December 20, 2021

180 years ago
1841

Born on this date
Ferdinand Buisson. French politician. Mr. Buisson was a member of the Radical-Socialist party who was president of the French Human Rights League from 1913-1926. He and Ludwig Quidde of Germany shared the 1927 Nobel Peace Prize "[for] contributions to Franco-German popular reconciliation." Mr. Buisson died on February 16, 1932 at the age of 90.

160 years ago
1861

Born on this date
Ferdinand Bonn. German actor. Mr. Bonn began his career on stage in 1885, and in 1905 founded Ferdinand Bonn's Berlin Theater, which collapsed after just two years. He frequently played detectives, including Sherlock Holmes in several plays. Mr. Bonn appeared in 80 films from 1912-1932, and died on September 24, 1933 at the age of 71.

Defense
The British War Office ordered 18 transport ships loaded with men, arms and supplies to Canada. 16 batteries of Royal Artillery were earmarked, with 4 companies of Royal Engineers and 11 battalions of infantry, for a total of over 11,000 men. 50,000 rifles and 2¼ million rounds of ammunition were also sent for the defense of Canada in case the "Trent Affair" was not settled without war.

150 years ago
1871

Born on this date
Henry Kimball Hadley. U.S. composer and conductor. Mr. Hadley conducted various orchestras, and was the first conductor of the San Francisco Symphony. In 1933 he founded the National Association for American Composers and Conductors, and a year later, founded the summer festival known today as Tanglewood. Mr. Hadley wrote five symphonies, five operas, as well as symphonic poems, and numerous choral, orchestral, and chamber works. He conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for the soundtrack of the movie Don Juan (1926--the first motion picture with synchronized sound--and composed the first original motion picture score, for When a Man Loves (1927). Mr. Hadley was one of the most-performed composers of his time, but has largely been forgotten since his death after a long battle with cancer on September 6, 1937 at the age of 65.

Politics and government
Edward Blake was sworn in as Premier of Ontario, beginning 34 straight years of Liberal rule in the province. He replaced Liberal-Conservative John Sandfield Macdonald, who was gravely ill and had resigned after an inconclusive election that was followed by the desertion of a few coalition Reformers.

140 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Branch Rickey, 83. U.S. baseball player, manager, and executive. Mr. Rickey, nicknamed "The Mahatma," was a catcher with the St. Louis Browns (1905-1906, 1914) and New York Highlanders (1907), batting .239 with 3 home runs and 39 runs batted in in 120 games. He managed the Browns from 1913-1915 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1919-1925, compiling a record of 597-664-16. Mr. Rickey was also the Browns' general manager from 1913-1915 and 1919 before moving to the Cardinals, holding the same position from 1919-1942. With the Cardinals, Mr. Rickey developed the idea of a farm system of minor league teams feeding the major league club; the Cardinals won six pennants under his leadership, and World Series championships in 1926, 1931, 1934, and 1942. Mr. Rickey then moved on to the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming part-owner and putting together the team that won National League pennants in 1947 and 1949, before selling his share of the club in 1950. His most famous act was signing Jackie Robinson, who, in 1947, became the first Negro player in modern major league baseball. Mr. Rickey served as president of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1950-1955, but had no success at all. He came out of retirement to rejoin the Cardinals as an executive after the 1962 season, and the team won the World Series in 1964. Mr. Rickey died on December 9, 1965, 26 days after suffering a stroke while delivering a speech in Columbia, Missouri, and 11 days before his 84th birthday. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.

130 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Erik Almlöf. Swedish athlete. Mr. Almlöf specialized in the triple jump, winning bronze medals at the 1912 Olympic Games in Oslo and the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp. He had a business career divided between Sweden and the United States, and died in Pennsylvania on January 18, 1971, 29 days after his 79th birthday.

120 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Robert Van de Graaff, 65. U.S. engineer. Mr. Van de Graaff was known for the design and construction of the Van de Graaff generators. He died on January 16, 1967, 27 days after his 65th birthday.

Communications
Canadian Finance Minister William Fielding assured Guglielmo Marconi of a warm welcome in Nova Scotia to continue his experiments in wireless telegraphy, and offered Canadian government assistance. The Anglo-American Telegraph Company, with its underseas cable to Europe, had a monopoly in Newfoundland, and threatened to sue Mr. Marconi, who then set up shop in Cape Breton.

110 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Hortense Calisher. U.S. authoress. Miss Calisher was a New York feminist who wrote more than 20 novels and collections of short stories, and was nominated three times for the National Book Award. She died on January 13, 2009, 24 days after her 97th birthday.

Politics and government
U.S. President William Howard Taft delivered the third part of his four-part annual State of the Union message to Congress. Part III dealt with the tariff on wool.

Energy
The Albert County natural gas pipeline from Stoney Creek, New Brunswick commenced service to Moncton, although a temporary disruption occurred when a gas explosion on Main Street destroyed four buildings.

Transportation
Alberta adopted its Highways Act.

100 years ago
1921

Died on this date
Julius Richard Petri, 69. German physician. Dr. Petri was a hospital and military physician who was assisting bacteriologist Robert Koch at the Imperial Health Office in Berlin (1877-1879) when he invented the Petri dish, a shallow transparent lidded dish that biologists use to hold growth medium in which cells can be cultured.

80 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Elmer's Tune--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (Vocal refrain by Ray Eberle and the Modernaires)

War
A Soviet communique reported the recapture of Volololamsk on the central front and Voibokala on the northern front. Japanese troops landed from four transports at Davao on the Philippine island of Mindanao, 60 miles southeast of Manila; heavy fighting was reported. The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, better known as the "Flying Tigers," saw their first action in Kunming, China, when aircraft of the 1st and 2nd squadrons intercepted 10 unescorted Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lily" bombers of the 21st Hikōtai attacking Kunming. The bombers jettisoned their loads before reaching Kunming. Three of the Japanese bombers were shot down near Kunming and a fourth was damaged so severely that it crashed before returning to its airfield at Hanoi. Two American tankers were attacked by submarines off the Pacific coast of the United States; one ship escaped, but the 6,912-ton Emidio was abandoned off Cape Mendocino after being shelled and torpedoed. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Admiral Ernest King, current commander of the Atlantic Fleet, as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Fleet. The Cuban government ordered the internment of all Japanese in Cuba.

Labour
Scores of welders went on strike in shipyards and defense plants in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas in protest against alleged American Federation of Labor discrimination.

75 years ago
1946

War
French forces recaptured parts of Hanoi that had been seized the day before by Vietnamese nationalists, who took refuge west of the city near Ha Dong.

British authorities in Hamburg ordered immediate trials for 27,000 members of the SS and other Nazi organizations condemned for war crimes at Nuremberg.

World events
Soviet occupation authorities ordered a U.S. courier ship out of the Manchurian port of Dairen after a two-day stay, creating an international incident.

Defense
Commanding general of U.S. ground forces General Jacob Devers announced plans for an increase in the size and firepower of fighting units to meet the requirements of the "atomic age."

Politics and government
The United Kingdom offered Burma independence on the same terms extended to India, and invited a Burmese delegation to London for negotiations.

Boxing
Sugar Ray Robinson (74-1-1) won a 15-round unanimous decision over Tommy Bell (39-11-2) before 15,670 fans at Madison Square Garden in New York to win the National Boxing Association and New York State Athletic Commission world welterweight titles, which had been vacant since the retirement of Marty Servo three months earlier.

70 years ago
1951

At the movies
Death of a Salesman, directed by László Benedek, and starring Fredric March, Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, and Cameron Mitchell, opened in theatres.



Theatre
Antony and Cleopatra by George Bernard Shaw, directed by Michael Benthall, and starring Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Broadway in New York. It ran in repertory with Caesar and Cleopatra, which had opened the previous night.

Mexicana
Following Senate approval, Baja California became Mexico's 29th state.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly chose Greece to succeed Yugoslavia on the Security Council despite the Soviet bloc's contention that an Eastern European country was entitled to the seat under an informal agreement dating from 1945.

Defense
The U.S. Selective Service headquarters announced that 300,000 4-Fs rejected for mental reasons would be reexamined for possible induction under reduced admission standards.

Politics and government
The New York Times reported that four U.S. federal agencies--the Central Intelligence Agency, Atomic Energy Commission, and State and Defense Departments)--were using lie detectors as part of their security programs.

Energy
The Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR)-I in Arco, Idaho became the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. The electricity powered four light bulbs.

60 years ago
1961

Died on this date
Earle Page, 81. Prime Minister of Australia, 1939. Sir Earle, a physician by trade, represented Cowper in the Australian Parliament (1919-1961). He joined the Country Party in 1920, and led it from 1921-1939. Sir Earle held various cabinet posts including Treasurer (1923-1929); Minister for Commerce (1932-1939, 1940-1941); and Minister for Health (1937-1938, 1949-1956). He was Prime Minister from April 7-26, 1939, between the death in office of Joseph Lyons and the election of Robert Menzies as leader of the United Australia Party and Prime Minister in the UAP-Country coalition. Sir Earle refused to serve in Mr. Menzies' cabinet and withdrew the Country Party from the coalition, which led to his resignation as party leader in September 1939. Sir Earle was suffering from lung cancer in 1961, but still campaigned for re-election in Cowper. He went into a coma several days before the December 9 election and was defeated, four days before the 42nd anniversary of his assumption of his seat. Sir Earle never regained consciousness.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Maggie May--Rod Stewart (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ame no Midōsuji--Ouyang Fei Fei (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mammy Blue--Pop-Tops (9th week at #1)

At the movies
Harold and Maude, directed by Hal Ashby, and starring Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Roy Disney, 78. U.S. motion picture executive. Mr. Disney was the older brother of motion picture producer Walt Disney, and the two co-founded Walt Disney Productions. While Walt was the creative genius of the company, Roy looked after the financial interests of the studio. Roy Disney retired shortly after the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971.

Diplomacy
The international aid organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) was founded in Paris by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists.

Politics and government
Pakistani Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took office as President and martial law administrator, returning the nation to civilian rule for the first time since 1958. His predecessor, Agha Mohammed Yahya Khan, was forced to resign following Pakistan's defeat by India in the recent war.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Richard Nixon announced that the 10% surcharge on goods imported into the United States had been terminated.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): How Great Thou Art--Howard Morrison

#1 single in Switzerland: Physical--Olivia Newton-John (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Dimitris Rontiris, 82. Greek theatre director. Mr. Rontiris was an actor before becoming a director. He was appointed director of the Royal Theatre in Athens in 1933, directed the National Theatre of Greece (1946-1950, 1953-1955), and founded the Piraeus Theatre (1957). Mr. Rontiris directed 11 plays by William Shakespeare, classical tragedies, and modern works.

30 years ago
1991

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Radio & Records)
1 Black or White--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 All 4 Love--Color Me Badd
3 Can't Let Go--Mariah Carey
4 It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday--Boyz II Men
5 Keep Coming Back--Richard Marx
6 No Son of Mine--Genesis
7 Wildside--Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch
8 Finally--Ce Ce Peniston
9 Broken Arrow--Rod Stewart
10 Blowing Kisses in the Wind--Paula Abdul

Singles entering the chart were I Love Your Smile by Shanice (#22); Save Up All Your Tears by Cher (#23); I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt (#30); Addams Groove by MC Hammer (#31); Keep it Comin' by Keith Sweat (#35); I'll Get By by Eddie Money (#37); and There Will Never be Another Tonight by Bryan Adams (#40).

Edmontonia
A year after it had closed, the Garneau Theatre reopened as a second-run movie theatre. The theatre, located at 8712 109 St., was built in 1940.

Defense
The U.S. Navy announced plans to close its Argentia, Newfoundland base in 1994; 500 personnel would leave what was once the largest U.S. base on foreign soil.

Abominations
A Missouri court sentenced Palestinian terrorist Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the "honour killing" of their daughter Palestina.

Hockey
NHL
National Hockey League governors granted membership to the new Ottawa and Tampa Bay teams; the Ottawa group was led by real estate investor Bruce Firestone.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Un-Break My Heart--Toni Braxton

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): 2 Become 1--Spice Girls

At the movies
My Fellow Americans, directed by Peter Segal, and starring Jack Lemmon, James Garner, and Dan Aykroyd, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Carl Sagan, 62. U.S. astronomer. Dr. Sagan was known within science for his research into planetary atmospheres, especially that of Venus, but was best known as a popularizer of astronomy and science. He wrote and hosted the PBS documentary series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (1980). Dr. Sagan promoted investigation of unidentified flying objects, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), and nuclear disarmament. He died of pneumonia after a battle with cancer.

10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Léopold Sédar Senghor, 95. 1st President of Senegal, 1960-1980. Professor Senghor was a poet and linguistics professor who was the major theoretician of Négritude, aimed at raising and cultivating "Black consciousness" across Africa and its diaspora; unlike many of its proponents, Prof. Senghor was not a Marxist. He served with the French Colonial Army in World War II, and survived internment in a German prison camp. Prof. Senghor co-founded the Bloc démocratique sénégalais (Senegalese Democratic Bloc) in 1948, and held various offices until taking office as President upon Senegal's independence from France in 1960. He wrote the Senegalese national anthem, and adopted a three-party system--socialist, Communist, and liberal--for the country. Prof. Senghor also served as Senegal's Foreign Minister, and unlike the leaders of most post-colonial African regimes, maintained close relations with France. He retired on December 31, 1980, and was succeeded by Prime Minister Abdou Diouf. Prof. Senghor was a member of the Académie française from 1983 until his death.

Foster Brooks, 89. U.S. comedian. Mr. Brooks was best known for playing the character of a "Loveable Lush" in nightclub and television appearances in the 1960s and '70s. He frequently appeared on The Dean Martin Show and The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, receiving an Emmy Award nomination for the former in 1974. Mr. Brooks died of heart failure.

Politics and government
Fernando de la Rua resigned as President of Argentina amidst several days of rioting throughout the nation.

Law
The Quebec provincial government announced that motorists would be allowed to turn right at most red lights, starting August 18, 2002, with the island of Montreal excepted. Quebec and New York City were the last North American jurisdictions to ban such turns.

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Barry Reckord, 85. Jamaican playwright. Mr. Reckford was one of the first Caribbean writers to achieve success in Britain, where he spent most of his adult life. His plays included Della (1953); You in Your Small Corner (1961); and Skyvers (1963). Mr. Reckford often worked with his younger brother Lloyd, an actor and director. Barry Reckford spent his last years back in Jamaica, where he died after years of declining health.

December 19, 2021

1,620 years ago
401

Died on this date
Anastasius I. Roman Catholic Pope, 399-401. Anastasius I, born Anastasio de Massimi, was from a noble Roman family, and succeeded Siricius as Bishop of Rome. He was best known for his condemnation of the writings of the Alexandrian heretic Origen. Pope Anastasius I was succeeded by his son Innocent I.

280 years ago
1741

Died on this date
Vitus Bering, 60. Danish explorer. Commander Bering was a cartographer served in the Russian Navy and led the First Kamchatka Expedition (1725-1731), which explored the Asian Pacific Coast, and the Great Northern Expedition (1733-1743), which explored the Arctic coast of Siberia and parts of the North American coastline. He died of scurvy on an uninhabited island, later named in his honour, near the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Bering Strait and Bering Sea are among the things named in Commander Bering's honour.

225 years ago
1796

War
Two British frigates under Commodore Horatio Nelson and two Spanish frigates under Commodore Don Jacobo Stuart engaged in battle off the coast of Murcia. One Spanish frigate was captured and another damaged before Spanish reinforcements drove the British off and recaptured the lost ship.

175 years ago
1846

Communications
The mayors of Toronto and Hamilton exchanged greetings to open Canada's first telegraph service; the line ran between Toronto and Hamilton over lines of the Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara and St. Catharines Electro-Magnetic Telegraph Company, founded October 22, 1846. The first message was from Hamilton: “Well, advise Mr. Gamble (the President of the company) that Mr. Dawson will speak to him at half-past one.”

170 years ago
1851

Died on this date
J.M.W. Turner, 76. U.K. artist. Joseph Mallord William Turner was known for his landscapes and seascapes, many of the latter showing the violence of nature. He left behind more than 550 oil paintings, 2,000 watercolours, and 30,000 works on paper. Mr. Turner died of cholera after years of declining health.

130 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Edward Bernard Raczyński. 4th President-in-exile of Poland, 1979-1986. Count Raczyński was a career diplomat who fled to the United Kingdom early in World War II, and held various positions in the government-in-exile before assuming the presidency at the age of 87. He resigned seven years later, and died in London at the age of 101 on July 30, 1993.

Football
CRU
The Canadian Rugby Union was founded.

120 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Oliver La Farge. U.S. anthropologist and author. Mr. La Farge explored Olmec sites in Mexico in 1925 and Native American sites in New Mexico after moving there in 1933. He wrote fiction and non-fiction, often about Native American culture. Mr. La Farge's novel Laughing Boy (1929), about a Navajo's difficulties in attempting to reconcile his culture with that of the United States, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Mr. La Farge died on August 2, 1963 at the age of 61.

Rudolf Hell. German engineer. Dr. Hell demonstrated a photo-electric image splitting tube for television in 1925 that worked in principle but was useless for practical use. In 1929, he founded his own company and received a patent for the Hellschreiber, an early forerunner to impact dot matrix printers and faxes. Dr. Hell developed a new type of Morse code machine in 1931, and in 1951 invented a printing machine known as the Klischograph. In 1963, he introduced a scanner called the Chromograph, and in 1965 he introduced the Digiset, a digital typesetting machine. Dr. Hell retired in 1972, and died on March 11, 2002 at the age of 100.

Politics and government
The Conseil fédéré des métiers (Federation of Trades Council) (CFM) announced that it would support a list of candidates for the municipal elections to be held in Montreal on February 1, 1902.

110 years ago
1911

Skiing
The Edmonton Ski Club was founded.

80 years ago
1941

Died on this date
John Kelburne Lawson, 54. Canadian military officer. Brigadier Lawson was commander of the West Brigade on the island of Hong Kong during the Japanese invasion; with his headquarters surrounded, he went out to meet the enemy with a pistol, and was fatally shot eight days before his 55th birthday, becoming the highest-ranking Canadian soldier killed during World War II.

John Robert Osborn, 42. U.K.-born Canadian soldier. Company Sergeant Major Osborn of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, leading a bayonet charge against the Japanese on Mount Butler, Hong Kong, threw himself on a Japanese grenade to save his comrades' lives, two weeks before his 43rd birthday; he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, becoming the first Canadian so honoured during World War II.

War
Nicaragua declared war on Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler appointed himself as head of the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), the Supreme High Command of the Wehrmacht; he replaced Feldmarschall Walther von Brauchitsch. The U.K. battleships HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Valiant, moored in the harbour at Alexandria, Egypt, were severely damaged by the detonation of limpet mines that had been attached to their hulls the previous day by Italian "human torpedoes" who had been launched from a submarine that had penetrated the harbour. In New Zealand’s worst naval tragedy, the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Neptune struck enemy mines and sank off Libya; of the 764 men who lost their lives, 150 were New Zealanders. The British command announced that the Derma airport, 170 miles inside Libya, had been captured the previous day. British forces abandoned their base on Penang Island as Japanese forces pressed forward. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio de Oliveira Salazar demanded that the U.K. and Netherlands withdraw their occupation forces from Portuguese Timor immediately. The entire Philippine Army was inducted into the U.S. Far Eastern Army under Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur. Both houses of the United States Congress quickly passed a conference-approved draft bill requiring all men aged 18-64 to register, and making those aged 20-44 subject to military service. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the Communist Party USA and the German-American Bund to register with the Justice Department as agents of foreign governments.

Politics and government
Cuban President Fulgencio Batista signed a congressional resolution declaring a state of national emergency and granting him special war powers.

Boxing
National Boxing Association world champion Sammy Angott (65-16-5) won a 15-round unanimous decision over New York State Athletic Commission world champion Lew Jenkins (50-19-5) at Madison Square Garden in New York to win the undisputed world lightweight title.

75 years ago
1946

At the movies
It's A Wonderful Life, directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, received a preview screening for charity at the Globe Theatre in New York City, a day before its official premiere.



War
The First Indochina War began when Vietnamese nationalists led by Ho Chi Minh attacked French districts in Hanoi and seized French civilians as hostages.

The U.S.S.R. signed a pact with the U.S.A. to repatriate Japanese prisoners now in Soviet-held areas at the rate of 50,000 per month.

Politics and government
Ricardo Guardo and Silvio Pontieri resigned as President and Vice President, respectively, of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies.

Society
U.S. President Harry Truman announced that he was not satisfied with the execution of his December 1945 directive on refugee immigration, and set aside four ships to transport refugees to the United States.

Law
A U.S. federal grand jury in Atlanta ended a three-week inquiry into the July 25, 1946 murder of four Negroes without being able to identify any of the guilty parties.

Scandal
In the final session of a U.S. Senate investigation of his conduct, Sen. Theodore Bilbo (Democrat--Mississippi) testified for six hours, and denied all charges of accepting bribes and other wrongdoing.

Archaeology
Roland Collier of the Chicago Natural History Museum announced that relics of eight separate Indian civilizations, the oldest dating back almost 2,000 years, had been discovered in the Viru Valley in Peru.

Labour
The U.K. National Coal Board ordered a five-day week for workers in state owned mines, beginning May 5, 1947.

70 years ago
1951

Theatre
Caesar and Cleopatra by George Bernard Shaw, directed by Michael Benthall, and starring Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Broadway in New York. It ran in repertory with Antony and Cleopatra, which opened the following night.

Died on this date
Barton Yarborough, 51. U.S. actor. Mr. Yarborough was known for his work in radio, playing Clifford Barbour in the soap opera One Man's Family (1932-1951), and playing Doc Long in the adventure series I Love a Mystery (1939-1944); he also played the latter character in three movies. Mr. Yarborough played Ben Romero in the radio (1949-1951) and television (1951) series Dragnet. He died four days after suffering a heart attack, which occurred the day after the conclusion of filming of the second episode of the Dragnet television series; his death occurred three days after the first episode was broadcast.

War
White House Press Secretary Joseph Short charged that the Communist list of United Nations prisoners in Korea was incomplete and inaccurate, pointing out that the UN command listed 70,000 men as missing in action who were not on the list.

World events
The Soviet news agency Tass charged that two U.S.-trained spies parachuted into the Moldavian Soviet Republic from an American plane the previous summer had later been captured and executed.

Defense
The United Nations General Assembly's Political and Security Committee approved the creation of a Disarmament Commission under the Security Council to work for the "balanced reduction of armed forces and armaments."

South Americana
Colombian President Roberto Urdaneta Arbelas signed a bill establishing Cordoba as the country's 16th department.

Crime
New York U.S. Federal Judge Sylvester Ryan found convicted Communist Party U.S.A. general secretary Gus Hall guilty of criminal contempt of court for fleeing the country to avoid serving a five-year prison term for conspiracy.

Business
U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman James Mead ordered a crackdown on the "great wave of mergers" which, he charged, violated anti-monopoly regulations.

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 (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Right Kind of Medicine, starring Robert Redford, Russell Collins, and Joby Baker

Indianica
India annexed Daman and Diu, part of Portuguese India.

Communications
Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker spoke to Queen Elizabeth II by the new CANTAT cable, carrying voice, picture, and teletype message. It was the first link in the new round-the-world Commonwealth communications system.

Boxing
Cleveland Williams (55-5-1) knocked out Jim Wiley (7-16-3) just 55 seconds into the 1st round of a heavyweight bout at Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston.



50 years ago
1971

On television tonight
The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, on CBS

This made-for-television movie achieved good ratings and inspired the series The Waltons.



Hockey
NHL
Toronto (15-9-8) 4 @ Philadelphia (10-16-5) 0

Guy Trottier scored the first and last goals and Jacques Plante made 25 saves to get the shutout in goal for the Maple Leafs as they shut out the Flyers at the Spectrum in the Sunday night broadcast on CBC radio.

Football
NFL
Cleveland (9-5) 21 @ Washington (9-4-1) 13
San Diego (6-8) 33 @ Houston (4-9-1) 49
Buffalo (1-13) 9 @ Kansas City (10-3-1) 22
Cincinnati (4-10) 21 @ New York Jets (6-8) 35
Denver (4-9-1) 13 @ Oakland (8-4-2) 21
Green Bay (4-8-2) 6 @ Miami (10-3-1) 27
Philadelphia (5-8-1) 41 @ New York Giants (4-10) 28
Detroit (7-6-1) 27 @ San Francisco (9-5) 31
Los Angeles (8-5-1) 23 @ Pittsburgh (6-8) 14
Minnesota (11-3) 27 @ Chicago (6-8) 10
Atlanta (7-6-1) 24 @ New Orleans (4-8-2) 14
New England (6-8) 21 @ Baltimore (10-4) 17

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Cicale--Heather Parisi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Pretend--Alvin Stardust (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Don't You Want Me--The Human League

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Don't You Want Me--The Human League

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Don't You Want Me--The Human League (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
2 Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie
3 Annie--Miggy
4 Wünderbar--Tenpole Tudor
5 One of Us--ABBA
6 Let's Start II Dance Again--Bohannon
7 It's Raining--Shakin' Stevens
8 Pretend--Alvin Stardust
9 Should I Do It--Pointer Sisters
10 I Go to Sleep--Pretenders

Singles entering the chart were Daddy's Home by Cliff Richard (#28); Menergy by Patrick Crowley (#30); S.T.O.P. by Dolly Dots (#32); Live it Up by Time Bandits (#35); and Ik Heb Alleen Nog Maar Die Foto by Hepie en Hepie (#36).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Let's Groove--Earth, Wind & Fire
4 Oh No--Commodores
5 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
6 I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)--Daryl Hall & John Oates
7 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
8 Harden My Heart--Quarterflash
9 Don't Stop Believin'--Journey
10 Leather and Lace--Stevie Nicks with Don Henley

Singles entering the chart were Feel Like a Number by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (#79); Those Good Old Dreams by the Carpenters (#82); One Hundred Ways by Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (#83); Love is Like a Rock by Donnie Iris (#87); and It's My Party by Dave Stewart with Barbara Gaskin (#96).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Let's Groove--Earth, Wind and Fire
4 Oh No--Commodores
5 I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)--Daryl Hall & John Oates
6 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
7 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
8 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
9 Don't Stop Believin'--Journey
10 Harden My Heart--Quarterflash

Singles entering the chart were Somewhere Down the Road by Barry Manilow (#76); Feel Like a Number by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (#78); Every Home Should Have One by Patti Austin (#86); Love is Like a Rock by Donnie Iris (#88); Southern Pacific by Neil Young & Crazy Horse (#89); and Those Good Old Dreams by the Carpenters (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)
2 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
3 Let's Groove--Earth, Wind & Fire
4 Private Eyes--Daryl Hall & John Oates
5 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
6 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--Diana Ross
7 I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)--Daryl Hall & John Oates
8 Harden My Heart--Quarterflash
9 Don't Stop Believin'--Journey
10 Trouble--Lindsey Buckingham

Singles entering the chart included Somewhere Down the Road by Barry Manilow (#74); Little Darlin' by Sheila (#75); Abacab by Genesis (#79); Every Home Should Have One by Patti Austin (#84); Keeping Our Love Alive by the Henry Paul Band (#87); Feel Like a Number by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (#88); Love is Like a Rock by Donnie Iris (#89); WKRP in Cincinnati by Steve Carlisle (#90); and A World Without Heroes by Kiss (#95).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Physical--Olivia Newton-John
2 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
3 My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)--Chilliwack
4 Oh No--Commodores
5 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
6 Under Pressure--Queen & David Bowie
7 The Friends of Mr. Cairo--Jon and Vangelis
8 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic--The Police
9 Don't Stop Believin'--Journey
10 Working for the Weekend--Loverboy

Singles entering the chart were Abacab by Genesis (#44); Come Go with Me by the Beach Boys (#46); and Pretty Bad Boy by Goddo (#48).

On the radio
Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula, starring John Moffatt and Timothy West, on BBC

Disasters
16 people, including 8 volunteer lifeboatmen, perished when the Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboat Solomon Browne went to the aid of MV Union Star when its engines failed in heavy seas near Mousehole, Cornwall, England.

30 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives--Queen

Bohemian Rhapsody had previously occupied the #1 position for six weeks from December 1975-January 1976.

Labour
Canadian Auto Workers President Bob White announced a merger with the Canadian Association of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers; the merger affected 6,500 aerospace and mining workers in Manitoba and British Columbia.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Breathe--The Prodigy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Anna mulle piiskaa--Apulanta

Died on this date
Ronald Howard, 78. U.K. actor. Mr. Howard, the son of actor Leslie Howard, was best known for starring as the title character in the television series Sherlock Holmes (1954-1955). His films included The Browning Version (1951) and The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964).

Marcello Mastroianni, 72. Italian actor. Mr. Mastroianni was a popular leading man in films in Italy and elsewhere for more than 40 years, and won numerous awards. His movies included La Dolce Vita (1960); 8½ (1963); Ieri, oggi, domani (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) (1963); and Oci ciornie (Dark Eyes) (1987). Mr. Mastroianni died in Paris of pancreatic cancer.

20 years ago
2001

Protest
Riots erupted in Buenos Aires and other Argentine cities in response to the government's imposition, at the behest of Economic Minister Domingo Cavallo, of "Corral" policies which restricted people's ability to withdraw cash from banks.

Scandal
The United States government indicted Tyson Foods, Inc., the nation's largest meat producer, for smuggling illegal immigrants from Mexico to work in its meat-processing plants.

Science
A botanist in Australia said that he had rediscovered Asterolasi buxifolia, a shrub believed to have been extinct for 130 years.

Weather
A record high barometric pressure of 1,085.6 hectopascals (32.06 inHg) was recorded at Tosontsengel, Khِvsgِl, Mongolia.

December 14, 2021

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Wendy Welt!

710 years ago
1311

Died on this date
Margaret of Brabant, 35. Queen consort of Germany, 1308-1311. Margaret, the daughter of John I, Duke of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders, married Henry, Count of Luxembourg in 1292, and became Queen consort when he acceded to the throne in 1308. The couple had 3 children. Queen Margaret accompanied her husband on his Italian campaign, and died several months after falling ill during the siege of Brescia.

475 years ago
1546

Born on this date
Tycho Brahe. Danish astronomer, astrologer, and alchemist. Mr. Brahe was known for his accurate and comprehensive astronomical observations, despite not using a telescope. He believed that the Moon orbited Earth and the planets orbited the Sun, but erroneously considered the Sun to be orbiting Earth. Mr. Brahe was granted an estate by King Frederik II, and created a research institute, where his studies included supernovae and comets. He had disagreements with King Christian IV and went into exile in 1697, accepting an invitation from Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II to go to Prague, where he became the imperial astronomer. During the last year of his life, Mr. Brahe had Johannes Kepler as his research assisant, and Mr. Kepler used Mr. Brahe's data in developing his three laws of motion. Mr. Brahe died on October 24, 1601 at the age of 54, 11 days after suddenly contracting a bladder or kidney ailment after attending a banquet in Prague; his death may have been from uremia or prostate cancer, and recent research has debunked claims that he was poisoned.

430 years ago
1591

Died on this date
John of the Cross, 49. Spanish mystic. John of the Cross, born Juan de Yepes y Álvarez, was a Roman Catholic priest and prior in the Carmelite Order who, with Teresa of Ávila, helped to found the movement eventually known as Discalced (barefoot) Carmelites. He died of erysipelas, and was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726 as St. John of the Cross.

270 years ago
1751

Defense
The Theresian Military Academy was founded in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

170 years ago
1851

Born on this date
Mary Tappan Wright. U.S. authoress. Mrs. Wright, the wife of classical scholar John Henry Wright and the mother of legal scholar Austin Tappan Wright and geographer John Kirtland Wright, wrote novels and short stories about academic life. She died on August 25, 1916 at the age of 64.

Politics and government
Toronto Globe publisher George Brown was first elected to the Province of Canada Assembly as an independent Reformer for the county of Kent, in southwestern Canada West, with the support of future Canadian Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie.

160 years ago
1861

Died on this date
Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 42. U.K. Prince Consort, 1840-1861. Prince Albert was the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1840 until his death. He was formally granted the title Prince Consort in 1857. The cause of Prince Albert's death was reported as typhoid fever, although he had been in declining health for several years.

150 years ago
1871

Politics and government
Marc-Amable Girard was sworn in as the first Premier of Manitoba of French Canadian ancestry, leading a Conservative Party government.

140 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Katherine MacDonald. U.S. actress. Miss MacDonald was a leading lady in silent movies from 1918-1926, and produced nine films from 1919-1921, becoming one of Hollywood's first female producers. She died on June 4, 1956 at the age of 65.

125 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Jimmy Doolittle. U.S. aviator and military officer. Mr. Doolittle was a pioneer military aviator in the 1920s who left the United States Army in 1930 and set a speed record for land planes in 1932 of 296 miles per hour. In 1940 he returned to the Army, and on April 18, 1942, led 16 B-25 bombers on a raid on five Japanese cities, including Tokyo. The Doolittle Raid was the first retaliatory air raid on the Japanese homeland after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and had a significant positive effect on American morale. The movie Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) was a dramatization of the raid, with Spencer Tracy playing Mr. Doolittle. Mr. Doolittle returned to reserve status in 1946 as a lieutenant general and retired from active service in 1959. In retirement he was promoted to four-star general. He died on September 27, 1993 at the age of 96.

Transportation
The Glasgow Underground Railway was opened by the Glasgow District Subway Company.

120 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Paul. King of the Hellenes, 1947-1964. Paul succeeded his brother George II as King of Greece during the Greek Civil War. He died of stomach cancer on March 6, 1964 at the age of 62, and was succeeded by his son Constantine II. King Paul was a first cousin of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Henri Cochet. French tennis player. Mr. Cochet was one of the "Four Musketeers" who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He won 22 major tournaments, including seven Grand Slam singles, five doubles and three mixed doubles, as well as silver medals in the men's singles and doubles events at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Mr. Cochet was ranked as the world's number one player from 1928-1931. He turned professional in 1933 and had less success, but regained his amateur standing in December 1941, playing until 1956, while also coaching and running a sporting goods store. Mr. Cochet and the other Musketeers--Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, and René Lacoste--were inducted together into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1976. Mr. Cochet died on April 1, 1987 at the age of 85.

110 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz. Polish-born Greek athlete and saboteur. Mr. Iwanow-Szajnowicz, a native of Warsaw, moved to Greece with his mother and stepfather in 1926. He was a swimmer who won the national championship in the 100-metre freestyle competition, but moved back to Warsaw, becoming a Polish citizen in 1935 and the top player on the Polish national water polo team. Mr. Iwanow-Szajnowicz aided Polish and Greek resistance fighters in World War II, and was effective in sabotaging German aircraft and U-boats. He was eventually betrayed, captured, escaped, recaptured, and executed by a firing squad in Athens on January 4, 1943 at the age of 31.

Spike Jones. U.S. musician. Lindley Armstrong Jones was a drummer and bandleader who was popular in the 1940s and '50s as leader of Spike Jones and his City Slickers. The band was known for satirizing popular tunes, usually using bizarre sound effects. Their best-known hit was Der Fuehrer's Face (1942). Mr. Jones was a heavy smoker who died of emphysema on May 1, 1965 at the age of 53.

Hans von Ohain. German-born U.S. physicist and engineer. Dr. Ohain designed the first operational jet engine in1937, and a leter development powered the world's first flyable all-jet aircraft, the prototype of the Heinkel He 178 (He 178 V1), in 1939. None of his engine designs entered widespread production or operational use, as other German designs eclipsed his. Dr. Ohain was brought to the United States in 1947 as part of Operation Paperclip, and worked for the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. In 1956, he was made the Director of the Air Force Aeronautical Research Laboratory, and by 1975 he was the Chief Scientist of the Aero Propulsion Laboratory there. Dr. Ohain retired from Wright-Patterson in 1979, and taught at the University of Dayton. He held the Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History at the National Air and Space Museum in 1984-85. Dr. Ohain died on March 13, 1998 at the age of 86.

Exploration
Roald Amundsen of Norway became the first man to arrive at the South Pole.

90 years ago
1931

Died on this date
Paul Émile Lavigne, 24. Canadian crime victim. "Punch" Lavigne died two days after being shot and robbed while working at the Domestic Service Station on Sussex Street in downtown Ottawa. Billy Seabrooke was convicted of the crime, and was executed on January 10, 1933.

80 years ago
1941

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Dark Gentleman

Theatre
Robert E. Sherwood ordered his Pulitzer Prize-winning play There Shall Be No Night to close in Rochester, Minnesota. The play was based on the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939 and expressed an anti-Soviet viewpoint which now seemed inappropriate, with the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. having become allies within the past few days.

War
Ireland and Turkey announced their neutrality. Japan signed a treaty of alliance with Thailand. Japanese troops began a general land and air offensive against Hong Kong at dawn after their ultimatum for surrender was rejected.

Academia
The University of Cincinnati estimated, on the basis of a nationwide survey, that there had been a 9.16% decrease in college and university enrollment in the United States over the previous year.

Football
NFL
West Division playoff
Green Bay 14 @ Chicago Bears 33

The Packers and Bears had finished the regular season with records of 10-1, with each beating the other once, thus forcing a playoff game. The Bears played at home against the East Division champion New York Giants a week later for the NFL championship.

75 years ago
1946

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Ole Buttermilk Sky--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Michael Douglas and the Campus Kids) (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--1st week at #1); Rumors are Flying--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes (Juke Box--8th week at #1; Airplay--8th week at #1)

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Elusive Emerald

War
Nationalist Chinese troops claimed the capture of Yengcheng, one of the last Communist centres in the economically crucial coastal province of Kiangsu.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly voted to establish the UN headquarters in New York City, accepting an offer from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to buy and turn over to the UN an $8.5-million property on the east side of Manhattan between 42nd and 48th streets.

The UN General Assembly rejected South Africa's plan to annex South West Africa, and requested that a trusteeship plan be drawn up for the territory.

Greek acting Foreign Minister Stephanos Stefanopoulos protested to the U.S.A., U.S.S.R., U.K., and France concerning "unjust" Greek-Bulgarian frontier provisions contained in the Bulgarian peace treaty.

Politics and government
Muslim League leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah rejected a British proposal that the Federal Court of India rule on the Muslim-Hindu differences on the U.K. plan for drafting an Indian constitution.

Defense
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously approved a disarmament proposal calling for prohibition of nuclear weapons; international control of atomic energy; and creation of arms control agency not limited by a great power veto.

Columbia University announced that it would build a 2,500-ton cyclotron as part of a research centre being set up in cooperation with the U.S. Navy in Irvington, New York.

South Americana
Chile laid claim to parts of Antarctica "between the 53rd and 90th meridians west of Greenwich."

Economics and finance
U.S. President Harry Truman dropped building materials priorities and the $10,000 limit on new homes, allowing greater participation in the housing market.

70 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Invader, starring William Eythe, Eva Gabor, Salem Ludwig, and Edgar Stehli



At the movies
Awaara, produced and directed by, and co-starring Raj Kapoor, opened in theatres in India.



War
Indonesia reported that 1,000 Army troops, rebels, and civilians had been killed in recent fighting between loyal troops and Army deserters near Semarang in central Java.

Diplomacy
The Charter of San Salvador, signed two months earlier to create the Organization of Central American States, took effect following ratification by Honduras.

Germanica
The West German Bundestag passed a measure integrating West Berlin into the country's financial system and increasing the number of West Berlin representatives in the Bundestag.

Scandal
Psychologist Louis Gellermann was convicted in Seattle of using sexual intercourse in an attempt to shock three of his female patients out of their "guilt complexes."

U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means subcommittee Chairman Cecil King (Democrat--California) crticized Charles Oliphant, former chief counsel of the Internal Revenue Bureau, for accepting gifts, free trips, entertainment, and other favours from clients interested in tax fraud cases.

Economics and finance
Canada lifted all foreign exchange controls, becoming the first country to do so since World War II.

60 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Walkin' Back to Happiness--Helen Shapiro (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Tower of Strength--Frankie Vaughan (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: City Without a Name

Politics and government
Liberal Party candidate Claire Kirkland-Casgrain won a Quebec provincial by-election in the riding of Jacques-Cartier, making her the first woman member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec. The by-election was made necessary following the death of the current MLA, Charles-Aimé Kirkland (Liberal), the current candidate's father. She won by more than 50,000 votes, a Quebec record.

Disasters
20 children were killed when a passenger train hit a school bus at a crossing near Greeley, Colorado.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Mamy Blue--Pop-Tops (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Mamy Blue--Pop-Tops (10th week at #1)

At the movies
Diamonds are Forever, directed by Guy Hamilton, and starring Sean Connery, Jill St. John, and Charles Gray, opened in theatres in Munich. It was Mr. Connery's last appearance as James Bond until Never Say Never Again (1983).



Abominations
Over 200 of East Pakistan's intellectuals were executed by the Pakistani Army and their local allies. The date is commemorated in Bangladesh as Martyred Intellectuals Day.

Society
The Quebec National Assembly unanimously passed Bill 66, reducing the age of majority in Quebec from 21 to 18. Individuals still had to be at least 21 to be a company director or to serve as a juror.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Physical--Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Akujo--Miyuki Nakajima (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ma Quale Idea--Pino D'Angio (12th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Polonäse Blankenese--Gottlieb Wendehals (a.k.a. Werner Böhm) (2nd week at #1)

Personal
This blogger finished his first term at Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton by writing three exams, making for an extended and enjoyable Christmas and New Year's break.

World events
The Knesset passed the Golan Heights Law, extending Israeli "laws, jurisdiction and administration" to the Golan Heights, effectively annexing the territory internationally recognized as part of Syria.

30 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Black or White--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Black or White--Michael Jackson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Black or White--Michael Jackson (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Black or White--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Black or White--Michael Jackson

#1 single in France (SNEP): Qui a le droit...--Patrick Bruel (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Kon Ik Maar Even Bij Je Zijn--Gordon (3rd week at #1)
2 Roodkapje--Pater Moeskroen
3 Black or White--Michael Jackson
4 I Love Your Smile--Shanice
5 Let's Talk About Sex!--Salt-N-Pepa
6 Over and Over Again--Robby Valentine
7 Smells Like Teen Spirit--Nirvana
8 Go--Moby
9 Obsession--Army of Lovers
10 Ring My Bell--DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

Singles entering the chart were Justified & Ancient by the KLF (#24); Olee Olee Sinterklaas is Here to Stay!!!/Het is Weer Kerstfeest Dit Jaar by Ole Henk (#25); Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael/Elton John (#29); Live and Let Die by Guns N' Roses (#34); Stars by Simply Red (#35); This House by Alison Moyet (#36); and Tu by Mecano (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Black or White--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday--Boyz II Men
3 Set Adrift on Memory Bliss--P.M. Dawn
4 When a Man Loves a Woman--Michael Bolton
5 All 4 Love--Color Me Badd
6 Blowing Kisses in the Wind--Paula Abdul
7 Can't Let Go--Mariah Carey
8 Finally--CeCe Peniston
9 That's What Love is For--Amy Grant
10 Wildside--Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch

Singles entering the chart were All Through the Night by Tone-Loc (#83); Uhh Ahh by Boyz II Men (#88); Everybody Move by Cathy Dennis (#90); Insatiable by Prince & the New Power Generation (#92); Right Down to It by Damian Dame (#93); and Move Any Mountain by the Shamen (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday--Boyz II Men
2 Black or White--Michael Jackson
3 Blowing Kisses in the Wind--Paula Abdul
4 Set Adrift on Memory Bliss--P.M. Dawn
5 Can't Let Go--Mariah Carey
6 All 4 Love--Color Me Badd
7 Keep Coming Back--Richard Marx
8 No Son of Mine--Genesis
9 Street of Dreams--Nia Peeples
10 When a Man Loves a Woman--Michael Bolton

Singles entering the chart were To Be with You by Mr. Big (#78) and Addams Groove by MC Hammer (#79).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 No Son of Mine--Genesis
2 Broken Arrow--Rod Stewart
3 Life is a Highway--Tom Cochrane
4 When a Man Loves a Woman--Michael Bolton
5 Keep Coming Back--Richard Marx
6 What About Now--Robbie Robertson
7 That's What Love is For--Amy Grant
8 Cream--Prince and the New Power Generation
9 Blowing Kisses in the Wind--Paula Abdul
10 Black or White--Michael Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana (#69); Someday by Aldo Nova (#72); If She Could Sing by Art Bergmann (#75); Go Back to Your Woods by Robbie Robertson (#82); Martika's Kitchen by Martika (#88); King's Highway by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (#90); and Finally by Ce Ce Peniston (#95).

Died on this date
Robert Eddison, 83. Japanese-born U.K. actor. Mr. Eddison was a character actor on stage, screen, and television for more than 60 years, known for his mellifluously resonant, baritone voice. He played Grail Knight in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).

Married on this date
Happy Anniversary, Eileen and Leo Sasakamoose!

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Wannabe--Spice Girls (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): One & One--Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): One & One--Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Aïcha--Khaled (7th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Freed from Desire--Gala (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Gabbertje--Hakkûhbar (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): A Different Beat--Boyzone

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Un-Break My Heart--Toni Braxton (2nd week at #1)
2 No Diggity--BLACKstreet (featuring Dr. Dre)
3 Nobody--Keith Sweat featuring Athena Cage
4 Don't Let Go (Love)--En Vogue
5 Mouth--Merril Bainbridge
6 It's All Coming Back to Me Now--Celine Dion
7 Pony--Ginuwine
8 I Finally Found Someone--Barbra Streisand/Bryan Adams
9 I'm Still in Love with You--New Edition
10 Where Do You Go--No Mercy

Singles entering the chart were I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly (#26); Without Love by Donna Lewis (#60); Nothin' But the Cavi Hit by Mack 10 & Tha Dog Pound (#65); It's Your Body by Johnny Gill featuring Roger Troutman (#83); and Sugar Honey Ice Tea by Goodfellaz (#88). I Believe I Can Fly was from the movie Space Jam (1996). Nothin' But the Cavi Hit was from the movie Rhyme & Reason (1997).

20 years ago
2001

Died on this date
John Guedel, 88. U.S. radio and television producer. Mr. Guedel created The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and co-created and produced House Party, People Are Funny, and You Bet Your Life. It was said in 1956 that he was producing as many as 25 half-hour radio and television shows per week.

Politics and government
Koloa Talake took office as Prime Minister of Tuvalu.

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Joe Simon, 98. U.S. author and illustrator. Mr. Simon created or co-created many comic book characters in the 1930s and '40s. He and partner Jack Kirby created Captain America in 1940; they also created romance comics, and were pioneers in horror comics. Mr. Simon founded the satirical magazine Sick in 1960 and edited it for almost a decade. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999.

December 10, 2021

980 years ago
1041

Died on this date
Michael IV, 31 (?). Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, 1034-1041. Michael IV "the Paphlagonian" was the son of a peasant and worked as a money changer before his brother John found him a job in the imperial court. Michael began an affair with Empress Zoë Porphyrogenita; it was believed that they conspired to murder Emperor Romanos III. Michael and Zoë were married the day of Emperor Romanos' death, and Michael was crowned Emperor the following day. He suffered from epilepsy, and entrusted most of the business of government to his brother. Emperor Michael led his troops in a successful campaign against Bulgarian rebels in 1041, but his epilepsy got worse, and he developed dropsy in both legs. The illnesses led to his death, and he was succeeded by his nephew Michael V.

480 years ago
1541

Died on this date
Francis Dereham, 32-35. English courtier. Mr. Dereham had an affair with Catherine Howard when she was a teenager and before she became the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. She made him her Private Secretary and then a Gentleman Usher of the Queen's Chamber in August 1541; when their previous relationship was exposed, Mr. Dereham admitted that there had been a pre-contract of marriage with Miss Howard, but denied that there had been any intimacy since then, and that he had been supplanted in his affections by the courtier Thomas Culpeper. Mr. Dereham was convicted of treason on December 1, and was executed at Tyburn by hanging, drawing, and quartering.

Thomas Culpeper, 27 (?). English courtier. Mr. Culpeper was a cousin of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, and a distant cousin of Catherine Howard. He was keeper of the armoury when he began an affair with Queen Catherine in 1541. The affair was discovered, and Mr. Culpeper was tried with Mr. Dereham and convicted of treason. Because of his previous status as a favourite, he was spared Mr. Dereham's punishment, and was executed at Tyburn by beheading. The heads of both men were displayed on London Bridge.

170 years ago
1851

Born on this date
Melvil Dewey. U.S. librarian. Mr. Dewey founded The Library Journal in 1876; he was one of the founders of the American Library Association, and was its secretary (1876-1891) and president (1891-1893). He was chief librarian of Columbia University Libraries (1883-1888); director of the New York State Library (1888-1906); and secretary and executive officer of the University of the State of New York (1888-1900). Mr. Dewey established the standard dimensions for catalogue cards, but was best known for creating the Dewey Decimal System of classification system, first published in 1876. He had a reputation for sexually harassing women, which finally forced his resignation as N.Y. State Library director and from active participation in the ALA. Mr. Dewey founded the Lake Placid Club as a resort in 1895, with a policy that barred Jews, Negroes, and other minorities from membership. He died from a stroke on December 26, 1931, 16 days after his 80th birthday.

160 years ago
1861

War
Forces led by Nguyễn Trung Trực, an anti-colonial guerrilla leader in southern Vietnam, sank the French lorcha L'Esperance.

Americana
The Confederate States of America accepted a rival state government's pronouncement that declared Kentucky to be the 13th state of the Confederacy.

130 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis. Governor General of Canada, 1946-1952. Field Marshal Alexander served with distinction in both World Wars, and was Commander-in-Chief of British forces in the Middle East during World War II. He was created Viscount Alexander of Tunis and was appointed Governor General of Canada, a role in which he was popular and effective. Viscount Alexander returned to England in 1952 and was given a peerage in order to join the cabinet of Prime Minister Winston Churchill as Secretary of Defense from 1952-1954. Earl Alexander died on June 16, 1969 at the age of 77. Alexander Circle in Edmonton, the street on which this blogger spent his earliest years, is named in his honour.

Nelly Sachs. German-born Swedish poet and playwright. Miss Sachs was Jewish, and fled Germany with her mother in 1940 when Nazi persecution of Jews in Germany increased. She was awarded the 1966 Nobel Prize in Literature "for her outstanding lyrical and dramatic writing, which interprets Israel's destiny with touching strength." Miss Sachs died on May 12, 1970 at the age of 78.

Transportation
The Calgary and Edmonton Railway, built in 1890-91, was absorbed by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

125 years ago
1896

Theatre
Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry received its premiere performance at Théâtre de l'Œuvre at the Nouveau-Théâtre in Paris. The production was regarded as offensive and obscene by many, and a riot broke out at the end of what turned out to be its only performance.

Born on this date
Torsten Bergström. Swedish actor. Mr. Bergström was best known as a stage actor with several companies in Stockholm, but also appeared in 32 movies from 1919 until his death on May 26, 1948 at the age of 51.

Died on this date
Alfred Nobel, 63. Swedish chemist and engineer. Mr. Nobel became fluent in six languages, and obtained the first of 355 patents at the age of 24. His best-known invention was dynamite, which he patented in 1867. Mr. Nobel acquired the weapons manufacturing firm Bofors-Gullspång in 1894. When his brother Ludwig died in 1888, several newspapers erroneously printed Alfred's obituary, with one accusing him of being a war profiteer and killer. The accusation prompted Mr. Nobel to create the Nobel Prizes to recognize those who "conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Mr. Nobel was accused of high treason against France for selling the propellant ballistite to Italy, so he moved from Paris to Sanremo, Italy in 1891, and died there from a stroke.

Transportation
The Province of British Columbia declared the Red Mountain Railway complete.

120 years ago
1901

World events
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in Stockholm. The winners were Wilhelm Roentgen of Germany (Physics), for his discovery of X-rays; Jacobus Henricus van't Hoff of the Netherlands (Chemistry), for his discovery of the laws of chemical dynamics and osmotic pressure in solutions; Emil Adolf von Behring of Germany (Physiology or Medicine), for his work on serum therapy, especially its application against diphtheria; and Sully Prudhomme of France (Literature), for his poetry. The Nobel Peace Prize was (and still is) presented in Oslo in honour of the king of Norway, and the winners were Henry Dunant of Switzerland, for his role in founding the International Committee of the Red Cross; and Frederic Passy of France, for being one of the main founders of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the main organizer of the Universal Peace Congress.

110 years ago 1911 Born on this date
Chet Huntley. U.S. journalist. Mr. Huntley was a radio newscaster with CBS from 1939-1951 and ABC from 1951-1955 before joining NBC in 1955. In 1956 he was teamed with David Brinkley to provide television coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions, and the combination proved so successful that they became the network's regular evening newscasters. The Huntley-Brinkley Report ran on NBC from 1956-1970, when Mr. Huntley retired. He died of lung cancer on March 20, 1974 at the age of 62.

Died on this date
Joseph Dalton Hooker, 94. U.K. botanist and explorer. Sir Joseph, the son of botanist Sir William Jackson Hooker, obtained a medical degree and served as Assistant-Surgeon on HMS Erebus with Captain James Clark Ross's Antarctic expedition to the South Magnetic Pole (1839-1843). He worked with the Geological Survey of Great Britain (1846-1847), and was granted a leave for an expedition to the Himalayas and India (1847-1851). Dr. Hooker also conducted expeditions to Palestine (1860), Morocco (1871), and the western United States (1877). He was appointed Assistant-Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1855, and succeeded his father as Director, holding the position from 1865-1885. Sir Joseph was a friend of Charles Darwin and one of the earliest scientists to support the theory of evolution. Sir Joseph wrote numerous articles and monographs, with longer books that included the seven-volume The Flora of British India (1872-1897).

100 years ago
1921

Born on this date
Toh Chin Chye. Singaporean politician. Mr. Toh, a reader in physiology by profession, was a chairman of the People's Action Party (1954-1981), and held various cabinet posts, including Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore (1959-1968). He died in his sleep on February 3, 2012 at the age of 90.

80 years ago
1931

At the movies
The Struggle, the last movie directed by the legendary D.W. Griffith, opened in theatres in New York City. It ran there for just eight days, had three-day runs in Boston and Philadelphia, and as far as I know, was screened nowhere else during its initial release.



80 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Colin Kelly, 26. U.S. military aviator. Captain Kelly was a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress pilot who flew bombing runs against the Japanese Navy in the first days after the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was killed when his B-17 exploded, but before the explosion he had ordered his crew to bail out, earning him a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross.

War
The British Royal Navy capital ships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy torpedo bombers in the South China Sea near Malaya. Imperial Japanese forces under the command of General Masaharu Homma landed on the Philippine island of Luzon; U.S. bases and Manila suburbs were bombed, while the U.S. War Department reported that American bombers had sunk the Japanese battleship Haruna off northern Luzon. Japanese forces captured Kota Bharu, an air base on the east coast of northern Malaya. The British command claimed that U.K. troops had broken the siege of Tobruk, Libya. A Soviet communique reported that Elets, 225 miles south of Moscow in the Orel sector, had been recaptured. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the Defense Communications Board to take over or close any private radio facilities if deemed necessary by the Army or Navy. U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle reported that 2,303 "enemy aliens"--1,291 Japanese, 865 Germans, and 147 Italians--had been arrested for internment. U.S. Office of Production Management Director General William Knudsen called for a 24-hour day, seven-day week in war industries in announcing a victory program in Washington. Washington state police reported that fires in the form of arrows pointing toward Seattle had been found and extinguished the previous night.

Defense
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull proposed before the governing board of the Pan American Union that a meeting of foreign ministers of the American republics be held in Rio de Janeiro in January 1942 to discuss hemispheric defense.

Politics and government
Louis St. Laurent was sworn in as Minister of Justice in the cabinet of Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, succeeding the late Ernest Lapointe.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Production Management banned the sale of new tires for civilian use through December 22, 1941.

Business
A Motion Picture Industry Conference Committee was organized in Chicago by film producers, distributors, and exhibitors to coordinate action on taxation, advertising, and general practices.

Disasters
The new U.S. freighter Oregon sank after colliding with a U.S. Navy ship south of Cape Cod; nine men drowned and eight were missing.

Boxing
The Boxing Writers Association of New York awarded the Edward J. Neil Memorial Plaque to world heavyweight champion Joe Louis as the outstanding boxer of the year.

75 years ago
1946

Died on this date
Damon Runyon, 66. U.S. writer. Mr. Runyon, born Alfred Damon Runyan, covered baseball and boxing for Hearst newspapers for many years, but was probably best known for his short stories about colourful characters in New York City in the 1920s and '30s. The Broadway musical Guys and Dolls (1950) was based on two of his stories. Mr. Runyon was a heavy smoker who died of lung cancer.

Walter Johnson, 59. U.S. baseball pitcher and manager. Mr. Johnson, nicknamed "The Big Train," played with the Washington Nationals from 1907-1927, compiling a record of 417-279 with an earned run average of 2.17 in 802 games. His career total of 3,502 strikeouts was the major league record until 1983, and he remains the record holder with 110 shutouts. Mr. Johnson's career win total is second to Cy Young, and was a major factor in becoming one of the first five men--and the first pitcher--to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Mr. Johnson was also a dangerous hitter, batting .235 with 24 home runs and 255 runs batted in in 933 games. He managed the Nationals from 1929-1932 and the Cleveland Indians from 1933-1935, compiling a record of 529-432. Mr. Johnson died of a brain tumour.

Television
CBS announced the development of a receiver capable of handling either black and white or colour images.

Aviation
The U.S. Army Air Forces disclosed that their first rocket plane, the Bell XS-1, capable of 1,700 miles per hour at an altitude of 80,000 feet, had been successfully flown at Muroc Lake, California.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly approved, despite Soviet opposition, a draft constitution for the International Refugee Organization.

Defense
U.S.S.R. Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov agreed in the UN General Assembly to a British proposal for creation of a veto-free international commission to inspect troops and armaments of all nations.

Politics and government
Allied commanders in Berlin approved the 14 new members of the city's council of aldermen.

Labour
General Motors President Charles Wilson, head of U.S. President Harry Truman's civil rights commission, proposed a five-point labour law program which would outlaw industry-wide bargaining and compulsory unionization as well as sympathy strikes and boycotts.

70 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Angry Birds, starring John Forsythe, Constance Dowling, and Vaughn Taylor



Died on this date
Algernon Blackwood, 82. U.K. writer. Mr. Blackwood worked as a journalist in Britain and the United States, but was primarily known for his supernatural fiction, particularly the novellas The Willows (1907) and The Wendigo (1910). He died after a series of strokes.

War
A company of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry carried out a raid behind Hill 277 in Korea, while the Royal Canadian Regiment sent a 35-man fighting patrol against Hill 166; both patrols reached their objectives and brought back useful information on enemy defenses.

Germanica
The southwest states of Baden, Wuerttemberg-Baden, and Wuerttemberg-Hohenzollern voted in a plebiscite to merge.

Politics and government
King George VI of Great Britain resumed his state duties after his recovery from a lung operation.

Nebraska Governor Val Peterson (Republican) named conservative newspaper publisher Fred Seaton (Republican) to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Kenneth Wherry (Republican).

Crime
The Dade County sheriff's office deputized 50 Jewish war veterans to help guard Miami synagogues after the fifth dynamiting attempt against Jewish centres in the past six months failed.

U.S. author Dashiell Hammett was released from prison in Ashland, Kentucky after serving a six-month sentence for contempt of court.

Technology
The first gas turbine helicopter was tested in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Transportation
East Germany announced the completion of a new system of railroads around Berlin, circumventing the Western sectors.

Oil
Iran agreed to participate in International Court hearings on Britain's complaint against nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.

Economics and finance
World Bank President Eugene Black dismissed as "unrealistic" proposals that his organization lend $1 billion per year to backward countries.

Labour
United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis announced that his union and soft coal operators had joined in a plan for increased coal shipments to Western Europe, involving the creation of a union-industry corporation which would charter "mothballed" U.S. Liberty ships.

Disasters
A typhoon swept the central Philippines, causing 569 deaths.

60 years ago
1961

Diplomacy
African National Congress President Albert Luthuli of South Africa accepted the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. He used his acceptance speech to denounce the South African racial policy of apartheid and to appeal for racial equality. Mr. Luthuli was awarded the prize "for his role in the non-violent struggle against apartheid in South Africa." He was put under a travel ban by the South African government and was unable to accept the prize in 1960, but the ban was lifted for 10 days in order for him to travel to Oslo to accept the prize.



Hockey
Canadian junior
Teams from Drummondville and Montreal played in the first game ever played at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal. 3,000 people attended the game, including Maurice "Rocket" Richard, who had retired from the Montreal Canadiens in 1960 after an 18-year Hall of Fame career. Formal ceremonies for the arena's opening took place in January 1962.

Football
NFL
Cleveland (8-5) 14 @ Chicago (7-6) 17
Dallas (4-8-1) 13 @ St. Louis (6-7) 31
Green Bay (10-3) 21 @ San Francisco (7-5-1) 22
Minnesota (3-10) 7 @ Detroit (8-4-1) 13
New York (10-3) 28 @ Philadelphia (9-4) 24
Pittsburgh (6-7) 30 @ Washington (0-12-1) 14

AFL
Buffalo (6-8) 10 @ San Diego (12-1) 28
Denver (3-11) 21 @ Dallas (5-8) 49
Houston (9-3-1) 48 @ New York (7-6) 21

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey--Paul & Linda McCartney (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Mamy Blue--Pop Tops (6th week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Mammy Blue--Charisma (8th week at #1)
2 Amen--Peanutbutter Conspiracy
3 Butterfly--Danyel Gerard
4 Get Me Some Help--Neville Whitmill
5 You--Peter Maffay
6 Never Ending Song of Love--The New Seekers
7 Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast--Daniel Boone
8 The Desiderata--Les Crane
9 Cousin Norman--Marmalade
10 I Believe (in Love)--Hot Chocolate

Singles entering the chart were Till by Tom Jones (#18); Soley Soley by Middle of the Road (#19); and (Is This the Way to) Amarillo by Tony Christie (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
2 Brand New Key--Melanie
3 Hey Girl--Donny Osmond
4 The Desiderata--Les Crane
5 It's a Cryin' Shame--Gayle McCormick
6 Two Divided by Love--The Grass Roots
7 Devil You--Stampeders
8 Wild Night--Van Morrison
9 Stones--Neil Diamond
10 No Good to Cry--The Poppy Family

Singles entering the chart were Can I Get a Witness by Lee Michaels (#29); and (I Know) I'm Losing You by Rod Stewart with Faces (#30).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 Have You Seen Her--Chi-Lites
2 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
3 Got to be There--Michael Jackson
4 Brand New Key--Melanie
5 Family Affair--Sly & the Family Stone
6 Can I Get a Witness--Lee Michaels
7 (I Know) I'm Losing You--Rod Stewart with Faces
8 Stones--Neil Diamond
9 No Good to Cry--The Poppy Family
10 Lovin' You Ain't Easy--Pagliaro

Singles entering the chart were Life in the Bloodstream by the Guess Who (#19, charting with its A-side, Sour Suite); American Pie by Don McLean (#27); Tightrope Ride by the Doors (#36); Take it Slow (Out in the Country) by Lighthouse (#37); Hey Big Brother by Rare Earth (#38); George Jackson by Bob Dylan (#39); and One Monkey Don't Stop No Show by the Honey Cone (#40).

Baseball
In one of the worst trades in history, the New York Mets traded pitchers Nolan Ryan and Don Rose, outfielder Leroy Stanton, and catcher Frank Estrada to the California Angels for shortstop Jim Fregosi. Mr. Ryan was 10-14 with an earned run average of 3.97 in 30 games with New York in 1971; Mr. Rose was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 1 game with the Mets, and 11-10 with a 3.33 ERA in 31 games with the Tidewater Tides of the AAA International League. Mr. Stanton batted .190 with no home runs and 2 runs batted in in 5 games with the Mets, and .324 with 23 home runs and 104 runs batted in in 139 games with Tidewater in 1971. Mr. Estrada hit .500 (1 for 2) with no homers or RBIs in 1 game with the Mets, .252 with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs in 51 games with the Memphis Blues of the AA Dixie Association, and .260 with 6 homers and 21 RBIs in 58 games with Tidewater in 1971. Mr. Fregosi hit .233 with 5 homers and 33 RBIs in 107 games with California in 1971.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CFRN)
1 Young Turks--Rod Stewart
2 Hooked on Classics--The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
3 Waiting for a Girl Like You--Foreigner
4 Yesterday's Songs--Neil Diamond
5 Steal the Night--Stevie Woods
6 Oh No--Commodores
7 Harden My Heart--Quarterflash
8 Wired for Sound--Cliff Richard
9 Take Off--Bob and Doug McKenzie
10 Leather and Lace--Stevie Nicks with Don Henley

Health
A mysterious disease mainly affecting sodomites and later known as AIDS, was causing increasing concern in the United States.

30 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Greta Kempton, 90. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. artist. Miss Kempton, a native of Vienna, emigrated to the United States in the 1920s. She was a portrait painter who became the official White House artist during the administration of President Harry Truman (1947-1953). Miss Kempton died from heart failure.

Tippy Larkin, 74. U.S. boxer. Mr. Larkin, born Antonio Pilliteri, was world light welterweight champion in 1946, but vacated the title after just one defense because of his inability to maintain the weight. He compiled a record of 136-59-1-1 in a professional career spanning 1935-1952.

War
The Canadian Defense Department said that the Gulf War had cost Canada $690 million, below the $1 billion anticipated.

25 years ago
1996

Died on this date
Faron Young, 64. U.S. musician. Mr. Young was a country singer who had numerous hit singles from the early 1950s through the mid-1970s; his biggest hit, Hello Walls, reached #1 on the Billboard country chart and crossed over to reach #12 on the Hot 100 pop singles chart. Mr. Young's career declined in later years, and he became a heavy drinker and suffered from depression. He committed suicide by shooting himself. Mr. Young was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000.

Politics and government
The new Constitution of South Africa was promulgated by Nelson Mandela.

20 years ago
2001

At the movies
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the first in a three-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy trilogy, received its premiere screening at the Odeon Leicester Square in London. It was directed by Peter Jackson, and starred Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and many others.





Died on this date
Ashok Kumar, 90. Indian actor. Mr. Kumar, whose real name was Kumudlal Ganguly, was one of the biggest stars in the history of Indian cinema, appearing in more than 300 films and television programs in a career spanning more than 60 years, with his greatest popularity occurring in the 1940s. He was also a qualified homeopath, and acquired a reputation for delivering miracle cures. Mr. Kumar died of heart failure.

10 years ago
2011

Football
NCAA
Navy 27 Army 21 @ FedExField, Washington