July 25, 2012

370 years ago
1642

Born on this date
Luigi I. Prince of Monaco, 1662-1701. Luigi I acceded to the throne upon the death of his grandfather Onorato II. He took the oath to King Louis XIV of France in 1668, and went to Rome in 1699 as Louis XIV's ambassador extraordinary. Luigi I died in Rome on January 3, 1701 at the age of 58, and was succeeded by his son Antonio I.

110 years ago
1902

Boxing
Despite suffering fractures to his nose and cheekbone, Jim Jeffries (17-0-2) retained his world heavyweight title with a knockout of former champion Bob Fitzsimmons (60-5-4) in the 8th round at The Arena in San Francisco. It was Mr. Fitzsimmons' first fight in two years. Mr. Jeffries had won the title from Mr. Fitzsimmons with an 11-round knockout in 1899.

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jingle Jangle Jingle--Kay Kyser Orchestra (2nd week at #1)

60 years ago
1952

Americana
After U.S. President Harry Truman approved a new constitution, Puerto Rico became a commonwealth of the United States.

50 years ago
1962

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (2-1) 9 @ Calgary (0-1) 8
Toronto (1-1) 7 @ Edmonton (1-0) 20

Alan White returned the 2nd-half kickoff 106 yards for a touchdown as the Eskimos beat the Argonauts before 9,000 fans at Clarke Stadium. Tommy-Joe Coffey rushed 15 yards for the other Edmonton touchdown and added 2 converts and 2 field goals. Dick Shatto opened the scoring for the Argonauts with a touchdown just 1:27 into the game, converted by Bill Mitchell. This was the final CFL game for Toronto fullback Cookie Gilchrist. He went out for dinner with Edmonton fullback Johnny Bright after the game; this was cited in newspaper reports as a possible factor in his release, but Mr. Gilchrist had never gotten along with Toronto head coach Lou Agase. Mr. Gilchrist then signed with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, and led the AFL in rushing yardage in 1962.

40 years ago
1972

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri, the Democratic party’s 1972 nominee for Vice-President of the United States, told a news conference in Custer, South Dakota that he had been hospitalized three times between 1960 and 1966 for depression, nervous exhaustion, and fatigue, and had received electroshock therapy. Sen. Eagleton was joined at the conference by U.S. Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota, the Democratic presidential candidate. Sen. McGovern said that he would stand by his running mate, and expressed the belief that public reaction would be “generous” and “fair,” and that “the American people are a lot more thoughtful and charitable in making judgments than the so-called experts ever give them credit for.”

Baseball
Lee May of the Houston Astros drove in Billy Williams of the Chicago Cubs with a ground out to tie the game in the bottom of the 9th inning, and Joe Morgan of the Cincinnati Reds singled in Nate Colbert of the San Diego Padres with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th to give the National League a 4-3 win over the American League in the major league All-Star game before 53,107 fans at Atlanta Stadium. The AL led 1-0 until Hank Aaron of the Braves hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 6th off Gaylord Perry of the Cleveland Indians to give the NL a 2-1 lead. Bill Stoneman of the Montreal Expos, this blogger’s favourite player at the time, was on the mound for the NL in the 8th inning, and gave up a 2-run homer to Cookie Rojas of the Kansas City Royals, giving the AL a 3-2 lead. Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles pitched the first 3 innings for the AL, while teammate Dave McNally, who took the mound to begin the 10th inning, took the loss. Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched the first 2 innings for the NL. Tug McGraw of the New York Mets pitched the 9th and 10th innings and was credited with the win. Mr. Morgan won the Arch Ward trophy as the game’s most valuable player.



Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (3-1) 28 @ Winnipeg (2-1-1) 29
Edmonton (2-2) 34 @ British Columbia (3-1) 0

Bruce Lemmerman threw a touchdown pass to Bobby Taylor in the 1st quarter and handed off to Roy Bell for another touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Quarterback Tom Wilkinson, recently released by B.C., made his first appearance with the Eskimos in their rout of the Lions before 23,211 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. He relieved starter Bruce Lemmerman and completed an 88-yard touchdown pass to George McGowan to clinch the backup job ahead of rookie Canadian rookie Dave Syme. University of Alberta alumnus Dave Kates returned an interception for the final Edmonton touchdown, but he still failed to make the team. Dave Cutler added 4 converts and 2 field goals. Rock Perdoni of the Eskimos and Bob Hall of the Lions were ejected in the 3rd quarter after a fight began on the sidelines.

30 years ago
1982

Died on this date
Hal Foster, 89. Canadian-born U.S. artist and writer. Mr. Foster, a native of Halifax, created the Prince Valiant comic strip in 1937.

Disasters
A ship caught fire at the entrance to Manila Bay, and 74 crewmen were declared missing and presumed dead.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-1) 28 @ British Columbia (3-0) 38

The Lions scored 22 straight points in the 4th quarter before 28,329 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver on a sunny Sunday afternoon to hand the Eskimos their first loss since July 19, 1981. Larry Key rushed 2 yards for his second touchdown of the game with 6:08 remaining in the game, and rookie Merv Fernandez returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown with 4:42 remaining. Lui Passaglia converted Mr. Fernandez’s TD and punted for a single with 1:53 left to give the Lions a 31-25 lead, and Kevin Konar put the game away with 52 seconds remaining when he intercepted a Warren Moon pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, converted by Mr. Passaglia. Dave Cutler kicked a 40-yard field goal for the Eskimos on the last play to reduce the point spread to 10 points, which was of possible importance if the teams should split their season’s series and finish tied in the standings. Harry Holt scored the first B.C. touchdown on an 80-yard pass from Joe Paopao in the 1st quarter. Mr. Moon completed touchdown passes to Tom Scott in the 1st quarter and Neil Lumsden in the 3rd quarter, and Kevin Cole rushed 2 yards for a TD in the 2nd quarter for the Eskimos. Mr. Fernandez caught 7 passes for 139 yards and Mr. Holt caught 3 for 127.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Who's That Girl--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Who's That Girl--Madonna

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Alone--Heart (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Alone--Heart (2nd week at #1)
2 Shakedown--Bob Seger
3 I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston
4 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For--U2
5 I Want Your Sex--George Michael
6 Songbird--Kenny G
7 Point of No Return--Expose
8 Rhythm is Gonna Get You--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
9 Heart and Soul--T'Pau
10 Something so Strong--Crowded House

Singles entering the chart were Touch of Grey by the Grateful Dead (#79); Jump Start by Natalie Cole (#85); U Got the Look by Prince (#89); and Back to Paradise by .38 Special (#90).

Canada’s Top 3 (The Record)
1 I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)—Whitney Houston
2 Alone—Heart
3 Shakedown—Bob Seger

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Head to Toe--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
2 I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston
3 Always--Atlantic Starr
4 Shakedown--Bob Seger
5 Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You--Glenn Medeiros
6 Alone--Heart
7 Funkytown--Pseudo Echo
8 Heart and Soul--T'Pau
9 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For--U2
10 You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde

Singles entering the chart included Doing it All for My Baby by Huey Lewis and the News (#87); Love Power by Dionne Warwick & Jeffrey Osborne (#91); Back to Paradise by .38 Special (#94); Twistin' the Night Away by Rod Stewart (#96); and Ordinary People by the Box (#97).

Died on this date
Malcolm Baldrige, Jr., 64. U.S. Secretary of Commerce, 1981-1987. Mr. Baldrige, an experienced horseman, was preparing for a rodeo in Walnut Creek, California, when the horse he was riding reared and fell on him.

Music
Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Rivers, and Smokey Robinson performed on the same bill in downtown Detroit.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-2) 1 @ British Columbia (4-0) 21

Roy Dewalt completed a 3-yard pass to Anthony Parker in the 2nd quarter for the game’s only touchdown and Lui Passaglia added a convert, 4 field goals, and 2 singles as the Lions coasted to victory over the Rough Riders before 33,771 fans at B.C. Place Stadium. Ken Clark’s 56-yard punt single in the 3rd quarter was the only Ottawa point. Ottawa offensive tackle Roger Cattelan, who had eaten breakfast with his team that morning, was nowhere to be seen at game time. The loss began a 13-game losing streak for the Rough Riders.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Hazard--Richard Marx

#1 single in Italy: Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap! (9th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Le Chat--Pow woW (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Baby Got Back--Sir Mix-a-Lot (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Baby Got Back--Sir Mix-a-Lot (2nd week at #1)
2 I'll Be There--Mariah Carey
3 Under the Bridge--Red Hot Chili Peppers
4 Achy Breaky Heart--Billy Ray Cyrus
5 Tennessee--Arrested Development
6 Wishing on a Star--Cover Girls
7 Baby-Baby-Baby--TLC
8 Life is a Highway--Tom Cochrane
9 If You Asked Me To--Celine Dion
10 Damn I Wish I was Your Lover--Sophie B. Hawkins

Singles entering the chart were End of the Road by Boyz II Men (#65); The (Elvis) Letter by Wayne Newton (#77); Money Can't Buy You Love by Ralph Tresvant (#87); and Another Minute by Cause and Effect (#91).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I'll Be There--Mariah Carey (3rd week at #1)
2 Just Another Day--Jon Secada
3 America--Kim Mitchell
4 Achy Breaky Heart--Billy Ray Cyrus
5 This Used to Be My Playground--Madonna
6 Damn I Wish I was Your Lover--Sophie B. Hawkins
7 Too Funky--George Michael
8 The Best Things in Life are Free--Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson
9 Hold on My Heart--Genesis
10 Take this Heart--Richard Marx

Singles entering the chart included Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot (#99).

Economics and finance
Final talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement began with the government of Canada threatening to withdraw from negotiations unless a better deal on the manufacture of cars and clothing were offered.

Olympics
The summer Olympics opened in Barcelona with 169 nations participating, the first time in modern history that there were no nations boycotting or banned from the games.

10 years ago
2002

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-3) 37 @ Ottawa (2-3-0-1) 38
Saskatchewan (3-2) 21 @ Calgary (1-4-0-1) 26

The Renegades led the Tiger-Cats 35-10 with less than a minute remaining in the 2nd quarter, but just barely held on to win before 24,355 fans at Frank Clair Stadium. Hamilton had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but Paul Osbaldiston was unsuccessful on a long field goal attempt, and it went for a single point with 3 seconds remaining. Ottawa quarterback Dan Crowley rushed for a touchdown and threw 2 touchdown passes to Jimmy Oliver, who caught 11 passes for 110 yards. Darren Davis rushed 14 times for 52 yards and a touchdown for the Renegades, while his brother Troy carried 12 times for 53 yards and a touchdown for the Tiger-Cats. Hamilton quarterback Danny McManus completed 29 of 51 passes for 513 yards and touchdowns to Troy Davis, Archie Amerson, and Tony Akins, but also threw 4 interceptions. Mr. Amerson caught 9 passes for 221 yards. Mike Maurer scored the other Ottawa touchdown shen he recovered a Tiger-Cat fumble in the Hamilton end zone.

Scott Deibert, Marcus Crandell, and Kelvin Anderson rushed for touchdowns as the Stampeders defeated the Roughriders before 35,597 fans at McMahon Stadium. The Stampeders led 23-4 in the 3rd quarter before starting Saskatchewan quarterback Nealon Greene completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Jackson. Backup quarterback Kevin Glenn rushed 5 yards for a touchdown with 33 seconds remaining in the game, converted by Paul McCallum.