July 13, 2011

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Liz Nelson and Tom Higgins!

520 years ago
1491

Died on this date
Afonso, 16. Portuguese royal family member. Prince Afonso, the only son of King João II, married Isabella of Aragon in 1490 and was heir apparent to the throne, but was killed in an equestrian accident.

390 years ago
1621

Died on this date
Albrecht VII, 61. Sovereign of the Netherlands, 1598-1621. Albrecht VII, the fifth son of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II, held various titles, including Viceroy of Portugal (1583-1593) and Archduke of Austria (March-October 1619). He acceded to the latter position upon the death of his brother Matthias, but abdicated in favour of Ferdinand II. Albrecht VII died after a period of declining health.

190 years ago
1821

Born on this date
Nathan Bedford Forrest. C.S. military officer. Lieutenant General Forrest served with the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War, where he earned a reputation as a brilliant strategist, but was regarded by Union forces as a war criminal for the massacre of Negro and Loyalist troops who had already surrendered in the Battle of Fort Pillow in 1864. He was one of the early founders of the Ku Klux Klan, and became its first Grand Wizard in 1867. Lt. Gen. Forrest officially dissolved the KKK in January 1869 and withdrew from participation in the organization. He died, reportedly from the effects of diabetes, on October 29, 1877 at the age of 56.

180 years ago
1831

Politics and government
Regulamentul Organic, a quasi-constitutional organic law, was adopted in Wallachia, one of the two Danubian Principalities that were to become the basis of Romania.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Eric Portman. U.K. actor. Mr. Portman appeared in plays and films from 1924-1969, with his career peaking in the 1940s when he starred in movies such as 49th Parallel (1941); One of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942); and We Dive at Dawn (1943). Mr. Portman died of heart disease on December 7, 1969 at the age of 68.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Bob Steele. U.S. radio personality. Mr. Steele joined station WTIC in Hartford, Connecticut in 1936, and was its morning announcer from 1943-1991. He hosted a Saturday morning show on WTIC from 1991 until his death on December 6, 2002 at the age of 91.

Died on this date
Allan McLean, 71. U.K.-born Australian politician. Mr. McLean, a native of Scotland, moved to Australia as a child. He represented Gippsland North in the Victorian Legislative Assembly (1880-1901), holding several cabinet posts and serving as Premier of Victoria (1899-1900). Mr. McLean opposed Australian federation, but entered federal politics after it took effect in 1901, and represented Gippsland in the House of Representatives (1901-1906) as a member of the Protectionist Party, serving as Minister for Trade and Customs (1904-1905). Mr. McLean narrowly lost in seat in the 1906 federal election, and died after long suffering from a rheumatic condition.

90 years ago
1921

Died on this date
Gabriel Lippmann, 75. Luxembourgian physicist. Dr. Lippmann was awarded the 1908 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his method of reproducing colours photographically based on the phenomenon of interference." He invented the Lippmann electrometer, which was used in the first electrocardiograph machine. Dr. Lippmann died aboard the steamer France while en route from Canada.

Baseball
Jim Thorpe hit 3 home runs to lead the Toledo Mud Hens to a 17-4 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers in an American Association game.

70 years ago
1941

War
Montenegrans began a popular uprising against the Axis powers. The first units of the Spanish Blue Division passed through Bordeaux, France on their way to fight Soviet forces on the Eastern front. Canada approved the Anglo-Soviet treaty that followed the German invasion of the U.S.S.R. Delegates to a Chicago meeting of the America First Committee adopted a resolution that U.S. Navy Secretary Frank Knox be removed from office for his outright advocacy of undeclared war.

Golf
Vic Ghezzi won the only major tournament of his career, defeating Byron Nelson in 38 holes of match play to win the PGA Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club in Englewood, Colorado.

60 years ago
1951

At the movies
Never Trust a Gambler, directed by Ralph Murphy, and starring Dane Clark, Cathy O'Donnell, Tom Drake, and Jeff Corey, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Joseph Clovese, 107. U.S. soldier. Mr. Clovese, the last Negro veteran of the Union Army in the American Civil War, died in Dearborn, Michigan.

Arnold Schoenberg, 76. Austrian-born U.S. composer. Mr. Schoenberg developed the twelve-tone technique of composition, and was one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, although people who like beautiful melodies find his music unlistenable. Mr. Schoenberg fled to the United States after the Nazis took power in Germany in 1933, and became an American citizen in 1941, living in Los Angeles until his death from apoplexy, perhaps hastened by his triskaidekaphobia. He died 15 minutes before midnight on Friday the 13th.

War
A Philippine advisory commission reported to President Elpidio Quirino that the Japanese peace treaty proposed by the United States and United Kingdom was "unacceptable" because it would soon restore Japan as the dominant power in Asia.

Norway and Denmark ended their state of war with Germany.

Defense
The U.S. State Department announced an agreement with Saudi Arabia providing for continued American use of the Dhahran airfield in exchange for Arab purchases of U.S. military equipment.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. and U.K. signed an agreement covering U.S. technical assistance to autonomous British overseas territories.

Medicine
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported evidence that anti-coagulant drugs could save the limbs of frostbite victims.

Baseball
After giving up 2 runs in the top of the 19th inning, the Chicago White Sox scored 3 in the bottom of the inning, scoring the winning run with 1 out as they edged the Boston Red Sox 5-4 before 25,211 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago, moving within 3 percentage points of the first-place Red Sox. Mickey McDermott pitched the first 17 innings for the Red Sox as the teams tied a then-major league record for the longest night game.

Joe Collins hit a grand slam with 2 out in the top of the 3rd inning to give the New York Yankees a 4-0 lead over the Cleveland Indians, and a 2-run homer by Gil McDougald in the 4th made it 6-0, but a 3-run homer by Jim Hegan climaxed a 5-run rally in the bottom of the 4th, and Al Rosen added a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 5th as the Indians came back to win 11-8 before 45,097 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Travelin' Man--Ricky Nelson

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Runaway--Del Shannon (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Bert Oja, 53. Canadian football player. Mr. Oja was a lineman with the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club when they became the first western team to win the Grey Cup in 1935. After his playing career, he served with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as an assistant coach.

Economics and finance
The appropriately-named James Coyne, under criticism for his policies from many economists and from the government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, resigned as Governor of the Bank of Canada.

Baseball
Mack Jones of the Milwaukee Braves tied a National League record with 4 hits--3 singles and a double--in 5 at bats, with a run and a run batted in his first major league game, leading the Braves to a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 12,604 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Mr. Jones batted leadoff and played center field, but oddly, had no fielding chances.

Frank Robinson led off the bottom of the 7th inning with a home run to tie the score 3-3 and singled home Don Blasingame from second base with none out in the bottom of the 9th to give the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs before 14,601 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Jim O'Toole (8-7) allowed 4 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete game win over Don Cardwell (8-7).

Roger Maris hit his 34th home run of the season--a 2-run blast--and Mickey Mantle followed with his 30th homer of the season as the New York Yankees scored 4 runs in the top of the 1st inning and coasted to a 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox before 43,960 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Bill Stafford (8-4) allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs in 6 innings to get the win, with Luis Arroyo allowing just 1 hit in 3 scoreless innings to earn his 19th save of the season. Early Wynn (7-2) allowed 4 hits and 4 earned runs in just 0.2 innings. Sherm Lollar and Frank Baumann hit consecutive home runs for the White Sox to begin the bottom of the 5th inning; it was the 2nd homer of the season for Mr. Baumann, who allowed 6 hits and no runs in 6.1 innings in relief of Mr. Wynn.

The Minnesota Twins scored 5 unearned runs in the top of the 1st inning--the last 4 coming on a grand slam by Ted Lepcio--as they beat the Cleveland Indians 9-6 before 3,491 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. The 1st-inning runs scored after an error by Cleveland shortstop Mike de la Hoz on what should have been the third out. Jim Lemon and Harmon Killebrew also homered for Minnesota, while Willie Kirkland hit a home run for Cleveland. Pedro Ramos (6-10) allowed 10 hits and 6 earned runs in 7.1 innings, but got the win over Mudcat Grant (8-3).

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Butterfly--Danyel Gérard (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep--Middle of the Road (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Michael Bassett, 24. U.K. criminal. Mr. Bassett's body was found in a Ford Escort near the village of Barlaston in Staffordshire. The body was accompanied by a suicide note in which he admitted killing three young French tourists whose bodies had been discovered two days earlier.

War
Jordanian forces launched an all-out attack against Palestinian commandos operating in northern Jordan.

World events
10 army officers involved in an aborted coup in Morocco were executed.

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Tiger Stadium, Detroit
National League 4 @ American League 6

All the runs scored on home runs as the AL beat the NL before 53,559 fans. Johnny Bench hit a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning, and Hank Aaron added a solo shot in the 3rd off AL starting pitcher Vida Blue to give the NL a 3-0 lead. The AL responded with 4 runs in the bottom of the 3rd on 2-run homers by Reggie Jackson and Frank Robinson off NL starter Dock Ellis. Mr. Jackson's blast hit a light standard and was estimated to have travelled 520 feet. Harmon Killebrew hit a 2-run homer off Ferguson Jenkins in the 6th inning to give the AL a 6-3 lead, and Roberto Clemente hit a solo homer in the 8th off Mickey Lolich to make the score 6-4. Mr. Blue was the winning pitcher; Mr. Ellis took the loss.



30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Nagai Yoru--Chiharu Matsuyama

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Stars on 45--Stars on 45 (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes

Died on this date
Martin Hurson, 24. U.K. terrorist. Mr. Hurson, a native of Northern Ireland, was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who was serving three concurrent sentences for involvement in land mine incidents when he died on the 46th day of a hunger strike.

Baseball
The Salt Lake Gulls took a 15-2 lead after 5½ innings and held on to defeat the Edmonton Trappers 16-12 in Pacific Coast League action at Renfrew Park in Edmonton. The press box was rather crowded, as it contained not only the Trappers' and Gulls' broadcast crews, but that of the Gulls' parent club as well. Bob Starr, Dick Nelson, and Don Drysdale, who usually broadcast the California Angels' games on Los Angeles radio station KMPC, were covering the Gulls' games while the major leagues were on strike, and occupied the space normally taken by the visiting team's broadcaster. Salt Lake broadcaster Rory Markas, who later moved up to become the voice of the Angels, sat in the middle of the press box next to this blogger, as I performed my usual duties as sound man. Al Coates, whose broadcasts of Trappers' games were carried on CFRN, occupied his usual booth.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Read My Lips--Melissa

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)--Crystal Waters (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Aquest Any Si--Varios

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): De Sku' Ha' No'En Bank--Brian Igen-Igen (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)--Crystal Waters (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy (rap BCBG)--Les Inconnus (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 More than Words--Extreme
2 I Wanna Sex You Up--Color Me Badd
3 Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da)--Crystal Waters
4 Driver's Seat--Sniff 'n' the Tears
5 The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in his Kiss)--Cher
6 Mooi Man--Mannenkoor Karrespoor
7 Burbujas de Amor--Juan Luis Guerra y 4;40
8 Senza Una Donna (Without A Woman)--Zucchero & Paul Young
9 Anasthasia--T99
10 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul

Singles entering the chart were You Could Be Mine by Guns N' Roses (#23); (Everything I Do) I Do it for You by Bryan Adams (#24); Paradise by Timmy T (#29); Hey Stoopid by Alice Cooper (#37); and Lovesick by Gang Starr (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul (5th week at #1)
2 Unbelievable--EMF
3 Right Here, Right Now--Jesus Jones
4 I Wanna Sex You Up--Color Me Badd
5 Power of Love/Love Power--Luther Vandross
6 Place in this World--Michael W. Smith
7 Here I Am (Come and Take Me)--UB40
8 Piece of My Heart--Tara Kemp
9 P.A.S.S.I.O.N.--Rythm Syndicate
10 Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)--Crystal Waters

Singles entering the chart were Time, Love and Tenderness by Michael Bolton (#59); You Could Be Mine by Guns N' Roses (#64); Unforgettable by Natalie Cole (Duet with Nat King Cole) (#68); Pop Goes the Weasel by 3rd Bass (#82); My Fallen Angel by Coro (#97); and The Sound of Your Voice by 38 Special (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Unbelievable—EMF
2 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul
3 I Wanna Sex You Up—Color Me Badd
4 Place in this World--Michael W. Smith
5 Right Here, Right Now--Jesus Jones
6 More than Words—Extreme
7 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
8 Here I Am (Come and Take Me)--UB40
9 Lily was Here--David A. Stewart introducing Candy Dulfer
10 P.A.S.S.I.O.N.--Rythm Syndicate

Singles entering the chart were Time, Love and Tenderness by Michael Bolton (#69); Everybody Plays the Fool by Aaron Neville (#81); Gotta Have You by Stevie Wonder (#84); I Don't Wanna See You by Michael Morales (#86); and Something to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt (#89).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Rush Rush—Paula Abdul (2nd week at #1)
2 More than Words—Extreme
3 Walking in Memphis—Marc Cohn
4 Unbelievable--EMF
5 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
6 A Better Love--Londonbeat
7 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams
8 Power of Love/Love Power--Luther Vandross
9 Chocolate Cake--Crowded House
10 Wind of Change--Scorpions

Singles entering the chart were Have a Heart by Celine Dion (#70); Say it with Love by the Moody Blues (#86); Rockaway by Ric Ocasek (#87); Perfect World by Alias (#89); Hole Hearted by Extreme (#91); Just Like You by Robbie Neville (#92); Kiss Me on the Lips by Paradox (#94); and Mad About You by Sting (#98).

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (1-0) 23 @ Hamilton (0-1) 9

Baseball
Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, and Gregg Olson combined to pitch a no-hitter for the Baltimore Orioles as they shut out the Oakland Athletics 2-0 before 40,047 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mr. Milacki (5-3) left the game after 6 innings because of an injured index finger, hit by a line drive from Willie Wilson. The remaining pitchers each pitched an inning.

Kelly Gruber hit a 2-run home run off relief pitcher Jeff Russell (2-2) with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers before 50,270 fans at SkyDome in Toronto. Texas starting pitcher Nolan Ryan allowed 5 hits and 1 earned run, striking out 7, and left after 6.1 innings with a 2-1 lead.

Jeff Johnson allowed 4 hits in 8.1 innings before relief pitcher Steve Farr induced Dave Winfield to ground into a game-ending double play as the New York Yankees shut out the California Angels 2-0 before 37,030 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Losing pitcher Jim Abbott (7-7) allowed just 4 hits and 2 earned runs in pitching a complete game.

The Cleveland Indians scored 2 runs in the 7th inning and 4 in the 9th to overcome a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Seattle Mariners 6-3 before 20,726 fans at Kingdome in Seattle.

The New York Mets scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat the San Diego Padres 3-1 before 33,149 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Winning pitcher David Cone (9-5) allowed 5 hits and 1 unearned run in 8 innings, striking out 13 batters and walking none.

Trailing 5-2 after 5 innings, the San Francisco Giants scored 2 runs in the 6th inning, 1 in the 8th, and 2 in the 9th to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 before 23,017 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

10 years ago
2001

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-0) 30 @ Toronto (0-2) 16
Saskatchewan (1-1) 11 @ Edmonton (1-1-0-1) 13



Baseball
Mike Piazza's 300th career major league home run, leading off the bottom of the 9th inning, was his team's only scoring as the New York Mets lost 3-1 to the Boston Red Sox before 42,219 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.