July 27, 2009

1,050 years ago
1959

Died on this date
Shizong, 37. Emperor of China, 954-959. Shizong, born Chai Rong, was known as Guo Rong when he was military governor of Tianxiong Command and Zhenning Command before he acceded to the throne of his adoptive father Taizu, founder of the Later Zhou dynasty. He consolidated his power after leading a successful campaign against Northern Han Emperor Liu Chong, but died while out in the field, and was succeded on the throne by his 6-year-old son Gongdi.

820 years ago
1189

World events
Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa arrived at Niš, the capital of Serbian King Stefan Nemanja, during the Third Crusade.

710 years ago
1299

War
According to British historian Edward Gibbon, Sultan Osman I invaded the territory of Nicomedia for the first time; this is usually considered to be the founding day of the Ottoman state.

320 years ago
1689

War
The Battle of Killiecrankie was fought in Scotland, with forces supporting King James II of England (King James VII of Scotland) defeating forces loyal to King William III of England.

250 years ago
1759

War
The Battle of Ticonderoga at Fort Carillon, New York concluded with the withdrawal of French forces in the face of overwhelming British numerical superiority. Brigadier General François-Charles de Bourlamaque attempted to blow up the fort; the powder magazine was destroyed, but the walls weren't severely damaged. The British then occupied the fort, and eventually renamed it Fort Ticonderoga.

220 years ago
1789

Politics and government
The first U.S. federal government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs, was established (it was later renamed Department of State).

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Cal Crum. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Crum played with the Boston Braves (1917-1918), with a record of 0-1 and an earned run average of 10.80 in 2 games (3 1/3 innings). He won at least 58 games in at least 7 seasons in he minor leagues from 1914-1923, and was 20-14 with the Indianapolis Indians of the AA American Association in 1919. Mr. Crum died on July 7, 1945, 20 days before his 56th birthday.

Baseball
With 2 out in the 9th inning, the Philadelphia Athletics scored 6 runs on 2 errors, 2 doubles, a single, and a home run (by Henry Larkin) to defeat the Kansas City Cowboys 12-10 in an American Association game at Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia.

90 years ago
1919

Protest
The Chicago Race Riot erupted after a racial incident occurred on a South Side beach, leading to 38 fatalities and 537 injuries over a five-day period.

80 years ago
1929

War
The Geneva Convention of 1929, dealing with treatment of prisoners-of-war, was signed by 53 nations.

70 years ago
1939

Baseball
The Brooklyn Dodgers sent 4 players and a reported $75,000 to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for shortstop Pee Wee Reese, currently playing for the Red Sox’ AA farm team in Louisville. Mr. Reese continued to play with the Colonels, batting .279 with 4 home runs in 149 games in 1939.

60 years ago
1949

Died on this date
Rufus Hamilton; George Hamilton. The Hamilton brothers were hanged in Fredericton, New Brunswick for the murder of taxi driver Norman Burgoyne. Despite the early hour of 2 A.M., more than 1,000 people turned out to witness the hanging.

Aviation
The prototype of the de Havilland DH 106 Comet, the first jet-powered airliner, made its first flight, with de Havilland chief test pilot John Cunningham and co-pilot Harold "Tubby" Waters at the controls for the 31-minute flight from Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire, England.

War
South Korean forces reported capturing a hill north of the 38th Parallel to protect the frontier city of Kaesong.

United Nations Palestine mediator Ralph Bunche issued his final report to the Security Council, claiming that "the military phase of the [Palestine] conflict is ended," and urging elimination of the Middle East arms embargo imposed by the UN in 1948.

Defense
The French National Assembly voted for ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty after Foreign Minister Robert Schuman assured the Deputies that German participation in the pact was "unthinkable." Portugal's National Assembly also voted to ratify the treaty.

Politics and government
The Chinese Nationalist government declared martial law in Canton.

The U.S. Senate Rules Committee voted to uphold the contested elections of Senators Homer Ferguson (Republican--Michigan); Harley Kilgore (Democrat--West Virginia); Robert Kerr (Democrat--Oklahoma); and Lyndon Johnson (Democrat--Texas).

Religion
Iran banned interference in state affairs by non-Muslim religious leaders.

The Polish government offered to negotiate an agreement on church-state relations with the Roman Catholic Church.

Medicine
Armour Laboratories in Chicago announced development of a method for commercial production of adreno-cortico-tropic hormone (ACTH), a pituitary extract used in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatic fever, and gout.

Labour
The United Steel Workers of America agreed to comply with the affidavit requirements of the Taft-Hartley Act despite continuing opposition to the law.

Baseball
Three home runs were lost when a game between the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium was rained out before it had gone long enough (5 innings, or 4½ if the home team is leading) to be an official game, with the teams tied 4-4. Tommy Henrich of the Yankees hit a 3-run homer off Bob Feller in the 1st inning, and Joe Gordon of the Indians hit a solo home run in the 2nd off Ed Lopat. In the 3rd inning, Cleveland relief pitcher Sam Zoldak hit a solo home run off Mr. Lopat. The rainout deprived Mr. Zoldak of what would have been his only major league home run.

Mel Parnell pitched a 3-hitter to improve his 1949 record to 14-5 and batted 3 for 4 with a run to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Chicago White Sox 6-0 before 9,282 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.

Eddie Robinson doubled home Eddie Yost from first base with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning with the eventual deciding run as the Washington Nationals edged the Detroit Tigers 7-6 in the first game of a doubleheader before 9,133 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. The Tigers scored a run in the 9th and had runners on first and second bases with 2 out, but Don Kolloway popped out to second base to end the game. Fred Hutchinson, who came to bat at a pinch hitter for the Tigers and singled home Johnny Groth just before Mr. Kolloway made the final out, pitched a 4-hitter, batting 1 for 5 with a run, as the Tigers won the second game 11-0 and amassed 17 hits, with Mr. Groth batting 4 for 5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 runs batted in.

Eddie Joost's 3-run double was the big blow of a 4-run 4th inning as the Philadelphia Athletics beat the St. Louis Browns 7-3 in the first game of a doubleheader before 13,308 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Winning pitcher Lou Brissie allowed 8 hits in 6 1/3 innings and batted 2 for 3 with a double and a run. The Athletics scored 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to break a 6-6 tie and win the second game 8-6 to complete the sweep. Carl Scheib pitched a 6-hit complete game victory and batted 1 for 3 with a run.

Marv Rickert's 2-run home run with 2 out in the top of the 13th inning broke a 7-7 tie as the Boston Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-7 before 3,401 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The Braves scored 3 runs in each of the 8th and 9th innings. Boston third baseman Bob Elliott batted 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and 4 runs batted in, but was ejected by home plate umpire Frank Dascoli after protesting Mr. Dascoli's third strike call on Pete Reiser to end the top of the 11th.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Recordándote--Los Cinco Latinos (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Lonely Boy--Paul Anka (3rd week at #1)
2 The Battle of New Orleans--Johnny Horton
3 Tiger--Fabian
4 Waterloo--Stonewall Jackson
5 A Big Hunk o' Love--Elvis Presley
6 My Heart is an Open Book--Carl Dobkins, Jr.
7 There Goes My Baby--The Drifters
8 Lipstick on Your Collar--Connie Francis
9 Forty Miles of Bad Road--Duane Eddy and the Rebels
10 Personality--Lloyd Price

Singles entering the chart were The Three Bells by the Browns (#63); I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday by Fats Domino (#67); Sleep Walk by Santo & Johnny (#95); So High So Low by LaVern Baker (#96); With Open Arms by Jane Morgan (#97); Half-Breed by Marvin Rainwater (#98); You Don't Know Girls by Kathy Linden (#99); and Who Shot Sam by George Jones (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Lonely Boy--Paul Anka (2nd week at #1)
2 Robbin' the Cradle--Tony Bellus
3 The Battle of New Orleans--Johnny Horton
4 Lipstick on Your Collar/Frankie--Connie Francis
5 A Big Hunk o' Love/My Wish Came True--Elvis Presley
6 Personality--Lloyd Price
7 Mona Lisa--Carl Mann
8 Waterloo--Stonewall Jackson
9 Forty Miles of Bad Road--Duane Eddy and the Rebels
10 Tallahassee Lassie--Freddy Cannon

Singles entering the chart were Broken-Hearted Melody/Misty by Sarah Vaughan (#46); The Three Bells by the Browns (#47); Caribbean by Mitchell Torok (#50); Time Marches On by Roy Hamilton (#53); Sweet Someone by Eddie and Betty (#56); Red River Rock by Johnny and the Hurricanes (#57); I Got Stripes by Johnny Cash (#58); I Still Get Jealous by Joni James (#59); and Little Girl by Ritchie Valens (#60).

War
The Organization of American States charged that Cuban Army Major Ernesto "Che" Guevara had contributed $2,400 to the abortive invasion of Nicaragua in June, and urged Cuban authorities to give the rebels "all forms of cooperation and help."

Diplomacy
A United Nations committee responsible for monitoring South-West African conditions denounced South African treatment of Africans in the mandated territory as "inhuman."

Defense
U.S. Navy Admiral Hyman Rickover inspected the U.S.S.R. nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin, under construction in a Leningrad shipyard.

Crime
Dominick "Mimi" Scialo, one of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's "Ten Most Wanted" criminals, was arrested in Brooklyn, New York on a murder charge.

Baseball
At a press conference in New York, attorney William A. Shea announced the formation of the Continental League of Professional Baseball Clubs, with franchises in New York; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Denver; Houston; and Toronto. At least three other franchises were expected to be in place in time for play to begin in 1961. The Continental League was intended to be a third major league, seeking membership within organized baseball rather than competing against it. For more on the Continental League, go here, here, and here.



40 years ago
1969

On television tonight
Conquest of Space, hosted by Percy Saltzman, on CBC

This was the first of five episodes of a documentary series on the manned space program.

Died on this date
Glenn Elliott, 49. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Elliott played with the Boston Braves from 1947-1949, compiling a record of 4-5 with an earned run average of 4.08 in 34 games. He was known for wearing glasses on the mound and for giving up Jackie Robinson's first major league hit, a bunt single on April 17, 1947. Mr. Elliott was 150-139 in 14 seasons in the minor leagues from 1942-1956, and pitched a complete game victory for the Milwaukee Brewers as they defeated the Syracuse Chiefs 4-1 in the seventh game of the 1947 Junior World Series. Mr. Elliott was a farmer in Oregon, and was a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1960 until his death from a brain tumour.

Baseball
The Baltimore Orioles outhit the Chicago White Sox 20-2, and outscored them 17-0 before 17,864 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, scoring all the runs in the first 5 innings. Frank Robinson hit 2 home runs and drove in 5 runs, while shortstop Mark Belanger batted 4 for 5 with a run and 2 RBIs. Jim Hardin pitched the shutout, and hit a 3-run homer in the 4th inning. Garry Roggenburk, the seventh and last Seattle pitcher, allowed a run-scoring single and threw a wild pitch in 2/3 inning in the 79th and last game of his 5-year major league career.

Joe Lahoud’s 2-run home run in the top of the 20th inning broke a 2-2 tie as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Pilots 5-3 before 9,670 fans at Sick's Stadium in Seattle. Jim Lonborg allowed 2 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 3 innings, but was credited with the win, improving his 1969 record to 7-3. Seattle manager Joe Schultz used 24 of his 25 players, and sent pitcher Gene Brabender to bat to lead off the bottom of the 20th inning in the only pinch-hitting appearance of his major league career.



Pinch hitter Gary Geiger singled home Joe Morgan with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Houston Astros a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 21,183 fans at the Astrodome.

40 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): So Bist Du--Peter Maffay

#1 single in France (IFOP): Honesty--Billy Joel (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
The Villain, directed by Hal Needham, and starring Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, opened in theatres.

Politics and government
U.S. President Jimmy Carter named former New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu as his Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Portland, Oregon mayor Neil Goldschmidt to be Secretary of Transportation.

Labour
General Motors laid off 12,000 workers and announced cutbacks in 1980 production, after a prolonged slump in sales due to the recent price shortage and OPEC price increases.

Disasters
Tropical storm Claudette caused floods along coastal regions of Texas and Louisiana, killing 7 people.

Baseball
Cecil Cooper's third home run of the game, a solo blast with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning, gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 6-5 win over the New York Yankees before 47,928 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. New York right fielder Reggie Jackson was ejected by home plate umpire John Shulock in the 4th inning for throwing his bat at Milwaukee pitcher Mike Caldwell in the 4th inning and charging the mound, claiming that Mr. Caldwell had thrown a brushback pitch at him.

Shortstop Alfredo Griffin made an error on a ground ball by Ron LeFlore with 2 out in the top of the 11th inning, allowing Lynn Jones to score from second base to break a 3-3 tie as the Detroit Tigers edged the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 before 23,814 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.

Larry Milbourne's sacrifice fly scored Leon Roberts in the 3rd inning with the game's only run as the Seattle Mariners edged the Oakland Athletics 1-0 before 1,556 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Rick Langford pitched a 4-hit complete game in taking the loss, with Mr. Roberts and Bob Stinson hitting consecutive singles to begin the 3rd inning. The Athletics had 11 hits against Rick Honeycutt and Byron McLaughlin, but grounded into a pair of double plays, including one that ended the game.

Phil Garner singled home Dave Parker with 1 out in the top of the 8th inning to break a 4-4 tie as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Montreal Expos 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 59,260 fans at Olympic Stadium, the largest crowd ever to see baseball in Canada. Many of the fans were there to see Rusty Staub, who had been the team's biggest star and most popular player from 1969-1971, and was making his return to the team after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers. "Le Grand Orange" received a long and loud standing ovation when he was sent to bat as a pinch hitter with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th, but he flied out to end the inning. Mr. Garner hit a single, double, and triple, with 4 runs and a run batted in, while John Milner drove in 4 runs with a home run and a single to support Bert Blyleven's 5-hit pitching as the Pirates won the second game 9-1 to complete the sweep and move to within 1/2 game of the National League East Division-leading Expos. Mr. Staub played first base in the second game, batting 0 for 2 with 2 bases on balls.

Jack Clark's solo home run with 1 out in the top of the 11th inning broke a 3-3 tie as the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 before 20,577 fans at San Diego Stadium. Greg Johnston made his major league debut with the Giants as a pinch runner for Willie McCovey in the 10th inning.

25 years ago
1984

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. rejected the U.S.A.’s draft of a joint statement on banning space weapons.

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan rejected the challenge of Democratic challenger Walter Mondale for six election debates, saying that two debates "would be as many as the public should stand for."

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-2) 43 @ Calgary (2-3) 17

Baseball
Pete Rose’s single in the 7th inning against Steve Carlton was the 3,053rd of his major league career, passing Ty Cobb for first place on the career singles list. Mr. Rose and the Montreal Expos defeated Mr. Carlton and the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Minä olen muistanut--Kim Lönnholm (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Too Much--Bros

Disasters
Korean Air Flight 803, a DC-10 jetliner en route from Seoul to Tripoli, crashed in fog while trying to land at Tripoli. 82 were killed, while over 100 survived.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-1) 17 @ Toronto (2-1) 21

The Argonauts made 6 interceptions against Eskimo quarterback Tracy Ham on their way to the win. Mike "Pinball" Clemons of the Argonauts and Tony "The Wiz" Hunter of the Eskimos put on a great show returning kicks. For Mr. Clemons, it was his first CFL game.



Baseball
The Atlanta Braves scored all 10 of their runs in the 6th inning as they defeated the San Francisco Giants 10-1 before 10,471 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Dale Murphy became the first Brave since Bobby Lowe in 1894 to hit 2 home runs in an inning, and his 6 runs batted in in an inning tied a major league record.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 5 runs in each of the 1st and 7th innings as they defeated the New York Mets 10-8 before 39,447 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Scott Little flied out as a pinch hitter for the Pirates in the 6th inning in his first major league game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers scored 2 runs in the 7th inning, 1 in the 8th, and 3 in the 9th as they overcame a 5-1 deficit and defeated the Houston Astros 7-5 before 30,466 fans at the Astrodome. Eddie Murray's 3-run home run with 1 out in the top of the 9th provided the winning margin.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Malachi Martin, 68. Irish-born U.S. clergyman and archaeologist. Dr. Martin was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest and archaeologist who was ordained in 1954 and worked at the Vatican from 1958-1964. He obtained a release from his Jesuit vows in 1965 and moved to New York a year later. Dr. Martin was known for warning of conspiracies and apostasy within and involving the Roman Catholic Church, in lectures and in books such as The Final Conclave (1978) and The Keys of This Blood (1990). He died six days after his 68th birthday, reportedly as the result of a cerebral hemorrhage in his New York apartment, although conspiracy theories abound concerning the cause and timing of his death.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Columbia, under the command of Eileen Collins, landed at Cape Canaveral to conclude the five-day mission STS-93.



Politics and government
The Progressive Conservatives, led by John Hamm, won a majority in the Nova Scotia provincial election, winning 29 of 52 seats in the House of Assembly. The PCs took 29 seats, an increase of 16 from the most recent election, just 15 months earlier. The Liberals, led by Premier Russell MacLellan, dropped from 19 seats to 11, as did the New Democratic Party, led by Robert Chisholm.