September 5, 2014

240 years ago
1774

Politics and government
The first Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.

175 years ago
1839

War
The United Kingdom declared war on the Qing Dynasty of China.

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
Jimmy Williams resigned as manager of the St. Louis Browns of the American Association to become clerk of the Ohio Republican State Committee. The Browns were fifth in the AA at the time, with a record of 51-33. First baseman Charlie Comiskey replaced Mr. Williams as manager.

100 years ago
1914

War
French forces attacked and defeated German forces who were advancing on Paris as the First Battle of the Marne began northeast of Paris.

Economics and finance
A Canadian government proclamation prohibited the Canadian Royal Mint from issuing gold coins or bars.

Baseball
Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run, driving in 3 runs, while also pitching a 1-hit shutout as his Providence Grays blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 9-0 in an International League game at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island.

75 years ago
1939

War
The United States proclaimed its neutrality in World War II.

70 years ago
1944

War
The U.S.S.R. notified Belgium at 7 P.M. that a state of war existed between the countries because Bulgaria had failed to sever relations with Germany.

Economics and finance
Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg united to form the customs union Benelux.

The U.S. War Production Board released plans for shifting production from war to civilian output upon the defeat of Germany in World War II.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the U.S. Army to seize and operate two plants of the Cleveland Graphite Bronze Company that had been closed by strikes.

Disasters
An earthquake was felt through the eastern seaboard of the United States and caused minor damage in the U.S. but caused about $1 million in damage in Cornwall, Ontario.

60 years ago
1954

Exploration
An icebreaker completed the first passage of McClure Strait, Northwest Territories, part of the Northwest Passage.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Should Have Known Better/If I Fell--The Beatles

#1 single in France: Ce Monde--Richard Anthony (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): In ginocchio da te--Gianni Morandi (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Liebeskummer lohnt sich nicht--Siw Malmkvist (10th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Have I the Right?--The Honeycombs (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The House of the Rising Sun--The Animals

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The House of the Rising Sun--The Animals
2 Where Did Our Love Go--The Supremes
3 Everybody Loves Somebody--Dean Martin
4 A Hard Day's Night--The Beatles
5 Under the Boardwalk--The Drifters
6 C'mon and Swim--Bobby Freeman
7 Because--The Dave Clark Five
8 Bread and Butter--The Newbeats
9 Walk--Don't Run '64--The Ventures
10 How Do You Do It--Gerry and the Pacemakers

Singles entering the chart were Matchbox (#68)/Slow Down (#75) by the Beatles; Do Wah Diddy Diddy by Manfred Mann (#77); Tobacco Road by the Nashville Teens (#87); Ain't That Loving You Baby by Betty Everett & Jerry Butler (#91); You Must Believe Me by the Impressions (#93); La La La La La by the Blendells (#94); Candy to Me by Eddie Holland (#95); If by Timi Yuro (#98); Society Girl by the Rag Dolls (#99); and Lover's Prayer by the Wallace Brothers (#100).

Space
The U.S.A. launched Orbiting Geophysical Observatory (OGO)-1, the first of six satellites designed to study Earth's magnetosphere. OGO-1 contained 20 experiments to measure fields, particles, and radiation in space.

Journalism
The Vancouver Times, a third daily newspaper in Vancouver, British Columbia to compete with the Sun and the Province, published its first edition.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Abbeyshrule--Brendan Shine (3rd week at #1)

Weather
Although it didn't amount to much, Yellowknife received its first snow of the fall of 1974.

Football
WFL
Philadelphia (4-6) 30 @ Jacksonville (4-6) 34

Baseball
Gorman Thomas's first home run of the season, a 2-run blow off Diego Segui with 1 out in the top of the 9th inning, broke a 2-2 tie and provided the winning margin as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Boston Red Sox 4-3 before 14,581 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox scored a run in the bottom of the 9th and had runners on first and third bases with 2 out, but Rico Petrocelli flied out to Mr. Thomas in right field to end the game. Boston's Fred Lynn made his major league debut, entering the game in the bottom of the 6th inning as a pinch runner for designated hitter Cecil Cooper after Mr. Cooper had doubled in the first 2 Boston runs and gone to third base on an error on the same play. Mr. Lynn was thrown out at home plate on a fielder's choice, and popped out to second baseman Pedro Garcia to end the Red Sox' 8th inning. Billy Champion pitched 8+ innings and was credited with the win to improve his record for the season to 10-3; Tom Murphy relieved him in the 9th to pick up his 18th save.

American Association
Indianapolis 3 @ Tulsa 0 (Tulsa led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Sonny Ruberto's 3-run home run off Ken Reynolds in the 2nd inning provided all the scoring, and Pat Zachry pitched 8+ innings for the victory as the Indians blanked the Oilers before 1,930 fans. Bruce Taylor relieved Mr. Zachry after Ed Kurpiel and Leon Lee singled, and retired 3 consecutive batters to preserve the shutout.

Eastern League
Semi-Finals
Pittsfield 3 @ Quebec City 2 (Pittsfield won best-of-three series 2-0)
Bristol 6 @ Thetford Mines 10 (Thetford Mines won best-of-three series 2-0)

Doug Ault reached first base on an error and Chip Maxwell followed with a 2-run home run in the 4th inning to provide the winning margin as the Rangers completed their sweep of the Carnivals before 2,339 fans.

The Pirates trailed 5-1 after 1 1/2 innings, but scored 5 in the bottom of the 2nd inning and went to defeat the Red Sox to complete the sweep of the series.

Texas League
Playoffs
El Paso 1 @ Victoria 4 (Victoria led best-of-five series 2-0)

The Toros scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning and held off a 9th-inning rally to defeat the Diablos before 823 fans. Winning pitcher Dwight Bernard gave up just 4 hits, but left with the bases loaded in the 9th. Nardi Contreras got the save, although El Paso scored a run on a force out. Frank Panick pitched 7 1/3 innings in taking the loss.

30 years ago
1984

Died on this date
Jane Roberts, 55. U.S. psychic and author. Miss Roberts was known for channeling a demon named Seth, resulting in Miss Roberts producing numerous books, ostensibly through automatic writing. She died after several years of poor health, but her influence upon New Age believers and practitioners remained.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery and its six-person crew landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California to conclude its maiden voyage, the five-day mission STS-41-D.

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan said that the federal deficits that Walter Mondale, his Democratic presidential opponent, deplored, were being reduced "right now" because of enhanced revenues produced by the economic recovery.

Law
Western Australia became the last Australian state to abolish capital punishment.

25 years ago
1989

Diplomacy
The United States closed its embassy in Beirut as 1,000 people blockaded the embassy compound and demanded that the U.S. recognize the government of General Michel Aoun, leader of the Christian regime in Lebanon.

Society
U.S. President George Bush delivered a televised address in which he announced a broad plan to combat drug use and trafficking. The plan called for outlays of $7.9 billion in the 1990 fiscal year, but only $716 million of this represented new spending. The money would be spent on law enforcement, treatment of addicts, education and prevention, and assistance to other countries trying to stop internal drug production. Many Democrats criticized the plan as neither bold enough nor sufficiently well-financed.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (0-9) 32 @ British Columbia (4-5) 49

Matt Dunigan completed 26 of 37 passes for 413 yards and 4 touchdowns to lead the Lions. He also rushed 8 times for 38 yards and a touchdown. Ottawa starting quarterback Tony Kimbrough completed just 2 of 11 passes, and was replaced by Damon Allen, who completed 22 of 37 for 333 yards and 3 touchdowns. 31,069 were in attendance at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): I Swear--All-4-One (7th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Stay (I Missed You)--Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
2 Can You Feel the Love Tonight--Elton John
3 Prayer for the Dying--Seal
4 Love is Strong--Rolling Stones
5 Black Hole Sun--Soundgarden
6 You Better Wait--Steve Perry
7 Sun's Gonna Rise--Sass Jordan
8 The Way She Loves Me--Richard Marx
9 Could I Be Your Girl--Jann Arden
10 All I Wanna Do--Sheryl Crow

Singles entering the chart were When Can I See You by Babyface (#75); Tore Down by Eric Clapton (#79); Living in Danger by Ace of Base (#84); Betcha by Golly Wow by Aaron Neville (#86); Whipped by Jon Secada (#89); Dreamer's Road by Freddy Curci (#93); and Allison Road by Gin Blossoms (#94).

Died on this date
Ike Williams, 71. U.S. boxer. Mr. Williams compiled a record of 126-24-4 in a professional career from 1940-1955, and was National Boxing Association world lightweight champion from 1945-1951. He claimed to have been blackballed from boxing for wanting to manage himself, and testified before the United States Congress in 1961 regarding the more unsavoury aspects of boxing, including the influence of organized crime and offers of bribes to throw fights.

John Newman, 47. Austrian-born Australian politician. Mr. Newman, born Johann Grauenig, moved to Australia with his family at the age of 4. A member of the Labour Party, represented Cabramatta in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1986 until he was shot to death outside his home in what has been described as Australia's first political assassination. Local nightclub owner and political opponent Phuong Ngo was convicted of Mr. Newman's murder in 2001.

Football
CFL
Toronto (4-5) 31 @ Hamilton (2-7) 19
Edmonton (6-3) 15 @ Calgary (8-1) 48

Mike Kerrigan threw touchdown passes to Tommy Kane, Mike "Pinball" Clemons, and Paul Masotti, and Wayne Lammle added 3 field goals as the Argonauts defeated the Tiger-Cats before 20,687 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. The only Hamilton touchdown came on a 32-yard pass from Timm Rosenbach to Kelvin Means with 4:43 left in the game. Paul Osbaldiston kicked 3 field goals for the Tiger-Cats.

Doug Flutie threw touchdown passes to Allen Pitts and Travis Moore and rushed for a touchdown of his own as the Stampeders routed the Eskimos before 37,317 fans at McMahon Stadium. Tony Stewart rushed for 2 Calgary touchdowns and backup quarterback Steve Taylor also rushed for a Calgary TD. The only Edmonton touchdown came on a 19-yard pass from backup quarterback Rickey Foggie to Eddie Brown in the last minute of play.



NFL
Los Angeles Raiders (0-1) 14 @ San Francisco (1-0) 44

Jerry Rice caught 3 touchdown passes as the 49ers routed the Raiders at Candlestick Park. His last touchdown, on a pass from Steve Young late in the 4th quarter, was the 127th of Rice's career, breaking Jim Brown's NFL record (see video).

10 years ago
2004

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (4-7) 17 @ Saskatchewan (4-7) 4

CIS
Concordia (0-1) 5 @ Laval (1-0) 17