August 29, 2015

700 years ago
1315

War
The army of the Republic of Pisa, commanded by Uguccione della Faggiuola, wins a decisive victory in the Battle of Montecatini against the joint forces of the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Florence despite being outnumbered.

190 years ago
1825

South Americana
The Kingdom of Portugal recognized the independence of Brazil.

130 years ago
1885

Technology
Gottlieb Daimler patented the world's first internal combustion motorcycle, the Reitwagen.

Baseball
Charlie Ferguson pitched a no-hitter as the Philadelphia Quakers edged the Providence Grays 1-0 at Recreation Park in Philadelphia.

110 years ago
1905

Born on this date
Arndt Pekurinen. Finnish activist. Mr. Pekurinen was a pacifist who served time in prison from 1929-1931 for repeatedly refusing military conscription. He was imprisoned again during the Winter War against the U.S.S.R. in 1939-1940. When the Continutation War broke out in 1941, Mr. Pekurinen was sent to the front, and ordered to put on a uniform and bear arms; when he refused, he was executed without trial on November 5, 1941 at the age of 36. The first two soldiers ordered by Captain Pentti Valkonen to shoot Mr. Pekurinen refused, but the third, Corporal Asikainen, obeyed.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Ingrid Bergman. Swedish-born actress. Miss Bergman achieved success in her native Sweden before going to Hollywood, where she achieved instant success in Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939), a remake of a 1936 Swedish film in which she'd starred. She won Academy Awards as Best Actress for Gaslight (1944) and Anastasia (1956), and as Best Supporting Actress for Murder on the Orient Express (1974). Miss Bergman's career in Hollywood was interrupted for several years in the early 1950s when she became pregnant from an extramarital affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini, but she regained her popularity in the mid-1950s. Miss Bergman starred in many fine films too numerous to mention here. She died of cancer on August 29, 1982, her 67th birthday.

Defense
U.S. Navy salvage divers raised F-4, the first U.S. submarine to be sunk in an accident. She had foundered off Honolulu on March 25, 1915.

80 years ago
1935

Baseball
Wes Ferrell earned his 20th win of the season as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Philadelphia Athletics 6-2 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia in a game that was completed in 1 hour 41 minutes. Joe Cronin and Dusty Cooke hit home runs for the Red Sox off losing pitcher Johnny Marcum.

75 years ago
1940

War
German air attacks continued over Great Britain, hitting London, Liverpool, Bristol, Cardiff, and Birkenhead. Most of French Equatorial Africa declared its support for General Charles de Gaulle's Free French movement.

Diplomacy
League of Nations Council President Alberto Cost Durelo announced that Secretary General Joseph Avenol would resign on September 1, 1940.

Japan and France signed a political accord in which France recognized special Japanese rights in Asia and Japan conceded a "permanent French interest in Indochina."

Defense
The United States Senate approved and sent to conference a $5-billion bill to start the "Two-Ocean Navy" program and equip 1.2 million men.

Politics and government
Argentine President Roberto Ortiz, whose resignation had been refused by Congress, turned his responsibilities over to Vice President Ramón Castillo.

The Vichy French regime banned the calling of colonial assemblies in an effort to curb discussion of political issues in the French empire.

Economics and finance
An excess profits tax bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and sent to the Senate.

Football
NFL
Pre-season
College All-Star Game @ Soldier Field, Chicago
Green Bay Packers (1-0) 45 College All-Stars 28

University of Southern California running back Ambrose Schindler was named the All-Stars' Most Valuable Player. 84,567 were in attendance.

70 years ago
1945

War
U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur left Manila by plane for Okinawa, en route to Japan. Soviet fleet units entered Port Arthur, China. 24 German leaders were indicted as major war criminals to be tried at Nuremberg, including Hermann Goering, Rudolf Hess, and Joachim von Ribbentrop. U.S. President Harry Truman released the Army and Navy reports on the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The reports placed responsibility on General Walter Short and Admiral Husband Kimmel for unpreparedness, and cited the failure of the State Department to keep the commanders adequately informed on the status of negotiations with Japan.

Politics and government
U.S. military authorities in Germany announced that American civilians would assume the duties and responsibilities now held by military and government personnel in the U.S. zone of occupation. Hungary postponed general elections until the last Sunday of October.

Diplomacy
The Pan-American Union announced the formation of an Inter-American Economic and Social Council.

World events
Guatemala ended all forms of wartime censorship.

Economics and finance
The U.S. War Production Board lifted restrictions on the sale of domestic wool.

Labour
The U.S. War Manpower Commission reported that since the announced surrender of Japan, two million war workers had been dismissed from their jobs.

60 years ago
1955

Football
CRU
WIFU
Calgary (1-3) 15 @ Winnipeg (0-3) 13
Saskatchewan (3-0) 19 @ British Columbia (1-2) 13

Quarterback Don Klosterman scored the first Calgary touchdown and passed to Bill McKenna in the 4th quarter for the winning TD as the Stampeders edged the Blue Bombers before 15,499 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.

Ken Carpenter scored 3 touchdowns and the Saskatchewan defense three times prevented the B.C. offense from scoring inside the Saskatchewan 5-yard line as the Roughriders defeated the Lions before 27,008 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.

50 years ago
1965

Music
The Beatles continued their North American tour with a concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California. Three of the songs performed were included on the album The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (1977).

Space
The Gemini 5 crew of Command Pilot Gordon Cooper and Pilot Pete Conrad splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean to conclude an eight-day Earth orbital mission, the longest manned space mission to date.

Football
CFL
Toronto (0-4) 1 @ British Columbia (2-2-1) 36

Bob Swift, Bill Munsey, Sonny Homer, Jim Carphin, and Joe Kapp scored touchdowns for the Lions as they routed the Argonauts before 30,855 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Peter Kempf converted 4 of the TDs and added a single on a missed field goal, while Neal Beaumont punted 36 yards for a single. Recently-acquired Peter Liske played his first CFL game at quarterback for the Argonauts and threw 4 interceptions after entering the game in the 2nd quarter.

Baseball
Casey Stengel officially retired as manager of the New York Mets, a month after breaking his hip in a fall. Wes Westrum had been serving as interim manager in his place, and continued in the role. Mr. Stengel, who had led the New York Yankees to 10 American League pennants and 7 World Series championships in 12 seasons from 1949-1960, had been the Mets' only manager since the franchise's inception in 1962, and they had consistently been the worst team in the major leagues.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do--ABBA

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Paloma Blanca--George Baker Selection (12th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Paloma Blanca--George Baker Selection (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Éamon de Valera, 93. Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, 1932-1948, 1951-1954, 1957-1959; 3rd President of Ireland, 1959-1973. Mr. de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in Ireland in the 20th century, as a leader before and after Ireland's independence from the United Kingdom.

World events
Peruvian President Juan Velasco Alvarado was ousted in a bloodless coup and replaced by General Francisco Morales Bermudez Cerrutti, who was sworn in the following day. General Morales had been virtualy running the country for six months, since Mr. Velasco had some down with serious health problems, including the amputation of a leg. The coup occurred during a meeting of non-aligned nations in Lima.

Diplomacy
Gérard Pelletier was named Canadian Ambassador to France.

Oil
Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez signed into law a bill nationalizing the country's oil industry, effective January 1, 1976. The 21 producing companies, the largest of them American-owned, had fixed assets in Venezuela of about $5 billion.

Football
CFL
The British Columbia Lions, fifth and last in the Western Football Conference qith a record of 1-5, fired head coach Eagle Keys and head coach Jackie Parker. Assistant general manager Bobby Ackles was promoted to general manager, and he recommended assistant coach Cal Murphy as the replacement for Mr. Keys. Bill McEwen resigned as President of the Lions, but no replacement was immediately named. Mr. Keys had the greatest number of career wins--147--of any current CFL head coach, second only to Frank Clair's 172. In five seasons with the Lions, Mr. Keys had compiled a record of 25-44-3, with losses in the WFC semi-finals of 1973 and 1974. His dismissal ended his 27-year career in Canadian football, which had begun as a centre with the Montreal Alouettes in 1949.

NFL
Pre-season
Detroit (1-3) 13 @ Washington (3-2) 34

Baseball
Cecil Cooper batted 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and a home run to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Oakland Athletics 6-1 before 34,341 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Rick Wise pitched an 8-hit complete game to improve his 1975 record to 17-8.

With 1 out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, pinch hitter Walt Williams hit into a fielder's choice to drive home Thurman Munson with the winning run as the New York Yankees edged the Kansas City Royals 6-5 before 11,345 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.

Don Carrithers pitched a 4-hitter as the Montreal Expos shut out the San Diego Padres 4-0 before 4,976 fans at San Diego Stadium. The Expos scored 3 runs in teh 4th inning, with Mike Jorgensen's solo home run opening the scoring.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
Canada's Top 19
1 Summer of '69--Bryan Adams
2 The Power of Love--Huey Lewis and the News
3 We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)--Tina Turner
4 St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)--John Parr
5 You're Only Human--Billy Joel
6 Crying Over You--Platinum Blonde
7 Never Surrender--Corey Hart
8 Head Over Heels--Tears for Fears
9 Freeway of Love--Aretha Franklin
10 Money for Nothing--Dire Straits
11 Get it On (Bang a Gong)--Power Station
12 Don't Lose My Number--Phil Collins
13 Invincible--Pat Benatar
14 You Give Good Love--Whitney Houston
15 Cry--Godley and Creme
16 Who's Holding Donna Now?--DeBarge
17 People are People--Depeche Mode
18 Smokin' in the Boys Room--Motley Crue
19 Dress You Up--Madonna

Died on this date
Evelyn Ankers, 67. Chilean-born U.K. actress. Miss Ankers acted in numerous horror films for Universal Studios in the 1940s, and appeared in the Sherlock Holmes movies Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) and The Pearl of Death (1944). She died of cancer 12 days after her 67th birthday.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer

Died on this date
Manly P. Hall, 89. Canadian-born U.S. occultist. Mr. Hall, a native of Peterborough, Ontario, moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19, and quickly became immersed in mysticism and esoteric philosophies. He began preaching at Church of the People in 1919, and became permanent pastor in 1923. Mr. Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society in 1934, which continues today. Mr. Hall is perhaps best known as the author of books such as The Lost Keys of Freemasonry (1923) and The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928). Oddly, despite Mr. Hall's many years of interest in Freemasonry, he wasn't actually initiated into the order until 1954; he was awarded the 33rd degree--Scottish Rite Freemasonry's highest honour--in 1973. Anyone reading about the history of the New Age Movement is likely to come across the name Manly P. Hall; his dubious spiritual descendants include Marianne Williamson, the most prominent promoter of the demonic A Course in Miracles. Ms. Williamson's career as a lecturer began in 1983 when she went to work with the Philosophical Research Society.

Protest
The Canadian Armed Forces dismantled the Mercier Bridge barricades at the Kanawake reserve that had been put up by Mohawks to protest the Oka standoff with Quebec police.

Terrorism
Following the shooting deaths of five people, including a member of parliament, the Armenian parliament declared a state of emergency and outlawed the republic's largest paramilitary group.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had not changed in July.

Baseball
The defending World Series champion Oakland Athletics bolstered their roster by acquiring veteran designated hitter Harold Baines from the Texas Rangers for minor league pitchers Scott Chiamparino and Joe Bitker, and getting outfielder Willie McGee from the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Felix Jose, minor league third baseman Stan Royer, and minor league pitcher Daryle Green. Mr. Baines was batting .290 with 13 home runs and 44 runs batted in in 103 games with Texas in 1990. Mr. Chiamparino was 13-9 with an earned run average of 3.28 in 26 games with the Tacoma Tigers of the AAA Pacific Coast League, while Mr. Bitker was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 1 game with Oakland and 2-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 26 saves in 48 games with Tacoma. Mr. McGee was leading the National League with a batting percentage of .335, and he had accumulated enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title--which he ended up winning, despite finishing the season in the American League. Mr. McGee hit .274 in 29 games for Oakland, dropping his combined average for the season to .324, below that of five players, all of whom spent the season in one league. Mr. Jose was batting .264 with 8 homers and 39 RBIs in 101 games with Oakland in 1990, while Mr. Royer was hitting .258 with 14 home runs and 89 RBIs in 137 games with the Huntsville Stars of the AA Southern League, and Mr. Green was 1-0 with a 6.41 ERA and 2 saves in 13 games with Huntsville and 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA and 1 save in 6 games with the Modesto A's of the Class A California League.

20 years ago
1995

Died on this date
Frank Perry, 65. U.S. movie director, producer, and screenwriter. Mr. Perry was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for his first film, David and Lisa (1962). His other movies included The Swimmer (1968); Last Summer (1969); Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970); Mommie Dearest (1981); and Monsignor (1982). Mr. Perry died eight days after his 65th birthday after a long battle with prostate cancer.

Terrorism
Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze was slightly wounded when a bomb went off near his motorcade in the capital city of Tbilisi.

10 years ago
2005

Disasters
Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, killing an estimated 1,836 people and causing over $108 billion in damage (see also here).