July 23, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Alla!

175 years ago
1840

Politics and government
The British Parliament passed the the Act of Union of Upper Canada and Lower Canada, to take effect February 10, 1841, providing for the union of the two provinces under a single government. The Act also provided tor the assumption of the £1.2-million Upper Canada debt; establishment of a civil list; banning of the French language in the Assembly and in all government departments; and dissolution of French educational and civil law institutions.

140 years ago
1875

Died on this date
Isaac Singer, 63. U.S. inventor and businessman. Mr. Singer was a travelling stage actor before and after inventing various machines, most notably making improvements in the design of the sewing machine in 1851. In 1856, he and several patent competitors agreed to pool their patents, and founded the Sewing Machine Combination--now the Singer Corporation--in Albany, New York. Mr. Singer left a fortune of $13 million upon his death.

130 years ago
1885

Died on this date
U.S. Grant, 63. 18th President of the United States, 1869-1877. In the U.S. Civil War (or, if you prefer, the War of Northern Aggression), Mr. Grant led Union forces to a number of victories before President Abraham Lincoln made him a lieutenant-general and placed him in command of all Union armies in March 1864. In 1866 he became a full general, the first American to receive such a designation since George Washington. He was the Republican Party nominee for President of the United States in 1868 and was easily elected then and re-elected in 1872. His administration was ridden with various scandals, although there were some diplomatic triumphs. Mr. Grant attempted to win the Republican presidential nomination in 1880, but lost to James A. Garfield. His last years were marked by financial reversals and throat cancer, but he was able to write and publish his memoirs, which were critically and commercially successful.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Pete Schmidt. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Schmidt played 1 game with the St. Louis Browns on July 14, 1913, allowing 3 hits and 1 run--earned--in 2 innings of relief, with no decision and an earned run average of 4.50. He died on March 11, 1973 at the age of 82.

Baseball
Harry Stovey of the Boston Reds became the first major league player to hit 100 career home runs as he reached the milestone in a 22-5 rout of the Chicago Pirates in a Players League game in Chicago.

The Columbus Buckeyes beat the Syracuse Stars 13-8 in an American Association game in Syracuse, as losing pitcher Mike Morrison made 7 wild pitches.

100 years ago
1915

Education
The government of Ontario put the Ottawa School Commission under trusteeship for flouting Regulation #17, banning the use of French in Ontario schools past Grade 1.

80 years ago
1935

Politics and government
The Liberal Party, led by former Premier Walter Lea, regained power by winning the Prince Edward Island provincial election, taking all 30 seats in the House of Assembly to become the first government in the British Commonwealth to face no sitting opposition. The Conservatives, led by Premier William MacMillan, lost all 18 of their seats; the Liberals had held 12 seats going into the election. The Liberals captured 57.9% of the popular vote to 42.1% for the Conservatives.

75 years ago
1940

Diplomacy
Japanese residents in the Chinese city of Hungchow issued a demand that the United States leave Asia.

The Czecho-Slovak National Committee, headed by Eduard Benes, said in London that the United Kingdom recognized it as the Czechoslovakian government in exile.

General Wladislaw Sikorski, commander-in-chief of the Polish Army in London, announced a new Polish-British military convention.

The United Kingdom provided shelter in Khartoum for Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie until his return to Ethiopia.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles issued a declaration on the U.S. non-recognition policy of the Soviet annexation and incorporation of three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, publicly attacking the "devious processes" by which the U.S.S.R. had "deliberately annihilated" the independence of the three countries.

Defense
The British Purchasing Mission and U.S. officials agreed on allocation of the output from the U.S. defense industry. The British were to receive 40% of all aircraft produced.

The United States War Department received reports that Japanese purchasing agents were trying to corner aviation gasoline supplies on the West Coast.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Wartime Prices and Trade Board fixed prices for all grades of wheat, flour, and bread, preventing millers from passing on the 15%/bushel wheat processing tax.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate a resolution extending for three years executive authority to negotiate reciprocal trade agreements.

Protest
The Bengali government in India announced that it would remove the "Black Hole" monuments, site of recent protest demonstrations.

Baseball
The Brooklyn Dodgers bought outfielder Pete Reiser from the Montreal Royals of the International League, where he was batting .250 in just 3 games. He had started the season with the Elmira Pioneers of the Class A Eastern League, batting .378 with 7 home runs in 67 games.

The Cincinnati Reds beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 4-3 in 11 innings and 9-2 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn for their 10th doubleheader sweep of the year.

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) (8th week at #1)
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
--The Merry Macs
2 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
3 Bell Bottom Trousers--Tony Pastor and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Louis Prima and his Orchestra
--Jerry Colonna
4 You Belong to My Heart--Bing Crosby and Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
5 Caldonia--Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five
--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra
6 Chopin's Polonaise--Carmen Cavallaro and his Orchestra
7 On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe--Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby
--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
8 Laura--Johnnie Johnston
--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Dick Haymes
9 Dream--The Pied Pipers
--Frank Sinatra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
10 The More I See You--Dick Haymes
--Harry James and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were the version of Bell Bottom Trousers by Jerry Colonna; Please No Squeeza Da Banana by Tony Pastor and his Orchestra (#34); Out of This World, with versions by Jo Stafford; and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#35); (Yip Yip De Hootie) My Baby Said Yes by Bing Crosby and Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five (#37); Goosey Gander by Woody Herman and his Orchestra (#39); and Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day) by Frank Sinatra (#42).

War
Dispatches from Frankfurt revealed that U.S. occupation forces in Germany had carried out mass raids throughout the American zone from sunrise on July 21 until sunrise today, taking 80,000 Germans into custody for suspected membership in the SS or other criminal organizations. With the approval of U.S. President Harry Truman, U.S. Army General Leslie Groves secretly directed that the 509 Composite Group of the 20th Air Force prepare to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. U.S. destroyers broke up a four-ship Japanese convoy in Sagami Bay near Tokyo, sinking two vessels and damaging one. Chinese forces recaptured the former U.S. air base at Namyung in the province of Kwangtung.

World events
Former French Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Petain maintained his innocence as he went on trial in Paris for treason.

Diplomacy
U.S. Senator Tom Connally presented the United Nations Charter to the full Senate for discussion.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Theodore Bilbo (Democrat--Mississippi) refused the demand of Representative Vito Marcantonio (American Liberal Party--New York) that he apologize to Miss Josephine Piccolo for addressing her as "My Dear Dago" in a letter, after she had written Sen. Bilbo about his opposition to Fair Employment Practices Commission legislation.

Fred Vinson took office as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, while John Snyder took office as director of the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion.

Science
A bill to establish a National Science Foundation was introduced into the United States Senate.

Disasters
Northern New Jersey and the Berkshire area of Massachusetts suffered $4 million in damage from floods following eight days of heavy rain.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The High and the Mighty--Victor Young and his Orchestra; Les Baxter and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Rose Marie--Slim Whitman

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets (Best Seller--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--2nd week at #1); Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (Jukebox--8th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets (3rd week at #1)
2 Unchained Melody--Les Baxter and his Orchestra
--Al Hibbler
--Roy Hamilton
3 Learnin' the Blues--Frank Sinatra
4 Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra
--Alan Dale
5 Something's Gotta Give--The McGuire Sisters
--Sammy Davis, Jr.
6 A Blossom Fell--Nat "King" Cole
7 Hard to Get--Gisele MacKenzie
8 Honey-Babe--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
9 Ain't That a Shame--Pat Boone
--Fats Domino
10 Sweet and Gentle--Alan Dale
--Georgia Gibbs

Singles entering the chart were Piddily Patter Patter by Patti Page (#38); Forgive This Fool by Roy Hamilton (#40); Fooled (#42)/Tina Marie (#45) by Perry Como; Song of the Dreamer by Eddie Fisher (#47); and Swanee (#48)/The Longest Walk (#50) by Jaye P. Morgan.

Died on this date
Cordell Hull, 83. U.S. politician. Mr. Hull, a Democrat, represented Tennessee's 4th District in the United States House of Representatives from 1907-1921 and 1923-1931, and represented Tennessee in the Senate from 1931-1933. He left the Senate to become U.S. Secretary of State in the first administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and held the position from 1933-1944. Mr. Hull was awarded the 1945 Nobel Peace Prize for "his fight against isolationism at home, his efforts to create a peace bloc of states on the American continents, and his work for the United Nations Organization."

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 I'm Henry VIII, I Am--Herman's Hermits (4th week at #1)
2 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The Rolling Stones
3 Down in the Boondocks--Billy Joe Royal
4 What's New Pussycat?--Tom Jones
5 Mr. Tambourine Man--The Byrds
6 I Like it Like That--The Dave Clark Five
7 Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows--Lesley Gore
8 You Turn Me On (Turn On Song)--Ian Whitcomb and Bluesville
9 Cara, Mia--Jay & the Americans
10 Trains and Boats and Planes--Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas
Pick hit of the week: Don't You Even Want to Know--The Royal Family
New this week: The World Through a Tear--Neil Sedaka
I Can't Begin to Tell You--Buddy Greco
California Girls--The Beach Boys
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me--Mel Carter
Nothing But Heartaches--The Supremes

Economics and finance
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed a coinage bill that eliminated silver from quarters and dimes, and reduced half-dollar silver content from 90%-40%.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa 18 @ Edmonton (3-0) 23

Bill Tobin scored 3 touchdowns and Bill Mitchell kicked 3 converts and 2 singles as the Eskimos defeated the Rough Riders at Clarke Stadium.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Art Mills, 72. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Mills played with various minor league teams from 1922-1932 and 1934, and with the Boston Braves in 1927-1928, compiling a 0-1 record with an earned run average of 5.36 in 19 games with the Braves. He served as a coach with the Detroit Tigers from 1944-1948, and was with them when they won the World Series in 1945.

Music
The Guess Who performed at Edmonton Coliseum as part of the "Coliseum of Stars" promotion in conjunction with Klondike Days.

Diplomacy
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau barred the Soviet Union's Atlantic fleet from Canadian ports for overfishing quotas.

Football
CFL
Montreal (1-0) 33 @ Hamilton (0-1) 23
Calgary (0-1) 2 @ Saskatchewan (1-0) 20

Jimmy Jones threw touchdown passes to Johnny Rodgers, Peter Dalla Riva, and Larry Smith as the Alouettes began defense of their Grey Cup championship with a win over the Tiger-Cats before 23,150 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Steve Ferrughelli rushed 18 times for 92 yards and the other Montreal touchdown. Linebacker Tony Perea, playing his first CFL game, recovered a blocked punt in the Montreal end zone for his only CFL touchdown, while quarterback Jim McMillan, making his CFL debut, passed to Garney Henley for one Hamilton TD and handed off to Andy Hopkins for another. Mr. McMillan also rushed for a pair of 2-point converts; his first, after Mr. Henley's TD with 39 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter, was the first regular season 2-point convert in CFL history. Bill Etter started at quarterback for the Tiger-Cats, rushing once for 15 yards and completing his only pass for 7 yards in what turned out to be the final game of his three-year CFL career. Among those making their CFL debuts were Montreal receiver Joe Petty, who caught 3 passes for 67 yards, and Hamilton running back Charles Jessamy, who caught 3 passes for 51 yards. It was the first CFL game since 1968 for Montreal punter Dave Lewis, who had played with the Alouettes in 1967-1968 before spending the next six years with the Cincinnati Bengals of the American and National Football Leagues. It was the only Canadian Football League game for Hamilton defensive back David Lane, who returned 3 punts for 53 yards. In addition to the 2-point convert, this was the first CFL regular season game to include legal blocking on punt returns.

Ron Lancaster handed off to George Reed for one touchdown and passed to Rhett Dawson for another as the Roughriders easily beat the Stampeders before 17,273 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Mr. Reed's touchdown was the 127th of his career, breaking the professional record of 126 held by Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns of the NFL. It was the first game for Roger Goree as a Saskatchewan linebacker; Mr. Goree had been cut by the Stampeders at the end of the pre-season after two seasons in Calgary. Gerald Kunyk made his CFL debut as the Stampeders' punter.

Baseball
John Montefusco pitched a 6-hit complete game victory and hit his first home run of the season as the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 10-2 before 6,526 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Giants scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, climaxed by Chris Speier's 3-run homer. Chicago starting pitcher Steve Stone was pulled after the 1st inning.

J.R. Richard pitched a 5-hit complete game to win a pitchers' duel over Dennis Blair as the Houston Astros edged the Montreal Expos 2-1 before 16,804 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal in the Wednesday Expos Baseball telecast on CBC. Gary Carter hit a home run for the Montreal run in the 4th inning.

The St. Louis Cardinals built up a 5-0 lead and withstood a 9th-inning rally to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 before 27,772 fans at Dodger Stadium. St. Louis pitcher Bob Forsch was 1 out away from a complete game when pinch hitter Willie Crawford hit a 2-run home run and Lee Lacy followed him with a pinch homer. Mike Garman was then summoned from the bullpen and struck out Dave Lopes to end the game.

Vida Blue pitched a 7-hitter and struck out 9 as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Detroit Tigers 3-0 before 20,251 fans at Tiger Stadium.

Frank Tanana pitched a 6-hitter and struck out 8 to win the pitchers' duel over Jim Palmer as the California Angels edged the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 before 12,741 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Mr. Palmer also pitched a complete game, allowing 8 hits and striking out 5. Dave Collins scored the only run in the 1st inning when he drew a base on balls with 2 out, stole second base, and scored on a single by Joe Lahoud.

Marty Pattin pitched a 7-hit complete game victory despite two rain delays totalling 2 hours and 48 minutes as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 before 9,531 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Buck Martinez and John Mayberry hit home runs for the Royals. It was the last game for Jack McKeon as Kansas City manager; he was fired the next day and replaced by Whitey Herzog.

After blowing a 7-2 lead in the 9th inning and allowing the go-ahead run in the top of the 13th, the Texas Rangers rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the 13th to defeat the Cleveland Indians 9-8 before 15,016 fans at Arlington Stadium.

Mexico City Reds' manager Benjamin Reyes was ejected from a game for the 11th time in the 1975 Mexican League season, this one coming in a game against Poza Rica. ML President Antonio Ramirez Muro fined Mr. Reyes only 320 pesos (U.S. $40), but suspended umpire Antonio Calderon for the balance of the season for provoking the argument with Mr. Reyes.

30 years ago
1985

Baseball
Oddibe McDowell batted 5 for 5 and became the first Texas Ranger to hit for the cycle as the Rangers beat the Cleveland Indians 8-4 before 8,985 fans at Arlington Stadium.

25 years ago
1990

Personal
This blogger spent the day with attractive female company in Kitchener and Waterloo.

Law
U.S. President George Bush announced that David Souter, a judge with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, would be his nominee to succeed the retiring William Brennan on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Souter was a graduate of Harvard Law School and had served as New Hampshire’s attorney general and as a state Supreme Court judge before being named to the circuit court earlier in 1990.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Wish You were Here--Rednex

#1 single in Switzerland: Wish You were Here--Rednex (2nd week at #1)

Space
Comet Hale-Bopp was discovered by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp.

War
The United Kingdom sent 1,200 troops to relieve the besieged Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.

Golf
John Daly shot 1-under-par in a 4-hole playoff to finish 4 strokes ahead of Constantino Rocca and win the British Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. The two were tied after 4 rounds with 6-under-par total scores of 282. First prize money was £125,000 ($199,375).



Cycling
Miguel Indurain of Spain became the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five consecutive times, defeating Alex Zulle of Switzerland by 4 minutes 35 seconds.

10 years ago
2005

Terrorism
At least 88 people were killed and 200 injured in bomb attacks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, according to hospital staff.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (4-0) 28 @ Hamilton (0-4) 22
Saskatchewan (3-2) 18 @ Calgary (2-2) 44