November 24, 2011

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Brenda Heaps and Fermina Martinez!

270 years ago
1741

Died on this date
Ulrika Eleonora, 53. Queen of Sweden, 1718-1720. Ulrika Eleonora, the youngest child of King Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, was Queen Regnant of Sweden from 1718-1720 and Queen Consort to King Frederick I from 1720 until her death from smallpox.

200 years ago
1811

Born on this date
Ulrich Ochsenbein. 1st President of the Swiss National Council, 1848. Mr. Ochsenbein held several offices before being elected to the Swiss Federal Council in 1848. He was voted out of office in 1854. Mr. Ochsenbein died on November 3, 1890, three weeks before his 79th birthday.

140 years ago
1871

Americana
The National Rifle Association was incorporated.

130 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Al Christie. Canadian-born U.S. film director, producer, and screenwriter. Mr. Christie, a native of London, Ontario, began his cinematic career in New Jersey with Centaur Film Company in 1909 and moved to Hollywood in 1911 to manage Centaur's west coast unit, the Nestor Film Company, which established the first permanent movie studio in Hollywood in October 1911. Mr. Christie and his brother Charles formed Christie Film Company in 1916, making comedies that relied more on humourous and embarrassing situations and were more slowly paced than those at other studios. In the late 1920s, Mr. Christie produced some of the first sound movies with Negro casts. The Christie Film Company went into receivership in 1933, and Mr. Christie worked with Educational Pictures as a director of short comedies, including Bob Hope in his first film, Going Spanish (1934), and Buster Keaton in The Chemist (1936). Mr. Christie died on April 14, 1951 at the age of 69.

120 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Vasil Gendov. Bulgarian actor, director, and screenwriter. Mr. Gendov, born Vasil Hadzhigendov, was best known for writing, directing, and starring in Bulgaria's first feature-length film, Bulgaran is Gallant (1915). He also produced Bulgaria's first sound film, The Slave's Revolt (1933). Mr. Gendov died on September 3, 1970 at the age of 78.

Died on this date
Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, 60. U.K. diplomat, politician, and poet. Lord Lytton joined the Diplomatic Service in 1849 and held posts in numerous European countries before serving as Viceroy and Governor-General of India (1876-1880). He was criticized for his handling of the Great Famine (1876-1878), with his policies said to be influenced by his social Darwinism. Lord Lytton ordered an invasion that began the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1878; the war was short and bloody, although the British ended up winning. Lord Lytton was elevated to the House of Lords in 1881, and returned to diplomacy in 1887, serving as British Ambassador to France until his death in Paris, 16 days after his 60th birthday. Lord Lytton wrote several volumes of poetry under the pseudonym Owen Meredith, but was accused of plagiarizing several of his works.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Joe Medwick. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Medwick was a left fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals (1932-1940, 1947-1948); Brooklyn Dodgers (1940-1943, 1946); New York Giants (1943-1945); and Boston Braves (1945), batting .324 with 205 home runs and 1,383 runs batted in in 1,984 games. He won the triple crown in 1937, leading the National League with a .374 batting percentage, tying with Mel Ott of the New York Giants for the lead in home runs with 31, and leading the NL with 154 RBIs. Mr. Medwick is perhaps best remembered for the seventh game of the 1934 World Series; his aggressive play during the Cardinals' 11-0 rout of the hometown Detroit Tigers led the fans at Briggs Stadium to pelt him with refuse in left field, and baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis ordered Mr. Medwick pulled from the game for his own safety. Mr. Medwick was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968; he may have been inducted sooner, but his abrasive personality and the fact that he campaigned openly for election probably delayed his induction by several years. He worked as a hitting instructor in the Cardinals' farm system until his death from a heart attack on March 21, 1975 at the age of 63 at training camp in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Kirby Grant. U.S. actor. Mr. Grant, born Kirby Grant Hoon, Jr., appeared in "B" movies and starred in the television series Sky King (1951-1959). He was killed in a car accident at the age of 73 on October 30, 1985, while on his way to Cape Canaveral, Florida to watch the launch of the U.S. space shuttle Challenger.

90 years ago
1921

Football
APFA
Canton (3-1-3) 14 @ Akron (7-2-1) 0
Buffalo (7-0-2) 7 @ Chicago Staleys (6-1) 6

70 years ago
1941

War
German forces claimed to have captured a village 31 miles from Moscow. The United Kingdom announced that New Zealand forces had captured Gambut, an Axis supply base midway between Bardia and Tobruk on the Libyan coast.

The Ecuadorian government announced that Ecuador and Peru would free all prisoners captured during the recent border conflict.

Defense
The Free French delegation announced in New York that the U.S.A. had agreed to extend Lend-Lease aid to the armies of General Charles de Gaulle in Africa and Syria.

The U.S. administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that American troops had been sent to Dutch Guinea to help Dutch troops protect bauxite mines.

A U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that members of the Iroquois Confederacy were American citizens and subject to military service.

World events
Panama City police arrested nine people on charges of preparing to overthrow the government of President Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia.

Terrorism
The U.S. consulate in Saigon was wrecked by a bomb, but no one was injured.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the California Anti-Migrant Act, which barred indigent migrants, "is an unconstitutional barrier to interstate commerce."

U.S. Federal Judge Guy Bard dismissed the indictments of former Judge J. Warren Davis and Morgan S. Kaufman on charges of conspiring to obstruct justice.

60 years ago
1951

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): My Truly, Truly Fair--Guy Mitchell; Donald Peers

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cold, Cold Heart--Tony Bennett (Best Seller--4th week at #1); It's No Sin--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra (Disc Jockey--2nd week at #1); Because of You--Tony Bennett (Jukebox--9th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (It's No) Sin--The Four Aces (4th week at #1)
--Eddy Howard
2 Because of You--Tony Bennett
--Les Baxter and his Orchestra
3 Cold, Cold Heart--Tony Bennett
4 Down Yonder--Del Wood
--Joe "Fingers" Carr
--Champ Butler
5 I Get Ideas--Tony Martin
--Louis Armstrong
6 The World is Waiting for the Sunrise--Les Paul and Mary Ford
7 And So to Sleep Again--Patti Page
8 Undecided--The Ames Brothers and Les Brown and his Band of Renown
9 Domino--Tony Martin
10 Turn Back the Hands of Time--Eddie Fisher

Singles entering the chart were Flamenco by Frankie Laine (#38) and I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You) by Guy Mitchell (#40). Flamenco was the B-side of Jealousy (Jalousie), which charted at #18. I Can't Help It was the B-side (or maybe the A-side) of There's Always Room at Our House, which charted at #44.

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Alan Wheatley and Raymond Francis, on BBC
Tonight's episode: The Red Headed League

Theatre
Gigi, written by Anita Loos, directed by Raymond Rouleau, and starring Audrey Hepburn, opened at the Fulton Theatre on Broadway in New York, to mixed reviews.

World events
14 suspected guerrillas, captured aboard an "invasion ship" travelling from Cuba to the Dominican Republic, were sentenced by the D.R. to 30-year prison terms.

Football
CRU
Grey Cup @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Ottawa 21 Saskatchewan 14

The Ottawa Rough Riders built up a 20-2 lead in the 4th quarter and hung on to beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders before a Grey Cup record crowd (to that time) of 27,326 at Varsity Stadium. Benny MacDonnell, Alton Baldwin, and Pete Karpuk scored Ottawa touchdowns. Mr. MacDonnell's touchdown, the first of the game, came on a 2-yard rush, just after Howie Turner had rushed 68 yards to the Saskatchewan 2-yard line. Bob Gain, playing his final game of Canadian football before entering the U.S. armed forces and then the National Football League, converted all 3 touchdowns. Bruce Cummings punted for 2 singles, and quarterback Tom O'Malley punted for the game's final point to give the Rough Riders an insurmountable 7-point lead. Saskatchewan quarterback Glenn Dobbs punted for 2 singles to give the Roughriders an early 2-0 lead, but they didn't score again until the 4th quarter, when Mr. Dobbs completed a pass to Jack Nix for one touchdown and handed off to Sully Glasser for another. Red Ettinger converted both.



50 years ago
1961

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Still Valley, starring Gary Merrill, Vaughn Taylor, and Ben Teague

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Hilary Wharf!

Died on this date
Ruth Chatterton, 68. U.S. actress. Miss Chatterton achieved success on Broadway before starring in movies such as Madame X (1929); Sarah and Son (1930); and Dodsworth (1936). She retired from films in the late 1930s, continuing to act occasionally on stage and television. Miss Chatterton also wrote three novels and became an aviatrix; she died a month before her 69th birthday, and three days after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Coz I Luv You--Slade (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
Rod Serling's Night Gallery, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Dark Boy, starring Elizabeth Hartman and Gale Sondergaard; Keep in Touch—We'll Think of Something, starring Alex Cord and Joanna Pettet

Crime
A man identifying himself as Dan Cooper--later mythologized as "D.B. Cooper"--hijacked a Northwest Airlines flight bound from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, demanding $200,000 and two parachutes. His demands were met, and shortly after the plane took off from Seattle with just the flight crew, flight attendant, and Mr. Cooper aboard, Mr. Cooper departed the rear of the plane with his money, jumping into a snowstorm. He and his money haven't been heard from since, although there has been recent speculation as to his identity.



Boxing
In the biggest win of his career, Larry Middleton (17-1-1) won a 10-round decision over former U.K., Commonwealth, and European champion Joe Bugner (34-4-1) in a heavyweight bout at the Ice Rink in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England.



20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Black or White--Michael Jackson

#1 single in Switzerland: (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (16th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Let's Talk About Sex!--Salt-N-Pepa (2nd week at #1)
2 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams
3 Any Dream Will Do--Jason Donovan
4 Do the Limbo Dance--David Hasselhoff
5 The Fly--U2
6 Jambo--Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
7 Something Got Me Started--Simply Red
8 Love to Hate You--Erasure
9 Wind of Change--Scorpions
10 Bacardi Feeling (Summer Dreamin')--Kate Yanai

Singles entering the chart were Black or White by Michael Jackson (#19); Good Vibrations by Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway (#24); and Crucified by Army of Lovers (#27).

Died on this date
Freddie Mercury, 45. Zanzibar-born U.K. singer. Mr. Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara, moved to England with his family in 1964. He joined the rock group Smile in 1970, and shortly thereafter changed the group's name to Queen. Mr. Mercury played piano and guitar, but was primarily known for his four-octave voice and theatrical stage presence as Queen's lead singer until his death, the day after announcing that he was HIV-positive. Mr. Mercury was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Queen in 2001, as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2003) and the UK Music Hall of Fame (2005).

Eric Carr, 41. U.S. musician. Mr. Carr, whose real name was Paul Charles Caravello, was the drummer for the rock group Kiss from 1980 until his death after a nine-month battle with heart cancer.

Football
CFL
Grey Cup @ Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg
Toronto 36 Calgary 21

Raghib "Rocket" Ismail's 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter was the decisive play as the Argonauts defeated the Stampeders before 51,985 fans--including this blogger--on a cold Sunday afternoon in the first Grey Cup to be played at Winnipeg Stadium. Mr. Ismail's touchdown was the first in Grey Cup history on a kickoff return, and was the longest Grey Cup kickoff return to date. Toronto quarterback Matt Dunigan played the entire game despite suffering from a broken collarbone, and completed just 7 passes, but 2 of his completions went for touchdowns by Darrell K. Smith and Paul Masotti. Argos' defensive back Ed Berry scored the game's first touchdown on a 50-yard interception return early in the 1st quarter. Lance Chomyc converted all 4 Argonaut touchdowns and added 2 field goals and 2 singles on missed field goals. Calgary quarterback Danny Barrett completed 34 of 56 passes--both Grey Cup records--for 377 yards. Carl Bland caught 11 of Mr. Barrett's passes for 136 yards. Mr. Barrett threw 1 touchdown pass, a 13-yard play to Allen Pitts. Mr. Barrett scored the first Calgary touchdown on a 1-yard sneak. Mark McLoughlin converted both and added 2 field goals and a single on a missed field goal. The Stampeders dominated the offensive statistics, amassing 28 first downs to 7 for the Argonauts, and 406 yards net offense to 174 for the Argonauts. For Toronto punter Hank Ilesic, it was his ninth appearance in a Grey Cup game, and his sixth time playing for the winning team. For Calgary offensive tackle Lloyd Fairbanks, it was the final game of a 17-year CFL career--and his only Grey Cup appearance.