September 21, 2017

800 years ago
1217

War
German Sword Brethren and their Livonian and Latgalian allies defeated Estonian forces in the Battle of St. Matthew's Day in Estonia. Estonian leader Lembitu and Livonian leader Kaupo the Accursed were killed in the battle.

225 years ago
1792

Politics and government
The French National Convention voted to abolish the absolute monarchy.

175 years ago
1842

Born on this date
Abdul Hamid II. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1876-1909. Abdul Hamid II, the son of Sultan Abdülmecid, took the throne after his brother Murad V was deposed. Sultan Abdul Hamid promulgated the Constitution of 1876, but later suspended the constitution and Parliament, and became the last sultan to hold absolute power. He was deposed on April 27, 1909, shortly after the Young Turk Revolution. Abdul Hamid II spent his last years in captivity at Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul, and died on February 10, 1918 at the age of 75.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Henry L. Stimson. U.S. politician. Mr. Stimson (see also here), a Republican, was U.S. Secretary of War (1911-1913, 1940-1945); Secretary of State (1929-1933); and Governor-General of the Philippines (1927-1929). While Secretary of State, he instituted the Stimson Doctrine of non-recognition of international territorial changes that were executed by force. Mr. Stimson died from the effects of a heart attack on October 20, 1950, 29 days after his 83rd birthday.

Charles Bathurst. U.K. politician; Governor-General of New Zealand, 1930-1935. Mr. Bathurst, a Conservative, represented Wilton in the British House of Commons from 1910-1918 before serving as Governor-General of New Zealand. He was made Viscount Bledisloe in 1935, and died on July 3, 1958 at the age of 90.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Elmer Smith. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Smith was an outfielder with the Cleveland Naps and Indians (1914-1916, 1917-1921); Washington Nationals (1916-1917); Boston Red Sox (1922); New York Yankees (1922-1923); and Cincinnati Reds (1925), batting .276 with 70 home runs and 541 runs batted in in 1,012 games. He was a member of World Series championship teams in 1920 and 1923, and hit the first grand slam in World Series history, in the 1st inning of the fifth game of the 1920 Series as the Indians won 8-1 to take a 3-2 lead in games. Mr. Smith died on August 3, 1984 at the age of 91.

Baseball
The Cleveland Spiders made just 2 hits off Adonis Terry, but scored 2 runs in the 9th inning off 2 bases on balls, a sacrifice, and a single to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 at League Park in Cleveland. For Cleveland pitcher John Clarkson, the win was the 300th of his major league career. He gave up 4 hits.

120 years ago
1897

Journalism
The New York Sun ran an editorial answering a question from an 8-year-old girl that included the line, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

80 years ago
1937

Literature
J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit was first published.

75 years ago
1942

War
The Royal Canadian Navy destroyer Ottawa was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean with 112 men lost and 76 rescued. Reports from Moscow claimed that Soviet troops were holding in the face of heavy German assaults on Stalingrad. U.S. envoy Wendell Willkie told a press conference in Moscow that he personally favoured a second front if it was militarily feasible. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested 84 Negroes and one white woman in Chicago on charges of draft evasion and conspiracy in the Japanese-sponsored disobedience movement.

Abominations
On the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Nazis send over 1,000 Jews of Pidhaitsi (west Ukraine) to the Bełżec extermination camp. In Poland, at the end of Yom Kippur, Germans ordered Jews to permanently evacuate Konstantynów and move to the ghetto in Biała Podlaska, established to assemble Jews from seven nearby towns, including Janów Podlaski, Rossosz and Terespol. In Dunaivtsi, Ukraine, Nazis murdered 2,588 Jews.

Diplomacy
Canadian Justice Minister Louis St. Laurent issued an order barring American novelist Theodore Dreiser, 71, from making speeches in Canada after he told the Toronto Telegram: "I would rather see Germans in England than those damn, aristocratic horse-riding snobs there now."

Defense
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber made its first flight.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Lister Hill (Democrat--Alabama) introduced an amendment to the Selective Service Act which would give President Franklin D. Roosevelt unlimited presidential power in waging war.

The Indian Council of State convened in New Delhi with 32 of 56 members present.

70 years ago
1947

Died on this date
Harry Carey, 69. U.S. actor. Mr. Carey was a major star of the silent film era, especially in Westerns. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting performance in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Mr. Carey died from the effects of smoking; his son Harry Carey, Jr. was also a successful actor.

Diplomacy
Representatives of nine European Communist countries--U.S.S.R., eastern European states, France, and Italy--met in the Polish resort town of Miszlawkowice to develop a common response to the Marshall Plan and other U.S. foreign policy intitiatives.

Religion
Archbishop of St. Louis Joseph Ritter warned the city's Roman Catholics that they faced excommunication if they continued to oppose admission of Negroes to white parochial schools.

Disasters
General Lucius Clay of the U.S. military government in Germany reported a 22% reduction in hydroelectric power and a prospective 20%-40% crop loss in the U.S. zone as a result of severe drought.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Love Letters in the Sand--Pat Boone

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Banana Boat Song--Harry Belafonte (11th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Diana--Paul Anka (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Tammy--Debbie Reynolds (6th week at #1)
2 Diana--Paul Anka
3 Honeycomb--Jimmie Rodgers
4 That'll Be the Day--The Crickets
5 Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On--Jerry Lee Lewis
6 Chances Are--Johnny Mathis
7 Fascination--Jane Morgan
8 Mr. Lee--The Bobettes
9 Rainbow--Russ Hamilton
10 Remember You're Mine--Pat Boone

Singles entering the chart were Fraulein, with versions by Steve Lawrence, and Bobby Helms (#46); Please Mr. Brown by Sarah Vaughan (#47); My Special Angel by Bobby Helms (#48); Alone (Why Must I Be Alone) by the Shepherd Sisters (#51); Wake Up Little Susie by the Everly Brothers (#53); Melodie d'Amour (Melody of Love) by the Ames Brothers (#56); and Peanuts by Little Joe and the Thrillers (#60).

On television tonight
Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Case of the Restless Redhead, with guest stars Whitney Blake and Ralph Clanton

This was the first episode of the series.

Died on this date
Haakon VII, 85. King of Norway, 1905-1957. Haakon VII, known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was a Danish prince who became the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the union with Sweden. He provided inspirational leadership in opposition to Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II. King Haakon was succeeded by his son Olav V.

Defense
The Syrian government decreed a nighttime curfew, closing all highways between major cities due to impending "general movements and maneuvers" by the Syrian Army.

Politics and government
The Thai National Assembly elected South East Asia Treaty Organization Secretary General and former Ambassador to the United States Pote Sarasin as Prime Minister, succeeding deposed Pibul Songgram.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Hamilton (4-2) 8 @ Montreal (4-2) 18
Ottawa (4-2) 55 @ Toronto (0-6) 14

WIFU
Calgary (4-4) 7 @ Winnipeg (6-2) 30
Edmonton (7-1) 24 @ Saskatchewan (2-6) 17

ORFU
Toronto (0-5) @ Sarnia (3-1-1) (postponed)

Johnny Bright rushed 29 times for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Joe Mobra added a touchdown, 3 converts, and a field goal for the Eskimos as they defeated the Roughriders at Taylor Field in Regina.

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals sold pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm to the Cleveland Indians. Mr. Wilhelm was 1-4 with an earned run average of 4.25 and 11 saves in 40 games with the Cardinals in 1957.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Last Waltz--Engelbert Humperdinck

On television tonight
Dragnet 1968, starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Shooting Board



War
A Royal Thai army regiment arrived in Saigon, the first Thai combat troops to arrive in South Vietnam.

Academia
Peter van Ginkel was appointed "affiliate artist" at Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University), the first such appointment in Canada.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Magic Fly--Space (3rd week at #1)

War
Lebanese security forces reported that Israeli forces had strengthened their positions in Lebanon and were occupying six strategic hilltops.

Scandal
Bert Lance resigned as director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget amid investigations of his activities as an official with the National Bank of Georgia before he joined the administration of President Jimmy Carter; the various investigations found no evidence of criminal activity. James T. McIntyre succeeded Mr. Lance as acting director of the Office of Management and Budget.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): The Loco-Motion--Kylie Minogue (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Sven Andersson, 77. Swedish politician. Mr. Andersson, a member of the Social Democratic Party, was a member of Gothenburg City Council (1939-1940), and was first elected to Parliament in 1941. He was Minister of Communications (1951-1957); Minister of Defence (1957-1973); and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1973-1976), and was known as a strong anti-Communist and defense hawk.

War
An American helicopter gunship fired on and hit an Iranian ship laying mines in the Persian Gulf. 3 Iranian sailors were killed and 26 taken prisoner. The captives were returned to Iranian control five days later.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Polku--Neon 2 (2nd week at #1)

Politics and government
Former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau published an essay in L'actualite and Maclean's opposing the Charlottetown Accord. He called Québec nationalists "master blackmailers," urged "courage" to resist Québec's demands, and suggested that a "No" vote was best for the country.

Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney joined British Columbia Premier Mike Harcourt and B.C. First Nations in Capilano, British Columbia in a deal to set up a B.C. Treaty Commission to broker land claims and to "fast-track" negotiations.

Hockey
NHL
The new Ottawa Senators played their first home pre-season game at the Civic Centre, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Washington Capitals.

Baseball
The Oakland Athletics edged the Chicago White Sox 6-5 before 29,529 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago as Dennis Eckersley picked up his 50th save of the season. Bobby Thigpen, who had saved 57 games for the White Sox in 1990, had been the only reliever to save that many games in a season to that date. Rickey Henderson led off the game with his 15th home run of the season, and Mark McGwire helped the Oakland cause with his 40th homer of the season in the 3rd inning.

Pinch hitter Dan Gladden singled home Skeeter Barnes with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox before 9,558 fans at Tiger Stadium. The Red Sox tied the game with 3 runs in the 9th, including 2 on a home run by Mo Vaughn.

Luis Aquino allowed 3 hits and no runs in 5 1/3 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Dave Fleming as the Kansas City Royals shut out the Seattle Mariners 3-0 before 17,105 fans at Royals Stadium. Mr. Aquino improved his 1992 record to 3-5, while Mr. Fleming allowed 8 hits and 3 earned run in pitching a complete game, falling to 15-10.

Mike Mussina pitched a 7-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Bill Wegman as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 before 15,921 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Mr. Mussina improved his record for the season to 17-5, while Mr. Wegman, who allowed 6 hits and 4 earned runs in 7 innings, fell to 12-14.

Darren Daulton's grand slam climaxed a 6-run 4th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies routed the Montreal Expos 9-2 before 11,596 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Ben Rivera pitched a 4-hit complete game victory to improve to 6-4 for the season.

Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, and Derrick May each drove in 2 runs and every man in the starting lineup had at least 1 hit as the Chicago Cubs routed the New York Mets 10-1 before 7,791 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Winning pitcher Greg Maddux allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings as he improved his 1992 record to 19-11.

Steve Cooke allowed 3 hits and no runs in 7 innings of relief to get the win, improving his season and major league career record to 2-0, as the Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 before 13,345 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Bob Walk started on the mound for Pittsburgh and allowed 1 hit in 2 innings before leaving with an injury.

Terry Pendleton batted 3 for 3 with a double and 2 runs, and David Justice hit a 2-run home run in the 9th inning to help the Atlanta Braves defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 before 19,822 fans at Dodger Stadium. Winning pitcher allowed 4 hits and 1 run--earned--in 7 2/3 innings to improve his record for the season to 6-0, while Orel Hershiser allowed 4 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 7 innings to fall to 10-14.

The San Francisco Giants scored 4 runs in the 6th inning as they beat the San Diego Padres 7-1 before 30,225 fans at Jack Murphy-San Diego Stadium.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Men in Black--Will Smith (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Barbie Girl--Aqua (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John

Football
CFL
Calgary (7-6) 25 @ Hamilton (1-12) 21
Montreal (10-3) 24 @ Saskatchewan (5-8) 22

Calgary quarterback Jeff Garcia threw 3 interceptions, but rushed 1 yard for the winning touchdown with 1:48 remaining in regulation time as the Stampeders beat the Tiger-Cats before 13,010 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Tom Europe intercepted Kevin Mason's pass on the Montreal 3-yard line with 46 seconds remaining in regulation time to preserve the Alouettes' win over the Roughriders before 25,570 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Mr. Europe's interception was the fourth for the Alouettes in the game.

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Rex Humbard, 88. U.S. televangelist. Mr. Humbard, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but based in Akron, Ohio, made his first appearance on television in 1949, and became the first televangelist in the United States to have a weekly program, which ran from 1953-1982. His $4-million, 5,400-seat Cathedral of Tomorrow in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which opened in 1958, was built to accommodate television.Mr. Humbard's program was internationally broadcast and his ministry became a big business, but in 1973 Mr. Humbard ran into problems with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission because bonds and promissory notes that he had sold since 1959 were sold by his own salesmen, and were not registered with the SEC or sold through licensed brokers. A planned revolving restaurant was never built, and a transmission tower was eventually sold to a local businessman. Mr. Humbard eventually retired to Florida, and his son Rex, Jr. took over the ministry. What remained of the Cathedral of Tomorrow was sold to notorious fraud and fellow Akronite Ernest Angley in 1994. Mr. Humbard died of congestive heart failure; for more on him, the false gospel that he preached, and his scandals, go here.

Alice Ghostley, 84. U.S. actress. Miss Ghostley was best known for playing supporting characters in television comedy series such as Bewitched (1969-1970, 1972); Mayberry R.F.D. (1970-1971); and Designing Women (1986-1993).

Football
CFL
Calgary (6-5-1) 20 @ Hamilton (2-10) 24

Backup quarterback Ritchie Williams led the Tiger-Cats as they overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat the Stampeders before 23,115 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. The Stampeders mounted a late drive, but Dwight Anderson intercepted Akili Smith's pass in the Hamilton end zone.

CIS
British Columbia (2-2) 28 @ Regina (2-1) 55