July 15, 2015

775 years ago
1240

War
A Novgorodian army led by Alexander Nevsky defeated the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva in Russia.

570 years ago
1445

Died on this date
Joan Beaufort, 40 or 41. Queen consort of Scotland, 1424-1437. Joan Beaufort married King James I in 1424, and served as his consort until his death in 1437. She served as regent during the minority of their son James II (1437-1439), and married James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorne in 1439. Conflict between Queen Joan's supporters and those of another faction led to her besiegement at Dunbar Castle, where she died.

150 years ago
1865

Born on this date
Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe. U.K. newspaper magnate. Mr. Harmsworth's newspapers included the Daily Mail, through which he exercised considerable influence on public opinion. He was known for publishing anti-German propaganda before and during World War I. Lord Northcliffe died on August 14, 1922 after a lengthy illness at the age of 57.

125 years ago
1890

Died on this date
Gottfried Keller, 70. Swiss author. Mr. Keller was a landscape painter before taking up writing. He was known for 15 short stories and the novel Der grüne Heinrich (Green Henry) (1855/1879). Mr. Keller died four days before his 71st birthday.

120 years ago
1895

Economics and finance
The Montreal-based La Banque du Peuple failed, with creditors getting only 25¢ on the dollar.

80 years ago
1935

At the movies
The Black Room, directed by Roy William Neill and starring Boris Karloff, opened in theatres.



75 years ago
1940

Died on this date
Robert Wadlow, 22. U.S. giant. Other than Goliath, Mr. Wadlow was the tallest person ever recorded, standing 8 feet 11.1 inches, and was still growing at the time of his death. A native of Alton, Illinois, where his father was the mayor, Robert weighed 8½ pounds at birth, but soon began growing rapidly. He weighed 30 lb. at six months, 44 lb. at 1 year; and 62 lb. at 18 months. By the age of 5 he stood 5 feet 4 inches and weighed 105 lb. He stood 6 feet at age 8, and by the age of 10 he stood 6’ 5" and weighed 210 lb. Robert became nationally known at the age of 9 when a photo of him appeared in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and was quickly flashed across the country. It was only when he was almost 12 that his growth was diagnosed as the result of excessive pituitary gland secretion. Before Robert turned 13 he stood 7’, and by 16 was the tallest person in the United States--7’ 10½". At 19 he was 8’ 5½"--the tallest person ever measured. His weighed 439 pounds when measured several weeks before his death, down from a peak of 491 lb. Mr. Wadlow found walking to be more difficult as his growth progressed, and was fitted with an ankle brace at the age of 22. While walking in a July 4 parade in Michigan, thee brace cut into his ankle; his nervous system failed to detect the resulting infection, and it had advanced too far by the time it was detected. Robert Wadlow died in hospital a few days later. There was no postmortem examination, and he was buried in a custom-built 10-foot-long casket in a secure cement tomb in Alton. 46,000 paid their respects at the funeral home. Go here to see a video presentation on Robert Wadlow.





War
British commandos raided Guernsey in the Nazi-occupied Channel Islands. Germany demanded that Vichy France permit German forces use of French bases in North Africa. Italian troops occupied the ruins of Fort Moyale on the Kenya-Ethiopia border. Italian planes raided the Haifa area in the first air attack upon Palestine. The Japanese government announced that the Chinese coast south of Shanghai would be mined to tighten the blockade of China.

Diplomacy
The United Kingdom publicly said that it would close the Burma Road to war supplies for three months if Japan would consider it a step toward a Far Eastern peace settlement.

The Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University invited the League of Nations to establish its non-political and technical sections there for the duration of World War II.

Politics and government
The Democratic National Convention opened at Chicago Stadium, with U.S. Senator William Bankhead (Alabama) giving the keynote address. With President Franklin D. Roosevelt's renomination almost assured, the focus of the convention switched to the vice presidential nominee, with the favourite choices reported to be U.S. Senator James Byrnes (South Carolina); Missouri Governor Lloyd Stark; Representative Sam Rayburn (Texas); and Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King established a Metal Board to regulate the supply, distribution and use of non-ferrous metals and metals intended for industrial purposes.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt froze assets of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania in the United States.

70 years ago
1945

War
U.S. warships continued their attack on Japan's home islands with the shelling of steel and iron works at Muroran, Hokkaido, causing damage equivalent to 2 1/2 months' production.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman and U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Berlin for the Potsdam Conference; U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin had yet to arrive.

U.S. Army General Mark Clark eased the non-fraternization ban between Austrians and his troops.

The U.S. Foreign Policy Association suggested that the internationalization of Palestine was part of a long-range program to settle Middle Eastern problems.

Oil
The Lebanese government reached an agreement for construction and operation for two refineries near Tripoli with the Mediterranean Refining Company and Mediterranean Standard Oil Company.

Labour
A subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Labor Committee recommended that Congress direct the National War Labor Board and National Mediation Board to increase he minimum hourly wage to 65c.

Golf
Byron Nelson defeated former major league baseball outfielder Sam Byrd 4 & 3 to win the PGA Championship at Moraine Country Club in Kettering, Ohio. It was Mr. Nelson's ninth straight tournament win, fifth major championship, and his second PGA championship. First prize money was $5,000 in war bonds.



60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Dreamboat--Alma Cogan

At the movies
The Cobweb, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and starring Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Charles Boyer, Gloria Grahame, and Lillian Gish, opened in theatres.



Diplomacy
18 Nobel laureates at a conference in Lindau, West Germany signed the Mainau Declaration against nuclear weapons, later co-signed by 34 others.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): I'm Alive--The Hollies (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Catch Us if You Can, directed by John Boorman, and starring the Dave Clark Five, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom. It was released in North America a month later under the title Having a Wild Weekend.



Died on this date
Francis Cherry, 56. U.S. politician. Mr. Cherry, a Democrat, was Governor of Arkansas from 1953-1955. After losing a bid for re-election, he was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower to head the Subversive Activities Control Board, a position he still held until he died after two years of declining health.

Space
The U.S. probe Mariner 4 concluded its flyby of Mars.

Politics and government
King Constantine XIII of Greece dismissed Prime Minister George Papandreou.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (2-0) 17 @ Toronto 7

Jim Thomas and Tommy-Joe Coffey scored touchdowns, while Bill Mitchell kicked 2 converts and a field goal, as the Eskimos defeated the Argonauts at CNE Stadium.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Morris Frank, 73. U.S. journalist. Mr. Frank was a sportswriter and sports editor with the Houston Post before becoming a columnist with the Houston Chronicle. His activities included writing skits for comedian Phil Silvers.

Space
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project got underway when the U.S.S.R. Soyuz 19 spacecraft, with Alexei Leonov (Commander) and Valery Kubasov (Flight Engineer) aboard, lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It was the first Soviet liftoff to receive live television coverage. 7 1/2 hours later, the Apollo spacecraft with Tom Stafford (Commander), Deke Slayton (Docking Module Pilot), and Vance Brand (Command Module Pilot) aboard, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida atop a Saturn 1B rocket.



Baseball
The Los Angeles Dodgers traded relief pitcher Jim Brewer to the California Angels for pitcher Dave Sells, who was on the roster of the Salt Lake City Gulls of the AAA Pacific Coast League. Mr. Brewer was in his 16th season in the major leagues and 12th with the Dodgers; in 21 games with Los Angeles in 1975, Mr. Brewer had a 3-1 record with an earned run average of 5.18 and 2 saves. In 13 games with Salt Lake City, Mr. Sells was 6-4 with an ERA of 3.46; he was assigned to the PCL's Albuquerque Dukes.

The New York Yankees released first baseman Bob Oliver. In 18 games with New York in 1975, he was batting .132 with no home runs and 1 run batted in.

Major League All-Star Game @ County Stadium, Milwaukee
National League 6 American League 3

Bill Madlock of the Chicago Cubs singled home 2 runs with the bases loaded as the NL scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th inning to break a 3-3 tie before 51,480 fans. Mr. Madlock and New York Mets' pitcher Jon Matlack shared Most Valuable Player honours.





30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Angel/Into the Groove--Madonna (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ore-tachi no Rockabilly Night--The Checkers

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Baila--Iván

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Eagle Rock--Daddy Cool (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Verdammt - ich lieb' dich--Matthias Reim (2nd week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Verdammt - ich lieb' dich--Matthias Reim
2 I Promised Myself--Nick Kamen
3 I Can't Stand It!--Twenty 4 Seven featuring Capt. Hollywood
4 Hey, Wickie--Der Schreckliche Sven & die tollkühnen Plattenreiter
5 Insieme: 1992--Toto Cutugno
6 Ooops Up--Snap!
7 Alle meine Lieda--Remix-Poidl
8 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
9 Miles Away--Thomas Forstner
10 Infinity (1990's...Time for the Guru)--Guru Josh

Singles entering the chart were Won't Talk About It by Beats International (#27); Papa was a Rolling Stone by Was Not Was (#28); and U Can't Touch This by MC Hammer (#30).

Died on this date
Omar Abu-Riche, 80. Syrian poet and diplomat. Mr. Abu-Riche wrote poetry while working as Librarian of Aleppo and held several ambassadorial posts, including that of Syrian Ambassador to the United States (1961-1964).

Margaret Lockwood, 73. U.K. actress. Miss Lockwood was a stage actress who also co-starred in such movies as The Lady Vanishes (1938) and The Wicked Lady (1945).

Baseball
The Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves combined for 34 hits and 8 home runs as the Expos won 16-14 before 11,237 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Braves hit 5 of the home runs.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me--U2 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): 21 Go'nat historier--Timm & Gordon (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Pour que tu m'aimes encore--Céline Dion (10th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Pour que tu m'aimes encore--Céline Dion (10th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): I Wanna Be A Hippy--Technohead

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Boom Boom Boom--The Outhere Brothers (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Waterfalls--TLC (2nd week at #1)
2 One More Chance/Stay with Me--The Notorious B.I.G.
3 Don't Take it Personal (Just One of Dem Days)--Monica
4 Water Runs Dry--Boyz II Men
5 Total Eclipse of the Heart--Nicki French
6 Scream/Childhood--Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson
7 Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?--Bryan Adams
8 I Can Love You Like That--All-4-One
9 Boombastic/In the Summertime--Shaggy/Shaggy (featuring Rayvon)
10 Run-Around--Blues Traveler

Singles entering the chart were Glaciers of Ice/Criminology by Chef Raekwon (#43); Made in England by Elton John (#76); My Up and Down by Adina Howard (#85); I Can't Tell You Why by Brownstone (#89); Sugar Hill by AZ (#97); and How Deep is Your Love by Portrait (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Waterfalls--TLC (2nd week at #1)
2 Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?--Bryan Adams
3 Don't Take it Personal (Just One of Dem Days)--Monica
4 One More Chance/Stay with Me--The Notorious B.I.G.
5 Scream/Childhood--Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson
6 Someone to Love--Jon B featuring Babyface
7 I Can Love You Like That--All-4-One
8 Run-Around--Blues Traveler
9 Total Eclipse of the Heart--Nikki French
10 Water Runs Dry--Boyz II Men

Singles entering the chart were 'Til You Do Me Right by After 7 (#69); Brown Sugar by D'Angelo (#70); As I Lay Me Down by Sophie B. Hawkins (#82); Only Wanna Be with You by Hootie & the Blowfish (#84); Take Your Time (Do it Right) by Max-A-Million (#87); and Can't Cry Anymore by Sheryl Crow (#89).

War
Thousands of Muslim refugees fled the captured Serbian "safe area" of Srebrenica as they were forced out by Bosnian Serbs.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-1) 28 @ Birmingham (2-1) 51



Baltimore (2-1) 28 @ San Antonio (1-2) 23



10 years ago
2005

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (0-4) 12 @ Edmonton (3-1) 14
Toronto (2-2) 22 @ British Columbia (3-0) 30

Sean Fleming's fourth field goal of the game, a 23-yard kick on the last play of regulation time, gave the Eskimos their win over the Blue Bombers before 37,455 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. The Eskimos led 11-5 until Winnipeg defensive back Stanford Samuels scored the game's only touchdown on a 2-yard fumble return with 2:21 remaining in the 4th quarter, and Troy Westwood converted to give the Blue Bombers a 12-11 lead.