August 21, 2016

225 years ago
1791

Protest
The Haitian Slave Revolution began in Saint-Domingue.

90 years ago
1926

Baseball
Ted Lyons pitched a no-hitter and singled in a run as the Chicago White Sox blanked the Boston Red Sox 6-0 at Fenway Park in Boston.

The Brooklyn Robins scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning to break a 6-6 tie and defeat the Chicago Cubs 8-6 at Cubs Park in Chicago.

The Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves played to a 2-2 tie before 7,500 fans at Redland Field in Cincinnati in a game that was called after 13 innings because of darkness.

75 years ago
1941

War
German troops captured Chudovo, cutting the Moscow-Leningrad railway line. A Japanese spokesman said that it ws necessary to blockade supply routes to China.

World events
A German naval officer was assassinated in France, leading to German plans for "mass execution" of Jews in reprisal, although it hadn't been proven that a Jew was responsible.

Religion
Moscow radio urged "all God-loving inhabitants of the occupied countries" to rise in defense of religious freedom against the Germans, who, it said, were "menacing the very existence of Christianity."

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a message to Congress explaining an defending his eight-point plan that he had agreed on in his recent conference with U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Defense
The British government made public an official denial that U.S. Lend-Lease aid had been re-exported. U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull announced that the U.S.S.R. had been granted a general license to buy chemicals, machinery, iron and steel products, nonferrous metals, rubber, wood, paper, and other materials in the United States.

Protest
Paris press announced that 7,000 Jews had been arrested within the past 48 hours and that two Jews had been executed in reprisal for "Communist" demonstrations against the Germans.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Production Management ordered a 26% cut in automobile production to 816,801 cars during the four-month period ending November 30, 1941.

Labour
1,500 telephone workers in Mexico went on strike for higher wages and reinstatement of a dismissed employee.

70 years ago
1946

War
Nationalist Chinese sources reported that Communist forces were retreating along the Lunghai railway in central China after the launching of a government counteroffensive.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. issued an ultimatum to the Yugoslavian government demanding that it release within 48 hours the occupants of the two U.S. transport planes recently forced down in Yugoslavia, and threatening otherwise to bring the matter before the United Nations Security Council. Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Tito, in an address broadcast by Belgrade radio, denied that the American plane forced down on August 9 was lost in the clouds, claiming that witnesses attested that the weather was clear.

Bartley Crum, a former member of the Anglo-American Commission of Inquiry on Palestine, charged that "middle-level" U.S. State Department officials were sabotaging American policy in the Middle East, and called for the resignation of Loy Henderson, head of the Near Eastern and African Affairs Office.

Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha assailed Italy and Greece at the Paris Peace Conference and pleaded for greater curtailment of Italy's armed forces.

Defense
The U.S. State Department objected to a Soviet proposal for joint U.S.S.R.-Turkish control of the Dardanelles, stating that defense of the straits should be left to Turkey.

The United States Navy announced the completion of the first four-engine Lockheed Constitution, capable of carrying 69,000 pounds, making it the Navy's largest transport plane.

Politics and government
Returning to Washington from a tour of Alaska, U.S. Interior Secretary Julius Krug suggested that the territory be granted statehood.

U.S. Federal Budget Director James Webb ordered that the civil service be reduced by 104,400 employees.

60 years ago
1956

At the movies
War and Peace, starring Henry Fonda and Audrey Hepburn, opened in theatres in the United States.



Diplomacy
The Egyptian government of President Gamal Nasser rejected U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles' plan for internationalization of the Suez Canal as completely unacceptable.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Herbert Lehman (Democrat--New York), 78, announced that he would not seek re-election in November 1956 for health reasons.

Energy
The Swiss government announced that it would receive 500 kilograms of uranium for atomic power and research under an atoms-for-peace agreement signed with the United States the previous June.

50 years ago
1966

Music
The Beatles continued their final concert tour with an afternoon performance at Crosley Field in Cincinnati--postponed from the previous evening because of rain--and an evening performance at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.



Diplomacy
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson met in New Brunswick for talks.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Non si puo' morire dentro--Gianni Bella (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Kiss and Say Goodbye--The Manhattans (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee (3rd week at #1)
2 Let 'em In--Wings
3 Afternoon Delight--Starland Vocal Band
4 You Should Be Dancing--Bee Gees
5 Play That Funky Music--Wild Cherry
6 You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine--Lou Rawls
7 Kiss and Say Goodbye--The Manhattans
8 I'd Really Love to See You Tonight--England Dan & John Ford Coley
9 Got to Get You Into My Life--The Beatles
10 A Fifth of Beethoven--Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band

Singles entering the chart were That'll Be the Day by Linda Ronstadt (#81); Sunrise by Eric Carmen (#82); Take a Hand by Rick Springfield (#89); No, No, Joe by Silver Convention (#92); and We Both Need Each Other by Norman Connors (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee
2 You Should Be Dancing--Bee Gees
3 Let 'em In--Wings
4 Got to Get You Into My Life--The Beatles
5 Baby, I Love Your Way--Peter Frampton
6 You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine--Lou Rawls
7 A Fifth of Beethoven--Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
8 The Boys are Back in Town--Thin Lizzy
9 Afternoon Delight--Starland Vocal Band
10 This Masquerade--George Benson

Singles entering the chart were Mary Ann by Lick 'N' Stick (#97); She's Gone by Daryl Hall and John Oates (#98); Who'd She Coo by Ohio Players (#99); and Rock'n Me by the Steve Miller Band (#100).

War
U.S. and N.K. forces launched Operation Paul Bunyan in response to the axe murders of two American soldiers at the hands of North Korean forces in the demilitarized zone at Panmunjom three days earlier.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (5-1) 20 @ Edmonton (4-2) 18

Gerry Organ's field goal with 1 second remaining in the game gave the Rough Riders their win over the Eskimos before 25,882 fans at Clarke Stadium. The Eskimos blew an early 14-3 lead. It was the first CFL game for Ottawa defensive back Wonderful Monds, who had begun the season on the injured list of the Toronto Argonauts. It was the sixth and last game in an Edmonton uniform for rookie running back Keith Barnette, who was cut several days later when veteran Roy Bell was activated from the injured list. Despite playing only 6 games, Mr. Barnette still ended up as the Eskimos' leading rusher for 1976 with 380 yards.

30 years ago
1986

Theatre
This blogger attended a performance of the two-part show Birds in Space/The Man Himself as part of the 1986 Fringe Theatre Festival in Edmonton. The first part was bad, and the second part was good.

Disasters
More than 1,700 people died in Cameroon when a cloud of lethal gas escaped from a volcanic lake.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-5) 28 @ Montreal (2-6) 23
Calgary (5-4) 30 @ British Columbia (7-2) 14

Hamilton defensive back Less Browne tied a CFL regular season record with 4 interceptions and scored the winning touchdown on a lateral from linebacker Ben Zambiasi after an interception to enable the Tiger-Cats to beat the Alouettes before 12,158 fans at Olympic Stadium.

The Stampeders scored 3 touchdowns in the 2nd quarter as they defeated the Lions before 49,147 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

Baseball
Spike Owen scored 6 runs and Tony Armas hit a grand slam and drove in 6 as the Boston Red Sox whipped the Cleveland Indians 24-5 before 26,316 fans at Cleveland Stadium, scoring 12 runs in the 6th inning. Greg Swindell (0-1) was the losing pitcher in his major league debut, allowing 6 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 6 runs--4 earned--in 3 2/3 innings. Bryan Oelkers, the fourth of five Cleveland pitchers, allowed 11 hits and 9 runs--all earned--in 2 1/3 innings.

Ozzie Guillen singled home Jerry Hairston with 1 out in the top of the 9th inning to break a 3-3 tie and give the Chicago White Sox a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 35,393 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.

Eric Davis drove in 4 runs with a pair of home runs and Buddy Bell and Nick Esasky added homers as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 before 18,242 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

The San Francisco Giants scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 before 7,959 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Phillies had begun the game with 5 runs in the top of the 1st.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (2nd week at #1)

Europeana
With Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev having been apparently toppled from power the previous day by a coup, Latvia declared its independence from the U.S.S.R.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (4-3) 50 @ Saskatchewan (1-6) 47
Toronto (5-2) 39 @ Edmonton (5-2) 53

Doug Flutie passed for 465 yards and 5 touchdowns, the last of which was scored by Ray Alexander with 8 seconds remaining in regulation time, giving the Lions their win over the Roughriders before 21,434 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. It was the last game as head coach of the Roughriders for John Gregory, who had been Saskatchewan's head coach since 1987. He was fired and replaced by Don Matthews.

Tracy Ham threw 5 touchdown passes and the Eskimos scored 29 points in the 2nd quarter as they beat the Argonauts before 43,826 fans on a beautiful night at Commonwealth Stadium. The Eskimos appeared had a chance to score 60 points, but a drive in the 4th quarter ended when Brian Walling fumbled and former Eskimo Don Wilson returned the ball 101 yards for a touchdown. Argonauts' co-owner John Candy was at the game, and rode the Eskimos' fire truck around the track at Commonwealth Stadium after a Toronto touchdown.



Baseball
The Helena Brewers amassed 27 hits and 6 home runs as they routed the Idaho Falls Braves 28-0 in a Pioneer League game.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Mary Two-Axe Earley, 84. Canadian activist. Mrs. Earley was born on the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake (then known as Caughnawaga), Quebec to a Mohawk father and Oneida mother. She moved to Brooklyn, New York at the age of 18, and married a white man, Edward Earley, in 1938. Under the provisions of the Indian Act, Mrs. Earley lost her Indian status for marrying a white man. She wasn't bothered by this while she was enjoying her marriage and children, but in the late 1960s she began campaigning for the restoration of Indian status to women such as herself. Mrs. Earley's efforts eventually proved successful, as the Canadian Parliament passed Bill C-31 in 1985, amending the Indian Act in order to provide a process of restoration of status of Indian women who had married non-Indian men. Mrs. Earley was the first beneficiary of the new law. She received numerous honours before her death at Kahnawake from respiratory failure.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (1-8) 21 @ Calgary (8-1) 23

Mark McLoughlin's field goal in the final seconds of regulation time gave the Stampeders their win over the Lions before 17,271 fans at McMahon Stadium.

10 years ago
2006

Football
CFL
The Saskatchewan Roughriders, third in the West Division with a record of 4-5, fired general manager Roy Shivers. Mr. Shivers was in his seventh season as general manager of the Roughriders, and had the team had yet to make an appearance in the Grey Cup during that time.