July 27, 2008

1,330 years ago
678

War
Sclaveni attackers were forced to give up their siege of the Byzantine city of Thessalonica, being unable to penetrate the city's defenses.

230 years ago
1778

War
British and French fleets fought to a standoff in the First Battle of Ushant at the mouth of the English Channel.

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Joseph Mitchell. U.S. journalist. Mr. Mitchell had a career spanning more than 60 years, and was known for his character studies of people and events in New York City that appeared in The New Yorker. He died on May 24, 1996 at the age of 87.

90 years ago
1918

Died on this date
Albert "Ginger" Goodwin, 31. U.K.-born Canadian labour activist. Mr. Goodwin was a coal miner who moved to Canada in 1910. He became a labour organizer and draft dodger who was shot by Dominion Police Special Constable Dan Campbell outside Cumberland, British Columbia. On August 2, the day of Mr. Goodwin's funeral, union members in Vancouver started a 24-hour strike and battled returning servicemen.

80 years ago
1928

Disasters
Flames were reported to be ravaging 450 square miles of growing wheat near Walla Walla, Washington; grain fires destroyed 13 homes near Winona.

An explosion on an oil barge on the Buffalo River in New York killed one man, drowned another, and caused $1 million damage to shipping.

60 years ago
1948

Died on this date
Joe Tinker, 68. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Tinker was a shortstop with the Chicago Cubs (1902-1912, 1916); Cincinnati Reds (1913); and Chicago Whales (1914-1915), batting .262 with 31 home runs and 782 runs batted in in 1,806 games. He was mainly known for his defensive ability as part of the famous double play combination "Tinker to Evers to Chance" with second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance, helping the Cubs to four National League pennants from 1906-1910 and World Series championships in 1907 and 1908. Mr. Tinker managed the Reds (1913), Whales (1914-1915), and Cubs (1916), leading the Whales to the Federal League pennant in the last season of the FL's existence. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with Messrs. Evers and Chance, in 1946, and died on his 68th birthday of complications from diabetes.

Susan Giaspell, 66. U.S. playwright. Miss Giaspell won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1931 for Alison's House.

Space
The University of California's Lick Observatory announced the discovery of the sixth asteroid to be found within Earth's orbit.

Politics and government
French Prime Minister Andre Marie named his new cabinet, with Robert Schuman as Foreign Minister, Paul Reynaud as Finance Minister, Leon Blum as Vice Premier, and Paul Ramadier as minister without portfolio.

The Communist majority of the Italian General Confederation of Labour expelled Christian Democratic members from the organization's executive committee.

Labour
The International Association of Machinists ended a six-month strike of National Airlines Office workers after the company agreed to rehire all strikers and negotiate a new contract.

60 years ago
1958

Died on this date
Claire Chennault, 67. U.S. military officer. General Chennault commanded the 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force--better known as the "Flying Tigers"--during World War II in 1941-1942, and the U.S. Army Air Forces units that replaced it.

Scandal
United Brotherhood of Carpenters President Maurice Hutcheson refused to answer charges that he used union money to fix a land-scandals conspiracy case against himself and other union officials in Lake County, Indiana.

Golf
Art Wall won the Eastern Open in Baltimore.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Angel of the Morning--Merrilee Rush (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Rain and Tears--Aphrodite's Child (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Ho scritto t'amo sulla sabbia--Franco IV e Franco I (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Jumpin' Jack Flash--The Rolling Stones

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Blue Eyes--Don Partridge (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Baby, Come Back--The Equals (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Grazing in the Grass--Hugh Masakela (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Canada (RPM): Lady Willpower--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Ich Bau' Dir Ein Schloss--Heintje (5th week at #1)
2 Camp--Sir Henry and his Butlers
3 Times were When--The Cats
4 Young Girl--The Union Gap
5 You Don't Know What You Mean to Me--Sam & Dave
6 The Muffin Man--World of Oz
7 Honey--Bobby Goldsboro
8 Sunny Girl--The Hep Stars
9 The Hurdy Gurdy Man--Donovan
10 Angel of the Morning--Merrilee Rush

Singles entering the chart were Help Yourself by Tom Jones, and Dans Met Mij by Ben Cramer (charting together at #26); Dong-Dong-Di-Ki-Di-Gi-Dong by Golden Earrings (#30); The Universal by Small Faces (#32); Abergavenny by Marty Wilde (#37); and Do it Again by the Beach Boys (#40). Abergavenny was released in North America in 1969 by Mr. Wilde under the alias Shannon.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Grazing in the Grass--Hugh Masakela
2 Lady Willpower--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
3 Jumpin' Jack Flash--The Rolling Stones
4 Hurdy Gurdy Man--Donovan
5 Classical Gas--Mason Williams
6 Indian Lake--The Cowsills
7 Hello, I Love You--The Doors
8 This Guy's in Love with You--Herb Alpert
9 Stoned Soul Picnic--The 5th Dimension
10 Turn Around, Look at Me--The Vogues

Singles entering the chart were You're All I Need to Get By by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (#79); Please Return Your Love to Me by the Temptations (#82); Anyway that You Want Me by the American Breed (#84); Down at Lulu's by Ohio Express (#85); The Snake by Al Wilson (#95); Down in Tennessee by the Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus (#98); Listen Here by Eddie Harris (#99); and Hard to Handle by Otis Redding (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Classical Gas--Mason Williams
2 Hello, I Love You--The Doors
3 San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)--Fever Tree
4 Hurdy Gurdy Man--Donovan
5 She's a Heartbreaker--Gene Pitney
6 Never Going Back--The Lovin' Spoonful
7 Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)--The Moody Blues
8 Grazing in the Grass--Hugh Masakela
9 D.W. Washburn--The Monkees
10 Light My Fire--Jose Feliciano

Singles entering the chart were Alice Long (You're Still My Favorite Girlfriend) by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart (#22); Dream a Little Dream of Me by Mama Cass (#23); Eyes of a New York Woman by B.J. Thomas (#26); Yesterday's Dream by the Four Tops (#27); Girl from the North Country by Tom Northcott (#28); and Mr. Businessman by Ray Stevens (#29).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Lady Willpower--Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (3rd week at #1)
2 Hurdy Gurdy Man--Donovan
3 Jumpin' Jack Flash--The Rolling Stones
4 Don't Take it So Hard--Paul Revere and the Raiders
5 Indian Lake--The Cowsills
6 Your Time Hasn't Come Yet, Baby--Elvis Presley
7 The Legend of Xanadu--Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
8 Bring a Little Lovin'--Los Bravos
9 Sky Pilot--Eric Burdon and the Animals
10 If You Knew--Gainsborough Gallery
Pick hit of the week: You Keep Me Hangin' On--The Vanilla Fudge

Died on this date
Babe Adams, 86. U.S. baseball pitcher. Charles Benjamin Adams played with the St. Louis Cardinals (1906) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1907, 1909-1916, 1918-1926), compiling a record of 194-140 with an earned run average of 2.76 in 482 games, and batted .212 with 3 home runs and 75 runs batted in. He was best known for his heroics in the 1909 World Series, when he pitched 3 complete game victories, including the decisive seventh game. Mr. Adams was still with the Pirates when they won the World Series in 1925.

Howie Storie, 57. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Storie was a catcher with the Boston Red Sox (1931-1932), batting .200 with no home runs or runs batted in in 12 games. He played five seasons in the minor leagues (1931-1935) before returning to his home town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he died of a heart attack while tending bar.

30 years ago
1978

Died on this date
Bob Heffron, 87. N.Z.-born Australian politician. Mr. Heffron, a member of the Labour Party, held various offices, and was Premier of New South Wales from 1959-1964.

Politics and government
The six-month-old Portuguese government of Prime Minister Mario Soares fell when the conservative Centre Democrats (CDS) left the coalition led by Mr. Soares' Socialists, accusing Mr. Soares of delaying the return to private owners of farms seized by farm workers after the 1974 revolution.

Baseball
The San Diego Padres scored 2 runs in the 7th inning and another in the 8th to break a 3-3 tie and defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 before 14,076 fans, including this blogger and his parents, at San Diego Stadium. Ed Ott and Phil Garner hit Eric Rasmussen's first two pitches of the 3rd inning for home runs, and Bill Robinson led off the 4th with a homer for the other Pittsburgh run.

The New York Yankees scored 2 runs in the 1st inning and 7 in the second as they routed the Cleveland Indians 11-0 in the first game of a doubleheader before 33,412 fans at Yankee Stadium. Ed Figueroa allowed 3 hits in 7 innings to get the win. The Indians scored 9 runs in the 1st inning and took a 15-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings as they coasted to a 17-5 win in the second game. Cleveland second baseman Duane Kuiper drove in 6 runs as he tied the major league record for a single game by hitting a pair of bases-loaded triples. Catfish Hunter started on the mound for New York and had the worst game of his career, facing 6 batters and allowing 3 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 6 earned runs. He was relieved by Bob Kammeyer, who wasn't much better, allowing 10 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 9 runs--8 earned--in 5 innings, while also hitting a batter.

20 years ago
1988

Died on this date
Frank Zamboni, 87. U.S. inventor. Mr. Zamboni invented the ice resurfacing machine that bears his name in 1949, and founded the Zamboni Company in 1950.

Music
America, Three Dog Night, and the Beach Boys performed two shows at the Agricom in Edmonton. This blogger attended the second concert, which featured a slightly longer set by the Beacch Boys than the first show. It was the first time I ever heard the song Kokomo, which hadn't yet appeared in Edmonton record stores, and was from the movie Cocktail, which was just about to open in theatres.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the gross national product had grown at a somewhat slow rate of 3.1% in the second quarter of 1988.

Politics and government
The Burmese parliament named retired general U Sein Lwin as the country's new President, succeeding General Ne Win, who had resigned in the wake of student-led riots.

Disasters
It was reported that 157 people had died in a cholera and gastroenteritis epidemic in New Delhi.

Football
CFL
Edmonton (2-1) 35 @ Ottawa (0-3) 28

Edmonton quarterback Tracy Ham rushed for a touchdown in the last minute to give the Eskimos the win over the Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park. The Rough Riders put up a great effort, but it wasn't enough to save the job of head coach Fred Glick, who was fired after this game. He compiled a record of 3-18, losing 17 of his last 18 games. Mr. Glick was replaced by his brother-in-law, Ottawa assistant coach Bob Weber.

10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Binnie Barnes, 95. U.K.-born U.S. actress. Gertrude Maud Barnes appeared in numerous films from 1923-1973, including The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and The Trouble with Angels (1966).