July 26, 2012

100 years ago
1912

Born on this date
Buddy Clark. U.S. singer. Mr. Clark, born Samuel Goldberg, appeared on the radio program Your Hit Parade (1936-1938) and had a hit record with the song Spring is Here (1938). He disappeared from the charts until the late 1940s, when Linda (1947) became the first of a string of hits for Mr. Clark. On October 1, 1949, hours after appearing as a guest on the radio program Club Fifteen, Mr. Clark, 37, was killed in the crash of a small plane in West Los Angeles; he and five friends had rented the plane to fly to Stanford University to attend a football game.

75 years ago
1937

Died on this date
Gerda Taro, 26. German photographer. Miss Taro, born Gerta Pohorylle, was a Jewess who left Germany after the Nazis came to power in 1933 and went to Paris in 1934. She met photographer and fellow Jew Endre Friedmann there, and the two fell in love and worked together, using the alias Robert Capa for their collective work. Eventually, Mr. Friedmann used the Robert Capa alias for himself, and Miss Pohorylle adopted the professional name Gerda Taro. She covered leftist political activities and the Spanish Civil War. While covering the Republican army retreat at the Battle of Brunete on July 25, 1937, Miss Taro hopped onto the running board of a car, but suffered critical injuries when a Republican tank accidentally crashed into the car's side; she died the next day, six days before her 27th birthday.

War
The Battle of Brunete in the Spanish Civil War ended with a Nationalist victory.

Crime
Haywood Patterson, convicted on January 23, 1937 of rape and sentenced to 75 years in prison as one of the "Scottsboro Boys"--Negro youths accused of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931--was sent to Atmore Prison Farm in Escambia County, while the other four convicted Scottsboro Boys were sent to Kilby Prison, near Montgomery.

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Auf Widerseh'n Sweetheart--Vera Lynn (Best seller--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); Half as Much--Rosemary Clooney (Juke Box--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart--Vera Lynn
--Eddy Howard
2 Here in My Heart--Al Martino
3 Kiss of Fire--Georgia Gibbs
--Tony Martin
4 Delicado--Percy Faith and his Orchestra
5 I'm Yours--Don Cornell
--Eddie Fisher
6 Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
7 Walkin' My Baby Back Home--Johnnie Ray
--Nat "King" Cole and Billy May and his Orchestra
8 I'll Walk Alone--Don Cornell
--Jane Froman
9 Botch-A-Me--Rosemary Clooney
10 Half as Much--Rosemary Clooney

Singles entering the chart were So Madly in Love by Georgia Gibbs (#22) and Wish You were Here by Eddie Fisher (#27).

Died on this date
Eva Peron, 33. Spiritual Leader of the Nation of Argentina. Mrs. Peron, born Eva Duarte, was the first wife of Colonel Juan Peron, President of Argentina from 1946-1955 and 1973-1974. Hugely popular, especially with people from the labouring classes, "Evita" was named the nation's "Spiritual Leader" on May 7, 1952. She died of cervical cancer.

World events
King Farouk I of Egypt abdicated the throne, three days after a bloodless coup staged by the Free Officers Movement, under Muhammad Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Olympics
In Helsinki, Bob Mathias, Milton Campbell, and Floyd Simmons, all from the United States, captured the top three positions, respectively, in the decathlon.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): I Remember You--Frank Ifield

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Winnipeg (1-1) 0 @ Montreal (1-1) 53

40 years ago
1972

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (2-1-1) 24 @ Montreal (1-3) 15

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I've Never Been to Me--Charlene (6th week at #1)

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in France: La Isla Bonita--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Jim Bishop, 79. U.S. journalist and author. Mr. Bishop was known for books such as The Day Lincoln was Shot (1955); The Day Christ Died (1957); A Day in the Life of President Kennedy (1964); The Day Kennedy was Shot (1968); and FDR's Last Year: April 1944-April 1945 (1974).

World events
The government of Panama shut down three newspapers.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-3) 28 @ Saskatchewan (1-2-1) 25

Alvin Bailey returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter and Jim Rockford returned a fumble 69 yards for a touchdown in the 4th quarter as the Tiger-Cats edged the Roughriders before 24,830 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Earl Winfield scored the other Hamilton touchdown on a 71-yard punt return with 1:13 remaining in the 1st half. The Rough Riders also scored a defensive touchdown, as defensive end Nick Hebeler returned a fumble 47 yards in the 3rd quarter. Walter Bender rushed for 2 Saskatchewan TDs, the second coming with 2:47 remaining in regulation time. Mr. Winfield led all receivers with 99 yards on 7 receptions.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Ain't No Doubt--Jimmy Nail (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Mary Wells, 49. U.S. singer. Miss Wells was the first of the Motown corporation's female artists to achieve success. Her biggest hit was My Guy, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1964, and reached #5 in the U.K. A contract dispute soon led to her departure from Motown, and personal and professional hardship followed. She died after battling cancer for several years.

10 years ago
2002

Football
CFL
British Columbia (1-4) 27 @ Edmonton (4-1) 37

Ricky Ray completed 21 of 28 passes for 277 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first start as a CFL quarterback to lead the Eskimos past the Lions before a Commonwealth Stadium crowd of 32,844. Ed Hervey caught 5 passes for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns, with Terry Vaughn and Rick Walters catching Mr. Ray’s other TD passes. Willie Hurst scored the Lions’ first touchdown on a 99-yard kickoff return in the 1st quarter. The other B.C. touchdowns were scored in the last 8 minutes of the game on a 1-yard rush by Sean Millington and a 16-yard pass from Damon Allen to Ryan Thelwell. John Avery led the Edmonton rushing attack with 19 carries for 88 yards and contributed a 75-yard kickoff return, which came immediately after Mr. Hurst’s touchdown.