September 8, 2014

1,620 years ago
394

Died on this date
Flavius Arbogastes aka Arbogast. Frankish military officer. Arbogast, the nephew of General Flavius Richomeres, had a successful career as a general in the Western Roman Empire, and achieved considerable political influence. In 392, he refused an order of dismissal from Emperor Valentinian II, and the two had a physical confrontation. Shortly thereafter, Valentinian II was found hanged in his quarters; Arbogast declared the death a suicide, and nominated Eugenius as Emperor. Eugenius was never recognized as Emperor by the Eastern Roman Empire, and was killed by the forces of Theodosius I in the Battle of the Frigidus on September 6, 394. Arbogast committed suicide two days later.

750 years ago
1264

Law
Duke of Greater Poland Boleslaus the Pious issued the Statute of Kalisz, granting Jews in Poland unprecedented legal rights in Europe.

510 years ago
1504

Art
Michelangelo's sculpture David was unveiled in Florence.

500 years ago
1514

War
In one of the biggest battles of the 16th century, Lithuanians and Poles defeated the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the Battle of Orsha in present-day Belarus.

350 years ago
1664

Americana
The Dutch Republic surrendered New Amsterdam to England.

150 years ago
1864

Born on this date
Leonard Hobhouse. U.K. sociologist. Professor Hobhouse was a leading early proponent of social liberalism through books such as Liberalism (1911) and the journal The Sociological Review, of which he was the founder and first editor. He supported a regulated free market economy and the expansion of civil liberties, and opposed imperialism. Prof. Hobhouse died on June 21, 1929 at the age of 64.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Robert Taft. U.S. politician. Mr. Taft, a Republican and eldest son of former U.S. President William Howard Taft, represented Ohio in the United States Senate from 1939-1953 and was Senate Majority Leader from January 3, 1953 until his death from cancer. He was known for advocating a foreign policy of non-interventionism and for the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which remains basic labour law in the U.S.A. Mr. Taft unsuccessfully campaigned for the Republican party U.S. presidential nomination in 1940, 1948, and 1952. He died on July 31, 1953 at the age of 63.

Baseball
Claiming they could not count on their personal safety‚ the St. Louis Browns of the American Association failed to show up for the scheduled Sunday game against the Brooklyn Bridegrooms at Ridgewood. The forfeit pushed the Browns 4½ games behind the Bridegrooms.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Willem Pijper. Dutch composer and critic. Mr. Pijper was regarded as one of the most important Dutch composers of the first half of the 20th century, writing three symphonies and numerous other chamber, piano, and choral works. He was a critic with the Utrechtsch Dagblad in the years following World War I, and his vitriolic criticism of Utrechtsch Stedelijk Orkest (Utrecht Municipal Orchestra) conductor Jan van Gilse led the latter to resign in 1922. Mr. Pijper died of cancer on March 18, 1947 at the age of 52.

John Samuel Bourque. Canadian politician. Mr. Bourque, a member of the Union Nationale, represented Sherbrooke in the Quebec Legislative Assembly from 1935-1960, and held various cabinet posts, including Minister of Finance (1958-1960). He died on March 5, 1974 at the age of 79.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Demetrios I. Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, 1972-1991. Demetrios I, born Demetrios Papadopoulos, was Metropolitan Bishop of Imvros before succeeding Athenagoras I as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Demetrios I helped further the ecumenical movement, meeting with two different Archbishops of Canterbury, and proclaiming the establishment of the official theological dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, then led by Pope John Paul. Pope John Paul received Patriarch Demetrios at the Vatican in 1987, and the two recited the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of the Church in Greek, in a ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica. Demetrios I died on October 2, 1991, 24 days after his 77th birthday, and was succeeded as Ecumenical Patriarch by Barholomew I.

Died on this date
Thomas Highgate, 19. U.K. soldier. Private Highgate became the first British soldier to be executed for desertion during World War I. He was executed by firing squad two days after being convicted of deserting his battalion during the First Battle of the Marne. Private Highgate was one of 306 such soldiers granted posthumous pardons in 2006.

Baseball
The Boston Braves, in eighth and last place two months earlier, defeated the New York Giants 8-3 before 17,000 fans at Fenway Park in Boston take the National League lead.

90 years ago
1924

At the movies The Red Lily, directed by Fred Niblo, and starring Ramon Novarro and Enid Bennett, opened in theatres.



80 years ago
1934

Disasters
A fire aboard the U.S. passenger liner SS Morro Castle, which was en route from Havana to New York, killed 137 people off the coast of New Jersey.

75 years ago
1939

Football
CRU
WIFU
Edmonton (1-2) 1 @ Calgary (1-2) 18

Baseball
20-year-old Bob Feller became the youngest pitcher in the 20th Century to win 20 games in a season as he pitched the Cleveland Indians to a 12-1 win over the St. Louis Browns before just 598 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Jan van Gilse, 63. Dutch composer and conductor. Mr. van Gilse wrote five symphonies and other works, including operas, but was primarily known as a conductor. He led the Utrechtsch Stedelijk Orkest (Utrecht Municipal Orchestra) from 1917-1922, resigning in part because of criticism from composer and critic Willem Pijper. Mr. van Gilse directed the Utrecht conservatory from 1933-1937, and was actively involved in the Dutch resistance against German occupation in World War II. His sons, also resistance activists, were murdered by the Nazis, but Mr. van Gilse likely died of pneumonia, on the 50th birthday of Mr. Pijper.

War
The first successful German V-2 rocket, launched from Euskirchen, Germany, landed in a suburb of Paris at 8:30 A.M., causing no damage. Later, at 6:34 P.M., another V-2 landed in Stavely Road in the London Borough of Brentford and Chiswick, killing 3 people, injuring 20--10 seriously, destroying 11 houses, seriously damaging 12 more houses, and lightly damaging 556 other houses. Allied troops liberated the French region of Menton. Soviet units began crossing the Bulgarian border, gaining 18-41 miles and occupying Varna on the Black Sea and Ruschuk on the Danube River. U.S. Navy Admiral William Halsey commanded a naval assault on Mindanao Island in the Philippines, sinking scores of Japanese vessels and destroying many enemy planes. U.S. planes operating China made a daylight attack on Anshan, Manchuria.

Politics and government
Republican Party U.S. presidential candidate Tom Dewey said that he favoured force to maintain world peace and that the United States could not isolate itself from world affairs.

60 years ago
1954

Defense
The Manila Pact was signed, establishing the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).

Swimming
Marilyn Bell, 16, departed Youngstown, New York at 11:07 P.M. Eastern Time to begin her 32-mile swim across Lake Ontario. She and Winnie Roach Leuszler were challenging American veteran Florence Chadwick, who had been offered $10,000 by the Canadian National Exhibition to swim the lake. Miss Bell passed Miss Chadwick at the 3-mile mark.

50 years ago
1964

Music
The Beatles performed two concerts at the Montreal Forum.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (3-2-1) 17 @ British Columbia (4-0-2) 17

Moe Racine's 37-yard field goal on the last play of the game gave the Rough Riders the tie with the Lions before 31,355 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. B.C. running back Willie Fleming left the game shortly after slugged by Ottawa defensive end John Kenerson in the 1st quarter. Pat Claridge led B.C. receivers with 95 yards on 8 receptions.

40 years ago
1974

Scandal
U.S. President Gerald Ford announced that he was granting an unconditional pardon to former President Richard Nixon for all federal crimes Nixon that he "committed or may have committed or taken part in" while serving as President. Mr. Nixon issued a statement from his home in San Clemente, California saying that he accepted the pardon and that he had been "wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate." The reference was to the June 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. J.F. terHorst then resigned his position as White House press secretary in protest against the pardon and was replaced by deputy press secretary John Hushen. Presidential counsel Philip Buchen explained that Mr. Ford's "act of mercy" had been made without any demands on Mr. Nixon and without consulting Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski, who announced that he would not contest the pardon. Mr. Buchen also announced that the Ford administration and Mr. Nixon had signed an agreement two days earlier in San Clemente that Mr. Nixon's papers and tapes would be preserved for three years for possible use in court cases arising from the Watergate scandal, and Mr. Nixon could then destroy any or all of the tapes. All the tapes were to be destroyed on September 1, 1984 or at Mr. Nixon's death, whichever came first.

Adventure
U.S. daredevil Evel Knievel parachuted from his steam-powered rocket Skycycle X-2 as it left the launching rail in an attempt to jump across the Snake River Canyon in Idaho. Mr. Knievel had given the impression that he would attempt to jump across the canyon in a motorcycle, leading to huge advance publicity for the stunt. A few critics predicted that Mr. Knievel would abandon the machine the minute it blasted off, which proved to be the case. The event was televised on ABC's Wide World of Sports, with network science correspondent Jules Bergman providing commentary in what must have been the low point of an otherwise distinguished broadcasting career.



Disasters
A U.S.-bound TWA airliner crashed in the Ionian Sea off Greece, killing all 80 people aboard.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-5) 6 @ Montreal (6-2) 38
Winnipeg (3-4) 2 @ Edmonton (5-2) 24

Montreal quarterback Jimmy Jones threw touchdown passes to Peter Dalla Riva, Skip Eaman, and Johnny Rodgers--all set up by turnovers--and rushed for a touchdown of his own as the Alouettes routed the Argonauts before 24,525 fans at Austostade, spoiling the debut of Joe Moss as Toronto's head coach. Mr. Dalla Riva also caught a TD pass from backup quarterback Sonny Wade. Montreal fullback Steve Ferrughelli led all rushers with 90 yards, while Ed Shuttlesworth led the Argonauts with 61 yards.

Roy Bell rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown and Calvin Harrell rushed for 120 yards and a TD as the Eskimos beat the Blue Bombers before 21,346 fans at Clarke Stadium. Stu Lang scored the other touchdown on a 23-yard pass from Bruce Lemmerman with 29 seconds remaining in the 1st half. Rookie quarterback Dieter Brock made his first CFL start for Winnipeg, but completed just 4 of 9 passes. Chuck Ealey, who had been traded from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for Don Jonas six days earlier, briefly relieved Mr. Brock and completed 1 of 2 passes. The Edmonton defense limited the Blue Bombers to 104 yards net offense. Edmonton quarterback Tom Wilkinson attempted a drop kick field goal on the last play of the game, but was unsuccessful.

Baseball
American Association
Playoffs
Tulsa 8 @ Indianapolis 4 (15 innings) (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Trailing 4-1 going into the top of the 9th inning against starting pitcher Santo Alcala, the Oilers rallied for 3 runs to tie the game and then scored 4 runs in the top of the 15th to tie the series before 2,530 fans. Jim Beauchamp hit a solo home run in the top of the 3rd inning to open the scoring for Tulsa, but the Indians scored 4 runs in the bottom half of the inning, with Joel Youngblood driving in 2 runs with a double and Dave Revering following with a 2-run inside-the-park homer. Joe Lindsey led off the top of the 9th with a home run to make the score 4-2, and with 2 out, Leon Lee drew a base on balls and Hector Cruz homered to tie the game. Tulsa scored its runs in the 15th inning on a base on balls and 6 singles. Al Santorini, who relieved starter John Denny in the 9th inning, was the winning pitcher, while Dan Osborn, who entered the game in the 15th, took the loss.

Southern League
Playoffs
Knoxville 2 @ Jacksonville 1 (Best-of-five series tied 1-1)

Home runs by Fred Norton in the 1st inning--on the second pitch of the game--and Mike Buskey in the 6th inning gave the White Sox the win over the Suns before 787 fans. Craig Perkins hit a solo home run for Jacksonville in the 2nd inning. Jeff Holly started on the mound for Knoxville and was the winning pitcher; Randy Hammon pitched a complete game in taking the loss.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Fotoromanza--Gianna Nannini (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Smalltown Boy--Bronski Beat

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Careless Whisper--George Michael

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder

#1 single in the U.K.: I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): What's Love Got to Do with It--Tina Turner (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 What's Love Got to Do with It--Tina Turner (3rd week at #1)
2 Ghostbusters--Ray Parker, Jr.
3 Stuck on You--Lionel Richie
4 Missing You--John Waite
5 Let's Go Crazy--Prince and the Revolution
6 She Bop--Cyndi Lauper
7 Sunglasses at Night--Corey Hart
8 The Warrior--Scandal featuring Patty Smyth
9 If This is It--Huey Lewis and the News
10 When Doves Cry--Prince

Singles entering the chart were Who Wears These Shoes? by Elton John (#51); Desert Moon by Dennis DeYoung (#68); I Feel for You by Chaka Khan (#78); Strung Out by Steve Perry (#83); On the Wings of a Nightingale by the Everly Brothers (#84); Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham! (#86); In the Name of Love by Ralph MacDonald (with Bill Withers) (#87); Pretty Mess by Vanity (#88); and Layin' it on the Line by Jefferson Starship (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 What's Love Got to Do with It--Tina Turner
2 Ghostbusters--Ray Parker, Jr.
3 Stuck on You--Lionel Richie
4 When Doves Cry--Prince
5 She Bop--Cyndi Lauper
6 If Ever You're in My Arms--Peabo Bryson
7 Sad Songs (Say So Much)--Elton John
8 All of You--Julio Iglesias and Diana Ross
9 Missing You--John Waite
10 Two Tribes--Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Singles entering the chart were Blue Jean by David Bowie (#84); Swept Away by Diana Ross (#95); Breaking Curfew by Red Rider (#96); (What) In the Name of Love by Naked Eyes (#98); and Bop 'Til You Drop by Rick Springfield (#99).

Died on this date
Johnnie Parsons, 66. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Parsons finished second in the 1949 Indianapolis 500, and then won the race in 1950.

Tennis
Martina Navratilova defeated Chris Evert 2 sets to 1 to win the U.S. Open women's singles championship, her sixth straight Grand Slam title.

Football
CFL
Toronto (7-3) 33 @ Edmonton (6-4) 34

Trailing 34-21, the Eskimos rallied for 2 touchdowns in the last 3 minutes to end the defending Grey Cup champion Argonauts’ 6-game winning streak. Eskimo quarterback Matt Dunigan completed a touchdown pass to Milson Jones, which, after Dave Cutler's convert, reduced Toronto's lead to 33-28. The Argonauts failed to move the ball, and the Eskimos took possession near midfield, but a draw play to Larry Cowan on third down fell just short of the required yardage, apparently ending the Eskimos' hopes. However, Toronto quarterback Joe Barnes promptly gave up an interception to linebacker Tony Anglin, and Mr. Dunigan moved the Eskimos to the Argonaut 25-yard line, from where he completed a touchdown pass to Chris Woods with exactly 1 minute remaining. A 2-point convert attempt was unsuccessful, but the Argonauts were unable to move the ball into position for a field goal attempt.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Swing the Mood--Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Sneak Previews Goes Video, hosted by Jeffrey Lyons and Michael Medved, on PBS

This was the first broadcast of Sneak Previews under a new title and format, reviewing new video releases instead of current theatrical movies.



Disasters
Partnair Flight 394, a chartered plane carrying Norwegian shipping company employees, crashed into the North Sea, killing 55 people. The investigation showed that the tail of the plane vibrated loose in flight due to sub-standard connecting bolts that had been fraudulently sold as aircraft-grade.

Football
CFL
Calgary (5-5) 27 @ Edmonton (9-1) 38

Trailing 27-17 in the 4th quarter, the Eskimos scored 3 touchdowns to win their seventh straight game and complete a sweep of the season’s 3 games against the Stampeders. Blake Marshall scored 3 touchdowns for the Eskimos. This game marked the beginning of the tradition of the Eskimos hosting a Friday night rematch with the Stampeders, after the Labour Day game in Calgary.



Baseball
George Brett singled for his 2,500th career major league hit as the Kansas City Royals blanked the Minnesota Twins 6-0 before 28,435 fans at Royals Stadium. Paul Sorrento made his major league debut for the Twins, drawing a base on balls as a pinch hitter with 1 out in the 9th inning off Jeff Montgomery. Winning pitcher Mark Gubicza pitched 7 innings.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Welcome to Tomorrow--Snap! (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
USAir Flight 427, on approach to Pittsburgh International Airport, suddenly crashed in clear weather, killing all 132 aboard, resulting in the most extensive aviation investigation in world history and altering manufacturing practices in the industry.

10 years ago
2004

Space
NASA's probe Genesis crash-landed in Utah when its parachute failed to open, 31 days after being launched to collect a sample of solar wind.

Labour
More than 25,000 Revenue Canada employees and members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada began rotating strikes in a dispute over wages and working conditions.