September 24, 2017

300 years ago
1717

Born on this date
Horace Walpole. U.K. politician. Mr. Walpole, a Whig and the son of Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole, represented several ridings in the House of Commons from 1741-1768, and wrote the first gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764). He died on March 2, 1797 at the age of 79.

150 years ago
1867

World events
General Giuseppe Garibaldi was arrested while crossing the Roman frontier; France sent troops to Rome.

Protest
Civilians and police clashed in Limerick, Ireland.

140 years ago
1877

War
The Imperial Japanese Army won a decisive victory over the Satsuma Rebellion in the Battle of Shiroyama.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Adélard Godbout. 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 on September 18, 1956, six days before his 64th birthday.

75 years ago
1942

War
Counterattacking Russian troops continued to make progress northwest of Stalingrad, while fighting in the city continued for an eighth day. Allied bombers and fighter planes attacked Japanese bases at Mubo and Bun-Kokoda in New Guinea; Rabaul in New Britain; and Buka in the Solomon Islands.

Defense
The U.S. Navy 25,000-ton aircraft carrier USS Lexington was launched at Fore River, Massachusetts.

Politics and government
Mexican President Manuel Avila Camacho inaugurated the newly-created Council of National Defense in Mexico City.

Transportation
The Alaska Highway opened at Contact Creek, 305 miles north of Fort Nelson, British Columbia; it was first built to serve as a military road from Edmonton to Alaska.

Disasters
20 people were killed when two Washington-bound Baltimore & Ohio passenger trains crashed near Dickerson, Maryland.

70 years ago
1947

Died on this date
Andrew C. McLaughlin, 86. U.S. historian. Professor McLaughlin was an authority on U.S. constitutional history. His book A Constitutional History of the United States (1935) won the 1936 Pulitzer Prize for History.

Crime
Former Burmese Prime Minister U Saw and nine associates were formally charged with the July 19, 1947 assassinations in Rangoon of Prime Minister U Aung San and seven other members of Burma's Executive Council.

Economics and finance
The Geneva Trade Conference approved a General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to govern trade relations until the adoption of the International Trade Organization's charter.

Journalism
Transjordan banned Syrian newspapers and forbade listening to Damascus radio due to tension over a Transjordanian proposal to unite the two countries.

60 years ago
1957

War
French Foreign Legion parachutists captured Saadi Yacef, nationalist guerrilla commander for the Algiers region, in the Algiers Casbah.

Defense
35,000 Bundeswehr troops began the first field maneuvers to be held by German forces since the end of World War II.

Society
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued an executive order directing Defense Secretary Charles Wilson to federalize the Arkansas National Guard and use any military forces necessary to prevent obstruction of court-ordered desegregation of Little Rock's schools.

Business
Hartland Molson and the Molson family acquired the Montréal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.

General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler Motors rejected United Auto Workers of America President Walter Reuther's proposal for a $100 cut in the prices of 1958 cars, saying that the union had no voice in their pricing policies.

Baseball
Danny McDevitt pitched a 5-hitter and struck out 9 batters to improve his 1957 record to 7-4 in leading the Brooklyn Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 before 6,702 fans at Ebbets Field in the last major league game ever played in Brooklyn. The Dodgers finished the season on the road and then moved to Los Angeles. Bennie Daniels made his major league debut as Pittsburgh's starting pitcher, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 7 innings, with 3 bases on balls and 2 strikeouts in taking the loss. Mr. Daniels' throwing error in the 1st inning on an attempted pickoff of Jim Gilliam led to Mr. Gilliam scoring the winning run on a double by Elmer Valo.

Curt Simmons pitched a 4-hitter to improve his 1957 record to 12-11 and scored a run as the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the New York Giants 5-0 before 7,019 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia.

Wally Post hit a home run in each game to help the Cincinnati Reds sweep a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs 4-3 and 11-9 before 5,200 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Gordon Massa made his major league debut behind the plate for the Cubs in the first game, batting 2 for 4 with a run batted in, and making 3 putouts and allowing a passed ball. Don Kaiser started on the mound for Chicago in the first game,allowing 7 hits and 4 earned runs in 4 innings to take the loss, dropping to 2-6 for the season, making 1 putout and 1 assist, starting a double play, and batting 0 for 1 in the 58th and last game of his 3-year major league career.

Hank Aaron's 44th home run of the season, a 3-run blast in a 4-run 1st inning, opened the scoring as the Milwaukee Braves coasted to a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 30,661 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Winning pitcher Warren Spahn pitched a 5-hit complete game and drove in the final run with a sacrifice fly as he improved his record for the season to 21-10.

Ted Williams' 38th home run of the season, a solo homer in the 4th inning, proved to be the deciding run as the Boston Red Sox edged the Washington Senators 2-1 before 2,598 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Frank Sullivan pitched a 5-hit complete game victory to improve his 1957 record to 14-11 and scored the game's first run in the 3rd inning when he singled and Jimmy Piersall followed with a triple. Mr. Williams' homer followed his first plate appearance, when he grounded out in the 1st inning, ending a major league record of reaching base in 16 consecutive plate appearances. Losing pitcher Hal Griggs allowed just 6 hits and 2 earned runs in 8 innings to fall to 0-1.

Ron Jackson batted 4 for 5 with a double, run, and 2 runs batted in to help the Chicago White Sox edge the Kansas City Athletics 7-6 before 3,886 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Chicago catcher Earl Battey was 3 for 4 with a home run, triple, 2 runs, and 2 RBIs, and third baseman Bubba Phillips added 2 doubles. The Athletics mounted a rally with none out in the 9th inning when Hector Lopez singled and pinch hitte Bob Cerv followed with a 2-run homer. Vic Power was then hit by a pitch, but Joe DeMaestri was retired on a foul popup, and Gus Zernial grounded into a double play to end the game. Harry Taylor, the second of four Kansas City pitchers, allowed 3 hits and 1 run--unearned--in 3 2/3 innings, walking 2 batters and striking out 2, making 1 assist (a pickoff), while batting 0 for 1 in his second and last major league game.

50 years ago
1967

Diplomacy
The Organization of American States passed a resolution condemning Cuban "forcefully" continuing its intervention in Bolivia, Venezuela, and other Western Hemisphere nations.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-5) 3 @ Ottawa (4-4) 38
Calgary (7-3) 27 @ Saskatchewan (7-2) 28

Russ Jackson completed 15 of 19 passes for 292 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Rough Riders to a rout of the Argonauts before 21,031 fans at Lansdowne Park. Mr. Jackson threw touchdown passes of 55 yards to Margene Adkins; 81 yards to Bo Scott; and 16 yards to Whit Tucker. Ron Stewart and Don Gilbert rushed for touchdowns as the Ottawa ground game amassed 232 yards. Wally Gabler and Tom Wilkinson split the Toronto quarterbacking, with Mr. Wilkinson completing only 2 of 10 passes in his second CFL game and his last until the playoffs.

The Roughriders trailed 27-24 after 3 quarters, but scored 2 safety touches in the 4th quarter to defeat the Stampeders before 22,028 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Calgary kicker Larry Robinson, who had yet to kick a field goal in 1967, missed from 37 and 33 yards in the 4th quarter, with his second miss coming with 10 seconds remaining.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Ti Amo'--Umberto Tozzi (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Ti Amo'--Umberto Tozzi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): I Remember Elvis Presley--Danny Mirror

#1 single in Ireland: Nobody Does it Better--Carly Simon

#1 single in the U.K (BMRB): Way Down--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Best of My Love--Emotions (5th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band--Meco
2 Don't Stop--Fleetwood Mac
3 Float On--The Floaters
4 Telephone Line--Electric Light Orchestra
5 On and On--Stephen Bishop
6 Keep it Comin' Love--K.C. and the Sunshine Band
7 Nobody Does it Better--Carly Simon
8 Strawberry Letter 23--The Brothers Johnson
9 Smoke from a Distant Fire--Sanford/Townsend Band
10 Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancin')--Johnny Rivers

Singles entering the chart were Baby, What a Big Surprise by Chicago (#69); How Deep is Your Love by the Bee Gees (#74); Love Gun by Kiss (#79); A Place in the Sun by Pablo Cruise (#86); Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by the Carpenters (#88); Baby Love by Mother's Finest (#99); and Needles and Pins by Smokie (#100). How Deep is Your Love was from the movie Saturday Night Fever (1977).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Handy Man--James Taylor (2nd week at #1)
2 Telephone Line--Electric Light Orchestra
3 Don't Stop--Fleetwood Mac
4 How Much Love--Leo Sayer
5 Barracuda--Heart
6 (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher--Rita Coolidge
7 Float On--The Floaters
8 Best of My Love--Emotions
9 Que Sera Sera--The Raes
10 Just a Song Before I Go--Crosby, Stills & Nash

Singles entering the chart were If Wishes were Horses by Sweeney Todd (#75); Martian Boogie by Brownsville Station (#95); I Just Want to Make Love to You by Foghat (#96); Blue Bayou by Linda Ronstadt (#97); Our Love is Getting Better by the New City Jam Band (#98); Oh, Lori by Alessi (#99); and Love Comes and Grows by Murray McLauchlan (#100).

Politics and government
Representatives of the black African nations of Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia concluded a two-day meeting in Maputo, Mozambique by giving qualified support to the latest U.K.-U.S. plan for black majority rule in Rhodesia, deciding that the plan, despite "a lot of negative points," would serve as a "basis for further negotiations."

Economics and finance
The Canadian dollar dropped to U.S. 89.88¢; the Bank of Canada arranged US $1.5 billion standby credit for the first time since 1939.

Football
CFL
Ottawa (3-7) 24 @ Winnipeg (6-5) 36
Edmonton (5-5) 13 @ British Columbia (9-2) 30

The Blue Bombers turned 3 turnovers into touchdowns as they beat the Rough Riders before 23,211 fans at Winnipeg Stadium. Ottawa amassed 454 yards in net offense, but the turnovers and 107 yards in penalties hurt the Ottawa cause. It was the final regular season CFL game for Ottawa linebacker Larry Cameron, who later went on to a successful career as a professional wrestler.

The Eskimos reduced a 20-3 deficit to 20-13 in the 4th quarter, and Edmonton quarterback Bruce Lemmerman completed a second-down pass to John Konihowski to the B.C. 6-yard line, but the play was called back on a holding penalty. Two plays later, Dave Cutler was wide on a field goal attempt, and Ken Hinton returned it 130 yards for a touchdown on the longest one-man play in CFL history. Lui Passaglia converted and added a field goal to ensure victory for the Lions before fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Leon Bright scored another B.C. touchdown on a 78-yard pass from Jerry Tagge. It was the first Canadian Football League game for Edmonton wide receiver Waddell Smith and defensive back Gregg Butler.

CIAU
Manitoba 18 @ Alberta (2-0-1) 23

Joe Poplawski caught a touchdown pass and added 2 converts and 3 field goals to help the Golden Bears defeat the Bisons at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap! (7th week at #1)

Scandal
British heritage minister David Mellor resigned his position, as a constant barrage of tabloid headlines about his alleged sexual affairs had made him a burden to the Conservative government of Prime Minister John Major.

Baseball
Dave Winfield of the Toronto Blue Jays became the first 40-year-old in major league history to bat in 100 runs in a season when he hit a 2-run double off losing pitcher Ben McDonald in the Blue Jays' 8-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles before 45,739 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Mr. Winfield's double climaxed a 5-run 2nd inning; he opened the scoring with a 2-run home run in the 1st inning.

Bernie Williams batted 3 for 4 with a triple, 3 runs, and a run batted in, and Gerald Williams hit his first major league home run to help the New York Yankees defeat the Detroit Tigers 10-1 before 12,415 fans at Yankee Stadium. Scott Kamieniecki allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings to improve his 1992 record to 6-12.

Pinch hitter Brian Jordan singled home Darren Daulton with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs before 12,963 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The winning hit came after Dave Hollins had charged the mound after being hit by a pitch from Bob Scanlan, leading to a 10-minute brawl resulting in the ejections of Messrs. Hollins and Scanlan, as well as Chicago manager Jim Lefebvre. The Cubs led 2-0 until Juan Bell led off the bottom of the 8th inning with an inside-the park home run, his only homer of the season.

Todd Zeile singled home Chucky Carr with 1 out in the bottom of the 14th inning to score Ozzie Smith with the winning run, climaxing a 4-run rally as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the New York Mets 4-3 before 16,359 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. The Mets broke the 0-0 tie in the top of the 13th on a 3-run home run by Jeff Kent off Bryn Smith, who ended up as the winning pitcher.

Jeff Brantley and 2 relief pitchers combined for a 3-hitter as the San Francisco Giants shut out the Atlanta Braves 4-0 before 12,573 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Mr. Brantley allowed 2 hits in 5 1/3 innings to improve his 1992 record to 6-7, winning the pitching matchup with Tom Glavine, who allowed 6 hits and 4 runs--3 earned--in 6 innings to fall to 20-7.

Gary Sheffield's 3 run home run opened the scoring as the San Diego Padres scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and coasted to a 7-1 win over the Houston Astros before 5,913 fans at Jack Murphy-San Diego Stadium.

20 years ago
1997

Baseball
The Toronto Blue Jays fired manager Cito Gaston with 5 games remaining in the season. Mr. Gaston had been the Blue Jays' manager since 1989 and had led them to World Series championships in 1992 and 1993 and American League East Division pennants in 1989 and 1991. The Blue Jays were 72-85 in 1997, fifth and last in the AL East. Mr. Gaston was replaced as manager by pitching coach Mel Queen.

10 years ago
2007

Terrorism
A U.S. military court reinstated terrorism charges against Omar Khadr, the only Canadian held at the American naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Protest
30,000-100,000 people took part in anti-government protests in Yangon, Burma, the largest in 20 years.

Politics and government
Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois ois a by-election in the Charlevoix riding, securing a seat in the National Assembly; she was the first woman to lead a major political party in Quebec.

Labour
United Auto Workers walked off the job at General Motors plants in their first Canadian nationwide strike during contract negotiations since 1976. A tentative pact ended the walkout two days later.