This Date in History - November 26

Happy birthday, Tina Turner.   75 this year.  I don't know many at the same age who look like this!

783:  THE ASTURIAN QUEEN ADOSINDA IS PUT UP IN A MONASTERY TO PREVENT HER KIN FROM RETAKING THE THRONE FROM MAUREGATUS.

Sounds like a logline for a comic book.

1476:  VLAD THE IMPALER DEFEATS BASARAB LAIOTA WITH THE HELP OF STEPHEN THE GREAT AND STEPHEN V BATHORY.

Sounds like a logline for an episode of the WWF.

1703:  THE GREAT STORM OF 1703 IS THE GREATEST WINDSTORM EVER RECORDED IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF GREAT BRITAIN.

All that air must be coming from Parliament.

1778:  IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, CAPTAIN JAMES COOK BECOMES THE FIRST EUROPEAN TO VISIT MAUI.

Wowee.

1789:  A NATIONAL THANKSGIVING DAY IS OBSERVED IN THE US AS RECOMMENDED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Pass the cranberries.

1825:  AT UNION COLLEGE IN SCHENECTADY, NY, KAPPA ALPHA SOCIETY, THE FIRST COLLEGE FRATERNITY, IS FORMED.

Party on!

1842:  THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME IS FOUNDED.

And are immediately seven point favorites.

1863:  US PRESIDENT ABE LINCOLN PROCLAIMS NOVEMBER 26 AS A NATIONAL THANKSGIVING DAY, TO BE CELEBRATED ANNUALLY ON THE FINAL THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER.

It was later moved to the fourth Thursday and that had everything to do with Christmas shopping.

1899:  BRUNO RICHARD HAUPTMANN IS BORN.

Murderer!

1912:  JOURNALIST ERIC SEVAREID IS BORN.

That's the way he was.

1917:  THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE IS FORMED.

And the losing streak begins for the NY Rangers.

1922:  CARTOONIST CHARLES SCHULZ IS BORN.

What do you think of that, Charlie Brown?

1922:  HOWARD CARTER AND LORD CARNARVON BECOME THE FIRST PEOPLE TO ENTER THE TOMB OF KING TUT IN OVER 3000 YEARS.

Did they come out? 

1922:  TOLL OF THE SEA DEBUTS AS THE FIRST GENERAL RELEASE FILM TO FILM IN TECHNICOLOR.

Check IMDB for the particulars.

1933:  SINGER ROBERT GOULET IS BORN.

Later marries punching bag Carol Lawrence.

1939:  PUPPETEER WAYLAND FLOWERS IS BORN.

Oddly enough, Madame was born two years earlier.

1939:  SINGER TINA TURNER IS BORN.

Later became a punching bag for Ike Turner.

1944:  DURING WORLD WAR II, A GERMAN ROCKET HITS A WOOLWORTH'S STORE IN LONDON, KILLING 168 PEOPLE.

So much for Five and Ten.

1950:  DURING THE KOREAN WAR, CHINA LAUNCHES A MASSIVE COUNTERATTACK IN NORTH KOREA AGAINST SOUTH KOREA.

The good news is that this all gave us M*A*S*H*.

1956:  BANDLEADER TOMMY DORSEY DIES.

He'll never smile again. 

1968:  DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, USAF PILOT JAMES FLEMING RESCUES AN ARMY SPECIAL FORCES UNIT PINNED DOWN BY VIET CONG FIRE.  HE IS LATER AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR.

As well he should be.

1986:  THE IRAN-CONTRA SCANDAL - US PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN ANNOUNCES THE MEMBERS OF WHAT WILL BECOME THE TOWER COMMISSION.

What arms?

1998:  TONY BLAIR BECOMES THE FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM TO ADDRESS THE PARLIAMENT OF IRELAND.

They'll drink to that.

2000:  GEORGE W BUSH IS CERTIFIED THE WINNER OF FLORIDA'S ELECTORAL VOTES, ULTIMATELY ALLOWING HIM TO WIN THE 2000 US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

There are some still counting ballots.

2005:  AUTHOR STAN BERENSTAIN DIES.

Those freakin' bears.

2013:  ACTRESS JANE KEAN DIES.

She was Trixie on the Honeymooners.  But, not really.  Joyce Randolph is the only one in my book.

Dinner last night:  Leftover ravioli.