July 13, 2012

225 years ago
1787

Politics and government
The United States Continental Congress adopted the Northwest Ordinance, making effective the Ordinance of 1784, drafted by Thomas Jefferson. The Northwest Ordinance determined the government of the Northwest Territory, north of the Ohio River and west of New York. 5,000 male voters could establish a legislature; 60,000 inhabitants could obtain statehood. The Ordinance guaranteed freedom of religion and support for schools, and barred slavery.

120 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Léo-Pol Morin. Canadian musician and composer. Mr. Morin, a native of Cap-Saint-Ignace, Quebec, was a classical pianist who was known for his performances of music by modern French composers. Using the pseudonym James Callihou, he composed works based on French-Canadian and Inuit folklore and music. Mr. Morin's compositions included Suite canadienne (1945) and Trois Esquimaux pour piano. He was killed in a car accident in the Laurentian Mountains near Montreal on May 29, 1941 at the age of 48.

Economics and finance
The Stewart Free Silver Coinage Bill was defeated in the United States House of Representatives by a vote of 154-136.

50 years ago
1962

Golf
Arnold Palmer won the British Open at Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Montreal Alouettes intrasquad game
White 27 Red 14

40 years ago
1972

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (0-2) 24 @ Toronto (1-0-1) 25
Calgary (1-2) 9 @ British Columbia (2-0) 14

30 years ago
1982

Scandal
The United States House of Representatives authorized the House Ethics Committee to conduct an investigation into allegations that Congressmen and their aides had been involved in homosexual activities with teenage pages and had used illegal drugs. Former Congressional page Leroy Williams had given the Ethics Committee the names of three Congressmen with whom he said he had had sexual relations, plus the name of one Senator for whom he had hired a male prostitute. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had reported on July 9 that Mr. Williams had failed a polygraph test and had given vague answers when asked about sexual relations between Congressmen and pages. The allegations also involved reports of 30 other pages who had heard of the sale of cocaine and of homosexual activities involving Congressmen.

Baseball
Dave Concepcion of the Cincinnati Reds hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning to lead the National League to a 4-1 win over the American League in the major league All-Star game at Olympic Stadium in Montreal in the first All-Star game played in Canada. The game’s final run was scored in the bottom of the 6th inning when Al Oliver of the Montreal Expos doubled and fellow Expo Gary Carter singled him home. Another Expo, Steve Rogers, pitched the first 3 innings for the NL and was the winning pitcher. Dennis Eckersley of the Boston Red Sox pitched the first 3 innings for the AL and took the loss. Mr. Concepcion won the Arch Ward Trophy as the game’s most valuable player. The win was the 11th in a row for the National League.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston (5th week at #1)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Abba-esque (EP)--Erasure (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Alex Wojciechowicz, 76. U.S. football player. Mr. Wojciechowicz, one of Fordham University's "Seven Blocks of Granite," was the first draft choice of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League in 1938. He played center and linebacker with the Lions from 1938-1946 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1946-1950. He was voted All-Pro in 1939 and 1944, and played on the NFL championship teams with the Eagles in 1948 and 1949. Mr. Wojciechowicz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.

Politics and government
The Israeli Knesset voted 67-53 to approve Labour Party leader Yitzhak Rabin as the country’s new Prime Minister. Labour had taken just 44 seats in the June 23 general election, but that was more than any other party, and Mr. Rabin was able to put together a coalition controlling 62 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.

10 years ago
2002

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-3) 17 @ Edmonton (3-0) 31

Jack Kellogg (34 yards) and Shannon Garrett (65 yards) returned interceptions for touchdowns in the 1st quarter to lead the Eskimos past the Argonauts in an unimpressive game before 33,108 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. John Avery (9 yards) and Ronald Williams (1 yard) each rushed for an Edmonton touchdown. The Argonauts blocked 2 of Sean Fleming’s punts, and Adrion Smith returned one for a 13-yard touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Toronto’s only offensive score came on a 32-yard pass from Michael Bishop to Chad Plummer on the final play of the 3rd quarter. Mr. Bishop and backup Jack Hawley completed just 8 of 20 passes for 130 yards.