August 27, 2010

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Brenda Kiema!

1,600 years ago
410

War
The sacking of Rome by the Visigoths ended after three days.

420 years ago
1590

Died on this date
Sixtus V, 68. Roman Catholic Pope, 1585-1590. Sixtus V, born Felice Piergentile, was ordained a Franciscan priest in 1547 and was made a cardinal in 1570. He succeeded Gregory XIII and launched a rebuilding project in Rome, financing it with heavy taxation. Pope Sixtus also rooted out corruption and lawlessness in Rome, and excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England and King Henri IV of France. Sixtus V died three days after taking ill with malarial fever, and was succeeded by Urban VII.

340 years ago
1670

Canadiana
Fort Jemseg, in what is now New Brunswick, was returned from English to French possession.

240 years ago
1770

Born on this date
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. German philosopher. Dr. Hegel was one of the major figures of absolute idealism; his philosophy can be summed up in the dictum "the rational alone is real." His philosophy has influenced people such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Karl Barth, and fields such as phenomenology, German existentialism, and psychoanalysis. Dr. Hegel died of gastrointestinal disease or cholera on November 14, 1831 at the age of 61.

200 years ago
1810

War
The French Navy defeated the British Royal Navy in the Battle of Grand Port, preventing them from taking the harbour of Grand Port on Île de France.

120 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Man Ray. U.S.born -French photographer and painter. Mr. Ray, born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was a major figure in the Dada and Surrealist movements. He died on November 18, 1976 at the age of 86.

110 years ago
1900

Medicine
U.S. Army physician James Carroll allowed himself to be bitten by an infected mosquito in order to demonstrate that yellow fever was caused by mosquitoes. For further reading, see the book Yellow Jack by John R. Pierce and Jim Writer (2005).

100 years ago
1910

Technology
Inventor George Cahill demonstrated his patented lighting system at White Sox Park in Chicago. Using twenty 137‚000-candlepower arc lights‚ two amateur teams played a night game before 20‚000 fans.

90 years ago
1920

Died on this date
Toby Lyons, 51. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Lyons played with the Syracuse Stars (1890), posting a record of 0-2 with an earned run average of 10.48 in 3 games. He was 3-5 with a 3.72 ERA in 8 games in 3 seasons in the minor leagues (1887-1889).

Baseball
Larry Doyle doubled home George Kelly and Vern Spencer with 2 out in the top of the 17th inning to break a 4-4 tie as the New York Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 before 18,000 fans in the first of 2 games at Redland Field. New York right fielder Ross Youngs batted 5 for 8 with 2 doubles and a run, while shortstop Dave Bancroft was 0 for 8. Cincinnati first baseman Jake Daubert was 4 for 8 with a double and a run. Art Nehf (17-10) allowed 16 hits and 3 earned runs in a complete game win over Ray Fisher (7-7), who allowed 18 hits and 6 earned runs in a complete game. The teams were tied 0-0 after 5 innings before 17,132 fans in the second game when umpire Pete Harrison called the game because of darkness. New York pitcher Phil Douglas allowed 1 hit, while Cincinnati's Rube Bressler allowed 5.

Pinch runner Josh Billings scored on a squeeze sacrifice bunt by Joe Gedeon in the top of the 9th inning to break a 5-5 tie as the St. Louis Browns edged the Boston Red Sox 6-5 at Fenway Park in Boston. Dixie Davis (11-10) allowed 8 hits and 5 earned runs in 8 innings, and was credited with the win. He batted 2 for 4, and was replaced by Mr. Billings after doubling to lead off the 9th.

Muddy Ruel singled to lead off the bottom of the 12th inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jack Quinn, and scored from there on a single by Roger Peckinpaugh to give the New York Yankees a 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox at the Polo Grounds in New York. Mr. Quinn (17-8) allowed 1 hit in 2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Carl Mays.

Jim Bagby (24-8) pitched an 8-hit complete game and batted 4 for 5 with a double, run, and run batted in to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 15-3 rout of the Philadelphia Athletics at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Rollie Naylor (8-20) took the loss. Cleveland first baseman Doc Johnston scored 4 runs, and shortstop Harry Lunte batted in 4.

75 years ago
1935

Baseball
The New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox split a doubleheader, with the Yankees winning the opener 13-10 and the White Sox taking the second game 4-3. Lou Gehrig of the Yankees tied an American League record in the second game by drawing 5 bases on balls in as many plate appearances.

70 years ago
1940

War
Under a heavy cloud cover, German planes attacked London for the fifth straight night. Fighting between Romanians and Soviets and Romanians and Hungarians broke out in disputed border areas. French forces in the Chad area of Equatorial Africa declared their allegiance to General Charles de Gaulle.

Defense
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill cabled U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt that the U.K. cabinet had agreed in principle to the proposed destroyers-for-bases deal. U.S. Attorney General Robert Jackson informed Mr. Roosevelt that there was no constitutional requirement for congressional approval of the deal. The United States Congress approved President Roosevelt's plan to call up the National Guard for a year's training.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Roosevelt authorized the transportation of refugee children in American vessels under a safe conduct pass by all the states named in the 1939 Neutrality Act.

Politics and government
Republican Party U.S. Presidential candidate Wendell Willkie rejected the support of Roman Catholic priest and radio commentator Father Charles Coughlin and his admirers because of their alleged religious and racial bigotry.

60 years ago
1950

Television
The British Broadcasting Corporation made its first broadcast across the English Channel.

World events
The United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans reported that Bulgaria still menaced Greek independence and that none of the 28,296 children taken from Greece by Communist guerrillas had been repatriated.

Defense
In response to an order from Defense Secretary Louis Johnson, Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Command General Douglas MacArthur withdraw a statement he had sent to the Veterans of Foreign Wars regarding Taiwan's military importance to the United States.

Agriculture
The U.S. Agriculture Department reported that the U.S.A. was importing more farm commodities than it exported for the first time in eight years.

Tennis
The Australian team defeated the U.S.A. 4 games to 1 in the Davis Cup finals at Forest Hills, New York.

Auto racing
AAA
Walt Faulkner won a 200-mile race at the Milwaukee Mile; Henry Banks finished second and Andy Linden third.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Ottawa (0-1) 7 @ Montreal (1-0) 14

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox overcame a 7-0 deficit and beat the Cleveland Indians 11-9 at Fenway Park in Boston. Ray Boone hit a grand slam for the Indians in a 7-run 3rd inning to give starting pitcher Bob Feller a 7-0 lead, but Clyde Vollmer of the Red Sox replied with a pinch grand slam off relief pitcher Al Benton in the 6-run 7th to key the Boston comeback.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Clap Your Hands--The Beau-Marks (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Il nostro concerto--Umberto Bindi (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Milord--Dalida (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Apache--The Shadows (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's Now or Never--Elvis Presley (3rd week at #1)
2 The Twist--Chubby Checker
3 Walk - Don't Run--The Ventures
4 Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini--Brian Hyland
5 I'm Sorry--Brenda Lee
6 Volare--Bobby Rydell
7 Finger Poppin' Time--Hank Ballard
8 Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)--Roy Orbison
9 (You Were Made For) All My Love--Jackie Wilson
10 Walking to New Orleans--Fats Domino

Singles entering the chart were My Heart Has a Mind of its Own (#40)/Malagueña (#87) by Connie Francis; (I Can’t Help You) I'm Falling Too by Skeeter Davis (#54); A Fool in Love by Ike & Tina Turner (#76); Kommotion by Duane Eddy and the Rebels (#77); (You’ve Got To) Move Two Mountains by Marv Johnson (#78); Honest I Do by the Innocents (#96); And Now by Della Reese (#97); Vaquero (Cowboy) by the Fireballs (#100); and (I Do The) Shimmy Shimmy by Bobby Freeman (also #100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Storm Clouds--Buddy Knox (2nd week at #1)
2 Cool Water--Jack Scott
3 It's Now or Never--Elvis Presley
4 Let's Have a Party--Wanda Jackson
5 Hot Rod Lincoln--Johnny Bond
6 A Teenager Feels it Too--Denny Reed
7 The Blamers--Les Vogt
8 The Twist--Chubby Checker
9 Sentimental Kid--The Four Preps
10 No--Dodie Stevens

Singles entering the chart were Devil or Angel by Bobby Vee (#19); So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) by the Everly Brothers (#32); Let's Think About Living by Bob Luman (#37); Robot Man by Jamie Horton (#38); Indoor Sport by Sandy Stewart (#41); I'm Not Afraid/Yes Sir, That's My Baby by Ricky Nelson (#42); Wait by Jimmy Clanton (#43); Chain Gang by Sam Cooke (#47); I Walk the Line by Jaye P. Morgan (#48); Dear Joan by the Palisades (#49); and OK, So What? by Freddie North (#50).

Football
CFL
WIFU
Winnipeg (5-0) 27 @ Saskatchewan (0-3-1) 0

12,150 were in attendance at Taylor Field in Regina to see the Blue Bombers shut out the Roughriders.

40 years ago
1970

Diplomacy
U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew continued his tour of southeast Asia with a stop in Pnompenh as a gesture of support for the Cambodian government of Lon Nol. Earlier, Mr. Agnew had conferred with South Vietnamese officials on the progress of the program of Vietnamization of the war.

Terrorism
A self-styled guerrilla group called the New Year’s Gang claimed responsibility for the August 24 bombing of the Army Mathematics Research Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The group threatened more bombings and some kidnappings.

Society
Arrangements were made for graveside services for a Negro American soldier killed in the Vietnam War after a U.S. federal judge ordered a segregated cemetery in Fort Pierce, Florida to accept the body. A 72-year-old white woman had donated the grave despite a charter assuring burial only to white plot owners.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (1-3) 30 @ British Columbia (4-2) 32

Ron Stewart, in his 13th season as a running back with the Rough Riders, broke his arm, putting him out of action for the next 6 games.

Baseball
Frank Robinson drove in 3 runs with a pair of home runs to help the Baltimore Orioles defeat the Oakland Athletics 6-4 before 10,230 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Mike Cuellar (20-7) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory over Chuck Dobson (15-12), who gave up 6 hits and 4 runs--all earned--in 2.2 innings.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (Hot Press): Xanadu--Olivia Newton John/Electric Light Orchestra (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
John Wilson, 77. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Wilson played with the Boston Red Sox (1927-1928), compiling a 0-2 record with an earned run average of 4.45 in 9 games. He played 18 seasons in the minor leagues (1926-1945), winning at least 115 and losing at least 115.

Doug Kenney, 33. U.S. writer. Mr. Kenney was the editor of The Harvard Lampoon in the late 1960s, and co-founded National Lampoon in 1970, holding various editorial positions with the humour magazine from 1970-1976, and writing much of its early material. He co-wrote the screenplays for National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and Caddyshack (1980), appearing in bit parts in both movies. By the time the latter movie was released, Mr. Kenney's life was out of control because of drinking and cocaine use, and his close friend, comedian Chevy Chase, took him to Kauai, Hawaii for a vacation, in hopes that the change of scenery would do him good. Mr. Kenney died in a fall from a 35-foot cliff in Kauai; the death was ruled accidental, but some believed he had committed suicide.

Politics and government
General Chun Doo Hwan was elected President of South Korea by the National Conference of Unification, receiving 2,524 of 2,525 votes in the electoral college, with one ballot declared invalid. Chun, who had staged a coup within the military on December 12, 1979, said that his immediate aim was to achieve stability under a revised constitution to be announced in late September and submitted to a national referendeum in October. He promised new presidential and National Assembly elections. Chun had been the only candidate in the current presidential election.

Crime
After John Birges planted a bomb at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, the Federal Bureau of Investigation inadvertently detonated the bomb during its disarming. Mr. Birges wanted to extort money from the casino after having lost $750,000 there.

Journalism
Two Canadian newspapers ceased publication. The Ottawa Journal, then part of the Thomson chain, printed its last edition after 95 years of publication. The Winnipeg Tribune, a Southam paper, printed its final edition after 90 years of publication, putting 375 people out of work. There was much criticism of the closures, and accusations of illegal collusion to reduce competition. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau created the Royal Commission on Newspapers, popularly known as the Kent Commission. Charges against both Thomson and Southam under section 33 of the Combines Investigation Act were brought in April 1981, but were dismissed on December 9, 1983.



Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-6) 16 @ Winnipeg (3-4) 24

Dieter Brock passed for 315 yards and touchdowns to Rick House, Mike Holmes, and Joe Poplawski to lead the Blue Bombers to victory before 22,154 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Mr. Poplawski’s touchdown covered 42 yards, and was a spectacular diving catch near the goal line, as he snared the ball just before it hit the ground. Trevor Kennerd converted all 3 touchdowns and added a field goal. The Roughriders scored their touchdowns in the second half on a 20-yard interception return by Ken McEachern in the 3rd quarter and an 18-yard pass from John Hufnagel to Steve Mazurak with 33 seconds left in the game. Bob Macoritti converted the first Saskatchewan touchdown and added a 52-yard field goal.

Baseball
Bill North drew a base on balls to lead off the 4th inning and scored from second base on a 2-out single by Darrell Evans for the game's only run as the San Francisco Giants edged the Montreal Expos 1-0 before 24,294 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Ed Whitson (9-9) allowed 1 hit in 6 innings, and Greg Minton allowed 1 hit in 3 innings to get his 16th save of the season. Scott Sanderson (12-8) allowed 3 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings to take the loss.

Larry Bowa scored on a ground out by Pete Rose in the bottom of the 8th inning to break a 3-3 tie as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 before 39,116 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Steve Carlton (20-7) allowed 8 hits and 3 earned runs in 8 innings to get the win.

Leo Sutherland singled to lead off the bottom of the 14th inning and scored from second base on a 1-out single by Lamar Johnson to give the Chicago White Sox a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers before 12,582 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

63-year-old Hub Kittle became the oldest man to play in a professional game when he started on the mound for Springfield against Iowa in an American Association game. Mr. Kittle, Springfield’s pitching coach, retired the side in the 1st inning and then threw one pitch in the second inning, recording an out, before departing.

25 years ago
1985

Baseball
The Toronto Blue Jays used 4 pitchers to shut out the Minnesota Twins 8-0. Steve Davis, who entered the game in the 2nd inning, was the winning pitcher. Toronto outfielder Jesse Barfield doubled off losing pitcher Frank Viola to set an American League record by recording an extra-base hit in 11 straight games.

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Cocoro--Hikaru Genji

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Verdammt, Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (15th week at #1)

Died on this date
Avdy Andresson, 90. Estonian military officer and politician. Mr. Andresson served with the Estonian Army's cavalry in the Estonian Liberation War (1918-1920) and during the Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia (1940-1945). He fled to the United States after the end of World War II, and was elected president of the Union of Estonian Freedom Fighters in 1960. He was Estonian Minister of War in Exile (1973-1990), and and disputed Commander of Armed Forces (1975-1990) until his death in Deerfield, New Jersey.

Stevie Ray Vaughan, 35. U.S. musician. Mr. Vaughan was a highly-regarded blues guitarist who had a successful recording career from 1983 until his death in a helicopter crash while on the way to Chicago after performing in East Try, Wisconsin.

Protest
The Canadian Armed Forces were ordered to use whatever force was necessary to end the standoff between Kanasetake Mohawks and Quebec police at Oka, Quebec.

Scandal
The "Guinness Four," who had been accused in a conspiracy to drive up the price of shares of Guinness during a 1986 battle to take over the Distillers drinks company, were convicted by a British jury.

Oddities
The baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers was delayed for 35 minutes when a huge swarm of gnats descended onto the field through the open roof of SkyDome in Toronto.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-5) 36 @ Edmonton (5-3) 56

Tracy Ham passed for 314 yards and touchdowns to Craig Ellis, Keith Wright, and Reggie Taylor, and rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown to lead the Eskimos’ attack. Blake Marhsall rushed for an Eskimo touchdown, backup quarterback Warren Jones completed a touchdown pass to rookie slotback Jordan Gaertner, and Henry "Gizmo" Williams returned a missed field goal 110 yards for the other Edmonton major score. Mr. Williams added 102 yards on 6 punt returns and 54 on 3 kickoff returns for a total of 266. Tom Porras started at quarterback for the Argos and threw touchdown passes to Paul Masotti and Darrell K. Smith, but backup Rickey Foggie, who entered the game late, was spectacular, completing 7 of 12 passes for 204 yards and touchdowns to Andrew Murray, Mr. Smith, and Jeff Boyd in the last 7 minutes of the game. Mr. Foggie picked on rookie defensive back Kevin Clark, whose 7-game career as an Eskimo ended with this game. The teams combined to score 3 converted touchdowns each in the 4th quarter before just 28,151 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Toronto running back Mike "Pinball" Clemons was held in check by the Edmonton defense, rushing 7 times for 8 yards and catching 3 passes for 18. Mr. Smith led all receivers with 187 yards on 8 receptions.

Baseball
Once the gnats had been dealt with, the 49,892 fans at SkyDome saw the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Blue Jays 6-2, with Ted Higuera (8-6) pitching a 6-hit complete game victory.

Ellis Burks hit 2 home runs in the 8-run 4th inning and drove in 5 runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 12-4 before 10,411 fans at Cleveland Stadium.

10 years ago
2000

Baseball
Mike Lowell hit a solo home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Florida Marlins a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 21,920 fans at Pro Player Stadium in Miami.

Bobby Abreu hit an inside-the-park home run off Aaron Fultz to end the game leading off the bottom of the 10th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the San Francisco Giants 2-1 before 18,717 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Mr. Abreu had hit a home run in the 6th inning for the Phillies’ other run.

Darrin Fletcher hit 3 solo home runs, and Shannon Stewart and Jose Cruz added solo homers to help the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 6-4 before 21,896 fans at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Midre Cummings singled and scored the tying run in the bottom of the 9th and singled home A.J. Pierzynski with the bases loaded and 2 out in the bottom of the 10th to give the Minnesota Twins a 7-6 win over the Detroit Tigers before 9,759 fans at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Tim Salmon’s 30th home run of the season helped the Anaheim Angels defeat the Cleveland Indians 10-9 before 31,504 fans at Edison International Field of Anaheim. Mr. Salmon joined teammates Troy Glaus, Mo Vaughn, and Garret Anderson to make the Angels the first team in American League history to have four players with 30 or more home runs in the same season. Roberto Alomar drove in 5 runs for the Indians with a grand slam and a double.