July 25, 2008

730 years ago
1278

War
The naval Battle of Algeciras took place in the context of the Spanish Reconquista, resulting in a victory for the Emirate of Granada and the Maranid Dynasty over the Kingdom of Castile.

470 years ago
1538

South Americana
The city of Guayaquil, Ecuador was founded by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Orellana and given the name Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Guayaquil.

220 years ago
1788

Music
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his Symphony No. 40 in G minor (K550).

140 years ago
1868

Americana
Congress passed an act creating Wyoming Territory.

110 years ago
1898

War
In the Puerto Rican Campaign, the United States seized Puerto Rico from Spain.

80 years ago
1928

Religion
Rev. Randall Davidson announced his resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury, effective November 12, 1928. He was succeeded by Rev. Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of York.

Economics and finance
The U.S. State Department concluded a treaty with the Nationalist government of China for the restoration to China of complete national tariff autonomy.

60 years ago
1948

War
Colonel Otto Skorzeny, a German SS officer who had rescued deposed Italian Duce Benito Mussolini from imprisonment, escaped from a Darmstadt detention camp.

Politics and government
The U.S. Progressive National Convention concluded at Municipal Auditorium in Philadelphia with the adoption of a platform calling for full racial equality; repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act; strengthening of the United Nations; complete recognition of Israel; and an end to the Marshall Plan ans the Truman Doctrine, which it alleged was a policy of confrontation with the U.S.S.R.

Society
A Gallup Poll reported that 42% of American voters favoured racial segregation in public transportation, while 49% opposed it. In the South, 84% favoured it and 12% opposed it.

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): All I Have to Do is Dream--The Everly Brothers (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Harry Warner, 76. Polish-born U.S. movie executive. Mr. Warner, born Hirsz Mojżesz Wonsal, and his brothers Albert, Sam, and Jack founded Warner Features in 1912, which became Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. in 1923. Harry served as president of the company until 1956, when Jack sold the studio in a secret deal that led to Harry having a heart attack and stroke from which he never completely recovered.

Politics and government
The African Regroupment Party (PRA) held its first congress in Cotonou.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower withdrew the nomination of Bernard Flanagan as a Civil Service Commission member after members of Congress criticized Mr. Flanagan's background.

Oil
Moroccan and Italian officials conferred on proposals for a joint search for petroleum in southern Morocco.

Auto racing
Five-time world driving champion Juan Manuel Fangio announced his retirement.

Boxing
Zora Folley (41-2-2) knocked out Pete Rademacher (0-2) at 1:15 of the 4th round of their heavyweight bout at Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

40 years ago
1968

War
U.S. ground and air units in Vietnam began attacking possible infiltration routes to Saigon in anticipation of a possible assault on the South Vietnamese capital.

Boxing
Buster Mathis (25-1) scored a technical knockout of Jim Beattie (30-5) at 1:37 of the 7th round of their heavyweight bout at Metropolitan Sports Center in Blooomington, Minnesota.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (1-2) 15 @ Montreal (2-3) 34

30 years ago
1978

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Louise Brown! Miss Brown, a native of Manchester, England, was the first baby conceived through in vitro fertilization.

Died on this date
Arnaldo Darío Rosado Torres, 24; Carlos Enrique Soto Arriví, 18. Puerto Rican political activists. Messrs. Rosado and Soto were advocates of Puerto Rican independence who were ambushed and shot by police at the Puerto Rican mountain of Cerro Maravilla.

Crime
James McKoy and Willie Earl Vereen, two of the Wilmington 10 defendants, were paroled after 2 1/2 years in prison. The Wilmington 10--9 Negro men and a white woman--had been convicted of firebombing a white-owned grocery store during racial violence in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1971. Two other defendants had already been paroled, and a fifth was scheduled to be paroled on July 28. Messrs. McKoy and Vereen reaffirmed their claims of innocence and pledged to work for the release of their fellow defendants who were still in prison.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (1-2) 12 @ Montreal (2-1) 24
Calgary (1-1-1) 19 @ British Columbia (1-1-1) 19

Baseball
Dave Winfield hit a solo home run in the 7th inning to tie the score and singled home Gene Richards with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the San Diego Padres a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 17,522 fans, including this blogger and his parents, at San Diego Stadium. Bob Owchinko pitched a 5-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Jim Rooker.

Tommy Boggs pitched a 4-hitter and Biff Pocoroba hit a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning as the Atlanta Braves shut out the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 before 25,954 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

Art Howe singled home Rafael Landestoy with 2 out in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Houston Astros a 3-2 win over the Montreal Expos before 8,383 fans at the Astrodome. Ken Forsch allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run in 5 innings of relief to get the win.

Pinch hitter Mike Ivie hit a 2-run home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the San Francisco Giants a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 39,289 fans at Candlestick park in San Francisco. The Cardinals had scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th to take a 2-1 lead. Vida Blue pitched a 9-hit complete game to improve his 1978 record to 14-4, winning the pitchers' duel over Bob Forsch, who pitched a 7-hit complete game.

Tom Paciorek led off the top of the 9th inning with a double and Leon Roberts followed with a home run to break a 2-2 tie as the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 before 14,103 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Glenn Abbott pitched a 6-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Tom Underwood, who pitched an 8-hit complete game.

Ron Guidry pitched a 6-hitter to improve his record for the season to 15-1 as the New York Yankees shut out the Kansas City Royals 4-0 before 40,183 fans at Royals Stadium.

Doug DeCinces hit 2 home runs and drove in 5 runs to help the Baltimore Orioles defeat the Texas Rangers 7-6 before 12,686 fans at Arlington Stadium. Joe Kerrigan, normally a reliever, started on the mound for Baltimore and allowed 10 hits and 6 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, but still got the win, while Tippy Martinez pitched 3 2/3 hitless innings of relief to earn the save.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Got to Be Certain--Kylie Minogue (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Judith Barsi, 10. U.S. actress. Miss Barsi was a live and voice actress who appeared in television commercials and programs, and in movies such as Jaws: The Revenge (1987) and All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989). She and her mother Maria were murdered by Judith's father József, who fatally shot himself two days later.