July 15, 2017

160 years ago
1857

Died on this date
Carl Czerny, 66. Austrian musician and composer. Mr. Czerny was a child prodigy who began playing piano at the age of 3 and composing at the age of 7. He studied under Ludwig van Beethoven, and premiered Mr. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 (1806 ). Mr. Czerny had a successful career as a teacher of piano, with Franz Liszt as his most famous pupil. Mr. Czerny composed more than 1,000 works, including seven symphonies, masses, choral music, chamber music, and numerous works for piano.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Jean-Baptiste Charcot. French physician and explorer. Dr. Charcot led the French Antarctic Expedition in 1904-1907, and conducted other expeditions in subsequent years. He died on September 16, 1936 at the age of 69 when his ship Pourquoi-Pas was wrecked in a storm off the coast of Iceland. Dr. Charcot was the father of neurologist Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot.

Politics and government
Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau, a Conservative, was sworn in as the first Premier of Québec.

The British House of Commons passed a Reform bill.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Walter Benjamin. German philosopher. Dr. Benjamin was a member of the Frankfurt School who made contributions to aesthetic theory, literary criticism, and historical materialism. His works included the essays The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (1936) and Theses on the Philosophy of History (1940). Dr. Benjamin committed suicide in Spain at the age of 48 on September 26, 1940 rather than surrender to Nazi authorities.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Joan Roberts. U.S. actress. Miss Roberts was best known for her starring role as Laurey in the Broadway musical Oklahoma! (1943). She died on August 13, 2012 at the age of 95.

Robert Conquest. U.K.-born U.S. historian. Dr. Conquest was known for his works on Soviet history, including The Great Terror (1968) and The Harvest of Sorrow (1986). He died on August 3, 2015 at the age of 98.

90 years ago
1927

Protest
A major riot in Vienna originating in conflict between the Social Democratic Party of Austria and a right-wing alliance that included wealthy industrialists and the Roman Catholic Church resulted in the deaths of 89 protesters and 5 policemen, with injuries to more than 600 protesters and more than 600 policemen.

80 years ago
1937

At the movies
Silver Blaze, the fifth and final film to star Arthur Wontner as Sherlock Holmes, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom. Ian Fleming played Dr. Watson and Lyn Harding played Professor Moriarty.

Crime
Clarence Norris, one of the "Scottsboro Boys" --Negro youths who had been accused of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931--was convicted of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to death.

75 years ago
1942

Died on this date
Roberto M. Ortiz, 55. President of Argentina, 1938-1942. Mr. Ortiz, a member of the Concordancia party, took office after winning the 1937 presidential election. He became ill with diabetes, and on July 3, 1940, delegated his powers to Vice President Ramón Castillo. Mr. Ortiz resigned the presidency on June 26, 1942, 19 days before his death.

Wenceslao Vinzons, 31. Filipino politician. Mr. Vinzons, born Wenceslao Vinson, was Governor of Camarines Norte from 1940 until December 30, 1941, when he began representing Camarines Norte in the House of Representatives. He led guerrilla resistance against invading Japanese forces, and was executed by bayoneting a week after being captured.

War
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation announced in Washington that it was seeking German saboteurs Walter Kappe, Rheinhold Rudolf Barth, and Joseph Schmidt. Axis forces in Egypt attacked the British position at Tel el-Eisa, 10 miles west of El Alamein. Russian troops abandoned Boguchar and Millerovo on the southern front. Radio Moscow reported that the famous Peterhof Palace on the Gulf of Finland had been destroyed by German forces.

Horse racing
Whirlaway, with George Woolf up, won the 1 1/8-mile Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, setting a track record with a time of 1:48 1/5.

70 years ago
1947

Died on this date
Walter Donaldson, 54. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Donaldson was a Tin Pan Alley tunesmith whose songs, often written with Gus Kahn, included How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?; My Mammy; Love Me or Leave Me; and Makin' Whoopee.

Radio
According to the Hooperatings, Walter Winchell's newscasts were the most-listened to programs, followed by Crime Doctor; Take it or Leave It; Mr. District Attorney; Screen Guild Players; and The Life of Riley.

Diplomacy
A United Nations Security Council debate on a proposed international police force ended in deadlock after the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. failed to agree on the size of contingents to be contributed by participating states.

Politics and government
Romanian authorities arrested six parliamentary deputies belonging to the National Peasant Party on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 319-61 in favour of a bill that ordered a loyalty investigation of federal employees and permitted dismissal without the right of court appeal.

Economics and finance
The Paris Economic Conference ended after establishing a 16-member Committee of European Economic Recovery to formulate a four-year recovery program in cooperation with the United States. The U.S.S.R. warned that participation in the Marshall plan would mean the subordination of Europe to the United States.

The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a directive to American authorities in Germany ordering them to foster German economic recovery, and promising financial aid toward this goal. The directive replaced the anti-German JCS 1067 of May 1945, and marked the end of the Morgenthau plan to tranform Germany into an agricultural area.

U.S. President Harry Truman signed a Decontrol Act which continued wartime import-export controls and government power to allocate scarce raw materials.

The first $250-million issue of World Bank bonds offered on the New York Stock Exchange was oversubscribed in less than three hours.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Loving You--Elvis Presley (Best Seller--2nd week at #1; Top 100--1st week at #1); Love Letters in the Sand--Pat Boone (Disc Jockey--6th week at #1)

Died on this date
James M. Cox, 87. U.S. politician. Mr. Cox, a Democrat, was a newspaper publisher who represented Ohio's 3rd District in the United States House of Representatives from 1909-1913, and was Governor of Ohio from 1913-1915 and 1917-1921. He was the Democratic Party's candidate for President of the United States in 1920, gaining the nomination on the 44th ballot. He suffered a lopsided loss in the presidential election to Republican candidate and fellow Ohioan and newspaperman Warren G. Harding.

Literature
The Red and the White by Henri Troyat was published by Crowell.

Defense
Soviet disarmament negotiator Valerian Zorin indicated that the U.S.S.R. would accept a compromise French plan limiting and banning the use of nuclear weapons.

The second shipment of U.S. arms supplied under the Eisenhower Doctrine arrived in Lebanon.

Politics and government
Two leading non-Communist critics of the government of the People's Republic of China, Timber Industry minister Lo Lung-chi and Communications Minister Chang Po-chun, confessed to conspiracy "to attack the Communist Party and leadership."

In an expression of support for Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's policies on Cyprus, the British House of Commons rejected the Labour Party's demands that Cyprus Governor Sir John Harding be replaced by a civilian.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La coppia più bella del mondo--Adriano Celentano

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Ha! Ha! Said the Clown--Manfred Mann

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): All You Need is Love--The Beatles

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Windy--The Association (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Can't Take My Eyes Off You--Frankie Valli
2 Windy--The Association
3 Little Bit o' Soul--The Music Explosion
4 San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)--Scott McKenzie
5 Let's Live for Today--The Grass Roots
6 Don't Sleep in the Subway--Petula Clark
7 Come on Down to My Boat--Every Mother's Son
8 Up-Up and Away--The 5th Dimension
9 C'mon Marianne--The 4 Seasons
10 The Tracks of My Tears--Johnny Rivers

Singles entering the chart were Thank the Lord for the Night Time by Neil Diamond (#69); Shoot Your Shot by Jr. Walker & the All-Stars (#86); I Take What I Want by James & Bobby Purify (#90); Heaven and Hell by the Easybeats (#95); The Sweetest Thing this Side of Heaven by Chris Bartley (#96); Gentle on My Mind by Glen Campbell (#97); and Marta by the Bachelors (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Windy--The Association
2 Can't Take My Eyes Off You--Frankie Valli
3 Come on Down to My Boat--Every Mother's Son
4 Up-Up and Away--The 5th Dimension
5 San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)--Scott McKenzie
6 Little Bit o' Soul--The Music Explosion
7 Don't Sleep in the Subway--Petula Clark
8 The Tracks of My Tears--Johnny Rivers
9 Let's Live for Today--The Grass Roots
10 Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead--The Fifth Estate

Singles entering the chart were A Girl Like You by the Young Rascals (#47); Take Me (Just as I Am) by Solomon Burke (#65); My Mammy by the Happenings (#66); Show Business by Lou Rawls (#81); The Happening by Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass (#83); To Love Somebody by the Bee Gees (#84); Bluebird by Buffalo Springfield (#86); Don't Let the Rain Fall Down on Me by the Critters (#87); Come Back When You Grow Up by Bobby Vee and the Strangers (#88); Graduation Day by the Arbors (#89); (I Wanna) Testify by the Parliaments (#91); Love is a Beautiful Thing by the Gettysburg Address (#92); Omaha by Moby Grape (#93); I Can't Go on Livin' Without You by Nino Tempo and April Stevens (#95); Everybody Needs Love by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#96); Paper Sun by Traffic (#97); You Keep Me Hangin' On by the Vanilla Fudge (#98); Washed Ashore (On a Lonely Island in the Sea) by the Platters (#99); and Out and About by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (2nd week at #1)
2 The Flower Children--Marcia Strassman
3 Let's Live for Today--The Grass Roots
4 Brown Eyed Girl--Van Morrison
5 Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead--The Fifth Estate
6 Up-Up and Away--The 5th Dimension
7 C'mon Marianne--The 4 Seasons
8 Do it Again a Little Bit Slower--Jon & Robin and the In Crowd
9 San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)--Scott McKenzie
10 White Rabbit--Jefferson Airplane

Singles entering the chart were Soul Finger by the Bar-Kays (#29); All You Need is Love/Baby, You're a Rich Man by the Beatles (#35); Pleasant Valley Sunday/Words by the Monkees (#40); The Happening by Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass (#46); For Your Love by Peaches and Herb (#47); I Like the Way by Tommy James and the Shondells (#49); and To Love Somebody by the Bee Gees (#50).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Brown Eyed Girl--Van Morrison
2 A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum
3 Let's Live for Today--The Grass Roots
4 Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead--The Fifth Estate
5 I was Made to Love Her--Stevie Wonder
6 The Flower Children--Marcia Strassman
7 White Rabbit--Jefferson Airplane
8 Light My Fire--The Doors
9 Don't Sleep in the Subway--Petula Clark
10 Do it Again a Little Bit Slower--Jon & Robin and the In Crowd

Singles entering the chart were All You Need is Love/Baby, You're a Rich Man by the Beatles (#22); Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine by Country Joe and the Fish (#26); You're a Big Boy Now by the Lovin' Spoonful (#27); Don't Let the Rain Fall Down on Me by the Critters (#28); Make Me Yours by Bettye Swan (#29); and Words/Pleasant Valley Sunday by the Monkees (#30). You're a Big Boy Now was the title song of the movie.

Music
The Monkees, with the Jimi Hendrix Experience as an opening act, performed at Forest Hills Stadium in New York.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Ma Baker--Boney M.

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Yes Sir, I Can Boogie--Baccara (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Rockollection--Laurent Voulzy (5th week at #1)

Defense
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announced that it would raise the number of Canadian Armed Forces personnel by 4,700, to 83,000.

Environment
The sixth United Nations Law of the Sea Conference adjourned with the issue of seabed mining still unresolved.

Scandal
Philip Lacovara resigned as special counsel investigating alleged influence-buying by South Korea in the United States Congress; he quit amidst complaints of conflicts and a lack of trust between himself and House Ethics Committee Chairman Rep. John J. Flynt, Jr. (Democrat--Georgia).

Society
U.S. President Jimmy Carter approved a State Department request to admit an additional 15,000 Indochinese refugees to the United States in 1977 and 1978. The number would include 7,000 "boat people" still living on vessels they had used to escape from Vietnam.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Lee Gaines, 73. U.S. jazz singer and lyricist. Mr. Gaines was a founder of the Delta Rhythm Boys. Among the songs he wrote lyrics for were Take the 'A' Train, which the Delta Rhythm Boys recorded.

Canadiana
Prince Andrew and Princess Sarah, the Duke and Duchess of York began a visit to Canada.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the U.S. merchandise trade deficit had grown to $14.4 billion in May.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Abba-esque (EP)--Erasure (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Hammer DeRoburt, 69. 1st President of Nauru, 1968-1976; 1978-1986; 1986; 1986-1989. Mr. DeRoburt led Nauru to independence from United Nations trusteeship in 1968 and represented Boe in the Nauruan Parliament from 1968 until his death from diabetes.

Politics and government
Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton was formally chosen as the Democratic Party’s 1992 candidate for President of the United States, receiving 3,372 votes to 596 for former California Governor Jerry Brown and 209 for former U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention in New York City.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (0-2) 31 @ Edmonton (2-0) 34 (OT)

Sean Fleming’s 40-yard field goal with 8 seconds remaining in the 2nd period of overtime gave the Eskimos their win over the Roughriders before 26,764 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Dave Ridgway had tied the game for Saskatchewan with a 32-yard field goal with 1:20 remaining in regulation time. Edmonton quarterback Tracy Ham completed 23 of 35 passes for 317 yards and touchdowns to Jim Sandusky, Craig Ellis, and Blake Marshall. The Eskimos rushed for 242 yards, as Mr. Ham carried 9 times for 84 yards, Mike Pringle carried 7 times for 74, and Blake Marshall rushed 14 times for 71 yards and a touchdown. Saskatchewan quarterback Kent Austin completed 34 of 60 passes for 406 yards and touchdowns to Lucius Floyd and Ray Elgaard. Dave Pitcher scored the other Roughrider touchdown on a 32-yard return of a blocked punt in the 3rd quarter.

20 years ago
1997

Died on this date
Gianni Versace, 50. Italian-born U.S. fashion designer. Mr. Versace was a sodomite who designed clothes for entertainment celebrities. He was shot to death on the steps of his Miami Beach, Florida mansion by serial killer and sodomite Andrew Cunanan, who committed suicide nine days later.

10 years ago
2007

Abominations
The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles announced that it was settling clergy sex-abuse cases for $660 million.

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 10-2 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, handing the Phillies the 10,000th loss in the franchise's 125-year history.