July 4, 2014

1,600 years ago
414

Politics and government
Emperor Theodosius II, 13, yielded power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and proclaimed herself Empress Augusta of the Eastern Roman Empire.

380 years ago
1634

Canadiana
Jean La Violette, a fur trader sent by Samuel de Champlain, founded Trois-Rivieres, New France with 6 arpents of land granted by the Company of One Hundred Associates.

270 years ago
1744

Diplomacy
The Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois ceded lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

130 years ago
1884

Americana
In Paris, the Statue of Liberty was presented to the United States.

Society
Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald appointed a commission to investigate Chinese immigration in British Columbia after Welsh and English miners protest low wages paid to the Chinese.

120 years ago
1894

World events
The Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed by Sanford B. Dole.

80 years ago
1934

Died on this date
Marie Curie, 66. Polish-born French physicist and chemist. Born Maria Sklodowska, Madame Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and the only woman to win in two fields. Marie, her husband Pierre Curie, and Henri Becquerel were awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint researches on the radiation phenomena discovered by Professor Henri Becquerel." Madame Curie won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "in recognition of her services to the advancement of chemistry by the discovery of the elements radium and polonium, by the isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of this remarkable element." She died of aplastic anemia believed to have been contracted from her long-term exposure to radiation.

Defense
Leo Szilard patented the chain-reaction design for the atomic bomb.

Boxing
Joe Louis (1-0) made his professional debut a successful one by knocking out Jack Kracken (27-8-3) in the 1st round of a heavyweight bout at Bacon's Arena in Chicago. Mr. Louis knocked Mr. Kracken down twice, with the second knockdown sending Mr. Kracken through the ropes and into the lap of Illinois Athletic Commission chairman Joe Triner. Mr. Kracken re-entered the ring at the count of 14, but referee Dave Miller stopped the fight.

75 years ago
1939

Weather
The overnight temperature at Fort Ross, Northwest Territories dropped to 10 F., one of the lowest July temperatures ever recorded in Canada.

Religion
Vietnamese "prophet" Huỳnh Phú Sổ founded Hòa Hảo Buddhism.

Baseball
61,808 were in attendance at Yankee Stadium in New York to pay tribute to Lou Gehrig on the occasion of The Iron Horse’s retirement. The Yankees split a doubleheader with the Washington Nationals, losing 3-2 and winning 11-1. The ceremony for Mr. Gehrig took place between games. His speech began with the memorable words, "Fans‚ for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." Mr. Gehrig’s number 4 was retired, making him the first major league player so honoured.



The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Athletics combined for a record 54 runs as the Red Sox swept a doubleheader 17-7 and 18-12 before 22,030 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Jim Tabor of the Red Sox hit one home run in the first game, and 3 (including 2 grand slams) in the second game.

70 years ago
1944

War
U.S. troops in France captured La Broquiere, St. Remy des Landes, and Baudreville in their advance on La Haye du Puits at the western end of the front, while U.K. and Canadian forces pressed closer to Caen from the west. The Canadians captured the village of Carpiquet and part of an airfield, with losses of 117 dead and 260 wounded. U.S. forces on Saipan captured the capital of Garapan and Tanapag on the west coast. American troops took the Kornasoren airfield on the north coast of Numfor Island. Chinese troops opened a counterattack against Japanese forces in the Hengyang area of the Chinese province of Hunan.

Protest
After an agreement with the Germans, which included German withdrawal from Copenhagen, the Danish Freedom Council ordered an end to the general strike.

Politics and government
Federico Ponce was elected President of Guatemala by the National Assembly.

Negroes were prevented from voting in the Georgia primary for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in the November 1944 election.

60 years ago
1954

Economics and finance
14 years of food rationing in the United Kingdom ended at midnight when restrictions on the sale and purchase of meat and bacon were lifted.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Requests (EP) (Long Tall Sally/Boys/I Call Your Name)--The Beatles

#1 single in France: Allo, Maillot 38-37?--Frank Alamo

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Cin, cin--Richard Anthony (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Liebeskummer lohnt sich nicht--Siw Malmkvist

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): The House of the Rising Sun--The Animals

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Get Around--The Beach Boys

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Get Around--The Beach Boys
2 Memphis--Johnny Rivers
3 Rag Doll--The 4 Seasons
4 My Boy Lollipop--Millie Small
5 A World Without Love--Peter and Gordon
6 Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying--Gerry and the Pacemakers
7 Chapel of Love--The Dixie Cups
8 Can't You See that She's Mine--The Dave Clark Five
9 No Particular Place to Go--Chuck Berry
10 The Girl from Ipanema--Getz/Gilberto

Singles entering the chart were I Like it Like That by the Miracles (#71); You're My Remedy by the Marvelettes (#75); Just Be True by Gene Chandler (#78); Tell Me (You’re Coming Back) by the Rolling Stones (#85); I Want to Hold Your Hand by the Boston Pops Orchestra (#86); Oh! Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin’) by Barbara Lynn (#87); Handy Man by Del Shannon (#88); C'mon and Swim by Bobby Freeman (#89); I Can't Hear You by Betty Everett (#91); She's the One by the Chartbusters (#96); Dream Lover by the Paris Sisters (#98); I'm Into Somethin' Good by Earl-Jean (#99); and Haunted House by Jumpin' Gene Simmons (#100).

Journalism
The Calgary newspaper The Albertan published an article about Camp HeHoHa, a camp for children with disabilities. The article appeared under the headline 40 Cripples Off to Camp, a headline that would never be used today.

Football
CFL
Calgary Stampeders' intrasquad game
Red 35 White 14

17,991 fans attended the game at McMahon Stadium.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Always Yours--Gary Glitter (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Del Webb, 75. U.S. construction magnate and baseball executive. Mr. Webb's many construction projects included the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona. He and Dan Topping co-owned the New York Yankees from 1945-1964, during which time the Yankees won 15 American League pennants and 10 World Series.

Georgette Heyer, 71. U.K. author. Miss Heyer specialized in historical romances set in the British Regency (1810-1820) and detective novels. 48 of her novels were in print at the time of her death.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Montreal (2-0) 23 @ Winnipeg (0-1) 8

30 years ago
1984

Died on this date
Jimmie Spheeris, 34. U.S. musician. Mr. Spheeris was a singer-songwriter who recorded several albums in the early 1970s. He was killed when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a drunk driver.

World events
Units of the reconstituted Lebanese army began to move through Beirut to take over positions from the rival militia units that had taken control of the city in February.

Baseball
Phil Niekro became the ninth pitcher in major league history to record 3,000 career strikeouts when he struck out 5 in leading the New York Yankees to a 5-0 win over the Texas Rangers before 39,240 fans at Arlington Stadium.



25 years ago
1989

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev and French President Francois Mitterand began two days of talks in France.

Politics and government
Poland’s new bicameral parliament convened, with the independent trade union Solidarity holding almost half the seats. Premier Mieczyslaw Rakowski and his cabinet tendered their resignations, but agreed to stay on until parliament elected a president who would appoint a new premier.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (2-0) 23 @ Ottawa (0-2) 11
Saskatchewan (2-1) 13 @ British Columbia (2-0) 30

Baseball
Tom Browning of the Cincinnati Reds came within 3 outs of his second career perfect game, but gave up a double to Dickie Thon leading off the 9th inning as the Reds held on for a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 14,636 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. John Franco relieved Mr. Browning with 1 out in the 9th and induced a double play ball to get the save.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): United--Prince Ital Joe & Marky Mark (4th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Swear--All-4-One (3rd week at #1)
2 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
3 If You Go--Jon Secada
4 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me’shell Ndegeocello
5 Anytime You Need a Friend--Mariah Carey
6 Round Here--Counting Crows
7 I'll Remember--Madonna
8 Shine--Collective Soul
9 Crazy--Aerosmith
10 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John

Singles entering the chart were Shout Out Loud by Roch Voisine (#86); Acrimony by Kim Mitchell (#87); Dancing in the Moonlight by Baha Men (#88); Backwater by Meat Puppets (#90); Longing in Their Hearts by Bonnie Raitt (#92); 100% Pure Love by Crystal Waters (#93); I Believe by Marcella Detroit (#94); and Create a Monster by Paul Dean (#96).

Died on this date
Joey Marella, 31. U.S. wrestling referee. Mr. Marella, the adopted son of wrestler Gorilla Monsoon, began working with the World Wrestling Federation, and officiated numerous prominent matches. He was killed in a car accident when he fell asleep at the wheel on the New Jersey Turnpike while driving to Newark after a night of refereeing matches in Ocean City, Maryland. Wrestling manager Bruno Lauer, a passenger in the car, was seriously injured, but survived.

War
Rebels of the Rwandan Patriotic Front captured the nation's second-largest city and occupied government installations in the capital of Kigali. French forces established a security zone to protect refugees.

Soccer
FIFA World Cup
Brazil 1 U.S.A. 0

Brazil's win eliminated the Americans from contention for the championship.

10 years ago
2004

Americana
The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower was laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-0) 41 @ Calgary (1-2) 34