August 9, 2008

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Kavita Duggal!

1,630 years ago
378

War
A large Roman army led by Emperor Valens was defeated by the Visigoths in the Battle of Adrianople. Valens, 50 (?), was killed, along with over half of his army.

900 years ago
1918

War
Alexander Brereton of Oak River, British Columbia earned the Victoria Cross for valour during the Battle of Amiens in France.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Daniel J. Graham, Jr.; George Appel; Alex Kalinowski. U.S. criminals. Mr. Graham was a New York City policeman who killed and robbed paymaster Judson Pratt; Mr. Appel killed a Brooklyn policeman. Both were executed at Sing Sing Prison in New York. Mr. Kalinowski was executed for killing a guard at Auburn State Prison in Alabama.

Cornelia Lampton, 32. U.S. musician. Miss Lampton, a Negress, was a classical pianist and music teacher who, in 1914, became the first woman to earn a bachelor's degree in music at Howard University. She performed recitals and played on radio programs, and taught piano. Miss Lampton married composer William L. Dawson in May 1927, but the marriage ended with her tragic death, reportedly of complications from an appendectomy.

Business
The New York State Public Services Commission voted 4-0 to approve the application for consolidation of Consolidated Gas Company and Brooklyn Edison Company, stock of the latter to be acquired by the former at the book value of approximately $137 per share.

60 years ago
1948

On the radio
The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis, on MBS

Died on this date
Hugo Boss, 63. German fashion designer. Mr. Boss founded his eponymous clothing company in 1923. He joined the Nazi Party in 1931, and supplied uniforms for the party and its various organizations. Mr. Boss was forced to turn his company over to his son-in-law after World War II, and died of a tooth abscess.

Politics and government
Appearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities, former Treasury Department official Victor Perlo and engineer Alexander Koral refused to answer questions on their alleged participation in a Communist spy ring during World War II.

Berlin's City Assembly authorized a separate food administration for West Berlin to thwart Communist efforts to win city-wide control of food supplies.

Economics and finance
Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama signed the Charter of Quito, providing for the creation of a customs union.

Golf
Lloyd Mangrum won the Tam O'Shanter tournament in Chicago.

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Purple People Eater--Sheb Wooley (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Sail Along Silvery Moon--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Hello, le soleil brille--Annie Cordy (22nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): All I Have to Do is Dream/Claudette--The Everly Brothers (7th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Patricia--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)
2 Poor Little Fool--Ricky Nelson
3 Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)--Domenico Modugno
4 Splish Splash--Bobby Darin
5 When--The Kalin Twins
6 Little Star--The Elegants
7 Hard Headed Woman--Elvis Presley
8 Yakety-Yak--The Coasters
9 One Summer Night--The Danleers
10 Fever--Peggy Lee

Singles entering the chart were Bird Dog (#32)/Devoted to You (#37) by the Everly Brothers; Dance Everyone Dance by Betty Madigan (#43); La Paloma by Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (#51); Summertime Blues by Eddie Cochran (#60); Itchy Twitchy Feeling by Bobby Hendricks (#70); Devotion by Janice Harper (#71); You Cheated, with versions by the Slades; the Shields; and the Del Vikings (#73); and City Lights by Don Rondo (#74).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Splish Splash--Bobby Darin (2nd week at #1)
2 Poor Little Fool--Ricky Nelson
3 Rebel Rouser--Duane Eddy and the Rebels
4 Ginger Bread--Frankie Avalon
5 Yakety-Yak--The Coasters
6 My True Love--Jack Scott
7 Left Right Out of Your Heart (Hi Lee Hi Lo Hi Lup Up Up)--Patti Page
8 When--The Kalin Twins
9 Patricia--Perez Prado and his Orchestra
10 Willie and the Hand Jive--Johnny Otis Show

Singles entering the chart were My True Love; Western Movies by the Olympics (#16); and Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare) by Domenico Modugno (#20).

Music
The Oscar Peterson Trio performed at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton to positive reviews.

Diplomacy
The North Vietnamese government protested the suspension of the International Supervision and Control Commission for Laos.

The U.S. State Department issued a policy memorandum restating U.S. determination not to recognize the People's Republic of China on the grounds that "Communism's rule in China is not permanent and that one day it will pass."

Politics and government
Admiral Americo Tomas took office as President of Portugal, and immediately reappointed Antonio de Oliveira Salazar as Prime Minister.

Oil
Pan-American International Oil Company, an affiliate of Standard Oil Company of Indiana, announced the signing of a contract with the Argentine government for the development and operation of oil producing areas in southern Argentina.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Jumpin' Jack Flash--The Rolling Stones (2nd week at #1)

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Hello, I Love You--The Doors (2nd week at #1)
2 Never Going Back--The Lovin' Spoonful
3 Light My Fire--Jose Feliciano
4 Born to Be Wild--Steppenwolf
5 Classical Gas--Mason Williams
6 Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)--The Moody Blues
7 Autumn of My Life--Bobby Goldsboro
8 Don't Take it So Hard--Paul Revere and the Raiders
9 People Got to Be Free--The Rascals
10 Don't Give Up--Petula Clark

Singles entering the chart were Pictures of Matchstick Men by the Status Quo (#27); You Keep Me Hangin' On by the Vanilla Fudge (#28); Tell Someone You Love Them by Dino, Desi and Billy (#29); and On the Road Again by Canned Heat (#30).

Diplomacy
Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Broz Tito began a three-day visit to Prague to express his support for Czechoslovakian Communist Party First Secretary Alexander Dubcek and his reforms.

Labour
24,000 Canadian postal workers returned to work after accepting a federal government offer of a contract retroactive to August 1, 1967, with a pay increase amounting to 15.1% over 26 months on the average hourly wage of $2.57. They had begun the country's first postal strike on July 18.

A 267-day shutdown ended when the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News resumed publication after an agreement calling for a $33-per-week pay raise over 34 1/2 months. The Teamsters union had gone on strike against the News on November 15, with the Free Press closing two days later.

Disasters
48 people were killed in the crash of a British airliner north of Munich.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-0) 38 @ Toronto (1-1) 14

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (9th week at #1)

Died on this date
James Gould Cozzens, 74. U.S. author. Mr. Cozzens wrote novels and short stories; he was awarded the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Guard of Honor (1948), with his best-selling novel being By Love Possessed (1957). Mr. Cozzens' writing style and conservative themes led him to fall out of fashion in his later years, and he's largely forgotten today. He died of complications from spinal cancer and pneumonia, 10 days before his 75th birthday.

War
A truce was announced between Syrian forces and Christian militiamen in Beirut.

Labour
The New York Times, Daily News, and Post were all closed by a strike of pressmen, whose union protested rules designed to reduce pressroom personnel over a period of years.

Sport
Swimmer Graham Smith of Edmonton won Canada's 26th gold medal, a record, at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. A few hours later, he was a winner in the 400-metre medley, becoming the first athlete to win 6 gold medals at a single Commonwealth Games.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-2) 29 @ Hamilton (1-3-1) 7
Montreal (3-2) 28 @ Calgary (1-2-1) 14

Joe Barnes threw touchdown passes to Larry Smith, Bob Gaddis, and Craig Labbett to lead the Alouettes over the Stampeders before a sellout crowd of 27,188 at McMahon Stadium. Mr. Labbett's touchdown, a 12-yard play in the 4th quarter, was his first pass reception in the CFL and his only catch in a Montreal uniform. Montreal's Wally Buono made the longest punt of his career, a 90-yard single in the 2nd quarter. James Sykes rushed 1 yard for the Calgary TD in the 2nd quarter. Linebacker Anthony "Champ" Dickerson made his Canadian Football League debut with the Stampeders, and Calgary backup quarterback Craig Juntunen played the last 9 1/2 minutes in his first CFL game. Former Calgary quarterback Larry Lawrence dressed for his first CFL game since 1971, backing up Mr. Barnes.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara

War
France announced that it would send 180 paratroopers to Chad, whose government was involved in a civil war with rebels who were being helped by neighbouring Libya.

20 years ago
1988

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan nominated Texas Technical University President Laura Cavazos to succeed William Bennett, who had announced his resignation as Decretary of Education. Ms. Cavazos, if confirmed, would become the first U.S. cabinet minister of Hispanic ancestry.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board raised the discount rate--the rate on loans that it charged to financial institutions--to its highest level in two years, from 6% to 6.5%. The Fed said it acted "to reduce inflationary pressures." The increase, in turn, triggered increases in rates for U.S. Treasury bills, bank certificates and commercial paper, as well as pushing up the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies.

Hockey
NHL
Peter Pocklington, owner of the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers, traded centre Wayne Gretzky--the game's biggest star--to the Los Angeles Kings with Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley in exchange for Jimmy Carson; Martin Gelinas; Los Angeles's 1989, 1991, and 1993 first round draft choices; and a reported $15 million (see also here). Mr. Gretzky had been purchased by Mr. Pocklington from the Indianapolis Racers early in the 1978-79 season, and had recently led the Oilers to their fourth Stanley Cup championship in the past five years.