July 24, 2012

150 years ago
1862

Died on this date
Martin Van Buren, 79. 8th President of the United States of America, 1837-1841. Mr. Van Buren was one of the organizers of the Democratic Party, and was the first president who was not of British ancestry. His political career included stints as United States Senator from New York (1821-1828); Governor of New York (1829); U.S. Secretary of State (1829-1831); and Vice-President of the United States (1833-1837). He was the first incumbent vice-president to win the presidential election. Mr. Van Buren's term as president was beset by an economic depression following from the Panic of 1837, resulting in his unpopularity, which included the nickname "Martin Van Ruin." He ran for re-election in 1840 but was defeated by Whig party candidate William Henry Harrison. Mr. Van Buren ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1844 and had a majority of delegates at the national convention, but lacked the two-thirds necessary to win under the rules in place at the time, and he eventually lost to James K. Polk.

90 years ago
1922

Diplomacy
All 51 members of the League of Nations recognized “the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country.” The League also issued a Mandate validating France’s occupation of Syria and Lebanon.

The Palestine Mandate was a rewritten version of the Balfour Declaration. On November 2, 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour had issued the Declaration, which read:

His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

The League of Nations Mandate entrusting Palestine to British control had recently been submitted to the British parliament for approval. On June 21, 1922, a non-binding motion in the House of Lords declaring that the Palestine Mandate (embodying the policy of the Balfour Declaration) was unacceptable passed by a vote of 60-29. On July 4, the House of Commons took up the debate, with Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill delivering a persuasive speech on behalf of the government’s policy supporting the Balfour Declaration. The House voted 292-35 in favour of the government’s Palestine policy, in effect accepting the Palestine Mandate from the League of Nations.

75 years ago
1937

Crime
The State of Alabama dropped all charges against Willie Roberson, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, and Roy Wright, four of the "Scottsboro Boys"--Negro youths who had been accused of raping two white women in 1931. One of the others, Charlie Weems, was convicted of rape and sentenced to 105 years in prison.

70 years ago
1942

War
Heavy fighting continued on a 120-mile front stretching along the Don River from Rostov through Novocherkassk to Tsimlyansk. Allied dive bombers and fighters dropped 45,000 pounds of bombs on Japanese forces at Gona, Papua, New Guinea.

Economics and finance
Yugoslavian Foreign Minister Momcilo Nincich signed the master Lend-Lease agreement in Washington which had been signed by nine other nations.

Baseball
Spud Chandler (11-2) pitched a 4-hitter and singled in the final run for the New York Yankees as they shut out the Detroit Tigers 3-0 before 11,000 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Losing pitcher Al Benton (6-7) allowed 5 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 8 innings. The game was played in 1 hour 37 minutes.



The Cleveland Indians scored all their runs in the first 2 innings and held on to edge the Washington Nationals 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader before 12,804 fans at Cleveland Stadium. Jim Bagby (11-4) won the pitching matchup over Ealy Wynn (8-8). Les Fleming led off the bottom of the 12th inning with a base on balls, advanced to third base on a single by Fabian Gaffke, and scored on a single by Jim Hegan to give the Indians a 5-4 win in the second game to complete the sweep.

Johnny Pesky hit a 2-run home run in the 3rd inning and Pete Fox added a solo homer in the 9th to help the Boston Red Sox defeat the St. Louis Browns 5-3 in the first game of a doubleheader before 20,812 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. George McQuinn led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a base on balls and Chet Laabs homered with 2 out to give the Browns a 3-1 win in the second game. Johnny Niggeling (9-8) pitched a 5-hit complete game victory to outduel Joe Dobson (6-5), who allowed 9 hits in a complete game loss.

Enos Slaughter, Stan Musial, and Ray Sanders each had 3 hits for the St. Louis Cardinals as they blanked the Boston Braves 8-0 before 2,353 fans at Braves Field. Max Lanier (5-4) pitched a 6-hit shutout. Boston shortstop Sibby Sisti batted 3 for 3.

Babe Young led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a home run to give the New York Giants a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 5,233 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Bucky Walters (12-7) allowed 9 hits in a complete game defeat.

50 years ago
1962

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight’s episode: Silver Blaze

40 years ago
1972

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (1-3) 13 @ Calgary (2-3) 28

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Fame--Irene Cara (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A.: (Billboard): Eye of the Tiger--Survivor

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hurts So Good--John Cougar
2 Eye of the Tiger--Survivor
3 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
4 Rosanna--Toto
5 Hold Me--Fleetwood Mac
6 Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me--Juice Newton
7 Tainted Love--Soft Cell
8 Abracadabra--Steve Miller Band
9 Only the Lonely--The Motels
10 Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder

Singles entering the chart were Jack & Diane by John Cougar (#69); Let Me Tickle Your Fancy by Jermaine Jackson (#76); Only Time Will Tell by Asia (#84); What's Forever For by Michael Murphey (#86); Let Me Go by Ray Parker, Jr. (#87); Hot Fun in the Summertime by Dayton (#88); and She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft) by Jerry Reed (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Abracadabra--Steve Miller Band
2 Eye of the Tiger--Survivor
3 Hurts So Good--John Cougar
4 Body Language--Queen
5 I've Never Been to Me--Charlene
6 Going to a Go-Go--Rolling Stones
7 Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
8 Rosanna--Toto
9 Crimson and Clover--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
10 Who Can it Be Now?--Men at Work

Singles entering the chart were Vacation by the Go-Go's (#42); Think I'm in Love by Eddie Money (#45); Take it Away by Paul McCartney (#47); Love Leads to Madness by Nazareth ($48); and Mama Used to Say by Junior (#50).

War
Iran announced that she would agree to mediation by Algeria of her war against Iraq.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-1) 36 @ Winnipeg (2-1) 25
Saskatchewan (1-2) 25 @ Calgary (0-1-1) 19

Ron Johnson caught 7 passes for 85 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Tiger-Cats past the Blue Bombers before 27,919 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Mr. Johnson’s first touchdown came on a pass from wide receiver Keith Baker, and the others on passes from quarterback Tom Clements. Gerald Bess returned an interception 45 yards for the other Hamilton touchdown. Milson Jones rushed for 2 1-yard touchdowns and Dieter Brock completed a 26-yard pass to Mike Holmes for the other Winnipeg touchdown.

Joe Adams completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to John McCorquindale and Greg Fieger rushed 16 yards for another touchdown as the Roughriders outscored the Stampeders 15-0 in the 4th quarter before 31,017 fans at McMahon Stadium. Mr. Fieger’s touchdown, his second rushing TD of the game, came with 4:05 remaining. Calgary quarterback Gerry Dattilio threw an 8-yard pass to Willie Armstead for one touchdown and rushed 3 yards for the other.



25 years ago
1987

Edmontonia
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, visited Fort Edmonton Park.

Journalism
Novelist and former British Conservative party official Jeffrey Archer was awarded record libel damages of £500,000 plus £700,000 in costs for a front-page story published by the Daily Star the previous November alleging that Mr. Archer had paid to have sex with a prostitute.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross national product had grown at an annual rate of 2.6% in the second quarter of 1987.

Tennis
Boris Becker of West Germany defeated John McEnroe of the United States 4-6, 15-13, 8-10, 6-2, 6-2 in a Davis Cup elimination match in Hartford, Connecticut. At 6 hours and 38 minutes, it was believed to have been the longest Davis Cup match ever played. The second set took 2 hours and 35 minutes to play.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (3-2) 42 @ Winnipeg (4-1) 28

Matt Dunigan rushed for two 1-yard touchdowns and completed touchdown bombs of 89 yards to Stephen Jones and 72 yards to Tom Richards to lead the Eskimos past the Blue Bombers before 29,260 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Rookie defensive back Stanley Blair returned an interception 71 yards for his only CFL touchdown and Milson Jones rushed 2 yards for the other Edmonton major. Ken Winey scored the Blue Bombers’ first touchdown on a 93-yard kickoff return in the 2nd quarter. Tom Clements completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to James Murphy in the 3rd quarter, and Willard Reaves rushed 1 yard for the other Winnipeg touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Eskimos scored 4 of their 6 converted touchdowns in the 2nd quarter. It was the final Eskimo game for kicker and punter Tom Dixon, who had lost favour with head coach Joe Faragalli. Not only was his field goal kicking erratic, but he kicked off to the wrong side of the field after Stephen Jones’ TD, allowing Mr. Winey to return the kick for a touchdown. Mr. Reaves rushed 17 times for 86 yards, going over 5,000 yards for his 5-year CFL career. Stephen Jones caught 5 passes for 127 yards, and Winnipeg’s Perry Tuttle caught 8 for 128.

20 years ago
1992

Died on this date
Sam Berger, 92. Canadian lawyer and football executive. Mr. Berger was a co-owner of the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League from 1955-1968, and owner of the Montreal Alouettes from 1969-1980. With both teams, he saved teams that were in financial trouble and turned them into successful franchises. The Rough Riders won the Grey Cup in 1960 and 1968, and the Alouettes won the Grey Cup in 1970, 1974, and 1977. Mr. Berger served as the CFL’s president in 1964 and 1971, and was instrumental in negotiating the league’s first television contract. A military officer in World War II, Mr. Berger donated the Berger Trophy in 1942 for the championship of the Ottawa Senior City Football League. The league operated only in 1942, with the RCAF Uplands Flyers defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders to win the trophy. Mr. Berger was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-1) 13 @ Saskatchewan (1-2) 23

Kent Austin completed just 17 of 44 passes, but amassed 291 yards, including touchdowns of 27 yards to Ray Elgaard in the 1st quarter and 17 yards to Dan Farthing in the 2nd quarter to lead the Roughriders past the Rough Riders before 20,117 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Tom Burgess completed a 23-yard pass to James Ellingson in the 3rd quarter for the only Ottawa touchdown. Don Narcisse of Saskatchewan caught 12 passes for 144 yards.