September 8, 2017

1,400 years ago
617

War
Li Yuan defeated a Sui dynasty army in the Battle of Huoyi in China, opening the path to his capture of the imperial capital Chang'an and the eventual establishment of the Tang dynasty.

150 years ago
1867

Died on this date
John L. Helm, 65. U.S. politician. Mr. Helm, a Whig and then a Democrat, held several state offices in Kentucky, and was Lieutenant Governor from 1848-1850 and Governor from 1850-1851 and in 1867. He succeeded John J. Crittenden as Governor in 1850 when Mr. Crittenden accepted from President Millard Fillmore the appointment as U.S. Attorney General, and was elected Governor in his own right in 1867. The election campaign took a toll on Mr. Helm's health, and he died just five days after his inauguration. Lieutenant Governor John W. Stevenson succeeded Mr. Helm as Governor.

Politics and government
U.S. President Andrew Johnson issued an Amnesty Proclamation for former Confederate leaders.

125 years ago
1892

Americana
The Pledge of Allegiance was first recited.

110 years ago
1907

Protest
The Asiatic Exclusion League of the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council held a rally at Vancouver city hall to protest against giving jobs to Asian immigrants; after a series of inflammatory anti-Asian speeches about the yellow peril in Canada, the rally degenerated into a riot when a youth threw a rock through the window of a Chinese store. A mob of 7,000 people marched through the streets of downtown Vancouver, smashing windows and destroying signs on Oriental businesses. In Chinatown, they looted and burned thousands of dollars worth of Chinese and Japanese property. The federal government later paid compensation to both communities for property damage, due to treaties and Japan’s international standing.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Peg o' My Heart--The Harmonicats (10th week at #1)
--Three Suns
--Art Lund
--Buddy Clark
--Clark Dennis
2 Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)--Tex Williams and his Western Caravan
--Phil Harris and his Orchestra
3 Temptation (Tim-Tayshun)--Red Ingles and his Natural Seven
4 That's My Desire--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Frankie Laine and Mannie Klein's All-Stars
5 When You were Sweet Sixteen--Perry Como and the Satisfiers
6 I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
7 Tallahassee--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
8 Feudin' and Fightin'--Dorothy Shay
--Jo Stafford
--Bing Crosby and the Jesters
9 Ivy--Jo Stafford
--Woody Herman with the Four Chips
10 I Wish I Didn't Love You So--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
--Betty Hutton
--Dinah Shore

Singles entering the chart were Kokomo, Indiana by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (#29); Love and the Weather, with versions by Jo Stafford, and Harry James and his Orchestra (#32); Ragtime Cowboy Joe by Eddy Howard and his Orchestra (#33); Don't Tell Me, with versions by Margaret Whiting; Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians; and Les Brown and his Orchestra (#34); and On the Avenue, with versions by the Andrews Sisters and Carmen Cavallaro, and the Three Suns (#40). Kokomo, Indiana was the other side of You Do (charting at #16, with the versions by Margaret Whiting; Bing Crosby and Carmen Cavallaro; Dinah Shore; and Vic Damone). The version of Don't Tell Me by Margaret Whiting was the other side of What are You Doing New Year's Eve (charting at #36, with the version by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra). The version of Don't Tell Me by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians was the other side of The Echo Said "No" (charting at #28, with the version by Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra).

At the movies
Exposed, directed by George Blair, and starring Adele Mara, Robert Scott, Adrian Booth, Robert Armstrong, William Haade, and Bob Steele, opened in theatres.



Law
A U.S. federal court in San Francisco ordered that 330 Japanese-Americans who had allegedly renounced their American citizenship during World War II be released from internment camps.

Transportation
The U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board approved the nation's first helicopter service, to be operated by Yellow Cab Company of Cleveland.

Labour
An Australian arbitration court awarded the country's workers a 40-hour week, while Australian delegate Patrick Kennelley told the Commonwealth Conference of Labour Parties in Toronto that Australia "will never allow coloured peoples" to enter the country.

American Federation of Labor President William Green advised member unions to obey the Taft-Hartley Act by filing affidavits attesting that their leaders were not Communists. A U.S. federal court in Fort Worth, Texas ruled, in dismissing a case brought by the Congress of Industrial Organizations Oil Workers International Union against the National Labor Relations Board, that anti-Communist provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act were legal.

American Federation of Labor International Ladies Garment Workers Union President David Dubinsky announced plans to sponsor the immigration to the United States of 10,000 refugee tailors from Europe.

Football
WIFU
Winnipeg (2-0) 13 @ Calgary (0-1) 11

Bob Sandberg rushed 9 yards for a touchdown and punted for a single, and Johnny Reagan also scored a touchdown, with Don Hiney kicking 2 converts, to help the Blue Bombers edge the Stampeders before 4,000 fans at Mewata Stadium. Darrell Wardein rushed 2 yards for the first Calgary touchdown, and Paul Rowe returned a fumble 90 yards for the other Calgary TD in the 4th quarter. Bill Wusyk converted the first touchdown, but his second convert attempt was blocked, and Mr. Sandberg kicked his single later in the quarter to increase the Winnipeg margin.

60 years ago
1957

Music
Alan Freed's Holiday Rock 'n' Roll Stage Show concluded a 10-day run at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. The acts were Little Richard and his Orchestra; The Dell-Vikings; The Diamonds; Mickey and Sylvia; The Moonglows; The Five Keys; The Crickets; Larry Williams; Jo-Ann Campbell; Shaye Cogan; Ocie Smith; The Cleftones; and "extra added attraction" Jimmie Rodgers, as well as Alan Freed's Big Rock and Roll Orchestra featuring Sam "The Man" Taylor," Big Al Sears, and King Curtis.

Tennis
Malcolm Anderson defeated Ashley Cooper in the final of the men's singles competition at the U.S. Championships in Forest Hills, New York, while Althea Gibson won the women's singles final.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Thanks to You--Mr. Lee Grant (2nd week at #1)

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Thank the Lord for the Night Time--Neil Diamond
2 Come Back When You Grow Up--Bobby Vee and the Strangers
3 Ode to Billie Joe--Bobbie Gentry
4 To Sir with Love--Lulu
5 To Love Somebody--The Bee Gees
6 Light My Fire--The Doors
7 Words/Pleasant Valley Sunday--The Monkees
8 Brown Eyed Girl--Van Morrison
9 Little Bit o' Soul--The Music Explosion
10 Cry Softly Lonely One--Roy Orbison
Pick hit of the week: Happy--The Sunshine Company
New this week: (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher--Jackie Wilson
A Little Bit Now--The Dave Clark Five
Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil--Jefferson Airplane
Gettin' Together--Tommy James and the Shondells
Ronnie--The 4 Seasons

Space
The United States launched the lunar probe Surveyor 5 from Cape Kennedy, Florida.

40 years ago
1977

Died on this date
Zero Mostel, 62. U.S. actor. Samuel Joel Mostel achieved most of his success on stage, starring as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof (1964) on Broadway, and as Pseudolus in the Broadway (1962) and film (1966) productions of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He was blacklisted in Hollywood for much of the 1950s for alleged Communist connections, but returned to films, most notably co-starring The Producers (1967).

Music
Fleetwood Mac, with the Sanford/Townsend Band as the opening act, performed at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton.

Diplomacy
Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Broz Tito concluded three weeks of state visits to the U.S.S.R., North Korea, and China.

Law
The International Criminal Police Organization INTERPOL, at its General Assembly in Stockholm, adopted a resolution in which it "expressed its concern about motion picture and sound recording policy to all of its member national police forces." This resolution resulted in the annoying warning about illegal copying that has appeared at the beginning of every pre-recorded VHS cassette and DVD over the last 35 years or so.

Politics and government
In a primary election for the Democratic Party candidate for Mayor of New York, U.S. Representative Ed Koch and Mario Cuomo, New York Governor Hugh Carey's handpicked candidate, defeated five other candidates, including incumbent Mayor Abe Beame and former Rep. Bella Abzug, leading to a runoff election on September 19.

30 years ago
1987

Diplomacy
As East German leader Erich Honecker continued his visit to West Germany, a communiqué was issued that outlined agreements between the countries in the fields of science, the environment, and nuclear safety.

Energy
The Canadian National Energy Board dropped controls on natural gas exports, thus bringing in deregulation of the fuel.

Baseball
The Chicago Cubs fired manager Gene Michael and replaced him with Frank Lucchesi. The Cubs were sixth and last in the National League East Division with a record of 68-68.

25 years ago
1992

Died on this date
Quentin Burdick, 84. U.S. politician. Mr. Burdick, a Democrat, represented North Dakota in the United States House of Representatives (1959-1960) and Senate (1960-1992).

Baseball
Danny Tartabull batted 5 for 5 with 2 home runs, a double, and 9 runs batted in as the New York Yankees routed the Baltimore Orioles 16-4 before 45,861 fans at Oriole Park in Baltimore.

The Chicago White Sox swept a twi-night doubleheader from the Detroit Tigers 4-3 and 4-3 before 26,784 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Jimmy Key pitched a 4-hitter and Joe Carter hit a 2-run home run as the Toronto Blue Jays shut out the Kansas City Royals 5-0 before 15,454 fans at Royals Stadium.

Carney Lansford batted 5 for 6 with a double, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs as the Oakland Athletics routed the California Angels 14-2 before 18,904 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Hilly Hathaway made his major league debut with the Angels, pitching the 8th inning and allowing 3 hits and 3 runs--all earned--with 1 base on balls and no strikeouts. Reggie Williams also made his major league debut with the Angels, playing the last 2 innings in center field, striking out in the 9th inning and making 1 putout.

Pinch hitter Ricky Jordan reached first base on an error by third baseman Chico Walker and eventually scored on a ground out by Mickey Morandini in the bottom of the 8th inning to break a 1-1 tie as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the New York Mets 2-1 before 15,856 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

Pete Harnisch allowed 3 hits in 7 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Chris Hammond as the Houston Astros blanked the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 before 7,196 fans at the Astrodome.

Robby Thompson led off the bottom of the 16th inning with a single, advanced to third base on an error by pitcher Gene Harris on a sacrifice bunt by Kurt Manwaring, and scored on a wild pitch by Mr. Harris to give the San Francisco Giants a 6-5 win over the San Diego Padres before 7,731 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. San Diego right fielder Tony Gwynn batted 5 for 8 with 2 doubles, a run, and 2 runs batted in. Doug Brocail made his major league debut as San Diego's starting pitcher, allowing 6 hits and 4 runs--all earned--in 3 2/3 innings, walking 3 batters and striking out 4.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Building a Mystery--Sarah McLachlan (6th week at #1)
2 Where's the Love--Hanson
3 Everybody--Backstreet Boys
4 Men in Black--Will Smith
5 I'll Be Missing You--Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112
6 Honey--Mariah Carey
7 2 Become 1--Spice Girls
8 The Difference--The Wallflowers
9 Do You Know What it Takes--Hobyn
10 D'You Know What I Mean?--Oasis

Singles entering the chart were Uh La La La by Alexia (#39); Happy with You by Samantha Cole (#55); Lost Highway by Lori Yates (#56); Downtime by the Gandharvas (#59); I am the Man by the Philosopher Kings (#62); How Do I Live by Leann Rimes (#70); My Addiction by Dayna Manning (#79); Most Precarious by Blues Traveler (#83); The Sound Of by Jann Arden (#88); and I Choose by the Offspring (#93).

At the movies
The Spanish Prisoner, written and directed by David Mamet, and starring Ben Gazzara, Felicity Huffman, Ricky Jay, Steve Martin, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Campbell Scott, received its premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.





Died on this date
Derek Taylor, 65. U.K. journalist. Mr. Taylor worked with various newspapers in England, but was best known for his work in the United States in the 1960s as publicist for the Beatles, Beach Boys, Byrds, and the Mamas and the Papas. He died of cancer.

10 years ago
2007

Football
CFL
Hamilton (1-9) 22 @ Toronto (4-6) 35

Michael Bishop threw 2 touchdown passes and Khalil Carter returned an interception for a touchdown to help the Argonauts defeat the Tiger-Cats before 28,279 fans at Rogers Centre.

CIS
Regina (1-1) 24 @ Alberta (0-2) 22
Manitoba (2-0) 21 @ British Columbia (1-1) 12