Sunday 15 August 2021

August 15, 2021

925 years ago
1096


War
The First Crusade, called by Pope Urban II, began.

850 years ago
1171


Born on this date
Alfonso IX
. King of León and Galicia, 1188-1230. Alfonso IX acceded to the thrones upon the death of his father Ferdinand II. He participated in the Reconquista, and had two marriages that were annulled because of consanguinity. King Alfonso fathered eight legitimate children by his marriages, and many illegitimate children. He died on September 23 or 24, 1230 at the age of 59, and was succeeded on his thrones by his son Ferdinand III, who was already King of Castile.

760 years ago
1261


Europeana
Michael VIII entered Constantinople and was crowned Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

740 years ago
1281


War
The Mongolian fleet of Kublai Khan was destroyed by a "divine wind" for the second time in the Battle of Kōan near what is now Fukuoka, Kyūshū.

560 years ago
1461


War
The Empire of Trebizond surrendered to the forces of Sultan Mehmed II; this is regarded by some historians as the real end of the Byzantine Empire.

525 years ago
1496


Died on this date
Isabella, 67-68
. Queen consort of Castile and León, 1447-1454. Isabella, the daughter of John, Constable of Portugal and granddaughter of King John I of Portugal, married King John II of Castile and León in 1447 as his second wife. The couple had a daughter, Isabella, and a son, Alfonso. King John died in 1454 and was succeeded by Henry IV, his son by his first wife and three years older than Queen Isabella, who lived as a dowager queen until her death.

510 years ago
1511


War
Afonso de Albuquerque of Portugal conquered Malacca, capital of the Malacca Sultanate.

250 years ago
1771


Born on this date
Walter Scott
. U.K. writer. Sir Walter, a native of Edinburgh, was a judge and legal administrator by profession, and wrote poetry and two volumes of the History of Scotland (1829-1830), but was best known for historical novels such as Rob Roy (1817) and Ivanhoe (1819). He died of a stroke on September 21, 1832 at the age of 61, after a period of failing health.

140 years ago
1881


Born on this date
Alfred Wagenknecht
. German-born U.S. politician. Mr. Wagenknecht moved with his family to the United States in 1884. He became involved in radical politics from an early age, and joined the Socialist Party of America in Seattle in the early 1900s. Mr. Wagenknecht was an unsuccessful candidate for public office on several occasions. He was a member of the Left Wing Section of the SPA, which eventually split from the party; in 1919, Mr. Wagenknecht co-founded the Communist Labor Party, merged several years later into the party that became the Communist Party U.S.A. He worked for the party in various roles until his death on August 26, 1956, 11 days after his 75th birthday.

Academia
Helen Connon of New Zealand became the first woman in the British Empire to gain a Master’s degree when she achieved first-class honours in English and Latin at Canterbury University College.

125 years ago
1896


Born on this date
Gerty Cori
. Czech-born U.S. biochemist and physiologist. Dr. Cori, born Gerty Radnitz, was, with her husband Carl Cori, awarded a share of the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen." She died on October 26, 1957 at the age of 61, after a 10-year battle with myelosclerosis.

120 years ago
1901


Born on this date
Arnulfo Arias Madrid
. President of Panamá, 1940-1941, 1949-1951, 1968. Dr. Arias was an American-trained physician who opposed excessive U.S. influence in Panama. He led a coup in 1931 that deposed President Florencio Harmodio Arosemena and installed Dr. Arias' brother Harmodio as President, with Arnulfo holding cabinet and diplomatic posts. Dr. Arias was twice elected President in the 1940s, but was twice deposed by coups, going into exile and eventually returning. He was elected President again in 1968 as the head of a five-party coalition; he took office on October 1, but was deposed by another coup on October 11, after just ten days in office. Dr. Arias ran for President again in 1984 at the age of 83, and exit polls showed him with a substantial lead, but Nicolás Ardito Barletta, the favoured candidate of military leader Manuel Noriega, was declared a close winner, beginning General Noriega's dictatorship. Dr. Arias fled into exile in Florida, where he died of a heart attack on August 10, 1988, five days before his 87th birthday.

Sam Perrin. U.S. radio and television writer. Mr. Perrin was one of the writers of The Jack Benny Program on radio and television in the 1950s and '60s. He was nominated for Emmy Awards seven times from 1955-1963, sharing the Emmies with George Balzer, Al Gordon, and Hal Goldman for Best Writing of a Single Program of a Comedy Series (1959) and Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy (1960). Mr. Perrin died on January 8, 1998 at the age of 96.

110 years ago
1911


Technology
Procter & Gamble introduced Crisco vegetable shortening.

100 years ago
1921


Born on this date
August Kowalczyk
. Polish actor and director. Mr. Kowalczyk was a prisoner in the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz from December 1940 until June 10, 1942, when he became one of 10 prisoners to successfully escape, while 13 others died and 20 were recaptured. He began his acting career in 1945, and had a stage career spanning more than 35 years, while also appearing in more than two dozen movies and television programs. Mr. Kowalczyk died on July 29, 2012, 17 days before his 91st birthday.

80 years ago
1941


Died on this date
Josef Jakobs, 43
. German military spy. Corporal Jakobs parachuted from the Netherlands into England on January 31, 1941, but broke his ankle on landing, and was arrested the following day after firing his pistol to get the attention of two farmer. He was convicted by a court-martial on August 5 of espionage as an enemy combatant, and was executed by firing squad at the Tower of London at 7:12 A.M., making him the last person to be executed at the Tower.

War
The German command in Paris warned that any person engaging in Communist agitation or aiding the Communist would be regarded as "Germany's enemy" and be liable to the death penalty.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent a message to U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin urging a conference in Moscow at which "high representatives" would discuss the use of joint resources to end war. A Japanese news agency said that the Atlantic Charter was a plot by which the U.S.A. and U.K. intended to establish their own world order.

The Japanese government announced that Japan and Thailand had decided to raise their ministers to the rank of ambassador in order to enhance their friendly relations.

The Cuban government announced that five German consular officials had been ordered to leave the country by September 5, 1941.

Defense
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a conference-approved $7.55-million supplemental defense appropriations bill.

Politics and government
The Ecuadorian cabinet resigned in order to give President Carlos Arroyo del Rio freedom to reorganize his administration.

Oil
U.S. Price Administrator Leon Henderson ordered a 10% reduction in the amount of gasoline that could be delivered to filling stations in 17 Eastern states.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board issued tentative regulations restricting installment purchases as a curb on inflation.

75 years ago
1946


At the movies
Notorious, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant, received its premiere screening at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.





Died on this date
Roland Prairie, 21
. Canadian boxer. Mr. Prairie, a lightweight from Montreal, died in hospital in Quebec City a few hours after winning a unanimous 10-round decision over Al Kid Point (4-6-1) to improve his record to 12-2. Mr. Prairie was knocked down for a count of 4 in the final seconds of the fight, staggered to his feet before the bell, and collapsed while on his way to the dressing room. He had reportedly been suffering from bad headaches and dizziness leading up to the fight.

Television
The DuMont Television Network began regular broadcasting on stations WABD in New York and W3XWT in Washington.

War
Chinese prosecutor Che Chun-hsiang accused the Japanese on trial in Tokyo of responsibility for 95,000 atrocities in China from 1937-1945.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State James Byrnes, speaking at the Paris Peace Conference, denied Soviet charges that the United States sought to exploit former enemy states for "selfish advantage."

The U.S. State Department sent a note to Yugoslavian Premier Marshal Josip Tito charging that Yugoslavian troops had violated the American zone in Venezia Giulia, Italy when they had clashed with U.S. forces on July 12.

Crime
U.S. Army authorities in Frankfurt announced the arrest of 3 Americans and 22 Germans suspected of leading a European counterfeiting ring.

Communications
Raytheon Manufacturing Company and Radion Inventions revealed the development of a news microwave relay communications system, capable of sending facsimile messages at 2,000 words per minute.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Price Administration concluded three days of hearings on reimposing price controls on grain, livestock, and milk, while granting price increases on many durable goods, including radios, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and clocks. The OPA also filed complaints in New York courts against Armour, Swift, and two other meat packing firms for black market practices.

Argentine President Juan Peron announced that future food exports would be limited to countries supplying Argentina with manufactured goods.

70 years ago
1951


On the radio
Pete Kelly's Blues, starring Jack Webb, on NBC

Died on this date
Oscar Benson, 76
. U.S. bureaucrat. Mr. Benson and Gertrude Warren co-authored the U.S. Department of Agriculture document Organization and Results of Boys' and Girls' Club Work (1920), marking the first use of the term "4-H Club" in a federal document.

Artur Schnabel, 69. Austro-Hungarian born musician and composer. Mr. Schnabel was born in what is now part of Poland, but moved to Vienna with his family at the age of 2. He began his career as a concert pianist in 1897, moved to Berlin in 1898, and became known for his performances of the works of German composers, especially Beethoven and Schubert. Mr. Schnabel fled Germany after the Nazis came to power in 1933, eventually settling in the United States in 1939 and becoming an American citizen in 1944. His compositions included three symphonies, works for piano, and chamber and choral works. Mr. Schnabel died in Switzerland.

War
The U.S. Air Force began Operation Strangle, a 10-month effort to destroy Communist railroads and supply lines in North Korea.

Aviation
Test pilot Bill Bridgeman flew a U.S. Navy Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket at 1,000 miles per hour to 72,394 feet (13.7 miles), the highest altitude yet reached by a manned vehicle.

World events
A court in San Juan, Puerto Rico convicted Puerto Rican nationalist leader Pedro Albizu Campos of attempting to overthrow the government by force in the previous year's revolt.

Protest
West German police drove back 9,000 Communist youth movement members as they tried to parade through West Berlin in an anti-American demonstration after attending the World Youth Festival in East Berlin.

Oil
Iran rejected a British plan providing for the creation of a new agency staffed mainly by British technicians to operate Iran's oil industry.

Economics and finance
The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa announced agreement on a plan to support wool prices by financing an international authority to buy wool when prices fell.

Labour
New York City schoolteachers ended a 15-month slowdown on extracurricular activities when the city's Board of Estimate approved pay increases bringing the maximum annual salary to $6,500.

Disasters
The New Zealand steamship Wahine, transformed into a troop ship for the Korean War, ran aground on Masela Island in the Arafura Sea, east of Timor, while en route to Korea. There were no fatalities, but the ship was a total loss.

Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Joe Louis (66-2) won a unanimous 10-round decision over Jimmy Bivins (78-21-1) at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. It turned out to be the Brown Bomber's last win.

60 years ago
1961


Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Hello Mary Lou/Travelin' Man--Ricky Nelson (6th week at #1)

Space
The United States launched the satellite Explorer 12, whose mission was to obtain data on solar wind, interplanetary magnetic fields, particles in space, and the Van Allen belts. The mission was expected to end in 1962.

World events
Border guard Conrad Schumann fled from East Germany while on duty guarding the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (0-3) 21 @ Hamilton (1-0) 30

50 years ago
1971


Died on this date
Paul Lukas, 77
. Hungarian-born U.S. actor. Mr. Lukas, born in Budapest as Pál Lukács, began his stage and screen career in his native country, but also worked in Germany and Austria before moving to Hollywod in 1927. He appeared in numerous films, plays, radio programs, and television programs, but was best known for playing anti-Nazi German émigré in the play (1941) and film (1943) Watch on the Rhine, winning the Academy Award for his starring screen performance. Mr. Lukas was visiting Tangier, Morocco, apparently searching for a place to spend his retirement years, when he died.

Science
The Stanford prison experiment officially began, under the leadership of Stanford University psychology professor Philip Zimbardo. The experiment was intended to see what the psychological effects were of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. Stanford students were recruited through an advertisement and, once selected, were randomly assigned as guards or prisoners. The experiment, which was ended by Dr. Zimbardo on August 20 after just six days, has been criticized for its ethics and methodology, and its findings have been questioned.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Richard Nixon, in a surprise move designed to cope with the inflationary spiral in the country, ordered an immediate 90-day freeze on wages, rents, and prices. He also ended the traditional convertibility of the U.S. dollar to gold in order to defend it against international speculators, and ordered a 10% surcharge on imported goods.

Sport
British equestrian Harvey Smith was stripped of his first-prize earnings for allegedly making an obscene hand gesture toward the British Show Jumping Derby's judges.



40 years ago
1981


Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Out Here on My Own--Nikka Costa

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Caribbean Disco Club--Lobo

#1 single in Ireland: Green Door--Shakin' Stevens

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Happy Birthday--Stevie Wonder

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Green Door--Shakin' Stevens (3rd week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Strada del sole--Rainhard Fendrich (3rd week at #1)
2 Hello Man--Cosmetics
3 Stars on 45--Stars on 45
4 Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)--Ottawan
5 Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes
6 You Drive Me Crazy--Shakin' Stevens
7 Sarà perché ti amo--Ricchi & Poveri
8 Agadou--Saragossa Band
9 Stand & Deliver!--Adam and the Ants
10 Oh No No--Bernie Paul

Singles entering the chart were Hello Man; You Drive Me Crazy; Stand & Deliver!; Only Crying by Keith Marshall (#13); and Louise (We Get it Right) by Jona Lewie (#14).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 One Day in Your Life--Michael Jackson (4th week at #1)
2 De Nederlandse Sterre Die Strale Overal!--Rubberen Robbie
3 Caribbean Disco Show--Lobo
4 More Stars--Stars on 45
5 No Me Hables--Juan Pardo
6 Wordy Rappinghood--Tom Tom Club
7 A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)--Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio
8 Rio--Maywood
9 Going Back to My Roots--Odyssey
10 Hold on Tight--Electric Light Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton (#26); (Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star by Bill Wyman (#28); The Old Calahan "Live" by BZN (#34); and Me No Pop I by Kid Creole & The Coconuts present Coati Mundi (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
2 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
3 I Don't Need You--Kenny Rogers
4 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
5 Elvira--The Oak Ridge Boys
6 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
7 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer
8 Hearts--Marty Balin
9 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton
10 (There's) No Gettin' Over Me--Ronnie Milsap

Singles entering the chart were Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do) by Christopher Cross (#71); Backfired by Debbie Harry (#75); All I Have to Do is Dream by Andy Gibb and Victoria Principal (#81); Just Once by Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (#84); When She was My Girl by the Four Tops (#85); Burnin' for You by Blue Oyster Cult (#87); Silly by Deniece Williams (#88); La-Di-Da by Sad Cafe (#90); and Very Special by Debra Laws (#94). Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do) was from the movie Arthur (1981).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
2 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
3 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
4 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
5 Elvira--The Oak Ridge Boys
6 I Don't Need You--Kenny Rogers
7 The One That You Love—Air Supply
8 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer
9 Hearts--Marty Balin
10 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton

Singles entering the chart were Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do) by Christopher Cross (#71); Backfired by Debbie Harry (#78); Burnin' for You by Blue Oyster Cult (#85); Just Once by Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (#89); and Silly by Deniece Williams (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Endless Love--Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
2 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
3 Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe it or Not)--Joey Scarbury
4 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
5 Queen of Hearts--Juice Newton
6 The One that You Love--Air Supply
7 Elvira--The Oak Ridge Boys
8 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer
9 I Don't Need You--Kenny Rogers
10 Lady (You Bring Me Up)--Commodores

Singles entering the chart included Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do) by Christopher Cross (#68); Backfired by Debbie Harry (#78); Falling in Love Again by the Michael Stanley Band (#83); A Heart in New York by Art Garfunkel (#88); Silly by Deniece Williams (#89); and We Can Get Together by Icehouse (#98).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Boy from New York City--The Manhattan Transfer (2nd week at #1)
2 Slow Hand--Pointer Sisters
3 In the Air Tonight--Phil Collins
4 Jessie's Girl--Rick Springfield
5 A Life of Illusion--Joe Walsh
6 The Stroke--Billy Squier
7 Hearts--Marty Balin
8 Fire and Ice--Pat Benatar
9 Urgent--Foreigner
10 One Step Ahead--Split Enz

Singles entering the chart were Thirsty Ears by Powder Blues (#24); Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (#27); and Really Wanna Know You by Gary Wright (#30).

Died on this date
Carol Ryrie Brink, 85
. U.S. authoress. Mrs. Brink wrote more than 30 novels for children and adults. Her novel Caddie Woodlawn won the 1936 Newbery Medal. Mrs. Brink died of heart failure.

Auto racing
USAC
Gold Crown Series
George Snider won the Tony Bettenhausen 100 on a dirt track at Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield; it was his only win in an Indy car. Larry Rice finished second and Jim McElreath third in the 26-car field.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (3-3) 32 @ Ottawa (2-4) 16

Baseball
Intercontinental Cup @ Renfrew Park, Edmonton
Semi-Finals
South Korea 1 @ Cuba 9
Dominican Republic 3 @ U.S.A. 5

30 years ago
1991


Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): (Everything I Do) I Do it for You--Bryan Adams (7th week at #1)

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-5) 10 @ Toronto (5-1) 62

Mike "Pinball" Clemons scored 3 touchdowns and Raghib "Rocket" Ismail added 2 more as the Argonauts routed the Roughriders before 35,786 fans at SkyDome. Toronto quarterback Rickey Foggie threw 3 touchdown passes.



Edmonton (4-2) 35 @ Ottawa (2-4) 36

Reggie Barnes rushed for more than 180 yards and 3 touchdowns--the last with 56 seconds remaining in regulation time--but the Eskimos appeared to be in position to win their game before 25,884 fans at Lansdowne Park in the final seconds. With the ball in field goal range, Edmonton quarterback Tracy Ham handed off to Michael Soles to move the ball into better position, and the Ottawa tacklers kept him on his feet until the clock ran out.

Calgary (6-0) 37 @ British Columbia (3-3) 28 (OT)

Junior Thurman returned a fumble 58 yards for a touchdown 1:13 into the 1st overtime period to provide the winning margin as the Stampeders defeated the Lions before 45,489 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.



25 years ago
1996


Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (7th week at #1)

Football
CFL
Toronto (7-1) 42 @ Ottawa (1-7) 19

Mike "Pinball" Clemons scored 3 touchdowns and caught 7 passes for 97 yards as the Argonauts defeated the Rough Riders before 15,220 fans at Frank Clair Stadium. Toronto quarterback Doug Flutie completed 22 of 38 passes for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns.



Winnipeg (5-3) 38 @ British Columbia (1-7) 13

Darnell Small returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown to help the Blue Bombers overcome a 10-point deficit and defeat the Lions before 15,531 fans at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

20 years ago
2001


Died on this date
Yavuz Çetin, 30
. Turkish musician. Mr. Çetin was a singer-songwriter of Anatolian blues who was known for his sensitive guitar playing. Mr. Çetin's first album, İlk (1997), didn't sell well, but he was able to make a living performing commercial jingles. He committed suicide by jumping from Istanbul's Boğaziçi Bridge, shortly after completing the recording of his album Satılık (For Sale) (2001), which was released shortly thereafter, to great acclaim.

Richard Chelimo, 29. Kenyan runner. Mr. Chelimo was a long-distance runner who specialized in the men's 10,000-metre run, winning the gold medal at the 1990 Junior World Championships; a silver medal at the 1991 World Championships; a bronze medal at the 1993 World Championships; and a silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. He set the junior and senior world record in the event in 1993; he held the senior record for just five days, but his junior record stood for 11 years. Mr. Chelimo retired from athletics in 1996, gained weight, and took to drink, but was getting back in shape when he died of a brain tumour.

Space
Astronomers announced the first discovery of a solar system outside our own--two planets orbiting a star in the Big Dipper.

10 years ago
2011


Died on this date
Rick Rypien, 27
. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Rypien, a native of Blairmore, Alberta, was a center who played junior hockey with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, but wasn't drafted by any National Hockey League team. He signed with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League in 2005, and eventually made the Moose's parent club, the Vancouver Canucks. Mr. Rypien played six seasons (2005-11) with the Canucks, scoring 9 goals and 7 assists in 119 regular season games, and 3 assists in 17 playoff games. He was known for his fighting ability, amassing minutes in penalties in regular season play and 47 minutes in the playoffs. Mr. Rypien was frequently injured and suffered from clinical depression, resulting in a couple of prolonged absences from hockey. He committed suicide at his home in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, several weeks after signing with the Winnipeg Jets for the 2011-12 season. Mr. Rypien's death inspired the Canucks to launch an initiative to help raise awareness of mental illness.

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