September 2, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Lyudmila Dudukina!

360 years ago
1649

War
The Italian city of Castro was completely destroyed by the forces of Pope Innocent X, ending the Wars of Castro.

220 years ago
1789

Economics and finance
The United States Treasury Department was established.

170 years ago
1839

Born on this date
Henry George. U.S. economist. Mr. George was known for his advocacy of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax." He believed that everyone should own what they create, but that everything found in nature, especially the value of land, belonged equally to all humanity. His best-known book was Progress and Poverty (1879). Mr. George died of a stroke on October 29, 1897 at the age of 58, four days before the New York mayoral election, in which he was a candidate.

160 years ago
1849

Born on this date
A.G. Spalding. U.S. baseball pitcher and executive. Albert Goodwill Spalding played with the Rockford Forest Citys (1866-1870) of the National Association of Base Ball Players; the Boston Red Stockings (1871-1875) of the National Association; and the Chicago White Stockings (1876-1878), compiling a record of 204-65 with an earned run average of 2.21 in 282 games in the NA, batting .323 with 2 home runs and 259 runs batted in in 287 games. He was 48-12 with a 1.78 ERA in 65 games in the NL, batting .287 with no homers and 79 RBIs in 127 games. Mr. Spalding led the NA in wins in all five seasons, and led the NL in wins in 1876. He helped the Red Stockings win four straight pennants (1872-1875), and helped the White Stockings win the NL's first pennant in 1876, his first of two seasons managing the team. Mr. Spalding was one of the founders of the National League, and was president and part-owner of the White Stockings. He led a group of major league players on the first international tour (1888-1889); published the first official rules guide for baseball; led a commission investigating baseball's origins; and wrote America's National Game (1911), the first scholarly history of baseball. Mr. Spalding is probabluy best known today for the sporting goods company that he founded with his brother Walter in 1874. Mr. Spalding died of a stroke on September 9, 1915, a week after his 66th birthday. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

130 years ago
1879

Died on this date
Robert Brown, 68; Addie Brown, 12. Canadian crime victims. Mr. Brown, a farmer, and his daughter Addie were murdered by Mr. Brown's 21-year-old son Clark at the family home in Cornwall, Ontario.

110 years ago
1899

Baseball
The Louisville Colonels hit 6 home runs, all by different players, as they whipped the Washington Senators 25-4 at Eclipse Park in Louisville. The Colonels’ home runs came from Dummy Hoy; Mike Kelley; Tommy Leach; Fred Clarke; Claude Ritchey; and Billy Clingman. The home runs by Messrs. Kelley and Leach were inside-the-park. The Senators hit 2 home runs of their own. Because of poor attendance‚ Louisville President Barney Dreyfuss decided to transfer the Colonels’ last 14 home games to the opponents' grounds.

90 years ago
1919

Aviation
Legendary pilot Captain Wilfred "Wop" May and Detective James Campbell, both armed, left Edmonton, Alberta in a biplane bound for Gainford and then Edson, in pursuit of J.G. Larsen, the only suspect in the shooting of Edmonton policeman William Nixon, who had died two days earlier. It was the first time in Canadian history that an airplane was used in pursuing a criminal suspect. Edmonton police chief George Hill had to get police commission approval to hire Capt. May for the flight, hence the two days’ delay.

Baseball
The National Commission recommended that the World Series be changed from a best-of-seven series to a best-of-nine.

80 years ago
1929

Died on this date
Bert Blue, 51. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Blue was a catcher with the St. Louis Browns (1908) and Philadelphia Athletics (1908), batting .286 with no home runs and 2 runs batted in in 17 games. He played at least 8 seasons in the minor leagues from 1901-1911.

Baseball
Hack Wilson hit a home run and drove in 5 runs to help the Chicago Cubs defeat the St.Louis Cardinals 11-7 before 48,000 fans in a Labor Day morning game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Pat Malone pitched a 14-hit complete game victory, allowing 6 earned runs, to improve his 1929 record to 19-9. Rogers Hornsby batted 3 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs, and 4 RBIs to help the Cubs overcome an early 4-0 deficit to win an afternoon game 12-10 before 44,000 fans. Hal Carlson (10-4) allowed 14 hits and 9 runs--8 earned in 6+ innings, but got the win, and batted 3 for 3 with a double, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs.

The New York Giants scored 7 runs in the 4th inning as they beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 30,000 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Bill Walker (8-7) pitched a 15-hit complete game victory and batted 1 for 3 with a sacrifice and an RBI. The Phillies won the second game 4-3 in 12 innings, thanks in part to a fan in the right field bleachers who interfered with a ball hit by Edd Roush of the Giants that appeared headed for a home run. Phil Collins (5-7) pitched 5 perfect innings in relief of Ray Benge, while Carl Hubbell (14-9) allowed 10 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete game loss. New York right fielder Mel Ott hit a home run in each game.

Hank DeBerry hit a single, double, and triple in 4 at bats with 2 runs and 2 runs batted in to help the Brooklyn Robins beat the Boston Braves 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 20,000 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Watty Clark (13-16) pitched a 2-hitter and Del Bissonette drove in 5 runs to help the Robins win the second game 10-0 to complete the sweep. Bill Dunlap made his major league debut with the Braves in the second game, striking out as a pinch hitter.

The Cincinnati Reds scored 2 runs in the 3rd inning, 3 in the 4th, and 2 in the 6th as they defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 in the first game of a doubleheader at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Jakie May (9-12) allowed just 1 hit and no runs in 4 1/3 innings of relief to get the win. Cincinnati starting pitcher Dolf Luque batted in 2 runs with a pair of sacrifice bunts, but was relieved by Mr. May with 2 out in the 5th inning after giving up 11 hits and 5 runs--3 earned. Lloyd Waner doubled home Steve Swetonic with 1 out in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Pirates a 9-8 win in the second game. Mr. Swetonic (7-9) allowed 3 hits and no runs in 5 innings of relief to get the win. Mr. Waner was 4 for 7 with a run and a run batted in, while Cincinnati catcher Clyde Sukeforth batted 4 for 6 with 3 runs and 2 RBIs.

Joe Cronin hit for the cycle and added another double, scoring 3 runs and driving in 4, while Joe Judge hit a 3-run home run to help the Washington Nationals defeat the Boston Red Sox 10-7 in the first game of a doubleheader at Braves Field in Boston. Myles Thomas (7-6) pitched a 15-hit complete game victory and batted 2 for 3 with a sacrifice and a run batted in. Boston right fielder Elliot Bigelow was 3 for 5 with 2 runs and an RBI in the first game, and was 4 for 4 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs to help the Red Sox win the second game 7-2. Milt Gaston (9-16) pitched a 7-hit complete game victory for Boston in the second game.

The Philadelphia Athletics scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning to overcome an early 1-0 deficit and defeat the New York Yankees 10-3 in the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Jack Quinn (11-8) pitched an 11-hit complete game victory. Mickey Cochrane singled home Mule Haas with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th to complete a 2-run rally as the Athletics blew a 4-0 lead but came back to win the second game 6-5 to complete the sweep and extend their lead over the second-place Yankees to 13½ games.

Jake Miller (12-10) pitched a 7-hitter without allowing an earned run to win the pitchers' duel over Sam Gray (17-12) as the Cleveland Indians edged the St. Louis Browns 2-1 before 20,000 fans in the first of 2 games at League Park in Cleveland. Earl Averill drove in 3 runs with a home run and a ground out to help the Indians win the second game 9-5 before 20,000 fans to complete the sweep, with Willis Hudlin (14-12) winning over General Crowder (13-13).

Charlie Gehringer batted 4 for 4 with a base on balls, double, 3 runs, 3 runs batted in, and 2 stolen bases to help the Detroit Tigers defeat the Chicago White Sox 10-8 in the first game of a doubleheader at Navin Field in Detroit. Ted Lyons (13-15) pitched a 10-hit complete game and singled home John Kerr with the game's first run in the 5th inning as the White Sox won the second game 8-2.

70 years ago
1939

War
Following the start of the invasion of Poland the previous day, the Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) was annexed by Germany.



Baseball
The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers combined to hit 9 home runs as the Giants defeated the Dodgers 10-6 in the first game of a doubleheader before 40,031 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Dodgers won the second game 7-2.

60 years ago
1949

At the movies
White Heat, directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, and Edmond O'Brien, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Walter Kirke, 72. U.K. military officer. General Sir Walter served in Indian from 1901-1902 and in Frnace and Belgium during World War I, but was best known as Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces from 1939 until his retirement in 1940.

Economics and finance
Yugoslavia liquidated joint enterprises with the U.S.S.R. in Danubian shipping and Balkan civil aviation.

Labour
The Canadian Seamen's Union withdrew from the Trades and Labour Congress in a disagreement over its strike against Eastern Canadian shippers.

Disasters
A fire in the Nationalist Chinese capital of Chungking caused 1,700 deaths and damaged 10,000 buildings on the city's waterfront.

50 years ago
1959

Diplomacy
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was warmly greeted in Paris by French President Charles de Gaulle.

Defense
Argentine War Minister Elbio Anaya dismissed Army Commander-in-Chief General Carlos Severo Toranzo Montero, accusing him of "misunderstanding the extent of his authority."

Politics and government
Pakistani President Mohammed Ayub Khan announced plans for creation of a pyramidal system of local and provincial councils designed to establish the "basic democracies" in Pakistan.

Karl Schirdewan and Fritz Selbmann, East German Communist Party leaders purged in 1958, confessed that they had sought to wrest control of the party from First Secretary Walter Ulbricht.

Crime
A U.S. federal grand jury in Chicago indicted 21 suspects, including three police officers, on charges of operating a coast-to-coast narcotics ring with headquarters in Chicago.

Baseball
Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, and Willie "Puddin’ Head" Jones hit home runs to help the Cincinnati Reds overcome a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 in the first game of a twi-night doubleheader before 13,014 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Mr. Jones' 3-run blast in the bottom of the 8th inning broke a 3-3 tie. The Pirates scored their run in the 1st inning when Dick Groat singled, Roberto Clemente tripled him home, and Dick Stuart followed with a home run. Jim O'Toole pitched a 6-hit complete game victory to improve his 1959 record to 5-7, while Vernon Law took the loss, dropping to 15-8. With 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning of the second game, Johnny Temple tripled and Mr. Pinson doubled him home to break a 1-1 tie as the Reds won 2-1 to complete the sweep. Don Newcombe (13-7) pitched a 9-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Bob Friend (8-16), who allowed 8 hits, including a single by Mr. Newcombe to score Eddie Kasko in the 5th inning to open the scoring. The doubleheader loss left the fourth-place Pirates 5 games behind the National League-leading San Francisco Giants.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored 3 runs in each of the 3rd and 6th innings and 4 in the 8th as they beat the Milwaukee Braves 11-5 before 18,047 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee, dropping the third-place Braves 4 games behind the NL-leading Giants. Robin Roberts (12-15) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory to win over Lou Burdette (18-14).

Jackie Brandt’s home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning gave the San Francisco Giants a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs before 16,422 fans at Seals Stadium in San Francisco, and enabled them to remain 1½ games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League pennant race. The Cubs had scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th off Mike McCormick to tie the game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers overcame an early 5-1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 before 15,671 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Chuck Churn, the last of four Dodger pitchers, allowed 4 hits and 1 run--earned--in 4 2/3 innings to get his first major league win.

The Chicago White Sox extended their American League lead over the second-place Cleveland Indians to 5½ games with a doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers before 43,237 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Sherm Lollar doubled home 2 runs in the 1st inning as the White Sox cruised to a 7-2 win in the first game, with Dick Donovan (9-6) allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs in 8 innings to win over Frank Lary (17-9). The White Sox trailed 3-0 when they erupted for 11 runs in the 5th inning and coasted to an 11-4 win in the second game. The last 10 Chicago runs were scored after there were 2 out and nobody on base--an American League record. Joe Stanka made his major league debut, relieving starting pitcher Barry Latman with 1 out in the top of the 5th inning of the second game. Mr. Stanka allowed 1 hit and 1 run--earned--in 3 1/3 innings to get the win, while batting 1 for 3, singling home a run in his first plate appearance and scoring in the 5th.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Je t'aime...mon non plus--Jane Birkin avec Serge Gainsbourg

Died on this date
Ho Chi Minh, 79. President of North Vietnam, 1945-1969. A long-time Communist, Ho Chi Minh engineered the defeat of French forces at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, and led his countrymen against American and South Vietnamese forces in the 1960s. He died in Hanoi after what was reported as a "sudden" heart attack.

James A. Pike, 56. U.S. clergyman. A publicity-seeking wolf in sheep’s clothing, Rev. Pike was the Episcopal Bishop of California who broke with the Episcopal Church in 1968 after years of publicly questioning and denying Christian doctrine, which culminated in his being tried for heresy in 1966. Rev. Pike became involved with the occult, and appeared on the CTV news program W5 in 1967, attempting to contact the spirit of his dead son through psychic Arthur Ford. Rev. Pike and his 31-year-old wife Diane were visiting the Judean Desert, near the Dead Sea, when their car broke down on the evening of September 1. They walked away, but Rev. Pike was unable to continue for long, and told his wife to go on alone. She did, and wandered into a work camp 13 hours later. Rev. Pike was nowhere near the car when the search party arrived, but it was believed that it was highly unlikely that he could have survived for more than 24 hours in the 100-degree heat. His body was discovered on September 7. He had apparently fallen onto a ledge when he sought to climb out of a deep canyon near the Dead Sea. Rev. Pike’s funeral was attended by three surviving wives. The book The Bishop Pike Affair by William Stringfellow and Anthony Towne (1967) is an account of the heresy trial which is sympathetic to Rev. Pike.

Willy Mairesse, 40. Belgian auto racing driver. Mr. Mairesse participated in 13 Formula One races from 1960-1963 and 1965, with a best finish of third in the 1960 Italian Grand Prix. He won the Angola Grand Prix in 1964 and the 1966 Targa Florio, and finished second (1961) and third (1965, 1967) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mr. Mairesse suffered career-ending injuries in a crash in the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, and committed suicide with an overdose of sleeping pills in a hotel room in Ostend, 29 days before his 41st birthday.

Personal
This blogger began grade 3 in Mrs. Fizer’s class at Yellowknife Public School.

War
Xuan Thuy, the chief North Vietnamese delegate at the Paris peace talks, indicated that some progress could be made at the talks if the United States accelerated its troop withdrawals from South Vietnam. Mr. Thuy, who termed the previous month’s withdrawal "insignificant," said that the U.S. must put the principle of withdrawal "into practice."

Two American prisoners of war recently released by North Vietnam told stories of brutality and torture inflicted during their imprisonment. One of the POWs, Lieutenant Robert Frishman of the U.S. Navy, said that fellow officers had been strung up by their wrists and had their fingernails removed.

Politics and government
A 31-member cabinet, the largest in the 14-year history of the Republic of South Vietnam, was presented by President Nguyen Van Thieu and his new premier, General Tran Thien Khiem. Technocrats and soldiers were heavily represented, with military men in the key posts, but the cabinet seemed most notable for the omission of political leaders of the non-Communist opposition party.

The National Governors Conference, meeting in Colorado Springs, accepted a proposal by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to urge a U.S. federal government takeover of all welfare costs within five years, and adoption of a national compulsory health insurance program.

Society
A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed on Hartford, Connecticut following widespread Negro ghetto disorders that included fire-bombing and sniping; scores of people were arrested.

Crime
A woman and a policeman were reported killed during sporadic sniper fire on the streets of Camden, New Jersey.

Judge Paul Reardon of the Massachusetts Supreme Court ordered a postponement of the inquest into the death of Mary Jo Kopechne to enable the court to decide if Senator Edward Kennedy’s constitutional rights were being violated. Sen. Kennedy’s lawyer argued that the "gathering crescendo" of publicity could "taint" proceedings against his client.

Baseball
Ralph Houk signed a new 3-year contract with the Yankees at $65‚000 a season‚ giving him the highest managerial salary in the major leagues. The Yankees also reinstated first baseman Joe Pepitone, who had quit the team the previous week.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Some Girls--Racey (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Tu sei l'unica donna per me--Alan Sorrenti (3rd week at #1)

Crime
The body of a young woman, thought to be the twelfth victim of the "Yorkshire Ripper," was discovered in an alleyway near the centre of Bradford, England.

25 years ago
1984

Crime
A 14-year-old girl and six motorcycle gang members were killed in a gun battle between rival gangs in a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (7-2) 25 @ Saskatchewan (2-6-1) 30

Dave Ridgway kicked 5 field goals, including 2 in the last 3 minutes, to give the Roughriders the win. Mr. Ridgway connected from 52 yards at 12:14 of the fourth quarter to make the score 27-25 for Saskatchewan, and after a turnover, he kicked a 30-yard field goal at 13:57. Willard Reaves of the Blue Bombers was the offensive star, with 21 carries for 129 yards, 4 receptions for 45, and 1 kickoff return for 23. 25,208 fans at Taylor Field in Regina saw the Blue Bombers’ winning streak snapped at 7.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Viva la mamma--Edoardo Bennato (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Lambada--Kaoma (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): We are Growing (Shaka Zulu)--Margaret Singana (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Lambada--Kaoma (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Swing the Mood--Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (5th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
2 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx
3 Hangin' Tough--New Kids on the Block
4 Don't Wanna Lose You--Gloria Estefan
5 Angel Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band
6 Heaven--Warrant
7 Secret Rendezvous--Karyn White
8 Shower Me with Your Love--Surface
9 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
10 Friends--Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim

Singles entering the chart were Miss You Much by Janet Jackson (#42); Mixed Emotions by the Rolling Stones (#47); Sowing the Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears (#53); Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith (#56); Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue (#65); The Best by Tina Turner (#77); Love Shack by the B-52's (#84); Puss n' Boots/These Boots (Are Made for Walkin') by Kon Kan (#93); and I Feel the Earth Move by Martika (#96).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Cold Hearted--Paula Abdul
2 Don't Wanna Lose You--Gloria Estefan
3 Hangin' Tough--New Kids on the Block
4 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx
5 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
6 Angel Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band
7 Secret Rendezvous--Karyn White
8 Friends--Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim
9 Heaven--Warrant
10 Shower Me with Your Love--Surface

Singles entering the chart were Mixed Emotions by the Rolling Stones (#43); Miss You Much by Janet Jackson (#60); Sowing the Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears (#65); Love in an Elevator by Aerosmith (#72); The Best by Tina Turner (#75); Dr. Feel Good by Motley Crue (#78); Stand Up by Underworld (#87); I Feel the Earth Move by Martika (#90); and On the Line by Tangier (#93).

World events
Poland’s Roman Catholic primate, Cardinal Jozef Glemp, objected to a 1987 agreement to move a Roman Catholic convent from the grounds of Auschwitz, the Nazi death camp in Poland, to a nearby ecumenical centre.

10 years ago
1999

Politics and government
The White House announced that U.S. President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary had decided to buy a house in Chappaqua, New York, a suburb north of New York City. Mrs. Clinton was expected to announce that she would be a candidate for the United States Senate in New York in 2000, and in order to run, she was required to establish residence there before election day. In typical liberal fashion, the Clintons bought a house in the wealthiest and whitest neighbourhood they could find.

Football
CFL
Montreal (6-3) 23 @ British Columbia (7-2) 44

Damon Allen completed 19 of 25 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Lions to victory before 19,724 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. Rod Harris caught 2 of Mr. Allen’s scoring strikes, covering 55 and 44 yards. Jimmy Cunningham scored on a 58-yard pass from Mr. Allen, who passed former teammate Matt Dunigan to move into second place on the CFL career passing yardage list.

Baseball
Cal Ripken, Jr. hit his 400th career major league home run, a 3-run shot off Rolando Arroyo in the 3rd inning, as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 11-6 before 39,172 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

David Wells pitched a 4-hitter, improving his 1999 record to 13-9, as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-1 before 22,255 fans at SkyDome in Toronto. Toronto rookie outfielder Vernon Wells struck out against Minnesota relief pitcher Bob Wells in the 7th inning.

The Cleveland Indians scored 5 runs in the 6th inning and withstood a 4-run 9rh-inning rally to defeat the Anaheim Angels 6-5 before 43,369 fans at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. Winning pitcher Charles Nagy (15-9) allowed 8 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings, but three relievers almost blew the lead.

The Detroit Tigers scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning as they overcame an early 5-0 deficit and defeated the Texas Rangers 8-7 before 22,945 fans at Tiger Stadium. The Rangers had a runner on third base with 1 out in the 9th, but Mark McLemore and Ivan Rodriguez struck out to end the game.

Joe McEwing singled home Craig Paquette with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning to break a 3-3 tie as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 before 23,041 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee.