July 1, 2009

1,940 years ago
69

Politics and government
Tiberius Julius Alexander ordered his Roman legions in Alexandria to swear allegiance to Vespasian as Emperor.

900 years ago
1109

Died on this date
Alfonso VI, 68 or 69 (?). Emperor of Spain, 1077-1109. Alfonso VI, the son of King Ferdinand I of León, succeeded his father in 1065, adding the throne of Galicia in 1071, and reigning as King of León, Castile and Galicia from 1072 until his death, as well as King of Toledo from 1085 until his death, which occurred in Toledo. A dispute over King Alfonso VI's successor led to an eight-year civil war.

440 years ago
1569

Europeana
The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania confirmed the Union of Lublin; the united country was called the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, or the Republic of Both Nations.

190 years ago
1819

Died on this date
Jemima Wilkinson, 66. U.S. religious figure. Miss Wilkinson, the daughter of Quaker parents, suffered a severe illness--most likely typhus--in 1776 and afterward dropped her real name and claimed to have died and been reanimated as the genderless Public Universal Friend. Her doctrine was similar to orthodox Quakerism, believing in free will, opposing slavery, and supporting sexual abstinence. She attracted some followers--especially unmarried women--in the northeastern United States, who formed the township of Jerusalem in western New York in the 1790s. Miss Wilkinson died after suffering from dropsy for several years. The Society of Universal Friends ceased to exist by the 1860s.

Space
Johann Georg Tralles discovered the Great Comet of 1819, (C/1819 N1); it was the first comet analyzed using polarimetry, by François Arago.

170 years ago
1839

Died on this date
Mahmud II, 53. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1808-1839. Mahmud II was preceded as sultan by his brother Mustafa IV, and survived an assassination attempt by his brother. Mahmud II then seized power and had Mustafa IV executed. Sultan Mahmud's reign was characterized by military, administrative, and economic reforms. He died of tuberculosis and was succeeded on the throne by his son Abdülmecid I.

150 years ago
1859

Baseball
The first intercollegiate baseball match was played between Amherst and Williams colleges at Pittsfield‚ Massachusetts. After taking a early lead‚ the Amherst squad won the 4-hour‚ 26-round game by a score of 73-32. The game was played under the rules of the "Massachusetts Game."

130 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Léon Jouhaux. French labour leader. Mr. Jouhaux was secretary-general of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) from 1909-1947. He opposed the German occupation of France during World War II, and was interned in the Buchenwald concentration camp. Mr. Jouhaux was awarded a share of the 1951 Nobel Peace Prize as "President of the International Committee of the European Council, vice president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, vice president of the World Federation of Trade Unions, member of the ILO Council, delegate to the United Nations." He died on April 28, 1954 at the age of 74.

Journalism
Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Bible Student movement--later better known as Jehovah's Witnesses--published the first edition of the magazine The Watchtower.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Charles Laughton. U.K.-born U.S. actor. Mr. Laughton appeared in many plays and movies, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for 1932-1933 for The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). He was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957), and also turned in memorable performances in If I Had a Million (1932), Island of Lost Souls (1932), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939). Mr. Laughton died of kidney cancer on December 15, 1962 at the age of 63, six months after the release of his last movie, Advise and Consent (1962).

Konstantinos Tsatsos. 2nd President of Greece, 1975-1980. Mr. Tsatsos was a member of the Liberal Party and then the National Radical Union, holding several cabinet posts in the years before the 1967-1974 military junta. Mr. Tsatsos returned to politics as a member of New Democracy, and was President by the parliament; he retired after serving his five-year term, and died on October 8, 1987 at the age of 88.

Thomas A. Dorsey. U.S. gospel singer and songwriter. Mr. Dorsey, the "father of black gospel music," wrote such songs as Take Me Home, Precious Lord and Peace in the Valley. He died on January 23, 1993 at the age of 93.

100 years ago
1909

Died on this date
Curzon Wyllie, 60. U.K. military officer and bureaucrat. Sir William Hutt Curzon Wyllie was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Indian Army from 1867 until the 1880s, and held various colonial offices. He returned to England in 1901 upon his appointment as political aide-de-camp to Secretary of State for India Lord George Hamilton, using his experience in matters involving India's princely states and relations with the British Crown. Sir Curzon and his wife were at the Imperial Institute in London, attending an event put on by the National Indian Association, when he was fatally shot by Indian independence activist Madan Lal Dhingra, 26. Mr. Dhingra was convicted of murder on July 23 and hanged at Pentonville Prison on August 17, 1909.

Cawas Lalcaca, 46. Indian physician. Dr. Lalcaca, a Parsi, came to the aid of Sir Curzon Wyllie and attempted to prevent his assassination, but was also fatally shot by Madan Lal Dhingra.

Canadiana
Captain Joseph-Elzéar Bernier, a great navigator and explorer of the Arctic, unveiled a plaque at Parry Rock on Melville Island, Northwest Territories, proclaiming Canada's sovereignty over all the islands of the Arctic.

90 years ago
1919

Baseball
Rabbit Maranville drove in 5 runs with a pair of inside-the-park home runs to lead the Boston Braves to a 9-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Braves Field. Al Demaree pitched a 5-hitter to win the pitching matchup over Eppa Rixey, who allowed 7 hits and 6 runs--all earned--in 5 innings. He was relieved by Pat Murray, who allowed 4 hits and 3 runs--all earned--in 3 innings, walking 2 batters and striking out 1 in his first major league game.

The Chicago Cubs scored a run in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the score and another in the 12th to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 at Cubs Park.

Sammy Vick drew a base on balls to lead off the game, and Duffy Lewis drove him in with the only run of the game as the New York Yankees edged the Washington Nationals 1-0 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Allen Russell pitched a 5-hit shutout to win the pitchers' duel over Harry Harper, who allowed 4 hits in 8 innings.

The Cleveland Indians scored 7 runs in the 1st inning en route to a 14-9 win over the Chicago White Sox at Dunn Field in Cleveland. Tris Speaker led the Cleveland attack, batting 4 for 5 with 2 triples, 2 runs, and a stolen base. Hi Jasper pitched a 15-hit complete game victory, allowing 8 earned runs in his first win of the season.

The St. Louis Browns scored a run in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Allen Sothoron pitched an 8-hit complete game victory, and batted 2 for 4 with a triple and 3 runs batted in.

80 years ago
1929

Died on this date
Henry Johnson, 36. U.S. soldier. Sergeant Johnson, a Negro, served with the U.S. Army's 369th Infantry Regiment during World War I. While on watch in the Argonne Forest in France on May 14, 1918, he fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, killing multiple German soldiers and rescuing a fellow soldier while experiencing 21 wounds. Sgt. Johnson became the first American soldier to receive the Croix de guerre from France for his actions, but he wasn't honoured by his own country in his lifetime. He died after a long battle with tuberculosis, approximately two weeks before his 37th birthday. Sgt. Johnson was posthumously awarded a Silver Star in 1996 and the Medal of Honor in 2015.

60 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Your Show Time, hosted and narrated by Arthur Shields, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Colonel Starbottle for the Plaintiff, starring Robert Warwick

Died on this date
Isamu Takeshita, 79. Japanese military officer. Admiral Takeshita served in the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, and helped to negotiate an end to the war. He also used his diplomatic skills to help Japan obtain former German possessions after World War I.

Diplomacy
U.S., U.K., U.S.S.R., and French representatives resumed their negotiations in London on an Austrian peace treaty.

Indianica
The merger of the princely states of Cochin and Travancore into the state of Thiru-Kochi (later re-organized as Kerala) in the Indian Union ended more than 1,000 years of princely rule by the Cochin royal family.

Politics and government
Vietnamese Chief of State Bao Dai appointed himself Prime Minister as he announced the composition of his first cabinet, including Nguyen Van Xuan as Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister.

The U.S. War Assets Administration and the Office of Defense Transportation discontinued operations.

Crime
A U.S. federal court in Washington sentenced Justice Department employee Judith Coplon to 3 1/2-10 years in prison, following her conviction on charges of stealing confidential government papers.

Economics and finance
Yugoslavia accused the U.S.S.R. and other Cominform countries of imposing an embargo on shipment of machinery and war materials.

Washington and London sources reported U.S. efforts to gain the support of Western European states for an embargo on shipment of strategic materials to Communist China.

U.S. President Harry Truman sent Congress two bills for aid to developing countries. One authorized the Import-Export Bank to guarantee private American investment abroad, the other provided funds for international exchange of technical knowledge.

U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snyder reported a federal deficit of $1.8 billion for fiscal 1949, three times higher than President Truman's earlier predictions.

Labour
After four and a half months of strike action, asbestos miners and Thetford Mines miners affiliated with the Canadian Catholic Confederation of Labor (CCCT) agreed to return to work, accepting a 10c hourly wage increase. The decision followed the mediation of Bishop Maurice Roy, Archbishop of Quebec.

50 years ago
1959

At the movies
North by Northwest, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Landau, and Leo G. Carroll, received its premiere screening at the United Artists Theatre in Chicago.

Died on this date
Wiliam Walter Peele, 77. U.S. clergyman. Rev. Peele was ordained a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1938, and was assigned to the Richmond, Virginia area after the northern and southern factions reunited in 1939 to form The Methodist Church.

Diplomacy
Specific values for the international yard, avoirdupois pound and derived units (e.g. inch, mile, and ounce) were adopted after agreement among the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa.

Defense
General Lyman Lemnitzer took office as U.S. Army chief of staff, succeeding Gen. Maxwell Taylor.

The Israeli Knesset voted to approve the sale of arms to West Germany.

Politics and government
Agriculture Minister Heinrich Luebke was elected to succeed Theodor Heuss as President of West Germany.

British Governor R.G. Turnbull swore in a 12-member, multi-racial Tanganyikan cabinet.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower said that he would not intervene in any contest for the 1960 Republican Party presidential nomination.

Albertana
A replica of the original North-West Mounted Police Fort Macleod was declared open in Fort Macleod.

Economics and finance
The U.S. embassy in Cairo announced an agreement for the resumption of U.S. economic and technical aid to the United Arab Republic, which had been suspended since the Suez crisis in 1956.

The Quebec government of Premier Maurice Duplessis accepted the federal government's unemployment assistance plan, retroactive to July 1, 1958.

A federal-provincial hospital plan went into effect in New Brunswick.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Mendocino--Sir Douglas Quintet (3rd week at #1)

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC 2
Tonight's episode: Black Peter

Died on this date
Donald Crowhurst, 37. U.K. yachtsman. Mr. Crowhurst was believed to be leading the Golden Globe race, which involved lone sailors going around the world. His trimaran Teignmouth Electron was discovered abandoned on July 10, 11 days after Mr. Crowhurst's last radio transmission, and 9 days after his last log entry. He had apparently jumped overboard as a result of increasing mental and emotional strain, which was reflected in his log entries. For months Mr. Crowhurst had been sending false reports of his progress; in fact, the Teignmouth Electron was found in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, about 1,800 miles from England. The story was told by Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall in The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst (original British title: The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst), published in 1970. It's one of the most fascinating books that this blogger has ever read.

Britannica
Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Caernarvon Castle, Wales.

Terrorism
Two men died in an apparent attempt to blow up local government offices in Abergale, Wales, 30 miles from Caernarvon. Hours after the investiture of Prince Charles, a young soldier was killed by the explosion of an army truck. Detectives began rounding up known militant Welsh nationalists.

Defense
General Andrew Goodpaster replaced Gen. Lyman Lemnitzer as supreme Allied commander in Europe.

Politics and government
Gustav Heinemann took office as President of West Germany.

Boxing
George Foreman (2-0) knocked out Fred Askew (2-7-1) at 2:30 of the 1st round of a heavyweight bout at Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Baby it's You--Promises (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Pop Muzik--M

Diplomacy
U.S. President Jimmy Carter and South Korean President Park Chung Hee concluded two days of talks in Seoul. The two leaders discussed human rights for South Korea’s dissidents; the proposed withdrawal of all American troops from South Korea; and reunification of North and South Korea. In addition to meeting with many religious leaders, Mr. Carter also met with New Democratic Party leader Kim Young Sam, South Korea’s most prominent dissident.

Politics and government
Bolivia held its first presidential election since the imposition of military rule in 1969. None of the candidates received the majority of popular votes necessary to be elected President, handing the election to the newly elected Congress. The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-Alliance led with 48 of 117 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 16 of 27 seats in the Senate. Their presidential candidate, Víctor Paz Estenssoro had 35.9% of the vote, to 36.0% for Democratic and Popular Union candidate Hernán Siles Zuazo.

The Partido Revolucionario Institucional (Institutional Revolutionary Party) (PRI) won 296 of 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies in the Mexican legislative election. The PRI total was an increase of 101 seats from the most recent election in 1976. The Partido Acción Nacional (National Action Party) (PAN) was second with 43 seats, an increase of 23. The Communist Party was third with 18 seats.

Technology
Sony introduced the Walkman portable audio player.

Oil
U.S. President Jimmy Carter criticized the recent OPEC price increase, saying it would cause the loss of 800,000 jobs and would likely raise inflation 2.5% in the United States by 1980.

25 years ago
1984

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. rejected the attempt by the U.S. administration of President Ronald Reagan to tie space weapons talks to the talks on nuclear missiles scheduled for Vienna in September.

Politics and government
The National Organization for Women passed a resolution calling for the nomination of a woman for Vice-President of the United States.

Golf
Greg Norman won the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario. First prize money was $72,000.

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-0) 25 @ Saskatchewan (0-1) 10



Baseball
Pitcher Paul Splittorff announced his retirement from the Kansas City Royals. Mr. Splittorff spent his entire major league career (1970-1984) with the Royals, winning 166 games and losing 143. In 1973 he became the first Royal to win 20 games. This blogger saw him pitch in person on August 3, 1975: he held the Oakland A’s to one base on balls and one infield hit in the first inning, and retired the last 26 batters in a 5-0 Kansas City win. Mr. Splittorff is now a colour commentator on television broadcasts of Royals' games.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): When the Night Comes--Joe Cocker (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Marina (Remix 89)--Rocco Granata & the Carnations (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): No More Boleros--Gerard Joling (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Johnny, Johnny Come Home--Avalanche (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)--Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler (2nd week at #1)

Austria's top 10 (Ö3)
1 Nur ein Lied--Thomas Forstner (5th week at #1)
2 Americanos--Holly Johnson
3 Eternal Flame--Bangles
4 Looking for Freedom--David Hasselhoff
5 Ready for Radetzky--Vienna Lusthouse
6 The Look--Roxette
7 Zimbabwe--Toni Childs
8 Lullaby--The Cure
9 Like a Prayer--Madonna
10 Slow Down--Andy Baum & the Trix

Singles entering the chart were Lullaby; Why Don't You Listen to My Music by Espresso (#13); Express Yourself by Madonna (#15); Ferry 'Cross the Mersey by the Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman (#18); When the Night Comes by Joe Cocker (#19); Love is Free by Bilgeri (#28); and Sole, Sun, Soleil by Etta Scollo (#29).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Baby Don't Forget My Number--Milli Vanilli
2 Good Thing--Fine Young Cannibals
3 Satisfied--Richard Marx
4 Buffalo Stance--Neneh Cherry
5 If You Don't Know Me by Now--Simply Red
6 Express Yourself--Madonna
7 This Time I Know it's for Real--Donna Summer
8 I Drove All Night--Cyndi Lauper
9 Miss You Like Crazy--Natalie Cole
10 I'll Be Loving You (Forever)--New Kids on the Block

Singles entering the chart were It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be by Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston (#73); Soul Provider by Michael Bolton (#76); Shower Me with Your Love by Surface (#87); The Prisoner by Howard Jones (#89); Come Home with Me Baby by Dead or Alive (#90); Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming by Robert Palmer (#91); and All I Want is You by U2 (#93).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Satisfied--Richard Marx (2nd week at #1)
2 Good Thing--Fine Young Cannibals
3 Buffalo Stance--Neneh Cherry
4 Baby Don't Forget My Number--Milli Vanilli
5 Every Little Step--Bobby Brown
6 This Time I Know it's for Real--Donna Summer
7 Express Yourself--Madonna
8 I'll Be Loving You (Forvever)--New Kids on the Block
9 I Drove All Night--Cyndi Lauper
10 Cry--Waterfront

Singles entering the chart were Soul Provider by Michael Bolton (#70); Comin' Down Tonight by Thirty Eight Special (#72); It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be by Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston (#79); Open Letter (To A Landlord) by Living Colour (#83); Talk it Over by Grayson Hugh (#89); Gonna Make It by Sa-Fire (#91); and Little Fighter by White Lion (#93).

Environment
The 1987 Montreal Protocol went into effect; the international treaty dealt with ozone-destroying pollutants, and sought to cut in half production of chemicals like refrigerants posing the greatest risk to the ozone layer above the Earth.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Forrest Mars Sr., 95. U.S. businessman. Mr. Mars, a native of Minnesota who grew up in Saskatchewan, directed the Mars candy empire; he introduced the Milky Way (1923) and Mars (1932) candy bars and M&M's (1941) chocolate candy, and helped to launch Uncle Ben's Rice.

Edward Dmytryk, 90. Canadian-born U.S. movie director. Mr. Dmytryk, a native of Grand Forks, British Columbia, moved to California when he was young. He began directing movies in the 1930s, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Crossfire (1947). Mr. Dmytryk was one of the Hollywood Ten directors and screenwriters who were convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities. He was unable to work in the United States, and worked in Britain before returning to the U.S.A. and serving time in prison. Mr. Dmytryk repented of his support of Communism, and in 1951 testified before the House, naming names of associates of his who were Communist Party members. He was the only member of the Hollywood Ten who renounced Communism, and was able to resume his career in Hollywood, directing films such as The Caine Mutiny (1954) and The Young Lions (1958). Mr. Dmytryk became a film school professor in later years, and died of heart and kidney failure.

Sylvia Sidney, 88. U.S. actress. Miss Sidney, born Sophia Kosow, had a career on stage, screen, and television spanning more than 70 years. She appeared in movies such as Street Scene (1931) and Sabotage (1936) in her early years. Miss Sidney was nominated for an Academy Award for her supporting performance in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973), and won a Saturn Award for her supporting performance in Beetlejuice (1988). Miss Sidney died of esophageal cancer.

Guy Mitchell, 72. U.S. singer. Mr. Mitchell, born Al Cernik, was a popular singer in the early 1950s, and was able to maintain his popularity through the end of the decade. He was one of the few artists from the pre-rock and roll 1950s who was still able to top the charts at the end of the decade. Mr. Mitchell's early hits included My Heart Cries for You (1951) and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1952). His biggest hit, Singing the Blues, was the #1 single on the Billboard best seller, disc jockey, and Top 100 charts for 9 weeks, and for 10 weeks on the juke box chart in late 1956-early 1957. It also spent 2 weeks as the #1 single in Great Britain, in competition with a version by Tommy Steele. Rock-A-Billy, the follow-up single, hit #10 in the U.S.A. and #1 in Britain in May 1957. Mr. Mitchell's last big hit was Heartaches by the Number, which spent 2 weeks as the #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1959.

Canadiana
The Canadian Museum of Immigration opened at Pier 21 in Halifax, as a museum to commemorate the building that served as an ocean liner terminal and immigration shed from 1928-1971; it was declared a national museum in 2011, and officially reopened in June, 2015 after $30 million in renovations.

Politics and government
The Scottish Parliament was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on the day that legislative powers were officially transferred from the old Scottish Office in London to the new devolved Scottish Executive in Edinburgh.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Winnipeg (0-2) 24 @ Hamilton (2-0) 29

Baseball
The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs combined for 8 home runs as the Brewers won 19-12 before 39,561 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Mark Lewis doubled home Mike Cameron with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks before 18,394 fans at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati.

John Frascatore tied a major league record with his third win in 3 games in as many days as the Toronto Blue Jays scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning and beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-6 before 30,263 fans at SkyDome in Toronto.

Hideki Irabu pitched a 3-hit shutout and the New York Yankees scored 5 runs in the 5th inning as they beat the Detroit Tigers 6-0 before 26,311 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Tony Phillips singled home pinch runner A.J. Hinch with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Oakland Athletics a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners before 11,632 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.