August 15, 2014

Married on this date
Happy Anniversary, Janet & Tim Sproule!

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
The Wilmington Quicksteps clinched the Eastern League pennant with a record of 51-12.

125 years ago
1889

Transportation
The Murray Bay Canal opened, connecting the Bay of Quinte to Lake Ontario.

Baseball
The Cleveland Spiders defeated the Boston Beaneaters 19-8 and National League Park in Cleveland‚ and became the first team in National League history to score in all 9 innings in a game. Larry Twitchell had a 6-for-6 day at the plate with a single‚ double‚ 3 triples‚ and a home run off losing pitcher Mike Madden. The 5 extra-base hits tied a record set in 1885. Mr. Twitchell also pitched to 2 batters in the 3rd inning before returning to the outfield.

The St. Louis Browns beat the Columbus Solons 19-11 in an American Association game at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

100 years ago
1914

Died on this date
Martha "Mamah" Borthwick, 45. U.S. murder victim. Ms. Borthwick, a married woman who had left her husband to have an affair with architect Frank Lloyd Wright, was living at Mr. Wright's Wisconsin home, Taliesin, and was one of seven people murdered by Julian Carlton, a servant of Mr. Wright's who killed his victims with an ax after setting fire to the living quarters. Mr. Wright was in Chicago at the time.

War
The First Russian Army, led by General Paul von Rennenkampf, entered East Prussia. The Battle of Cer began in Serbia between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

Transportation
The Panama Canal opened to traffic with the transit of the U.S. cargo ship SS Ancon.

80 years ago
1934

Baseball
The New York Yankees ended the Detroit Tigers’ 14-game winning streak with an 8-2 win at Yankee Stadium as Johnny Broaca won the pitchers' duel over Tommy Bridges.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1934/B08150NYA1934.htm

75 years ago
1939

At the movies
The premiere screening of The Wizard of Oz (1939) took place at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Disasters
13 Stukas dove into the ground during an air practice at Neuhammer, Germany. There were no survivors.

70 years ago
1944

War
Allied forces landed in southern France between Marseilles and Nice in Operation Dragoon, meeting little opposition.

World events
The American Red Cross announced in Washington that it was equipping 10 hospitals of 500 beds each for the civilian population of freed areas in the U.S.S.R.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Parliament passed the Farm Improvement Loans Act--guaranteeing bank loans to farmers of up to $3,000 for equipment, stock, electric, drainage, fencing, etc.--and the Agricultural Prices Support Act, setting up a board with a $200-million revolving fund for all but wheat.

Labour
About 500 of 1,800 German prisoners of war employed at the U.S. Army Ordnance Depot in Stockton, California called off a strike begun the previous day in protest against the U.S. War Department's order increasing the work day to nine hours.

American Federation of Labor President William Green announced that the International Typographical Union had completed the process of reaffiliation with the AFL after a four-year absence.

60 years ago
1954

Politics and government
Alfredo Stroessner took office as President of Paraguay after an army coup, beginning a dictatorship that ran until February 3, 1989.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): A Hard Day's Night/Things We Said Today--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Ce Monde--Richard Anthony

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): In ginocchio da te--Gianni Morandi (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Liebeskummer lohnt sich nicht--Siw Malmkvist (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Do Wah Diddy Diddy--Manfred Mann

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Everybody Loves Somebody--Dean Martin

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Everybody Loves Somebody--Dean Martin
2 Where Did Our Love Go--The Supremes
3 A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles
4 Rag Doll--The 4 Seasons
5 Wishin' and Hopin'--Dusty Springfield
6 Under the Boardwalk--The Drifters
7 The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)--Jan & Dean
8 C'mon and Swim--Bobby Freeman
9 Because--The Dave Clark Five
10 I Wanna Love Him So Bad--The Jelly Beans

Singles entering the chart were Baby I Need Your Loving by the Four Tops (#74); Mabelline by Johnny Rivers (#77); Some Day We're Gonna Love Again by the Searchers (#83); He's in Town by the Tokens (#88); Always Together by Al Martino (#92); Let Me Love You by B.B. King (#96); Michael by Trini Lopez (#98); Father Sebastian by the Ramblers (#99); and Someone, Someone by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes (#100).

Football
CFL
Montreal (2-0) 21 @ Toronto (1-1) 13

Gerry Philp, George Dixon, and Ted Page scored touchdowns for the Alouettes as they defeated the Argonauts before 30,769 fans at CNE Stadium. Jackie Parker scored a touchdown for Toronto, giving him 701 career points, and becoming the first player to reach that total.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): If Ma Could See Me Now--The Times (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Clay Shaw, 61. U.S. businessman. Mr. Shaw helped to found the International Trade Mart in New Orleans. New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison believed that Mr. Shaw was involved in a conspiracy with elements of the Central Intelligence Agency in the November 22, 1963 assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Mr. Shaw was arrested in 1967 and went on trial in 1969, but was acquitted by the jury after less than one hour of deliberation. Mr. Shaw, the only person ever prosecuted in the John F. Kennedy assassination, died of lung cancer.

Yuk Young-soo, 48. South Korean First Lady, 1963-1974. Ms. Yuk, the wife of President Park Chung-hee, was killed by a bullet apparently intended for her husband while he was delivering a Liberation Day speech in Seoul. The assassin was Mun Se-gwang, a North Korean sympathizer living in Japan.

War
Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis told the Greek people that Greece would not go to war with Turkey over Cyprus, saying that armed opposition was impossible because of distance as well as Turkey's overwhelming military advantage.

Politics and government
Philip Buchen was appointed counsel to U.S. President Gerald Ford.

Football
WFL
Southern California (3-3) 18 @ Houston (2-3-1) 7

McLean Stevenson, co-star of the television comedy series M*A*S*H, was the guest commentator on the TVS telecast. This was the only WFL game that this blogger ever saw on TV.

Baseball
14-year-old shortstop Jorge Lebron, the youngest professional player in history, played his second and last game of the season with the Auburn Phillies of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League before returning home to Patillas, Puerto Rico. An overflow crowd of 3,642 at Falcon Park in Auburn, New York saw the visiting Newark Co-Pilots score 4 unearned runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat the Phillies 7-3. Mr. Lebron played the first 9 innings, going 0 for 4 at bat, but playing flawlessly in the field. The Phillies made 4 errors in the top of the 10th after Mr. Lebron left the game.

Mexican League
Semi-Finals
Mexico City Reds 4 @ Jalisco 0 (Mexico City led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Gomez Palacio 1 @ Saltillo 4 (Saltillo led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Manuel Rodriguez allowed the Charros just 4 hits in 8 innings, but after he walked the leadoff batter in the 9th inning, Aurelio Lopez came in and completed the shutout for the Reds before 11,000 fans in Guadalajara.

Miguel Solis pitched 7 1/3 innings and Don Goodwin retired the final 5 batters in order as the Saraperos beat the Cottongrowers.

30 years ago
1984

Politics and government
The Iranian parliament dismissed five cabinet ministers, including the defense minister, possibly because of dissatisfaction with the progress of the war against Iraq. The dismissed ministers were accused of financial mismanagement, inefficiency, and nepotism.

Terrorism
The Kurdistan Workers' Party in Turkey started a campaign of armed attacks upon the Turkish military with an attack on police and gendarmerie bases in Şemdinli and Eruh

Baseball
Pete Rose returned to the Cincinnati Reds when he was acquired in a trade with the Montreal Expos for infielder Tom Lawless. The Reds immediately named Mr. Rose their new manager, replacing Vern Rapp. Mr. Rose also remained an active player.

Dan Petry improved his record for 1984 to 15-5 as the Detroit Tigers defeated Tommy John and the California Angels 8-3 before 33,940 fans at Tiger Stadium. Dave Bergman led the Detroit attack with 2 triples and 3 runs batted in.

The Cleveland Indians swept a doubleheader from the Toronto Blue Jays 16-1 and 4-3 in 13 innings before 6,101 fans at Cleveland Stadium.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 A Cry in the Night--Lory "Bonnie" Bianco
2 Das Omen (Teil 1)--Mysterious Art
3 Love is Free--Bilgeri
4 Americanos--Holly Johnson
5 Express Yourself--Madonna
6 Ready for Radetzky--Vienna Lusthouse
7 Eternal Flame--Bangles
8 Lullaby--The Cure
9 When the Night Comes--Joe Cocker
10 Manchild--Neneh Cherry

Singles entering the chart were Sealed with a Kiss by Jason Donovan (#14); Be with You by the Bangles (#20); Idealgewicht by Wolfgang Ambros (#23); and It's Alright by Pet Shop Boys (#27).

War
The foreign ministers of Syria and Iran met with their Lebanese allies in Damascus for a council of war, seeking to form a united front aimed at toppling the Christian "clique" in East Beirut. Pope John Paul II denounced the "genocide" in Lebanon and singled out Syria as a culprit.

Politics and government
The South African cabinet confirmed F.W. de Klerk as acting President, to serve until national elections scheduled for September. Mr. de Klerk’s first crisis was growing protests by Negroes across the nation aimed at ending apartheid, and upgrading the quality of health care for Negroes.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-3) 11 @ British Columbia (1-5) 16

Darrell Wallace returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown to give the Lions the lead at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, but the Argos struck back with a touchdown pass from Gilbert Renfroe to Jeff Boyd at 4:40 of the first quarter, producing a 7-7 tie. There were no further touchdowns.

Baseball
While pitching to Tim Raines of the Montreal Expos in the 6th inning of his second start since returning to the San Francisco Giants after cancer treatment, Dave Dravecky broke his arm. The Giants held on for a 3-2 win before 24,490 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, but Mr. Dravecky, who was credited with the win, never pitched again.

The Seattle Mariners edged the Texas Rangers 2-0 before 11,330 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle, despite getting only 1 hit off losing pitcher Charlie Hough. Mr. Hough walked 5, committed a balk, and threw a wild pitch. The Rangers collected 13 hits, but no runs.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John (2nd week at #1)
2 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me’shell Ndegeocello
3 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories
4 Love is Strong--Rolling Stones
5 Prayer for the Dying--Seal
6 Crazy--Aerosmith
7 If You Go--Jon Secada
8 Anytime You Need a Friend--Mariah Carey
9 Afternoons and Coffeespoons--Crash Test Dummies
10 Fall Down--Toad the Wet Sprocket

Singles entering the chart were Change Your Mind by Neil Young and Crazy Horse (#62); Silver by Moist (#77); I'll Make Love to You By Boyz II Men (#85); I Had a Dream by Carol Medina (#93); Back and Forth by Aaliyah (#95); King of New York by Hemingway Corner (#96); and Pocahontas by Crash Vegas (#97).

Died on this date
Joe Brovia, 72. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Brovia was an outfielder who batted .111 (2 for 18) with no home runs and 4 runs batted in in 21 games, all as a pinch hitter, with the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1955. He spent 15 seasons in the minor leagues from 1940-1957, mostly in the Pacific Coast League, where he hit .304 in 12 seasons, with 174 homers and 828 RBIs. Mr. Brovia's best season was 1951, when he batted .303 with 32 home runs and 133 runs batted in in 161 games with the Portland Beavers. He was a fan favourite for his ability to hit home runs over the 40-foot-high wall at Seals Stadium in San Francisco. Mr. Brovia died of chest cancer, and was inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in 2005.

Terrorism
Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, the Venezuelan-born terrorist better known as "Carlos the Jackal," was extradited to France, the day after being captured in Sudan. He was wanted in France for the 1975 murders of two French counterintelligence agents and a French government informant. French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua said that Carlos had claimed to have killed 83 people.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Sune Bergström, 88. Swedish biochemist. Professor Bergström shared the 1982 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Bengt Samuelsson and John Vane "for their discoveries concerning prostaglandins and related biologically active substances."

Politics and government
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez survived a recall referendum by a margin of 59%-41%. Opposition parties protested the result, claiming the vote was rigged.