August 17, 2021

160 years ago
1861

Died on this date
Alcée Louis La Branche, 54-55. U.S. politician and diplomat. Mr. La Branche, a Democrat, was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives (1831-1833) and was chosen as its Speaker in 1833. He was U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to the Republic of Texas (1837-1840), and represented Louisiana's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1843-1845).

130 years ago
1891

Baseball
The Cincinnati Porkers of the American Association, in seventh place with a record of 43-57-2, suspended operations for the rest of the season. They were replaced by the Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League.

125 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Leslie Groves. U.S. military officer. Lieutenant General Groves joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1918 and held several positions before being appointed in 1942 to direct the Manhattan Project, the development of the atomic bomb. He directed the project until 1947, and then headed the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, which had been created to control the military aspects of nuclear weapons. Lt. Gen. Groves resigned in 1948 after being told by General Dwight D. Eisenhower that he would never be appointed Chief of Engineers, and went on to become a vice president at Sperry Rand Corporation. Lt. Gen. Groves died of a heart attack on July 13, 1970 at the age of 73.

Oliver Waterman Larkin. U.S. historian. Professor Larkin taught art history at Smith College (1924-1964) and Iowa State University (1925, 1926); his book Art and Life in America (1949) was awarded the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for History. Prof. Larkin died on December 17, 1970 at the age of 74.

Tõnis Kint. Prime Minister of Estonia in exile, 1970-1990. Mr. Kint was an agriculture bureaucrat who was director of Estonia's Department of Agriculture (1938-1940) and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1938. He worked with the puppet Estonian government under Nazi occupation during World War II, but escaped to Sweden in 1944. Mr. Tint was an agriculture bureaucrat in Sweden (1945-1975), while also holding the offices of Minister of Agriculture (1953-1970); acting Prime Minister (1964-1970); and Prime Minister in duties of the President (1970-1990) in the Estonian government in exile. He died on January 5, 1991 at the age of 95.

Died on this date
Bridget Driscoll, 44. U.K. accident victim. Mrs. Driscoll was run over by a car on the grounds of the Crystal Palace in London, thus becoming the United Kingdom's first pedestrian motoring fatality.

120 years ago
1901

Died on this date
Edmond Audran, 61. French composer. Mr. Audran was a church organist who wrote sacred music, but was best known for comic operas that were successful in Paris and the West End of London, most notably La mascotte (1880). He died after several years of physical and mental illness.

110 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Mikhail Botvinnik. U.S.S.R. chess player. Mr. Botvinnik was an an electrical engineeer and computer scientist who pioneered computer chess, and was world chess champion three times (1948-1957, 1958-1960, 1961-1963). He made significant contributions to the design of the World Chess Championship system after World War II and to the Soviet coaching system that produced world champions such as Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and Vladimir Kramnik. Mr. Botvinnik worked on a computer program to help manage the Russian economy in his later years, and was active until shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer on May 5, 1995 at the age of 83.

Politics and government
Liberal candidate Calixte-Émile Therrien won a Quebec provincial by-election by acclamation in Sherbrooke; the by-election was necessitated by the appointment of Pantaléon Pelletier to the post of general agent of Quebec in London.

80 years ago
1941

War
German troops crossed the Dnieper River in Ukraine, while the Soviet Redd Army left Nikolaev and Krivoi Rog.

Abominations
The U.S.-owned former Danish steamship Sessa, carrying food and non-military supplies to the Icelandic government, was torpedoed and sunk with the loss of 24 of its 27-man crew.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt warned Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kichisaburo Nomura against further Japanese expansion in the southwestern Pacific. U.S. Representative John Dingell (Democrat--Michigan) said that if the Japanese government refused to permit Americans to leave Japan peacefully, the United States should put 10,000 Japanese in Hawaii in concentration camps.

The British government revealed that a joint U.K.-U.S.S.R. warning had been delivered to Iran to oust 3,000 German tourists and technicians in the country.

Labour
The U.S. National Defense Mediation Board, Navy Department, Maritime Commission, and Office of Production Management urged President Roosevelt to seize the strike bound Kearny, New Jersey yard of Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company because of the company's refusal to accept the NDMB's recommendations.

Disasters
Three women were killed when 3,000 people rioted in an attempt to board a Hudson River excursion steamer in New York.

Baseball
The Brooklyn Dodgers swept a doubleheader from the Boston Braves 5-1 and 3-0 before 35,329 fans, the largest crowd of the year at Braves Field. Kirby Higbe pitched a complete game and had 4 hits off losing pitcher Jim Tobin to earn his 17th win of the season in the first game, while Whit Wyatt came within 2 outs of a perfect game in the second game, giving up just a single to Phil Masi with 1 out in the 9th inning.

The Philadelphia Phillies swept a doubleheader from the New York Giants 6-2 and 18-2 before 6,587 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Philadelphia center fielder Joe Marty had 2 hits in the first game and 5 in the second game, which was played in 1 hour 55 minutes.

The New York Yankees scored the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning in both games as they swept a doubleheader from the Philadelphia Athletics 2-1 and 4-3 before 44,412 fans at Yankee Stadium. New York center fielder Joe DiMaggio was held hitless in both games, but scored the winning run in the first game when he drew a base on balls and stole second base. When Bill Beckmann threw a wild pitch, Mr. DiMaggio didn't stop at third base, and Mr. Beckmann dropped catcher Hal Wagner's throw to home plate for an error, allowing Mr. DiMaggio to score. Mr. Beckmann allowed just 4 hits in pitching a complete game, dropping his record for the season to 2-8, while winning pitcher Spud Chandler also pitched a 4-hitter, improving to 6-4. Joe Gordon led off the bottom of the 9th inning of the second game with his second home run of the game to give the Yankees their win. Lefty Gomez, who retired the Athletics on just 3 pitches in the top of the 9th, improved his 1941 record to 11-4 as he won the pitchers' duel over Phil Marchildon, who dropped to 8-10.

Ted Lyons won the pitchers' duel over Bob Feller as the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 36,090 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Joe Kuhel beat relief pitcher Clint Brown's throw to home plate on a ground ball by Moose Solters with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the White Sox a 4-3 win in the second game to complete the sweep.

75 years ago
1946

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): To Each His Own--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio (Best Seller--2nd week at #1; Airplay--3rd week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--1st week at #1); The Gypsy--The Ink Spots (Juke Box--12th week at #1)

Died on this date
Channing Pollock, 66. U.S. playwright. Mr. Pollock wrote for the stage--including books and lyrics for musicals--from the 1900s through the early 1930s. His works included The Pit (1904); In the Bishop's Carriage (1907); and Ziegfeld Follies of 1911, 1915, and 1921. Mr. Pollock wrote screenplays for The Pit (1914); The Final Curtain (1916); and The Evil Thereof (1916).

War
Chinese Communist headquarters in Yenan reported that 8,000 Nationalist troops had been killed in fighting along the Lunghai railroad south of the Yellow River during the previous week.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. and Denmark signed a five-year trade and navigation treaty.

70 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: A Child is Crying, starring Walter Abel, Peggy Allenby, and Shirley Egleston



At the movies
Iron Man, directed by Joseph Pevney, and starring Jeff Chandler, Evelyn Keyes, Stephen McNally, Rock Hudson, and Joyce Holden, opened in theatres in limited release.



Died on this date
Antonio Riva, 55. Chinese-born Italian military aviator. Capitano Riva, the son of an Italian merchant, was a flying ace in World War I, with seven confirmed and seven unconfirmed aerial victories. He was executed by a firing squad in Peking with Japanese citizen Ruichi Yamaguchi after being convicted of being involved in a plot to assassinate Chairman Mao Zedong and other high-ranking Communist officials on October 1,1950.

World events
Political exiles from the U.S.S.R. formed a Council for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia in Stuttgart to broadcast anti-Communist propaganda in to the Soviet Union. The group was led by former Russian President Alexander Kerensky.

Crime
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested six more secondary Communist Party U.S.A. leaders, including Pennsylvania district head Steve Nelson, on conspiracy charges.

The U.S. Senate Crime Investigating Committee held its last public session after 14 months of hearings on organized crime and its political ramifications.

Archaeology
U.S. explorer Wendell Phillips claimed in London that he had found the 3,000-year-old ruins of the Queen of Sheba's ancient capital under 70 feet of sand near Marib, Yemen.

Communications
American Telephone and Telegraph Company inaugurated transcontinental telephone service with a new $40-million microwave relay system.

Scandal
A U.S. grand jury in New York indicted eight gamblers and three Bradley University basketball players on bribery and conspiracy charges.

Economics and finance
U.S. Economic Stabilization Administration Director Eric Johnston approved a new Wage Stabilization Board policy of allowing wages to rise with the cost of living.

Disasters
A 130-miles-per-hour Caribbean hurricane swept Jamaica, causing 162 deaths and $50 million in property damage, and leaving 30,000 people homeless.

60 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Raindrops--Dee Clark

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): You Don't Know--Helen Shapiro (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Jack McCandless, 70. U.S. baseball player. Mr. McCandless was an outfielder with the Baltimore Terrapins (1914-1915), batting .217 with 5 home runs and 35 runs batted in in 128 games. He played 188 games in 3 seasons in the minor leagues (1916-1917, 1920), hitting .264 with 5 home runs.

Baseball
Joe Adcock hit a 2-run home run in the 8th inning to tie the score 6-6 and Al Spangler singled home Lee Maye with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Milwaukee Braves a 7-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 12,451 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee, handing the Phillies their 20th consecutive loss, a major league record at the time. Philadelphia shortstop Bobby Malkmus batted 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 3 runs batted in.

Bobby Richardson batted 3 for 5 with 3 runs and a run batted in for the New York Yankees as they defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-3 before 25,532 fans at Yankee Stadium. Winning pitcher Bill Stafford (10-6) carried a shutout into the 9th inning, but the White Sox rallied for 3 runs and had runners on first and third bases with 2 out, but relief pitcher Luis Arroyo retired pinch hitter Bob Roselli on a fly ball to center field to end the game.

Bubba Phillips led off the bottom of the 14th inning with a base on balls and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Ken Aspromonte with 2 out to give the Cleveland Indians a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox before 4,456 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Bill Daily, the third of four Cleveland pitchers, allowed 1 hit and no runs in 4 innings, walking 1 batter and striking out 3, making 1 putout, and striking out in his only plate appearance in his major league debut.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)--Raiders (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Sweet Hitch-Hiker--Creedence Clearwater Revival (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Wilhelm List, 91. German military officer. Generalfeldmarschall List commanded forces during World War II in the invasions of Poland, France, Yugoslavia, and Greece. He was commander of Army Group A in the offensive in southern Russia in the summer of 1942, but was removed from command by Fuehrer Adolf Hitler on September 9, 1942 after the offensive stalled, and never returned to active duty. Generalfeldmarschall List was convicted of war crimes by a U.S. tribunal and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1948. He was released, ostensibly for health reasons, in December 1952, and lived for almost 19 more years until his death.

Horace McMahon, 65. U.S. actor. Mr. McMahon played heavies in numerous movies in the 1930s and '40s, but became known for playing Lieutenant Monaghan in the play (1949) and movie (1951) Detective Story. He played Lt. Mike Parker in the television series Naked City (1958-1963), receiving an Emmy Award nomination in 1962. Mr. McMahon died from a heart ailment.

Baseball
Burt Hooton of the Tacoma Tigers tied a Pacific Coast League record for a 9-inning game when he struck out 19 batters as the Tigers won 5-1 at home over the Eugene Emeralds.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): DEV-O Live (EP)--Devo

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Shiroi Parasol--Seiko Matsuda (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Enola Gay--Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes (6th week at #1)

30 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)--Crystal Waters (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)--Crystal Waters (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): La Zoubida--Lagaf' (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (6th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (2nd week at #1)
2 Now that We Found Love--Heavy D and the Boyz
3 Driver's Seat--Sniff 'n' the Tears
4 Burbujas de Amor--Juan Luis Guerra y 4;40
5 Send Me an Angel--Scorpions
6 Baila Me--Gipsy Kings
7 You Could Be Mine--Guns N' Roses
8 Always There--Incognito featuring Jocelyn Brown
9 Danca Tago-Mago--Kaoma
10 Baila Mi Rumba--Rumba Tres

Singles entering the chart were Winter in July by Bomb the Bass (#23); Beat of Zen by Sonic Surfers featuring Prhyme (#27); Eenmaal in Je Leven by Koos Alberts (#30); Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (#32); The Wild Places '91 by Duncan Browne (#34); I Say Yeah by Secchi featuring Orlando Johnson (#36); and Let the Beat Hit 'Em by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (4th week at #1)
2 Every Heartbeat--Amy Grant
3 It Ain't Over 'til it's Over--Lenny Kravitz
4 Summertime--D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
5 Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)--Roxette
6 Temptation--Corina
7 P.A.S.S.I.O.N.--Rythm Syndicate
8 I'll Be There--Escape Club
9 Wind of Change--Scorpions
10 3 A.M. Eternal--The KLF

Singles entering the chart were Romantic by Karyn White (#52); Gett Off by Prince and the New Power Generation (#66); Kiss Them for Me by Siouxsie & the Banshees (#78); I'm Not Your Puppet by Hi-C (#80); Power Windows by Billy Falcon (#84); Wishing on the Same Star by Keedy (#86); The Beat is Hot by B.G. the Prince of Rap (#89); Face the Music by RTZ (#90); When Love Cries by Donna Summer (#92); and After the Summer's Gone by PC Quest (#93).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (3rd week at #1)
2 Every Heartbeat--Amy Grant
3 P.A.S.S.I.O.N.--Rythm Syndicate
4 Fading Like a Flower--Roxette
5 Temptation--Corina
6 It Ain't Over 'til it's Over--Lenny Kravitz
7 Right Here, Right Now--Jesus Jones
8 The Promise of a New Day--Paula Abdul
9 I'll Be There--Escape Club
10 Crazy--Seal

Singles entering the chart were Romantic by Karyn White (#66); Till Somebody Loves You by Henry Lee Summer (#77); That's the Way Love Goes by Young M.C. (#82); Running Back to You by Vanessa Williams (#86); After the Summer's Gone by PC Quest (#88); and Face the Music by RTZ (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (3rd week at #1)
2 Fading Like a Flower--Roxette
3 It Ain't Over 'til it's Over--Lenny Kravitz
4 Superman's Song--Crash Test Dummies
5 Something to Talk About--Bonnie Raitt
6 The Motown Song--Rod Stewart (with the Temptations)
7 Learning to Fly--Tom Petty
8 Every Heartbeat--Amy Grant
9 Crazy--Seal
10 The Rhythm of Your Love--Glass Tiger

Singles entering the chart were Love...Thy Will Be Done by Martika (#80); Lies by EMF (#84); Days of Youth by the Kite (#88); My Name is Not Susan by Whitney Houston (#90); Jet City Woman by Queensryche (#92); Wherever R U by Spunkadelic (#93); By My Side by INXS (#98); and The Real Love by Bob Seger (#99).

Crime
Taxi driver Wade Frankum shot seven people to death and injured six others in Sydney, Australia before turning the gun on himself.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Because You Loved Me--Celine Dion (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Fable--Robert Miles (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Macarena--Los Del Rio (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Aquarius--Party Animals

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Wannabe--Spice Girls (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)--Los Del Rio (3rd week at #1)
2 Twisted--Keith Sweat
3 C'mon n' Ride It (The Train)--Quad City DJ's
4 You're Makin' Me High/Let it Flow--Toni Braxton
5 Change the World--Eric Clapton
6 Loungin--LL Cool J
7 I Can't Sleep Baby (If I)--R. Kelly
8 How Do U Want It/California Love--2Pac featuring K-Ci and JoJo/2 Pac featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman
9 I Love You Always Forever--Donna Lewis
10 Give Me One Reason--Tracy Chapman

Singles entering the chart were It's All Coming Back to Me Now by Celine Dion (#27); Who You Are by Pearl Jam (#35); Use Your Heart by SWV (#52); Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis (#61); Wu-Wear: The Garment Renaissance by RZA featuring Method Man & Cappadonna (#63); Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) by Maxwell (#78); As Long as it Matters by Gin Blossoms (#91); and Jellyhead by Crush (#97). Wu-Wear: The Garment Renaissance was from the movie High School High (1996).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 You're Makin' Me High/Let it Flow--Toni Braxton (6th week at #1)
2 Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)--Los Del Rio
3 Twisted--Keith Sweat
4 I Love You Always Forever--Donna Lewis
5 I Can't Sleep (If I)--R. Kelly
6 Change the World--Eric Clapton
7 C'mon n' Ride It (The Train)--Quad City DJ’s
8 You Learn/You Oughta Know--Alanis Morissette
9 Who Will Save Your Soul--Jewel
10 Loungin--LL Cool J

Singles entering the chart were Po Pimp by Do or Die featuring Twista (#60); Do You Miss Me by Jocelyn Enriquez (#66); Tell Me (I’ll Be Around) by the Shades (#80); As Long as it Matters by Gin Blossoms (#87); and But Anyway by Blues Traveler (#88).

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (2-6) 8 @ Edmonton (5-3) 25

Kavis Reed returned an interception 106 yards for a touchdown and Danny McManus completed a 31-yard TD pass to Eddie Brown as the Eskimos took a 22-0 lead in the 1st quarter and coasted to victory over the Roughriders before 36,011 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. The Edmonton defense sacked Saskatchewan quarterbacks Warren Jones and Kevin Mason 8 times.

20 years ago
2001

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (2-5) 13 @ Calgary (3-4) 37
British Columbia (4-3) 35 @ Edmonton (3-4-0-1) 17

The Eskimos jumped out to a 17-0 lead, but the Lions came back with 35 unanswered points. Damon Allen threw 3 touchdown passes for the Lions, and Robert Drummond rushed for 2 more B.C. touchdowns. Edmonton quarterback Jason Maas threw 2 touchdown passes to Ed Hervey. Running back Rod Smart, who had attracted attention in the XFL for wearing the words "He Hate Me" on the back of his jersey, played as a kick returner for the Eskimos in this game at Commonwealth Stadium, wearing just his surname and the number 20 on the back of his jersey. It was his only CFL game.

Baseball
Jeff Frye became the second Toronto Blue Jay to hit for the cycle, scoring 2 runs and driving in 3, as the Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 11-3 before 22,384 fans at SkyDome in Toronto. Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez hit 2 solo home runs and a double.

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Larry Johnson, 78. U.S. disc jockey. "Larry the Legend" was the best-known and highest-paid disc jockey in Milwaukee in the late 1970s and 1980s.