July 14, 2008

210 years ago
1798

Law
The Sedition Act became law in the United States making it a federal crime to write, publish, or utter false or malicious statements about the United States government.

90 years ago
1918

Died on this date
Quentin Roosevelt, 20. U.S. military aviator. Second Lieutenant Roosevelt, the youngest son of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, served with the U.S. Army Air Service during World War 1 and was killed in aerial combat over France, four days after recording his first confirmed kill. His death was a great blow to his father, who died six months later.

80 years ago
1928

Politics and government
The New Vietnam Revolutionary Party was founded in Huế, providing some of the Communist Party's most important leaders in its early years.

Liberal candidate Amédée Caron won a Québec provincial by-election by acclamation in the riding of Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The by-election was necessitated by the appointment of the previous member, Mr. Caron's father Joseph-Édouard Caron, to the Legislative Council.

World events
Germany and Poland each released 5,000 prisoners--mostly political prisoners--by amnesty.

70 years ago
1938

Aviation
Howard Hughes, flying a Lockheed 14 Super Electra with a four-man crew, returned to New York City to conclude a successful attempt to break Wiley Post's record, set in 1933, for the fastest fight around the world. He stopped at Paris, Moscow, Omsk, Yakutsk, Fairbanks, and Minneapolis before arriving back in New York after a flight of 91 hours (3 days, 19 hours, 17 minutes).

60 years ago
1948

At the movies
The Street with No Name, starring Mark Stevens, Richard Widmark, and Lloyd Nolan, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Harry Brearley, 77. U.K. metallurgist. Mr. Brearley, a native and resident of Sheffield, England, was researching how to reduce erosion of the internal surfaces of gun barrels in 1912, nd noticed that adding chromium to steel raised the alloy's melting point; the result became known as "stainless steel," and was first manufactured in 1913, bringing affordable cutlery to the greater population while increasing Sheffield's cutlery trade.

Marguerite Moreno, 76. French actress. Miss Moreno, born Marguerite Monceau, appeared on stage and in numerous movies from the late 1920s until 1947.

World events
Italian Communist Party leader Palmiro Togliatti was shot and wounded near the Italian Parliament by Sicilian law student Antonio Pallante. The General Confederation of Labour immediately called a general strike to protest the assassination attempt and force the resignation of Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi.

Politics and government
At Convention Hall in Philadelphia, the U.S. Democratic National Convention passed a strong platform statement on civil rights for Negroes, prompting delegates from Alabama and Mississippi to walk out in protest.

Defense
The U.S. Army announced plans to eliminate mandatory death sentences for murders and rapes, and to introduce a new grading system for non-commissioned officers.

Labour
Canadian Labour Minister Humphrey Mitchell averted a threatened nationwide rail strike by obtaining agreement on a 17c hourly wage increase for the nation's 150,000 railroad workers.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Purple People Eater--Sheb Wooley (Best Seller--5th week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Top 100--5th week at #1)

World events
An Arab nationalist "Free Officers" group headed by General Abd al-Karim Qasim took control of key Iraqi government, military, and communications centres in Baghdad, and issued proclamations abolishing the monarchy of King Faisal II and establishing a republic. King Hussein of Jordan called for U.K. and U.S. military help to avert a similar rebellion in his country.

Business
The Los Angeles Superior Court enjoined the Los Angeles Dodgers from acquiring a 300-acre Chavez Ravine tract as a stadium site, holding that the land was restricted to use for public purposes and could not be given to a private firm.

50 years ago
1968

At the movies
Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?, directed by Don Weis and starring Phyllis Diller, Bob Denver, and Joe Flynn, opened in theatres.

War
U.S. Defense Secretary Clark Clifford began his first visit to South Vietnam to confer with U.S. and S.V. military leaders.

Labour
The 24-day strike of St. Lawrence Seaway workers and 1,200 members of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Transport and General Workers ended as they won a 19% wage increase over three years.

Disasters
Floods in Pakistan killed 66 people and left thousands homeless, while 45 people were killed and hundreds of homes were swept away when torrential rains caused floods in three Indian states.

Golf
Dave Stockton won the Greater Milwaukee Open with a score of 275; first prize money was $40,000. It was Mr. Stockton's second win within three weeks.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Rivers of Babylon--Boney M.

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Rivers of Babylon--Boney M. (13th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Rivers of Babylon--Boney M. (4th week at #1)

Abominations
Soviet dissident Anatoly Shcharansky, a leader in the movement for Jewish emigration, was sentenced to 13 years in prison and labour campd for treason, espionage, and "anti-Soviet agitation."

Politics and government
The Canadian Inuit group COPE (Committee for Original Peoples' Entitlement) signed a deal in Inuvik, Northwest Territories renouncing claims to 500,000 square kilometres, including Mackenzie River delta lands, in return for surface rights and title to 95,000 square kilometres of the western Arctic and $45 million for 2,500 Inuit from 1981-1994.

Labour
The day after going on strike because of the dismissal of 13 policemen who had refused to patrol areas they considered dangerous alone during the daytime, Cleveland's 15,000 police officers returned to work when a judge ordered the reinstatement of the 13 dismissed policemen. Meanwhile, Louisville's 600 firemen ignored a court order and went on strike, and 19,000 city workers, not including police or firemen, began a strike in Philadelphia, bringing most government services to a halt. The strike was over salary demands.

Disasters
At least 170 people were killed and about 150 more critically burned when a tank truck carrying liquid industrial gas overturned and exploded at a tourist campsite at a Spanish beach.

Baseball
Every man in the lineup for the Cleveland Indians had at least one hit as they routed the Oakland Athletics 11-1 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Indians scored 5 runs in the 7th inning and 4 in the 8th, while Rick Wise pitched a 9-hit complete game victory. This blogger and his parents were among the 3,326 in attendance.

Reggie Jackson led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a double and Graig Nettles followed with a single to score Mr. Jackson, giving the New York Yankees a 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox before 21,981 fans at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees tied the game when pinch hitter Cliff Johnson hit a solo home run with 1 out in the 9th.

Jim Slaton pitched a 7-hitter for the Detroit Tigers as they shut out the Seattle Mariners 2-0 before 9,742 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle. Rick Honeycutt started on the mound for Seattle and allowed 2 hits in 6 scoreless innings before being relieved by Shane Rawley, who allowed 2 runs in the 7th to take the loss. The winning run scored on Lance Parrish's solo home run with 1 out.

Ron Jackson led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a single and scored on a bases-loaded single by Tony Solaita with 1 out to give the California Angels a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 20,338 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

Terry Puhl led off the top of the 13th inning with a bunt single and scored on a 1-out single by Jose Cruz to break a 3-3 tie as the Houston Astros edged the Montreal Expos 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader before 21,696 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. J.R. Richard started on the mound for Houston and allowed 5 hits and 3 runs--1 earned--with 10 strikeouts in 11 innings. In the second game, Denny Walling drew a base on balls with 1 out in the top of the 10th and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to pinch hitter Jesus Alou to break a 4-4 tie as the Astros won 5-4 to complete the sweep. The Expos had runners on first and second with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th, but Warren Cromartie grounded into a double play to end the game.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
Canada's top 30
1 Every Breath You Take--The Police
2 I'm Still Standing--Elton John
3 Come Dancing--The Kinks
4 Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler
5 Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)--Eurythmics
6 Hot Girls in Love--Loverboy
7 Our House--Madness
8 Baby Jane--Rod Stewart
9 Never Gonna Let You Go--Sergio Mendes
10 Flashdance (What a Feeling)--Irene Cara
11 Stand Back--Stevie Nicks
12 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
13 Is There Something I Should Know--Duran Duran
14 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
15 China Girl--David Bowie
16 Wishing--A Flock of Seagulls
17 Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco
18 1999--Prince
19 Wanna Be Startin' Something--Michael Jackson
20 Heartache Avenue--The Maisonettes
21 Moonlight Shadow--Mike Oldfield
22 Best Years of Our Lives--Mens Room
23 Maniac--Michael Sembello
24 Change--Tears for Fears
25 It's a Mistake--Men at Work
26 The Haunting--The Front
27 Rock and Roll is King--Electric Light Orchestra
28 Human Touch--Rick Springfield
29 Stop in the Name of Love--The Hollies
30 She Works Hard for the Money--Donna Summer

Stop in the Name of Love, a cover of the 1965 hit by The Supremes, featured the presence of Graham Nash with the Hollies for the first time since 1969.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Gimme Hope Jo'anna--Eddy Grant (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Afrikka, sarvikuonojen maa--Eppu Normaali (5th week at #1)

Economics and finance
Leading U.S. banks raised their prime lending rate from 9% to 9.5%, the second increase of the year and the highest rate since March 1986.

Football
CFL
Calgary (0-1) 0 @ Edmonton (1-0) 33

Chris Skinner's 60-yard touchdown rush early in the 1st quarter provided the winning margin as the Eskimos routed the Stampeders at Commonwealth Stadium. Damon Allen started the game as Edmonton's quarterback, but suffered a knee injury and was relieved by Tracy Ham. Of the 5 shutouts in the CFL in the 1980s, this was the only one produced by a team other than the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Richard McDonald, 89. U.S. restaurateur. Mr. McDonald and his brother Maurice co-founded the first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California. They partnered with Ray Kroc in 1954 and were eventually bought out by him.