September 6, 2017

525 years ago
1492

Exploration
Christopher Columbus sailed from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, his final port of call before crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.

375 years ago
1642

Theatre
The English Parliament, led by Puritans, issued an ordinance suppressing all stage plays in theatres.

200 years ago
1817

Born on this date
Alexander Tilloch Galt. U.K.-born Canadian politician. Sir Alexander, a native of Chelsea, England, was Inspector-General of Canada in the Great Coalition government of 1864-1867, and was a Father of Confederation in 1867. He represented Sherbrooke, Quebec in the House of Commons from 1867-1872 and served as Canada's first Minister of Finance from July 1-November 7, 1867, and as Canada's first High Commissioner in London from 1880-1893. Sir Alexander died on September 19, 1893 at the age of 76.

150 years ago
1867

Disasters
More than 50 people were injured, some fatally, when amphitheatre seats on the Fair Grounds near Burlington, Vermont broke down.

10 people drowned when a train plunged into the Naugatuck River near Thomastown, Connecticut.

Great damage resulted from the breakage of a dam of the West Hartford, Connecticut reservoir.

140 years ago
1877

Born on this date
Buddy Bolden. U.S. musician. Charles Joseph Bolden was a cornetist and bandleader in New Orleans who played a key role in the development of jazz in the early 1900s. Mr. Bolden suffered an episode of acute alcoholic psychosis in 1907 and was diagnosed with dementia praecox. He was admitted to the Louisiana State Insane Asylum, where he spent the rest of his life, dying on November 4, 1931 at the age of 54.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Edward Victor Appleton. U.K. physicist. Sir Edward was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his investigations of the physics of the upper atmosphere especially for the discovery of the so-called Appleton layer." He died on April 21, 1965 at the age of 72.

110 years ago
1907

Died on this date
Sully Prudhomme, 68. French poet. Mr. Prudhomme was awarded thr first Nobel Prize in Literature in 1901, "in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect."

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
John Berry. U.S. theatre and film director. Mr. Berry, born Jak Szold, directed plays for Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre in the late 1930s and early '40s, before going to Hollywood and directing movies such as From This Day Forward (1946); Casbah (1948); and He Ran All the Way (1951). Mr. Berry also directed the short documentary The Hollywood Ten (1950), a sympathetic look at the Communist directors, producers, and screenwriters who had been cited for contempt of Congress in 1947 for refusing to answer questions regarding Communist infiltration of the movie industry. Mr. Berry was identified as a Communist in 1951 by Hollywood Ten alumnus Edward Dmytryk and ex-Communist Frank Tuttle, and spent the next decade making movies in Europe. He returned to the United States in the 1960s, directing a few movies and television programs. Mr. Berry died on November 29, 1999 at the age of 82.

80 years ago
1937

Died on this date
Henry Kimball Hadley, 65. U.S. composer and conductor. Mr. Hadley conducted various orchestras, and was the first conductor of the San Francisco Symphony. In 1933 he founded the National Association for American Composers and Conductors, and a year later, founded the summer festival known today as Tanglewood. Mr. Hadley wrote five symphonies, five operas, as well as symphonic poems, and numerous choral, orchestral, and chamber works. He conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for the soundtrack of the movie Don Juan (1926--the first motion picture with synchronized sound--and composed the first original motion picture score, for When a Man Loves (1927). Mr. Hadley was one of the most-performed composers of his time, but has largely been forgotten since his death after a long battle with cancer.

75 years ago
1942

War
German and Romanian troops captured Novorosslisk, the former Russian Black Sea naval base in the Caucasus. U.S. planes bombed and strafed Japanese installations on Gizo Island in the New Georgia group, 215 miles northwest of Guadalcanal.

Tennis
Pauline Betz defeated Louise Brough in the final of the U.S. women's singles championship in Forest Hills, New York.

Football
NFL
Pre-season
U.S. Army Western All-Stars 16 Chicago Cardinals 10 @ Denver

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 (5th week at #1)

Americana
Barbara Jo Walker, representing Memphis, was chosen Miss America 1947 at the annual pageant in Atlantic City. Miss Canada, Margaret Marshall, was second runner-up.

Defense
The U.S. Navy successfully fired a German V-2 rocket from the carrier USS Midway in the Atlantic Ocean, the first missile launch from a moving platform.

Economics and finance
Hungarian Deputy Premier Matyas Rakosi announced an income limitation of 3,000 florins ($273) per month, and said that the assets of wealthy Hungarians who had fled abroad would be confiscated.

Scandal
A U.S. federal jury in Kansas City convicted three local Democratic Party officials in a 1946 primary election vote fraud case.

Football
IRFU
Toronto (0-1) 6 @ Ottawa (1-0) 23

WIFU
Winnipeg (1-0) 6 @ Saskatchewan (0-1) 5

ORFU
Windsor (0-2) 13 @ Hamilton (1-0) 13
Ottawa (0-0-1) 6 @ Toronto Indians (1-0-1) 6
Toronto Balmy Beach (1-0) 5 @ Sarnia (0-1) 3

Howie Turner returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown to help the Rough Riders beat the Argonauts at Lansdowne Park.

Don Hiney threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Joe Turner in the 2nd quarter, and Mr. Hiney's convert proved to be the winning point as the Blue Bombers edged the Roughriders at Taylor Field in Regina. Saskatchewan opened the scoring in the 1st quarter on a touchdown pass from Stan Stasica to Sully Glasser.

Bob Paffrath scored a touchdown in the 4th quarter and Gary Smith converted to give the Trojans their tie against the Indians before 3,000 fans at Oakwood Stadium.

Steve Vrabec blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown to enable Balmy Beach to defeat the Imperials at Athletic Park.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Bambino--Dalida (23rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Diana--Paul Anka (2nd week at #1)

Music
The Big Show, produced by Irvin Feld, began an 80-day tour of 28 American states and 5 Canadian provinces with a performance at Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh. The artists were Fats Domino; LaVern Baker; Frankie Lymon; Chuck Berry; Clyde McPhatter; the Crickets; the Everly Brothers; the Spaniels; the Drifters; Paul Anka; Johnnie and Joe; and the Bobettes, all backed by the Paul Williams Orchestra, featuring Tommy Brown.

Law
The International Commission of Jurists charged that Hungarian courts had become an active arm of the oppression of the regime of Prime Minister Janos Kadar.

Education
A U.S. federal district court in Nashville ruled Tennessee's voluntary school segregation law unconstitutional and ordered city authorities to start Nashville's integration plan, beginning with the first grade, on the opening day of school.

Tennis
The U.S. Lawn Tennis Association's executive committee, meeting in Fores Hills, New York, rejected a study committee proposal for open tournaments in which amateurs could compete with professionals.

Football
IRFU
Hamilton (3-1) 20 @ Toronto (0-4) 9

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): The Last Waltz--Engelbert Humperdinck

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 All You Need is Love/Baby, You're a Rich Man--The Beatles (6th week at #1)
2 Up-Up and Away--The 5th Dimension
3 San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)--Scott McKenzie
4 A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum
5 In the Chapel in the Moonlight--Dean Martin
6 Don't Sleep in the Subway--Petula Clark
7 To Love Somebody--The Bee Gees
8 Woman You're Breaking Me--The Groop
9 Theme for a New Love--Davy Jones
10 The Monkees Vol. 1 (EP): (Theme from) The Monkees--The Monkees

Singles entering the chart were The Day I Met Marie by Cliff Richard (#25); Up-Up and Away by Frank Ifield (#38); and Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbie Gentry (#40).

Diplomacy
French President Charles de Gaulle began a six-day visit to Poland, his first visit to an eastern European Communist country.

40 years ago
1977

War
Ethiopian forces routed Somali units attacking Jijiga, Harar, and Diredwa, the three key cities in the Ogaden area in eastern Ethiopia. Somalia and Ethiopia had been in a virtual state of war for several months over the Ogaden region, a Somali-populated area claimed by Somalia.

Scandal
A U.S. federal grand jury indicted South Korean businessman Park Tong Sun on 36 counts of bribery of U.S. Congressmen in connection with lobbying on behalf of the South Korean government.

Football
CFL
Toronto (3-5) 20 @ Montreal (7-1) 14

Eric Harris returned an interception 115 yards for a touchdown to help the Argonauts upset the Alouettes before an Olympic Stadium crowd of 69,093, which remains the record for attendance at a Canadian Football League game, regular season or otherwise. Montreal quarterback Joe Barnes suffered a shoulder separation which kept him out of action for the remainder of the regular season.



30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): La Bamba--Los Lobos (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: La Bamba--Los Lobos

#1 single in France: Joe le taxi--Vanessa Paradis (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
William Haley, 86. U.K. media executive. Mr. Haley was Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation from 1944-1952 and editor of the London Times from 1952-1966.

Television
SaskWest Television Inc. became the first television company in Canada to put two signals on the air simultaneously in two different cities (STV-Regina and STV-Saskatoon).

Medicine
Seven-month-old conjoined twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder of West Germany, who were attached at the back of the head, were reported to be in critical but stable condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after a 22-hour operation to separate them.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (7-3) 29 @ Saskatchewan (2-7-1) 25

Tom Clements threw 2 touchdown passes in the last 1½ minutes as the Blue Bombers came from behind to defeat the Roughriders before 27,457 fans on a windy Sunday afternoon at Taylor Field in Regina. Mr. Clements completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to James Murphy with 1:21 remaining in regulation time and connected with Perry Tuttle for a 37-yard touchdown just 25 seconds later. Mr. Clements also threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Boyd in the 1st quarter, while quarterback Tom Burgess rushed 1 yard in the 3rd quarter for the only Roughrider touchdown. Saskatchewan kicker Dave Ridgway kicked 5 field goals, the third of which, on the last play of the 1st half, covered 60 yards, breaking a record that had been set by Dave Cutler of the Edmonton Eskimos at Taylor Field in 1970 and tied by Paul Watson of the Roughriders, also in Regina, in 1981.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Achy Breaky Heart--Billy Ray Cyrus

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): ABBA-esque--Erasure (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap! (11th week at #1)

Died on this date
Henry Ephron, 81. U.S. screenwriter. Mr. Ephron often collaborated with his wife Phoebe, and was known for writing screenplays for movies such as There's No Business Like Show Business (1954); Carousel (1956); Desk Set (1957); and Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), receiving an Academy Award nomination for the latter. His four daughters also became notable writers.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (4-5) 20 @ Saskatchewan (5-4) 32

Kent Austin completed 29 of 46 passes for 395 yard and touchdowns to Milson Jones, Jeff Fairholm, and Byron Williams to lead the Roughriders over the Blue Bombers before 29,298 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Mr. Austin rushed 1 yard for the other Saskatchewan touchdown. The biggest play was the touchdown pass to Mr. Williams, an 83-yard play early in the 4th quarter. Warren Hudson and Michael Richardson rushed for Winnipeg touchdowns. Kevin Simien, who had played in 3 post-season games—including the Grey Cup—with the Calgary Stampeders in 1991, played his only CFL game, catching 1 pass for 11 yards for the Blue Bombers.

Baseball
Albert Belle hit 3 home runs and Carlos Martinez hit a grand slam with 2 out in the bottom of the 12th inning as the Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 12-9 before 13,483 fans at Cleveland Stadium. Mr. Martinez's home run was the fourth grand slam hit off losing pitcher Mike Schooler in 1992, tying a major league record for a single season.

Ed Sprague's 3-run home run--his first major league homer of the season--was the big blow as the Toronto Blue Jays scored all their runs in the bottom of the 7th inning and defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-2 before 50,421 fans at SkyDome in Toronto.

The New York Yankees scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to insure a 7-0 win over the Texas Rangers before 21,643 fans at Yankee Stadium. Winning pitcher Scott Kamieniecki allowed 3 hits in 8 innings to improve his 1992 record to 5-11.

George Brett's 2-run inside-the-park home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 7th inning enabled the Kansas City Royals to edge the Chicago White Sox 3-2 before 25,166 fans at Royals Stadium. Ed Pierce made his major league debut as the Royals' starting pitcher, allowing 8 hits and 2 earned runs in 4 innings, walking 3 batters and striking out 3.

An error by center fielder Bob Zupcic after a single by Dave Henderson allowed Ruben Sierra to score the winning run with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Oakland Athletics edged the Boston Red Sox 2-1 before 29,670 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Otis Nixon singled with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 9th inning to score Brian Hunter with the winning run as the Atlanta Braves edged the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 before 42,097 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Keith Shepherd made his major league debut as a relief pitcher with the Phillies, pitching the 6th through 8th innings, allowing 1 hit and no runs, walking no batters and striking out 1.

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 (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Men in Black--Will Smith (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Alane--Wes

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Alane--Wes (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Men in Black--Will Smith (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Men in Black--Will Smith (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Mo Money Mo Problems--The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy and Mase (2nd week at #1)

Football
CFL
Montreal (8-3) 38 @ Hamilton (1-10) 13

Tracy Ham completed just 9 passes, but threw 2 touchdown passes, and Mike Pringle rushed for 114 yards to help the Alouettes defeat the Tiger-Cats before 9,253 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

10 years ago
2007

At the movies
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, and Albert Finney, received its premiere screening at the Deauville Festival of American Cinema in France.

Died on this date
Percy Rodriguez, 89. Canadian-born U.S. actor. Mr. Rodriguez, a native of Montreal, played supporting roles in numerous plays, films, and television programs, but was perhaps best known for playing neurosurgeon Dr. Harry Miles in the prime time soap opera Peyton Place in 1968. He had a mellifluous voice, and often worked as a narrator of movie trailers and television documentaries.

Madeleine L'Engle, 88. U.S. authoress and poetess. Miss L 'Engle, born Madeleine L'Engle Camp, wrote fiction for teenagers, and was best known for the science fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time (1962) and four other novels in a series known as the Time Quintet. She was often referred to as a Christian, but was actually a universalist whose works were and are popular with those who hold New Age beliefs.

Luciano Pavarotti, 71. Italian singer. Mr. Pavarotti became one of the most famous operatic tenors in history, achieving critical and commercial success in opera and crossing over to popular music in a professional career spanning the years 1961-2006. He died of pancreatic cancer.

War
Israeli forces executed an air strike, Operation Orchard, to destroy a nuclear reactor in Syria.