August 1, 2013

175 years ago
1838

Society
Non-labourer slaves in most of the British Empire were emancipated.

120 years ago
1893

Literature
The Adventure of the Resident Patient by A. Conan Doyle, ninth in a series of short stories published in book form in 1894 as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, was published in the August 1893 issue of The Strand Magazine.

Born on this date
Alexander. King of Greece, 1917-1920. Alexander, the second son of King Constantine I, was installed as a puppet king after King Constantine and Alexander's elder brother Crown Prince George were forced into exile by the Triple Entente powers and the followers of Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos. King Alexander supported Greece's war against the Central Powers in World War I, but his marriage to a commoner caused a scandal. He died of sepsis on October 25, 1920 at the age of 27, several weeks after being bitten by a monkey. Constantine I was then returned to the throne.

Technology
Henry Perky patented shredded wheat.

75 years ago
1938

Died on this date
John Aasen, 48. U.S. actor. Mr. Aasen was a 7'2" sideshow performer who appeared in 14 movies, including Why Worry? (1923); Should Married Men Go Home? (1928); and Bengal Tiger (1936). He died from pneumonia.

Boxing
Johnny Paychek (21-3-1) knocked out Al Globe (15-11-5) at 2:15 of the 5th round of their heavyweight bout at Riverview Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Lin Sen, 79. Chairman (President) of the National Government of China, 1931-1943. Lin Sen was a member of the Kuomintang, and was largely a figurehead in office, while Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek exercised the actual power. Lin Sen died several months after suffering a stroke.

Don Deacon, 30 or 31. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Deacon, a native of Regina, played left wing with various senior, minor league, and military teams from 1932-43. He played with the Detroit Red Wings from 1936-37 and 1938-40, scoring 6 goals and 4 assists in 30 regular season games and 2 goals and 1 assist in 2 playoff games. Mr. Deacon was based in Calgary with the Canadian Army in 1942-43, and scored 52 points on 21 goals and 31 assists in 23 regular games and 4 goals and 2 assists in 3 Allan Cup playoff games with the Currie base team. While on leave in Vancouver, he was at a party at a friend's home when he fell to his death from a balcony, which suggests that he was most likely drunk.

Lydia Litvyak, 22. U.S.S.R. military aviatrix. Senior Lieutenant Litvyak served in the Soviet Air Force during World War II and was the first female fighter pilot to down an enemy aircraft, recording five solo kills before being fatally shot down near Orel during the Battle of Kursk, 17 days before her 23rd birthday.

War
The Japanese government granted independence to Burma, which then declared war on the U.S.A. and U.K. More than 175 U.S. Liberators dropped 300 tons of bombs on the Ploesti oil refineries in Romania, with the loss of 20 bombers; it was the second raid on the refineries, which produced 90% of the German Luftwaffe's gasoline. U.S. troops took Mistretta, Sicily, capturing 10,000 prisoners.

Diplomacy
China severed relations with the Vichy French regime.

Protest
Race-related rioting erupted in New York City's Harlem section, resulting in several deaths.

Rioting died down in northern Italy as Italians began evacuation from cities to escape Allied air raids.

Technology
Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corporation revealed a system that de-iced planes by circulating heated air through the motor exhaust pipes.

60 years ago
1953

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Tell Me a Story--Frankie Laine and Jimmy Boyd (2nd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'm Walking Behind You--Eddie Fisher (Best seller--2nd week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--5th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I'm Walking Behind You--Eddie Fisher (4th week at #1)
2 No Other Love--Perry Como
3 The Song from Moulin Rouge (Where is Your Heart)--Percy Faith and his Orchestra
4 Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)--Les Paul and Mary Ford
5 April in Portugal--Les Baxter and his Orchestra
6 Terry's Theme from "Limelight"--Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra
--[Richard Hayman and his Orchestra]
7 Ruby--Richard Hayman and his Orchestra
--[Les Baxter and his Orchestra]
8 P.S. I Love You--The Hilltoppers
9 Allez-Vous-En--Kay Starr
10 With These Hands--Eddie Fisher

Singles entering the chart were Blue Canary by Dinah Shore (#26); Te Amo by Frankie Laine (#28); and Hey Joe! by Frankie Laine (#33). Te Amo was the B-side (or maybe the A-side) of Where the Winds Blow, which charted at #34).

Academia
The Université de Sherbrooke was founded.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): (You're the) Devil in Disguise--Elvis Presley

Space
The mission of the U.S. satellite Solar Radiation 4, launched on June 15, 1963, ended.

Disasters
Seven people, including two small children, were killed in an explosion at a gas station in Hanmer, Ontario.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (1-1) 16 @ Montreal (2-1) 23
Ottawa (2-1) 8 @ British Columbia (3-0) 18

40 years ago
1973

Scandal
The United States Senate Select Committee on Campaign Activities made public a 1972 White House memo from former presidential aide Charles Colson in which Mr. Colson warned that hearings on Richard Kleindienst's nomination as U.S. Attorney General could directly involve President Richard Nixon and other administration officials in the settlement of a series of anti-trust actions against the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation.

Football
CFL
Montreal (1-0) 18 @ Hamilton (0-1) 9

Montreal quarterback George Mira completed touchdown passes to Peter Dalla Riva and Johnny Rodgers, the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner who was playing his first CFL game. The Alouettes' win over the defending Grey Cup champion Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium was the first CFL game for Marv Levy as Montreal's head coach. Montreal defensive back Merl Code suffered a season-ending knee injury, and didn't play another CFL game until 1976.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
Robert McFarlane, U.S. President Ronald Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East, arrived in Beirut to begin several weeks of meetings with leaders of various Middle East countries.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Age of Reason--John Farnham

On the radio
Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh began broadcasting his nationally syndicated radio program across the United States.

Died on this date
Florence Eldridge, 86. U.S. actress. Miss Eldridge was a character actress who appeared in 23 movies and television programs from 1923-1978, but was better known as a stage actress. She appeared in more than 20 Broadway plays in a career spanning almost 40 years, and was nominated for a Tony Award for her starring performance in Long Day's Journey Into Night (1956), which co-starred her husband Fredric March, who won a Tony Award for his performance.

War
A British soldier was killed and nine injured when a bomb planted by the provisional Irish Republican Army exploded at the Inglis Barracks in London.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Mr. Vain--Culture Beat (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): What's Up?--4 Non Blondes (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 came to a peak.

10 years ago
2003

Terrorism
35-50 people were killed when a suicide bomber rammed a truck through the gates of a military hospital in Mozdok, North Ossetia, Russia. Russian officials blames Chechen separatists.

World events
Lord Hutton, the judge investigating the recent death of British scientist and former United Nations weapons inspector Dr. David Kelly, opened his inquiry.

Scandal
Tape recordings made from July 30-August 1 appeared to reveal that Baylor University head basketball coach Dave Bliss had advised assistant coaches and players to depict Patrick Dennehy (a Baylor basketball player whose body, with two bullet wounds, had been found on July 25, more than a month after he'd been reported missing) as a drug dealer, in an apparent attempt to conceal the fact that Mr. Bliss had paid money to Mr. Dennehy. Mr. Dennehy's roommate and former teammate Carlton Dodson had been charged on July 21 with Mr. Dennehy's murder.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (4-3) 26 @ Toronto (4-3) 28 (OT)
Saskatchewan (5-2) 27 @ Calgary (2-5) 11

July 31, 2013

310 years ago
1703

Journalism
English writer Daniel Defoe was placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a satirical pamphlet critical of Anglican High Church Tories, but was pelted with flowers.

250 years ago
1763

War
British forces commanded by Major Henry Gladwin were beaten by Odawa Chief Pontiac at Bloody Ridge, Ohio, and left Detroit after reinforcements arrived.

200 years ago
1813

War
In the War of 1812, British troops captured Plattsburgh, New York, on Lake Champlain.

125 years ago
1888

Baseball
Gus Weyhing became the second member of the Philadelphia Athletics in six days to pitch a no-hitter as he led the Athletics to a 4-0 win over the Kansas City Blues at Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia. Ed Seward had pitched a no-hitter for the Athletics in a 12-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on July 26, also at Jefferson Street Grounds.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Bryan Hextall. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Hextall played left wing and right wing with the New York Rangers from 1937-1944; 1945; and 1946-1948. He led the NHL in goals in 1939-40 with 24 and again the following season with 26, and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in overtime in the sixth game of the 1940 finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving the Rangers their last Stanley Cup until 1994. Mr. Hextall won the Art Ross Trophy in 1941-42, leading the NHL with 56 points. In 449 NHL regular season games he scored 362 points on 187 goals and 175 assists, and added 8 goals and 9 assists in 37 playoff games. Mr. Hextall was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. His sons Bryan, Jr. and Dennis and grandson Ron Hextall all had respectable careers as NHL players, while great-grandson Brett Hextall is currently playing in the American Hockey League. Mr. Hextall died on July 25, 1984, 6 days before his 71st birthday.

War
The Balkan States signed an armistice at Bucharest.

Aviation
Alys Bryant became the first woman in Canada to make a solo flight, departing from the Vancouver racetrack.

75 years ago
1938

Defense
Bulgaria signed a non-aggression pact with Greece and other states of the Balkan Antanti (Turkey, Romania, and Yugoslavia).

Archaeology
Engraved gold and silver plates from King Darius the Great were discovered in Persepolis.

70 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): White Christmas--Bing Crosby (2nd month at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You'll Never Know--Dick Haymes and the Song Spinners (2nd week at #1)

War
Yugoslavian troops led by General Draja Mikhailovich fought their way through Axis lines into the Udine district of northeastern Italy. The Swiss government reported that soldiers were joining workers in peace demonstrations throughout northern Italy and that the Fascists in the Popolo d'Italia building in Milan had surrendered after Vito Mussolini, nephew of recently-deposed Duce Benito Mussolini, was seriously injured.

Defense
The French Committee of National Liberation named General H.H. Giraud as military commander subject to committee decisions, and appointed a National Defense Committee headed by General Charles de Gaulle.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department instructed its representatives to call on the governments of Sweden, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Argentina, and Vatican City not to give asylum to Axis leaders.

Journalism
George S. Viereck, longtime propagandist on behalf of Germany, was sentenced by a U.S. federal court in Washington to 1-5 years in prison for violation of the Foreign Registration Act.

Labour
U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle ruled that any group could call for a strike vote in a war plant under the Connally-Harness-Smith Act.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (14th week at #1)

Died on this date
Robert Taft, 63. U.S. politician. Mr. Taft, a Republican and eldest son of former U.S. President William Howard Taft, represented Ohio in the United States Senate from 1939-1953 and was Senate Majority Leader from January 3, 1953 until his death from cancer. He was known for advocating a foreign policy of non-interventionism and for the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which remains basic labour law in the U.S.A. Mr. Taft unsuccessfully campaigned for the Republican party U.S. presidential nomination in 1940, 1948, and 1952.

50 years ago
1963

Died on this date
Joe Miller, 64. Canadian football and hockey player. Mr. Miller was a member of the Ottawa Senators when they won the Grey Cup in 1925 and 1926. In the 1926 Grey Cup semi-final, he punted for 6 singles in the 2nd half as the Senators overcame a 6-1 halftime deficit to edge Toronto Balmy Beach 7-6. Mr. Miller punted for 5 more singles as the Senators defeated the University of Toronto 10-7 in the Grey Cup. Immediately after the game he joined the New York Americans of the National Hockey League as a goaltender. In the 1928 Stanley Cup finals, the New York Rangers lost regular goalie Lorne Chabot to injury. After 44-year-old general manager Lester Patrick filled in for a memorable overtime win, Mr. Miller was obtained from the Americans as a temporary substitute, and he played the remainder of the series as the Rangers defeated the Montreal Maroons to win the Stanley Cup.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (2-2) 3 @ Calgary (2-0) 8

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Goodbye, My Love, Goodbye--Demis Roussos (8th week at #1)

War
Canada formally ended its role as a member of the International Commission of Control and Supervision in South Vietnam. The United States announced that Iran had agreed to take Canada's place.

Politics and government
The Philippines' Commission on Elections reported that 90% of voters in the July 27-28 referendum had affirmed Ferdinand Marcos as President and had authorized him to continue the reforms he had initiated under martial law. Former Liberal Party Senator Jovito Salonga called the vote "fictitious," charging that martial law had prevented a free and fair exchange of ideas and that fear of reprisals had led people to vote in favour of Mr. Marcos. Mr. Salong and 11 other leaders had urged Mr. Marcos to lift martial law a month before the elections.

The Northern Ireland Assembly, the first democratically-elected assemby in Northern Ireland since direct rule had been imposed by the British government in March, met for the first time in Stormont, Belfast. The first meeting, which was to elect a presideing officer and invite nominations to a committee for drawing up procedural rules, was repeatedly interrupted by protests from Protestants led by Rev. Ian Paisley.

Scandal
Sam Ervin, chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Campaign Activities, said that the previous day's testimony of former presidential aide Bob Haldeman had been a "planned action" by the White House to "leak" a favourable version of tapes of White House conversations, which President Richard Nixon was refusing to release. Several members of the committee expressed resentment that Mr. Nixon had allowed Mr. Haldeman to take tapes home after his resignation as presiential adviser.

Disasters
All but one of 90 people aboard a Delta Air Lines jetliner died when it crashed while landing in heavy fog at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-0) 25 @ Ottawa (0-1) 9
Edmonton (1-0) 33 @ Winnipeg (0-1) 22
Saskatchewan (1-0) 21 @ British Columbia (0-1) 5

Tim Anderson returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown as the Argonauts made John Rauch's first regular season CFL game as their head coach a success, defeating the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park. Rick Cassata started at quarterback for Ottawa but was relieved by Frank DiMaggio, who completed just 2 of 10 passes for 42 yards and 2 interceptions in his only CFL game.

Edmonton's Garry Lefebvre, punting from his end zone in the 3rd quarter, punted the ball off one of the goal posts, and Winnipeg defensive back Tom Oberg picked it up and walked in for a touchdown on what was officially recorded as a 7-yard punt return. The misplay didn't prevent the Eskimos from defeating the Blue Bombers at Winnipeg Stadium.

John Payne's regular season debut as head coach of the Roughriders was a success as they easily defeated the Lions at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Saskatchewan quarterback Ron Lancaster completed 2 touchdown passes to Rick Eber and another to Tom Campana. It was the first CFL game for Mr. Eber, who had formerly played with the Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. Central American envoy Richard Stone met with Salvadoran rebel leader Ruben Zamora in Bogota, Colombia.

Golf
John Cook won the Canadian Open, defeating Johnny Miller in a playoff at Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario. Andy Bean, who had knocked in a 2-inch putt with his club handle the previous day; had taken a two-stroke penalty, exactly the number of strokes he finished behind Mr. Cook.

Football
CFL
Montreal (1-3) 10 @ Calgary (2-1) 42

James Sykes rushed 17 times for 153 yards and Ray Crouse carried 5 times for 89 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown, as the Stampeders routed the Concordes at McMahon Stadium. Calgary safety Darrell Moir added another touchdown on a 20-yard interception return.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sweet Lovers--Holidaymakers (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Im Nin'Alu--Ofra Haza (6th week at #1)

Diplomacy
In a televised address, King Hussein of Jordan said that he was renouncing all claims to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which Jordan had ruled from 1948-1967 until losing it after the Six-Day War. After 1967, Jordan had continued to provide services to the West Bank, regulating business, subsidizing hospitals and schools, and administering laws in the land lying west of the Jordan River, home to 850,000 Palestinians. Jordan also paid salaries to 21,000 public employees. King Hussein said, "We repsect the wish of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, to secede from us in an independent Palestinian state."

Disasters
32 people were killed and 1,674 injured when a bridge at the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal collapsed in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Gli Spari Sopra--Vasco Rossi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Five Live (EP)--George Michael & Queen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): What is Love?--Haddaway (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Pray--Take That (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40
2 Weak--SWV
3 Whoomp! (There it Is)--Tag Team
4 I'm Gonna be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
5 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson
6 Slam--Onyx
7 I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)--Exposé
8 Show Me Love--Robin S
9 Lately--Jodeci
10 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner

Singles entering the chart were Keep Ya Head Up by 2 Pac (#57, charting as the B-side of I Get Around); Teddy Bear by G-Wiz (#80); Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms (#82); and The Ways of the Wind by PM Dawn (#84).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner (2nd week at #1)
2 Fields of Gold--Sting
3 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40
4 Have I Told You Lately--Rod Stewart
5 Break it Down--Tears for Fears
6 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson
7 Regret--New Order
8 Come Undone--Duran Duran
9 Runaway Train--Soul Asylum
10 Can't Get Enough of Your Love--Taylor Dayne

Singles entering the chart were Oochigeas (Indian Song) by Roch Voisine (#75); Who Let in the Rain by Cyndi Lauper (#85); Can You Forgive Her by Pet Shop Boys (#86); What if I Came Knocking by John Mellencamp (#87); I'll Sleep When I'm Dead by Bon Jovi (#88); Stuck in the 90's by Moxy Fruvous (#94); and The River by the Tea Party (#96).

Died on this date
Sam Langford, 93. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Langford was an outfielder with the Boston Red Sox (1926) and Cleveland Indians (1927-1928), batting .275 with 5 home runs and 57 runs batted in in 131 games. He played at least 1,502 games in 12 seasons in the minor leagues from 1921-1933, hitting at least 95 homers.

Baudouin, 62. King of the Belgians, 1951-1993. Baudoin, the eldest son of King Leopold III, acceded to the throne upon his father's abdication. He was a devout Roman Catholic who, in 1990, refused to grant royal assent to a bill legalizing abortion. He requested that the government declare him temporarily unable to govern, and his request was granted. King Baudoin died of heart failure; he had no children, and was succeeded by his younger brother Albert II.

War
Israel and pro-Iranian guerrillas agreed to a U.S. proposal--with Syria the main power broker--to cease fighting in southern Lebanon after seven days of shelling and air attacks.

Football
CFL
Toronto (0-5) 17 @ Saskatchewan (2-3) 36
Edmonton (3-1) 43 @ Sacramento (1-4) 11

Kent Austin rushed for 2 touchdowns and passed to Jeff Fairholm for another as the Roughriders beat the Argonauts before 18,212 fans on a windy night at Taylor Field in Regina.



Sean Fleming kicked 5 field goals--including a career-longest kick of 58 yards--and the Eskimos scored 23 points in the 2nd quarter as they beat the Gold Miners before 17,827 fans at Hornet Field. Blake Marshall scored 2 touchdowns in the 2nd quarter--one on a short rush and the other on a 6-yard reception from Glenn Harper's pass on a fake field goal attempt. The touchdowns were the 64th and 65th--and last--of Mr. Marshall's 7-year CFL career. Edmonton defensive end Bennie Goods recovered a Sacramento fumble in the Gold Miners' end zone for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter, and Damon Allen completed a 59-yard pass to Eddie Brown for the final Eskimo TD in the 4th quarter.

Baseball
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired left fielder Rickey Henderson from the Oakland Athletics. He was batting .327 with 17 home runs, 47 runs batted in, and 31 stolen bases in 90 games with Oakland in 1993.

10 years ago
2003

Society
The Vatican issued a strongly-worded document condemning any legislation recognizing same-sex unions or permitting homosexual couples to adopt children.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (4-3) 31 @ Ottawa (2-5) 26

Baseball
The Montreal Expos honoured retired catcher Gary Carter in a ceremony at Olympic Stadium. Mr. Carter came up through the Expos' farm system and played with the team from 1974-1984 and finished his career with them in 1992.

July 30, 2013

430 years ago
1583

Exploration
Humphrey Gilbert reached the coast of Newfoundland. He sailed south to Funk Island, which he named Penguin Island (Auks), and rounded Baccalieu Island and Cape St. Francis.

280 years ago
1733

Religion
The first Masonic Grand Lodge in the future United States was constituted in Massachusetts.

175 years ago
1838

Died on this date
James Morreau. Canadian rebel. Mr. Morreau was hanged at Niagara, Upper Canada for his part in the Short Hills Raid by Hunter's Lodge Patriots on the Niagara Peninsula from June 21-23, 1838.

150 years ago
1863

Born on this date
Henry Ford. U.S. industrialist. Mr. Ford built his first car in 1896 and founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. He died on April 7, 1947 at the age of 83.

Diplomacy
Chief Pocatello of the Shoshone tribe signed the Treaty of Box Elder, agreeing to stop the harassment of emigrant trails in southern Idaho and northern Utah.

80 years ago
1933

Baseball
Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals set a major league record for a single game by striking out 17 batters as the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

70 years ago
1943

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: Murder in the Waxworks

Died on this date
Benjamin Dale, 58. U.K. composer. Mr. Dale was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music for many years. He was best known for his Sonata in D minor for piano (1905) and The Flowing Tide (1943). He collapsed and died during one of the final rehearsals for the première of the latter work, 13 days after his 58th birthday.

War
British forces drove into German defenses south of Catania in Sicily, while Canadians and Americans also made advances. U.K. Royal Air Force bombers dropped 2,300 tons of bombs on Hamburg, with the loss of 28 bombers. U.S. trooops on New Georgia Island repulsed a Japanese counterattack in the northern sector of the Munda front.

Protest
Thousands of Italian workers stormed the Cellari jail in Milan and released 200 political prisoners as Italian troops disobeyed orders to fire on the demonstrators.

Religion
Pope Pius XII directed that $40,000 of Holy See funds be used to restore Roman Catholic churches in the United Kingdom damaged in Nazi bombing raids.

Health
The U.S. Public Health Service reported that polio was spreading in Texas, California, Washington, Kansas, and New York.

The British government reported that because of the work of the Rockefeller Foundation control program, there had not been a case of yellow fever among Allied personnel in East Africa since 1939.

Business
Radio Corporation of America announced an agreement to sell the NBC Blue radio network for $8 million to Edward Noble, owner of New York radio station WMCA.

50 years ago
1963

Music
The single Tip of My Tongue by Tommy Quickly was released in the United Kingdom on Picadilly Records. The song was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Football
CFL
The Ottawa Rough Riders sold quarterback Ron Lancaster to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Mr. Lancaster had split the Ottawa quarterbacking duties with Russ Jackson from 1960-1962, but his playing time had diminished toward the end of his third season. The performance of rookie Ottawa quarterback Tommy Lee in two pre-season games in 1963 had led to the sale of Mr. Lancaster to Saskatchewan.

Baseball
The Los Angeles Dodgers traded veteran relief pitcher Ed Roebuck to the Washington Senators for infielder Marv Breeding. Mr. Roebuck had been with the Dodgers since 1955; he was 2-4 in 29 games in 1963, but his playing time had recently diminished, and he criticized manager Walter Alston at the time of the trade. Mr. Breeding had played with the Baltimore Orioles from 1960-1962, and was hitting .274 in 58 games with the Senators in 1963.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Heaven is My Woman's Love--Col Joye

#1 single in France: La maladie d'amour--Michel Sardou (5th week at #1)

Scandal
Testifying before the United States Senate Select Committee on Campaign Activities, former presidential aide Bob Haldeman said that neither he nor President Richard Nixon had been involved in the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. or the subsequent cover-up. He confirmed the testimony of former presidential aide John Ehrlichman that White House counsel John Dean had misled Mr. Nixon about the affair. Mr. Haldeman told the committee that he had listened to the tape of Mr. Dean's March 21 meeting with Mr. Nixon and that it was totally at variance with Mr. Dean's account of the meeting.

Abominations
Former Greek King Constantine called the previous day's referendum resulting in the abolition of the monarchy "a blatant and shameless fraud" and opposition politicians claimed thousands of complaints of wrongdoing at the polls.

Environment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted auto manufacturers the year's third extension for meeting stringent emission standards. A year's extension, from 1976 to 1977, was set for meeting emission standards for nitrogen oxides.

Health
Distillers Company, which manufactured the drug thalidomide in Britain, agreed to pay more than £20 million in compensation to those born with birth defects as a result of their mothers taking the drug during pregnancy.

Baseball
Jim Bibby pitched a no-hitter for the Texas Rangers as they blanked the Oakland Athletics 6-0 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: L'Italiano--Toto Cutugno (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'--Michael Jackson

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Wrapped Around Your Finger--The Police

#1 single in the U.K.: Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)--Paul Young (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Every Breath You Take--The Police (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Every Breath You Take--The Police (3rd week at #1)
2 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
3 Never Gonna Let You Go--Sergio Mendes
4 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
5 Our House--Madness
6 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'--Michael Jackson
7 She Works Hard for the Money--Donna Summer
8 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
9 Is There Something I Should Know--Duran Duran
10 Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)--Eurythmics

Singles entering the chart were Tell Her About It by Billy Joel (#47); Don't Cry by Asia (#52); Making Love Out of Nothing at All by Air Supply (#71); Far from Over by Frank Stallone (#72); Lady Love (One More Time) by George Benson (#78); You're Driving Me Out of My Mind by Little River Band (#82); I Love Rocky Road by "Weird Al" Yankovic (#88); and True by Spandau Ballet (#90). I Love Rocky Road was a spoof of the 1982 hit I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Every Breath You Take--The Police
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
5 White Wedding--Billy Idol
6 Come Dancing--The Kinks
7 Is There Something I Should Know--Duran Duran
8 Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco
9 Hot Girls in Love--Loverboy
10 China Girl--David Bowie

Singles entering the chart were (She's) Sexy and 17 by the Stray Cats (#42); Don't Cry by Asia (#46); and Rise Up by Parachute Club (#49).

Died on this date
Lynn Fontanne, 96. U.K.-born U.S. actress. Miss Fontanne starred with her husband Alfred Lunt on Broadway in such plays as The Guardsman (1924); Arms and the Man (1925); Pygmalion (1926); Strange Interlude (1928); Design for Living (1933); The Taming of the Shrew (1935); Idiot's Delight (1936); There Shall Be No Night (1940); and The Visit (1958). The couple were given a special Tony Award in 1970.

Howard Dietz, 86. U.S. publicist and songwriter. Mr. Dietz was Vice President in Charge of Publicity at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios from 1942-1957, but his association with the company went back further. He has been credited with creating Leo the Lion as the studio's mascot and Ars Gratia Artis as its slogan. Mr. Dietz and Arthur Schwartz were a songwriting team, with Mr. Dietz writing lyrics for more than a dozen Broadway musicals, including The Band Wagon (1931), with songs such as Dancing in the Dark and died after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Diplomacy
Foreign ministers from nine Latin American countries ended a meeting without agreeing on measures to avert war.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (2-1) 34 @ Hamilton (1-3) 20

Sammy Greene's 113-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the big play for the Lions as they defeated the Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium. B.C. kicker Lui Passaglia missed a convert--his first such miss in his 8-year CFL career.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Tell Me--Nick Kamen (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Fast Car--Tracy Chapman (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Push It--Salt-n-Pepa (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Nuit de folie--Début de Soirée (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Roll With It--Steve Winwood

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Pour Some Sugar on Me--Def Leppard (2nd week at #1)
2 Roll With It--Steve Winwood
3 Hold on to the Nights--Richard Marx
4 The Flame--Cheap Trick
5 Hands to Heaven--Breathe
6 Sign Your Name--Terence Trent D'Arby
7 Make Me Lose Control--Eric Carmen
8 New Sensation--INXS
9 1-2-3--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
10 Rush Hour--Jane Wiedlin

Singles entering the chart were Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin (#79); Fallen Angel by Poison (#80); Always There for You by Stryper (#84); I Feel Free by Belinda Carlisle (#85); Don't Be Cruel by Cheap Trick (#87); Skin Deep by Cher (#88); The Dead Heart by Midnight Oil (#89); and Nice 'n' Slow by Freddie Jackson (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 The Flame--Cheap Trick
2 Roll With It--Steve Winwood
3 New Sensation--INXS
4 In Your Soul--Corey Hart
5 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
6 Make it Real--The Jets
7 Lost in You--Rod Stewart
8 Make Me Lose Control--Eric Carmen
9 I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That--Elton John
10 One More Try--George Michael

Singles entering the chart were Missed Opportunity by Daryl Hall John Oates (#72); Here with Me by REO Speedwagon (#75); A Woman Loves a Man by Joe Cocker (#81); The Dead Heart by Midnight Oil (#86); If You Go This Time by Platinum Blonde (#88); Walk, Don't Run by Malcolm Buie (#91); When it's Love by Van Halen (#94); The Twist (Yo, Twist!) by the Fat Boys with Stupid Def Vocals by Chubby Checker (#96); and Sweet Child o' Mine by Guns 'N' Roses (#98).

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-1) 45 @ Calgary (0-3) 20

Rick Worman played the entire game at quarterback for the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium, while Rick Johnson spent the entire game on the sidelines, and was cut from the team before their next game.

20 years ago
1993

Died on this date
Edward Bernard Raczyński, 101. 4th President-in-exile of Poland, 1979-1986. Count Raczyński was a career diplomat who fled to the United Kingdom early in World War II, and held various positions in the government-in-exile before assuming the presidency at the age of 87. He resigned seven years later, and died in London.

Jay Scott, 43. U.S.-born Canadian journalist. Mr. Scott, born Jeffrey Scott Beaven, was a native of Lincoln, Nebraska who moved to Canada in 1969 as a draft dodger, wrote under the name Scott Beaven with the Calgary Albertan in the 1970s before going to Toronto in 1977 and becoming the film critic with The Globe and Mail. He won three National Newspaper Awards. Mr. Scott was a sodomite who died of AIDS.

Protest
Over 100 southwestern Nova Scotia fishermen ended an 8-day marine blockade at Yarmouth after the Canadian department of Fisheries and Oceans ordered foreign trawlers fishing 75 miles off the south coast to leave.

Economics and finance
Speculators attacked the franc, threatening the European monetary system. Parity with the mark was near collapse as currency traders mounted a drive against both French and German central banks.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (1-3) 24 @ British Columbia (3-2) 28

Cory Philpot caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Danny Barrett in the 2nd quarter and returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter for the winning score as the Lions defeated the Rough Riders before 22,667 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.



10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Sam Phillips, 80. U.S. record producer. Mr. Phillips owned Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, and was responsible for launching the careers of such artists as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Howlin' Wolf in the mid-1950s.

Music
Almost 450,000 people attended a benefit concert at Downsview Airport, near Toronto, for a benefit concert for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). With the Rolling Stones as the headline act, it was the largest attendance ever at a rock concert in Canada.

War
A total of 50 U.S. troops had been killed in hostile fire in Iraq since the end of major combat operations had been announced on May 1.

Politics and government
A Shiite politician was appointed as the first to serve in a rotating presidency in Iraq.

Society
U.S. President George W. Bush spoke out against sodomite marriage, saying "I believe a marriage is between a man and a woman, and I think we ought to codify that one way or the other."

Transportation
In Mexico, the last "old style" Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line.

July 29, 2013

1,775 years ago
238

Died on this date
Balbinus, 73 (?); Pupienus, 60 (?).Roman Emperors, April 22-July 29, 238. Marcus Clodius Pupienus Maximus and Decimus Caelius Calvinus Balbinus were co-Emperors of Rome, elected by the Senate on April 22, 238 after the failure of Gordian I and Gordian II to defeat the usurper Maximinus Thrax. They were reportedly in the middle of an argument when the Praetorian Guard stormed the palace and captured them. They were dragged through the streets of Rome and executed. On the same day, Gordian III, age 13, was proclaimed emperor.

425 years ago
1588

War
English naval forces under the command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake defeated the Spanish Armada off the coast of Gravelines, France.

380 years ago
1633

Diplomacy
The Franco-Huron Council took place in Quebec.

320 years ago
1693

War
France won a Pyrrhic victory over Allied forces in the Netherlands in the Battle of Landen.

220 years ago
1793

Canadiana
John Graves Simcoe decided to build a fort and settlement at Toronto, having sailed into the bay there.

180 years ago
1833

Died on this date
William Wilberforce, 73. U.K. politician. Mr. Wilberforce, a member of the House of Commons from 1780-1825, was known for his opposition to slavery, a battle he fought for about 40 years in the House of Commons. He lived just long enough to achieve ultimate success, dying three days after hearing that the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 through Parliament was assured; it passed a month later.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Vladimir K. Zworykin. Russian-born U.S. scientist. Dr. Zworykin, a native of St. Petersburg who moved to the United States in 1918, was one of the pioneers in the development of television, beginning with the invention of a transmitting and receiving system using cathode ray tubes. He died on his 94th birthday on July 29, 1982.

100 years ago
1913

Died on this date
Tobias Asser, 75. Dutch jurist. Mr. Asser shared the 1911 Nobel Prize for Peace for the formation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the first Hague peace conference in 1899.

75 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Nikolai Krylenko, 53. U.S.S.R. politician. Mr. Krylenko was a Bolshevik who served as Prosecutor General of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic from 1929-1931 and People's Commissar for Justice from 1936-1938. He participated in show trials and supported punishment based on political considerations rather than evidence, but ran afoul of higher authorities, confessed under duress to anti-Soviet agitation, and was summarily executed after being convicted in a trial that lasted 20 minutes.

70 years ago
1943

War
As Canadian troops occupied Algira, American troops in Italy captured Nicosia, an advance German position in the centre of the Etna line. Soviet troops advanced 3-6 miles on the Orel front, taking 40 villages and occupying a Nazi base containing 16 ammunition dumps. The U.S. Navy revealed the sinking of 10 Japanese ships--two transports, six cargo, and two tanker--by submarines in the Pacific Ocean.

Defense
The U.S. Army announced that officers who had passed age limits of 64 for ranks above brigadier general, 62 for brigadier generals, and 60 for lower ranks would be retired on September 1, 1943, with some exceptions.

Diplomacy
Mexican Foreign Minister Ezequiel Padilla made public his protest to Texas Governor Coke Stevenson (Democrat) concerning discrimination against Mexican farm labourers.

Politics and government
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated Amos Taylor as director of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce.

60 years ago
1953

On the radio
I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews
Tonight’s episode: The Line is Busy

50 years ago
1963

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (2-1) 26 @ Winnipeg (0-3) 12
Ottawa (2-0) 26 @ Edmonton (0-3) 24

40 years ago
1973

Died on this date
Roger Williamson, 25. U.K. auto racing driver. Mr. Williamson was a Formula One driver who died in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort Circuit when his car flipped over on the 8th lap and caught fire. He was trapped underneath and died from asphyxiation by the fumes. Fellow driver David Purley tried to flip the car over, but nobody else stopped to help, and fans who did were interrupted by police.



Abominations
Following a one-sided government-monolpolized campaign, 78.4% of voters in a referendum in Greece endorsed the military-backed government's decision to abolish the Greek monarchy and install George Papadopoulos as President. In his campaign, Mr. Papadopoulos had said the referendum would provide the framework for a gradual transition of power to the people. He had also promised parliamentary elections and the restoration of civil liberties. Former politicians led by Panayotis Canellopoulous, Greece's last elected prime minister, had denounced the campaign, charging that large-scale harassment had prevented them from carrying their campaign to the people.

Terrorism
Libya announced that the three Palestinians and one Japanese member of the "Red Japanese Army" who had hijacked a Japan Air Lines jet from Amsterdam to Dubai, then to Damascus and finally to Benghazi on July 24 would go on trial.

Environment
As France detonated the second in a series of explosions of nuclear devices over the South Pacific atoll of Mururoa, New Zealand Prime Minister Norman Kirk announced in Honolulu that scientists had already detected a slight increase in radioactive fallout over the South Pacific islands. The first blast had taken place on July 21.

Auto racing
Jackie Stewart won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort Circuit. The win was his fourth of the season and the 26th of his Formula 1 career, breaking Jim Clark's record. Francois Cevert finished second and James Hunt third, but nobody felt like celebrating because of the death of Roger Williamson.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Baby Jane--Rod Stewart (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Raymond Massey, 86. Canadian-born U.S. actor. Mr. Massey, a native of Toronto, was perhaps best known for starring in the movie Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940). His other films included The Speckled Band (1931); Things to Come (1936); The Prisoner of Zenda (1937); Arsenic and Old Lace (1944); A Matter of Life and Death (1946); and East of Eden (1955). He co-starred as Dr. Gillespie in the television series Dr. Kildare (1961-1966). Mr. Massey died of pneumonia.

Luis Buñuel, 83. Spanish-born Mexican film director. Mr. Buñuel was the most famous director to be associated with the surrealist movement. His films included Un Chien Andalou (1929); L'Age d'Or (1930); Las Hurdes: Tierra Sin Pan (1933); Los olvidados (1950); Belle de Jour (1967); The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972); and That Obscure Object of Desire (1977). Mr. Buñuel died from cirrhosis of the liver.

David Niven, 73. U.K. actor. Mr. Niven won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Separate Tables (1958). His other movies included The Prisoner of Zenda (1937); The Dawn Patrol (1938); Wuthering Heights (1939); Raffles (1939); A Matter of Life and Death (1946); The Moon is Blue (1953); Around the World in 80 Days (1956); The Pink Panther (1963); and Casino Royale (1967). Mr. Niven died in Switzerland after a three-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Economics and finance
The United States, seeking to stabilize world currency markets, began selling U.S. dollars. The dollar had reached historically high levels against other currencies, creating problems for many nations, including the U.S.A.

The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had risen 1.0% in June, the 10th straight monthly increase. The department also announced that the U.S. trade deficit in June had fallen to $4.96 billion from its record high in May.

Disasters
About 160 workers at a dam site near Bogota, Colombia were killed when tons of mud and rocks slid down a mountainside during a driving rain.

Football
CFL
Toronto (4-0) 40 @ Saskatchewan (1-3) 21

Saskatchewan quarterback Joe Adams set a CFL record for a single game with 62 passes, surpassing the record of 54 set by Toronto's Tobin Rote in 1960 and tied by Mr. Adams in 1982.



25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Im Nin'Alu--Ofra Haza (7th week at #1)

At the movies
Cocktail, directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, and Elizabeth Shue, opened in theatres.



Diplomacy
Canadian External Affairs Minister Joe Clark announced that Canada would deny visas to all South African athletes, amateur and professional, wishing to compete in events in Canada. The action was consistent with the 1977 Gleneagles agreement which encouraged Commonwealth countries to combat the South African policy of apartheid in this way.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (1-2) 18 @ Saskatchewan (3-0) 46



20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat (2nd week at #1)

Crime
The Supreme Court of Israel overturned the conviction of alleged Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk of all charges because of reasonable doubt that he had been a guard known as "Ivan the Terrible" at the Treblinka death camp in Poland in World War II.

Charges against two youths were dropped in connection with the April 1993 murder of Negro teenager Stephen Lawrence in London.

Politics and government
A coalition of opposition parties chose conservative populist Morihiro Hosokawa to become Japan's next prime minister. He pledged to reduce the government's role.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (3-1) 40 @ Hamilton (3-1) 11

Matt Dunigan completed 23 of 37 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown, and ran for a touchdown of his own as the Blue Bombers routed the Tiger-Cats before 16,198 fans on a rainy night at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Michael Richardson caught a 26-yard TD pass from Mr. Dunigan and rushed 4 yards for another touchdown.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Foday Sankoh, 65. Sierra Leonean revolutionary leader. Mr. Sankoh was leader of the Revolutionary United Front from 1991-2000 during Sierra Leone's civil war. He died of a stroke while awaiting trial on 17 charges of war crimes.

War
In searching for deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, U.S. troops raided dozens of sites in Mr. Hussein's home town of Tikrit, capturing about 175 people believed to be Hussein loyalists.

Diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and U.S. President George W. Bush met in Washington. Mr. Sharon rebuffed calls to halt construction of a security fence cutting into the West Bank, and called for progress by Palestinans in reducing terrorism. Mr. Bush reaffirmed U.S. commitment to Israel's security, while calling for Mr. Sharon to show restraint.

Law
A provincial court judge in British Columbia threw out a controversial federal program that allowed three Indian bands along the lower Fraser River to fish commercially while others could not, saying that the program discriminated on the basis of race. The federal government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien subsequently halted the 11-year-old pilot project, angering native leaders.

Economics and finance
The three-day meeting of the World Trade Organization ended in Montreal. Hundreds of demonstrators protesting against globalization were arrested after clashing with riot police.

Responding to increasingly vocal public concern about high automobile insurance rates, the New Brunswick legislature passed a law forcing a 20% reduction in premiums, retroactive to July 1.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (4-3) 27 @ Montreal (6-1) 37

Baseball
Switch hitter Bill Mueller of the Boston Red Sox became the first major league player to hit grand slam home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game.

July 28, 2013

150 years ago
1863

Born on this date
Ed Carfrey. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Carfrey was a shortstop with the Philadelphia Athletics (1890), batting .250 (1 for 4) with no home runs or runs batted in in his only game, on April 19, 1890. He played 3 years in the minor leagues (1894-1896), and with various semi-professional teams in the 1880s and '90s. Mr. Carfrey was an ironworker in Philadelphia when he wasn't playing baseball. He died on October 2, 1921 at the age of 58.

Canadiana
An imperial statute defined the boundaries of British Columbia.

130 years ago
1883

Transportation
A record 10.9 kilometres of track were laid in one day for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Laird Cregar. U.S. actor. Mr. Cregar, who seldom weighed less than 300 pounds as an adult, played "heavies" in plays and films. He was perhaps best known for his supporting role in the film noir This Gun for Hire (1942) and his starring roles in The Lodger (1944) and Hangover Square (1945). During the filming of the latter, Mr. Cregar went on a crash diet, which put a strain on his system. He suffered a heart attack after abdominal surgery, and died on December 9, 1944 at the age of 31.

80 years ago
1933

Diplomacy
Diplomatic relations between the U.S.S.R. and Spain were established.

75 years ago
1938

Disasters
The Pan American Airways Martin M-130 flying boat Hawaii Clipper, en route from Guam to Manila with 6 passengers and 9 crew members, disappeared. It was the first loss of an airliner in the trans-Pacific China Clipper service, which had been inaugurated as an airmail service in 1935 and had begun carrying passengers in 1936.

70 years ago
1943

War
Canadian troops captured the town of Agira, Italy after five days of hard and costly fighting against heavily dug-in German troops. The U.S. 7th Army drove toward the northern flank of the German line in Sicily, capturing Pollina, Castelbuono, and Gangi. The U.K. Royal Air Force bombed Hamburg, causing a firestorm that killed 42,000 German civilians.

Diplomacy
Uruguay renewed relations with the U.S.S.R.

Politics and government
The Italian cabinet ordered the dissolution of the National Fascist Party and abolished the Fascist Grand Council and the special tribunals for national defense.

Protest
Dispatches from Berne told of rioting and demonstrations in several Italian cities, with the rioters demanding peace, and socialists in Milan demanding a general strike.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the end of coffee rationing and promised early increases in sugar allowances.

Disasters
A hurricane struck the Texas Gulf Coast, killing 13 people and causing an estimated $10 million in damage.

60 years ago
1953

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Dance, starring John Baragrey, Katharine Bard, and June Walker



40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Do You Love Me?--Sharif Dean (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am!)--Gary Glitter

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Daisy a Day--Jud Strunk
2 The Morning After--Maureen McGovern
3 Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
4 My Love--Paul McCartney & Wings
5 Heaven is My Woman's Love--Col Joye
6 The Twelfth of Never--Donny Osmond
7 Suzie Darling--Barrie Crocker
8 Get Down--Gilbert O'Sullivan
9 You are the Sunshine of My Life--Stevie Wonder
10 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy--Bette Midler

Singles entering the chart were Delta Dawn by Helen Reddy (#37) and The Free Electric Band by Albert Hammond (#39).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Bad, Bad Leroy Brown--Jim Croce (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Bad, Bad Leroy Brown--Jim Croce
2 Yesterday Once More--Carpenters
3 Smoke on the Water--Deep Purple
4 Shambala--Three Dog Night
5 Natural High--Bloodstone
6 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy--Bette Midler
7 Get Down--Gilbert O'Sullivan
8 Touch Me in the Morning--Diana Ross
9 Diamond Girl--Seals and Crofts
10 Money--Pink Floyd

Singles entering the chart were Loves Me Like a Rock by Paul Simon with the Dixie Hummingbirds (#72); Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting by Elton John (#75); That Lady (Part 1) by the Isley Brothers (#77); My Maria by B.W. Stevenson (#86); Future Shock by Curtis Mayfield (#87); Loving Arms by Dobie Gray (#88); A Million to One by Donny Osmond (#89); and It's Forever by the Ebonys (#93).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Bad, Bad Leroy Brown--Jim Croce
2 Yesterday Once More--Carpenters
3 Monster Mash--Bobby (Boris) Pickett and the Crypt Kickers
4 Shambala--Three Dog Night
5 Smoke on the Water--Deep Purple
6 Will it Go Round in Circles--Billy Preston
7 Kodachrome--Paul Simon
8 Playground in My Mind--Clint Holmes
9 Get Down--Gilbert O'Sullivan
10 Give Me Love--(Give Me Peace on Earth)--George Harrison

Singles entering the chart were Loves Me Like a Rock by Paul Simon with the Dixie Hummingbirds (#89); Gypsy Man by War (#91); Spending My Time by Chad Allan (#94); Love You Easy by Greg Missler (#96); Sittin' Waitin' by Riverson (#97); Morning Town Ride by the Irish Rovers (#98); Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter by Chester (#99); and Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting by Elton John (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 The Morning After--Maureen McGovern
2 Will it Go Round in Circles--Billy Preston
3 Playground in My Mind--Clint Holmes
4 Swamp Witch--Jim Stafford
5 Bad, Bad Leroy Brown--Jim Croce
6 Touch Me in the Morning--Diana Ross
7 It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference--Tom Middleton
8 Glamour Boy--The Guess Who
9 Kodachrome--Paul Simon
10 Get Down--Gilbert O'Sullivan
Pick hit of the week: Live and Let Die--Wings

Music
600,000 fans attended the Watkins Glen Summer Jam at Watkins Glen International Raceway in New York state. It was the largest crowd ever to attend such a festival in the United States. Performing artists at the 12-hour concert included The Band, The Grateful Dead, and The Allman Brothers Band.

Space
The Skylab 2 mission began when the crew of Alan Bean, Jack Lousma, and Owen Garriott lifted off from Cape Kennedy, Florida. The mission was scheduled for 58 days, with the assignment to study the physiology of man in space, the physics of the sun, and the resources of the Earth.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
Canada's top 30
1 Every Breath You Take--The Police
2 Baby Jane--Rod Stewart
3 Never Gonna Let You Go--Sergio Mendes
4 Hot Girls in Love--Loverboy
5 1999--Prince
6 Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)--Eurythmics
7 Wanna Be Startin' Something--Michael Jackson
8 Maniac--Michael Sembello
9 Stand Back--Stevie Nicks
10 Is There Something I Should Know--Duran Duran
11 Come Dancing--The Kinks
12 Change--Tears for Fears
13 Wishing--A Flock of Seagulls
14 China Girl--David Bowie
15 It's a Mistake--Men at Work
16 I'm Still Standing--Elton John
17 Rock and Roll is King--Electric Light Orchestra
18 Human Touch--Rick Springfield
19 Video Kids--Prototype
20 Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler
21 Moonlight Shadow--Mike Oldfield
22 Stop in the Name of Love--The Hollies
23 She Works Hard for the Money--Donna Summer
24 Best Years of Our Lives--Mens Room
25 Our House--Madness
26 All This Love--Debarge
27 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
28 The Haunting--The Front
29 Tell Her About It--Billy Joel
30 Take Me to Heart--Quarterflash

Law
The Polish parliament approved amendments to the penal code that were aimed at the control of political dissent. Prison terms were established for participation in banned organizations or for organizing or leading illegal protests. Another amendment broadened the censorship law.

Defense
The United States House of Representatives voted 228-195 to ban all aid to rebels opposing the Sandanista government of Nicaragua after many members concluded that the U.S.-backed Contra insurgents had not succeeded in interdicting arms from Nicaragua to Salvadoran rebels. Cuban dictator Fidel Castro said that Cuba would withdraw its advisers from Nicaragua as part of a comprehensive withdrawal of other advisers.

Scandal
The United States Justice Department announced that it was ending an inquiry into illegal drug activities on Capitol Hill in Washington and would not bring charges against any members of Congress. Two people, including a former page, had previously pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine to people employed on Capitol Hill.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-1) 44 @ Ottawa (1-3) 4

Jim Germany scored 2 touchdowns and Warren Moon quarterbacked an effective offense ass the Eskimos routed the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park in the best game they played under head coach Pete Kettela. Rookie Matt Dunigan saw his first regular season CFL action at quarterback for the Eskimos, completing a 51-yard bomb to Waddell Smith and handing off to Mr. Germany for a 1-yard touchdown run a few plays later. It was the first touchdown produced by Mr. Dunigan, and the 71st and last of Mr. Germany's CFL career.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Gimme Hope Jo’anna--Eddy Grant (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Yé ké yé ké--Mory Kanté (2nd week at #1)

Law
In a free vote, the Canadian House of Commons rejected a government resolution and five amendments in an abortion bill.

Politics and government
Paddy Ashdown, MP for Yeuvil, was elected leader of Britain's new Social and Liberal Democrat Party.

Disasters
Both houses of the United States Congress approved bills to provide relief to drought-stricken areas of the country, including a grant of up to $100,000 to farmers who had lost at least 35% of their crops. The similar bills would be reconciled in a conference committee. Rain in July had eased the drought somewhat.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (2-1) 21 @ Toronto (2-1) 26

20 years ago
1993

Diplomacy
Andorra joined the United Nations.

Football
CFL
Toronto (0-4) 36 @ Calgary (4-0) 39

Doug Flutie completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Keyvan Jenkins with less than a minute remaining in regulation time, and Mark McLoughlin converted and then kicked a 38-yard field goal to win the game as the Stampeders edged the Argonauts before 25,210 fans at McMahon Stadium. Mr. Flutie completed 34 of 52 passes for 477 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Baseball
Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners led off the bottom of the 7th inning with a home run off Willie Banks of the Minnesota Twins before 30,413 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle to tie a major league record by homering in his eighth straight game. The record was set by Dale Long of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956 and tied by Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees in 1987. Mr. Griffey's record-tying homer was his team's only run as the Twins won 5-1, with Mr. Banks allowing 3 hits in 7 innings to get the win.

Coincidentally, Mr. Mattingly hit a home run and 2 singles to help the Yankees defeat the Detroit Tigers 12-7 before 37,508 fans at Tiger Stadium. Detroit third baseman Travis Fryman hit for the cycle, batting 5 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 4 runs batted in.

Errors by Mike Devereaux and Cal Ripken, Jr. allowed Paul Molitor to score the winning run with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 before 50,523 fans at SkyDome in Toronto.

The Florida Marlins scored a run in the top of the 9th inning to break a 3-3 tie, but the New York Mets scored 2 in the bottom of the 9th to win 5-4 before 24,377 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.

Darren Daulton drove in 6 runs with a grand slam and a triple to help the Philadelphia Phillies overcome an early 4-0 deficit and defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 14-6 before 46,346 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

Don Slaught doubled to lead off the bottom of the 9th inning and beat first baseman Derrick White's throw to home plate on a ground ball by Al Martin to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 win over the Montreal Expos before 13,470 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Joe Siddall made his major league debut with the Expos, entering the game in the 9th inning as the catcher.

Tom Candiotti allowed 5 hits and 1 run in 8 1/3 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Bud Black as the Los Angeles Dodgers edged the San Francisco Giants 2-1 before 46,025 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. San Francisco catcher Jim McNamara batted 0 for 3 and made 3 putouts in the 34th and last game of his 2-year major league career.

10 years ago
2003

Scandal
J.P. Morgan and Citigroup, the two largest banks in the United States, agreed to pay nearly $300 million in fines and penalties to settle charges that they had aided Enron in deceiving investors as to its financial health, even while performing no transactions that were technically illegal.

July 27, 2013

350 years ago
1663

Economics and finance
The English Parliament passed the second Navigation Act requiring that all goods bound for the American colonies have to be sent in English ships from English ports.

160 years ago
1853

Born on this date
Vladimir Korolenko. Russian journalist and author. Mr. Korolenko wrote fiction and non-fiction expressing criticism of Russia's czarist regime; his best-known work was the short novel The Blind Musician (1886). Mr. Korolenko suffered from progressive heart disease in later years, and died of pneumonia on December 25, 1921 at the age of 68.

120 years ago
1893

Politics and government
Lawrence Vankoughnet resigned, under pressure from Minister of the Interior Mayne Daly, as Canadian Deputy Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. He was succeeded by Hayter Reed.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Gérard Côte. Canadian runner. Mr. Côté, a native of Saint-Barnabé-Sud, Quebec, won the Boston Marathon in 1940, 1943, 1944, and 1948. His 1940 win was in record time, and helped him to win the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's athlete of the year in 1940, becoming the first francophone to win the trophy. Mr. Côté was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1956. He died on June 13, 1993 at the age of 79.

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Ernest Lynn Waldorf, 67. U.S. clergyman. Mr. Waldorf, elected a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1920, became head of the church in the Chicago area in 1932, and was a leader of the movement to unite all Methodists. He delivered invocations at the Republican National Conventions in 1928 and 1936.

War
Preliminary peace negotiations were reported to be under way in Vatican City between U.S. and U.K. representatives and delegates of the Italian government of Marshal Pietro Badoglio. Allied troops advanced toward the northern sector of the Etna line and captured Collesano, Polizzi, Petralia, and Alimena in northeastern Sicily. Allied planes bombed Japanese positions in the Salamaua sector of New Guinea.

Business
The Argentine government assumed supervision of eight foreign firms accused of violating price laws, including Ford Motor Company; General Motors; Goodyear, Firestone, and Michelin tire companies; and International Harvester Company.

60 years ago
1953

War
Fighting in the Korean War ended when the United States, China, and North Korea signed an armistice agreement. Syngman Rhee, President of South Korea, refused to sign, but pledged to observe the armistice.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Move Baby Move/You'll Never Cherish a Love So True--Johnny O'Keefe

#1 single in France: Pauvre Petite Fille Riche--Claude François (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Cuore--Rita Pavone (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Barcarole in der Nacht--Connie Francis (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)--Frank Ifield (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Surf City--Jan & Dean (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Surf City--Jan & Dean
2 So Much in Love--The Tymes
3 Easier Said than Done--The Essex
4 Fingertips - Part 2--Little Stevie Wonder
5 Wipe Out--The Surfaris
6 (You're the) Devil in Disguise--Elvis Presley
7 Memphis--Lonnie Mack
8 Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport--Rolf Harris
9 Blowin' in the Wind--Peter, Paul and Mary
10 Pride and Joy--Marvin Gaye

Singles entering the chart were Frankie and Johnny by Sam Cooke (#71); Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp) by Allan Sherman (#75); If I Had a Hammer by Trini Lopez (#79); My Boyfriend's Back by the Angels (#80); Everybody Monkey by Freddy Cannon (#86); These Foolish Things by James Brown & the Famous Flames (#89); Dum Dum De Dum by Johnny Cymbal (#89); Heat Wave by Martha and the Vandellas (#94); I Want to Stay Here by Steve & Eydie (#97); My Daddy Knows Best by the Marvelettes (#98); and Leave Me Alone by Baby Washington (#100). Vic Dana's vocal version of More was, with those of Steve Lawrence and Danny Williams, listed with the instrumental version by Kai Winding & Orchestra, which charted at #30. Barbara Chandler's version of It Hurts to Be Sixteen was listed with the version by Andrea Carroll, which charted at #91.

Calgary's Top 10
1 Easier Said than Done--The Essex (2nd week at #1)
2 My Whole World is Falling Down--Brenda Lee
3 Green, Green--The New Christy Minstrels
4 (You're the) Devil in Disguise--Elvis Presley
5 Surf City--Jan & Dean
6 Memphis--Lonnie Mack
7 Denise--Randy & the Rainbows
8 Sukiyaki--Kyu Sakamoto
9 Abilene--George Hamilton IV
10 Wipe Out--The Surfaris
Pick hit of the week: The Dreamer--Neil Sedaka

Died on this date
Hooks Dauss, 73. U.S. baseball pitcher. George August Dauss played with the Detroit Tigers (1912-1926), compiling a record of 223-182 with an earned run average of 3.30 in 538 games, batting .189 with 6 home runs and 107 runs batted in in 545 games. He had three seasons of more than 20 wins, with his best season being 1915, when he was 24-13 with a 2.50 ERA in 46 games. Mr. Dauss died after a long illness.

Boxing
Ernie Terrell (32-4) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Zora Folley (63-7-3) in a heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden in New York.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (9th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Hell Raiser--The Sweet (2nd week at #1)

30 years ago
1983

Terrorism
18 Tamil political prisoners at the Welikada high security prison in Colombo, Sri Lanka were massacred by Sinhalese prisoners, the second such massacre in two days.

Economics and finance
The United States Senate voted 84-16 to confirm Paul Volcker for a second term as chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.

25 years ago
1988

Died on this date
Frank Zamboni, 87. U.S. inventor. Mr. Zamboni invented the ice resurfacing machine that bears his name in 1949, and founded the Zamboni Company in 1950.

Music
America, Three Dog Night, and the Beach Boys performed two shows at the Agricom in Edmonton. This blogger attended the second concert, which featured a slightly longer set by the Beach Boys than the first show. It was the first time I ever heard the song Kokomo, which hadn't yet appeared in Edmonton record stores, and was from the movie Cocktail, which was just about to open in theatres.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross national product had grown at a somewhat slow rate of 3.1% in the second quarter of 1988.

Politics and government
The Burmese parliament named retired general U Sein Lwin as the country's new President, succeeding General Ne Win, who had resigned in the wake of student-led riots.

Disasters
It was reported that 157 people had died in a cholera and gastroenteritis epidemic in New Delhi.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-1) 35 @ Ottawa (0-3) 28

Edmonton quarterback Tracy Ham rushed for a touchdown in the last minute to give the Eskimos the win over the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park. The Rough Riders put up a great effort, but it wasn't enough to save the job of head coach Fred Glick, who was fired after this game. He compiled a record of 3-18, losing 17 of his last 18 games. Mr. Glick was replaced by his brother-in-law, Ottawa assistant coach Bob Weber.

20 years ago
1993

Died on this date
Reggie Lewis, 27. U.S. basketball player. Mr. Lewis played forward with the Boston Celtics from 1987-1993. He collapsed and died of a heart condition while practicing during the off-season at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Terrorism
A car bomb exploded and killed at least 5 in downtown Milan. Shortly afterward, another car bomb exploded and injured 24 in the heart of Rome and damaged the basilica of St. John Lateran, the pope's See.

Abominations
Seven sodomite and lesbian members of the U.S. armed forces brought a suit in U.S. Federal Court in an attempt to overturn the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on homosexuality in the military, contending that their treatment violated the Constitution.

Business
New IBM chairman Louis Gerstner announced an $8.9 billion program to revive the world's largest computer maker. The program included plans to eliminate 60,000 jobs and reduce the number of factories.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Bob Hope, 100. U.K.-born U.S. entertainer. Mr. Hope was one of the most famous comedians of the 20th century, a star of vaudeville, radio, films, and television. He's perhaps best remembered for his series of "Road" movies with Bing Crosby from 1940-1962 and his trips overseas to entertain U.S. troops in various wars.

World events
In an attempted coup, about 50 junior military officers in the Philippines called for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the defense secretary. The mutiny ended peacefully.

The Israeli cabinet of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed to free several hundred jailed Islamic terrorists, but none with "blood on their hands."

Economics and finance
France and Germany called for a more flexible interpretation of the European Union's stability and growth pact rules, which required countries using the euro to keep their public deficits to less than 3% of gross domestic product. Most of the EU's smaller governments disagreed with the proposal.

Protest
As the World Trade Organization began a three-day meeting in Montreal, thousands of demonstrators protesting against globalization clashed with riot police, resulting in hundreds of arrests over the three days.

Cycling
Lance Armstrong became the second man to win the Tour de France five straight times. He finished in 83 hours, 41 minutes, 12 seconds, 81 seconds ahead of Jan Ullrich of Germany.

July 26, 2013

225 years ago
1788

Americana
The New York State Convention, meeting in Poughkeepsie, ratified the United States Constitution and entered the Union as the 11th state.

210 years ago
1803

Transportation
The Surrey Iron Railway, arguably the world's first public railway, opened in south London.

150 years ago
1863

Died on this date
Sam Houston, 70. 1st President of the Republic of Texas, 1836-1838; 3rd President of the Republic of Texas, 1841-1844; Governor of Tennessee, 1827-1829; Governor of Texas, 1859-1861. Mr. Houston was one of the key figures who helped to bring Texas into the United States. The city of Houston is named after him.

War
In the U.S. Civil War, Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and 360 of his volunteers were captured by Union forces at Salineville, Ohio, ending Morgan's Raid.

110 years ago
1903

Born on this date
Donald Voorhees. U.S. orchestra conductor. Mr. Voorhees made recordings from 1926-1931 before moving on to a long career in radio and television, most notably conducting the orchestra for Cavalcade of America (1935-1941, 1949-1953) and The Bell Telephone Hour (1942-1968). He served as the first conductor and musical director of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra (1951-1983), and died of pneumonia on January 10, 1989 at the age of 85.

90 years ago
1923

Canadiana
U.S. President Warren G. Harding visited Vancouver on way back from Alaska, becoming the first American President to visit Canada during his term of office.

Politics and government
James David Stewart led the Conservatives back to power in the Prince Edward Island provincial election.

70 years ago
1943

War
U.S. and Canadian troops turned back a counterattack by German forces on the central Sicilian front. Allied planes bombed Reggio Calabria in southern Italy and airfields at Capodichino and Montecorvino Rovello in the Naples area. U.S. planes dropped a record 104 tons of bombs in 13 raids on Japanese-occupied Kiska in the Aleutians.

Crime
Eight American expatriates--Ezra Pound; Frederick Kaltenback; Robert H. Best; Douglas Chandler; Edward Delaney; Constance Drexel; Jane Anderson; and Max Koischwitz--were indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in Washington for treason.

Labour
A U.S. federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted 30 leaders of unauthorized coal strikes in southwestern Pennsylvania on charges of violating the Smith-Connally War Labor Disputes Law,
the first such action taken under the new statute.

60 years ago
1953

Died on this date
Nikolaos Plastiras, 69. Prime Minister of Greece, 1945; 1950; 1951-1952. Mr. Plastiras, a hero of the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922, was Prime Minister January 3-April 9, 1945; April 15-August 21, 1950; and November 1, 1951-October 11, 1952.

War
The United Nations signs the Korean Armistice in Pamnunjon, South Korea. The cease-fire in the three-year war was to take effect the next day.

Protest
Fidel Castro was among a group of rebels against the government of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista who unsuccessfully attacked the Moncada army barracks, thus beginning the Cuban revolution. The movement became known as the 26th of July Movement.

Society
Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle ordered an anti-polygamy law enforcement crackdown on residents of Short Creek, Arizona, which became known as the Short Creek raid.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Like It--Gerry and the Pacemakers (4th week at #1)

Music
The single Bad to Me/I Call Your Name by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas was released in the United Kingdom on Parlophone Records. Both songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Space
The United States launched the communications satellite Syncom 2, the world's first geosynchronous satellite (having an orbital period the same as the earth's rotation period), from Cape Canaveral, Florida atop a Delta B booster.

Economics and finance
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development voted to admit Japan.

Disasters
An earthquake struck Skopje, Yugoslavia, killing over 1,000 people and destroying over 80% of the city's buildings.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Welcome Home--Peters and Lee (2nd week at #1)

Scandal
In a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Sirica, U.S. President Richard Nixon said he could not comply with special prosecutor Archibald Cox's subpoena for tapes of White House conversations regarding the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. and the subsequent cover-up. Mr. Nixon argued that he could not comply with the subpoena because the "independence of the three branches of our Government" was at issue. Mr. Cox immediately petitioned Judge Sirica for an order to release the tapes. Mr. Nixon also wrote to U.S. Senator Sam Ervin (Democrat--North Carolina), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Campaign Activities, saying that he must "respectfully refuse" to supply the tapes requested by the committee. The committee voted unanimously to seek a court order to compel the President to comply with their request.

30 years ago
1983

Defense
The United States Senate voted 58-41 to spend $2.6 billion on production of the MX missile, five days after the House of Representatives had approved an amendment to a defense authorization bill cutting production funds from $2.6 billion to $2.2 billion. The difference would need to be resolved in conference.

Law
The British High Court rejected the attempt of Victoria Gillick, a mother of 10 children, to prevent doctors prescribing contraception to girls under 16 without parental consent.

Football
Cookie Gilchrist became the first--and so far only--person elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame to refuse the honour. Mr. Gilchrist, a running back with the Sarnia Golden Bears (1954), Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen (1955), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1956-1957), Saskatchewan Roughriders (1958), and Toronto Argonauts (1959-1961), was still bitter about racism he had experienced from coaches.

25 years ago
1988

Politics and government
Retired general U Sein Lwin was named by the central committee of Burma's ruling party to succeed General Ne Win as the country's president. The committee dismissed Burma's prime minister and attorney general, who were held responsible for student-led riots in March and June.

Diplomacy
Iran said that it was willing to help obtain the release of U.S. hostages in Lebanon if the United States freed Iranian assets frozen in 1979.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Matthew Ridgway, 98. U.S. military officer. General Ridgway had an outstanding career in the United States Army, and was best known for replacing Douglas MacArthur as commander of United Nations forces in Korea in 1951 after General MacArthur had been fired by U.S. President Harry Truman.

War
Israeli forces stepped up bombing, artillery, and gunboat attacks on guerrilla bases in southern Lebanon in retaliation for rocket attacks that had killed seven Israeli soldiers. Pro-Iranian militiamen aimed more rocket attacks on Israeli settlements.

Abominations
The U.S. Supreme Court, with Justice John Paul Stevens writing the judgment, refused to allow a Michigan couple to keep the 2-year-old girl they had raised since birth, but had been ordered to be returned to her biological parents.

Economics and finance
In response to popular dissatisfaction and protests from the market-oriented wing of his government, Russian President Boris Yeltsin modified his announcement of two days earlier that the government would withdraw support for all bank notes issued before the beginning of the year.

Disasters
Asiana Airlines Flight 733, a Boeing 737 jet en route from Seoul to Mokpo, South Korea, crashed into Mount Ungeo on its approach to landing, killing 68 of the 116 passengers and crew members aboard.

10 years ago
2003

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-3) 41 @ Calgary (2-4) 24