October 18, 2020

480 years ago
1540

War
Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto's forces destroy the fortified town of Mabila in present-day Alabama, killing Chief Tuskaloosa.

330 years ago
1690

War
English forces under William Phips started bombarding Quebec with 37 ships and 2,200 men, after Count Frontenac refused to surrender; the shelling had little effect.

160 years ago
1860

War
The Second Opium War finally ended at the Convention of Peking with the ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin, an unequal treaty, by Chinese Emperor Xianfeng.

150 years ago
1870

Born on this date
D.T. Suzuki. Japanese author. Professor Suzuki was known for books promoting Zen and Shin Buddhism, and was a significant figure in promoting those beliefs in the West. He died on July 12, 1966 at the age of 95.

140 years ago
1880

Born on this date
Ze'ev Jabotinsky. Russian-born U.K. Zionist activist. Mr. Jabotinsky, born Vladimir Yevgenyevich Zhabotinsky, co-founded the Zion Mule Corps in Egypt during World War I, and moved to England, where his efforts resulted in the creation of the Jewish Legion. In the 1920s, Mr. Jabotinsky became the key figure in a movement known as Revisionist Zionism and began advocating for a liberal, democratic Jewish state on both banks of the Jordan River. He supported moving Arab populations if necessary to accomodate the influx of Jews, but he didn't want Arabs ejected from Palestine, and supported the rights of minorities in the proposed Jewish state. While visiting South Africa in 1930, the British Colonial Office informed Mr. Jabotinsky that he would not be allowed to return to Palestine. During the 1930s he warned of increasing violence against Jews in Europe. When the British government enacted the McDonald White Paper, restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine under the British Mandate for the next five years, Mr. Jabotinsky protested by supporting an armed Jewish revolt in Palestine, involving the Irgun terrorist organization. He died of a heart attack in New York City on August 4, 1940 at the age of 59, while attempting to raise financial support for a Jewish army. Although he didn't live to see the establishment of the state of Israel, Mr. Jabotinsky played a key role in events that led to the nation's founding. The Likud party--the party of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu--can trace its history back to the activities of Mr. Jabotinsky.

130 years ago
1890

Baseball
World Series
Brooklyn Bridegrooms 5 @ Louisville Colonels 3 (Brooklyn led best-six-of-ten series 2-0)

Winning pitcher Tom Lovett outduelled Ed Daily before 2,860 fans at Eclipse Park.

110 years ago
1910

Baseball
World Series
Chicago Cubs 3 @ Philadelphia Athletics 9 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 2-0)

The Athletics hit 4 doubles in the bottom of the 7th inning and scored 6 runs, turning a close game into a 9-3 rout over the Cubs before 24,597 fans at Shibe Park. Jack Coombs pitched an 8-hit complete game to get the win. Every player in the Athletics’ lineup had at least 1 hit.

100 years ago
1920

Born on this date
Melina Mercouri. Greek actress, singer, and politician. Miss Mercouri was known for her starring roles in the movies Never on Sunday (1960) and Topkapi (1964). She was away from Greece when a military coup took over the Greek government in 1967; she spent the next seven years in exile, campaigning against the junta and surviving terrorist attempts against her. Miss Mercouri was one of the founders of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), and when they gained power, she served as Greece's Minister for Culture from 1981-1989 and 1993-1994. She died of lung cancer on March 6, 1994 at the age of 73.

Football
CRU
ARU
University of Alberta 0 @ Edmonton (2-0) 19

Tommy Blades led the Eskimos with 9 points on a touchdown, field goal, and single. Mr. Burnett and Jimmy Enright also scored touchdowns for the Eskimos in the game, which was played at Diamond Park.

90 years ago
1930

Football
CRU
IRFU
Montreal (2-1) 20 @ Ottawa (0-3) 3
Toronto (1-1) 1 @ Hamilton (2-0) 15

ARU
Calgary (3-1) 18 @ Edmonton (1-2) 3

Elwyn Jones kicked a field goal for the Eskimos. The game was played at Renfrew Park.

NFL
Brooklyn (3-1-1) 14 @ Frankford (2-6) 7

75 years ago
1945

Married on this date
The day after being released from prison, Argentine military officer and politician Juan Perón married actress Eva "Evita" Duarte.

World events
A group of the Venezuelan Armed Forces, led by Mario Vargas, Marcos Pérez Jiménez, and Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, staged a coup d'état against President Isaías Medina Angarita, who was overthrown by the end of the day.

Abominations
The U.S.S.R.'s nuclear program received plans for the United States plutonium bomb from Klaus Fuchs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

70 years ago
1950

At the movies
Aventurera (The Adventuress), directed by Alberto Gout, and starring Ninón Sevilla, Andrea Palma, Tito Junco, and Ruben Rojo, opened in theatres in Mexico.



60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Everybody's Somebody's Fool--Connie Francis (6th week at #1)

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: If You See Sally, starring Anne Whitfield, George Mitchell, and Mary Lou Taylor



Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Contest for Aaron Gold, starring Barry Gordon, Sydney Pollack, and Frank Maxwell

Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Guilty Men, starring Everett Sloane, Frank Silvera, and John Marley



50 years ago
1970

Terrorism
Shortly after the body of Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte was discovered in the trunk of a car, a note received by Quebec officials in the handwriting of British Trade Commissioner James Cross, who had been kidnapped by Front de Liberation du Quebec (FLQ) terrorists on October 5, reiterated the demands of the kidnappers that 23 prisoners be freed as ransom for his release.

Diplomacy
It was reliably learned that the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. had reached a secret understanding under which the Soviet Union agreed to remove equipment for a base to serve missile-carrying submarines from Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Society
Analysis of new U.S. census data showed that the South had gained more people in the previous decade than any other region of the nation. Census officials reported that more people moved to the South than from it during the 1960s--the first time this had happened since the 1870s.

Disasters
Five days after a killer typhoon hit the Philippines, another typhoon struck the southern part of the nation, killing 526 people and leaving 522,000 homeless.

Football
CFL
Montreal (7-5) 13 @ Toronto (7-5) 16
Saskatchewan (12-2) 21 @ Calgary (7-7) 14

Don Jonas replaced Tom Wilkinson at quarterback for the Argonauts in the 4th quarter and scored the winning touchdown as the Argonauts moved into a first-place tie in the Eastern Football Conference with the Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Immediately upon entering the game, Mr. Jonas rushed for 10 yards. He then completed a pass to Billy Gambrell, who was playing his first CFL game after six years in the NFL. Mr. Gambrell was tackled at the Montreal 3-yard line after a 69-yard gain, and Mr. Jonas then rushed 3 yards for the touchdown, which he converted. The Argonauts led 9-0 at halftime on 2 field goals by Mr. Jonas, a punt single by Dave Mann, and a safety touch when Montreal starting quarterback Tony Passander was tackled in his end zone. Sonny Wade replaced Mr. Passander in the 2nd quarter and got the Alouettes on the scoreboard early in the 3rd quarter when he handed off to fullback Dennis Duncan, who broke away for an 85-yard touchdown. Moses Denson rushed for the other Montreal touchdown; George Springate added 1 convert. Mr. Wade was intercepted 3 times by the Argonaut defense. The usual sellout crowd of 33,135 was in attendance at CNE Stadium.

The Roughriders overcame an 11-0 1st-quarter deficit to defeat the Stampeders before a capacity crowd of 23,616 at McMahon Stadium. Rookie Larry Lawrence played the entire game at quarterback for the Stampeders and produced their only touchdown on a 49-yard pass to Uriel Johnson. Larry Robinson converted and added a 43-yard field goal and a 54-yard single. His field goal was the 114th of his CFL career, tying him with the recently-retired Don Sutherin for the career record. Dave Cranmer punted for a single, and the Stampeders scored a safety touch in the 3rd quarter when Saskatchewan punter Alan Ford conceded. Ron Lancaster played most of the game at quarterback for the Roughriders, and scored their first touchdown on a 3-yard rush in the 2nd quarter. Jack Abendschan converted and added a field goal of 29 yards in the 2nd quarter and a 30-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter to put Saskatchewan ahead 13-11. Shortly after, Calgary’s Jim Sillye fumbled a punt, and Barry Aldag recovered for the Roughriders on the Calgary 12-yard line. The Roughriders gambled on third down and 3 yards to go from the 5, and Mr. Lancaster completed a touchdown pass to Dave Denny. Mr. Abendschan converted and later added a single on a missed field goal. Hugh McKinnis of the Stampeders led all rushers with 99 yards on 15 carries. Steve Molnar, replacing the injured George Reed at fullback for the Roughriders, gained 63 yards on 8 carries, while teammate Silas McKinnie rushed 7 times for 44. Calgary’s Rudy Linterman led all receivers with 69 yards on 6 receptions, while Mr. Johnson added 68 on 3 catches. Mr. Lancaster completed 8 of 19 passes for 92 yards, while backup Gary Lane was 1 for 4 for 5 yards. Mr. Lawrence completed 19 of 32 passes for 266 yards, and gave up an interception to Ted Dushinski.

NFL
New York Giants (2-3) 16 @ Boston (1-4) 0
Miami (4-1) 33 @ Buffalo (1-4) 14
Baltimore (4-1) 29 @ New York Jets (1-4) 22
St. Louis (4-1) 35 @ Philadelphia (0-5) 20
Detroit (4-1) 41 @ Cleveland (3-2) 24
Kansas City (3-2) 27 @ Cincinnati (1-4) 19
San Diego (1-3-1) 20 @ Chicago (2-3) 7
Los Angeles (4-1) 31 @ Green Bay (3-2) 21
Dallas (3-2) 13 @ Minnesota (4-1)54
Pittsburgh (2-3) 7 @ Houston (2-3) 3
Atlanta (2-3) 10 @ Denver (4-1) 24
New Orleans (1-3-1) 20 @ San Francisco (3-1-1) 20



40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Amico--Renato Zero (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): One Day I'll Fly Away--Randy Crawford

#1 single in Ireland: Don't Stand So Close to Me--The Police (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Don't Stand So Close to Me--The Police (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Don't Stand So Close to Me--The Police (4th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Woman in Love--Barbra Streisand
2 One Day I'll Fly Away--Randy Crawford
3 Master Blaster - Jammin'--Stevie Wonder
4 Anak--Freddie Aguilar
5 Some Broken Hearts Never Mend--Telly Savalas
6 Don't Stand So Close to Me--The Police
7 Oops Up Side Your Head--The Gap Band
8 Give Me the Night--George Benson
9 Give Me Back My Love--Maywood
10 What You're Proposing--Status Quo

Singles entering the chart were Lovely One by the Jacksons (#28); Release by Patti Labelle (#33); Sausolito Summernight by Diesel (#36); My Prayer by Ray, Goodman & Brown (#37); Driver's Seat by Sniff 'n' the Tears (#38); and Blind Date by Ginger (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Another One Bites the Dust--Queen (3rd week at #1)
2 Woman in Love--Barbra Streisand
3 Upside Down--Diana Ross
4 All Out of Love--Air Supply
5 He's So Shy--Pointer Sisters
6 Real Love--The Doobie Brothers
7 I'm Alright (Theme from "Caddyshack")--Kenny Loggins
8 Xanadu--Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra
9 Drivin' My Life Away--Eddie Rabbitt
10 Late in the Evening--Paul Simon

Singles entering the chart were Deep Inside My Heart by Randy Meisner (#79); Love X Love by George Benson (#81); Let's Be Lovers Again by Eddie Money (with Valerie Carter) (#82); Private Idaho by the B-52's (#85); Texas in My Rear View Mirror by Mac Davis (#87); Let's Do Something Cheap and Superficial by Burt Reynolds (#94); and Brite Eyes by the Robbin Thompson Band (#95).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Another One Bites the Dust--Queen (3rd week at #1)
2 Woman in Love--Barbra Streisand
3 Upside Down--Diana Ross
4 I'm Alright (Theme from "Caddyshack")--Kenny Loggins
5 Drivin' My Life Away--Eddie Rabbitt
6 Lookin' for Love--Johnny Lee
7 He's So Shy--Pointer Sisters
8 Real Love--The Doobie Brothers
9 Xanadu--Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra
10 The Wanderer--Donna Summer

Singles entering the chart were Deep Inside My Heart by Randy Meisner (#83); Private Idaho by the B-52's (#85); Suddenly by Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard (#87); Love X Love by George Benson (#88); Texas in My Rear View Mirror by Mac Davis (#87); and More Bounce to the Ounce (Part 1) by Zapp (#93). Suddenly was from the movie Xanadu (1980).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Another One Bites the Dust--Queen (3rd week at #1)
2 Woman in Love--Barbra Streisand
3 Upside Down--Diana Ross
4 Xanadu--Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra
5 He's So Shy--Pointer Sisters
6 All Out of Love--Air Supply
7 Jesse--Carly Simon
8 Drivin' My Life Away--Eddie Rabbitt
9 Real Love--The Doobie Brothers
10 I'm Alright (Theme from "Caddyshack")--Kenny Loggins

Singles entering the chart were Texas in My Rear View Mirror by Mac Davis (#85); Private Idaho by the B-52's (#87); Love X Love by George Benson (#88); Deep Inside My Heart by Randy Meisner (#89); and Freedom by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 (#94).

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Sailing--Christopher Cross (2nd week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton (0-3-1) 5 @ New York Islanders 5

Football
CFL
Ottawa (6-9) 7 @ British Columbia (7-6-1) 27

Leon Bright returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown less than 2 minutes into the game and rookie quarterback Roy Dewalt completed 13 of 20 passes for 115 yards and touchdowns of 25 and 8 yards to Tyron Gray as the Lions kept their playoff hopes alive before 17,399 fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Lui Passaglia added 3 converts and 2 field goals, while Gerry Organ accounted for all the Rough Riders’ scoring with 2 field goals and a single.

CIAU
Manitoba (2-3-1) 10 @ Alberta (6-1) 11

Dave Brown punted 47 yards for a single on the last play of the game to win the game for the Golden Bears at Varsity Stadium in Edmonton. Alberta defensive back Glen Music made 3 interceptions, returning one 74 yards for the game's only touchdown.

Baseball
World Series
Philadelphia Phillies 3 @ Kansas City Royals 5 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

The Royals scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, knocking starting pitcher Larry Christenson out of the box after 1/3 inning, as they held on to defeat the Phillies before 42,363 fans at Royals Stadium. Willie Aikens hit a 2-run home run in the 1st inning and added a solo homer in the 2nd. Mr. Aikens had also hit 2 homers in game 1, making him the first player ever to have 2 games with 2 or more home runs in the same World Series. Dennis Leonard pitched 7 innings to get the win, and Dan Quisenberry pitched 2 innings to get the save.



30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Useta Lover--The Saw Doctors (5th week at #1)

Science
Richard Taylor of Canada and Jerome Friedman and Henry Kendall of the United States were awarded the 1990 Nobel Prize on Physics "for their pioneering investigations concerning deep inelastic scattering of electrons on protons and bound neutrons, which have been of essential importance for the development of the quark model in particle physics."

Business
Varity Corporation announced that it was moving from Toronto to Buffalo. In spite of a previous $200-million bailout, the farm equipment manufacturer--the remnants of Massey-Ferguson Corporation--could no longer compete.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that consumer prices had risen 0.8% in September for the second straight month. Oil price increases, affected by the Persian Gulf crisis, accounted for more than half of the increase.

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Tør du la' vær'?--Timm & Gordon (2nd week at #1)

At the movies
This blogger, in the company of a lovely lady, attended a preview screening of Get Shorty, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito. The movie went into general release on October 20.



20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Gwen Verdon, 75. U.S. actress and dancer. Miss Verdon was best known as a star of Broadway musicals from the 1950s through the 1970s. She was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning for her featured performance in Can-Can (1953) and her starring performances in Damn Yankees (1955); New Girl in Town (1957); and Redhead (1959). Miss Verdon's movies included Damn Yankees (1958); Cocoon (1985); and Marvin's Room (1996). She died of a heart attack in her sleep.

Julie London, 74. U.S. singer and actress. Miss London, born Julie Peck, was one of several artists to have a hit with the song Cry Me a River, with her version reaching #9 on the Billboard singles chart. She recorded numerous other singles and albums through the end of the 1960s, with her early albums in the mid-late 1950s becoming known for their sexy cover photos. Miss London's movies included The Red House (1947) and Man of the West (1958). She appeared in numerous television programs from the 1950s through the '70s, most notably co-starring as nurse Dixie McCall in the series Emergency! (1972-1978). The series was produced by her ex-husband Jack Webb and also starred her second husband, musician and songwriter Bobby Troup. Miss London died of a heart attack, five years after suffering a stroke.

Scandal
U.S. Independent Counsel Robert Ray issued his final report on the 1993 dismissal of seven employees of the White House Travel Office. He said that First Lady Hillary Clinton had given factually false testimony (i.e., lied) in playing down her role in the dismissals, which occurred soon after her husband had become president. However, Mr. Ray said he found insufficient evidence to seek criminal charges against her. Mrs. Clinton said that she had always testified accurately and fully.

Diplomacy
The United States Senate voted 86-8 to ease sanctions on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba. The House of Representatives had previously approved the measure, which prohibited private or U.S. government financing of the sales. Cuban dictator Fidel Castro said that "humiliating" restrictions would make it impossible to carry out actual transactions.

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Billy Raimondi, 97. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Raimondi, one of four brothers who played in the Pacific Coast League, was a catcher who played in 2,334 games in 22 seasons in the minor leagues (1931-1953), hitting just 12 home runs and driving in at least 380 runs. He spent his last 20 seasons in the PCL with the Oakland Oaks (1933-1935, 1937-1949); Sacramento Solons (1949-1950); and Los Angeles Angels (1951-1953). Mr. Raimondi attended the Cincinnati Reds' training camp in 1936, but injured his right arm, and missed the entire season; he declined several opportunities to go to the major leagues in subsequent seasons, as he didn't want to uproot his family. Mr. Raimondi managed the Oaks (1945) and the Magic Valley Cowboys (1956) of the Class C Pioneer League, compiling a record of 159-156, and worked as a scout for the Chicago Cubs (1956-1958). He was inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in 1951.

Baseball
American League Championship Series
Texas 8 @ New York 0 (Texas led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Cliff Lee (1-0) allowed 2 hits in 8 innings and struck out 13 batters, while Josh Hamilton's 2-run home run in the 1st inning provided the necessary scoring as the Rangers shut out the Yankees before 49,480 fans at Yankee Stadium. The Rangers broke the game open with 6 runs in the 9th.