September 18, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Olga Kravtsova!

1,920 years ago
96

Died on this date
Domitian, 44. Emperor of the Roman Empire, 81-96. Domitian was the son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, and was declared Emperor by the Praetorian Guard after the death of his brother. Domitian achieved economic reforms, expanded the empire's border defenses, and initiated a building program to restore the damaged city of Rome. His authoritarian rule was popular with the people and the army, but the Senate regarded him as a tyrant. Domitian was stabbed to death by a freedman of Parthenius named Maximus, acting out an assassination plot by court officials. Domitian's advisor Nerva was immediately named as his successor.

950 years ago
1066

War
Norwegian King Harald III landed on the beaches of Scarborough and began his invasion of England.

175 years ago
1841

Canadiana
The census showed the population of Prince Edward Island to be about 50,000.

Politics and government
The first session of the first Parliament of the Province of Canada ended in Montreal; the Assembly passed the first Canadian Copyright Act and Public Schools Act.

Education
Canadian Solicitor-General Charles Day's Public Schools Act was passed by Parliament, providing $80,000 annually for elementary schools in Canada West; $120,000 for Canada East; creation of the post of superintendent of Public Schools; and teachers to be paid $68 per year.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Rafael Pérez y Pérez. Spanish author. Mr. Pérez wrote 160 romantic novels in a career spanning more than 60 years. He died on April 24, 1984 at the age of 92.

110 years ago
1906

Disasters
A typhoon and tsunami killed an estimated 10,000 people in Hong Kong.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Rossano Brazzi. Italian actor. Mr. Brazzi was known for movies such as Three Coins in the Fountain (1954); The Barefoot Contessa (1954); Summertime (1955); and South Pacific (1958). Mr. Brazzi died on December 24, 1994 at the age of 78.

80 years ago
1936

Transportation
The Canadian Pacific Railway tested a new lightweight streamlined passenger train; 4-4-4 locomotive #3003 hit an officially-recorded speed of 112.5 miles per hour on the Canadian Pacific Winchester Subdivision line at St-Télésphore, Québec.

Baseball
Larry MacPhail resigned as general manager of the Cincinnati Reds; he had held the position since 1933.

75 years ago
1941

War
U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin ordered conscription of all male workers aged 16-60 for military training after hours to build up a reserve estimated at nearly 25 million men.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress for an additional $5.985 billion with which to continue the Lend-Lease program through June 30, 1943. The U.S. Maritime Commission seized three freighters tied up by the American Federation of Labor Seafarers' International Union strike.

Oil
U.S. Petroleum Coordinator Harold Ickes said that East Coast gasoline rationing would continue despite a Senate committee report that no shortage existed.

Baseball
Vancouver's Asahi team played their last game before wartime internment began for the Japanese community in British Columbia; most were exiled to inland farms and work camps.

70 years ago
1946

Radio
The Network Hooperatings listed the most popular programs in the United States as: Mr. District Attorney; The Chase and Sanborn Program; The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater; and Walter Winchell.

Movies
Film Daily's poll of American film critics named Alfred Hitchcock as the best director of 1945-46 for Spellbound (1945).

Died on this date
Charles O. Andrews, 69. U.S. politician. Mr. Andrews, a Democrat, represented Florida in the United States Senate from 1936 until his death.

War
Archbishop Aloysius Stepinac, Roman Catholic primate of Yugoslavia, was arrested and charged with "crimes against the people" for allegedly collaborating with Croatian fascists during World War II.

Diplomacy
The U.S. and U.S.S.R. clashed at the Paris Peace Conference over Soviet unwillingness to submit treaty disputes to the International Court of Justice.

The U.S. State Department announced the formation of a 100-member U.S. National Commission on Educational, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation to serve as a link with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Politics and government
After a 2½-hour conference with President Harry Truman, Henry Wallace said that he sould not make public speeches until the Paris Peace Conference ended and that he would not resign as Commerce Secretary.

Labour
Wildcat strikes at the Chrysler Motors and Briggs Manufacturing Company plants in Detroit idled more than 50,000 workers.

Boxing
Joe Louis (56-1) retained his world heavyweight title with a knockout of Tami Mauriello (69-8-1) at 2:09 of the 1st round before 38,494 fans at Yankee Stadium in New York.



60 years ago
1956

Died on this date
Jim Rutherford, 69. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Rutherford was an outfielder who batted .200 (2 for 10) in 3 games with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League in 1910, and .500 (1 for 2) in 1 game with the Cleveland Naps, on July 12, 1910. He died eight days before his 70th birthday.

Adélard Godbout, 63. Canadian politician. Mr. Godbout, a Liberal, represented L'Islet in the Quebec Legislative Assembly from 1929-1936 and 1939-1948. He led the Quebec Liberal Party from 1936-1950, and served as Premier of Quebec from June 11-August 28, 1936 and from 1939-1944. Mr. Godbout was Premier during most of World War II, and opposed the federal Liberal government's policy of conscription of men to serve in the armed forces. Mr. Godbout represented Montarville, Quebec in the Canadian Senate from 1949 until his death, which came six days before his 64th birthday.

Economics and finance
Egyptian Commerce Minister Mohammed Abu Nosseir said that Egypt "will restrict or ban" imports from "unfriendly" nations and reject their technical aid offers under a "new foreign trade policy."

Baseball
Mickey Mantle hit his 50th home run of the season, with 2 out in the top of the 11th inning, to break a 2-2 tie and give the New York Yankees a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox before 31,694 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago, clinching the American League pennant for the Yankees. The White Sox scored their runs on solo homers by Larry Doby and Walt Dropo. Mr. Dropo's homer, with 2 out in the 8th, gave Chicago a 2-1 lead, but Billy Martin led off the 9th with a triple and scored the tying run on a 1-out single by Yogi Berra. Whitey Ford (19-5) allowed 8 hits and 2 earned runs in 10 innings, while losing pitcher Billy Pierce (20-8) allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs in 11 innings. It was the 15th pennant for the Yankees in 21 years.

Jim Hegan doubled home Dave Pope with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th inning for the game's only run as the Cleveland Indians edged the Washington Nationals 1-0 in the first game of a doubleheader before 4,305 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Mr. Pope entered the game as a pinch runner for Vic Wertz, who led off the 8th with a double. Herb Score (18-9) pitched a 4-hitter and struck out 14 batters, winning the pitchers' duel over Bob Wiesler (3-12), who pitched an 8-hit complete game. In the second game, Mr. Wertz drove in 3 runs with a home run and a sacrifice fly and Mike Garcia (11-12) pitched a 3-hitter, with 8 strikeouts, as the Indians won 6-0 to complete the sweep. Losing pitcher Chuck Stobbs (15-13) allowed 10 hits and 5 earned run.

Lou Skizas hit a solo home run with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Kansas City Athletics a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox before 10,153 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Boston left fielder Ted Williams batted 3 for 4 with a home run, double, 2 runs, and 2 runs batted in.

Ken Boyer hit a 2-run home run with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 6-5 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers before 13,784 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Don Demeter made his major league debut with the Dodgers, striking out as a pinch hitter in the 3rd inning.

50 years ago
1966

Died on this date
Valerie Percy, 21. U.S. crime victim. Miss Percy was a daughter of Charles Percy, former president of the Bell + Howell camera company, and Republican Party candidate for a United States Senate seat from Illinois. Miss Percy had recently graduated from Cornell University and was working on her father's campaign when she was stabbed to death in her bedroom in the family home in Kenilworth, Illinois at 5 A.M. The murderer was never caught, but William Thoresen, a member of a family in the neighbourhood, seems to this blogger to be the most likely suspect.

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-6) 7 @ Saskatchewan (7-2) 23

The Roughriders scored 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter to defeat the Argonauts before 19,339 fans on a windy Sunday afternoon at Taylor Field in Regina. George Reed rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown, and Hugh Campbell caught a pass for another Saskatchewan TD. Toronto's Dave Mann set a CFL record with a 102-yard punt, and it gave the Argonauts a 1-0 halftime lead.

AFL
Kansas City (1-0) 32 @ Oakland (0-1) 10

50,746 fans were in attendance to see the Chiefs defeat the Raiders in the first game ever played at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Margherita--Riccardo Cocciante

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Dancing Queen--ABBA (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Dancing Queen--ABBA (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Play That Funky Music--Wild Cherry

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Play That Funky Music--Wild Cherry (2nd week at #1)
2 (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty--K.C. and the Sunshine Band
3 Lowdown--Boz Scaggs
4 I'd Really Love to See You Tonight--England Dan & John Ford Coley
5 A Fifth of Beethoven--Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
6 You Should Be Dancing--Bee Gees
7 Devil Woman--Cliff Richard
8 Disco Duck (Part 1)--Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots
9 If You Leave Me Now--Chicago
10 A Little Bit More--Dr. Hook

Singles entering the chart were This One's for You by Barry Manilow (#72); Love So Right by the Bee Gees (#79); You Gotta Make Your Own Sunshine by Neil Sedaka (#89); You are My Starship by Norman Connors (#92); Mr. Melody by Natalie Cole (#93); Jeans On by David Dundas (#98); and Julie Ann by Ginger (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty--K.C. and the Sunshine Band
2 Play That Funky Music--Wild Cherry
3 A Fifth of Beethoven--Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
4 You Should Be Dancing--Bee Gees
5 I'd Really Love to See You Tonight--England Dan & John Ford Coley
6 Baby, I Love Your Way--Peter Frampton
7 A Little Bit More--Dr. Hook
8 Lowdown--Boz Scaggs
9 Devil Woman--Cliff Richard
10 Summer--War

Singles entering the chart were Like a Sad Song by John Denver (#86); San Diego by the Stampeders (#89); Loretta by Nazareth (#90); The More You Do It by Ronnie Dyson (#91); Castles in the Air by Ramez (#92); Popsicle Toes by Michael Franks (#93); Take a Hand by Rick Springfield (#94); Get the Funk Out of My Face by the Brothers Johnson (#95); You are the Woman by Firefall (#96); Fernando by ABBA (#97); and Detroit Rock City by Kiss (#99). Detroit Rock City was the other side of Beth, charting at #84.

Law
Dr. Henry Morgentaler was again acquitted in Montreal of performing illegal abortions.

Football
CFL
Toronto (5-5) 28 @ Calgary (0-9-1) 20

Matthew Reed came off the bench in relief of quarterback Chuck Ealey and quarterbacked the Argonauts to victory over the Stampeders before a capacity crowd of 27,188 at McMahon Stadium. Anthony Davis rushed for 93 yards in one of his best games in a Toronto uniform. It was the first CFL game for Calgary defensive back Al Burleson and quarterback John Hufnagel, who relieved starter Joe Pisarcik in the 2nd quarter. A moment of silence was held, and the Stampeders wore black arm bands, in memory of general manager Gary Hobson, who had died of a heart attack on September 13.

CIAU
Saskatchewan (2-1) 34 @ Alberta (0-2) 13
Manitoba (0-2) 15 @ British Columbia (2-1) 27

30 years ago
1986

Football
CFL
Montreal (2-10) 14 @ Winnipeg (7-5) 39

John Hufnagel threw touchdown passes of 80 yards to Jeff Boyd and 85 yards to Perry Tuttle as he led the Blue Bombers over the Alouettes before 21,899 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.

Baseball
Reggie Jackson hit 3 home runs, scored 4 runs, and drove in 7 to lead the California Angels to an 18-3 rout of the Kansas City Royals before 25,876 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 3 runs in the 9th inning to defeat the Montreal Expos 3-1 before 4,012 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Dennis Martinez allowed 3 hits in 7th innings and Bob McClure pitched a scoreless 8th, but Jeff Reardon faced 3 batters in the 9th, all of whom hit safely and scored. John Smiley (1-0), the third of four Pittsburgh pitchers, was credited with his first major league win.

Pinch hitter Billy Sample doubled home Omar Moreno and Terry Harper with 2 out in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 4,956 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Dodgers broke a 2-2 tie with an unearned run in the top of the 12th, but the Braves began their comeback with 1 out when Mr. Moreno struck out, but reached first base on a wild pitch by Brian Holton, and advanced to third on a single by Mr. Harper, as Mr. Harper took second on the throw to third. Ted Simmons was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Mr. Sample drove in the tying and winning runs.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (6th week at #1)

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery, with its five man crew commanded by John Creighton, landed at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude the six-day mission STS-48.



War
Yugoslavia began a naval blockade of seven Adriatic port cities.

Labour
Public Service Alliance of Canada President Daryl Bean called strikers back to work to negotiate a new contract.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Wannabe--Spice Girls (4th week at #1)

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Ed King, 81. U.S. football player and politician. Mr. King was a guard with the Buffalo Bisons of the All-America Football Conference (1948-1949) and the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (1950). A Democrat, he was Governor of Massachusetts from 1979-1983, and was known for his conservative policies. He switched his allegiance to the Republican Party in 1985.

Glen Arnold; David Byers; Shane Keating; Keith Morley. Canadian soldiers. The four men were killed by a suicide bomber on a bicycle while they were on foot patrol in Panjwaii, Afghanistan.

Politics and governemnt
Shawn Graham led the Liberal Party to a narrow majority government in the New Brunswick provincial election, winning 29 of 55 seats in the Legislative Assembly against 26 for Progressive Conservative Bernard Lord's two term government. The Liberals won more seats but received a slightly smaller proportion of the popular vote, 47.1% to 47.5%. The New Democratic Party, led by Allison Brewer, lost its only seat.

Terrorism
Justice Dennis O'Connor exonerated Syrian-born "Canadian" engineer Maher Arar, deported from a U.S. airport to Syria in 2002, where he had allegedly been tortured as a terrorist suspect. Justice O'Connor said that inexperienced Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigators had provided Americans with inaccurate evidence about Mr. Arar.