August 21, 2015

850 years ago
1165

Born on this date
Philip II. Junior King of France, 1179-1180; Senior King of France, 1180-1223. Philip II, a Capetian king, succeeded his father Louis VII on the throne. King Philip II died on July 14, 1223 at the age of 57 and was succeeded by his son King Louis VIII.

250 years ago
1765

Born on this date
William IV. King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 1830-1837. William IV was the third son of King George III and the younger brother of George IV. He served in the Royal Navy and became known as the "Sailor King" after he succeeded his brother on the throne. King William IV died on June 20, 1837 at the age of 71. He had 10 illegitimate children--8 of whom survived him--but no legitimate children, so the throne passed on his death to his niece Queen Victoria.

140 years ago
1875

Died on this date
George Coles, 65. P.E.I. politician. Mr. Coles was first eelected to the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly in 1841, and was a member of the Reform Party, which evolved into the Liberal Party, when Prince Edward Island achieved responsible government in 1851, with him as its first Premier. Mr. Coles served three terms as Premier of P.E.I. (1851-1854, 1855-1859, 1867-1869), but opposed Confederation because he didn't believe it would solve the problem of land ownership. Mr. Coles suffered from depression in later years and withdrew from public life.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Blossom Rock. U.S. actress. Mrs. Rock, the older sister of actress Jeanette MacDonald, appeared in vaudeville, movies, and television programs, sometimes under the name Marie Blake, in a career spanning more than 40 years. She was best known for playing Grandmama in the television comedy series The Addams Family (1964-1966). Mrs. Rock suffered a career-ending stroke shortly after the series ended, and died on January 14, 1978 at the age of 82.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Raquel Rastenni. Danish singer. Miss Rastenni, born Anna Rachel Rastén, was popular from the 1930s through the 1950s. She was the first artist in Denmark to earn a gold record. Miss Rastenni died on August 17, 1998, four days before her 83rd birthday.

Edward Szczepanik. Prime Minister of the Polish Republic in Exile, 1986-1990. Dr. Szczepanik was an economist who served as Prime Minister of the government of the Polish Republic in Exile, which had been formed after the German invasion of Poland in 1939, and continued after Poland fell under the control of the U.S.S.R. after World War II. Dr. Szczepanik was the last person to hold the position, as the government-in-exile ended on December 22, 1990, when his cabinet advised their last President-in-Exile, Ryszard Kaczorowski, to accept the invitation of Poland's Speaker of the Senate to transfer the flag and other office pre-war Insignia to Lech Wałęsa in Warsaw, as the “President of the Republic elected by Polish people in free general elections.” Dr. Szczepanik died on October 11, 2005 at the age of 90.

80 years ago
1935

Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs split a doubleheader at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. The Phillies won the opener 13-12, and the Cubs won the second game 19-5, scoring 12 runs in the 6th inning. Frank Demaree of the Cubs had 8 hits in the doubleheader, including 7 in a row.

Lou Gehrig hit his 17th career major league grand slam to lead the New York Yankees to a 14-2 win over the St. Louis Browns in the first game of a doubleheader before just 1,500 fans at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Mr. Gehrig added a home run in the second game, but the Browns won 14-3.

75 years ago
1940

Died on this date
Ernest Lawrence Thayer, 77. U.S. journalist and poet. Mr. Thayer was a humour columnist with the San Francisco Examiner from 1886-1888. The last piece he wrote for that paper, dated June 3, 1888, was Casey at the Bat, one of the most famous poems in American history.

Leon Trotsky, 60. Russian revolutionary leader. Born Lev Bronstein, Mr. Trotsky was a leading figure in the Bolshevik revolution that brought the Communists into power in Russia in 1917. He eventually lost a power struggle with Josef Stalin and was exiled, with Mexico his last stop. He died the day after being attacked at his Mexico City residence by an undercover NKVD agent named Ramon Mercader, who split Mr. Trotsky’s skull with an ice axe.

War
Italian planes bombed Malta and Gibraltar.

Diplomacy
Romania and Bulgaria announced an agreement that Romania would cede Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria.

Politics and government
Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies obtained a dissolution of Parliament to prepare for general elections on September 21, 1940.

Defense
The U.S. Reconstruction Finance Corporation agreed to lend $78.5 million to Curtiss-Wright, Boeing, and Bendix aircraft companies for military plane construction.

Economics and finance
Economists Arthur Burns and Donald Watson claimed that the current war would not bring long-term relief to the U.S. economy.

A seat on the New York Stock Exchange was sold for $35,000, the lowest price paid since 1914.

Baseball
Rookie pitcher Charlie Frye, sent to bat as a pinch hitter, hit his only major league home run, a 2-run blow off Ken Raffensberger to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 7-5 win over the Chicago Cubs before 4,200 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

70 years ago
1945

War
The Domei news agency in Japan announced that Allied occupation troops would begin landing on August 26, and asked the populace to remain calm and to avoid contact with the troops.

Politics and government
The Lebanese cabinet resigned, and former Prime Minister Sami el Soith was asked to form a new government.

The government of India announced that general elections would be held as soon as possible.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Harry Truman announced the end of the Lend-Lease Program, and notified those Allied governments interested to take over the $2 billion in goods already contracted for in the United States.

The U.S. War Production Board ended the ban against industrial construction.

Disasters
U.S. physicist Harry Daghlian, 24, was fatally irradiated as a result of a criticality accident, i.e., an uncontrolled nuclear reaction that occurred when he accidentally dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto a 6.2-kilogram plutonium-gallium alloy bomb core at the remote Omega Site facility at the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico. He developed radiation poisoning and died 25 days later.

60 years ago
1955

Died on this date
Ian Murray, 25. Canadian television technician. Mr. Murray was a cameraman with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He was covering a Boy Scout Jamboree in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario when a chain on the boom holding the bucket he was standing in broke, causing the bucket to flip over, and pitching Mr. Murray 30 feet to his death.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Help!/I'm Down--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Mes Mains Sur Tes Hanches--Salvatore Adamo (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Il mondo--Jimmy Fontana (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Il Silenzio--Nini Rosso (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Help!--The Beatles (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Help!--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Got You Babe--Sonny and Cher (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Got You Babe--Sonny and Cher (2nd week at #1)
2 Help!--The Beatles
3 What's New Pussycat?--Tom Jones
4 Save Your Heart for Me--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
5 California Girls--The Beach Boys
6 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The Rolling Stones
7 Don't Just Stand There--Patty Duke
8 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers
9 Down in the Boondocks--Billy Joe Royal
10 It's the Same Old Song--Four Tops

Singles entering the chart were You've Been in Love Too Long by Martha & the Vandellas (#72); First I Look at the Purse by the Contours (#79); I Need You by the Impressions (#83); Laugh at Me by Sonny (#85); I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing by the Drifters (#96); I Want To (Do Everything for You) by Joe Tex (#98); Catch Us If You Can by the Dave Clark Five (#99); and Heartaches by the Number by Johnny Tillotson (#100).

Music
The Beatles continued their North American tour with a concert at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Space
Gemini 5, with the crew of Command Pilot Gordon Cooper and Pilot Pete Conrad, lifted off from Cape Kennedy, Florida (see video) to begin an eight-day mission, the longest U.S. manned mission to date.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-1) 1 @ Hamilton (3-0) 27

Dick Cohee and Ted Page returned interceptions for touchdowns as the Tiger-Cats beat the Rough Riders before 26,000 fans at Civic Stadium. The Hamilton defense limited Ottawa quarterback Russ Jackson to 2 completions in 9 pass attempts, with 3 interceptions.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Barbados--Typically Tropical (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Ed McLane, 94. U.S. baseball player. Mr. McLane was a star pitcher and outfielder with Fordham University, and appeared in one major league game, playing right field and batting 0 for 2 while reaching base when hit by a pitch with the Brooklyn Superbas in an 11-0 loss to the Boston Doves in the second game of a season-ending doubleheader on October 5, 1907. Mr. McLane died the day after his 94th birthday.

Protest
Two policemen were killed in violence as separatists demanded self-government for the French-controlled island of Corsica.

Economics and finance
The United States eased its embargo on Cuba, in keeping with an earlier decision by the Organization of American States.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-3) 6 @ Calgary (3-2) 23

Joe Pisarcik completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Tom Forzani at 5:23 of the 1st quarter and Vernon Roberson returned an interception 22 yards for a touchdown 66 seconds later to give the Stampeders all the scoring they needed as they coasted to victory over the Rough Riders at McMahon Stadium. Calgary's Willie Burden led all rushers with 103 yards on 20 carries. Rookie Ottawa quarterback Tom Clements saw his first regular season game action, relieving starter Condredge Holloway briefly in the 2nd quarter. Mr. Clements completed a pass to Jim Foley for 56 yards to set up Gerry Organ's 16-yard field goal with 43 seconds left in the 1st half, but Cyril McFall responded with a 44-yard field goal on the last play of the half to give Calgary a 20-3 lead. Ottawa running back John Bledsoe suffered a career-ending leg injury in the 1st half.

NFL
Pre-season
San Francisco (1-2) 7 @ San Diego (1-2) 20

Baseball
Rick Reuschel allowed 5 hits in 6 1/3 innings and his brother Paul allowed 1 hit in 2 2/3 innings as the Chicago Cubs shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-0 before 8,377 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Andy Messersmith allowed 8 hits and 7 runs--6 earned--in 6 1/3 innings as his record for the season dropped to 14-12.

Jerry Hairston singled home Deron Johnson with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees before 10,012 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. With 2 out in the bottom of the 9th, Graig Nettles and Lou Piniella singled, but Goose Gossage relieved starting Chicago pitcher Jim Kaat and retired Chris Chambliss on a ground ball to end the game. Mr. Kaat allowed 8 hits and 1 earned run in 8 2/3 innings to improve his 1975 record to 18-9, while Mr. Gossage picked up his 19th save. Losing pitcher George Medich pitched a complete game, allowing 7 hits and 1 earned run.

Brooks Robinson doubled home Tim Nordbrook with 1 out in the top of the 14th inning and scored on a single by Ellie Hendricks as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Texas Rangers 4-2 before 16,575 fans at Arlington Stadium.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Jos haluu saada--MC Nikke T (2nd week at #1)

Religion
The United Church of Canada's third General Council, meeting in Winnipeg, ended three days of intense debate, voting 302-74 to reaffirm its 1988 statement on homosexuality, which permitted avowed sodomites and lesbians to seek ordination; the policy had split Canada's largest Protestant denomination.

Economics and finance
Canada’s federal Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs released figures showing that bankruptcies had reached a record high of 4,116 in July, a dramatic increase from 2,573 in July 1989. The previous record for a July was 3,089 in 1982 during a recession. Economists said that the figures showed that consumers and businesses who had accumulated heavy debts during the boom years of the late 1980s were now having a hard time meeting payments as the economy slowed and interest rates remained high.

Business
The Mont-Rolland paper mill in Mont-Rolland, Quebec closed.

Baseball
Trailing 11-1 after 7 innings, the Philadelphia Phillies scored 2 runs in the 8th inning and 9 more in the 9th to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 12-11 before 39,682 fans at Dodger Stadium.

Jim Campbell of the Kansas City Royals and Paul Abbott of the Minnesota Twins each made their major league debuts, as starting pitchers against each other. Mr. Abbott came out the loser as the Royals won 8-7 before 22,751 fans at Royals Stadium.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: The Colour Inside--Ti.Pi.Cal. (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El Tiburon--Proyecto Uno (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): A Kind of Christmas Card--Morten Harket (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Scatman's World--Scatman John (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Only Wanna Be with You--Hootie & the Blowfish
2 I'll Be There for You--The Rembrandts
3 Can't Cry Anymore--Sheryl Crow
4 Somebody's Crying--Chris Isaak
5 Kiss from a Rose--Seal
6 This Ain't a Love Song--Bon Jovi
7 Misery--Soul Asylum
8 Unloved--Jann Arden
9 Made in England--Elton John
10 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me--U2

Singles entering the chart were And Fools Shine On by Brother Cane (#59); Cruise Control by Bruce Hornsby (#77); You are Not Alone by Michael Jackson (#86); This by Rod Stewart (#88); I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan (#89); Everybody Knows by Don Henley (#92); Rock and Roll is Dead by Lenny Kravitz (#93); I Could Fall in Love by Selena (#94); and Mankind Man by Barstool Prophets (#98).

Died on this date
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, 84. Indian astrophysicist. Dr. Chandrasekhar was awarded a share of the 1983 Nobel Prize in physics "for his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars."

Chuck Stevenson, 75. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Stevenson participated in the AAA and USAC Championship Series (1949-1954, 1960-1961, 1963-1968), finishing in the top 10 34 times, and winning 4 races. He won 2 races in 1952, and was the overall series champion that year. Mr. Stevenson raced in one NASCAR event in each of 1955 and 1956, winning the 1956 event.

Scandal
Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds tobacco companies agreed to drop libel suits against ABC News, after the American Broadcasting Company apologized for reporting in 1994 that tobacco companies had added nicotine from outside sources to cigarettes in order to make them more addictive.

Environment
Cambior Inc. flooded its large Omai gold mine in Guyana to limit environmental damage caused by cyanide-laced water escaping into a river.

Disasters
A forest fire forced the evacuation of the village of Parent, Quebec.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Bob Moog, 71. U.S. inventor. Mr. Moog invented the Moog synthesizer in 1964.