August 3, 2014

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
The Washington Nationals, created by the American Association to fight the rival Union Association, were disbanded after compiling a 12-51 record.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Harry Heilmann. U.S. baseball player. An outfielder and first baseman with the Detroit Tigers (1914, 1916-1929) and Cincinnati Reds (1930, 1932), Mr. Heilmann led the American League in batting percentage in 1921, 1923, 1925, and 1927, batting .342 with 183 home runs and 1,543 runs batted in in 2,147 games. His lifetime average is 12th in major league history, with his best mark being .403 in 1923. He was a radio broadcaster of Tigers' games from 1934-1950. Mr. Heilmann died of lung cancer on July 9, 1951, 25 days before his 57th birthday, and the day before the 1951 All-Star Game was played at Detroit's Briggs Stadium. A campaign by former teammate Ty Cobb to have Mr. Heilmann elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame before his death fell just short, but Mr. Heilmann was easily elected in 1952.

100 years ago
1914

War
Germany declared war against France. British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey remarked, "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."

Defense
The British Columbia government, fearful of German raids, bought two submarines from a U.S. shipbuilder for its own private navy. The subs were purchased by the federal government two days later for the Canadian naval force.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Robert Borden suspended coined money payments to conserve the gold supply. Bank notes were to be considered legal tender, instead of being redeemable for gold.

90 years ago
1924

Died on this date
Joseph Conrad, 66. Polish-born U.K. author. Mr. Conrad, born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, moved to England in his twenties, becoming a British national in 1886. English was his third language after Polish and French, but Mr. Conrad became one of the best-known writers in English, with novels such as An Outcast of the Islands (1896); Heart of Darkness (1899); and Lord Jim (1900).

80 years ago
1934

Baseball
Schoolboy Rowe allowed just 1 hit in 7 innings in winning his fourth game in seven days as the Detroit Tigers whipped the Chicago White Sox 14-0 at Navin Field in Detroit.

75 years ago
1939

Baseball
Catcher Joe Sprinz of the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League tried to break the altitude record for a catch as a stunt at the Treasure Island Exhibition in San Francisco. A ball was dropped 800 feet from a blimp and hit him in the face. Mr. Sprinz suffered a compound fracture of the jaw and lost several teeth.

70 years ago
1944

War
An intensive attack on southern England by German V-1 rockets lasted a record 14 hours. British General Bernard Montgomery ordered Canadian General H.D.G. Crerar to launch an attack towards Falaise to try and link up with the Americans in France, and trap retreating German armour pouring through the Falaise Gap; the Canadian Army was still stalled on low ground below Verrières Ridge. General Guy Simonds launched Operation Totalize and used artificial moonlight and armoured personnel carriers against the Panzers. U.S. forces in France continued their drive into Brittany by sweeping through Rennes. Soviet forces in Poland crossed the Vistula River along a 19-mile front 110 miles south of Warsaw. Germans began evacuating the Lodz ghetto, the largest remaining concentration of Jews in Poland. U.S. troops took possession of Mount Barrigada, dominating the northern plateau of Guam. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the Aleutian Islands on return from his military conference in Honolulu, stating that Japan would never again be able to invade the Alaskan islands. The U.S. Selective Service notified local draft boards to review the cases of all registrants aged 18-25 who had been disqualified for either educational or mental reasons.

Diplomacy
Polish Premier-in-Exile Stanislaw Mikolajczyk met with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in Moscow for more than two hours.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Harry Truman (Democrat--Missouri), the Democratic party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the November 1944 election, submitted his resignation as chairman and member of the Senate Investigating Committee because of campaign commitments and politics.

Labour
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the U.S. Army to take control of the Philadelphia Transportation Company because of the strike by 6,000 workers.

Economics and finance
A U.S. Senate committee investigating the liquor shortage charged that four firms controlled 70% of the national supply and were charging excessive prices by flooding the market with new brands not subject to price control.

60 years ago
1954

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Last Stand, starring Pat Hingle and Joan Lorring

Died on this date
Colette, 81. French author. Colette, whose full name was Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, wrote 50 novels, the best-known of which was Gigi (1945).

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ciudad Solitaria--Mina (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Flannery O'Connor, 39. U.S. author. Miss O'Connor wrote the novels Wise Blood (1952) and The Violent Bear it Away (1960), but was primarily known for her 32 short stories. Her writing reflected her Roman Catholic beliefs. Miss O'Connor died after a long battle with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-0) 15 @ Calgary (0-1) 4

Ed Buchanan rushed 92 yards for a touchdown as the Roughriders defeated the Stampeders before 18,500 fans at McMahon Stadium. Among those playing their first regular season game in the CFL were Saskatchewan receiver Gord Barwell and Calgary linebacker Herm Harrison.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Band On The Run--Paul McCartney & Wings (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Sugar Baby Love--The Rubettes (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Rock Your Baby--George McCrae (2nd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Billy - Don't Be a Hero--Paper Lace (5th week at #1)
2 Devil Gate Drive--Suzi Quatro
3 The Entertainer--Marvin Hamlisch
4 Evie--Stevie Wright
5 Would You Lay with Me in a Field of Stone?--Judy Stone
6 The Streak--Ray Stevens
7 My Girl Bill--Jim Stafford
8 The Loco-Motion--Grand Funk
9 Candle in the Wind/Bennie and the Jets--Elton John
10 Hooked on a Feeling--Blue Swede

Singles entering the chart were I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen by Lieutenant Pigeon (#29) and Rock and Roll Heaven by the Righteous Brothers (#36).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Annie's Song--John Denver (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--Elton John
2 Annie's Song--John Denver
3 Rikki Don't Lose that Number--Steely Dan
4 Rock and Roll Heaven--The Righteous Brothers
5 Rock Your Baby--George McCrae
6 Rock the Boat--The Hues Corporation
7 The Night Chicago Died--Paper Lace
8 Sideshow--Blue Magic
9 Feel Like Makin' Love--Roberta Flack
10 Waterloo--ABBA

Singles entering the chart were Who Do You Think You Are by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods (#62); Another Saturday Night by Cat Stevens (#63); I Love My Friend by Charlie Rich (#70); I Saw a Man and He Danced with his Wife by Cher (#82); Wombling Summer Party by the Wombles (#87); Can't Get Enough by Bad Company (#92); Get Out of Denver by Bob Seger (#94); Ma! (He’s Making Eyes At Me) by Lena Zavaroni (#95); A New Rock and Roll by Mahogany Rush (#96); Do it Baby by the Miracles (#97); Skin Tight by the Ohio Players (#98); Door to Your Heart by the Dramatics (#99); and Midnight Flower by the Four Tops (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Annie's Song--John Denver
2 Rock Your Baby--George McCrae
3 Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--Elton John
4 Rock and Roll Heaven--The Righteous Brothers
5 The Air that I Breathe--The Hollies
6 Rikki Don't Lose that Number--Steely Dan
7 Waterloo--ABBA
8 Rock the Boat--The Hues Corporation
9 Sideshow--Blue Magic
10 Radar Love--Golden Earring

Singles entering the chart were Free Man in Paris by Joni Mitchell (#78); Jimmy Mack by Charity Brown (#84); Good Day by Lighthouse (#86); Sugar Baby Love by the Rubettes (#89); Moonlight Special by Ray Stevens (#94); Long Long Way by Ian Thomas (#96); Eyes of Silver by the Doobie Brothers (#97); Rings by Lobo (#98); Happiness is Just Around the Bend by the Main Ingredient (#99); and Nothing from Nothing by Billy Preston (#100).

#1 single in Calgary: The Night Chicago Died--Paper Lace (2nd week at #1)

Crime
Inmates Fred Gomez Carrasco and Rudolpho Dominguez and 2 of their 12 hostages were killed in a shootout during an escape attempt at the Texas state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. Messrs. Carrasco and Dominguez and another inmate had held fellow employees and other prisoners hostage in the penitentiary library for 11 days in an attempt to bargain for their freedom.

Business
The Alberta government of Premier Peter Lougheed acquired control of Pacific Western Airlines.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): One Love/People Get Ready--Bob Marley (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): High Energy--Evelyn Thomas

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Self Control--Laura Branigan

Diplomacy
The United States announced that it was lifting some of the sanctions it had imposed against Poland after that country imposed martial law in 1981. Priority went to removing a ban on U.S. landing rights for the Polish airline, and an end to U.S. opposition to Polish membership in the International Monetary Fund.

Economics and finance
The week concluded with a record trading on the New York Stock Exchange of 236.57 million shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 36.0 points to 1,202.08. The Dow’s gain for the week, 87.46 points, set another record.

Labour
The United States Labor Department reported a rise in the jobless figure for July to 7.4%, the first increase in that figure since the 1982 recession.

Olympics
Mary Lou Retton became the first American gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal when she won the women’s vault competition at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (4-1) 22 @ Edmonton (2-3) 21

The Blue Bombers trailed 21-12 after three quarters, but Willard Reaves scored a touchdown, converted by Trevor Kennerd, and then Mr. Kennerd kicked a 26-yard field goal with just over 3 minutes left to provide the winning points. Quarterback Matt Dunigan’s attempts to rally the Eskimos in the final minutes were thwarted by 2 interceptions. Neil Lumsden rushed for an early Eskimo touchdown before Mr. Dunigan hit Brian Kelly with 2 touchdown passes in the third quarter. For Mr. Kelly, they were his 11th and 12th touchdowns of the season. This blogger had the privilege of taking photographs from the sidelines at Commonwealth Stadium during the game; one photo ended up winning a prize in a national contest, and another was published in a book.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Minä olen muistanut--Kim Lönnholm (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Too Much--Bros (2nd week at #1)

Medicine
In Ottawa, Dr. Wilbert Keon led the team that implanted the heart from an 18-month-old donor into an 11-day-old Ontario boy in Canada's first infant heart transplant operation.

Football
CFL
Toronto (2-2) 21 @ Edmonton (3-1) 22

Tracy Ham threw touchdown passes to Craig Ellis and Tom Richards and ran for another TD himself as the Eskimos held on to edge the Argos at Commonwealth Stadium. Toropnto kicker Lance Chomyc missed a 42-yard field goal with about a minute remaining in the game, and it went for a single point.



Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds scored 14 runs in the first inning of an 18-2 win over the Houston Astros before 20,179 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. The Reds had 16 hits in the inning, and 7 players had 2 hits in the inning. Mariano Duncan and Luis Quinones each batted 3 times in the first inning to tie a major league record. Tom Browning went the distance for the win. Jim Clancy, who gave up 7 runs without recording an out, was the loser, while Bob Forsch allowed 10 runs on 18 hits in 7 innings.



With 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 12th inning Rafael Belliard singled, stole second base, and scored on a single by pinch hitter Benny Distefano to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 1-0 win over the Montreal Expos before 12,292 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.

Tom Gordon pitched a 3-hitter for the Kansas City Royals as they shut out the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 before 48,731 fans at SkyDome in Toronto.

Pinch hitter Tracy Jones singled home 2 runs to climax a 3-run 8th inning to break a 6-6 tie as the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 9-6 before 16,039 fans at Tiger Stadium.

20 years ago
1994

Died on this date
Hoyt Clines; Darryl Richley; James Holmes. U.S. criminals. The three men were executed in order, about an hour apart, by the state of Arkansas at a state prison in Varner for the 1981 murder of one man A fourth man had been convicted in the case, but his death sentence had been commuted to life in prison.

Diplomacy
Bosnian Serbs again rejected a peace plan put forward by the U.S.A. and European nations.

World events
90,000 refugees had returned to Rwanda from Zaire.

Law
Stephen Breyer was sworn in as the 108th member of the Supreme Court of the United States in a private ceremony at the Vermont home of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators had advanced 0.2% in June.

Football
CFL
Calgary (4-1) 30 @ Ottawa (2-3) 27

Mark McLoughlin's 21-yard field goal late in the game broke a 27-27 tie and gave the Stampeders their win over the Rough Riders before 17,163 fans at Frank Clair Stadium.



10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Henri Cartier-Bresson, 95. French photographer. Mr. Cartier-Bresson was regarded as the father of photojournalism, employing a style known as "the decisive moment." He died 19 days short of his 96th birthday.

Bob Murphy, 79. U.S. sportscaster. Mr. Murphy was best known as the radio voice of New York Mets games from 1962 through 2003. He received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.

Americana
The pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopened after being closed since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Society
Voters in Missouri voted in favour of an amendment to the state constitution barring same-sex marriage.

Terrorism
British authorities arrested senior al-Qaeda member Abu Issa al-Hindi, believed to have surveyed potential targets in New York in 2000 and 2001.

Defense
A defense newsmagazine reported that North Korea may be developing a sea-based missile system that could bring the U.S.A. within range of a nuclear strike by North Korea.

Business
Alberta's auditor general reported that the province's three largest meat packers had nearly tripled their profits after the U.S.A. had barred imports of Canadian beef because of a single case of BSE (Mad Cow Disease).

Labour
The Canadian branch of the United Food and Commercial Workers was certified to represent 180 workers in Jonquiere, Quebec, becoming the first union to gain a presence in a Wal-Mart store in North America.