Thursday 31 July 2014

July 31, 2014

175 years ago
1839


Born on this date
Ignacio Andrade
. 25th President of Venezuela, 1898-1899. Mr. Andrade was a member of the Great Liberal Party of Venezuela. He died on February 17, 1925 at the age of 85.

100 years ago
1914


Economics and finance
The New York Stock Exchange closed due to the outbreak of World War I. Trading didn't resume until December.

70 years ago
1944


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Whispering Grass (Don't Tell the Trees)--The Ink Spots (1st month at #1)

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

Died on this date
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 44
. French aviator and author. Mr. Saint-Exupéry, one of France's best-known pilots in the 1920s and '30s, wrote a number of books, the best-known of which was the novella Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) (1943). While flying with the Free French Air Force he disappeared off the French coast near Marseilles while on a reconnaissance mission, and was presumed dead.

War
U.S. units in France swept down the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula and captured the town of Avranches. Soviet troops in Poland began outflanking Warsaw on the northeast, approaching within 10 miles of the city. Romanian peace terms submitted to Allied representatives were rejected because of Soviet objections. U.S. troops in New Guinea crossed the lower portion of the Driniumor River below Aitape and then began moving eastward.

Diplomacy
German Ambassador Franz von Papen warned Turkish Premier Sukru Saracoglu that a break in relations with the Axis would have "grave consequences" for Turkey.

Politics and government
Ecuadorian President Jose Velasco Ibarra named Alfredo Vera, a Communist, as minister of education.

60 years ago
1954


Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heideröslein--Friedel Hensch und die Cyprys (2nd month at #1)

#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Happy Wanderer--Frank Weir and his Orchestra; Obernkirchen Children's Choir

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen (Best Seller--9th week at #1; Disc Jockey--8th week at #1; Jukebox--5th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen (7th week at #1)
2 The Little Shoemaker--The Gaylords
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
3 Sh-Boom--The Crew-Cuts
--The Chords
4 Three Coins in the Fountain--The Four Aces
--[Frank Sinatra]
5 Hernando's Hideaway--Archie Bleyer
6 The Happy Wanderer--Frank Weir and his Orchestra
7 I Understand Just How You Feel--The Four Tunes
--June Valli
8 If You Love Me (Really Love Me)--Kay Starr
--Vera Lynn
9 Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight--The McGuire Sisters
--Sunny Gale
10 Hey There--Rosemary Clooney

Singles entering the chart were Half as Lovely (Twice As True) by Frank Sinatra (#20); Take Me Back Again by Tony Bennett (#33); Bumble Boogie by Ralph Marterie and his Orchestra (#36); and If I Didn't Care by the Hilltoppers (#38).

Died on this date
Onofre Marimón, 30
. Argentinian auto racing driver. Mr. Marimón was a driver on the Formula One circuit whose most recent race had been the British Grand Prix, where he had tied his career-best performance with a third-place finish. He became the first driver to die at a Grand Prix race when he was killed in a crash while attempting to qualify for the German Grand Prix at Nurburgring.

Adventure
Mount Godwin-Austen (K2) in northern Kashmir, the world's second-highest peak, was climbed for the first time by an Italian team led by Ardito Desio. Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli were the first to reach the summit.

Baseball
Joe Adcock of the Milwaukee Braves set a major league record of 18 total bases in 5 at bats by hitting 4 home runs and a double as the Braves defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 15-7 before 12,263 fans at Ebbets Field.

50 years ago
1964


Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Won't Forget You--Jim Reeves (2nd week at #1)

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles (3rd week at #1)
2 Thank You Girl--The Beatles
3 As Long as I'm Sure of You--Bobby Curtola
4 Lucky Star--Rick Nelson
5 Can't You See that She's Mine--The Dave Clark Five
6 Such a Night--Elvis Presley
7 Memphis--Johnny Rivers
8 Everybody Loves Somebody--Dean Martin
9 C'mon Everybody--Elvis Presley
10 Rag Doll--The 4 Seasons
Pick hit of the week: I'll Cry Instead--The Beatles
New this week: Johnny Loves Me--Floraine Darlin
And I Love Her--The Beatles
He's Sure to Remember Me--Brenda Lee
Promises--Patti Page
If I Didn't Have a Dime--The Furys
Everybody's Got a Home But Me--Lance Desmond

And I Love Her was from the movie A Hard Day's Night.

Died on this date
Jim Reeves, 40
. U.S. musician. Mr. Reeves, known for his smooth baritone voice, was a popular country singer in the United States and throughout the world. His biggest hits included Four Walls (1957) and He'll Have to Go (1960). He and his business partner and manager Dean Manuel were killed when the plane that Mr. Reeves was piloting crashed in a thunderstorm near Brentwood, Tennessee. The wreckage and bodies were discovered two days later.

Space
The U.S. probe Ranger 7 sent back the first close-up photographs of the moon, with images 1,000 times clearer than anything ever seen from earth-bound telescopes, just before crashing onto the lunar surface.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (3-1) 13 @ Edmonton (1-2) 22

Toronto quarterback Sandy Stephens, in his final CFL appearance, completed 7 of 12 passes for 77 yards in the Argonauts' loss to the Eskimos at Clarke Stadium.

40 years ago
1974


Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Sugar Baby Love--The Rubettes (3rd week at #1)

Scandal
U.S. District Court Judge Gerhard Gesell sentenced former White House counsel John Ehrlichman from 20 months to 5 years in prison for conspiring to violate the civil rights of Dr. Lewis Fielding, as well as three counts of making false statements. Mr. Ehrlichman had authorized the 1971 break-in at the Beverly Hills, California office of Dr. Fielding, the psychiatrist to former U.S. Defense Department employee Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the "Pentagon Papers," documents related to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, to the press. Dr. Gesell, who referred to the break-in as "a shameful episode in the history of this country," also handed out sentences to three others involved in the action, all members of the "plumbers," men affiliated with the administration of President Richard Nixon who were assigned to "fix leaks." G. Gordon Liddy was sentenced from 1-3 years in prison, while Bernard Barker and Eugenio Martinez were given suspended sentences and three years of probation, on the grounds that they had been duped by high government officials and had been sufficiently punished. Mr. Liddy' sentence was to be served concurrently with the sentence he had recently received for his role in the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.

Harold S. Nelson, former general manager of Associated Milk Producers, Inc., pled guilty to conspiring to bribe John Connally, who, at the time of the bribe attempt, was U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Connally had been indicted on July 29 on five counts in relation to accusations that he had received $10,000 in cash payments from AMP in return for recommending raised federal milk price supports. Mr. Nelson also admitted to conspiracy in connection with illegal corporate campaign contributions to a long list of public officials, including U.S. Senators Hubert Humphrey (Democrat--Minnesota) and Edmund Muskie (Democrat--Maine).

Football
CFL
Ottawa (0-2) 17 @ Montreal (2-0) 20
British Columbia (2-0) 29 @ Winnipeg (0-1) 22
Saskatchewan (1-1) 24 @ Calgary (0-2) 18

Don Sweet's 34-yard field goal with 2:12 remaining in the game gave the Alouettes their victory over the defending Grey Cup champion Rough Riders before 15,742 fans at Autostade. The winning kick was set up by an interception by Marv Luster.

Don Moorhead passed for 401 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Lions defeated the Blue Bombers before 20,000 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Jim Young caught 3 of Mr. Moorhead's TD passes, covering 86,33, and 65 yards; Slade Willis scored the other B.C. touchdown on a 10-yard reception. Winnipeg quarterback Don Jonas completed touchdown passes to Brian Jack and Tom Scott. Mr. Scott was playing his first CFL game; also making his CFL debut was Dieter Brock, who dressed as the backup quarterback to Mr. Jonas.

Ron Lancaster completed 23 of 31 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown to Steve Mazurak as the Roughriders defeated the Stampeders before 23,616 fans at McMahon Stadium. Calgary quarterback Peter Liske completed 20 of 33 passes for 283 yards and touchdown passes to Tom Forzani and Moody Jackson.

WFL
Jacksonville (1-3) 16 @ New York (2-2) 24
Birmingham (4-0) 21 @ Detroit (0-4) 18
Florida (3-1) 6 @ Houston (2-2) 7
Philadelphia (2-2) 25 @ Portland (0-4) 7

Baseball
Joe Henderson pitched a no-hitter to lead the Iowa Oaks to a 10-0 win over the Wichita Aeros before 6,664 fans at Lawrence Stadium in Wichita in an American Association game. Leon Brown led the Iowa attack with a double, 2 singles, and 4 runs batted in.

30 years ago
1984

Theatre

Eleusinian Rites, Mysteries and Drama Soirees put on its first performance, a murder mystery at the Youth Emergency Shelter in Edmonton.

25 years ago
1989


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): The Look--Roxette (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Look--Roxette (6th week at #1)

Canada's top 10 (RPM):
1 Express Yourself--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 Batdance--Prince
3 If You Don't Know Me by Now--Simply Red
4 Toy Soldiers--Martika
5 So Alive--Love and Rockets
6 Good Thing--Fine Young Cannibals
7 Baby Don't Forget My Number--Milli Vanilli
8 Rock 'N' Roll Duty--Kim Mitchell
9 Rooms on Fire--Stevie Nicks
10 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley

Singles entering the chart were One by the Bee Gees (#76); I Like It by Dina (#85); Hangin' Tough by New Kids on the Block (#87); Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Great White (#89); Don't Look Back by Fine Young Cannibals (#91); Need a Little Taste of Love by the Doobie Brothers (#93); Shipwrecked at the Stable Door by Bruce Cockburn (#95); In My Eyes by Stevie B (#97); and That's the Way by Katrina and the Waves (#99). Don't Look Back and its B-side, As Hard as it Is, were from the movie Tin Men (1987).

Television
The Halifax-based cable station CBC Newsworld began broadcasting, being shown throughout Canada.

Baseball
The Minnesota Twins traded the previous year’s Cy Young Award winner, Frank Viola, to the New York Mets for five players: pitchers Rick Aguilera; David West; Tim Drummond; Kevin Tapani; and a player to be named later (pitcher Jack Savage). Mr. Viola was 8-12 with an earned run average of 3.79 in 24 games with the Twins in 1989, after going 24-7 in 1988. Mr. Aguilera was 6-6 with a 2.34 ERA in 36 games with New York in 1989; Mr. Drummond was 5-1 with a 3.27 ERA in 8 games with the Tidewater Tides of the AAA International League; Mr. Tapani was 0-0 with a 3.68 ERA in 3 games with the Mets and 7-5 with an ERA of 3.47 in 17 games with the Tides in 1989; and Mr. Savage, who wasn't assigned to the Twins until October 16, ended the 1989 season with a record of 3-2 and an ERA of 3.59 and 1 save in 33 games with Tidewater.

20 years ago
1994


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: I Swear--All-4-One (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Eins, zwei, polizei--Mo-Do (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I Swear--All-4-One

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (10th week at #1)

World events
200 U.S. military personnel arrived to open the airport in the Rwandan capital of Kigali.

10 years ago
2004


Died on this date
Virginia Grey, 87
. U.S. actress. Miss Grey appeared in numerous radio programs and movies such as Another Thin Man (1939), The Big Store (1941), and All that Heaven Allows (1955), but was primarily known for being romantically involved with Clark Gable in the 1940s.

Laura Betti, 77. Italian actress. Miss Betti, born Laura Trombetti, was known for her friendship with director Pier Paolo Pasolini, and appeared in seven of his films.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that gross domestic product had grown at an annual rate of 3% in the second quarter of 2004, down from 4.5% in the first quarter.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-4) 24 @ Saskatchewan (3-4) 33

Wednesday 30 July 2014

July 30, 2014

225 years ago
1789


Died on this date
Giovanna Bonanno, 76 (?)
. Italian criminal. Mrs. Bonanno, a beggar in Palermo, Sicily, was hanged after confessing to selling poison to women who wanted to murder their husbands.

150 years ago
1864


War
In the U.S. Civil War, Union forces attempted to break Confederate lines at Petersburg, Virginia by exploding a large bomb under their trenches in what became known as the Battle of the Crater.

100 years ago
1914


Born on this date
Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin
. U.K.-born Irish sports executive. Lord Killanin, a hereditary member of the House of Lords, succeeded Avery Brundage as President of the International Olympic Committee, holding the office from 1972-1980. He died on April 25, 1999 at the age of 84.

80 years ago
1934


Boxing
Joe Louis (3-0) scored a technical knockout of Larry Udell (24-7-2) in the 2nd round of a heavyweight bout at Marigold Gardens Outdoor Arena in Chicago.

70 years ago
1944


War
U.S. forces in France posted large gains on the western front. Soviet troops pushed 6½ miles into the Suwalki triangle in East Prussia. Yugoslavian partisans reported that their flank attacks against German forces in Serbia were breaking through the enemy's lines in Toplica and Jablanica. U.S. troops made another amphibious leap along the northern coast of New Guinea, seizing the Sansapor coastal area and the nearby islands of Amsterdam and Middelburg. It was reported from Istanbul that the Turkish government had ordered all Turkish ships in Romanian and Bulgarian ports to return home at once "with or without cargo."

Diplomacy
The All-India Muslim League authorized Mohammed Ali Jinnah to meet with Mohandas Gandhi on a plan to establish separate Hindu and Muslim states in India.

Economics and finance
The U.S. National Housing Agency said that plans were being shaped for the sale of $1 billion worth of permanent housing projects.

Swimming
Ann Curtiss broke the world record for the women's 880-metres freestyle event with a mark of 11:08.6.

60 years ago
1954


Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Cara Mia--David Whitfield with Mantovani and his Orchestra (5th week at #1)

Sport
Former Canadian Governor-General Earl Alexander officially opened the British Empire Games at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.

50 years ago
1964


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Juliet--The Four Pennies

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the satellite Cosmos 36.

Disasters
3 people were killed and 17 injured in a fire at the Beacon Arms Hotel in Ottawa.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (4-0) 25 @ Montreal (1-2) 1

40 years ago
1974


Hit parade
#1 single in France: Pot pour rire Mr le Président--Patrick Green & Olivier Lejeune (9th week at #1)

War
The foreign minister of Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom signed a standstill cease-fire to end fighting in Cyprus that had continued after the United Nations-sponsored cease-fire had gone into effect on July 22. The agreement provided for further negotiations to begin on August 8, and also met Turkey's demand that she retain her forces in Cyprus until an acceptable agreement could be reached. The signatories also agreed that the UN would patrol a buffer zone established between Greek and Turkish Cypriot lines.

Scandal
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee recessed, but not before debating Article III (Contempt of Congress), the third and last of the articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon. Anti-impeachment members of the committee gained support in their argument that Article III constituted "political overkill;" however, pro-impeachment representatives argued that failure to hold President Nixon in contempt would destroy the only safety valve in the Constitution to protect against an irresponsible president, and the pro-impeachment side carried the vote. Two other potential articles were rejected, both by votes of 26-12, before the recess. One charged Mr. Nixon with conducting a secret bombing campaign in Cambodia in 1969; the other charged him with misconduct based on underpayment of federal income taxes and acceptance of government-financed improvements to his personal homes.

James St. Clair, counsel to U.S. President Richard Nixon, agreed to turn over tapes of 20 White House conversations related to the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. to Leon Jaworski, the Special Prosecutor investigating the break-in and subsequent cover-up. The 20 tapes were those of "priority" conversations, and were the first batch of tapes of 64 conversations whose recordings that were due to be turned over to Mr. Jaworski after the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled 8-0 on July 24 that Mr. Nixon had to give Mr. Jaworski the tapes and relevant documents.

Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski charged Norman Sherman, former press secretary to U.S. Senator Hubert Humphrey (Democrat--Minnesota), and Mr. Sherman's aide John Valentine with having helped Associated Milk Producers, Inc. to make illegal contributions to the 1972 election campaigns of Sen. Humphrey and other officials. The charges came the day after the Watergate grand jury had indicted former U.S. Tresury Secretary John Connally on five counts of accepting a bribe, perjury, and conspiracy to obstruct justice in exchange for his 1971 recommendation to raise federal milk price supports.

Law
The Quebec National Assembly passed Bill 22, making French the province's official language, and setting up la Régie de la Langue Française.

Disasters
6 Royal Canadian Army Cadets were killed and 54 injured in an accidental grenade blast at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier Cadet Camp in Quebec.

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-1) 22 @ Hamilton (1-1) 29

Ian Sunter kicked 5 field goals and backup quarterback Bill Etter, who relieved starter Chuck Ealey in the 3rd quarter, handed off to Dave Fleming for a 1-yard touchdown rush in the 4th quarter as the Tiger-Cats defeated the Argonauts before 28,391 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

30 years ago
1984


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham! (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Lobo-Hombre en París--La Unión (8th week at #1)

25 years ago
1989


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Batdance--Prince (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Batdance--Prince

Died on this date
Lane Frost, 25
. U.S. rodeo cowboy. Mr. Frost died after being gored by a bull he had just been riding named "Taking Care of Business" at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His life and death inspired the movie 8 Seconds (1994).

Terrorism
The Organization of the Oppressed of the World, a Shiite Muslim group that had kidnapped Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon in February 1988, said they would execute Lt. Col. Higgins unless Israel freed Sheik Abdul Karim Obeid, leader of the Shiite Muslim group Party of God, who had been kidnapped by Israeli commandos in Lebanon on July 28.

20 years ago
1994


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Il Cielo--Fiorello & Caterina (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Baby, I Love Your Way--Big Mountain (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Give Me Fire--Good Shape

#1 single in France (SNEP): I Like to Move It--Reel 2 Real & the Mad Stuntman (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Dreams (Will Come Alive)--2 Brothers on the 4th Floor (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (9th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 I Swear--All-4-One (11th week at #1)
2 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
3 Fantastic Voyage--Coolio
4 Any Time, Any Place/And On and On--Janet Jackson
5 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John
6 Regulate--Warren G & Nate Dogg
7 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
8 Funkdafied--Da Brat
9 Back and Forth--Aaliyah
10 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me'Shell Ndegeocello

Singles entering the chart were Stroke You Up by Changing Faces (#47); Do You Wanna Get Funky by C+C Music Factory (#64); Bop Gun (One Nation) by Ice Cube featuring George Clinton (#68); Take it Easy by Mad Lion (#75); Never Lie by Immature (#86); Happiness by Billy Lawrence (#89); On Point by House of Pain (#91); and Infatuation by Jamie Foxx (#92).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box):
1 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base (2nd week at #1)
2 Any Time, Any Place/And On and On--Janet Jackson
3 I Swear--All-4-One
4 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories
5 Anytime You Need a Friend--Mariah Carey
6 Back and Forth--Aaliyah
7 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John
8 If You Go--Jon Secada
9 You Mean the World to Me--Toni Braxton
10 Shine--Collective Soul

Singles entering the chart were This DJ by Warren G (#79); I'd Give Anything by Gerald Levert (#80); If You Wanna Groove by Lighter Shade of Brown (#84); Sweet Sensual Love by Big Mountain (#85); I'm the Only One by Melissa Etheridge (#87); and When I Give My Love by Keith Sweat (#89).

Diplomacy
The countries whose peace plan for Bosnia had been rejected by Bosnian Serb leaders 10 days earlier decided to tighten economic sanctions on the Serb-dominated government in what remained of Yugoslavia. The participating nations were the U.S.A.; U.K.; Germany; France; and Russia.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (3-1) 24 @ Shreveport (0-4) 10
Saskatchewan (2-2) 27 @ Sacramento (3-1) 30

Damon Allen rushed for a touchdown and Rickey Foggie threw a touchdown pass to Jim Sandusky as the Eskimos defeated the Pirates before 17,434 fans at Independence Stadium.

David Archer's 18-yard touchdown pass to Rod Harris, converted by Roman Anderson with 1:04 remaining in regulation time, gave the Gold Miners their win over the Roughriders before 14,828 fans at Hornet Field. Mr. Archer also completed a TD pass to Mr. Harris in the 1st quarter and another to Tre Everett in the 3rd quarter. Saskatchewan quarterback Tom Burgess completed touchdown passes to Don Narcisse and Ray Elgaard in the 4th quarter as the Roughriders overcame a 23-13 deficit to take a 27-23 lead.



10 years ago
2004


Diplomacy
The United Nations Security Council demanded that the Sudanese government move to disarm militias in Darfur.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Administration of President George W. Bush predicted a deficit of $445 billion, the largest in history, for the current fiscal year.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-4) 24 @ Edmonton (3-3) 41

Tuesday 29 July 2014

July 29, 2014

1,110 years ago
904


War
Saracen raiders under Leo of Tripoli sacked Thessaloniki, the Byzantine Empire's second-largest city, after a short siege, and plundered it for a week.

1,000 years ago
1014


War
Forces commanded by Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicted a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army in the Battle of Kleidion in what is now the province of Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria.

370 years ago
1644


Died on this date
Urban VIII, 76
. Roman Catholic Pope, 1623-1644. Urban VIII, born Maffeo Barberini, succeeded Gregory XV. Pope Urban VIII expanded the papal territory, but incurred large debts that weakened his successors. He was a patron of the arts, but is perhaps best remembered as the pope who was on the throne during the debate with Galileo Galilei over the issue of whether the Earth is the centre of the universe. Pope Urban VIII was succeeded by Innocent X.

170 years ago
1844


Died on this date
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, 53
. Austrian musician, composer, and conductor. Mr. Mozart, the youngest child of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, played piano and violin, and began his composing career at an early age. He had moderate success as a pianist and teacher, teaching in Lemberg (Lwów) from 1813-1838, and serving as Kapellmeister of the Mozarteum in Salzburg from 1838 until his death from stomach cancer, three days after his 53rd birthday. Mr. Mozart's compositions were mainly chamber, piano, and choral works.

150 years ago
1864


War
In the U.S. Civil War, Confederate spy Belle Boyd was arrested by Union troops and detained at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C.

125 years ago
1889


Baseball
Matt Kilroy of the Baltimore Orioles had a no-hitter going after 7 innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns at Union Park in Baltimore when the game was called because of darkness with the scored tied 0-0. The Browns won the first game 4-3.

100 years ago
1914


Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Irwin Corey!

"Professor" Irwin Corey, the comedian known as "The World's Foremost Authority," was born in Brooklyn.

Communications
Transcontinental telephone service in the United States began with the first phone conversation between New York and San Francisco.

80 years ago
1934


Died on this date
Didier Pitre, 50
. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Pitre, a forward for most of his career, played with several teams, most notably the Montreal Canadiens (1909-1913, 1914-1923). He led the National Hockey League in scoring in 1915-16 with 39 points, helping the Canadiens win their first Stanley Cup. Mr. Pitre died of "acute indigestion," most likely a heart attack. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.

Baseball
Schoolboy Rowe won his second game in as many days against the Chicago White Sox, pitching 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and hitting a game-winning home run to help the Detroit Tigers to a 16-15 win at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

70 years ago
1944


Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'll Be Seeing You--Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra (Best Seller--4th week at #1); G.I. Jive--Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five (Jukebox--1st week at #1)

War
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt completed a strategy conference in Hawaii with Admiral Chester Nimitz, General Douglas MacArthur, and other Pacific military officers. U.S. troops in France took Coutances and puched to reach the sea at Montmartin-sur-Mer. Soviet artillery attacked the east bank suburbs of Warsaw.

Politics and government
Thai Prime Minister Luang Pibul Songgram and his cabinet resigned as a result of the National Assembly's rejection of proposals to build a new capital at Pechabun.

Law
Wendell Willkie, the Republican Party's candidate for President of the United States in 1940, offered to appear as an unpaid counsel for author Maxwell Anderson, who was being sued for libel by Rep. Hamilton Fish (Republican--New York).

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Price Administration cancelled ration certificates for heavy-duty rubber tires due to shortages.

50 years ago
1964


Died on this date
Vean Gregg, 79
. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Gregg played with the Cleveland Naps (1911-1914); Boston Red Sox (1914-1916); Philadelphia Athletics (1918); and Washington Nationals (1925), compiling a record of 92-63 with an earned run average of 2.70. He was 63-33 in his first three seasons, with his best season being his first, when he was 23-7 and led the American League with an ERA of 1.81. Mr. Gregg was the only major league pitcher in the 20th century to win 20 or more games in each of his first three seasons. Arm problems periodically interrupted his career, including 1914, when he was traded from the Naps to the Red Sox. Mr. Gregg was a member of World Series championship teams in 1915 and 1916. A native and resident of Washington state, Mr. Gregg bought a ranch in Alberta in 1912 and lived there during off-seasons.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (3-0) 26 @ British Columbia (0-3) 17

40 years ago
1974


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Billy - Don't Be a Hero--Paper Lace (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Erich Kästner, 75
. German author. Mr. Kästner was known for his books for children, most notably Emil und die Detektive (Emil and the Detectives) (1929).

Cass Elliot, 32. U.S. singer. Born Ellen Naomi Cohen, "Mama Cass" sang with the groups the Big 3 and the Mugwumps before achieving fame with the Mamas and the Papas from 1966-1968. When the group broke up, Miss Elliot went on to a sucessful solo career with songs such as Dream a Little Dream of Me. She had one of the best voices in popular music, but she died of a heart attack, possibly brought on by binge dieting, two days after closing a 12-day engagement at the London Palladium, where she had performed to capacity audiences and rave reviews.

Bobby Duke, Jr., 19. U.S. football player. Mr. Duke, a running back with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, was driving to a workout when he was shot to death, apparently while being robbed near Birmingham. His body was found in a wooded area five days later.

Scandal
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee debated Article II (Abuse of Power) of the articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon. Rep. Charles Wiggins (Republican--California) argued that the article represented a "step toward a parliamentary system of government" by making the president accountable for his actions after the fact. Rep. Joshua Eilberg (Democrat--Pennsylvania) characterized the pro-impeachment sentiment when he said, "The Nixon White House made secret police a reality in America."

The U.S. federal grand jury investigating the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. and the subsequent cover-up indicted former U.S. Treasury Secretary John Connally on five counts involving acceptance of a bribe; perjury; and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The charges alleged that he had received $10,000 in cash payments from Associated Milk Producers, Inc. in return for his recommendations in 1971 to raise federal milk price supports. Jake Jacobsen, the attorney for AMP and a longtime friend of Mr. Connally, was also indicted.

Baseball
John Milner hit a 2-run home run--his 15th homer of the season--in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the New York Mets a 4-3 win over the Montreal Expos before 17,343 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. This blogger's favourite player, Hal Breeden, started at first base for Montreal and hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 3rd inning to open the scoring. It was Mr. Breeden's second home run of the season, and the 21st and last of his 4-year major league career. Relief pitcher Jack Aker was credited with the win, while Steve Rogers pitched 7+ innings in taking the loss, dropping to 10-13.

30 years ago
1984


Hit parade
#1 single in France: Susanna--The Art Company (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Self Control--Laura Branigan (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Fred Waring, 84
. U.S. bandleader. Mr. Waring and his band, Waring's Pennsylvanians, were among the most popular artists recording for Victor Records from 1923-1932. Mr. Waring was also a popular performer in person and on radio. He made the move to television in 1948; The Fred Waring Show aired on CBS from 1948-1954. Mr. Waring also achieved success promoting the Waring Blender, which became an important tool in hospitals for the implementation of specific diets, and was used by Dr. Jonas Salk while developing his polio vaccine. Mr. Waring was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the U.S.A.'s highest civilian honour, by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-2-1) 46 @ Ottawa (3-2) 24

Saskatchewan kicker Dave Ridgway set a CFL record for a single game with 8 field goals to help the Roughriders defeat the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park.



25 years ago
1989


Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Viva la mamma--Edoardo Bennato (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): No More Boleros--Gerard Joling

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)--Soul II Soul

#1 single in France (SNEP): Lambada--Kaoma

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): You'll Never Stop Me Loving You--Sonia (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Toy Soldiers--Martika (2nd week at #1)
2 Batdance--Prince
3 Express Yourself--Madonna
4 So Alive--Love and Rockets
5 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
6 If You Don't Know Me by Now--Simply Red
7 Lay Your Hands on Me--Bon Jovi
8 Once Bitten Twice Shy--Great White
9 I Like It--Dino
10 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx

Singles entering the chart were One by the Bee Gees (#73); Bust a Move by Young M.C. (#81); Pride and Passion by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band (#82); Put Your Mouth on Me by Eddie Murphy (#90); You Better Dance by the Jets (#92); Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom Petty (#93); Nature of Love by Waterfront (#95); Love Cries by Stage Dolls (#96); and Nightrain by Guns n' Roses (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Batdance--Prince
2 If You Don't Know Me by Now--Simply Red
3 Express Yourself--Madonna
4 Toy Soldiers--Martika
5 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
6 Lay Your Hands on Me--Bon Jovi
7 So Alive--Love and Rockets
8 What You Don't Know--Expose
9 Good Thing--Fine Young Cannibals
10 Baby Don't Forget My Number--Milli Vanilli

Singles entering the chart were Heaven by Warrant (#77); One by the Bee Gees (#79); That's the Way by Katrina and the Waves (#82); Forget Me Not by Bad English (#85); Don't Say You Love Me by Billy Squier (#89); and Put Your Mouth on Me by Eddie Murphy (#90).

Politics and government
Recently-elected Polish President Wojciech Jaruzelski resigned as Communist Party leader; he was replaced by Premier Mieczyslaw Rakowski.

Track and field
Javier Sotomayor of Cuba became the first high jumper to break the 8-foot barrier when he cleared that height, breaking his own world record of 7 feet 11½ inches, at the Caribbean Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Baseball
Texas Rangers’ owner George W. Bush made one of the worst trades in baseball history, obtaining outfielder-designated hitter Harold Baines and infielder Fred Manrique from the Chicago White Sox for shortstop Scott Fletcher, pitcher Wilson Alvarez, and outfielder Sammy Sosa. It was the "biggest mistake of my adulthood," the future President said in 2000. Mr. Baines was batting .321 with 13 home runs and 56 runs batted in in 96 games with the White Sox in 1989, while Mr. Manrique was batting .299 with 2 homer and 30 RBIs in 65 games with Chicago. Mr. Fletcher was batting .239 with no home runs and 22 runs batted in in 83 games with the Rangers in 1989, while Mr. Sosa was batting .238 with 1 homer and 3 RBIs in 20 games with Texas. Mr. Alvarez had made his major league debut with the Rangers just five days earlier in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays; he started and faced 5 batters, allowing, in order: a single, home run, home run, base on balls, and base on balls, with 3 of the runs scoring, leading to Mr. Alvarez being tagged with the loss as Toronto won 6-3.

20 years ago
1994


Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Swear--All-4-One (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Dorothy Hodgkin, 84
. Egyptian-born U.K. biochemist. Dr. Hodgkin was awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for her determinations by X-ray techniques of the structures of important biochemical substances."

John Britton, 69. U.S. abortionist. Dr. Britton and bodyguard James Barrett, 74, were shot to death, and Mr. Barrett's wife June was wounded slightly, outside an abortion clinic in Pensacola, Florida. The killer was Paul Hill, a former Presbyterian pastor who had been defrocked and excommunicated by his church for refusing to recant of his support for killing abortionists. Mr. Hill was charged the next day with two counts of murder and another count of attempted murder.

World events
U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered U.S. troops in Rwanda to open the Kigali airport. U.S. Army engineers began pumping fresh water from Lake Kivu to refugees.

Law
The United States Senate voted 87-9 to approve U.S. federal judge Stephen Breyer as the latest member of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross domestic product had grown at an annual rate of 3.7% during the second quarter of 1994, up from a revised rate of 3.3% for the first quarter.

Football
CFL
Las Vegas (2-2) 20 @ Toronto (2-2) 39
British Columbia (2-2) 21 @ Calgary (3-1) 62

Mike Kerrigan threw 4 touchdown passes--2 to Eric Drage and 1 each to Jeff Fairholm and Paul Masotti--as the Argonauts took a 32-0 lead and coasted to victory over the Posse before 14,296 fans at SkyDome.



Doug Flutie threw 2 touchdown passes and rushed for 2 more TDs, and backup quarterback Steve Taylor added 2 touchdown passes as the Stampeders routed the Lions before 23,693 fans at McMahon Stadium. Marvin Coleman scored another Calgary touchdown on a 68-yard punt return. The Stampeders' point total gave them 120 points in their last 2 games.

10 years ago
2004


Politics and government
U.S. Senator John Kerry (Massachusetts) officially accepted the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in the November 2004 election. The Democratic National Convention, meeting at the FleetCenter in Boston, unanimously nominated U.S. Senator John Edwards (North Carolina) as the party's vice presidential candidate.

Football
CFL
Calgary (1-5) 30 @ Ottawa (4-3) 31



Montreal (6-1) 9 @ British Columbia (3-3) 32

Monday 28 July 2014

July 28, 2014

650 years ago
1364


War
Troops of the Republic of Pisa and the Republic of Florence clashed in the Battle of Cascina in Italy.

220 years ago
1794


Died on this date
Maximilien de Robespierre, 36
. French politician. Mr. Robespierre was one of the Jacobin leaders of the French Revolution and held various positions, most notably as a member of the Committee of Public Safety during the "Reign of Terror" (1793-1794), when he used his influence to suppress opposition. The excesses of the Reign of Terror provoked a reaction that resulted in the arrest of Mr. Robespierre and some of his supporters. He and 21 "Robespierrists" were guillotined in Paris.

Louis Antoine de Saint-Just, 26. French politician. Mr. Saint-Just was a Jacobin leader during the French Revolution and a member of the Committee of Public Safety from 1793 until his arrest, which took place the day before his execution by guillotine in Paris.

170 years ago
1844


Born on this date
Gerard Manley Hopkins
. U.K. poet. Rev. Hopkins was a Jesuit priest who was known for his melancholy poems about nature and religion. He died of typhoid fever on June 8, 1889 at the age of 44, after several years of declining health.

Died on this date
Joseph I, 76
. King of Naples and Sicily, 1806-1808; King of Spain and the Indies, 1808-1813. Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte, born Giuseppe Buonaparte, was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily and then as Jose I, King of Spain and the Indies. He abdicated the latter throne after French forces were defeated by a British-led coalition in the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. Joseph governed Paris for several years and spent most of the period from 1817-1832 in the United States before returning to Europe and dying in Florence.

160 years ago
1854


Defense
USS Constellation, the last all-sail warship built by the United States Navy, was commissioned.

150 years ago
1864


War
In the U.S. Civil War, Confederate troops made a third unsuccessful attempt to drive Union forces from Atlanta in the Battle of Ezra Church in Fulton County, Georgia.

100 years ago
1914


Born on this date
Carmen Dragon
. U.S. composer and conductor. Mr. Dragon conducted the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra for many years. He and Morris Stoloff shared the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for Cover Girl (1944). Mr. Dragon was the father of Daryl Dragon, the Captain of the duo Captain and Tennille, who had a string of hits on the pop charts from 1975-1980. Carmen Dragon died on March 28, 1984 at the age of 69.

War
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia after Serbia rejected the conditions of an ultimatum sent by Austria on July 23 following the June 28 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary's declaration began World War I.

Baseball
The Cleveland Naps traded pitcher Vean Gregg to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Fritz Coumbe and Rankin Johnson and catcher Ben Egan. Mr. Gregg had won 20 or more games in each of his first 3 seasons from 1911-1913, but had come down with a sore arm in 1914. He was still able to post a 9-3 record with Cleveland in 1914 before being traded to Boston.

80 years ago
1934


Died on this date
Marie Dressler, 65
. Canadian-born U.S. actress. Miss Dressler, born Leila Marie Koerber in Cobourg, Ontario, won the Academy Award for Best Actress of 1930-1931 for Min and Bill (1930). Other notable movies of hers included Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914); Anna Christie (1930); and Dinner at Eight (1933). Miss Dressler died of cancer.

Literature
The July 28, 1934 edition of Collier's included The Thirty Thousand Dollar Bomb, second of the Mr. Wong stories by Hugh Wiley.

Baseball
Chuck Dressen replaced Bob O’Farrell as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, who currently sat eighth and last in the National League with a record of 31-60. For Mr. Dressen, it was the beginning of a 16-year managerial career that would total 1,990 regular season games.

75 years ago
1939


Died on this date
William James Mayo, 78
. U.S. physician and surgeon. Dr. Mayo and his brother Charles were sons of William Worrall Mayo, a physician in Rochester, Minnesota. The brothers joined their father's practice, and all three worked together at Saint Mary's Hospital when it was established in 1889. They were among seven founders of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in 1919. Dr. W.J. Mayo died of stomach cancer, 29 days after his 78th birthday.

Archaeology
During an excavation of a ship burial at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, England, archaeologists discovered a helmet likely belonging to King Rædwald of East Anglia.

Baseball
Ken Chase of the Washington Nationals gave up 2 hits in the 9th inning to lose his bid for a no-hitter, but held on to beat Bob Feller and the Cleveland Indians 2-0 before 5,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Skeeter Webb had the first Cleveland hit. Mr. Chase improved his record for the season to 5-13, while Mr. Feller fell to 15-5.

70 years ago
1944


War
Soviet units in Poland captured Brest-Litovsk and Przemysl.

Protest
Crowds of nationalist demonstrators in Buenos Aires stoned U.K.-owned commercial establishments and were held off from the U.S. embassy by police.

Politics and government
New York Governor and Republican Party U.S. presidential candidate Thomas Dewey said that he opposed the renomination of Rep. Hamilton Fish for the November 1944 election for the U.S. House of Representatives because Mr. Fish had charged that "Jews are more or less for the New Deal, unfortunately."

60 years ago
1954


Died on this date
Jim Bagby, Sr., 64
U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Bagby played with the Cincinnati Reds (1912); Cleveland Indians (1916-1922); and Pittsburgh Pirates (1923), compiling a record of 127-89 with an earned run average of 3.11 in 316 games, and batting .218 with 2 home runs and 60 runs batted in in 325 games. His best season was 1920, when he was 31-12 with a 2.89 ERA in 48 games, leading the American League in games; complete games (30); innings pitched 339 2/3); hits allowed (338); and winning percentage (.721), while batting .252 with 1 home run and 14 RBIS in 49 games. Mr. Bagby helped the Indians win their first World Series in 1920, and was 1-1 in 2 games in the Series against the Brooklyn Robins, with a 1.80 ERA. He was the winning pitcher in game 5, and hit a 3-run homer, becoming the first pitcher to hit a home run in World Series competition. Mr. Bagby played 14 seasons in the minor leagues from 1910-1930, winning at least 132 games. His son Jim, Jr. was a major league pitcher from 1938-1947.

50 years ago
1964


Space
The United States launched the probe Ranger 7 toward the moon. Its mission was to send back high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface before crashing.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Saskatchewan (0-2) 18 @ Winnipeg (1-2) 19

40 years ago
1974


Died on this date
Truman Bradley, 69. U.S. broadcaster. Mr. Bradley provided colour commentary on CBS radio broadcasts of baseball games in the 1930s and narrated a number of radio programs. He acted in several movies and hosted the television program Science Fiction Theatre from 1955-1957.

Don McCafferty, 53. U.S. football coach. Mr. McCafferty was an end with the New York Giants in 1946 before embarking on a coaching career. He spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach at Kent State University, followed by 11 seasons (1959-1969) as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Colts under head coaches Weeb Ewbank and Don Shula. When Mr. Shula went to the Miami Dolphins in 1970, Mr. McCafferty replaced him as head coach of the Colts, and led the team to the Super Bowl championship, becoming the first rookie head coach to win a Super Bowl. The Colts made the playoffs again in 1971, but when they got off to a poor start in 1972, Mr. McCafferty was fired when he refused to bench veteran quarterback Johnny Unitas. Mr. McCafferty became head coach of the Detroit Lions in 1973, leading them to a 6-7-1 record. He was preparing for another season when he died of a heart attack after mowing the lawn at his home. Rick Forzano replaced him as head coach of the Lions.

Defense
Spetsgruppa A, aka Alpha Group, The U.S.S.R.'s elite special force, was formed.

Disasters
At least 69 people were killed and 10 seriously injured when a bus collided with a truck 250 miles south of Belem, Brazil.

Football
WFL
Chicago (4-0) 53 @ Hawaii (1-3) 29

30 years ago
1984


Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Self Control--Raf (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham! (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham! (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Hole in My Shoe--neil

#1 single in the U.K.: Two Tribes--Frankie Goes to Hollywood (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): When Doves Cry--Prince (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 When Doves Cry--Prince (3rd week at #1)
2 Ghostbusters--Ray Parker, Jr.
3 Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen
4 State of Shock--The Jacksons with Mick Jagger
5 Eyes Without a Face--Billy Idol
6 Jump (For My Love)--The Pointer Sisters
7 The Reflex--Duran Duran
8 Infatuation--Rod Stewart
9 Almost Paradise...Love Theme from Footloose--Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
10 Sad Songs (Say So Much)--Elton John

Singles entering the chart were Only When You Leave by Spandau Ballet (#76); Reach Out by Giorgio Moroder (featuring Paul Engemann) (#85); 99 1/2 by Carol Lynn Townes (#87); I Didn't Mean to Turn You On by Cherrelle (#88); Go Insane by Lindsey Buckingham (#89); and We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Sister Christian--Night Ranger
2 Self Control--Laura Branigan
3 Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry
4 When Doves Cry--Prince
5 Almost Paradise...Love Theme from Footloose--Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
6 Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen
7 Ghostbusters--Ray Parker, Jr.
8 State of Shock--The Jacksons with Mick Jagger
9 Jump (For My Love)--Pointer Sisters
10 Legs--ZZ Top

Singles entering the chart were Rock Me Tonite by Billy Squier (#42); Only When You Leave by Spandau Ballet (#43); Go for Soda by Kim Mitchell (#46); Missing You by John Waite (#47); I Can Dream About You by Dan Hartman (#48); Don't Tell Me by Blancmange (#49); and If Ever You're In My Arms Again by Peabo Bryson (#50).

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. sent a new draft for a joint statement on proposed talks with the U.S.S.R. on banning space weapons to Moscow.

Olympics
U.S. President Ronald Reagan officially opened the Games of the XXIII Olympiad at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Gina Hemphill, granddaughter of 1936 Olympics star Jesse Owens, circled the track with the torch, and Rafer Johnson, the 1960 decathlon champion, lit the flame.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (3-1) 42 @ Hamilton (1-3-1) 20
Montreal (1-3) 7 @ British Columbia (3-1) 22

25 years ago
1989


Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Das Omen (Teil I)--Mysterious Art (5th week at #1)

World events
Israeli commandos abducted Sheik Abdul Karim Obeid, a spiritual leader of the Party of God, a Shiite Muslim group in southern Lebanon. An Israeli army statement said that Sheik Obeid had been "arrested" for planning attacks against Israel.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-0) 34 @ Saskatchewan (2-1) 17

The game at Taylor Field in Regina was interrupted by a thunderstorm which knocked out power and caused a lengthy delay.

20 years ago
1994


Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Wizards of the Sonic--WestBam

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Riverdance--Bill Whelan (13th week at #1)

Music
35,000 people attended the first Lollapalooza festival in Molson Park in Barrie, Ontario featuring Smashing Pumpkins, the Beastie Boys, and George Clinton; rain turned the park into a sea of mud.

Labour
The Supreme Court of Canada refused an appeal of a lower court ruling awarding retired National Hockey League players an estimated $45 million from the league in surplus pension funds.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-2) 53 @ Hamilton (0-4) 25
Baltimore (2-2) 32 @ Winnipeg (2-2) 39

Baseball
Kenny Rogers of the Texas Rangers pitched a perfect game as the Rangers blanked the California Angels 4-0 before 46,581 fans at the Ballpark in Arlington. Center fielder Rusty Greer saved the masterpiece with a diving catch with none out in the top of the 9th inning.



10 years ago
2004


Died on this date
Francis Crick, 88
. U.K. biologist. Dr. Crick co-discovered the DNA molecule with James Watson in 1953. Drs. Crick and Watson and Maurice Wilkins shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material."

Terrorism
At least 70 people were killed when a suicide bomb was detonated outside a police station in Baquba, Iraq.

War
Iraqi forces and foreign troops attacked an insurgent stronghold south of Baghdad, killing 35 terrorists.

Politics and government
At the FleetCenter in Boston, the Democratic National Convention nominated U.S. Senator John Kerry (Massachusetts) as its candidate for President of the United States in the November 2004 election.

World events
After 24 years of service in Afghanistan, the humanitarian group Medecins sans Frontieres announced that it planned to leave the country because the Afghan government had failed to prosecute the suspect in the murder of five of its aid workers.

Economics and finance
Ignoring a proposal from a legislative committee, New Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord forced insurance companies in the province to offer inexpensive, no-frills options and to tighten regulations in an attempt to bring down rates.

Sunday 27 July 2014

July 27, 2014

825 years ago
1189


World events
Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa arrived at Niš, the capital of Serbian King Stefan Nemanja, during the Third Crusade.

800 years ago
1214


War
Forces commanded by King Philip II of France decisively defeated Imperial, English and Flemish armies led by Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV in the Battle of Bouvines in Flanders, effectively ending King John of England's Angevin Empire.

325 years ago
1689


War
The Battle of Killiecrankie was fought in Scotland, with forces supporting King James II of England (King James VII of Scotland) defeating forces loyal to King William III of England.

320 years ago
1694


Economics and finance
A royal charter was granted to the Bank of England.

225 years ago
1789


Politics and government
The first U.S. federal government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs, was established (it was later renamed Department of State).

125 years ago
1889


Born on this date
Cal Crum
. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Crum played with the Boston Braves (1917-1918), with a record of 0-1 and an earned run average of 10.80 in 2 games (3 1/3 innings). He won at least 58 games in at least 7 seasons in he minor leagues from 1914-1923, and was 20-14 with the Indianapolis Indians of the AA American Association in 1919. Mr. Crum died on July 7, 1945, 20 days before his 56th birthday.

Baseball
With 2 out in the 9th inning, the Philadelphia Athletics scored 6 runs on 2 errors, 2 doubles, a single, and a home run (by Henry Larkin) to defeat the Kansas City Cowboys 12-10 in an American Association game at Jefferson Street Grounds in Phialdelphia.

100 years ago
1914


Religion
Felix Manalo registered his unitarian pseudo-Christian cult Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) with the Philippine government.

90 years ago
1924


Olympics
The Summer Olympics closed in Paris. Canada won no gold medals, but silver medals in the rowing eights, coxless fours, and team clay pigeon, and a bronze medal in boxing.

80 years ago
1934


Politics and government
The Saskatchewan Farmer-Labour Party became the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF).

75 years ago
1939

Baseball

The Brooklyn Dodgers sent 4 players and a reported $75,000 to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for shortstop Pee Wee Reese, currently playing for the Red Sox’ AAA farm team in Louisville. Mr. Reese continiued to play with the Colonels, batting .279 with 4 home runs in 149 games in 1939.

70 years ago
1944


War
German Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels issued his first orders in a program for total mobilization, which cancelled vacations for female workers and directed the army to use frontline troops as labour battalions. Soviet forces advanced from the Baltic Sea to the Carpathian foothills, taking several Polish, Latvian, and Lithuanian localities. U.S. planes made their first large-scale raid on Halmahera Island in the Moluccas, west of Dutch New Guinea.

Diplomacy
Polish Prime Minister Stanislaw Mikolajczyk headed a committee from the government in exile in London to Moscow for talks with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

60 years ago
1954


On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Main Feature: Death, starring Nina Foch

50 years ago
1964


Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ciudad Solitaria--Mina

Died on this date
Willie Galimore, 29
; Bo Farrington, 28. U.S. football players. Mr. Galimore was a fullback with the Chicago Bears from 1957-1963; Mr. Farrington was a tight end with the Bears from 1960-1963. Both players helped the Bears win the NFL championship in 1963. They were killed in a car accident in Rensselaer, Indiana while at the team's training camp.

Defense
5,000 more American military advisers were sent to South Vietnam, bringing the total number of United States forces in Vietnam to 21,000.

Diplomacy
Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman arrived in Ottawa to start a three-day visit to Canada.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (0-2) 16 @ Hamilton (2-1) 29

40 years ago
1974


Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Sugar Baby Love--The Rubettes (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Rock Your Baby--George McCrae

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Billy - Don't Be a Hero--Paper Lace (4th week at #1)
2 Devil Gate Drive--Suzi Quatro
3 The Entertainer--Marvin Hamlisch
4 Evie--Stevie Wright
5 The Streak--Ray Stevens
6 Would You Lay with Me in a Field of Stone?--Judy Stone
7 My Girl Bill--Jim Stafford
8 The Loco-Motion--Grand Funk
9 Candle in the Wind/Bennie and the Jets--Elton John
10 Hooked on a Feeling--Blue Swede

Singles entering the chart were Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot (#25); Sugar Baby Love by the Rubettes (#27); and Long Live Love by Olivia Newton-John (#38).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Annie's Song--John Denver

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Annie's Song--John Denver
2 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--Elton John
3 Rikki Don't Lose that Number--Steely Dan
4 Rock and Roll Heaven--The Righteous Brothers
5 Rock Your Baby--George McCrae
6 Rock the Boat--The Hues Corporation
7 The Air that I Breathe--The Hollies
8 You Won't See Me--Anne Murray
9 On and On--Gladys Knight and the Pips
10 Waterloo--ABBA

Singles entering the chart were Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe by Barry White (#71); Tell Her Love has Felt the Need by Eddie Kendricks (#77); Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine) by Bob Dylan and The Band (#86); Moonlight Special by Ray Stevens (#88); Beach Baby by First Class (#89); That's Not How it Goes by Bloodstone (#92); Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream) by Tower of Power (#93); Many Rivers to Cross by Nilsson (#94); Rings by Reuben Howell (#95); Sugar Lump by Leon Haywood (#96); Lover's Cross by Melanie (#97); Funky Party by Clarence Reid (#98); Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd (#99); and Second Avenue by Tim Moore (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Rock Your Baby--George McCrae
2 Annie's Song--John Denver
3 Rock the Boat--The Hues Corporation
4 Rock and Roll Heaven--The Righteous Brothers
5 The Air that I Breathe--The Hollies
6 Rikki Don't Lose that Number--Steely Dan
7 Waterloo--ABBA
8 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--Elton John
9 Sideshow--Blue Magic
10 You Won't See Me--Anne Murray

Singles entering the chart were I Want You to Love Me by Susan Jacks (#92); Let's Put it All Together by the Stylistics (#94); Don't Knock My Love by Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye (#95); Shoeshine Working Song by Murray McLauchlan (#97); River's Risin' by Edgar Winter (#98); Love Will Get You by Jayson Hoover (#99); and Kalimba Story by Earth, Wind & Fire (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 The Night Chicago Died--Paper Lace
2 (You're) Having My Baby--Paul Anka with Odia Coates
3 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--Elton John
4 If You Go Away--Terry Jacks
5 Waterloo--ABBA
6 Wild Thing--Fancy
7 Wildwood Weed--Jim Stafford
8 Rock the Boat--The Hues Corporation
9 Annie's Song--John Denver
10 King of Nothing--Seals and Crofts
Pick hit of the week: Takin' Care of Business--Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Music
Cass Elliot finished a 12-day engagement at the London Palladium, where she had played to capacity audiences and rave reviews.

Scandal
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted 27-11 to recommend President Richard M. Nixon's impeachment on Article I--a charge that he had personally engaged in a "course of conduct" designed to obstruct justice in the investigation of the June 1972 breakin at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.

30 years ago
1984


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): One Love/People Get Ready--Bob Marley

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Two Tribes--Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Died on this date
James Mason, 75
. U.K. actor. Mr. Mason became a major star in British films in the mid-1940s, and later achieved success in Hollywood. His movies included Odd Man Out (1947); The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951); 5 Fingers (1952); Julius Caesar (1953); A Star is Born (1954); 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954); North by Northwest (1959); Lolita (1962); Georgy Girl (1966); Murder by Decree (1979); The Verdict (1982); and The Shooting Party (1985).

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. rejected the U.S.A.’s draft of a joint statement on banning space weapons.

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan rejected the challenge of Democratic challenger Walter Mondale for six election debates, saying that two debates "would be as many as the public should stand for."

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-2) 43 @ Calgary (2-3) 17

Baseball
Pete Rose’s single in the 7th inning against Steve Carlton was the 3,053rd of his major league career, passing Ty Cobb for first place on the career singles list. Mr. Rose and the Montreal Expos defeated Mr. Carlton and the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 before 30,222 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

25 years ago
1989


Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Minä olen muistanut--Kim Lönnholm (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Too Much--Bros

Disasters
Korean Air Flight 803, a DC-10 jetliner en route from Seoul to Tripoli, crashed in fog while trying to land at Tripoli. 82 were killed, while over 100 survived.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-1) 17 @ Toronto (2-1) 21

The Argonauts made 6 interceptions against Eskimo quarterback Tracy Ham on their way to the win. Mike "Pinball" Clemons of the Argonauts and Tony "The Wiz" Hunter of the Eskimos put on a great show returning kicks. For Mr. Clemons, it was his first CFL game.



Baseball
The Atlanta Braves scored all 10 of their runs in the 6th inning as they defeated the San Francisco Giants 10-1 before 10,471 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Dale Murphy became the first Brave since Bobby Lowe in 1894 to hit 2 home runs in an inning, and his 6 runs batted in in an inning tied a major league record.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 5 runs in each of the 1st and 7th innings as they defeated the New York Mets 10-8 before 39,447 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Scott Little flied out as a pinch hitter for the Pirates in the 6th inning in his first major league game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers scored 2 runs in the 7th inning, 1 in the 8th, and 3 in the 9th as they overcame a 5-1 deficit and defeated the Houston Astros 7-5 before 30,466 fans at the Astrodome. Eddie Murray's 3-run home run with 1 out in the top of the 9th provided the winning margin.

20 years ago
1994


Terrorism
The day after 14 people had been injured when a car bomb had exploded outside the Israeli embassy in London, five more people were injured when a bomb exploded at an Israeli fund-raising office in London.

10 years ago
2004


Politics and government
10 days after offering his resignation to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahemd Qurei withdrew the offer after Mr. Arafat agreed to hand over to Mr. Qurei some control over security agencies.

Barack Obama, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, delivered the keynote address for the day at the Democratic National Convention at FleetCenter in Boston.

Saturday 26 July 2014

July 26, 2014

275 years ago
1739


Born on this date
George Clinton
. 4th Vice President of the United States, 1805-1812. Mr. Clinton was a brigadier general in the Continental Army and served as Governor of New York from 1777-1795 and 1801-1804. He served as Vice President under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and became the first Vice President to die in office when he succumbed to a heart attack on April 20, 1812 at the age of 77.

200 years ago
1814


War
In the War of 1812, U.S. forces led by Major General Jacob Brown withdrew to Fort Erie, Upper Canada with General Eleazor Ripley after their mauling at Lundy's Lane the previous day. The battle had resulted in 853 U.S. casualties, including 171 killed, and ended the American offensive in Niagara.

140 years ago
1874


Born on this date
Serge Koussevitzky
. Russian-born U.S. musician and conductor. Mr. Koussevitzky was a double bass virtuoso in his native Russia before moving to Berlin, where he began his professional debut as a conductor in 1908. He returned to Russia as performer and conductor, but left again in 1920 for Berlin and Paris. Mr. Koussevitzky moved to the United States in 1924, and conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1924-1949), building it into a major orchestra, with numerous recordings and educational programs. He died on June 4, 1951 at the age of 76.

125 years ago
1889


Religion
A group of over 100 Roman Catholics made a pilgrimage to the church at Lac Ste-Anne, Alberta, 30 miles northwest of Edmonton. The church was built to commemorate the vision of a parish priest from St. Albert, who had seen a vision of the Saint on a visit to Ste. Anne's shrine in France in 1889. The tradition continues today.

120 years ago
1894


Born on this date
Aldous Huxley
. U.K. author. Mr. Huxley, who was best known for his novel Brave New World (1932), was an agnostic who was keenly interested in Eastern mysticism, and advocated and practiced the use of psychedelic drugs. He died on November 22, 1963 at the age of 69.

100 years ago
1914


Born on this date
Ellis Kinder
. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Kinder played with the St. Louis Browns (1946-1947); Boston Red Sox (1948-1955); St. Louis Cardinals (1956); and Chicago White Sox (1956-1957), compiling a record of 102-71 with 102 saves and an earned run average of 3.43. His best season was 1949, when he was 23-6 with 6 shutouts. He moved to the bullpen in 1951 and was the best relief pitcher in the American League for the next four years. Mr. Kinder, a heavy drinker, died after undergoing open-heart surgery at the age of 54 on October 16, 1968.

Erskine Hawkins. U.S. musician. Mr. Hawkins was a trumpeter and bandleader from Birmingham, Alabama. He was best known for co-writing and recording Tuxedo Junction, a major hit in 1939 that became a jazz standard. Mr. Hawkins died on November 11, 1993 at the age of 79.

C. Farris Bryant. U.S. politician. Mr. Bryant, a Democrat, was Governor of Florida from 1961-1965. He died on March 1, 2002 at the age of 87.

Diplomacy
Serbia and Bulgaria severed diplomatic relations.

70 years ago
1944


War
Canadian forces in France reportedly captured Tilly before dawn, but they only controlled half the village, and the German panzers counter-attacked, destroying most Canadian tanks and cutting off the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. U.S. forces in France, led by tanks, advanced all along their 40-mile front. British troops in Italy reached a point 8 miles south of Florence. Soviet troops in Poland reached the Vistula River and took Deblin, 55 miles southeast of Warsaw. Chinese troops recaptured Leiyang in the province of Hunan, 40 miles south of besieged Hengyang. U.S. Marines gained control of the northern third of Tinian Island.

Politics and government
The Chinese government reported a "partial agreement" with the Communist Party, but indicated that it was "too much to expect a total accord." Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek had offered the Communists free participation in politics after the war in return for wartime control by the Kuomintang regime in Chungking.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull made public a memorandum to American nations recommending continued refusal to recognize the government of Argentina.

The government of Colombia seized property of German nationals to cover damage by German war measures.

Labour
U.S. Army Service Forces Commander Lieutenant General Brehon Somervell cancelled leaves of U.S. Army civilian workers in arsenals and depots and ordered a 54-hour work week.

Minneapolis Judge W.W. Bardwell issued a warrant for the arrest of American Federation of Musicians President James Petrillo, the day after Mr. Petrillo had ordered 16 musicians at radio station KSTP in St. Paul to go on strike despite a court order.

50 years ago
1964


Scandal
U.S. Teamsters Union president Jimmy Hoffa and six others were convicted of fraud and conspiracy in the handling of a union pension fund.

40 years ago
1974


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Band On The Run--Paul McCartney & Wings

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Theo, wir Fahr’n Nach Lodz--Vicky Leandros

Politics and government
Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis formed the country's first civil government after seven years of military rule.

Scandal
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee began debate on Article I (Obstruction of Justice) of the articles of impeachment of President Richard Nixon.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (0-1) 7 @ Edmonton (1-0) 31

Tom Wilkinson threw 4 touchdown passes--2 to Don Warrington and 1 each to Garry Lefebvre and Larry Highbaugh--and the defensive line of Bruce Smith, Leroy Jones, John LaGrone, and Ron Estay dominated the Saskatchewan offense as the Eskimos routed the Roughriders before 21,456 fans on a rainy night at Clarke Stadium. The Roughriders broke up the shutout when Randy Mattingly, playing his first CFL game, relieved Ron Lancaster at quarterback and completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Steve Mazurak with 39 seconds remaining in the game. Among other players making their CFL debuts were Edmonton defensive tackle Dave Fennell and slotback Stu Lang, and Saskatchewan tight end Lawrie Skolrood and offensive tackle Elbert Walker.

30 years ago
1984


Died on this date
George Gallup, 82
. U.S. pollster. Dr. Gallup was head of the journalism department at Drake University before founding, in 1935, the American Institute of Public Opinion (Gallup Poll), America's best known firm for surveying public opinion. He launched the the Gallup International Association in 1947, and combined his organizations into the Gallup Organization in 1958. Dr. Gallup was also instrumental in the creation of several other public opinion organizations. He died of a heart attack.

Ed Gein, 77. U.S. criminal. Mr. Gein, a farmer from Plainfield, Wisconsin, killed two women (by his own admission) and robbed the graves of at least a dozen others between 1944 and 1957. Authorities investigating the disappearance of a Plainfield woman in 1957 went to Mr. Gein's farm and found the missing woman's body hanging by the heels in the woodshed, dressed out like a deer. Inside the house, they found furniture and clothing made from human skulls and skin, and a human heart simmering in a pot on the stove. Mr. Gein was judged insane, and was committed to the Waupan State Hospital, where he spent the rest of his life. He's often credited as being the real-life inspiration for the novel and movie Psycho.

Politics and government
Results from the Israeli election of three days earlier were announced. Labour had 44 seats and Likud 41, both short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Labour leader Shimon Peres and Likud leader Yitzhak Shamir began to negotiate with prospective allies among minority parties, but neither was immediately successful in building a majority coalition.

Economics and finance
A rescue package for Continental Illinois Corporation, the U.S.A.’s 8th largest bank holding company, was unveiled. U.S. bank regulators said that the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. would buy most of the bank’s "problem" loans and would provide $1 billion in aid to the bank, for a total outlay of $4.5 billion in support--in effect, owning 80% of the bank. The new plan was subject to approval of the bank’s stockholders. Continental Illinois reported a loss of $1.1 billion for the second quarter of 1984.

Baseball
Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announced that free agent pitcher Vida Blue had been suspended for the remainder of the season after being convicted the previous November of possession of cocaine.

25 years ago
1989


Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Sealed with a Kiss--Jason Donovan

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Licence to Kill--Gladys Knight

Licence to Kill was the title song of the movie.

Law
The Quebec Court of Appeal prohibited Chantal Daigle, a woman who was 21 weeks pregnant, the right to an abortion, ruling that a child had a civil status "regardless of the stage of pregnancy." The judgment followed the steps taken by Ms. Daigle's former lover, Jean-Guy Tremblay, who wanted her to complete her pregnancy. On August 8th, it was announced that Ms. Daigle had obtained an abortion in the United States. The Supreme Court of Canada then "broke" the Quebec Court of Appeal's order to continue the pregnancy, unanimously concluding that "the fetus was not a human being and, therefore, enjoyed neither the right to life nor the legal personality, and that (...) moreover he will be treated as a person only in cases where it is essential to do so to protect his interests after birth. " In arriving at this conclusion, the Supreme Court referred to the fact that "the Quebec Charter, taken as a whole, does not reflect any clear intention on the part of the legislator to take into consideration the status of the fetus"; the Charter does not provide an exact definition of the terms "human being" and "person". The Quebec Civil Code also did not recognize the fetus as a legal personality.

Technology
A U.S. federal grand jury indicted Cornell University student Robert T. Morris, Jr. for releasing the Morris worm, thus becoming the first person to be prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Football
CFL
Calgary (1-2) 28 @ British Columbia (0-3) 26

Danny Barrett quarterbacked the Stampeders to victory over the Lions at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver in an impressive effort just five days after losing 54-4 at home to the Edmonton Eskimos.

20 years ago
1994


Died on this date
Christy Henrich, 22
. U.S. gymnast. Miss Henrich was a member of the U.S. national team who died of anorexia nervosa after being told by an official to lose weight.

Terrorism
14 people were injured when a car bomb exploded outside the Israeli embassy in London.

Diplomacy
King Hussein of Jordan and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin addressed the United States Congress, the day after they had signed the Washington Declaration, ending the enmity between the countries.

10 years ago
2004


Died on this date
William A. Mitchell, 92
. U.S. chemist. Mr. Mitchell, who joined General Foods in 1941, received over 70 patents. He was the key inventor behind such products as Tang, Pop Rocks, Cool Whip, and quick-set Jell-O.

Politics and government
The Democratic National Convention opened at the FleetCenter in Boston.

Energy
U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham ordered a halt in all classified operations at all of the Energy Department's laboratories.

Friday 25 July 2014

July 25, 2014

1,150 years ago
864


Defense
The Edict of Pistres was issued by Charles the Bald, King of West Francia, in an attempt to protect the cities and countryside from Viking raids.

875 years ago
1139


War
The Almoravid Moors, led by Ali ibn Yusuf, were defeated by Portuguese Prince Afonso Henriques in the Battle of Ourique in southern Portugal.

620 years ago
1394


Born on this date
James I
. King of Scotland, 1406-1437. James I, the son of King Robert III, was sent to France in March 1406 in order to be safe from a possible plot by his uncle Robert, Duke of Albany. However, the ship was seized by English pirates on its way to France, and James was delivered to King Henry IV of England, and was in captivity when King Robert died on April 4, 1406. James I was educated at the English court and aided Henry IV's successor Henry V in his military campaign in France in 1420-1421. King James married Joan Beaufort, daughter of the Duke of Somerset, in February 1424, and was released two months later. He returned to Scotland and launched pre-emptive attacks against some of his nobles in order to solidify his position. King James I was assassinated on February 21, 1437 at the age of 42 by his uncle Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl in an unsuccessful coup attempt. Queen Joan was seriously wounded, but escaped with their 6-year-old son, who succeeded his father as King James II.

200 years ago
1814


War
In the War of 1812, Gordon Drummond arrived with reinforcements for a retreating General Phineas Riall at Lundy's Lane, 2 kilometres below Niagara Falls, and takes the battle to Jacob Brown's American forces at 6 P.M. The Americans stalemated and retreated to Fort Erie, Upper Canada in a bitter all-night battle, one of the bloodiest of the war. British and Canadians had 878 casualties, 84 killed, out of 3000 men.

190 years ago
1824


Central Americana
Costa Rica annexed the province of Guanacaste from Nicaragua.

120 years ago
1894


Born on this date
Gavrilo Princip
. Bosnian Serb assassin. Mr. Princip was a member of Young Bosnia, an organization seeking an end to Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina. On June 28, 1914, he assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, thus setting in motion the events leading to World War I. Mr. Princip, 19 when he committed the crime, was too young to receive the death penalty, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was put in solitary confinement in the fortress at Terezin in North Bohemia; he suffered from harsh conditions and developed tuberculosis, which killed him on April 28, 1918 at the age of 23.

Walter Brennan. U.S. actor. Mr. Brennan won Academy Awards for his supporting performances in Come and Get It (1936); Kentucky (1938); and The Westerner (1940). His character roles were too numerous to be mentioned here. Mr. Brennan starred in the television comedy series The Real McCoys from 1957-1963. He died on September 21, 1974 at the age of 80.

War
The First Sino-Japanese War began when the Japanese fired upon a Chinese warship.

100 years ago
1914


Born on this date
Woody Strode
. U.S. football player, wrestler, and actor. Mr. Strode played with the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins in the late 1930s, and was a backfield mate of Kenny Washington and Jackie Robinson. Mr. Strode was an end with the Hollywood Bears of the Pacific Coast Professional Football League in the early 1940s, a time when Negroes were denied employment in the National Football League. He played with the Calgary Stampeders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union from 1948-1950, playing a major role in the Stampeders' first Grey Cup championship in 1948. Mr. Strode was named to the WIFU All-Star team in 1948 and to the first All-Star team in 1949. He wrestled professionally in the 1950s and early 1960s, fighting the likes of Gorgeous George, with whom he became friends. As an actor, Mr. Strode was known for supporting performances in such movies as Spartacus (1960) and The Professionals (1966), and for roles in moves directed by John Ford, such as Sergeant Rutledge (1960) and The Man who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Mr. Strode died on December 31, 1994 at the age of 80.

80 years ago
1934

Died on this date
Engelbert Dollfuss, 41
. Chancellor of Austria, 1932-1934. Mr. Dollfuss became Chancellor as head of a coalition government, but assumed dictatorial powers in 1933, modelling his government on Italian fascism. He was shot to death by eight Austrian Nazis in the Chancellery building.

75 years ago
1939

Baseball

New York Yankees’ rookie pitcher Atley Donald improved his record to 12-0 with a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Browns before 6,076 fans at Yankee Stadium. Joe DiMaggio hit a home run 450 feet into the left field bleachers, and Red Rolfe also homered for the Yankees.

In a record-setting 9th inning, the Cleveland Indians broke a 3-3 tie with 9 runs in the top half, and gave up 5 in the bottom of the inning to beat the Philadelphia Athletics 12-8 before 2,500 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

70 years ago
1944


War
Canadian forces in France suffered heavy casualties, losing 450-500 dead and over 1,500 wounded in the beginning of Operation Spring, attempting to push the entrenched German army off the Verrières ridge, take the heat off the Americans at St.-Lô, and clear the main road through Falaise to Paris. U.S. troops began a strong offensive from St.-Lô west to the sea. Soviet troops encircled Lvov, Poland and fought their way into the southern suburbs; of the 160,000 Jews who lived in the city before Nazi occupation, only 300 survived. 10,000 Japanese troops were reported killed making a strong counterattack on Guam's Orote Peninsula. British forces captured seven hill positions east of Palel on the Impahl-Tamu road in the Indian state of Manipur. U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson, after returning from the French and Italian battle fronts, said that the "end of the war is not yet apparent."

Labour
American Federation of Musicians President James Petrillo ordered 16 musicians with radio station KSTP in St. Paul, Minnesota to strike despite a court injunction.

50 years ago
1964


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): A Hard Day's Night/Things We Said Today--The Beatles

#1 single in France: J'y Pense et Puis J'oublie--Claude François (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): In ginocchio da te--Gianni Morandi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Liebeskummer lohnt sich nicht--Siw Malmkvist (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rag Doll--The 4 Seasons (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles
2 Rag Doll--The 4 Seasons
3 I Get Around--The Beach Boys
4 Memphis--Johnny Rivers
5 The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)--Jan & Dean
6 The Girl from Ipanema--Getz/Gilberto
7 Dang Me--Roger Miller
8 Wishin' and Hopin'--Dusty Springfield
9 Can't You See that She's Mine--The Dave Clark Five
10 Everybody Loves Somebody--Dean Martin

Singles entering the chart were I'll Cry Instead by the Beatles (#74); Such a Night by Elvis Presley (#76); A House is Not a Home by Brook Benton (#79); And I Love Her by George Martin and his Orchestra (#82); No One to Cry To by Ray Charles (#83); Maybe I Know by Lesley Gore (#84); Darling It's Wonderful by Dale & Grace (#93); I'll Keep You Satisfied by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (#94); You're Gonna Miss Me by B.B. King (#95); It's All Over Now by the Rolling Stones (#96); Sole Sole Sole by Siw Malmkvist and Umberto Marcato (#97); Shout by Lulu and the Luvers (#98); Invisible Tears by the Ray Conniff Singers (#99); Selfish One by Jackie Ross (#100); and Say You by Ronnie Dove (also #100). And I Love Her was the A-side (or maybe the B-side) of Ringo's Theme (This Boy); both were from the movie A Hard Day's Night.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (0-1) 20 @ Ottawa (3-0) 32

40 years ago
1974


Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): If Ma Could See Me Now--The Times

Diplomacy
The Greek, Turkish, and British foreign ministers began talks in Geneva on a solution of the crisis in Cyprus, 10 days after Cypriot President Archbishop Makarios had been deposed in a coup led by the 650-member Greek-dominated Cypriot National Guard.

Defense
At the request of the United Nations, the Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau increased the Canadian contingent of the United Nations peacekeeping force on Cyprus from 486 to 950.

Society
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against a plan to desegregate the predominantly black Detroit school system by merging it with predominantly white neighbouring districts. In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Warren Burger argued that illegal segregation in a city school system could not be eased by combining it with predominantly white suburbs, it was the only apparent way to achieve social balance. Justice Thurgood Marshall, in the dissenting opinion, charged the majority with "emasculation of our constitutional guarantee of equal protection" and termed the decision "a giant step backward in school desegregation.

Scandal
A U.S. federal jury in Washington, D.C. convicted California Lieutenant Governor Ed Reinecke of lying to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee about an International Telephone & Telegraph pledge to help finance the 1972 Republican National Convention. Mr. Reinecke said that the conviction was a "gross miscarriage of justice," and his attorney, James E. Cox, said he would file post-trial motions for mistrial and dismissal of the indictment.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (0-1) 3 @ Toronto (1-0) 19
Calgary (0-1) 20 @ British Columbia (1-0) 23

Mike Rae threw touchdown passes to Doyle Orange and Mike Eben, and Ed Shuttlesworth and Mr. Orange, each playing his first CFL game, rushed for 78 and 75 yards respectively as the Argonauts beat the defending Grey Cup champion Rough Riders before 32,485 fans at CNE Stadium. Toronto defensive back Dave Raimey made 2 interceptions.

Monroe Eley rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown and returned a kickoff 110 yards for another touchdown as the Lions edged the Stampeders at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.

WFL
New York (1-2) 17 @ Philadelphia (1-2) 15

30 years ago
1984


Died on this date
Bryan Hextall, 80
. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Hextall played left wing and right wing with the New York Rangers from 1937-1944; 1945; and 1946-1948. He led the NHL in goals in 1939-40 with 24 and again the following season with 26, and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in overtime in the sixth game of the 1940 finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving the Rangers their last Stanley Cup until 1994. Mr. Hextall won the Art Ross Trophy in 1941-42, leading the NHL with 56 points. In 449 NHL regular season games he scored 362 points on 187 goals and 175 assists, and added 8 goals and 9 assists in 37 playoff games. Mr. Hextall was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. His sons Bryan, Jr. and Dennis and grandson Ron Hextall all had respectable careers as NHL players, while great-grandson Brett Hextall is currently playing in the American Hockey League. Mr. Hextall died 6 days before his 71st birthday.

Big Mama Thornton, 57. U.S. musician. Willie Mae Thornton was a rhythm and blues pioneer who played drums and harmonica, but was best known as a singer. Her best known recording was Hound Dog, which she performed with the Johnny Otis Orchestra; it reached #1 on the Billboard Rhythm and Blues chart in 1952, four years before Elvis Presley's version reached #1 on the pop chart.

Space
Salyut 7 cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to perform a space walk.

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan, at a campaign rally in Austin, Texas, charged that the Democrats were planning billions of dollars in new spending and taxes, and said that the Democratic ticket was "so far left they’ve left America."

25 years ago
1989


Died on this date
Steve Rubell, 45
. U.S. entrepreneur. Mr. Rubell and partner Ian Schrager operated several nightclubs in New York City, most notably Studio 54, which attracted many celebrity patrons during its peak period from April 1977-February 1980. The good times for Messrs. Rubell and Schrager were interrupted when they both served a year in prison from 1980-1981 for income tax evasion. Mr. Rubell, a heavy-drinking, drug-using sodomite, died after a long battle with AIDS.

Canadiana
The Canadian War Museum, assisted by public donations, paid $79,000 at an auction in London to acquire the Victoria Cross awarded posthumously to Private William Milne of Saskatchewan. The Victoria Cross was one of the five awarded to Canadians for the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

Health
The Princess of Wales opened the Landmark AIDS Centre in southeast London.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-1) 43 @ Ottawa (0-3) 32



20 years ago
1994


Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): I Swear--All-4-One

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me’shell Ndegeocello (2nd week at #1)
2 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John
3 Crazy--Aerosmith
4 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
5 If You Go--Jon Secada
6 I Swear--All-4-One
7 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
8 Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind--Stevie Nicks
9 Shine--Collective Soul
10 Night in My Veins--The Pretenders

Singles entering the chart were The Way She Loves Me by Richard Marx (#92); Right Beside You by Sophie B. Hawkins (#93); Hard Luck Woman by Garth Brooks (#94); Labour of Love by Frente! (#95); and Summer Summer by Loft (#99).

Diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan signed the Washington Declaration, formally ending the state of war that had existed between the nations since 1948, and starting negotiations to achieve a lasting peace between Israel and Jordan. U.S. President Bill Clinton also signed the Declaration in a ceremony on the White House lawn.

World events
Canada sent a 200-member field hospital unit to the Rwanda-Zaire border area.