July 9, 2016

1,525 years ago
491

War
Odoacer made a night assault with his Heruli guardsmen, engaging Theoderic the Great in Ad Pinetam. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but in the end Theodoric forced Odoacer back into Ravenna.

310 years ago
1706

Died on this date
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, 44. Canadian-born French privateer and explorer. Sieur d'Iberville, a native of Fort Ville-Marie (now Montreal), led campaigns against English forces before and during King William's War in the 1680s and '90s, and explored Louisiana and Mississippi. Sieur d'Iberville succeeded in capturing the Caribbean island of Nevis in April 1706, and was planning an expedition against the English colonial settlement of Charles Town, Carolina when he died suddenly--perhaps of yellow fever--in Havana, a week before his 45th birthday.

200 years ago
1816

South Americana
Argentina declared her independence from Spain.

120 years ago
1896

Politics and government
William Jennings Bryan delivered his "Cross of Gold" speech advocating bimetallism at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago (see also here).

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Edward Heath. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1970-1974. Sir Edward was a member of the House of Commons from 1950-2001 and led the Conservative Party from 1965-1975, becoming Prime Minister when the Conservatives unseated Prime Minister Harold Wilson's Labour Party in the 1970 general election. Sir Edward led the United Kingdom into the European Economic Community in 1973. He died of pneumonia on July 17, 2005, eight days after his 89th birthday.

90 years ago
1926

At the movies
The Son of the Sheik, starring Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky, received a preview screening at the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles.



80 years ago
1936

Weather
The temperature in New York's Central Park was measured at 106 F., a record for July 9.

75 years ago
1941

War
French High Commissioner in Syria General Henri Fernand Dentz asked the U.K.for armistice terms through the U.S. consul in Beirut.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles disclosed that the United States, Argentina, and Brazil had urged Peru and Ecuador to establish a "no-man's land" about nine miles wide on each side of their disputed border as a step to ending their undeclared war.

Defense
U.S. Navy Secretary Frank Knox said that President Franklin D. Roosevelt's new orders to the Navy to guard the sea lanes indicated that "the policy goes further than the original orders...to report sightings of hostile craft." British Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the House of Commons that British troops would remain in Iceland and would cooperate with U.S. forces. The U.S. Office of Production Management announced that a record total of 1,476 military planes had been produced in June.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Roosevelt accepted the resignation of Leon Henderson as commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission so that Mr. Henderson could devote all his time to the position of administrator of the Office of Price Administration.

Baseball
In an Arizona-Texas League game, the Tucson Cowboys amassed 31 hits in beating the Bisbee Bees 30-15. Tucson had also beaten the Bees the previous day by a score of 16-14.

70 years ago
1946

Diplomacy
At the Paris conference of foreign ministers, U.S.S.R. Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov rejected as "wholly inadequate" the U.S. proposal for a 25-year period of disarmament for Germany, insisting on 40 years, with $10 billion in reparations.

U.S. President Harry Truman appointed John Leighton Stewart director of Yenching University in Peking, to succeed General Patrick Hurley as U.S. Ambassador to China.

Defense
Jewish Agency President Chaim Weizmann appealed to the United Kingdom to abandon its course in Palestine, and said that the Jewish defense organization Haganah would not obey British demands that it surrender its weapons.

Politics and government
British Colonial Secretary George Hall told the House of Commons that the government would administer the colonies so that they may attain self-government "as soon as practicable."

Journalism
Paraguayan President Higinio Morinigo repealed the 1940 press control law.

Economics and finance
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration Director Fiorello La Guardia cut off relief shipments to China because of Nationalist "misuse" of food supplies.

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Fenway Park, Boston
National League 0 @ American League 12

Ted Williams of the hometown Red Sox batted 4 for 5 with 2 home runs, 4 runs, and 5 runs batted in to lead the AL over the NL before 34,906 fans.



60 years ago
1956

Diplomacy
U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon concluded his Far Eastern tour with visits to Thailand and Pakistan.

Crime
The United States Congress completed action on a compromise bill authorizing the death penalty for peddling heroin to children under 18.

Medicine
Warner-Chilcott Laboratories announced the development of relaxin, a female sex hormone that promised to save 70% of infants threatened with stillbirth.

Disasters
The 7.7 Mw Amorgos earthquake on the Greek island of Thera triggered a destructive tsunami that affected the Aegean Sea, striking the islands of Paros, Ikaria, Samos, and Patmos. The mainshock was followed minutes later by a damaging M7.2 aftershock. 53 people were killed and 100 were injured.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Paperback Writer/Rain--The Beatles

#1 single in France: Love Me, Please Love Me--Michel Polnareff

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Tema--I Giganti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Sloop John B--The Beach Boys (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Paperback Writer--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Sunny Afternoon--The Kinks

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Paperback Writer--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hanky Panky--Tommy James and the Shondells
2 Paperback Writer--The Beatles
3 Red Rubber Ball--The Cyrkle
4 Strangers in the Night--Frank Sinatra
5 You Don't Have to Say You Love Me--Dusty Springfield
6 Paint It, Black--The Rolling Stones
7 Wild Thing--The Troggs
8 Dirty Water--The Standells
9 Little Girl--Syndicate of Sound
10 Ain't Too Proud to Beg--The Temptations

Singles entering the chart were Mother's Little Helper (#46)/Lady Jane (#80) by the Rolling Stones; 5 D (Fifth Dimension) by the Byrds (#65); This Door Swings Both Ways by Herman's Hermits (#69); Friday's Child by Nancy Sinatra (#74); Summer in the City by the Lovin' Spoonful (#83); See You in September by the Happenings (#88); Look at Me Girl by Bobby Vee and the Strangers (#89); Freddie Feelgood (And His Funky Little Five Piece Band) by Ray Stevens (#96); The Joker Went Wild by Bryan Hyland (#97); That's Enough by Rosco Robinson (#98); and I've Got to Go On Without You by the Van Dykes (#100).

Golf
Jack Nicklaus won the British Open for the first time, shooting a 2-under-par score of 282 at Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane, Scotland, 1 stroke ahead of Doug Sanders and Dale Thomas. First prize money was £2,100.



Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (0-1) 7 @ Calgary 13

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Fernando--ABBA (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Let Your Love Flow--Bellamy Brothers (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Let Your Love Flow--Bellamy Brothers (3rd week at #1)

Calgariana
The annual Calgary Stampede opened, and this blogger attended the parade downtown. Among those in the parade were professional wrestlers Archie "The Stomper" Gouldie and Billy and Benny McGuire, the world's fattest twins.

Baseball
Larry Dierker pitched a no-hitter, striking out 8 and walking 4, as the Houston Astros beat the Montréal Expos 6-0 before 12,511 fans at the Astrodome. Montreal starting pitcher Don Stanhouse took the loss, allowing 6 hits and 4 runs--all earned--in 3 2/3 innings, while reliever Joe Kerrigan made hs major league debut, pitchng a perfect 8th inning. It was the first no-hitter ever pitched against the Expos in their 8-year history.



Richie Zisk hit a 2-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates an 11-9 lead over the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of a doubleheader before 53,328 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, but the Reds rallied for 3 runs with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th to win 12-11. With 2 out and the bases empty, pinch hitter Bob Bailey singled, and Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, and Joe Morgan drew bases on balls, forcing Mr. Bailey home to make the score 11-10. George Foster then singled home Messrs. Rose and Griffey to win the game. Fred Norman pitched a 9-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over George Medich, who also pitched a complete game, as the Reds completed the sweep with a 2-1 win in the second game.

Pinch runner Lee Richard scored on a ground ball by Willie Crawford with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 21,242 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Mr. Crawford hit a ground ball to shortstop Bill Russell, who stepped on second base to retire Ted Simmons for the second out, but the Dodgers wre unable to complete the double play. The Dodgers had scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th to take a 3-2 lead.

Dennis Leonard pitched a 4-hitter and struck out 8 batters to win the pitchers' duel over Mark Fidrych as the Kansas City Royals edged the Detroit Tigers 1-0 before 51,041 fans at Tiger Stadium. "The Bird" allowed 9 hits and 1 earned run in pitching a complete game. The Royals scored the only run in the 4th inning on consecutive singles by George Brett, John Mayberry, and Hal McRae with 1 out. Mr. Leonard improved his record for the season to 9-3, while Mr. Fidrych fell to 9-2.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox

Died on this date
Nicholas VI, 71. Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, 1968-1986. Nicholas VI was preceded by Christopher II and succeeded by Parthenius III.

Abominations
The Parliament of New Zealand passed the Homosexual Law Reform Act, legalizing homosexual acts in New Zealand.

Baseball
The New York Yankees traded pitcher Ed Whitson to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Tim Stoddard. Mr. Whitson had become the target of so much abuse from fans that New York manager Lou Piniella would no longer allow him to pitch at Yankee Stadium. In 14 games with the Yankees in 1986, Mr. Whitson was 5-2 with an earned run average of 7.54; Mr. Stoddard was 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 games with the Padres in 1986.

25 years ago
1991

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney met U.S. President George Bush at SkyDome in Toronto for talks on a common approach to aid for Soviet Union.

Scandal
The closure of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International cost about 20 local councils in England up to £30 million in investments.

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ SkyDome, Toronto
National League 2 @ American League 4

Cal Ripken, Jr. hit a 3-run home run and was named the game's most valuable player; it was the fourth straight win for the AL. Jimmy Key of the Toronto Blue Jays was the winning pitcher, while Dennis Martinez of the Montreal Expos took the loss before 52,383 fans.



20 years ago
1996

Died on this date
Melvin Belli, 88. U.S. lawyer. Mr. Belli was known as the "King of Torts" for his success in civil cases, winning over $600 million in judgments during his career; he had many celebrity clients. He died 20 days before his 89th birthday.

Lin Russell, 45; Megan Russell, 6. U.K. crime victims. Mrs. Russell and her daughter were beaten to death by Michael Stone, 37. Mrs. Russell's other daughter Josie, 9, was also attacked, but survived and recovered, but with impaired speech.

War
Russian troops ignored a cease-fire and began bombing Chechen rebels.

Society
In an effort to combat growing violence in society, the Australian government of Prime Minister John Howard approved measures restricting the portrayal of extreme violence.

Politics and government
The governments of Canada and Newfoundland signed an agreement with the Innu Nation to relocate the remote and poverty-stricken island community of Davis Inlet to Sango Bay on the Labrador mainland.

Baseball
Major League All-Star Game @ Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
American League 0 @ National League 6

The NL scored 4 runs in the first 3 innings and coasted to victory over the AL before 62,670 fans. Nine National League pitchers combined for a 7-hit shutout, while Los Angeles Dodgers' catcher Mike Piazza hit a solo home run and drove in another run with a double, and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. It was the National League's last win until 2010.



10 years ago
2006

Disasters
At least 122 people were killed after a Sibir Airlines Airbus A310 passenger jet, carrying 200 passengers, veered off the runway while landing in wet conditions at Irkutsk Airport in Siberia.