October 27, 2020

225 years ago
1795

Diplomacy
The United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Madrid, which established the boundaries between Spanish colonies and the U.S.A.

210 years ago
1810

Americana
The United States annexed the former Spanish colony of West Florida.

150 years ago
1870

War
French Marshal François Bazaine, along with 140,000 French soldiers, surrendered to Prussian forces at the conclusion of the Siege of Metz.

140 years ago
1880

Married on this date
Future U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt celebrated his 22nd birthday by marrying socialite Alice Lee, 19, at the Unitarian Church in Brookline, Massachusetts.

130 years ago
1890

Baseball
World Series
Louisville Colonels 9 @ Brooklyn Bridegrooms 8 (Brooklyn led best-six-of-ten series 3-2-1)

The Colonels edged the Bridegrooms before just 600 fans at Washington Park. Scott Stratton started on the mound for the Colonels and was the winning pitcher, with relief help from Red Ehret. Adonis Terry pitched a complete game for the Bridegrooms.

110 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Jack Carson. Canadian-born U.S. actor. A native of Carman, Manitoba, Mr. Carson was a character actor, usually in comic roles. His movies included Destry Rides Again (1939); Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941); Love Crazy (1941); The Male Animal (1942); Arsenic and Old Lace (1944); Mildred Pierce (1945); Romance on the High Seas (1948); A Star is Born (1954); Tarnished Angels (1957); and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). He also appeared in many television programs in the 1950s and early 1960s before his death from stomach cancer on January 2, 1963 at the age of 52.

100 years ago
1920

Born on this date
K. R. Narayanan. 10th President of India, 1997-2002; Vice President of India, 1992-1997. Mr. Narayanan was a career diplomat before entering politics as a member of the Indian National Congress party before taking office as President, becoming the first Dalit ("Untouchable") to hold the office. Opposition from other parties prompted Mr. Narayanan to decline to seek a second term. He died on November 9, 2005, 13 days after his 85th birthday.

Nanette Fabray. U.S. actress, singer, and dancer. Miss Fabray, born Nanette Fabares, began her career as a child actress in vaudeville, and had a career in plays, movies, and television spanning more than 80 years. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the musical Love Life (1948), and won three Emmy Awards as part of the cast of the television comedy sketch program Caesar's Hour (1954-1957). Miss Fabray had a congenital otosclerosis, and was an advocate for those with hearing impairments. She died on February 22, 2018 at the age of 97.

90 years ago
1930

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Clive Brook and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight's episode: A Scandal in Bohemia

Mr. Brook replaced William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes for two episodes--this was his first--before Richard Gordon took over the role.

Defense
Ratifications exchanged in London for the first London Naval Treaty went into effect immediately, further limiting the expensive naval arms race among its five signatories.

80 years ago
1940

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Red-Headed League

Politics and government
General Juan Andrew Almazon, in exile in New York, declared that he would take the presidency of Mexico by December 1, 1940.

Economics and finance
The New York Times reported that 150 industrial companies had increased earnings by 31.9% in the first nine months of 1940 from the same period in 1939.

Football
NFL
Chicago Bears (5-1) 37 @ New York (3-2-1) 21
Washington (6-0) 20 @ Detroit (3-3-1) 14
Cleveland (2-4) 7 @ Chicago Cardinals (2-4-2) 17
Pittsburgh (1-5-2) 3 Green Bay (4-2) 24 @ Milwaukee

AFL
Milwaukee (4-2) 14 @ Boston (4-2) 0
Cincinnati (0-5) 7 @ Columbus (5-1) 17

75 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Till the End of Time--Perry Como with Russ Case and his Orchestra (Best Seller--7th week at #1; Airplay--7th week at #1; Juke Box--5th week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--6th week at #1)

Politics and government
The Dutch government ordered Netherlands East Indies acting Governor General Hubertus van Mook to begin negotiations with Indonesian independence leaders.

Defense
In Navy Day ceremonies in New York City, U.S. President Harry Truman commissioned the 45,000-ton aircraft carrier Roosevelt, and stated that U.S. military strength would be used to maintain world peace, establish "peaceful, democratic governments" in the former Axis countries, and ensure equal access for all countries to "the trade and raw materials of the world."

Economics and finance
U.S. Congressional conferees agreed on a tax reduction bill of $5.9 billion, repealing the excess profits tax and the automobile use tax, and reducing corporate and individual income taxes.

Labour
General Motors asked the Congress of Industrial Organizations to join in petitioning the United States Congress to extend the work week from 40-45 hours, assuring a general wage increase of 6%.

Agriculture
British politician Sir John Boyd Orr was elected director general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, meeting in Quebec City.

Football
CRU
IRFU
Toronto (5-1) 31 @ Montreal (1-5) 6
Ottawa (5-1) 16 @ Hamilton (1-5) 0

Royal Copeland set an Interprovincial Rugby Football Union record for a single game with 4 touchdown receptions as the Argonauts routed the Hornets at Molson Stadium. It was the last game for the Montreal club under that name; they became the Alouettes in 1946, and played their home games at Royals Stadium from 1946-1953.

Canadian university
British Columbia (0-2) 5 @ Saskatchewan (1-1) 7

Steve Molnar dribbled a UBC fumble and fell on the ball in the end zone for the winning touchdown with less than 4 minutes remaining in the game as the Huskies edged the Thunderbirds at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. Pat Frith completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Dmitri Goloubef in the 1st quarter to give UBC a 5-0 lead.

70 years ago
1950

World events
The British intelligence agency MI5 was enlisted in the hunt for missing Italian atomic scientist Bruno Pontecorvo, formerly of Harwell atomic research station in Oxfordshire, who had arrived in Finland with his family at the beginning of September and was now feared to have defected to the U.S.S.R.

60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Apache--The Shadows

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)--Roy Orbison (2nd week at #1)

Transportation
The governments of Quebec and Canada signed an agreement to build the Quebec section of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Baseball
The American League gave Calvin Griffith permission to move the Washington Senators to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for the 1961 season. Los Angeles was granted an expansion franchise.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): A Song of Joy--Miguel Ríos (6th week at #1)

Terrorism
A Soviet aircraft was hijacked by two of the three passengers aboard the four-seat plane. The hijackers tied up the pilot and landed the plane themselves at a Turkish airport.

Economics and finance
The United Kingdom and the European Economic Community announced their first agreements in negotiations for British membership.

Baseball
Nippon Series
Lotte Orions 0 @ Yomiuri Giants 1 (11 innings) (Yomiuri led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Mr. Kuroe's home run leading off the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Giants their win over the Orions before 33,209 fans at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo. Mr. Horiuchi (1-0) pitched a 6-hitter to win the pitcher's duel over Mr. Kidaru (0-1), who allowed 10 hits.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): More Than I Can Say--Leo Sayer

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kaze wa Aki Iro / Eighteen--Seiko Matsuda (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Santa Maria--Oliver Onions (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
J. H. Van Vleck, 81. U.S. physicist and mathematician. Dr. John Hasbrouck Van Vleck shared the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physics with Philip Anderson and Nevill Mott "for their fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems."

Judy LaMarsh, 55. Canadian politician. Miss LaMarsh, a native of Chatham, Ontario, was a member of the Liberal Party, and represented Niagara Falls in the Canadian House of Commons (1960-1968). She was Minister of National Health and Welfare (1963-1965) and Secretary of State for Canada (1965-1968) in the cabinet of Prime Minister Lester Pearson. Miss LaMarsh was the first major government official in the Western world to publicly oppose smoking, and as Secretary of State presided over Canada's Centennial celebrations in 1967. She left politics after Pierre Trudeau became Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister in 1968, resumed her legal career, published three books, and became a successful radio talk show hostess before her death from pancreatic cancer.

Energy
The second generator of Hydro-Québec's LG-2 (La Grande River) Barrage Robert-Bourassa went into operation.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that productivity in the private sector had increased at an annual rate of 1.4% in the third quarter of 1980. It was the first quarterly rise in productivity in 1½ years and an indication of the ability of the economy to withstand inflationary pressures.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Bust a Move--Young MC

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Scandalo--Gianna Nannini (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I Can't Stand It--Twenty 4 Seven (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Verdammt - Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim

#1 single in France (SNEP): Kingston Town--UB40 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): A Little Time--The Beautiful South

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Verdammt - Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (4th week at #1)
2 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
3 I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat
4 Have You Seen Her--MC Hammer
5 Suicide Blonde--INXS
6 Nah Neh Nah--Vaya con Dios
7 Tonight--New Kids on the Block
8 Cult of Snap--Snap!
9 Show Me Heaven--Maria McKee
10 Must Bee the Music--King Bee

Singles entering the chart were I'm Your Baby Tonight by Whitney Houston (#19); Thunderstruck by AC/DC (#34); So Hard by Pet Shop Boys (#36); and Dolce Barbara by Eros Ramazzotti (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Black Cat--Janet Jackson
2 I Don't Have the Heart--James Ingram
3 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
4 Giving You the Benefit--Pebbles
5 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
6 Can't Stop--After 7
7 Close to You--Maxi Priest
8 Praying for Time--George Michael
9 Suicide Blonde--INXS
10 Everybody Everybody--Black Box

Singles entering the chart were Miracle by Jon Bon Jovi (#47); Freedom by George Michael (#53); Biscuit's in the House by Biscuit (#85); Just Another Dream by Cathy Dennis (#88); Lost Soul by Bruce Hornsby & the Range with Shawn Colvin (#89); Wherever Would I Be by Cheap Trick (#94); and Hard to Handle by the Black Crowes (#99). Miracle was from the movie Young Guns II (1990).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Don’t Have the Heart--James Ingram
2 Black Cat--Janet Jackson
3 Ice Ice Baby--Vanilla Ice
4 Praying for Time--George Michael
5 Suicide Blonde--INXS
6 Giving You the Benefit--Pebbles
7 Everybody Everybody--Black Box
8 Love Takes Time--Mariah Carey
9 Can’t Stop--After 7
10 Close to You--Maxi Priest

Singles entering the chart were Freedom by George Michael (#50); Wherever Would I Be by Cheap Trick (#75); Fairweather Friend by John Gill (#80); So Hard by Pet Shop Boys (#85); Love is the Ritual by Styx (#88); and For You by Outfield (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Praying for Time--George Michael
2 Something Happened on the Way to Heaven--Phil Collins
3 Suicide Blonde--INXS
4 Heart of Stone--Taylor Dayne
5 More than Words Can Say--Alias
6 Close to You--Maxi Priest
7 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers
8 Say a Prayer--Breathe
9 Release Me--Wilson Phillips
10 Oh Girl--Paul Young

Singles entering the chart were The Time of Day by Gino Vannelli (#54); Miracle by Jon Bon Jovi (#69); Impulsive by Wilson Phillips (#81); I'm Your Baby Tonight by Whitney Houston (#85); Show Me Heaven by Maria McKee (#86); Unbelievable by Bob Dylan (#89); Cherry Pie by Warrant (#91); Celebrate Love by Myles Hunter (#92); Love Thing by Sue Medley (#95); Tear it Up by Michael McDonald (#96); and Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice (#98). Show Me Heaven was from the movie Days of Thunder (1990).

Died on this date
Xavier Cugat, 90. Spanish-born U.S. bandleader. Mr. Cugat, born Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall de Bru y Deulofeu, moved to Cuba with his family at the age of 5 and to the United States at the age of 15. He led the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel's orchestra in New York City for 16 years, covering the time before and after World War II.

Sophie of Hohenberg, 89. Austrian princess. Princess Sophie was the only daughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohengerg, whose assassinations triggered World War I.

Elliott Roosevelt, 80. U.S. military officer. Brigadier General Roosevelt was the fourth child and third son of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He served in teh United States Army Air Corps in World War II, rising to the rank of Brigadier General and becoming a pilot despite poor eyesight. Brig. Gen. Roosevelt was involved in numerous scandals, but was never charged with anything.

Ugo Tognazzi, 68. Italian actor. Mr. Tognazzi appeared in such movies as Barbarella (1968) and La Cage aux Folles (1978).

Jacques Demy, 59. French film director. Mr. Demy's movies included Lola (1961); Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964); and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (1967). Mr. Demy died of AIDS.

Economics and finance
The United States Senate voted 54-45 and the House of Representatives 228-200 to approve a bill designed to reduce deficits by nearly $500 billion over five years. A majority of Republican members of both houses opposed the bill, but President George Bush said he would sign it. Under the bill, the top tax rate would rise from 28%-31%, and exemptions for upper-income Americans would be phased out. The gasoline tax would jump from 9 cents per gallon to 14c, and the cigarette tax would rise from 16c-24c per pack. The tax on a six-pack of beer would double to 32c. A luxury tax would be imposed on aircraft, cars, boats, furs, and jewellery.

Environment
The United States Congress passed the 1990 Clean Air Act, a comprehensive updating of the original Clean Air Act of 1970. The bill, which President George Bush said he would sign, set an overall annual level of emissions of sulfur dioxide from power plants at less than half of current emissions, with a target date of 2000. In another effort to eliminate acid rain, nitrogen oxide emissions would be cut by 1/3. Oil companies would be required to develop new types of gasoline that burn more cleanly, and cities would have to reduce concentration of ozone, a component of smog. The bill would halt production of chemicals that threatened the earth's ozone shield.

Football
CFL
Calgary (10-6-1) 54 @ British Columbia (5-11-1) 29

Danny Barrett threw 4 touchdown passes in the 1st half as the Stampeders jumped out to a 39-10 lead after just 5 minutes and 6 seconds of the 2nd quarter, and coasted from there. Derrick Crawford caught 2 of Mr. Barrett's touchdown strikes and caught another touchdown pass from backup quarterback Rick Worman in the 4th quarter. David McCrary returned an interception 17 yards for a Calgary touchdown in the 1st quarter, and Tony Cherry rushed 1 yard for another Calgary touchdown on the last play of the 3rd quarter. Mark McLoughlin added 7 converts, a field goal, and 2 singles. Lorenzo Graham rushed for 2 B.C. touchdowns, while third-string quarterback Major Harris completed a 15-yard pass to Tony Hunter with 1:02 remaining in the game for his first CFL touchdown pass. Tony Martino added a convert, 3 field goals, and a single. The Lions were unsuccessful on 2-point convert attempts on their last 2 touchdowns. Mr. Barrett completed 12 of 22 passes for 268 yards; Mr. Worman was 3 for 3 for 57 yards, and Terrence Jones was 3 for 4 for 32. B.C. quarterbacks Doug Flutie, Joe Paopao, and Mr. Harris combined to complete 17 of 39 passes for 278 yards. B.C.'s Jay Christensen led all receivers with 6 receptions for 139 yards. Mr. Crawford led the Stampeders with 110 yards on 4 receptions, while PeeWee Smith caught 3 for 90 and Mr. Pitts caught 5 for 67. 22,668 were in attendance at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.



25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Gangsta's Paradise--Coolio feauring L.V.

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): When Love & Hate Collide--Def Leppard

Diplomacy
Latvia applied for membership in the European Union.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien addressed over 40,000 people at Place du Canada in Montreal in the biggest political rally in Canadian history, three days before the 1995 Québec Referendum; many from across Canada had arrived by bus, train, plane and car for the Unity Rally, to urge Québec to stay in Canada. The Prime Minister, who had been criticized for doing nothing to stem the Oui tide after the entry of Bloc Québécois leader Lucien Bouchard into the fray, promised major changes to Canada.

Scandal
Former Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi was convicted in absentia of corruption.

Economics and finance
Canadian banks all but shut down Canada's $30-billion-a-day foreign exchange market as business dried up ahead of the 1995 Québec Referendum.

Football
CFL
Calgary (15-3) 22 @ Toronto (4-14) 31

Kent Austin threw touchdown passes to Rob Crifo and Paul Masotti and handed off to Mike "Pinball" Clemons for another TD as the Argonauts upset the Stampeders before a National Unity Night crowd of 23,196 at SkyDome. Mr. Masotti caught 10 passes for 244 yards, and it was his 45-yard touchdown reception late in the game that clinched the victory for Toronto. Calgary quarterback Shawn Moore completed touchdown passes to PeeWee Smith and Vince Danielsen. For Toronto's Bob O'Billovich, the game was his last as a head coach in the CFL, and it was Mr. Austin's last game in a Toronto uniform.

Baseball
Former major league pitcher Jim Beattie was named general manager of the Montreal Expos.

20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Walter Berry, 71. Austrian singer. Mr. Berry was an operatic bass-baritone who became a permanent member of the Vienna State Opera in 1950, and made numerous performances with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in the 1960s and '70s. He died from a heart attack.

World events
Turmoil in Ivory Coast subsided after Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, rivals for the presidency of the country, met. The death toll in fighting by various factions over the previous few days was put at 155, with at least 40 men found shot to death at one site.

Terrorism
Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia charged a Vancouver businessman and a millworker from Kamloops with first-degree murder in connection with the 1985 bombing of an Air India jetliner that killed 329 people.

Crime
Hackers broke into Microsoft Corporation's computer nwtwork and gained access to blueprints for the company's latest software. The hacker had high-level access for 12 days.

Football
CFL
Winnipeg (6-10-1-1) 31 @ Toronto (6-10-1) 32

Noel Prefontaine's 59-yard punt single with 20 seconds remaining gave the Argonauts the win and kept their playoff hopes alive before 18,473 fans at SkyDome. Mr. Prefontaine punted from the Winnipeg 47-yard line, and Winnipeg’s Albert Johnson fielded the ball 12 yards deep in his end zone and attempted to dive across the goal line to prevent a single point. Toronto’s Brad Elberg hit Mr. Johnson in midair and barely prevented him from succeeding. Winnipeg quarterback Khari Jones completed just 14 of 35 passes but produced 348 yards and 4 touchdowns. Milt Stegall, who caught 7 passes for 186 yards, scored on passes of 44 and 56 yards. Geroy Simon caught a 28-yard pass from Mr. Jones in the 1st quarter for the game’s first score, and Mr. Johnson caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from Mr. Jones in the 2nd quarter as the Blue Bombers built a 21-10 halftime lead. Toronto quarterback Kerwin Bell rushed 9 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter and completed touchdown passes of 29 yards to Andre Kirwan, 49 yards to Tyrone Brown, and 21 yards to Mookie Mitchell in the second half. Jacob Marini converted all 4 Argonaut touchdowns and added a field goal, while Troy Westwood did the same for the Blue Bombers. Mr. Mitchell led the Argonauts with 8 receptions for 122 yards, while Mr. Johnson added to Winnipeg’s total with 114 yards on 3 receptions. Michael Jenkins of the Argonauts rushed 18 times for 129 yards and caught 3 passes for 31. Cory Philpot accounted for all of Winnipeg’s ground game with 38 yards on 11 carries.

Baseball
Nippon Series
Yomiuri Giants 6 @ Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 0 (Yomiuri led best-of-seven series 3-2)

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Néstor Kirchner, 60. 51st President of Argentina, 2004-2007. Mr. Kirchner, a member of the Justicialist Party, was Mayor of Rio Gallegos (1987-1991) and Governor of Santa Cruz (1991-2003), greatly increasing the size of government in the latter office. He became President in 2003 after incumbent Carlos Menem withdrew after the first round of the election. Mr. Kirchner initiated judicial and economic reforms, took a pragmatic approach to foreign policy, and attempted to resolve issues left over from the Dirty War (1976-1983), which had resulted in murders committed by the U.S.-backed Argentine military junta. Mr. Kirchner declined to seek another term as President in 2007, stepping aside in favour of his wife Cristina. She was elected, and he held the title of First Gentleman until his sudden death from a heart attack.

Crime
Former junior hockey coach Graham James was arrested in Toronto and sent to Winnipeg to face nine charges on the sexual assault of three victims, including former NHL star Theo Fleury.

Baseball
World Series
Texas Rangers 7 @ San Francisco Giants 11 (San Francisco led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Juan Uribe's 3-run home run climaxed a 6-run 5th inning for the Giants as they overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Rangers before 43,601 fans at AT&T Park. It was the first World Series game in the 50-year history of the Texas franchise.