August 13, 2014

1,410 years ago
604

Died on this date
Wen, 63. Emperor of China, 581-604. Wen, born Yang Jian, succeeded Jing on the throne, and established the Sui dynasty. He encouraged the spread of Buddhism, and reunified China in 589 after centuries of division since the fall of the Western Jin dynasty in 316. Construction of the Grand Canal began during Wen's reign. He died of an illness, 23 days after his 63rd birthday, and was succeeded by his second son Yang.

310 years ago
1704

War
Grand Alliance forces defeated French and Bavarian forces in the Battle of Blenheim in Bavaria.

200 years ago
1814

Born on this date
Anders Ångström. Swedish physicist. Professor Ångström was one of the founders of the science of spectroscopy; the Ångström unit (1 Å = 10−10 metres) with which the lengths on a scale of the wavelength of light or interatomic spacings in condensed matter is measured is named for him. Professor Ångström died on June 21, 1874 at the age of 59.

Diplomacy
Representatives of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands signed the Convention of London.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Camillien Houde. Canadian politician. Mr. Houde served in the Quebec Legislative Assembly as a member of the Conservative Party from 1923-1927 and 1928-1931, leading the party from 1929-1932. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as an independent candidate in 1949, aand represented the Quebec riding of Papineau until 1953. Mr. Houde's involvement in provincial and federal politics didn't prevent him from running for civic office at the same time, and he served as mayor of Montreal from 1928-1932; 1934-1936; 1938-1940; and 1944-1954. He spent the years 1940-1944 interned at Camp Petawawa, Ontario for his opposition to conscription during World War II and his openly Fascist sympathies. Mr. Houde died on September 11, 1958 at the age of 69.

Technology
William Gray of Hartford, Connecticut was granted United States Patent Number 408,709 for "Coin-controlled apparatus for telephones."

Baseball
Ned Hanlon began a 19-year career as a major league manager by leading the Pittsburgh Alleghenys to a 9-0 win over the Boston Beaneaters at Recreation Park in Pittsburgh, knocking the Beaneaters out of first place in the National League for the first time since May 11.

80 years ago
1934

Died on this date
Mary Hunter Austin, 65. U.S. writer. Mrs. Austin was best known for The Land of Little Rain (1903), a non-fiction book about the California deserts.

Popular culture
The comic strip Li'l Abner by Al Capp was first published in eight North American newspapers, including the New York Mirror.

Boxing
Joe Louis (4-0) won an 8-round unanimous decision over Jack Kranz (14-1) in a heavyweight bout at Marigold Gardens Outdoor Arena in Chicago.

75 years ago
1939

Baseball
The New York Giants hit 7 home runs, including 3 in a row in the 4th inning, in an 11-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader before 10,853 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. The Giants completed the sweep with a 6-2 win in the second game.

The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Athletics split a doubleheader before 34,570 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Athletics won the opener 12-9, and the Yankees won the second game 21-0 in a game that was called after 8 innings because of a 7 P.M. curfew. Joe DiMaggio and Babe Dahlgren each hit 2 home runs in the second game, and each hit a home run inside-the-park.

70 years ago
1944

War
As U.S. units in France passed Argentan, German forces were limited to an 18-mile-wide escape gap in the Caen-Vire area. British units in Italy captured the mountain town of Frontone. Soviet troops in Poland smashed to within 11 miles northeast of Warsaw by taking Moskowka. U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Chester Nimitz said that a combination of a sea blockade and aerial bombardments may force Japan to surrender before an invasion of the Japanese home islands took place.

Oil
The U.S. Petroleum War Council announced that a new gasoline known as "100 octane plus," surpassing all other fuels for volatility and performance, was ready for production.

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Cara Mia--David Whitfield with Mantovani and his Orchestra (7th week at #1)

Football
CRU
WIFU-IRFU
Pre-season
Edmonton (1-0) 18 @ Toronto 7

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Chapel of Love--The Dixie Cups (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Do Wah Diddy Diddy--Manfred Mann

Died on this date
Gwynne Evans, 24; Peter Allen, 21. U.K. criminals. Messrs. Evans and Allen were hanged in different prisons for the April 7, 1964 murder of truck driver John Alan West at Mr. West's home in Seaton, Cumberland. The murderers were the last people executed in the United Kingdom.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Pot pour rire Mr le Président--Patrick Green & Olivier Lejeune (11th week at #1)

Economics and finance
U.S. President Gerald Ford and American Federation of Labour-Congress of Industrial Organizations President George Meany met at the White House, with Mr. Ford requesting the AFL-CIO's cooperation in stimulating economic growth.

Football
CFL
Montreal (3-1) 14 @ Ottawa (2-2) 27

Jerry Keeling threw touchdown passes of 61 and 47 yards to Rhome Nixon in the 1st half and Ottawa defensive back Al Marcelin made 3 interceptions as the defending Grey Cup champion Rough Riders beat the Alouettes before 24,649 fans at Lansdowne Park. Ottawa quarterback Rick Cassata and Montreal defensive back Ron Perowne were both knocked unconscious. For Mr. Perowne, who regularly returned punts, it marked the end of his three-year CFL career, prompting Montreal head coach Marv Levy to call for a rule change to allow blocking on behalf of punt returners. The rule was changed in 1975.

Baseball
Luis Tiant pitched a 4-hitter for his fifth shutout of the season as the Boston Red Sox blanked the California Angels 3-0 before 8,873 fans at Anaheim Stadium, including this blogger and his parents.

Jesus de la Rosa of the Columbus Astros and Fred Velasquez of the Savannah Braves each hit a home run as the Southern League All-Stars defeated the Minnesota Twins 3-1 before 2,432 fans at Wolfson Park in Jacksonville, Florida in the Southern League All-Star Game. Preston Hanna of Savannah, the third of five All-Star pitchers, pitched the 5th and 6th innings and was credited with the win. Vic Albury pitched the first 6 innings for Minnesota and took the loss.

Mexican League
Quarter-Finals
Gomez Palacio 6 Tampico 5 (Gomez Palacio won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Mexico City Reds 9 Puebla 2 (Mexico City won best-of-seven series 4-2)

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham! (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): La Colegiala--Gary Low

Died on this date
Tigran Petrosian, 55. U.S.S.R. chess grandmaster. Mr. Petrosian defeated Mikhail Botvinnik to win the world championship in 1963, and lost it to Boris Spassky in 1969.

Politics and government
While Labor Party leader Shimon Peres continued efforts to put together a coalition government in Israel, the new Knesset was sworn in. One new member who received a lot of nervous attention was the outspoken Rabbi Meir Kahane, who had demanded that all Arabs be expelled from Israel and the occupied territories.

Disasters
Nearly 200 people were missing and believed drowned after a ferry capsized off the state of Sabah in Malaysia.

Baseball
The Detroit Tigers defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-5 in the Hall of Fame game at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Batdance--Prince (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Batdance--Prince (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Larkin Smith, 45. U.S. politician. Mr. Smith, a Republican Party member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi who had been in office since January, was killed in the crash of a small plane near New Augusta, Mississippi. Rep. Smith died the day that the wreckage of the plane that had been carrying Rep. Mickey Leland of Texas was found in Ethiopia, six days after it crashed.

Tim Richmond, 34. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Richmond finished 9th in the 1980 Indianapolis 500 and was named the race's Rookie of the Year. He moved to the NASCAR circuit shortly after, and drove stock cars for the rest of his career. Mr. Richmond's best year was 1986, when he won seven races. He then began to suffer the effects of AIDS, which shortened his career and eventually took his life.

War
Syrian troops, supported by Druze and Palestinian fighters, attacked the Christian stronghold in East Beirut with tanks and infantry.

Golf
Payne Stewart won the PGA Championship at Kemper Lake Golf Course in Hawthorne Woods, Illinois by shooting 31 on the last 9 holes and overtaking 10 other players with a final-round 5-under-par score of 67 to finish with a 12-under-par total score of 276, a stroke ahead of Andy Bean, Mike Reid, and Curtis Strange. First prize money was $200,000.



20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): I Swear--All-4-One

#1 single in Italy: The Rhythm is Magic--Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Baby, I Love Your Way--Big Mountain (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Give Me Fire--Good Shape (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): 7 Seconds--Youssou N'Dour & Neneh Cherry

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): I Swear--All-4-One

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (11th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories (2nd week at #1)
2 I Swear--All-4-One
3 Fantastic Voyage--Coolio
4 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me'Shell Ndegeocello
5 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John
6 Funkdafied--Da Brat
7 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
8 Any Time, Any Place/And On and On--Janet Jackson
9 Regulate--Warren G & Nate Dogg
10 Back and Forth--Aaliyah

Singles entering the chart were I'll Make Love to You by Boyz II Men (#31); Flava in Ya Ear by Craig Mack (#68); Afro Puffs by the Lady of Rage (#75); December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) by the Four Seasons (#79); I'll Stand by You by the Pretenders (#81); Romantic Call by Patra featuring Yo-Yo (#83); Lucky One by Amy Grant (#90); and Love is Strong by the Rolling Stones (#95). December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) was a remix of the original 1976 hit, and consisted of a dance version and two radio edits.

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Any Time, Any Place/And On and On--Janet Jackson (3rd week at #1)
2 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
3 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
4 I Swear--All-4-One
5 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John
6 Anytime You Need a Friend--Mariah Carey
7 Back and Forth--Aaliyah
8 Shine--Collective Soul
9 Prayer for the Dying--Seal
10 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me’shell Ndegeocello

Singles entering the chart were I'll Make Love to You by Boyz II Men (#32); Lucky One by Amy Grant (#65); None of Your Business/Heaven 'N Hell by Salt-N-Pepa (#83); Nuttin' But Love by Heavy D & Boyz (#84); Give it Up by Public Enemy (#86); and Afro Puffs by Lady of Rage (#90).

Defense
Negotiators for the U.S.A. and North Korea signed an agreement in Geneva whereby North Korea allowed United Nations monitors to inspect a secret nuclear laboratory in that country. Among other terms of the agreement: North Korea agreed not to reprocess any more spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors--a process used to extract plutonium that could be used in weapons--and agreed not to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty; the U.S.A. and North Korea would move toward full diplomatic relations; and the U.S. would help North Korea build light-water nuclear reactors, a less accessible source of weapons-grade plutonium.

Football
CFL
Las Vegas (3-3) 49 @ Shreveport (0-6) 13

Len Williams passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for another TD himself to lead the Posse over the Pirates before 18,011 fans at Independence Stadium. Las Vegas defensive end Jeff Sawyer recovered a fumble in the Shreveport end zone for a touchdown, and James Bullock returned the 2nd-half kickoff 94 yards for a Las Vegas touchdown.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Julia Child, 91. U.S. chef. Mrs. Child was known for promoting French cuisine to the American public, especially through her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) and her television program The French Chef (1963-1973). She died two days before her 92nd birthday.

Abominations
156 Congolese Tutsi refugees were massacred by members of the National Liberation Forces at the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi.

Business
Reports suggested that U.S.-based Target Corporation was considering buying the Hudson's Bay Company.

Disasters
Hurricane Charley struck Punta Gorda, Florida, and devastated the surrounding area, killing at least 13 people.

Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games opened in Athens.