September 17, 2016

120 years ago
1896

Born on this date
William Gopallawa. Governor-General of Ceylon, 1962-1972; President of Sri Lanka, 1972-1978. Sir William was a municipal politician in Matale before serving as Ceylonese Ambassador to the People's Republic of China (1960-1961) and to the United States (1961-1962). He served as Governor-General until Ceylon became the Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972, and then served as the country's only non-executive President. Sir William died on January 31, 1981 at the age of 84.

110 years ago
1906

Born on this date
J.R. Jayewardene. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, 1977-1978; President of Sri Lanka, 1978-1989. Junius Richard Jayewardene, a member of the United National Party, began his political career in the late 1930s when Sri Lanka was still a British colony known as Ceylon. He held various positions before serving as Prime Minister, and then as President under a new constitution. Mr. Jayewardene's presidency was plagued by civil war between government and Tamil forces. He died on November 1, 1996 at the age of 90.

100 years ago
1916

War
Manfred von Richthofen ("The Red Baron"), a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, won his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.

75 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Fred Karno, 75. U.K. actor. Mr. Karno, born Frederick Westcott, was a music hall comedian and impresario who developed the pie-in-the-face gag and other bits that became staples of music hall and silent film comedy. Among those who worked under him were Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel.

War
Soviet and British forces entered Tehran, marking the end of the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. German authorities in Paris warned that if attacks on German soldiers continued, they would shoot "increasing numbers of hostages." U.S. representative Myron Taylor denied that President Franklin D. Roosevelt had asked Pope Pius XII to declare the war against Germany a "just war." A decree of the Soviet State Committee of Defense, restoring Vsevobuch (universal military training) in the face of the Great Patriotic War, was issued.

World events
Chilean police announced that 28 alleged Nazis had been arrested so far as a result of an investigation of subversive activities in southern Chile.

Defense
The U.S. Senate passed and sent to the White House the House of Representatives-approved $3,553,400,000 defense tax bill, the largest in the nation's history. U.S. Navy Secretary Frank Knox told a press conference that the escort of convoys by war vessels was "being used in all our defensive areas." The American Legion convention in Milwaukee adopted a resolution backing President Roosevelt's foreign policy, urging repeal of the Neutrality Act and the removal of restrictions on sending troops abroad.

Abominations
The Crimes Amendment Act 1941 went into effect in New Zealand; as well as (temporarily) doing away with capital punishment for murder, the Act abolished judicial provision for flogging and whipping. These punishments had been introduced – initially for juveniles – from 1867, and by 1893 applied to a number of (mainly sexual) offences by adult men.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Roosevelt issued an executive order authorizing the Economic Defense Board, headed by Vice President Henry Wallace, to absorb the Office of Export Control.

Labour
Canadian Labour Minister Norman McLarty announced that the cabinet had outlawed all strikes in war industries unless a majority of the workers voted to strike in a government-supervised poll.

Baseball
The Brooklyn Dodgers scored 5 runs in the top of the 9th inning to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 before 6,206 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

Johnny Vander Meer (15-12) pitched a 3-hitter and struck out 11 batters to win the pitchers' duel over Rube Melton (1-3) as the Cincinnati Reds edged the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 in the first game of a doubleheader before 2,199 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Ernie Lombardi scored the only run when he doubled to lead off the 4th inning, advanced to third base on a single by Harry Craft, and scored when Bobby Mattick grounded into a force play at second. In the second game, pinch hitter Billy Werber was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the 9th, forcing Junior Thompson home with the winning run as the Reds won 3-2 to complete the sweep. Mr. Thompson (6-6) pitched a 6-hit complete game victory while batting 3 for 4 with a run batted in, and a double to lead off the 9th. Boom Boom Beck (1-9) pitched 8+ innings and allowed 3 earned runs to take the loss; he was relieved by Ike Pearson, who promptly hit Mr. Werber. Cincinnati center fielder Harry Craft left the game in the 6th when he was beaned by Mr. Beck just below the left ear.

The St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the Boston Braves 6-1 and 3-2 before 7,713 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Howie Pollet (4-1) pitched the Cardinals to victory in the first game, while Stan Musial batted 2 for 4 and drove in 2 runs with a double in his major league debut in the second game. Estel Crabtree hit a home run in each game for the Cardinals; he ended the second game by leading off the bottom of the 9th inning with a homer off losing pitcher Jim Tobin (12-10). Max Lanier (9-8) pitched a 5-hit complete game victory in a game that was played in 1 hour 37 minutes. Al Montgomery came to bat as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning of the first game and reached first base on a fielder's choice; it was his 42nd and last major league game.

Dom DiMaggio singled home Skeeter Newsome and Frankie Pytlak with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians before 6,858 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Mr. DiMaggio also singled home Mr. Pytlak with the first Boston run in the 3rd inning. Joe Dobson (12-5) pitched a 6-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Jim Bagby, Jr. (9-14), who allowed 10 hits and 2 earned runs.

Frank Crosetti doubled home Spud Chandler and Tommy Henrich followed with a 3-run home run as the New York Yankees scored 4 runs in the 5th inning and defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-3 before 3,604 fans at Yankee Stadium. Mr. Chandler (9-4) pitched a 5-hit complete game, winning the pitchers' duel over Eddie Smith (13-16).

The Washington Nationals scored a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the St. Louis Browns 9-8 before 1,500 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Washington first baseman Mickey Vernon had 4 singles in 5 at bats, with 3 runs and 2 runs batted in. St. Louis center fielder Walt Judnich was 2 for 5 with a 3-run home run and 5 RBIs. St. Louis relief pitcher Maury Newlin faced 2 batters in the 7th inning; both made hits, and 1 scored--earned--in the 15th and last game of Mr. Newlin's 2-year major league career. The Nationals outhit the Browns 20-11.

70 years ago
1946

War
Reports from Greece indicated the presence of widespread fighting between royalist forces and Communists in the mountains of Thessaly and Macedonia. Royalists were charged with using "brutal and inhumane" methods against insurgents and manipulating the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration to gain support for the monarchy.

Nationalist Chinese forces claimed the capture of Tsing Kiang, the main Communist base in the northern area of the province of Kiangsu near Nanking.

Defense
U.S. Commerce Secretary Henry Wallace released a letter to President Harry Truman charging that "there is a school of military thinking [which] advocates a 'preventive war'" on the U.S.S.R. before the Soviets acquire the atomic bomb.

Politics and government
Brazil's National Assembly approved a new constitution to replace the charter adopted under former President Getulio Vargas in 1937.

Democrats in Connecticut nominated Lieutenant Governor Wilbur Snow for Governor over Chester Bowles.

Economics and finance
A revised U.K.-France debt settlement was signed in Paris, allowing France to repay its £110-million debt to Britain at ½% interest starting in 1950.

Argentina and Britain concluded a trade and investment agreement.

Labour
Teamsters union members ended their 2½-week New York trucking strike by ratifying an agreement for a 31¢ hourly wage increase and a 40-hour week with vacation and overtime adjustments.

A 15-day strike by the American Federation of Musicians against 41 New York hotels ended with agreement on a 20% wage increase.

Following an American Federation of Labor threat to cross waterfront picket lines, Congress of Industrial Organizations unions withdrew pickets from East coast and Gulf coast ships under contract to the AFL.

Boxing
British, British Empire, and European heavyweight champion Bruce Woodcock (28-1) knocked out world light heavyweight champion Gus Lesnevich (55-11-5) at 1:40 of the 8th round in a heavyweight bout at Harringay Arena in London. It was the only time in his career that Mr. Lesnevich was counted out.



60 years ago
1956

Died on this date
Irving White Potter, 87. U.S. physician. Dr. Potter was an obstetrician from Buffalo, New York who delivered a record 25,000 children during his 65 years of practice.

Diplomacy
The Arab League Political Committee meeting in Cairo approved resolutions supporting Egypt's seizure of the Suez Canal and condemning the Anglo-French "military buildup" in the Middle East. A joint Syrian-Lebanese letter to the United Nations Security Council charged that the dispatch of French troops to Cyprus was "a threat" to "peace and security" in "the immediate vicinity" of the two countries. U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower reportedly told U.K. Prime Minister Anthony Eden that U.S. intervention against Egypt would require both Congressional and United Nations sanction.

Soviet First Deputy Minister Anastas Mikoyan, addressing the Chinese Communist Party Congress in Peking, promised that the U.S.S.R. would help elevate China to the "zenith" of modern scientific development.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Export-Import Bank granted Argentina a loan of $100 million for improvement of its transportation system.

Education
The Clay, Kentucky school board ordered the barring of Negro pupils from the city's elementary schools after Kentucky Attorney General Jo Ferguson ruled that forcible enrollment of Negroes was premature.

Sport
Norman Buckley, 48, a solicitor from Manchester, England, drove his motorboat Miss Windermere III at an average speed of 79 miles per hour on Lake Windermere, England, breaking the world speed record by 15 miles per hour.

Football
CRU
WIFU
Calgary (2-6) 1 @ Saskatchewan (4-4) 18
Winnipeg (4-3) 16 @ British Columbia (3-4) 15

The Roughriders' win over the Stampeders at Taylor Field in Regina was the last game for Jack Hennemier as head coach of the Stampeders; he was fired before the team's next game in Edmonton five days later. Mr. Hennemier was in his second season as Calgary's head coach, and left with a record of 6-18. He was replaced temporarily by assistant coach Tommy Thompson.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Ton Nom--Salvatore Adamo (13th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Strangers in the Night--Frank Sinatra

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Strangers in the Night--Frank Sinatra (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): All or Nothing--Small Faces

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You Can't Hurry Love--The Supremes (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You Can't Hurry Love--The Supremes
2 Yellow Submarine--The Beatles
3 Sunshine Superman--Donovan
4 Cherish--The Association
5 See You in September--The Happenings
6 Bus Stop--The Hollies
7 Guantanamera--The Sandpipers
8 Beauty is Only Skin Deep--The Temptations
9 Land of 1000 Dances--Wilson Pickett
10 Working in the Coal Mine--Lee Dorsey

Singles entering the chart were I Can Make it with You by the Pozo-Seco Singers (#83); Poor Side of Town by Johnny Rivers (#84); Only When You're Lonely by the Grass Roots (#85); Mr. Spaceman by the Byrds (#86); I Can Make it with You by Jackie DeShannon (#94); Open Up Your Door by Richard and the Young Lions (#96); Fanny Mae by Mighty Sam (#98); Under My Thumb by Del Shannon (#100); and Here, There and Everywhere by the Fourmost (also #100).

On television tonight
Mission: Impossible, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Pilot

As the title states, this was the pilot for the series and the first episode to be broadcast.



Football
CFL
Montreal (3-5) 4 @ Hamilton (5-2) 33
Winnipeg (4-4) 8 @ Calgary (3-6) 11
Ottawa (6-1) 21 @ British Columbia (2-6) 16

Bobby Kuntz rushed for 2 short touchdowns and Dick Cohee rushed 81 yards for a TD as the Tiger-Cats routed the Alouettes before 22,512 fans at Civic Stadium. Montreal was held without a touchdown for the fourth straight game.

Frank Budd scored his first touchdown of the season to help the Stampeders edge the Blue Bombers before 18,080 fans at McMahon Stadium.

Russ Jackson rushed for a touchdown and passed to Whit Tucker for another to help the Rough Riders beat the Lions before 27,264 fans on a rainy night at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Don't Go Breaking My Heart--Elton John and Kiki Dee (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Dancing Queen--ABBA

#1 single in Switzerland: Verde--Ricky King (3rd week at #1)

Space
The first U.S. Space Shuttle, Enterprise, was rolled out of Rockwell International's plant at Palmdale, California.

Environment
The United Nations Law of the Sea Conference ended its fifth session in New York without reaching agreement on mining minerals from the sea floor.

Football
Calgary high school
Senior
St. Mary's 7 Henry Wise Wood (0-1) 1

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Glory of Love--Peter Cetera (2nd week at #1)

Law
The United States Senate confirmed the nomination of Supreme Court Associate Justice William H. Rehnquist as the 16th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Baseball
Dwight Gooden (15-6) pitched a 6-hitter to lead the New York Mets to a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs before 47,823 fans at Shea Stadium in New York, clinching the National League East Division pennant for the Mets.

The Montreal Expos, down 5-0 after 5½ innings, came back with a run in the 6th and 5 in the 7th to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 in the first game of a twi-night doubleheader before 5,774 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. The Pirates won the second game 4-1 as Bob Kipper (5-7) allowed 7 hits and 1 unearned run in 7.2 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Bob Sebra (4-5).

Benito Santiago hit his first major league home run, a solo blast with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning, to give the San Diego Padres a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants before 24,043 fans at Jack Murphy-San Diego Stadium. Ed Vosberg made his major league debut, starting on the mound for San Diego, and allowed 3 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 3-runs--2 earned--in 5 innings, while striking out 4.

Jesse Barfield hit 2 home runs and George Bell and Kelly Gruber also homered for the Toronto Blue Jays, but they still lost 8-6 to the Detroit Tigers before 30,116 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Pinch hitter Larry Herndon hit a 3-run homer to climax a 4-run 7th inning for Detroit.

Jim Traber drove in 3 runs with a double and a ground out, and Rick Dempsey added a home run and a double as the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 8-3 before 18,056 fans at Yankee Stadium. Larry Sheets also homered for the Orioles. Eric Bell (1-0) allowed 6 hits and 3 runs--2 earned--in 6.2 innings to get his first major league win.

Floyd Bannister (10-11) and Bobby Thigpen combined for a 4-hitter as the Chicago White Sox shut out the Seattle Mariners 3-0 before 6,033 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle. Mr. Bannister allowed 4 hits in 6 innings to get the win, and Mr. Thigpen pitched 3 hitless innings for the save. Losing pitcher Mark Langston (12-12) pitched a 9-hit complete game, walking 1 batter and striking out 14. Chicago first baseman Russ Morman drew the only Chicago base on balls, coming around to score in the 7th inning, and hitting a home run to lead off the 9th.

Ed Correa (10-13) allowed 6 hits and struck out 10 batters in 8.2 innings, and Pete Incaviglia drove in 3 runs with a pair of home runs as the Texas Rangers shut out the Oakland Athletics 4-0 before 4,513 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Rick Rodriguez (0-1) made his major league debut as Oakland's starting pitcher and allowed 7 hits and 4 earned runs in taking the loss.

Dick Schofield singled with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning and Brian Downing followed with a home run to give the California Angels a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals before 27,067 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Doug Corbett (4-2) allowed 1 hit in 3 innings to get the win in relief of Don Sutton, who allowed just 3 hits and 1 earned run--Hal McRae's game tying home run to lead off the 8th--in 7+ innings. Doug DeCinces homered off Kansas City starter Danny Jackson to lead off the 4th inning with the game's first run.



25 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Zino Francescatti, 89. French musician. René-Charles Francescatti was a classical violinist who was a child prodigy and performed and recorded internationally in a career spanning almost 70 years until his retirement in 1976.

Diplomacy
Estonia, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia joined the United Nations.

Defense
Canadian Defence Minister Marcel Masse cited the end of the Cold War as he announced that Canada would cut her military in Europe from 6,600 to 1,100 over 15 years saving $11 billion; Baden-Solingen base to close in 1994 and Lahr in 1995.

Technology
The first version of the Linux kernel (0.01) was released to the Internet.

Baseball
Bret Barberie batted 3 for 3 with a double, run, and 3 runs batted in to help the Montreal Expos defeat the New York Mets 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 4,355 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Keith Miller led off the bottom of the 5th inning of the second game with a home run to break a 2-2 tie, and it held up for a 3-2 win for the Mets. The games had been scheduled to have been played in Montreal, but were moved to New York after a concrete beam fell from Olympic Stadium on September 13, forcing the Expos to play the remainder of the season on the road.

Barry Bonds hit a home run and reached 100 runs batted in for the second straight season as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 9-2 before 18,152 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.

Pinch hitter Mike Felder singled, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Darren Lewis, stole third base, and scored on a ground out by Willie McGee to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the 8th inning and give the San Francisco Giants a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 8,481 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

The Houston Astros scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning, and there was no further scoring, as the Astros blanked the San Diego Padres 3-0 before 6,695 fans at Jack Murphy-San Diego Stadium. Pete Harnisch allowed 4 hits in 6 innings for the win.

George Canale's first home run of the season, a solo homer in the top of the 2nd inning, proved to be the winning run as the Milwaukee Brewers blanked the New York Yankees 2-0 before 12,575 fans at Yankee Stadium. Chris Bosio (12-10) allowed just 2 hits and 1 base on balls to win the pitchers' duel over Pascual Perez (1-4).

Bo Jackson's home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 7th inning provided the game's only run as the Chicago White Sox edged the Oakland Athletics 1-0 before 35,677 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Greg Hibbard (10-10) allowed 3 hits in 7.2 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Ron Darling (3-4).

David Weathers walked Jay Buhner with the bases loaded and 2 out in the bottom of the 11th inning to force Harold Reynolds home with the winning run as the Seattle Mariners edged the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 before 29,115 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle. Mr. Weathers had been brought in to face Mr. Buhner after Bob Macdonald had walked Pete O'Brien to load the bases and struck out Alvin Davis.

20 years ago
1996

On television tonight
Spin City, starring Michael J. Fox, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Prototype

Ths was the first episode of the series.



Died on this date
Spiro Agnew, 77. 39th Vice President of the United States, 1969-1973. Mr. Agnew, a Republican, was a labour lawyer who was Baltimore County Executive (1962-1966) and Governor of Maryland (1967-1969). He served as Vice President under President Richard Nixon until he faced charges of accepting more than $100,000 in bribes in his various offices, and was forced to resign on October 10, 1973, the day that he pled no contest to a single charge that he had failed to report $29,500 of income in 1967. Mr. Agnew was popular with many Americans because of his politically incorrect views. His resignation led to the selection of House of Representatives Minority Leader Gerald Ford as Vice President; Mr. Ford succeeded to the presidency when Mr. Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.

Baseball
Hideo Nomo (16-10) pitched a no-hitter and singled in a run as the Los Dodgers shut out the Colorado Rockies 9-0 before 50,066 fans at Coors Field in Denver.



Barry Bonds batted 3 for 4 with a home run, double, base on balls, run, and 3 runs batted in as the San Francisco Giants came back from an early 6-0 deficit to defeat the San Diego Padres 9-7 before 12,737 fans at 3Com Park in San Francisco. Steve Soderstrom made his major league debut as the Giants' starting pitcher, but was pulled after allowing 3 hits, 2 bases on balls, and 5 runs--2 earned--in 2/3 inning. Ken Caminiti hit 2 home runs and a single for the Padres and drove in 4 runs.

Ben McDonald (12-10) allowed just 3 hits in 8 innings as he led the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 10,184 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee.

10 years ago
2006

Environment
Fourpeaked Mountain in Alaska erupted, marking the first eruption for the long-dormant volcano in at least 10,000 years.

Scandal
An audio tape of a private speech by Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány was leaked to the public, in which he confessed that his Hungarian Socialist Party had lied to win the 2006 election, sparking widespread protests across the country.