July 7, 2016

170 years ago
1846

War
American troops occupied Monterey and Yerba Buena, thus beginning the conquest of California.

130 years ago
1886

Politics and government
The government of William Smithe was re-elected in the British Columbia provincial election. The legislature had 27 members, but no parties.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Virginia Rappe. U.S. model and actress. Miss Rappe was an artist's model who had bit parts in several movies. She died on September 9, 1921 at the age of 30, after attending a party hosted by actor Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. The incident ruined Mr. Arbuckle's career, although he was eventually exonerated.

Tadamichi Kuribayashi. Japanese military officer. General Kuribayashi commanded the Japanese garrison during the Battle of Iwo Jima; he was killed circa March 26, 1945 at the age of 53 while defending the garrison against American troops.

100 years ago
1916

Politics and government
The New Zealand Labour Party was founded in Wellington.

80 years ago
1936

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ National League Park, Boston
American League 3 @ National League 4

Four different members of the Chicago Cubs scored runs for the NL, including Augie Galan, who hit a home run, as the National League notched its first win after three straight losses. Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees became the first rookie to play in an all-star game, but he made a costly error. Lou Gehrig of the Yankees hit a home run off Curt Davis, who had followed Dizzy Dean and Carl Hubbell as National League pitchers. Boston Bees' star Wally Berger didn't play in the game, to the dismay of the 25,556 hometown fans.





75 years ago
1941

War
Beirut was occupied by Free France and British troops. In the heaviest raids yet carried out over France, British Royal Air Force planes attacked Calais, Boulogne, Mealt, and Bethune.

The government of Ecuador announced that Peruvian planes had bombed Hauquillas in the disputed border province of El Oro on the third day of the undeclared war between the countries. The Peruvian government charged that Ecuadorian troops had attacked its border posts on July 5.

Defense
U.S. naval occupation of Iceland replaced the British occupation, with full agreement of the Icelandic government, according to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. U.S. Lend-Lease administrator Edward Stettinius placed chromium under full priority control in order to build up a stockpile. Dispatches from Rio de Janeiro stated that the U.S.A. and Brazil had concluded a trade pact under which the United States would buy Brazil's entire surplus of certain strategic materials such as rubber and manganese for the next two years.

Law
The U.S. Senate confirmed by voice vote the nomination of Attorney General Robert H. Jackson as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Protest
1,100 convicts in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas agreed to call off their five-day strike after a dozen ringleaders were sent to Alcatraz Prison.

Baseball
American League officials voted to rescind the rule in place for two years that banned trading by the league's pennant-winning team except by waiver.

70 years ago
1946

Movies
The Soviet journal Culture and Life revealed that Ivan the Terrible Part II had been banned for being "contrary to historical truth."

Married on this date
U.S. actor John Hodiak married actess Anne Baxter.

Politics and government
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Miguel Alemán Valdés was elected President of Mexico, taking 77.9% of the vote; Mexican Democratic Party candidate Ezequiel Padilla Peñaloza was second, taking 19.3% of the vote. The PRI won 141 of 147 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, with 4 seats going to the National Action Party and the remaining 2 seats being won by independent candidates. All 58 seats in the Senate were held by the PRI.

The All-India Congress Party approved the British cabinet mission's long-term independence plan for India despite opposition from Socialists and Mohandas Gandhi.

Religion
Mother Francesca S. Cabrini becomes the first American to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

Disasters
Aviator and tycoon Howard Hughes nearly died when his XF-11 reconnaissance aircraft prototype crashed in a Beverly Hills neighbourhood.

Tennis
Frankie Parker defeated Bill Talbert to win the U.S. men's clay court championship in River Forest, Illinois.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Rock and Roll Waltz--Kay Starr (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): I'll Be Home--Pat Boone (5th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Wayward Wind--Gogi Grant (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--2nd week at #1; Top 100--3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Wayward Wind--Gogi Grant (4th week at #1)
2 I Almost Lost My Mind--Pat Boone
3 Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic"--Morris Stoloff and the Columbia Pictures Orchestra
--George Cates and his Orchestra
4 I'm in Love Again--Fats Domino
5 I Want You, I Need You, I Love You--Elvis Presley
6 On the Street Where You Live--Vic Damone
7 Standing on the Corner--The Four Lads
8 Born to Be with You--The Chordettes
9 Be-Bop-A-Lula--Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps
10 More--Perry Como

Singles entering the chart were Stranded in the Jungle, with versions by the Cadets and the Jayhawks (#25); That's All There is to That (#33)/My Dream Sonata (#37) by Nat "King" Cole and the Four Knights/Nat "King" Cole; You Don't Know Me, with versions by Jerry Vale and Carmen McRae (#40); and Theme from "The Proud Ones" by Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra (#44). Theme from "The Proud Ones" was a version of the theme from the movie.

Diplomacy
Jordanian Foreign Minister Awni Abdul Hadi said that he had received assurances from the United Kingdom and France that they would stand behind the 1950 tripartite agreement on Middle Eastern frontiers.

Labour
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions charged the Dominican Republic with suppressing the free labour movement; failing to enact adequate social legislation; and maintaining a monopolist position in many fields of industry.

Adventure
Austrians Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch, and Hans Willenpart made the first ascent of Gasherbrum II (8,035 metres--26,362 feet), on the border between Pakistan and China.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Sunny Afternoon--The Kinks

At the movies
3 on a Couch, directed by Jerry Lewis, and starring Mr. Lewis and Janet Leigh, opened in theatres.





Economics and finance
The Canadian Parliament passed a bill to incorporate the Bank of Western Canada, Canada's ninth chartered bank.

40 years ago
1976

Died on this date
Gustav Heinemann, 76. President of West Germany, 1969-1974. Dr. Heinemann was a law professor whose academic career was thwarted by his opposition to the Nazis. He was a steel company executive during World War II, and aided Jews as a member of the Confessing Church. Dr. Heinemann founded the Gesamtdeutsche Volkspartei (All-German People's Party) in 1952, but dissolved it in 1957 and joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD). He was Minister of the Interior (1949-1950) and Minister of Justice (1966-1969) before serving one term as President, where he was known as a "people's president," inviting ordinary citizens to his New Year's receptions, and encouraging civil liberties. Dr. Heinemann declined to run for a second term as President because of declining health, and died 16 days before his 77th birthday.

World events
Ugandan authorities denied knowledge of the whereabouts of missing British-Israeli citizen Dora Bloch, 74, who had disappeared after the raid by Israeli commandos on an Air France plane that had been hijacked by Palestinian Liberation Organization terrorists to Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

Economics and finance
Canada signed an agreement with the European Economic Community for mutual cooperation.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th inning to defeat the Montreal Expos 4-3 before 7,105 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal in the Wednesday night Expos Baseball telecast on CBC.

Rick Reuschel pitched a 4-hit shutout and the Chicago Cubs scored 5 runs in the 3rd inning as they routed the San Diego Padres 10-0 before 10,540 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Darrell Evans led off the top of the 9th inning with a home run to break a 2-2 tie and give the San Francisco Giants a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 10,305 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Losing pitcher Lynn McGlothen allowed 7 hits in pitching a complete game.

The New York Mets amassed 20 hits, including 2 by winning pitcher Jerry Koosman, as they defeated the Houston Astros 12-4 before 12,608 fans at the Astrodome.

The Kansas City Royals broke a 0-0 tie with runs in each of the last 2 innings to edge the New York Yankees 2-1 before 23,172 fans at Yankee Stadium. Frank White singled, stole second base, and scored the winning run, aided by an error by New York shortstop Mickey Klutts, who was playing his first major league game. Mr. Klutts batted 0 for 3, and made 3 putouts and 3 assists in the field. Losing pitcher Catfish Hunter pitched a complete game, allowing just 5 hits and 1 base on balls. Mark Littell won the game in relief of Andy Hassler, who allowed just 4 hits and 1 unearned run in 7 2/3 innings.

The Chicago White Sox scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat the Boston Red Sox 6-3 before 27,281 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Rich Coggins played the first 8 innings in center field and the last 2 innings in right field for the White Sox, batting 0 for 4 and making 2 putouts in the 342nd and last regular season game of his 5-year major league career.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Irresistible--Stéphanie

Track and field
Jackie Joyner-Kersee of the United States set a world record in the heptathlon at the first Goodwill Games in Moscow, finishing the two-day event with 7,148 points, 200 points more than the previous record total of Sabine Paetz of East Germany.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): More than Words--Extreme

#1 single in Switzerland: Wind of Change--Scorpions (4th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Wind of Change--Scorpions
2 The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in his Kiss)--Cher
3 Bobby Brown--Frank Zappa
4 Jesus Loves You--Bow Down Mister
5 The One and Only--Chesney Hawkes
6 Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da)--Crystal Waters
7 Last Train to Trancentral--The KLF
8 Senza una donna (Without a Woman)--Zucchero & Paul Young
9 Secret Love--Bee Gees
10 Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)--Roxette

Singles entering the chart were Le dernier qui a parlé... by Amina (#22); Safe from Harm by Massive Attack (#29); and The Only Love by the Bee Gees (#30).

War
The Brioni Agreement ended the ten-day independence war in Slovenia against the rest of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Crime
American League baseball umpire Steve Palermo and former professional football player Terence Mann were both shot as they came to the aid of two women during an attempted robbery in a restaurant parking lot in Dallas. Mr. Palermo was listed in stable condition after being shot in the stomach.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Tha Crossroads--Bone Thugs 'n Harmony (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Coco Jamboo--Mr. President (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Coco Jamboo--Mr. President (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Scotland (OCC): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (6th week at #1)

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Columbia, with a seven-member crew led by Commander Terence Henricks and including one Canadian--Payload Specialist Bob Thirsk--landed at Cape Canaveral, Florida at 8:37.30 A.M. EDT to conclude mission STS-78 after 272 orbits. It was the longest mission to date at 16 days 21 hours 48 minutes 30 seconds, and carried the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS).



Health
The five-day 11th World Conference on AIDS opened in Vancouver, British Columbia; over 15,000 participants heard researchers report evidence of major gains in the treatment of the disease.

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
John Money, 84. N.Z.-born U.S. psychologist. Dr. Money was a pervert who promoted the normalization of pedophilia and sexual reassignment surgery, and advocated the idea that gender identity is a matter of social learning rather than biology. His most infamous deed was the sexual reassignment surgery of David Reimer, an infant who had been left without a penis because of a botched circumcision. Dr. Money encouraged David's parents to have the boy's testicles removed, give him hormone treament, and have him raised as a female. For years, Dr. Money promoted the sexual reassignment as a success story, but in 1997 David Reimer, who had previously been anonymous (known in the literature as "John/Joan"), went public with the revelation that the sexual reassignment had been a disaster, and that he had transitioned to living as a male at the age of 15. David's twin brother Brian died from an overdose of antidepressants at the age of 36, and David fatally shot himself at the age of 38 on May 4, 2004. Dr. Money died the day before his 85th birthday.

Syd Barrett, 60. U.K. musician. Mr. Barrett was a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, giving them their name, and acting as the group's lead guitarist and main songwriter from 1965-1968, when increasingly erratic behaviour led the group to fire him. He died of pancreatic cancer.

Robin Cameron; Marc Bourdages. Canadian police officers. Messrs. Cameron and Bourdages were Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers who were shot and seriously wounded after responding to a domestic disturbance in the hamlet of Mildred, Saskatchewan; the officers died a few hours apart. Curtis Dagenais was convicted in March, 2009 of first-degree murder in both deaths and the attempted murder of a third officer.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (2-2) 20 @ Edmonton (2-2) 27

Ricky Ray completed 21 of 29 passes for 325 yards and touchdowns to Jason Tucker and Ed Hervey, and rushed 8 times for 48 yards and a touchdown to lead the Eskimos over the Lions before 35,035 fans at Commonwealth Stadium.