Thursday 19 November 2015

November 19, 2015

140 years ago
1875


Born on this date
Mikhail Kalinin
. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, 1938-1946. Mr. Kalinin joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) in 1898, and became an early member of the Bolshevik faction. He was Mayor of Petrograd after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, and was Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets--the titular head of Soviet Russia (1919-1938), becoming a candidate member of the Politburo in 1919 and a full member in 1926. Mr. Kalinin actually held little real power, and retired on March 19, 1946, about 2½ months before his death from cancer on June 3, 1946 at the age of 70.

130 years ago
1885


War
Bulgarian forces defeated Serbian forces in the Battle of Slivnitsa, solidifying the unification between the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia.

110 years ago
1905


Born on this date
Eleanor Audley
. U.S. actress. Miss Audley specialized in playing autocratic, often villainous, matrons in radio, films, and television. She played Eunice Douglas in the television comedy series Green Acres (1965-1969), and provided the voices for characters in the Walt Disney animated films Cinderella (1950) and Sleeping Beauty (1959). Miss Audley died from respiratory failure on November 25, 1991, six days after her 86th birthday.

100 years ago
1915


Born on this date
Earl Sutherland
. American pharmacologist and biochemist. Dr. Sutherland was awarded the 1971 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for his discoveries concerning the mechanisms of the action of hormones." He died after an esophageal hemorrhage at the age of 58 on March 9, 1974.

Died on this date
Joe Hill, 36
. Swedish-born U.S. labour activist. Mr. Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund, moved to the United States at the age of 23. He became an itinerant labourer in the western states, joining the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and writing songs for the labour movement. He was executed by a firing squad in Utah for the 1914 murder in Salt Lake City of former policeman John Morrison. There were, and still are, allegations that Mr. Hill was innocent, and that his trial was unfair. Mr. Hill remains an influential figure in the organized labour movement.

75 years ago
1940


Diplomacy
King Leopold III of Belgium, held under house arrest at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Brussels since surrendering his forces to the invading Nazis six months earlier, met with German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler. Mr. Hitler refused to accede to the king's wishes, and refused to speak or issue a statement about the independence of Belgium.

Politics and government
The Swiss government ordered the dissolution of the Swiss National Movement and two other pro-Nazi groups.

Defense
The joint Canadian-American Defense Board opposed U.S. acquisition of bases in Canada, but urged Canada to build facilities at once that could be used by U.S. forces in the event of an attack on Canada.

Science
University of California zoology professor Dr. Richard Goldschmidt announced a new theory of evolution, contending that organic changes occur by rapid "leaps," or mutations, rather than by a gradual process, as Charles Darwin had maintained. Dr. Goldschmidt's idea became known as the "hopeful monster" theory.

Economics and finance
A Gallup Poll reported that 54% of American voters favoured amending the Johnson Act to make loans available to the United Kingdom.

Labour
Outgoing Congress of Industrial Organizations President John L. Lewis told the CIO's convention in Atlanta that labour unity in the United States was impossible until the CIO had strength comparable with the American Federation of Labor. Meanwhile, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appealed for labour unity in a message to the AFL convention in New Orleans.

70 years ago
1945


Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's Been a Long Long Time--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby with Les Paul and his Trio
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
--Stan Kenton and his Orchestra
2 I'll Buy that Dream--Helen Forrest and Dick Haymes
--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
3 Till the End of Time--Perry Como
--Dick Haymes
--Les Brown and his Orchestra
4 Chickery Chick--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir
5 That's for Me--Dick Haymes
--Jo Stafford
6 It's Only a Paper Moon--Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
--Ella Fitzgerald and the Delta Rhythm Boys
7 If I Loved You--Perry Como
--Bing Crosby
--Frank Sinatra
8 On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe--Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers
--Bing Crosby
--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
--Judy Garland and the Merry Macs
9 Along the Navajo Trail--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
--Dinah Shore
10 Chopin's Polonaise--Carmen Cavallaro and his Orchestra

The only single entering the chart was Isn't it Kinda Fun by Dick Haymes (#43).

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Double Zero

War
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) in Japan General Douglas MacArthur ordered the arrest of 11 Japanese World War II leaders, including former Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka; former Ambaassador to Italy General Shigeru Honjo; and the "brains" of the military regime, General Sadao Araki.

Politics and government
The French Constituent Assembly upheld provisional President Charles de Gaulle's mandate to form a new government, and voted that the cabinet should be composed of the three leading parties--Socialists, Communists, and Popular Republicans.

Kentucky Governor Simeon Willis appointed William Stanfill (Republican) to occupy the United States Senate seat formerly held by Happy Chandler, who had resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball.

John L. Green, Republican Party treasurer of Arlington County, Virginia appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to declare vacant the U.S. Senate seat of ailing Carter Glass.

Society
The Zionist Organization of America approved a $51.7-million budget for 1946 to be used for immigration, land acquisition and settlement programs supported through the United Palestine Appeal.

Health
U.S. President Harry Truman asked Congress for a wide-ranging national health program, including compulsory health insurance, hospital aid, maternal and child care, and greater medical research.

Economics and finance
U.K. Lord President of the Council Herbert Morrison told the British Parliament that the British gas and electricity industries, transport services (except shipping), and coal mines would be nationalized during the life of the present Parliament.

60 years ago
1955


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Stranger in Paradise--Tony Bennett

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets (2nd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Autumn Leaves--Roger Williams (Best Seller--4th week at #1); Love is a Many-Splendored Thing--The Four Aces (Disc Jockey--6th week at #1; Jukebox--2nd week at #1; Top 100--2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Autumn Leaves--Roger Williams (3rd week at #1)
2 Sixteen Tons--"Tennessee" Ernie Ford
3 Moments to Remember--The Four Lads
4 Love is a Many-Splendored Thing--The Four Aces
5 Only You (And You Alone)--The Platters
--The Hilltoppers
6 He--Al Hibbler
--The McGuire Sisters
7 The Yellow Rose of Texas--Mitch Miller and his Orchestra
--Johnny Desmond
--Stan Freberg
8 I Hear You Knocking--Gale Storm
9 The Shifting Whispering Sands--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra
--Rusty Draper
10 At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama)--Pat Boone
--The El Dorados

Singles entering the chart were A Woman in Love (#34)/Of This I'm Sure (#47) by the Four Aces; A Woman in Love by Frankie Laine (#34, charting with the version by the Four Aces); C'est la Vie by Sarah Vaughan (#39); Memories of You by the Four Coins (#45); and Adorable, with versions by the Fontane Sisters and the Drifters (#48). The version of Adorable by the Fontane Sisters was the B-side of Daddy-O, charting at #30.

On television tonight
The Honeymooners, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Pal o'Mine

Died on this date
Marquis James, 64
. U.S. historian. Mr. James won Pulitzer Prizes for The Raven: A Biography of Sam Houston (1929) and the two-volume biography Andrew Jackson: The Border Captain (1934); Andrew Jackson: Portrait of a President (1937). He died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Journalism
National Review published its first issue.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Final
Toronto 36 @ Montreal 38

The Argonauts led 24-9 at halftime, but Montreal head coach Peahead Walker told his team that the Toronto club could "not be allowed to represent the East in the Grey Cup," and the Alouettes came back to win at Molson Stadium.

ORFU
Finals
Sarnia 0 @ Kitchener-Waterloo 29 (Kitchener-Waterloo won best-of-three series 2-1)

Cookie Gilchrist scored 2 touchdowns and a field goal as the Dutchmen blanked the Imperals in Kitchener to win their second straight Ontario Rugby Football Union championship. Bobby Kuntz and Andy Gilmour scored the other touchdowns, with Bill Graham kicking 4 converts and Bob Celeri punting for 2 singles. It was the Sarnia club's last game as the Imperials; Imperial Oil withdrew their sponsorship of the team after this season, and they became known as the Golden Bears.

50 years ago
1965


Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Get Off My Cloud--The Rolling Stones (2nd week at #1)
2 1-2-3--Len Barry
3 A Lover's Concerto--The Toys
4 Taste of Honey--Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
5 England Swings--Roger Miller
6 Sinner Man--Trini Lopez
7 Keep on Dancing--The Gentrys
8 I Hear a Symphony--The Supremes
9 Crawling Back--Roy Orbison
10 Round Every Corner--Petula Clark
Pick hit of the week: Sunday and Me--Jay & the Americans
New this week: Don't Think Twice--The Wonder Who?
The Little Girl I Once Knew--The Beach Boys
The Sounds of Silence--Simon & Garfunkel
Crystal Chandelier--Carl Belew
Baby--Wilma Burgess

40 years ago
1975


Died on this date
Roger D. Branigin, 73
. U.S. politician. Mr. Branigin, a Democrat, was Governor of Indiana from 1965-1969. He vetoed a record 100 bills, including legalization of abortion and a ban on capital punishment.

At the movies
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, opened in theatres.



Yellowknifiana
It was Sports Day as part of Spirit Week at Sir John Franklin Territorial High School, featuring a pie-eating contest in the gym during lunch hour.

30 years ago
1985


Died on this date
Stepin Fetchit, 83
. U.S. actor. Mr. Fetchit, born Lincoln Perry, was known for portraying lazy characters, and has been accused of perpetuating negative stereotypes about Negroes. However, he became the first negro actor in Hollywood to get screen credit, and the first to become a millionaire, although he ended up losing nearly all his wealth.

Diplomacy
The first summit between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev began in Geneva. Mr. Gorbachev also met with U.S. civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was heading a delegation of "peace" activists.

World events
200 police officers in Memali, Baling, Kedah, Malaysia laid siege to houses occupied by an Islamic sect of about 400 people led by Ibrahim Mahmud. The siege resulted in the deaths of 4 policemen and 14 civilians, and the detentions of 159 people.

Business
A state court jury in Houston, Texas assessed the largest civil judgement in U.S. history against Texaco Inc. The beneficiary, unless the award was overturned on appeal, would be Pennzoil Company. In 1983, Pennzoil had initiated a tender offer for publicly held shares of the Getty Oil Company, and in January 1984 Getty said that it had accepted in principle an agreement to be acquired by Pennzoil. Later the same day, Texaco began negotiations with Getty that led to a $10-billion agreement for Texaco to buy all of Getty--a much larger deal than that with Pennzoil. Pennzoil sued Texaco, claiming that Texaco had undermined Getty's agreement with Pennzoil. The jury concluded that Getty and Pennzoil had reached a binding contract, even though none had been signed, because of the evidence of a joint news release, handshakes, and other symbols of a completed deal.

25 years ago
1990


Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Ihminen ei voi elää vetämättä--MC Nikke T (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Sadeness Part I--Enigma (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Sun Li-jen, 89
. Chinese military officer. General Sun, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, was known as the "Rommel of the East" for his leadership of Nationalist Chinese forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). He didn't have the full confidence of Nationalist leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and was relieved of command in the Chinese Civil War in 1946. Gen. Sun was named Commander in Chief in 1950, but was limited to ceremonial roles. He was charged with conspiracy in 1955 and was under virtual house arrest until his release in 1988. Gen. Sun died 19 days before his 90th birthday.

Diplomacy
The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe opened in Paris with the United States, Canada, and all the nations of Europe represented (except Albania, which sent observers). U.S. President George Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as other leaders of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, signed the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, which limited each military force in the region to 20,000 main battle tanks; 30,000 other armoured combat vehicles; 20,000 pieces of artillery; and 6,800 combat aircraft.

Scandal
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences stripped pop music duo Milli Vanilli of their Grammy Award as Best New Artist several days after it was revealed that they had not sung at all on their album Girl You Know It's True. Session singers had provided all the vocals.

U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini (Democrat--Arizona) told the Senate Ethics Commitee that he had done nothing wrong in his relationship with Charles Keating, former chairman of the Lincoln Savings and Loan Association in California, the collapse of which in 1989 had cost the government $2 billion.

20 years ago
1995


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Knockin'--Double Vision (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V. (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Beatles Anthology: Part I, on ABC

This episode concluded with the initial broadcast of the song Free as a Bird.

At the movies
Toy Story, the first feature-length film created completely using computer-generated imagery, received its premiere screening at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California.



Terrorism
17 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on the Egyptian embassy in Pakistan.

Economics and finance
Heads of government of APEC nations concluded a two-day summit in Japan by agreeing to remove all trade barriers by 2020.

The Chinese government instigated trade reforms aimed at gaining entry into the World Trade Organization.

Business
Canadian National Railways shares began to trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Football
CFL
Grey Cup @ Taylor Field, Regina
Baltimore 37 Calgary 20

The Stallions came back from a 13-7 2nd-quarter deficit to defeat the Stampeders before 52,564 fans in the first Grey Cup game ever played in Regina, becoming the only American team to win Canada's national football championship. Baltimore opened the scoring just 3:19 into the game on an 82-yard punt return by Chris Wright, converted by Carlos Huerta. Calgary struck back before the end of the 1st quarter on 2 field goals by Mark McLoughlin, and took the lead 39 seconds into the 2nd quarter on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Doug Flutie to Marvin Pope, a defensive end who had entered the game on offense. Mr. McLoughlin converted to give the Stampeders a 6-point lead. The Stallions scored 16 straight points to finish the half on a 5-yard fumble return by Alvin Walton and a convert and 3 field goals by Mr. Huerta. Mr. Huerta's third FG with 1:30 remaining in the 1st half, was from 53 yards, a yard longer than the previous Grey Cup record set by Dave Cutler of the Edmonton Eskimos in 1975. Josh Miller punted 80 yards for a single 1:06 into the 3rd quarter to make the score 24-13, but Mr. Flutie rushed 1 yard for a TD, converted by Mr. McLoughlin, to reduce the deficit to 24-20 with 7:02 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Baltimore quarterback Tracy Ham rushed 13 yards for the game's final touchdown, converted by Mr. Huerta, to give the Stallions a 31-20 lead with 2:13 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Mr. Huerta kicked 2 more field goals in the 4th quarter to finish the scoring. Mr. Ham, who completed 17 of 29 passes for 213 yards and rushed 7 times for 24 yards, was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Calgary slotback Dave Sapunjis, who caught 8 passes for 113 yards, was named the outstanding Canadian player for the second time in his career (he also won in 1992). For Mr. Flutie, who completed 23 of 49 passes for 287 yards and rushed 10 times for 45 yards, it was his last game after 4 seasons with the Stampeders. Baltimore running back Mike Pringle led all rushers with 137 yards on 21 carries, and caught 2 passes for 16 yards. The game was played in a strong wind, and a big difference in the game was punting: Mr. Miller punted 6 times for an average of 49.5 yards per punt, while Calgary's Tony Martino averaged just 33.7 yards on 7 punts. It was the last game ever played by an American team in the Canadian Football League; the Stallions moved to Montreal after the season to become the Alouettes, while the San Antonio Texans, Birmingham Barracudas, Memphis Mad Dogs, and Shreveport Pirates were folded. Baltimore head coach Don Matthews assumed the same position with the Toronto Argonauts the following season, with Mr. Flutie as his quarterback.

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