October 18, 2008

260 years ago
1748

War
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed in Aachen, Germany by representatives of the United Kingdom France, and Dutch Republic, ending the War of the Austrian Succession.

130 years ago
1878

Born on this date
James Truslow Adams. Venezuelan-born U.S. banker and historian. Mr. Adams was an investment banker in New York who made enough money to pursue a career as a historian. He was awarded the 1922 Pulitzer Prize in History for The Founding of New England (1921), the first volume of a trilogy. Mr. Adams coined the phrase "American dream" in his book The Epic of America (1931). Mr. Adams died of a heart attack on May 18, 1949 at the age of 70.

120 years ago
1888

Baseball
World Series
St. Louis Browns 2 @ New York Giants 4 (New York led best-of-ten series 2-1)

The Giants scored 2 runs in the 1st inning and a run in each of the 4th and 7th innings before 5,780 fans at the Polo Grounds. The Browns scored a run in each of the 8th and 9th innings. Tim Keefe pitched a 5-hitter for his second win of the series, while Silver King gave up 5 hits in absorbing his second loss. The Browns made 5 errors and the Giants 2.

110 years ago
1898

War
American troops fighting in the Spanish-American War raised the United States flag in Puerto Rico, formalizing U.S. control of the former Spanish colony.

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Irving Geis. U.S. artist. Mr. Geis was a co-author and illustrator of biochemical textbooks, which contained his paintings, sketches, and drawings of complex macromolecules, such as cytochromes and viruses. He provided humourous illustrations for the book How to Lie with Statistics (1954) by Darrell Huff. Mr. Geis died on July 22, 1997 at the age of 88.

90 years ago
1918

Health
Edmundston, New Brunswick reported over 1,600 cases of influenza.

Business
Toronto businessman P. J. Quinn bought the National Hockey League's Québec Bulldogs; they were inactive in 1918-19, but the team resumed play in 1919-20.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Michele della Maggiore. Italian criminal. Mr. della Maggiore was executed by a firing squad the day after receiving the first death sentence pronounced by an Italian court since the unification of the Kingdom. A special military tribunal for defense of the state, sitting at Lucca, sentenced Mr. della Maggiore to death for the May 16 murders of two Fascists.

William C. Hopson, 38. U.S. aviator. Mr. Hopson was an air mail pilot covering the route from New York to Cleveland. He was killed when his plane crashed in a mountain forest near Franklin, Pennsylvania.

60 years ago
1948

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

Died on this date
Philip Collier, 75. Australian politician. Mr. Collier, a member of the Labour Party, represented Boulder in the Western Australian House of Assembly from 1905-1948 and led the party from 1917-1936. He was Premier of Western Australia from 1924-1930 and 1933-1936. Mr. Collier was known for supporting the rights of workers, and his ability to get along with political opponents.

Walther von Brauchitsch, 67. German military officer. Field Marshal Brauchitsch served as Commander-in-Chief of the German Army from February 1938-December 1941, playing a key role in the Battle of France and overseeing the invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece. He suffered a heart attack in November 1941; Fuehrer Adolf Hitler blamed him for the failed attack on Moscow and removed him as Commander-in-Chief on December 19, 1941, and transferred him to Führerreserve (officers reserve), where he spent the rest of World War II. Field Marshal Brauchitsch was arrested by British authorities in August 1945, and died of bronchial pneumonia two weeks after his 67th birthday, in a military hospital in Hamburg, while awaiting trial for war crimes.

War
Israeli forces consolidated control over major transport routes in the Negev desert and isolated Egyptian bases in Gaza, Hebron, and Faluja.

World events
Soviet authorities in Germany began orgnizing a German "People's Police" force and imposed new traffic restrictions to prevent the smuggling of supplies into West Berlin.

Diplomacy
Spanish Foreign Minister Alberto Martin Artajo signed an agreement in Buenos Aires providing for increased Spanish immigration to Argentina; exchange of literature; and reciprocal recognition of university degrees.

Politics and government
A New York Times survey asserted that Republican Party candidate Thomas Dewey was sure of 333 electoral votes and U.S. President Harry Truman only 82 in the November 2 U.S. presidential election.

Crime
U.S. Army General William Donovan, who had investigated the May 1948 murder in Salonika of CBS correspondent George Polk for the Overseas Writers Association, announced in New York that he was skeptical of Greek government efforts to blame Greek Communist Party Central Committee member Adam Mouzenides for the murder.

Religion
Maximos V resigned as Patriarch of the 140-million member Greek Orthodox Church, due to a nervous disorder.

Health
New York City began a fluoridation program by coating the teeth of 50,000 children with sodium fluoride to prevent decay.

Economics and finance
Western Allies in Germany signed an agreement joining the foreign trade of the French zone to that of the British-American zone.

Labour
The Canadian Trades and Labour Congress ended a six-day convention in Victoria by re-electing Percy Bengough as President and defeating anti-Communist efforts to purge the organization of Communists.

Mexico broke off the agreement with the United States on migrant labour, charging that the U.S.A. had violated it by permitting large illegal entry of Mexicans at El Paso, Texas.

Football
WIFU
Calgary (11-0) 21 @ Winnipeg (3-8) 8

Rod Pantages, Woody Strode, and Normie Kwong scored touchdowns for the Stampeders as they beat the Blue Bombers at Osborne Stadium. For Messrs. Pantages and Kwong, both rookie Canadians, it was the first touchdown in a Stampeder uniform for each. Fred Wilmot added 2 converts and a field goal, while Bill Wusyk kicked a convert. Johnny Westrum scored the Winnipeg touchdown, and Norm Geller added a field goal.

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Bird Dog--The Everly Brothers (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Patricia--Pérez Prado and his Orchestra

#1 single in France (IFOP): When--The Kalin Twins (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Carolina Moon/Stupid Cupid--Connie Francis (3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's All in the Game--Tommy Edwards (3rd week at #1)
2 Bird Dog--The Everly Brothers
3 Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)--Domenico Modugno
--Dean Martin
4 Tea for Two Cha Cha--The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra starring Warren Covington
5 Rock-in Robin--Bobby Day
6 Susie Darlin'--Robin Luke
7 Tears on My Pillow--Little Anthony and the Imperials
8 Chantilly Lace--The Big Bopper
9 Topsy II--Cozy Cole
10 It's Only Make Believe--Conway Twitty

Singles entering the chart were Lonesome Town by Ricky Nelson (#45); The Blob by the Five Blobs (#73); Love Makes the World Go 'Round (#74)/Mandolins in the Moonlight (#79) by Perry Como; Hoopa Hoola by Betty Johnson (#75); Almost in Your Arms by Johnny Nash (#76); It Don't Hurt No More by Nappy Brown (#85); Go Chase a Moonbeam by Jerry Vale (#89); A Lover's Question by Clyde McPhatter (#90); Cimarron (Roll On) by Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (#91); A Letter to an Angel by Jimmy Clanton (#93); All Over Again by Johnny Cash (#98); and Many a Time by Steve Lawrence (#100). Lonesome Town was the other side of I Got a Feeling, charting at #40. The Blob was the title song of the movie. Almost in Your Arms was a version of the song from the movie Houseboat, which was performed in the movie by Sam Cooke and whose version was the B-side of Win Your Love for Me, charting at #71. All Over Again was the other side of What Do I Care, charting at #84.

Died on this date
Steve Bowman, 47. U.S. crime victim. Mr. Bowman, a steelworker at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's atomic test site in Boulder City, Nevada, had borrowed some tools from a next-door neighbor and went to return them, but knocked on the wrong door. The man who answered was Jerome Peter Kuk, a decorated war veteran who had joined the Las Vegas police force just 10 days earlier. Mr. Kuk let him in and then shot him twice in the chest. He then ran outside and shot and critically wounded Jerry Bertelson, 14. Mr. Kuk then phoned the police department and told them that he had shot a "fugitive...wanted murderer...dopehead." Mr. Kuk was booked on suspicion of murder.

Politics and government
Admiral Wolfgang Larrazaball, head of Venezuela's provisional government, agreed to run as the left-wing Republican Democratic Union's candidate in the upcoming presidential election.

Economics and finance
The Arab League agreed to assess all members $34 million to support the newly-proclaimed Algerian nationalist government.

Football
CFL
IRFU
Toronto (3-8) 41 @ Ottawa (5-6) 0
Montreal (4-6-1) 10 @ Hamilton (9-1-1) 29

WIFU
Calgary (6-8) 21 @ Saskatchewan (6-6-1) 17
Edmonton (8-5-1) 25 @ British Columbia (3-11) 22

ORFU
Kitchener-Waterloo (3-6) 25 @ London (4-4) 28

Ronnie Knox completed 21 of 28 passes and threw touchdown passes to Dick Shatto and Bobby Kuntz to lead the Argonauts over the Rough Riders before 14,313 fans at Lansdowne Park. Mr. Shatto completed a touchdown pass to Boyd Carter, and Dave Mann threw a TD pass to Pete O'Garro on a tackle-eligible play. Mr. Mann rushed 1 yard for the other touchdown. Vic Kristopaitis added 5 converts and 2 field goals.

Gerry McDougall scored 2 touchdowns and passed to Tommy Grant for another TD to help the Tiger-Cats defeat the Alouettes at Civic Stadium. Montreal quarterback Sam Etcheverry threw 4 interceptions.

Veryl Switzer rushed for 2 touchdowns and Jim Bakhtiar rushed for another TD to help the Stampeders defeat the Roughriders before 10,148 fans at Taylor Field in Regina, ending Calgary's 4-game losing streak.

The Eskimos amassed 306 yards rushing in defeating the Lions before 24,779 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Edmonton quarterback Jackie Parker handed off to Johnny Bright and Normie Kwong for touchdowns, passed to Jim Letcavits for another, and kicked a convert and 2 field goals. Mr. Bright rushed for 162 yards and caught passes for 43 yards.

Gerry Thompkins rushed for 2 touchdowns to lead the Lords over the Dutchmen at Labatt Park. Al Bruno and Tom Timbrell scored the other London TDs, while Al Pfeifer added 3 converts and a single. Chico Mendoza scored 2 touchdowns for the Dutchmen; Mike Norcia scored a touchdown and a convert, while Dave West scored the other K-W TD.

SIFL
Western Ontario (2-2) 39 @ McGill (1-3) 8
Queen's (1-3) 0 @ Toronto (4-0) 44

NCAA
Air Force 16 Stanford 0

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Hey Jude--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Fire--Arthur Brown (3rd week at #1)
2 1,2,3, Red Light--1910 Fruitgum Company
3 Suzie Q--Creedence Clearwater Revival
4 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles
5 Cinnamon--Derek
6 Beyond the Clouds--The Poppy Family
7 Baby, Come Back--The Equals
8 My Special Angel--The Vogues
9 All Along the Watchtower--The Jimi Hendrix Experience
10 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin

Singles entering the chart were Slip Away by Clarence Carter (#27); Do Something to Me by Tommy James and the Shondells (#28); Cinderella Sunshine by Paul Revere and the Raiders (#29); and I'm in a Different World by the Four Tops (#30).

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Hey Jude/Revolution--The Beatles (6th week at #1)
2 Fire--Arthur Brown
3 Those were the Days--Mary Hopkin
4 I've Gotta Get a Message to You--The Bee Gees
5 (The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation--Don Fardon
6 1,2,3, Red Light--1910 Fruitgum Company
7 The Snake--Al Wilson
8 Midnight Confessions--The Grass Roots
9 Slip Away--Clarence Carter
10 Hold Me Tight--Johnny Nash

Protest
Runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos were suspended from the U.S. Olympic team, two days after giving the Black Power salute during medal ceremonies following the men's 200-metre run, in which Mr. Smith had won the gold medal and Mr. Carlos the bronze.

Olympics
Bob Beamon of the United States set an Olympic and world record in the men's long jump competition at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City, covering 29 feet 2 1/2 inches to win the gold medal. The distance stood as a world record for 23 years.

Baseball
Nippon Series
Yomiuri Giants 4 @ Hankyu Braves 6 (Yomiuri led best-of-seven series 3-2)

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Summer Nights--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Ramón Mercader, 65. Spanish-born U.S.S.R. spy. Mr. Mercader became a Communist as a young man and became a Soviet spy in the mid-1930s. Using the name "Jacques Mornaud," he moved to Mexico City in 1939 with the assignment of assassinating Leon Trotsky, exiled former Communist Party rival of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Mr. Mercader carried out the assassination on August 20, 1940, and spent almost 20 years in prison in Mexico. He was released in 1960 and divided the rest of his years between Cuba and the U.S.S.R., where he was honoured as a Hero of the Soviet Union. Mr. Mercader died in Havana of lung cancer.

Politics and government
Premier Allan Blakeney led his New Democratic Party to a third consecutive majority in the Legislative Assembly in the Saskatchewan provincial election. The NDP took 44 of 61 seats, an increase of 5 from before the election. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Dick Collver, won 17 seats--an increase of 6--while the Liberals, led by Ted Malone, lost all 11 of their seats.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 2 Buffalo 0
Minnesota 7 Vancouver 2

Baseball
Nippon Series
Yakult Swallows 6 @ Hankyu Braves 5 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Moonlight Shadow--Mike Oldfield (5th week at #1)

Music
This blogger, with enjoyable female company, was in the audience as Gene Pitney performed at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. I paid $14.25 per ticket.

20 years ago
1988

Baseball
World Series
Los Angeles Dodgers 1 @ Oakland Athletics 2 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Mark McGwire hit a home run off Jay Howell with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to break a 1-1 tie and give the Athletics their win before 49,316 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Rick Honeycutt, the fourth Oakland pitcher of the game, pitched 2 innings and was credited with the win. Mr. Howell, who had just entered the game, took the loss. Bob Welch started on the mound for the Athletics and gave up 6 hits and a run in 5 innings. John Tudor started for the Dodgers but left with an injury after retiring the first 4 batters to face him. Tim Leary pitched the next 3 2/3 innings in relief of Mr. Tudor.



10 years ago
1998

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-14) 23 @ Calgary (11-5) 39
British Columbia (7-9) 31 @ Edmonton (8-8) 7

Allen Pitts caught his 98th career CFL touchdown pass--breaking the record formerly held by Brian Kelly--to help the Stampeders defeat the Blue Bombers before 26,727 fans at McMahon Stadium.

Damon Allen threw 2 touchdown passes to Sean Graham and Juan Johnson rushed 16 times for 118 yards to help the Lions rout the Eskimos before 30,362 unhappy fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Edmonton quarterback David Archer played a terrible game, and was ejected for throwing a B.C. player down hard out of bounds after an interception. The announcement of Mr. Archer's ejection brought the biggest cheer of the day from the fans.

Baseball
World Series
San Diego Padres 3 @ New York Yankees 9 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)

The Yankees scored 3 runs in each of the first 2 innings and coasted to an easy victory before 56,692 fans at Yankee Stadium.



Nippon Series
Seibu Lions 4 @ Yokohama BayStars 9 (Yokohama led best-of-seven series 1-0)