August 21, 2018

375 years ago
1643

Born on this date
Afonso VI. King of Portugal and the Algarves, 1656-1683. Afonso VI succeeded his father João IV at the age of 13. Ten years earlier, Afonso had suffered an illness that paralyzed the left side of his body and left him mentally unstable. His mother Queen Luisa served as regent during the first six years of King Afonso's reign, before he removed her to a convent. King Afonso's younger brother Pedro usurped power in 1668 and banished Afonso to the Azores, and then to Sintra, where he died on September 12, 1683, 22 days after his 40th birthday. Pedro II then officially acceded to the throne.

240 years ago
1778

War
British forces began besieging the French outpost at Pondicherry.

210 years ago
1808

War
British and Portuguese forces led by General Arthur Wellesley defeated French force under Major-General Jean-Andoche Junot in the Battle of Vimeiro, Portugal, the first Anglo-Portuguese victory of the Peninsular War.

160 years ago
1858

Politics and government
The first of seven debates between U.S. Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas took place in Ottawa, Illinois.

140 years ago
1878

Law
The American Bar Association was founded in Saratoga, New York.

130 years ago
1888

Died on this date
James Farnell, 63. Australian politician. Mr. Farnell had a career in state politics in New South Wales spanning almost 30 years, and was Premier from 1877-1878.

Technology
The first successful adding machine in the United States was patented by William Seward Burroughs.

125 years ago
1893

Born on this date
Lili Boulanger. French composer. Miss Boulanger, the younger sister of composer Nadia Boulanger, wrote symphonic poems and choral works, but was dogged by illness throughout her life, and died of "intestinal tuberculosis" (perhaps Crohn's disease) on March 15, 1918 at the age of 24.

120 years ago
1898

Baseball
Walter Thornton pitched a no-hitter for the Chicago Orphans as they shut out the Brooklyn Bridegrooms 2-0 in Chicago.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Billy Reay. Canadian-born hockey player and coach. Mr. Reay was a centre with the Detroit Red Wings (1943-45) and Montreal Canadiens (1945-53), scoring 267 points on 105 goals and 162 assists in 479 regular season games, and 13 goals and 16 assists in 63 playoff games. He helped the Canadiens win Stanley Cup championships in 1946 and 1953. Mr. Reay coached the Toronto Maple Leafs (1957-58) and Chicago Black Hawks (1963-76), compiling a regular season record of 542-385-175, and leading the Black Hawks to the Stanley Cup finals in 1965, 1971, and 1973. The Black Hawks declined during the last few years of Mr. Reay's reign, and he was fired two days before Christmas, 1976, by means of a note placed under his apartment door. Mr. Reay never coached again, and died of liver cancer on September 23, 2004 at the age of 86.

War
The Second Battle of the Somme began in France.

90 years ago
1928

Politics and government
Conservative Party leader Simon Fraser Tolmie took office as Premier of British Columbia, replacing John MacLean. The Conservatives had swept Mr. MacLean's Liberal Party out of office in the recent provincial election.

Herbert Hoover resigned as U.S. Commerce Secretary in order to commence his campaign as Republican Party candidate for President of the United States. President Calvin Coolidge immediately appointed William Whiting, a papermaker from Holyoke, Massachusetts to succeed Mr. Hoover. Mr. Whiting was sworn into office in the President's office at Central High School in Superior, Wisconsin, where Mr. Coolidge happened to be at the time.

75 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): In the Blue of Evening--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra with Frank Sinatra

Died on this date
Henrik Pontoppidan, 86. Danish writer. Mr. Pontoppidan was awarded a share of the 1917 Nobel Prize for Literature with countryman Karl Gjellerup "for his authentic descriptions of present-day life in Denmark."

War
U.K. War Transport Minister Lord Leathers and U.S. Deputy War Shipping Administrator Lewis Douglas conferred in Quebec with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill on Allied shipping and supply problems.

Protest
About 40,000 German troops were rushed to Copenhagen from Norway to check riots, strikes, and sabotage.

Diplomacy
Maxim Litvinov was relieved as U.S.S.R. Ambassador to the United States, to be succeeded by Andrei Gromyko.

Politics and government
Prime Minister John Curtin led his governing Labour Party to victory in the Australian federal election, taking 49 of 74 seats in the House of Representatives and all 19 Senate seats that were up for election. The United Australia Party-Country Party coalition, led by former Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, won 23 seats in the House, with the UAP taking 14. The Labour total in the House was an increase of 17 from the most recent election in 1940, while the coalition's total dropped by 13. The first female Representative--Enid Lyons (UAP--Darwin, Tasmania) was elected, as well as the first female Senator--Dorothy Tangney (Labour--Western Australia).

Technology
General Electric officials reported the development of a machne that produced 100-million-volt X-rays.

Education
American Federation of Teachers President-elect Joseph Landes assailed "political interference" in public school systems throughout the nation.

Economics and finance
The British Food Ministry announced an agreement with Argentina on behalf of the United Nations to purchase surplus meat from Argentina for two years.

70 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): You Call Everybody Darlin'--Al Trace and the Revelers (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 My Happiness--The Pied Pipers
--Jon and Sondra Steele
--Ella Fitzgerald
2 Woody Wood-Pecker--The Sportsmen and Mel Blanc
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Danny Kaye and the Andrews Sisters
3 You Can't Be True, Dear--Ken Griffin
--Dick Haymes with the Song Spinners
--The Sportsmen
4 You Call Everybody Darlin'--Al Trace and the Revelers
--Anne Vincent
--Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters
5 Twelfth Street Rag--Pee Wee Hunt and his Orchestra
6 A Tree in the Meadow--Margaret Whiting
7 It's Magic--Doris Day
--Dick Haymes and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
--Tony Martin
--Gordon MacRae
8 Love Somebody--Doris Day and Buddy Clark
9 Confess--Doris Day and Buddy Clark
--Patti Page
10 Cool Water--Vaughn Monroe and the Sons Of The Pioneers

Singles entering the chart were the version of You Call Everybody Darlin' by Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters and You Came a Long Way (From St. Louis) by Ray McKinley and Some Of The Boys (#18).

Space
Astronomers William Luyten of the University of Minnesota and David MacLeish of Argentina's Cordoba Observatory announced the discovery of nine new white dwarf stars, bringing the number found to 100.

War
Mildred Gillars, the American woman known as "Axis Sally," arrived in Washington to face trial for treason for making radio propaganda broadcasts from Germany during World War II.

Diplomacy
Alfons Vogel, press attache of the Romanian mission in Washington, sought asylum in the United States and denounced his country's Communist government.

Defense
U.S. authorities in Berlin stationed 600 soldiers at the Potsdamer Platz, on the border between the American and Soviet sectors, to prevent further U.S.S.R. incursions into the U.S. sector.

General Carl Spaatz issued his final report before retiring as U.S. Air Force chief of staff, announcing plans to develop a supersonic guided missile capable of carrying an atomic warhead 5,000 miles.

Politics and government
Progressive Party U.S. presidential candidate Henry Wallace formally opened his campaign in Bridgeport, Connecticut with a speech accusing both major parties of responsibility for the nation's domestic and international problems. The Christian National Crusade nominated its leader, Gerald L.K. Smith, to run for President of the United States on a platform of racial segregation and curtailment of the immigration of Jews and non-whites.

Science
The Golden Jubilee Exposition opened in New York, with exhibits including a display of the transmutation of metals through atomic radiation.

Journalism
Ray Sprigle, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who spent a month disguised as a Negro in the southern United States, concluded a 12-day series of articles published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and other papers, reporting that southern Negroes wanted "as little contact with the white world as possible," but demanded the right to vote and equal economic and educational opportunity.

Football
CRU
IRFU-ORFU
Pre-season
Ottawa 13 @ Hamilton 7

WIFU-ORFU
Pre-season
Toronto (2-1) 7 @ Calgary (1-0) 16

WIFU
Saskatchewan (1-0) 17 @ Winnipeg (0-1) 6

Doug Smylie took a lateral from Howie Turner and rushed 1 yard for a touchdown in the 4th quarter to break a 7-7 tie as the Rough Riders beat the Tigers before 9,000 fans at Civic Stadium. Eric Chipper converted the TD and added 2 field goals. Garry Walsh rushed 1 yard for the Hamilton touchdown on the first play of the 4th quarter to tie the score 7-7, but Pat Santucci's convert attempt was blocked by Ace Powell. The game marked the introduction of unlimited substitution in Canadian football, a rule change for 1948.

Rod Pantages and Normie Hill scored touchdowns and Bill Wusyk added 2 converts and a field goal for the Stampeders as they beat the Beaches Indians at Mewata Stadium. Ernie Becker scored the Toronto touchdown.

Ken Charlton scored 2 touchdowns and 2 singles and Gabe Patterson added a field goal for the Roughriders as they defeated the Blue Bombers at Osborne Stadium. Bob Sandberg scored a touchdown and single for all the Winnipeg points.

60 years ago
1958

Politics and government
South African Justice Minister Charles Swart was appointed acting Prime Minister as a result of Prime Minister Johannes Strijdom's heart condition.

Greek Cypriot guerrillas rejected Britain's revised plans for limited Cypriot self-government.

Football
CFL
WIFU
Winnipeg (1-1) 13 @ Saskatchewan (2-1) 21

Ron Adam, replacing injured regular Frank Tripucka at quarterback, completed just 3 passes, but 2 of them went for touchdowns to Jack Hill and Mike Hagler to help the Roughriders upset the Blue Bombers at Taylor Field in Regina. Vic Marks scored the other Saskatchewan TD on a 3-yard fumble return, with Mr. Hill adding 3 converts. Leo Lewis scored the Winnipeg touchdown, with Gerry James adding 2 field goals, and Charlie Shepard punting for a single.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Mony Mony--Tommy James and the Shondells (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 The Orange and the Green/(The Puppet Song) Whiskey on a Sunday--The Irish Rovers
2 Angel of the Morning--Merrilee Rush
3 MacArthur Park--Richard Harris
4 Indian Lake--The Cowsills
5 Jumpin' Jack Flash--The Rolling Stones
6 This Guy's in Love with You--Herb Alpert
7 Lady Willpower--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
8 Hush...Not a Word to Mary--John Rowles
9 Dream a Little Dream of Me--Mama Cass
10 Hurdy Gurdy Man--Donovan

Singles entering the chart were Do it Again by the Beach Boys (#23); Help Yourself by Tom Jones (#24); and Sealed with a Kiss by the Toys (#39).

War
Private First Class James Anderson, Jr. posthumously received the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to a Negro U.S. Marine. Pvt. Anderson, 20, died during combat on February 28, 1967, when he covered a grenade with his body to save his teammates.

World events
Nicolae Ceaușescu, leader of Romania's Communist government, publicly condemned the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, encouraging the Romanian population to arm itself against possible Soviet reprisals. Communist Party leaders in Italy and France said that they had tried to dissuade the U.S.S.R. from taking military action against Czechoslovakia.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Post Office announced the closing of the century-old Post Office Savings Bank in Ottawa.

Football
CFL
Toronto (2-1) 19 @ Calgary (3-2) 7

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Monster--Pink Lady (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): It's a Heartache--Bonnie Tyler (2nd week at #1)

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sweet Lovers--Holidaymakers (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: The Twist (Yo, Twist!)--The Fat Boys with Stupid Def Vocals by Chubby Checker (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
The 6.9 Mw Nepal earthquake shook the Nepal–India border with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), leaving 709–1,450 people killed and thousands injured.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: All that She Wants--Ace of Base (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Five Live (EP)--George Michael & Queen (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Mr. Vain--Culture Beat (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Darla dirladada--Les G.O. Cul-ture

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): What's Up?--4 Non Blondes (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Living on My Own--Freddie Mercury (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You--UB40 (5th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (4th week at #1)
2 Weak--SWV
3 Whoomp! (There it Is)--Tag Team
4 I'm Gonna be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
5 Slam--Onyx
6 If I Had No Loot--Tony Toni Tone
7 Lately--Jodeci
8 If--Janet Jackson
9 Runaway Train--Soul Asylum
10 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner

Singles entering the chart were That's What Little Girls are Made Of by Raven-Symone (#73); Mega-Medley by Zapp and Roger (#74); Lick U Up by H-Town (#75); and The Bonnie and Clyde Theme/Ibwin' Wit' My Crewin' by Yo-Yo (#77).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You--UB40 (2nd week at #1)
2 Runaway Train--Soul Asylum
3 Fields of Gold--Sting
4 I Don't Wanna Fight--Tina Turner
5 I'm Free--Jon Secada
6 I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers
7 Break it Down--Tears for Fears
8 Rain--Madonna
9 Numb--U2
10 Believe--Lenny Kravitz

Singles entering the chart were Say You Will by Gogh Van Go (#71); Shine by the Doughboys (#83); Smoke and Ashes by 13 Engines (#84); I Stand for You by Michael McDonald (#86); No Man's Land by Billy Joel (#87); Creep by Radiohead (#88); Sail Across the Water by Jane Siberry (#89); I'm Gonna Soothe You by Maria McKee (#91); and Another Sad Love Song by Toni Braxton (#92). No Man's Land was the B-side of The River of Dreams, charting at #20.

Space
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration lost contact with the Mars Observer spacecraft.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (5-3) 30 @ Sacramento (2-6) 18

Matt Dunigan threw 2 touchdown passes to David Williams and another to Gerald Wilcox as the Blue Bombers beat the Gold Miners before 15,509 fans at Hornet Field. Sacramento quarterback David Archer completed touchdown passes of 78 and 69 yards to running back Mike Oliphant.



20 years ago
1998

At the movies
Your Friends & Neighbors, written and directed by Neil LaBute, and starring Amy Brenneman, Aaron Eckhart, Catherine Keener, Nastassja Kinski, Jason Patric, and Ben Stiller, opened in theatres.

Football
CFL
Montreal (6-2) 13 @ Saskatchewan (2-6) 12
Winnipeg (0-8) 16 @ Edmonton (5-3) 25

Jimmy Kemp completed 18 of 29 passes for 278 yards and touchdowns of 1 yard to Myron Wise in the 1st quarter and 3 yards to Joseph Rogers in the 2nd quarter to help the Eskimos beat the Blue Bombers before 29,123 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Dwayne Provo returned an interception 49 yards in the 3rd quarter for the third Edmonton touchdown. Mr. Rogers' TD came on a spectacular diving catch near the back of the Winnipeg end zone, and Mr. Rogers suffered a season-ending injury on the play.



10 years ago
2008

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (6-2) 10 @ Edmonton (5-3) 27

A.J. Harris rushed 21 times for 189 yards and a 36-yard touchdown in the 1st quarter, and caught 4 passes for 30 yards, to help the Eskimos defeat the Roughriders before 48,808 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Kamau Peterson scored the other Edmonton TD on an 8-yard pass from Ricky Ray in the 2nd quarter. The Roughriders opened the scoring midway through the 1st quarter on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Crandell to Weston Dressler, converted by Jamie Boreham, who added a single on the subsequent kickoff. After the midway point of the 2nd quarter, the only scoring came on 4 field goals and a single by Edmonton kicker Noel Prefontaine. Keith Shologan made his CFL debut, playing on the defensive line for Saskatchewan.