July 26, 2011

1,200 years ago
811

Died on this date
Nikephoros I, 60-61. Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 802-811. Nikephoros I was said to be of Arab origin, and was finance minister under Empress Irene before acceding to the throne after her ouster. He reorganized the empire and imposed tax hikes to increase revenue, and suffered a severe military defeat by Abbasid forces in the Battle of Krasos in 805, followed by a Muslim invasion in 806. Emperor Nikephoros invaded Bulgaria in 811 and brutally sacked the capital of Pliska, but was killed during the subsequent retreat, and decapitated by Khan Krum, who reportedly made Nikephoros' head into a drinking cup. Nikephoros I was succeeded on the throne by his son Staurakios.

War
Bulgarian forces commanded by Khan Krum routed retreating Byzantine Empire forces led by Emperor Nikephoros I in the Battle of Pliska, resulting in the death of Emperor Nikephoros and the severe wounding of his son and successor Staurakios.

540 years ago
1471

Died on this date
Paul II, 54. Roman Catholic Pope, 1464-1471. Paul II, born Pietro Barbo, was the nephew of Pope Eugene IV, which enabled him to rise rapidly through the ranks of Roman Catholic clergy, succeeding Pius II on the papal throne. Pope Paul was known for his suspicious nature and secretiveness. Paul died of a heart attack, although reports vary as to the cause; his detractors claimed that he died while being sodomized by a page boy. Pope Paul II was succeeded by Sixtus IV.

430 years ago
1581

Europeana
With the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe (Act of Abjuration), the northern Low Countries declared their independence from King Felipe II of Spain.

220 years ago
1791

Born on this date
Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart. Austrian musician, composer, and conductor. Mr. Mozart, the youngest child of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, played piano and violin, and began his composing career at an early age. He had moderate success as a pianist and teacher, teaching in Lemberg (Lwów) from 1813-1838, and serving as Kapellmeister of the Mozarteum in Salzburg from 1838 until his death from stomach cancer on July 29, 1844, three days after his 53rd birthday. Mr. Mozart's compositions were mainly chamber, piano, and choral works.

170 years ago
1841

Born on this date
Carl Robert Jakobson. Estonian journalist and political activist. Mr. Jakobson was an important figure in Estonian nationalist circles, especially advocating agricultural reforms. He founded the newspaper Sakala in 1878, using it to advocate Estonian cultural awakening. Mr. Jakobson died of pneumonia on March 19, 1882 at the age of 40; Estonian nationalists suspected that he was murdered by his doctor.

150 years ago
1861

War
General George B. McClellan assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, five days after a disastrous Union defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run.

130 years ago
1881

Transportation
The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed to Winnipeg.

120 years ago
1891

Franciana
France annexed Tahiti.

90 years ago
1921

Died on this date
Howard Vernon, 73. Australian actor. Mr. Vernon, born John Lett, had a career spanning 48 years, and was best known for his performances in comic roles of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the J. C. Williamson company.

80 years ago
1931

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning to break a 3-3 tie and held on to edge the New York Yankees 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 40,000 fans at Yankee Stadium. Every New York starter had at least 1 hit, 1 run batted in, and 2 runs as the Yankees scored all their run in the first 4 innings and coasted to a 22-5 rout in the second game. Red Ruffing (9-11) allowed 8 hits and 5 earned runs to get the win, while Lou McEvoy pitched 2 scoreless innings to get the save, walking 1 batter and striking out none, in the 34th and last game of his 2-year major league career. Hank Garrity batted 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter and caught the 8th inning for Chicago in the second game, with no fielding chances in his major league debut.

Tom Oliver led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a double and Charlie Berry followed with a double to score Mr. Oliver, giving the Boston Red Sox a 7-6 win over the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader before 10,000 fans at Braves Field in Boston. Charlie Gehringer batted 5 for 5 with 3 doubles and 3 runs batted in to help the Tigers win the second game 7-3.

The Boston Braves scored 3 runs in the top of the 11th inning to break a 0-0 tie and withstood a 2-run rally in the bottom of the inning to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 21,688 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Cardinals had the potential tying run on first base with 1 out in the 11th, but relief pitcher Ed Brandt struck out Pepper Martin and Chick Hafey to end the game. Fred Frankhouse (7-3) allowed 7 hits in 10+ innings to outduel Syl Johnson (5-6), who allowed 11 hits and 3 earned runs in a complete game. The Cardinals won the second game 5-4.

Charlie Grimm led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a triple, but pulled a muscle and was replaced by pinch runner Bud Teachout, who scored on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Jumbo Elliott, giving the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 25,000 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Pat Malone (9-5) pitched an 8-hitter to outduel Clise Dudley (6-8), who allowed 9 hits and 2 earned runs in 8+ innings.

75 years ago
1936

War
The Axis powers decided to intervene in the Spanish Civil War.

Canadiana
King Edward VIII officially unveiled the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.



Baseball
The New York Yankees swept a doubleheader from the Chicago White Sox, winning 12-3 and 11-8 in 11 innings at Comiskey Park in Chicago. A number of the 50,000 fans began throwing pop bottles at umpire Bill Summers in the 8th inning of the second game after a call at first base went against the White Sox. Mr. Summers had to leave the game when he was hit in the groin by a bottle, and baseball Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis, in attendance, offered a $5,000 reward for the culprit. The announcement resulted in more boos, and the crowd didn't settle down until White Sox' manager Jimmy Dykes publicly appealed for calm. New York first baseman Lou Gehrig hit a home run in each game.

Frankie Hayes batted 5 for 5 with a double, triple, 2 runs, and 4 runs batted in as the Philadelphia Athletics routed the Cleveland Indians 13-0 in the first game of a doubleheader at League Park in Cleveland. In the second game, the first four Cleveland batters reached base and scored--the last 3 on a home run by Hal Trosky--as the Indians won 8-5.

Eddie Wilson doubled home pinch runner Frenchy Bordagaray with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Brooklyn Dodgers a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader before 15,000 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Van Mungo pitched a 5-hit shutout to win the pitchers' duel over Red Lucas. In the second game, Pep Young tripled home 2 runs in the top of the 9th to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead, but the Dodgers came back with 2 in the bottom of the 9th to win 4-3, with Mr. Bordagaray coming to bat as a pinch hitter and singling home Lonny Frey with the winning run with 1 out.

In a game whose ending was strikingly similar to the previous day's game between the teams, Hank Leiber singled home Jo-Jo Moore with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the New York Giants a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of a doubleheader before 35,624 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Reds won the second game 5-2.

Bucky Walters limited the Chicago Cubs to just 2 hits in pitching the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader before 20,000 fans at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia, but the Cubs erupted for 23 hits, including 6 home runs, in winning the second game 18-5. Chicago right fielder Frank Demaree batted 5 for 5 with 2 home runs, 4 runs, and 7 runs batted in in the second game, and winning pitcher Lon Warneke, who pitched a complete game, also homered. Dolph Camilli hit 2 homers for the Phillies, while teammate Ernie Sulik batted 4 for 4 with a double, run, and RBI.

70 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Daddy--Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye (vocal refrain by the Kaye Choir) (4th week at #1)

War
Peru and Ecuador were reported to have agreed on a truce in their border dispute.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered Philippine military forces into the United States Army for the duration of the emergency, while the War Department appointed General Douglas MacArthur to command the troops. The U.S. Senate Military Affairs Committee approved a resolution permitting the President to extend military service.

U.S.S.R. Red Army Lieutenant General Philip Golikov and Engineer General Alexander Repin arrived in Washington to confer with U.S. Army General George Marshall and coordinate Soviet military orders in the United States.

France and Japan announced an agreement on "the joint defense" of Indochina.

Diplomacy
Brazilian Foreign Minister Oswaldo Aranha said that his country supported U.S. foreign policies.

Economics and finance
The United Kingdom froze Japanese assets, and Japan froze American and British assets.

60 years ago
1951

At the movies
Walt Disney's 13th animated film, Alice in Wonderland, received its premiere screening at the Leicester Square Theatre in London.



Died on this date
James Mitchell, 85. Australian politician. Sir James, a Nationalist, entered Western Australian state politics in 1906, and directed the state's agriculture before serving two terms as Premier (1919-1924, 1930-1933). His government, like many others, had difficulty dealing with the Depression, and Sir James not only lost his government in 1933, but his seat. He then served as Lieutenant-Governor (1933-1948) and Governor (1948-1951) of Western Australia. Sir James retired on June 30, 1951, and died just 26 days later, while on board a train during an overnight stop in southwestern W.A.

Television
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission eased its 34-month ban on opening new stations and changes in operating facilities.

War
Truce negotiators meeting at Kaesong agreed on a five-point agenda for the talks, including the adoption of a cease-fire line and demilitarized zone, precise arrangements for putting the cease-fire into effect, and a prisoner-of-war exchange.

Defense
The U.S. Army announced plans to disband its last and oldest all-Negro regiment, the 25th Division's 24th Infantry Regiment serving in Korea, as part of its desegregation program.

World events
An Ethiopian special tribunal in Addis Ababa handed down death sentences for eight men, including Bitwoded Negash, former president of Parliament, accused of plotting to assassinate Emperor Haile Selassie and set up an Ethiopian republic.

Politics and government
Italian Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi formed a new cabinet--his seventh--consisting mostly of centrist Christian Democrats.

The U.S. House of Representatives defeated a Republican Party effort to oust Secretary of State Dean Acheson from the cabinet by cutting off his salary.

Law
The International Law Commission ended a 10-week meeting in Geneva after urging the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a 12-point definition of "crimes against the peace," including genocide, armed aggression, and encouragement of civil strife in a foreign country.

Crime
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested 12 more secondary Communist Party U.S.A. leaders, including California party chairman William Schneiderman, on conspiracy charges.

Economics and finance
U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Gaitskell announced plans for a limit on company dividends as well as greater wage and price controls to combat inflation.

The U.S. Wage Stabilization Board approved traditional Christmas bonuses, provided they were customary and did not exceed 25% of the recipient's annual salary.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Eagle Rock--Daddy Cool (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Watashi no Jōkamachi--Rumiko Koyanagi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Fin de Semana--Los Diablos

Died on this date
Diane Arbus, 48. U.S. photographer. Mrs. Arbus specialized in photographing people on the margins of society who were creating their own identities, and succeeded in having her photographs published in prestigious magazines. She was married to actor Allan Arbus from 1941-1969, but suffered from bouts of depression, and committed suicide by ingesting barbiturates and cutting her wrists with a razor. Mrs. Arbus's fame and influence has increased since her death, and has been the subject of numerous exhibits.

Space
Apollo 15, with David Scott (Commander), Al Worden (Command Module Pilot), and Jim Irwin (Lunar Module Pilot) aboard, lifted off for the moon from Cape Kennedy, Florida.





Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali (32-1) won a technical knockout over former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis (30-7) at 2:10 of the 12th round at the Astrodome in Houston. It was the only time that Mr. Ali's longtime trainer, Angelo Dundee, wasn't in his corner; Mr. Dundee was in Mr. Ellis's corner for this fight. Mr. Ellis was a former sparring partner of Mr. Ali. For Mr. Ali, it was his first fight since losing a unanimous 15-round decision to current world champion Joe Frazier on March 8.



Former world welterweight and middleweight champion Emile Griffith (70-11) won a unanimous 10-round decision over French middleweight champion Nessim Max Cohen (22-6-7) at Madison Square Garden in New York.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Stars on 45--Stars on 45 (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes (4th week at #1)

Golf
Pat Bradley shot a 66 on the final round to edge Beth Daniel by one stroke to win the U.S. Women's Open at La Grange Country Club in Illinois. Her total score of 279 was a record for the Open that stood for seven years.



Football
CFL
Edmonton (3-1) 33 @ Montreal (1-3) 17

This was probably the best game that former Los Angeles Rams' quarterback Vince Ferragamo played during his brief and unsuccessful career with the Alouettes. Chris Walby saw some action at defensive tackle for Montreal; it was the first game of a 16-year CFL career that eventually earned him a place in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.



25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sledgehammer--Peter Gabriel
2 Invisible Touch--Genesis
3 Nasty--Janet Jackson
4 Danger Zone--Kenny Loggins
5 Glory of Love--Peter Cetera
6 There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)—Billy Ocean
7 Holding Back the Years—Simply Red
8 Love Touch--Rod Stewart
9 Papa Don't Preach--Madonna
10 Your Wildest Dreams--Moody Blues

Singles entering the chart included Love Zone by Billy Ocean (#63); Nothing in Common by Thompson Twins (#86); Hot Water by Level 42 (#88); and So Far So Good by Sheena Easton (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Sledgehammer--Peter Gabriel
2 Who's Johnny--El DeBarge
3 I Can't Wait--Nu Shooz
4 We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off--Jermaine Stewart
5 On My Own—Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
6 Invisible Touch--Genesis
7 No One is to Blame—Howard Jones
8 There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)—Billy Ocean
9 Crush on You--The Jets
10 Holding Back the Years—Simply Red

Singles entering the chart were Stuck with You by Huey Lewis and the News (#87); That was Then, This is Now by Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (#94); Spirit in the Sky by Doctor and the Medics (#95); Black/White by Mr. Mister (#97); and Man Size Love by Klymaxx (#98).

Died on this date
W. Averell Harriman, 94. U.S. politician and diplomat. Mr. Harriman, a Democrat, was U.S. Secretary of Commerce in the administration of President Harry Truman from 1946-1948, and was Governor of New York from 1955-1959. He held several diplomatic posts, and was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's special envoy to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-2) 27 @ Saskatchewan (2-3) 17



20 years ago
1991

Radio
Canadian disc jockey Don Percy, who had been with Vancouver-area AM station CISL since January 1988, did his last morning show with the station. He returned to Winnipeg, where he had experienced his greatest career success, to become the morning man at FM station CKLU.

Scandal
Comedian Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman, was arrested in Sarasota, Florida for masturbating during a film at a pornographic movie theatre.

Crime
About 2,000 youths rioted in Penticton, British Columbia after a concert by rap star MC Hammer; they smashed and looted downtown stores, and wrecked tourist establishments along the beach. 90 were jailed, with 60 treated for injuries.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (0-3) 16 @ Saskatchewan (1-2) 52

Baseball
Mark Gardner of the Montreal Expos pitched a no-hitter for 9 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers before 38,957 fans at Dodger Stadium, but Lenny Harris beat out an infield single in the bottom of the 10th, and 2 more hits followed, including a single by Darryl Strawberry to drive in the game's only run as the Dodgers won 1-0. The Expos managed just 2 hits against Los Angeles pitchers Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross, and Jay Howell.



Devon White singled and eventually scored on an error by third baseman Kevin Seitzer with 1 out in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals before 50,326 fans at SkyDome in Toronto.

The Oakland Athletics scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th inning to break a 9-9 tie and defeat the Baltimore Orioles 12-9 before 43,207 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Ernie Riles hit a grand slam for Oakland with 2 out in the 5th inning to give the Athletics a 7-3 lead. The Athletics led 9-3 after 6 1/2 innings, but the Orioles scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game, with the last 4 runs coming on a grand slam by pinch hitter Dwight Evans.

Errors by center fielder Gary Pettis and catcher Ivan Rodriguez led to an unearned run by Tony Phillips in the top of the 10th inning, giving the Detroit Tigers a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers before 40,383 fans at Arlington Stadium. John Kiely made his major league debut with the Tigers, entering the game as a pitcher to begin the 8th inning. He surrendered a double to Juan Gonzalez and was promptly relieved by Paul Gibson.

10 years ago
2001

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-2) 6 @ Montreal (4-0) 34



Winnipeg (2-2) 19 @ Hamilton (3-1) 24