August 9, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Kavita Duggal!

425 years ago
1590

Born on this date
John Webster. English-born American magistrate and politician. Mr. Webster and his family moved to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s, and helped to settle Hartford, Connecticut in 1636. He was magistrate (1639-1655); Deputy Governor (1655); and Governor (1656-1657) of Connecticut. Mr. Webster died on April 5, 1661 at the age of 70. His descendants included lexicographer Noah Webster and U.S. Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

175 years ago
1840

Economics and finance
The British government allowed Canada to sell clergy reserves--public lands formally set aside for the use of the Churches--and give the proceeds to the Churches of England and Scotland.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Nat Pendleton. U.S. wrestler and actor. Mr. Pendleton won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, losing a hotly-disputed decision in the gold medal match. He wrestled professionally for several years before moving into acting. Mr. Pendleton appeared in more than 90 movies from the mid-1920s through the late 1940s, often playing dumb criminals or policemen. He played ambulance driver Joe Wayman in nine Dr. Kildare films (1938-1943). Mr. Pendleton died of a heart attack on October 12, 1967 at the age of 72.

90 years ago
1925

Crime
A train robbery, organized by the Hindustan Republican Association, took place in Kakori, near Lucknow, India. Moneybags containing 8,000 rupees belonging to the British Government Treasury were stolen, and a passenger was killed by an accidental shot.

75 years ago
1940

War
The United Kingdom announced that it would consider Algiers, Tunisia, French Morocco, and the unoccupied French continental territory as war zones. British troops stationed in Shanghai and northern China were reassigned for use elsewhere in the British Empire. The "Aufbau Ost" directive, calling for the mobilization of German forces in preparation for the invasion of the U.S.S.R., was signed by Wehrmacht Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel. More than 90 Japanese planes bombed Chungking, causing heavy damage, including the destruction of Nationalist Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek's home.

Defense
As the United States Senate opened debate on the Burke-Wadsworth Selective Service Bill, Sen. Burton K. Wheeler (Democrat--Montana) asked those who feared Germany to propose a declaration of war. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the transfer of land on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands from the Interior Department to the War Department for the construction of a military airfield.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Roosevelt signed a bill increasing to $1.4 billion the amount of obligations the Community Credit Corporation may incur.

70 years ago
1945

Died on this date
Hampton Gray, 27. Canadian military officer. Lieutenant Gray, a pilot with the British Royal Navy, was shot down and killed in a dive bombing raid at Onagawa Wan as he sank the Etorofu-class escort ship Amakusa, becoming one of the last Canadians known to have died in World War II. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

War
The U.S. B-29 Bockscar dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki (see also here and here). 35,000 people were killed outright, including 23,200-28,200 Japanese war workers, 2,000 Korean forced workers, and 150 Japanese soldiers. In a radio address, U.S. President Harry Truman threatened Japan with obliteration by atomic bombing unless Allied demands for unconditional surrender were accepted, and said that the U.S. would not reveal its atomic bomb secret until an international arms control plan was formulated. The Soviet Red Army invaded Japanese-occupied Manchuria from the north, east, and west in a giant pincer move, advancing 9-14 miles. Japanese military and political leaders met in Tokyo to discuss surrender. War Minister Anami, speaking for the military command, urged continued resistance, while Prime Minister Suzuki and Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo favoured peace. The deadlocked conference requested an "Imperial decision," allowing Emperor Hirohito to cast his vote for surrender.

Television
Westinghouse Company and Glenn L. Martin Company announced a plan for television and frequency modulation broadcasting from airplanes flying in the stratosphere.

World events
Former Vichy France officials Fernand de Brinon and Joseph Darnand testified at the treason trial of former French Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Petain that Marshal Petain favoured collaboration with Germany.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman appointed former Secretary of State Edward Stettinius as U.S. representative on the Preparatory Commission of the United Nations.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Harry Truman requested War Production Board Chairman Julius Krug to carry out a five-point reconversion program, including a drive to manufacture short-supply material; a limit on the manufacture of goods using scarce resources; imposition of effective inventory controls; and a priority system to break bottlenecks through allocation of scarce materials.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Chica Ye-Yé--Conchita Velasco

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Help!--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Down in the Boondocks--Billy Joe Royal
2 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me--Mel Carter
3 Where are You Now--Jackie Trent
4 (My Girl) Sloopy--Little Caesar and the Consuls
5 Don't Just Stand There--Patty Duke
6 To Know You is to Love You--Peter and Gordon
7 Take Me Back--Little Anthony and the Imperials
8 You've Never Been in Love Like This Before--Unit Four Plus Two
9 You Tell Me Why--The Beau Brummels
10 Save Your Heart for Me--Gary Lewis and the Playboys

Singles entering the chart were Makin' Love by Bobby Curtola (#34); Won't Be a Lonely Summer by Diane Leigh (#35); Sandy by Robbie Lane (#36); Help! by the Beatles (#37); Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Part 1) by James Brown and the Famous Flames (#38); Pretty Little Baby by Marvin Gaye (#39); and Baby, I'm Yours by Barbara Lewis (#40).

Asiatica
Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became the only country to date to gain independence unwillingly, two days after Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was forced by Malaysia to sign an accord with Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Disasters
A fire at a Titan missile base near Searcy, Arkansas killed 53 construction workers.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Buonasera dottore--Claudia Mori (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): The Elephant Song--Kamahl (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Barbados--Typically Tropical

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jive Talkin'--The Bee Gees

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Jive Talkin'--The Bee Gees
2 Someone Saved My Life Tonight--Elton John
3 I'm Not in Love--10 C.C.
4 Please Mr. Please--Olivia Newton-John
5 One of These Nights--The Eagles
6 Why Can't We Be Friends?--War
7 Midnight Blue--Melissa Manchester
8 Rhinestone Cowboy--Glen Campbell
9 How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You)--James Taylor
10 The Hustle--Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony

Singles entering the chart were Sweet Maxine by the Doobie Brothers (#78); I'm Sorry by John Denver (#80); Gone at Last by Paul Simon/Phoebe Snow and the Jessy Dixon Singers (#83); Chocolate Chip by Isaac Hayes (#84); If I Ever Lose This Heaven by Average White Band (#86); Department of Youth by Alice Cooper (#88); Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady by Helen Reddy (#89); Por Amor Viviremos by the Captain and Tennille (#90); Katmandu by Bob Seger (#93); I Love Makin' Love to You by Evie Sands (#95); Do it Any Way You Wanna by People's Choice (#97); and Dreaming a Dream by Crown Heights Affair (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Please Mr. Please--Olivia Newton-John
2 The Hustle--Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony
3 I'm Not in Love--10 C.C.
4 Someone Saved My Life Tonight--Elton John
5 Magic--Pilot
6 Jive Talkin'--The Bee Gees
7 Midnight Blue--Melissa Manchester
8 Swearin' to God--Frankie Valli
9 Dynomite--Tony Camillos
10 Listen to What the Man Said--Wings

Singles entering the chart were Wild Little Story by Moonquake (#89); King of the Cops by Christine (#91); When I Talk by John Renton (#92); Love Being Your Fool by Travis Wammack (#93); Where's the Reason by Michael Houston (#94); The Homecoming by Hagood Hardy (#96); Things that Go Bump in the Night by Wistle (#97); Holdin' on to Yesterday by Ambrosia (#98); Glasshouse by the Temptations (#99); and Black Superman (Muhammad Ali) by Johnny Wakelin and the Kinshasa Band (#100). The Homecoming was originally from a Salada Tea television commercial in 1973.

Died on this date
Dmitri Shostakovich, 68. U.S.S.R. composer. Mr. Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies, 6 concertos, 3 operas, and numerous other works. He had a complicated relationship with Soviet authorities, which has often attracted criticism. Mr. Shostakovich was a heavy smoker and died of lung cancer.

Diplomacy
U.S. Congressmen began a two-day visit to Yalta for talks with U.S.S.R. leader Leonid Brezhnev.

Auto racing
Mark Donohue set a world closed-course speed record, driving his Porsche 917-30 at an average speed of 221.120 miles per hour (355.858 kilometres/hour) around the 2.66-mile (4.28 kilometre) high-banked oval at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg Blue Bombers' punter and kicker Bob Macoritti announced his retirement after just 3 games in order to return to Hamilton to complete the second year of his teacher's certification requirement. Mr. Macoritti was tied for second in the Western Football Conference in scoring with 20 points, and was averaging 44.3 yards on 29 punts. The Blue Bombers dealt his rights to the Saskatchewan Roughriders after the season, and he came out of retirement to play another 5 seasons. The Blue Bombers announced that another rookie, Bernie Ruoff, would replace Mr. Macoritti. They also activated defensive backs Al Brenner and Merv Walker from the injured list and released defensive backs Ray Odums and Alex Morris and kicker and punter Walt McKee. Mr. Odums later returned to the Winnipeg roster for another 5 games before being acquired by the Saskatchewan Roughrieders.

The Calgary Stampeders released defensive end Fred James. Mr. James was in his ninth season with Calgary, and had played in the team's first 3 games of 1975.

NFL
Pre-season
Cincinnati (0-2) 3 @ Miami (1-0) 7
Houston (1-0) 13 @ New Orleans (0-1) 7
Philadelphia (1-0) 17 @ Pittsburgh (1-1) 14
St. Louis (1-0) 10 @ Kansas City (0-1) 3
Buffalo (0-1) 6 @ Green Bay (1-0) 23
Baltimore (1-0) 23 @ Denver (0-1) 20
New York Jets (1-0) 20 Minnesota (0-1) 15 @ Phoenix
Dallas (0-1) 7 @ Los Angeles (1-0) 35
Chicago (1-0) 22 @ San Diego (0-1) 0

WFL
Chicago (0-2) 18 @ Shreveport (1-1) 38
Philadelphia (1-1) 17 @ Birmingham (2-0) 23
Charlotte (0-2) 11 @ Memphis (2-0) 23
Southern California (1-1) 22 @ San Antonio (3-0) 54
Hawaii (1-1) 25 @ Portland (0-2) 24

Baseball
Burt Hooton pitched a 3-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Jerry Koosman as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the New York Mets 2-0 before 36,421 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.

Mike Schmidt's 25th home run of the season, a 3-run blast off Gary Lavelle, was the big blow in a 6-run 5th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 11-4 before 43,504 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Winning pitcher Steve Carlton allowed 9 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 8 innings and singled in the game's last 2 runs in the 7th inning.

Joe Niekro pitched a 5-hitter and singled and scored the winning run in the 3rd inning as the Houston Astros shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 before 13,531 fans at the Astrodome. The Astros put the game away with 4 runs in the 8th.

Glenn Borgmann singled home Eric Soderholm with 2 out in the top of the 4th inning for the game's only run, and Dave Goltz pitched a 5-hitter as the Minnesota Twins edged the Detroit Tigers 1-0 before 18,028 fans at Tiger Stadium. Losing pitcher Mickey Lolich pitched a 6-hit complete game. It was the Tigers' 14th straight loss.

Dave Duncan drove in 3 runs with a pair of home runs as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Chicago White Sox 12-6 before 15,343 fans at White Sox Park. Jim Palmer allowed 13 hits and 6 runs--5 earned--in 8 2/3 innings, but still got the win, improving his 1975 record to 17-7. Baltimore first baseman Lee May batted 2 for 4 with a run batted in, while his brother Carlos, playing first base for Chicago, was 1 for 4 before leaving the game on a stretcher in the 7th inning after being injured while trying to break up a double play. He was replaced at first base by Jerry Moses, who made 1 putout in the 8th inning, and tripled and scored in the 9th inning in what turned out to be the final game of his 9-year major league career.

Denny Doyle and Cecil Cooper hit consecutive home runs as part of a 4-run 3rd inning as the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 before 16,828 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.



The California Angels broke open a close game with 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning as they beat the New York Yankees 8-1 before 15,779 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Ed Figueroa allowed 7 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Catfish Hunter, who pitched a complete game, allowing 9 hits and 6 earned runs.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Rock Me Amadeus--Falco (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): A View to a Kill--Duran Duran

Personal
This blogger wrote his last exam as an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta.

Scandal
A U.S. federal judge in Norfolk, Virginia found retired U.S. Navy officer Arthur J. Walker guilty of seven counts of spying for the Soviet Union.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (3-3) 23 @ Toronto (3-3) 43

The Argonauts took advantage of the inexperience of rookie quarterback Damon Allen while their own rookie quarterbacks, Mark Casale and Mike Hohensee, amassed 519 yards net offense before 29,056 fans at Exhibition Stadium. Eskimos’ starting quarterback Matt Dunigan completed a 74-yard touchdown pass to Chris Woods just 1:27 into the game, but the Argonauts struck back with 21 straight points before the end of the 1st quarter. Mr. Casale completed a touchdown pass to Paul Pearson, and Carl Brazley returned and interception for another score. Mr. Hohensee, who entered the game in the second half, threw touchdown passes to Jan Carinci and Geoff Townsend, and rushed for a touchdown himself. Edmonton native Lance Chomyc kicked 5 converts, 2 field goals, and a single for the Argonauts. Mr. Dunigan rushed for a touchdown and handed off to Neil Lumsden for another Eskimo touchdown early in the 2nd quarter to give the Eskimos a 21-19 halftime lead. However, Mr. Dunigan left the game with a sprained neck before halftime, and the team’s performance suffered as a result. Mr. Allen completed just 8 of 20 passes for 122 yards and an interception. It was the last CFL game for rookie defensive end Brent Murphy, who tore up a knee during the game and was lost for the season.



Baseball
Intercontinental Cup @ Edmonton, Alberta
Chinese Taipei 8 U.S.A. 3
Cuba 17 Nicaragua 3
South Korea 12 Japan 2

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Put 'Em Under Pressure--The Republic of Ireland Football Squad (11th week at #1)

Oil
The American Automobile Association reported that the retail price for self-service unleaded gasoline had risen 18c per gallon in the week since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Sport
Canada's Minister of Fitness and Amateur Sport, Marcel Danis, announced that disgraced Jamaican runner Ben Johnson would be allowed to represent Canada again in international competitions. Mr. Johnson had been stripped of his Olympic gold medal for the men's 100-metre dash in 1988 for testing positive for a banned drug.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (2-3) 31 @ Ottawa (1-4) 30
Toronto (2-3) 17 @ Calgary (4-0-1) 42

26,684 fans at Lansdowne Park went home disappointed when Dean Dorsey missed a 39-yard field goal attempt with 4 seconds left in regulation time that would have won the game if it had been good. Hamilton running back Derrick McAdoo rushed 13 times for 63 yards, caught 6 passes for 65, and completed 1 of 2 passes, with his completion going for an 18-yard touchdown to Earl Winfield. David Conrad scored twice on short runs for the Rough Riders.

The Calgary defense recorded 4 sacks and 3 interceptions before a McMahon Stadium crowd of 22,241. Danny Barrett threw touchdown passes to Brock Smith and Marshall Toner, Andy McVey scored on a short run, and Derrick Crawford returned a punt 72 yards for another Stampeder touchdown. Toronto quarterback John Congemi threw touchdown passes to Mike Clemons and Darrell K. Smith.



Baseball
The San Diego Padres blanked the Atlanta Braves 7-0, with Bruce Hurst pitching a 6-hit shutout, winning the pitchers' duel over Charlie Leibrandt before 8,312 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. San Diego shortstop Garry Templeton made his 2,000th career major league hit, 14 years to the day after getting his first hit.

20 years ago
1995

Died on this date
Jerry Garcia, 53. U.S. musician. Mr. Garcia was the lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter with the rock group The Grateful Dead for their entire history from 1965-1995. He was a diabetic, and a heavy user of drugs for much of his life. He died of a heart attack eight days after his 53rd birthday, while in a drug rehabilitation facility.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board said that the economy was expanding, but at a slow rate, and that inflationary pressures were still present

Business
Rogers Communications Inc. took a $99-million writedown to bring the carrying value of its investment in Unitel Communications Inc. to zero.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (5-2) 31 @ Toronto (2-5) 10
British Columbia (6-1) 43 @ Saskatchewan (1-6) 25

Michael Soles rushed for one touchdown and caught a pass from Kerwin Bell for another as the Eskimos defeated the Argonauts before 14,192 fans at SkyDome. Defensive end Malvin Hunter entered the game as a fullback and rushed 1 yard for the other--and his only--Edmonton touchdown.



Sean Millington and Cory Philpot each rushed for 2 touchdowns as the Lions defeated the Roughriders on a windy night before 20,421 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Darren Joseph rushed for one Saskatchewan touchdown and caught a pass for another. Elbert Turner caught a pass for the other Roughrider TD.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Judith Rossner, 70. U.S. author. Mrs. Rossner was best known for the novel Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1975).

Space
The 14-day U.S. space shuttle mission STS-114 concluded when the space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California.