August 19, 2008

160 years ago
1848

Economics and finance
The New York Herald broke the news to the East Coast of the United States of the gold rush in California (although the rush had started in January).

125 years ago
1883

Born on this date
Elsie Ferguson. U.S. actress. Miss Ferguson was a leading lady on stage and screen in the 1910s and '20s; many of her films were based on plays she had appeared in. Miss Ferguson was known as a difficult person to work with, and she often played such roles. Her only surviving complete silent film is The Witness for the Defense (1919). Miss Ferguson died on Novembr 15, 1961 at the age of 78.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Stephanos Skouloudis, 89. Prime Minister of Greece, 1915-1916. Mr. Skouloudis was a successful businessman and banker before becoming a diplomat and politician. A member of the New Party, he was first elected to Parliament in 1881. Mr. Skouloudis was appointed as Prime Minister by King Constantine I during a time of national division over Greece's role in World War I, and former Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos's attempt to form a rival government. Mr. Skouloudis was unsuccessful, and was removed by King Constantine in favour of Alexandros Zaimis, whom Mr. Skouloudis had replaced. When the King abdicated in 1917 and Mr. Venizelos returned to power, Mr. Skouloudis was convicted of collaboration with the Central Powers, and served three years prison before his sentence was commuted and he was pardoned.

Aviation
Art Goebel and Harry Tucker left Mines Field, Los Angeles in a monoplane at 4:06 Eastern Daylight Time bound for New York, arriving at Curtis Field, Long Island at 11:04 A.M. on August 20--18 hours 58 minutes.

Politics and government
Parliamentary elections in Greece gave the governing Liberal Party of Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos 178 of 250 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, an increase of 70 for the Liberals since the most recent election in 1926. Four other parties that were in a coalition with the Liberals combined to win 39 more seats. The People's Party, led by Panagis Tsaldaris, led anti-Venizelist parties with 19 seats, a decline of 41 from 1926.

60 years ago
1948

Died on this date
Charles Fitzmorris, 64. U.S. police chief. Mr. Fitzmorris was know for his "gang-busting" as police chief of Chicago in the early 1920s.

Space
The United States launched the sounding rocket Bumper 2 from White Sands Proving Grounds in White Sands, New Mexico; the first stage failed due to propellant flow interruption.

War
Greek Prime Minister Themistocles Sophoulis claimed victory for government forces in the "Battle of Grammos" along the Albanian frontier.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department declared U.S.S.R. Consul General in New York Jacob Lomakin persona non grata for attempting to regain custody of consular employees seeking asylum in the United States. The State Dept. note demanded that Mr. Lomakin leave the U.S.A. "within a reasonable time," the first expulsion of a high Soviet diplomat in the history of Soviet-American relations.

Religion
The International Council of Christian Churches, an organization of fundamentalist Protestant churches formed a week earlier to counter the forthcoming World Council of Churches, ended its founding assembly at English Reformed Church in Amsterdam after electing Carl McIntire, pastor of Bible Presbyterian Church in Collingswood, New Jersey since 1933, as president. The founding assembly was attended by 150 delegates from 39 denominations and 29 nations.

Economics and finance
The Chinese Nationalist government announced a program of price controls and currency reform, establishing a new gold yuan at U.S. 25c.

50 years ago
1958

Died on this date
Henry Heimholtz, 75. U.S. physician. Dr. Heimholtz was thr former chief pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

War
Cuban rebel leader Fidel Castro claimed that government troops had been forced to retreat to defensive positions against the guerrillas in the Sierra Maestra area.

Defense
Eastern and Western scientific delegations announced an agreement in Geneva on plans for a nuclear test detection system which could be used to enforce an international pact banning atomic test detonations.

Politics and government
Greeek Prime Minister Konstantine Karamanlis informed U.K. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan that he would not support the British plan for Cypriot self-government.

Protest
Negro youths in Oklahoma City began a series of "sit downs" in luncheonettes and soda fountains that served only white people.

Health
The Japanese Welfare Ministry reported that sleeping sickness in near-epidemic proportions had recently caused 42 deaths. South Korean officials reported that the disease had killed 71 people there over the past two weeks.

Business
Studebaker-Packard disclosed that it would drop the expensive Packard line and concentrate on the production of the small Lark to compete with American Motors' Rambler.

Football
CFL
IRFU
Hamilton (1-0) 27 @ Montreal (0-1) 14
Toronto (0-1) 7 @ Ottawa (1-0) 44

Bernie Faloney completed 17 of 28 passes and threw for touchdowns to Gerry McDougall, Ron Howell, Tommy Grant, and Paul Dekker to help the Tiger-Cats defeat the Alouettes before 22,076 fans at Molson Stadium. Billy Graham converted 2 of the Hamilton touchdowns and Cam Fraser punted for a single. Joel Wells rushed for both Montreal touchdowns in the 1st half, the first coming off a lateral from quarterback Sam Etcheverry, both converted by Bill Bewley, as the Alouettes took an early 14-0 lead.

Hal Ledyard completed 2 touchdown passes to George Brancato and another to Bob Simpson to lead the Rough Riders over the Argonauts before 18,470 fans at Lansdowne Park. Bobby Judd, Ron Quillian, and Russ Jackson also scored Ottawa touchdowns, with Gary Schreider kicking 4 converts and Mack Yoho adding a field goal and single. The Rough Riders rushed for 445 yards. For Mr. Jackson, it was the first regular season game of his 12-year Hall of Fame CFL career. Dave Mann, playing his first CFL game, rushed 45 yards for the Toronto touchdown in the 1st quarter, converted by Vic Kristopaitis.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Hoshikage no Waltz--Masao Sen (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Delilah--Tom Jones (11th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Hello, I Love You--The Doors
2 Classical Gas--Midnight String Quartet
--Mason Williams
3 Stoned Soul Picnic--The 5th Dimension
4 Hurdy Gurdy Man--Donovan
5 Turn Around, Look at Me--The Vogues
6 People Got to Be Free--The Rascals
7 Sunshine of Your Love--Cream
8 Lady Willpower--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
9 Dream a Little Dream of Me--Mama Cass
10 Pictures of Matchstick Men--The Status Quo

Singles entering the chart were Mr. Businessman by Ray Stevens (#45); Please Return Your Love to Me by the Temptations (#60); You're All I Need to Get By by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (#61); Down at Lulu's by Ohio Express (#63); I've Gotta Get a Message to You by the Bee Gees (#65); Everybody's Talkin' by Nilsson (#67); Magic Bus by the Who (#68); The House that Jack Built by Aretha Franklin (#69); Hush by Deep Purple (#71); The Fool on the Hill by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (#73); I Can't Dance to that Music You're Playin' by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas (#74); On the Road Again by Canned Heat (#76); Give a Damn by Spanky and Our Gang (#78); God Bless Our Love by the Ballads (#79); I Would Be the One by Kensington Market (#80); Sunshine Girl by Herman's Hermits (#82); I Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do) by Eddie Floyd (#84); Can't You Find Another Way by Sam & Dave (#85); Keep the One You Got by Joe Tex (#86); Special Occasion by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#87); Anyway that You Want Me by the American Breed (#88); Hip City -- Pt. 2 by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (#89); The Impossible Dream by Roger Williams (#90); Morning Dew by Lulu (#91); April Again by Dean Martin (#92); Doing the Best We Can by the Cat (#93); Workin' on a Groovy Thing by Patti Drew (#94); I Heard it Through the Grapevine by King Curtis and the Kingpins (#95); Skip-a-Long Sam by the Sugar Shoppe (#96); I am Your Man by Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers (#97); Time for Everyone by the Northwest Company (#98); Island by Passing Fancy (#99); and Sudden Stop by Percy Sledge (#100).

Died on this date
George Gamow, 64. Ukraine-born U.S. physicist and cosmologist. Dr. Gamow, born Georgiy Gamov, defected from the U.S.S.R. to the West in 1933, moving to the United States a year later. He worked on such issues as the origin of the universe, and radioactive decay of the atomic nucleus. Dr. Gamow helped to popularize science with books such as One Two Three ... Infinity (1947, 1961) and the Mr. Tompkins series (1939-1967). Dr. Gamow died of liver failure.

Music
The album Stack-o-Tracks by the Beach Boys was released on Capitol Records.

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Tu--Umberto Tozzi (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Tu--Umberto Tozzi (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Substitute--Clout

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Three Times a Lady--Commodores

Rhodesia's Top 10 (Lyons Maid)
1 Rivers of Babylon--Boney M. (8th week at #1)
2 You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
3 I Can't Stand the Rain--Eruption
4 If You Can't Give Me Love--Suzie
5 Take a Chance on Me--ABBA
6 Make Love to Me--Kelly Marie
7 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late--Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
8 Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue--Crystal Gayle
9 Baker Street--Gerry Rafferty
10 Sweet, Sweet Smile--Carpenters

Singles entering the chart were Beautiful Lover by the Brotherhood of Man (#15); and Follow Me by Amanda Lear (#19).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Three Times a Lady--Commodores (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (8th week at #1)
2 Windsurfin'--The Surfers
3 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late--Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
4 Arabian Affair--The Abdul Hassan Orchestra
5 You're the Greatest Lover--Luv'
6 Lay Love on You--Luisa Fernandez
7 Wet Day in September--Pussycat
8 Let's All Chant--Michael Zager Band
9 Oh Darling--Theo Diepenbrock
10 One for You One for Me--La Bionda

Singles entering the chart were Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits (#24); Run for Home by Lindisfarne (#28); Ma Préférence by Julien Clerc (#33); Saturday Night by Herman Brood & his Wild Romance (#34); and Pappie, Ik Zie Tranen in Uw Ogen by Arno & Gratje (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Three Times a Lady--Commodores (2nd week at #1)
2 Grease--Frankie Valli
3 Miss You--The Rolling Stones
4 Hot Blooded--Foreigner
5 Love Will Find a Way--Pablo Cruise
6 Life's Been Good--Joe Walsh
7 Last Dance--Donna Summer
8 Hopelessly Devoted to You--Olivia Newton-John
9 Magnet and Steel--Walter Egan
10 Copacabana (At the Copa)--Barry Manilow

Singles entering the chart were Don't Look Back by Boston (#43); Back in the U.S.A. by Linda Ronstadt (#63); Blame it on the Boogie by Mick Jackson (#85); Heartbreaker by Dolly Parton (#88); and Devoted to You by Carly Simon and James Taylor (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Miss You--The Rolling Stones (2nd week at #1)
2 Grease--Frankie Valli
3 Baker Street--Gerry Rafferty
4 Last Dance--Donna Summer
5 Three Times a Lady--Commodores
6 Shadow Dancing--Andy Gibb
7 Hot Blooded--Foreigner
8 Love Will Find a Way--Pablo Cruise
9 Copacabana (At the Copa)--Barry Manilow
10 Still the Same--Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

Singles entering the chart were Summer Nights by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (#89); Eyes of Laura Mars (Prisoner) by Barbra Streisand (#94); Come Together by Aerosmith (#96); Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf (#98: and Kiss You All Over by Exile (#100).

Crime
Arsonists barred the door to Cinema Rex in Abadan, Iran and set the theatre afire, causing more than 420 deaths. The Shah's ruling regime blamed Islamic terrorists, while anti-Pahlavi activists blamed the intelligence service SAVAK for the fire.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Codo--DÖF (3rd week at #1)

Diplomacy
The Soviet embassy in Washington agreed to permit 16-year-old Andrei Berezhkov to answer questions from three reporters. The youth, whose father Valentin, a first secretary at the embassy, was due to return to Moscow at the end of the month for resssignment, had run away from home on August 10 and had written to The New York Times declaring that he wanted to remain in the United States. At the press conference, Andrei denied that he had written the letter, and said he wanted to return to the U.S.S.R. The U.S. State Department said it had determined that he had expressed a desire to leave, and he and his parents left Washington that evening for Moscow.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that corporate profits had increased 14.7% in the second quarter of 1983.

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office warned that prospective federal budget deficits in the range of $200 billion for the next few years could result in higher interest rates and slower economic growth. The office predicted a 5.8% growth in the economy in 1983, followed by a 4.3% advance in 1984.

Football
CFL
Toronto (5-2) 27 @ Ottawa (1-5) 17

Terry Greer set a CFL record for a single game with 16 pass receptions as the Argonauts beat the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park. Rollin Prather of the Edmonton Eskimos caught 15 in a playoff game in 1952. George McGowan of the Eskimos was the first to catch 15 passes in a regular season game, doing it on September 3, 1973. Tony Gabriel of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats caught 15 in a playoff game in 1974, Eugnene Goodlow of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers caught 15 on November 1, 1981, and Mr. Greer tied the record against the Blue Bombers on October 11, 1982.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Girl You Know It's True--Milli Vanilli

Politics and government
Burma's ruling Burma Socialist Program Party chose Attorney General Maung Maung to lead the country; he was named chairman of the party and elected President by the People's Assembly. His predecessor, U Sein Lwin, had resigned on August 12 after just 18 days in office. Protests by students and others against one-party rule continued.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-4) 21 @ Edmonton (4-2) 46

Tracy Ham rushed for 130 yards as he led the Eskimos to victory over the Blue Bombers before 30,172 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Mr. Ham threw 2 touchdown passes to Jim Sandusky, another to Tom Richards, and handed off to Chris Skinner and Blake Marshall for TDs. It was the first game for Krazy George as an Eskimo cheerleader after performing the same function with the British Columbia Lions since the 1970s.