August 21, 2013

430 years ago
1583

Disasters
The Delight, with 85 persons aboard, foundered on the banks of Sable Island; it was the first Canadian shipwreck on record.

150 years ago
1863

War
In the U.S. Civil War, Lawrence, Kansas was destroyed by the Confederate guerrilla force Quantrill's Raiders in the Lawrence Massacre.

130 years ago
1883

Disasters
An F5 tornado struck Rochester, Minnesota, leading to the creation of the Mayo Clinic.

125 years ago
1888

Died on this date
James Farnell, 63. Australian politician. Mr. Farnell had a career in state politics in New South Wales spanning almost 30 years, and was Premier from 1877-1878.

Technology
The first successful adding machine in the United States was patented by William Seward Burroughs.

120 years ago
1893

Born on this date
Lili Boulanger. French composer. Miss Boulanger, the younger sister of composer Nadia Boulanger, wrote symphonic poems and choral works, but was dogged by illness throughout her life, and died of "intestinal tuberculosis" (perhaps Crohn's disease) on March 15, 1918 at the age of 24.

70 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): In the Blue of Evening--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra with Frank Sinatra

Died on this date
Henrik Pontoppidan, 86. Danish writer. Mr. Pontoppidan was awarded a share of the 1917 Nobel Prize for Literature with countryman Karl Gjellerup "for his authentic descriptions of present-day life in Denmark."

War
U.K. War Transport Minister Lord Leathers and U.S. Deputy War Shipping Administrator Lewis Douglas conferred in Quebec with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill on Allied shipping and supply problems.

Protest
About 40,000 German troops were rushed to Copenhagen from Norway to check riots, strikes, and sabotage.

Diplomacy
Maxim Litvinov was relieved as U.S.S.R. Ambassador to the United States, to be succeeded by Andrei Gromyko.

Politics and government
Prime Minister John Curtin led his governing Labour Party to victory in the Australian federal election, taking 49 of 74 seats in the House of Representatives and all 19 Senate seats that were up for election. The United Australia Party-Country Party coalition, led by former Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, won 23 seats in the House, with the UAP taking 14. The Labour total in the House was an increase of 17 from the most recent election in 1940, while the coalition's total dropped by 13. The first female Representative--Enid Lyons (UAP--Darwin, Tasmania) was elected, as well as the first female Senator--Dorothy Tangney (Labour--Western Australia).

Technology
General Electric officials reported the development of a machne that produced 100-million-volt X-rays.

Education
American Federation of Teachers President-elect Joseph Landes assailed "political interference" in public school systems throughout the nation.

Economics and finance
The British Food Ministry announced an agreement with Argentina on behalf of the United Nations to purchase surplus meat from Argentina for two years.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (16th week at #1)

At the movies
99 River Street, directed by Phil Karlson, and starring John Payne, Evelyn Keyes, Brad Dexter, and Peggie Castle, opened in theatres in Los Angeles.





Literature
The August 21 issue of Collier's magazine contained the short story The Adventure of the Abbas Ruby by Adrian Conan Doyle, the ninth in a series known as The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes.

50 years ago
1963

Died on this date
Bud Morin, 25. Canadian aviator. Mr. Morin, the Royal Canadian Air Force's Red Knight, was killed in a crash of his T-33 jet trainer on Gimli Air Force Day at the RCAF base in Gimli, Manitoba. No spectators at the air show were injured in the accident.

World events
Army of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces loyal to Ngo Dinh Nhu, brother of President Ngo Dinh Diem, vandalized Buddhist pagodas across the country, arresting thousands and leaving estimated hundreds dead.

Law
Edmonton lawyer Andre Dechene was appointed an Alberta district court judge.

Football
CFL
The Edmonton Journal published a front-page story reporting that James Earl Wright, rookie quarterback with the Edmonton Eskimos, would miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee during the Eskimos' 17-16 win over the Toronto Argonauts on August 16. The Eskimos had signed Mr. Wright before the 1962 season, but he never showed up because of a torn ligament in his left knee, which he reinjured playing golf several months later. He saw limited playing time in the Eskimos' first 3 regular season games in 1963, with the game against the Argonauts being the third game. Ironically, Mr. Wright's last game marked the return to Edmonton of Jackie Parker, the Eskimos' greatest player, in the uniform of the Argonauts after being traded to Toronto on February 18, 1963. Mr. Wright was being touted as the "next Jackie Parker," and had a weekly show on Edmonton radio station CHED on Wednesday nights. Mr. Wright never played another CFL game; he was sold to the Denver Broncos of the American Football League shortly after the beginning of the 1964 CFL season, and played 10 games with the Broncos that year as a defensive back.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Goodbye, My Love, Goodbye--Demis Roussos (11th week at #1)

Protest
Hubert O'Neill, the Londonderry coroner presiding over the inquest into the deaths of 14 protesters at the hands of British soldiers on January 30, 1972, accused the soldiers of "sheer, unadulterated murder" after the jury returned an open verdict.

Boxing
Bob Foster (50-6) retained his WBA and WBC world light heavyweight titles with a 15-round unanimous decision over Pierre Fourie (43-2-1) at University Arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Vamos a la playa--Righeira

Died on this date
Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., 50. Filipino politician. A Senator from 1967-1972, Mr. Aquino was the leader of the political opposition to Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos. Mr. Aquino had planned to run against Mr. Marcos in the 1973 presidential election, but the election never took place, and Mr. Aquino was later imprisoned and sentenced to death. Mr. Marcos commuted the sentence and allowed Mr. Aquino to go to the United States for heart surgery. He became a scholar there, but in June 1983 announced his intention to return to the Philippines to participate in elections scheduled for 1984. Upon landing at Manila International Airport, Mr. Aquino's plane was boarded by three armed guards, who escorted him off the plane and obscured the view as Mr. Aquino was shot to death.

Personal
This blogger won a $10 gift certificate from Happy Mart on Barry Boyd's Oldies But Goodies show on Edmonton radio station CFRN.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-4) 15 @ Calgary (4-2) 26

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sweet Lovers--Holidaymakers (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: The Twist (Yo, Twist!)--The Fat Boys with Stupid Def Vocals by Chubby Checker (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
The 6.9 Mw Nepal earthquake shook the Nepal–India border with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), leaving 709–1,450 people killed and thousands injured.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: All that She Wants--Ace of Base (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Five Live (EP)--George Michael & Queen (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Darla dirladada--Les G.O. Cul-ture

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): What's Up?--4 Non Blondes (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Living on My Own--Freddie Mercury (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): What's Up?--4 Non Blondes (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (5th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (4th week at #1)
2 Weak--SWV
3 Whoomp! (There it Is)--Tag Team
4 I'm Gonna be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
5 Slam--Onyx
6 If I Had No Loot--Tony Toni Tone
7 Lately--Jodeci
8 If--Janet Jackson
9 Runaway Train--Soul Asylum
10 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner

Singles entering the chart were That's What Little Girls are Made Of by Raven-Symone (#73); Mega-Medley by Zapp and Roger (#74); Lick U Up by H-Town (#75); and The Bonnie and Clyde Theme/Ibwin' Wit' My Crewin' by Yo-Yo (#77).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (2nd week at #1)
2 Runaway Train--Soul Asylum
3 Fields of Gold--Sting
4 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner
5 I'm Free--Jon Secada
6 I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
7 Break it Down--Tears for Fears
8 Rain--Madonna
9 Numb--U2
10 Believe--Lenny Kravitz

Singles entering the chart were Say You Will by Gogh Van Go (#71); Shine by the Doughboys (#83); Smoke and Ashes by 13 Engines (#84); I Stand for You by Michael McDonald (#86); No Man's Land by Billy Joel (#87); Creep by Radiohead (#88); Sail Across the Water by Jane Siberry (#89); I'm Gonna Soothe You by Maria McKee (#91); and Another Sad Love Song by Toni Braxton (#92). No Man's Land was the B-side of The River of Dreams, charting at #20.

Space
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration lost contact with the Mars Observer spacecraft.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (5-3) 30 @ Sacramento (2-6) 18

Matt Dunigan threw 2 touchdown passes to David Williams and another to Gerald Wilcox as the Blue Bombers beat the Gold Miners before 15,509 fans at Hornet Field. Sacramento quarterback David Archer completed touchdown passes of 78 and 69 yards to running back Mike Oliphant.

10 years ago
2003

War
U.S. officials announced that they had captured and detained Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali," wanted for his attack on Iraqi Kurds with poison gas in 1988.

An Israeli missile strike killed a leader of the Hamas terrorist organization and two of his bodyguards in Gaza City. Hamas and Islamic Jihad abandoned their declared cease-fire.

Politics and government
Liberia's competing political parties selected businessman Charles Gyude as chairman of the country's interim government until elections scheduled for October 2005.

Health
The government of Saskatchewan and the city of North Battleford reached a $3.2-million settlement with 700 residents who had become violently ill in 2001 after the city's water supply had been infected by a parasite. Nobody died in the incident, but court documents showed that North Battleford had failed to test its water properly and had built its water treatment plant two kilometres downstream of its sewage plant.

Football
CFL
Toronto (4-6) 22 @ Montreal (9-1) 46