1,332 games. He led the American League in slugging in 1913 (.551), led the AL in hits twice, and in triples three times, but never won a batting title, because Ty Cobb was always a little ahead of him. Mr. Jackson helped the White Sox win the World Series in 1917 and the AL pennant in 1919, batting .345 with 1 homer and 8 RBIs in 14 World Series games. Despite hitting .375 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs in 8 games in the 1919 World Series, Mr. Jackson was one of the eight "Black Sox" players banned for life from organized baseball after the 1920 season for taking bribes to lose the series to the Cincinnati Reds. He played in outlaw leagues in the Southern states until he was nearly 50. Mr. Jackson was illiterate, but that didn't prevent him from running a successful restaurant and liquor store in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. He suffered from diabetes and liver and heart problems in later years, and died two weeks before a scheduled guest appearance on Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town television variety program. Mr. Jackson made occasional appeals for reinstatement during his lifetime, and many such appeals have been made on his behalf since his death, especially in recent years, in order that he might be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Mexicana
The Mexican Congress approved the establishment of a ninth Mexican state, Baja California, to include the cities of Tijuana and Mexicali.
Diplomacy
Western European states meeting in Brussels established a Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe to supervise the migration of 115,000 stateless refugees after the International Refugee Organization closed down earlier this month.
Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Lovett announced that the fiscal 1953 military budget now being drafted called for expansion of the Air Force from its present 90 wings to 143.
Technology
Parking Services, Inc. opened the first completely automated public garage in Washington, D.C.
Medicine
The American Red Cross, U.S. Public Health Service, and National Research Council announced their approval of the Holger Nielsen ("back-pressure arm-lift") method of artificial respiration to replace the Schafer ("prone pressure") method that had been standard in the United States since 1927.
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 (3rd week at #1)
On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: I Spy, starring Kay Parker, Eric Barker, and Cecil Parker
Died on this date
Emil Fuchs, 83. German-born U.S. baseball executive. Mr. Fuchs emigrated to New York City with his family in 1883. He was a catcher in the Class D New Jersey State League (1897), but an injury ended his career. Mr. Fuchs became a lawyer, and served as a New York City Magistrate (1917-1918), and was thereafter referred to as Judge Fuchs. He returned to the practice of law,and was the lawyer for the New York Giants before buying the Boston Braves in partnership with Christy Mathewson and others in 1923, and taking the title of vice president. The Braves engaged in various promotional gimmicks in an attempt to increase attendance for a losing team. After Mr. Mathewson died from the effects of tuberculosis in 1925, Judge Fuchs was elevated to the title of president. He succeeded in getting Sunday baseball legalized in Boston, which had the effect of increasing attendance at Braves' games. Judge Fuchs managed the Braves in 1929, leading them to a 56-98 record, eighth and last in the National League. The Braves slowly improved, and contended for the NL pennant in 1933, but declined in 1934. Judge Fuchs continued to lose money on the franchise, and an attempt to have dog racing at Braves Field was disallowed by baseball commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis. Babe Ruth joined the Braves in 1935, but he was at the end of career, and played only 28 games before retiring. The Braves finished with a dismal 38-115 record--the worst of any major league team in the 1930s--and Judge Fuchs turned over control of the team to partner Charles Adams on August 1, 1935. Judge Fuchs returned to the practice of law, but continued to attend baseball games in Boston and New York until his death from a coronary thrombosis following a 10-week illness.
50 years ago
1971
War
The two-day Battle of Gazipur concluded with Pakistani forces defeated by Indian and Bangladeshi forces, with India ceding Gazipur to Bangladesh.
Business
In the largest recall in automotive history to date, General Motors announced that it would correct at its own expense a defect involving the motor mounts in 6.7 million 1965-1969 Chevrolet cars and trucks.
Football
NFL
Philadelphia (4-7-1) 23 @ Detroit (7-4-1) 20
New Orleans (4-6-2) 28 @ Los Angeles (7-4-1) 45
Green Bay (3-7-2) 16 @ St. Louis (4-7-1) 16
Cincinnati (4-8) 27 @ Cleveland (7-5) 31
Chicago (6-6) 3 @ Denver (4-7-1) 6
New York Giants (4-8) 7 @ Washington (8-3-1) 23
Miami (9-2-1) 13 @ New England (5-7) 34
Buffalo (1-11) 0 @ Baltimore (9-3) 24
Pittsburgh (5-7) 3 @ Houston (2-9-1) 29
Minnesota (9-3) 14 @ San Diego (5-7) 30
Oakland (7-3-2) 13 @ Atlanta (6-5-1) 24
See video.
40 years ago
1981
Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes (3rd week at #1)
#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Physical--Olivia Newton-John
#1 single in Ireland: Begin the Beguine (Volver a Empezar)--Julio Iglesias (2nd week at #1)
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie (2nd week at #1)
#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Begin the Beguine (Volver a Empezar)--Julio Iglesias
Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Pretend--Alvin Stardust (2nd week at #1)
2 Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie
3 R.R. Express--Rose Royce
4 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
5 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
6 Let's Groove--Earth Wind & Fire
7 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
8 Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees--Marcia Hines
9 Love Games--Level 42
10 Let's Start II Dance Again--Bohannon
Singles entering the chart were They Don't Play Our Lovesong Anymore by Anita Meyer (#25); Waiting on a Friend by the Rolling Stones (#27); Controversy by Prince (#28); All Alone am I by Timi Yuro (#30); Desire by Future's World Orchestra (#33); Vrijgezel by Benny Neyman (#34); Little Lady by Aneka (#36); and Halverwege Amsterdam en Bremershaven by New Four (#38).
U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
4 Oh No--Commodores
5 Here I Am (Just When I Thought I was Over You)--Air Supply
6 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
7 Let's Groove--Earth, Wind & Fire
8 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
9 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
10 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
Singles entering the chart were Waiting on a Friend by the Rolling Stones (#70); Breakin' Away by Al Jarreau (#81); Take it Easy on Me by Little River Band (#82); Love is Alright Tonite by Rick Springfield (#84); The Woman in Me by Crystal Gayle (#87); Could it Be Love by Jennifer Warnes (#88); Little Darlin' by Sheila (#89); and Runaway Rita by Leif Garrett (#90).
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
4 Oh No--Commodores
5 Here I Am--Air Supply
6 Let's Groove--Earth, Wind & Fire
7 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
8 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
9 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
10 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
Singles entering the chart were Waiting on a Friend by the Rolling Stones (#49); Love is Alright Tonite by Rick Springfield (#76); Take it Easy on Me by Little River Band (#77); Sea of Love by Del Shannon (#86); Little Darlin' by Sheila (#88); Closer to the Heart by Rush (#89); and It's My Party by Dave Stewart with Barbara Gaskin (#92).
U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
4 Here I Am (Just When I Thought I was Over You)--Air Supply
5 Oh No--Commodores
6 Start Me Up--Rolling Stones
7 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
8 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
9 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
10 Let's Groove--Earth, Wind & Fire
Singles entering the chart were Waiting on a Friend by the Rolling Stones (#45); Love is Alright Tonite by Rick Springfield (#71); Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg (#79); Take it Easy on Me by Little River Band (#81); Breakin' Away by Al Jarreau (#90); Walking Into Sunshine by Central Line (#91); Hit and Run by the Bar-Kays (#96); and Let the Feeling Flow by Peabo Bryson (#99).
Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 The Friends of Mr. Cairo--Jon and Vangelis (4th week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)--Chilliwack
4 Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do)--Christopher Cross
5 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
6 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
7 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
8 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
9 No Reply at All--Genesis
10 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
Singles entering the chart were I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) by Daryl Hall & John Oates (#39); Shake it Up by the Cars (#41); The Old Songs by Barry Manilow (#44); Tainted Love by Soft Cell (#47); and Love Song by Simple Minds (#48).
Football
NCAA
University of Southern California Trojans' running back Marcus Allen, who had become the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, won the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college player in the United States.
Army 3 Navy 3 @ Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
30 years ago
1991
Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Zigzagging--Zig and Zag (3rd week at #1)
Died on this date
Robert Karvelas, 70. U.S. actor. Mr. Karvelas was best known for playing Larrabee in the television comedy series Get Smart (1965-1970); he was the cousin of Get Smart star Don Adams.
Law
Gun control legislation in Canada received royal assent. The bill banned imports of automatic assault weapons, and imposed safe-storage rules and a waiting period to buy guns. The measure, overseen by Justice Minister Kim Campbell, passed in the House of Commons only after Prime Minister Brian Mulroney moved to quell dissent in his caucus.
Business
A month after the death of U.K. publisher Robert Maxwell, administrators were called in to try to salvage Mr. Maxwell's business empire, which was at least £1 billion in debt.
25 years ago
1996
Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Roses Are Red--Aqua
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Breathe--The Prodigy (3rd week at #1)
Died on this date
Wilf Carter, 91. Canadian musician. Mr. Carter, a native of Port Hilford, Nova Scotia, moved to Calgary at the age of 18, and in 1930 began performing on radio as a country and western singer and guitarist, with a distinctive yodelling style. He made his first recordings in 1933, and became the first Canadian country artist to achieve popularity in the United States, where he was known as "Montana Slim," hosting his own radio program on CBS from 1934-1940. Mr. Carter was seriously injured in a car accident in 1940 and didn't resume touring until 1949, but was still able to record. He wrote more than 500 songs, and in 1971 was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Mr. Carter continued to perform and record until hearing loss forced him to retire in 1992. He died in Scottsdale Arizona, 13 days before his 92nd birthday.
Frozen In Time: The Great Blizzard of 1888
-
PODCAST The story of the devastating snowstorm that changed New York City
forever. This year marks the 130th anniversary of one of the worst storms
to ev...
2 days ago
