October 18, 2021

940 years ago
1081

War
Norman forces commanded by Robert Guiscard defeated Byzantine Empire forces led by Emperor Alexios I in the Battle of Dyrrhachium in what is now Albania.

480 years ago
1541

Died on this date
Margaret, 51. Queen consort of Scotland, 1503-1513. Margaret, the eldest daughter and second child of King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of England, married King James IV of Scotland in 1503, linking the royal houses of both countries. She was queen consort until King James' death in the Battle of Flodden in 1513. James IV was succeeded by the couple's infant son James V, with dowager Queen Margaret approved as regent. She married Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus in 1514, which resulted in her removal as regent of Scotland. The couple fled to England in 1515, but he soon returned to Scotland, and she returned to Scotland in 1517 as their marriage deteriorated. James V was raised to full kingly powers at the age of 12 in 1524. Dowager Queen Margaret was granted a divorce from Lord Angus in 1527, and married Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven in 1528, but her third marriage was no happier than her second. She spent her later years promoting greater understanding between England and Scotland. Dowager Queen Margaret died of palsy--perhaps from a stroke--at Methven castle in Scotland.

190 years ago
1831

Born on this date
Friedrich III. Kaiser of Germany and King of Prussia, March 9-June 15, 1888. Friedrich III succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father, Wilhelm I, but was already suffering from terminal cancer of the larynx and died on June 15, 1888 at the age of 56, after just 99 days on the throne. He was succeeded by his son Wilhelm II.

170 years ago
1851

Literature
The novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville was first published in London by Richard Bentley under the title The Whale.

160 years ago
1861

Economics and finance
Herbert Mortimer was elected the first President of the Toronto Stock Exchange Association by 24 brokers meeting in the Masonic Hall. The TSE opened for business on October 25, with 13 shares listed.

150 years ago
1871

Died on this date
Charles Babbage, 79. U.K. mathematician and engineer. Mr. Babbage was a polymath who has been called the "father of the computer" for devising the Difference Engine, the first mechanical computer, in the 1820s, and the Analytical Engine in 1837. He died of cystitis and kidney failure.

140 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Max Gerson. German-born physician. Dr. Gerson began his career in his native Germany, specializing in the treatment of tuberculosis. He fled Germany when the Nazis came to power in 1933, and ended up in the United States in 1936, becoming an American citizen in 1942. Dr. Gerson developed the Gerson Therapy, a dietary-based alternative cancer treatment that he claimed could cure cancer and most chronic, degenerative diseases. He died of pneumonia on March 8, 1959 at the age of 77. The National Cancer Institute has concluded that the data didn't support Dr. Gerson's claims, and may lead to significant health problems.

120 years ago
1901

Died on this date
Nicholas Flood Davin, 61. U.K.-born Canadian politician and journalist. Mr. Davin, a native of Ireland, moved to Toronto in 1872 and wrote for The Globe before moving west, founding and editing the Regina Leader in 1883. A Conservative, he represented Assiniboia West in the Canadian House of Commons (1887-1900), advocating for provincial status for what eventually became Saskatchewan. In 1878 he was sent by the federal government to the United States to investigate education of Indians. He returned with praise for the American system of concentrating Indians on reservations and giving them industrial education, and in 1879 issued the Davin Report, recommending what became Canada's system of Indian residential schools. Mr. Davin never achieved his goal of becoming a cabinet minister; with his personal and political fortunes on the decline, he fatally shot himself in Winnipeg.

110 years ago
1911

Died on this date
Alfred Binet, 54. French psychologist. Mr. Binet, born Alfredo Binetti, obtained a law degree and worked as a physiologist before becoming a researcher at the Laboratory of Experimental Psychology at the Sorbonne, eventually serving as its director. He invented the first practial intelligence quotient test--the Binet–Simon test--in 1904, in response to a request from the French Ministry of Education. Mr. Binet revised his test in 1908 and 1911, shortly before his death from a stroke.

Baseball
World Series
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Athletics (postponed, rain) (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 2-1)

100 years ago
1921

Born on this date
Jesse Helms. U.S. politician. Mr. Helms, a Democrat from 1942-1970 and a Republican from 1970 until his death, represented North Carolina in the United States Senate from 1973-2003. He was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995-2001, and had a considerable voice in American foreign policy. Sen. Helms was known for his political and social conservatism, and was a major figure in conservative American politics for 30 years. He died on July 4, 2008 at the age of 86.

Died on this date
Ludwig III, 76. King of Bavaria, 1913-1918. Ludwig III, the son of Prince Regent Luitpold, was an Oberleutnant in the Army and a member of the Bavarian Senate before becoming regent upon the death of his father in 1912, while King Otto was regarded as mentally unfit to reign. A constitutional amendment passed a year later allowed a regent to depose the monarch if the regency had lasted for more than 10 years, with no hope of the monarch being able to reign. Prince Regent Ludwig promptly deposed King Otto and proclaimed himself King Ludwig III. He was loyal to Prussia during World War I, and became increasingly unpopular as the war went on. King Ludwig was dethroned on November 13, 1918, two days after the Armistice, and briefly fled to Hungary, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland out of fear and assassination, returning to Bavaria in 1920. He was at his castle in Hungary when he died, but his body was returned to Bavaria for burial. King Ludwig's son Crown Prince Rupprecht declined to restore the monarchy by force.

Europeana
The Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed as part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

90 years ago
1931

Died on this date
Thomas Edison, 84. U.S. inventor. Mr. Edison's many inventions included the phonograph, the incandescent light bulb, and motion pictures. It's been said that when he first turned on his light bulb, he leaned over it and said, "Hello? Hello?" See the Edison Museum for more information.

Football
NFL
Frankford (0-4-1) 0 @ Green Bay (6-0) 15
Cleveland (2-3) 13 @ Providence (1-1-2) 6
Chicago Cardinals (0-3) 13 @ Chicago Bears (3-1) 26
Staten Island (1-2) 0 @ New York (2-3) 7
Portsmouth (6-0) 19 @ Brooklyn (2-5) 0

80 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Piano Concerto in B Flat--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Manuel Teixeira Gomes, 81. 7th President of Portugal, 1923-1925. Mr. Teixeira Gomes was Portuguese Minister to the United Kingdom from 1911-1918 and 1919-1923. He was an unsuccessful Partido Democrático (Democratic Party) candidate for President in 1919, but was elected as an independent in 1923. Mr. Teixeira Gomes was the target of constant opposition from the Nationalist Party, and resigned, under the pretext of poor health, on December 11, 1925. He went into exile six days later, and died in French Algeria.

War
Soviet troops slowed down the German attack on Moscow, while the German command announced that the 17-day battle of Bryansk and Vyazma on the central front had ended with the destruction of eight U.S.S.R. armies. U.K. and U.S.S.R. troops evacuated Tehran.

Politics and government
Lieutenant General Hideki Tojo formed a new cabinet in Japan with himself as Prime Minister, War Minister, and Home Minister.

Defense
U.S. Senators Carter Glass (Democrat--Virginia) and Claude Pepper (Democrat--Florida) urged that the entire Neutrality Act be repealed. A Gallup Poll reported that 72% of American voters favoured amending the Neutrality Act to permit the arming of U.S. merchant ships.

Education
In a survey conducted for the American Association for Adult Education, Dr. Ruth Kotinsky estimated that at least 16 million people in the United States over the age of 10 were functionally illiterate.

Economics and finance
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King announced that, effective November 15, 1941, his government had decided to control prices and wages in order to avert inflation.

Football
CRU
ERFU
Montreal (0-4) 1 Toronto Argonauts (4-0) 12 @ Kingston
Ottawa (3-1) 3 @ Toronto Balmy Beach (1-3) 0

Pat Reid and Mike Meikle scored touchdowns for the Argonauts in their win over the Bulldogs at Richardson Stadium.

George Fraser's field goal was all the scoring in the Rough Riders' win over Balmy Beach.

WIFU
Winnipeg (5-2) 15 @ Regina (5-2) 1

Mel Wilson and Ken Preston scored touchdowns for the Blue Bombers in their apparent win over the Roughriders at Park de Young. Six days later, the game was forfeited to the Roughriders when it was ruled that Mr. Preston, who had formerly played for the Roughriders, hadn't lived in Winnipeg long enough to satisfy the WIFU's residency requirements and had therefore been ineligible to play for Winnipeg. Mr. Preston went on to serve as the Saskatchewan Roughriders' general manager from 1958-1977 and ended up in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a builder.

75 years ago
1946

War
The Chinese Communist Central Executive Committee rejected Nationalist leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's October 16 truce proposal.

Diplomacy
United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie rejected a new membership application from Albania.

The United Nations Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees announced that "travel documents" similar to passports would be issued to displaced persons starting January 15, 1947.

German-born Argentine citizen Teodoro Erdmann Lau was charged in New York with espionage and identified as the paymaster of German spies in the United States during World War II.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Montreal (4-2-2) 19 @ Hamilton (0-7-2) 0

AAFC
Miami (1-5) 7 @ Chicago (3-2-2) 28

70 years ago
1951

War
The Soviet government announced its rejection of an American appeal for U.S.S.R. intervention in the Korean truce talks. U.S. forces captured "Bayonet Ridge" near Yonchon on the western Korean front after heavy close-quarter fighting.

World events
East German police occupied the West Berlin suburb of Steinstuecken, claiming that the area was a hotbed of black market activity.

Defense
Canada agreed to maintain a 12,000-man army and air force in Europe as part of its NATO commitment.

Sir Brian Robertson, British land forces commander in the Middle East, declared that the British would "maintain our position" in the Suez.

Diplomacy
A U.S. Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee rejected Presidnet Harry Truman's nomination of Philip Jessup as U.S. delegate to the United Nations, responding to Republican Party charges that Mr. Jessup advocated policies which had led to the Communist victory in China.

Politics and government
U.S. High Commissioner for Occupied Germany John J. McCloy said that the United States would endorse an all-German election if the Communists accepted United Nations supervision and agreed to a free campaign.

Medicine
Dr. Max Theiler of the Rockefeller Foundation's International Health Division was named the winner of the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for his discoveries concerning yellow fever and how to combat it."

60 years ago
1961

Died on this date
Tsuru Aoki, 69. Japanese-born actress. Miss Aoki emigrated to the United States with her aunt and uncle in 1899, beginning her acting career on stage in San Francisco, moving on to New York and then back to California. From 1913-1924 she appeared in 43 movies, 20 of which co-starred Sessue Hayakawa, whom she married in 1914. Miss Aoki's films included The Wrath of the Gods (1914); The Dragon Painter (1919); and The Breath of the Gods (1920). She retired to domestic life in 1924, with her only subsequent film appearance coming in Hell to Eternity (1960). Miss Aoki died of acute peritonitis.

Politics and government
Elmer Roper, representing the Civic Government Association, was re-elected mayor in the Edmonton municipal election, with 63.9% of the vote to 22.3% for Civic Reform Association candidate Ed Leger and 13.8% for independent Ron Simmons. The CGA also swept the five open seats on city council, with McKim Ross, Angus McGugan, Stan Milner, Gordon McClary, and Les Bodie being elected to two-year terms, joining aldermen Fred Mitchell, George Prudham, Morris Weinlos, Ethel Wilson, and Milton Lazerte, who all had one year remaining in their terms.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Daddy Cool--Drummond (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ame no Ballad--Masayuki Yuhara

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Help (Get Me Some Help)--Tony Ronald (9th week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. Premier Alexei Kosygin, on the second day of his visit to Ottawa, was not injured when assaulted by Hungarian immigrant Geza Matrai. Mr. Matrai was sentenced on January 7, 1972 to three months in prison.



Football
NFL
Pittsburgh (2-3) 16 @ Kansas City (4-1) 38

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: For Your Eyes Only--Sheena Easton (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
Andreas Papandreou led his Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) to a majority government in the Greek general election, taking 172 of 300 seats in the Greek Parliament. PASOK's total was an increase of 79 from its total before the election. The governing New Democracy of Prime Minister Georgios Rallis was second with 115 seats, a decline of 56. The Communist Party won the remaining 15 seats.

Football
CFL
Calgary (6-8) 10 @ Ottawa (5-10) 21
Edmonton (13-1-1) 41 @ Saskatchewan (8-6) 29

Edmonton quarterback Warren Moon completed a 91-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly on the first game of scrimmage, and the Eskimos rolled up a 34-7 halftime lead at Taylor Field in Regina before Mr. Moon departed in favour of Tom Wilkinson. The pass to Mr. Kelly was the longest completion of Mr. Moon's six-year CFL career.

Baseball
National League Championship Series
Los Angeles @ Montreal (postponed, rain) (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

Nippon Series
Nippon-Ham Fighters 1 @ Yomiuri Giants 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

30 years ago
1991

Europeana
The Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a declaration of independence from the U.S.S.R.

Football
CIAU
Manitoba (4-2) 48 @ Alberta (2-5) 11

Alberta third-string quarterback Olwen Lepps, a heart transplant recipient who had lost an eye to cancer during childhood, finally saw some game action in the last few minutes at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton after spending his freshman season with the Golden Bears on the sidelines. He completed 3 of 5 passes--he completed the first 3--and showed that he had the ability to absorb a hard hit, when he was flattened by a Bison defender.

Baseball
The Chicago Cubs fired manager Jim Essian. He had replaced Don Zimmer early in the season and had posted a record of 59-63 as the Cubs finished at 77-83, fourth in the National League East Division.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Coco Jamboo--Mr. President (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Words--Boyzone (2nd week at #1)

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (8-8) 15 @ Hamilton (8-8) 25

Anthony Calvillo completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to Mac Cody and Paul Osbaldiston added 6 field goals and a convert as the Tiger-Cats built a 19-2 halftime lead and hung on to defeat the Blue Bombers before 17,567 fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium.



20 years ago
2001

Terrorism
Four defendants were convicted in New York for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

Baseball
Larry Dierker resigned after 5 seasons as manager of the Houston Astros. The Astros had finished first in the National League Central Division in four of the five seasons, but had never been able to advance past the first round of post-season play.

American League Championship Series
New York 3 @ Seattle 2 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Scott Brosius doubled in 2 runs and then scored on a single by Chuck Knoblauch as the Yankees scored all their runs in the top of the 2nd inning against losing pitcher Freddy Garcia (0-1) before 47,791 fans at Safeco Field. The Mariners came back with 2 in the bottom of the 4th when Stan Javier hit a 2-run home run off winning pitcher Mike Mussina (1-0). Mariano Rivera picked up his second save of the series for the Yankees.





10 years ago
2011

Diplomacy
Gilad Shalit, a 25-year-old Israeli soldier, was released after being held for more than five years by the Palestinian terrorist orgainzation Hamas; he was exchanged for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Mr. Shalit had been held in Gaza since being kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists in 2006.