July 8, 2012

140 years ago
1872

Born on this date
John H. Bankhead II. U.S. politician. Mr. Bankhead, a Democrat and the son of a U.S. Senator, represented Alabama in the United States Senate from 1931 until his death on June 12, 1946 at the age of 73, which occurred three weeks after suffering a stroke while attending a Senate committee meeting.

80 years ago
1932

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average fell to its lowest level of the Depression.

60 years ago
1952

Baseball
Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers hit a home run in the bottom of the 1st inning and Hank Sauer of the Chicago Cubs hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 4th as the National League edged the American League 3-2 in the major league All-Star game which was called because of rain after 5 innings before 32,785 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Bob Rush of the Chicago Cubs relieved starting pitcher Curt Simmons of the Philadelphia Phillies to start the 4th inning and gave up 2 runs, but was still credited with the win. Bob Lemon of the Cleveland Indians, who relieved AL starter Vic Raschi of the New York Yankees to start the 3rd inning, took the loss. Bobby Shantz of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched the bottom of the 5th inning for the AL and struck out Whitey Lockman of the New York Giants, Jackie Robinson, and Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals in succession. Mr. Sauer won the Arch Ward Trophy as the game’s most valuable player.

40 years ago
1972

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Puppy Love--Donny Osmond

Rhodesia's Top 10 (Lyons Maid)
1 Beautiful Sunday--Daniel Boone (3rd week at #1)
2 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
3 Beg, Steal or Borrow--The New Seekers
4 Pasadena--John Edmond
5 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
6 How Do You Do?--The Rising Sons
7 Iron Horse--Christie
8 Mother of Mine--Neil Reid
9 Son of My Father--Chicory Tip
10 Amazing Grace--Murray Campbell

Singles entering the chart were Radancer by Marmalade (#16); and Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens (#18).

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack (2nd week at #1)
2 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
3 Alone Again (Naturally)--Gilbert O'Sullivan
4 Sylvia's Mother--Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
5 Hurting Each Other--Carpenters
6 Vincent--Don McLean
7 Song Sung Blue--Neil Diamond
8 Marshall's Portable Music Machine--Robin Jolley
9 Puppy Love--Donny Osmond
10 Baby Blue--Badfinger

Singles entering the chart were The Candy Man by Sammy Davis, Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation (#32); The Pie by the Sutherland Brothers (#34); Going Down to the End of the World by Broderick Smith (#35); Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen (#36); and The Whale by Fielding & Dyer (#40).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Lean on Me--Bill Withers

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Outa-Space--Billy Preston
2 Lean on Me--Bill Withers
3 Troglodyte--The Jimmy Castor Bunch
4 Song Sung Blue--Neil Diamond
5 Too Late to Turn Back Now--Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
6 Nice to Be with You--Gallery
7 (If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right--Luther Ingram
8 I Need You--America
9 Daddy Don't You Walk so Fast--Wayne Newton
10 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

Singles entering the chart were Goodbye to Love by the Carpenters (#62); Lookin' Through the Windows by the Jackson 5 (#71); When You Say Love by Sonny and Cher (#76); Happy by the Rolling Stones (#77); Duncan by Paul Simon (#80); You're Still a Young Man by Tower of Power (#84); Go All the Way by Raspberries (#88); Back Stabbers by the O'Jays (#89); Down on Me by Janis Joplin (#94); That's What Friends are For by B.J. Thomas (#95); Everybody Plays the Fool by the Main Ingredient (#98); Country Woman by Magic Lantern (#99); and My Guy by Petula Clark (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Nice to Be with You--Gallery (2nd week at #1)
2 Song Sung Blue--Neil Diamond
3 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
4 The Candy Man--Sammy Davis, Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation
5 Troglodyte--The Jimmy Castor Bunch
6 I Need You--America
7 Wild Eyes--Stampeders
8 Masquerade--Edward Bear
9 Daddy Don't You Walk so Fast--Wayne Newton
10 (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All--The 5th Dimension

Singles entering the chart were Hold Her Tight by the Osmonds (#69); Popcorn by Hot Butter (#91); Metal Guru by T. Rex (#92); War Song by Neil Young and Graham Nash (#94); New York is Closed Tonight by Greenfield (#95); My Guy by Petula Clark (#96); All the King's Horses by Aretha Franklin (#97); The Devil and Miss Lucy by Five Man Electrical Band (#98); Conception by Robert Charlebois (#99); and I Wanna Be Where You Are by Michael Jackson (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 How Do You Do--Mouth and MacNeal
2 Nice to Be with You--Gallery
3 Song Sung Blue--Neil Diamond
4 Superwoman (Where were You when I Needed You)--Stevie Wonder
5 I Need You--America
6 Troglodyte--The Jimmy Castor Bunch
7 Woman is the Nigger of the World--John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
8 Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)--Looking Glass
9 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
10 Young New Mexican Puppeteer--Tom Jones
Pick hit of the week: Wild Eyes--Stampeders

Died on this date
Talal I, 63. King of Jordan, 1951-1952. Talal succeeded to the throne after the assassination of his father Abdullah I in Jerusalem on July 20, 1951. He was responsible for liberalizing the constitution to make the government more responsible to parliament. Talal was reported to be suffering from schizophrenia when he was forced to abdicate in favour of his son Hussein on August 20, 1952.

Economics and finance
The White House announced that the United States would sell the Soviet Union at least $750 million of American wheat, corn, and other grains over a period of three years. It was the first major trade pact between the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. since U.S. President Richard Nixon’s visit to Moscow in May.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
Edmonton’s Top 10 (CFRN)
1 Island of Lost Souls—Blondie
2 Even the Nights are Better—Air Supply
3 Take Me Down—Alabama
4 Rosanna—Toto
5 Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me—Juice Newton
6 Hold Me—Fleetwood Mac
7 Hard to Say I’m Sorry—Chicago
8 Any Day Now—Ronnie Milsap
9 Abracadabra—Steve Miller Band
10 Finally—T.G. Sheppard

Football
CFL
Calgary (0-0-1) 24 @ Toronto (0-0-1) 24

Toronto quarterback Condredge Holloway rushed 22 yards for a touchdown and completed a pass to Dave Newman for a 2-point convert to tie the score with 2:39 remaining in the game before 32,760 fans at Exhibition Stadium. The Stampeders appeared to be in position to win the game with a field goal in the final seconds, but a time count violation moved them back 5 yards, and J.T. Hay missed the field goal attempt and failed to get a single point. Quarterback Gerry Dattilio, in his first game for Calgary after six years with the Montreal Alouettes, played the 1st half, but completed just 9 of 21 yards and threw 6 interceptions in the 2nd quarter, a CFL record for one quarter. Bruce Threadgill played the 2nd half at quarterback for the Stampeders; he threw 1 interception, but completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tom Forzani in the 3rd quarter and rushed for 7- and 6-yard touchdowns in the 4th quarter. Joe Barnes started at quarterback for the Argonauts and completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Paul Pearson with 49 seconds remaining in the 1st quarter. The Argonauts forced a quick turnover, and Terry Greer rushed 25 yards for a Toronto touchdown on the last play of the quarter. It was the first game for Toronto’s Bob O’Billovich as a head coach in the CFL after several years as an assistant coach with the Ottawa Rough Riders. For Calgary head coach Jack Gotta, it was his first game as a coach since 1979, after two years of just handling the general manager’s duties.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Alvin O’Konski, 83. U.S. politician. Mr. O’Konski was a member of the United Sttes House of Representatives from 1943-1973, and was the co-author of the G.I. Bill of Rights.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Abba-esque (EP)--Erasure (3rd week at #1)

Economics and finance
Russian President Boris Yeltsin addressed the summit in Munich of the world’s seven leading industrialized nations, and the leaders endorsed $1 billion in new aid for Russia.

Football
CFL
Calgary (1-0) 44 @ Saskatchewan (0-1) 26

Doug Flutie completed 23 of 41 passes for 429 yards and 4 touchdowns—2 to running back Keyvan Jenkins, and one each to Allen Pitts and Derrick Crawford—and rushed 4 times for 60 yards to lead the Stampeders past the Roughriders before 20,416 fans at Taylor Field in Regina. Mr. Jenkins, who caught 7 passes for 124 yards, also rushed 9 times for 88 yards and a touchdown. Saskatchewan quarterback Kent Austin completed 39 of 57 passes for 393 yards and 3 touchdowns—2 to Ray Elgaard and 1 to Byron Williams—but also threw 4 interceptions.