August 7, 2014

300 years ago
1714

War
The Imperial Russian Navy scored its first major victory by defeating Swedish forces in the Battle of Gangut near the Hanko Peninsula in southern Finland.

225 years ago
1789

Politics and government
The United States Congress established the U.S. War Department.

220 years ago
1794

Protest
U.S. President George Washington invoked the Militia Acts of 1792 to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania.

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
The Philadelphia Keystones of the Union Association folded, with a record of 21-46. They were unable to compete with the Phillies of the National League and the Athletics of the American Association.

125 years ago
1889

Baseball
The Cleveland Spiders scored 14 runs in the 3rd inning en route to a 20-6 rout of the Washington Statesmen at National League Park in Cleveland. Mike Sullivan went the distance on the mound for Washington.

80 years ago
1934

Baseball
Dizzy Dean became the first pitcher in 1934 to win 20 games as he pitched the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of a doubleheader at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The Reds won the second game 9-2.

70 years ago
1944

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Lighthouse, the Frightened Politician, and the Trained Cormorant

War
Soviet troops had reportedly completed the seizure of 2,000 oil wells in Polish Galicia. One-third of the remaining Japanese-held territory in Guam was taken by American forces.

Diplomacy
Acting U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius said that preliminary Allied postwar talks had been postponed until August 31 at the request of the U.S.S.R.

The governments of Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela said that they would not recognize the government of Argentina because it was not cooperating with hemispheric solidarity.

Society
The novel The History of Rome Hanks and Kindred Matters by Lieutenant Joseph Stanley Pennell was banned in Boston because "it is more improper" than Strange Fruit by Lillian Smith.

Health
The U.S. Public Health Service said that gonorrhea could be cured in 7 1/2 hours with penicillin.

Business
The United States Justice Department filed a suit ordering motion picture producers to end theatre ownership in order to restore competition in communities where they now had monopolies.

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Happy Wanderer--Frank Weir and his Orchestra; Obernkirchen Children's Choir (2nd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sh-Boom--The Crew-Cuts (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen (Jukebox--6th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sh-Boom--The Crew-Cuts
--The Chords
2 Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen
3 The Little Shoemaker--The Gaylords
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
4 Three Coins in the Fountain--The Four Aces
5 Hernando's Hideaway--Archie Bleyer
6 The Happy Wanderer--Frank Weir and his Orchestra
7 The High and the Mighty--Les Baxter and his Orchestra
--LeRoy Holmes and his Orchestra
--Victor Young and his Orchestra
--Johnny Desmond
8 Hey There--Rosemary Clooney
9 In the Chapel in the Moonlight--Kitty Kallen
10 Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight--The McGuire Sisters
--Sunny Gale

Singles entering the chart were I Cried (#20)/What a Dream (#41) by Patti Page; Look Sharp--Be Sharp by the Boston Pops Orchestra (#27); Dream by the Four Aces (#31); Honey Love by Bunny Paul (#33); Shake, Rattle and Roll by Bill Haley and his Comets (#36); Hold My Hand by Don Cornell (#40); Happy Days and Lonely Nights by the Fontane Sisters (#43); That's What I Like by Dean Martin (#44); and No One But You by Charlie Applewhite (#46).

Track and field
In a race billed as the "Miracle Mile," featuring the only two men who had broken the four-minute mile barrier, Roger Bannister of the United Kingdom defeated John Landy of Australia in a time of 3 minutes 58.8 seconds at the British Empire Games at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. The key moment of the race took place when Mr. Landy, who was leading, looked over his shoulder, only to be passed by Mr. Bannister.



Football
WIFU
Edmonton Eskimos intrasquad game
Green 8 White 6

Jackie Parker, one of many players making his first appearance in an Edmonton uniform, scored the Green touchdown, with Rollie Miles scoring the White TD.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles (4th week at #1)
2 Lucky Star--Rick Nelson
3 As Long as I'm Sure of You--Bobby Curtola
4 Such a Night--Elvis Presley
5 Thank You Girl--The Beatles
6 C'mon Everybody--Elvis Presley
7 Memphis--Johnny Rivers
8 Everybody Loves Somebody--Dean Martin
9 Ain't She Sweet--The Beatles
10 I Should Have Known Better--The Beatles
Pick hit of the week: And I Love Her--The Beatles
New this week: It Hurts to Be in Love--Gene Pitney
Follow the Rainbow--Terry Stafford
Mabelline--Johnny Rivers
Always Together--Al Martino
Never Ending--Elvis Presley
Sam Hill--Claude King

Never Ending was the B-side of Such a Night.

War
The U.S. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Lyndon Johnson broad war powers to deal with North Vietnamese attacks on American forces. The only opposing votes came from Senators Ernest Gruening (Democrat--Alaska) and Wayne Morse (Democrat--Oregon).

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (0-1-1) 29 @ Saskatchewan (2-0) 37
Calgary (1-1) 52 @ Edmonton (0-1) 15

Ron Lancaster completed 17 of 22 passes for 326 yards, including 3 touchdowns to Hugh Campbell, as the Roughriders defeated the Blue Bombers before 16,387 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Winnipeg halfback and kicker George Fleming set a CFL record with a 55-yard field goal in the 2nd quarter. The previous record of 48 yards had been held by Don Sutherin of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Mr. Fleming also held the American Football League record with a 54-yard field goal while he was a member of the Oakland Raiders in 1961.

A Clarke Stadium record crowd of 19,689 saw the Stampeders destroy the Eskimos in the first regular season game for Neill Armstrong as Edmonton's head coach. The Stampeders rolled up 509 yards of offense--228 rushing, 281 passing--as Eagle Day threw 3 touchdown passes and Lovell Coleman scored 3 TDs. Among the few highlights for the home team were 2 touchdowns for Jim Thomas, one of them coming on a 79-yard pass from backup quarterback Gary Hertzfeldt, who was playing his first CFL game.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Sugar Baby Love--The Rubettes (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Sylvio Mantha, 72. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Mantha was a defenseman with the Montreal Canadiens from 1923-1936, playing on Stanley Cup championship teams in 1923-24, 1929-30, and 1930-31. He was the team's head coach in 1935-36, but was fired after a poor season, and joined the Boston Bruins as a player, retiring after just 4 games of the 1936-37 season. Mr. Mantha was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960.

Bill Garrett, 45. U.S. basketball player. Mr. Garrett played with the Indiana University Hoosiers, graduating in 1951, becoming the first Negro star in the Big Ten conference. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics, but spent two years in the U.S. Army. When Mr. Garrett returned to civilian life, he discovered he'd been released by the Celtics, and spent two years with the Harlem Globetrotters before pursuing a teaching and coaching career. He died of a heart attack.

Adventure
French stuntman Philippe Petit walked a tightrope strung between the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center at a height of 1,368 feet.

Politics and government
U.S. President Richard Nixon met with his cabinet and told them that he would not resign, but would remain in office until the attempt to impeach him ran its course. The House of Representatives Judiciary Committee had recently concluded hearings on three articles of impeachment, and Mr. Nixon was likely to be impeached on Article I (Obstruction of Justice). Three Republican Party leaders--Senators Hugh Scott (Pennsylvania) and Barry Goldwater (Arizona) and House Minority Leader John Rhodes (Arizona) met with Mr. Nixon for 30 minutes. Sen. Goldwater told President Nixon that he had no more than 15 of the 34 votes necessary to avoid conviction in the Senate.

Football
CFL
Montreal (3-0) 42 @ Toronto (1-2) 25

Johnny Rodgers caught 2 touchdown passes from Jimmy Jones and rushed for another TD as the Alouettes defeated the Argonauts before 33,485 fans at CNE Stadium. Brian Baima scored his only CFL touchdown, catching a 70-yard pass from Mr. Jones on the last play of the 1st quarter. Montreal linebacker Chuck Zapiec scored his first CFL touchdown in the 4th quarter when he intercepted a pass from backup Toronto quarterback Jim Lindsey and returned it 40 yards. The Argonauts scored 23 of their points in the 2nd quarter, with tight end Peter Muller catching 3 touchdown passes from quarterback Mike Rae. Montreal fullback Steve Ferrughelli led all rushers with 129 yards on 22 carries. Toronto defensive end Ed Harrington played his first game since a persistent calcium deposit in his thigh had forced him out of the lineup during the 1971 season and into premature retirement.

WFL
Memphis (3-2) 15 @ Philadelphia (3-2) 46
Detroit (0-5) 22 @ Birmingham (5-0) 28
Florida (4-1) 46 @ Chicago (4-1) 21
Houston (2-2-1) 15 @ Portland (0-4-1) 15
New York (3-2) 11 @ Southern California (2-3) 8

Baseball
Larry Biittner hit 2 singles and scored 2 runs in his first game in a Montreal uniform as the Expos defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 before 19,023 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal on the regular Wednesday night Expos Baseball telecast on CBC. The Cardinals trailed 7-2 after 8 innings but rallied for 3 runs in the 9th against Steve Renko, who pitched a complete game despite giving up 10 hits and 4 earned runs.

The Detroit Tigers asked waivers on first baseman Norm Cash for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. Mr. Cash, who was in his 17th season in the major leagues and his 15th with the Tigers, was batting .228 with 7 home runs and 12 runs batted in in 53 games in 1974. In 2,089 career games, Mr. Cash batted .271 with 377 home runs and 1,103 runs batted in. He led the American League in 1961 with a .361 batting percentage. The Tigers also traded outfielder Jim Northrup to the Montreal Expos for a player to be named later. Mr. Northrup, who was in his 11th season with the Tigers, was batting .237 with 11 home runs and 42 runs batted in in 97 games with Detroit in 1974. He initially balked at reporting to Montreal, but changed his mind.

30 years ago
1984

Died on this date
Esther Phillips, 48. U.S. singer. Miss Phillips originally recorded as Little Esther Phillips, beginning in 1950, achieving several top 10 hits on the Billboard R&B chart in the early 1950s. Drug addiction derailed her career, but she came back with Release Me in late 1962, which hit #1 on the R&B chart and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Problems with drugs continued, but Miss Phillips reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 with What a Difference a Day Makes in the fall of 1975. Miss Phillips continued to perform into the 1980s, but years of drug abuse and drinking took their toll, and she died of liver and kidney failure.

Politics and government
The Washington (D.C.) Legal Foundation asked the House of Representatives Ethics Committee to investigate Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, the 1984 Democratic party vice-presidential candidate, for her allegedly improper failure to provide details of her husband’s finances as prescribed by the Ethics in Government Act. Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale suggested that President Ronald Reagan and Vice-President George Bush debate each other on the question of a tax increase.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): The Look--Roxette (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Look--Roxette (7th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Batdance--Prince
2 So Alive--Love and Rockets
3 Express Yourself--Madonna
4 Toy Soldiers--Martika
5 If You Don't Know Me by Now--Simply Red
6 On Our Own--Bobby Brown
7 Rock 'N' Roll Duty--Kim Mitchell
8 The End of the Innocence--Don Henley
9 Right Here Waiting--Richard Marx
10 Dressed for Success--Roxette

Singles entering the chart were Friends by Jody Watley (#69); Heaven by Warrant (#78); Keep on Movin' by Soul II Soul (#81); Forget Me Not by Bad English (#82); Something to Hold on To by Trevor Rabin (#86); Happy Birthday by Concrete Blonde (#89); and License to Kill by Gladys Knight (#91).

Music
Still Cruisin' , a new single by the Beach Boys, was released on Capitol Records. Written by Mike Love and Terry Melcher, it featured lead vocals by Mike Love, and was from the movie Lethal Weapon 2. Kokomo, the previous year's big hit, was the B-side.

Died on this date
Mickey Leland, 44. U.S. politician. Mr. Leland, a Democrat, represented Texas' 18th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 until his death. He and all 14 other people on board were killed when their plane crashed into a mountain while en route from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to a refugee camp. Mr. Leland, a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was in the midst of his sixth trip to the Ethiopia-Sudan region in his capacity as head of the House Select Committee on Hunger.

Politics and government
Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity trade union movement in Poland, proposed that Solidarity form a government in combination with the Peasants’ Party and the Democratic Party, minor parties that had been allies of the Communists for 40 years.

Diplomacy
East Germany warned of "serious consequences" as a result of West Germany’s refusal to expel refugees from East Germany who had fled to the West through Hungary. West Germany said that 44,263 East Germans had emigrated to West Germany in the first six months of 1989--most, but not all, with East Germany’s permission. By early August, several hundred East Germans had taken refuge in West German diplomatic facilities in East Berlin, Budapest, and Prague.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (0-5) 22 @ Saskatchewan (4-1) 58

Saskatchewan starting quarterback Tom Burgess completed 20 of 31 passes for 299 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Kent Austin added 8 completions in 13 attempts and 1 touchdown. Tim McCray rushed 15 times for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 7 passes for 82 yards to lead the Roughrider attack, while Ray Elgaard and Jeff Fairholm each had over 100 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. Saskatchewan amassed 616 yards net offense and 33 first downs.



20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Eins, zwei, polizei--Mo-Do (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I Swear--All-4-One (2nd week at #1)

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

Died on this date
Larry Martyn, 60. U.K. actor. Mr. Martyn was best known for playing Mr. Mash on the television comedy series Are You Being Served? from 1972-1975.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Red Adair, 89. U.S. firefighter. Mr. Adair became famous in the 1960s for extinguishing and capping oil well blowouts, and offered his services throughout the world.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (2-5) 27 @ Calgary (2-5) 49