December 2, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Amy!

420 years ago
1594

Died on this date
Gerardus Mercator, 82. Flemish cartographer. Mr. Mercator was best known for Nova et Aucta Orbis Terrae Descriptio ad Usum Navigantium Emendate Accommodata (1569), his world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing (rhumb lines) as straight lines. He was also known in his own time as a manufacturer of globes and scientific instruments.

210 years ago
1804

Politics and government
At Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Pope Pius VII crowned Napoleon Bonaparte Emperor of the French, the first French Emperor in 1,000 years.

200 years ago
1814

Died on this date
Marquis de Sade, 74. French philosopher. Donatien Alphonse François de Sade was known for his literary works promoting sexual libertinism, emphasizing violence. The words sadism and sadist are derived from his name.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Warren William. U.S. actor. Warren William Krech achieved success playing corrupt businessmen in movies such as Skyscraper Souls (1932) and The Match King (1932), and starred in movie series as Perry Mason (1934-1936); Philo Vance (1934, 1939); and the Lone Wolf (1939-1943). Mr. William died of cancer on September 24, 1948 at the age of 53.

100 years ago
1914

Football
CRU
Grey Cup Semi-Final
Hamilton Rowing Club (ORFU) 14 @ Toronto Argonauts (IRFU) 16

Glad Murphy's 70-yard touchdown rush in the 3rd quarter was the key play as the Argonauts came back from a 3-1 halftime deficit to take a 16-3 lead after 3 quarters, barely holding on to defeat the Rowing Club before 2,000 fans at Rosedale Field.

80 years ago
1934

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Today's episode: The Case of the Sealed Room

This was another episode that was adapted from one of A. Conan Doyle's non-Sherlock Holmes stories.

75 years ago
1939

Transportation
New York City's LaGuardia Airport opened.

Football
CRU
Eastern Final @ Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Ottawa (IRFU) 23 Sarnia (ORFU) 1

Orville Burke's 37-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Daley in the 1st quarter provided the Rough Riders with all the points they needed as they easily defeated the Imperials before 8,500 fans to advance to the Grey Cup against the Western Interprovincial Football Union champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers one week hence. Sammy Sward returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter, and Stan O'Neil rushed 8 yards for a TD in the 3rd quarter.

70 years ago
1944

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You Always Hurt the One You Love--The Mills Brothers (Best seller--5th week at #1); Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall--The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald (Juke Box--1st week at #1)

Died on this date
Josef Lhévinne, 69. Russian-born U.S. musician. Mr. Lhévinne, born Josef Arkadievich Levin, was a leading concert pianist for several decades, but was perhaps better known as a teacher of piano. His book Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing (1924) is considered a classic text. Mr. Lhévinne died of a heart attack 11 days before his 70th birthday.

Eiji Sawamura, 27. Japanese baseball pitcher. Mr. Sawamura played with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Baseball League from 1936-1943, compiling a record of 63-22 with an earned run average of 1.74. He pitched 3 no-hitters, including the first in JBL history in 1936. Mr. Sawamura's best season was 1937, when he was 33-10 with an ERA of 1.38. He enlisted in the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, and was killed in battle near Yakushima when his ship was torpedoed. The Sawamura Award, first presented in 1947, is given to the outstanding pitcher in Japanese baseball each season. Mr. Sawamura was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1959.

War
U.S. troops in Germany fought their way into Saarlautern on the Saar front. The Soviet offensive in southwestern Hungary gained another 15 miles, coming to within 75 miles of the Austrian border.

Economics and finance
The U.S. War Production Board disclosed that it had approved a $500-million building program to increase facilities for mortar ammunition.

60 years ago
1954

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC
Tonight's episode: The Mazarin Stone

At the movies
The Other Woman, written, produced, and directed by Hugo Haas, and starring Mr. Haas and Cleo Moore, opened in theatres.



Music
The London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stanford Robinson, concluded two days of recording Piano Concerto in A-minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg, with Winifred Atwell as the featured soloist, at Kingsway Hall in London. The session was recorded in stereo for Decca Records--one of the first classical recordings to be made in stereo in the United Kingdom--but was released only in mono.

Politics and government
The United States Senate voted 65--22 to censure Senator Joseph McCarthy (Republican--Wisconsin) for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute" (see also here and here).

Defense
The Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, between the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) was signed in Washington, D.C.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Honestly Love You--Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Rock Your Baby--George McCrae (6th week at #1)

Football
NFL
Cincinnati (7-5) 3 @ Miami (9-3) 24

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in France (SNEP): Besoin de rien, envie de toi--Peter and Sloane (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: When the Rain Begins to Fall--Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora (2nd week at #1)

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Lambada--Kaoma (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Girl I'm Gonna Miss You--Milli Vanilli

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Lily was Here--David A. Stewart and Candy Dulfer (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Swing the Mood--Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): You Got It (The Right Stuff)--New Kids on the Block (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Blame it on the Rain--Milli Vanilli (2nd week at #1)
2 We Didn't Start the Fire--Billy Joel
3 (It's Just) The Way that You Love Me--Paula Abdul
4 Angelia--Richard Marx
5 Love Shack--The B-52's
6 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
7 Back to Life--Soul II Soul
8 Don't Know Much--Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville)
9 When I See You Smile--Bad English
10 Poison--Alice Cooper

Singles entering the chart were Peace in Our Time by Eddie Money (#66); Lullaby by the Cure (#85); Don't Take it Personal by Jermaine Jackson (#88); Nothin' to Hide by Poco (#89); Woman in Chains by Tears for Fears (#93); What Kind of Man Would I Be? by Chicago (#95); Owwww! by Chunky A (#96); and Serious Kinda Girl by Christopher Max (#97).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (It's Just) The Way that You Love Me--Paula Abdul
2 Angelia--Richard Marx
3 We Didn't Start the Fire--Billy Joel
4 Love Shack--The B-52's
5 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
6 Back to Life--Soul II Soul
7 Don't Know Much--Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville)
8 Poison--Alice Cooper
9 Blame it on the Rain--Milli Vanilli
10 With Every Beat of My Heart--Taylor Dayne

Singles entering the chart were Peace in Our Time by Eddie Money (#70); Steamy Windows by Tina Turner (#80); Too Hot by Loverboy (#83); Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue (#86); What Kind of Man Would I Be? by Chicago (#88); Principal's Office by Young M.C. (#90); and Over and Over by Pajama Party (#94).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 When I See You Smile--Bad English
2 Angelia--Richard Marx
3 Listen to Your Heart--Roxette
4 Sowing the Seeds of Love--Tears for Fears
5 (It's Just) The Way that You Love Me--Paula Abdul
6 Blame it on the Rain--Milli Vanilli
7 Love Shack--The B-52's
8 We Didn't Start the Fire--Billy Joel
9 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
10 Cover Girl--New Kids on the Block

Singles entering the chart were Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic featuring Felly (#71); Downtown Train by Rod Stewart (#73); Steamy Windows by Tina Turner (#77); This Side of Love by Terence Trent D'Arby (#80); Don't Shut Me Out by Kevin Paige (#83); Foolish Heart by the Grateful Dead (#85); New Orleans is Sinking by the Tragically Hip (#89); Back in My Arms Again by Colin James (#92); and What am I Supposed to Do by Paul Hyde (#94).

Space
The mission of the U.S. satellite Solar Maximum Mission, launched February 14, 1980, ended when it burned up on re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

War
The Communist insurgency in Malaysia was ended by the Peace Agreement of Hat Yai, signed and ratified by the Malayan Communist Party (MCP), and the Malaysian and Thai governments.

Diplomacy
A heavy storm forced U.S. President George Bush and U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev to hold their summit talks aboard the large Soviet cruise ship Maxim Gorky, rather than on a smaller cruiser. Mr. Bush proposed that bilateral treaties on strategic arms and conventional arms in Europe be completed during 1990. He offered to waive trade restrictions if the Soviets liberalized their emigration laws. Mr. Gorbachev made no major proposals.

Scandal
A committee reported to the East German Parliament that former party leader Erich Honecker and his associates had lived in luxury while they ran the country, and the committee said it had evidence that they had hidden $54 billion in Swiss bank accounts.

Politics and government
Vishwanath Pratap Singh, a former minister in the cabinet of Rajiv Gandhi, was sworn in to succeed Mr. Gandhi as Prime Minister of India.

Yukon Member of Parliament Audrey McLaughlin became the first woman to lead a major national political party in Canada when she was chosen to succeed outgoing leader Ed Broadbent at the New Democratic Party convention in Winnipeg. Mrs. McLaughlin needed 4 ballots to defeat former British Columbia Premier Dave Barrett; the fourth ballot total was 1,316 votes for Mrs. McLaughlin and 1,072 for Mr. Barrett. Among the unsuccessful candidates who swung their support to Mrs. McLaughlin on the last ballot was Saskatchewan MP Simon De Jong (Regina—Qu'Appelle), who earlier appeared to have made a deal to support Mr. Barrett. Mr. De Jong’s commitment to Mr. Barrett was captured on a live microphone that Mr. De Jong had agreed to wear for CBC television. Mr. De Jong sought advice from his mother at the convention, and the two spoke in Dutch. Mr. De Jong’s question was translated approximately as "Mommy, what do I do?"

Hockey
NHL
Calgary 7 Toronto 4

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Old Pop in an Oak--Rednex (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Spanish Lady--Dustin (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
Bob Dole (Kansas) was approved without opposition to continue as Republican Party leader in the United States Senate, to become majority leader in the 104th Congress in January 1995. However, his ally Alan Simpson (Wyoming) was upset 27-26 by Trent Lott (Mississippi), losing his position as party whip. Tom Daschle (South Dakota) was elected by a margin of 24-23 over Christopher Dodd (Connecticut) to become leader of the Democratic Party minority. Wendell Ford (Kentucky) was renamed Democratic party whip.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the nation's unemployment rate had declined to 5.6% in November, with 372,000 new jobs being created in November.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Mona Van Duyn, 83. U.S. poetess. Miss Van Duyn and her husband Jarvis Thurston taught at the University of Louisville in the late 1940s and then at Washington University in St. Louis for several decades; they founded and edited the journal Perspective: A Quarterly of Literature and the Arts from 1947-1975. Miss Van Duyn won every major poetry award in the United States, including the Pulitzer Prize for Near Changes (1990). She was Poet Laureate of the United States in 1992, and died of bone cancer.