August 28, 2013

1,625 years ago
388

Died on this date
Magnus Maximus, 53 (?). Western Roman Emperor, 383-388. Magnus usurped the throne from Emperor Gratian in 383; he was executed in Aquileia after retreating there following the defeat of his forces by those of Theodosius I and Valentinian II in the Battle of the Save. Magnus Maximus was succeeded on the throne by Gracianus Municeps.

1,350 years ago
663

War
Allied Chinese armies from the Silla and Tang dynasties crushed the Baekje kingdom restoration attempt and forced Yamato Japan to withdraw from Korea in the Battle of Baekgang. It was Japan's greatest defeat prior to World War II.

180 years ago
1833

Society
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 received Royal Assent, abolishing slavery through most the British Empire.

110 years ago
1903

Died on this date
Frederick Law Olmsted, 81. U.S. landscape designer. Mr. Olmsted was known for designing public parks such as Central Park in New York City, Mount Royal Park in Montreal, and many others.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Robertson Davies. Canadian writer and scholar. Mr. Davies was famous for writing books such as Fifth Business (1970) and many others that few outside the halls of academia have ever bothered to read. He died on December 2, 1995 at the age of 82.

Richard Tucker. U.S. opera singer. Born Rivn Ticker in Brooklyn, Mr. Tucker was a tenor who was a cantor before making his operatic debut with the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1941. He became America's most famous tenor of the post-World War II era. He died of a heart attack while preparing for a performance in Kalamazoo, Michigan on January 8, 1975 at the age of 61.

World events
Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands opened the Peace Palace in The Hague.

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 (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Boris III, 49. Czar of Bulgaria, 1918-1943. Boris III succeeded to the throne upon the abdication of his father Ferdinand I after Bulgaria's defeat in World War I. Although loosely allied with Nazi Germany during World War II, Bulgaria refused to declare war on the Soviet Union, even after a meeting between King Boris and Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in Rastenburg, East Prussia on August 14, 1943. Czar Boris has been regarded as a hero for saving Bulgaria's Jews from the Holocaust, but has also been criticized for not saving Jews from territories newly-occupied by Bulgaria. Czar Boris III died of an apparent heart attack the day after dining at the Italian embassy in Sofia. Conspiracy theories abounded, alleging that the czar had been poisoned. He was succeeded on the throne by his 6-yaer-old son Simeon II under a Regency Council headed by Boris's brother Prince Kyril of Bulgaria.

War
Soviet troops advanced to nearly five miles west of the Bryansk-Kiev railroad west of Sevsk. The Allies announced that all organized Japanese resistance on New Georgia Island had ceased.

Protest
In Denmark, a general strike began against the Nazi occupation; the Danish cabinet had rejected German demands for complete control of the country following King Christian's threat to abdicate if the cabinet caved in to German demands.

Society
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service announced that alien travel to and from the United States during the year ended June 30, 1943 was the lowest in 80 years.

Oil
U.S. Fuel Administrator Harold Ickes warned that U.S. oil reserves totalled only about 20 billion barrels, sufficient for 14 or 15 years.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (17th week at #1)

60 years ago
1953

Television
Nippon Television broadcast Japan's first television program, including its first advertisement.

50 years ago
1963

Died on this date
Emily Hoffert, 23; Janice Wylie, 21. U.S. murder victims. Miss Hoffert, a schoolteacher, and Miss Wylie, a researcher with Newsweek magazine, were killed in their New York City apartment in what became known as the Career Girls murders. George Whitmore, Jr. was convicted of these and another murder and assault, but was eventually exonerated. The case helped lead to the introduction of the U.S. legal guidelines known as Miranda rights.

Society
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech before 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., climaxing the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on behalf of civil rights for American Negroes (video here).

Americana
The Evergreen Point Bridge, the longest floating bridge in the world, opened between Seattle and Medina, Washington.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Goodbye, My Love, Goodbye--Demis Roussos (12th week at #1)

Diplomacy
After 19 months of difficult negotiations, India and Pakistan signed an agreement opening the way for release of most of the 90,000 Pakistani prisoners held in India and resolving some problems arising from their 1971 war. The accord was expected to lead to Pakistani recognition of Bangladesh, formerly known as East Pakistan. The release of Pakistani prisoners was to begin immediately and simultaneously with the transfer to Bangladesh of Bengalis in Pakistan and of Biharis (non-Bangali Muslims) from Bangladesh to Pakistan. After an initial admission of "a substantial number" of Biharis into Pakistan, Bangladesh and India would determine further repatriation of civilians and prisoners. The joint talks would also determine the fate of 195 Pakistani prisoners in India whom Bangladesh had threatened to try for war crimes. Pakistan also dropped its threat to try 203 Bengalis for espionage and treason.

Politics and government
An open letter signed by 39 colleagues of Soviet physicist Andrei Sakharov condemned him for his public criticism of the U.S.S.R.'s domestic and foreign policies. Eight days earlier, Mr. Sakharov had told Western reporters that U.S.-Soviet detente would be "very dangerous" if not accompanied by a democratization of Soviet society and reduced Soviet isolation from the outside world. He warned that the Soviet Union would use Western technological expertise to solve its economic problems and consolidate strength and "as a result, the world would become helpless before this uncontrollable bureaucratic machine."

The 10th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party ended, although results weren't made public for several days.

Disasters
A strong earthquake struck central Mexico, killing 527 people and injuring 4,000.

Football
CFL
Calgary (2-3) 2 @ British Columbia (3-2) 9

Johnny Musso rushed 2 yards for the game's only touchdown with 9 seconds remaining in the 1st half as Lions beat the Stampeders at Empire Stadium in Vancouver for their third straight win. Leon McQuay, playing his second and last game in a Calgary uniform after being acquired in a trade with the Toronto Argonauts, rushed 8 times for 35 yards and caught 1 pass for -6 yards.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Vamos a la playa--Righeira (2nd week at #1)

Politics and government
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin announced that he would soon resign his position for personal reasons. Mr. Begin had turned 70 years of age on August 16, and he was reported to be depressed over the 1982 death of his wife and the continuing stalemate in Lebanon, where many Israeli soldiers had been killed in fighting against Palestinian guerrillas.

Football
CFL
Calgary (4-3) 21 @ Winnipeg (5-2) 36

Willard Reaves rushed 20 times for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Dieter Brock threw 2 touchdown passes to Nate Johnson and another to Joe Poplawski as the Blue Bombers beat the Stampeders before 23,032 fans at Winnipeg Stadum. Calgary quarterback Bernard Quarles completed touchdown passes to Mike McTague and Darrell Smith. Trevor Kennerd missed the convert attempt on Mr. Reaves' first touchdown in the 3rd quarter--the first missed convert of Mr. Kennerd's career.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Doctorin' the TARDIS--Timelords

#1 single in Switzerland: The Twist (Yo, Twist!)--The Fat Boys with Stupid Def Vocals by Chubby Checker (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jean Marchand, 69. Canadian politician. Mr. Marchand was a Liberal member of the House of Commons from 1965-1976, and held six different cabinet posts in the governments of Prime Mininsters Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau. He was appointed to the Senate in 1976, and served as Speaker of the Senate from 1980 until his retirement from politics in 1983.

Max Shulman, 69. U.S. humourist. Mr. Shulman was best known for his short story collection The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1951), which became the basis for the movie The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953) and the television series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959-1963).

Disasters
At an air show at Ramstein Air Base, a U.S. base 60 miles southwest of Frankfurt, West Germany, three aircraft with the Italian Frecce Tricolori demonstration team collided and the wreckage fell into the crowd of 300,000. 75 were killed and 346 seriously injured.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): The River of Dreams--Billy Joel

#1 single in Italy: All that She Wants--Ace of Base (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): What Is Love?--Haddaway (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Darla dirladada--Les G.O. Cul-ture (2nd week at #1)

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

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (6th week at #1)

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

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Runaway Train--Soul Asylum
2 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40
3 I'm Free--Jon Secada
4 I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
5 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner
6 Rain--Madonna
7 Fields of Gold--Sting
8 If--Janet Jackson
9 The River of Dreams--Billy Joel
10 Run to You--Whitney Houston

Singles entering the chart were Soul II Squeeze by Red Hot Chili Peppers (#57); Jessie by Joshua Kadison (#69); Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms (#78); I've Always Got You by Robin Zarder (#83); Sister Havana by Urge Overkill (#89); Bitter Creek by Ray Lyell (#91); No Justice by Harem Scarem (#92); and Won't Give Up My Music by Lisa Lougheed (#94).

Diplomacy
Palestinian and Israeli leaders agreed in principle on Palestinian authority over the Gaza Strip and Jericho on the West Bank as the first step to self-rule in Israeli-occupied territories.

The Muslim-dominated Bosnian parliament voted 65-0 to reject the United Nations peace plan for Bosnia and to return negotiators to Geneva to work for changes.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-6) 11 @ Winnipeg (6-3) 35

Matt Dunigan threw touchdown passes to Gerald Alphin and Allen Boyko, and Michael Richardson rushed for 2 more TDs as the Blue Bombers beat the Tiger-Cats before 24,475 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Bob Torrance, starting his second straight game at quarterback for Hamilton, completed a touchdown pass to Cornell Burbage. The loss was the sixth straight for the Tiger-Cats.

CIAU
Calgary (1-0) 16 @ Alberta (0-1) 6

10 years ago
2003

Energy
An electricity blackout cut off power to around 500,000 people living in southeastern England, bringing 60% of London's underground rail network to a halt.