August 25, 2009

400 years ago
1609

Space
Italian mathematician Galileo Galilei first demonstrated his newly-constructed telescope in Venice.

310 years ago
1699

Died on this date
Christian V, 53. King of Denmark and Norway, 1670-1699. Christian V succeeded his father on the throne and governed as an absolute monarch, but was popular with the common people. He died as the result of a hunting accident, and was succeeded by his son Frederick IV.

190 years ago
1819

Born on this date
Allan Pinkerton. U.K.-born U.S. detective. Mr. Pinkerton, a native of Glasgow, emigrated to the United States in 1842. He was appointed Chicago's first police detective in 1849, and a year later founded the company that became Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Mr. Pinkerton served as a Union Army spy during the American Civil War, and died on July 1, 1884 at the age of 64.

Died on this date
James Watt, 83. U.K. engineer. Mr. Watt was best known for devising the first practical steam engine in 1776. He also developed the concept of horsepower, and the unit of power known as the watt was named in his honour.

125 years ago
1884

Baseball
The Chicago Browns of the Union Association completed their move to Pittsburgh. In their first game as the Pittsburgh Stogies, they defeated the St. Louis Maroons 3-2.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Alexander Mair. Australian politician. Mr. Mair was originally a member of the United Australia Party, and represented Albury in the New South Wales Parliament from 1932-1946. He was elected UAP leader on August 5, 1939, and took office as Premier the same day, succeeding Bertram Stevens,who had resigned. Mr. Mair served as Premier until the UAP's loss in the 1941 election, and remained as Leader of the Opposition through the disintegration of the UAP in 1943, taking the leadership of the Democratic Party. Mr. Mair was a central figure in the formation of the Liberal Party in 1944, and led the New South Wales Liberal party from November 1945-March 1946. He ran for a seat in the Australian Senate in 1946, but was defeated, and left politics. Mr. Mair died on August 3, 1969, 22 days before his 80th birthday.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Paul Herman Buck. U.S. historian. Dr. Buck taught at Harvard University, specializing in history of the American South and Southeast. His book The Road to Reunion, 1865-1900 (1937) was awarded the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for History. Dr. Buck served as Harvard's first Provost (1945-1953), and directed the university's library (1955-1964). He died on December 23, 1978 at the age of 79.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Michael Rennie. U.K. actor. Mr. Rennie appeared in more than 50 films and several television series, but was best known for his starring roles in the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and the television series The Third Man (1959-1965). He died of an aortic aneurysm on June 10, 1971 at the age of 61.

Ruby Keeler. Canadian-born U.S. dancer and actress. A native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Miss Keeler became a dancer on Broadway, married Al Jolson, and moved to Hollywood. Her most notable movies were her first three: 42nd Street (1933); Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933); and Footlight Parade (1933). Miss Keeler died on February 28, 1993 at the age of 83.

Baseball
Christy Mathewson joined the 20-win club for the seventh straight season, giving up 5 hits and batting 2 for 3 with a run batted in as the New York Giants edged the Pittsburg Pirates 3-2 at the Polo Grounds in New York.

The Boston Doves scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to tie the score and a run with none out in the 9th to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 before 1,146 fans at South End Grounds in Boston. Boston right fielder Beals Becker batted 4 for 4 with a run, while St. Louis third baseman Joe Delahanty hit a grand slam in the 1st inning as the Cardinals scored 5 runs to take an early lead.

Jack Powell pitched a 10-hitter to improve his 1909 record to 10-13 and drove in Jimmy Williams with the winning run with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the St. Louis Browns edged the New York Highlanders 1-0 before 1,500 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Losing pitcher Lew Brockett (7-8) allowed just 4 hits, including Mr. Williams' double in the 10th that led to the run.

90 years ago
1919

Canadiana
Edward, the Prince of Wales visited Toronto, and set a precedent by holding a reception at City Hall to meet the public.

Calgariana
E. L. Richardson and Guy Weadick opened the Calgary Victory Stampede, sponsored by Pat Burns, A. E. Cross, George Lane and A .J. McLean, who had financed the first Calgary Stampede in 1912.

Baseball
Babe Ruth’s 23rd home run of the season and fifth in four days helped the Boston Red Sox defeat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 at Navin Field in Detroit.

After allowing 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning, the St. Louis Browns scored 3 in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Washington Nationals 4-3 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Urban Shocker pitched an 8-hit complete game victory to improve his 1919 record to 13-9.

80 years ago
1929

Technology
20,000 baseball fans at the Polo Grounds in New York were able to hear the calls of umpire Cy Rigler, who was wired for sound. Mr. Rigler was wearing a microphone and metal-plated shoes, and stood on a flat metal sheet behind home plate; his calls were broadcast over loudspeakers. The Giants defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-5, led by Mel Ott's home run, double, and 3 runs batted in.

Baseball
The Detroit Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the 11th inning to defeat the Washington Nationals 8-7 at Navin Field in Detroit.

Babe Ruth’s 4th-inning home run broke a 32-inning scoreless drought for the New York Yankees, all against the St. Louis Browns. The Browns won 3-2 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, with Lefty Stewart (8-5) pitching a 6-hitter to win over Ed Wells (10-6).

The second-largest crowd in the history of Redland Field in Cincinnati--35,432--watched the Reds and Chicago Cubs split a doubleheader. The Reds won the opener 6-3 as Red Lucas pitched an 8-hitter to improve his 1929 record to 17-8. The Cubs broke a 0-0 tie with 8 runs in the 7th inning and won the second game 10-1, with Guy Bush (18-3) pitching a 9-hitter.

75 years ago
1934

Baseball
Rookie pitcher Schoolboy Rowe, trailing 2-1 going into the 9th inning, singled in the winning run as the Detroit Tigers beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. The win was Mr. Rowe’s 16th straight, tying an American League record.

Dizzy Dean, pitching in relief, couldn’t hold a 5-3 lead, and was charged with the loss as the New York Giants edged the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. The Cardinals had built up a 5-0 lead against Giants’ ace Carl Hubbell. Hal Schumacher was the winner in relief.

70 years ago
1939

At the movies
The Wizard of Oz, directed by Victor Fleming, and starring Judy Garland, was widely released to theatres.

Defense
The United Kingdom and Poland formed a military alliance in which the U.K. promised to defend Poland in case of invasion by a foreign power.

Football
CRU
WIFU
Winnipeg (1-0) 12 @ Calgary (0-1) 1
Regina (1-0) 12 @ Edmonton (0-1) 0

3,500 fans showed up to see the Roughriders shut out the Eskimos in the first night game ever played at Clarke Stadium.

Baseball
The New York Yankees swept a doubleheader from the St. Louis Browns by scores of 11-0 and 8-2 before 2,182 fans at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
A Book at Bedtime, read by Laidman Browne, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight’s episode: The Bruce-Partington Plans, Part 4

At the movies
Madame Bovary, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and starring Jennifer Jones, James Mason, Van Heflin, and Louis Jourdan, opened in theatres.

Television
The Radio Corporation of America reported the development of a colour television that could be adopted to existing black and white receivers through the use of a converter.

War
Greek government forces began an attack on the Mount Grammos guerrilla stronghold.

Defense
The Dominican Republic announced the construction of a state munitions plant, charging that the United States had refused to provide enough military equipment to meet "a threat of invasion."

Politics and government
Panamanian First Vice President Daniel Chanis, Jr. assumed the presidency for the remainder of the term of Domingo Diaz Arosemena, who had died two days earlier.

Crime
U.S. Federal Judge Harold Medina refused to declare a mistrial in the New York trial of 11 accused Communists, despite defense contentions that juror Russell Janney, author of The Miracle of the Bells, had discussed the case out of court and had an anti-Communist bias.

Scandal
The U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee cleared all government officials connected with B-36 bomber procurement, after learning that a civilian Navy official had made anonymous charges of fraud and favouritism in the program without evidence.

Economics and finance
The British Board of Trade ordered a 5% cut in retail prices of clothing, footwear, and household textiles.

Football
WIFU-IRFU
Pre-season
Calgary (0-1) 13 @ Montreal (1-0) 14

The Stampeders thought they’d been robbed of a touchdown by the shallow end zone at Royals Stadium during a late rally when a receiver caught a pass from quarterback Keith Spaith beyond the dead ball line. 18,000 were in attendance.

Baseball
In the Georgia-Alabama League, Marvin Chappell of Alexander City pitched a 1-0, 7-inning 1-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader against LaGrange, and a 7-0, 7-inning no-hitter in the second game.

50 years ago
1959

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight’s episode: Shoscombe Old Place

Crime
Former Venezuelan dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez was arrested in Miami on a Venezuelan extradition warrant charging him with murder and embezzlement.

War
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower said that his administration was considering Laotian appeals for American arms and funds with which to fight the Pathet Lao rebellion.

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru told Parliament that India would defend Bhutan and Sikkim in "any attack" on the Himalayan kingdoms.

Politics and government
Lawyer Ross Barnett defeated Lieutenant Governor Carroll Gartin by a wide margin in Mississippi's Democratic Party gubernatorial run-off primary.

Oil
A pipeline linking Algeria's Hassi Messaoud oil fields with the Mediterranean port of Bougie was completed.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Eisenhower renewed his requests for legislation for removing interest ceilings on long-term government bonds; increasing federal home loan insurance authority; and increasing the tax on motor fuels.

Baseball
The White Sox obtained veteran first baseman Ted Kluszewski from the Pittsburgh Pirates for well-travelled outfielder Harry "Suitcase" Simpson and infielder Bob Sagers. Mr. Kluszewski was batting .262 with 2 home runs and 17 runs batted in in 60 games with Pittsburgh in 1959. Mr. Simpson, who had begun the season with the Kansas City Athletics, was batting .187 with 2 homers and 13 RBIs in 38 games with Chicago; it was the fifth time (and second this season) in which he had switched teams in his eight-year major league career. Mr. Sagers batted .287 with 11 homers and 60 RBIs in 146 games with the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association.

The San Francisco Giants released outfielder Hank Sauer, who remained on the team's coaching staff. Mr. Sauer was batting .067 (1 for 15), with a home run accounting for his only hit and run batted in of 1959. He finished his 15-year major league career with a batting average of .266 with 288 homers and 876 RBIs in 1,399 games.

Rocky Colavito hit 2 home runs and batted in 4 runs to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees before 36,143 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. It was the Indians’ seventh straight win, moving them to within 2 games of the American League-leading Chicago White Sox. Cal McLish pitched a 12-hit complete game victory to improve his 1959 record to 16-6.

The Chicago White Sox scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game, and with 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 10th, Sherm Lollar drew a base on balls and Billy Goodman followed with a double to score Mr. Lollar, giving the White Sox a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox before 27,002 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Johnny Antonelli (18-7) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory and helped his own cause with a 3-run home run in the 8th inning as the San Francisco Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-5 before 29,927 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

Felix Mantilla scored the tying run with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning and then singled home Joe Adcock with the final run as the Milwaukee Braves scored 2 runs in the top of the 10th to break a 1-1 tie and defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 before 17,311 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kinjirareta Koi--Ryoko Moriyama (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Ballad of John and Yoko--The Beatles

On the radio
The Challenge of Space, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: The Long Road Out

Died on this date
Robert Cosgrove, 84. Australian politician. Sir Robert, a member of the Labour Party, represented Denison in the Tasmanian House of Assembly (1919-1922, 1925-1931, 1934-1958), and was Premier of Tasmania from 1939-1947 and 1948-1958.

Society
A United States Senate subcommittee on aging was told by a study group that "millions of the elderly in the United States are living today in poverty, and most did not become poor until they became old."

Protest
The Black Construction Coalition, composed of several civil rights groups, began joining several hundred Negro construction workers to shut down 10 projects in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in protest against "discriminatory hiring practices" for construction jobs. Five sites were shut down to avert violence, and a five-block line of protesters halted work at five other sites.

Economics and finance
The convention of the National Welfare Rights Organization in Detroit concluded with criticism of U.S. President Richard Nixon’s new welfare proposals. Speakers assailed the $1,600 annual minimum family assistance figure as inadequate and a "step backward," and called for a $3,200 minimum and the elimination of "forced work requirements."

Disasters
An Australian freighter sank off the coast of New South Wales, with 20 people missing.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-0-1) 27 @ Calgary (2-3) 26

Tommy-Joe Coffey's fourth field goal of the game, from 36 yards with 47 seconds remaining in the game, gave the Tiger-Cats their win over the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. The Stampeders scored 4 touchdowns, but Larry Robinson missed the converts on the last 2, which proved fatal. Probably the most exciting play in the game for the fans at McMahon Stadium occurred in the 2nd quarter when Mr. Robinson had a field goal attempt blocked, and Jerry Keeling, who had been holding the ball for the kick, scooped up the loose ball and ran 25 yards for a Calgary touchdown.

AFL-NFL
Pre-season
Detroit (2-0) 22 Boston (1-2) 9 @ Montreal

Mel Farr rushed 2 yards for the game's only touchdown at 4:05 of the 4th quarter to help the Lions defeat the Patriots before just 8,212 fans in the first of two American professional pre-season games in Montreal in 1969. Errol Mann converted Mr. Farr's touchdown and added 5 field goals, while Gino Cappelletti kicked 3 field goals for the Patriots. The game's longest rushing play was a 13-yard gain by Mike Taliaferro, who shared the Boston quarterbacking duties with Tom Sherman. Greg Landry and Greg Barton shared the Detroit quarterbacking.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Zimbabwe Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Well All Right--Santana

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Tu Sei l'Unica Donna Per Me--Alan Sorrenti (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: I Don't Like Mondays--The Boomtown Rats (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 I was Made for Lovin' You--Kiss (4th week at #1)
2 Quiereme Mucho--Julio Iglesias
3 El Lute/Gotta Go Home--Boney M.
4 This is My Life (La Vita)--Shirley Bassey
5 Voulez-Vous--ABBA
6 Ring My Bell--Anita Ward
7 Bad Girls--Donna Summer
8 Don't Bring Me Down--The Electric Light Orchestra
9 Are 'Friends' Electric?--Tubeway Army
10 Aan de Grens Van de Duitse Heuvelen--The Sunstreams

Singles entering the chart were Can't Stand Losing You by the Police (#24); Eeny Meeny Miny Moe by Luv' (#25); The Queen of Santa Maria by the Millionaires (#31); Marie by Normaal (#32); Surf City/Dead Man's Curve by Jan & Dean (#33); and Willem by Willem Duyn (#38). Surf City had originally been a hit in North America in 1963, and Dead Man's Curve had been a hit in 1964.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 My Sharona--The Knack
2 Good Times--Chic
3 The Main Event/Fight--Barbra Streisand
4 After the Love Has Gone--Earth, Wind & Fire
5 Bad Girls--Donna Summer
6 Don't Bring Me Down--Electric Light Orchestra
7 The Devil Went Down to Georgia--The Charlie Daniels Band
8 Lead Me On--Maxine Nightingale
9 Mama Can't Buy You Love--Elton John
10 Sad Eyes--Robert John

Singles entering the chart were Dim All the Lights by Donna Summer (#70); Midnight Wind by John Stewart (#73); The Topical Song by the Barron Knights (#74); Get a Move On by Eddie Money (#81); Arrow Through Me by Wings (#83); Where Will Your Heart Take You by Buckeye (#84); Please Don't Go by KC and the Sunshine Band (#86); If You Remember Me by Chris Thompson with Night (#87); and Street Life by the Crusaders (#88).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 My Sharona--The Knack (2nd week at #1)
2 Good Times--Chic
3 The Main Event/Fight--Barbra Streisand
4 Bad Girls--Donna Summer
5 The Devil Went Down to Georgia--The Charlie Daniels Band
6 When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman--Dr. Hook
7 After the Love Has Gone--Earth, Wind & Fire
8 Lead Me On--Maxine Nightingale
9 Ring My Bell--Anita Ward
10 Mama Can't Buy You Love--Elton John

Singles entering the chart were Dim All the Lights by Donna Summer (#75); Midnight Wind by John Stewart (#79); Arrow Through Me by Wings (#84); Get a Move On by Eddie Money (#86); Please Don't Go by KC and the Sunshine Band (#87); Must Have Been Crazy by Chicago (#88); The Topical Song by the Barron Knights (#89); and Girls Talk by Dave Edmunds (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez
2 Bad Girls--Donna Summer
3 My Sharona--The Knack
4 When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman--Dr. Hook
5 Gold--John Stewart
6 I Want You to Want Me--Cheap Trick
7 Good Times--Chic
8 I was Made for Lovin' You--Kiss
9 Ring My Bell--Anita Ward
10 Shine a Little Love--Electric Light Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were The Boss by Diana Ross (#81); We've Got Love by Peaches & Herb (#91); Pop Muzik by M (#96); Get it Right Next Time by Gerry Rafferty (#99); and Last of the Singing Cowboys by the Marshall Tucker Band (#100).

Died on this date
Stan Kenton, 67. U.S. musician. Mr. Kenton was a jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader who achieved commercial success in the 1940s and early '50s, with six singles reaching the top ten of the Billboard singles chart. Beginning in the late '40s, he became a pioneer in the field of progressive jazz, forming several different bands over the next three decades, performing and recording several genres of music. Mr. Kenton was a leader in jazz education; he founded the Stan Kenton Band Clinic at Indiana University in 1959, and was conducting over 100 clinics a year by 1975. Heavy drinking affected his later years.

Diplomacy
United States Vice President Walter Mondale arrived in Beijing for a week-long visit to improve Chinese-American relations.

Crime
A sniper wounded five tourists in the heart of the Waikiki beach area of Honolulu. Police took into custody a man accused of injuring a woman in a similar attack three blocks away in 1973. He had been committed to a state hospital since the 1973 attack, but had been placed "on leave" three months before the current attack.

Environment
The United States Environmental Protection Agency granted five automobile manufacturers, including Chrysler, two-year delays in meeting the 1981 standards for carbon monoxide emissions.

Track and field
Approximately 9,000 runners participated in the first edition of the Montreal International Marathon (MIM). The start of the race was on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, while the finish was on Île Sainte-Hélène.

Baseball
The California Angels, led by Don Baylor’s 2 home runs, a double, 3 runs, and 8 runs batted in, bombed the Toronto Blue Jays 24-2 before 25,207 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. The Angels led 8-1 after 1 inning, 11-2 after 2, and 22-2 after 5 innings. Every batter in the California starting lineup had at least 2 hits and 2 runs. Craig Kusick, normally a first baseman, pitched the last 3 2/3 innings for Toronto, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs--both earned--with no walks or strikeouts, and was the Blue Jays' least ineffective pitcher.

Willie Horton hit 2 home runs, including his 9th career major league grand slam, to lead the Seattle Mariners to an 8-4 win over Mr. Horton’s former team, the Detroit Tigers, before 28,770 fans at Tiger Stadium. Champ Summers hit 2 homers for the Tigers. Mike Parrott allowed 5 hits and 4 earned runs in pitching a complete game victory to improve his 1979 record to 12-4.

Willie Wilson’s inside-the-park home run leading off the game against Mike Torrez stood up for a 1-0 win for the Kansas City Royals over the Boston Red Sox before 37,851 fans at Royals Stadium. Dennis Leonard (9-9) pitched a 4-hitter to outduel Mr. Torrez (13-9), who pitched a 5-hitter.

George Foster hit a home run to lead off a 5-run 9th inning as the Cincinnati Reds overcame a 4-3 deficit to defeat the New York Mets 8-4 before 16,635 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Just before he homered, Mr. Foster hit a foul ball that struck home plate umpire Ed Montague in the throat; Mr. Montague was taken off the field on a stretcher, and was hospitalized, with second base umpire Dutch Rennert moving behind the plate. Jeff Reardon, the third of four New York pitchers, made his major league debut, allowing 2 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 1 inning, and being charged with the loss.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the top of the 19th inning, Bill Robinson doubled, Omar Moreno was intentionally walked, and Tim Foli singled home Mr. Robinson to break a 3-3 tie as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the San Diego Padres 4-3 before 14,607 fans at San Diego Stadium in a game that took 6 hours 12 minutes to play.

25 years ago
1984

Died on this date
Andy Varipapa, 93. U.S. bowler. Mr. Varipapa was famous for his trick shots, some of which can be seen in the 1934 short film Strikes and Spares.

Waite Hoyt, 84. U.S. baseball pitcher. "The Brooklyn Schoolboy" won 237 major league games and lost 182 from 1918-1938, and entered the Baseball Hall of fame in 1969. With the legendary New York Yankees of 1927, he was 22-7, leading the American League in wins and winning percentage (.759). In 1928 he was 23-7 with the Yankees, and won 2 games in the World Series. After his playing career, Mr. Hoyt spent many years as a colour commentator on radio broadcasts of Cincinnati Reds' games.

Truman Capote, 59. U.S. author. Mr. Capote was the author of such books as Other Voices, Other Rooms (1948); The Grass Harp (1951); Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958); and In Cold Blood (1966). I can’t think of him without imitating his distinctive whiny voice.

Football
CFL
Calgary (3-5) 4 @ British Columbia (7-1) 15

38,419 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver had trouble staying awake, as neither team scored a touchdown. Lui Passaglia handled all the Lions' scoring with 4 field goals and 3 singles.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Das Omen (Teil I)--Mysterious Art (9th week at #1)

Music
This blogger was among the 7,000 or so who attended a concert by Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton. It was an enjoyable show (once the opening act, the untalented Mason Ruffner, was finished), but a girl a section over from me didn’t seem to be having a good time. She was drunk and vomited early in the show, appropriately enough, during Ringo’s No No Song. The band consisted of Ringo on vocals and drums; Levon Helm (drums); Jim Keltner (drums); Billy Preston (musical director and keyboards); Dr. John (keyboards); Joe Walsh (guitar); Nils Lofgren (guitar); Rick Danko (bass); and Clarence Clemons (saxophone). This blogger paid $28 for a floor seat.

Space
The unmanned Voyager 2 spacecraft sent back the first close-up pictures of Neptune and its satellites.

Politics and government
Tadeusz Mazowiecki, a journalist and Roman Catholic intellectual, as well as a long-time adviser to Solidarity union leader Lech Walesa, was approved as Poland’s new Prime Minister by a vote in the Sejm of 378-4, with 41 abstentions. Mr. Mazowiecki vowed to move Poland "from a Communist system of ownership to capitalism." The U.S.S.R.’s Council of Ministers congratulated the new premier, and said that friendship and co-operation between the countries would continue.

Defense
U.S. President George Bush announced a $65 million military aid package for Colombia.

Baseball
Gary Redus hit for the cycle as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-3 before 25,722 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Winning pitcher Don Robinson batted 3 for 3.

10 years ago
1999

Abominations
Six years after 80 members of the Branch Davidian sect had died during a fire and attack by U.S. federal agents near Waco, Texas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation admitted that its agents had fired pyrotechnic tear gas canisters at the compound, which bounced harmlessly away. The FBI had previously denied firing any incendiary devices.

Politics and government
Dan Miller was sworn in as Premier of British Columbia; he served as interim leader of the New Democratic Party, replacing Glen Clark, who had resigned on August 21, 1999.

Baseball
St. Marys, Ontario was selected to be the home of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; the 30-acre site adjacent to the St. Marys quarry would house an old stadium and museum with artifacts of Canadian baseball history. According to University of Western Ontario professor Bob Barney, Adam Ford, an early mayor of St. Marys, chronicled Canada's first game at nearby Beachville, Upper Canada in 1838.

Manny Ramirez hit 3 home runs and a double, scoring 4 runs and driving in 4, to help the Cleveland Indians defeat the Oakland Athletics 12-4 before 21,328 fans at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland. Bartolo Colon allowed 4 hits and 3 runs--all earned--in 7 innings to get the win, improving his 1999 record to 14-4.

Rico Brogna batted 4 for 5 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 7 runs batted in to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 15-1 rout of the San Diego Padres before 25,539 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, the day after beating them 18-2. Ed Giovanola, the sixth and last San Diego pitcher, allowed 1 hit and no runs in 1 1/3 innings, with 2 bases on balls and no strikeouts, while striking out in his only plate appearance in the 218th and last game of his 5-year major league career.