July 9, 2013

220 years ago
1793

Society
Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe signed the Act Against Slavery, banning the further importation of slaves into Upper Canada, and limiting the contract of those remaining. The Act declared that slaves' children should be free at age 25; all slaves entering the province from this date were henceforth automatically free. A bill barring the importation of slaves was passed in Lower Canada the same day.

Vermont became the first American state to prohibit slavery.

170 years ago
1843

Transportaion
SS Prince Albert, the first iron steamship built in Canada, was launched in Montreal.

150 years ago
1863

War
In the U.S. Civil War, the Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana ended after 48 days when Confederate troops commanded by General Franklin Gardner surrendered to Union troops commanded by Major General Nathaniel Banks.

120 years ago
1893

Medicine
At Provident Hospital in Chicago, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery in the United States, repairing the torn pericardium of knife wound patient James Cornish. Dr. Williams performed the surgery without the benefit of penicillin or blood transfusion.

90 years ago
1923

Calgariana
Guy Weadick staged the first chuckwagon race at the Calgary Stampede, persuading six local ranchers to risk their wagons and horses.

75 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Benjamin Cardozo, 68. U.S. jurist. Mr. Cardozo was a member of the New York Court of Appeals from 1914-1932 and was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1932 until his death. He was known for his judgments on tort law. Mr. Cardozo was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Herbert Hoover, and was confirmed in the Senate by unanimous voice vote. He died several months after suffering a stroke.

70 years ago
1943

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

War
In Operation Husky, Allied forces performed an amphibious invasion of Sicily.

Religion
John Foster Dulles, chairman of a planning commission established by the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, told the International Conference of Christian Leaders--a council of 68 churchmen from 14 nations--that Protestant churches would sponsor a program in the fall to promote international collaboration.

50 years ago
1963

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
National League 5 American League 3

Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants singled and walked, scored 2 runs and batted in 2 runs, and made a great catch to lead the NL to victory. Jim O'Toole of the Cincinnati Reds pitched the first 2 innings for the National League; Larry Jackson of the Chicago Cubs pitched the next 2 innings and was credited with the win. Ken McBride of the Los Angeles Angels gave up 3 earned runs in the first 3 innings, but Jim Bunning of the Detroit Tigers, who pitched the next 2 innings and gave up an unearned run, was tagged with the loss. Attendance was only 44,160--nearly 30,000 short of capacity. The game marked the return of the All-Star Game to a single-game format after having 2 games per year from 1959-1962.



40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Daisy a Day--Jud Strunk

#1 single in France: J'ai un problème--Johnny Hallyday & Sylvie Vartan (2nd week at #1)

Oil
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission charged eight of the largest American oil companies with conspiracy to monopolize the refining of petroleum products, saying that the 23-year conspiracy had led to shortages of gasoline. The formal accusation stated that the monopoly had forced "substantially higher prices" on American consumers, caused some independent petroleum marketers to close down, and had given "excess" profits to the eight conspiring companies. The commission alleged that the companies had pursued a "common course of action" to keep profits from refining artificially low in order to make it an unattractive business for independent companies.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: L'Italiano--Toto Cutugno (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Stars on 45 Proudly Presents The Star Sisters--The Star Sisters (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Baby Jane--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Baby Jane--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)

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

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
2 Every Breath You Take--The Police
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Time (Clock of the Heart)--Culture Club
5 Let's Dance--David Bowie
6 Never Gonna Let You Go--Sergio Mendes
7 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
8 Always Something There to Remind Me--Naked Eyes
9 She's a Beauty--The Tubes
10 Beat It--Michael Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Lawyers in Love by Jackson Browne (#64); After the Fall by Journey (#75); Fake Friends by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (#76); Human Touch by Rick Springfield (#80); Boogie Down by Jarreau (#84); Tonight, I Celebrate My Love by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack (#88); and Do You Compute? by Donnie Iris (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Every Breath You Take--The Police (2nd week at #1)
2 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
3 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
4 Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco
5 White Wedding--Billy Idol
6 I'm Still Standing--Elton John
7 Let's Dance--David Bowie
8 Beat It--Michael Jackson
9 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
10 Come Dancing--The Kinks

Singles entering the chart were Rock 'N' Roll is King by Electric Light Orchestra (#44); Maniac by Michael Sembello (#49); and 1999 by Prince (#50).

Sport
At the World University Games in Edmonton, Soviet diver Sergei Chalibashvili was attempting a difficult dive in competititon when his head hit the board on the way down, and he suffered multiple skull fractures. He never regained consciousness, and died eight days later.

Basketball
In the World University Games, Canada defeated Yugoslavia in the men's final to win the gold medal at Universiade Pavilion in Edmonton in what was undoubtedly the high point of Jack Donohue's career as head coach of Canada's national team.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (1-0) 35 @ Hamilton (0-1) 32

The defending Grey Cup champion Eskimos blew a 27-11 lead and fell behind 32-28 to the Tiger-Cats at Ivor Wynne Stadium, but quarterback Warren Moon marched them 75 yards in just 3 plays in the final minute of the game, completing a 48-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly with 36 seconds remaining. Larry Highbaugh's second interception of the game in the final seconds preserved the win in the team's first regular season game under new head coach Pete Kettela. Among those making their CFL debuts were Edmonton punter Paul Hickie and quarterback Matt Dunigan, who spent the first game of his 14-year Hall of Fame career on the sidelines watching Mr. Moon go the distance. Jeff Goff, wearing #43, played reasonably well in place of injured Edmonton middle linebacker Dan Kepley, but it turned out to be his only game. He was cut a few days later, and disappeared from the CFL forever, as did Hamilton defensive back Mickey Sutton, playing his only CFL game.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Tell Me--Nick Kamen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Fast Car--Tracy Chapman

#1 single in France (SNEP): J'ai faim de toi--Sandy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Fast Car--Tracy Chapman

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

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Flame--Cheap Trick

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Flame--Cheap Trick
2 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
3 Pour Some Sugar on Me--Def Leppard
4 Mercedes Boy--Pebbles
5 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
6 New Sensation--INXS
7 Make it Real--The Jets
8 Nite and Day--Al B. Sure!
9 The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
10 Together Forever--Rick Astley

Singles entering the chart were Monkey by George Michael (#45); Missed Opportunity by Daryl Hall John Oates (#82); Nobody's Fool by Kenny Loggins (#84); Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China) by Cyndi Lauper (#85); I Don't Want to Be a Hero by Johnny Hates Jazz (#86); Better be Home Soon by Crowded House (#87); My Obsession by Icehouse (#89); and Tell Me by White Lion (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Together Forever--Rick Astley (3rd week at #1)
2 The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
3 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
4 One More Try--George Michael
5 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
6 New Sensation--INXS
7 Beds are Burning--Midnight Oil
8 The Flame--Cheap Trick
9 Everything Your Heart Desires--Daryl Hall John Oates
10 Circle in the Sand--Belinda Carlisle

Singles entering the chart were Better Be Home Soon by Crowded House (#75); Love Will Save the Day by Whitney Houston (#79); Between Like and Love by Billy Vera and the Beaters (#85); Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer (#88); Don't Live Without Love by Chicago (#91); Fire by Haywire (#94); My Obsession by Icehouse (#96); and Tomorrow People by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers (#98).

20 years ago
1993

At the movies
In the Line of Fire, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, and Rene Russo, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Henry Hazlitt, 98. U.S. journalist. Mr. Hazlitt wrote about economics and business for major New York newspapers and magazines in a career spanning 70 years. He promoted the works of Austrian School economists such as Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek, and influenced libertarian economics through his own works, such as the book Economics in One Lesson (1956). Mr. Hazlitt also served as literary editor for the New York Sun (1925-1929) and The Nation (1930-1933), and was co-editor and then editor-in chief of the libertarian magazine The Freeman (1950-1953).

Garry Hoy, 38. Canadian lawyer. Mr. Hoy was a senior partner in the firm of Holden Day Wilson who was giving a tour of the firm's offices on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower in downtown Toronto to some articling students, and decided to demonstrate how the windows could withstand his throwing himself at them. This was apparently a common practice for Mr. Hoy, but his second demonstration on this occasion resulted in the window popping out of its frame and Mr. Hoy falling to his death. The incident is blamed for contributing to the closing of the firm in 1996, the same year Mr. Hoy was given a well-deserved Darwin Award.

Abominations
The Canadian Parliament passed the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act and the Nunavut Act. Nunavut officially split from the Northwest Territories and became a Canadian territory on April 1, 1999.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (0-1) 26 @ British Columbia (1-0) 33 (OT)

Danny Barrett's 20-yard touchdown pass to Ray Alexander in the first overtime period provided the winning margin as the Lions scored 24 points off turnovers in beating the Roughriders before 25,849 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

10 years ago
2003

Diplomacy
U.S. President George W. Bush met in South Africa with that country' s President, Thabo Mbeki. Mr. Bush supported Mr. Mbeki's efforts to mediate a violent civil conflict in Zimbabwe.

War
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee that the price of the war in Iraq had nearly doubled the April estimate, to about $3.9 billion per month. General Tommy Franks also reported that the troop strength in Iraq, about 145,000, was not likely to be reduced in the near future.

Health
Canada became the first country to distribute marijuana to individuals with a legal right to use it. The measure was introduced in response to a court order requiring the federal government to create a new policy.