August 22, 2011

1,160 years ago
851

War
Erispoe, Duke of Brittany defeated Charles the Bald in the Battle of Jengland in Brittany.

300 years ago
1711

War
A British attempt to attack Quebec, led by Admiral Hovenden Walker and Brigadier-General John Hill, failed when eight ships were wrecked on the St. Lawrence River, drowning 850 sailors.

240 years ago
1771

Born on this date
Henry Maudslay. U.K. engineer. Mr. Maudslay is regarded as a father of machine tool technology. Circa 1800, he invented a metal lathe to cut metal, enabling the manufacture of standard screw thread sizes, thus allowing interchangeable parts and the development of mass production. Mr. Maudslay died on February 14, 1831 at the age of 59, about four weeks after contracting a chill while crossing the English Channel after a visit to France.

160 years ago
1851

Sport
The U.S. schooner America defeated 14 British yachts in a race around the Isle of Wight to capture the Hundred Guinea Cup, which was awarded to the New York Yacht Club on condition that it be put up for international competition. The trophy was later renamed the America's Cup.

150 years ago
1861

Died on this date
Xianfeng, 30. Emperor of China, 1850-1861. Xianfeng, born Yizhu, acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Daoguang, and was the last Chinese emperor to have total executive ruling power. The Qing dynasty continued its decline during Xianfeng's reign, which included the Taiping Rebellion, Nian Rebellion, and Second Opium War. He died "after a short life of overindulgence," and was succceeded by his 6-year-old son Tongzhi, although Empress Dowager Cixi controlled the dynasty.

130 years ago
1881

Born on this date
James Newland. Australian military officer. Captain Newland joined the Australian Army in 1899 and served in the Second Boer War and both World Wars, earning the Victoria Cross for three actions in April 1917, when he led his troops in assaults on German positions and repulsed German attacks. Captain Newland retired in 1941 with the honourary rank of lieutenant colonel, and died of heart failure on March 19, 1949 at the age of 67.

120 years ago
1891

Died on this date
Jan Neruda, 57. Bohemian writer. Mr. Neruda was a Czech nationalist who wrote short stories and poetry, but was primarily known as a journalist, writing about Prague life and society. He died from an inflammation of his digestive tract caused by intestinal cancer.

75 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight’s episode: Murder in the Waxworks

70 years ago
1941

War
German troops began the Siege of Leningrad.

Diplomacy
The Iranian government formally replied to U.K.-U.S.S.R. demands that German tourists and technicians be ousted from Iran, indicating that it had refused to expel the Germans. Warrants were issued in Buenos Aires for the arrest of 36 Germans described as "the general staff of Nazi penetration in Argentina." The Mexican government ordered all German consulates in Mexico to close by September 1 and recalled its consuls from Germany.

World events
The German commander in Paris announced that as the result of the assassination of a German officer the previous day, all Frenchmen arrested by the German would be held as hostages, a number of whom would be shot in reprisals "corresponding to the gravity of the act committed."

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the extension of military service for all draftees, National Guardsmen, reservists, and regulars for 18 months under the recent law.

Technology
U.S. President Roosevelt signed a bill barring the filing of applications for patents in foreign countries without a license from the government. The measure was designed to prevent the leakage of U.S. patent secrets abroad.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board issued regulations limiting installment credit to 18 months and requiring a cash payment ranging from 10%-33 1/3% on a wide variety of goods in order to lessen consumer demand.

60 years ago
1951

On the radio
Pete Kelly's Blues, starring Jack Webb, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Gus Trudeau

At the movies
Puerto de tentación (Port of Temptation), directed by René Cardona, and starring Ramón Armengod, Emilia Guiú, and Linares Rivas, opened in theatres in Mexico.

Died on this date
J.P. Bickell, 66. Canadian businessman and sportsman. John Paris Bickell, a native of Molesworth, Ontario, became wealthy as a young man as a brokerage owner, and was president and chairman of McIntyre Porcupine Mines Ltd. a gold mine in Schumacher, Ontario, from 1911 until his death. He helped to finance movie theatres and distribution companies, and co-founded Famous Players Canadian Corporation Limited in 1920. Mr. Bickell sponsored boxing, boat racing, and golf, and was a director of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. He bought majority ownership of the Toronto St. Patricks of the National Hockey League in 1924, who were renamed the Maple Leafs in 1927. Mr. Bickell helped to finance the construction of Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931, and was president of the Maple Leafs when they won six Stanley Cup championships, the last coming four months before his death. He died in New York, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.

Abominations
Chinese Communist authorities executed 237 "anti revolutionaries," "spies," and "bad landlords" in Peking.

War Aides to General Douglas MacArthur charged that U.S. President Harry Truman had blocked plans for the general to address the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco.

Politics and government
Argentine President Juan Peron agreed to run for re-election, and his wife Eva accepted the vice presidential nomination at the climax of a huge Buenos Aires rally staged by the Argentine General Confederation of Labour.

A U.S. Court of Appeals in New York unanimously reversed the perjury conviction of former Commerce Department economist William Remington and ordered a new trial.

Agriculture
Yugoslavian press reported lagging grain deliveries by independent peasants in protest against the government's collectivization program and the low state purchase price for wheat.

Oil
Negotiations between Iran and the United Kingdom broke up in disagreement after the British failed to win permission for technical operation or Iran's newly-nationalized oil industry.

Economics and finance
Japan applied for membership in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Labour
Transport Workers Union President Michael Quill issued a union charter to 120 New York City policemen.

Disasters
A two-month heat wave in Texas broke after causing 44 deaths during August and $250 million in crop damage since early July.

Boxing
World light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim (77-17-4), in the first defense of the title that he had won 19 months earlier, won a 15-round unanimous decision over Bob Murphy (60-6-1) at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mr. Murphy was a 5-12 favourite.







50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Hello Mary Lou/Travelin' Man--Ricky Nelson (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Ida Siekmann, 58. German nurse. Mrs. Siekmann, a widow, attempted to escape from East Berlin to West Berlin, and threw a quilt and some of her belongings in the street before jumping from her fourth-floor apartment. She jumped before the firemen had properly opened the jumping-sheet, and was severely injured when she hit the pavement. Mrs. Siekmann died on the way to hospital, the day before her 59th birthday, and was regarded as the first victim of the Berlin Wall, which was under construction.

Boxing
Jimmy Ellis (4-0) won an upset victory by a 10-round majority decision over Wilf Greaves (34-20-1) in a middleweight bout at Fairgrounds Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. On the undercard, Tunney Hunsaker (18-12-1) scored a technical knockout of Herman Wilson (0-2) at 2:20 of the 6th round of a heavyweight bout.

Tony Alongi (25-0) scored a technical knockout of Tod Herring (15-1) at 1:14 of the 8th round of a heavyweight bout in Houston.

Baseball
Frank Lane was fired as general manager of the Kansas City Athletics and replaced by Pat Friday. The Athletics were 10th and last in the American League with a record of 44-78-1 when Mr. Lane was fired after less than eight months on the job. His dispute with team owner Charlie Finley over compensation dragged on for several years.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 11th inning, Pete Runnels drew a base on balls, and Frank Malzone and Russ Nixon singled to load the bases. Jackie Jensen then drew a base on balls to score Mr. Runnels, giving the Boston Red Sox a 3-2 win over the Washington Senators before 15,581 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Mike Fornieles (7-8) relieved Don Schwall and retired the Senators in order in the 11th to get the win. Mr. Schwall allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 10+ innings, but left when he was injured attempting to field a bunt by Bob Johnson. Losing pitcher Bennie Daniels (8-7) allowed 11 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete game.

Rocky Colavito, Bill Bruton, and Al Kaline each hit a 2-run home run to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians 8-1 before 11,012 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Paul Foytack (8-8) pitched a 5-hitter to get the win over Mudcat Grant (12-7).

Minnie Minoso doubled with 1 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 9th inning and scored from second base on a 2-out single by Nellie Fox to give the Chicago White Sox a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins before 14,181 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Don Larsen (4-1) allowed 4 hits in 5.1 scoreless innings in relief of Frank Baumann to get the win over Pedro Ramos (9-15), who allowed 7 hits and 4 earned runs in a complete game.

Jim Rivera drew a base on balls to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bill Fischer, advanced to third on an outfield fly by Dick Howser, and scored on a wild pitch by Milt Pappas to give the Kansas City Athletics a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles before 4,978 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Mr. Fischer (4-2) pitched 2 perfect innings in relief of Norm Bass to get the win over Mr. Pappas (9-7), who allowed just 4 hits in a complete game.

Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hit his 50th home run of the season, a 2-run blow in the 6th inning off Ken McBride of the Los Angeles Angels, but the Angels won 4-3 before 19,930 fans at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Albie Pearson led off the bottom of the 1st with a triple and scored on a home run by Lee Thomas with 1 out, and Leon Wagner followed with a homer to give the Angeles a 3-0 lead. The other Los Angeles run came on a home run by Earl Averill, Jr. with 1 out in the 8th. Yogi Berra led off the 9th with a home run and pinch hitter Bob Cerv drew a base on balls with 2 out, but Hector Lopez struck out to end the game. Mr. McBride (10-10) pitched a 6-hit complete game victory over Bill Stafford (10-7). Mr. Maris became the first major league player to reach 50 home runs before the end of August.

Willie Mays hit a home run in each game to help the San Francisco Giants sweep a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds 12-2 and 5-3 before 29,383 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, moving the third-place Giants to within 5 games of the National League-leading Reds. Mr. Mays batted 5 for 6 with a double, 3 runs, and 2 runs batted in in the first game, while Willie McCovey hit a pair of solo homers for the Giants; Hobie Landrith batted 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 2 RBIs; Orlando Cepeda hit 2 doubles and drove in 2 runs; and winning pitcher Mike McCormick (10-12) pitched an 8-hitter and drove in 2 runs with a pair of singles. Bob Purkey (14-8) took the loss, allowing 8 his and 6 runs--all earned--in 2+ innings. Mr. Mays' home run in the second game followed a run-scoring double by Mr. McCovey in the top of the 6th, giving the Giants a 4-0 lead. Jerry Lynch responded with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the inning off Sam Jones (8-7), who won the game with the help of Stu Miller, who pithced 3.1 scoreless innings of relief. Ken Johnson (4-2) took the loss.

Art Mahaffey (8-17) pitched a 1-hitter and Don Demeter hit a 3-run home run to climax a 4-run 7th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Chicago Cubs 6-0 before 4,957 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Ron Santo broke up Mr. Mahaffey's bid for a no-hitter early, singling with 1 out in the 1st inning. Dick Ellsworth (7-8) took the loss.

Don Hoak tripled home Roberto Clemente and Smoky Burgess with 1 out in the bottom of the 2nd inning and scored on a single by Bill Mazeroski as the Pittsburgh Pirates took a 3-0 lead and coasted to a 4-1 win over the Milwaukee Braves before 15,874 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Joe Gibbon (9-8) allowed 5 hits in 7.2 innings to get the win over Bob Buhl (9-9).

Joe Cunningham led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a base on balls, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Grammas; advanced to third when Carl Sawatski grounded into a force play after an intentional walk to Red Schoendienst; and scored when Charlie Neal made an error on a ground ball by Julian Javier, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 13,130 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, leaving the second-place Dodgers 2½ games behind the Reds in the National League pennant race.

40 years ago
1971

Politics and government
A new rightist government headed by Colonel Hugo Banzer Suarez was installed in Brazil following the overthrow of the 10-month-old leftist regime of President Juan Jose Torres.

Crime
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover and Attorney General John Mitchell announced the arrest of 20 of the Camden 28, anti-Vietnam War activists who were executing a raid on the draft board in Camden, New Jersey.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Out Here on My Own--Nikka Costa (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Caribbean Disco Club--Lobo (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Green Door--Shakin' Stevens (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Green Door--Shakin' Stevens (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Green Door--Shakin' Stevens (4th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 De Nederlandse Sterre Die Strale Overal!--Rubberen Robbie
2 One Day in Your Life--Michael Jackson
3 Wordy Rappinghood--Tom Tom Club
4 No Me Hables--Juan Pardo
5 Caribbean Disco Show--Lobo
6 More Stars--Stars on 45
7 Hold on Tight--Electric Light Orchestra
8 Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)--Ottawan
9 Ghost Town--The Specials
10 Rio--Maywood

Singles entering the chart were Hooked on Classics by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (#33); P.S. by Dolly Dots (#36); Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) by Spandau Ballet (#38); and Moeder Mag Ik Trouwen Gaan by the Belcanto's (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (2nd week at #1)
2 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
3 I Don't Need You--Kenny Rogers
4 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
5 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
5 Elvira--The Oak Ridge Boys
6 Stop Draggin' My Heart Around--Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
7 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer
8 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton
9 (There's) No Gettin' Over Me--Ronnie Milsap
10 Lady (You Bring Me Up)--Commodores

Singles entering the chart were Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones (#61); The Night Owls by Litte River Band (#68); I've Done Everything for You by Rick Springfield (#79); The Theme from Hill Street Blues by Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton (#83); She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) by Carl Carlton (#84); Not Fade Away by Eric Hine (#89); and I Love My Truck by Glen Campbell (#96). The Theme from Hill Street Blues was from the television series.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (2nd week at #1)
2 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
3 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
4 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
5 Elvira--The Oak Ridge Boys
6 I Don't Need You--Kenny Rogers
7 The One That You Love—Air Supply
8 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton
9 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer
10 Lady (You Bring Me Up)--Commodores

Singles entering the chart were Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones (#49); The Night Owls by Little River Band (#63); When She was My Girl by the Four Tops (#81); I've Done Everything for You by Rick Springfield (#82); She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) by Carl Carlton (#88); and Theme from Hill Street Blues by Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (2nd week at #1)
2 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
3 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
4 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
5 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton
6 The One that You Love--Air Supply
7 Elvira--The Oak Ridge Boys
8 The Stroke--Billy Squier
9 Lady (You Bring Me Up)--Commodores
10 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer

Singles entering the chart were Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones (#41); The Night Owls by Little River Band (#54); Just Once by Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (#55); When She was My Girl by the Four Tops (#75); I've Done Everything for You by Rick Springfield (#85); The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore by Nielsen/Pearson (#88); All I Have to Do is Dream by Andy Gibb and Victoria Principal (#89); I'll Do Anything for You by Denroy Morgan (#95); and I Love You More by René & Angela (#97).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
RPM didn't publish from July 11-August 22, 1981 because of a postal strike.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 In the Air Tonight--Phil Collins
2 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
3 Urgent--Foreigner
4 Fire and Ice--Pat Benatar
5 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer
6 The Stroke--Billy Squier
7 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
8 One Step Ahead--Split Enz
9 Who's Crying Now--Journey
10 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield

Singles entering the chart were The Beach Boys Medley by the Beach Boys (#25); The Voice by the Moody Blues (#27); and You Saved My Soul by Burton Cummings (#30).

Disasters
Far Eastern Air Transport Flight 103, a Boeing 737-222 jetliner en route from Taipei to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, disintegrated in mid-air and crashed in Sanyi Township, Miaoli County, killing all 110 people on board.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (4-3) 10 @ Edmonton (6-1) 28

The Eskimos rolled up a 25-0 lead at Commonwealth Stadium before the Blue Bombers hit the scoreboard. Winnipeg wide receiver Mike Holmes, who had led the CFL in pass receptions and yardage in 1980, played his first game after injuring a knee in training camp. On the Blue Bombers' third offensive play of the game, Mr. Holmes pulled up lame with a snapped achilles tendon and was lost for the remainder of the season.

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Holiday Rap--MC Miker G & Deejay Sven

Died on this date
Celâl Bayar, 103. Prime Minister of Turkey, 1937-1939; 3rd President of Turkey, 1950-1960. Mr. Bayar began his career in politics in 1908, and was first elected to the Ottoman parliament in 1919. He was associated with the Republican People's Party from 1923-1945 before founding the Democratic Party, which he led from 1946-1950. Mr. Celal was elected President in 1950 and re-elected in 1954 and 1957, but was deposed by a military coup in 1960. He was sentenced to death by a junta-appointed court in 1961, but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and Mr. Celal was pardoned in 1966.

Music
The Musicfest rock festival, featuring James Brown, Huey Lewis and the News, and Elton John, opened at a park in the north end of Montréal It was a financial disaster--only 160,000 people attended in 11 days, less than the 270,000 needed to break even.

Environment
Kerr-McGee Corporation agreed to pay the estate of Karen Silkwood $1.38 million, settling a 10-year-old nuclear contamination lawsuit. Ms. Silkwood was a chemical technician and union activist at Kerr-McGee Cimarron Fuel Fabrication Site plant near Crescent, Oklahoma, who was killed in an automobile crash under suspicious circumstances after raising concerns about safety at the plant.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-6) 14 @ Winnipeg (5-3) 46

The Blue Bombers scored 38 points in the 2nd half to rout the Rough Riders before 23,918 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Colleen Dewhurst, 67. Canadian-born U.S. actress. Miss Dewhurst, a native of Montreal who moved to the United States at an early age, was best known as a stage actress. She won Tony Awards for her starring performances in All the Way Home (1961) and A Moon for the Misbegotten (1974), and also won two Obie Awards, two Gemini Awards, and a Genie Award for her supporting performance in Obsessed (1988). Miss Dewhurst was president of the Actors' Equity Association from 1985 until her death from cervical cancer.

Boris Pugo, 54. U.S.S.R. politician. Mr. Pugo was First Secretary of the Communist Party of Latvia from 1984-1988 and U.S.S.R. Minister of the Interior from December 1, 1990 until his death. He participated in the failed coup attempt against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in August 1991, and fatally shot himself and his wife after receiving a telephone call indicating that he was about to be arrested.

Diplomacy
Iceland became the first nation in the world to recognize the independence of the Baltic states from the Soviet Union.

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada struck down the so-called "rape shield law" to protect victims; previous sexual conduct of those alleging rape could not be presented in court.

Energy
The Québec government mothballed Hydro-Québec's Grande-Baleine project in James Bay.

Football
CFL
The Saskatchewan Roughriders, who had lost quarterback Kent Austin to injury in the first game of the season and had struggled to a 1-6 record, fired head coach John Gregory and replaced him with former British Columbia Lions' and Toronto Argos' head coach Don Matthews. Mr. Gregory had led the Roughriders to the 1989 Grey Cup championship.

Winnipeg (4-3) 39 @ Calgary (6-1) 26

Tom Burgess completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Eric Streater two plays after a Less Browne interception late in the 3rd quarter, putting the Blue Bombers ahead of the Stampeders to stay before 27,011 fans at McMahon Stadium.



10 years ago
2001

Personal
This blogger concluded a job with the field collection unit of the 2001 Canadian national census. The FCU was well-run and the work was enjoyable.

Baseball
Sammy Sosa hit 3 home runs in a game for the second time in 2 weeks, driving in 6 runs to help the Chicago Cubs to a 16-3 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers before 33,904 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The homers gave Mr. Sosa 49 for the season.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 9th inning, Jared Sandberg singled, advanced to third base on a single by Chris Gomez, and scored on a single by Jason Tyner to give the Tampa Bay Devil Rays an 11-10 win over the Baltimore Orioles before 12,113 fans at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. The Orioles led 7-1 after 6½ innings, but the Devil Rays scored 3 in the 7th and 5 in the 8th. Mr. Tyner batted 4 for 6 with a triple, run, and 2 runs batted in.

The Kansas City Royals scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning to overcome an early 2-run deficit, but the Chicago White Sox scored 8 in the bottom of the 6th and edged the Royals 13-12 before 11,670 fans at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Kansas City center fielder Carlos Beltran drove in 6 runs with a home run, single, and triple.

David Bell had 5 hits, including a double and a home run, while Edgar Martinez drove in 5 runs and John Olerud batted in 4 to help the Seattle Mariners rout the Detroit Tigers 16-1 before 45,814 fans at Safeco Field in Seattle. The Mariners scored 6 runs in the 1st inning and 7 in the 3rd to take a 13-0 lead.

Todd Helton led off the 2nd inning with a home run to open the scoring, but Desi Relaford hit a 2-run home run to close the scoring as the New York Mets edged the Colorado Rockies 2-1 before 34,415 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.