July 27, 2015

150 years ago
1865

Died on this date
Augustin-Norbert Morin, 61. Joint Premier of the Province of Canada, 1851-1855. Mr. Morin was a lawyer and judge who served as Joint Premier of Canada from Canada East, with his Canada West counterparts being Francis Hincks (1851-1854) and Allan MacNab (1854-1855).

South Americana
Welsh settlers arrived at Chubut in Argentina.

130 years ago
1885

Baseball
John Clarkson of the Chicago White Stockings pitched a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over the Providence Grays at West Side Park in Chicago.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Benjamin Miessner. U.S. radio engineer and inventor. Mr. Miessner received more than 200 patents, and invented the cat's whisker detector--used to receive radio waves in crystal sets--and musical instruments such as the electronic organ and electric piano. He died on March 25, 1976 at the age of 85.

Armas Taipale. Finnish athlete. Mr. Taipale won gold medals in the conventional discus throw and two-handed discus throw at the 1912 Summer Olympic Games in Stockholm and a silver medal at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp. He won three Finnish titles in discus throw and two in shot put. He competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in the Nordic Games, and also played soccer. Mr. Taipale died on November 9, 1976 at the age of 86.

Baseball
In the American Association, the Brooklyn Gladiators were leading the Columbus Buckeyes 13-8 in the 8th inning at Long Island Park when they ran out of baseballs and were forced to forfeit the game.

110 years ago
1905

Born on this date
Leo Durocher. U.S. baseball player and manager. "Leo the Lip" was a shortstop with the New York Yankees (1925, 1928-1929); Cincinnati Reds (1930-1933); St. Louis Cardinals (1933-1937); and Brooklyn Dodgers (1938-1941, 1943, 1945), batting .247 with 24 home runs and 567 runs batted in in 1,637 games. He managed the Dodgers (1938-1948); New York Giants (1948-1955); Chicago Cubs (1966-1972); and Houston Astros (1972-1973), compiling a record of 2,008-1,709. He led the Dodgers to the National League pennant in 1941, but was suspended for the 1947 season for keeping company with men of questionable character. Mr. Durocher's Giants defeated the Dodgers in a three-game playoff to win the 1951 NL pennant, and swept the Cleveland Indians in an upset to win the World Series in 1954. Mr. Durocher produced winning records with the Cubs, but the team collapsed late in 1969 after leading the National League East Division for most of the season, and never did win a pennant under Mr. Durocher. Mr. Durocher died on Oacotber 7, 1991 at the age of 86, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Josef Priller. German military aviator. Oberst (Colonel) Priller joined the Wehrmacht in 1935 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1936. He was a wing commander in World War II and was a fighter ace, credited with 101 enemy aircraft shot down in 307 combat missions, all on the Western Front. Oberst Priller was a brewer after the war, and died of a heart attack on May 20, 1961 at the age of 45.

80 years ago
1935

Baseball
The Philadelphia Athletics defeated former teammate Lefty Grove and the Boston Red Sox 7-6 in 15 innings in the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Mr. Grove pitched a complete game, allowing 21 hits and 7 runs--5 earned--in 14 2/3 innings. Wes Ferrell pitched a 3-hit shutout to win the pitchers' duel over Johnny Marcum as the Red Sox won the second game 2-0 in a game that was played in 1 hour 45 minutes.

The Chicago Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds 9-8 and 12-1 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, outhitting the Reds 20-5 in the second game.

Curt Davis pitched an 8-hit shutout as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Boston Braves 5-0 at Braves Field in a game that was played in 1 hour 38 minutes. Losing pitcher Ben Cantwell allowed 7 hits and 5 runs--4 earned--in 7 innings to drop to 2-14 for the season.

75 years ago
1940

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'll Never Smile Again--Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers)

This marked the introduction of Billboard's 10-position "National List of Best Selling Retail Records."

At the movies
The cartoon A Wild Hare, featuring the first appearance of Bugs Bunny, was released. Bugs was being hunted by Elmer Fudd.

War
Japanese naval forces seized the Chinese coastal city of Honghai.

Diplomacy
Delegates to the Pan-American Consultative Conference in Havana reached agreement on colonies, trade, and fifth column activities. A Declaration of Havana, to take effect upon ratification by two-thirds of the American Republics, barred direct or indirect transfer of sovereignty of territory in the hemisphere from one non-American power to another. An attempt to do so would result in an inter-American trusteeship over the affected territory.

Politics and government
The India Congress Party, meeting in Poona, ratified the Working Committee resolutions declaring that it was unable to extend the principle of non-violence to the defense of India at this time, and pledging cooperation in the Allied war effort if a provisional national government were to be established as a first step toward independence.

Health
The Chemical Marketing Company in New York announced that it would produce synthetic dental fillings to replace gold and mercury amalgams.

70 years ago
1945

At the movies
The Woman in Green, starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, and Henry Daniell, opened in theatres.



War
Chinese troops reported the capture of a Japanese supply base at Pinglo and the recapture of a former U.S. air base near Kweilin, both in the province of Kwangsi.

Politics and government
British Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced that he would concurrently hold the posts of First Lord of the Treasury and Minister of Labour in his new cabinet, and named Ernest Bevin as Foreign Secretary.

The Florida Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision that Negroes may vote in Democratic Party primaries in the state.

At the U.S. Communist Political Association convention in New York City, delegates voted to reorganize the Communist Party and warned Chairman and General Secretary Earl Browder that he would be expelled if he tried to split the party.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service said that government income from taxes in the 1945 fiscal year reached a new high of $43.8 billion.

60 years ago
1955

Politics and government
The Austrian State Treaty, ending the post-World War II Allied occupation of Austria, went into effect.

50 years ago
1965

Theatre
The musical Anne of Green Gables, based on the novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, received its premiere performance at the Charlottetown Festival.

Politics and government
Edward Heath was elected leader of Britain's Conservative Party, receiving 150 votes to 133 for former Chancellor of the Exchequer Reginald Maudling and 15 for Enoch Powell.

Diplomacy
The 17-nation Disarmament Committee reconvened in Geneva for the first time since September 1964.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Fred Sherry, 86. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Sherry, born Fred Schuerholz, played in 10 games with the Washington Nationals in 1910, compiling a record of 0-4 with an earned run average of 4.30. He spent at least 8 seasons in the minor leagues from 1910-1917.

Weather
This and the following day were the hottest that this blogger, on vacation with his parents in Wisconsin and Iowa, have ever experienced. I don't know what the temperature was, but I think it must have been over 100 F. In St. Louis, not far from us, the heat forced home plate umpire Shag Crawford to leave the game between the Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies after 5 innings.

Golf
Tom Weiskopf won the Canadian Open, defeating Jack Nicklaus with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff at Royal Montreal Golf Club's Blue Course. The two had scores of 6-under-par 274 after 72 holes.

Football
WFL
Pre-season
Philadelphia (1-1) 30 @ Portland (0-2) 21

Baseball
The New York Mets released outfielder Cleon Jones. Mr. Jones, who was in his 12th season with the Mets, was batting .240 in 21 games with no home runs and 2 runs batted in. He had been injured during spring training and was rehabilitating a knee injury in Florida when he was arrested on May 4 after being found naked and asleep in a van with a young female companion. The charges were eventually dropped, but Mr. Jones and his wife endured an embarrassing press conference. He last played on July 18 when he made an out as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning of a home game against the Atlanta Braves and defied New York manager Yogi Berra, who told him to go to left field for the 8th inning. The two engaged in a shouting match in the dugout, and Mr. Jones flung his glove down, puled towels off the rack, stormed to the clubhouse, and left before the game was over. Mr. Berra demanded that Mr. Jones be suspended, but the suspension didn't come until four days later. Mr. Jones eventually apologized to Mr. Berra, but was released after he (Mr. Jones) vetoed a possible trade with the California Angels.

Ken Brett allowed 3 hits and 1 unearned run in 6 2/3 innings while hitting 2 singles and driving in a run as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Montreal Expos 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 27,961 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Willie Stargell hit a 3-run home run to climax a 4-run 8th inning as the Pirates came from behind to win the second game 5-3 to complete the sweep.

Bill Madlock, who had batted 6 for 6 the previous day, was 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and 3 runs batted in as the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 29,774 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Mr. Madlock was 2 for 5 with a double in the second game, but the Mets scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning to win 4-1.

Steve Yeager batted 4 for 4 with a home run and a double to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 before 50,609 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

Every man in the St. Louis Cardinals' starting lineup had at least 1 hit as the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 9-6 before 22,046 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. John Denny started on the mound for the Cardinals and singled in 2 runs in the 2nd inning, but was pulled from the game after allowing hits to the first two Philadelphia batters in the 4th. Bob Gibson relieved him and allowed just 3 hits and no runs in 4 innings to get his first win in relief since 1964. The win was the 251st and last of Mr. Gibson's Hall of Fame major league career. Home plate umpire Shag Crawford left the game after 5 innings because of heat exhaustion.

The Boston Red Sox swept a doubleheader from the New York Yankees 1-0 and 6-0 before 53,361 fans at Shea Stadium in New York, marking the first time since 1958 that the Yankees had been shut out in a doubleheader. Bill Lee pitched a 6-hitter in the first game to win the pitchers' duel over Catfish Hunter, who allowed just 3 hits and an unearned run, which came in the 9th inning when Rick Miller singled home Fred Lynn, who had reached first base on an error by New York shortstop Jim Mason and then stolen second as Jim Rice struck out. Roger Moret pitched a 6-hitter too win the second game, while Tippy Martinez, making his first major league start, allowed 7 hits and 5 runs--4 earned--in 3 1/3 innings in taking the loss.

Jack Pierce batted 3 for 4 with a double, home run, 3 runs, and 4 runs batted in as the Detroit Tigers edged the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in the first game of a doubleheader before 30,850 fans at Tiger Stadium. Mr. Pierce batted 2 for 4 with a homer, run, and 2 RBIs in the second game, but the Indians won 7-2. Mr. Pierce, the Detroit first baseman, made an error in each game, and his error in the second game led to 4 unearned runs.

The Baltimore Orioles swept a doubleheader from the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 and 11-6 in 10 innings before 26,705 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Bobby Grich batted 4 for 5 with a home run, 3 runs, and 2 runs batted in in the first game, while Lee May and Don Baylor each added 3 hits. The Brewers led 6-0 after 8 innings in the second game but completely collapsed, allowing the Orioles to score 6 runs--all with none out--to tie the game in the 9th inning, with the last 3 runs coming on a home run by Al Bumbry. In the 10th, the Orioles scored 5 runs--all with 2 out--with Tommy Davis's grand slam the big blow. The results led Milwaukee front office management to become increasingly disenchanted with manager Del Crandall.

Reggie Jackson and Joe Rudi hit home runs in each game as the Oakland Athletics swept a doubleheader from the Chicago White Sox 10-1 and 7-1 before 21,254 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Vida Blue pitched an 8-hit complete game to win the opener, while Stan Bahnsen also pitched an 8-hit complete game to defeat his former team in the second game.

Jerry Turner, hitless in his previous 8 at bats, singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 16th inning to give the Hawaii Islanders a 6-5 win over the Spokane Indians in a Pacific Coast League game at Honolulu Stadium. Larry Hardy, who pitched the final inning for Hawaii, was the winning pitcher. Mr. Hardy was preceded by Frank Linzy, who pitched 5 scoreless innings. Dave Moharter pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for Spokane before being relieved after the 15th inning. Lew Beasley hit a 2-run home run in the 9th inning to tie the game for Spokane. Tommy Cruz also homered for the Indians.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): A View to a Kill--Duran Duran (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): I'm on Fire--Bruce Springsteen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Axel F--Harold Faltermeyer

#1 single in the U.K.: There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)--Eurythmics

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Everytime You Go Away--Paul Young

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Everytime You Go Away--Paul Young
2 Raspberry Beret--Prince and the Revolution
3 Shout--Tears for Fears
4 You Give Good Love--Whitney Houston
5 A View to a Kill--Duran Duran
6 Would I Lie to You?--Eurythmics
7 If You Love Somebody Set Them Free--Sting
8 Voices Carry--’Til Tuesday
9 Glory Days--Bruce Springsteen
10 Sussudio--Phil Collins

Singles entering the chart were Freedom by Wham! (#46); Pop Life by Prince and the Revolution (#54); No Lookin' Back by Michael McDonald (#73); You Look Marvelous by Billy Crystal (#77); Do You Want Crying by Katrina and the Waves (#80); Spanish Eddie by Laura Branigan (#82); Take on Me by A-Ha (#85); Cry by Godley & Creme (#86); Love Resurrection by Alison Moyet (#89); and Black Kisses (Never Make You Blue) by Curtie and the Boombox (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Never Surrender--Corey Hart (4th week at #1)
2 Everytime You Go Away--Paul Young
3 19--Paul Hardcastle
4 Axel F--Harold Faltermeyer
5 Walking On Sunshine--Katrina and the Waves
6 A View to a Kill--Duran Duran
7 If You Love Somebody Set Them Free--Sting
8 Never Ending Story--Limahl
9 The Goonies 'R' Good Enough--Cyndi Lauper
10 You Spin Me Around (Like a Record)--Dead or Alive

Singles entering the chart were Mystery Lady by Billy Ocean (#91); Freedom by Wham! (#94); Spanish Eddie by Laura Branigan (#95); and State of the Heart by Rick Springfield (#97).

Died on this date
Smoky Joe Wood, 95. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Wood, born Howard Ellsworth Wood, acquired his nickname for his blazing fastball. He was a pitcher and then an outfielder with the Boston Red Sox (1908-1915) and Cleveland Indians (1917-1922). Mr. Wood compiled a major league pitching record of 117-57 with an earned run average of 2.03; his best season was 1912, when he went 34-5 in helping the Red Sox to win the World Series. He broke his thumb in spring training in 1913 and came back to soon, injuring his arm, and eventually shortening his pitching career. In 1915 Mr. Wood was 14-5 and pitched enough innings to lead the American League with a 1.49 ERA as the Red Sox won the World Series. After sitting out the 1916 season, he joined the Indians, playing almost entirely in the outfield after 1917. He was a member of the World Series championship team in 1920, and retired after batting .297 with 8 home runs and 92 RBIs in 1922. Mr. Wood finished his major league career with a batting average of .283 with 24 home runs and 325 runs batted in in 695 games.

Track and field
Steve Cram of the United Kingdom broke countryman Sebastian Coe’s 1981 world record in the mile when he was timed in 3 minutes 46.3 seconds, nearly a second faster, at the Grand Prix meet at Bislett Stadium in Oslo.

Football
CFL
The Toronto Argonauts placed quarterback Condredge Holloway on the 60-day injured list, two days after tearing knee ligaments in his team’s 35-10 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Montreal (3-1) 15 @ British Columbia (4-0) 28
Keyvan Jenkins rushed 24 times for 133 yards and 3 touchdowns and Roy Dewalt passed for 285 yards and a touchdown to Ron Robinson to lead the Lions to victory before 48,281 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. Montreal quarterback Turner Gill passed 3 yards to Nick Arakgi for the Concordes’ first score just 2:22 into the game, and Rich Thomaselli rushed 5 yards for the Concordes’ last major with 37 seconds left in the 2nd quarter.

25 years ago
1990

At the movies
Presumed Innocent, starring Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, and Raúl Juliá, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Bobby Day, 60. U.S. musician. Mr. Day, born Robert Byrd, was a pianist and singer who was a member of the Hollywood Flames, but was best known for his solo singles Little Bitty Pretty One (1957) and Rockin' Robin/Over and Over (1958). Rockin' Robin reached #2 on the Billboard pop chart, while both sides of the single reached #1 on the rhythm and blues chart. Mr. Day died of cancer.

World events
A group of Negro Muslim rebels known as Jamat el Muslimeen, complaining that the government had impoverished the country, seized the parliament building in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and took Prime Minister Arthur Robinson and other cabinet members and officials hostage. Mr. Robinson was shot in the leg.

Politics and government
The Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic declared the independence of Belarus from the U.S.S.R.

Protest
On the 18th day of the standoff between Quebec provincial police and Mohawk Warrior militants at the Kanesatake reserve near Oka, Quebec, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney made his first public statement on the situation, declaring that "native peoples over decades and centuries have not been well-treated by Canada and Canadians. I believe we have a lot of work to do in that area." His government of Canada announced that it had purchased some of the disputed land from a private citizen and was negotiating with the village of Oka to purchase much of the rest. The government of Quebec offered to remove most of its force and to allow Mohawk participation in the investigation of the July 11 shooting of a Surete du Quebec officer--but only if the Warriors would agree to turn in their weapons and dismantle the barricades they had set up. Mohawk leaders rejected the proposal because it did not include a guarantee of amnesty for natives who had defended the blockade.

Oil
Oil ministers of the OPEC nations, meeting in Geneva, agreed to an increase in the price of oil per barrel from $18 U.S. to $21 U.S. Iraq had demanded a greater increase.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross national product had slowed to a 1.2% annual growth rate during the second quarter of 1990, a signal to some economists that the country was moving toward recession.

Football
CFL
Calgary (2-0-1) 54 @ Saskatchewan (1-2) 16
Winnipeg (2-1) 23 @ British Columbia (1-1-1) 24

Danny Barrett completed 18 of 26 passes for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Stampeders to victory before 26,731 fans at Taylor Field in Regina, who had been soaked in a pre-game storm. Saskatchewan quarterbacks Kent Austin and Jeff Bentrim combined to throw 5 interceptions.

A mistake on the scoreboard contributed to the Lions’ win in front of 34,622 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. The Blue Bombers were trailing 21-9 in the 4th quarter when backup quarterback Danny McManus competed a 73-yard touchdown pass to Eric Streater with 2:16 remaining. Trevor Kennerd’s convert made the score 21-16. Mr. Kennerd’s kickoff went through the B.C. end zone without being touched; according to the rule, referee Jacques Decarie awarded no single point and placed the ball on the Lions’ 25-yard line. However, a point was mistakenly put up on the scoreboard, which now showed the Lions leading 21-17. The Blue Bombers quickly got the ball back, and Mr. McManus completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rick House. Mr. Kennerd converted, and the scoreboard showed Winnipeg ahead 24-21. Winnipeg head coach Mike Riley asked the field judge if the scoreboard was correct, and field judge said yes. Mr. Riley asked the same of the line judge and was told no. With 46 seconds remaining and the Lions in possession of the ball, the scoreboard was altered to read 23-21. Backup quarterback Rickey Foggie moved the Lions in position for Lui Passaglia to kick the game winning field goal from 42 yards on the last play. If the Blue Bombers had been sure of the score a few minutes earlier, they may have chosen to try for a 2-point convert on their final touchdown.



20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): One of Us--Pandora (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Rick Ferrell, 89. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Ferrell was a catcher with the St. Louis Browns (1929-1933, 1941-1943); Boston Red Sox (1933-1937); and Washington Nationals (1937-1941, 1944-1945, 1947), batting .281 with 28 home runs and 734 runs batted in in 1,884 games. His brother Wes was a pitcher, and the two were batterymates for five seasons with the Red Sox. Rick Ferrell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.

Miklós Rózsa, 88. Hungarian-born U.S. composer. Mr. Rózsa was a great composer of film scores, winning Academy Awards for Spellbound (1945); A Double Life (1947); and Ben-Hur (1959). This blogger's favourite score of Mr. Rózsa's is The Thief of Bagdad (1940). Mr. Rózsa also wrote numerous concert works.

Americana
The Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

Politics and government
U.S. President Bill Clinton signed a revised version of the rescissions bill that he had rejected in June in casting his first veto. The new version cut $16.3 billion from spending previously approved by Congress for fiscal 1995, but it restored $770 billion that Mr. Clinton wanted for education, training, and environmental programs.

Business
Conrad Black's Hollinger Inc. bought 19 of 21 small newspapers in Ontario and Saskatchewan that Thomson Corporation had put up for sale as part of a reorganization.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (1-4) 11 @ British Columbia (4-1) 48

Zed Robinson rushed for 2 touchdowns and Sean Millington rushed for another as the Lions routed the Rough Riders before 22,226 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. B.C. quarterback Danny McManus completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Darren Flutie, and the Lions also had TDs from Eddie Thomas on a 98-yard kickoff return and Charles Gordon on an interception return. Defensive tackle John Kropke scored the only Ottawa touchdown on a 2-yard fumble return.

10 years ago
2005

Space
NASA grounded the space shuttle, pending an investigation of the continuing problem with the shedding of foam insulation from the external fuel tank. During ascent of space shuttle mission STS-114, the external tank of the space shuttle Discovery had shed a piece of foam slightly smaller than the piece that caused the Columbia disaster in 2003; this foam did not strike the spacecraft.

Terrorism
Ahmed Ressam, an Algerian who'd plotted to bomb the Los Angeles airport on the eve of the millennium, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.