September 28, 2014

170 years ago
1844

Born on this date
Robert Stout. Prime Minister of New Zealand, 1884-1887; Chief Justice of the N.Z. Supreme Court, 1899-1926. Sir Robert represented several different ridings in the N.Z. Parliament from 1875-1898, with a couple of breaks from politics to concentrate on his law practice. As an independent Prime Minister, he achieved civil service and educational reforms, but lost his seat and his government in the 1887 election. Sir Robert returned to Parliament in 1893 as a member of the Liberal Party, but became an independent politician again in 1896. He retired from politics in 1898 and was appointed Chief Justice the following year, advocating a policy of rehabilitation of criminals, rather than the policies of punishment favoured by his predecessors. Sir Robert died on July 19, 1930 at the age of 85 after an illness of about a year.

Europeana
Oscar I was crowned King of Sweden.

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
In the Union Association, Ed Cushman pitched a no-hitter as the Milwaukee Cream Citys (also known as the Grays) blanked the Washington Nationals 5-0 at Wright Street Grounds in Milwaukee. It was just the Milwaukee team’s second game in the UA after moving from the Northwestern League to replace the departed Wilmington Quicksteps. The day before, they had beaten the Nationals 3-0, allowing just one hit.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Jack Fournier. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Fournier was a first baseman with the Chicago White Sox (1912-1917); New York Yankees (1918); St. Louis Cardinals (1920-1922); Brooklyn Robins (1923-1926); and Boston Braves (1927), batting .313 with 136 home runs and 859 runs batted in in 1,530 games. He led the National League in home runs in 1924 with 27. Mr. Fournier died on September 5, 1973 at the age of 83.

Law
The first General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) defines the length of a metre as the distance between two lines on a standard bar of an alloy of platinum with ten percent iridium, measured at the melting point of ice.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Maria Franziska von Trapp. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. singer. Miss Trapp was one of the Trapp Family Singers, who inspired the musical play and film The Sound of Music. The family fled to the United States in 1938 after the Nazi annexation of Austria. Maria, the last surviving member of the Trapp children, died on February 18, 1914 at the age of 99.

Died on this date
Richard Warren Sears, 50. U.S. businessman. Mr. Sears founded the department store chain Sears, Roebuck and Company with his partner Alvah Curtis Roebuck in Chicago in 1893. Mr. Sears retired in 1908 and died of Bright's disease.

Football
SRFU
Moose Jaw (0-1) 5 @ Regina (1-0) 34

90 years ago
1924

Aviation
Two U.S. Army planes landed in Seattle after completing the first round-the-world-flight in 175 days.

80 years ago
1934

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 before just 6,500 fans at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis to move into a tie for first place in the National League with the idle New York Giants. Dizzy Dean, pitching on just 2 days’ rest, earned his 29th win of the season.

75 years ago
1939

Diplomacy
A German-Soviet agreement divided Poland between Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. as the siege of Warsaw ended.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 before 17,521 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati to clinch their first National League pennant in 20 years. Paul Derringer picked up his 25th win of the season and singled in the winning run in the 6th inning. Harry Craft added a home run in the 9th for the Reds.

The New York Giants swept a doubleheader from the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 and 8-3 in a game called after 8 innings because of darkness before 3,000 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia as the teams set a record for a doubleheader with 13 double plays.

70 years ago
1944

War
Canadian forces took the citadel at Calais, France. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the House of Commons that several months of fighting in 1945 would be needed to defeat the Germans. Soviet units captured more than 50 localities--including Lode--in their drive on the Latvian capital of Riga. Soviet Army troops liberated Klooga concentration camp in Klooga, Estonia. In two days of air attacks, Allied planes reportedly sank or damaged 12 Japanese ships and five barges in the Philippines, Macassar Strait, and the NEI.

Terrorism
The Jewish organization Irgun Zvai Leumi attacked several police stations in various parts of Palestine.

U.S. Communist Political Action Committee President Earl Browder endorsed Franklin D. Roosevelt for a fourth term as President of the United States because he claimed that Republican Party candidate Thomas Dewey would permit Europe to plunge itself into civil war after the defeat of the Axis.

Labour
The United States Labor Department reported a total of 485 strikes in August, the highest in five years for any one month.

60 years ago
1954

At the movies
The Human Jungle, directed by Joseph M. Newman, and starring Gary Merrill, Jan Sterling, and Regis Toomey, received its premiere screening in New Orleans.





50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Verde, Verde--Luis Aguilé

Died on this date
Harpo Marx, 75. U.S. comedian. Born Adolph Marx (he later changed his first name to Arthur), Mr. Marx, the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers, was given his nickname because he played the harp. He was known for never speaking during the Marx Brothers' performances, and for wearing a blod wig and an overcoat full of various props, such as a bicycle horn.

Space
The mission of the Soviet satellite Cosmos 26 ended, more than six months after launch.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (5-3-1) 43 @ Edmonton (2-8) 14

Art Baker scored 2 touchdowns and Bob Gaiters, Willie Bethea, Frank Cosentino, and Hal Patterson also scored TDs for the Tiger-Cats as they routed the Eskimos before 13,000 fans at Clarke Stadium. Hamilton held quarter leads of 14-1, 22-1, and 36-1, increasing their lead to 43-1 in the 4th quarter before Edmonton backup quarterback Bill Redell passed to Tommy-Joe Coffey for a touchdown and rushed for another TD himself.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Rock Your Baby--George McCrae (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rock Me Gently--Andy Kim

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Rock Me Gently--Andy Kim
2 I Honestly Love You--Olivia Newton-John
3 Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe--Barry White
4 Then Came You--Dionne Warwick and the Spinners
5 Nothing from Nothing--Billy Preston
6 I Shot the Sheriff--Eric Clapton
7 Earache My Eye (Featuring Alice Bowie)--Cheech & Chong
8 Hang on in There Baby--Johnny Bristol
9 Beach Baby--First Class
10 You Haven't Done Nothin'--Stevie Wonder

Singles entering the chart were Whatever Gets You Thru the Night by John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band (#75); Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy) by Al Green (#79); My Country by Jud Strunk (#88); Let's Straighten it Out by Latimore (#89); When Will I See You Again by the Three Degrees (#90); I Can Help by Billy Swan (#94); Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan (#99); and Devotion by Earth, Wind & Fire (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Another Saturday Night--Cat Stevens
2 I Shot the Sheriff--Eric Clapton
3 Hang on in There Baby--Johnny Bristol
4 I'm Leaving it (All) Up to You--Donny and Marie Osmond
5 Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe--Barry White
6 Clap for the Wolfman--The Guess Who
7 I Honestly Love You--Olivia Newton-John
8 Beach Baby--First Class
9 Rock Me Gently--Andy Kim
10 Then Came You--Dionne Warwick and the Spinners

Singles entering the chart were Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues) by Three Dog Night (#65); Back Home Again by John Denver (#66); Just One Look by Anne Murray (#75); After the Goldrush by Prelude (#76); Distant Lover by Marvin Gaye (#79); Live it Up (Part 1) by the Isley Brothers (#86); The Black-Eyed Boys by Paper Lace (#87); You Can't Go Halfway by Johnny Nash (#91); So You are a Star by the Hudson Brothers (#93); Just My Way by Diamondback (#94); Love Don't Love Nobody (Part 1) by the Spinners (#95); Give Me a Reason to Be Gone by Maureen McGovern (#96); Honey Honey by Sweet Dreams (#98); Long Long Way by Ian Thomas (#99); and Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) by Raspberries (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 I Honestly Love You--Olivia Newton-John (4th week at #1)
2 Beach Baby--First Class
3 I Shot the Sheriff--Eric Clapton
4 Another Saturday Night--Cat Stevens
5 Tell Me Something Good--Rufus
6 It's Only Rock and Roll (But I Like It)--Rolling Stones
7 Eyes of Silver--The Doobie Brothers
8 Forever and Ever--Keith Hampshire
9 Sideshow--Blue Magic
10 Sweet Home Alabama--Lynyrd Skynyrd
Pick hit of the week: Jazzman--Carole King

Diplomacy
U.S. Senators Jacob Javits (Democrat--New York) and Claiborne Pell (Democrat--Rhode Island), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who had flown to Cuba the previous day against the wishes of the U.S. State Department, met with Cuban Foreign Minister Raul Roa and President Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado to discuss the possibility of renewing U.S.-Cuban relations, broken since 1961. After meeting for three hours with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, the senators said that they believed that Mr. Castro was "interested--that is our impression--in working toward better relations with the United States, a normalization of relations.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Gerald Ford ended a two-day national conference on inflation by saying that he would move quickly to present "a coherent and consistent" policy to fight "stagflation," the joint threat of inflation and economic recession. He also announced the creation of an Economic Policy Board to consolidate and coordinate the administration's economic efforts. Treasury Secretary William Simon was named to chair the board. Mr. Ford also established a White House Labor-Management Committee and named Princeton University economics professor Albert Rees to head his newly-established Council on Wage and Price Stability.

Football
CFL
Montreal (7-4) 15 @ Winnipeg (5-5) 24

Jim Washington rushed for 149 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown, in his first CFL game and Paul Williams returned a kickoff 109 yards for a touchdown, to help the Blue Bombers defeat the Alouettes before 23,126 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Brian Jack scored the other Winnipeg touchdown on a 1-yard pass from Chuck Ealey. Montreal quarterback Jimmy Jones rushed 7 yards for a touchdown and passed 15 yards to Peter Dalla Riva for another TD, but completed only 9 of 21 passes and threw 2 interceptions. Montreal fullback Steve Ferrughelli rushed for 117 yards, while teammate Johnny Rodgers rushed for 81 yards and added 92 yards receiving. Montreal kicker Don Sweet (2) and Winnipeg kicker Walt McKee (1) combined to miss the game's first 3 converts.

Baseball
Nolan Ryan pitched his third career major league no-hitter as the California Angels blanked the Minnesota Twins 4-0 before 10,872 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

Billy Williams hit his 16th home run of the season and his 392nd and last with the Chicago Cubs as the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3 before 13,867 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago in the NBC Game of the Week. Mr. Williams, who had been with the Cubs since 1960, joined the Oakland Athletics in 1975. St. Louis infielder Ron Hunt flied out to right field as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning, and it proved to be the last appearance of his 12-year major league career.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Two Tribes--Frankie Goes to Hollywood (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder (3rd week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. President Ronald Reagan met with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko in New York. The meeting was described in diplomatic language ass "forceful and direct." Mr. Reagan reportedly called for more top-level meetings between American and Soviet leaders, but no known progress was made on issues dividing the superpowers.

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan telephoned ex-President Jimmy Carter to say that he had not meant to suggest that Mr. Carter or his administration was responsible for the bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut on September 20. Mr. Reagan had blamed the bombing as being in part the result of "the near destruction of our intelligence capability" in the years preceding his administration.

Labour
A high court judge in Britain ruled that the nationwide miners’ strike was illegal because a ballot was never held.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (9-3) 34 @ Edmonton (6-6) 32

Lui Passaglia kicked a 54-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining in the game to put the Lions ahead 34-31, and Dave Cutler missed a field goal attempt on the last play that would have given the Eskimos a tie in front of 47,015 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Mr. Passaglia’s winning field goal came less than a minute and a half after the Eskimos had tied the game on a converted touchdown by Neil Lumsden. B.C. quarterback Roy Dewalt passed for 479 yards and 4 touchdowns: 2 to Ned Armour, and one each to John Pankratz, and Ron Robinson. Mr. Robinson, whose scoring play covered 75 yards, led with 8 catches for 175 yards. Edmonton quarterback Matt Dunigan completed 23 of 39 passes for 399 yards. The Lions were leading 24-9 midway through the third quarter when Edmonton quarterback Mr. Dunigan completed a short pass to Chris Woods, who turned it into an 81-yard touchdown. Mr. Dunigan ran for a 2-point convert on a terrific effort. A few plays later Mr. Dewalt fumbled when hit by Eskimo linebacker Danny Bass, and fellow Eskimo Tony Anglin recovered at the B.C. 14-yard line. Mr. Dunigan promptly ran for a touchdown, converted by Mr. Cutler, to tie the game 24-24. Mr. Pankratz’s touchdown on the last play of the third quarter restored the Lions’ lead.

Baseball
The Kansas City Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-5 before 11,395 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum to clinch the American League West Division pennant, becoming the first pennant-winner to score fewer runs than their opponents over the course of the season.

The St. Louis Cardinals scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 before 31,021 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Joaquin Andujar gave up just 2 hits in 9 innings, and improved his record for the season to 20-14. Bruce Sutter came on in the 10th and tied a major league record with his 45th save of the season.

The Cleveland Indians, trailing 10-0 after 2 1/2 innings, scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning, 7 in the 6th, and 1 each in the 8th and 9th innings to defeat the Minnesota Twins 11-10 before 6,106 fans at Cleveland Stadium.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Ehtaa tavaraa (80-luvun tykki)--Bat & Ryyd (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Ride on Time--Martha Wash

Died on this date
Ferdinand Marcos, 72. President of the Philippines, 1965-1986. Mr. Marcos served in the Philippines’ House of Representatives from 1949-1959, and in the Senate from 1959-1965. He switched from the Liberal to the Nationalist party in 1965, and was elected president. He was re-elected in 1969 after initiating military strikes against Communist insurgents and Muslim rebels. Mr. Marcos declared martial law in 1972 and assumed virtually dictatorial powers in 1973 with a new constitution. After the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino in 1983 and a re-election win over Mr. Aquino’s widow Corazon in 1986 that was believed to be the result of fraud, protests drove Mr. Marcos into exile. He died in Honolulu while he and his wife Imelda were facing charges of embezzlement in the United States.

Politics and government
With U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev present in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Communist Party replaced the party boss who had been trying to cope with the rising nationalist sentiment there.

Disasters
The United States Congress approved $1.1 billion in emergency aid for areas affected by Hurricane Hugo, but many complained that the government was slow to respond effectively to the destruction.

20 years ago
1994

On television tonight
Baseball, on PBS
Tonight's episode: Ninth Inning: Home

Died on this date
Harry Saltzman, 78. Canadian-born film producer. Mr. Saltzman, a native of Sherbrooke, Quebec, was best known for his partnership with Albert R. Broccoli, producing the James Bond and Harry Palmer movies from the early 1960s through the mid-'70s. Mr. Saltzman suffered serious financial problems in the 1970s and after; he died of a heart attack while visiting Paris on September 28, 1994, 29 days before his 79th birthday.

K. A. Thangavelu, 77. Indian actor. Mr. Thangavelu was a comic actor who was popular in Tamil films in the 1950s and '60s.

José Francisco Ruiz Massieu, 48. Mexican politician. Mr. Ruiz Massieu a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and brother-in-law of President Carlos Salinas, was Governor of Guerrero from 1987-1993. He became Secretary-General of the PRI on May 13, 1994, and was due to become PRI leader in the Chamber of Deputies when he was assassinated by Daniel Aguilar Treviño, 28, who fatally shot Mr. Ruiz Massieu outside the Hotel Casa Blanca in downtown Mexico City. Two days later, PRI deputy Fernando Rodríguez González was arrested, and confessed that he had hired Mr. Aguilar. Five months later, Mr. Salinas' brother Raúl was arrested as the alleged mastermind of the assassination; he was convicted in 1999, but the conviction was overturned on appeal in 2005.

Diplomacy
Russian President Boris Yeltsin and U.S. President Bill Clinton concluded two days of talks in Washington. They agreed to speed up implementation of the Second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

Politics and government
The Haitian parliament convened, with supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide divided over the issue of granting amnesty to his opponents. 15,679 American military personnel were now deployed in Haiti.

Disasters
852 people--most of them Swedish passengers--were killed when the ferry MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea while sailing from Estonia to Sweden.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Kyle MacDonnell, 82. U.S. singer and actress. Miss MacDonnell was the biggest female star in the early years of American television, starring in the variety series For Your Pleasure (1948; 1949) and Girl About Town (1948-1949) and appearing as a panelist on several game shows. Opportunities for her in television gradually declined, and she retired from show business in the mid-1950s, with the exception of a brief comeback in 1959.

Oil
The price of crude oil in the United States hit $50 per barrel for the first time in history, amid fears of disruptions to shipments around the world.