September 5, 2010

1,420 years ago
590

Died on this date
Autari, 50 (?). King of the Lombards, 584-590. Autari, the son of King Cleph, was elected by the nobility following the decade-long interregnum known as the Rule of the Dukes. He spent his entire reign in wars with the Franks, the Byzantines, and Lombard rebels, while introducing policies that led to drastic changes, particularly in the treatment of the Romans and Christianity. King Auhari's death may have been from poisoning; he was succeeded on the throne by Agilulf, Duke of Turin.

420 years ago
1590

War
Alexander Farnese's army forced King Henri IV of France to lift the siege of Paris.

140 years ago
1870

Technology
In Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Robert C. Harris patented the “Railway Screw Snow Excavator," a pioneer to modern snow blowers.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Leila Mackinlay. U.S. authoress. Miss Mackinlay wrote romance novels under her own name and the pseudonym Brenda Grey from 1930-1979. She died on April 13, 1996 at the age of 85.

90 years ago
1920

Died on this date
Robert Harron, 27. U.S. actor. Mr. Harron began acting at the age of 14, and appeared in more than 200 movies, usually in juvenile roles. He was best known for his association with director D.W. Griffith in movies such as Judith of Bethulia (1914); The Birth of a Nation (1915); and Intolerance (1916). Mr. Harron was in New York City for a preview screening of Coincidence (1921), when a gun he had brought with him accidentally discharged when it hit the floor as he was unpacking, and he was shot in the chest. Mr. Harron died in hospital four days later.

80 years ago
1930

Died on this date
Robert Means Thompson, 81. U.S. military officer and businessman. Mr. Thompson served with the U.S. Navy from 1869-1871, rising to the level of master. He was president of Orford Copper, and served as chairman after the company merged into the International Nickel Company of Canada. Mr. Thompson was president of the American Olympic Association for the 1912 and 1924 Summer Olympic Games, and donated the Thompson Cup, presented to the winning team in the annual Army-Navy football game. He received numerous national and international awards.

75 years ago
1935

Baseball
Terry Moore batted 6 for 6 with a double as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Braves 15-3 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis in a game that was completed in 1 hour 43 minutes. Leo Durocher had a single, double, and triple, scoring 3 runs and driving in 4.

70 years ago
1940

War
Hungarian troops occupied the ceded portion of Transylvania in Romania. Italian planes bombed the Egyptian port of Suez. The British Ministry of Home Security reported that 1,075 deaths had been caused by German air raids in August. Sources in Hanoi reported that French and Japanese officials there had agreed on a pact permitting Japanese use of Indochina for transit of troops to China.

Defense
The United Kingdom and Thailand agreed to a non-aggression pact. The Chinese government warned the U.S. government that the situation was rapidly deteriorating and that further U.S. aid was imperative.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established a new National Defense Research Committee, under the chairmanship of Dr. Vannevar Bush, to coordinate scientific research for the defense effort.

Politics and government
At a conference in Rushville, Indiana with U.S. Republican Party leaders from 21 states, Wendell Willkie formally opened his campaign as the party's candidate for President of the United States.

Transportation
U.S. President Roosevelt signed the Federal Highway Act, authorizing nearly $135 million for various highway projects through 1943.

Economics and finance
The New York Federal Reserve Bank announced that it was now handling the deposits of the British and French governments.

60 years ago
1950

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Pocketful of Murder, starring Barry Nelson, Don Hanmer, Cara Williams, and Jack Warden



Literature
Kon-Tiki, anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl's account of his crossing the Pacific Ocean by raft, was published in New York by Rand McNally.

War
The U.S. Army asked the Selective Service system for 70,000 draftees in November, raising to 170,000 the number the Army had called.

Politics and government
The Syrian Parliament approved a new constitution, and selected Hashem al-Atassi as President of the Republic.

U.S. Senator Andrew Schoeppel (Republican--Kansas), in a speech attacking the Alaska statehood bill, charged that Interior Secretary Oscar Chapman had once been linked with "the Russian Soviet cause" through four front groups.

Baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates sold first baseman Johnny Hopp to the New York Yankees. Mr. Hopp was second in the National League in batting, hitting .340 with 8 home runs and 47 runs batted in in 106 games. The Yankees thought that he might help them during the American League pennant race.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Comunicando--Arturo Millán

#1 single in France (IFOP): Les enfants du Pirée--Dalida (8th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 It's Now or Never--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)
2 The Twist--Chubby Checker
3 Walk - Don't Run--The Ventures
4 Volare--Bobby Rydell
5 I'm Sorry--Brenda Lee
6 Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini--Brian Hyland
7 Mission Bell--Donnie Brooks
8 Finger Poppin' Time--Hank Ballard
9 My Heart Has a Mind of its Own--Connie Francis
10 Theme from The Apartment-- Ferrante and Teicher with their Orchestra & Chorus

Singles entering the chart were So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad) (#47)/Lucille (#66) by the Everly Brothers; Let the Good Times Roll by Shirley & Lee (#60); I'm Not Afraid by Ricky Nelson (#75); Three Nights a Week (#76)/Put Your Arms Around Me Honey (#88) by Fats Domino; Save the Last Dance for Me by the Drifters (#78); Sleep by Little Willie John (#84); And Now by Della Reese (#85); Let's Think About Living by Bob Luman (#87); (You've Got To) Move Two Mountains by Marv Johnson (#90); Rocking Goose by Johnny and the Hurricanes (#95); Alvin for President by David Seville and the Chipmunks (#98); Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out by Nina Simone (#99); and Beachcomber by Bobby Darin (#100). Let the Good Times Roll was a newly-recorded version of the song that had been a major hit for Shirley and Lee in 1956.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Hot Rod Lincoln--Johnny Bond (2nd week at #1)
2 Pineapple Princess--Annette with the Afterbeats
3 Storm Clouds--Buddy Knox
4 Mr. Custer--Larry Verne
5 Let's Have a Party--Wanda Jackson
6 It's Now or Never/A Mess of Blues--Elvis Presley
7 Yogi--The Ivy Three
8 Cool Water--Jack Scott
9 Let's Think About Living--Bob Luman
10 The Blamers--Les Vogt

Singles entering the chart were Yes Sir, That's My Baby by Ricky Nelson (#33, charting with its other side, I'm Not Afraid); OK, So What? by Freddie North (#53); My Love for You by Johnny Mathis (#56); Love You in the Same Old Way by Paul Anka (#57); Rocking Goose by Johnny and the Hurricanes (#58); (You've Got To) Move Two Mountains by Marv Johnson (#59); and Shortnin' Bread by the Bell Notes (#60).

Politics and government
Poet Léopold Sédar Senghor was elected as the first President of Senegal.

Olympics
Cassius Clay of the U.S.A. won a unanimous decision over three-time European champion Zbigniew Pietrzytkowski of Poland to win the gold medal in the light heavyweight division of the boxing competition at the Summer Olympic Games in Rome.



Football
CFL
EFC
Ottawa (3-2) 22 @ Montreal (2-3) 39
Toronto (4-0) 32 @ Hamilton (0-4) 21

WIFU
British Columbia (3-4) 31 @ Saskatchewan (0-5-1) 21
Edmonton (4-2) 29 @ Calgary (1-4-1) 28

23,876 saw the Alouettes win at Molson Stadium, while 26,253 attended the traditional Labour Day game at Civic Stadium, most of them disappointed, if not shocked, by the Tiger-Cats’ loss.

14,105 were at Taylor Field in Regina to see the Lions defeat the Roughriders.

Jackie Parker scored a touchdown in the last minute and converted it to give the Eskimos the win in the first Labour Day game played at McMahon Stadium. The winning touchdown was Mr. Parker’s second of the game, and he added 3 converts to his total. Normie Kwong helped the Eskimo cause by scoring his first 2 touchdowns of the season, and Ed Gray added another Edmonton major. Mr. Parker’s last-minute heroics ruined an excellent performance by Calgary fullback Earl Lunsford, who rushed for 211 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown.

ORFU
Port Huron-Detroit (0-2) 27 @ Sarnia (2-0) 34

Pete Bentley led the Golden Bears with 2 touchdowns; Ed Vernes added a touchdown and 4 converts, while Chuck Stanley and Ray Sine scored the other Sarnia majors in front of a Norm Perry Park crowd of 4,500. Mr. Stanley’s touchdown came on a 79-yard rush. Howard Neeley scored 2 touchdowns for the Raiders, while Bill Bennett and Chuck Howton scored 1 each. Curtis Cotton converted 2 of the Port Huron-Detroit majors, and Bill Johnson converted 1.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Girl, I've Got News for You--Mardi Gras

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La lontananza--Domenico Modugno (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): The Wonder of You--Elvis Presley (6th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (2nd week at #1)
--The Mixtures
2 El Condor Pasa--Simon & Garfunkel
3 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival
4 The Wonder of You--Elvis Presley
5 Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)--Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers
6 The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue--The Beatles
7 Gimme Dat Ding--Maple Lace
8 Old Man Emu--John Williamson
9 Knock Knock Who's There--Mary Hopkin
10 Rhythm of Life--Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations

Singles entering the chart were 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago (#26); Go Back by Crabby Appleton (#37); Hey, Mister Sun by Bobby Sherman (#51); Spill the Wine by Eric Burdon and War (#54); (If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You? by Ronnie Dyson (#58); Something's Burning by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (#59); and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid by Don Epperson (#60).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Back Home--Golden Earring (3rd week at #1)
2 Are You Ready?--Pacific Gas & Electric
3 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
4 Lola--The Kinks
5 White Rabbit/Somebody to Love--Jefferson Airplane
6 Long as I Can See the Light--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Brandend Zand--Gert Timmerman
8 Try a Little Love--Oscar Harris and the Twinkle Stars
9 Wild and Exciting--Earth & Fire
10 Rainbow--The Marmalade

Singles entering the chart were Suicide is Painless by the Mash (#23); War by Edwin Starr (#34); I Won't Stand Between Them by Bonnie St. Claire (#35); Wild World by Jimmy Cliff (#39); and Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell (#40). Suicide is Painless was from the move MASH (1970).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 War--Edwin Starr (2nd week at #1)
2 Ain't No Mountain High Enough--Diana Ross
3 Make it with You--Bread
4 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
5 (They Long to Be) Close to You--Carpenters
6 25 or 6 to 4--Chicago
7 Patches--Clarence Carter
8 (If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?--Ronnie Dyson
9 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
10 Lookin' Out My Back Door/Long as I Can See the Light--Creedence Clearwater Revival

Singles entering the chart were Look What They've Done to My Song Ma by the New Seekers (#70); Somebody's Been Sleeping by 100 Proof Aged in Soul (#81); It's Only Make Believe by Glen Campbell (#82); Indiana Wants Me by R. Dean Taylor (#86); Greenwood Mississippi by Little Richard (#88); (Baby) Turn on to Me by the Impressions (#93); Gypsy Woman by Brian Hyland (#94); Empty Pages by Traffic (#95); I Have Learned to Do Without You by Mavis Staples (#96); Looky Looky (Look at Me Girl) by the O'Jays (#99); and Fire and Rain by Johnny Rivers & Friends (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 War--Edwin Starr
2 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
3 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
4 Patches--Clarence Carter
5 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough--Diana Ross
6 Lookin’ Out My Back Door--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 25 or 6 to 4--Chicago
8 Make it With You--Bread
9 Hi-De-Ho--Blood, Sweat and Tears
10 (They Long to Be) Close to You--Carpenters

Singles entering the chart were It’s Only Make Believe by Glen Campbell (#55); El Condor Pasa by Simon & Garfunkel (#60); We Can Make Music by Tommy Roe (#78); Empty Pages by Traffic (#82); Stand by Your Man by Candi Staton (#83); (Baby) Turn on to Me by the Impressions (#86); When You Get Right Down to It by the Delfonics (#87); Funk #49 by the James Gang (#89); For the Good Times by Ray Price (#92); Santo Domingo by the Sandpipers (#95); Georgia Took Her Back by R.B. Greaves (#97); Groovin' with Mr. Bloe by Cool Heat (#98); I Just Wanna Keep it Together by Paul Davis (#99); and Funky Man by Kool & The Gang (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 War--Edwin Starr
2 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
3 Make it with You--Bread
4 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
5 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough--Diana Ross
6 Patches--Clarence Carter
7 (If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?--Ronnie Dyson
8 25 or 6 to 4--Chicago
9 Lookin' Out My Back Door/Long as I Can See the Light--Creedence Clearwater Revival
10 Hi-De-Ho--Blood, Sweat & Tears

Singles entering the chart included I Stand Accused by Isaac Hayes (#61); El Condor Pasa by Simon & Garfunkel (#65); Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash (#71); It's Only Make Believe by Glen Campbell (#72); We Can Make Music by Tommy Roe (#80); Indiana Wants Me by R. Dean Taylor (#81); As the Years Go By by Mashmakhan (#85); For Yasgur's Farm by Mountain (#86); When You Get Right Down to It by the Delfonics (#87); Gypsy Woman by Brian Hyland (#91); I Just Wanna Keep it Together by Paul Davis (#92); You're Gonna Make It by the Festivals (#93); Montego Bay by Bobby Bloom (#99); and Stand by Your Man by Candi Staton (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry
2 War--Edwin Starr
3 25 or 6 to 4--Chicago
4 As the Years Go By--Mashmakhan
5 Lookin' Out My Back Door--Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 Overture from Tommy (A Rock Opera)--The Assembled Multitude
7 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
8 Make it with You--Bread
9 Hi-De-Ho--Blood, Sweat & Tears
10 Hand Me Down World--The Guess Who

Singles entering the chart were Look What They've Done to My Song Ma by the New Seekers (#60); Green-Eyed Lady by Sugarloaf (#62); Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash (#66); Soul Shake by Delaney and Bonnie and Friends (#68); Going to the Country by the Steve Miller Band (#81); Corrina Corrina by King Biscuit Boy with Crowbar (#89); Lovin' You Baby by White Plains (#93); Down by the River by Buddy Miles (#94); For Yasgur's Farm by Mountain (#95); We Can Make Music by Tommy Roe (#96); Out in the Country by Three Dog Night (#97); Go Back by Crabby Appleton (#98); Funk #49 by the James Gang (#99); and Cheryl Moana Marie by John Rowles (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (2nd week at #1)
2 As the Years Go By--Mashmakhan
3 Spill the Wine--Eric Burdon and War
4 Candida--Dawn
5 25 or 6 to 4--Chicago
6 Make it with You--Bread
7 Patches--Clarence Carter
8 Higher & Higher--Canada Goose
9 Me and Bobby McGee--Gordon Lightfoot
10 Hand Me Down World--The Guess Who
Pick hit of the week: Joanne--Michael Nesmith & the First National Band

Joanne is this blogger’s favourite "girl" song.

Died on this date
Jochen Rindt, 28. German-born Austrian auto racing driver. Mr. Rindt moved to Austria as an infant after the deaths of his parents. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965, won 29 Formula Two races, and participated in 62 Formula One races (1964-1970), with 6 wins and 13 podium finishes. Mr. Rindt won five races in 1970 and was leading in points in the competition for the world driving championship when he was killed in a crash while practicing for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (see video). He became the first--and so far, only--driver to win the world driving championship posthumously.



War
The United States 101st Airborne Division and the South Vietnamese 1st Infantry Division initiated Operation Jefferson Glenn in Thừa Thiên–Huế Province.

The United Nations Security Council, meeting in an emergency session after Lebanon reported a large-scale Israeli attack on a guerrilla base in southeastern Lebanon, demanded the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Lebanon. Although the Lebanese delegate said that the attackers were still in his country, the Israeli representative claimed that the troops had already been withdrawn after a minor patrol action.

Disasters
At least 21 people were reported dead after 48 hours of heavy rains in eastern and central India.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): One More Reggae for the Road--Bill Lovelady (9th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime--The Korgis (2nd week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Paradise Road--Joy (6th week at #1)
2 More than I Can Say--Leo Sayer
3 Call Me--Blondie
4 Down the Mississippi--Barbara Ray
5 Don't Make Waves--The Nolans
6 I See a Boat on the River--Boney M.
7 Space Invaders--Player (1)
8 Can't Stop the Music--Village People
9 Take that Look Off Your Face--Marti Webb
10 Boat on the River--Styx

The only single entering the chart was Funkytown by Lipps Inc. (#17).

Died on this date
Don Banks, 66. Australian composer. Mr. Banks composed classical and jazz works, including scores for films such as The Evil of Frankenstein (1964). He died after a long battle with leukemia.

Transportation
The Gotthard Road Tunnel, stretching from Göschenen to Airolo, opened in Switzerland as the world's longest highway tunnel at 10.14 miles (16.32 kilometres).

25 years ago
1985

Hit parade
Canada's Top 30
1 We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)--Tina Turner
2 Summer of '69--Bryan Adams
3 The Power of Love--Huey Lewis and the News
4 St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)--John Parr
5 You're Only Human--Billy Joel
6 Crying Over You--Platinum Blonde
7 Head Over Heels--Tears for Fears
8 Freeway of Love--Aretha Franklin
9 Money for Nothing--Dire Straits
10 Don't Lose My Number--Phil Collins
11 Invincible--Phil Collins
12 Cry--Godley and Creme
13 Never Surrender--Corey Hart
14 People are People--Depeche Mode
15 Dress You Up--Madonna
16 Smokin' in the Boys Room--Motley Crue
17 Get it On (Bang a Gong)--Power Station
18 Hurts to Be in Love--Gino Vannelli
19 Freedom--Wham!
20 Lonely Ol' Night--John Cougar Mellencamp
21 Boy in the Box--Corey Hart
22 Mona with the Children--Doug Cameron
23 You Give Good Love--Whitney Houston
24 There Must be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)--Eurythmics
25 Pop Life--Prince
26 Shame--Motel
27 Life in One Day--Howard Jones
28 Cherish--Kool & The Gang
29 Take on Me--A-Ha
30 Who's Holding Donna Now?--DeBarge

At the movies
My American Cousin, directed by Sandy Wilson and starring Margaret Langrick, John Wildman, and Richard Donat, received its premiere screening.



20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Ivan Mihailov, 94. Bulgarian revolutionist. Mr. Mihaillov was Secretary General (1897-1924) and President (1924-1934) of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) in Macedonia. He identified the IMRO with Bulgarian nationalism, cooperating with regimes such as those of Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany. Mr. Mihailov led the IMRO in terrorist attacks against Yugoslavian officials, most notoriously the assassination of King Alexander I in 1934. During World War II, he was unable to obtain enough support to create a pro-Nazi puppet state in Macedonia in 1944, and was forced to flee to Italy. Mr. Mihailov was a Bulgarian nationalist rather than a Macedonian nationalist; his rejection of Macedonian national separatism led him to be regarded as a Bulgarophile traitor in North Macedonia. Mr. Mihailov died in Rome, 10 days after his 94th birthday.

Abominations
Sri Lankan Army soldiers slaughtered 158 Tamil civilians who had taken refuge at the campus of Eastern University near the city of Batticalo.

Protest
The Mercier Bridge through the Kanawake reserve in Quebec reopened after a 55-day standoff between Mohawk Indians and Quebec police.

Scandal
Donald Cormie was charged in Calgary by the Alberta Securities Commission with stock manipulation for driving up shares in Matrix Investments Ltd., controlled by his Principal Group.

Economics and finance
The Soviet government newspaper Isvestia published details of the "Shatalin plan," named after Stanislav Shatalin, an aide to U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev. The plan, on which Mr. Gorbachev and Russian President Boris Yeltsin had been working, was based on the 500-day plan already adopted by the Russian Republic. It would dismantle most central economic planning and stress private property and economic freedom.

10 years ago
2000

Crime
Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers netted 156 kilograms of heroin and disrupted an Asian-based crime gang in two separate busts in Toronto and Vancouver.

Protest
About 200 commercial fishermen and politicians gathered on the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia waterfront to urge the Canadian government to end the native lobster fishery.

Scandal
Hammer thrower Robin Lyons of Alberta was dropped from Canada’s Olympic team after she had tested positive for the anabolic steroid norandrosterone at the Canadian Olympic trials in August.