July 21, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Garland Grayston!

60 years ago
1952

Olympics
In Helsinki, Parry O'Brien of the United States won the gold medal in the men's shot put. Mr. O'Brien revolutionized the event by starting with his back to the circle and building momentum as he unwound into the throw.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Stai lontana da me--Adriano Celentano (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Remember You--Frank Ifield

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Roses are Red (My Love)--Bobby Vinton (2nd week at #1)

U.S. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Roses Are Red (My Love)--Bobby Vinton (2nd week at #1)
2 The Wah Watusi--The Orlons
3 I Can't Stop Loving You--Ray Charles
4 The Stripper--David Rose and his Orchestra
5 Sealed with a Kiss--Brian Hyland
6 Wolverton Mountain--Claude King
7 Speedy Gonzales--Pat Boone
8 Ahab, the Arab--Ray Stevens
9 Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)--Dee Dee Sharp
10 Breaking Up is Hard to Do--Neil Sedaka

Singles entering the chart were Sheila by Tommy Roe (#79); This is It by Jay and the Americans (#85); Shame on Me by Bobby Bare (#87); You Belong to Me by the Duprees (#88); The Bird Man by the Highwaymen (#90); Love Me as I Love You by George Maharis (#92); Beach Party by King Curtis and the Noble Knights (#93); Come on Little Angel by the Belmonts (#94); Shout and Shimmy by James Brown and the Famous Flames (#97); You're Stronger than Me by Patsy Cline (#98); Reap What You Sow by Billy Stewart (#99); and A Miracle by Frankie Avalon (#100).

40 years ago
1972

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Calgary (1-3) 7 @ Saskatchewan (2-2) 15

30 years ago
1982

Died on this date
Dave Garroway, 69. U.S. television personality. Mr. Garroway, one of the most popular figures of the early years of television, hosted the Today show on NBC from 1952-1961. He shot himself at his home in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, shortly after undergoing heart surgery.

War
Iranian forces attacked Baghdad by air, causing heavy damage to oil installations, and launched a new ground offensive near Basra, Iraq. Meanwhile, Iraqi jets bombed cities in the oil-rich Iranian province of Khuzistan, where 120 people were reported killed or wounded.

HMS Hermes, the flagship of the British force in the recent Falklands War, arrived home in Portsmouth, England.

World events
Polish Communist Party leader General Wojciech Jaruzelski announced that more than 1,200 people who had been detained under martial law would be released. Lech Walesa, leader of the trade union movement Solidarity, was not among them. Gen. Jaruzelski also indicated that martial law might be suspended if tensions in the country eased.

20 years ago
1992

Politics and government
U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Newt Gingrich (Republican—Georgia), forced to run in a new district in suburban Atlanta as a result of redistricting, barely held off a challenge from Herman Clark to be renominated as a Republican candidate for Congress in the November election. Mr. Gingrich, criticized by Mr. Clark as a “Washington insider,” took just 50.7% of the vote in the Republican party primary despite outspending his challenger $1.1 million-$150,000.

10 years ago
2002

Business
The American telecommunications company WorldCom filed for bankruptcy; it was the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.

Auto racing
Michael Schumacher won the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, clinching his third consecutive Formula One championship and his fifth in nine years, tying the record set by Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina in the 1950s.