September 6, 2015

130 years ago
1885

Europeana
Eastern Rumelia declared its union with Bulgaria, thereby accomplishing Bulgarian unification.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Clara Kimball Young. U.S. actress. Mrs. Young appeared in numerous silent movies from 1909-1925, and played bit parts in several sound films from 1931-1941. She died on October 15, 1960 at the age of 70, several months after undergoing surgery for a chronic bronchial condition.

110 years ago
1905

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox swept a doubleheader from the Detroit Tigers 2-0 and 15-0 at Bennett Park in Detroit. Frank Smith pitched a no-hitter for Chicago in the second game.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Ed Oliver. U.S. golfer. "Porky" Oliver played professionally from the 1940s through 1960, winning 15 tournaments, 7 on the PGA tour. He finished second in three major tournaments, and in the top ten in four other majors. Mr. Oliver developed cancer in 1960, and had part of a lung removed. He raised money for cancer research before the disease took his life on September 21, 1961, 15 days after his 46th birthday.

Franz Josef Strauss. West German politician. Mr. Strauss, chairman of the Christian Social Union, held various federal cabinet posts before serving as Minister-President of Bavaria from 1978 until his death at the age of 73 on October 3, 1988.

90 years ago
1925

At the movies
The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin, received its premiere screening at the Astor Theatre in New York City.



Pretty Ladies, starring Zasu Pitts, Conrad Nagel, Norma Shearer, Lucille Le Sueur (Joan Crawford), and Myrna Williams (Myrna Loy), opened in theatres.

75 years ago
1940

At the movies
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, starring Sidney Toler and Victor Sen Yung, opened in theatres.



Europeana
King Carol II of Romania abdicated and was succeeded by his son Michael I.

Politics and government
Before his abdication, King Carol II appointed Iron Guard leader General Ion Antonescu as Prime Minister, with dictatorial powers.

French Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Pétain reorganized the cabinet, giving General Maxime Weygand authority to suppress all separatist movements in France's African colonies.

Economics and finance
The U.S. National Defense Advisory Commission urged the government to ban the export of all scrap steel.

Labour
1,200 Panamanians and West Indian labourers in the Canal Zone struck over pay and food issues.

70 years ago
1945

Died on this date
John McCain, Sr., 61. U.S. military officer. Admiral McCain served in the United States Navy from 1906 until his death. He was a pioneer of aircraft carrier operations and commanded all land-based air operations in support of the Guadalcanal campaign in 1942, and in 1944–1945 led the Fast Carrier Task Force, in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. Adm. McCain died from the stress of combat operations just four days after attending the Japanese surrender ceremony. His son John Jr. also became a U.S. Navy admiral, and grandson John McCain III and grandsons John McCain IV and Jimmy McCain also served in the Navy. John McCain III became a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War and has represented Arizona in the United States Senate since 1983, in addition to being the Republican Party U.S. presidential candidate in 2008.

War
In a ceremony on a British aircraft carrier, Japanese Southwest Pacific commander General Hitoshi Inamura surrendered 85,000 men on New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and lesser islands bypassed by the Allied island-hopping campaign. The latest U.S. Army and navy figures placed overall U.S. World War II casualties at 1,070,452.

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department removed all passport and visa restrictions for tourist travel to Bermuda.

Politics and government
U.S. Attorney General Tom Clark said that the President's wartime powers did not end with the battlefield victories, and that he had the authority to redistribute functions among government agencies. Mr. Clark ordered former German-American Bund leader Fritz Kuhn deported to Germany.

Scandal
Fred Rose, who had represented the riding of Montreal-Cartier in the Canadian House of Commons since 1943, was arrested for communicating official secrets to the U.S.S.R. He had been elected under the "Labour-Progressive" label, but was in fact a Communist.

Terrorism
U.S. military authorities broke up a German underground resistance ring which had plotted to blow up Allied installations in Thuringia, and arrested a ringleader and 40 would-be saboteurs.

Oil
The Ethiopian government granted the Sinclair Oil Company of the United States a 50-year concession for the development of oil resources in Ethiopia.

Economics and finance
Berlin newspapers reported that Soviet authorities in Saxony had broken up large German estates and sold them to poor farmers. The British Control Commission arrested 40 German industrialists in the Ruhr in a move to de-Nazify German industry. U.S. President Harry Truman sent a 21-point reconversion plan to Congress that included $25 weekly unemployment compensation, an increase in minimum wages, and a call for full employment legislation.

Disasters
James Caley and Edward Versteeg, workers with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the time of the fire that killed 167 people in Hartford, Connecticut on July 6, 1944, were released from prison.

60 years ago
1955

Abominations
A government-sponsored pogrom against Istanbul's minority Greek, Jewish, and Armenian populations resulted in an estimated 13-30+ deaths.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Borracho--Los Brincos (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Don't Lose Your Hucklebuck Shoes--Brendan Bowyer

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 My Name is Mud--Eddie Rambeau
2 Makin' Love--Bobby Curtola
3 It's the Same Old Song--Four Tops
4 Nothing But Heartaches--The Supremes
5 The Tracks of My Tears--The Miracles
6 You've Got Your Troubles--The Fortunes
7 Looking Through the Eyes of Love--Gene Pitney
8 We Gotta Get Out of This Place--The Animals
9 Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Part 1)--James Brown and the Famous Flames
10 I'll Always Love You--The Spinners

Singles entering the chart were Baby Don't Go by Sonny and Cher (#33); Do You Believe in Magic? by the Lovin' Spoonful (#34); Ride Away by Roy Orbison (#35); Who'll Be the Next in Line by the Kinks (#36); You've Been in Love Too Long by Martha and the Vandellas (#37); Laugh at Me by Sonny (#38); Where the Music's Playing by the Drifters (#39); and New Orleans by Eddie Hodges (#40).

War
Five days after Pakistan had commenced Operation Grand Slam, the Indian Army responded by opening a new front across Punjab and invading West Pakistan.

Labour
Steelworkers in the United States ratified and the union and industry signed a 35-month contract, averting a strike.

Football
CFL
Montreal (1-4) 2 @ Hamilton (5-1) 17
Edmonton (2-5) 24 @ Saskatchewan (3-3-1) 22
Winnipeg (4-3) 7 @ Calgary (5-2) 35

Tommy Grant and Cloyd Webb scored touchdowns for the Tiger-Cats as they defeated the Alouettes before 27,000 fans at Civic Stadium.

Tommy-Joe Coffey scored a touchdown and 2 field goals as the Eskimos edged the Roughriders before 17,501 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Jim Fauver and Butch Pressley scored the other Edmonton touchdowns. Edmonton quarterback Bill Redell completed 13 of 14 passes for 205 yards in the 1st half. Ron Lancaster passed to Hugh Campbell for a Saskatchewan touchdown and rushed for the other Roughrider TD himself. It was the only CFL game for Edmonton offensive lineman Ken Chancellor.

The Stampeders scored 2 converted touchdowns in the first 9 minutes of play as they routed the Blue Bombers before 22,711 fans at McMahon Stadium. Calgary fullback Lovell Coleman rushed for 117 yards. The Blue Bombers rushed for 200 yards and passed for 151 yards, but hurt their cause with turnovers.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Sabato pomeriggio--Claudio Baglioni (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Sailing--Rod Stewart

#1 single in the U.K.: Sailing--Rod Stewart

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rhinestone Cowboy--Glen Campbell

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Fallin' in Love--Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
2 Rhinestone Cowboy--Glen Campbell
3 Get Down Tonight--K.C. & the Sunshine Band
4 At Seventeen--Janis Ian
5 Jive Talkin'--The Bee Gees
6 Fame--David Bowie
7 Fight the Power (Part 1)--The Isley Brothers
8 Wasted Days and Wasted Nights--Freddy Fender
9 Could it Be Magic--Barry Manilow
10 Run Joey Run--David Geddes

Singles entering the chart were Love is a Rose by Linda Ronstadt (#86); Sweet Sticky Thing by Ohio Players (#87); You Ain't Never Been Loved (Like I’m Gonna Love You) by Jessi Colter (#88); There Goes Another Love Song by the Outlaws (#89); I Like it Like That by Loggins and Messina (#93); Sky High by Jigsaw (#96); We Been Singin' Songs by Baron Stewart (#98); Living for the City by Ray Charles (#99); and Jam Band by Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes (#100). Sky High was from the movie The Man from Hong Kong (shown in the United States as The Dragon Flies) (1975).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You)--James Taylor
2 (I Believe) There's Nothing Stronger than Our Love--Paul Anka with Odia Coates
3 Rhinestone Cowboy--Glen Campbell
4 Jive Talkin'--The Bee Gees
5 I'm Not in Love--10 C.C.
6 Fallin' in Love--Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
7 Someone Saved My Life Tonight--Elton John
8 At Seventeen--Janis Ian
9 Could it Be Magic--Barry Manilow
10 Why Can't We Be Friends?--War

Singles entering the chart were Give it What You Got by B.T. Express (#84); Carolina in the Pines by Michael Murphey (#85); If I Ever Lose This Heaven by Average White Band (#87); Holly by Terry Jacks (#88); I Love Makin' Love to You by Evie Sands (#90); Money by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#93); To Each His Own by Faith, Hope and Charity (#94); I Only Have Eyes for You by Art Garfunkel (#95); Miracles by Jefferson Starship (#96); Katmandu by Bob Seger (#98); You're All I Need to Get By by Tony Orlando and Dawn (#99); and Hold On Lovers by Myles and Lenny (#100).

On television today
Welcome Back, Kotter, on CBC
Tonight's episode: The Great Debate

The first episode of the television comedy series was broadcast in Canada on CBC, three days before it was first broadcast in the United States on ABC.

Died on this date
Shelton Brooks, 89. Canadian-born U.S. musician. Mr. Brooks, a native of Amherstburg, Ontario, moved with his family to Detroit in 1901. He played piano and performed in vaudeville, but was primarily known for writing songs such as Some of These Days (1910) and Darktown Strutters' Ball (1916). Mr. Brooks was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.

Politics and government
General Vascos dos Santo Goncalves resigned after six months as Prime Minister of Portugal, and a day after abandoning attempts to become commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Diplomacy
Czechoslovakian tennis player Martina Navratilova, in New York for the U.S. Open championships, requested political asylum.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (5-3) 24 @ Edmonton (6-1) 28

Tom Wilkinson completed touchdown passes of 19 and 20 yards to Roy Bell in the last 6 minutes of the game as the Eskimos rallied from a 24-13 deficit at the end of the 3rd quarter to defeat the Roughriders in an exciting game before a record Clarke Stadium crowd of 25,201. Saskatchewan fullback George Reed rushed 22 times for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns before Ron Lancaster completed a 7-yard TD pass to Steve Mazurak with 9 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, with Jack Abendschan's convert giving Saskatchewan an 11-point lead. Dave Cutler scored a single for the Eskimos early in the 4th quarter before Mr. Wilkinson mounted the two touchdown drives, with the winning score coming with 1:20 remaining. Mr. Lancaster brought the Roughriders into Edmonton territory in the final minute, but linebacker Dale Potter intercepted with 28 seconds left to end the threat. Mr. Bell rushed 16 times for 55 yards--including a 1-yard run in the 1st quarter for the first Edmonton touchdown--and caught 5 passes for 76 yards. Saskatchewan receiver Rhett Dawson caught 7 passes for 135 yards, often picking on cornerback Vince Phason, who wore #22 for the Eskimos in his first CFL game. The Eskimos honoured John LaGrone, who had retired in the off-season after a great eight-year career as a defensive tackle, in a halftime ceremony.

CIAU
Saskatchewan (1-0) 23 @ Alberta (0-1) 19
Manitoba (0-1) 7 @ British Columbia (1-0) 38

Tim Molnar and Tom Chad scored touchdowns for the Huskies as they defeated the Golden Bears at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton. Mr. Chad rushed 22 times for 132 yards and caught 4 passes for 52 yards. Brian Fryer, who played both ways in the first half, as well as punting and returning kicks, scored both Alberta touchdowns on passes of 44 and 16 yards from Ron Bryant. After Dave Osiowy kicked a field goal with 59 seconds remaining in the game to give the Huskies a 4-point lead, Mr. Fryer returned Mr. Osiowy's kickoff 65 yards to the Saskatchewan 21-yard line, but Mr. Bryant's pass intended for Rick Grove was intercepted in the end zone by Les McFarlane. Dalton Smarsh led the Alberta rushing game with 18 carries for 100 yards. Mr. Fryer caught 3 passes for 68 yards, returned 3 kickoffs for 161 yards, and punted 3 times for a 41.3-yard average.

Gord Penn rushed for 172 yards on 21 carries as the Thunderbirds routed the Bisons at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver for their first win in three years.

NFL
Pre-season
Cincinnati (3-3) 22 @ Detroit (1-4) 14
St. Louis (3-2) 13 @ Minnesota (2-3) 6
Atlanta (2-3) 14 Buffalo (3-2) 16 @ Tampa
Chicago (2-3) 10 @ Miami (4-1) 21
New Orleans (2-3) 13 @ Pittsburgh (3-3) 24
Green Bay (2-3) 3 @ Kansas City (2-3) 31

WFL
Jacksonville (3-2) 22 @ Shreveport (2-4) 15
Philadelphia (2-4) 0 @ Charlotte (3-2) 10
Hawaii (2-3) 17 @ Memphis (4-1) 37
Southern California (4-2) 8 @ San Antonio (5-2) 30
Birmingham (4-2) 26 @ Portland (1-5) 8

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)--Tina Turner (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): (I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena--Sandra (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Johnny Desmond, 65. U.S. singer. Mr. Desmond, born Giovanni Alfredo De Simone, sang with the bands of Bob Crosby, Gene Krupa, and Glenn Miller in the early 1940s before embarking on a solo career, achieving a string of hit singles from 1946-1955. His biggest hit was his version of The Yellow Rose of Texas, which reached #3 on the Billboard singles chart in 1955. Mr. Desmond died of cancer.

Disasters
Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105, a Douglas DC-9-14, crashed just after takeoff from General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee en route to Atlanta, killing all 27 passengers and 4 crew members.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-6) 23 @ British Columbia (8-1) 32

Lui Passaglia kicked 5 field goals and a single in the first 17:32 of the game, and finished with 7 field goals, 2 singles, and a convert to lead the Lions to victory before a crowd of 40,782 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver. B.C. quarterbacks Roy Dewalt and Tim Cowan produced just 11 first downs, 26 yards rushing, and 272 yards net offense. Keyvan Jenkins, who had rushed for a team record 206 yards against the Argonauts in Toronto several weeks earlier, was held to 14 yards on 12 carries, with 7 of those yards coming on his last carry. The Toronto offense wasn’t much better, producing most of their attack in the final quarter, when the Argonauts scored 22 of their 23 points. Mike Hohensee started at quarterback for the Argonauts, but was ineffective, and Ricky Turner, who had spent the first half of the season on the injured list, completed 23 of 33 passes for 261 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kerry Taylor scored on a 1-yard rush early in the 4th quarter, but the Lions led 25-8 with just over 2 minutes remaining. Mr. Turner completed a 15-yard pass to Greg Holmes with 1:57 left, and Lance Chomyc’s convert cut the Lions’ lead to 25-15. The Argonauts got the ball back, and Mr. Turner connected with Mr. Taylor from 13 yards for a touchdown with 7 seconds left. Mr. Turner passed to Bob Bronk for a 2-point convert to make the score 25-23, but poor execution on the short kickoff led to Mr. Clash’s touchdown. Merv Fernandez of the Lions led all receivers with 7 receptions for 135 yards. Ned Armour, playing his first game of the season for B.C., caught 1 pass for 44 yards. Terry Greer led Toronto receivers with 6 catches for 119 yards.

Baseball
Carlton Fisk hit a pair of 3-run home runs and added 2 singles, scoring 3 runs and driving in 7 to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 12-1 win over the Texas Rangers before 11,101 fans at Arlington Stadium. Britt Burns allowed 5 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings to improve his 1985 record to 16-8, while Mike Mason allowed 9 hits and 8 runs--all earned--in 3 2/3 innings to drop to 6-13. Mr. Mason was relieved by Burt Hooton, who allowed 2 hits and 1 earned run in 2 1/3 innings in the 481st and last game of his 15-year major league career.

Darryl Strawberry doubled home 2 runs with 2 out in the top of the 13th inning to give the New York Mets a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 51,868 fans at Dodger Stadium. Dwight Gooden started on the mound for New York and allowed 5 hits in 9 innings, walking none and striking out 10, while Fernando Valenzuela pitched the first 11 innings for Los Angeles, allowing 6 hits, walking 3 batters, and striking out 5. Jesse Orosco, the fourth Met pitcher of the game, was the winner, while Tom Niedenfuer allowed 5 hits, a base on balls, and 2 earned runs in 2 innings to take the loss.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Joker--The Steve Miller Band

Died on this date
Tom Fogerty, 48. U.S. musician. Mr. Fogerty was the older brother of John Fogerty, and the two were members of the rock group Creedence Clearwater Revival, who had a string of hit singles from 1968-1972. Tom Fogerty, a rhythm guitarist, left the group in 1971 as a result of sibling rivalry, and embarked on a solo career, with limited success. Tom Fogerty died of AIDS that he had contracted from blood transfusions during back surgery.

Politics and government
The New Democratic Party, led by Bob Rae, won the Ontario provincial election, taking 74 of 130 seats despite winning just 37.6% of the popular vote. The Liberals, under Premier David Peterson, were reduced to 36 seats, and Mr. Peterson was defeated in his London riding. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Mike Harris, captured 20 seats. Mr. Peterson, who had called the unnecessary election just 3 years into his term, accepted responsibility for the defeat and announced his resignation as Liberal leader. The election was considered one of the greatest upsets in Canadian political history, but it came as no surprise to this blogger. I spent several weeks in Ontario that summer, and it was obvious to me that the NDP was running a more effective campaign, and that the Liberals were in trouble.

Football
CFL
Toronto (5-5) 49 @ British Columbia (2-7-1) 19

Matt Dunigan threw touchdown passes to Andrew Murray, Darrell K. Smith, and Paul Masotti, and rushed for 2 touchdowns himself, to lead the Argos. Former Lion Rickey Foggie relieved Mr. Dunigan in the 4th quarter and completed a touchdown pass to Jeff Boyd. Doug Flutie started at quarterback for the Lions, but was relieved by Joe Paopao, who produced the team’s only touchdown, a 1-yard rush by Lorenzo Graham in the 2nd quarter. Lui Passaglia converted and added 4 field goals. 36,330 fans at B.C. Place Stadium witnessed the final game for Lary Kuharich as head coach of the Lions--he was fired the next day.



20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Dub-I-Dub--Me & My (7th week at #1)

Baseball
Baltimore Orioles' shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig's record, as the Orioles defeated the California Angels 4-2 before 46,272 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles scored all their runs on home runs, with Rafael Palmeiro hitting 2 homers, and Bobby Bonilla and Mr. Ripken hitting consecutive homers to begin the 4th inning. Tim Salmon homered for the Angels.



Kevin Elster's sacrifice fly in the 8th inning scored Jim Eisenreich with the game's only run as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 before 29,835 fans at Dodger Stadium. Mike Grace pitched 7 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Ismael Valdez, who pitched 8 innings in a game in which each team made just 3 hits.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Eugenia Charles, 86. Prime Minister of Dominica, 1980-1995. Dame Eugenia, one of the founders of the Dominica Freedom Party and its leader from the early 1970s until 1995, was Dominica's first female lawyer and the country's only female prime minister to date. She died of a pulmonary embolism a week after entering hospital for hip-replacement surgery.

Abominations
The California Legislature became the first legislative body in the United States to approve same-sex marriages. (Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger later vetoed the bill.)