July 13, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Liz Nelson and Mildred Berrio!

425 years ago
1590

Born on this date
Clement X. Roman Catholic Pope, 1670-1676. Clement X, born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, obtained a doctorate in law before being ordained a priest in 1624. He held posts such as papal nuncio to Naples and Superintendent of the Papal Exchequer before being appointed by Clement IX as a cardinal in 1669 and succeeding him as Pope. His achievements included the establishment of a see at Quebec. Pope Clement X died of gout on July 22, 1676, nine days after his 86th birthday, and was succeeded by Innocent XI.

150 years ago
1865

Popular culture
P. T. Barnum's American Museum, which had featured Tom Thumb and the original Siamese twins Chang and Eng, was destroyed by fire.

125 years ago
1890

Died on this date
John C. Frémont, 77. U.S. military officer, explorer, and politician. Major General Frémont led four expeditions into the American West, and was military Governor of California in 1847 before being convicted of mutiny and insubordination. When California achieved statehood, Mr. Frémont represented the state in the United States Senate from 1850-1851. He was the Republican Party's first candidate for President of the United States, losing to Democratic candidate James Buchanan in 1856. Mr. Fremont commanded the Department of the West in 1861-1862 and served as Governor of Arizona Territory from 1878-1881.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Sidney Blackmer. U.S. actor. Mr. Blackmer was a stage and screen actor for more than 50 years. He won a Tony Award in 1950 for his performance in Come Back, Little Sheba, and portrayed Theodore Roosevelt in more than a dozen films, including Teddy, the Rough Rider (1940). Perhaps Mr. Blackmer's most memorable performance--to this blogger, at least--was that of fictitious U.S. President William Lyon Selby in an episode of The Outer Limits titled The Hundred Days of the Dragon (1963). He died on October 6, 1973 at the age of 78.

80 years ago
1935

Baseball
Doc Cramer batted 6 for 6, Jimmie Foxx was 3 for 3 with a home run, and winning pitcher Johnny Marcum was 4 for 6 as the Philadelphia Athletics whipped the Detroit Tigers 18-5 in the first game of a doubleheader. The Tigers won the second game 6-3, as Hank Greenberg hit his 26th home run of the season.

75 years ago
1940

At the movies
Pony Express Days, a short film directed by B. Reeves Eason, and starring George Reeves, David Bruce, Frank Wilcox, and J. Farrell McDonald, opened in theatres.

Diplomacy
Malaya's acting Governor said that the United Kingdom was attempting to mediate the Sino-Japanese War.

A Chinese government spokesman in Chungking explained that U.S. aid was necessary to prevent Britain from surrendering to Japan's demand that the Burma Road be closed.

To facilitate the entrance of refugee children in to the United States, the U.S. State Department announced that they would be admitted on visitor's visas without reference to national quotas.

Politics and government
The official vote count in Mexico's July 7 presidential election gave Manuel Avila Camacho a victory by a wide margin over challenger Juan Andreu Almazan. The latter's supporters, who refused to register their votes with the official ballot boards, claiming Mr. Almazan had won the election.

U.S. Vice President John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner, Postmaster General James Farley, and Senator Burton K. Wheeler (Montana) refused to quit the race for the 1940 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in face of pressure to make President Franklin D. Roosevelt's renomination unanimous.

Technology
Radio Corporation of America received a patent for a television system to be used in detecting approaching aircraft.

Charles H. Cartwright and Arthur F. Turner announced the invention of non-reflecting glass for use in microscopes, periscopes, and other optical devices.

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox swept a doubleheader from the Boston Red Sox 5-0 and 7-0 before 16,700 fans at Fenway Park in Boston, with Ted Lyons and Jack Knott the respective winning pitchers.

Joe DiMaggio hit 2 home runs in the first game and another in the second as the New York Yankees swept a doubleheader from the St. Louis Browns 10-4 and 12-6 before 17,045 fans at Yankee Stadium.

The St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the New York Giants 7-6 and 4-3 before 3,056 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Johnny Mize of the Cardinals hit for the cycle in the first game.

70 years ago
1945

Died on this date
Alla Nazimova, 66. Russian-born U.S. actress. Miss Nazimova, born Marem-Ides Leventon, began her career in her native country before moving to New York City in 1905. She became known on Broadway for her work in the plays of Ibsen, Chekhov and Turgenev, and also appeared in silent films in the 1910s and '20s. Miss Nazimova was reputed to be a bisexual, and the rumoured hostess of debauched parties at her Hollywood, California mansion. She died of a heart attack.

War
Chinese forces claimed recapture of another former U.S. air base near Kanhsien in the province of Kiangsi.

Diplomacy
The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the United Nations Charter without reservation or amendment.

Politics and government
Ben Chifley was voted leader of the Australian Labour Party and took office as Prime Minister, replacing Frank Forde, who had held the position for only a week after the death of John Curtin.

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities assigned an agent to discover whether there was any basis for rumours of subversive activities in Hollywood.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the expansion of the Import-Export Bank's lending authority to $3.5 billion and sent the measure to the Senate.

The U.S. War Production Board relaxed its restrictions on sheet and strip steel for the third quarter to facilitate the reconversion of small businesses.

Labour
The executive board of the Congress of Industrial Organizations adopted a resolution asking U.S. President Harry Truman to revise the national wage policy to eliminate wages below 65c per hour.

60 years ago
1955

Died on this date
Ruth Ellis, 28. U.K. criminal. Mrs. Ellis was separated from her husband when she was managing a nightclub and began a romantic relationship with auto racing driver David Blakely. She shot him to death in Hempstead, England on April 10, 1955, and was hanged at Holloway Prison in London, becoming the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom.

50 years ago
1965

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
National League 6 American League 5

Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants led off the game with a home run, and scored the winning run in the top of the 7th inning on an infield single by Ron Santo of the Chicago Cubs as the NL edged the AL before 46,706 fans to take the lead in the series for the first time, 18-17 with 1 tie. San Francisco pitcher Juan Marichal, who pitched the first 3 innings for the NL and allowed 1 hit while facing the minimum 9 batters, was named the game's Most Valuable Player.



40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
George Hay, 77. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Hay was a left wing with the Regina Capitals/Portland Rosebuds of the Western Canada Hockey League/Western Hockey League (1921-26); Chicago Black Hawks (1926-27); and Detroit Cougars/Falcons/Red Wings (1927-33). He scored 152 points on 104 goals and 48 assists in 130 regular season WCHL/WHL games, with 2 goals and 2 assists in 10 playoff games. In the NHL, Mr. Hay scored 134 points on 74 goals and 60 assists in 239 regular season games, and 2 goals and 3 assists in 8 playoff games. Mr. Hay scored the first goal in the history of the Black Hawks on November 17, 1926. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

Golf
Tom Watson defeated Jack Newton by 1 stroke in an 18-hole playoff to win the British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland. First prize money was £7,500 ($16,500).

Baseball
Nyls Nyman singled in 2 runs and then stole home plate on the front end of a double steal in the 4th inning, and doubled and scored in the 6th as the Chicago White Sox blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0 before 27,386 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Wilbur Wood pitched a 3-hit shutout.

The Cleveland Indians scored 5 runs in the 7th inning and 2 in the 8th, and withstood a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 9th to edge the California Angels 8-7 before 7,493 fans at Anaheim Stadium. It was the Indians' 13th straight win in Anaheim, equalling the American League record for consecutive wins in the same opposition park that had been set by the New York Yankees against the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park in 1939-1940. The Angels scored their 3 runs in the 9th on rookie shortstop Mike Miley's first major league home run.

Darrell Evans scored from first base after a single by Mike Lum with 2 out in the bottom of the 14th inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 5-4 win over the Montreal Expos before 4,908 fans at Atlanta Stadium. When Mr. Lum singled, Mr. Evans went to third base. When Mr. Lum broke for second base, Montreal right fielder Gary Carter threw to second baseman Pete Mackanin, but the throw was low, Mr. Mackanin couldn't control the ball, and Mr. Evans kept going and scored the winning run.

The Cincinnati Reds allowed 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning but rallied for 4 runs off Tom Seaver in the bottom of the 7th and another off Rick Baldwin in the 8th to defeat the New York Mets 5-3 before 42,180 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. It was the 10th straight win for the Reds, and their 41st win in their last 50 games heading into the All-Star Game break.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): A View to a Kill--Duran Duran (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): 19--Paul Hardcastle (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Frankie--Sister Sledge (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Frankie--Sister Sledge (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): A View to a Kill--Duran Duran

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 A View to a Kill--Duran Duran
2 Raspberry Beret--Prince and the Revolution
3 Sussudio--Phil Collins
4 Heaven--Bryan Adams
5 Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears
6 Everytime You Go Away--Paul Young
7 Would I Lie to You?--Eurythmics
8 You Give Good Love--Whitney Houston
9 Voices Carry--’Til Tuesday
10 Angel--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were You're Only Human (Second Wind) by Billy Joel (#41); Dare Me by the Pointer Sisters (#56); Live Every Moment by REO Speedwagon (#74); Smokin' in the Boys Room by Motley Crue (#81); Bit by Bit by Stephanie Mills (#85); Take No Prisoners (In the Game of Love) by Peabo Bryson (#86); Money for Nothing by Dire Straits (#87); Love and More by King (#89); and Summertime Girls by Y&T (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Never Surrender--Corey Hart (2nd week at #1)
2 Axel F--Harold Faltermeyer
3 A View to a Kill--Duran Duran
4 Walking On Sunshine--Katrina and the Waves
5 Would I Lie to You?--Eurythmics
6 Everytime You Go Away--Paul Young
7 Never Ending Story--Limahl
8 Suddenly--Billy Ocean
9 If You Love Somebody Set Them Free--Sting
10 Raspberry Beret--Prince and the Revolution

Singles entering the chart were We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) by Tina Turner (#71); Crying Over You by Platinum Blonde (#77); You're Only Human (Second Wind) by Billy Joel (#85); Don't Lose My Number by Phil Collins (#88); Life in One Day by Howard Jones (#92); St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) by John Parr (#93); Come Day o' Night Eh by Bam Boo (#95); No Mercy by the Stranglers (#96); and Smokin' in the Boys Room by Motley Crue (#97).

Popular culture
The Live Aid concert to raise money for starving people in Africa raised £30 million.

Track and field
Breaking his own world record, 22-year-old Sergei Bubka of the U.S.S.R. became the first pole-vaulter to clear 6 metres, or 19 feet 8¼ inches--long considered unattainable--when he soared past that height at the Paris International Track and Field Meet.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (1-1) 10 @ British Columbia (2-0) 25

Roy Dewalt threw 2 touchdown passes to Jim Sandusky and another to Ron Robinson, while Darnell Clash returned 9 punts for 116 yards to lead the Lions to victory before a crowd of 38,055 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. The Eskimos’ only touchdown came in the first quarter on a 46-yard bomb from Matt Dunigan to Chris Woods, who beat B.C. defensive back Wendell Williams. A few days earlier, I had asked Mr. Woods to score a touchdown for me in Vancouver--and he did. For Mr. Williams, it was his second and last CFL game. He had spent the 1982 season on the Eskimos’ injured list, doing the same with the Lions in 1983 and ‘84 before finally getting to play in the first game of 1985. Meanwhile, it was the fourth and last game as an Eskimo for defensive back Dale Thompson, who was ejected in the fourth quarter for fighting. It was the second straight ejection for Mr. Thompson, who had also been ejected from his most recent game, the 1984 western semi-final.

Baseball
Darrell Miller, Mike Brown, and Bob Boone all hit singles as pinch hitters in the bottom of the 9th inning as the California Angels came from behind to edge the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 before 42,054 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Mike Witt went the distance to get the win on the mound for the Angels.

The Chicago White Sox jumped to a 9-0 lead and held on for a 10-8 win over the Baltimore Orioles before 32,705 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Gary Roenicke hit a 2-run home run and a grand slam off Britt Burns, who went the distance for the win despite allowing 8 earned runs.

25 years ago
1990

World events
Several thousand refugees who had been allowed to emigrate from Albania arrived in Italy.

Politics and government
The day after Russian President Boris Yeltsin told the 28th Congress of the Communist party of the Soviet Union in Moscow that he was leaving the party, the mayors of Moscow and Leningrad also left the party.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that producer prices had risen 0.2% in June.

Society
The day after the U.S. House of Representatives had voted in favour, the United States Senate overwhelmingly approved the Americans with Disabilities Act, which barred discrimination against people with physical or mental disabilities.

Football
CFL
Calgary (0-0-1) 38 @ British Columbia (0-0-1) 38

Calgary quarterback Danny Barrett rushed for 3 touchdowns to lead the Stampeders to a 27-15 lead, but former Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, who had relieved starting quarterback Rickey Foggie in the second quarter, rallied the Lions and connected on a touchdown pass with Ray Alexander with 1 second left. Lui Passaglia’s convert sent the game into overtime, during which the teams exchanged field goals. It was the first CFL game for Mr. Flutie, as well as for former New York Jets’ star defensive end Mark Gastineau, who blocked a Mark McLoughlin field goal attempt. The game also marked the regular season debut of Wally Buono as a head coach in the Canadian Football League. He had served as an assistant with the Stampeders and had succeeded to the top job upon the departure of head coach Lary Kuharich, who was making his debut as head coach of the Lions. 34,233 were in attendance at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.



20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): One of Us--Pandora

Weather
The temperature in Chicago reached a record 106 F.

Defense
U.S. President Bill Clinton accepted the latest recommendation of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission that 79 military bases be closed and 26 others consolidated. The Defense Department estimated that these steps would save $1.6 billion per year. Directly or indirectly, the closings and consolidations would cause the loss of more than 90,000 jobs held by military personnel and civilians. President Clinton deplored that most job losses were in only two states--California and Texas. Congress was now required to vote on the issue.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that prices charged by manufacturers and farmers for finished goods had declined 0.1% in June.

Football
CFL
Calgary (3-0) 57 @ Ottawa (1-2) 7
Shreveport (0-3) 29 @ Winnipeg (1-2) 37
Toronto (1-2) 34 @ British Columbia (3-0) 35

The Stampeders scored 5 of their 8 touchdowns in the 2nd quarter as they routed the Rough Riders before 24,861 fans at Frank Clair Stadium.

Mike Mallett recovered 2 Shreveport fumbles for touchdowns as the Blue Bombers beat the Pirates before 20,449 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.

Lui Passaglia kicked his third field goal of the game, from 47 yards, with 2:32 remaining in regulation time, and then kicked a 28-yard FG with 9 seconds left to give the Lions their win over the Argonauts before 24,276 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vsncouver. The highlight for Toronto was a 95-yard kickoff return by Darrick Branch for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Mickey Owen, 89. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Owen was a catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals (1937-1940); Brooklyn Dodgers (1941-1945); Chicago Cubs (1949-1951); and Boston Red Sox (1954), batting .255 with 14 home runs and 378 runs batted in in 1,029 games. He set a record for catchers in 1941 with 508 consecutive errorless fielding chances, but is best remembered for dropping a third strike in that year's World Series against the New York Yankees that would have ended the fourth game in favour of Brooklyn and tied the series at two games each. Instead, the Yankees rallied for 4 runs to take a 3-1 lead in the series, and won the series the next day. Mr. Owen played and managed for Veracruz in the Mexican League in 1946, but sat out the next two seasons. In later years, Mr. Owen ran a baseball camp for boys and served as a sheriff.