July 2, 2015

370 years ago
1645

War
Scottish Royalist forces commanded by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose defeated Scottish government forces led by General William Baillie in the Battle of Alford.

130 years ago
1885

War
Cree chief Big Bear surrendered to the North West Mounted Police on an island in the Saskatchewan River near Fort Carlton, Northwest Territories (in present-day Saskatchewan), ending the North-West Rebellion.

125 years ago
1890

Business
The United States Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act, aimed at restricting the concentration of economic power in large corporations. The act authorized the federal government to institute proceedings against trusts in order to dissolve them.

100 years ago
1915

Died on this date
Porfirio Díaz, 84. 29th President of Mexico, 1876; 1877-1880; 1884-1911. General Diaz seized power in a coup, and he and his allies ruled Mexico until the revolution of 1910, which resulted in his ouster. He fled to France, and died in exile.

90 years ago
1925

Boxing
Harry Wills (64-6-3) knocked out Charlie Weinert (35-8-1) in the 2nd round of a heavyweight bout at the Polo Grounds in New York.

75 years ago
1940

War
The British Blue Star liner SS Arandora Star, en route to St. John's, Newfoundland with Italian and German internees and German prisoners of war who were to be sent to Canadian internment camps, was sunk by German submarine U-47 75 miles off the coast of Ireland. 805 people were killed, while 868 survivors were rescued by the Royal Canadian Navy destroyer HMCS St. Laurent. Two shiploads of American citizens and British women and children were evacuated from Hong Kong. The British government of Prime Minister Winston Churchil notified Pope Pius XII that as fas as possible, U.K. forces would not bomb or shell Rome.

Diplomacy
Indian independence agitator Mohandas K. Gandhi appealed to all Britons to cease hostilities with Germany and settle their differences with non-violent methods.

Protest
Indian independence activist Subhas Chandra Bose was arrested and detained in Calcutta.

Politics and government
A new Cuban constitution was promulgated.

The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King created an office of war industries.

Wendell Willkie, 1940 Republican Party nominee for President of the United States, appointed a 12-man campaign advisor committee headed by Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen, and instructed them not to accept corporate contributions.

Americana
In the first preliminary report of the 1940 Census, the cities of Newark, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and St. Louis showed declines in population since 1930.

Transportation
The Lake Washington Floating Bridge opened to traffic at Seattle; the $8-million bridge was the largest floating structure yet built.

Economics and finance
The United States Congress passed a bill authorizing President Franklin D. Roosevelt to impose controls on exports of all vital materials.

Sport
All intercollegiate sports in Canada were halted for the duration of World War II in order to further military training.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sentimental Journey--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (5th week at #1)
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
--The Merry Macs
2 Bell Bottom Trousers--Tony Pastor and his Orchestra
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
--Louis Prima and his Orchestra
3 Laura--Johnnie Johnston
--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Dick Haymes
4 There! I've Said it Again--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters)
--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra
5 Caldonia--Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five
--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra
6 Dream--The Pied Pipers
--Frank Sinatra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
7 You Belong to My Heart--Bing Crosby and Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
8 The More I See You--Dick Haymes
--Harry James and his Orchestra
9 My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day)
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson
--Phil Moore Four
10 Candy--Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson

No new singles entered the chart.

War
Nearly 600 U.S. Superfortresses--the largest number ever sent aloft--bombed Kure, Shimonoseki, and Ube on the Japanese island of Honshu, and Kumamoto on Kyushu.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman presented the United Nations Charter to the Senate, urging rapid ratification.

The U.S.S.R. notified the French Foreign Ministry that it wished to participate in the international conference that would consider the provisional status of the port of Tangier.

Politics and government
The United States Senate confirmed James F. Byrnes as Secretary of State.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Melody of Love--The Four Aces; Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Unchained Melody--Al Hibbler (4th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (Best Seller--10th week at #1; Disc Jockey--6th week at #1; Jukebox--5th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Unchained Melody--Les Baxter and his Orchestra (6th week at #1)
--Al Hibbler
--Roy Hamilton
2 (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets
3 Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra
--Alan Dale
4 Something's Gotta Give--The McGuire Sisters
--Sammy Davis, Jr.
5 A Blossom Fell--Nat "King" Cole
6 Learnin' the Blues--Frank Sinatra
7 Honey-Babe--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
8 The Ballad of Davy Crockett--Bill Hayes
--Fess Parker
--Tennessee Ernie Ford
9 Dance with Me Henry (Wallflower)--Georgia Gibbs
10 It's a Sin to Tell a Lie--Somethin' Smith and the Redheads

Singles entering the chart were The Banjo's Back in Town by Teresa Brewer (#43); (The Song of) Daniel Boone (The Daddy of Them All) by Loren Becker with Enoch Light and his Orchestra (#48); and Duvid Crockett (The Ballad of Davy Crockett) by Mickey Katz and his Orchestra (#49). Duvid Crockett (The Ballad of Davy Crockett) was spoof of The Ballad of Davy Crockett.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 I'm Henry VIII, I Am--Herman's Hermits
2 Wonderful World--Herman's Hermits
3 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The Rolling Stones
4 Crying in the Chapel--Elvis Presley
5 Mr. Tambourine Man--The Byrds
6 Cara, Mia--Jay & the Americans
7 Here Comes the Night--Them
8 (Such An) Easy Question--Elvis Presley
9 What's New Pussycat?--Tom Jones
10 Help Me, Rhonda--The Beach Boys
Pick hit of the week: On My Word--Cliff Richard
New this week: Donna--Bobby Curtola
I'll Never Get Over You--The Everly Brothers
What the World Needs Now is Love--Jackie DeShannon
It's Gonna Be Fine--Glenn Yarbrough
Lazy Harry's--The Brothers Four
Trains and Boats and Planes--Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas

Music
The Beatles continued their European tour with a concert at Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid.

Space
The United States launched the weather satellite TIROS 10.

Football
CFL
Edmonton Eskimos' intrasquad game @ Clarke Stadium
Green 52 Gold 27

Tommy-Joe Coffey scored 4 touchdowns for Green, with Bill Tobin, Jim Thomas, and E.A. Sims scoring the other Green TDs. Bill Mitchell kicked 5 converts, a field goal, and 2 singles for Green. Clarence Kachman, Norm Thomas, Larry Ferguson, and Bill Redell scored Gold touchdowns. Mr. Coffey, kicking for Gold, added 3 converts.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
James Robertson Justice, 68. U.K. actor. Mr. Justice was a character actor who was known for supporting roles in movies such as Captain Horatio Hornblower, R.N. (1951); Doctor in the House (1954); Moby Dick (1956); Doctor at Large (1957); Doctor in Love (1960); Murder, She Said (1961); and Doctor in Distress (1963).

World events
The World Conference on International Women's Year closed in Mexico City after two weeks. Delegates from 113 countries adopted a plan to promote equal rights and greater participation in national development.

Diplomacy
United States Senators met Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev during a four-day visit to the U.S.S.R.

Scandal
Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam dismissed Deputy Prime Minister James Cairns for alleged overseas loan irregularities.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (1-0) 18 @ Hamilton (0-1) 17
Montreal (1-0) 19 @ Calgary (0-1) 18

30 years ago
1985

Died on this date
Guy Bush, 83. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Bush played with the Chicago Cubs (1923-1934); Pittsburgh Pirattes (1935-1936); Boston Bees (1936-1937); St. Louis Cardinals (1938); and Cincinnati Reds (1945), compiling a record of 176-136 with an earned run average of 3.86 and 34 saves in 542 games, batting .161 with no home runs and 52 runs batted in in 544 games. He led the National League in saves in 1925 (4) and 1929 (8), and led the NL in games pitched in 1929 (50). Mr. Bush helped the Cubs win NL pennants in 1929 and 1932 and pitched in 2 World Series games in each of those years, posting a record of 1-1 with a 5.40 in 4 games, with his win being a 3-1 complete game in the third game of the 1929 World Series against the Philadelpia Athletics--the Cubs' only win in those two Series. Mr. Bush's best season was 1933, when he was 20-12 with a 2.75 ERA. He's best remembered today for giving up Babe Ruth's last two home runs on May 25, 1935 in an 11-7 win for the Pirates over the Boston Braves. Mr. Ruth's last homer was the first ball ever hit over the right field roof at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Mr. Bush managed the Battle Creek Belles of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for the last part of the 1951 season and the first part of the 1952 season. He died of cardiac arrest after working in his garden.

Baseball
Joe Niekro of the Houston Astros earned his 200th career major league victory as the Astros edged the San Diego Padres 3-2 before 36,138 fans at San Dieg-Jack Murphy Stadium.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Nichiyōbi (にちようび)--Jitterin' Jinn

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Verdammt, Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Snooky Lanson, 76. U.S. singer. Mr. Lanson, born Roy Landman, sang with the bands of Francis Craig and Ray Noble in the 1930s and '40s, but was best known as one of the stars of the television program Your Hit Parade (1950-1957). He spent his later years in Nashville, singing at local dances and hosting a syndicated radio show.

Politics and government
The East German government agreed to all-German elections to be held in December.

The 28th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union opened in Moscow, with "conservatives" concerned about a draft platform that did not refer directly to Marxism-Leninism, and supported the right to "earned private property" and the "interests and requirements of the individual." Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev addressed the congress and admitted that the party’s leadership had made mistakes, but that his program of restructuring was the nation’s only hope. Mr. Gorbachev reaffirmed the need for a regulated market economy.

Scandal
Imelda Marcos, widow of former Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, was found not guilty of racketeering, fraud, and obstruction of justice in U.S. Federal Court in New York City. Her co-defendant, Saudi Arabian financier Adnan Khashoggi, was found not guilty of mail fraud and obstruction of justice. The prosecution alleged that Mrs. Marcos had stolen $200 million from the Philippines treasury, spending most of it on herself. Mr. Khashoggi was alleged to have helped her to buy office buildings in the U.S.A. The defense argued that Mrs. Marcos was unaware of any illegal activities on the part of her late husband. Jurors were reported to have found this argument persuasive, and some said they did not understand why the trial was being conducted in the United States.

Baseball
Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers struck out 7 batters to give him a major league record 22 seasons with 100 or more strikeouts. Mr. Ryan had previously shared the record with Don Sutton. Mr. Ryan left the game after 8 innings with the Rangers and Boston Red Sox tied 2-2 before 35,096 fans at Fenway Park in Boston; he was relieved by Kenny Rogers, who promptly surrendered a home run by Boston shortstop Kevin Romine leading off the bottom of the 9th, giving the Red Sox a 3-2 win. Mike Boddicker allowed 10 hits and 2 earned runs in pitching a complete game victory, striking out 9 and improving his record for the season to 11-3.

The Oakland Athletics edged the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 before 49,855 fans at SkyDome in Toronto, boosting the Blue Jay's home attendance for 1990 past the 2,000,000 mark faster than any team in major league baseball history.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Scream--Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)--Sin with Sebastian (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?--Bryan Adams

Died on this date
Lloyd MacPhail, 75. Canadian politician. Mr. MacPhail, a Progressive Conservative, represented 2nd Queens in the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly from 1961-1985, and was leader of the provincial PC Party from July 1-September 25, 1976. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island from 1985-1990.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Ernest Lehman, 89. U.S. screenwriter. Mr. Lehman was nominated for Academy Awards for his screenplays for Sabrina (1954); North by Northwest (1959); West Side Story (1961); and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). He didn't win, but was awarded an honourary Oscar in 2001 "in appreciation of a body of varied and enduring work."

Protest
Prominent musicians performed Live 8 benefit concerts in 10 major cities throughout the world in an effort to persuade leaders of Western governments to tackle poverty in Africa.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (2-0) 23 @ Hamilton (0-2) 21