October 7, 2015

250 years ago
1765

Politics and government
The Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up colonial grievances against England.

190 years ago
1825

Disasters
The northern New Brunswick towns of Newcastle and Douglas were devastated by the great Miramachi fire, leaving 160 dead. The fire, one of the worst forest fires ever recorded, eventually killed over 500 people before it burned out.

175 years ago
1840

Europeana
Willem II became King of the Netherlands upon the abdication of his father Willem I.

130 years ago
1885

Energy
The Montmorency Falls hydro-electric generating station opened at Montmorecy, Quebec.

Baseball
The last two National League games ever played at Olympic Park in Buffalo drew 12 fans as the Bisons lost a doubleheader to the Providence Grays 4-0 and 6-1. Both games went 5 innings, and Dupee Shaw pitched a no-hitter for the Grays in the first game, and a complete game victory in the second game.

110 years ago
1905

Football
CRU
ORFU
Toronto Argonauts (2-0) 22 Toronto Victorias (0-2) 3
Hamilton (1-0) 49 @ London (0-1) 3

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Johnny LoBianco. U.S. boxer and referee. Mr. LoBianco was a lightweight who compiled a record of 12-5-1 in a professional career from 1935-1937. He refereed 147 professional fights from 1956-1988, including several title fights. Mr. LoBianco's most notorious bout was the world lightweight title bout between Ken Buchanan and Roberto Duran in 1972, when Mr. LoBianco awarded the fight to Mr. Duran at the beginning of the 14th round, ruling that Mr. Buchanan was unable to continue. Mr. LoBianco ruled that Mr. Buchanan had been hit by a punch in the abdomen, when he was actually hit by a low blow. Mr. LoBianco was a liquor salesman when he wasn't refereeing; he died of congestive heart failure on July 16, 2001 at the age of 85.

90 years ago
1925

Died on this date
Christy Mathewson, 45. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Mathewson played baseball and football at Bucknell University in the late 1890s, and had a brief professional football career as a fullback, while playing baseball full-time. He played with the New York Giants (1900-1916) and Cincinnati Reds (1916), winning a National League record 373 games, losing 188, with an earned run average of 2.13 in 636 games, batting .215 with 7 home runs and 167 runs batted in in 647 games. He was 5-5 with a 0.97 ERA in 11 World Series games (1905, 1911-1913), and pitched 3 shutouts in the 1905 World Series--a record unlikely to be equalled--as the Giants defeated the Philadelphia Athletics 4 games to 1. Mr. Mathewson was traded to the Reds in 1916, pitching one game--which he won, and managing the team through 1918, compiling a record of 164-176. He was exposed to poison gas while in the United States Army during World War I, and later developed tuberculosis. Mr. Mathewson became president of the Boston Braves in 1923, but his health prevented him from serving as more than a figurehead, and the tuberculosis killed him. He was one of the first five members inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Baseball
World Series
Washington Nationals 4 @ Pittsburgh Pirates 1 (Washington led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Joe Harris hit a home run in the 2nd inning and Sam Rice singled in 2 runs in the 5th as the Nationals beat the Pirates before 41,723 fans at Forbes Field. Walter Johnson pitched a 5-hit complete game victory.



80 years ago
1935

Baseball
World Series
Chicago Cubs 3 @ Detroit Tigers 4 (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-2)

With 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning, Mickey Cochrane singled and moved to second on a single by Charlie Gehringer. Goose Goslin then singled in Mr. Cochrane to give the Tigers their first World Series championship before 48,420 fans at Navin Field in a game that was completed in 1 hour 57 minutes. Tommy Bridges gave up 12 hits--including a 2-run home run by Babe Herman--in pitching his second complete game win of the Series, while Larry French went the distance, giving up 12 hits, in taking his second loss of the Series.





75 years ago
1940

Baseball
World Series
Detroit Tigers 0 @ Cincinnati Reds 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

The Reds knocked Schoolboy Rowe out of the box with 4 hits and 2 runs in 1/3 inning and coasted to victory over the Tigers before 30,481 fans at Crosley Field. Bucky Walters pitched his second complete game win of the series--this one a 5-hitter--and contributed a home run to the Reds’ cause. For Mr. Rowe, it was his second loss of the Series.



70 years ago
1945

Football
NFL
Washington (0-1) 20 @ Boston (2-0) 28
Chicago Cardinals (0-3) 6 @ Philadelphia (1-0) 21
Chicago Bears (0-2) 0 @ Cleveland (2-0) 17
New York (1-0) 34 @ Pittsburgh (0-2) 6
Detroit (1-1) 21 Green Bay (2-0) 57 @ West Allis, Wisconsin

Don Hutson caught 4 touchdown passes and kicked 5 extra points for a record 29 points in 1 quarter as the Packers (2-0) set a team record with 41 points in the 2nd quarter of their rout of the Lions (1-1) at State Fair Park in West Allis. The team record for points in a quarter was equalled by the Los Angeles Rams in 1950.

Baseball
World Series
Detroit Tigers 8 @ Chicago Cubs 4 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-2)

The Tigers scored 4 runs in the 6th inning as they beat the Cubs before 43,463 fans in the most recent World Series game to be played at Wrigley Field. Hal Newhouser pitched a 7-hit complete game, striking out 9, to get the win over Hank Borowy, who allowed 8 hits and 5 earned runs in 5+ innings.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Rose Marie--Slim Whitman (11th week at #1)

Boxing
Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson (25-3-1) scored a technical knockout over Rex Layne (49-14-3) 25 seconds into the 6th round of a heavyweight bout at Olympia Stadium in Detroit. Mr. Layne was ahead on two of the three cards, but was suffering from a cut eye, and referee Lou Handler stopped the fight.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Tears--Ken Dodd (2nd week at #1)

Space
The Soviet lunar probe Lunik 7 crashed on the Moon, three days after launch.

Baseball
World Series
Los Angeles Dodgers 1 @ Minnesota Twins 5 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Jim Kaat pitched a 7-hit complete game victory and singled home the game's last 2 runs in the 8th inning as the Twins defeated the Dodgers before 48,700 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Sandy Koufax allowed 6 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 6 innings, striking out 9 in taking the loss.



40 years ago
1975

Music
Jethro Tull, with Gary Wright as the opening act, performed before a crowd of 13,800 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Ticket prices ranged from $5.50-$7.70.

Politics and government
In Liberian general elections, President William Tolbert was re-elected without opposition, while his True Whig Party won all 71 seats in the House of Representatives, unopposed.

Labour
The British Columbia Legislature passed emergency measures legislation to force striking forest, railway, propane, and food industry workers back to work.

Baseball
National League Championship Series
Cincinnati Reds 5 @ Pittsburgh Pirates 3 (10 innings) (Cincinnati won best-of-five series 3-0)

Ed Armbrister drove in Ken Griffey with a sacrifice fly to score the winning run as the Reds won their third NL pennant in six years as they defeated the Pirates before 46,355 fans at Three Rivers Stadium. Rookie John Candelaria started on the mound for Pittsburgh and set a Championship Series record with 14 strikeouts; he left with 2 out in the top of the 8th inning after a 2-run home run by Pete Rose gave Cincinnati a 3-2 lead, and Joe Morgan followed with a double. The Pirates tied the game with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th when Duffy Dyer drew a base on balls with the bases loaded to bring home Willie Randolph, who was playing his last game in a Pittsburgh uniform before being traded to the New York Yankees.



American League Championship Series
Boston Red Sox 5 @ Oakland Athletics 3 (Boston won best-of-five series 3-0)

The Red Sox scored 3 runs with 2 out in the top of the 5th inning to take a 4-0 lead and held on to defeat the Athletics before 49,358 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, ending Oakland's string of three straight World Series championships.







30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Dancing in the Street--Mick Jagger and David Bowie

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Mō Aenai Kamo Shirenai--Momoko Kikuchi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Live is Life--Opus (10th week at #1)

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis concluded its maiden flight when the five member crew of mission STS-51-J landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California to end the four-day mission.

Terrorism
The Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked by Palestinian gunmen in the Mediterranean Sea.

Disasters
During severe floods in Puerto Rico, about 130 people died as a result of the deadliest single landslide on record in North America.

Baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates fired Chuck Tanner after 9 years as manager. Mr. Tanner had managed the Pirates to the World Series championship in 1979, but the team had declined since, finishing 6th and last in the National League East Division in 1985 with a record of 57-104.

Bob Lillis, who had replaced Bill Virdon as manager of the Houston Astros during the 1982 season, was fired after guiding the team to an 83-79 record in 1985, tying them for third place in the NL West Division with the San Diego Padres.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Suicide Blonde--INXS

#1 single in Switzerland: It Must Have Been Love--Roxette

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Tom's Diner--DNA featuring Suzanne Vega
2 Naked in the Rain--Black Pearl
3 Verdammt - ich lieb' dich--Matthias Reim
4 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
5 Ooops Up--Snap!
6 Blaze of Glory--Jon Bon Jovi
7 Ich hab' geträumt von dir--Matthias Reim
8 It's on You--M.C. Sar & the Real McCoy
9 Samurai--Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
10 U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer

Singles entering the chart were Ich hab' geträumt von dir; Crazy for You by David Hasselhoff (#12); Tonight by New Kids on the Block (#19); and Can Can You Party by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (#30).

War
Canadian CF-18 jet fighters began arriving in Qatar to join the multinational blockade of Iraq. Each of the $25-million jets was equipped with Sidewinder air-to-air and Sparrow air-to-ground missiles. The Canadian camp in Qatar was nicknamed Canada Dry.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (7-7) 16 @ Calgary (8-5-1) 23

Greg Peterson made 2 interceptions, returning one of them 38 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter, and Rick Worman completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Allen Pitts in the 3rd quarter to lead the Stampeders. Calgary kicker Mark McLoughlin added 2 converts, 2 field goals, and 3 singles. The only Saskatchewan touchdown came with 4:43 remaining in the game on a 10-yard pass from Jeff Bentrim to Dave Pitcher. Dave Ridgway converted and added 3 field goals. Mr. Bentrim, starting at quarterback in place of injured Kent Austin, completed 18 of 35 passes for 183 yards and 3 interceptions, and led the Roughrider ground game with 28 yards on 6 carries. Former U.S. college star Tony Rice played briefly, completing 1 of 4 passes for 23 yards and rushing 3 times for 7 yards. 27,964 were in attendance at McMahon Stadium.

Baseball
American League Championship Series
Oakland 4 @ Boston 1 (Oakland led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Harold Baines drove in 3 runs to lead the Athletics over the Red Sox before 35,070 fans at Fenway Park. Bob Welch (1-0) pitched 7.1 innings to get the win, while Greg Harris (0-1), who had relieved starter Dana Kiecker in the 6th inning, took the loss.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Fantasy--Mariah Carey

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Het is een Nacht... (Levensecht)--Guus Meeuwis & Vagant

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Scatman's World--Scatman John (7th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): You are Not Alone--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Het busje komt zo--Höllenboer (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Fairground--Simply Red (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Fantasy--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)
2 Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V.
3 You are Not Alone--Michael Jackson
4 Kiss from a Rose--Seal
5 Runaway--Janet Jackson
6 Waterfalls--TLC
7 Only Wanna Be with You--Hootie & the Blowfish
8 I Can Love You Like That--All-4-One
9 As I Lay Me Down--Sophie B. Hawkins
10 I Got 5 on It--Luniz

Singles entering the chart were Anything by 3T (#73); Hook by Blues Traveler (#93); Solitude by Edwin McCain (#95); Danger by Blahzay Blahzay (#97); and Girlstown by Super Cat (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Fantasy--Mariah Carey
2 Runaway--Janet Jackson
3 Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio featuring L.V.
4 You are Not Alone--Michael Jackson
5 Kiss from a Rose--Seal
6 Only Wanna Be with You--Hootie & the Blowfish
7 I Got 5 On It--Luniz
8 As I Lay Me Down--Sophie B. Hawkins
9 Boombastic/In the Summertime--Shaggy/Shaggy (featuring Rayvon)
9 Run-Around--Blues Traveler
10 Brokenhearted--Brandy

Singles entering the chart were I'll Be There for You/This House is Not a Home by the Rembrandts (#22); Name by Goo Goo Dolls (#29); Who Can I Run To? by Xscape (#40); Anything by 3T (#62); Runaway by Corrs (#87); and A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins (#89). A Girl Like You was from the movie Empire Records (1995).

Sport
Mark Allen of the United States won his sixth Ironman Triathlon title in seven years in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, overtaking the leader, Thomas Hellriegel of Germany, at the 24-mile mark of the marathon. It was the 37-year-old Mr. Allen's closest finish since his first Ironman victory, by 58 seconds over Dave Scott in 1989.

Hockey
NHL
The Montreal Canadiens retired goalie Jacques Plante's jersey #1 in a ceremony at the Montreal Forum.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (5-10) 27 @ Baltimore (13-3) 29
Hamilton (7-8) 14 @ Shreveport (5-11) 26

Carlos Huerta kicked a 21-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining in regulation time to give the Stallions their win over the Roughriders before 31,421 fans at Memorial Stadium. Chris Wright returned a punt 89 yards for a TD, and Gerald Alphin caught a 26-yard pass from Tracy Ham for the other Baltimore TD, as the Stallions recovered from a 17-0 2nd-quarter deficit.



Billy Joe Tolliver threw touchdown passes to Martin Patton and Norman Bradford, and Bjorn Nittmo kicked 2 converts and 4 field goals as the Pirates came back from a 13-0 2nd-quarter deficit to defeat the Tiger-Cats before 12,619 fans at Independence Stadium. Larry Thompson scored the only Hamilton touchdown in the 1st quarter when quarterback Steve Taylor connected with Kalin Hall for a 53-yard gain to the Shreveport 2-yard line before fumbling, and Mr. Thompson recovered and went the remaining 2 yards for the score.



CIAU
British Columbia 22 @ Alberta 25

Baseball
American League Division Series
New York 8 @ Seattle 11 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)



National League Division Series
Colorado 4 @ Atlanta 10 (Atlanta won best-of-five series 3-1)





10 years ago
2005

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-11) 21 @ Ottawa (6-9) 43



Baseball
American League Division Series
Chicago 5 @ Boston 3 (Chicago won best-of-five series 3-0)



Anaheim 11 @ New York 7 (Anaheim led best-of-five series 2-1)