October 11, 2021

710 years ago
1311

Religion
The peerage and clergy of the Kingdom of England published the Ordinances of 1311 to restrict King Edward II's powers.

350 years ago
1671

Born on this date
Frederik IV. King of Denmark and Norway, 1699-1730. Frederik IV acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Christian V. His reign was characterized by wars against the forces of his first cousins King Carl XII of Sweden and Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. King Frederik implemented economic reform, and oversaw an increase in trade and flourishing of culture. He suffered from dropsy in later years, and died on October 12, 1730, the day after his 59th birthday.

210 years ago
1811

Transportation
The Juliana began operation as the first steam-powered ferry in New York harbor, operating between New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey.

200 years ago
1821

Born on this date
George Williams. U.K. philanthropist. Sir George was a draper who converted from Anglicanism to Congregationalism in 1837, and led the group of men who founded the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in London in 1844. He died on November 6, 1905, 26 days after his 84th birthday. Sir George Williams University, now part of Concordia University in Montreal, was named in his honour.

160 years ago
1861

Born on this date
Eille Norwood. U.K. actor. Born Anthony Brett in York, England, Mr. Norwood played Sherlock Holmes in 47 movies released from 1921-1923. He died on December 24, 1948 at the age of 87.

Transportation
Cobb & Co Telegraphic Line of Coaches began operating in New Zealand.

150 years ago
1871

Born on this date
Johan Oscar Smith. Norwegian religious leader. Mr. Smith served with the Norwegian Navy for 40 years. He converted to Christianity in 1898, and during World War I, founded the Brunstad Christian Church, which emphasizes obedience to the Holy Spirit, and has about 40,000 adherents in 65 countries. Mr. Smith died of a heart attack on May 1, 1943 at the age of 71.

140 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Hans Kelsen. Czech-born jurist. Professor Kelsen, a native of Prague, wrote the 1920 Austrian Constitution, which is still in use today. He moved to Germany in 1930, but fled to Geneva after the Nazis took power in Germany in 1933, and settled in the United States in 1940, becoming a professor in the political science department of the University of California. Prof. Kelsen was a supporter of the Nuremberg trials of accused Nazi war criminals after World War II, but was perhaps best known for his textbook Reine Rechtslehre (Pure Theory of Law) (1934/1960), in which he used the philosophy of Immanuel Kant to define legal science. Professor Kelsen died on April 19, 1973 at the age of 91; his views remain influential and controversial.

130 years ago
1891

Died on this date
Will Smalley, 20. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Smalley was the third baseman with the Cleveland Spiders of the National League in 1890 at the age of 19, batting .213 with no home runs and 42 runs batted in in 136 games. In 1891 he lost his job to Patsy Tebeau, who had held the position before jumping to the Players' League in 1890. Mr. Smalley played 11 games for the Washington Statesmen of the American Association, batting .158 with no homers and 3 runs batted in. He soon fell ill with stomach cancer, which caused his death.

125 years ago
1896

Died on this date
Anton Bruckner, 72. Austrian composer. Mr. Bruckner was an organist who wrote nine symphonies and numerous sacred and secular choral works, as well as works for organ and piano. He was often dissatisfied with his compositions, and often reworked them.

110 years ago
1911

Hockey
Canadian leagues decided to go with teams of six players instead of seven; the rover position was abolished.

Baseball
Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers was named the American League's Most Valuable Player, while Frank "Wildfire" Schulte of the Chicago Cubs was named the National League's Most Valuable Player. Each player was awarded a Chalmers automobile. Mr. Cobb played 146 games in 1911, leading the AL with a career high batting average of .419, as well as in runs (148), hits (248), doubles (47), triples (24), runs batted in (127), and slugging (.620). Mr. Schulte played 154 games, batting .300 and leading the NL in home runs (21), RBIs (107), and slugging (.534).

100 years ago
1921

Baseball
World Series
New York Giants 8 @ New York Yankees 5 (Best-of-nine series tied 3-3)

The Giants, trailing 5-3 after 3 innings, scored 4 runs in the top of the 4th and maintained the lead from there before 34,283 fans at the Polo Grounds. Neither starting pitcher made it through the 2nd inning. Fred Toney of the Giants gave up 3 hits and 3 runs--all earned--in just 2/3 inning, and Jesse Barnes (2-0) relieved him and gave up just 4 hits and 2 earned runs in 8.1 innings. Harry Harper started for the Yankees and allowed 3 hits--including 2 home runs--and 2 bases on balls in 1.1 innings. He was replaced by Bob Shawkey (0-1), who gave up 8 hits, 2 walks, and 5 runs--3 earned--in 6.2 innings and took the loss.

90 years ago
1931

Football
NFL
Staten Island (1-1) 6 @ Brooklyn (2-4) 18
Chicago Cardinals (0-2) 7 @ Green Bay (5-0) 26
New York (1-3) 0 @ Chicago Bears (2-1) 6

80 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Piano Concerto in B Flat--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Mihkel Pung, 65. Estonian politician. Mr. Pung was Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1932 and Speaker of the National Council (upper chamber) from 1938-1940. He was arrested during the U.S.S.R. invasion of Estonia, and died in a Soviet gulag in Sverdlovsk Oblast, eight days after his 65th birthday.

Radio
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission suspended indefinitely its ruling that the National Broadcasting Company must dispose of one of its two major networks.

War
Macedonian Partisans of the People's Liberation Army of Macedonia, part of the Yugoslav Partisan movement, started a political and military campaign to resist the occupation of Vardar Macedonia by Bulgarian, German, Italian, and Albanian forces. The Soviet government announced that all women and children not engaged in war industries would be removed from Moscow. A Chinese military spokesman in Chungking alleged that Japanese bombers had drpped 300 gas bombs on Chinese troops attacking Ichang.

Ecuador announced that a Peruvian patrol had seized 12 Ecuadorian farmers in the newly established "demilitarized zone" on the Peruvian-Ecuadorian border.

Diplomacy
The Japanese embassy in the United States announced that under an agreement with the U.S. State Department, three Japanese ships would repatriate nearly 2,000 Japanese from the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii.

Defense
The U.S. Navy Department announced that a radio "manned by an agent of the German Gestapo and two Norwegians" had been discovered in Greenland and "disposed of."

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King moved to curb "inflationary tendencies" by restricting credit buying.

Business
U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle said that factories and plants may pool their production facilities to obtain arms orders without fear of prosecution under the anti-trust laws.

Football
CRU
ERFU
Montreal (0-3) 3 @ Toronto Argonauts (3-0) 24
Toronto Balmy Beach (1-2) 1 @ Ottawa (2-1) 13

WIFU
Winnipeg (3-1) 0 @ Regina (4-2) 9

75 years ago
1946

War
The Paris Peace Conference approved the Romanian peace treaty, including U.S.- and U.K.-sponsored provisions for freedom of navigation on the Danube River and convocation of a Danubian conference six months after the treaty went into effect.

Nationalist Chinese forces claimed the capture of the major Communist base of Kalgan in northern China.

World events
A Zagreb court found Yugoslavian Roman Catholic Archbishop Aloysius Stepinac guilty of aiding Croatian Premier Ante Pavelich's Ustashi regime during World War II; provoking racial hatred; and forcibly converting Serbs to Catholicism. The court sentenced Archbishop Stepinac to 16 years' hard labour and loss of property. The trial and verdict were widely regarded as a miscarriage of justice.

An attempted military revolt against Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio de Oliveira Salazar's dictatorship was put down in Estarreja, with 900 arrests reported by the government.

Diplomacy
U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom W. Bedell Smith stated in a note to the British Foreign Office that the United States stood by its position on the Dardanelles, favouring revision of the Montreux Convention, but rejecting the Soviet view that the straits issue concerned only Turkey and the U.S.S.R. He joined the U.K. in warning that the United Nations Security Council would be called into action if the straits were threatened "by an aggressor."

Defense
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested ex-servicemen George Comer, Miles Daubenheyer, and James Rike for an alleged attempt to sell photographs of atomic bomb material and equipment to the Baltimore News Post.

The U.S. Army cancelled all draft calls for the rest of 1946 due to increased voluntary enlistments.

Football
CRU
ORFU
Windsor (2-4) 2 @ Toronto Balmy Beach (3-3) 16

AAFC
Chicago (2-2-2) 21 @ Brooklyn (1-3-1) 21
Miami (1-4) 17 @ Buffalo (0-6-1) 14

Baseball
World Series
St. Louis Cardinals 3 @ Boston Red Sox 6 (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-2)

The Red Sox scored 3 runs in the 7th inning to clinch their victory before 35,982 fans at Fenway Park. Joe Dobson pitched a 4-hit complete game victory, allowing no earned runs. Harry Walker drove in all 3 St.Louis runs with a double and single.

70 years ago
1951

Died on this date
Edwin Wesley Hammer, 83. U.S. engineer. Mr. Hammer was an associate of Thomas Edison and a pioneer in commercial energy development.

War
Emperor Hirohito, addressing the opening session of the Japanese Diet, urged its members to ratify the peace treaty signed in San Francisco.

Defense
The Iraqi government announced a request for renegotiation of the 1930 treaty under which the United Kingdom maintained air bases at Habbaniya and Shaiba.

Crime
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the recent arrest of 120 suspects charged with stealing more than $1 million in government property from military bases throughout the country.

Journalism
The U.S.S.R. announced the replacement of Mikhail Suslov by L.F. Ilichev as editor of the official Communist Party newspaper Pravda.

Economics and finance
The World Bank granted Yugoslavia a $28-million economic development loan.

Baseball
Nippon Series
Yomiuri Giants 7 @ Nankai Hawks 0 (Yomiuri led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Takehiko Bessho (1–0) pitched a 6-hitter and Noboru Aota hit a home run for the Giants as they recorded their second straight shutout over the Hawks before 27,639 fans at Osaka Stadium. Susumu Yuki (0–1) took the loss.

60 years ago
1961

Died on this date
Chico Marx, 74. U.S. comedian and actor. Leonard Marx, the oldest of the Marx brothers, actually was nicknamed "Chicko" because of his success with the ladies, but it was misspelled, and the misspelling stuck. On stage and screen he played a con man of Italian origin, who was also a skilled pianist. Mr. Marx served as the brothers' unofficial manager after the death of their mother Minnie in 1929, and led a big band in the 1930s and '40s. His private life was marked by womanizing and gambling, and he died of arteriosclerosis.

Aviation
Bob White of the United States reached an altitude of 215,000 feet in an X-15 rocket plane, breaking the previous record of 169,000 feet. Mr. White, who took off from, and landed at, Edwards Air Force Base in California, reached a speed of 3,477 miles per hour.

Diplomacy
The first Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Belgrade, resulting in the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Politics and government
Paul Comtois was installed as Lieutenant Governor of Québec; he served until his death on February 21, 1966.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy addressed various issues in a press conference at the State Department Auditorium in Washington.



Baseball
Kazuhisa "Iron Man" Inao of the Nishitetsu Lions picked up his 42nd win of the season, tying the Japanese single-season record set by Victor Starffin of the Yomiuri Giants in 1939.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Daddy Cool--Drummond (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Watashi no Jôkamachi--Rumiko Koyanagi (12th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Help (Get Me Some Help)--Tony Ronald (8th week at #1)

On television today
Today, on NBC

Frank McGee began hosting the morning news program, succeeding Hugh Downs, who had resigned to pursue other interests after hosting the show for nine years.

Died on this date
Lewis "Chesty" Puller, 73. U.S. military officer. Lieutenant General Puller served with the U.S. Marine Corps (1918-1955), fighting guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua in the 1920s and '30s, and serving in World War II and the Korean War. He retired after suffering a stroke in 1955, and remains the most decorated Marine in history, earning five Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Cross. Lt. Gen. Puller's son First Lieutenant Lewis Puller, Jr. suffered severe wounds in the Vietnam War, and his son-in-law Colonel William Dabney earned a Navy Cross for his service in Vietnam.

Tommy South, 28. U.S. musician. Mr. South, born Thomas Souter, was the younger brother of singer-songwriter Joe South, and was the drummer for the Believers, Joe's backup and touring band. Tommy also wrote, arranged, and performed on the recordings of other artists. He committed suicide.

Politics and government
Social Democratic Party leader Jens Otto Krag took office as Prime Minister of Denmark, leading a minority government resulting from the September 21 general election. Mr. Krag succeeded Viggo Kampmann as SDP leader and Prime Minister.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (5-7-1) 3 @ Hamilton (6-5) 36
Saskatchewan (8-5) 24 @ Calgary (9-4) 17

NFL
New York Giants (2-2) 13 @ Dallas (3-1) 20



Baseball
World Series
Pittsburgh Pirates 3 @ Baltimore Orioles 11 (Baltimore led best-of-seven series 2-0)

The Orioles amassed 14 hits--all singles--as they routed the Pirates before 53,239 fans at Memorial Stadium. Baltimore third baseman Brooks Robinson tied a World Series record by reaching base in 5 straight plate appearances: 3 hits and 2 bases on balls. Winning pitcher Jim Palmer (1-0) batted in 2 runs by drawing walks with the bases loaded in both the 4th and 5th innings. Pittsburgh third baseman Richie Hebner broke up the shutout with a 3-run home run in the 8th inning. Starting pitcher Bob Johnson (0-1) took the loss for the Pirates.







40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury

#1 single in Switzerland: For Your Eyes Only--Sheena Easton (2nd week at #1)

Football
CFL
Toronto (1-12) 12 @ Winnipeg (8-5) 43

Winnipeg kicker Trevor Kennerd tied a CFL single-game record with 7 field goals as the Blue Bombers routed the Argonauts at Winnipeg Stadium.



Baseball
National League Division Series
Montreal 3 @ Philadelphia 0 (Montreal won best-of-five series 3-2)

Steve Rogers (2-0) pitched a 6-hitter and singled home Larry Parrish and Chris Speier with the first 2 runs in the 5th inning as the Expos shut out the Phillies before 47,384 fans at Veterans Stadium for the only post-season series win in their history in Montreal (see video).





Houston 0 @ Los Angeles 4 (Los Angeles won best-of-five series 3-2)

Jerry Reuss (1-0) pitched a 5-hitter to outduel Nolan Ryan (1-1) as the Dodgers rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate the Astros before 55,979 fans at Dodger Stadium.



American League Division Series
Milwaukee 3 @ New York 7 (New York won best-of-five series 3-2)

Reggie Jackson hit a 2-run home run with 1 out and Oscar Gamble followed with a homer as the Yankees scored 4 runs in the 4th inning in overcoming a 2-0 deficit to eliminate the Brewers before 47,505 fans at Yankee Stadium (see video).

30 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Redd Foxx, 68. American comedian and actor. Mr. Foxx, born John Elroy Sanford, became popular through a series of risque nightclub appearances and comedy albums in the 1950s and '60s, and achieved mainstream popularity as the star of the television comedy series Sanford and Son (1972-1977), taking the name of his character from his father and older brother. Mr. Foxx was starring in the comedy series The Royal Family (1991-1992) when he collapsed with a heart attack during a rehearsal, and died several hours later. His death was ironic, since he often faked having a heart attack on Sanford and Son.

Clay Kirby, 43. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Kirby played with the San Diego Padres (1969-1973); Cincinnati Reds (1974-1975); and Montreal Expos (1976), compiling a record of 75-104 with an earned run average of 3.84 in 261 games. He was a member of the Reds' World Series championship team in 1975, but didn't see post-season action. Mr. Kirby is best remembered for a game against the New York Mets on July 21, 1970, when he was pitching a no-hitter after 8 innings, but the Padres were trailing 1-0. San Diego manager Preston Gomez sent Cito Gaston in to pinch hit for Mr. Kirby; he made an out, and relief pitcher Jack Baldschun gave up 2 hits and 2 runs in the 9th as the Mets won 3-0. Mr. Kirby died of a heart attack three months after surgery for a blocked artery.

Scandal
Testifying before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Oral Roberts University law professor Anita Hill accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her; Mr. Thomas reappeared before the panel to denounce the proceedings as a "high-tech lynching."

Football
CFL
Toronto (10-5) 27 @ Winnipeg (8-7) 28

The Blue Bombers took a 21-7 lead, fell behind 24-21, but played well over the final 20 minutes to edge the Argonauts before 30,760 fans at Winnipeg Stadium.



Baseball
The New York Mets hired Jeff Torborg as manager. Mr. Torborg had resigned as manager of the Chicago White Sox to take the position with the Mets, after leading the White Sox to an 87-75 record in 1991, second in the American League West Division.

American League Championship Series
Minnesota 3 @ Toronto 2 (10 innings) (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Mike Pagliarulo's pinch-hit home run in the top of the 10th inning off Mike Timlin (0-1) broke a 2-2 tie as the Twins edged the Blue Jays before 51,454 fans at SkyDome.



25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Coco Jamboo--Mr. President (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Words--Boyzone

Died on this date
Joe Morris, 83. U.K.-born Canadian labour leader. Mr. Morris, a native of Lancashire, moved to British Columbia in 1929, working as a logger and joining the International Woodworkers of America. He gradually moved upward in the Canadian Labour Congress, serving as President of the CLC from 1974-1978.

Baseball
American League Championship Series
New York 5 @ Baltimore 2 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-1)





20 years ago
2001

Literature
V.S. Naipaul won the Nobel Prize in Literature "for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories."

Business
Polaroid Corporation filed for federal bankruptcy protection.

Baseball
American League Division Series
Cleveland 1 @ Seattle 5 (Best-of-five series tied 1-1)


Oakland 2 @ New York 0 (Oakland led best-of-five series 2-0)

10 years ago
2011

Politics and government
Premier Kathy Dunderdale, who had succeeded the retiring Danny Williams as Premier in December 2010, led her Progressive Conservative party to its third straight majority government in the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election, taking 37 of 48 seats in the House of Assembly. Mrs. Dunderdale became the first woman to lead her party to victory in Newfoundland and Labrador, although the PC total was a decrease of 6 from before the election. The Liberal Party, led by Kevin Aylward, increased its total from 4 seats to 6, while the New Democratic Party, led by Lorraine Michael, increased its total number of seats from 1 to 5.

Premier Darrell Pasloski led his Yukon Party to its third straight majority governent in the Yukon territorial election, retaining its total of 11 seats in the 19-seat Legislative Assembly. The New Democratic Party, led by Elizabeth Hanson, increased its total from 5 seats to 6, while the Liberal Party, led by Arthur Mitchell, dropped from 5 seats to 2. There were two more seats in 2011 than in the most recent election in 2006.

Baseball
American League Championship Series
Texas 2 @ Detroit 5 (Texas led best-of-seven series 2-1)