September 23, 2010

270 years ago
1740

Born on this date
Go-Sakuramachi. Empress of Japan, 1762-1771. Go-Sakuramachi succeeded her brother Momozono on the throne and abdicated in favour of her nephew Go-Momozono. She died on December 24, 1813 at the age of 73.

230 years ago
1780
War
Near Tarrytown, New York, British Army Major John Andre was captured along with papers revealing Continental Army Major General Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point, New York to the British.

210 years ago
1800

Born on this date
William Holmes McGuffey. U.S. author. Professor McGuffey was a Presbyterian minister before holding various academic positions, including president of Cincinnati College (1836-1839) and president of Ohio University (1839-1843). He was best known as the author and editor of the McGuffey Readers (1836-1879), a series of graded primers for grade levels 1-6 that sold an estimated 120 million copies from 1836-1960. The readers used phonics to teach reading, and the early editions included Prof. McGuffey's Calvinist beliefs. Prof. McGuffey died on May 4, 1873 at the age of 72.

175 years ago
1835

Died on this date
Vincenzo Bellini, 33. Italian composer. Mr. Bellini wrote eight symphonies, seven piano works, an oboe concerto, and 40 sacred works, but was best known for his 11 operas, which were characterized by flowing melodies, earning him the nickname "The Swan of Catania." He died after an intestinal and liver illness.

160 years ago
1850

Died on this date
José Gervasio Artigas Arnal, 86. Uruguayan military officer and politician. General Artigas served in various wars from 1797-1820. He supported a federalism that liberated Uruguay from the Argentine government in Buenos Aires, which has led him to be called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood." Gen. Artigas was forced into exile in Paraguay, and died in Asunción.

130 years ago
1880

Born on this date
John Boyd Orr, 1st Baron Boyd-Orr. U.K. biologist, physician, and politician. Lord Boyd-Orr was an expert in animal and human nutrition, directing the Rowett Research Institute in Scotland from 1914-1945. He was awarded the 1949 Nobel Peace Prize, mainly for his work as Director-General fo the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (1945-1948) and as President of the National Peace Council and World Union of Peace Organizations. Lord Boyd-Orr was an independent member of the House of Commons for the Combined Scottish Universities (1945-1946), and was elevated to the peerage in 1949. He was the co-founder and first president of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) from 1960 until his death on June 25, 1971 at the age of 90.

120 years ago
1890

Baseball
George Nicol gave up 9 bases on balls but no hits as the St. Louis Browns whipped the Toledo Maumees 21-2 in an American Association game at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis that was called because of darkness after 7 innings. The Browns scored 11 runs in the 3rd inning, with first baseman Jumbo Cartwright hitting a 3-run home run and a grand slam off rookie pitcher Ed Green.

100 years ago
1910

Baseball
Hal Chase replaced George Stallings as manager of the New York Yankees with 14 games remaining in the season. Mr. Stallings had been convinced that Mr. Chase, the team’s first baseman, was throwing games, but had been unable to prove it. The Yankees were in third place in the American League at the time of the managerial change with a record of 78-59.

90 years ago
1920

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox extended their wining streak to 7 with a 10-3 win over the Cleveland Indians before 26,000 fans at League Park in Cleveland to move within ½ game of the American League-leading Indians. Dickie Kerr (19-9) was the winning pitcher over Jim Bagby (29-11).

80 years ago
1930

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals jumped to an 11-0 lead after 3½ innings and held on for a 19-16 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 9,000 fans at National League Park in Philadelphia. Sparky Adams, Frankie Frisch, and Gus Mancuso each had 4 of the Cardinals' 26 hits, while Chuck Klein batted 4 for 6 with 4 runs batted in for the Phillies, and Tony Rensa drove in 5 runs, 4 on a grand slam--the game's only home run--to get Philadelphia on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 4th inning. Winning pitcher Flint Rhem (12-7) allowed 7 hits and 8 runs--6 earned--in 4.2 innings, while Phil Collins (16-10) allowed 8 hits and 7 runs--6 earned--in 2.2 innings to take the loss.

75 years ago
1935

Baseball
Johnny Michaels pitched a complete game victory, allowing 10 hits and 4 runs, while making 2 hits of his own, including a run-scoring triple, and scored the deciding run, as the Savitt Gems scored 5 runs in the first 2 innings and held on to upset the Philadelphia Athletics 6-4 in an exhibition game which ended under the lights at Bulkeley Stadium in Hartford. Pinky Higgins and Paul Richards hit home runs for the Athletics. Bullfrog Bill Dietrich started on the mound for Philadelphia and took the loss, allowing 11 hits and 6 runs. Jimmie Foxx, who played the first 6 innings at first base, relieved Mr. Dietrich in the 7th inning and pitched 2 scoreless innings, with 5 strikeouts, while batting 0 for 4.



70 years ago
1940

War
U.K. Royal Air Force bombers blasted Berlin for four hours. British and French forces bombarded Dakar in French West Africa and attempted a landing, but were beaten back by Vichy French forces. Japanese troops entered Indochina, crossing the Chinese frontier at Lang Son; U.S. State Secretary Cordell Hull denounced the Japanese invasion of Indochina. French forces abandoned Dong Dang near Hanoi.

Diplomacy
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler warned Egypt to disavow its ties to Britain or face severe consequences.

Defense
U.S. State Department figures indicated that Thailand had purchased $480,000 worth of arms in August.

A Gallup Poll reported that 52% of American voters favoured aid to England at the risk of war, while 48% felt that the U.S.A. should stay out of the war.

Politics and government
The Illinois state electoral board took the Communist Party off the state ballot on the grounds that its nominating peititions were invalid.

Americana
The U.S. Census reported that the country's population in 1940 was 131,409,881, a 7% increase over the last decade.

Baseball
Claude Passeau hit a home run to help him pick up his 20th win of the season as the Chicago Cubs blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 10-0 before just 1,843 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

60 years ago
1950

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Quicksilver--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Goodnight Irene--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra and the Weavers (Best Seller--6th week at #1; Disc Jockey--4th week at #1; Jukebox--5th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Goodnight Irene--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra and the Weavers (4th week at #1)
--Frank Sinatra
2 Mona Lisa--Nat "King" Cole
--Victor Young and his Orchestra (Don Cherry, vocal)
--Art Lund
3 Sam’s Song--Gary Crosby and Friend
--Joe "Fingers" Carr and the Carr-Hops
4 Tzena Tzena Tzena--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra and the Weavers
--Mitch Miller and his Orchestra
--Vic Damone
5 Play a Simple Melody--Gary Crosby and Friend
--Jo Stafford
6 La Vie en Rose--Tony Martin
--Bing Crosby
--Edith Piaf
7 Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No!)--The Ames Brothers
8 Bonaparte’s Retreat--Kay Starr
--Gene Krupa and Chicago Jazz
9 All My Love (Bolero)--Patti Page
--Percy Faith and his Orchestra
10 I Wanna Be Loved--The Andrews Sisters
--Billy Eckstine

Singles entering the chart the chart were Harbor Lights, with versions by Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra with Tony Alamo and the Kaydets; Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians; and Ray Anthony and his Orchestra (#25); and I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles by Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (#36).

Died on this date
Sam Barry, 57. U.S. basketball coach. Mr. Barry coached basketball at Knox College (Illinois) (1918-1922); the University of Iowa (1922-1929); and the University of Southern California (1929-1941, 1945-1950); was head football coach at Knox College (1918-1921); and USC (1941); and head baseball coach at Iowa (1923-1924) and USC (1930-1942, 1946-1950). He compiled records of 360-207 (basketball); 17-18-5 (football); and 361-141-4 (baseball), leading his basketball teams to six conference championships, and his baseball teams to 10 conference championships and a national championship (1948). Mr. Barry was one of three coaches to lead a basketball team to the NCAA Final Four and also lead a team to the College World Series. He was an assistant coach and scout for the USC football team when he suffered a fatal heart attack while approaching Memorial Stadium in Berkeley for a game against the University of California. Mr. Barry was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1966; he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (1979) and College Basketball Hall of Fame (2006) not only because of his team's performances, but because of his own innovations that helped to make basketball a faster and more entertaining game.

War
The Battle of Hill 282, the first U.S. friendly-fire incident on British military personnel since World War II, occurred near Waegwan, South Korea, when U.S. planes accidentally bombed U.K. troops, killing 21 and wounding 20. The United States sent Britain an official note of regret.

Politics and government
Both houses of the United States Congress overrode President Harry Truman's veto of the Internal Security Act of 1950.

Religion
Pope Pius XII urged Roman Catholic clergy to fight "both the iniquity of Communism and the abuses of capitalism.

Labour
An American Federation of Labour convention, meeting in Houston, voted to postpone action on a shorter work week for the duration of the Korean War emergency, and urged early imposition of price controls for key commodities.

Disasters
Famine conditions were reported in many parts of India due to floods, earthquakes, crop failures, and poor transport facilities.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Montreal (1-4) 12 @ Hamilton (3-2) 18
Ottawa (2-3) 15 @ Toronto (4-1) 36

7,000 fans were at Civic Stadium to see the Tiger-Cats defeat the Alouettes, while 24,398 were at Varsity Stadium to see the Argonauts defeat the Rough Riders.

WIFU
Saskatchewan (3-4) 9 @ Winnipeg (5-2) 15
Calgary (1-7) 8 @ Edmonton (6-2) 33

A capacity crowd of 8,000 filled Osborne Stadium to see the Blue Bombers defeat the Roughriders.

Mike King scored 3 touchdowns and Doug Pyzer and Jim Macrae added 1 each in the Eskimos’ rout of the Stampeders before 10,000 fans at Clarke Stadium. Annis Stukus added 3 converts and a field goal, and Ken Moore punted for 2 singles to aid the Edmonton cause.

ORFU-SIFL
Exhibition
Toronto (ORFU) 42 @ University of Western Ontario (SIFL) 30

10,000 attended the game at J.W. Little Memorial Stadium in London.

Baseball
Joe DiMaggio hit a home run in the 1st inning, Jerry Coleman tripled home 3 runs in the 5th, and Ed Lopat (18-8) pitched a 5-hitter as the New York Yankees shut out the Boston Red Sox 8-0 before 63,998 fans at Yankee Stadium to move 3 games ahead of the third-place Red Sox in the American League pennant race. Mel Parnell (17-9) took the loss. Lou Stringer grounded out as a pinch hitter for the Red Sox in the 8th inning in the 409th and last game of his 6-year major league career.

The Detroit Tigers dropped to second place, 1½ games behind the Yankees, as they lost 10-2 to the Cleveland Indians before 17,315 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Larry Doby hit a grand slam and Luke Easter had a 3-run triple to support the pitching of Mike Garcia (11-10), who pitched a 5-hit complete game.

Joe Astroth drove in 6 runs in the 6th inning with a grand slam and a single as the Philadelphia Athletics scored 12 runs in the inning and went on to beat the Washington Nationals 16-5 before 4,636 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Hank Wyse (9-14) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory.

Don Mueller tripled with 2 out and nobody on base in the top of the 10th inning and Hank Thompson followed with a run-scoring single to break a 3-3 tie as the New York Giants defeated the Boston Braves 4-3 before 4,690 fans at Braves Field. Larry Jansen (18-12) pitched an 8-hit complete game victory over Johnny Sain (19-13), who also allowed 8 hits in a complete game, and hit his first major league home run in the 8th inning to tie the score 3-3.

Gil Hodges' 3-run home run in the 2nd inning held up for the Brooklyn Dodgers as they held on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 before 22,602 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, moving within 6 games of the National League leaders. Andy Seminick hit a 2-run homer for the Phillies in the 7th. Don Newcombe (19-10) pitched a 7-hit complete game as he outduelled Robin Roberts (19-10).

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Apache--The Shadows (6th week at #1)

Football
NFL
St. Louis (1-0) 43 @ Los Angeles (0-1) 21

John Roach threw 4 touchdown passes--3 to Sonny Randle--as the Cardinals overcame a 14-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Rams before 47,448 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was the Cardinals' first regular season game since moving to St. Louis from Chicago.

AFL
Buffalo (1-2) 13 @ Boston (1-2) 0
New York (2-1) 28 @ Denver (2-1) 24

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Band of Gold--Freda Payne

At the movies
Tora! Tora! Tora!, directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda, and Kinji Fukasaku, and starring Martin Balsam, Sō Yamamura, Joseph Cotten, Tatsuya Mihashi, E.G. Marshall, and many others, opened in theatres in North America.





War
Syrian forces beat a retreat before Jordanian forces in the Jordanian civil war.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the cost of living rose 0.2% in August, the smallest increase in nearly two years.

Labour
Representatives of four U.S. railway unions, U.S. railroads, and the U.S. government arranged to postpone a nationwide strike for two weeks.

Disasters
India reported that 600 people had been killed and 20,000 left homeless by three weeks of rain and floods.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (5-3) 26 @ British Columbia (5-5) 14

Backup quarterback John Eckman came off the bench to direct the Hamilton offense when starter Joe Zuger broke his right wrist late in the first quarter, and completed 7 of 16 passes for 133 yards to lead the Tiger-Cats to victory before 29,787 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Mr. Eckman rushed 7 yards for a touchdown and handed off to Dave Fleming for a 4-yard touchdown rush. The Tiger-Cats’ other touchdown came in the 4th quarter with the team trailing 14-11. B.C. kicker Ted Gerela’s field goal attempt was blocked by John Vilunas, and Hamilton defensive back John Williams returned it 72 yards, putting the Tiger-Cats ahead 18-14 after Tommy-Joe Coffey’s convert. Mr. Coffey also converted the other Hamilton touchdowns and added a 28-yard field goal and a single off a missed 25-yard field goal attempt. He led the Hamilton receivers with 3 receptions for 79 yards; 57 of those yards came on 2 receptions that preceded Mr. Fleming’s touchdown. John Manel, who replaced Mr. Zuger as the Tiger-Cats’ punter, booted a 39-yard single in the last minute of the game. B.C. quarterback Paul Brothers completed 18 of 35 passes for 256 yards and touchdowns of 50 yards to Vic Washington and 12 yards to Jim Evenson, but also gave up 3 interceptions. Mr. Washington led all receivers with 98 yards on 4 receptions. The game was the last in the 14-year CFL career of Ernie Pitts, who had joined the Lions in 1970 after 13 seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Lions had 10 days after this game until their next one, so head coach Jackie Parker gave the players a few days off. Mr. Pitts flew to his home in Brighton, Colorado the next day, and was shot that night by his wife; she ostensibly mistook him for a burglar.

Baseball
Cito Gaston led off the 4th inning with a home run and Dave Campbell added a solo homer in the 9th for the San Diego Padres shut out the Atlanta Braves 2-0 before 2,007 fans at Atlanta Stadium. Steve Arlin (1-0) pitched a 7-hitter for his first major league win, outduelling Pat Jarvis (16-14), who allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings.

Carl Morton (17-11) allowed 8 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 8.1 innings to outduel George Brunet (0-1) as the Montreal Expos held on to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 before 12,420 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Pirates scored a run in the bottom of the 9th and had runners on second and third bases with 1 out, but relief pitcher Mike Marshall retired pinch hitters Jose Pagan and Gene Clines on outfield flies to end the game, earning his first save in a Montreal uniform. The loss left the first-place Pirates 2 games ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East Division pennant race.

Donn Clendenon hit a 2-run home run with 2 out in the top of the 8th inning to enable the New York Mets to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 before 5,683 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Rick Joseph struck out as a pinch hitter for the Phillies in the 8th inning in the 253rd and last game of his 5-year major league career.



Bob Gibson (23-6) pitched a 2-hitter to outduel Ferguson Jenkins (20-16), who pitched a 7-hitter, as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 21,340 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Jerry Reuss (7-8) pitched a 7-hitter to outduel Bill Hands (17-14), who allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs in 7 innings, as the Cardinals won again by a 2-1 score to complete the sweep, dropping the Cubs into third place in the NL East Division, 2½ games behind the Pirates.

Dick Dietz hit a grand slam to climax a 9-run 6th inning and Ken Henderson hit a 3-run homer to climax a 4-run 10th for the San Francisco Giants as they come from an 8-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 14-10 before 19,508 fans at Dodger Stadium.

Bart Johnson (4-6) pitched a 5-hitter and doubled home a run for the Chicago White Sox as they shut out the Kansas City Royals 6-0 before only 693 fans at White Sox Park. Paul Splittorff (0-1) made his major league debut as the Royals' starting pitcher, allowing 5 hits and 5 runs--3 earned--in 7 innings, walking 3 batters and striking out 8, and batting 1 for 2.

30 years ago
1980

War
Iraqi planes attacked Iran’s huge oil refineries at Abadan, and Iraqi troops crossed into Iran at several points. Iranian planes attacked the centre of Baghdad three times, bombing military and civilian airports, and struck at the northern Iraqi oil centres of Kirkuk and Mosul and petrochemical complexes near Basra and at Zubair. At Zubair, at least 29 people were killed, including two British and four American workers at the facility.

Energy
In the first plebiscite in the United States on nuclear energy since the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania in 1979, voters in Maine defeated a referendum proposal to shut down the state’s only nuclear power plant, the Maine Yankee facility near Wiscasset, by 59%-41%. The eight-year-old plant produced about 1/3 of the electricity consumed in the state.

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Blaze of Glory--Jon Bon Jovi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Verdammt - ich lieb' dich--Matthias Reim (12th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Verdammt - ich lieb' dich--Matthias Reim (11th week at #1)
2 Naked in the Rain--Black Pearl
3 Ooops Up--Snap!
4 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
5 Samurai--Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
6 U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer
7 Tom's Diner--DNA featuring Suzanne Vega
8 Kingston Town--UB40
9 What's a Woman?--Vaya con Dios
10 Close to You--Maxi Priest

Singles entering the chart were Praying for Time by George Michael (#24); and Heidi! by Der Schreckliche Sven featuring M.C. Alm Öhi (#29).

Diplomacy
Iraq threatened to destroy Middle East oil fields and attack Israel if other nations tried to force it from Kuwait.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appointed five new Senators: James Kelleher, Trevor Eyton, Claude Castonguay, John Lynch-Staunton, Mabel DeWare.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (6-6) 7 @ Winnipeg (8-4) 36

Tom Burgess threw 3 touchdown passes--2 to Rick House and the other to Robert Mimbs--as the Blue Bombers avenged a 55-11 loss to the Roughriders 20 days earlier. Winnipeg defensive back Ken Hailey recovered a fumbled punt in the Saskatchewan end zone in the 1st quarter, and Warren Hudson rushed 1 yard for another Winnipeg touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Milson Jones scored the Roughriders’ touchdown on a 1-yard rush with 3:44 remaining in the game. Mr. Mimbs led all rushers with 15 carries for 90 yards. 32,177 were in attendance at Winnipeg Stadium.



10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Carl Rowan, 75. U.S. journalist. Mr. Rowan was a reporter with the Minneapolis Tribune (1950-1961), often reporting on the Negro civil rights movement. He was a columnist with the Chicago Sun-Times (1966-1998). Mr. Rowan was known as an advocate of gun control, but admitted to being vulnerable to accusations of hypocrisy in 1988 when he shot at a teenager who was trespassing and using his backyard swimming pool. Mr. Rowan died of heart and kidney ailments.

Aurelio Rodríguez, 52. Mexican-born baseball player and manager. Mr. Rodríguez was a third baseman with seven major league teams (1967-1983), most notably with the Detroit Tigers (1971-1979). He batted .237 with 124 home runs and 648 runs batted in in 2,017 games, and was known as one of the best defensive third basemen of his time, with an outstanding throwing arm. Mr. Rodríguez began (1965-1966) and ended (1984-1989) his playing career in the Mexican League, and managed in the Mexican League (1985, 1990-1999), compiling a record of 804-693. He was visiting Detroit and was leaving a restaurant when he was hit and killed by a car that jumped the curb.

Olympics
At the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Marion Jones of the United States won the women’s 100-metre dash in 10.75 seconds, while fellow American Maurice Greene won the men’s 100-metre dash in 9.87 seconds. Miss Jones later forfeited her medals for using a banned substance.





British rower Steve Redgrave won his fifth consecutive gold medal, winning as a member of the coxless fours.



Football
CFL
Winnipeg (3-8-1-1) 6 @ Hamilton (8-4-0-2) 43

Ronald Williams rushed 17 times for 150 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Tiger-Cats to the rout before an Ivor Wynne Stadium crowd of 13,100. Mr. Williams’ touchdown runs covered 70, 1, and 31 yards.; his longest run came on the game’s first play from scrimmage. Hamilton quarterback Danny McManus completed just 9 of 22 passes for 156 yards, but managed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Grigg in the 1st quarter. Paul Osbaldiston added 4 converts and 5 field goals as the Tiger-Cats. Troy Westwood kicked a field goals and single for the Blue Bombers, who also scored a safety touch. The Blue Bombers turned the ball over 7 times, 5 in the first half, as the Tiger-Cats built a 30-3 halftime lead.