August 23, 2017

150 years ago
1867

War
U.S. troops were defeated by Indians after three days of fighting near Fort Hayes, Kansas.

Diplomacy
U.S. Navy Admiral David Farragut received a friendly reception in St. Petersburg, Russia.

110 years ago
1907

Baseball
Sam Leever and Howie Camnitz were the respective winning pitchers as the Pittsburgh Pirates swept a doubleheader from the New York Giants 4-2 in 10 innings and 1-0 at the polo Grounds in New York. Mr. Camnitz was pitching a no-hitter when the second game was called.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Tex Williams. U.S. musician. Sollie Paul Williams, a native of Ramsey, Illinois, was the leader of the Western swing band Tex Williams and his Western Caravan, whose peak period of popularity was from 1946-1948. Their single Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) reached #1 on both the Billboard pop and country charts in 1947, and was one of the year's biggest hits. Mr. Williams died of pancreatic cancer on October 11, 1985 at the age of 68.

Canadiana
The Ontario cabinet of Premier Sir William Hearst passed an order-in-council allowing the city of Berlin to change its name to Kitchener, effective September 1, 1917, due to anti-German sentiment during World War I.

90 years ago
1927

Died on this date
Bartolomeo Vanzetti, 39; Nicola Sacco, 36. Italian-born U.S. anarchists. Messrs. Sacco and Vanzetti were executed at Charlestown State Prison in Massachusetts six years after being convicted of the first-degree murders of a guard and paymaster during an armed robbery at Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts. Their lengthy legal proceedings attracted worldwide attention, with many famous people calling for a retrial or acquittal.

80 years ago
1937

Died on this date
Albert Roussel, 68. French composer. Mr. Roussel wrote four symphonies and numerous ballets and operas, as well as chamber, vocal, and piano solo works.

75 years ago
1942

War
The Battle of Stalingrad began between Soviet and German forces.

Tennis
Francisco Segura of Ecuador defeated Gardnar Mulloy to win the Longwood Bowl, becoming the first South American to win a significant U.S. men's tournament.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)--Tex Williams and his Western Caravan (3rd week at #1)

Football
CRU
IRFU
The Montreal Alouettes played their intrasquad game at Delorimier Stadium, but the score wasn't reported.

IRFU-ORFU
Pre-season
Ottawa Rough Riders (1-0) 13 @ Toronto Indians (0-1) 1

WIFU-ORFU
Pre-season
Saskatchewan (0-1) 6 @ Hamilton (1-0) 28

Frank Dunlap rushed 5 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter and passed 25 yards to Mr. Mathers for a TD in the 3rd quarter to lead the Rough Riders over the Indians before 3,000 fans at Oakwood Stadium.

Benny Dyack scored the first touchdown for the Wildcats as they beat the Roughriders before 6,500 fans at Civic Stadium.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Bambino--Dalida (21st week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): All Shook Up--Elvis Presley (7th week at #1)

At the movies
The Sun Also Rises, starring Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, and Errol Flynn, opened in theatres.





The Life, Loves and Adventures of Omar Khayyam, directed by William Dieterle, and starring Cornel Wilde, Michael Rennie, and Debra Paget, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
John Dondero, 56. U.S. criminologist. Mr. Dondero was a crime-detection expert, and invented "stainless" fingerprinting.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Ottawa (2-0) 22 @ Toronto (0-2) 17

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)--Scott McKenzie (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 All You Need is Love/Baby, You're a Rich Man--The Beatles (4th week at #1)
2 San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)--Scott McKenzie
3 A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum
4 Up-Up and Away--The 5th Dimension
5 In the Chapel in the Moonlight--Dean Martin
6 Theme for a New Love--Davy Jones
7 Waterloo Sunset--The Kinks
8 Woman You're Breaking Me--The Groop
9 I Take it Back--Sandy Posey
10 Silence is Golden--The Tremeloes

Singles entering the chart were Don't Sleep in the Subway by Petula Clark (#14); Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli (#34); If I were a Rich Man by Bill and Boyd (#36); Cry Softly Lonely One by Roy Orbison (#37); and Windy by the Association (#38).

Protest
Four days of race riots in New Haven, Connecticut concluded with 350 arrests.

Religion
The Anglican Church of Canada synod voted to allow divorced persons to remarry.

Crime
Edmonton police reported that 250 unclaimed bicycles were at police headquarters.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-1) 17 @ Hamilton (2-1) 22
Edmonton (2-3) 0 @ Calgary (3-1) 16

Peter Liske passed to Bob Paremore for gains of 26 and 28 yards and then completed a touchdown pass to Herm Harrison on the Stampeders' third play from scrimmage, providing all the necessary scoring as they blanked the Eskimos before 21,435 fans at McMahon Stadium. Lovell Coleman rushed 6 yards in the 2nd quarter for te other TD. Edmonton quarterback Frank Cosentino threw 4 interceptions; Randy Kerbow briefly relieved him to begin the 4th quarter and promptly threw an interception of his own. Meanwhile, 1962 Heisman Trophy winner Terry Baker played at halfback, leading Eskimo fans to wonder why he wasn't playing quarterback. Jim Thomas led the Eskimos with 100 yards rushing, but dropped 3 passes. It was the second shutout against the Eskimos in the first 5 games of the season.

40 years ago
1977

Defense
U.S. President Jimmy Carter said that he had been informed by the South African government that South Africa had no nuclear weapons and had no intention of conducting nuclear tests at any time.

Scandal
After 113 hours of deliberation, a U.S. federal jury convicted Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel (Democrat) and five associates of 18 counts of mail fraud and racketeering; he accepted $350,000 in cash, loans, investments, goods, and services in exchange for using his power to obtain legislation adding 18 days to the racing season at Marlboro Race Track, in which the other defendants had secretly obtained ownership.

South Korean businessman Park Tong Sun was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury on criminal charges related to his alleged bribery of U.S. congressmen on behalf of the South Korean government. Former U.S. Representative Richard Hanna (Democrat--California) was named as an unindicted co-conspirator.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-4) 20 @ Montreal (6-0) 27
Winnipeg (3-3) 35 @ Calgary (1-5) 12
Toronto (2-5) 0 @ British Columbia (5-2) 30

Richard Crump rushed for over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Jim Washington also rushed for over 100 yards to help the Blue Bombers beat the Stampeders before 27,188 fans at McMahon Stadium. Winnipeg quarterback Dieter Brock completed a 98-yard touchdown pass to Tom Scott--the longest completion for both players in their CFL careers.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Respectable--Mel and Kim (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: It's a Sin--Pet Shop Boys (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Joe le taxi--Vanessa Paradis (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Didier Pironi, 35. French auto racing driver. Mr. Pironi won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978, and competed in 72 Formula One races from 1978-1982, winning the Belgian Grand Prix in 1980 and the San Marino and Dutch Grand Prixs in 1982. He suffered severe fractures to both legs in a practice prior to the 1982 German Grand Prix, ending his auto racing career. Mr. Pironi then turned to powerboat racing, but was killed with crew members Bernard Giroux and Jean-Claude Guénard in an accident in the Needles Trophy Race near the Isle of Wight.

Basketball
At the Pan-American Games in Indianapolis, Brazil won the gold medal in men's basketball, defeating the U.S.A. 120-115.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (2-6) 24 @ Edmonton (5-3) 45

The Eskimos had runs of 28 and 17 consecutive points as they beat the Rough Riders before 32,167 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. A 51-yard field goal by Dean Dorsey and a converted touchdown by Cedric Minter provided Ottawa with a 10-0 lead, but Edmonton quarterback Damon Allen rushed for 2 touchdowns and completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly, aided by 2 field goals, 2 converts, and a single by Jerry Kauric to give the Eskimos a 28-10 lead in the 3rd quarter. The Rough Riders came back on a 23-yard touchdown rush by Mr. Minter and a 7-yard touchdown pass from Todd Dillon to Jerome Erdman, both converted, to make the score 28-24 early in the 4th quarter. Mr. Allen found Mr. Kelly for a 3-yard TD pass, and defensive end Tom Tuinei put the game away with a 66-yard fumble return for an Eskimo touchdown. Rookie Tracy Ham, seeing his first regular season action at home, directed the Edmonton offense to a field goal by Mr. Kauric with 1:39 remaining in the game to finish the scoring. The Eskimos rushed for 211 yards, led by Chris Skinner’s 71 yards on 8 carries.



25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): You Make the Whole World Smile--Hammond Gamble

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): ABBA-esque--Erasure (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap! (9th week at #1)

Disasters
Hurricane Andrew struck the Bahamas with winds of 120 miles per hour. Four people were reported killed.

Baseball
The Clearwater Phillies edged the Winter Haven Red Sox 1-0 in a Florida State League (Class A) game. Winning pitcher Andy Carter and losing pitcher Scott Bakkum each pitched no-hitters in what was believed to be the first double no-hitter in the minor leagues in 40 years.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Men in Black--Will Smith

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Alane--Wes (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Men in Black--Will Smith

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Men in Black--Will Smith (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 (11th week at #1)

Died on this date
John Kendrew, 80. U.K. biochemist and crystallographer. Dr. Kendrew and Max Perutz shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for their studies of the structures of globular proteins."

Eric Gairy, 75. Prime Minister of Grenada, 1974-1979; Chief Minister of Grenada, 1961-1962; Premier of Grenada, 1967-1974. Mr. Gairy founded the Grenada United National Party in 1951; he was Grenada's Premier in the island's final years as a British colony, and became Prime Minister when Grenada became an independent country in 1974. Mr. Gairy was visiting the United States in 1979 when he was overthrown in a coup led by Maurice Bishop. Mr. Gairy remained in exile in the U.S.A. until 1983, when he returned to Grenada; he ran in subsequent elections, but was unable to regain power.

10 years ago
2007

Abominations
The skeletal remains of Russia's last royal family members--Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia, and his sister Grand Duchess Anastasia--were discovered near Yekaterinburg, Russia.