June 30, 2009

450 years ago
1559

World events
During a jousting tournament held near Place des Vosges in Paris to celebrate the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis at the conclusion of the Eighth Italian War, King Henri II of France was mortally wounded when fragments of the splintered lance of Gabriel Montgomery pierced his eye. King Henri II died on July 10.

220 years ago
1789

Born on this date
Horace Vernet. French artist. Mr. Vernet, one of several renowned painters in the Vernet family and a relative of Sherlock Holmes, was known for his paintings of battles. He died on January 17, 1863 at the age of 73.

240 years ago
1769

Born on this date
Pierre Derbigny. French-born U.S. politician and judge. Mr. Derbigny moved to the United States after the French Revolution, eventually settling in Louisiana. He held several offices before sitting on the Louisiana Supreme Court (1814-1820). Mr. Derbigny resigned from the court to campaign unsuccessfully for Governor in 1820, but served as Louisiana's Secretary of State (1821-1828). He was successful in his gubernatorial campaign as a National Republican candidate in 1828, and served as Governor of Louisiana from December 15, 1828 until his death at the age of 60 on October 6, 1829, three days after being thrown from a carriage.

150 years ago
1859

Adventure
French acrobat Charles Blondin, aka Jean Francois Gravelet, walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope before a crowd of 25,000. He drank champagne; did a back somersault; recrossed blindfolded, on a bicycle, on stilts, and pushing a wheelbarrow while carrying his manager on his back.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Archibald Frazer-Nash. Indian-born U.K. engineer. Mr. Frazer-Nash was responsible for many successful commercial inventions, but was best known for partnering with Henry Godfrey to produce the GN cycle car, which eventually became the Frazer Nash sports car. Mr. Frazer-Nash died on March 10, 1965 at the age of 75.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Madge Bellamy. U.S. actress. Mrs. Bellamy was a leading lady in movies in the 1920s and '30s, preferring light comedy and "flapper" roles. She made bad choices that derailed her career, and she's best known today for her co-starring role in White Zombie (1932). Mrs. Bellamy lived in reduced financial circumstances until her death on January 24, 1990 at the age of 90.

Died on this date
E. D. E. N. Southworth, 79. U.S. authoress. Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth wrote more than 60 novels, and was the most popular novelist in the United States in the last half of the 19th century. Her novels, which included The Hidden Hand (1859) and Ishmael (1876), featured heroines who used their wits to get out of difficult situations.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Juan Bosch. 43rd President of the Dominican Republic, 1963. Mr. Bosch founded both the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) in 1939 and the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) in 1973. From 1938-1961 he led, in exile, the opposition to dictator Rafael Trujillo. Mr. Bosch took office as President on February 27, 1963, and promulgated a new liberal constitution two months later. He was overthrown by a coup on September 25, 1963, and returned to exile in Puerto Rico. Mr. Bosch returned to the D.R. in 1966 and ran for President, but was unsuccessful. He embraced Marxism and founded the PLD, but failed in five more presidential campaigns from 1978-1994. Mr. Bosch died on November 1, 2001 at the age of 92, after a long battle with Alzheimer' disease.

Boxing
World heavyweight champion Jack Johnson (50-5-10-2-1) won a 6-round newspaper decision over Tony Ross (12-10-3) at Duquesne Gardens in Pittsburg in a bout that the Pittsburg Press didn't regard as a title fight. Mr. Johnson knocked the challenger down twice, and Mr. Ross landed only one good punch, a hard right in the 4th round.

Baseball
30,330 were in attendance at the first major league game at Forbes Field in Pittsburg, but most of them went home disappointed when the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburg Pirates 3-2. Ed Reulbach pitched a 5-hitter to improve his 1909 record to 7-4, winning the pitchers' duel over Vic Willis, who allowed just 4 hits in dropping to 11-2. Kid Durbin entered the game as a pinch runner for the Pirates in the 9th inning; it was his only appearance in a Pittsburgh uniform, and the 32nd and last game of his 3-year major league career.

Johnny Bates doubled home Beals Becker in the top of the 9th inning with the only run as the Boston Doves edged the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Cecil Ferguson pitched a 4-hitter to improve his record for the season to 3-10, winning the pitchers' duel over George McQuillan, who pitched a 5-hitter.

Pinch hitter Frank Roth tripled home 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning to enable the Cincinnati Reds to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

Eddie Plank and Jack Coombs were the respective winning pitchers as the Philadelphia Athletics swept a doubleheader from the Boston Red Sox 8-4 and 6-2 at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds in Boston.

Baseball
30,338 were in attendance at the first major league game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, but most of them went home disappointed when the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2. Ed Reulbach was the winning pitcher, while Vic Willis took the loss.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh, 76. U.K. physicist. Lord Rayleigh received many awards, including the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his investigations of the densities of the most important gases and for his discovery of argon in connection with these studies." Lunar and Martian craters are named in his honour.

Baseball
The New York Yankees swept a doubleheader from the Boston Red Sox at the Polo Grounds in New York, winning 7-4 and 4-2. All the Boston runs in the first game came on a grand slam by first baseman Babe Ruth in the 6th inning.

The Philadelphia Athletics scored a run in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat the Washington Nationals 4-3 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Tom Rogers pitched a 6-hit complete game victory to improve his 1919 record to 2-9. Dick Robertson started on the mound for Washington and allowed 3 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 2 innings, with 1 base on balls and no strikeouts in the 23rd and last game of his 3-year major league career.

90 years ago
1929

Golf
Bobby Jones won the U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, shooting a 3-under-par score of 141, 23 strokes better than runner-up Al Espinosa's 20-over-par 164 in a 36-hole playoff. The two had been tied after the regulation 72 holes with 6-over-par total scores of 294. It was Mr. Jones' third U.S. Open championship; since he was an amateur, Mr. Espinosa was awarded the first prize money of $1,000.

75 years ago
1934

World events
The "Night of the Long Knives" began, in which German Chancellor Adolf Hitler liquidated his opposition within the Nazi party. The most prominent person murdered was Ernst Roehm, leader of the Sturmabteilung (SA). Most of the victims were members of the SA, a Nazi paramilitary unit commonly referred to as Brownshirts. Most of those doing the killing were members of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and Gestapo. By July 2 at least 85, and possibly many more, had been murdered.

Defense
The German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was launched.

Baseball
New York Yankees’ first baseman Lou Gehrig hit 3 triples in as many plate appearances against the Washington Nationals at Griffith Stadium in Washington, but the game was called because of rain after 4 ½ innings. Since a game has to go at least 5 full innings when the home team isn’t ahead, it officially went as a postponement, and none of the records from the game counted in the official statistics.

60 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Volume One, written, directed, and hosted by Wyllis Cooper, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Number Three, starring Herb Sheldon, Edgar Stehli, and Alice Reinhart

At the movies
Lost Boundaries, directed by Alfred L. Werker, and starring Beatrice Pearson and Mel Ferrer, received its premiere screening in New York City.

Died on this date
Édouard Alphonse James de Rothschild, 81. French banker. Baron de Rothschild, the only son of Baron Alphonse James de Rothschild, took over the operation of de Rothschild Frères bank following his father's death in 1905 and ran it until his death. He was succeeded by his son Guy.

World events
Seoul police announced the arrest of seven South Korean Assembly members, including Deputy Speaker Kim Yak Soo, who were allegedly involved in a Communist plot to overthrow the government.

Politics and government
U.S. President Harry Truman signed a bill creating an Office of General Services, as recommended by the Hoover Commission, to supervise administration of government property.

Crime
Former U.S. State Department official Alger Hiss and his wife completed their testimony at his perjury trial in New York City, still denying any spy activity or involvement with Time editor and confessed ex-Communist Whittaker Chambers.

Ruth Ann Steinhagen was arraigned in a Chicago courtroom for shooting Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman Eddie Waitkus on June 14. Mr. Waitkus, in a wheelchair, testified at the hearing. A jury found her criminally insane, and by early afternoon she was on her way to Kankakee State mental hospital, where she remained until April 17, 1952.

Academia
Harvard and Brown Universities announced their first Negro faculty appointments. Harvard Medical School named William Hinton professor of bacteriology, while Brown appointed Jay Saunders Redding visiting professor of English.

Agriculture
The International Wheat Agreement went into effect as India and Lebanon deposited their ratifications in Washington.

Business
The U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust suit in Chicago aimed at breaking up the $1.6-billion Du Pont industrial empire.

Labour
U.S. Senator Robert Taft (Republican--Ohio) led a Republican-Southern Democratic Senate coalition in passing a labour bill which preserved the main features of the Taft-Hartley Act, including prohibition of union shop elections, secondary boycotts, and mass picketing.

United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis ordered eastern coal miners onto a three-day work week to improve the union's bargaining position in upcoming contract talks.

Baseball
Joe DiMaggio hit his 4th home run in 3 games to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-3 win over the Boston Red Sox before 25,237 fans at Fenway Park in Boston, and a sweep of their three-game series. Vic Raschi (12-2) took the win over Mel Parnell (10-4).

The Boston Braves swept a doubleheader from the New York Giants 3-0 and 6-2 before 14,536 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Bill Voiselle pitched a 4-hit shutout in the first game, with Elbie Fletcher's 3-run home run in the 5th inning providing the scoring. In the second game, Alvin Dark and Bob Elliott hit consecutive inside-the-park home runs in the 5th inning for the Braves, while Glenn Elliott pitched a 4-hitter for his first win of the season.

50 years ago
1959

On the radio
Thirty-Minute Theatre: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight's episode: The Beryl Coronet

Died on this date
Clarence Berger, 64. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Berger was a right fielder who batted .077 (1 for 13) with no home runs or runs batted in in 6 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1914. He batted .298 with 3 homers with the Richmond Colts of the Class C Virginia League in 1914, and .172 in 23 games with the Newport News Shipbuilders of the VL in 1915.

Space
Physicists Fred Hoyle of Cambridge University and Thomas Gold of Harvard University proposed theories that galaxies form due to the condensation of hot particles around cold pockets in space.

Diplomacy
The Indian Foreign Ministry refused to recognize the exiled Dalai Lama as head of a "separate" Tibetan government functioning in Indian territory.

Defense
General Hector Pacheco resigned as Argentina's Air Force and Army chief, amidst controversy over his role in an abortive revolt against the regime of President Arturo Frondizi.

U.S.S.R. chief delegate Semyon Tsarapkin told U.S. and U.K. test-ban treaty negotiators in Geneva that the number of annual inspections in a political question unrelated to scientific considerations.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill increasing the temporary national debt limit to $295 billion and the permanent limit to $285 billion.

The U.S.S.R. Communist Party Central Committee released a communique disclosing resolutions passed during an extraordinary six-day plenary session dealing with modernization of the Soviet industrial system.

Disasters
A United States Air Force F-100 Super Sabre from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, crashed into a nearby elementary school, killing 11 students and 6 residents from the local neighbourhood.

Baseball
One of the strangest and funniest plays in baseball history occurred in a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs before 9,885 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. On a 3-1 count in the top of the 4th inning, Bob Anderson's pitch to Stan Musial was wild and bounced back to the screen. Catcher Sammy Taylor ignored the ball‚ assuming it had ticked off Mr. Musial's bat‚ but Chicago third baseman Alvin Dark rushed in to retrieve the wild pitch/foul tip. The bat boy tossed the ball to field announcer Pat Piper‚ and Mr. Dark finally retrieved it from him. Meanwhile, home plate umpire Vic Delmore had handed a second ball to Mr. Anderson. Through all this‚ Mr. Musial reached first with what he thought was ball four‚ and then streaked for second base. Simultaneously‚ Mr. Dark and Mr. Anderson both threw to second base. Mr. Anderson's throw went into center field‚ but Mr. Dark's throw to shortstop Ernie Banks caught the sliding Mr. Musial. Stan the Man ignored the tag and rambled to third base as play was stopped. Mr. Delmore then ruled Mr. Musial out at second base‚ while umpire Al Barlick ruled Mr. Musial safe at first base. Both managers played the game under protest‚ but the Cardinals dropped theirs after beating the Cubs 4-1, with Larry Jackson pitching a 4-hitter. The National League fired Mr. Delmore after the season.

Sam Jones, who had pitched a no-hitter in 1955, came within 4 outs of another, allowing just a single by Jim Gilliam with 2 out in the 8th inning, while striking out 10 batters, in winning the pitchers' duel over Don Drysdale as the San Francisco Giants shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0 before 59,312 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Jim Davenport led off the 3rd inning with a double and Willie Mays followed with his 13th home run of the season.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Minatomachi Blues--Shinichi Mori (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mama--Jean Jacques (6th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Good Morning Starshine--Oliver
2 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
3 Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet--Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus
4 Spinning Wheel--Blood, Sweat & Tears
5 Love Me Tonight--Tom Jones
6 One--Three Dog Night
7 Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston
8 See--The Rascals
9 Black Pearl--Sonny Charles & the Checkmates, Ltd.
10 Everyday with You Girl--Classics IV

Singles entering the chart were Canadian Pacific by George Hamilton IV (#72); Baby, Don't Be Looking in My Mind by Joe Simon (#75); Wait a Million Years by the Grass Roots (#77); Theme from 'A Summer Place' by the Ventures (#79); Along Came Jones by Ray Stevens (#80); Feeling Alright by Joe Cocker (#81); Choice of Colors by the Impressions (#85); Reconsider Me by Johnny Adams (#87); Abraham, Martin and John by Moms Mabley (#94); Break Away by the Beach Boys (#96); Hurt So Bad by the Lettermen (#98); It's My Thing (You Can’t Tell Me Who to Sock it To) by Marva Whitney (#99); and Nothing Can Take the Place of You by Brook Benton (#100).

On the radio
The Challenge of Space, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: The Invisible Shotgun

Died on this date
Augusto Vandor, 45 or 46. Argentine labour leader. Mr. Vandor was Secretary General of the Unión Obrera Metalúrgica (UOM), the steelworkers' union within the Confederación General del Trabajo de la República Argentina (General Confederation of Labour) (CGT). He was a supporter of deposed President Juan Perón and moderately critical of the military junta governing Argentina in the 1960s. Mr. Vandor was shot five times at his UOM offices in what was codenamed Operation Judas. A far-left Perónist group claimed responsibility two years later, but the claim has been disputed by others.

World events
The Argentine government again declared a state of siege in an attempt to calm the atmosphere of violence intensified by the presence of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller's fact-finding mission and further aggravated by the assassination of Augusto Vandor.

The Nigerian government officially relieved the International Committee of the Red Cross of responsibility for coordinating relief efforts on both sides of Nigeria’s war with the breakaway state of Biafra. The official Nigerian radio denounced the Red Cross as "an intolerable nuisance and an obstacle to peace." Four million people were facing starvation as a result of the banning of night flights of relief.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Zimbabwe Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Sultans of Swing--Dire Straits

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Tu Sei l'Unica Donna Per Me--Alan Sorrenti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Do You Want Your Oul Lobby Washed Down--Brendan Shine

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Are 'Friends' Electric?--Tubeway Army

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Bright Eyes--Art Garfunkel (5th week at #1)
2 Reunited--Peaches & Herb
3 Theme from 'The Deer Hunter' (Cavatina)--The Shadows
4 Boogie Wonderland--Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions
5 When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman--Dr. Hook
6 Pop Muzik--M
7 Weekend Love--Golden Earring
8 Love's What I Want--Cashmere
9 Dance Away--Roxy Music
10 Shine a Little Love--Electric Light Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were Just When I Needed You Most by Randy Vanwarmer (#24); Surrender by Cheap Trick (#26); My Best Friend's Girl by the Cars (#33); Cheek to Cheek by Lowell George (#35); Back to Boogie by Patrick Hernandez and Hervé Tholance (#36); Roxanne by the Police (#37); and Breakfast in America by Supertramp (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Ring My Bell--Anita Ward
2 Hot Stuff--Donna Summer
3 Bad Girls--Donna Summer
4 We are Family--Sister Sledge
5 Chuck E.'s in Love--Rickie Lee Jones
6 The Logical Song--Supertramp
7 She Believes in Me--Kenny Rogers
8 Boogie Wonderland--Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions
9 Just When I Needed You Most--Randy Vanwarmer
10 You Take My Breath Away--Rex Smith

Singles entering the chart were Let's Go by the Cars (#80); Last of the Singing Cowboys by the Marshall Tucker Band (#81); You're the Only One by Dolly Parton (#82); We've Got Love by Peaches & Herb (#83); Long Live Rock by the Who (#84); I Do Love You by GQ (#85); I'll Know Her When I See Her by the Cooper Brothers Band (#86); Motown Review by Philly Cream (#88); and I Know a Heartache When I See One by Jennifer Warnes (#89).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Ring My Bell--Anita Ward
2 We are Family--Sister Sledge
3 Hot Stuff--Donna Summer
4 Chuck E.'s in Love--Rickie Lee Jones
5 Bad Girls--Donna Summer
6 Boogie Wonderland--Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions
7 You Take My Breath Away--Rex Smith
8 She Believes in Me--Kenny Rogers
9 The Logical Song--Supertramp
10 Shine a Little Love--Electric Light Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were Let's Go by the Cars (#75); Turn Off the Lights by Teddy Pendergrass (#84); Energy Crisis '79 by Dickie Goodman (#85); We've Got Love by Peaches & Herb (#86); You're the Only One by Dolly Parton (#88); Different Worlds by Maureen McGovern (#90); and Anybody Wanna Party? by Gloria Gaynor (#98). Energy Crisis '79 was a "break-in" record, with an interviewer asking questions, and the "answers" consisting of clips of recent hit singles by various artists. Different Worlds was the theme from the television comedy series Angie.

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 The Logical Song--Supertramp
2 Love You Inside Out--Bee Gees
3 Hot Stuff--Donna Summer
4 Reunited--Peaches & Herb
5 Goodnight Tonight--Wings
6 Dancer--Gino Soccio
7 Heart of Glass--Blondie
8 Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)--G.Q.
9 We are Family--Sister Sledge
10 You Take My Breath Away--Rex Smith

Singles entering the chart were Sad Eyes by Robert John (#89); Nickels and Dimes by Nana Mouskouri (#91); Take a Look But Don't Touch by Touche (#94); Since I Don't Have You by Art Garfunkel (#96); Good Times by Chic (#98); Nobody by Doucette (#99); and Brown Girl in the Ring by Boney M. (#100).

Diplomacy
United States President Jimmy Carter arrived in Seoul, and visited an American infantry base near the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.

Baseball
The New York Mets broke a 3-3 tie with 6 runs in the top of the 11th inning to take a 9-3 lead over the Chicago Cubs before 28,394 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago, but pinch hitter Mike Vail hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 11th, and the Mets barely held on to win 9-8.

Greg Luzinski hit a solo home run and Del Unser added a 2-run homer for the Philadelphia Phillies as they scored 3 runs in the 9th inning to tie the score, and the Phillies scored 2 runs in the 10th and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 before 30,960 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

Tom Seaver pitched a 3-hitter and the Cincinnati Reds broke a 0-0 tie with 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning as they shut out the San Francisco Giants 2-0 before 28,512 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

The Atlanta Braves scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 4-4 tie as they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 before 38,760 fans at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers had tied the score with 2 runs in the 9th against relief pitcher Gene Garber, who singled home the game's last run, and was credited with the win.

J.R. Richard pitched a 3-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Bob Shirley as the Houston Astros shut out the San Diego Padres 3-0 before 20,154 fans at San Diego Stadium.

Carl Yastrzemski hit a solo home run with 1 out in the top of the 9th inning to break a 2-2 tie as the Boston Red Sox edged the New York Yankees 3-2 before 50,253 fans at Yankee Stadium. Bob Stanley pitched a 5-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Luis Tiant, who pitched an 8-hit complete game.

Roy Smalley batted 3 for 6 with a double, home run, 3 runs, and 5 runs batted in to help the Minnesota Twins rout the Chicago White Sox 16-4 before 11,919 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.

Jim Sundberg beat third baseman Dave Chalk's throw to home plate on a ground ball by Al Oliver with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Texas Rangers a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics before 22,439 fans at Arlington Stadium. Jim Kern, who entered the game with the Rangers trailing 3-2 after 7 innings, pitched 2 innings of scoreless relief and was credited with the win, improving his 1979 record to 10-1.

The Inter-American League, planned as a new AAA league, folded less than halfway through its first season. The Miami Amigos, with a 43-17 record, were declared league champions. IAL rosters were stocked with a number of former major league players, including former Cincinnati Reds’ center fielder Bobby Tolan and former Montreal Expos’ first baseman and pinch hitter (and this blogger’s favourite player) Hal Breeden.

25 years ago
1984

Politics and government
John Turner officially replaced Pierre Trudeau as Prime Minister of Canada, two weeks after being elected leader of the Liberal party.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (1-0) 49 @ Montreal (0-1) 31
Ottawa (0-1) 31 @ Edmonton (1-0) 32

Dave Cutler’s 11-yard field goal with less than 2 minutes remaining gave the Edmonton Eskimos a 32-21 win over the Ottawa Rough Riders in the season opener at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. Matt Dunigan, making his first start as a CFL quarterback, completed just 14 of 33 passes, but 4 of the completions went to Brian Kelly for touchdowns as the Eskimos rallied from an early 14-0 deficit. Mr. Kelly tied Jim Germany’s record for touchdowns in a game, and became the first Eskimo to score 4 receiving touchdowns in a game. Eskimos’ safety Lou DesLauriers made 3 interceptions in his first CFL game, all off Ottawa quarterback J.C. Watts. Mr. DesLaurier’s third interception came in the last minute, just when the Rough Riders appeared to be driving for a game-winning field goal. For many members of the rebuilding Eskimos, it was their first game with the team. Among the newcomers was linebacker Danny Bass, recently acquired in a trade with the Calgary Stampeders. For punter Paul Hickie, it was his last game with the team; he punted 8 times for a league-leading 46.3-yard average, but kicked to the wrong side of the field (i.e., away from the coverage that the Eskimos had set up) in the first quarter, and Dave Newman returned the ball 35 yards to set up an Ottawa touchdown. Brian Allen, whose fine play in pre-season had enabled him to beat out Chris Woods for the wide receiver spot opposite Brian Kelly, caught 2 passes for just 10 yards in what turned out to be his only CFL game. For the Eskimos, the win was their seventh straight in season openers.

At Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Montreal Concordes 49-31 in the first game of the season for both teams. The biggest play was an 83-yard touchdown rush by Hamilton running back Kelvin Lindsey, playing his first CFL game. It was also the CFL debut for former University of Nebraska star Turner Gill, who started at quarterback for the Concordes.

Golf
Nick Price was leading the Canadian Open after three rounds at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Tyrell Dueck, 13. Canadian medical patient. Tyrell Dueck died of bone cancer after a $5,900-a-week alternative Laetrile treatment at the American Biologics hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, had failed; the Martensville, Saskatchewan boy's parents, Tim and Yvonne, refused chemotherapy and amputation to treat the cancer, opting instead to seek herbal and other alternative remedies. Court of Queen's Bench Justice Allisen Rothery had ruled on March 18, 1999 that Tyrell did not have the mental capacity to refuse chemotherapy and surgery, and handed control of his care to Saskatchewan Social Services, but Tyler refused to be treated by doctors, and his wishes were respected.

Abominations
The British Columbia Court of Appeal struck down Canada's child pornography laws; it upheld a lower court ruling that struck down a law prohibiting the possession of child pornography, stating that the law violated privacy and freedom of expression.

Scandal
Webster Hubbell, a former associate U.S. Attorney General and close friend of President Bill Clinton, pled guilty to reduced charges in the investigation being conducted by independent counsel Kenneth Starr. In his plea bargain, Mr. Hubbell acknowledged that he had concealed from investigators legal work that he and Mr. Clinton’s wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, had done in a connection with a land deal described by prosecutors as a sham. He also pled guilty to a misdemeanour count of failing to pay federal income taxes. Mr. Hubbell would serve no time in prison and would pay nominal fines. He told reporters that Mrs. Clinton had done nothing illegal.

Environment
In Washington, D.C., Canada signed a conservation agreement with the United States to protect and harvest migrating Pacific salmon.

Economics and finance
In the United States, the Federal Reserve Board announced an increase in the federal-funds rate--the rate banks charged each other on overnight loans--from 4.75% to 5%. The increase was an attempt to head off possible inflationary pressures. The discount rate--the rate at which commercial banks borrowed from the Federal Reserve--remained at 4.5%.

Politics and government
Texas Governor George W. Bush reported that his presidential campaign had raised $36.25 million, by far the most ever for a presidential candidate this early in the race.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (1-1) 23 @ Montreal (1-1) 17
Edmonton (2-0) 49 @ British Columbia (0-2) 9

The Eskimos' rout of the Lions at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver marked the first appearance in an Edmonton uniform for centre Hicham El-Mashtoub, who had been bouncing around National Football League camps after being drafted by the Eskimos in 1995.