July 14, 2010

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Mike Upstone!

590 years ago
1420

War
Czech Hussite forces commanded by Jan Žižka won a decisive victory against a Crusade army led by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund in the Battle of Vítkov Hill outside Prague.

225 years ago
1785

Born on this date
Mordecai Manuel Noah. U.S. playwright and journalist. Mr. Noah, a native of Philadelphia, was the first American-born Jew to reach national prominence. His best-known play was She Would Be a Soldier (1819). Mr. Noah wrote critical reviews of performances by Negroes at the African Grove Theatre in New York City, and has been identified as the creator of the Negro stereotype found in minstrel shows. He served as U.S. Consul to Tunis (1813-1815), where he rescued Americans who were being kept as slaves by Moroccan slaveowners. Mr. Noah attempted to create a Jewish refuge called Ararat on Grand Island in the Niagara River in New York, but he abandoned the attempt just two days after the community was proclaimed. He believed that American Indians were descended from the lost tribes of Israel, and supported the restoration of Jews to Palestine. Mr. Noah died on May 22, 1851 at the age of 65.

220 years ago
1790

Franciana
Citizens of Paris celebrated the unity of the French people and the national reconciliation in the Fête de la Fédération, a precursor to Bastille Day.

150 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Owen Wister. U.S. author. Mr. Wister, the "father" of American western fiction, was best known for his novel The Virginian (1902). He died on July 21, 1938, a week after his 78th birthday.

120 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Roy Inwood. Australian soldier. Sergeant Inwood served with the Australian Army in World War I, and earned the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Battle of Menin Road in September 1917, when he twice captured German machine gun posts, killing enemy soldiers, taking prisoners, and sending back important information about enemy dispositions. He served with the Citizens Military Forces in World War II, and rose to the rank of warrant officer, working with detention barracks in Australia. Mr. Inwood died on October 23, 1971 at the age of 81.

110 years ago
1900

War
Armies of the Eight-Nation Alliance captured Tientsin during the Boxer Rebellion.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
William Hanna. U.S. animator. Mr. Hanna and partner Joseph Barbera teamed up to produce Tom and Jerry cartoons in the 1940s and '50s, and then founded Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1957, producing animated television series such as The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958-1961); The Flintstones (1960-1966); and The Jetsons (1962-1963). The team won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards. Mr. Hanna died of esophageal cancer on March 22, 2001 at the age of 90.

70 years ago
1940

War
Canadian Chief of the General Staff Andrew McNaughton was put in command of the new Anglo-Canadian 7th Army Corps, which included British and New Zealand troops as well as Canadian. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in a radio broadcast from London, promised German forces unending resistance if they invaded the United Kingdom.

Politics and government
Under the "protection" of the Soviet Red Army, voters in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania elected Communist parliaments.

French Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Petain began a purge of government officials who had taken a pro-British position.

Amid violence that resulted in six deaths, Fulgencio Batista was elected President of Cuba.

U.S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler (Democrat--Montana) demanded that the Democratic Party adopt a platform that was more anti-war than the position of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Football
AFL
A new American Football League was founded, with teams in New York, Boston, and Buffalo. Bill Edwards, who had been president of the first American Football League in 1926, was slated to be president of the new league as well as co-owner of the New York Yankees. The Cincinnati Bengals, Columbus Bullies, and Milwaukee Chiefs moved from the minor league American Professional Football Association to the AFL before play began in September.

60 years ago
1950

Literature
The United States and Japan by Edwin O. Reischauer was published by Harvard University Press.

War
United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie said that American and other troops fighting in South Korea were "in urgent need of additional effective assistance," and asked 50 countries to send "combat forces, particularly ground forces." General William Roberts, head of the U.S. military mission in Korea, said that fear of a South Korean invasion of the North prevented the U.S. from supplying the S.K. government with military aircraft and heavy weapons. North Korean troops initiated the Battle of Taejon. The U.S.A.'s first Distinguished Flying Cross of the Korean War was awarded to First Lieutenant Robert E. Wayne of the 5th Air Force.

The U.S.A., U.K., and France demanded an international investigation into the "actual fate" of hundreds of thousands of German World War II prisoners unaccounted for in the U.S.S.R.

Labour
The 12 baseball players with the Waterbury Timers of the Class B Colonial League were fired after refusing to board the team bus for two scheduled games at Kingston, New York against the Colonials. Strike issues included: the players claimed that the team bus was unsafe; the bus was scheduled to bring them home after the first game and return for the second rather than lay over; and six players claimed that the club reneged on the promise of a pay raise if they were still on the roster on June 2.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Good Timin'--Jimmy Jones (2nd week at #1)

Politics and government
U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy (Massachusetts), nominated the previous day as the Democratic Party's 1960 U.S. Presidential candidate, announced that Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson (Texas) would be his vice presidential running mate. Sen. Johnson had been the runner-up in the contest for the presidential nomination, and was nominated by acclamation at the Democratic National Convention at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Science
English primatologist Jane Goodall arrived at the Gombe Stream Reserve in present-day Tanzania to begin her famous study of chimpanzees in the wild.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): El Cóndor Pasa--Simon & Garfunkel (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Preston Foster, 69. U.S. actor. Mr. Foster appeared in plays, films, radio, and television programs in a 40-year career. His movies included Two Seconds (1931); Doctor X (1932); The Last Days of Pompeii (1935); and The Informer (1935). Mr. Foster lived in the San Diego area in his later years, and wrote Let's Go Padres, the theme song for the San Diego Padres when they became a major league baseball team in 1969. Mr. Foster died after a long illness.

War
Cambodian troops were reported to be engaged in a battle with a Communist force about 55 miles from Pnompenh on the highway to the port of Kompong Som. The battle was viewed as the first test without South Vietnamese aid of the former mercenaries of the American Special Forces in South Vietnam.

Politics and government
U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell said that he would take to court any state that had not pledged full compliance with the new Voting Rights Law--and its provision lowering the voting age to 18--by August 3.

Disasters
Nine people were killed when a Canadian freighter loaded with pig iron sank after running aground twice in the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (2-0) 47 @ Edmonton (1-2) 7

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
American League 4 @ National League 5 (12 innings)

Pete Rose of the hometown Cincinnati Reds, who had singled to lead off the bottom of the 12th inning, took second base on a single by Bill Grabarkewitz of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and scored the winning run on a single by Jim Hickman of the Chicago Cubs. Mr. Rose came into home plate at full speed and bowled over rookie catcher Ray Fosse of the Cleveland Indians, who suffered a serious shoulder injury on the play and was never the same player again. The AL led 4-1 after 8½ innings, but the NL rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game. Claude Osteen of the Dodgers, who pitched 3 scoreless innings, was the winning pitcher, while Clyde Wright of the California Angels took the loss. Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox, who played the entire game, batted 4 for 6 and was chosen the game’s most valuable player. 51,838 were in attendance at recently-opened Riverfront Stadium.
This was the first All-Star Game since 1957 in which fans were allowed to vote for the starting players. The starters, as chosen by the fans, were as follows:
American League--Outfield: Frank Howard, Washington Senators; Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles; Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox
--First base: Boog Powell, Baltimore
--Second base: Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins (injured and unable to play)
--Shortstop: Luis Aparicio, Chicago White Sox
--Third base--Harmon Killebrew, Minnesota
--Catcher: Bill Freehan, Detroit Tigers
National League--Outfield: Hank Aaron, Atlanta Braves; Rico Carty, Atlanta; Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants
--First base: Richie Allen, St. Louis Cardinals
--Second base: Glenn Beckert, Chicago Cubs
--Shortstop: Don Kessinger, Chicago
--Third base: Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds
--Catcher: Johnny Bench, Cincinnati

Mr. Carty’s name wasn’t on the ballot, but he amassed enough write-in votes to make the starting lineup.





30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Can't Stop the Music--Village People (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Dancing All Night--Monta & Brothers (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (3rd week at #1)

Scandal
U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy registered with the U.S. Justice Department as an agent of the government of Libya and revealed that he had received $20,000 in December and $200,000 in April in loans from that country. He registered in return for a Justice Department agreement to not file criminal charges against him for failing to report services that he had rendered to the Libyan government since September 1978. Mr. Carter had taken two trips to Libya, and had hosted a five-week visit by Libyans to the U.S. He had also made a deal with the Charter Oil Company to receive a commission of up to 50c per barrel if he helped the company obtain more Libyan oil.

Politics and government
The U.S. Republican National Convention opened at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.



25 years ago
1985

Football
USFL Championship @ Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Baltimore 28 Oakland 24

Kelvin Bryant rushed for 3 touchdowns to lead the Stars, under head coach Jim Mora, to their second straight United States Football League title. The win over the Invaders turned out to be the USFL’s last game. The league was tied up in litigation in 1986, suing the NFL for being an illegal monopoly. The jury ruled in favour of the USFL, but awarded only $3 in damages, and the USFL folded.



20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): It Must Have Been Love--Roxette (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Un' Estate Italiana--Edoardo Bennato; Gianna Nannini (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mi Abuela--Wilfred y la Gagna (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): What's a Woman?--Vaya Con Dios (8th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Maldòn--Zouk Machine (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Sacrifice/Healing Hands--Elton John (4th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Dirty Cash--Adventures of Stevie V
2 Ooops Up--Snap!
3 What's a Woman?--Vaya Con Dios
4 Hijo de la Luna--Mecano
5 Back by Dope Demand--King Bee
6 Still Got the Blues (For You)--Gary Moore
7 The Future--Prince
8 I Promised Myself--Nick Kamen
9 At this Moment/Emozioni--Marco Borsato
10 Way Down Now--World Party

Singles entering the chart were U Can't Touch This by MC Hammer (#25); Papa was a Rolling Stone by Was Not Was (#29); Sympathy for the Devil by Buffalo Bob and the Rinkelstars (#32); Get on Up & Dance by Icy D. & Doc Daze (#33); The Great Song of Indifference by Bob Geldof (#36); and Won't Talk About It by Beats International (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Step by Step--New Kids on the Block (3rd week at #1)
2 She Ain't Worth It--Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown
3 Hold On--En Vogue
4 I'll Be Your Shelter--Taylor Dayne
5 Cradle of Love--Billy Idol
6 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
7 Rub You the Right Way--Johnny Gill
8 Enjoy the Silence--Depeche Mode
9 The Power--Snap!
10 Poison--Bell Biv DeVoe

Singles entering the chart were Oh Girl by Paul Young (#88); Don't You Come Cryin' by Linear (#90); All Lips n' Hips by Electric Boys (#92); Same Old Look by Jimmy Ryser (#93); First True Love by Tiana (#96); Holy Water by Bad Company (#97); and Hungry by Lita Ford (#98).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Cash Box): Step By Step--New Kids on the Block (4th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Do You Remember?--Phil Collins
2 Step by Step--New Kids on the Block
3 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
4 I’ll Be Your Shelter--Taylor Dayne
5 Vogue--Madonna
6 Children of the Night--Richard Marx
7 Baby It's Tonight--Jude Cole
8 U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer
9 When I'm Back on My Feet Again--Michael Bolton
10 I Think I Love You Too Much--The Jeff Healey Band

Singles entering the chart were She Ain't Worth It by Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown (#56); All the Lovers in the World by Gowan (#58); Rub You the Right Way by Johnny Gill (#62); Release Me by Wilson Phillips (#80); How Bad Do You Want It? by Don Henley (#87); Trust Me by John James (#88); Unison by Celine Dion (#89); Unskinny Bop by Poison (#91); Girls Nite Out by Tyler Collins (#93); and Skies the Limit by Fleetwood Mac (#98).

Died on this date
Robert Thomas Allen, 79. Canadian author. Mr. Allen won the Stephen Leacock Medal for humour twice, for The Grass is Never Greener (1957) and Children, Wives and Other Wildlife (1971).

Politics and government
In accord with a plan presented to the 28th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Moscow, the party’s central committee approved a new, expanded 24-member Politburo that included the party leader in each of the 15 republics. 10 of the previous 12 members of the Politburo (all but general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and number two man Vladimir Ivashko) were dropped. The changes appeared to have the effect of weakening the Communist Party’s influence over the Soviet government.

Canadiana
In Prince Edward Island, Edward "Fast Eddy" McDonald set a record with 8,437 loops in one hour with his yo-yo. Meanwhile, the world's largest cherry pie was baked in Oliver, British Columbia; it weighed 37,740 pounds and 10 ounces, with 36,800 pounds of cherry filling a 20-foot-diameter pan.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (1-0) 40 @ Toronto (0-1) 34

Tracy Ham threw 3 touchdown passes and Reggie Taylor rushed 13 times for 124 yards to lead the Eskimos. Craig Ellis caught 2 of Mr. Ham’s touchdown tosses and amassed 139 yards receiving. Former Eskimo quarterback Matt Dunigan, in his first game as an Argo, completed 26 of 49 passes for 359 yards and 3 touchdowns. Darrell K. Smith led the Argos with 10 receptions for 167 yards. Eskimo receiver Darrell Colbert, playing his first game in the Canadian Football League, was awarded the game ball by his teammates; as well as playing on offense, he entered the game as a defensive back when the team ran short because of injuries, and made an interception. It was the first regular season game for Don Matthews as Toronto’s head coach.



10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Mark Oliphant, 98. Australian physicist and politician. Sir Mark played an important role in the first experimental demonstration of nuclear fusion in the early 1930s. He was one of the early advocates of the possibility of the development of nuclear weapons, and helped to spread the word in the United States, leading to the Manhattan Project resulting in the creation of the atomic bomb. Sir Mark served as Governor of South Australia (1971-1976), and helped to found the Australian Democrats in 1977.

Pepo, 88. Chilean cartoonist. Pepo, whose real name was René Ríos Boettiger, was best known for creating the character Condorito in 1949. He died of cancer.

Georges Maranda, 68. Canadian baseball pitcher. Mr. Maranda, a native of Lévis, Québec, played with the San Francisco Giants (1960) and Minnesota Twins (1962), compiling a record of 2-7 with an earned run average of 4.52 in 49 games. He was 110-78 in 334 games in 11 seasons in the minor leagues (1951-1963), with his best season being 1959, when he was 18-6 with a 2.48 ERA with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association. Mr. Maranda coached with the Québec Carnavals in the AA Eastern League (1973-1974), and died in Lévis, where the local baseball park is named in his honour.

Meredith MacRae, 56. U.S. actress. Miss MacRae, the daughter of singers and actors Gordon and Sheila MacRae, was best known for playing Sally Morrison in the television comedy series My Three Sons (1963-1965) and Billie Jo Bradley in the comedy series Petticoat Junction (1966-1970). She died of complications from brain cancer.

Disasters
10 people were killed and more than 130 injured when a tornado struck a campsite at Pine Lake, Alberta.

Football
CFL
Calgary (2-0) 42 @ Winnipeg (0-2-0-1) 38 (OT)
Hamilton (1-1) 28 @ Edmonton (0-2) 21

The Stampeders were behind 29-14 after 3 quarters, but scored 15 points in the 4th quarter to tie the game before 24,571 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. The teams exchanged field goals on the first 2 overtime possessions, but after Troy Westwood’s 5th field goal of the game gave the Blue Bombers a 38-35 lead, Dave Dickenson completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Allen Pitts to win the game. Mr. Dickenson completed 30 of 48 passes for 375 yards and 2 touchdowns; Mr. Pitts caught 8 for 119. Winnipeg quarterback Kerwin Bell completed 26 of 39 passes for 337 yards, including touchdown passes of 29 and 75 yards to Milt Stegall, who caught 7 passes for 171 yards.

Ronald Williams rushed 20 times for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Tiger-Cats in their victory before 30,033 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. The other Hamilton touchdown came on a 10-yard pass from Danny McManus to Darren Flutie. The only Edmonton touchdown was scored by Ed Hervey on a 23-yard pass from Dan Crowley with 6:19 remaining in the 4th quarter. Mr. Crowley completed 16 of 33 passes for 242 yards. The Eskimos, who lost their first 2 games of the season for the first time in 29 years, messed up numerous scoring opportunities. The game was interrupted in the 1st half by a hailstorm that this blogger was unfortunate enough to get caught in. It was one of the most unenjoyable games I’ve ever attended.