August 30, 2011

390 years ago
1621

Died on this date
Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī, 74. Persian scholar. Shaykh Baha' was one of the main founders of the Isfahan School of Islamic philosophy, and was one of the earliest astronomers in the Islamic world to suggest the possibility of the Earth's movement prior to the spread of the Copernican theory. He wrote over 100 treatises and books in different topics, in Arabic and Persian.

220 years ago
1791

Disasters
The British Royal Navy frigate HMS Pandora sank after having run aground on the outer Great Barrier Reef the previous day. 31 crew member and 4 prisoners perished, while 89 crewmen and 10 prisoners survived, and sailed for Timor in lifeboats. Pandora was on its way back to England after searching for HMS Bounty and its survivors.

140 years ago
1871

Born on this date
Ernest Rutherford. N.Z.-born U.K. physicist and chemist. Lord Rutherford was regarded as the father of nuclear physics, and was awarded the 1908 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his investigations into the disintegration of the elements, and the chemistry of radioactive substances." Element 104, rutherfordium (Rf), was named in his honour. Lord Rutherford died on October 19, 1937 at the age of 66.

120 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Steve Partenheimer. U.S. baseball player and businessman. Dr. Partenheimer played third base at Amherst College (1910-1913) before playing 1 game with the Detroit Tigers, batting 0 for 2 with a hit by pitch and making 3 assists and an error on June 28, 1913. He then played 3 years in the New York State League. Dr. Partenheimer obtained a doctorate from Columbia University and spent 50 years in the tire business. While working with Mansfield Tire & Rubber Company, he was credited with developing a "run flat" tire that allowed military combat vehicles to run at high speed even after being punctured by bullets or shellfire. He died on June 16, 1971 at the age of 79.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
John Gunther. U.S. journalist. Mr. Gunther was known for visiting foreign countries and describing them in his "Inside" books (Inside Europe (1936); Inside Latin America (1941); Inside U.S.A. (1947), etc.). He wrote seven novels, and in 1949 he published Death Be Not Proud, an account of his 17-year-old son's battle against the brain cancer that killed him. Mr. Gunther died of liver cancer on May 29, 1970 at the age of 68.

Roy Wilkins. U.S. civil rights activist. Mr. Wilkins was a leading figure in the Negro civil rights movement from the 1930s through the '70s, and led the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples as Executive Secretary (1955-1963) and Executive Director (1964-1977). He supporte reform by legislative means, and opposed Communism. Mr. Wilkins died on September 8, 1981, nine days after his 80th birthday, from heart problems related to a pacemaker implanted in 1979.

70 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes)--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra (vocal choruses by Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell)

Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes) was the B-side of Maria Elena.

War
Leningrad was besieged by German forces, the beginning of a siege that would last for two years. The Finnish command announced the capture of the Karelian capital of Viborg, which had been lost to the U.S.S.R. in the Winter War of 1939-40. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company reported in Tehran that Soviet bombers had destroyed thousands of gallons of gasoline in Kazvin the previous day after the Iranian Army had ceased resistance.

Diplomacy
The U.K. embassy announced in Tokyo that a ship would be sent to Japan soon to remove all British subjects who wished to leave.

Politics and government
The Tighina Agreement, a treaty between Germany and Romania regarding administration issues of the Transnistria Governorate, went into effect.

Defense
Cuban President Fulgencio Batista issued a decree placing private shipyards and drydocks in Cuba under virtual control of the Navy to aid defense.

Journalism
Four Buenos Aires newspapers urged the Argentine administration to discard its policy of strict neutrality in the European war and crush the Nazi movement in Argentina that had been uncovered by the Chamber of Deputies investigation.

Crime
Hans Pagel and Frederick Edward Schlosser, ex-members of the German American Youth Movement, were held in New York in default of $25,000 bail each on charges of having used the mails in espionage activities.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Production Management gave truck manufacturers an A-3 priority rating to enable them to obtain supplies needed to turn out 1,189,000 units in the model year ending July 31, 1942.

Baseball
Lon Warneke pitched a no-hitter to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 9,859 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Mr. Warneke walked just 1 batter, and 2 others reached on errors, only to be erased on double plays. Losing pitcher Elmer Riddle allowed just 5 hits and 2 unearned runs, with the runs coming with 2 out in the top of the 7th inning on an error by center fielder Harry Craft.

Mel Ott led off the bottom of the 8th inning with a home run to tie the score and singled home Dick Bartell with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th to give the New York Giants a 4-3 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first game of a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds in New York. Lew Riggs had given Brooklyn a 3-0 lead in the 4th with a 3-run homer. The Giants won the second game 5-1 to complete the sweep.

The Boston Red Sox scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning and coasted to a 12-3 win over the Philadelphia Athletics before 6,397 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.

Johnny Berardino batted 4 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs, and 3 runs batted in as the St. Louis Browns beat the Chicago White Sox 10-1 before 1,053 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. George McQuinn and Chet Laabs also homered for the Browns, and every man in the St. Louis lineup had at least 1 hit.

60 years ago
1951

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman and Philippine President Elpido Quirino met in Washington to sign a U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty.

Politics and government
A Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in New York passed a resolution demanding the ouster of U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson, after hearing Senator Joseph McCarthy (Republican--Wisconsin) repeat his charges against Philip Jessup and other alleged Communists in the State Department.

Oil
The United States announced the termination of its efforts to mediate the Anglo-Iranian oil nationalization dispute.

Economics and finance
Argentine President Juan Peron urged the formation of an economic union of Brazil, Chile, and Argentina.

The West German government announced that reparations claims submitted by individuals totalled $1.3 billion.

Labour
U.S. President Truman appointed a three-man board to investigate the nationwide strike of copper, lead, and zinc workers and to report to him by September 4.

Football
CRU
WIFU
Saskatchewan (3-0) 33 @ Winnipeg (1-2) 1

Baseball
The New York Yankees released pitcher Jack Kramer, ending his 12-year major league career. He was 1-3 with an earned run average of 4.65 and batting .100 (1 for 10) in 19 games with the Yankees, three months after he signed with them following his release from the New York Giants.

The Brooklyn Dodgers sold pitcher Ross Grimsley, Sr. to the Chicago White Sox. He was 0-3 in 6 games with the Fort Worth Cats of the Texas League and then 4-1 with an earned run average of 4.37 in 26 games with the Montreal Royals of the International League.

Ralph Kiner's home run in the 9th inning--his 37th homer of the season--enabled the Pittsburgh Pirates to edge the New York Giants 10-9 after trailing 8-1, before 8,230 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Frank Thomas hit his first major league home run for the Pirates in the 6th, and Gus Bell added another in the 6th as a pinch hitter. Willie Mays homered twice for the Giants, driving in 3 runs, and Bill Rigney came to bat as a pinch hitter for New York and hit a home run to lead off the bottom of the 8th.

Preacher Roe (18-2) allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 6.2 innings before leaving with a sore arm, outduelling Ewell Blackwell (14-12) as the Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 before 20,314 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, increasing their lead over the second-place Giants to 7 games in the National League pennant race.

The Boston Braves scored 6 runs in the 4th inning of a 16-2 rout of the Chicago Cubs before 5,941 fans at Braves Field. Jim Wilson (6-4) pitched an 11-hit complete game victory and batted 3 for 5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 runs batted in.

50 years ago
1961

Died on this date
Charles Coburn, 84. U.S. actor. Mr. Coburn was a popular character actor who began his career in theatre in his native Macon, Georgia and appeared in almost 100 movies and television programs. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The More the Merrier (1943), and received Academy Award nominations for his supporting performances in The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) and The Green Years (1946). Mr. Coburn died of a heart attack.

Space
The United States launched the satellite Discoverer 29, which carried biological experiments. Its capsule was recovered on September 1, while the satellite's mission ended on September 10.

Politics and government
U.S. President John F. Kennedy addressed various issues in a press conference at the State Department Auditorium in Washington.



Baseball
In their last game under manager Paul Richards, the Baltimore Orioles hit 5 home runs and beat the Los Angeles Angels 11-4 before 5,253 fans at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Jack Fisher (8-11) gave up 12 bases on balls, but still pitched a 7-hit complete game victory. Mr. Richards assumed the position of general manager of the expansion Houston Colt .45s on September 1, leaving the Orioles in third place in the American League with a record of 78-57-1.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Eagle Rock--Daddy Cool (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Watashi no Jōkamachi--Rumiko Koyanagi (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Help (Get Me Some Help)--Tony Ronald (2nd week at #1)

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Michelle Kent!

Politics and government
The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Peter Lougheed, achieved a majority of seats in the Alberta provincial election, ending 36 years of government by the Social Credit Party. The PCs won 49 of 75 seats in the legislature, Social Credit took 25, and New Democratic Party leader Grant Notley became the first candidate of his party to win a seat, capturing the riding of Spirit River-Fairview. The PC total was an increase of 39 from their total going into the election, which was the first Alberta provincial election in which urban ridings outnumbered rural ridings. In the 1967 election, Premier Ernest Manning had led Social Credit to victory, winning 55 of 65 seats, but Mr. Manning retired late in 1968 after 25 years as Premier. Harry Strom replaced Mr. Manning as Premier and retained his seat in the 1971 election, but soon relinquished his leadership of the Social Credit Party. The election also included a plebisicte on daylight saving time, with 61.5% voting in favour of adopting it.

Football
NFL
Pre-season
New York Jets (1-3) 16 @ Kansas City (4-0) 21



30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): See Me Go--Screaming Meemees

#1 single in Switzerland: Love What's Your Face--Ingrid Kup

Died on this date
Vera-Ellen, 60. U.S. actress and dancer. Vera-Ellen Westmeier Rohe began as a dancer, and was one of the youngest Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall in New York. She was best known for appearing in musical films such as On the Town (1949); The Belle of New York (1952); and White Christmas (1954). Vera-Ellen appeared in various television programs until retiring from public life in the 1960s. She died of ovarian cancer.

Mohammad-Ali Rajai, 48. Prime Minister of Iran, 1980-1981; President of Iran, 1981. Mr. Rajai was a member of several groups opposed to Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi before joining the Freedom Movement of Iran in 1960. After the Islamic Revolution deposed the Shah in 1979, Mr. Rajai served as Minister of Education (1979-1980) before taking office as Prime Minister in August 1980. He was impeached in June 1981, but was elected President as a candidate of the Islamic Republican Party, taking office on August 2, 1981. Mr. Rajai was holding a meeting of Iran's Supreme Defence Council with Prime Minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar and three others when Masoud Keshmiri, a member of the People's Mujahedin of Iran who was posing as a civil servant, brought a briefcase into the conference room and placed it between the President and Prime Minister. When one of the men opened the briefcase, it exploded, killing Messrs. Rajai and Bahonar along with several other officials, and injuring several others. Mr. Rajai was succeeded as Prime Minister by Ali Khamenei.

Mohammad-Javad Bahonar, 47. Prime Minister of Iran, 1981. Mr. Bahonar began publicly opposing the Shah of Iran in the early 1960s, and was imprisoned three times. After the Islamic Revolution that saw Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini take power, Mr. Bahonar held various offices, and succed Mr. Rajai as Minister of Education (1980-1981) and Prime Minister (1981). He was killed in the bombing at the Prime Minister's office, six days before his 48th birthday. Mr. Bahonar was succeeded as Prime Minister by Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani.

Auto racing
USAC
Gold Crown Series
Rich Vogler won the DuQuoin 100 on a dirt track at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois; it was his only win in an Indy car. Tom Bigelow finished second and George Snider third in the 24-car field.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (4-4) 34 @ Edmonton (7-1) 44

Baseball
Jay Loviglio's grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Edmonton Trappers a 6-2 win over the Spokane Indians at Renfrew Park in Edmonton in the final game of the Trappers' first season in the Pacific Coast League. For some players, such as Edmonton right fielder John Poff, it was the final game of their professional careers. For this blogger, it was my final game working in the press box.

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Easy Lady--Spagna

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Holiday Rap--MC Miker G & DJ Sven (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Sing Our Own Song--UB40 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Want to Wake Up with You--Boris Gardiner

#1 single in the U.K.: I Want to Wake Up with You--Boris Gardiner (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Higher Love--Steve Winwood

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Higher Love--Steve Winwood
2 Papa Don't Preach--Madonna
3 Take My Breath Away--Berlin
4 Venus--Bananarama
5 Dancing on the Ceiling--Lionel Richie
6 Glory of Love--Peter Cetera
7 Sweet Freedom--Michael McDonald
8 Rumors--Timex Social Club
9 Stuck with You--Huey Lewis and the News
10 Friends and Lovers--Gloria Loring and Carl Anderson

Singles entering the chart were Typical Male by Tina Turner (#41); True Colors by Cyndi Lauper (#54); Girl Can't Help It by Journey (#73); Another Heartache by Rod Stewart (#77); In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel (#78); I'll Be Over You by Toto (#80); Love Comes Quickly by Pet Shop Boys (#84); Wild Wild Life by the Talking Heads (#85); and Somebody's Out There by Triumph (#87).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Glory of Love--Peter Cetera (2nd week at #1)
2 Papa Don't Preach--Madonna
3 Mad About You--Belinda Carlisle
4 We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off--Jermaine Stewart
5 Sledgehammer--Peter Gabriel
6 Dancing on the Ceiling--Lionel Richie
7 I Can't Wait--Nu Shooz
8 Nasty--Janet Jackson
9 Danger Zone--Kenny Loggins
10 The Edge of Heaven--Wham!

Singles entering the chart were Walk This Way by Run/DMC (#81); Throwing it All Away by Genesis (#82); Twist and Shout by the Beatles (#86); True Colors by Cyndi Lauper (#90); The Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh (#94); Sweet Love by Anita Baker (#95); Heartbeat by Don Johnson (#96); Lonely is the Night by Air Supply (#97); Love Always by El DeBarge (#98); and No Way to Treat a Lady by Bonnie Raitt (#99). Twist and Shout was had been a hit in 1964, before RPM began publication; it charted again after its use in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986).

Died on this date
George Pelawa, 18. U.S. hockey player. Mr. Pelawa, a 6'4", 240-pound right wing, was a native of Bemidji, Minnesota. He was named that state's top high school player in 1986 and was selected in that year's National Hockey League draft by the Calgary Flames in the 1st round (16th selection overall), and had committed to play for the University of North Dakota. Mr. Pelawa was killed in an auto accident in Bemidji; had he been wearing a seatbelt, he probably would have survived.

Baseball
Roger Clemens recorded 11 strikeouts in 7 innings as he pitched the Boston Red Sox to a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Indians before 30,467 fans at Fenway Park in Boston to improve his record for the season to 20-4. Phil Niekro took the loss.

Doug DeCinces hit a 2-run home run with none out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the California Angels a 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers before 39,633 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Darrell Evans hit 2 solo homers for Detroit.

Bill Swift allowed just 2 hits in 8 2/3 innings to win the pitchers' duel with Tommy John as the Seattle Mariners edged the New York Yankees 1-0 in the first game of a twi-night doubleheader before 26,065 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle. The Mariners scored the game's only run in the 8th when John Moses led off with a single and scored on a 2-out single by Jim Presley. The Yankees put runners on first and second bases with 2 out in the 9th, but relief pitcher Matt Young retired pinch hitter Ron Kittle to end the game. Mr. John allowed 8 hits and just 1 earned run in pitching a complete game. Joe Niekro, Rod Scurry, and Dave Righetti combined on a 7-hit shutout as the Yankees won the second game 3-0. Seattle pitchers Mike Brown and Pete Ladd allowed just 3 hits, with one of them being a home run by Don Mattingly leading off the 4th inning to open the scoring. Claudell Washington scored in the 7th and 9th after leading off both innings with bases on balls.

Bryn Smith pitched a 7-hit complete game victory and doubled in 3 runs as part of a 5-run 3rd inning as the Montreal Expos beat the San Diego Padres 10-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 22,721 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Garry Templeton singled home Steve Garvey with 2 out in the top of the 9th to break a 4-4 tie and the Padres held on to win the second game 5-4.

The Atlanta Braves scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning and held on for a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs before 21,780 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Doyle Alexander allowed 7 hits and 3 earned runs in 7 innings to get the win, and singled in the first 2 Atlanta runs.

The bottom four batters in the order each drove in 2 runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Houston Astros 13-3 before 30,598 fans at the Astrodome. Rick Rhoden pitched an 8-hit complete game to improve his record for the season to 15-7.

20 years ago
1991

Europeana
Azerbaijan declared its independence from the U.S.S.R.

Died on this date
Alan Wheatley, 84. U.K. actor. Mr. Wheatley was best known for playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in the ATV series The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1959). Sherlockians recognize him as the first actor to play Sherlock Holmes in a television series, starring in a six-episode series on BBC in October-November 1951.

Track and field
Mike Powell of the United States, competing at the world championships in Tokyo, made a long jump of 29' 4¼", 2 inches better than the world record of Bob Beamon, which had stood since 1968.



10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Govan Mbeki, 91. S.A. politician and terrorist. Mr. Mbeki joined the African National Congress in 1935 and the South African Communist Party in the late 1930s. He was imprisoned for terrorist activity from 1964-1987. Mr. Mbeki was the father of Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa (1999-2008).

World events
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, appearing before the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, was told that he was being charged with genocide.