Today in History for 1st December 2016:
Historical Events
1640 – Portugal regains independence after 60 years of Spanish rule
1928 – CFL Grey Cup: Ham Tigers beats Regina 30-0 at Hamilton
1934 – Leningrad mayor Sergey Kirov assassinated, Stalin uses as excuse to begin the Great Purge of 1934-38
1945 – CFL Grey Cup: Toronto beats Winnipeg 35-0 at Toronto
1971 – Galt MacDermot/John Guare’s “2 gentlemen of Verona” opens at St James Theater NYC for 613 performances
1985 – Noraly Beyer becomes Neth’s 1st black TV newscaster
Famous Birthdays
1724 – Charles Theodoor, elector (Palts and Bayern)
1761 – Marie Tussaud, French founder of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, born in Strasbourg (d. 1850)
1784 – Francois Henri Joseph Castil-Blaze, composer
1905 – Ida Carroll, English musician and administrator, (d. 1995)
1929 – Dick Shawn, actor (Producers, Maid to Order, Angel), born in Buffalo, New York
1978 – Mat Kearney, American singer and songwriter
Famous Deaths
1767 – Henry Erskine, 10th Earl of Buchan, British Freemason (b. 1710)
1842 – Philip Spencer, 1st US naval officer condemned for mutiny, hanged
1925 – Vicente Arregui Garay, composer, dies at 54
1971 – Arthur B Springarn, US NAACP chairman (1940-65), dies at 93
1997 – Endicott Peabody, 62nd Governor of Massachusetts (b. 1920)
2005 – Gust Avrakotos, American intelligence case officer (b. 1938)