August 14, 2012

100 years ago
1912

Born on this date
Paul "Daffy" Dean. U.S. baseball pitcher. The younger brother of St. Louis Cardinals' ace Dizzy Dean, Paul won 19 games to Dizzy's 30 as the Cardinals won the National League pennant in 1934, Daffy's rookie year in the major leagues. Each brother won 2 games in the World Series as the Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers in 7 games. Paul won 19 games again in 1935, but injured his arm, and never pitched effectively in the majors again. He was with the Cardinals through 1939, the New York Giants in 1940-1941, and the St. Louis Browns briefly in 1943. Paul Dean compiled a career record of 50 wins and 34 losses in the major leagues and was 76-58 in the minors. He died of a heart attack at the age of 68 on March 17, 1981.

Baseball
Stuffy McInnis hit 2 inside-the-park home runs off Vean Gregg to lead the Philadelphia Athletics to an 8-3 win over the Cleveland Naps in the first game of a doubleheader. The Athletics completed the sweep with a 2-0 win.

90 years ago
1922

Baseball
In an exhibition game to benefit the family of former Boston Red Sox star Tommy McCarthy, who had recently died, a team of American League all-stars and others defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2. The all-star lineup included first baseman Lizzie Murphy of Providence, who became the first woman to play for a major league team.

80 years ago
1932

Baseball
The Brooklyn Dodgers edged the New York Giants 2-1 in 10 innings at the Polo Grounds in New York. 49-year-old Jack Quinn, who had relieved starting pitcher Van Mungo in the 9th innning, became the oldest pitcher in major league history to win a game. The Giants, behind the pitching of Carl Hubbell, led 1-0 after 8 innings, but Johnny Frederick hit his 4th pinch-hit home run of the season--tying a major league record--to tie the game.

75 years ago
1937

Baseball
The Detroit Tigers routed the St. Louis Browns 16-1 and 20-7 in a doubleheader sweep at Navin Field in Detroit. Eldon Auker, the winning pitcher in the first game, helped his own cause by hitting 2 home runs and batting in 5 runs.

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: The Missing Three-Quarter

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-2) 7 @ Edmonton (2-0) 22

Don Getty completed touchdown passes to Bobby Walden and Tommy-Joe Coffey and Howie Schumm returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown to lead the Eskimos past the Roughriders before 13,288 fans at Clarke Stadium. Ray Purdin rushed 7 times for 75 yards for the Roughriders, and opened the scoring with a 50-yard touchdown run. Ferd Burket added to Saskatchewan's ground game with 88 yards on 17 carries.

Baseball
Tommie Aaron hit a home run in the 6th inning and his brother Hank homered in the 7th as the Milwaukee Braves edged the Cincinnati Reds 5-4.

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Oscar Levant, 65. U.S. pianist, composer, and actor. A brilliant concert pianist, Mr. Levant appeared in such movies as Rhapsody in Blue (1945); Humoresque (1946); Romance on the High Seas (1948); An American in Paris (1951); and The Band Wagon (1953), and was a memorable guest on television talk shows.

Terrorism
An Israeli court rejected pleas for mercy and sentenced two Arab girls to life in prison without parole for their roles in the May hijacking of a Belgian plane to Israel, in which Israeli paratroopers killed their male accomplices. The hijackers had commandeered the plane shortly after takeoff from Vienna, demanding the release of Arab prisoners in exchange for the 101 passengers. A female passenger was killed in the shootout and several others were wounded.

Disasters
All 156 people aboard an East German jet died when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Schonefeld Airport in East Berlin.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (1-2) 14 @ Calgary (2-1) 19

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Come on Eileen--Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A.: (Billboard): Eye of the Tiger--Survivor (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Eye of the Tiger--Survivor (3rd week at #1)
2 Abracadabra--Steve Miller Band
3 Hold Me--Fleetwood Mac
4 Hard to Say I'm Sorry--Chicago
5 Hurts So Good--John Cougar
6 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
7 Rosanna--Toto
8 Even the Nights are Better--Air Supply
9 Take it Away--Paul McCartney
10 Wasted on the Way--Crosby, Stills & Nash

Singles entering the chart included Hold On by Santana (#75); Night Shift by Quarterflash (#83); You Dropped a Bomb on Me by the Gap Band (#84); Love Action by the Human League (#86); and Johnny Can't Read by Don Henley (#88).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 Eye of the Tiger--Survivor (3rd week at #1)
2 Abracadabra--Steve Miller Band
3 Hurts So Good--John Cougar
4 Eyes of a Stranger--Payolas
5 Hard to Say I'm Sorry--Chicago
6 Going to a Go-Go--Rolling Stones
7 Your Daddy Don't Know--Toronto
8 I've Never Been to Me--Charlene
9 Even the Nights are Better--Air Supply
10 Body Language--Queen

Singles entering the chart were Valley Girl by Frank and Moon Zappa (#46) and Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (#50).

Died on this date
Patrick Magee, 60. Irish actor. Best known as a stage actor, Mr. Magee appeared in such movies as Zulu (1964); Marat/Sade (1967); A Clockwork Orange (1971); Tales from the Crypt (1972); Barry Lyndon (1975); and Chariots of Fire (1981).

Theatre
The first edition of Edmonton's Fringe Theatre festival, modelled on that of Edinburgh, opened.

Auto racing
USAC
Gold Crown Series
Bobby Olivero won the Tony Bettenhausen 100 on a dirt track at Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield; it was the first race of the season.

Football
CFL
Calgary (3-1-1) 30 @ British Columbia (3-2) 8

James Sykes rushed 24 times for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Stampeders past the Lions before 26,184 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. The Stampeders didn’t give up a touchdown and held the Lions to 180 yards of net offense.

25 years ago
1987

Diplomacy
Philip Habib resigned as U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s special envoy to Central America, apparently unhappy at having had no major role in developing U.S. initiatives in the region.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that prices charged by producers for finished goods had risen 0.2% in July.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (5-2) 14 @ Hamilton (3-3) 26

Tom Porras completed touchdown passes of 69 yards to Steve Stapler and 55 yards to Tony Champion in the 1st quarter to lead the Tiger-Cats past the Blue Bombers before 18,503 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Winnipeg quarteback Tom Clements completed touchdown passes of 56 yards to Perry Tuttle in the 3rd quarter and 61 yards to James Murphy in the 4th quarter.

Baseball
Mark McGwire set a major league record for rookies with his 39th home run of the season, off Don Sutton in the 6th inning, to help the Oakland Athletics defeat the California Angels 7-6 in 12 innings.

20 years ago
1992

John Sirica, 88. U.S. judge. Known as "Maximum John" because of his harsh sentences, Mr. Sirica was Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He became famous for presiding over the trials of many of those accused in the break-in of the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate office complex in Washington. Mr. Sirica was named Time magazine's Man of the Year for 1973.

Tony Williams, 64. U.S. singer. Mr. Williams was the lead singer of the Platters from 1953-1960, when they were one of the most popular groups in North America. Their hit singles included Only You; The Great Pretender; My Prayer; Twilight Time; and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.

Baseball
Lonnie Smith had 5 hits and drove in 6 runs as the Atlanta Braves routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 15-0. Tom Glavine pitched his 5th shutout of the season in earning his 18th win.