August 6, 2014

170 years ago
1844

Born on this date
James Henry Greathead. S.A.-born U.K. engineer. Mr. Greathead moved to England in 1859. He was known for his work on the London Underground railways, Winchester Cathedral, and Liverpool overhead railway, as well as being one of the earliest proponents of the English Channel and Irish Sea tunnels. Mr. Greathead invented the Greathead Shield for tunnels, which helped to earn the London Underground its nickname as the "tube." Mr. Greathead died on October 21, 1896 at the age of 52.

Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. U.K. royal family member. Prince Alfred was the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was a Royal Navy officer, highly regarded as a commander-in-chief, and rising to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. Prince Alfred was offered the Greek crown upon the abdication of King Otto in 1862, but Queen Victoria opposed the idea, and the British government blocked the plans. Prince Alfred sailed around the world in 1867-1868, and spent five months in Australia, where he survived an assassination attempt, although he was wounded. He married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia in 1874; the marriage was reportedly unhappy, but resulted in six children. Prince Alfred was created Duke of Edinburgh in 1866, but took his later title in 1893 upon the death of his uncle Ernest II. Prince Alfred was an enthusiastic, if untalented, violinist, and played a prominent role in the establishment of the Royal College of Music. He died of throat cancer on July 30, 1900, a week before his 56th birthday.

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
Cap Anson hit 3 home runs, giving him 5 in 2 games, as the Chicago White Stockings beat the Cleveland Blues 13-4 in a National League game at Lakefront Park in Chicago.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
George Kenney. Canadian-born U.S. military officer. General Kenney, a native of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts. He served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and was commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) from 1942-1945. Gen. Kenney died on August 9, 1977, three days after his 88th birthday.

100 years ago
1914

Died on this date
Ellen Axson Wilson, 54. U.S. First Lady, 1913-1914. Ellen Axson and Woodrow Wilson were married in 1885 in Savannah, Georgia. She died of Bright's Disease at the White House, 17 months into her husband's first term as 28th President of the United States. The couple had three daughters.

War
Austria-Hungary declared war against Russia, and Serbia declared war against Germany at the outbreak of World War I. Two days after the United Kingdom had declared war on Germany over the German invasion of Belgium, 10 German U-boats left their base in Heligoland to attack Royal Navy warships in the North Sea.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Robert Borden banned export of food, coal, military and naval stores, except to Britain, Japan, France, Russia, and U.S. allies.

75 years ago
1939

Communications
Regular air mail service began between Canada and the United Kingdom.

70 years ago
1944

War
U.S. units in France swept east from Brittany toward Le Mans in the direction of Paris. British troops in Italy crossed the Arno River into the northern section of Florence and fought German troops in the streets. British forces captured the Japanese base of Tamu in western Burma.

Politics and government
Major Gualberto Villaroel was sworn in to begin a four-year term as President of Bolivia.

U.S. Representative Martin Dies (Democrat--Texas) asked U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle to prosecute leaders of the "Communist-dominated" Congress of Industrial Organizations Political Action Committee.

Technology
Harvard University disclosed that Commander Howard Aiken, in collaboration with International Business Machines, had developed an automatic calculator capable of solving any mathematical problem. The sequence-controlled calculator, commonly known as Harvard Mark I, was the largest and most completely automatic calculator in operation. Multiplication and division with 23 significant figures were possible, and mathematical tables were used in the form of punched tapes. It would be used by the United States Navy for the duration of World War II.

Labour
Transit service was restored in Philadelphia as most of the 6,000 workers returned to work, following orders by U.S. Army General Philip Hayes that the leaders of the unauthorized strike be arrested.

Religion
The Theological Institute of the Russian Orthodox Church was opened in the Novodevichy Monastery in Moscow for the first time since 1917.

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Cara Mia--David Whitfield with Mantovani and his Orchestra (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Edwin J. Becker, 38. U.S. criminal and author. Mr. Becker was a convicted forger who wrote and sold stories while in prison. His novel Coble Hill was published in 1947, republished in 1952 as Earth Woman. Mr. Becker committed suicide in his cell.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Chapel of Love--The Dixie Cups

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Cedric Hardwicke, 71. U.K. actor. Sir Cedric was a leading Shavian actor in Britain and the United States. His movies included Things to Come (1936); The Invisible Man Returns (1940); The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942); Nicholas Nickleby (1947); Rope (1948); and Richard III (1955). Sir Cedric's last performance was in the episode of the television series The Outer Limits titled The Forms of Things Unknown (1964), an alternate unreleased version of which was titled The Unknown.

Environment
Prometheus, a Great Basin bristlecone pine on Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada and, at an age of at least 4,862 years, the world's oldest tree, was cut down by graduate student Donald Currey.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Pot pour rire Mr le Président--Patrick Green & Olivier Lejeune (10th week at #1)

Died on this date
Gunboat Smith, 87. U.S. boxer. Edward "Gunboat" Smith fought many of the leading heavyweights of his time, compiling a professional record of 81-45-13 from 1909-1921. He held the "White" heavyweight championship of the world from January-July 1914, while Jack Johnson was the actual world heavyweight champion.

Scandal
The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously concluded that Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had not misled the committee about his role in the wiretapping of 17 govenment officials and newsmen from 1969-1971. In June, Mr. Kissinger had threatened to resign unless he were cleared of allegations that, during confirmation hearings on his nomination for Secretary of State, he had misrepresented his role. The State Department reported that Mr. Kissinger was "gratified" at the committee's decision, and no longer saw any reason for resignation.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (1-2) 25 @ Ottawa (1-2) 30

Jim Evenson rushed for 137 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown with 1:43 remaining in the game, as the defending Grey Cup champion Rough Riders held on to defeat the Tiger-Cats at Lansdowne Park. The teams each scored 2 touchdowns in the last 9:24 of the game.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Wake Me Up Before You Go Go--Wham! (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Lobo-Hombre en París--La Unión (9th week at #1)

Politics and government
After meeting with President Ronald Reagan, U.S. Vice President George Bush refused to rule out a tax increase for 1985. Former Vice President and current Democratic party presidential candidate Walter Mondale denounced the federal budget deficits as "obscene."

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers split a doubleheader before 31,055 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The Tigers won the opener 9-7, and the Red Sox won the second game 10-2. Aurelio Lopez improved his record to 8-0 when he won the first game in relief. Roger Clemens, helped by 2 home runs from Wade Boggs, picked up his 6th win of the season in the second game.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Batdance--Prince (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Batdance--Prince (2nd week at #1)

Baseball
Jeff King’s leadoff home run off Scott Sanderson in the 18th inning gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs before 24,716 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Mr. Sanderson had pitched 8 innings of shutout relief. The game took 5 hours and 49 minutes to play.

The Boston Red Sox came from behind to beat the Cleveland Indians 6-4 before 33,935 fans at Fenway Park in Boston on Carl Yastrzemski Day. Boston starting pitcher Roger Clemens gave up 3 runs in the first inning, and left after retiring just one batter.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: The Rhythm is Magic--Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Baby, I Love Your Way--Big Mountain (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Give Me Fire--Good Shape (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): I Like to Move It--Reel 2 Real & the Mad Stuntman (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Dreams (Will Come Alive)--2 Brothers on the 4th Floor (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (10th week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Be My Baby Tonight by John Michael Montgomery (#80); I'd Give Anything by Gerald Levert (#81); All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow (#84); Sweet Sensual Love by Big Mountain (#91); You by Bonnie Raitt (#94); No Guns, No Murder by Rayvon (#95); I'm the Only One by Melissa Etheridge (#96); and When I Give My Love by Keith Sweat (#98).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Any Time, Any Place/And On and On--Janet Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
3 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
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 If You Go--Jon Secada
10 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me’shell Ndegeocello

Singles entering the chart were Stroke You Up by Changing Faces (#79); Your Love is So Divine by Miranda (#83); You by Bonnie Raitt (#85); All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow (#86); Right Beside You by Sophie B. Hawkins (#88); Good Times by Edie Brickell (#89); and Love is Strong by the Rolling Stones (#90).

Died on this date
Domenico Modugno, 66. Italian entertainer. Mr. Modugno acted in more than 40 movies, but was best known for his recording of the song Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare), a major international hit in 1958. A member of the Radical Party, he sat in the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 1987-1990 and in the Senate from 1990-1992.

War
Bosnian Serbs returned the vehicles and the anti-aircraft gun that they had seized the previous day from a United Nations weapons depot near Sarajevo.

Football
CFL
Baltimore (3-2) 38 @ Las Vegas (2-3) 33

Tracy Ham threw for 2 touchdowns and rushed for another as the Baltimore Football Club held on to defeat the Posse at Sam Boyd Stadium. Len Williams threw 2 touchdown passes for Las Vegas. The Baltimore defense stopped the Las Vegas offense at the Baltimore 2-yard line in the final seconds of the game to preserve the victory.



10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Rick James, 56. U.S. musician. Mr. James, born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr., was one of Motown Corporation's most successful artists, writers, and producers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with a musical style known as "Punk Funk." His 1981 album Street Songs, featuring the hit single Super Freak, sold over three million copies. Drug use seriously impaired Mr. James' career and health, and he died of heart failure.

World events
An appeal court in Indonesia overturned the convictions of four soldiers and policemen accused of human rights abuses during the 1999 referendum on independence for East Timor. Indonesia had dismissed or overturned all charges against its officials for their actions in their former province.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported an increase of only 32,000 jobs in July, far fewer than predicted. The unemployment rate had dropped from 5.6% to 5.5%.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (4-4) 27 @ British Columbia (4-3) 47