December 27, 2010

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Marilyn Draper!

660 years ago
1350

Born on this date
John I. King of Aragon, Valencia, and Majorca, 1387-1396. John I "the Hunter" acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Peter IV. King John abandoned his father's Anglophile foreign policy in favour of a Francophile policy, and supported Avignon Pope Clement VII. John I died when he fell from his horse while hunting on May 19, 1396 at the age of 45, and was succeeded on the throne by his younger brother Martin.

140 years ago
1870

Politics and government
Manitoba, which had become a province of Canada on July 15, 1870, held its first provincial election. The coalition government of Lieutenant Governor Adams George Archibald took 17 of 24 seats in the Legislative Assembly, with the opposition Canadian Party, led by John Christian Schultz, winning 5, and 2 independent candidates being elected.

110 years ago
1900

Society
Prohibition activist Carrie Nation arrived in Wichita, Kansas, and used her hatchet to smash the bar at the Carey Hotel.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Charles Olson. U.S. poet. Mr. Olson worked in the Foreign Language Division of the U.S. Office of War Information during World War II before beginning his career in poetry. He advocated a poetic metre based only on the poet's breathing rather than syntax and logic, and coined the term "postmodern" in 1951. Mr. Olson was influenced by various sources and cultures in his poetry, and he in turn influenced many avant-garde poets, especially in the 1950s. He drank and smoked heavily, which led to his death from liver disease on January 10, 1970, two weeks after his 59th birthday. Mr. Olson's best-known work was the multi-volume The Maximus Poems (1953-1983), which he was attempting to complete at the time of his death.

70 years ago
1940

Divorced on this date
Entertainers Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler were divorced in New York after 12 years of marriage.

Movies
After a protest by Italian Ambassador to Argentina Raffaele Biscarelli, screenings of The Great Dictator were prohibited in Buenos Aires.

War
The unofficial three-day "Christmas truce" ended when German bombers attacked London. Germany accused Britain of violating the truce by bombing French and German cities on December 26. The United Kingdom reported that a captured Italian officer claimed that Italian Duce Benito Mussolini had ordered the 20,000 Italian troops surrounded in Bardia, Libya to defend the base "at all costs." Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that a sea raider flying Japanese colours had recently shelled the island of Nauru in the western Pacific Ocean; Nauru, undefended under the terms of the League of Nations mandate, was jointly administered by the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. U.S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler (Democrat--Montana) defined the "just" peace he urged President Franklin D. Roosevelt to try to bring about as one whose terms the belligerents would be willing to accept in preference to continuing the European war. The New York Chapter of the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, which had 16,000 members, said in a statement, "Peace is possible for us only if Britain wins."

Defense
The U.S. Federal Register disclosed that President Franklin D. Roosevelt had ordered an additional 42,000 National Guardsmen into active service between January 6-17, 1941. Mr. Roosevelt said that he had turned over the Congress of Industrial Organizations proposal to produce 500 planes daily by using unused atomobile plant space and equipment to the new defense council.

Diplomacy
British High Commissioner Sir Harold MacMichael announced that no quota for immigration to Palestine would be set for the period of October 1940 through March 1941.

Economics and finance
The Japanese cabinet approved an expanded domestic steel production scheme to meet the U.S. scrap iron embargo.

Transportation
Mexican President Manuel Avila Camacho's program to establish government management of the nation's railroads was completed when the Senate unanimously endorsed the legislation.

Religion
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes received the Inter-Faith Award of the National Council of Christians and Jews in Washington, and said that sacred basic individual rights must be upheld regardless of race or creed in order to preserve liberty.

60 years ago
1950

Movies
The New York Film Critics Circle announced its awards for 1950. The winners were: Picture--All About Eve; Director--Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve); Actor--Gregory Peck (Twelve O'Clock High); Actress--Bette Davis (All About Eve); Foreign Language Film--L'Amore.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman appointed Stanton Griffis as U.S. Ambassador to Spain, reversing his repeated refusals to exchange envoys with Spanish dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco. Spain named former Foreign Minister Jose Lequerica as her Ambassador to the United States.

Defense
U.S. High Commissioner for Occupied Germany John McCloy said that he had been instructed to press for an agreement on the use of German troops "as a matter of urgency."

Politics and government
A 23-day conference in The Hague ended with Dutch and Indonesian negotiators failing to agree on the future political status of Western New Guinea.

Crime
U.S. federal authorities in New York freed Mrs. Carmen Torresola, widow of the Puerto Rican nationalist slain in his November 1, 1950 assassination attempt on President Truman, for lack of evidence that she was implicated in the assassination conspiracy.

Economics and finance
Defense activity pushed New York Stock Exchange prices up to their highest levels since March 1931.

50 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Rendezvous, starring Georgann Johnson and H.M. Wynant



Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Man Who Found the Money, starring Arthur Hill and Rod Cameron

Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Cheaters, starring Mildred Dunnock, Harry Townes, Jack Weston, Paul Newlan, and Henry Daniell



Defense
France completed its third test of a nuclear device, exploding a bomb at Reggan in southwestern Algeria.

Boxing
Cassius Clay (2-0) scored a technical knockout of Herb Siler (5-2) exactly 1 minute into the 4th round of a heavyweight bout at Miami Beach Auditorium. The bout had been scheduled for a maximum of 8 rounds.

40 years ago
1970

Theatre
The musical Hello, Dolly! closed at the St. James Theatre on Broadway in New York after a run of 2,844 performances since January 16, 1964.

War
An Israeli airborne force attacked a major Palestinian commando base in the village of Yater, four miles inside Lebanon.

Disasters
25 were killed and 25 injured when two Brazilian trains collided and plunged into a ravine near Belo Horizonte.

Football
NFL
NFC divisional playoff
San Francisco 17 @ Minnesota 14

San Francisco quarterback John Brodie completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dick Witcher in the 1st quarter and rushed 1 yard for a touchdown in the 4th quarter as the 49ers held off the Vikings before 45,103 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington for the first playoff win in their 25-year history. The Vikings scored first on a 22-yard fumble return by Paul Krause, and scored last on a 24-yard pass from Gary Cuozzo to Gene Washington, both converted by Fred Cox. Bruce Gossett converted both San Francisco touchdowns and added a 40-yard field goal in the 2nd quarter, which turned out to be the difference in the game. Ken Willard led the 49ers with 27 carries for 85 yards, and caught 1 pass for 18. Clint Jones led the Vikings with 15 carries for 60 yards, while teammate John Henderson led all receivers with 5 catches for 80 yards. Mr. Cuozzo completed just 9 of 27 passes for 146 yards and 2 interceptions.





AFC divisional playoff
Miami 14 @ Oakland 21

Daryle Lamonica completed touchdown passes of 22 yards to Fred Biletnikoff in the 2nd quarter and 82 yards to Rod Sherman in the 4th quarter, and defensive back Willie Brown returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter as the Raiders held off the Dolphins before 52,594 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. George Blanda converted all 3 Oakland touchdowns. The Dolphins opened the scoring in the 2nd quarter on a 16-yard pass from Bob Griese to Paul Warfield and closed the scoring on a 7-yard pass from Mr. Griese to Willie Richardson, both converted by Garo Yepremian. Mr. Lamonica completed just 8 of 16 passes for 187 yards, while Mr. Griese was 13 for 27 for 155 yards and 2 interceptions. For the Dolphins, it was the first playoff game in their 5-year history, and concluded their first season under head coach Don Shula.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): You and Me--Spargo (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Super Trouper--ABBA (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: There's No-one Quite Like Grandma--St Winifred's School Choir (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): There's No One Quite Like Grandma--St Winifred's School Choir

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40)
: Santa Maria--Roland Kaiser (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon
2 More than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
3 Love on the Rocks--Neil Diamond
4 Lady--Kenny Rogers
5 Hungry Heart--Bruce Springsteen
6 Every Woman in the World--Air Supply
7 Guilty--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)
8 The Tide is High--Blondie
9 Hit Me with Your Best Shot--Pat Benatar
10 Tell it Like it Is--Heart

Singles entering the chart were United Together by Aretha Franklin (#81); Merry Christmas in the NFL by Willis "The Guard" & Vigorish (#82); (Ghost) Riders in the Sky by the Outlaws (#83); Don't Want No-Body by the Outlaws (#88); and Got to Rock On by Kansas (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon
2 Lady--Kenny Rogers
3 More Than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
4 Master Blaster (Jammin’)--Stevie Wonder
5 Another One Bites the Dust--Queen
6 Love on the Rocks--Neil Diamond
7 Hit Me with Your Best Shot--Pat Benatar
8 Hungry Heart--Bruce Springsteen
9 Guilty--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)
10 The Tide is High--Blondie

Singles entering the chart were Seven Bridges Road by the Eagles (#58); United Together by Aretha Franklin (#88); Hold On, Hold Out by Jackson Browne (#89); Seasons by Charles Fox (#95); Theme from "Ordinary People" by Marvin Hamlisch (#96); and Watching You by Slave (#98). Theme from "Ordinary People", was, as the title indicates, from the movie.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon
2 Another One Bites the Dust--Queen
3 Love on the Rocks--Neil Diamond
4 Lady--Kenny Rogers
5 More than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
6 Guilty--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)
7 Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)--Waylon
8 Every Woman in the World--Air Supply
9 Hit Me with Your Best Shot--Pat Benatar
10 Hungry Heart--Bruce Springsteen

Singles entering the chart were Seven Bridges Road by the Eagles (#59); Back in Black by AC/DC (#92); Watching You by Slave (#93); Breakfast in America by Supertramp (#94); Fantastic Voyage by Lakeside (#99); and Too Tight by Con Funk Shun (#100).

#1 single in Canada (RPM): (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon (2nd week at #1)

Winnipeg’s Top 10 (CKY)
1 Wasn’t That a Party--The Rovers
2 (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon
3 Love on the Rocks--Neil Diamond
4 Guilty--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)
5 The Tide is High--Blondie
6 Every Woman in the World--Air Supply
7 More Than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
8 Passion--Rod Stewart
9 Suddenly--Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard
10 Tell it Like it Is--Heart

Winnipeg’s Top 10 (CFRW)
1 (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon
2 Love on the Rocks--Neil Diamond
3 More Than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
4 Guilty--Barbra Steisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)
5 Hungry Heart--Bruce Springsteen
6 The Tide is High--Blondie
7 De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da--The Police
8 Passion--Rod Stewart
9 Wasn’t That a Party--The Rovers
10 Lady--Kenny Rogers

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 (Just Like) Starting Over--John Lennon
2 More than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
3 Hungry Heart--Bruce Springsteen
4 Whip It--Devo
5 Don't Stand So Close to Me--The Police
6 Generals and Majors--XTC
7 Ashes to Ashes--David Bowie
8 Johnny and Mary--Robert Palmer
9 Passion--Rod Stewart
10 Sometimes a Fantasy--Billy Joel

Singles entering the chart were I Ain't Gonna Stand for It by Stevie Wonder (#29); and Stealin' the Night by J.C. Stone (#30).

War
Leftist guerrillas in El Salvador mounted an offensive against government troops in the northern area of the country, and heavy fighting was under way. Estimates of the guerrilla strength ranged from 2,500-10,000 trained troops.

Protest
Afghans living in Iran stormed the U.S.S.R. embassy in Tehran, protesting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan on the first anniversary of the event. The protesters broke into the compound, burned a Soviet flag, and were then dispersed by Iranian police.

Disasters
It was reported that floods in the Pacific Northwest of the United States had washed away more than a dozen homes in Washington and killed two people in Oregon.

25 years ago
1985

Terrorism
18 people were killed and 120 injured in simultaneous attacks at airports in Rome and Vienna.

20 years ago
1990

Politics and government
The fourth session of the Congress of People’s Deputies, the overall Soviet parliament, closed with only a partial victory for President Mikhail Gorbachev. Though the deputies approved his proposed reorganization of the central government’s executive branch and accepted in principle his union treaty, the Congress denied Mr. Gorbachev some new powers he had sought.

Canadian Immigration Minister Barbara McDougall announced a five-year, $332-million agreement to give Québec control of cultural integration of immigrants to the province.

10 years ago
2000

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 0 @ Pittsburgh 5

Playing his first game in more than 3½ years, Mario Lemieux scored a goal and 2 assists to lead the Penguins over the Maple Leafs before a capacity crowd of 17,148 at Mellon Arena.