October 26, 2017

130 years ago
1887

Communications
Peter Lamont opened the first telephone exchange in what is now Saskatchewan, in a bookstore in Regina.

Baseball
World Series
Detroit Wolverines 2 @ St. Louis Browns 9 (6 innings) (Detroit won 15-game series 10-5)

The Browns scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning and 4 in the 2nd as they coasted to victory over the Wolverines before just 659 fans at Sportsman's Park in a game that was called after 6 innings because of cold weather. Bob Caruthers (4-4) won the pitching matchup over Lady Baldwin (4-1).

125 years ago
1892

Scandal
The trial of former Quebec Premier Honoré Mercier began; after four years as Premier, Mr. Mercier had been dismissed on December 17, 1891 by Lieutenant-Governor Auguste-Réal Angers for alleged misuse of public funds in the Baie des Chaleurs Railway scandal. Mr. Mercier was re-elected in the 1892 provincial election, but his Liberal Party was soundly defeated. He was be acquitted of all charges on November 4, 1892.

110 years ago
1907

Football
IRFU
Hamilton (2-1) 9 @ Montreal (3-1) 7
Toronto (1-3) 5 @ Ottawa (1-2) 34

ORFU
Peterboro (1-1) 20 @ (Toronto) Victorias (1-1) 26

Gordon Southam drop-kicked 2 field goals--then worth 4 points each--for the Tigers as they defeated the Winged Wheelers before 6,000 fans at the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association Grounds.

Canadian university
McGill (0-3) 16 @ Toronto (2-1) 19
Ottawa (2-0-1) 15 @ Queen's (1-1-1) 15

100 years ago
1917

War
Brazil declared war on the Central Powers, becoming the only South American country to become directly involved in World War I. Arthur Currie's Canadian Corps, including Alberta's 49th Battalion, started its first "set piece" attack against the well-entrenched Germans, taking over where the ANZAC troops left off, to capture the Belgian town of Passchendaele across a 5-mile morass of sticky mud. The Second Battle of Passchendaele, a Flanders bloodbath, lasted until November 30. In total, 2,834 Canadian lives were lost and casualties reached 16,000, to win just 3 square miles of muddy quagmire. Canadians won three Victoria Crosses the first day of the battle: Thomas William Holmes, Christopher Patrick John O'Kelly and Robert Shankland. Italian forces suffered a catastrophic defeat to the forces of Austria-Hungary and Germany in the Battle of Caporetto. The young then-unknown Oberleutnant Erwin Rommel captured Mount Matajur with only 100 Germans against a force of over 7,000 Italians.

75 years ago
1942

War
German and Romanian troops drove closer to the Black Sea port of Tuapse. The USS Hornet--the last U.S. aircraft carrier manufactured before World War II--was so badly damaged by Japanese warplanes in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands that it had to be abandoned. The three-day Battle for Henderson Field during the Guadalcanal Campaign ended in a victory for American forces over Japanese forces. The U.S. liner SS President Coolidge, now a Navy troop ship, struck two mines while entering the harbour of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides and sank with the loss of all but 4 of 4,000 troops aboard.

Protest
Street fights between pro-Axis and pro-Allied civilians erupted in Santiago, Chile.

Disasters
A British Royal Air Force ferry bomber crashed at Dorval Airport in Montreal, killing 16.

Football
WSCFL
Bombers (4-1-1) 18 University of Manitoba (0-5) 6

Jim Foubister scored 2 touchdowns and Ches McCance rushed 70 yards for a touchdown and added 3 converts as the Bombers beat the Bisons before fewer than 150 fans at Osborne Stadium. Bob Laidlaw scored a touchdown for U of M on a 32-yard fumble return in the 4th quarter, converted by Frank Mathers.

70 years ago
1947

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and Alfred Shirley, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Laughing Lemur of Hightower Heath

Diplomacy
Representatives of Argentina and Bolivia signed an agreement in la Paz providing for arbitration of all disputes between the two countries.

Indianica
Hari Singh, the Maharaja of Kashmir and Jammu, agreed to allow his kingdom to join India despite a pro-Pakistan rising among his predominantly Muslim subjects. U.K. Viscount Louis Mountbatten accepted the move as a temporary measure, promising a plebiscite when peace was restored.

Politics and government
In Poland, a leftist Peasant Party faction led by Czeslaw Wycech took over party headquarters in Warsaw following the flight of Stanislaw Mikolajczyk.

A group of 25 entertainment figures, led by actors Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, flew to Washington to protest alleged violations of freedom by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities.

Law
The Japanese government published a revised code of justice which abolished lèse-majesté and adultery as criminal offenses.

Disasters
45 people were killed in the crash of a Swedish Air Lines Skymaster on Mount Hymettos, Greece.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Around the World--Bing Crosby; Nat "King" Cole

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Köhlerliesel--Die Heimatsänger (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): That'll Be the Day--The Crickets

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Wake Up Little Susie--The Everly Brothers
2 Jailhouse Rock--Elvis Presley
3 Chances Are--Johnny Mathis
4 Honeycomb--Jimmie Rodgers
5 Silhouettes--The Rays
6 Fascination--Jane Morgan
7 Happy, Happy Birthday Baby--The Tune Weavers
8 That'll Be the Day--The Crickets
9 Be-Bop Baby--Ricky Nelson
10 Diana--Paul Anka

Singles entering the chart were April Love by Pat Boone (#44); Wun'erful, Wun'erful! (Sides Uh-One & Uh-Two) by Stan Freberg (#50); Till by Roger Williams (#51); Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly (#52); Sayonara by Eddie Fisher (#59); and You Bug Me, Baby by Larry Williams (#60). April Love was the title song of the movie. Sayonara was a version of the title song of the movie.

Died on this date
Nikos Kazantzakis, 74. Greek author. Mr. Kazantzakis was best known for the novels Zorba the Greek (1946) and The Last Temptation of Christ (1955). He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in nine different years.

Gerty Cori, 61. Czech-born U.S. biochemist and physiologist. Dr. Cori, born Gerty Radnitz, was, with her husband Carl Cori, awarded a share of the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen." She died after a 10-year battle with myelosclerosis.

Space
The U.S.S.R. confirmed reports that radio signals from the Sputnik 1 satellite had ceased due to power failure.

Politics and government
Colonel Guillermo Flores Avendano took office as provisional President of Guatemala following the ouster of President Luis Arturo Gonzalez Lopez.

The Soviet government announced the replacement of Marshal Georgi Zhukov as Defense Minister by Marshal Rodion Malinovsky.



Football
IRFU
Hamilton (9-3) 19 @ Montreal (6-6) 17
Toronto (2-10) 7 @ Ottawa (7-5) 25

WIFU
Calgary (6-9) 14 @ Saskatchewan (3-11-1) 32
British Columbia (4-10-1) 0 @ Edmonton (13-2) 29

ORFU
Kitchener-Waterloo (7-2-1) 16 @ Sarnia (5-4) 14

Johnny Bright rushed 9 times for 94 yards and a touchdown; Normie Kwong rushed 9 times for 41 yards and a touchdown; Oscar Kruger rushed 4 times for 25 yards; and Jim Shipka rushed 3 times for 16 yards and a touchdown as the Eskimos shut out the Lions at Clarke Stadium. Joe Mobra converted all 3 Edmonton touchdowns and added 2 field goals and 2 singles.

Tex Robinson scored 2 touchdowns and Mike Norcia added a convert and field goal for the Dutchmen as they edged the Golden Bears at Norm Perry Park. Dick Gregory and Ross Dwinnell scored Sarnia touchdowns, both of which were converted by Gene Lekenta.

50 years ago
1967

At the movies
Wait Until Dark, starring Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Jack Weston, and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., opened in limited release in theatres.



Asiatica
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi crowned himself Emperor of Iran and then crowned his wife Farah Empress of Iran.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)--Rod Stewart

Business
Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the second-largest American steel manufacturer, announced a $477-million loss for the third quarter of 1977, the largest quarterly loss in U.S. business history.

Health
Ali Maow Maalin, a Somali hospital cook and health worker, developed a rash in Merca district, Somalia; it was the last natural case of smallpox, from which he recovered. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider this date the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 2 @ Toronto 2

Jimmy Jones scored for the Maple Leafs in the 3rd period to give them the tie against the Canadiens in the nationally-televised game at Maple Leaf Gardens.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): La Bamba--Los Lobos (5th week at #1)

Politics and government
The Meech Lake constitutional accord was adopted by the Canadian Parliament.

Economics and finance
After being closed for a week, the Hong Kong stock market reopened, and stock values immediately fell by one-third.

As part of the American response to the October 16 attack by an Iranian Silkworm missile on a U.S.-flagged Kuwaiti oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, U.S. President Ronald Reagan announced an embargo on all U.S. imports from Iran, of which oil was the most important.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Juppihippipunkkari (Remix)--Neljä Ruusua

Politics and government
54.4% of eligible voters in Canada who cast ballots voted “No” in a referendum on the Charlottetown Accord that had been reached on August 28 between provincial premiers and the federal government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The “No” side won in six provinces and one territory. The “Yes” side won by 0.2% in Ontario, as well as in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and the Northwest Territories. A total of 74.9% of 18,517,982 eligible Canadians vote, plus almost 83% of eligible Québeckers.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (4th week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Something About the Way You Look Tonight/Candle in the Wind 1997--Elton John (6th week at #1)

Auto Racing
Jacques Villeneuve became the first Canadian to win the World Championship of Formula One drivers; he finished third in the 69-lap European Grand Prix at Jerez, Spain, clinching the Formula One title (see video). Driving for the Williams Renault team, the 26-year-old native of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec held off Michael Schumacher's smash-and-grab assault on lap 48. Mr. Villeneuve won the Luxembourg, Austrian, Hungarian, British, Spanish, Argentine and Brazilian Grand Prix in 1997.

Football
CFL
Toronto (15-3) 38 @ Montreal (13-5) 43
British Columbia (8-10) 9 @ Calgary (10-8) 43

Thomas Haskins filled in for Mike Pringle and contributed in both rushing and receiving to the Alouettes' victory over the Argonauts before 10,801 fans at Olympic Stadium.

Jeff Garcia completed 15 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in the 1st quarter as the Stampeders took a 33-0 halftime lead and coasted to victory over the Lions before 24,690 fans at McMahon Stadium. Former Toronto Argonaut star Jimmy "The Jet" Cunningham, playing his first game in a B.C. uniform and his first game since returning to Canada from a National Football League tryout, caught 8 passes for 85 yards and the only B.C. touchdown, and added 1 punt return for 9 yards and 4 kickoff returns for 118 yards.

Baseball
World Series
Cleveland Indians 2 @ Florida Marlins 3 (11 innings) (Florida won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Tony Fernandez singled home Jim Thome and Marquis Grissom in the top of the 3rd inning to give the Indians a 2-0 lead, but Bobby Bonilla got the Marlins on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the bottom of the 7th, and they tied the game in the 9th on a sacrifice fly by Craig Counsell. Edgar Renteria singled home Mr. Renteria with 2 out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th to give the Marlins their first World Series championship in just their fifth season of operation, to the delight of almost all the 67,204 fans at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens.



10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Arthur Kornberg, 89. U.S. biochemist. Dr. Kornberg was awarded the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Severo Ochoa "for their discovery of the mechanisms in the biological synthesis of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid."

Football
CFL
British Columbia (13-3-1) 27 @ Hamilton (2-15) 19
Saskatchewan (12-5) 36 @ Edmonton (5-11-1) 29 (OT)

Jarious Jackson passed for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns to help the Lions defeat the Tiger-Cats before 19,322 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. to clinch first place in the West Division.

Henri Childs rushed for a 16-yard touchdown with 6:11 remaining in regulation time; 2 yards for the tying (after the convert) touchdown on the last play of regulation time; and 2 yards for the winning touchdown on the first overtime possession as the Roughriders came back from a 29-14 4th-quarter deficit to defeat the Eskimos before 40,127 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. The Eskimos appeared to have won the game late in regulation time on a 47-yard field goal by Sean Fleming, but the officiating crew led by referee Andre Proulx penalized the Eskimos for holding--a call that almost never occurs on placekicks. The Eskimos led 13-0 after the 1st quarter on field goals of 10 and 42 yards by Mr. Fleming and a spectacular catch for a touchdown by Calvin McCarty of a 44-yard pass from quarterback Stefan LeFors. Neal Hughes rushed 4 yards for the first Saskatchewan touchdown in the 2nd quarter, and John Chick returned a fumble 70 yards for another TD, with Luca Congi's converts giving the Roughriders a 14-13 halftime lead. Mr. LeFores connected with Kamau Peterson and Jason Tucker for a pair of 7-yard touchdowns in the 3rd quarter, and a safety touch early in the 4th quarter gave the Eskimos an apparently safe 29-14 lead. Jamie Boreham then punted for a 52-yard single; Mr. Childs scored his first touchdown; Marcus Crandell completed a 12-yard TD pass to Michael Washington with 1:26 remaining; and Mr. Childs scored his second and third touchdowns, all converted by Mr. Congi. Mr. LeFors had the best game of his CFL career, completing 34 of 48 passes for 412 yards.