August 16, 2021

260 years ago
1761

Born on this date
Yevstigney Fomin. Russian composer. Mr. Fomin was a harpsichordist who was best known for composing about 30 operas, most notably Orfey i Evridika (Orpheus and Eurydice) (1792). He died in poverty on April 28, 1800 at the age of 38.

190 years ago
1831

Born on this date
John Jones Ross. Canadian politician. Mr. Ross, a native of Quebec City, was a Conservative who represented Champlain in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada (1861-1867); Quebec Legislative Assembly (September-November 1867); and Canadian House of Commons (1867-1874). He represented Shawinigan in the Legislative Council of Quebec (1867-1901) and the Quebec riding of De la Durantaye in the Canadian Senate (1887-1901). Mr. Ross was Premier of Quebec (1884-1887) and Speaker of the Senate (1891-1896), and was Minister Without Portfolio in the federal government for two months in 1896. He died in Quebec City on May 4, 1901 at the age of 69.

180 years ago
1841

Economics and finance
U.S. President John Tyler vetoed a bill which called for the re-establishment of the Second Bank of the United States. Enraged members of Mr. Tyler's Whig Party rioted outside the White House in the most violent demonstration on White House grounds in history.

160 years ago
1861

Died on this date
Ranavalona I, 82-83 (?). Queen of Madagascar, 1828-1861. Ranavalona I was the highest-ranking wife of King Radama I, and succeeded in positioning herself as his successor after his death. She pursued a policy of isolationism and self-sufficiency, and opposed Christian missionary efforts. The population of Madagascar declined from 5 million in 1833 to 2.5 million in 1839, with war and disease among the contributing factors. Queen Ranavalona died in her sleep after a period of illness, and was succeeded by her son Radama II. Western contemporaries and historians regarded Ranavalona I as a tyrant, but more recent views depict her as a sovereign trying to expand her empire while protecting it from foreign influence.

125 years ago
1896

Canadiana
Skookum Jim Mason, George Carmack and Dawson Charlie discovered gold in a tributary of the Klondike River in Yukon, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush.

110 years ago
1911

Baseball
The Cleveland Naps released 44-year-old pitching ace Cy Young; he had a record of 3-4 with an earned run average of 3.88 in 7 games with the Naps in 1911. Mr. Young signed with the Boston Rustlers three days later to finish his major league career.

100 years ago
1921

Died on this date
Peter I, 77. King of Serbia, 1903-1918; King of the Serb, Croats and Slovenes, 1918-1921. Peter I was the third son of Prince Alexander Karađorđević, and acceded to the throne after a military coup and the assassination of King Aleksandar I. King Peter supported a constitutional government and reigned during the Balkan Wars, but spent most of World War I in exile on the Greek island of Corfu. He was proclaimed King of the Serb, Croats and Slovenes on December 1, 1918, and returned to Belgrade in 1919; his son Alexander I succeeded him, with the title King of Yugoslavia.

80 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Daddy--Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye (vocal refrain by the Kaye Choir) (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
William Z. Ripley, 73. U.S. economist, sociologist, and anthropologist. Dr. Ripley was known for his criticisms of American railroad economics and American business practices in the 1920s and 1930s, and later for his tripartite racial theory of Europe, which was popular with eugenicists. His books included The Races of Europe: A Sociological Study (1899) and Main Street and Wall Street (1927). Dr. Ripley retired in 1933 after a couple of nervous breakdowns.

War
The government of Ecuador claimed that Peruvian troops had again attacked in the disputed border zone.

Diplomacy
The Cuban government revealed that Germany had ordered Cuban consular officials in occupied European countries to leave by September 1. Japanese military authorities announced that foreigners in Manchukuo must leave before August 18, and that all Manchurians in northern China must return by the same date.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. and U.K. signed a trade treaty under which Britain would give the Soviet Union a credit of £10 million with which to buy strategic British materials. The New York State American Legion convention adopted a resolution opposing any U.S. aid to the U.S.S.R. The Congress of Industrial Organizations United Auto Workers convention adopted a resolution urging American aid to those who fought German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler, but opposing U.S. entry into foreign wars.

Politics and government
Philippine President Manuel Quezon and Vice President Sergio Osmena were renominated by the Nacionalista Party as its sole candidates for the November 1941 elections, assuring them of another two-year term.

75 years ago
1946

At the movies
The Time of Their Lives, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, opened in theatres.





Protest
A protest called by the Muslim League Council in Calcutta produced mass rioting, resulting in as many as 8,000 deaths in 72 hours.

War
At the Tokyo trial of accused Japanese war criminals, former Chinese Emperor Pu Yi testified that he had become the puppet rulier of Manchuria because of Japanese threats against his life.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. demanded that France be denied the right to vote on commissions of the Paris Peace Conference dealing with the Romanian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Finnish treaties.

Politics and government
Democratic candidate Dumarsais Estime was elected President of Haiti by the General Constituent Assembly.

U.S. President Harry Truman said that he may ask Congress to pass legislation admitting more Jewish refugees and European displaced persons as permanent U.S. residents; he also emphasized that the United States had no solution of its own to the Palestine problem.

Economics and finance
The U.S.A. and U.K. rejected a French proposal to create special offices under the Allied Control Council in Berlin for coordination of economic activities in the four zones of Germany.

Labour
The All Hyderabad Trade Union Congress was founded in Secunderabad, India.

Disasters
The heaviest rainfall recorded in St. Louis in 109 years flooded the city, causing two deaths, making 2,000 families homeless, and causing an estimated $2 million in property damage.

70 years ago
1951

Died on this date
Jasper McCoy, 84. U.S. man. Mr. McCoy was the last surviving member of the McCoy clan to participate in their 1863-1891 feud with the Hatfields in the area along the Kentucky-West Virginia border. He died in Zebulon, Kentucky.

Eduardo Chibás, 44. Cuban politician. Mr. Chibás was a nationalist and revolutionary who founded the anti-Communist Partido Ortodoxo (Orthodox Party) in 1947, and made weekly radio broadcasts in which he frequently accused the administration of President Carlos Prío Socarrás of corruption. Mr. Chibás was regarded as a favourite to win the 1952 presidential election. On August 5, 1951, he made his weekly broadcast from the Radiocentro CMQ Building in Havana; he had promised to provide evidence for his claim that Education Minister Aureliano Sánchez Arango was embezzling money, but instead talked about other topics, and warned that Fulgencio Batista might attempt a military coup. Mr. Chibás then made a farewell statement; after the conclusion of the broadcast he shot himself in the stomach. He was expected to recover, but died the day after his 44th birthday.

War
U.S. and Communists truce negotiators in Kaesong created a four-man subcommittee to study the problem of the cease-fire location in Korea.

Medicine
The Indiana University Medical Center reported successful treatment of lockjaw with curare and seconal.

60 years ago
1961

Football
CFL
Ottawa (1-1) 19 @ Winnipeg (4-0) 29

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Eagle Rock--Daddy Cool (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Watashi no Jōkamachi--Rumiko Koyanagi (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Fin de Semana--Los Diablos (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Spyros Skouras, 78. Greek-born U.S. motion picture executive. Mr. Skouras emigrated to the United States with his brothers in 1910, and the brothers opened their first movie theatre in 1914. Mr. Skouras was general manager of the Warner Brothers Theater Circuit from 1929-1931, and the brothers took over management of the Fox West Coast Theater chain in 1932. Mr. Skouras initiated ther merger of Fox with Twentieth Century Pictures in 1935, and served as President of 20th Century Fox from 1942-1962, and as chairman of the company for several years thereafter. He died of a heart attack.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (1-4) 12 @ Calgary (4-0) 36

Winnipeg quarterback Benji Dial punted 90 yards for a single on a quick kick; it was the only punt of his CFL career.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Atmosphere--Joy Division

#1 single in Switzerland: Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes (7th week at #1)

Auto racing
Geoff Brabham of Australia won the Can-Am sports car race in Edmonton, with Teo Fabi of Italy finishing second. Only about 4,000 fans showed up on a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon, far less than the 12,000 required for the event to break even financially. It was the last major event ever held at Edmonton International Speedway, which had been a regular stop on the Can-Am circuit in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (5-2) 37 @ British Columbia (5-1) 23

Baseball
Intercontinental Cup @ Renfrew Park, Edmonton
Bronze Medal game
South Korea 3 @ Dominican Republic 4 (15 innings)

Gold Medal game
Cuba 5 @ U.S.A. 6 (10 innings)

The U.S.A. was leading 5-3 with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning when the Cubans tied it with a 2-run homer. The winning run was set up when a throw from a Cuban infielder went into the dugout past first base. The first base umpire ruled that the batter had already reached first safely and was entitled to move up 2 bases to third on the overthrow. The Cubans protested vehemently and threatened to leave, but the game resumed and the Americans scored the winning run. Had they not scored then, the Cubans were just four minutes away from leaving the field and heading for the airport to catch their flight out of Canada. It was a memorable end to a memorable tournament.

30 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Luigi Zampa, 86. Italian film director. Mr. Zampa wrote and directed almost 40 movies from 1941-1979, including Campane a martello (Alarm Bells) (1949) and its English remake, Children of Chance (1949). He was known for neo-realist films in the 1940s, but achieved success in the Commedia all'italiana genre in the 1950s and '60s.

Disasters
Indian Airlines Flight 257, a Boeing 737-200 en route from Calcutta, crashed during approach to Imphal Municipal Airport, killing all 69 people on board.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (0-6) 24 @ Winnipeg (3-3) 25

Robert Mimbs rushed 2 yards for a touchdown, converted by Trevor Kennerd, to give the Blue Bombers the lead with 5 minutes remaining in regulation time, and Hamilton kicker Paul Osbaldiston was unsuccessful on a 56-yard field goal attempt on the last play before 25,985 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): e.p.--Gyllene Tider (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Wannabe--Spice Girls (2nd week at #1)

Football
CFL
Calgary (7-1) 47 @ Hamilton (4-4) 10

Larry Jusdanis, a Canadian, made his first start as a CFL quarterback with Hamilton, but was unsuccessful as the Stampeders routed the Tiger-Cats before 20,072 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Kelvin Anderson rushed for 2 Calgary touchdowns.

20 years ago
2001

Scandal
Paul Burrell, former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, was charged with stealing 342 items from her estate.

Football
CFL
Toronto (2-5) 25 @ Montreal (6-1) 40



Winnipeg (5-2) 20 @ Hamilton (3-4) 17

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox, second in the American League East Division with a record of 65-53, fired Jimy Williams as manager and replaced him with pitching coach Joe Kerrigan.

Barry Bonds' 3-run home run--his second homer of the game and 53rd of the season--climaxed a 4-run 8th inning for the San Francisco Giants as they came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Florida Marlins 5-3 before 41,804 fans at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco.

Jeremy Fikac (1-0), making his major league debut as a relief pitcher with the San Diego Padres, struck out the side in the 8th inning--his only inning of work--and became the winning pitcher when Mike Darr hit a 2-run home run with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning, enabling the San Diego Padres to beat the New York Mets 6-5 before 22,614 fans at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Trevor Hoffman retired the Mets in order in the 9th for his 30th save of the season.

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Mihri Belli, 95. Turkish political activist. Mr. Belli was a member of the Communist Party of Turkey from 1940 until he was expelled in the 1960s; he was arrested numerous times, and spent a total of 11 years in prison and 18 in exile. Mr. Belli moved toward democratic socialism in later years and co-founded various parties, the last of which, in 2002, was the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP). He died of respiratory distress.