September 8, 2010

1,940 years ago
70

War
The siege of Jerusalem ended after nearly five months when the city fell completely under the control of a Roman army led by Titus.

1,230 years ago
780

Died on this date
Leo IV, 30. Emperor of the Byzantine Emperor, 775-780. Leo IV, the son of Emperor Constantine V, was made Caesar in 751, and became senior Emperor upon his father's death. He led a successful invasion of the Abbasid Caliphate in 778, but died from tuberculosis, and was succeeded by his son Constantine VI.

910 years ago
1100

Died on this date
Clement III, 71 (?). Roman Catholic Antipope, 1080-1100. Clement III, whose real name was Guibert or Wibert of Ravenna, was elected in opposition to Pope Gregory VII, who opposed the claim of European monarchs to control ecclesiastical appointments. Clement III commanded a significant following, but is officially regarded as an antipope.

Religion
In a secret nighttime election, Theodoric was chosen to succeed Clement III as Antipope.

630 years ago
1380

War
Russian forces defeat a mixed army of Tatars and Mongols in the Battle of Kulikovo in Russia.

250 years ago
1760

War
The Marquis de Vaudreuil, Governor-General of New France, surrendered Montreal to the British. Canada, Acadia, and French western posts as far south as Illinois became part of British North America.

200 years ago
1810

Americana
The Tonquin set sail from New York Harbor with 33 employees of John Jacob Astor's newly created Pacific Fur Company on board. After a six-month journey around the tip of South America, the ship arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River, and Mr. Astor's men established the fur-trading town of Astoria, Oregon.

180 years ago
1830

Born on this date
Frédéric Mistral. French poet and lexicographer. Mr. Mistral shared the 1904 Nobel Prize for Literature with Spanish dramatist José Echegaray. Mr. Mistral won for his efforts to restore Occitan, the historic language of the French region of Provence. His most important work was his 12-song poem Mirèio (Mireille) (1859). Mr. Mistral died on March 25, 1914 at the age of 83.

150 years ago
1860

Disasters
The steamship PS Lady Elgin sank in Lake Michigan after being rammed in a gale by the schooner Augusta, with the loss of about 300 lives. The disaster remains the greatest loss of life on open water in the history of the Great Lakes.

110 years ago
1900

Born on this date
Tilly Devine. U.K.-born Australian gangstress. Mrs. Devine married an Australian at the age of 16 and moved to Australia at the age of 20. The pair became involved in crime, and Mrs. Devine was a prostitute, madam, and finally a crime boss. Mrs. Devine was convicted over 200 times, but still became very wealthy before being forced to pay large amounts in back taxes. She died of cancer on November 24, 1970 at the age of 70.

Claude Pepper. U.S. politician. Mr. Pepper, a Democrat, was a member of the Florida House of Representatives (1929-1931); represented Florida in the U.S. Senate (1936-1951); and represented four different Florida districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1963-1989), and chaired the House Rules Committee (1963-1989). He was nicknamed "Red Pepper" because of his pro-Soviet views in the 1930s and '40s, but became a staunch anti-Communist in the 1960s. Rep. Pepper became chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging in 1977, and became America's most prominent advocate for old people. He remained in office until his death on May 30, 1989 at the age of 88.

Disasters
A 120-mile-per-hour hurricane struck the Texas coastline of the Gulf of Mexico, killing 6,000-12,000 people, leaving 8,000 homeless, and destroying much of the city of Galveston.



100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Jean-Louis Barrault. French actor and director. Mr. Barrault played mime Jean-Gaspard Deburau in the movie Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise) (1945), and appeared in The Longest Day (1962). He was known for directing and acting in plays, often with his wife Madeleine Renaud. Mr. Barrault died of a heart attack on January 22, 1994 at the age of 83.

80 years ago
1930

Politics and government
An emergency session of the Canadian Parliament, summoned by Prime Minister R.B. Bennett to deal with the economic problems of the Depression, began in Ottawa.

Technology
3M began marketing Scotch transparent tape.

75 years ago
1935

Died on this date
Carl Weiss, 28. U.S. physician. Dr. Weiss, a physician whose father-in-law was a judge who had reportedly been gerrymandered out of his electoral district because of his opposition to U.S. Senator and former Louisiana Governor Huey Long, went to the Louisiana state Capitol building in Baton Rouge and accosted Sen. Long. Dr. Weiss had a gun in his coat, and shots were fired, most of them by Mr. Long's bodyguards, with 32 bullets going into or through Dr. Weiss. One of the bullets struck Mr. Long, and he was taken to hospital, where he died two days later. In the early 1990s the NBC television documentary program Unsolved Mysteries ran a segment on the incident, and the evidence indicated that the bullet that mortally wounded Mr. Long had been fired by one of his bodyguards, not by Dr. Weiss.

70 years ago
1940

On the radio



Died on this date
Hemmo Kallio, 77. Finnish actor. Mr. Kallio, born Herman Puttonen, played more than 400 roles on stage from 1882 until the late 1930s. He appeared in several films from 1920-1936, often cast in fatherly roles.

War
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe, announced that he had taken personal control of the German air assault on England.

Abominations
The Bolivian Chamber of Deputies approved a bill denying Jews the right to immigrate into the country.

Politics and government
U.S. Federal Judge John C. Knux barred Communist Party U.S. presidential candidate Earl Browder from campaigning and making public speeches.

Economics and finance
Due to action by the U.S. Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, wheat sold for its highest price in two months on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Football
NFL
Chicago Cardinals (0-0-1) 7 @ Pittsburgh (0-0-1) 7

Baseball
The Baltimore Elite Giants shut out the New York Cubans 3-0 in New York to win the Ruppert Memorial Cup, symbolic of supremacy in the Negro National League.

Johnny Mize hit his 38th, 39th, and 40th home runs of the season in consecutive at bats, but it wasn’t enough, as the St. Louis Cardinals were outslugged by the Pittsburgh Pirates 16-14 in the first game of a doubleheader before 10,718 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Bill DeLancey finished the game at catcher for the Cardinals; it was the 219th and last game of his 4-year major league career. The Pirates completed the sweep with a 5-4 win in a game that was called because of darkness after 5 innings.

Joe Gordon hit for the cycle as the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 9-4 before 33,800 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Spud Chandler was the winning pitcher, allowing 8 hits and 3 earned runs in a complete game.

60 years ago
1950

Died on this date
Kang Kon, 32. N.K. military officer. Lieutenant General Kang Kon participated in anti-Japanese activities in Manchuria in the 1930s, and fled to the U.S.R. in the early 1940s, serving with the Soviet Red Army during World War II. He returned to North Korea in 1946, and helped to establish the North Korean People's Army. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff Department in 1948 and led the North Korean Army offensive during the opening stages of the Korean War, but was killed by a land mine.

War
The Philippines promised to provide 10,000 metric tons of rice to United Nations forces in Korea despite a shortage at home.

Politics and government
The Liberal cabinet of Greek Prime Minister Sophocles Venizelos resigned after losing a non-confidence vote in Parliament.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Harry Truman named Secretary of State Dean Acheson to head the "Point Four" program for aiding underdeveloped areas of the world.

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board, acting under the authority of the Defense Production Act, ordered restrictions on installment buying similar to World War II controls.

In the face of a domestic cotton shortage, the U.S. Commerce Department invoked curbs on exports of raw cotton and cotton linters.

Disasters
It was reported that 116 miners trapped underground in Knockshinnoch Castle colliery at New Cumnock in Ayrshire, Scotland were safe more than 24 hours after a field collapsed and blocked their exit.

Boxing
Sandy Saddler (116-7-2) regained the world featherweight title when champion Willie Pep (152-3-1) was unable to come out for the 8th round of their bout at Yankee Stadium in New York after suffering a shoulder separation in the 7th round. Mr. Saddler had won the title in 1948 and lost it to Mr. Pep in 1949.



50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Alley Oop--Dante and the Evergreens

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Apache--The Shadows (3rd week at #1)

Space
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally dedicated the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration had already activated the facility on July 1.



40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Mitt sommarlov--Anita Hegerland (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): In the Summertime--Mungo Jerry (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Percy Spencer, 76. U.S. physicist. Mr. Spencer was largely self-taught in various subjects, and worked with the U.S. defense contract firm Raytheon during World War II. In 1945, he invented the microwave oven.

Terrorism
The U.K., West Germany, and Switzerland agreed to join U.S. efforts to obtain the release of the passengers held hostage in their hijacked jetliners in the Jordanian desert. The three countries delayed the release of the Arab guerrillas they were holding pending the joint diplomatic effort. Security agents at airports around the world began searching passengers, carry-on bags, and women’s purses.

Disasters
Typhoon Fran left 85 dead and 42 missing in Taiwan.

Trans International Airlines Flight 863, a Douglas DC-8 ferry flight to Washington, D.C., crashed during takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, killing all 11 aboard.

Boxing
Joe Bugner (27-2) scored a technical knockout of Chuck Wepner (21-7-2) in a heavyweight bout at Empire Pool, Wembley, London, when the bout was stopped at the end of the 3rd round because of a cut near Mr. Wepner's right eye.





Jerry Quarry (37-4-4) scored a technical knockout of Stamford Harris (14-19-2) at 1:14 of the 6th round of a heavyweight bout at Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida.



30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Moscow--Genghis Khan (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Junko/Namida no Serenade--Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Xanadu--Olivia Newton John/Electric Light Orchestra

Diplomacy
It was revealed that Israel had told the United States and Egypt that it would limit itself to four more new settlements on the West Bank. The assurance reportedly had a role in Egypt's decision to resume talks with Israel on Palestinian autonomy.

Disasters
Huge boulders and tons of earth swept down the Himalayas near Darjeeling, India, killing 250 people and trapping 30,000.

25 years ago
1985

Tennis
Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia defeated John McEnroe of the United States 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the men's singles title in the U.S. Open Championships at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.



Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (4-5) 12 @ Montreal (6-3) 33
Hamilton (2-7) 17 @ Edmonton (5-4) 27

Turner Gill completed 30 of 42 passes for 401 yards and a touchdown pass to Nick Arakgi to lead the Concordes to victory before an Olympic Stadium crowd of 19,289. Tony Johns scored twice on 1-yard rushes, and Roy Kurtz added 3 converts and 4 field goals for Montreal. Craig Ellis scored the Roughriders’ only touchdown late in the 3rd quarter on a 15-yard rush, and Joe Paopao completed a pass to Denny Ferdinand for a 2-point convert.



With the Eskimos leading 20-17 in the 4th quarter, quarterback Matt Dunigan drove the team 95 yards in 10 plays and rushed 9 yards for a touchdown with 1:52 remaining to put the game out of reach. Mr. Dunigan completed 13 of 24 passes for 169 yards--including a 35-yard touchdown to Larry Cowan in the 1st quarter--and rushed 15 times for 76 yards. Larry Wruck, playing in his ninth CFL game, scored the Eskimos’ first touchdown, and the only one of his 12-year career, when he recovered a fumble by punt returner Paul Bennett and ran 11 yards for the score. Tom Dixon added 3 converts and 2 field goals. Hamilton quarterback Ken Hobart completed 25 of 46 passes for 335 yards and touchdowns to Ron Ingram and Steve Stapler, and rushed 9 times for 81 yards. 39,144 fans at Commonwealth Stadium saw Walt Bowyer play his only CFL game as a defensive end for the Eskimos. Brian Fryer, who had played 3 games for the Ottawa Rough Riders earlier in the year after spending 7 years with the Eskimos, was back in an Edmonton uniform, replacing injured slotback Rick House on the roster. Rookie Eskimo linebacker John Dailey suffered a career-ending knee injury. Tom Porras dressed as the backup quarterback to Mr. Hobart for Hamilton, beginning a 7-year CFL career.



20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Epic--Faith No More (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Sotto Questo Sole--Francesco Baccini; Ladri di Biciclette (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): It's on You--MC Sar & the Real McCoy

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Soca Dance--Charles D. Lewis (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini--Bombalurina (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat
2 U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer
3 Tom's Diner--DNA featuring Suzanne Vega
4 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
5 Mooi Was Die Tijd--Corry Konings
6 Summer of '69--Bryan Adams
7 Close to You--Maxi Priest
8 Ritmo de la Noche--Chocolate
9 It's on You--M.C. Sar & the Real McCoy
10 Maldòn--Zouk Machine

Singles entering the chart were Verdammt - Ich Lieb' Dich by Matthias Reim (#26); Promise Me by Beverley Craven (#31); Tonight by New Kids on the Block (#32); Ritmo de la Noche by Lorca (#33); Jack Talking by Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys (#34); and Corazón by Gerard Joling (#35).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Blaze of Glory--Jon Bon Jovi
2 Release Me--Wilson Phillips
3 Do Me!--Bell Biv DeVoe
4 Unskinny Bop--Poison
5 If Wishes Came True--Sweet Sensation
6 Have You Seen Her--M.C. Hammer
7 Tonight--New Kids on the Block
8 (Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection--Nelson
9 Epic--Faith No More
10 Come Back to Me--Janet Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice (#72); More than Words Can Say by Alias (#84); Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.) by Motley Crue (#90); L.A. Woman by Billy Idol (#94); Hippychick by Soho (#95); Cherry Pie by Warrant (#97); and Ooops Up by Snap! (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Blaze of Glory--Jon Bon Jovi
2 If Wishes Came True--Sweet Sensation
3 Release Me--Wilson Phillips
4 Have You Seen Her--M.C. Hammer
5 Do Me!--Bell Biv DeVoe
6 Unskinny Bop--Poison
7 Thieves in the Temple--Prince
8 Tonight--New Kids on the Block
9 (Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection--Nelson
10 Come Back to Me--Janet Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Black Cat by Janet Jackson (#50); Suicide Blonde by INXS (#57); Feels Good by Tony! Toni! Tone! (#60); Cherry Pie by Warrant (#66); L.A. Woman by Billy Idol (#73); Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice (#77); and Knockin' Boots by Candyman (#85).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Vision of Love--Mariah Carey (3rd week at #1)
2 Release Me--Wilson Phillips
3 Come Back to Me--Janet Jackson
4 Across the River--Bruce Hornsby
5 Unskinny Bop--Poison
6 All the Lovers in the World--Gowan
7 Blaze of Glory--Jon Bon Jovi
8 Oh Girl--Paul Young
9 King of Wishful Thinking--Go West
10 Joey--Concrete Blonde

Singles entering the chart were Inside My Heart by the Box (#78); Rhythm of Love by Oleta Adams (#79); Do Me! by Bell Biv DeVoe (#90); Smoke by Crash Vegas (#91); Romeo by Dino (#92); Free by Burton Cummings (#95); Suicide Blonde by INXS (#97); Violence of Summer (Love’s Taking Over) by Duran Duran (#99); and Caroline by Concrete Blonde (#100).

Died on this date
Joe Gleason, 95. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Gleason appeared in 3 games with the Washington Nationals in 1920 and 8 games in 1922, posting a 2-3 record with an earned run average of 6.10. He pitched in various minor leagues from 1914-1931.

10 years ago
2000

Diplomacy
The Millennium Summit, attended by leaders from 150 countries at the United Nations in New York City, concluded. Nearly 300 treaties were signed or ratified by about 85 nations. One such treaty forbade the use of children under 18 in armed conflict.

Protest
Protests by truck drivers over high fuel prices spread from France to England.

Football
CFL
Calgary (6-3-1) 10 @ Edmonton (7-3) 31

Rick Walters returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown to help spark the Eskimos to a sweep of their annual September series with the Stampeders before 53,248 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. The fumble occurred when Calgary punt returner Marvin Coleman was hit hard by Edmonton running back Craig Carr. Quarterback Nealon Greene scored the Eskimos’ first touchdown on a 25-yard rush just 1:58 into the game. Mr. Greene also connected with Terry Vaughn for a 10-yard touchdown early in the 4th quarter after Jed Roberts recovered another Calgary fumble. Sean Fleming converted all 3 and added 3 field goals and a single. The Stampeders, with Troy Kopp quarterbacking them for the second straight game in place of injured starter Dave Dickenson, failed to score a touchdown. Mark McLoughlin kicked 3 field goals--the last from 52 yards with 1:30 left in the game--and a single. Kelvin Anderson was the main offensive weapon for the Stampeders, rushing 24 times for 131 yards and catching 3 passes for 25.



Baseball
Julio Lugo had 5 singles to help the Houston Astros defeat the Chicago Cubs 13-10 before 34,439 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Roger Clemens (12-6) pitched a 5-hitter for the New York Yankees as they shut out the Boston Red Sox 4-0 before 33,861 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. In the 9th inning, Boston pitcher Bryce Florie suffered fractures to a cheekbone and orbital socket, as well as retinal damage, when he was hit in the face by a line drive off the bat of Ryan Thompson. He returned to pitch in late June of 2001.