October 4, 2015

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Richard Sorge. U.S.S.R. spy. Mr. Sorge worked under cover of being a German journalist in Nazi Germany and Japan in the 1930s and early 1940s; while in Japan in 1940-1941 he provided advance information about German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler's plan to attack the Soviet Union He's regarded as one of the best spies--if not the best--ever. Mr. Sorge was caught and arrested on October 18, 1941, and was hanged at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo on November 7, 1944 at the age of 49.

Ralph Shinners. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Shinners was a center fielder with the New York Giants (1922-1923) and St. Louis Cardinals (1925), batting .276 with 7 home runs and 51 runs batted in in 163 games. He was with the Giants when they won the World Series in 1922 and the National League pennant in 1923, but saw no post-season action. He batted .309 in 1,152 games in 10 seasons in the minor leagues (1920-1931), batting .300 or better five times. Mr. Shinners managed the Kenosha Comets of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1947, posting a record of 43-69 as the team finished 8th and last. He died on July 23, 1962 at the age of 66.

Buster Keaton. U.S. actor and movie director. Joseph Frank Keaton, nicknamed "The Great Stone Face," was one of the biggest stars of silent film comedy, in movies such as Three Ages (1923); Sherlock, Jr. (1924); The Navigator (1924); Seven Chances (1925); The General (1926); College (1927); Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928); and The Cameraman (1928). His career declined after sound came into movies and he lost creative control over his films, but he made a comeback in later years with guest roles in films and television programs. Mr. Keaton died of lung cancer on February 1, 1966 at the age of 70.

Golf
Horace Rawlins of England won the first U.S. Open at Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island, compiling a 2-round score of 173, 2 strokes ahead of Willie Dunn of Scotland. Mr. Rawlins won $150 and a $50 medal. Both rounds were played on the same day.

100 years ago
1915

Died on this date
Karl Staaff, 55. Prime Minister of Sweden, 1905-1906, 1911-1914. Mr. Staff led the Liberala samlingspartiet (Liberal Assembly Party) from 1907 until his death. He supported political reforms such as universal and equal male suffrage, but was strongly opposed by traditionalist forces in Sweden. Mr. Staaff resigned during his second term as Prime Minister after an intense opposition campaign, which culminated in King Gustav V denouncing his defense policies.

80 years ago
1935

Baseball
World Series
Detroit Tigers 6 @ Chicago Cubs 5 (11 innings) (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Jo-Jo White singled in Marv Owen with the winning run as the Tigers edged the Cubs before 45,532 fans at Wrigley Field. The Cubs had scored 2 runs in the 9th inning to tie the game. Schoolboy Rowe pitched 4 innings of relief to get the win, while Larry French pitched 2 innings of relief in taking the loss. Frank Demaree of the Cubs hit his 2nd home run of the Series. Cubs’ manager Charlie Grimm became the first manager to be ejected from a World Series game since 1910 when he, along with his shortstop, Billy Jurges, was ejected by umpire George Moriarty.

75 years ago
1940

Diplomacy
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler and Italian Duce Benito Mussolini met at the Brenner Pass along the border between Italy and Austria, presumably to discuss the relationship of the U.S.S.R. to the Axis Pact.

Boxing
Fritzie Zivic (101-24-4) won a unanimous 15-round decision over Henry Armstrong (111-13-7) at Madison Square Garden in New York to win the world welterweight title.

Football
NFL
Philadelphia (0-4) 17 @ Brooklyn (2-1) 30

Baseball
World Series
Cincinnati Reds 4 @ Detroit Tigers 7 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Rudy York and Pinky Higgins each hit a 2-run home run in the 7th inning and the Tigers scored 2 more runs in the 8th inning as they beat the Reds before 52,877 fans at Briggs Stadium. Tommy Bridges gave up 10 hits in getting the win, while Jim Turner took the loss.

70 years ago
1945

Baseball
World Series
Chicago Cubs 1 @ Detroit Tigers 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Hank Greenberg's 3-run home run was the big hit of a 4-run 5th inning as the Tigers beat the Cubs before 53,636 fans at Briggs Stadium. Virgil Trucks pitched a 7-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Hank Wyse.

60 years ago
1955

Died on this date
Alexander Papagos, 71. Prime Minister of Greece, 1952-1955. Field Marshal Papagos led the Hellenic Army in World War II and the later stages of the Greek Civil War. He founded the Greek Rally Party, which swept into power with a parliamentary majority in the 1952 election. Field Marshal Papagos took a strong anti-Communist stand and allowed American military bases in Greek territory. Field Marshal Papagos died in office and was succeeded as Prime Minister by Constantine Karamanlis.

Baseball
World Series
Brooklyn Dodgers 2 @ New York Yankees 0 (Brooklyn won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Johnny Podres pitched an 8-hit shutout for his second win of the series before 62,465 fans at Yankee Stadium as the Dodgers won their first World Series, and the only one during their years in Brooklyn. Gil Hodges drove in both runs with a single in the 4th inning and a sacrifice fly in the 6th. Brooklyn left fielder Sandy Amoros made a spectacular catch of a drive by Yogi Berra in the bottom of the 6th and started a double play to help save the game for the Dodgers.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Borracho--Los Brincos (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The Rolling Stones (4th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Laugh at Me--Sonny
2 Heart Full of Soul--The Yardbirds
3 I Live for the Sun--The Sunrays
4 Baby Don't Go--Sonny and Cher
5 With These Hands--Tom Jones
6 Mohair Sam--Charlie Rich
7 Do You Believe in Magic?--Lovin' Spoonful
8 I'm Yours--Elvis Presley
9 Just You--Sonny & Cher
10 Home of the Brave--Jody Miller

Singles entering the chart were Must I Tell You by the Liverpool Set (#24); Love's Made a Fool of Me by the Esquires (#31); The Twelfth of Never by Cliff Richard (#32); A Million Tears by Johnny and the Canadians (#33); Say Something Funny by Patty Duke (#34); Yesterday by the Beatles (#37); Everyone's Gone to the Moon by Jonathan King (#38); Give Me Lovin' by Great Scots (#39); and Make Me Your Baby by Barbara Lewis (#40).

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the lunar probe Lunik 7.

Diplomacy
Pope Paul VI arrived in New York, becoming the first Pope to visit the United States of America and the Western hemisphere. He addressed the United Nations General Assembly, and spoke at Yankee Stadium during his 14 hours in the city.

Pakistan severed relations with Malaysia for the latter country's siding with India during the recent Indo-Pakistani War.

Society
The British Broadcasting Corporation announced plans to introduce radio and television programs aimed at an audience of Asian immigrants.

A court in Montreal fined Hilton of Canada for discriminating against a Negro job applicant at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.

Law
The Supreme Court of the United States opened its 1965-66 term, with Abe Fortas replacing Arthur Goldberg as an associate justice.

Popular culture
The Stork Club, once the most famous nightclub in New York City--if not the world--closed its doors for good. The club had opened in 1929 and had been in its third and last location since 1934, but popular tastes were changing, and owner Sherman Billingsley was in declining health and had been fighting unsuccessful battles with labour unions for years, leading to severe financial losses.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (6-4) 14 @ Saskatchewan (6-5-1) 21

George Reed rushed for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns, and caught 1 pass for 13 yards, to lead the Roughriders over the Rough Riders before 12,500 fans at Taylor Field in Regina.

Baseball
The Detroit Tigers traded outfielder George Thomas and infielder George Smith to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Bill Monbouquette. Mr. Thomas batted .213 with 3 home runs and 10 runs batted in in 79 games with Detroit in 1965, while Mr. Smith hit .094 with 1 homer and 1 RBI in 32 games with Detroit and .259 with 4 homers and 25 RBIs in 91 games with Syracuse of the AAA International League. Mr. Monbouquette was 10-18 with an earned run average of 3.69 in 35 games with the Red Sox in 1965.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Sabato pomeriggio--Claudio Baglioni (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Guus--Alexander Curly

#1 single in the U.K.: Hold Me Close--David Essex

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Fame--David Bowie (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Run Joey Run--David Geddes
2 I'm Sorry--John Denver
3 Fame--David Bowie
4 Mr. Jaws--Dickie Goodman
5 They Just Can't Stop It (The Games People Play)--The Spinners
6 Bad Blood--Neil Sedaka
7 Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady--Helen Reddy
8 Dance with Me--Orleans
9 Lyin' Eyes--The Eagles
10 Feelings--Morris Albert

Singles entering the chart were Letting Go by Wings (#76); Nights on Broadway by the Bee Gees (#83); Saturday Night by the Bay City Rollers (#85); Fly, Robin, Fly by Silver Convention (#88); Change with the Times by Van McCoy (#89); Same Thing it Took by the Impressions (#96); Love Power by Willie Hutch (#98); Party Music by Pat Lundi (#99); and King Kong (Parts 1 & 2) by the Jimmy Castor Bunch (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Ballroom Blitz--Sweet
2 Third Rate Romance--Amazing Rhythm Aces
3 Could it Be Magic--Barry Manilow
4 Get Down Tonight--K.C. and the Sunshine Band
5 Rhinestone Cowboy--Glen Campbell
6 I'm Sorry--John Denver
7 Fame--David Bowie
8 Wasted Days and Wasted Nights--Freddy Fender
9 Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)--Johnny Wakelin and the Kinshasa Band
10 Feel Like Makin' Love--Bad Company

Singles entering the chart were Baby You're All I Got by Andy Kim (#91); Tonite is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love by April Wine (#92); Lyin' Eyes by the Eagles (#93); Sky High by Jigsaw (#94); Anna Marie by Susan Jacks (#95); Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez (#96); The Other Woman by Vicki Lawrence (#97); Shotgun Shuffle by K.C. and the Sunshine Band (#98); Midnight Show by Bobby Vinton (#99); and Operator by the Manhattan Transfer (#100).

Winnipeg's Top 30 (CFRW)
1 Third Rate Romance--Amazing Rhythm Aces
2 Wasted Days and Wasted Nights--Freddy Fender
3 Ballroom Blitz--Sweet
4 Rhinestone Cowboy--Glen Campbell
5 What the Hell I Got--Pagliaro
6 New Orleans--Stampeders
7 I'm Sorry--John Denver
8 Midnight Blue--Melissa Manchester
9 How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You)--James Taylor
10 Jive Talkin'--The Bee Gees
11 Dance with Me--Orleans
12 Wild Little Story--Moonquake
13 Rocky--Austin Roberts
14 Baby Wontcha Please Come Home--Trooper
15 Quick Change Artist--Bachman-Turner Overdrive
16 Fallin' in Love--Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
17 Bad Blood--Neil Sedaka
18 Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady--Charity Brown
19 Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady--Helen Reddy
20 Who Loves You--The Four Seasons
21 Why Can't We Be Friends?--War
22 (I Believe) There's Nothing Stronger than Our Love--Paul Anka with Odia Coates
23 Hold Me, Touch Me--Octavian
24 Holly--Terry Jacks
25 One of These Nights--The Eagles
26 Island Girl--Elton John
27 Feelings--Morris Albert
28 The Hustle--Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony
29 Brazil--The Ritchie Family
30 King of the Cops--Kristine

Died on this date
Joan Whitney Payson, 72. U.S. businesswoman and baseball executive. Mrs. Payson inherited a large part of the Whitney family fortune and used it to endow various charities, including art museums. She was a director of the New York Giants baseball team in the 1950s, and led a group that acquired the New York franchise in the proposed Continental League, and later the expansion New York Mets in the National League, who began play in 1962. Under Mrs. Payson's ownership, the Mets won the World Series in 1969 and the National League pennant in 1973. Mrs. Payson died five days after the death of Casey Stengel, who had served as the Mets' first manager from 1962-1965.

Transportation
Mirabel International Airport, 34 miles northwest of downtown Montreal, opened, and was already a white elephant, which it has remained.

Football
CFL
Calgary (5-7) 38 @ British Columbia (4-8) 12

Joe Pisarcik threw touchdown passes to Henry Sovio and Tom Forzani in the 2nd quarter and rushed for a touchdown of his own in the 4th quarter as the Stampeders routed the Lions before 17,123 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Karl Douglas relieved Mr. Pisarcik and completed a touchdown pass to Glen Scolnik, and defensive back Vernon Roberson returned an interception 68 yards for the final Calgary touchdown--his third interception of the game and second such TD of the season--with 2:12 remaining in the game. Just 14 seconds after Mr. Roberson's touchdown, B.C. quarterback Eric Guthrie completed a 62-yard pass to Jim Young for the only B.C. touchdown, and Rocky Long, the holder for placekicks, completed a pass to Slade Willis for a 2-point convert. Calgary running back Willie Burden carried 10 times for 39 yards and was forced to leave the game early after getting poked in the eye by the finger of B.C. linebacker Larry Cameron. It was the first win for Bob Baker as Calgary's head coach in his second game since replacing the fired Jim Wood.

CIAU
British Columbia (2-2) 13 @ Alberta (2-2) 22

The Golden Bears jumped to a 20-0 lead less than 17 minutes into the game and coasted to victory over the Thunderbirds before 2,000 fans at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton. Dalton Smarsh rushed 24 times for 139 yards and a touchdown, opening the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown rush at 7:34 of the 1st quarter. Joe Poplawski scored the other Alberta TD on a 47-yard pass from Brian Larsen with 2:52 remaining in the 1st quarter. Mr. Poplawski converted both touchdowns and added 2 field goals and a single. Brian Fryer caught 2 passes for 42 yards and punted 10 times for a 42.1-yard average and a single for the other Alberta point. Quarterback Greg Gardner rushed 3 yards for the B.C. touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Gary Metz converted and added 2 field goals. B.C.'s other quarterback, Dan Smith, also handled the punting duties, but averaged just 27.4 yards on 14 punts. B.C. head coach Frank Smith was bitter about the officiating.

WFL
Portland (2-7) 29 @ Jacksonville (6-3) 32
San Antonio (7-4) 38 @ Philadelphia (3-6) 42
Birmingham (7-3) 29 @ Hawaii (3-6) 16

Baseball
American League Championship Series
Oakland 1 @ Boston 7 (Boston led best-of-five series 1-0)

Luis Tiant (1-0) pitched a 3-hitter and struck out 8 as the Red Sox beat the Athletics before 35,578 fans at Fenway Park. The Athletics made 4 errors, 2 of which contributed to the first 2 runs of the game in the 1st inning.



National League Championship Series
Pittsburgh 3 @ Cincinnati 8 (Cincinnati led best-of-five series 1-0)

Don Gullett (1-0) pitched an 8-hit complete game victory and batted 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 runs batted in to lead the Reds over the Pirates before 54,633 fans at Riverfront Stadium.



30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): (I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena--Sandra (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): (I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena--Sandra (7th week at #1)

Technology
The Free Software Foundation was founded in Massachusetts by Richard Stallman, promoting the universal freedom to study, distribute, create, and modify computer software.

Football
CFL
Calgary (2-10) 10 @ Saskatchewan (5-8) 21

Joe Paopao completed 21 of 36 passes for 304 yards and touchdowns of 23 yards to Michael Elarms and 11 yards to Daric Zeno as the Roughriders took a 17-10 halftime lead. Dave Ridgway added 2 converts, 2 field goals, and a single. Calgary quarterback Rick Johnson completed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Emanuel Tolbert in the 2nd quarter. J.T. Hay converted and kicked a 44-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining in the first half. Mr. Zeno led all receivers with 8 receptions for 137 yards. Calgary running back Larry Mason rushed 10 times for 88 yards in his final CFL game. Craig Ellis led the Roughriders with 13 carries for 85 yards. 19,700 fans at Taylor Field in Regina saw the Roughriders end a 5-game losing streak.



Baseball
George Brett hit a bases-loaded single and his second inside-the-park home run in as many games as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics 4-2 before 19,694 fans at Royals Stadium to clinch at least a tie for the American League West Division title.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Useta Lover--The Saw Doctors (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
The German parliament met in the Reichstag in Berlin, its first meeting since the reunification of the country the day before.

Canadian Senate speaker Guy Charbonneau forced a vote on a Liberal party procedural motion while the Liberals were out of the room. The motion was defeated, robbing the Liberals of one of the tactics they were counting on to indefinitely stall passage of the Goods and Services Tax which had passed the House of Commons. Traditionally, votes were not taken in the Senate without the permission of both parties. Liberals responded with angry denunciations of Mr. Charbonneau and the Progressive Conservatives, who now held the majority in the upper house. The opposition Liberals carried on a filibister with 24 hours of shouting in unison, blowing horns, and pounding on desks. The chaos ended only when both sides agreed to a four-day adjournment.

Baseball
National League Championship Series
Pittsburgh 4 @ Cincinnati 3 (Pittsburgh led best-of-seven series 1-0)

The Pirates gave up 3 runs in the 1st inning but came back to defeat the Reds before 52,911 fans at Riverfront Stadium. Bob Walk was the winning pitcher, while Norm Charlton, who relieved starter Jose Rijo in the 6th inning, took the loss. Sid Bream hit a 2-run home run for the Pirates in the 4th inning, and Cincinnati left fielder Eric Davis misplayed Andy Van Slyke’s fly ball into a game-winning double in the 7th. The Reds placed runners on first and third bases in the 9th, but Pittsburgh relief pitcher Ted Power kept them from scoring.



20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Dub-I-Dub--Me & My (11th week at #1)

At the movies
Kicking and Screaming, directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Eric Stoltz, Josh Hamilton, and Chris Eigeman, opened in theatres.



Religion
This blogger was in attendance for the first day of a three-day discernment and prophecy conference at Zion Baptist Community Church in Edmonton, with guest speakers Larry Thomas and Dave Hunt. Mr. Thomas spoke on The Great Falling Away, while Mr. Hunt's topic was The God of Prophecy.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had risen 0.2% in August.

Baseball
American League Division Series
Seattle 5 @ New York 7 (12 innings) (New York led best-of-five series 2-0)



Boston 0 @ Cleveland 4 (Cleveland led best-of-five series 2-0)

National League Division Series
Atlanta 7 @ Colorado 4 (Atlanta led best-of-five series 2-0)







Cincinnati 5 @ Los Angeles 4 (Cincinnati led best-of-five series 2-0)

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Stanley K. Hathaway, 81. U.S. politician. Mr. Hathaway, a Republican, was Governor of Wyoming from 1967-1975 and U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President Gerald Ford from June 12-October 9, 1975. He resigned from the latter position after less than four months in office because of health concerns.

Baseball
American League Division Series
Boston 2 @ Chicago 14 (Chicago led best-of-five series 1-0)

New York 4 @ Anaheim 2 (New York led best-of-five series 1-0)

National League Division Series
San Diego 5 @ St. Louis 8 (St. Louis led best-of-five series 1-0)