July 24, 2013

230 years ago
1783

Diplomacy
The Kingdom of Georgia and the Russian Empire signed the Treaty of Georgievsk.

190 years ago
1823

Society
Slavery was abolished in Chile.

90 years ago
1923

Diplomacy
The Treaty of Lausanne was signed in Switzerland, officially ending the state of war that had existed between Turkey and the Allied British Empire, French Republic, Kingdom of Italy, Empire of Japan, Kingdom of Greece, Kingdom of Romania, and Serb-Croat-Slovene State since the beginning of World War I. The treaty defined the borders of the modern Turkish state except for its border with Iraq. Turkey gave up all claims to the remainder of the Ottoman Empire and in return the Allies recognized Turkish sovereignty within its new borders.

70 years ago
1943

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

War
U.K. Bomber Command launched the week-long Operation Gomorrah on the German port of Hamburg, using a new device called "Window" to counter Nazi radar; concentrated heavy bombing by the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force in daytime and U.S. Army Air Forces at night left 20,000 dead. U.S. forces mopped up in western Sicily and pursued retreating Axis troops toward their new defense line south and west of Mount Etna. The Turkish government reported that Yugoslavian partisans and Greek patriots were battling Axis troops in the Ibar River district of Macedonia and that General Draja Mikhailovich's troops were in control of large parts of the Vardar and Morava Valleys.

Literature
Police in Buenos Aires burned copies of former U.S. Ambassador to the U.S.S.R. Joseph E. Davies' memoir Mission to Moscow as "objectionable propaganda."

Track and field
Gunder Haegg set an American record in the mile, running the distance in 4:05.3 in Cambridge, Masachusetts, beating Gil Dodds by 8 yards.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (13th week at #1)

50 years ago
1963

Canadiana
The schooner Bluenose II was launched in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (0-2) 20 @ Toronto (1-1) 21
Saskatchewan (0-1) 0 @ British Columbia (2-0) 40

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Goodbye, My Love, Goodbye--Demis Roussos (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Konstantinos Dovas, 74. Prime Minister of Greece, 1961. General Dovas was Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff from 1954-1959 and served as Prime Minister in a transitional government from September 20-November 4, 1961.

Terrorism
The five members of the "Red Japanese Army" who had hijacked a Japan Air Lines jet to Dubai on July 21 flew the plane to Damascus and then to Benghazi, Libya, where it was blown up shortly after the 137 passengers and crew left the plane. A female hijacker was killed by a grenade explosion aboard, and the four remaining hijackers were arrested as they ran from the plane, and were interrogated by Libyan authorities. Palestinian resistance leaders denied association with the hijacking, calling it "harmful to the Palestinian revolution."

Scandal
Testifying before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Campaign Activities, former presidential adviser John Ehrlichman said that former White House attorney John Dean's misleading information thwarted President Richard Nixon's effort to give the nation a factual account of the conspiracy surrounding the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Mr. Ehrlichman designated Mr. Dean as the "cover-up" culprit. He also tesitified that although neither he nor Mr. Nixon had authorized the 1971 break-in att the office of former Defense Department employee Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office, it had been well within the constitutional duty and obligation of the president, with the right coming from the president's legal authority to prevent national security information from falling into the hands of foreign powers.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (2-1-1) 13 @ Hamilton (2-3) 9
Toronto (3-1) 21 @ Calgary (0-4) 16
Edmonton (2-2) 13 @ British Columbia (2-2) 26

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Royals Stadium, Kansas City
National League 7 American League 1

Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds, Bobby Bonds of the San Francisco Giants, and Willie Davis of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit home runs as the NL routed the AL before 40,849 fans. Mr. Bonds, who entered the game in the 4th inning, hit a double in the 7th inning and was named the game's most valuable player. NL starting pitcher Rick Wise of the St. Louis Cardinals gave up 1 earned run in 2 innings, but was credited with the win. Bert Blyleven of the Minnesota Twins, who pitched the 3rd inning and gave up 2 earned runs, took the loss.



30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (3rd week at #1)

War
The Black July anti-Tamil riots, generally regarded as the beginning of the Sri Lankan Civil War, began, killing between 400 and 3,000.

Rival Palestine Liberation Organization factions broke their cease-fire in Lebanon's Bekka Valley.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-2) 28 @ British Columbia (1-1) 44

The Lions' win over the Roughriders was the first regular season game played at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.



Baseball
In what became known as the "Pine Tar game," the Kansas City Royals were trailing the New York Yankees 4-3 with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning when Kansas City third baseman George Brett hit a 2-run home run off New York relief pitcher Goose Gossage to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. New York manager Billy Martin immediately demanded that home plate umpire Tim McClelland examine Mr. Brett's bat, arguing that the bat had been coated with pine tar past the legal limit of 18 inches from the bottom. Mr. McClelland agreed and called Mr. Brett out, resulting in the final out of a 4-3 Yankee win. Mr. Brett immediately charged out of the dugout and had to be restrained from getting to the umpire. The Royals officially protested the decision.





25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sweet Lovers--Holidaymakers (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Im Nin'Alu--Ofra Haza (5th week at #1)

Edmontonia
A group of Edmontonians whipped up the world's largest milk shake ever; weighing 54,914 pounds, 13 ounces. The shake used 44,689 lb. 8 oz. of ice cream, 9,688 lb. 2 oz. of syrup, and 537 lb. 3 oz. of topping.

Aviation
Emma Houlston landed a single-engine plane at St. John's, Newfoundland, becoming the youngest person to fly across Canada. The 9-year-old from Medicine Hat, Alberta took off from Victoria July 10, with her father the navigator and official pilot-in-command.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: All that She Wants--Ace of Base (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Encores--Dire Straits (7th week at #1)

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

#1 single in France (SNEP): What is Love?--Haddaway (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Pray--Take That (2nd week at #1)

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

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Weak--SWV (2nd week at #1)
2 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40
3 Whoomp! (There it Is)--Tag Team
4 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson
5 I'm Gonna be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
6 I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)--Exposé
7 Show Me Love--Robin S
8 Have I Told You Lately--Rod Stewart
9 Knockin' Da Boots--H-Town
10 Lately--Jodeci

Singles entering the chart were If by Janet Jackson (#41); Right Here/Human Nature by SWV (#51); Will You Be There by Michael Jackson (#54); Stay Forever by Joey Lawrence (#73); Ruffneck by MC Lyte (#82); When I Fall in Love by Celine Dion and Clive Griffin (#84); and It's for You by Shanice (#88). When I Fall in Love was from the movie Sleepless in Seattle.

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner
2 Have I Told You Lately--Rod Stewart
3 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson
4 Fields of Gold--Sting
5 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40
6 By the Time This Night is Over--Kenny G with Peabo Bryson
7 Regret--New Order
8 Come Undone--Duran Duran
9 Break it Down--Tears for Fears
10 Love Don't Live Here Anymore--Sven Gali

Singles entering the chart were If by Janet Jackson (#92); Secret World by Peter Gabriel (#93); Sweat (A La La La La Long) by Inner Circle (#95); Get a Haircut by George Thorogood and the Destroyers (#96); If I Had Loot by Tony Toni Tone (#97); Above the Rim by Bell Biv Devoe (#98); and Changes by Ozzy Osbourne (#100).

Economics and finance
Russia cancelled a currency revision and her central bank moved to reassert control over the money supply, withdrawing, with government support, all bank notes issued before the beginning of the year. The announcement set off panic.

Football
CFL
Calgary (3-0) 34 @ British Columbia (2-2) 20
Saskatchewan (1-3) 26 @ Sacramento (1-3) 37

Doug Flutie completed 25 of 40 passes for 413 yards and 3 touchdowns--2 to Dave Sapunjis--as the Stampeders beat the Lions before 31,199 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. B.C. quarterback Danny Barrett threw 2 touchdown passes to Mike Trevathan.

David Archer completed 25 of 41 passes for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Gold Miners to their first win ever as they beat the Roughriders before 17,319 fans at Hornet Field.

10 years ago
2003

Terrorism
A report from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives intelligence committees on the September 11, 2001 attacks said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency had disregarded warnings that al-Qaeda planned to strike directly at the U.S. and had failed to take not of "significant and relevant" information on some of the hijackers. A lengthy account in the report identifying a possible role by a foreign country was kept classified; Saudi Arabia was believed to be the country. U.S. President George W. Bush and FBI Director Robert Mueller claimed the U.S. government had done much since the attack to prevent a recurrence.

Football
CFL
Montreal (5-1) 50 @ Winnipeg (4-2) 19
Ottawa (2-4) 19 @ British Columbia (4-2) 37