August 5, 2013

625 years ago
1388

War
Scottish forces commanded by James, 2nd Earl of Douglas won a decisive victory over English foces commanded by Henry "Hotspur" Percy in the Battle of Otterburn in Northumberland, England.

430 years ago
1583

Exploration
Humphrey Gilbert entered St. John's Harbour and read the Charter claiming the lands 200 miles around St. John's for Queen Elizabeth I and granting shore rights to 36 foreign vessels. Newfoundland became the first English colony in North America.

250 years ago
1763

War
Odawa Chief Pontiac was defeated by British forces commanded by Henry Bouquet in the Battle of Bushy Run in western Pennsylvania.

125 years ago
1888

Died on this date
Philip Sheridan, 57. U.S. military officer. General Sheridan claimed to have been born in Albany, New York, but he may have been born on a ship carrying his parents from Ireland. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1853, and served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, rising rapidly to the rank of major general and being closely associated with General U.S. Grant. Gen. Sheridan's forces defeated Confederate foces in the Battle of Shenandoah Valley in 1864, and were instrumental in forcing the surrender of General Robert E. Lee in 1865. Gen. Sheridan fought in the Indian Wars on the Great Plains in later years, and was instrumental in the protection of Yellowstone National Park. He died of heart failure.

Anna Haining Bates, 41. Canadian giantess. Mrs. Bates, born Anna Haining Swan in rural Nova Scotia, was 7' 5 1/2" at her tallest and usually weighed around 350 pounds. She married an even taller giant, an American named Martin Van Buren Bates, and the couple lived happily in Seville, Ohio until her death from tuberculosis the day before her 42nd birthday.

Adventure
Bertha Benz drove from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back in the first long distance automobile trip, commemorated as the Bertha Benz Memorial Route since 2008.

100 years ago
1913

Died on this date
John Bryant. U.S. aviator. Mr. Bryant, a barnstormer, was killed when he crashed his Curtiss seaplane at Victoria, British Columbia, thus becoming Canada's first air fatality.

70 years ago
1943

War
Soviet troops captured the German strongholds of Orel and Belgorod as the Germans retreated toward Karacheva and Bryansk and the Sumy-Kharkov line.

Diplomacy
The Swedish government announced its abrogation of the agreement whereby German soldiers on leave and war materiel had been crossing Sweden to Norway and Finland since June 1940. U.S. War Relocation Authority Director Dillon Myer said that only 10% of 6,500 Japanese whose expatriation Japan demanded in an exchange deal were willing to return there.

Agriculture
Anheuser Busch Inc. announced that it was producing a new food for the Army from yeast that resembled meat in taste and was twice as rich in protein as natural meat.

Disasters
14 people drowned and 9 were missing as a flash flood swept central West Virginia, causing $2 million in property damage.

Baseball
Brooklyn Dodgers' first baseman Dolph Camilli announced his retirement; he was in his 11th season in the major leagues and had led the National League in home runs and runs batted in in 1941, but was batting just .246 in 95 games in 1943 with 8 homers and 59 RBIs.

60 years ago
1953

On the radio
I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Dana Andrews
Tonight’s episode: The Red Snow

50 years ago
1963

Diplomacy
In the Kremlin in Moscow, the U.S.A., U.K., and U.S.S.R. signed a treaty banning tests of nuclear devices in air, water, and outer space. Secretary of State Dean Rusk signed for the United States; Foreign Secretary the Earl of Home signed for the United Kingdom; and Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko signed for the Soviet Union.

Auto racing
Craig Breedlove set a world land speed record, reaching 407.45 miles per hour (655.73 kilometres per hour) in Spirit of America at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The accomplishment was celebrated by the Beach Boys in their song Spirit of America, which was recorded on September 2 and released on October 7 as a track on their album Little Deuce Coupe.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-0) 19 @ Edmonton (0-1) 16

Quarterback Bob Ptacek completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Dick Cohee and handed off to rookie fullback George Reed for his first CFL touchdown as the Roughriders held on to defeat the Eskimos before 12,117 fans at Clarke Stadium. Don Getty played most of the game at quarterback for the Eskimos, but was relieved on occasion by rookie James Earl Wright. Mr. Wright, playng his first CFL game, completed a 34-yard touchdown pass to first-year Eskimo Joe Hernandez in the last minute to make the score close. Mike Lashuk scored the first Edmonton touchdown. The game was the first regular season contest for Bob Shaw as head coach of the Roughriders.

NFL
The St. Louis Cardinals released veteran quarterback Sam Etcheverry. "The Rifle" had been a great performer with the Montreal Alouettes from 1952-1960 and held just about every passing record for Canadian professional football, but had injured his right (passing) arm late in the 1960 season, and had been unable to duplicate his Canadian success with the Cardinals in 1961-1962.

40 years ago
1973

Terrorism
3 people were killed and 55 wounded when two members of the Black September organization opened fire and threw grenades into a crowded passenger lounge at Athens airport.

Baseball
Phil Niekro pitched a no-hitter as the Atlanta Braves routed the San Diego Padres 9-0 before 8,748 fans at Atlanta Stadium. It was the National League's only no-hitter of 1973, after four in the American League, including one by Jim Bibby of the Texas Rangers six days earlier. Mr. Niekro, who improved his 1973 record to 11-5, walked 3 batters and struck out 4. His catcher, Paul Casanova, hit his 4th home run of the season, while right fielder Ralph Garr batted 3 for 3 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and a stolen base. The no-hitter was the first in the 8-year history of Atlanta Stadium. Steve Arlin was the losing pitcher, dropping to 6-10.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Codo--DÖF

At the movies
The Star Chamber, directed by Peter Yates, and starring Michael Douglas, Hal Holbrook, Yaphet Kotto, and Sharon Gless, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Judy Canova, 69. U.S. comedienne and actress. Miss Canova, who often played hillbillies, hosted The Judy Canova Show on CBS, and later, NBC, from 1943-1955.

World events
The government of Upper Volta was overthrown and replaced by a former Premier apparently sympathetic to Libya.

Terrorism
22 members of the Irish Republican Army were sentenced to a total of more than 4,000 years in prison after one of Northern Ireland's biggest mass trials. Four of the terrorists were given life sentences.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate had declined sharply from 9.8% to 9.3% in July.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-4) 21 @ Edmonton (3-1) 36

Saskatchewan slotback Chris DeFrance amassed 260 yards receiving, including an 88-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Joe Adams in which Mr. DeFrance's helmet was ripped off his head, but it wasn't enough as the Eskimos defeated the Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium. Edmonton quarterback Warren Moon threw 2 touchdown passes to Waddell Smith and another to Brian Kelly, and Angelo Santucci rushed 15 yards for another touchdown. Edmonton kicker Dave Cutler passed the 2,000-point mark for his career, and a field goal in the 4th quarter put him past George Blanda, whose combined total in the National and American Football Leagues was 2,002 points. Tom Krebs played his first game at centre for the Eskimos, several days after being obtained from the Calgary Stampeders in a trade for centre Ted Milian and defensive lineman Harry Doering.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Im Nin'Alu--Ofra Haza (8th week at #1)

War
United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar said that he planned to send 250 military observers to monitor the anticipated truce between Iran and Iraq.

Diplomacy
Three days of talks in Geneva among parties involved in hostilities in Angola and Namibia, mediated by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Chester Crocker, ended.

Politics and government
U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker resigned in order to manage the presidential campaign of Vice-President and presumptive Republican party U.S. presidential candidate George Bush.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the unemployment rate had risen to 5.4% in June.

Football
CFL
Calgary (1-3) 38 @ Hamilton (2-2) 14

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Life--Haddaway

Died on this date
Bill Peterson, 73. U.S. football coach. Mr. Peterson played end at Ohio Northern University (1945) and was a high school coach in his native Ohio before moving to Louisiana State University as an assistant coach (1955-1959). He was head coach at Florida State University (1960-1970) and Rice University (1971), compiling a record of 65-49-12. Mr. Peterson led the Seminoles to victory in the Gator Bowl in 1964 after posting a regular season record of 9-1-1. He was known for his ability to develop quarterbacks, and for the number of future head coaches whom he mentored. Mr. Peterson became head coach of the Houston Oilers in 1972, but failed to make the adjustment to professional football. The Oilers were 1-13 in 1972, and Mr. Peterson was fired after they started the 1973 season 0-5. He served as administrative director at the University of Central Florida (1982-1985).

Scandal
An Ontario government report estimated that health card fraud was costing the province as much as $284 million a year, with thousands of residents having two health cards, and cards in the hands of deportees, non-residents, and in some cases, issued in the name of deceased residents.

Economics and finance
The United States House of Representatives voted 218-216 to approve President Bill Clinton's $496-billion deficit reduction program.

Canadian Trade Minister Tom Hockin and his U.S. counterpart announced an end to the "beer wars" with a draft agreement removing U.S. duties on Ontario beer and removing Canadian tariffs off some U.S. beer, while keeping the environmental levy of 10c Canadian per can.

Football
CFL
Sacramento (1-5) 35 @ Toronto (1-5) 37

Mike Kerrigan threw 2 touchdown passes to Paul Masotti and another to Kip Lewis, and Lance Chomyc kicked 4 converts and 3 field goals, as the Argonauts hung on to defeat the Gold Miners before 28,612 fans at SkyDome. Mike Oliphant scored 2 touchdowns for Sacramento, Freeman Baysinger returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown, and David Archer completed a 2-yard pass to Rod Harris for the final Sacramento touchdown with 2 seconds left in the game.



10 years ago
2003

Terrorism
A car bomb exploded at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing 12 and wounding 150. The hotel was frequented by Americans. Authorities said the bomb had been detonated with the use of a cell phone.

Diplomacy
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas cancelled a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after Israel indicated that it would release only a small number of the Palestinian prisoners it was holding.

Politics and government
In the Nova Scotia provincial election, the Progressive Conservative government of Premier John Hamm retained power, but was reduced from a majority to a minority, taking 25 of 52 seats in the legislature. The New Democratic Party won 15 seats and the Liberals won 12.

Scandal
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband were found guilty by a Swiss court of money laundering, and were given sentences of six months in jail. Ms. Bhutto, currently living in exile in London, said she would appeal the ruling.

Abominations
The Episcopal Church in the United States gave further evidence of its apostasy when the House of Bishops voted its approval of the church's first openly sodomite bishop, Vicky Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, two days after a similar vote by the House of Deputies (composed of clergy and laity). The approval by the House of Bishops came after two last-minute accusations about Mr. Robinson's conduct failed to survive an investigation. Mr. Robinson was married with a family, but he put the fulfillment of his homosexual lusts above his responsibilities to his wife and family, and the leaders of this so-called church didn't object.