September 18, 2008

170 years ago
1838

Economics and finance
The Anti-Corn Law League was established in by Richard Cobden. The league was dedicated to abolishing British trade laws that imposed steep import duties on grain, making it impossible to import grain into the United Kingdom from other countries, even in times of famine.

120 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Grey Owl. U.K.-born Canadian conservationist. Born Archibald Belaney near Hastings, England, he emigrated to Canada as a teenager, and ended up in northern Ontario, where he adopted an Indian identity, including the name Grey Owl. Grey Owl married a Native Canadian girl, who led him to abandon trapping and become a conservationist. Books such as The Men of the Last Frontier (1931) and magazine articles that he wrote while he was working with the Dominion Parks Service were influential in leading Canadians to view their land and animals as resources to be protected rather than exploited. Grey Owl, who was a heavy drinker, died in his cabin near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on April 13, 1938 at the age of 49. The day after his death, the North Bay Nugget, which had been sitting on the story for three years, became the first newspaper to expose the fact that Canada's leading "Native" conservationist was a white Englishman.

110 years ago
1898

Diplomacy
A flotilla of five British gunboats, carrying 1,500 British and Egyptian/Sudanese soldiers led by Sir Herbert Kitchener and including Lieutenant-Colonel (later General) Horace Smith-Dorrien, arrived at Fashoda on the White Nile River, triggering the last war scare between Britain and France. The situation was resolved diplomatically.

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Victor Ambartsumian. U.S.S.R. astrophysicist. Dr. Ambartsumian, a native of Georgia, founded the Soviet Union's first department of astrophysics at Leningrad State University in 1934. He moved to Soviet Armenia and in 1946 founded the Byurakan Observatory, a major centre of astronomical research. Dr. Ambartsumian also co-founded the Armenian Academy of Sciences and led it for almost half a century—the entire post-war period. He's widely regarded as the founder of theoretical astrophysics in the Soviet Union, and worked until he was 80. Dr. Ambartsumian died on August 12, 1996 at the age of 87.

Died on this date
Dickey Pearce, 72. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Pearce pioneered the position of shortstop, playing with the Brooklyn Atlantics (1856-1870, 1873-1874); Excelsior of Brooklyn (1866); New York Mutuals (1871-1872); and St. Louis Brown Stockings (1875-1877), batting .256 with 2 home runs and 120 runs batted in in 258 games in the National Association (1871-1875) and .198 with no homers and 14 RBIs in 33 games in the National League (1875-1877). Mr. Pearce has been credited with inventing the bunt. After his playing career ended, Mr. Pearce was an umpire into the mid-1880s.

Baseball
Dusty Rhoads pitched a no-hitter for the Cleveland Naps as they edged the Boston Red Sox 2-1 at League Park in Cleveland.

Ed Walsh pitched a 3-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Walter Johnson and improve his 1908 record to 35-13 as the Chicago White Sox scored a run in the bottom of the 8th inning and edged the Washington Nationals 1-0 at South Side Park in Chicago.

Jack Powell pitched a 3-hitter for the St. Louis Browns as they scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and held on for a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Athletics in the first game of a doubleheader at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Losing pitcher Jack Flater allowed 10 hits, with 1 base on balls and 1 strikeout, in his first major league game. Bill Dinneen won the pitching matchup over Jack Coombs as the Browns won the second game 5-4 to complete the sweep.

The Cincinnati Reds scored 11 runs in the 4th inning and coasted to a 13-6 win over the Boston Doves before 1,700 fans at South End Grounds in Boston. Boston shortstop Walt Thomas batted 1 for 4 with a run and run batted in, with 1 putout and 1 assist in his first major league game.

Christy Mathewson pitched a 5-hitter to improve his record for the season to 33-8 and Mike Donlin hit a 3-run home run as the New York Giants shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 before 30,000 fans in the first of 2 games at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Giants scored 3 runs in the 6th inning and 6 in the 7th as they won the second game 12-7 before 35,000 fans to complete the sweep. Bob Vail, the third Pittsburgh pitcher, allowed 5 hits and 6 runs, with 2 walks and no strikeouts in 2 innings, taking the loss to fall to 1-2 for the season, and striking out in his only plate appearance, in his fourth and last major league game.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored a run with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 before 3,000 fans at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia.

90 years ago
1918

War
The Central Powers' defeat in the Battle of Dobro Pole played a role in the Bulgarian withdrawal from the war, and opened the way for the subsequent liberation of Vardar Macedonia.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Gil Jamison, 10. U.S. crime victim. Master Jamison, the son of a banker in Honolulu, was kidnapped and strangled to death after payment of a $4,000 ransom; his body was discovered on September 20.

Aviation
Juan de la Cierva made the first autogyro crossing of the English Channel, from London to Paris.

60 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Twelfth Street Rag--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's Magic--Doris Day
--Dick Haymes and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
--Tony Martin
--Gordon MacRae
2 Twelfth Street Rag--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra
3 A Tree in the Meadow--Margaret Whiting
4 You Call Everybody Darlin'--Al Trace and the Revelers
--Anne Vincent
--Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters
--The Andrews Sisters
5 My Happiness--The Pied Pipers
--Jon and Sondra Steele
--Ella Fitzgerald
6 Love Somebody--Doris Day and Buddy Clark
7 Maybe You'll Be There--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
8 You Can't Be True, Dear--Ken Griffin
9 Cool Water--Vaughn Monroe and the Sons of the Pioneers
10 Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue--Gordon MacRae and the Starlighters
--Jerry Murad's Harmonicats
--Jack Emerson

Singles entering the chart were Until by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#25) and You were Only Fooling (While I was Falling in Love) by Blue Barron and his Orchestra (#36).

War
Operation Polo was terminated after the Indian Army accepted the surrender of the army of Hyderabad.

World events
Communist guerrillas seized the town of Madiun in central Java and proclaimed a "Soviet" government for Indonesia.

Diplomacy
Former U.S. State Department official Ralph Bunche, chief United Nations aide to slain mediator Folke Bernadotte, succeeded him as UN mediator in Palestine.

Defense
The United States Air Force celebrated its first anniversary as an independent force by conducting mock bombing raids on 25 U.S. cities with B-29s based in Japan, Germany, and Alaska. Air Force spokesmen stressed the ease with which such attacks could be made, and urged the strengthening of air defenses. U.S. President Harry Truman appointed a seven-man Commission on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services to recommend means of ending military racial discrimination.

Politics and government
Margaret Chase Smith (Republican--Maine) became the first woman elected to the United States Senate without completing another senator's term.

Radio
A U.S. House of Representatives investigating the Federal Communications Commission denounced an agency decision granting atheists radio time to answer religious programs.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Ottawa (3-1) 32 @ Toronto (3-1) 12

WIFU
Saskatchewan (1-5) 9 @ Winnipeg (3-4) 15

ORFU
Sarnia (0-2) 7 @ Hamilton (2-0) 22
Toronto (2-0) 14 @ Windsor (0-2) 8

19,000 fans at Varsity Stadium saw the Rough Riders defeat the Argonauts.

Mr. Smith and Bob Sandberg scored touchdowns for the Blue Bombers as they beat the Roughriders at Osborne Stadium. Don Hiney added a convert, field goal and single. Del Wardien scored the Saskatchewan touchdown, converted by Gabe Patterson, while Ken Charlton added 2 singles.

Garry Smith scored 2 touchdowns for the Beaches Indians as they defeated the Rockets before 2,000 fans in Windsor.

Baseball
The Sporting News named St. Louis Cardinals' left fielder Stan Musial and Cleveland Indians' shortstop Lou Boudreau as the outstanding major league players of 1948.

50 years ago
1958

World events
The Lebanese Army disclosed the suppression of a coup attempt by Colonel Fuad Lahoud, a backer of outgoing President Camille Chamoun and commander of Lebanon's southern frontier defense forces.

Defense
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, 70, retired as NATO deputy Allied commander in Europe after a 50-year military career.

Protest
Peking radio reported that 302 million Chinese had staged "the biggest protest campaign in world history" against U.S. involvement in Taiwan.

Economics and finance
A group of British companies extended $140 million in credit to Argentina for purchase of oil, industrial machinery, and power plant equipment.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Hey Jude--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Help Yourself--Tom Jones
2 Dream a Little Dream of Me--Mama Cass
3 MacArthur Park--Richard Harris
4 Do it Again--The Beach Boys
5 The Orange and the Green/(The Puppet Song) Whiskey on a Sunday--The Irish Rovers
6 Indian Lake--The Cowsills
7 Classical Gas--Mason Williams
8 I've Gotta Get a Message to You/Kitty Can--The Bee Gees
9 You Keep Me Hangin' On--The Vanilla Fudge
10 Angel of the Morning--Merrilee Rush

Singles entering the chart were Harper Valley P.T.A. by Jeannie C. Riley (#15); I Say a Little Prayer/The House that Jack Built by Aretha Franklin (#23); Magic Bus by the Who (#27); The Fool on the Hill by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 (#34); Adam and Eve by Buzz Cason (#37); and Down at Lulu's by Ohio Express (#39).

Died on this date
Rip Wheeler, 70. U.S. baseball pitcher. Floyd Clark Wheeler played with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1921-1922) and Chicago Cubs (1923-1924), compiling a record of 4-8 with an earned run average of 4.18 in 34 games, and batting .190 with no home runs and 4 runs batted in. He had three seasons in the minor leagues from 1921-1923 in which he won 22 or 23 games.

Franchot Tone, 63. U.S. actor. Mr. Tone appeared in plays, films, and television programs, but was best known for his supporting roles in movies such as The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). He was a heavy smoker, and died of lung cancer.

Diplomacy
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos signed a law claiming Malaysia's Borneo state of Sabah for the Philippine Republic, prompting the rupture of diplomatic relations with Malaysia.

Protest
In a move to end seven weeks of student agitation in Mexico City, an army force of 1,300 seized the National University, precipitating new clashes between students and police.

Football
CFL
Calgary (6-3) 35 @ Hamilton (3-4) 14

Baseball
The day after Gaylord Perry of the San Francisco Giants had pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ray Washburn of the Cardinals responded with a no-hitter as the Cardinals shut out the Giants 2-0 before 4,703 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. This remains the only time that teams have pitched no-hitters against each other in consecutive games in major league history. Mike Shannon doubled home Orlando Cepeda with 2 out in the 7th inning for the eventual winning run.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning and held on to edge the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 before 2,463 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. With 2 out in the 9th and Matty Alou on first base, he beat the throw to second base on a ground ball by Donn Clendenon and saw third base uncovered. Mr. Alou then sprinted for third, but was thrown out by pitcher Gary Wagner, with shortstop Roberto Pena applying the tag to end the game. Jerry Johnson allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Bob Veale.

The Chicago Cubs scored 6 runs in the last 3 innings to defeat the New York Mets 7-2 before 9,212 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Chicago shortstop Don Kessinger batted 4 for 5 with a double and 2 runs. Losing pitcher Jerry Koosman threw 135 pitches in 8 innings, allowing 11 hits and 5 runs--4 earned. He led off the bottom of the 3rd inning with his first major league home run.

Phil Niekro pitched a 3-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Denny Lemaster as the Atlanta Braves blanked the Houston Astros 2-0 before 6,392 fans at the Astrodome. The Braves scored their run in the 1st inning when Hank Aaron doubled home Felix Millan and scored on a double by his brother Tommie Aaron.

Gerry Arrigo allowed 4 hits in 8 1/3 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Don Sutton as the Cincinnati Reds shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0 before 11,325 fans at Dodger Stadium. Every man in the Cincinnati starting lineup had at least 1 hit.

The Boston Red Sox scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to break a 0-0 tie as they defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 before 8,918 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Dick Ellsworth allowed 6 hits in 7 1/3 innings to get the win. Bobby Floyd made his major league debut with the Orioles, entering the game as a pinch runner in the 8th inning and getting erased on the front end of a double play. Teammate Fred Beene mad his major league debut, pitching the 9th inning and allowing 2 hits and 1 earned run, with 1 base on balls and 1 strikeout.

The Minnesota Twins, aided by 3 bases on balls and a balk, scored 3 runs in the 4th inning and held on to defeat the California Angels 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader before 5,104 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota. Losing pitcher Bill Harrelson allowed 2 hits and 3 runs--all earned-- in 2/3 inning, with 3 walks and a strikeout in the 10th and last game of his major league career, dropping his record to 1-6. Jim Fregosi tripled home 2 runs in the 1st inning to help the Angels win the second game 4-3.

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kimi no Hitomi wa 10,000 Volt--Takao Horiuchi (2nd week at #1)

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

On television tonight
WKRP in Cincinnati, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Pilot: Part 1

This was the first episode of the series.

Diplomacy
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ibrahim Kamel and Ambassador to the United States Ashraf Ghorbal resigned to protest the previous day's concluded with Israel.

Politics and government
Bennett Campbell was sworn in as Premier of Prince Edward Island, succeeding Alex Campbell as leader of the province's Liberal government.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: I Like Chopin--Gazebo

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: The Shrunken Head

Football
CFL
Toronto (8-2) 50 @ Hamilton (4-6) 16
Edmonton (6-4) 46 @ Saskatchewan (3-7) 21

Condredge Holloway threw touchdown passes of 66 and 80 yards to Emanuel Tolbert and another of 21 yards to Cedric Minter, and rushed 6 yards for a TD of his own--all in the 1st half--as the Argonauts built a 33-2 halftime lead and routed the Tiger-Cats before 25,128 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Carl Brazley intercepted a Tom Clements pass and returned it 62 yards for a Toronto touchdown, and Joe Barnes completed an 87-yard TD pass to Greg Holmes with 1:06 remaining in the game for the final Toronto touchdown. Keith Baker caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mr. Clements in the 4th quarter and caught a pass from Jeff Tedford for a 2-point convert on Rufus Crawford's 2-yard touchdown run later in the 4th quarter. Mr. Holloway completed 17 of 28 passes for 381 yards, while Mr. Clements, playing his last game in a Hamilton uniform, was 16 of 31 for 166 yards. Mr. Tolbert caught 4 passes for 180 yards, while teammate Terry Greer caught 6 for 100. Mr. Clement was traded several days later to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for quarterback Dieter Brock, then under suspension for walking out on the team in a contract dispute.

Warren Moon completed 23 of 33 passes for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Eskimos over the Roughriders before 28,377 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Tom Scott, Brian Kelly, and Marco Cyncar caught Mr. Moon's touchdown passes, while Scott Stauch and Neil Lumsden rushed for Edmonton TDs. Rookie quarterback Matt Dunigan finished the game in relief of Mr. Moon and rushed twice for 20 yards and completed all 3 of his passes for 35 yards, including his first CFL touchdown pass, 19 yards to Mr. Kelly on a third-down gamble with 38 seconds remaining. Homer Jordan, who relieved starting quarterback John Hufnagel in the 2nd half, threw touchdown passes to Chris DeFrance and Ron Robinson. It was the first appearance in an Edmonton uniform for defensive back Jerry Philip, running back Milson Jones, and defensive lineman James Hunter. Mr. Hunter, who knocked Mr. Hufnagel out of the game with a sack, was chosen the defensive star of the game, while Mr. Jones, who had been acquired from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers several days earlier in a trade for offensive linemen Ken Walter and Pieter Vanden Bos, didn't touch the ball. One of the game's key plays was a 55-yard quick kick by Neil Lumsden with a 40-miles-per-hour wind behind him on a second down and 15 yards to go play from the Edmonton 31-yard line in the 2nd quarter.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Cecilia--Times Two

#1 single in Switzerland: Hand in Hand--Koreana

Died on this date
Alan Watt, 87. Australian diplomat. Sir Alan served in the Department of External Affairs from 1937-1962, holding numerous ambassadorial posts, including that of the first Australian Ambassador to the U.S.S.R. (1948-1950).

World events
A bloody military coup in Burma by the State Law and Order Restoration Council under the leadership of General Saw Maung toppled President Maung Maung from power after just one month in office. Gen. Saw Maung was reported to be an ally of former President Ne Win, who had resigned in July after 26 years in power. The coup sparked several days of clashes between civilians and the army, resulting in the deaths of a large number of civilians--263, according to the government. Others put the death toll at thousands, mostly monks and civilians (primarily students) killed by the Tatmadaw.

Henri Namphy, deposed the day before as President of Haiti by a coup of noncommissioned military officers, flew into exile in the Dominican Republic. It wasn't clear if the new President, Lieutenant General Prosper Avril, could control the military, and it was reported that four people had died in fighting within the ranks of the military.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (1-10) 25 @ Hamilton (7-4) 35
Toronto (7-4) 21 @ Edmonton (8-3) 38

Backup quarterback Greg Vavra completed a touchdown pass to defensive end Brett Williams on a fake field goal attempt in the 4th quarter to help the Eskimos defeat the Argonauts at Commonwealth Stadium. Ron Ingram, playing his second and last game as an Eskimo, entered the game in place of Henry "Gizmo" Williams and caught a 61-yard touchdown pass from Tracy Ham on the ensuing play.



10 years ago
1998

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (3-9) 18 @ Calgary (9-3) 35