October 21, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Donna Morrow!

810 years ago
1209

Europeana
Otto IV was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Innocent III.

140 years ago
1879

Technology
Thomas Edison invented a workable incandescent electric lamp at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

125 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Edogawa Rampo. Japanese author. Mr. Rampo, whose real name was Tarō Hirai, was the first modern writer of mystery fiction in Japan; his pseudonym is a rendering of Edgar Allan Poe. He created the detective Kogoro Akechi, who appeared in novels and short stories from 1925-1955. Mr. Rampo died on July 28, 1965 at the age of 70.

90 years ago
1929

Aviation
The 12-engine Dornier Do X Flugschiff (flying ship) made its 70th test flight. 169 people--150 of them passengers--were aboard, setting a world record for the most people carried on a single flight. The record stood for 20 years.

Americana
The Edison Institute--better known today as the Henry Ford--opened in Dearborn, Michigan, as Henry Ford and other prominent Americans, including President Herbert Hoover, honoured Thomas Edison on the 50th anniversary of his invention of the incandescent electric lamp.







75 years ago
1934

Baseball
An all-star major league team led by Connie Mack and Babe Ruth sailed for a tour of Hawaii and Japan.

70 years ago
1939

On the radio



Football
CRU
IRFU
Hamilton (1-2) 4 @ Montreal (0-3) 2
Ottawa (3-0) 18 @ Toronto (2-1) 7

WIFU
Winnipeg (9-2) 12 @ Regina (6-5) 16
Edmonton (3-8) 8 @ Calgary (4-7) 18

ORFU
Toronto (1-1-1) 9 @ Peterborough (0-3) 0
Sarnia (1-1-1) 5 @ Montreal (3-0) 12

Harry Guest and Lindsay Holt scored touchdowns for the Roughriders as they upset the Blue Bombers before 3,500 fans at Park de Young. Mr. Holt scored his TD on a pass from Howard Cleveland. Fritz Hanson scored both Winnipeg touchdowns.

Paul Rowe a touchdown and 3 converts for the Bronks as they beat the Eskimos at Mewata Stadium. Larry Haynes and Wolfie Hughes scored the other Calgary touchdowns. Bill Matheny scored the Edmonton touchdown on a 35-yard return after taking a lateral from Ernie Stevens, who had intercepted a pass by Mr. Rowe. The game turned out to be the last for the Eskimos until 1949.

Canadian university
Saskatchewan (3-1) 3 @ Alberta (1-3) 9

Jerry Collins completed a 35-yard pass to Jack Miller late in the 3rd quarter for the game's only touchdown as the Golden Bears beat the Huskies at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton.

60 years ago
1949

Diplomacy
Czechoslovakian police in Prague arrested a U.S. embassy clerk and expelled a U.S. attache, accusing both of attempting to organize a spy ring in 1948.

A U.S. federal grand jury in Washington indicted the Soviet trade agency Amtorg and six of its officials for failing to register as foreign agents.

Crime
New York Judge Harold Medina sentenced 11 U.S. Communist Party leaders convicted of subversion to $10,000 fines and prison terms of 3-5 years.

Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary Louis Johnson and General George Marshall testified before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, pleading for an end to the current dispute over U.S. military strategy.

Politics and government
West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer claimed that the German Democratic Republic was illegal, and that the Federal Republic had "responsibility" for all Germans.

Labour
East Coast U.S. longshoremen ratified a contract establishing an employer-financed pension fund.

50 years ago
1959

Space
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the transfer of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and its team of space scientists, headed by Wernher von Braun, to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

World events
Cuban authorities arrested Major Humberto Matos, military leader of Camaguey Province and a former aide to Prime Minister Fidel Castro, on conspiracy charges.

Politics and government
United Arab Republic President Gamal Nasser issued a decree giving U.A.R. Vice President Field Marshal Abdel Hakim Amer full powers over the Syrian Region.

James Dillon was elected President of the United Ireland Party and became opposition leader in the Irish Parliament.

Crime
The U.S. Supreme Court granted convicted rapist Caryl Chessman a stay of execution, two days before he was scheduled to die in the gas chamber of San Quentin Penitentiary in California.

Art
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of modern and contemporary art, a facility designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in New York City.

Baseball
Continental League president Branch Rickey announced that a franchise would be awarded to Buffalo. Montreal, Atlanta, and Dallas-Fort Worth were still in the running for the remaining two slots.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Je t'aime...mon non plus--Jane Birkin avec Serge Gainsbourg (8th week at #1)

On the radio
A Book at Bedtime, on BBC 4
Tonight's episode: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Part 2, read by Nigel Stock

Theatre
Butterflies are Free, starring Keir Dullea and Eileen Heckart, opened at the Booth Theatre in New York for the first of 1,128 performances.

Politics and government
Willy Brandt was elected Chancellor of West Germany by the Bundestag. Mr. Brandt, who was confirmed by a three-vote margin, was the first leader of the Social Democratic party to win the leadership.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez

#1 single in Switzerland: We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richard

Politics and government
Moshe Dayan resigned as Israel’s Foreign Minister in a fundamental disagreement with the government of Prime Minister Menachem Begin over the future of the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. He said that his moderate position on Palestinian self-rule differed from the majority in the cabinet, and since the issue was the central one in foreign policy, he found himself "left to deal with marginal subjects--ceremonies, cocktails, things like that." Mr. Dayan had opposed the seizure of uncultivated Arab lands in the territories, argued against some of the Jewish settlements there, and met privately with Palestinian leaders for talks.

Labour
The dispute in Britain that had kept The Times and The Sunday Times of London from publishing for almost 11 months was settled. The dispute was over institution of technological advances in typesetting, manning requirements, and wildcat strikes. In the settlement, manning levels were reduced and the question of the introduction of computer typesetting technology was deferred for a year.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (7-5-2) 3 @ Hamilton (6-9) 21
Saskatchewan (1-13) 14 @ Winnipeg (4-11) 23

Tom Clements and Neil Lumsden rushed for touchdowns to lead the Tiger-Cats to their win over the Rough Riders in front of an Ivor Wynne Stadium crowd of 27,211.

Joey Walters caught 14 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, but the Roughriders still came up short against the Blue Bombers at Winnipeg Stadium. Dieter Brock threw a touchdown pass to Tennie Pierce and Jim Washington rushed for another Blue Bomber touchdown. Bernie Ruoff converted both and added 3 field goals. 23,033 fans witnessed the third Winnipeg win over Saskatchewan in as many games in 1979.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 Minnesota 5

25 years ago
1984

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Democratic Party challenger Walter Mondale met at Bartle Hall in downtown Kansas City, Missouri for the second and last of their nationally-televised campaign debates. The debate centred on foreign affairs, and Mr. Mondale argued that Mr. Reagan was not in command of facts that he had to know in order to provide strong leadership. He cited alleged mistakes that Mr. Reagan had made in discussing arms-control issues, and asked, "Who’s in charge?" Mr. Reagan vigorously defended his policies and argued that he had built up America’s strength while Mr. Mondale was advocating arms cuts that would weaken the nation. Mr. Reagan restated his support for the Strategic Defense Initiative. Mr. Mondale warned of the dangers of extending the rivalry with the U.S.S.R. into space, and disagreed with the President’s suggestion that the technology might be shared with the Soviet Union. Mr. Mondale advocated the reduction of missiles on each side as a way of enhancing national security. Mr. Reagan addressed the issue of whether he was too old to be President with the debate’s most memorable line: "I’m not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience." Even Mr. Mondale couldn’t help smiling at that comment.

Football
CFL
Toronto (9-5-1) 17 @ Montreal (5-9-1) 14
Edmonton (8-7) 11 @ Winnipeg (11-3-1) 30

Lester Brown scored twice on 1-yard runs--his 17th and 18th touchdowns of the season--in the Argonauts’ win before 19,652 at Olympic Stadium. The Concordes’ only touchdown came on a 2-yard run by quarterback Turner Gill with just 1:08 remaining in the game.

Willard Reaves rushed 19 times for 115 yards and a touchdown, while James Murphy added to the Blue Bombers’ attack with 5 catches for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns on a muddy field at Winnipeg Stadium. The 29,135 in attendance saw an Edmonton team with Johnny Evans and Kevin Ingram at quarterback, as starter Matt Dunigan was out with an injury. Mr. Ingram ran 3 yards for the Eskimos’ touchdown with 44 seconds remaining in the game, keeping the team’s streak of scoring at least 1 touchdown per game alive after 6 years. Tag Rome of the Eskimos caught 5 passes for 71 yards in his first CFL game.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Lambada--Kaoma (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Girl I'm Gonna Miss You--Milli Vanilli

#1 single in France (SNEP): Cœur de loup--Philippe Lafontaine

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): That's What I Like--Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard
1 Miss You Much--Janet Jackson (3rd week at #1)
2 Love Song--The Cure
3 Sowing the Seeds of Love--Tears for Fears
4 Listen to Your Heart--Roxette
5 Mixed Emotions--Rolling Stones
6 Cover Girl--New Kids on the Block
7 Love in an Elevator--Aerosmith
8 It's No Crime--Babyface
9 Bust a Move--Young M.C.
10 When I Looked at Him--Expose

Singles entering the chart were With Every Beat of My Heart by Taylor Dayne (#61); Heat of the Moment by After 7 (#86); Just Like Jesse James by Cher (#90); The Arms of Orion by Prince with Sheena Easton (#91); The Same Love by the Jets (#92); New Thing by Enuff Z'Nuff (#93); and French Kiss by Lil Louis (#96).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Miss You Much--Janet Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Love Song--The Cure
3 Mixed Emotions--Rolling Stones
4 Listen to Your Heart--Roxette
5 Sowing the Seeds of Love--Tears for Fears
6 Dr. Feelgood--Motley Crue
7 Cherish--Madonna
8 Love in an Elevator--Aerosmith
9 Cover Girl--New Kids on the Block
10 Bust a Move--Young M.C.

Singles entering the chart were With Every Beat of My Heart by Taylor Dayne (#59); I Live by the Groove by Paul Carrack (#80); Girl I am Searching for You by Stevie B (#82); Everything by Jody Watley (#86); I'm a Believer by Giant (#90); Just Like Jesse James by Cher (#92); and Love Song by Tesla (#95).

Society
U.S. President George Bush vetoed a spending bill that reinstated funding for Medicaid abortions in instances of rape or incest.

Disasters
A Honduran jetliner crashed into a mountain in Honduras, taking the lives of 131 of the 146 people aboard.

More than 50 people burned to death in Sudan after two buses collided.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (6-10) 18 @ Toronto (7-9) 29

Rick Johnson completed 16 of 27 passes for 289 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Argos to their win over the Lions before 34,267 fans at SkyDome. Mr. Johnson’s scoring strikes covered 31 yards to Gill Fenerty; 73 to Brian Bedford; and 39 to Glenn Holt. Keith Gooch returned an interception 60 yards for B.C.’s first touchdown, while the Lions’ only offensive major was scored by Darrell Wallace on a 21-yard run with less than 3½ minutes remaining in the game.

CIAU
St. Mary’s 42 St. Francis Xavier 14
Acadia 20 Mount Allison 9
Queen’s 29 McGill 0
Concordia 44 Carleton 0
Toronto 14 Wilfrid Laurier 12
McMaster 31 York 3
Saskatchewan (6-1) 21 @ Manitoba (0-8) 9
British Columbia (4-3) 37 @ Alberta (4-3) 9

Phil Guebert made 3 interceptions and Rob Symchyk and Terry Eisler each had 1-yard touchdown rushes for the Huskies as they beat the Bisons at University Stadium in Winnipeg.

Jim Stewart rushed 23 times for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns to help the Thunderbirds rout the Golden Bears in front of 775 disappointed fans at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton.

Baseball
Nippon Series
Yomiuri Giants 3 @ Kintetsu Buffaloes 4 (Kintetsu led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Daijiro Oishi and Takahisa Suzuki hit home runs for the Buffaloes as they came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Giants before 23,477 fans at Fujiidera Stadium in Osaka. Kaoru Okazaki homered for the Giants.

10 years ago
1999

At the movies
This blogger, with attractive female company, attended a preview showing of The Divine Ryans. I was expecting a comedy along the lines of Waking Ned Devine, but what we ended up seeing was a dreary drama about a repressed Roman Catholic family in Newfoundland in the 1960s. It’s the kind of story that often ends up being made for CBC television.