August 14, 2009

Married on this date
Happy Anniversary, Vera & Harry Dickau!

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Otto Tief. Prime Minister of Estonia, 1944. Mr. Tief formed a government in September 1944 during the brief time between the departure of occupying German troops and the arrival of occupying Soviet troops. He was arrested and spent 10 years in the gulag in Siberia before returning to Estonia in 1956. He was deported to Ukraine in 1965, but was eventually permitted to settle in Latvia, just across the border from Estonia. Mr. Tief is widely regarded as a national hero in Estonia; he died on March 5, 1976 at the age of 86.

Baseball
The Chicago White Stockings scored 10 runs in the 8th inning to put away the Philadelphia Phillies 19-7 at West Side Park in Chicago.

100 years ago
1909

Sport
Seven motorcycle races took place as the first motor events ever held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was originally scheduled as a two-day, 15-event program, but was ended before the end of the first day because of concerns about track safety.

Baseball
The New York Giants won their ninth game in a row as they defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-2 at West Side Park in Chicago, ending Chicago pitcher Ed Reulbach’s 14-game winning streak. Red Ames pitched a 7-hitter to improve his 1909 record to 8-7, while Mr. Reulbach fell to 15-5. Chicago center fielder Solly Hofman was ejected by home plate umpire Bill Klem during the game for striking New York catcher Admiral Schlei with his bat.

Joe Delahanty doubled home 2 runs with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-3 win over the Brooklyn Superbas at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

90 years ago
1919

Baseball
The New York Yankees defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-4 in 15 innings before 18,000 fans at Navin Field in Detroit. New York starting pitcher Carl Mays was ejected from the game in the 10th inning when he was called out on strikes, and he expressed his displeasure at the umpire’s call by flinging his bat toward the stands.

Joe Harris doubled home Pinch Thomas with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Cleveland Indians a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals at Dunn Field in Cleveland.

Babe Ruth hit his American League record 17th home run of the season for the Boston Red Sox as they defeated the Chicago White Sox 15-6 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The Red Sox scored 7 runs in the 3rd inning and 5 in the 7th.

The Chicago Cubs shut out the Brooklyn Robins 2-0 in 1 hour and 10 minutes in the first of 2 games at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, as Grover Cleveland Alexander (9-7) pitched a 4-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Sherry Smith (2-10). The Dodgers won the second game 1-0 in 1 hour and 7 minutes, with Leon Cadore (12-6) pitching a 5-hitter to outduel Sweetbread Bailey (3-2). 2,000 fans were at each game.

Hal Chase singled home George Burns with the bases loaded and 1 out in the bottom of the 14th inning to give the New York Giants a 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 12,000 fans in the first of 2 games at the Polo Grounds in New York. Cliff Toney (10-5) pitched a 9-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Jimmy Ring (8-4), who also went the distance. The Giants scored 8 runs in the first 3 innings and coasted to a 9-3 win in the second game. Ed Gerner, the third and last Cincinnati pitcher in the second game, allowed 3 hits and 1 unearned run in 5 innings, with 1 strikeout, and batted 0 for 2 in his sixth and last major league game.

80 years ago
1929

Baseball
Detroit Tigers’ second baseman Charlie Gehringer celebrated a day in his honour by hitting a home run and 3 singles, and stealing home in the Tigers’ 17-13 win over the New York Yankees before 8,000 fans at Navin Field in Detroit. Earl Combs had 4 singles for the Yankees.

Jimmie Foxx led off the top of the 17th inning with a home run to break a 3-3 tie and the Philadelphia Athletics added another run later in the inning as they defeated the Cleveland Indians 5-3 before 5,000 fans at League Park in Cleveland. Dan Jessee made his only major league appearance, entering the game as a pinch runner for Cleveland's Grover Hartley in the 8th inning.

The Washington Nationals scored 7 runs in the top of the 1st inning and coasted to an 11-3 win over the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Jesse Petty (6-7) pitched a 5-hitter to outduel Percy Jones (6-8), who allowed just 3 hits, as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Boston Braves 1-0 at Braves Field. The Pirates loaded the bases with walks in the 4th inning, and Sparky Adams scored Paul Waner with a sacrifice fly.

75 years ago
1934

Baseball
The largest weekday crowd in history--79,000--saw the Detroit Tigers sweep a doubleheader from the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium by scores of 9-5 and 7-3. Schoolboy Rowe’s win in the second game was his 13th in a row. He allowed just 4 hits, including Lou Gehrig’s 37th home run of the season.

70 years ago
1939

Baseball
30,000 were in attendance to see the Chicago White Sox defeat the St. Louis Browns 5-2 in the first night game ever played at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

The Cincinnati Reds scored 4 runs in the 9th inning to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-8 before 23,044 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati and complete a comeback from a 7-0 deficit. Lew Riggs singled in the winning run with the bases loaded after Dick West had driven in 2 runs with his first major league hit.

60 years ago
1949

Died on this date
Husni al-Za'im, 52. 9th President of Syria, 1949; Prime Minister of Syria, 1949. Brigadier General al-Za'im was an officer in the French Army during France's colonial mandate, and became Chief of Staff after Syria achieved her independence in 1946. He seized power in a bloodless coup on March 30, 1949, holding the office of Prime Minister from April 17-June 25 and President from April 11 until he was overthrown and executed in another military revolt.

Mohsen al-Barazi, 44 or 45. Prime Minister of Syria, 1949. Mr. al-Barazi was Syria's Minister of Education from April-September 1941, and served as a close adviser to President Shukri al-Quwatli after Syria regained her independence from France. He succeeded Husni al-Za'im as Prime Minister, and was also executed in the military coup d'état that seized power.

World events
A military coup d'état led by Adib al-Shishakli and Sami al-Hinnawi seized power in Syria and executed President Husni al-Za'im and Prime Minister Mohsen al-Barazi. President al-Za'im's secular policies of granting women the vote had angered Muslim traditionalists, his deals with American oil companies for building the Trans-Arabian Pipeline had angered Arab nationalists, and the military had been angered by his planned military cutbacks and willingness to negotiate with Israel on the Palestinian refugee problem.

War
Greek War Minister Panayotis Kanellopoulos offered amnesty to guerrillas who were able to show that they had been forced to join the Communists.

Politics and government
West Germany's first federal election resulted in the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union, led by Konrad Adenauer, winning 139 of 402 seats in the Bundestag, with the Social Democratic Party, led by Kurt Schumacher, taking 131 seats. The Free Democratic Party, led by Franz Blücher, was third with 52 seats.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Living Doll--Cliff Richard and the Drifters (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
A Private's Affair, directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Sal Mineo, Christine Carere, Barry Coe, Barbara Eden, Gary Crosby, Terry Moore, Jim Backus, and Jessie Royce Landis, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Henry Brittain. U.S. engineer. Mr. Brittain was a shipbuilder who was best known for creating the first ice cream cone as a concessionaire at the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904.

Health
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the Federal Radiation Council, empowered to test and fix national standards of radiation and fallout safety.

Disasters
Wind and rain storms and floods in the southern Brazilian states of Parana and Santa Catarina caused at least 46 deaths.

Football
CFL
WIFU
Calgary (1-0) 28 @ Saskatchewan (0-1) 8

This was the first Canadian Football League game for rookie Stampeder quarterback Joe Kapp.



AFL
The American Football League was formed with six franchises to be awarded to Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, New York and Los Angeles. The Minnesota team never materialized, and Boston, Buffalo and Oakland were added. The eight teams began play in 1960 and were called, in order, the Dallas Texans; Houston Oilers; Denver Broncos; New York Titans; Los Angeles Chargers; Boston Patriots; Buffalo Bills; and Oakland Raiders.

Baseball
Pinch hitter Vic Wertz's grand slam off Ryne Duren was the big blow of a 9-run 8th inning as the Boston Red Sox came back from a 6-1 deficit to defeat the New York Yankees 11-6 before 38,624 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Eddie Yost batted 5 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 runs batted in to help the Detroit Tigers rout the Cleveland Indians 11-1 before 28,198 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Frank Lary pitched a 7-hitter to improve his 1959 record to 15-7, while losing pitcher Cal McLish fell to 14-6.

The Cincinnati Reds, trailing 11-3 after 5 innings, scored 5 runs in the 9th inning to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 15-13 in the first game of a doubleheader before 16,922 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson each went 5 for 6 at bat for the Reds, and Mr. Robinson hit a home run onto the stadium roof in the 4th inning. The Reds scored 4 runs in the 1st inning and held on for a 5-4 win in the second game to complete the sweep.

Roberto Clemente singled home Bob Skinner and scored on a single by Smoky Burgess as the Pittsburgh Pirates scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and held on for a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Braves before 26,873 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Vern Law (13-7) pitched a 5-hitter to outduel Joey Jay (4-10).

Pinch hitter Alex Grammas singled home Bill White with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 16,025 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

40 years ago
1969

World events
After several days of violence between Roman Catholics and Protestants in the mainly-Catholic Bogside area of Londonderry, the British government sent troops into Northern Ireland in what it said was a "limited operation" to restore law and order.

Economics and finance
The world’s largest mint was opened in Philadelphia, only a few hundred feet from the site of America’s first mint. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury David M. Kennedy dedicated the $39.4-million facility, which he said was necessary to meet the growing demand for coins.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (1-2) 3 @ Toronto (2-1) 29

Tom Wilkinson gave the Argonauts a big lead before Wally Gabler, who had lost his starting job in the pre-season to Mr. Wilkinson, mopped up, completing 4 of 7 passes for 94 yards and rushing 3 times for 21 yards. Mr. Gabler scored the game’s final touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Winnipeg running back Dave Raimey went out of bounds near the Argonauts’ bench on one play, and Toronto head coach Leo Cahill said, "...you’re coming with me." Mr. Raimey replied, "You mean it?" As it turned out, Mr. Gabler and Mr. Raimey were traded for each other before either team played again.

Baseball
With 2 out and none on base, Horace Clarke tripled and scored on a passed ball to break a 2-2 tie as the New York Yankees edged the Chicago White Sox 3-2 before 7,403 fans at White Sox Park. The White Sox had runners on first and second bases with none out in the bottom of the 9th, but Woodie Held and Pete Ward struck out, and Walt Williams flied out to center field to end the game.

Ron Brand doubled home Bob Bailey and Ty Cline to climax a 3-run 6th inning as the Montreal Expos overcame a 3-1 deficit and defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 before 13,732 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal.

Woodie Fryman pitched a 5-hitter to even his 1969 record at 9-9 and batted 2 for 4 with a solo home run and 2 runs, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves 6-0 before 9,832 fans at Atlanta Stadium. Phil Niekro (16-10) took the loss.

In Tacoma, the National League East Division-leading Chicago Cubs defeated their Tacoma AAA farm team 7-4, with starting pitcher Ted Abernathy getting the win. Tacoma rallied for 3 runs in the 9th against relief pitcher Al Spangler, who was usually an outfielder.

30 years ago
1979

Died on this date
Mack Wheat, 86. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Wheat, the younger brother of Hall of Fame outfielder Zach Wheat, was a catcher with the Brooklyn Robins (1915-1919) and Philadelphia Phillies (1920-1921), batting .204 with 4 home runs and 35 runs batted in in 225 games.

War
Kurdish guerrillas seeking independence from Iran began fighting in the town of Paveh in the province of Kurdistan.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department reprimanded Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young for having an unauthorized meeting on July 26 with Palestine Liberation Organization UN observer Zehdi Labib Terzi, and giving the State Department a false account of it. Mr. Young said that he had not told the department the full extent of his talks "because the less they know, the less they would be responsible," and said that he had acted in his role as President of the UN Security Council for the month of August. In addition, Mr. Young said that he had decided to talk to the PLO UN observer because he felt that the matter under discussion was procedural and did not bear directly on Middle East issues.

Politics and government
Outgoing U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell criticized his friend President Jimmy Carter as "trivializing" the presidency by working on too many minor problems and acting like he "wasn’t the President."

Energy
The White House said that the recent United States Energy Department study absolving oil companies of responsibility for the summer fuel crisis would be re-examined, amid charges that the report relied exclusively on unverified industry figures.

Scandal
John Stonehouse, the former British government minister who had faked his own death, was freed from prison after serving three years of a seven-year sentence for theft, fraud, and deception. Mr. Stonehouse was feared to have drowned while on a business trip to Miami Beach in November 1974. A month later he was discovered in Australia with his secretary, living under a false name.

Disasters
15 people died when a freak storm blew up in the Irish Sea during the Fastnet yacht race. An international rescue operation was launched, the biggest ever in peacetime.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (3-0-2) 24 @ Ottawa (2-2-1) 24
Hamilton (1-5) 21 @ Winnipeg (1-4) 27

Condredge Holloway’s late touchdown pass to Pete Stenerson, converted by Gerry Organ, brought the Rough Riders back into a tie, just after Warren Moon’s 65-yard touchdown strike to Brian Kelly, converted by Dave Cutler, appeared to give the Eskimos a win. The tie was the first point the Eskimos had picked up at Lansdowne Park since they won their first game there in 1961. Charlie Weatherbie, who had played impressively with the Edmonton Eskimos during the pre-season, played his first CFL game at quarterback with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, completing 6 of 13 passes for 175 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Dave Marler, who had started the first 5 games of the season for Hamilton at quarterback and kicker, had suffered a season-ending injury. Running back Neil Lumsden replaced him as the Tiger-Cats’ kicker. Winnipeg slotback Gord Paterson dropped the only 2 passes thrown his way, which didn’t endear him to head coach Ray Jauch. James Reed played his first CFL game at middle linebacker for the Blue Bombers, and was instantly impressive.

Baseball
The New York Mets scored 13 runs in the first 5 innings and added 5 in the 8th as they bombed the Atlanta Braves 18-5 before 5,770 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Atlanta third baseman Bob Horner batted 3 for 5 with 2 home runs and 4 runs batted in.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored all their runs in the first 2 innings and coasted to a 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres before 23,210 fans at Three Rivers Stadium, with John Candelaria (11-8) pitching a 6-hitter.

Pinch hitter Vic Correll doubled home Ray Knight with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 38,442 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Losing pitcher Steve Carlton allowed just 4 hits in a complete game, but 2 of them came in the 10th, with Mr. Knight leading off with a single.

Burt Hooton pitched a 2-hitter and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored all the runs in the last 3 innings as they shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 9-0 before 21,126 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Mr. Hooton improved his record for the season to 11-8, losing his bid for a no-hitter to opposing pitcher John Denny, who led off the 6th inning with a single.

The Houston Astros edged the Montreal Expos 2-1 before 21,871 fans at the Astrodome, scoring both their runs on pitcher Joaquin Andujar’s inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Mr. Andujar gave up just 4 hits to improve his 1979 record to 12-8, outduelling Bill Lee, who allowed 7 hits in going the distance and falling to 10-10.

Bobby Murcer's second home run of the game, a 2-run blast with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th, climaxed a 3-run rally for the New York Yankees as they edged the Texas Rangers 6-5 before 24,125 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Al Bumbry singled home Pat Kelly with 2 out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Baltimore Orioles a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox before 15,518 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Tippy Martinez pitched 2 innings to get the win in relief of Steve Stone, who allowed 9 hits and 1 earned run in 10 innings. Chicago starter Rich Wortham allowed just 2 hits and 1 earned run in 9 innings.

Fred Lynn batted 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, a double, 3 runs, and 6 runs batted in to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 12-1 rout of the Minnesota Twins before 32,962 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox scored 3 runs in each of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th innings. Dennis Eckersley (16-5) allowed 3 hits and no runs in 6 innings.

25 years ago
1984

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department formally opened an investigation of the U.S. citizenship of Rabbi Meir Kahane, who had just been elected to Israel’s Knesset. Rabbi Kahane’s citizenship would be jeopardized by membership in a foreign government.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): You Got It (The Right Stuff)--New Kids on the Block

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Look--Roxette (8th week at #1)

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 So Alive--Love and Rockets
2 Batdance--Prince
3 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
4 Express Yourself--Madonna
5 Toy Soldiers--Martika
6 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx
7 If You Don't Know Me by Now--Simply Red
8 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
9 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
10 Rock 'N' Roll Duty--Kim Mitchell

Singles entering the chart were Girl I'm Gonna Miss You by Milli Vanilli (#74); Kisses on the Wind by Neneh Cherry (#77); Cherish by Madonna (#80); America is Sexy by Paul Hyde (#83); It's Not Enough by Starship (#86); Spell by Deon Estus (#89); 18 and Life by Skid Row (#91); Healing Hands by Elton John (#94); and When the Night Comes by Joe Cocker (#96).

Died on this date
Ricky Berry, 24. U.S. basketball player. Mr. Berry, a forward, was the first draft choice of the Sacramento Kings in 1988, and averaged 11 points per game in his rookie season with the Kings in 1988-89. He shot himself at his home in Fair Oaks, California after an argument with his wife.

Politics and government
12 days after being confirmed as Premier of Poland, Czeslaw Kiszczak announced that he was unable to form a government.

South African President P.W. Botha called an emergency cabinet meeting, and clashed with rebellious ministers. That evening he announced his resignation in a nationwide address. He criticized F.W. de Klerk, his successor as leader of the National Party, and said, "I am being ignored by ministers serving in my cabinet."

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Pat Mullin, 81. U.S. baseball player and coach. Mr. Mullin was an outfielder with the Detroit Tigers (1940-1941, 1946-1953), batting .271 with 87 home runs and 385 runs batted in in 864 games. He played 845 games in 8 seasons in the minor leagues from 1937-1956. Mr. Mullin's career was interrupted by service with the U.S. Army in World War II from 1942-1945. He managed in the minor leagues, and was a coach with the Tigers (1963-1966), Cleveland Indians (1967), and Montreal Expos (1979-1981).

Pee Wee Reese, 81. U.S. baseball player and broadcaster. Harold Peter Henry Reese, nicknamed for both his size in his early years and his skill at playing marbles, was a shortstop with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940-1942 and 1946-1958, batting .269 with 126 home runs and 885 runs batted in in 2,166 games. He led the National League in bases on balls (104) in 1947; runs (132) in 1949; and in stolen bases (30) in 1952, and helped the Dodgers to seven NL pennants and a World Series championship in 1955. Mr. Reese was known for his public display of support for teammate Jackie Robinson when Mr. Robinson was beginning his career as the first Negro major leaguer in the modern era. Mr. Reese broadcast baseball on television and radio from 1960-1972. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, and died of cancer.

Archaeology
Hunters found the body of an ancient hunter preserved in a glacier in the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness, 1,000 miles north of Vancouver, British Columbia. The Iceman (aka Kwaday Dan Sinchi) was later reported to be about 500 years old.

War
Russia announced that it had bombed suspected Dagestan rebel sites in Chechnya.

Politics and government
Texas Governor George W. Bush placed first in a straw poll of presidential candidates staged by Iowa Republicans. 9 of the 10 Republican candidates participated. At the fund-raiser for the state Republican party, anyone buying a $25 ticket could vote. Mr. Bush received 31% of the 23,685 votes cast; Steve Forbes was second (21%), and Elizabeth Dole third (14%).

Baseball
Edgard Clemente, Todd Helton, and Dante Bichette of the Colorado Rockies and Geoff Blum of the Montreal Expos each hit 2 home runs, and Jose Vidro and Rondell White each hit a home run for the Expos as the Rockies defeated the Expos 11-8 before 46,739 fans at Coors Field in Denver. Scott Strickland, the second of three Montreal pitchers, allowed 2 hits and 1 run--earned, with 3 strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings in his first major league game.

Rookie designated hitter Brian Daubach batted 5 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs, and 6 runs batted in for the Boston Red Sox as they whipped the Seattle Mariners 13-2 before 33,253 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Pedro Martinez pitched the last 4 innings for Boston to get the win, improving his 1999 record to 17-3.

The Oakland Athletics scored 8 runs in the 1st inning and 12 in the first 3 innings of a 13-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 37,113 fans at SkyDome in Toronto. A.J. Hinch's grand slam was the big blow of the 1st inning. Casey Blake played the last 6 innings at third base for Toronto, batting 0 for 3 and making 2 assists in his first major league game.

Paul Konerko scored Ray Durham with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Chicago White Sox an 8-7 win over the Texas Rangers before 27,476 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.