Friday 30 July 2010

July 30, 2010

540 years ago
1470


Born on this date
Hongzhi
. Emperor of China, 1487-1505. Hongzhi, born Zhu Youcheng, was the 10th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, acceding to the throne upon the death of his father Chenghua. Hongzhi pursued policies of peace, and honesty in government. He was unusual in having only one empress and no concubines. Emperor Hongzhi died on June 8, 1505 at the age of 34, and was succeeded by his son Zhengde.

470 years ago
1540


Died on this date
Edward Powell, 62 (?)
; Robert Barnes, 45 (?); Thomas Abel, 43 (?); Thomas Gerard, 40 (?); Richard Fetherston; William Jerome. English martyrs. Drs. Powell, Abel, and Fetherston were Roman Catholic theologians who were burned at the stake for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy recognizing King Henry VIII as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Messrs. Barnes, Gerard, and Jerome were leaders of the Protestant Reformation who were burned at the stake for heresy. All executions took place in Smithfield, London, two days after the execution of Thomas Cromwell.

310 years ago
1700


Died on this date
William, Duke of Gloucester, 11
. English royal family member. Prince William was the son of Princess Anne--the future Queen Anne--and her husband Prince George of Denmark, and was their only child to survive infancy. He had an enlarged head--most likely the result of hydrocephalus--and was in poor health for most of his life, which ended after a brief illness--perhaps an acute bacterial pharyngitis, with associated pneumonia--six days after his 11th birthday. Prince William's death precipitated a succession crisis, as his mother was the only person remaining in the Protestant line established by the Bill of Rights 1689. The Act of Settlement 1701 established the Protestant succession.

150 years ago
1860


Transportation
The European & North American Railway was completed between Shediac and Saint John, New Brunswick.

120 years ago
1890


Born on this date
Casey Stengel
. U.S. baseball player and manager. Charles Dillon Stengel, who acquired his nickname from the initials of his birthplace of Kansas City, Missouri, was one of the most colourful characters in baseball history. He was an outfielder with the Brooklyn Dodgers/Superbas/Robins (1912-1917); Pittsburgh Pirates (1918-1919); Philadelphia Phillies (1920-1921); New York Giants (1921-1923); and Boston Braves (1924-1925), batting .284 with 60 home runs and 535 runs batted in in 1,277 games. He played in the World Series of 1916, 1922, and 1923, with the highlight probably being the first game of the 1923 World Series, when he hit an inside-the-park home run in the top of the 9th inning to give the Giants a 1-0 win over the New York Yankees in the first World Series game ever played at Yankee Stadium. As a manager, Mr. Stengel acquired the nickname "The Old Perfessor;" he managed the Dodgers (1934-1936) and Boston Bees and Braves (1938-1943) without success, but led the Milwaukee Brewers to the American Association pennant in 1944 and accomplished the same thing with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League in 1948. He was then hired to manage the New York Yankees, and led them to 10 pennants and 7 World Series championships in 12 seasons from 1949-1960, including a record 5 straight World Series victories from 1949-1953. Mr. Stengel managed the expansion New York Mets from 1962-1965, but the untalented team posted the worst record in the major leagues every season, and he announced his retirement late in August 1965, a month after breaking his hip in a fall. Mr. Stengel retired with a major league managerial record of 1,905 wins and 1,842 losses in 25 seasons. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, and died on September 29, 1975 at the age of 85.

Britannica
Florence Nightingale, the nurse who achieved fame for her work in the Crimean War (1853-1856), made a recording which is currently in the collection of the BBC Sound Archive.

110 years ago
1900


Died on this date
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 54
. U.K. royal family member. Prince Alfred was the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was a Royal Navy officer, highly regarded as a commander-in-chief, and rising to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. Prince Alfred was offered the Greek crown upon the abdication of King Otto in 1862, but Queen Victoria opposed the idea, and the British government blocked the plans. Prince Alfred sailed around the world in 1867-1868, and spent five months in Australia, where he survived an assassination attempt, although he was wounded. He married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia in 1874; the marriage was reportedly unhappy, but resulted in six children. Prince Alfred was created Duke of Edinburgh in 1866, but took his later title in 1893 upon the death of his uncle Ernest II. Prince Alfred was an enthusiastic, if untalented, violinist, and played a prominent role in the establishment of the Royal College of Music. He died of throat cancer, a week before his 56th birthday.

100 years ago
1910


Baseball
The Cleveland Naps purchased outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson from the New Orleans Pelicans for $5,000. He joined the Naps after the Pelicans' season ended.

90 years ago
1920


At the movies
The Penalty, directed by Wallace Worsley, and starring Lon Chaney, Charles Clary, Doris Pawn, and James P. Mason, received its premiere screening in Redondo, California.



Baseball
Every New York starter had at least 1 hit as they Yankees whipped the St. Louis Browns 19-3 at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel contributed home runs, and Wally Pipp added 2 triples, a double, and a single in support of the pitching of Carl Mays (16-7), who pitched an 11-hit complete game.

The Cleveland Indians scored 3 runs in the 2nd inning and 5 in the 5th as they beat the Boston Red Sox 13-4 at Dunn Field in Cleveland. Ray Caldwell (13-6) pitched a 9-hit complete game victory.

Eddie Collins led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a single, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Buck Weaver, and scored on a double by Amos Strunk to give the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Athletics at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Red Faber (15-6) allowed 11 hits and 3 earned runs in a complete game win over Rollie Naylor (6-17), who allowed 12 hits and 6 earned runs.

Lee King scored Dave Bancroft with a sacrifice fly to climax a 2-run rally in the bottom of the 9th inning, giving the New York Giants a 7-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 10,000 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Cardinal had taken a 6-5 lead on a 2-run home run by pinch hitter Austin McHenry with 1 out in the top of the 9th.

Hod Eller (6-5) pitched a 6-hitter and batted 4 for 4 with a base on balls, double, 3 runs, and 4 runs batted in to lead the Cincinnati Reds to an 11-0 rout of the Brooklyn Robins before 8,000 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

80 years ago
1930


Soccer
FIFA
World Cup
Final @ Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Uruguay 4 Argentina 2

Pedro Cea, Santos Iriarte, and Héctor Castro scored in the 2nd half for the Uruguayans as they came back from a 2-1 deficit to win the first World Cup championship before 68,346 fans. Pablo Dorado opened the scoring for Uruguay in the 12th minute, but Carlos Peucelle tied the score 8 minutes later, and Guillermo Stábile scored in the 37th minute to give Argentina the lead.



70 years ago
1940


On the radio



War
British Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton announced that all ships going to the European continent without navicerts would be subject to prize court action.

Diplomacy
Foreign ministers of the American republics at the Pan-American Consultative Conference in Havana signed the final accord dealing with economic and defense cooperation.

Politics and government
Al Smith, the Democratic Party's unsuccessful candidate for President of the United States in 1928, announced that he would support Republican nominee Wendell Willkie against incumbent President and fellow Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt in the November 1940 election.

60 years ago
1950


Died on this date
Guilhermina Suggia, 65
. Portuguese musician. Miss Suggia was a classical cellist who performed internationally for more than 30 years. She died of cancer.

Protest
At the height of the political crisis known as the Royal Question, four workers were shot dead by the Belgian Gendarmerie at a strike in Grâce-Berleur.

Medicine
The International Congress of Radiology, meeting in London, heard reports that X-rays more powerful than those previously used had reduced many cancers in size.

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals traded outfielder Johny Lindell to the Brooklyn Dodgers for minor league pitcher Glen Moulder. Mr. Lindell, who had started the season with the New York Yankees, was batting .186 with 5 home runs and 16 runs batted in in 36 games with St. Louis, and .200 in 5 games with the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association. He was assigned to the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. Mr. Moulder was 7-8 with a 4.50 earned run average in 23 games with the Stars, and was assigned to the Red Birds.

Del Ennis hit his second grand slam in three days to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader before 21,411 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, and added a 2-run homer as the Phillies scored all their runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to complete the sweep with a 4-2 win in the second game.

Vern Bickford (12-7) pitched a 4-hitter to outduel Ken Raffensberger (9-12), who allowed 8 hits, as the Boston Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 16,562 fans at Braves Field. Sid Gordon batted 4 for 5 with a home run, 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 3 runs batted in to lead the Braves to a 10-0 win in the second game to complete the sweep. Johnny Antonelli (1-1) pitched a 5-hitter and batted 2 for 4 with a run. Hobie Landrith made his major league debut as the Cincinnati catcher in the first game, batting 1 for 4 with a run batted in, making 4 putouts and an assist.

The Detroit Tigers scored 8 runs in the 5th inning as they came back from a 7-2 deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Athletics 12-10 before 23,146 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Fred Hutchinson (11-6), the third of four Detroit pitchers, allowed 7 hits and 3 runs--all earned--in 5 innings to get the win, batting 1 for 3 with a double, base on balls, 2 runs, and a run batted in.

With 2 out and none on base in the bottom of the 10th inning, Dale Mitchell singled, advanced to second on a base on balls to Lou Boudreau, and scored when he beat pitcher Joe Dobson's throw to home plate on a ground ball by Larry Doby, giving the Cleveland Indians a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox in the first game of a doubleheader before 71,513 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Walt Dropo hit a 2-run home run and Bobby Doerr followed with a homer as the Red Sox broke a 0-0 tie in the top of the 6th inning and went on to win the second game 6-3. Mr. Mitchell hit his first homer of the season in the 8th inning of the second game.

Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra both hit home runs in each game to help the New York Yankees sweep a doubleheader from the Chicago White Sox 15-7 and 4-3 before 29,925 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago, with the second game called after 8 innings because of darkness. Chicago left fielder Gus Zernial hit 2 solo home runs in the first game and a 2-run homer in the second game.

Sam Mele hit a home run in each game to help the Washington Nationals sweep a doubleheader from the St. Louis Browns 9-5 and 13-8 before 6,222 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Nationals scored 3 runs in the 7th inning and 8 in the 9th as they came back from a 6-2 deficit to win the second game. St. Louis first baseman Don Lenhardt also homered in both games.

50 years ago
1960


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool--Connie Francis (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Il nostro concerto--Umberto Bindi

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Milord--Dalida (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Please Don't Tease--Cliff Richard and the Shadows

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I’m Sorry--Brenda Lee (2nd week at #1)
2 Only the Lonely--Roy Orbison
3 Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini--Brian Hyland
4 Alley-Oop--The Hollywood Argyles
--Dante and the Evergreens
5 Mule Skinner Blues--The Fendermen
6 Tell Laura I Love Her--Ray Peterson
7 Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool--Connie Francis
8 It’s Now or Never--Elvis Presley
9 Because They’re Young--Duane Eddy and the Rebels
10 Please Help Me, I’m Falling--Hank Locklin

Singles entering the chart were Volare by Bobby Rydell (#41); Cool Water (#57)/It Only Happened Yesterday (#74) by Jack Scott; Happy Shades of Blue by Freddy Cannon (#71); Little Bitty Pretty One by Frankie Lymon (#72); Never on Sunday by Don Costa & his Orchestra & Chorus (#76); Ta Ta by Clyde McPhatter (#78); Night Train by the Viscounts (#85); Tell the Truth by Ray Charles (#94); Partin' Time by B.B. King (#100); I Need You So by Ted Taylor (also #100); and We Go Together by Jan & Dean (also #100). Never on Sunday was a version of the title theme from the movie.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 It's Now or Never--Elvis Presley
2 The Blamers--Les Vogt
3 Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)--Roy Orbison
4 Walk - Don't Run--The Ventures
5 No--Dodie Stevens
6 Dreamin'--Johnny Burnette
7 Pineapple Princess--Annette with the Afterbeats
8 Feel So Fine--Johnny Preston
9 Trouble in Paradise--The Crests
10 The Twist--Chubby Checker

Singles entering the chart were Yogi by the Ivy Three (#17); Reuben's Nightmare by Johnny Zorro (#24); Volare by Bobby Rydell (#33); Indoor Sport by Sandy Stewart (#41); Storm Clouds by Buddy Knox (#42); Pardon Me by Billy Bland (#45); Honest I Do by the Innocents (#46); Lisa by Jeanne Black (#47); Vaquero (Cowboy) by the Fireballs (#48); and Theme from Adventures in Paradise by Jerry Byrd (#50). Vaquero (Cowboy) was the other side of Long Long Ponytail, charting at #38.

40 years ago
1970


Died on this date
George Szell, 73
. U.S. orchestra conductor. Mr. Szell was music director of the Cleveland Orchestra for 24 years, building the orchestra into one of the world's best. Mr. Szell's specialty was the Austro-German school of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Mahler. Mr. Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra made many recordings, and weekly broadcasts of their performances were a staple on radio (e.g., CKUA in Edmonton carried their broadcasts every Monday night for many years).

Defense
The United States Defense Department disclosed that the Soviets had again tested their orbital nuclear strike missile two days earlier in a 90-minute flight that took the giant rocket over the southern tip of Latin America and nearly girdled the globe. The Pentagon spokesman said that tests of the fractional orbital bombardment system was further "evidence of the continuing momentum of the Soviet development and test program for strategic weapons." The Department believed that the weapon, being developed for possible attacks on bomber bases, had no counterpart in the United States.

Labour
Subway workers in Madrid ended a one-day strike, choosing to go back to work rather than face mobilization into the army. Officers of the official trade union organization promised to study the workers’ demands with new sympathy once they returned to work.

30 years ago
1980


Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (Hot Press): Xanadu--Olivia Newton John/Electric Light Orchestra

World events
The Israeli Knesset voted 69-15 to pass the Jerusalem Law, affirming all of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and rebuffing Arab claims to East Jerusalem. The legislation did not alter the city’s de facto status. Observers feared that the Israeli action would make it more difficult to resume the deadlocked negotiations between Israel and Egypt on the issue of self-rule for the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

Oceanatica
The Republic of Vanuatu, formerly known as the New Hebrides, gained its independence from France and Great Britain.

Scandal
U.S. President Jimmy Carter admitted that he had discussed with his brother Billy classified State Department cables on Billy’s first trip to Libya in September 1978. The cables were from the U.S. embassy in Libya and had a low-level classification. The cables said that Billy had agreed not to make any political comments during the trip and had rated the impact of the visit favourably.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had risen 2.5% in June, the biggest monthly increase since June 1975.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-3) 19 @ Hamilton (1-2) 18
British Columbia (2-1) 21 @ Edmonton (3-0) 33

The Roughriders won their first road game in 2 years despite being unable to score an offensive touchdown. Their only major score came on a 55-yard interception return by linebacker Bill Manchuk. Bob Macoritti converted and added 3 field goals and 3 singles. Hamilton’s only touchdown came on a 57-yard pass from Dave Marler to John Holland in the 3rd quarter. Bernie Ruoff converted and added 2 field goals and a single, while the Roughriders conceded 2 safety touches late in the game. The Tiger-Cats, trailing 19-16, still had a chance to win or tie, but Steve Dennis made his second interception of the game on the Saskatchewan goal line with 50 seconds remaining, disappointing most of the 22,398 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

The usual sellout crowd of 42,778 at Commonwealth Stadium saw Brian Kelly catch 7 passes for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Eskimo attack. The big play was an 89-yard bomb to Mr. Kelly from Warren Moon on the first play of the second half. Mr. Kelly was picking on Leon Bright, who had been moved to cornerback at the start of the season by Lions’ head coach Vic Rapp from his usual wide receiver position. Mr. Bright did get the better of Mr. Kelly on one play when he returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown in the 4th quarter to cut the Eskimos’ lead to 26-21. Jim Germany rushed 12 times for 38 yards and 2 Edmonton touchdowns, while catching 4 passes for 41 yards. The other B.C. touchdown came on a pass from Joe Paopao to Harry Holt on the last play of the 3rd quarter. The game marked the regular season debut of Edmonton defensive lineman James Parker, who had been cut at the end of the pre-season in favour of NFL veteran Jeff Lloyd.



Baseball
Houston Astros’ ace pitcher J.R. Richard’s major league career came to a tragic end when he suffered a stroke while practicing in the Astrodome. Emergency surgery removed a life-threatening blood clot in his neck. Mr. Richard had left a number of games early in 1980, complaining of a dead arm, and it was widely suspected that he was malingering. He tried pitching in the minor leagues in subsequent years, but was never again able to pitch in the majors.

20 years ago
1990


Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Dear Friend--Akina Nakamori

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Verdammt, Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (11th week at #1)

Died on this date
Ian Gow, 53
. U.K. politician. Mr. Gow, the Member of Parliament for Eastbourne since 1974, former cabinet minister, and close adviser and friend to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was killed at his home in Hankham, East Sussex, when a bomb blew up his car. Mr. Gow had been a frequent critic of the Irish Republican Army.

World events
At least 200 civilians, and possibly many more, were killed when Liberian government troops stormed a Lutheran church in Monrovia.

Protest
Quebec Superior Court Judge John Gomery denied Mohawks a temporary injunction to remove police roadblocks at the Oka reserve, ruling that the roadblocks were justified because the Mohawks were breaking the law.

Defense
Goose Bay Newfoundland - US announces it will withdraw planes and troops from Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay Labrador by following July; may cost 237 jobs and $25 million in economic benefits; after 48 years on the base.

Economics and finance
In testimony before a U.S. House of Representatives committee, Resolution Trust Corporation Chairman William Seidman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Glauber said that RTC would need up to $100 billion in fiscal 1991 to continue the savings and loan bailout effort. This was twice the amount of money previously allocated for the rescue operation. A slump in real estate values and a higher failure rate among thrift institutions were blamed for the need for more money.

Business
Victor Rice announced that Varity Corporation--formerly Massey-Ferguson--would reincorporate in Buffalo, New York.

Scandal
Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent banned New York Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner for life from day-to-day operation of the team, and ordered him to resign as the club’s general partner by August 20. The ruling resulted from Mr. Steinbrenner’s payment of $40,000 to known gambler Howie Spira to obtain damaging information about outfielder Dave Winfield. When the announcement was flashed on the Yankee Stadium scoreboard, fans reacted with a 90-second standing ovation.



Baseball
In the game that featured the announcement and ovation for the banishment of New York Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner, the Yankees defeated the Detroit Tigers 6-2 before 24,037 fans at Yankee Stadium. Rookie center fielder Oscar Azocar led the Yankees, batting 3 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs, 2 runs batted in, and a stolen base. Dave LaPoint pitched a 6-hit complete game victory. Cecil Fielder hit his 33rd homer of the season for Detroit.

The Atlanta Braves edged the San Diego Padres 4-3 in 11 innings before 18,076 fans at San Diego-Jack Murphy Stadium despite surrendering Jack Clark’s 300th career major league home run, which had tied the game with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning. Oddibe McDowell led off the top of the 11th with a home run off Calvin Schiraldi for the winning run.

10 years ago
2000


Politics and government
Hugo Chavez was re-elected President of Venezuela with 59% of the vote. He said he would seek to initiate reforms and turn around the sagging economy. In elections to the new unicameral National Assembly, Mr. Chavez's coalition fell short of the two-thirds majority that would have allowed him to promulgate new laws virtually without debate.

U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona, the main challenger to Texas Governor George W. Bush for the Republican Party presidential nomination, freed his delegates to support Mr. Bush, a day before the opening of the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.

Baseball
Tom Glavine (13-5) allowed 7 hits and 3 earned runs in 8 innings to get his 200th career major league win as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros 6-3 before 40,613 fans at Turner Field in Atlanta.

Phil Nevin batted 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 4 runs batted in, hitting a solo home run with 1 out in the top of the 9th inning to break an 8-8 tie as the San Diego Padres came back from an 8-3 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-8 before 19,680 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.

Russ Johnson led off the top of the 10th inning with a single, stole second base, and scored on a 2-out single by Gerald Williams to break a 6-6 tie as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-6 before 16,612 fans at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

The Chicago White Sox scored 2 runs in the 8th inning, 3 in the 9th, and 4 in the 10th as they came back from a 6-2 deficit and defeated the Anaheim Angels 11-7 before 27,538 fans at Edison International Field of Anaheim.

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