September 12, 2016

225 years ago
1791

Franciana
The Papal States lost Avignon to the revolutionary France by vote of the National Constituent Assembly.

Politics and government
Sir Guy Carleton, Lord Dorchester was appointed Governor-in-Chief of Canada; he served from December 26, 1791-December 15, 1796.

160 years ago
1856

Politics and government
The British Columbia legislature met for the first time.

150 years ago
1866

Born on this date
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon. Governor General of Canada, 1926-1931; Viceroy and Governor-General of India, 1931-1936. Viscount Willingdon, a Liberal, was a member of the British House of Commons from 1900-1913, when he received a peerage and joined the House of Lords. He served as Governor of Bombay from 1913-1918 and Governor of Madras from 1919-1924. Viscount Willingdon was the last Governor General of Canada to be appointed by the monarch, and the first to travel by air and make official visits abroad. He continued the Canadian tradition of vice-regal patronage of sports by donating the Willingdon Cup to the Royal Canadian Golf Association for annual Canadian interprovincial amateur golf competition. Viscount Willingdon died on August 12, 1941, a month before his 75th birthday.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Arthur Hays Sulzberger. U.S. journalist. Mr. Sulzberger published The New York Times from 1935-1961; he was succeeded as publisher by his son-in-law Orvil Dryfoos and eventually by his son Arthur Ochs Sulzberger. Arthur H. Sulzberger died on December 11, 1968 at the age of 77.

110 years ago
1906

Transportation
Godfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar opened the Newport Transporter Bridge in Newport, South East Wales.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Tony Bettenhausen. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Bettenhausen drove in the American Automobile Association and United States Auto Club championship series for at least 20 years. He won the national championship in 1958, despite not winning a race that year. Mr. Bettenhausen competed in the Indianapolis 500 every year from 1946-1960, with a best finish of second in 1955 while co-driving with Paul Russo. Mr. Bettenhausen was killed at the age of 44 on May 12, 1961 while test driving a car for that year's Indianapolis 500. He was the father of race drivers, Tony Jr., Gary, and Merle Bettenhausen.

80 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Missing Three-Quarter

75 years ago
1941

War
The Ecuadorian government claimed that Peruvian troops had been repulsed with losses in an attack the previuous day on the Ecuadorian port at Porotillo in the Jubones River section of the border.

World events
Reports reaching Stockholm stated that German authorities were carrying our mass arrests in Norway to crush spreading opposition.

A Spanish freighter built to carry 28 passengers arrived in Brooklyn with 769 refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe.

70 years ago
1946

Movies
Retired baseball star Babe Ruth sold screen rights to his life story to Howard Hughes Productions.

Literature
A group of prominent authors, including John Erskine, Benjamin Stolberg, and Katherine Bush, founded the American Writers Association to counteract alleged Communist efforts to gain "monopoly control" over U.S. literary output.

Diplomacy
U.S. Commerce Secretary Henry Wallace, speaking in New York, warned against growing "get tough with Russia" sentiment in the United States, saying, "the tougher we get, the tougher the Russians will get." He also attacked British "imperialism" in the Middle East and urged United Nations control of atomic bombs and military bases "with which the U.S. and Britain have encircled the world." U.S. President Harry Truman said in Washington that he had read and endorsed the speech, and did not think it contradicted State Secretary James Byrnes' policy at the Paris Peace Conference.

World events
Oscar Wilhelm, government-appointed administrator of Jewish properties in Austria, was reportedly sentenced by U.S.S.R. authorities to two years' imprisonment for resisting Soviet seizure of Jewish property.

Defense
The governments of Panama and the United States agreed to negotiate the return of 131 military bases held by the U.S.

Politics and government
Egyptian Prime Minister Ismail Sidky Pasha formed a new three-party cabinet with Ibrahim Abdul Hadi Pasha as Foreign Minister.

Former U.S. Labor Secretary Frances Perkins was appointed Civil Service Commissioner by President Truman.

60 years ago
1956

Diplomacy
The U.S.A., U.K., and France proposed the creation of an international Suez Users' Association to supervise use of the canal.

Politics and government
Pakistani President Iskander Mirza swore in Awami League leader Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy as Prime Minister, and announced that grain would be shipped immediately to East Pakistan to halt the growing famine there.

Education
Negro pupils entered the elementary school in Clay, Kentucky under the protection of National Guardsmen.

Transportation
Acting U.S. Civil Aeronautics Administration head James Pyle told a House of Representatives Commerce subcommittee that the current air traffic control system was safe but indadequate due to the rapid expansion of commercial air travel in the United States since the Korean War.

Boxing
Carmen Basilio (49-12-7) scored a technical knockout of Johnny Saxton (54-5-2) at 1:31 of the 9th round at War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York to regain the world welterweight title in a fight that named Fight of the Year by The Ring. Mr. Saxton had won the title from Mr. Basilio by a 15-round unanimous decision six months earlier.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Ottawa (1-4) 31 @ Montreal (4-1) 36
Toronto (2-3) 22 @ Hamilton (3-2) 21

ORFU
Sarnia (2-3) 8 @ Toronto (4-0) 13

Gino Cappelletti scored a touchdown and a convert to lead Balmy Beach over the Golden Bears. Sam Laverty scored the other Toronto TD, while Dick Dixon scored the Sarnia touchdown.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Juanita Banana--Luis Aguilé (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Pretty Brown Eyes--Joe Dolan (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Get Away--Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
2 Sunshine Superman--Donovan
3 Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby--The Beatles
4 Wouldn't it Be Nice--The Beach Boys
5 Bus Stop--The Hollies
6 Sunny Afternoon--The Kinks
7 Off to Dublin in the Green--The Abbey Tavern Singers/Merry Ploughboy--The Carlton Showband
8 Sunny--Bobby Hebb
9 See You in September--The Happenings
10 Warm and Tender Love--Percy Sledge

Singles entering the chart were Last Train to Clarksville by the Monkees (#77); Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra (#78); Fiddle Around by Jan & Dean (#83); I Want to Be with You by Dee Dee Warwick (#90); She Drives Me Out of My Mind by the Swingin' Medallions (#91); I've Got You Under My Skin by the 4 Seasons (#92); Out of Time by Chris Farlowe (#93); I Really Don't Want to Know by Ronnie Dove (#94); Dianne, Dianne by Ronny and the Daytonas (#95); Love That's True by the White Knights (#97); You Gotta Have Love by Robbie Lane (#98); Can't Satisfy by the Impressions (#99); and Reach Out I'll Be There by the Four Tops (#100).

On television tonight
The Monkees, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Royal Flush

This was the first episode of the series to be broadcast. The songs performed were This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day and Take a Giant Step.



Space
Gemini 11, with the crew of Pete Conrad (Command Pilot) and Dick Gordon (Pilot), lifted off from Cape Kennedy, Florida to begin a three-day mission. Just 1 hour 34 minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft docked with its Agena target vehicle.



Law
W.G. Morrow was sworn in as Justice of the Territorial Court of the Northwest Territories in a ceremony in Yellowknife. He succeeded retiring Justice Jack Sissons.

Politics and government
Premier W. A. C. Bennett led his Social Credit government to another majority government in the British Columbia provincial election. Social Credit won 33 of 55 seats in the Legislative Assembly, the same total as in the most recent election in 1963; the New Democratic Party, led by Robert Strachan, won 16 seats--an increase of 2 from 1963--and the Liberals, led by Ray Perrault, won 6 seats, an increase of 1 from 1963. The Progressive Conservative Party was virtually wiped out, winning no seats and running only 3 candidates--down from 44 in 1963--and dropping from 11.09% of the popular vote to 0.18%.

Journalism
The New York World Journal Tribune published its first edition. It replaced three defunct newspapers: The World-Telegram & Sun; Journal-American; and Herald Tribune.

Labour
A 140-day newspaper strike ended in New York. The strike had led to the demise of the Herald Tribune, and the end of the strike enabled the World Journal Tribune to begin publishing.

Protest
Mobs of white people began attacking Negro pupils in Grenada, Mississippi.

40 years ago
1976

Football
CFL
Hamilton (3-6) 22 @ Toronto (4-5) 31
Saskatchewan (7-2) 34 @ Edmonton (6-3) 7
Calgary (0-8-1) 15 @ British Columbia (5-4) 30

John Harvey rushed 13 yards for a touchdown and went 25 yards with a pass for another TD to help the Argonauts defeat the Tiger-Cats before 48,250 fans at Exhibition Stadium.

The Roughriders intercepted 6 passes, with Jim Marshall and Bill Manchuk returning interceptions for touchdowns, as they routed the Eskimos before 25,978 fans at Clarke Stadium. Edmonton head coach decided to introduce a shotgun formation to the offense, but it didn't work for either Tom Wilkinson or Bruce Lemmerman, who alternated at quarterback. Running back Steve Ferrughelli, recently acquired from the Montreal Alouettes in a trade for defensive back John Beaton, played his first game in an Edmonton uniform, and caught a pass for the only Edmonton touchdown. Former Eskimo Keith Barnette, whose 380 yards in the first 6 games of the season still led the team, made his first appearance in a Saskatchewan uniform; he dressed as the designated import and played late in the game, rushing 3 times for 19 yards.

The Lions were trailing the Stampeders 10-8 until Mike Strickland, rushing from the Calgary 10-yard line, fumbled at the 1, but recovered the ball as he went over the goal line, and the Lions coasted to victory before 18,103 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. It turned out to be the last win for Cal Murphy as B.C.'s head coach. After the game, Calgary General Manager Gary Hobson announced that quarterback John Hufnagel, who had been released by the Denver Broncos of the National Football League after two seasons with that club, would be joining the Stampeders.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Holiday Rap--MC Miker G & Deejay Sven (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jim Shilling, 72. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Shilling was a second baseman who played 31 games with the Cleveland Indians and 11 games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1939, batting .282 with no home runs and 16 runs batted in. He played in the minor leagues from 1935-1942 and 1946-1948, batting .291 with 101 home runs.

Music
The Manhattan Transfer performed in a concert bowl setting at the Edmonton Coliseum in what was, if I'm not mistaken, their last Edmonton appearance. The group apologized for the venue, but it was the only one available that fit their schedule. This blogger was in attendance, and paid $22 for the ticket.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (3-8) 29 @ Montreal (2-9) 28

Dean Dorsey's 38-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining in regulation time climaxed a 21-point 4th-quarter rally and gave the Rough Riders their win over the Alouettes before 11,399 fans at Olympic Stadium and ended their 8-game losing streak. It proved to be their last win under head coach Joe Moss.

Baseball
The Minnesota Twins fired manager Ray Miller and replaced him with coach Tom Kelly. The Twins were seventh and last in the American League West Division with a record of 59-80.

Bill Buckner hit 2 home runs and Jim Rice added another as the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 7-2 before 42,024 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Terry Steinbach hit a home run in his first major league at bat to help the Oakland Athletics to a 9-3 win over the Cleveland Indians before 11,019 fans at Cleveland Stadium. Winning pitcher Mike Witt improved his record for the season to 18-8.

Harold Baines singled home Daryl Boston with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 3-2 win over the California Angels before 11,609 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

The Seattle Mariners scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 1-1 tie and defeat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 before 22,169 fans at Royals Stadium. Mark Langston (12-11) pitched a 9-hit complete game victory.

Tom Nieto singled home Wayne Krenchicki with 2 out in the top of the 11th inning to break a 3-3 tie and give the Montreal Expos a 4-3 win over the St.Louis Cardinals before 26,381 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. The Cardinals scored all their runs on a home run by starting pitcher Bob Forsch in the 2nd inning.

The Chicago Cubs scored 2 runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 7-7 tie and held on to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-8 before 15,664 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Jim Morrison hit 2 home runs for the Pirates.

Robby Thompson hit a grand slam in the 4th inning and doubled home another run in the 5th as the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 11-2 before 11,142 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

Terry Puhl walked with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run and Billy Hatcher followed with a 2-run single as the Houston Astros scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th inning to beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 before 11,319 fans at Jack Murphy-San Diego Stadium.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Hay Wrap--The Saw Doctors

At the movies
Until the End of the World, directed and co-written by Wim Wenders, and starring William Hurt and Solveig Dommartin, received its premiere screening in Germany. The film proved to be one of the biggest box office flops of its time.





Space
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery, with a five-man crew led by Commander John Creighton, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin the six-day mission STS-48.



Albertana
The world's largest tepee was erected in Medicine Hat.

Scandal
Canadian Senator Michel Cogger (Progressive Conservative--Lauzon, Quebec) was charged in Montreal with accepting illegal benefits from industrialist Guy Montpetit and Japanese investors; Mr. Montpetit was charged on September 17, 1991 with giving a $212,000 payment.

Former British Columbia Premier Bill Vander Zalm was charged in Victoria with breach of trust in connection with the sale of the Fantasy Gardens theme park.

Baseball
The Cleveland Indians barely withstood a 3-run rally in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 before 20,401 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. The Indians led 6-2 after 8½ innings, and Tom Kramer made his major league debut on the mound in relief of Charles Nagy (9-12). Mr. Kramer promptly surrendered a double to Cal Ripken, Jr., a double to Sam Horn, and a base on balls to Randy Milligan. Steve Olin then relieved Mr. Kramer and allowed Messrs. Horn and Milligan to score, and the bases were loaded with 1 out, but Mike Devereaux grounded into a double play to end the game. It was also the major league debut for Wayne Kirby, who played the final 2 innings in left field for Cleveland, without a plate appearance or fielding chance.

The Boston Red Sox scored 2 runs in each of the 1st, 5th, and 7th innings as they beat the New York Yankees 7-2 before 19,312 fans at Yankee Stadium.

The Milwaukee Brewers broke a 0-0 tie with a run in the bottom of the 6th inning and 6 in the 7th to blank the Detroit Tigers 7-0 before 9,835 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Chris Bosio (11-10) allowed 4 hits in 6 innings to get the win.

The Texas Rangers edged the Minnesota Twins 4-3 before 17,974 fans at Arlington Stadium as Nolan Ryan (10-6) became the second major league pitcher (after Don Sutton) to win at least 10 games in 20 different seasons. Jack Morris allowed 5 hits and 4 earned runs in pitching a complete game defeat, dropping to 16-11 for the season.

The Chicago White Sox scored 3 runs in the top of the 8th, but the California Angels came back with 4 in the bottom of the 8th to beat the White Sox 7-4 before 26,447 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

Mariano Duncan drove in 3 runs with a pair of home runs to help the Cincinnati Reds defeat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 before 15,923 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Hal Morris also homered for the Reds, while Matt Williams homered for the Giants.

Felix Jose drew a base on balls with the bases loaded, forcing in Ray Lankford with the game's only run in the bottom of the 6th inning, as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 before 21,412 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Ken Hill (9-9) won the pitchers' duel over Doug Drabek (13-13).

Darryl Strawberry hit a 3-run home run and Kal Daniels added a solo homer two batters later as the Los Angeles Dodgers scored 4 runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 2-2 tie and beat the Houston Astros 6-2 before 10,146 fans at the Astrodome.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Insomnia--Faithless

Died on this date
Ernesto Geisel, 89. 29th President of Brazil, 1974-1979. General Geisel was President during Brazil's military government; he adopted slightly more liberal democratic policies than his immediate predecessors, and a more pragmatic foreign policy.

Politics and government
Jean-Louis Roux was sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec.

Transportation
Rocky Mountain Railtours ran the longest passenger train in Canadian history, hauling 34 cars to Kamloops, British Columbia using three GP40 locomotives.

10 years ago
2006

Religion
In a speech in his native Germany, Pope Benedict XVI quoted from an obscure medieval text that characterized some teachings of Islam's founder as "evil and inhuman," unleashing a torrent of rage across the Islamic world.