July 9, 2008

240 years ago
1768

Born on this date
Carl August. Crown Prince of Sweden, 1809-1810; Governor General of Norway, 1809-1810. Carl August, the son of Friedrich Christian I, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Princess Charlotte of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, fought against the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte in the Napoleonic Wars. He became Governor General of Norway in July 1809, and was soon thereafter adopted by King Carl XIII of Sweden in order to secure the succession to the throne. Carl August resigned as Governor General of Norway in order to go to Sweden. However, at the age of 41, he fell off his horse and died during a military practice on May 28, 1810. The Crown Prince's death was attributed to a stroke, but supporters of the house of deposed King Gustav IV were accused of poisoning Carl August, and Marshal of the Realm Count Axel von Fersen was lynched at the Crown Prince's funeral procession on June 20, 1810.

140 years ago
1868

Born on this date
Gustav Noske. German politician and journalist. Mr. Noske joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1884 and edited several socialist newspapers, while becoming the party's expert on military, navy, and colonial issues.. He represented Chemnitz in the Reichstag (1907-1918), and served as the first Minister of Defense in the Weimar Republic (1919-1920). Despite being a socialist, Mr. Noske used army and paramilitary forces to suppress socialist and Communist uprisings in 1919. After leaving federal office, he served as Governor of Hanover from 1920 until he was removed from office in 1933 following the Nazi seizure of power in Germany. Mr. Noske became more conservative in his views in later years, and supported Paul von Hindenburg for Reichprنsident in 1925 and 1932. Mr. Noske moved to Frankfurt after his dismissal by the Nazis, but was arrested by the Gestapo as a suspect in the July 20, 1944 assassination attempt against Fuehrer Adolf Hitler, and was imprisoned in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. He was freed by Allied troops, but died from a stroke at the age of 78 on November 30, 1946, while preparing for a lecture tour of the United States.

Law
The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing Negro Americans full citizenship and all persons in the United States due process of law. It reads:

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

110 years ago
1898

Politics and government
38 men were elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the B.C. provincial election, with former Opposition leader C. A. Semlin forming a new government. There were no official parties represented in the election.

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Takashi Asahina, 93. Japanese orchestra conductor. Mr. Asahina founded the Kansai Symphonic Orchestra (today the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra) in 1947, and was its principal conductor until his death on December 29, 2001 at the age of 93. He specialized in the music of Anton Bruckner.

90 years ago
1918

Communications
American stunt pilot Katherine Stinson succeeded in making the first official airmail flight in western Canada, from Calgary to Edmonton.

Disasters
An inbound local train collided with an outbound express in Nashville, killing 101 and injuring 171 people, making it the deadliest rail accident in United States history.

80 years ago
1928

Weather
The temperature in New York reached 96 F., with eight people dying from the heat. An egg salesman fried an egg in four minutes on a concrete sidewalk on Band Street in Paterson, New Jersey.

Law
The French government began prosecution of judges, lawyers, and court clerks who were said to have unlawfully facilitated divorce actions in Paris by Americans.

70 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Benjamin Cardozo, 68. U.S. jurist. Mr. Cardozo was a member of the New York Court of Appeals from 1914-1932 and was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1932 until his death. He was known for his judgments on tort law. Mr. Cardozo was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Herbert Hoover, and was confirmed in the Senate by unanimous voice vote. He died several months after suffering a stroke.

60 years ago
1948

Died on this date
Seymour Stedman, 77. U.S. politician. Mr. Stedman was a founding member of the Social Democratic Party in 1898, which merged with a similarly-named organization in 1901 to become the Socialist Party of America. He was the party's candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1920 as the running mate of presidential candidat Eugene V. Debs. Mr. Stedman died five days after his 77th birthday.

War
The Arab League rejected proposals for extension of the Palestine truce, accusing Israel of "flagrant [truce] violations," and demanding the creation of a provisional unitary government in Palestine dominated by the Arab majority. Arab-Jewish fighting began again on all fronts as the truce expired.

Politics and government
Leaders of 11 western German states ended a two-day conference in Coblenz after considering proposals for the creation of a West German government. They urged that greater power be given to German administrators, but refrained from referring to the proposed government as a "state."

The U.S. House of Representatives Labor subcommittee in New York voted to recommend contempt of Congress charges for nine department store union officials who refused to testify whether they were Communists.

Abominations
A Nevada court declared prostitution legal in Reno.

Education
The U.S. National Education Association ended a six-day convention in Cleveland after voting its support of the $300-million Taft aid-to-education bill.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. ordered the Berlin city treasury stop payment of occupation costs totaling 22 million Reichsmarks per month to the Western allies.

Oil
Romania announced the suspension of all oil deliveries to Yugoslavia.

50 years ago
1958

Diplomacy
In an address to the Canadian Parliament, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower argued that Canadians were helped by most U.S. economic actions and were hurt little by the dominating role of U.S. investment capital.



Politics and government
The U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Arthur S. Fleming as U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, and confirmed John McCone as a member of the Atomic Energy Commission.

Disasters
A 7.8 Mw strike-slip earthquake in Alaska caused a landslide that produced a megatsunami. The runup from the waves reached 1,722 feet (525 metres) on the rim of Lituya Bay, and five people were killed.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): A Man Without Love (Quando M'innamoro)--Engelbert Humperdinck (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Victor Blinov, 22. U.S.S.R. hockey player. Mr. Blinov was a defenceman with HC Spartak Moscow. He played with the Soviet National team from 1965-68, scoring 10 goals in 32 international matches, and helping the U.S.S.R. win the gold medal in the Winter Olympic Games in 1968. Mr. Blinov died of a heart attack during practice; he was inducted into the U.S.S.R. Hockey Hall of Fame before the end of the year.

Music
The Beatles began recording the song Revolution.

Disasters
A Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus tent collapsed during a thunderstorm in Auburn, New York, trapping 300 people and injuring at least 110.

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Astrodome, Houston
National League 1 American League 0

Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants singled in the bottom of the 1st inning, advanced to second base on a throwing error by Cleveland Indians' pitcher Luis Tiant, advanced to third on a wild pitch by Mr. Tiant, and scored the only run of the game when fellow Giant Willie McCovey grounded into a double play. The American League managed only 3 hits, while the NL had only 5. Minnesota Twins' first baseman Harmon Killebrew suffered a serious hamstring injury while stretching to catch a throw in the 3rd inning, and missed most of the rest of the season. 48,321 fans saw the first Major League All-Star Game to be played indoors.



30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Rivers of Babylon--Boney M.

Diplomacy
The Israeli cabinet rejected Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's proposal for Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Politics and government
Nationalist Union of the People and Nationalist Revolutionary Movement of the People candidate Juan Pereda won the Bolivian presidential election, taking 53% of the popular vote to defeat six other candidates. However, the number of votes cast exceeded the number of eligible voters, resulting in the election being voided 10 days later and a coup installing Mr. Pereda as President on July 21.

Golf
Lee Elder won the Greater Milwaukee Open in a playoff after posting a 4-round total score of 275. First prize money was $30,000.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: L'Italiano--Toto Cutugno (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Stars on 45 Proudly Presents The Star Sisters--The Star Sisters (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Baby Jane--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Baby Jane--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Every Breath You Take--The Police

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
2 Every Breath You Take--The Police
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Time (Clock of the Heart)--Culture Club
5 Let's Dance--David Bowie
6 Never Gonna Let You Go--Sergio Mendes
7 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
8 Always Something There to Remind Me--Naked Eyes
9 She's a Beauty--The Tubes
10 Beat It--Michael Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Lawyers in Love by Jackson Browne (#64); After the Fall by Journey (#75); Fake Friends by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (#76); Human Touch by Rick Springfield (#80); Boogie Down by Jarreau (#84); Tonight, I Celebrate My Love by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack (#88); and Do You Compute? by Donnie Iris (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Every Breath You Take--The Police (2nd week at #1)
2 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco
5 White Wedding--Billy Idol
6 I'm Still Standing--Elton John
7 Let's Dance--David Bowie
8 Beat It--Michael Jackson
9 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
10 Come Dancing--The Kinks

Singles entering the chart were Rock 'N' Roll is King by Electric Light Orchestra (#44); Maniac by Michael Sembello (#49); and 1999 by Prince (#50).

Sport
At the World University Games in Edmonton, Soviet diver Sergei Chalibashvili was attempting a difficult dive in competititon when his head hit the board on the way down, and he suffered multiple skull fractures. He never regained consciousness, and died eight days later.

Basketball
In the World University Games, Canada defeated Yugoslavia in the men's final to win the gold medal at Universiade Pavilion in Edmonton in what was undoubtedly the high point of Jack Donohue's career as head coach of Canada's national team.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (1-0) 35 @ Hamilton (0-1) 32

The defending Grey Cup champion Eskimos blew a 27-11 lead and fell behind 32-28 to the Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium, but quarterback Warren Moon marched them 75 yards in just 3 plays in the final minute of the game, completing a 48-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly with 36 seconds remaining. Larry Highbaugh's second interception of the game in the final seconds preserved the win in the team's first regular season game under new head coach Pete Kettela. Among those making their CFL debuts were Edmonton punter Paul Hickie and quarterback Matt Dunigan, who spent the first game of his 14-year Hall of Fame career on the sidelines watching Mr. Moon go the distance. Jeff Goff, wearing #43, played reasonably well in place of injured Edmonton middle linebacker Dan Kepley, but it turned out to be his only game. He was cut a few days later, and disappeared from the CFL forever, as did Hamilton defensive back Mickey Sutton, playing his only CFL game.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Tell Me--Nick Kamen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Fast Car--Tracy Chapman

#1 single in France (SNEP): J'ai faim de toi--Sandy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Fast Car--Tracy Chapman

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Flame--Cheap Trick

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Flame--Cheap Trick
2 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
3 Pour Some Sugar on Me--Def Leppard
4 Mercedes Boy--Pebbles
5 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
6 New Sensation--INXS
7 Make it Real--The Jets
8 Nite and Day--Al B. Sure!
9 The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
10 Together Forever--Rick Astley

Singles entering the chart were Monkey by George Michael (#45); Missed Opportunity by Daryl Hall John Oates (#82); Nobody's Fool by Kenny Loggins (#84); Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China) by Cyndi Lauper (#85); I Don't Want to Be a Hero by Johnny Hates Jazz (#86); Better be Home Soon by Crowded House (#87); My Obsession by Icehouse (#89); and Tell Me by White Lion (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Together Forever--Rick Astley (3rd week at #1)
2 The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
3 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
4 One More Try--George Michael
5 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
6 New Sensation--INXS
7 Beds are Burning--Midnight Oil
8 The Flame--Cheap Trick
9 Everything Your Heart Desires--Daryl Hall John Oates
10 Circle in the Sand--Belinda Carlisle

Singles entering the chart were Better Be Home Soon by Crowded House (#75); Love Will Save the Day by Whitney Houston (#79); Between Like and Love by Billy Vera and the Beaters (#85); Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer (#88); Don't Live Without Love by Chicago (#91); Fire by Haywire (#94); My Obsession by Icehouse (#96); and Tomorrow People by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers (#98).

10 years ago
1998

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-1) 24 @ Montreal (2-0) 30
Calgary (2-0) 22 @ Toronto (0-2) 19