August 19, 2009

250 years ago
1759

War
The two-day naval Battle of Lagos between Gibraltar and Lagos, Portugal concluded with a victory for British forces commanded by Sir Edward Boscawen over French forces commanded by Jean-François de La Clue-Sabran.

200 years ago
1809

Transportation
John Molson launched his wooden paddle-wheel steamboat Accomodation for service on the St. Lawrence River between Montréal and Québec, starting in October. A side-wheeler built entirely in Montreal by the Eagle Foundry, the boat carried 10 passengers. It was the first Canadian steamship, and was the first successful steamboat built entirely in North America.

190 years ago
1819

Died on this date
Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt. Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of the Netherlands, 1866-1868. Count van Zuylen van Nijevelt was a conservative politician, and was Dutch Minister Resident in Istanbul from 1855-1860, and served as Foreign Minister from 1860-1861 as well as during his term as Prime Minister. He died on July 1, 1894 at the age of 74.

170 years ago
1839

Technology
The French government announced that Louis Daguerre's photographic process was a gift "free to the world."

160 years ago
1849

Born on this date
Joaquim Nabuco de Araújo. Brazilian politician and diplomat. Mr. Nabuco founded the Brazilian Anti-Slavery Society, and campaigned in the Chamber of Deputies against slavery from 1876 until slavery's abolition in 1888. He was appointed Brazil's first Ambassador to the United States in 1905, and used his position to promote the cause of pan-Americanism until his death on January 17, 1910 at the age of 60.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Colleen Moore. U.S. actress. Miss Moore, born Kathleen Morrison, was one of the best-known "flappers" of the 1920s, and was Hollywood's biggest box office draw in 1927. Among her best-known movies are Flaming Youth (1923); So Big (1924); Ella Cinders (1926); The Power and the Glory (1933); and her last film, The Scarlet Letter (1934). Miss Moore invested wisely, became a partner in Merrill Lynch, and wrote a book on investing. She was one of the people interviewed for Sidney D. Kirkpatrick's fascinating 1986 Hollywood true crime book A Cast of Killers. Miss Moore died on January 25, 1988 at the age of 88.

100 years ago
1909

Died on this date
Wilfred Bourque, 30. Canadian auto racing driver. Mr. Bourque, a native of West Farnham, Quebec, started at least 35 races from 1907-1909. On the first day of auto racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he won the third race, a five-mile event. In the feature event, the 250-mile Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race, Mr. Bourque and riding mechanic Harry Holcomb were fatally injured.

Auto racing
Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted its first automobile races. Two land speed records were set, but concerns over safety led to cancellation of some later races. Bob Burnham won the first annual Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race with an average speed of 53.772 miles per hour over 250 miles.

80 years ago
1929

On the radio
Amos 'n' Andy began its long run on NBC, sponsored by Pepsodent. The team, whose real names were Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, began broadcasting as Sam and Henry in 1925 on WGN in Chicago. In 1927 they moved to WMAQ, but had to change the name of the act, since WGN owned the rights to the Sam and Henry name.

Died on this date
Sergei Diaghilev, 57. Russian impresario. Mr. Diaghilev was best known for founding Ballets Russes in 1909. He left Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, and died in Venice from diabetes.

75 years ago
1934

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Bryan Hall!

Politics and government
The German people voted to make Adolf Hitler their Fuhrer, combining the offices of President and Chancellor. The turnout of eligible voters for the plebiscite was about 95%, and 90%--about 38 million--voted their approval of Mr. Hitler’s usurpation of absolute power. Only about 4.25 million Germans voted against it.

Baseball
Before a record crowd of 46,995 at Fenway Park in Boston, the Red Sox lost a doubleheader to the Detroit Tigers, 8-6 and 4-3. Moose Solters of the Red Sox hit for the cycle in the opener against winning pitcher General Crowder.

70 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Achille Fortier, 74. Canadian composer and teacher. Mr. Fortier, a native of Saint-Clet, Quebec, became the first Canadian to attend regular composition classes at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1889. He wrote mainly choral and chamber works, but was better known as a teacher at various music schools in Montreal. Mr. Fortier died in Viauville, Quebec.

Baseball
Ted Williams hit his first major league grand slam to help the Boston Red Sox to an 8-6 win over the Washington Nationals in the first game of a doubleheader before 7,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. The Nationals won the second game 2-1.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
A Book at Bedtime, read by Laidman Browne, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight's episode: The Norwood Builder, Part 5

Diplomacy
Peru severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, charging that anti-government leaders sought by police had been granted asylum by the Cuban embassy in Lima.

Politics and government
Six of U.S. President Harry Truman's administration, executive reorganization plans went into effect, including Post Office reform and creation of the post of Civil Service Commission chairman.

Popular culture
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned radio and television prize-giving quiz shows, charging that such audience participation programs were lotteries.

The U.S. Library of Congress discontinued all prizes for art, music, and literature, acting on a congressional recommendation following the award of the 1948 Bollingen poetry prize to Ezra Pound.

Economics and finance
The French cabinet authorized increased imports in an effort to satisfy labour demands for lower prices.

Labour
Striking Hawaiian longshoremen ended a three-day conference with shippers, after failing to reach agreement in their wage dispute.

Swimming
Japanese students Hironoshin Furuhashi and Yoshihiro Hamagushi accounted for victories in four events at the Amateur Atheltic Union swimming and diving championships in Los Angeles.

50 years ago
1959

Space
The United States launched the satellite Discoverer 6 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; search planes and ships failed to recover a 300-pound capsule ejected from the satellite.



Politics and government
Former Prime Minister Tengu Abdul Rahman led his Alliance Party back to power in the first Malayan general election, winning 73 of 104 seats in the Dewan Rakyat; the election in the riding of Kedah Tengah was delayed until September 30, and the Alliance Party won that to increase its total to 74. The Pan-Malaysian Islaimic Party, led by Burhanuddin al-Helmy, was second with 13 seats, and the Socialist Front, led by Ahmand Boestaman, took the remaining 13 seats.

Protest
An Israeli government inquiry commission attributed recent riots in Haifa to "a deep feeling of inequality and discrimination" among North African immigrants to Israel.

Labour
U.S. Labor Secretary James Mitchell released a fact-finding report on the steel strike showing that steel industry wages and profits exceeded those of most other sectors of the economy.

Disasters
All 29 passengers and 3 crewmen died in the crash of a chartered British DC-3 on fog-hidden Montseny Mountain near Barcelona.

Boxing
Davey Moore (37-5-1) retained his world featherweight title with a knockout of former champion Hogan "Kid" Bassey (59-13-2) when Mr. Bassey failed to answer the bell for the 11th round at Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Mr. Bassey was attempting to regain the title that he had lost to Mr. Moore five months earlier; this was Mr. Bassey's last professional fight.

Baseball
Honolulu was seeking a franchise in the Continental League.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Honky Tonk Women--The Rolling Stones (4th week at #1)

At the movies
Alice's Restaurant, directed by Arthur Penn, and starring Arlo Guthrie, Pat Quinn, James Broderick, and William Obanhein, opened in theatres. The movie was a fictionalized account of an incident described by Mr. Guthrie in his song Alice's Restaurant Massacree (1967). Mr. Obanhein, the police officer who arrested Mr. Guthrie for littering in Stockbridge, Massachusetts in 1965, played himself, saying that he would rather make a fool of himself on film than have someone else do it. He and Mr. Guthrie became friends, and remained so until Mr. Obanhein's death in 1994.



Died on this date
John Hollison, 99. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Hollison pitched in 1 game with the Chicago Colts of the National League in 1892, giving up 1 hit and 1 earned run in 4 innings, while striking out 2 and recording an earned run average of 2.25. Mr. Hollison was the last surviving major leaguer to have pitched from a mound only 50 feet from home plate. The distance was increased to the present 60’ 6" in 1893.

Alex Carrasquel, 57. Venezuelan baseball pitcher. Mr. Carrasquel played with the Washington Nationals (1939-1945) and Chicago White Sox (1949), compiling a record of 50-39 with an earned run average of 3.73 in 258 games, and batting .144 with 1 home run and 12 runs batted in as the first Venezuelan native to play in the major leagues. He played professionally in Venezuela and other Latin American countries from 1930-1938 before coming to the United States. Mr. Carrasquel was sold to the White Sox in January 1946, but opted to jump to the Mexican League for higher pay; he played with the Veracruz Azules (1946); Mexico City Diablos Rojos (1946-1947); and Monterrey Industriales (1947-1948), compiling a record of 44-27. Mr. Carrasquel returned to the major leagues in 1949, but he played in just 3 games with the White Sox before being sold to the Detroit Tigers, who sent him down to the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, where he played through 1951. Mr. Carrasquel played in the minor leagues in 1952-1953, and finished his career back in the Mexican League with the Mexico City Tigres (1955) and Mexico City Diablos Rojos (1956). He coached and managed in Venezuela until his death from complications of diabetes, and was inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 as a charter member.

Defense
The British army assumed full control of all security for Northern Ireland.

Protest
Backed by armoured vehicles, Czechoslovak police and soldiers used tear gas and clubs to clear demonstrators from Prague’s Saint Wenceslaus Square. Scores were injured, and an undetermined number were reported to have been detained by police. Earlier, Communist party chief Dr. Gustav Husak warned that his government would sternly repress any hostile demonstrations on the eve of the first anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Society
The United States Census Bureau reported that the number of poor people in the country--those with annual family incomes of less than $3,533--had declined 22% in eight years, to 25.4 million, and that now 1/3 of the nation’s Negroes were classified as poor, an improvement from the 56% of 1961.

Disasters
Limited martial law was imposed on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Camille. From the western White House in California, President Richard Nixon declared parts of Louisiana a major disaster area.

A U.S. AID relief plane struck a mountain while trying to land at a jungle airstrip near Vientiane, killing 12 Laotians and 3 Americans.

Baseball
The Atlanta Braves sold relief pitcher Claude Raymond to the Montreal Expos, making the native of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec the Expos' first Canadian player. Mr. Raymond was 2-2 with an earned run average of 5.25 and 1 save in 33 games with the Braves in 1969.

Ken Holtzman improved his 1969 record to 14-7 by pitching a no-hitter as the Chicago Cubs shut out the Atlanta Braves 3-0 before 37,514 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Third baseman Ron Santo provided the scoring with a 3-run home run off losing pitcher Phil Niekro (16-11) in the bottom of the 1st inning. Chicago catcher Bill Heath batted 0 for 2, drawing a base on balls in the 7th inning, with no fielding chances, and left with a broken finger when he was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Tommie Aaron with 2 out in the 8th inning. It was the 112th and last game of Mr. Heath's 5-year major league career.





Tommie Agee’s home run off Juan Marichal with 1 out in the bottom of the 14th inning gave the New York Mets a 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants at Shea Stadium in New York. Tug McGraw (6-2) allowed 1 hit in 4 innings of relief after starter Gary Gentry had allowed 4 hits in 10 scoreless innings. Mr. Marichal allowed 6 hits in a complete game, striking out 13 batters while walking just 1, dropping to 14-9.

The Montreal Expos scored 4 runs in the last 3 innings, but still lost 5-4 to the San Diego Padres before 14,250 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal. Al Santorini (5-12) started on the mound for San Diego and allowed 7 hits and 3 runs--all earned--in 7+ innings, and led off a 3-run 7th inning with his only major league home run. The Padres led 5-3 with 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 9th, but Rusty Staub homered, Ron Fairly drew a base on balls, and pinch runner Adolfo Phillips advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Coco Laboy then grounded out to third base to end the game.

Jim Bunning (11-9), in his first game since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates four days earlier, allowed 8 hits in 6 1/3 innings to get the win, while Jim Brewer allowed 1 hit in 2 2/3 innings to get his 18th save of the season as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 before 7,850 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Willie Davis singled home Maury Wills with the winning run in the 3rd inning, and Bill Sudakis led off the 4th with a home run against Woodie Fryman (9-10), who allowed 7 hits and 2 earned runs in 7 innings. Rich Barry was called out on strikes as a pinch hitter for the Phillies to end his 20th and last major league game.

Mike Cuellar pitched a 7-hitter to improve his record for the season to 17-9, while left fielder Curt Motton batted 4 for 5 with 2 home runs, a double, 3 runs, and 3 runs batted in as the Baltimore Orioles shut out the California Angels 7-0 before 9,887 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

Sam McDowell (14-10) pitched a 1-hitter and singled in a run to lead the Cleveland Indians over the Oakland Athletics 3-0 before 6,351 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Bert Campaneris led off the 4th inning with an infield single for the only hit against Mr. McDowell, who struck out 10 batters and walked 2 to win the pitchers' duel over Chuck Dobson (13-10), who allowed 6 hits and 3 runs--2 earned--in 8 innings.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Some Girls--Racey (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Tu sei l'unica donna per me--Alan Sorrenti

Space
U.S.S.R. cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Ryumin returned safely to Earth after orbiting in the Soviet space station Salyut 6 for a record 175 days. The mission was another step toward the Soviet goal of a permanently manned orbital station. The men had lifted off as the crew of Soyuz 32 on February 25, 1979, but returned as the crew of Soyuz 34, which had been launched unmanned on June 6. The manned supply mission Soyuz 33 had been launched on April 10, but was forced to return to Earth on April 12 after an engine failure.

World events
Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini ordered a general mobilization to crush what he called a Kurdish rebellion. Government troops surrounded the Kurdestan capital of Sanandaj. Kurdish rebels had begun fighting government troops in the Kurdish town of Paveh on August 14.

Diplomacy
Robert Strauss, United States special envoy to the Middle East, delivered the U.S.-sponsored united Nations Security Council resolution on Palestinian rights to Cairo, two days after delivering it to Jerusalem, where it was rejected by the Israeli cabinet.

Ousted U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young calls the U.S.A.’s policy of shunning contacts with the Palestine Liberation Organization "foolish." Intelligence sources said that the State Department knew of Mr. Young’s unauthorized July 26 meeting with the PLO and the gist of the discussion four days after they occurred.

Politics and government
Indian Prime Minister Charan Singh resigned when it became apparent that his one-month-old government could not muster a majority in a parliamentary vote of confidence. His decision came after Indira Gandhi’s announcement that her parliamentary following of 73 votes would oppose the government of Mr. Singh. Mrs. Gandhi said she had changed her mind about the Singh government, which she had supported a month earlier, after Mr. Singh appointed to the cabinet men from her party whom she regarded as turncoats.

25 years ago
1984

World events
A Ugandan government spokesman acknowledged that 15,000 people had been killed in political and tribal violence in that country since President Milton Obote had come to power in 1980.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (6-1) 19 @ Hamilton (1-5-1) 11
Saskatchewan (1-5-1) 11 @ Calgary (3-4) 32

Calgary receiver Mike Levenseller set a team single-game record and a CFL best for the season with 14 receptions. On the last play of the game he made his 14th reception, but fumbled, and Roughrider defensive back Steve Johnson returned it 99 yards for Saskatchewan’s only touchdown of the game. After the game, Mr. Levenseller was unsuccessful in attempting to persuade Mr. Johnson to let him have the ball.



20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Viva la mamma--Edoardo Bennato (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Lambada--Kaoma

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): We are Growing (Shaka Zulu)--Margaret Singana (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Lambada--Kaoma (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Swing the Mood--Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx (2nd week at #1)
2 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
3 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
4 Don't Wanna Lose You--Gloria Estefan
5 Once Bitten Twice Shy--Great White
6 Hangin' Tough--New Kids on the Block
7 I Like It--Dino
8 Batdance--Prince
9 Secret Rendezvous--Karyn White
10 So Alive--Love and Rockets

Singles entering the chart were Cherish by Madonna (#37); When I Looked at Him by Expose (#71); Ain't Too Proud to Beg by Rick Astley (#93); Let Go by Sharon Bryant (#98); and Don't Shut Me Out by Kevin Paige (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx
2 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
3 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
4 I Like It--Dino
5 Once Bitten Twice Shy--Great White
6 Don't Wanna Lose You--Gloria Estefan
7 Hangin' Tough--New Kids on the Block
8 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
9 Batdance--Prince
10 Secret Rendezvous--Karyn White

Singles entering the chart were Cherish by Madonna (#55); When I Looked at Him by Expose (#70); What I Like About You by Michael Morales (#80); When the Radio is On by Paul Shaffer (#82); Let Go by Sharon Bryant (#85); It's No Crime by Babyface (#88); and Let the Day Begin by the Call (#90).

Radio
Radio Caroline, the offshore pirate station in the North Sea, was raided by the British and Dutch governments.

World events
Several hundred East Germans crossed the frontier between Hungary and Austria during the Pan-European Picnic, part of the events that began the process of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Crime
Colombian President Virgilio Barco reinstated a decree that permitted drug lords to be extradited to the United States for trial. Colombian police and army units confiscated more than $125 million in property, including hundreds of planes and houses, as well as helicopters and yachts, from the traffickers. The action came the day after hitmen assassinated anti-drug presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan.

Politics and government
Polish President Wojciech Jaruzelski chose Tadeusz Mazowiecki, one of three people suggested by Solidarity trade union leader Lech Walesa, to be the new Premier of Poland.

10 years ago
1999

Crime
Buford Furrow, Jr., a white supremacist who had shot and wounded people at a Jewish community centre in Los Angeles on Aug. 10 and then killed a Filipino-American letter carrier, was indicted on federal charges in the death of the postal worker, Joseph Ileto. He was also indicted for using a firearm in a murder and being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm. Mr. Furrow also faced state counts of murder and attempted murder.

Business
Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) announced that it would buy Reynolds Metal Company, a U.S.-based company. The Alcoa-Reynolds combination would rank as the world’s leading aluminum producer.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (5-2) 38 @ Hamilton (3-4) 33
Winnipeg (2-5) 17 @ Calgary (5-2) 29