August 26, 2009

540 years ago
1469

Born on this date
Ferdinand II. King of Naples, 1495-1496. Ferdinand II acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his father Alfonso II on January 23, 1495, and within weeks was forced to flee the city before the invading troops of King Charles VIII of France. In early July, King Ferdinand returned to Naples, and within a couple of months he had rid his kingdom of invaders. He married his 18-year-old half-aunt Joanna in August 1496, but was struck by an illness and died on September 7, 1496, 12 days after his 27th birthday. Ferdinand II was succeeded as King of Naples by his uncle Frederick.

220 years ago
1789

Law
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was approved by the National Constituent Assembly of France.

190 years ago
1819

Born on this date
Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. U.K. Prince Consort, 1840-1861. Prince Albert was the husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1840 until his death. He was formally granted the title Prince Consort in 1857. The cause of Prince Albert's death on December 14, 1861 at the age of 42 was reported as typhoid fever, although he had been in declining health for several years.

140 years ago
1869

Baseball
With the Cincinnati Red Stockings and Troy Haymakers tied 17-17 after 5 innings, Troy catcher William Craver claimed to catch a foul tip by Cal McVey for an out. When the umpire disagreed, the Haymakers left the field, and the Red Stockings were awarded a victory by forfeit. The umpire’s decision was later overruled, and the game was officially ruled a tie.

125 years ago
1884

Baseball
Dick Burns pitched the Union Association's first 9-inning no-hitter as he led the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds to a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Unions at Athletic Park in Kansas City. Charlie Gagus of the Washington Nationals had pitched a no-hitter against the Wilmington Quicksteps 5 days earlier in a game that was called after 8 innings.

120 years ago
1889

Baseball
King Kelly saved a 5-4 win for the Boston Beaneaters over the Philadelphia Phillies at Huntington Grounds in Philadelphia when he crossed the plate with the winning run in the 12th inning, then grabbed the ball away from Phillies’ catcher Sid Farrar to prevent a throw to first base to retire the batter Dick Johnston, who had neglected to run the play out after hitting the ball. Mr. Kelly was attacked by a mob of fans and had to hide under the grandstand, protected by players from both teams, until extra police arrived.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Gene Moore. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Moore was an outfielder with six major league teams from 1931-1945, batting .270 with 58 home runs and 436 runs batted in in 1,042 games, and played 9 seasons in the minor leagues from 1928-1942. His best season was his official rookie year of 1936, when he hit .290 with 38 doubles, 12 triples, 13 home runs, and 67 RBIs in 151 games with the Boston Bees. Mr. Moore suffered several injuries in 1938 that shortened his season and hampered his career. He was with the St. Louis Browns in 1944 when they won their only American League pennant. Mr. Moore died on March 12, 1978 at the age of 68.

Jim Davis. U.S. actor. Mr. Davis, born Marlin Davis, appeared in numerous films and television programs--especially Westerns--in a 40-year career, but was best known for playing patriarch Jock Ewing in the television series Dallas (1978-1981). He died of cancer on April 26, 1981 at the age of 71.

90 years ago
1919

Aviation
American pilot Rudolph Schroeder won the Canadian National Exhibition's Great Toronto-New York-Toronto Air Race.

80 years ago
1929

Died on this date
Abraham G. Mills, 85. U.S. baseball executive. Mr. Mills umpired a National League game on October 2, 1877, and was President of the National League in 1883-1884. He was the author of the National Agreement and the reserve rule that governed baseball during its early years, and headed the commission that ruled in 1905 that Abner Doubleday had created baseball.

Baseball
Pinky Whitney and Don Hurst hit consecutive run-scoring singles with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies scored 2 runs and came back from a 6-2 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 before 5,000 fans at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Pinch hitter Spud Davis hit a 3-run home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th to reduce the Phillies' deficit to 6-5.

With the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds tied 5-5 with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning before 30,000 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Chicago third baseman Norm McMillan, batting with the bases loaded, hit a line drive down the left field line that Reds’ left fielder Evar Swanson was unable to find after he saw the ball bounce off a gutter in foul territory. Mr. McMillan ended up with an inside-the-park grand slam. Later, Chicago pitcher Ken Penner picked up his jacket in the bullpen and found the ball in his right sleeve. The homer climaxed a 7-run inning, enabling the Cubs to win 9-5.

70 years ago
1939

On television today
The Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds split a doubleheader before 33,535 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn in the first major league baseball games ever televised. National Broadcasting Company station W2XBS, based in the Empire State Building, broadcast a 5-2 Reds’ win in the opener, followed by a 6-1 Dodgers’ win. Viewers from as far as 50 miles away could see the broadcast. The man calling the action and conducting pre-game interviews was Dodgers’ broadcaster Red Barber.

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King sent personal peace appeals to German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and Polish President Ignacy Mościcki.

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 5

Law
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld restoration of full American citizenship to three Japanese-American women who had renounced it while being held in Western internment camps during World War II. The court condemned the wartime exclusion of all Japanese-Americans from the West Coast, and characterized conditions in the camps as "unnecessarily cruel and inhuman treatment."

Crime
Belgrade sources reported the growth of sabotage in Yugoslavia, directed mainly against the country's rail and shipping lines.

Scandal
John Maragon, an alleged "five percenter" and friend of U.S. presidential military aide Harry Vaughan, refused to testify before the U.S. Senate subcommittee investigating alleged influence-peddling in Washington, despite testimony from other witnesses implicating him in numerous cases of government graft and exercise of improper influence.

Energy
U.S. Interior Secretary Louis Krug, speaking before the United Nations Scientific Conference on Conservation and Utilization of Resources, predicted the development of atomic power generating plants within 20 years, and reported progress in experiments in solar energy.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor American Federation of Teachers ended a five-day convention in Milwaukee after passing a resolution rejecting Communist Party membership as "sufficient grounds for the dismissal of a teacher."

General Motors accepted a United Auto Workers of America demand that wages be maintained at present levels despite a drop in the cost of living index.

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox swept a doubleheader from the Chicago White Sox 11-4 and 10-7 before 19,687 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago, and moved to within 1½ games of the American League-leading New York Yankees. Mel Parnell picked up his 20th win of the season in the opener, and Ted Williams hit his 31st and 32nd home runs of the season in that game. Bobby Doerr added to the Boston attack by going 4 for 4. Mr. Williams added 3 hits in the second game, and Johnny Pesky had 4, as Ellis Kinder pitched a 14-hit complete game and improved his 1949 record to 16-5.

Al Benton (5-4) pitched a 7-hitter to outduel Vic Raschi (16-8), who pitched a 9-hit complete game, as the Cleveland Indians beat the New York Yankees 5-3 before 49,194 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.

Alvin Dark singled home Del Crandall and Pete Reiser with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Boston Braves a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 12,426 fans at Braves Field. Bobby Hogue (2-2) pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief of Vern Bickford to get the win over Johnny Vander Meer (4-8), who pitched an 8-hit complete game.

50 years ago
1959

Died on this date
J. Bayard Clark, 77. U.S. politician. Mr. Clark, a Democrat, represented North Carolina's 6th (1929-1933) and 7th (1933-1949) Districts in the U.S. House of Representatives. He declined to run for re-election in 1948.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived at Wahn Airport in Bonn to begin a European tour, and assured West Germany that the United States would stand by West Germany in her efforts to remain free.

Haitian Presidential Secretary Clement Barbot charged Cuban Ambassador to Haiti Antonio Rodriguez Echazabal with plotting against the regime of Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier.

Agriculture
The People's Republic of China conceded that its 1958 grain output was 250 million metric tons instead of the 375 million tons previously announced.

Baseball
Bill Mazeroski singled home Bob Skinner from second base with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants before 20,244 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The Pirates came back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the score with 4 runs in the 9th.

The Cleveland Indians defeated the New York Yankees 5-4 before 31,800 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland for their eighth straight win. Rocky Colavito’s 8th-inning home run broke a 4-4 tie and enabled Jim Perry to win in relief of Gary Bell, improving his 1959 record to 10-5.

In a typical promotion for Chicago White Sox’ owner Bill Veeck, it was Al Smith Day at Comiskey Park, with every fan named Smith‚ Schmidt‚ Smythe or Smithe admitted free and given a button stating "I'm a Smith and I'm for Al." Chicago left fielder Al Smith batted 1 for 4 as the White Sox lost 7-6 to the Boston Red Sox before 22,497 fans.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Termnus)--Zager & Evans

Died on this date
Ismail al-Azhari, 69. Prime Minister of Sudan, 1954-1956; President of Sudan, 1965-1969. Mr. al-Azhari was a founder of the National Unionist Party (NUP), becoming Prime Minister as Sudan moved toward self-government. He originally advocated unity with Egypt, but changed his position in the face of public opposition, and declared Sudanese independence on January 1, 1956. Mr. al-Azhari resigned as Prime Minister six months later after losing a vote of non-confidence in Parliament. He opposed succeeding governments, but was unsuccessful in regaining power. Mr. al-Azhari was given the largely honourary office of President in 1965, but was ousted in May 1969 in a military coup d'état led by Colonel Gaafar Nimeiry. Mr. al-Azhari died just three months later.

Music
The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton hosted Youth Scene '69, with CHED disc jockey Bob McCord as MC. The Turtles were the headline act; other acts included Gainsborough Gallery; Wes Dakus; and Barry Allen. Tickets were priced at $2 and $2.50.

Protest
Protests led by the Black Construction Coalition against "discriminatory hiring practices" at several construction sites in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania continued. In a skirmish near Three Rivers Stadium, police arrested 180 people. 45, including 12 policemen, were injured.

Law
American civil rights lawyers held a meeting to draft a protest against what they considered a slackening in the enforcement of civil rights laws by the administration of President Richard Nixon. The meeting took place as reports spread in Washington of widespread dissatisfaction among career civil rights lawyers over the government’s request to delay desegregation in 33 Mississippi counties.

Disasters
15 were reported dead and 15 hurt when a Soviet plane crashed in the outskirts of Moscow.

Baseball
The Montreal Expos released veteran relief pitcher Dick Radatz, ending his 7-year major league career. He was 0-4 with an earned run average of 5.71 and 3 saves in 22 games with the Expos after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers on June 15, after posting a 2-2 record with a 3.38 ERA and no saves in 11 games with Detroit in 1969. Mr. Radatz's last appearance had come in a 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 15; he had been relieved by Roy Face, who, like Mr. Radatz, had been one of the best relief pitchers of the era, but had seen better days. Mr. Face was released immediately after the August 15 game, ending his career.

Lee May doubled home Johnny Bench from first base with 1 out in the top of the 9th inning to provide the deciding run as the Cincinnati Reds, who led 7-1 after 3½ innings, barely held on to defeat the Chicago Cubs 8-7 before 31,473 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs scored a run in the bottom of the 9th and had Glenn Beckert on third base, but Wayne Granger relieved starting pitcher Jim Merritt and retired Ron Santo on a ground ball to third baseman Tony Perez to end the game. Mr. Merritt allowed 9 hits and 5 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings to improve his 1969 record to 15-5.

Julian Javier's home run leading off the bottom of the 3rd inning was the first of just 2 hits for the St. Louis Cardinals, but provided all the scoring as they edged the Houston Astros 1-0 in the first game of a doubleheader before 27,284 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Lou Brock singled with 2 out in the 3rd, and the Cardinals had no other baserunners in the game. Nelson Briles (13-11) pitched a 4-hitter, while Larry Dierker (16-10) pitched 7 innings, and Jim Bouton, in his first game in a Houston uniform since being acquired from the Seattle Pilots two days earlier, pitched a perfect 8th inning. Pinch hitter Julio Gotay singled home Joe Morgan and Jim Wynn with 2 out and the bases loaded in the top of the 9th to break a 2-2 tie as the Astros won the second game 4-2.

Willie McCovey hit his 40th home run of the season--a grand slam in the 3rd inning--and drove in 6 runs, while Bobby Bonds batted in another 5 with a pair of homers, as the San Francisco Giants beat the Philadelphia Phillies 13-4 before 5,208 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco for their sixth straight win, allowing them to retain a ½-game lead in the National League West Division. Gaylord Perry (16-10) pitched a 5-hit complete game victory.

Tom Seaver (18-7) pitched a 4-hitter and Jim McAndrew (6-5) followed with a 5-hitter as the New York Mets swept a doubleheader from the San Diego Padres 8-4 and 3-0 before 8,873 fans at San Diego Stadium, moving to within 3 games of the rapidly fading Cubs in the National League East Division pennant race.

Bill Melton doubled home Tom McCraw and Walt Williams to score 2 unearned runs with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning to tie the score, and Pete Ward drove in Ken Berry with an unearned run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th to break a 2-2 tie as the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Yankees 3-2 before 12,409 fans at Yankee Stadium. New York shortstop Gene Michael's error prolonged the 9th inning, and he and second baseman Bobby Cox made errors in the 10th, and catcher Frank Fernandez allowed a passed ball, enabling the winning run to score without benefit of a hit.

The Oakland Athletics took a 5-0 lead after 2½ innings and held on to defeat the Detroit Tigers 8-6 in the first game of a doubleheader before 40,248 fans at Tiger Stadium. Oakland left fielder Tommie Reynolds batted 4 for 5 with a double, 2 runs, and a run batted in, and first baseman Tito Francona batted 2 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs; the homer was his first since being acquired from the Atlanta Braves four days earlier. Mickey Stanley and Al Kaline each hit 2 home runs and Norm Cash added another for the Tigers in the second game as they withstood a 5-run 9th-inning rally to win 9-6. The Athletics had runners on first and second bases with 2 out in the 9th, but Reggie Jackson, who had walked to lead off the inning and scored, struck out to end the game.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Some Girls--Racey (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Tu sei l'unica donna per me--Alan Sorrenti (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Dizzy Sutherland, 57. U.S. baseball pitcher. Howard Alvin Sutherland played 1 game for the Washington Nationals on September 20, 1949, starting and losing against the St. Louis Browns, allowing 2 hits, 6 bases on balls, and 5 runs--all earned-in 1+ inning for an earned run average of 45.00. He was 49-33 in 3 seasons with the Charlotte Hornets of the Class B Tri-State League from 1949-1951.

Track and field
In the first edition of the Montreal International Marathon for elite runners, Kebede Balcha won, covering the distance in 2 hours 11 minutes 35 seconds. Jacqueline Gareau of Quebec was the top female competitor, finishing in just over 2 hours 40 minutes.

Baseball
Tom Seaver notched his 11th straight win, improving his 1979 record to 13-5 as he pitched a 4-hitter, leading the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-0 win over his former team, the New York Mets, before 20,619 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. All the scoring came in the last 3 innings, and Mr. Seaver doubled home 2 runs in the 8th inning to give the Reds a 4-0 lead.

Steve Kemp led off the bottom of the 10th inning with his second home run of the game to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners in the first game of a doubleheader before 31,770 fans at Tiger Stadium. He and Jason Thompson had hit consecutive homers in the 6th. Mr. Kemp added another home run in the second game, but it was pinch hitter Champ Summers who hit a solo home run in the 8th inning to break an 8-8 tie as the Tigers won 9-8 to complete the sweep.

Doug DeCinces hit a grand slam in the 1st inning and the Baltimore Orioles added 4 runs in the 2nd inning en route to a 12-7 win over the Chicago White Sox in the first game of a doubleheader before 25,605 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Gary Roenicke led off the top of the 13th inning with a home run to break a 3-3 tie as the Orioles won the second game 4-3 to complete the sweep. Jim Morrison homered for the White Sox in the first game and led off the second game with a home run.

25 years ago
1984

Politics and government
U.S. Democratic Party presidential candidate Walter Mondale claimed that President Ronald Reagan regarded arms control as "weakness."

Football
CFL
Montreal (3-5) 23 @ Toronto (6-2) 29
Saskatchewan (1-6-1) 28 @ Winnipeg (7-1) 48

Toronto running back Lester Brown rushed 12 times for 73 yards and a touchdown, and caught 2 passes for 70 more yards as the Argonauts held off a late Montreal charge to beat the Concordes before 35,319 fans at Exhibition Stadium.

Willard Reaves rushed 18 times for 124 yards and a touchdown and caught 2 passes for 39 yards and another touchdown to lead the Blue Bombers’ attack. Craig Ellis led the Roughriders with 13 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown, and 6 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. James Murphy returned a punt 64 yards for a Winnipeg touchdown, and Aaron Brown scored another Blue Bomber major on a 14-yard interception return. 27,213 fans were at Winnipeg Stadium.



Baseball
Greg Pryor’s home run in the bottom of the 16th inning gave the Kansas City Royals a 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox before 22,971 fans at Royals Stadium in Kansas City. The blow came one out after Frank White had been picked off second base after leading off the inning with a single.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Viva la mamma--Edoardo Bennato (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Lambada--Kaoma (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): We are Growing (Shaka Zulu)--Margaret Singana (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Lambada--Kaoma (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Swing the Mood--Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx (3rd week at #1)
2 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
3 Hangin' Tough--New Kids on the Block
4 Don't Wanna Lose You--Gloria Estefan
5 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
6 Secret Rendezvous--Karyn White
7 Once Bitten Twice Shy--Great White
8 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
9 Friends--Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim
10 Angel Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band

Singles entering the chart were Partyman by Prince (#46); Listen to Your Heart by Roxette (#64); Healing Hands by Elton John (#78); Rock Wit'cha by Bobby Brown (#92); Still Cruisin' by the Beach Boys (#93); Call it Love by Poco (#94); Stand Up by Underworld (#95); Glamour Boys by Living Colour (#98); and That's When I Think of You by 1927 (#100). Partyman was from the movie Batman (1989). Still Cruisin' was included in the movie Lethal Weapon 2 (1989).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx (2nd week at #1)
2 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
3 Don't Wanna Lose You--Gloria Estefan
4 Hangin' Tough--New Kids on the Block
5 Once Bitten Twice Shy--Great White
6 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
7 Angel Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band
8 Secret Rendezvous--Karyn White
9 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
10 Sacred Emotion--Donny Osmond

Singles entering the chart were Partyman by Prince (#51); Listen to Your Heart by Roxette (#56); Call it Love by Poco (#64); Love Shack by the B-52's (#70); Healing Hands by Elton John (#80); Lay Down Your Arms by Graces (#85); Glamour Boys by Living Colour; Don't Shut Me Out by Kevin Paige (#90); and Rock Wit'cha by Bobby Brown (#93).

Died on this date
Irving Stone, 86. U.S. author. Mr. Stone, born Irving Tannenbaum, was best known for his biographical novels Lust for Life (1934); The President's Lady (1950); and The Agony and the Ecstasy (1961), all of which were made into movies.

Politics and government
Mayumi Moriyama was appointed chief cabinet secretary in the government of Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, becoming Japan's first female cabinet secretary.

Football
CIAU
Pre-season
Saskatchewan 27 Alberta 30 @ Camrose, Alberta

Baseball
Robin Yount’s 6th-inning single was the only hit against Dave Stieb as the Toronto ace pitched his fifth career 1-hitter, leading the Blue Jays to a 7-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers before 49,507 fans at SkyDome in Toronto.

10 years ago
1999

War
Russia began the Second Chechen War in response to the invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade.

Track and field
Michael Johnson of the United States shattered Butch Reynolds' 11-year-old world record in the 400 metres in a remarkable 43.18 seconds at the World Track and Field Championships in Seville, Spain.



Football
CFL
Calgary (6-2) 36 @ Winnipeg (2-6) 11
Saskatchewan (2-6) 21 @ British Columbia (6-2) 28

Baseball
Randy Johnson reached 300 strikeouts in a season in record time, fanning 9 in improving his 1999 record to 14-8 as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Florida Marlins 12-2 before 13,521 fans at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. Damian Miller's grand slam was the big blow of an 8-run 9th inning for Arizona.

Jody Reed doubled to lead off the bottom of the 9th inning and scored on a 2-out double by Mickey Morandini to give the Chicago Cubs an 11-10 win over the San Francisco Giants before 28,351 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Giants led 7-2 after 3½ innings and 10-6 after 6½. Chicago first baseman Mark Grace batted 3 for 5 with a home run, double, and 5 runs batted in, while right fielder Sammy Sosa added his 53rd home run of the season. Jeff Kent batted in 4 runs for the Giants.