1931 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
Scullin called a meeting of the Labor caucus following the events of 4 February, which saw Joseph Lyons and James Fenton resign from cabinet in protest at the government's economic policy. The nominal purpose of the meeting was to elect replacements for Lyons and Fenton, but Scullin called a leadership ballot in order to shore up his own position. Although the caucus nominally had 52 members, Lyons and five of his supporters did not attend the meeting, and Fenton was present but did not vote. Scullin was re-elected comprehensively, winning 40 out of a possible 45 votes.


1931 Australian Labor Party leadership spill
Jack Beasley, acting as a proxy for Jack Lang and his supporters, received the remaining votes. Ted Theodore was re-elected unopposed as deputy leader, and then a vote was held to elect a new ministry, which saw three ministers (including Beasley) lose their places and five others promoted to the ministry for the first time (including future prime minister Ben Chifley).


1931 Australian federal election
The 1931 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 19 December 1931. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election.


1931 Australian federal election
The incumbent first-term Australian Labor Party (ALP) government led by Prime Minister James Scullin was defeated in a landslide by the United Australia Party (UAP) led by Joseph Lyons. To date, this is the last time that a sitting government at federal level has been defeated after a single term.


1931 Australian federal election
The election was held at a time of great social and political upheaval, coming at the peak of the Great Depression in Australia. The UAP had only been formed a few months before the election, when Lyons and a few ALP dissidents joined forces with the Nationalist Party and the Australian Party. Although it was dominated by former Nationalists, Lyons became the merged party's leader, with Nationalist leader John Latham as his deputy.


1931 Australian federal election
Scullin's position eroded further when five left-wing Labor MPs from New South Wales who supported NSW Premier Jack Lang broke away and moved to the crossbenches in protest of Scullin's economic policy, reducing Scullin to a minority government. Late in 1931, they supported a UAP no-confidence motion and brought down the government. The two Labor factions were decimated; massive vote-splitting left them with only 18 seats between them (14 for the official ALP and four for the Langites).


1931 Australian federal election
Prior to the election, it was assumed that the Country Party, led by Earle Page, would hold the balance of power, and Page tentatively agreed to support the UAP if that were the case. The two parties campaigned separately and stood candidates against each other in the House of Representatives, but ran joint tickets in Senate. However, the UAP came up four seats short of a majority.


1931 Australian federal election
The five MPs from the Emergency Committee of South Australia, which contested the election in that state in place of the UAP and Country Party, joined the UAP party room, giving the UAP enough numbers to form a majority government by two seats. Page was still willing to form a coalition with the Country Party, but negotiations broke down and Lyons decided the UAP would govern by itself. As a result, the First Lyons Ministry was composed solely of UAP members.


1931 Australian federal election
Labor would spend the next 10 years in opposition; it would not return to power until 1941.


1931 Australian federal election, Issues
The election was dominated by the Great Depression in Australia, which was at its height. As the Labor Government had come to office two days before the Wall Street Crash of 1929, it was seen as being responsible for many of the economic and social problems Australia faced, which sparked the historic Australian Labor Party split of 1931 in which Lyons and four other Labor dissidents crossed the floor to the opposition, and ultimately merged into the UAP. Although the UAP was basically an upper- and middle-class conservative party, the presence of ex-Labor MPs allowed the party to project an image of national unity.


1931 Australian federal election, Issues
By the time the writs were issued, official Labor and Lang Labor were in open warfare, making a UAP victory all but certain. Due to massive vote splitting brought on by a large number of three-cornered contests, Labor tallied its lowest primary vote since Federation. The two Labor factions, official Labor and Lang Labor, won only 18 seats between them. The two Labor factions would not reunite until 1936.


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
The Southern Cloud, registered VH-UMF, was one of five Avro 618 Ten three-engined aircraft flying daily airline services between Australian cities for Australian National Airways in the early 1930s.


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
On 21 March 1931, the Southern Cloud departed at 8:10 AM from Sydney for Melbourne. On board were six passengers and two crew, including pilot Travis "Shorty" Shortridge. Weather conditions en route were hazardous and much worse than predicted. The aircraft never reached its destination and disappeared.


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
The search for the missing aircraft lasted 18 days and involved over 20 aircraft. No trace of the missing aircraft was found. Airline co-owner Charles Kingsford Smith joined the search and "may have flown over the crash site, but with the aircraft having burned it would be very difficult to distinguish from the air and so the discovery wasn't made."


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
It was Australia's first major airline disaster. Australian National Airways folded later that year as a result of both this and another loss. A film inspired by the accident, The Secret of the Skies, was released in 1934.


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
The Southern Cloud's fate remained a mystery for 27 years until 26 October 1958. On that day, Tom Sonter, a worker on the Snowy Mountains Scheme, made a chance discovery of the wreck. The crash site was in heavily timbered mountainous terrain within the Snowy Mountains about 25 km (16 mi) east of the direct Sydney–Melbourne route. Investigations concluded that the severe weather conditions at the time of the flight most likely contributed to the crash.


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
A man named Stan Baker had been booked to fly on the fateful journey but cancelled and travelled by train instead. As a result of the aircraft's disappearance, he harboured a lifelong fear of flying – which was proved justifiable when he was killed in the 1950 Australian National Airways Douglas DC-4 crash.


1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance
In Don Bradman's book Farewell to Cricket he mentions that he flew in Southern Cloud with pilot Shortridge from Adelaide to Melbourne, then to Goulburn not long before the tragedy. He described the trip as a 'bumpy journey'.


1931 BYU Cougars football team
The 1931 BYU Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Brigham Young University in the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) during the 1931 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach G. Ott Romney, the Cougars compiled a 4–4 record (2–3 against RMC opponents), finished seventh in the RMC, and were outscored by a total of 104 to 69.


1931 Balkan Cup
The 1931 Balkan Cup was an unofficial holding of the competition in which only three teams participated - Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Turkey. It was played in 30 September – 4 October 1931 (i.e. before the 1929–31 tournament had been completed) and was won by Bulgaria. It featured three matches, all played in Stadion Slavia, Sofia.


1931 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 1931 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State Teachers College (later renamed Ball State University) in the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) during the 1931 college football season. In its second season under head coach Lawrence McPhee, the team compiled a 2–6 record.


1931 Baltic Cup
The 1931 Baltic Cup was held in Tallinn, Estonia at Kadrioru staadion from 30 August to 1 September 1931. It was the fourth time three Baltic countries — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — came together to play a friendly tournament and determine the best team amongst them. Estonia won the tournament, beating both opponents.


1931 Baltic Cup
This was the first time the competition was known as the Baltic Cup.


1931 Baltimore mayoral election
The 1935 Baltimore mayoral election saw the return of Howard W. Jackson to the mayoralty for a second nonconsecutive term.


1931 Barcelona City Council election
The 1931 Barcelona City Council election was held on Sunday, 12 April 1931, to elect the Barcelona City Council, the unicameral local legislature of the municipality of Barcelona. This was the first election under the Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. At stake were all 50 seats in the City Council, determining the Mayor of Barcelona. The election was perceived as a plebiscite on Spanish Monarchy. The results lead to the Second Spanish Republic.


1931 Barcelona City Council election, Electoral system
The number of seats of each council was determined by the population count. According to the 1877 municipal law, the population-seat relationship on each municipality was to be established on the following scale:


1931 Barcelona City Council election, Electoral system
The 1907 election law established that councillors should be elected in districts consisting of 4 members, although 3 to 7 member districts were also allowed. Voters had to choose multiple candidates using limited voting, which allows a voter to vote for fewer candidates than members have to be elected. Candidates winning a plurality of votes in each district were elected. If the number of candidates was equal or fewer than the number of seats to be filled, candidates were automatically proclaimed without an election. Voting was compulsory, but not enforced, and on the basis of universal manhood suffrage, with males over twenty-five and at least a two-year residency in a municipality required to vote. Mayors were elected indirectly by the city or town council on the first session after the election.


1931 Baylor Bears football team
The 1931 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1931 college football season. In their sixth season under head coach Morley Jennings, the Bears compiled a 3–6 record (1–5 against conference opponents), finished in sixth place in the conference, and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 134 to 100. They played their home games at Carroll Field in Waco, Texas. Maurice S. Pierce was the team captain.


1931 Belgian Grand Prix
The 1931 Belgian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on 12 July 1931.


1931 Bermondsey Borough election
Elections to Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey were held in 1931.


1931 Bermondsey Borough election
The borough had 12 wards which returned between 3 and 6 members. Of the 12 wards 1 of the wards had all candidates elected unopposed.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season
The 1931 Big Ten Conference football season was the 36th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference (also known as the Western Conference) and was a part of the 1931 college football season.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season
The 1931 Purdue Boilermakers football team, under head coach Noble Kizer, compiled a 9–1 record, shut out six of ten opponents, tied for the Big Ten championship, and was recognized as national co-champion by Parke H. Davis. End Paul Moss and center Ookie Miller were recognized as first-team All-Americans.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season
The 1931 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach was Harry Kipke, compiled an 8-1-1 record and finished the season in a three-way tie with Purdue and Northwestern for the Big Ten championship. The team shut out eight of ten opponents and led the conference in scoring defense (2.7 points allowed per game). The Wolverines also started a 22-game undefeated streak that lasted until October 1934. Center Maynard Morrison was selected as a first-team All-American.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season
The 1931 Northwestern Wildcats football team, under head coach Dick Hanley, compiled a 7–1–1 record and were the third team finishing in a tie for the Big Ten championship. Purdue's sole loss was on the final day of the season against Purdue. Three Northwestern players were consensus first-team All-Americans: halfback Pug Rentner and tackles Jack Riley and Dallas Marvil.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season
Minnesota guard Clarence Munn won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the Big Ten and was also selected as a consensus first-team All-American.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season, Season overview, Results and team statistics
KeyDS = Rankings from Dickinson System. See 1931 college football seasonPPG = Average of points scored per gamePAG = Average of points allowed per gameMVP = Most valuable player as voted by players on each team as part of the voting process to determine the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy


1931 Big Ten Conference football season, Season overview, Bowl games
No Big Ten teams participated in any bowl games during the 1931 season.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season, All-Big Ten players
The following players were picked by the Associated Press (AP), the United Press (UP) and/or the team captains (CPT) as first-team players on the 1931 All-Big Ten Conference football team.


1931 Big Ten Conference football season, All-Americans
Four Big Ten players were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1931 College Football All-America Team. They were:


1931 Big Ten Conference football season, All-Americans
Other Big Ten players received first-team honors from at least one selector. They were:


1931 Birmingham–Southern Panthers football team
The 1931 Birmingham–Southern Panthers football team was an American football team that represented Birmingham–Southern College as a member of the Dixie Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association during the 1931 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Jenks Gillem, the team compiled a 5–4 record.


1931 Birthday Honours
The King's Birthday Honours 1931 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King. They were published on 2 June 1931.


1931 Birthday Honours
The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged by honour, with classes (Knight, Knight Grand Cross, etc.) and then divisions (Military, Civil, etc.) as appropriate.


1931 Bolivian constitutional referendum
A constitutional referendum was held in Bolivia on 11 January 1931. Voters were asked whether they approved of nine separate proposed amendments to the constitution, all of which were approved.


1931 Bolivian constitutional referendum, Background
On 24 June 1930 General Carlos Blanco Galindo led a military coup to oust President Hernando Siles Reyes. The military junta subsequently proposed several constitutional changes and fresh elections. A decree was issued on 27 November 1930 ordering a referendum on 28 December. However, it was later postponed. Elections were held on 4 January.


1931 Bolivian constitutional referendum, Electoral system
Blank votes were added to the "yes" votes. Voting was restricted to certain level of income or assets, whilst women and illiterate men were barred from voting.


1931 Bolivian constitutional referendum, Aftermath
The National Congress were opposed to the referendum as it had not been carried out in accordance with the constitution, but ratified the approved proposals. The changes went into effect on 23 February, although the changes on election of the President and autonomy of universities were dropped.


1931 Bolivian general election
General elections were held in Bolivia on 4 January 1931, electing both a new President of the Republic and a new National Congress.


1931 Boston Braves season
The 1931 Boston Braves season was the 61st season of the franchise. The team finished seventh in the National League with a record of 64–90, 37 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals.


1931 Boston Braves season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Boston Braves season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Boston Braves season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Boston Braves season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Boston Braves season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Boston College Eagles football team
The 1931 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College during the 1931 college football season. The Eagles were led by fourth-year head coach Joe McKenney and played their home games at Fenway Park in Boston. The team finished with a record of 6–4.


1931 Boston Red Sox season
The 1931 Boston Red Sox season was the 31st season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The team's home field was Fenway Park. The Red Sox finished sixth in the American League (AL) with a record of 62 wins and 90 losses, 45 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics.


1931 Boston Red Sox season
The Red Sox played their Sunday home games at Braves Field this season, as had been the case since the team's 1929 season, due to Fenway being close to a house of worship. The team played a total of 15 home games at Braves Field during the 1931 season, all on Sundays.


1931 Boston Red Sox season
This was the first season that the Red Sox wore uniform numbers.


1931 Boston Red Sox season
Outfielder Earl Webb set the single-season mark of 67 doubles which is still a major league record to this day.


1931 Boston Red Sox season, Regular season, Roster
This was the first season that the Red Sox wore uniform numbers.


1931 Boston Red Sox season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Boston Red Sox season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Boston Red Sox season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Boston Red Sox season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Boston Red Sox season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Boston University Terriers football team
The 1931 Boston University Terriers football team was an American football team that represented Boston University as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In its second and final season under head coach Hilary Mahaney, the team compiled a 1–8 record, was shut out in six of nine games, and was outscored by a total of 97 to 40.


1931 Bowling Green Falcons football team
The 1931 Bowling Green Falcons football team was an American football team that represented Bowling Green State College (later renamed Bowling Green State University) as a member of the Northwest Ohio League (NOL) during the 1931 college football season. In its eighth season under head coach Warren Steller, the team compiled a 3–1–4 record, shut out six of eight opponents (including three scoreless ties), and outscored all opponents by a total of 31 to 21. Cliff Stevenson was the team captain.


1931 Brisbane City Council election
The 1931 Brisbane City Council election was held on 2 May 1931 to elect councillors for each of the 20 wards of the City of Brisbane. The election resulted in 8 seats for Labor, 7 seats for Civic Reform, 3 seats for non-party progressives and 2 seats for National Citizens. The new council elected John William Greene as Lord Mayor.


1931 Bristol East by-election
The Bristol East by-election of 1931 was held on 16 January 1931. The by-election was held due to the death of the incumbent Labour MP, Walter John Baker. It was won by the Labour candidate Stafford Cripps.


1931 Bristol East by-election, Candidates
The Liberal Party ran 56 year-old Edward Baker. Baker owned an engineering business in East London. He had previously contested Manchester Platting for the Liberal Party at the 1924 general election and Howdenshire for the Liberal Party at the 1929 general election.


1931 Bristol East by-election, Aftermath
Following the formation of the National Government, the Liberals in Bristol East chose not to run a candidate at the 1931 general election. Baker was chosen again to contest Howdenshire but withdrew to support the incumbent National Government candidate. He fought Howdenshire again in 1935 without success.


1931 British Honduras hurricane
The 1931 British Honduras hurricane was the deadliest hurricane in the history of British Honduras (known as Belize since 1973), killing an estimated 2,500 people. The hurricane was first detected as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on 29 August. Moving westward, the disturbance remained relatively weak until 6 September, when it was first classified as a tropical cyclone just west of the Windward Islands. The depression gradually intensified, reaching tropical storm intensity within the first six hours following tropical cyclogenesis. The cyclone intensified further to hurricane intensity by 8 September.


1931 British Honduras hurricane
Strengthening and organisation remained gradual until the storm reached the Gulf of Honduras, by which time it began to rapidly intensify, reaching Category 4 hurricane intensity on 10 September. The hurricane subsequently made landfall in Belize City with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km/h). Moving across the Yucatán Peninsula, the tropical cyclone weakened, and continued to do so when it moved across the Bay of Campeche. This track brought it to a second landfall north of Tampico, Mexico, as a tropical storm on 13 September. Once inland, the storm quickly weakened and dissipated later that day.


1931 British Honduras hurricane
Possibly due to celebrations of the anniversary of the defeat of Spanish conquerors by the British in 1798, there was little warning of the storm in British Honduras. At St. George's Caye, many structures were washed away by abnormally high tides and storm surge. Belize City was devastated, with the entire city being inundated with at least 5 ft (1.5 m) of water. Property on six streets was completely swept away, while overall 70% of the city was destroyed. Among the buildings severely damaged or demolished included many buildings and resident halls at St. John's College and the U.S. Embassy building; the Consul suffered fatal injuries during the collapse of the building. Further inland, severe damage to agriculture occurred. Overall, the storm left $7.5 million (1931 USD) in damage.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Meteorological history
The hurricane began as a tropical wave—a westbound low-pressure area—first observed southeast of Cape Verde on 29 August. Traversing the tropical Atlantic, the wave retained a minimum barometric pressure of about 1010 mbar (hPa; 29.83 inHg) and strengthened briefly the following day. By 1 September, however, the wave had become rather weak and indiscernible; it would remain as such for much of its early existence until 6 September, by which time it had moved past the Windward Islands.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Meteorological history
In this region the system became sufficiently organised to be classified as a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC that same day near Grenada. Some six hours after its inception the depression strengthened to a tropical storm over the eastern Caribbean Sea. Owing to a lack of ship observations, data on the storm were scarce in that region. The first ship to identify the storm clearly was the tanker Geo H. Jones, which recorded strong winds in conjunction with rapidly decreasing barometric pressures late on 7 September. As the storm remained west-northwest bound across the Caribbean, more ships were able to record data on the cyclone.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Meteorological history
It is estimated that at 18:00 UTC on 8 September, the tropical storm attained hurricane intensity. Intensification remained gradual until the hurricane moved into the Gulf of Honduras by 10 September, when the hurricane began to rapidly intensify. At 00:00 UTC on 10 September, the cyclone intensified into a Category 2 hurricane. The storm strengthened further before reaching its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km/h) at 1800 UTC. The strong hurricane made landfall on Belize City at the same intensity two hours later.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Meteorological history
A barometer in the city recorded a minimum pressure of 952 mbar (hPa; 28.12 mbar); this was the lowest barometric pressure measured in association with the storm. The hurricane substantially weakened over the Yucatán Peninsula, and had weakened to tropical storm strength by the time it had entered the Bay of Campeche. Despite moving back over water, the tropical cyclone continued to weaken in the bay, and made its final landfall roughly 60–70 mi (95–110 km) north of Tampico, Mexico, with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) at around 00:00 UTC on 13 September. Over the mountainous terrain of Mexico, the storm quickly weakened, and dissipated later on 13 September.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
September 10, the day of the hurricane, is also a national holiday for British Honduras, on which many locals gather in the streets to celebrate the  Battle Of St. George's Caye. It is widely believed that the hurricane struck without any warning, although some recent historians have disputed this. In his column for The Belize Times on September 5, 2004, Emory King claimed that Belizean authorities withheld continuous warnings from U.S. ships in the region of a possible hurricane strike on British Honduras so the festivities would not be interrupted.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
King cited as evidence a letter dated September 24, 1931, from a local radio operator to the Colonial Secretary in which the warnings were discussed, adding that "perhaps none of [the authorities] had ever been in a hurricane and didn't know exactly how bad it was going to be." Additionally, there was also belief among residents of Belize City that the reefs would provide a barrier against large tidal waves.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
Storm surge, abnormally high tides, and strong winds resulted in severe damage and many deaths in Belize City. The entire city was inundated with 5 ft (1.5 m) of water. Numerous boats were swept far inland, including a 200-ton dredge. Properties on six streets were completely swept away, while 70% of the city overall was destroyed. The U.S. Embassy building was severely damaged, after water reached the second floor. Giles Russell Taggart, the Consul, suffered injuries after the building collapsed that were ultimately fatal. At St. John's College, several buildings and resident halls were extensively damaged or destroyed.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
Government radio facilities in Belize City were cut out during the storm. Several American priests in the city were killed during the storm. Within of 25 mi (40 km) radius of Belize City and about 40 mi (64 km) upstream the Belize River, all agricultural plantations were obliterated. Offshore at St. George's Caye, structures were completely destroyed, while 24 deaths occurred there. Overall, damage in the country reached approximately $7.5 million. The storm left approximately 2,500 deaths, making it the deadliest tropical cyclone in the history of Belize.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
The British government requested for the United States to send vessels to assist those affected by the storm. A number of residents of Belize City were left without food and water supplies. The USS Swan (AM-34), stationed at nearby Trujillo, Honduras, was dispatched to send aid to British Honduras. United States President Herbert Hoover ordered the United States Navy and American Red Cross to cooperate in relief efforts. Both agencies and organisations ordered a United States Marine Corps plane from Managua, Nicaragua, to send $2,500 worth of medical supplies to affected areas of British Honduras.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
Throughout the city, relief kitchens were set up. The Government of British Honduras eventually began burning areas with debris and bodies, to prevent spread of disease. Monrad Metzgen, a lieutenant of the British Honduras Defense Force, became responsible for the rescue of persons trapped, feeding those without shelter, and the burial of the deceased. For his efforts, Metzgen received an Order of the British Empire award from King George V of the United Kingdom.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
Authorities of Belize City considered abandoning the community and moving it to higher ground. Additionally, there was a proposal to relocate the capital further south or inland to the pine ridge, with either resulting in a higher elevation of the capital. However, the process of moving the capital did not begin until 1961, after Belize City was devastated by Hurricane Hattie. Belmopan became the capital city of British Honduras in 1970.


1931 British Honduras hurricane, Preparations, impact, and aftermath
Due to the weak intensity of the storm and a rural landfall location in Mexico, there were few observations of weather related to the storm in the country. In Tampico, located south of where the storm made landfall, winds reached only 20 mph (32 km/h).


1931 Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) season
The 1931 Brooklyn Dodgers season was their second in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 7–4–1, winning only two games. They were shut out in eight of their fourteen games and finished ninth in the league.


1931 Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1931 Brooklyn Robins season
The 1931 Brooklyn Robins finished in 4th place, after which longtime manager Wilbert Robinson announced his retirement with 1,399 career victories.


1931 Brooklyn Robins season, Regular season
Jack Quinn became the oldest person in baseball history to pitch on Opening Day. He was 47 when he started for Brooklyn on Opening Day in 1931. It would be Quinn's only start of the season, as he pitched the rest of the year in relief.


1931 Brooklyn Robins season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = runs; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases


1931 Brooklyn Robins season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = runs; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases


1931 Brooklyn Robins season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts; CG = Complete games


1931 Brooklyn Robins season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts; CG = Complete games


1931 Brooklyn Robins season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Brown Bears football team
The 1931 Brown Bears football team represented Brown University during the 1931 college football season. The team's coach was Tuss McLaughry.


1931 Brownlow Medal
The 1931 Brownlow Medal was the eighth year the award was presented to the player adjudged the fairest and best player during the Victorian Football League (VFL) home and away season. Haydn Bunton of the Fitzroy Football Club won the medal by polling twenty-six votes during the 1931 VFL season.


1931 Brownlow Medal
Following the previous season's three-way tie, and the confusion which followed, the conditions governing the medal were amended. From this season, the umpire would award votes to the best three players on the ground – three votes to the best player, two to the second best, and one to the third best. The player with the most overall votes would win; in the event of a tie, the player with the most three-vote games would win, then the player with the most two-vote games. The provision under which a player who had been suspended during the season became ineligible for the award was also added.


1931 Bucknell Bison football team
The 1931 Bucknell Bison football team was an American football team that represented Bucknell University as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In its fifth season under head coach Carl Snavely, the team compiled a 6–0–3 record.


1931 Bucknell Bison football team
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.


1931 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 1931 Buffalo Bulls football team was an American football team that represented the University at Buffalo as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In its first season under head coach William Pritchard, the team compiled a 2–6 record. The team played its home games at Rotary Field in Buffalo, New York.


1931 Bulgarian State Football Championship
The 1930 Bulgarian State Football Championship was the eight edition of the competition. It was consisted by 12 teams, and it was won by AS 23 Sofia. This was the club's first title.


1931 Bulgarian State Football Championship, Qualified teams
The winners from each OSO (Bulgarian: окръжна спортна област, lit. 'regional sports district') qualify for the State championship.


1931 Bulgarian parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Bulgaria on 21 June 1931. The result was a victory for the Popular Bloc, an alliance of the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union (Dragiev), the Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party (Petrov) and the Radical Democratic Party, which won 151 of the 273 seats. Voter turnout was 85.2%.


1931 Bulgarian parliamentary election
This would be the last officially partisan election held in Bulgaria before World War II (the 1939 elections were officially nonpartisan, but candidates representing parties ran as individuals). By the time of the next elections in which parties were formally allowed to take part, in 1945, the country had been through two dictatorships and a third, Communist one was rapidly consolidating. As a result, the 1931 election was also the last free election held in the country until 1990.


1931 CCNY Lavender football team
The 1931 CCNY Lavender football team was an American football team that represented the City College of New York (CCNY) as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In their eighth season under Harold J. Parker, the Lavender team compiled a 2–5–1 record.


1931 Cal Aggies football team
The 1931 Cal Aggies football team represented the Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture in the 1931 college football season. The team was known as either the Cal Aggies or California Aggies, and competed in the Far Western Conference (FWC).


1931 Cal Aggies football team
The Aggies were led by fourth-year head coach Irv "Crip" Toomey. They played home games in Sacramento, California. The Aggies finished with a record of four wins, two losses and two ties (4–2–2, 2–1–2 FWC). The Aggies were outscored by their opponents 42–209 for the 1931 season.


1931 Cal Aggies football team
The team finished in a four-way tie for first in the conference. As a result, no champion was named for the 1931 season.


1931 Cal Poly Mustangs football team
The 1931 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic School during the 1931 college football season. Cal Poly was a two-year school until 1941, and competed as an independent from 1929 to 1945.


1931 Cal Poly Mustangs football team
The team was led by tenth-year head coach Al Agosti and played home games in San Luis Obispo, California. They finished the season with a record of three wins, five losses and one tie (3–5–1). Overall, the Mustangs were outscored by their opponents 51–152 for the season.


1931 Cal Poly Mustangs football team
The Mustangs did not field a team in 1930 due to the polio epidemic.


1931 Calgary municipal election
The 1931 Calgary municipal election was held on November 18, 1931 to elect a Mayor and six Aldermen to sit on Calgary City Council. Along with positions on Calgary City Council, four trustees for the Public School Board, three trustees for the Separate School Board, and three questions put before the voters.


1931 Calgary municipal election
Calgary City Council governed under "Initiative, Referendum and Recall" which is composed of a Mayor, Commissioner and twelve Aldermen all elected to staggered two year terms. Mayor Andrew Davison and six Aldermen: Lloyd Hamilton Fenerty, Ralph William Patterson, John Walker Russell, Wilmot Douglas Milner, Fred J. White, and Charles Edward Carr elected in 1930 continued in their positions.


1931 Calgary municipal election, Background
The election was held under the Single Transferable Voting/Proportional Representation (STV/PR) with the term for candidates being two years.


1931 Calgary municipal election, Background
Incumbent Mayor Andrew Davison was challenged by Communist candidate Phil Luck, who was able to garner only 5.6 per cent of the popular vote. Luck expected to have greater support amongst foreign born residents, however the Calgary Herald reported a large number of resident aliens were refused the right to vote because they failed to provide naturalization papers or birth certificates.


1931 Calgary municipal election, Plebiscites, City manager
Reorganization of civic government, on whether a City Manager would be hired to take on the role of the current elected Commissioner.


1931 California Golden Bears football team
The 1931 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley during the 1931 college football season. Under head coach Bill Ingram, the team compiled an overall record of 8–2 and 4–1 in conference.


1931 Caltech Engineers football team
The 1931 Caltech Engineers football team was an American football team that represented the California Institute of Technology in the Southern California Conference (SCC) during the 1931 college football season. In their 11th season under head coach Fox Stanton, the team compiled a 6–2–1 record, won the SCC championship, and outscored all opponents by a total of 122 to 53.


1931 Caltech Engineers football team
Halfback George "Red" Watson was the team captain. Watson was also selected by the conference coaches as a first-team player on the All-SCC team. Guard Phil Craig and end Ed Hayes were named to the second team. Other players included halfback Jack De Milita and tackle Bill Shuler (son of the noted radio personality "Fighting Bob" Shuler).


1931 Campeonato Carioca
The 1931 Campeonato Carioca, the 26th edition of the Rio de Janeiro state championship. Eleven teams participated. América won the title for the 5th time. No teams were relegated. Carioca joined the league after Syrio e Libanez left following the 1930 season.


1931 Campeonato Carioca, Format
The tournament was disputed in a double round-robin format, with the team with the most points winning the title.


1931 Campeonato Paulista
The 1931 Campeonato Paulista, organized by the APEA (Associação Paulista de Esportes Atléticos), was the 30th season of São Paulo's top association football league. São Paulo da Floresta won the title for the 1st time. no teams were relegated and the top scorer was Santos's Feitiço with 39 goals.


1931 Campeonato Paulista, System
The championship was disputed in a double-round robin system, with the team with the most points winning the title.


1931 Canadian census
The Canada 1931 census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. The census count was taken as at 1 June 1931. The total population count was 10,376,379 representing a 17.9% increase over the 1911 Census population count of 8,800,249. The 1931 Census was the seventh comprehensive decennial census since Canadian Confederation on 1 July 1867. The previous census was the Northwest Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba 1926 census and the following census was the Northwest Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba 1936 census.


1931 Canadian census
This census should become available to the public in 2023, 92 years after the census was collected.


1931 Canadian census, Population by province
The highest growth rate was in British Columbia, while Quebec added the largest number of new residents. Only Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia experienced a decline in population.


1931 Carmarthenshire County Council election
An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1931. It was preceded by the 1928 election and followed by the 1934 election.


1931 Carmarthenshire County Council election, Overview of the result
The Independent group remained the majority grouping on the Council. In the Llanelli area the potential for Labour to win further ground was complicated by the appearance of Communist Party candidates.


1931 Carmarthenshire County Council election, Boundary changes
There was one boundary change, namely the division of the existing Llandybie ward into two divisions, each of which was won by Labour.


1931 Carmarthenshire County Council election, Summary of results
Only a minority of the 53 divisions were contested. 53 councillors were elected.


1931 Carmarthenshire County Council election, Ward results, Llanelly Rural, Hengoed
Joe Howells stood as an Independent against the official Labour candidate and won by a very narrow margin.


1931 Carmarthenshire County Council election, Election of aldermen
In addition to the 53 councillors the council consisted of 17 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections the following nine aldermen were elected (with the number of votes in each case).


1931 Carnegie Tech Tartans football team
The 1931 Carnegie Tech Tartans football team represented Carnegie Mellon University during the 1931 college football season.


1931 Catalan Statute of Autonomy referendum
A referendum on the approval of the Catalan Statute of Autonomy was held in Catalonia on Sunday, 2 August 1931. Voters were asked whether they ratified a proposed draft Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, also known as the "Statute of Núria" (Catalan: Estatut de Núria). Article 12 of the Spanish Constitution of 1931 allowed for Spanish provinces to be organized into "autonomous regions", provided that a regional Statute was proposed by a majority of the provinces' municipalities comprising at least two-thirds of the provincial population and that two-thirds majority of all those eligible to vote accepted the draft Statute.


1931 Catalan Statute of Autonomy referendum
The referendum resulted in 99.5% of valid votes in support of the draft Statute on a turnout of 75.3%, representing 74.8% of the electorate. The draft Statute was subsequently submitted to the consideration of the Spanish Cortes, which finally approved it on 9 September 1932 with a 314–24 result.


1931 Catholic University Cardinals football team
The 1931 Catholic University Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented the Catholic University of America as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In its second year under head coach Dutch Bergman, the team compiled an 8–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 249 to 84. After losing the first game of the season to Boston College, the Cardinals won their final eight games.


1931 Centenary Gentlemen football team
The 1931 Centenary Gentlemen football team was an American football team that represented the Centenary College of Louisiana as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association during the 1931 college football season. In their ninth year under head coach Homer Norton, the team compiled a 5–5 record.


1931 Central State Bearcats football team
The 1931 Central State Bearcats football team represented Central State Teachers College, later renamed Central Michigan University, in the Michigan Collegiate Conference (MCC) during the 1931 college football season. In their first season under head coach George Van Bibber, the Bearcats compiled a 4–3 record (2–1 against MCC opponents), held five of seven opponents to seven or fewer point, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 95 to 58. The team defeated its in-state rival Michigan State Normal (20–12), lost to rival Western State Teachers (6–7), and also lost to Big Ten Conference champion Michigan (0–27).


1931 Central State Bearcats football team
Van Bibber was named Central State's head football coach in May 1931. He replaced Butch Nowack who left Central State to accept a coaching position at Indiana. Van Bibber had played football, basketball, and baseball at Purdue.


1931 Central State Bearcats football team, Game notes, Michigan
Central State opened its 1931 season on October 3 with a 27-0 loss to Michigan. The games attracted a crowd of nearly 80,000 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan played its backup players in the game. Michigan's touchdowns were scored by halfback Jack Heston (the son of former Michigan star Willie Heston), fullback Roderick Cox (1933 NCAA champion in the hammer throw), end Ted Petoskey, and substitute halfback Herbert Schmidt. Petoskey also kicked three points after touchdown.


1931 Ceylonese State Council election
The first election to the State Council of Ceylon were held from 13 to 20 June 1931. This was the first election in a British colony which used universal adult franchise.


1931 Ceylonese State Council election, Background
In 1931 the Donoughmore Constitution replaced the Legislative Council of Ceylon with the State Council of Ceylon as the legislature of British Ceylon. The State Council was to consist of 58 members of which 50 would be elected by universal suffrage and the remaining 8 members appointed the Governor.


1931 Ceylonese State Council election, Background
The old Legislative Council was dissolved on 17 April 1931 and candidate nominations took place on 4 May 1931. The Jaffna Youth Congress, an organisation that campaigned for Ceylon independence, called for a boycott of the election since the Donoughmore Constitution did not grant dominion status to Ceylon. Consequently, no nominations were received in four constituencies in the north of the country (Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Kayts and Point Pedro). In addition, nine other constituencies only had a single nomination each and consequently the candidates were elected without a vote. Elections in the remaining 37 constituencies took place between 13 and 20 June 1931.


1931 Ceylonese State Council election, Background
In 1934 by-elections were held for the four vacant seats in the north.


1931 Chatham Cup
The 1931 Chatham Cup was the ninth annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.


1931 Chatham Cup
The competition was run on a regional basis, with six regional associations (Auckland, Walkato, Wellington, Manawatu, Canterbury, and Otago) each holding separate qualifying rounds. In all, 30 teams took part in the competition, though some reports suggest there may have been 31 teams, and for the first time the majority came from the South Island. This was an improvements over previous years, but still a tiny number considering that 514 teams were affiliated to the regional associations nationwide. Participation by Auckland teams was particularly poor, with only three sides from that city taking part.


1931 Chatham Cup, Participants
The following 30 teams are known to have taken part in the competition:


1931 Chatham Cup, The 1931 final
The final was won by Tramurewa, a recent amalgamation of former winners Tramways and Manurewa, soon to be renamed Manurewa AFC. In all, six of Tramurewa's player had played for Tramways in the 1929 final. In the final almost all of the action occurred in the second half. A. Wilson was the first scorer for Nomads, followed two minutes later by G. Goode.


1931 Chatham Cup, The 1931 final
Clem Bell then scored twice to leave the scores tied at 2-2. Nomads defended stoutly to keep the scores tied until full-time, but in the first period of extra time both H., Donaldson and Arthur Spong scored for the Auckland team. The goal tally was completed just before the end of the second period of extra time by Bell's third goal.


1931 Chatham Cup, The 1931 final
Tramurewa's Clem Bell was the second player in Chatham Cup history to score a final hat-trick, and also the second player to score in two separate finals (he scored in Tramways' win in 1929). The tally of seven goals scored in the game was the highest aggregate until 1940.


1931 Chattanooga Moccasins football team
The 1931 Chattanooga Moccasins football team represented the University of Chattanooga in the Dixie Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1931 college football season. In Scrappy Moore's first season as head coach, the team compiled a 9–2 record overall and an 8–0 against SIAA opponents, winning the SIAA championship.


1931 Chicago Bears season
The 1931 season was the Chicago Bears' 12th in the National Football League. The team was unable to improve on their 9–4–1 record from 1930 and finished with an 8–5 record under sophomore head coach Ralph Jones. The club finished in third place once again behind the Green Bay Packers and the Portsmouth Spartans. The Bears opened the season well, winning three of their first four games, including victories over the Cardinals and Giants. Chicago then dropped two in a row, both at home to the Packers and Yellowjackets.


1931 Chicago Bears season
Four consecutive wins in the middle of the season put the Bears back in contention; however, another weak ending, losing two of their last three, made the season somewhat of a disappointment. Grange and Nagurski again carried the team, with 9 touchdowns between them (7 by Grange). The Bears' biggest weakness was an aging interior line, with few young linemen joining the team who had an impact. They also lacked a consistent kicking game, now that Paddy Driscoll and the Sternaman brothers had all retired. Owner George Halas would remedy these problems over the next few years and get the Bears back on top.


1931 Chicago Bears season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1931 Chicago Cardinals season
The 1931 Chicago Cardinals season was their 12th in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 5–6–2, losing only four games. They finished fourth in the league. The team played its first five games on the road and played six games in the month of November.


1931 Chicago Cardinals season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1931 Chicago Cubs season
The 1931 Chicago Cubs season was the 60th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 56th in the National League and the 16th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished third in the National League with a record of 84–70, 17 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals.


1931 Chicago Cubs season, Regular season
1931 was one of player-manager Rogers Hornsby's last productive seasons. He managed to drive in 90 runs and collect 37 doubles in only 100 games, while batting for an average of .331. He led the league in on-base percentage (.421) for the ninth and last time in his career.


1931 Chicago Cubs season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Chicago Cubs season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Chicago Cubs season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Chicago Cubs season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Chicago Cubs season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Chicago Maroons football team
The 1931 Chicago Maroons football team was an American football team that represented the University of Chicago during the 1931 college football season. In their 40th season under head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, the Maroons compiled a 3–7–1 record, finished in eighth place in the Big Ten Conference, and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 130 to 71.


1931 Chicago White Sox season
The 1931 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 31st season in the major leagues, and its 32nd season overall. They finished with a record 56–97, good enough for 8th place in the American League, 51.5 games behind the first place Philadelphia Athletics.


1931 Chicago White Sox season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Chicago White Sox season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Chicago White Sox season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Chicago White Sox season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Chicago White Sox season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Chicago housing protests
The Housing Protests on the South Side of Chicago in August 1931 began as a clash between white police and African Americans over the eviction of Diana Gross, a seventy-two year old black woman. Police who were sent to enforce the eviction came into direct conflict with the crowd that had assembled and who were attempting to place her furniture back inside her home. The ensuing confrontation between police and the protesters led to the shooting deaths of two black men during the event, one black man killed later in the aftermath, as well as several injuries to policemen.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Background, 1930s Economics
The 1930s were a desperate time in the American economy as the Great Depression began to take its toll across the nation. People that were poor or unskilled, immigrants, as well as blacks suffered these effects more than their white counterparts. Rosenzweig argues that these unemployed did not simply "accept their lot" but instead developed strategies for survival such as "formal and informal cooperative movements, family and neighborhood networks of assistance, individual and group looting of supermarkets, coal bootlegging, determined searches for work, and innovative stretching of income."


1931 Chicago housing protests, Background, 1930s Economics
During the first two summers after the start of the Great Depression, evictions in large urban cities were not uncommon. These numerous evictions were addressed in Chicago in a "specialized branch of the municipal court, the so-called 'Renter's Court'" By 1931 the non-payment of rent in Chicago had become such a problem that landlords were, while pursuing and threatening evictions, willing to take any help from the courts that would provide them even a partial months rent. It was here that the Communist Party (CP) chose to interject itself as an active participant in the turmoil of the  Chicago South Side.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Background, American Communist Party and Unemployment Councils
The Communist Party faced its own Depression Era problems that left them struggling to remain viable after World War I and the first "Red Scare." In 1929 while most Americans were celebrating Republican prosperity, the Communist Party was in Cleveland organizing a new labor group called the Trade Union Unity League (TUUL) which had as one objective, the setting up of "Councils of Unemployed Workers." Rosenzweig notes that organizational attempts in Chicago were very "visible." In Chicago there were 2088 demonstrations by 1934 along with leafleting, eviction protests, and personal contracts which were intended to rebuild the CP's Chicago base.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Background, American Communist Party and Unemployment Councils
This Communist unemployed movement continued to grow because of the destitute situation that many working poor found themselves in and because of the inability of local relief groups to adequately provide enough support. Because of this growth, by March 1930 the CP in Chicago had the ability to distribute 200,000 leaflets, 50,000 stickers, and 50,000 shop papers in the days before a demonstration.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Background, Chicago's South Side Landlords
The foundation of future violence in the 1931 eviction crisis lay within the Chicago real estate interest. A representative for the Chicago Realty Board said, "The real estate men are sympathetic with the situation of the unemployed in the colored belt. We are willing to do what we can to help but it is impossible to compromise with what is strictly a business proposition." Tenants that were not able to pay their rent and were in the process of applying for relief grew by 311 percent according to the United Charities of Chicago. This attitude coupled with the political atmosphere and court decisions to enforce evictions created a foundation upon which protest and violence could easily erupt.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Prelude
Randi Storch, a historian and professor at the State University of New York, College at Cortland, tells us that Edith Margo, an eyewitness "reiterated the sequence of events in 1931" in the John Reed Club's publication "Left Front."


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Prelude, August 1, 1931
White and black landlords including then Congressmen Oscar Depriest, a wealthy black politician and Chicago landlord met at the W.H Riley real estate office to discuss the issues on the South Side of Chicago regarding non payments of rent. They agreed to insist that the Chicago Chief of Police take their problem more seriously and to take more proactive measures to halt the "anti-eviction" measures of the Unemployed Councils of the CP.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Prelude, Morning of August 3, 1931
By the morning of August 3 the police were ready to move into action. During the early morning hours the police arrested Charles Banks, one of the Unemployed Council leaders, and warned others that "if any of you go out on anymore evictions today your goin' to get drilled." According to Margo, Banks and the other council members took this as an "invitation to battle." Later, Unemployed Council leaders met in Washington Park, where "people had traditionally gathered to talk, listen, protest, sleep, and occasionally act" to discuss what might be done about Banks's arrest. From this park, in an impromptu way, a large group of people gathered with the intent to march together to protest an eviction occurring that morning on Chicago's South Side.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Eviction of Diana Gross
Near 51st street and Dearborn, on the morning of August 3, a seventy-two year old black woman named Diana Gross was evicted from her home. Two municipal court bailiffs and a real estate agent had arrived earlier and executed the eviction. As word of the eviction spread "something like two thousand people gathered" in the center of the area according to Abbot & Kiesling. The size of the crowd differs between accounts ranging from 450 to 4000, but it seems that there was an initial group that was joined by the march from Washington Park.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Eviction of Diana Gross
In the march was Abe Grey who was known as one of the best organizers of the CP and who was also ready for a conflict as he  was quoted as saying "If there is shooting, I expect to be killed, because I shall be on the front rank." During the chaotic process of moving household possessions back into the home accompanied by the arrival of the Washington Park group in mass the police began to arrest Council leader Joseph Gardner along with others. As Gardner was being taken away in a police car he noted hearing gunshots.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Eviction of Diana Gross
Chicago Communist party leader Bill Gerbert explained in a letter to the national party that "Abe Grey and others had disarmed and beaten three policemen, causing other police to attack and to fatally shoot Grey." Upon being shot, Grey threw a police revolver into the crowd encouraging others to continue fighting. Edith Margo, an eyewitness, told "a less heroic" story about Grey who having evaded arrest had tried to lead the group after Gardner as he was taken away in the police car.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Eviction of Diana Gross
"At one point he had his hand in his pocket which caused the police to jump to the 'conclusion that he had a gun and they shot him five times'" Another black man, John O'neil, who was part of the march from Washington Park took a gun either from a police officer or off of the ground as "a few had been dropped" and tried to fire it. The safety was engaged and while the gun did not go off, a nearby policeman saw him trying to shoot and returned fire killing him.


1931 Chicago housing protests, The Eviction of Diana Gross
Frank Armstrong, A black friend of Grey was found later that night in Washington Park "shot through the head and badly mutilated" although no one remembers him being killed during the eviction protest earlier that day. CP members later were quoted as saying that "quite evidently he had been taken for a ride by the police."


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Memorial and Mass Funeral
Minutes after the shootings took place word was already on the way to the downtown headquarters of the CP and Unemployment Council. Bill Gerbert along with several others made their way to the South Side to get more information about what had transpired. In short order, party members like David Poindexter, Squire Brown, Claude Lightfoot and Marie Houston joined approximately fifty other council members who then organized a neighborhood meeting "that turned out seven to ten thousand people that night in Washington Park.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Memorial and Mass Funeral
Across the next week, the gatherings in Washington Park saw between five and ten thousand sympathizers "listening, questioning, and cheering" as the CP voiced defiant rhetoric against the "capitalist state, racism, and police violence." Within a few days they had set up a committee to organize and arrange a mass funeral. With the council's support the event managed to symbolize a critique of the city governments positions on civil rights and racial equality while simultaneously criticizing the capitalist system.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Memorial and Mass Funeral
With the help of party members there were "50,000 party leaflets, 75,000 funeral leaflets, 20,000 League of Struggle for Negro Rights leaflets, and 20,000 Unemployed council leaflets distributed throughout the South Side and its surrounding areas. For the three days leading up to the funeral Grey and O'Neil's bodies lay on display in Old Fellows Hall under rotating twelve hour shifts by guardsmen. This allowed the incensed public to view the bodies which were surrounded by a picture of Lenin along with posters of white and black hands clasped together "and murals of upraised fists."


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Memorial and Mass Funeral
Thousands of people came to view the bodies over the next few days and on the day of the funeral, Gerbert later explained, that "the 100,000 workers felt power and took possession of the street" 60,000 unemployed workers were part of the funeral procession and, of those, approximately forty percent were white. The shouting of slogans like "black and white unite" filled the streets as the procession got underway. As the two vehicles transporting the bodies to the railroad station, where they would be held for shipment, moved down the streets they were flanked by six black and white workers "wearing belts of red cloth and followed by thousands of others holding wreaths and flaming posters."


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Media Response
There were several newspaper articles that were written either about the August 3rd eviction and the funeral or about the sentiment and various viewpoints about the unemployment situation in Chicago. Concerning the events on August 8, the Chicago Tribune wrote, "The police officers who handled the eviction disturbance the other day deserve commendation. In a very difficult situation they acted with firmness and as much moderation as the circumstances permitted. That lives were lost and serious injuries incurred was no fault of theirs. Bad judgement or lack of self-control would have precipitated worse results.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Media Response
These officers met a severe test in a way highly creditable to them and the police department and reassuring to the community." Throughout several other articles from the Chicago Tribune there can be seen "several strands of official response" in the form of strident anticommunism coupled with property rights while denying that race had anything to do with the evictions. In the first reports of violence in August 1931 the Chicago Tribune warned of "further Red rioting" as possible and also putting forth several statements about the unfolding events.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Media Response
The paper said that there seemed to be "no antagonism" between the races and that "red propaganda" was to blame. They also noted that there were reserves of troops at the ready at Camp Grant as well as stating that the bailiffs in the municipal courts were "to temporarily halt the evictions for the present." The Chicago Defender's articles went further naming the three dead as well as some of the injured policemen involved in attempts to disperse the crowd. Both of the papers reported that communist agitators were involved.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Media Response
The tribune saying "[they] have taken advantage of the widespread unemployment among blacks...to win thousands of colored adherents." The Defender, while acknowledging the difficult situations that American blacks were in, declared that "Communism had no place in America and that "if the black man is found where his friends think that he should not be, his is there because he was driven there. The paper separated itself from the Communist agenda even as they acknowledged that the party had won substantial influence among the black community.


1931 Chicago housing protests, Aftermath, Media Response
Shapiro notes that the priority for the Defender was to illicit an adequate and positive response from the "white Establishment." The Defender plainly blames the CP for the riot because the "fear of continued violence that gripped the South Side...following the red uprising that resulted in the deaths of three citizens."


1931 Chicago mayoral election
The 1931 Chicago mayoral election was held to elect the Mayor of Chicago. Former Cook County Board of Commissioners President Anton Cermak defeated incumbent mayor William Hale Thompson (who remains to date the last Republican mayor of Chicago) by a 17-point margin of victory.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, Nominations, Democratic primary
Anton Cermak won the Democratic nomination. Cermak was the incumbent President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, having served in that position since 1923.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, Nominations, Republican primary
Incumbent mayor William Hale Thompson warded off challenges from judge John Homer Lyle and 43rd Ward alderman Arthur F. Albert.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, Nominations, Republican primary
John Homer Lyle was characterized by Time magazine as a "publicity-crazed Municipal Judge."


1931 Chicago mayoral election, Nominations, Republican primary
Ugly name-calling took place between Thompson and Lyle. Thompson derided Lyle as a "nutty judge". Lyle called Thompson "William Halitosis Thompson" and characterized him as having the "flabby jowls of a barnyard hog, two jackass ears, a cowboy hat and an empty space between." Other insults slung around between the two included dirty rat, hoodlum, lazy bloodsucking jobber, blustering loudmouth, irresponsible mountebank, blubbering jungle hippopotamus, shambling imbecile, skunk, and a "chambermaid in a ranch bunkhouse".


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
With the Century of Progress approaching, Chicago would be electing a mayor that (barring extraordinary circumstances) was going to represent the city in front of an international audience.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
During the campaign Thompson made many appeals to nativism. One such example was his appeal to antisemitism by villainization of Jewish businessman Julius Rosenwald. In one speech delivered in March he said of Rosenwald, "Well, we got a great philanthropist in this town, and he's a Jew, and he's trying to edge his way out of hell by giving part of the money he steals."


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
Since Cermak was an immigrant from Bohemia, Thompson lodged ethnic attacks


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
Cermak was able to respond effectively to these attacks, "He doesn't like my name... It's true I didn't come over on the Mayflower, but I came over as soon as I could," which was a sentiment to which ethnic Chicagoans could relate, so Thompson's slurs largely backfired.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
In the midst of the campaign, the Chicago Tribune ran articles outlining Al Capone's financial contributions to Republican politicians. The newspapers also covered allegations that Samuel Insull had contributed money to Thompson's campaign. The Tribune wrote, "When the traction case was settled during Thompson's third term Insull was given a perpetual franchise that could not be terminated even for misuse non use or mal use".


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
Gossip of Thompson's ties to Al Capone gained new strength after one of Thompson's top city officials, also a friend of Capone, was indicted for conspiring with merchants to use short weights to cheat $54 million.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
Thompson accused Cermak of being in cahoots with bootleggers and gamblers, and accused Cermak of having profited from misconduct alleging that he had, "saved six million out of a $10,000 salary."


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
The election took place amid the Great Depression. The Depression, taking place under the administration of Republican president Herbert Hoover, may have ultimately contributed to Thompson's defeat.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
Cermak received strong support from the city's teachers organizations. He was personally endorsed by Margaret Haley, president of the Chicago Teachers Federation.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
For the election, Cermak had managed to overhaul his public image. Long viewed as a political infighter, Cermak rebranded himself as a "master executive" who would be able to help the city of Chicago survive the Great Depression.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Campaign
Cermak managed to unite the different factions of the local Democratic Party. He made use of both threats and incentives to garner the backing of political rivals such as Cook County Coroner Herman Bundesen and Cook County Recorder of Deeds Clayton F. Smith . Bundesen had been considered a potential independent candidate, but, in March of 1931, he ruled out a run.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Results
Voter turnout was remarkably high, with 82% of registered voters participating.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Results
Cermak carried 45 wards, while Thompson carried five. The five wards that Thompson carried all had sizable black populations.


1931 Chicago mayoral election, General election, Results
Cermak received 76.80% of the Polish-American vote, while Thompson received 23.20%.


1931 Chico State Wildcats football team
The 1931 Chico State Wildcats football team represented Chico State Teachers College during the 1931 college football season. Chico State competed in the Far Western Conference in 1931. They played home games at College Field in Chico, California.


1931 Chico State Wildcats football team
The 1931 Wildcats were led by ninth-year head coach Art Acker. Chico State finished the season with a record of three wins, four losses and one tie (3–4–1, 2–1–1 FWC). The Wildcats were outscored by their opponents 62–107 for the season.


1931 Chilean presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Chile on 4 October 1931. The result was a victory for Juan Esteban Montero of the Radical Party, who received 64% of the vote.


1931 Chilean presidential election, Electoral system
The election was held using the absolute majority system, under which a candidate had to receive over 50% of the popular vote to be elected. If no candidate received over 50% of the vote, both houses of the National Congress would come together to vote on the two candidates who received the most votes.


1931 China floods
The 1931 China floods, or the 1931 Yangtze–Huai River floods, were a series of floods that occurred from June to August 1931 in China, hitting major cities such as Wuhan, Nanjing and beyond, which eventually culminated into a dike breach along Lake Gaoyou on 25 August 1931.


1931 China floods
Fatality estimates vary widely. A field survey by the University of Nanking led by John Lossing Buck immediately after the flood found "150,000 people had drowned, and that this number represented less than a quarter of all fatalities during the first 100 days of the flood." The official report found 140,000 drowned and claims that "2 million people died during the flood, having drowned or died from lack of food". A cholera epidemic in the subsequent year, from May 1932, was officially reported to have 31,974 deaths and 100,666 cases. A popular high-end estimate of 3.7 to 4.0 million fatalities "enjoys great currency online, helping the 1931 flood to secure its position on sensationalist lists of the world’s deadliest disasters."


1931 China floods, Meteorological causes and physical consequences
From 1928 to 1930, China was afflicted by a long drought. The subsequent winter of 1930 was particularly harsh, creating large deposits of snow and ice in mountainous areas. In early 1931, melting snow and ice flowed downstream and arrived in the middle course of the Yangtze during a period of heavy spring rain. Ordinarily, the region experienced three periods of high water during the spring, summer and fall, respectively; however, in early 1931, there was a single continuous deluge. By June, those living in low areas had already been forced to abandon their homes.


1931 China floods, Meteorological causes and physical consequences
The summer was also characterized by extreme cyclonic activity. In July of that year alone, nine cyclones hit the region, which was significantly above the average of two per year. Four weather stations along the Yangtze River reported rain totalling over 600 mm (24 in) for the month. The water flowing through the Yangtze reached its highest level since record-keeping began in the mid-nineteenth century. That autumn, further heavy rain added to the problem and some rivers did not return to their normal courses until November.


1931 China floods, Meteorological causes and physical consequences
The floods inundated approximately 180,000 square kilometres (69,000 sq mi) – an area equivalent in size to England and half of Scotland, or the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut combined. The high-water mark recorded on 19 August at Hankou in Wuhan showed water levels 16 m (53 ft) above the average, an average of 1.7 m (5.6 ft) above the Shanghai Bund. In Chinese, this event is commonly known as 江淮水灾, which roughly translates to "Yangtze-Huai Flood Disaster." This name, however, fails to capture the massive scale of flooding.


1931 China floods, Meteorological causes and physical consequences
Waterways throughout much of the country were inundated, particularly the Yellow River and Grand Canal. The eight most seriously affected provinces were Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan and Shandong. Beyond the core flood zone, areas as far south as Guangdong, as far north as Manchuria, and as far west as Sichuan were also inundated.


1931 China floods, Death toll and damage
At the time the government estimated that 25 million people had been affected by the flood. Historians since have suggested that the true number may have been as many as 53 million. Estimated death tolls also vary widely. Contemporary studies conducted by John Lossing Buck allege that at least 150,000 people had drowned in the first few months of the flood, with hundreds of thousands more dying of starvation and disease over the following year. Using contemporary media reports, Chinese historians led by Li Wenhai have calculated the death toll at 422,420. Some Western sources allege that the death toll of between 3.7 and 4 million people based on their own claims of famine and disease. The Tanka people who traditionally live on boats along the Yangtze suffered greatly from the flooding.


1931 China floods, Death toll and damage
The flood destroyed huge amounts of housing and farmland. Throughout the whole Yangtze Valley around 15% of the wheat and rice crops were destroyed, with the proportion being much higher in the flood-affected areas. The disaster also caused an economic shock with the price of vital commodities rising rapidly. The combined ecological and economic impacts of the disaster caused many areas to descend into famine. With no food, people were reduced to eating tree bark, weeds, and earth. Some sold their children to survive, while others resorted to cannibalism. The most lethal effect of the flood was the diseases that swept through the refugee population due to displacement, overcrowding, and the breakdown of sanitation. These included cholera, measles, malaria, dysentery, and schistosomiasis.


1931 China floods, Death toll and damage
As well as inundating rural areas, the flood caused widespread destruction to a number of cities. Refugees had been arriving in the city of Wuhan since the late spring. When the city itself was inundated in the early summer and after a catastrophic dike failure at just before 6:00 AM on 27 July, around 782,189 urban citizens and rural refugees were left homeless. The flood covered an area of 83 square kilometres (32 sq mi) and the city was flooded under many feet of water for close to three months. Large numbers gathered on flood islands throughout the city, with 30,000 sheltering on a railway embankment in central Hankou. With little food and a complete breakdown in sanitation, thousands soon began to succumb to diseases.


1931 China floods, Death toll and damage
There was no warning, only a sudden great wall of water. Most of Wuhan's buildings in those days were only one story high, and for many people there was no escape- they died by the tens of thousands. ... I was just coming off duty at the company's main office, a fairly new three-story building near the center of town ... When I heard the terrible noise and saw the wall of water coming, I raced to the top story of the building. ... I was in one of the tallest and strongest buildings left standing. At that time no one knew whether the water would subside or rise even higher.


1931 China floods, Death toll and damage
The city of Nanjing, then the capital of Republican China, was also severely affected by the disaster. One of the most disastrous single events during the flood occurred on 25 August 1931, when the water rushing through the Grand Canal washed away dikes near Gaoyou Lake. In Gaoyou County alone, 18,000 people drowned and 58,000 died due to famine and diseases the following year.


1931 China floods, Rebuilding of dikes at Lake Gaoyou
Thomas Harnsberger, a missionary of the Presbyterian Church in Taizhou, Jiangsu, was one of the two central figures (alongside General Wang Shuxiang, a PhD in hydraulics) who supervised the rebuilding of the dikes at Lake Gaoyou, as well as securing the funds for it. However, the flood remains widely unknown to the Chinese. Steve Harnsberger, the grandson of Thomas Harnsberger, wrote in 2007, "The 1931 flood killed 15 times the number of people lost in the Indonesian tsunamis of December 2004, and yet scarcely a word has been written of it. History focused instead on other disasters that year. China’s attention was on a civil war between the Communists and Nationalists and the Japanese were invading in the North, while the world was deep into the Great Depression."


1931 China floods, Government reactions, Republican Era (1930s–1940s)
The 1931 flood was one of the first major tests for the Kuomintang Government. As the scale of the disaster became apparent, the government established the National Flood Relief Commission under the auspices of T.V. Soong, a prominent politician in the Kuomintang and brother-in-law of Chiang Kai-shek. The commission employed a range of Chinese and foreign experts, including figures such as famous epidemiologist Wu Liande, health minister Liu Ruiheng, public health worker John Grant, and hydraulic engineer Oliver Todd. It also secured the assistance of the League of Nations.


1931 China floods, Government reactions, Republican Era (1930s–1940s)
Even the famous aviators Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Lindbergh became involved, as they were commissioned to conduct an aerial survey of the flood zone. Although Song Ziwen remained the head of the commission, the day-to-day running the relief effort was entrusted to John Hope Simpson, a British refugee expert. Charity poured in to help with the relief effort from throughout the world, with overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia being particularly generous. In the United States, the celebrated author Pearl Buck wrote short stories to encourage charitable donations.


1931 China floods, Government reactions, Republican Era (1930s–1940s)
The relief effort became much more difficult following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in the autumn of 1931, which caused the Chinese bond market to collapse. Eventually, the government managed to secure a large loan of wheat and flour from the United States. In the wake of the disaster, the government set up organizations such as the Huai River Conservancy Commission to address flood problems. However, due to a lack of funding and the chaos of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the subsequent Chinese Civil War, the various commissions were only able to construct small dams along the Yangtze River.


1931 China floods, Government reactions, Republican Era (1930s–1940s)
As part of an anti-superstition campaign by the Kuomintang Government, a Dragon King Temple was demolished in Wuhan shortly before the flood-hit. This coincidence led to widespread discontent afterwards, as many locals linked the disaster to the anger of Dragon King, a rainmaking deity. As a response, prominent officials, including He Baohua, mayor of Wuhan, and Xia Douyin, then the local garrison commander and later governor of Hubei Province, held ritual ceremonies and kowtowed to the deity. Meanwhile, many believed that evacuation efforts were hindered by superstition. According to a contemporary report, thousands "are convinced that Hankow is doomed and refuse to help themselves or be helped. They sit stoically awaiting death."


1931 China floods, Government reactions, Communist Era (1949–present)
In 1953, after the end of the Chinese Civil War, Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong travelled to areas neighbouring the Yangtze River to promote the Three Gorges Dam flood control project. "The Socialist Three Gorges Dam project should excel other major projects in Chinese history such as Qin Shi Huang's Great Wall and Sui Yang Di's Grand Canal", he stated.


1931 China floods, Government reactions, Communist Era (1949–present)
Scientists and officials who raised doubts, such as Chen Mingshu, were persecuted as rightists. Li Siguang, a prominent scientist and minister of geological resources, told Mao he would commit suicide if he could not stop the construction of the dam. The project did not move beyond the planning stage in Mao's time, due to a lack of resources, rising Sino-Soviet tensions and the disruptions of the Great Leap Forward. The project was restarted in the 1980s, and the hydroelectric Three Gorges Dam began full operation in 2012, becoming the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity.


1931 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 1931 Cincinnati Bearcats football team was an American football team that represented the University of Cincinnati as a member of the Buckeye Athletic Association during the 1931 college football season. In their first season under head coach Dana M. King, the Bearcats compiled a 5–4 record (2–1 against conference opponents).


1931 Cincinnati Reds season
The 1931 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished eighth and last in the National League with a record of 58–96, 43 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Off-season
On November 24, the Reds were involved in a minor trade, trading infielder Pat Crawford and outfielder Marty Callaghan to the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League for first baseman Mickey Heath. Heath hit .324 with 37 home runs with the Stars in the 1930 season.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Off-season
In January, the club selected infielder Clyde Beck off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Beck hit .213 with six home runs and 34 RBI during 83 games with Chicago in the 1930 season.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Off-season
During Spring Training, outfielder Harry Heilmann was incapacitated due to arthritis of his wrist. He would miss the entire 1931 season due to his injury.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Off-season
To off-set the loss of Heilmann, the Reds selected outfielder Cliff Heathcote off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs on March 22. Heathcote hit .260 with nine home runs and 18 RBI in 70 games with Chicago in 1930. In nine seasons with the Cubs from 1922-1930, he had a .280 batting average with 33 home runs and 275 RBI, while stealing 121 bases. Heathcote also played with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1918 until being traded to Chicago in 1922.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Off-season
On March 26, the Reds went back to the waiver wire, selecting former Reds legend Edd Roush from the New York Giants. Roush sat out the 1930 season due to a salary dispute with the Giants. In 1929 with New York, Roush hit .324 with eight home runs and 52 RBI in 115 games. Roush played with the Reds from 1916 until 1926. During his time with Cincinnati, he led the National League in hitting in 1917 with a .341 average and in 1919 when he hit .321. In 1923, he led the NL with 43 doubles, and in 1924, he led the league with 21 triples. Roush won the 1919 World Series with the Reds, when they defeated the Chicago White Sox.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
Cincinnati stumbled out of the gate, losing 12 of their first 13 games, quickly falling into last place in the National League. After a 2-17 start to the season, the Reds managed to win three games in a row, including sweeping a double header against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 15.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
Wins continued to be few and far between, as the club finally won their 10th game of the season on June 3, defeating the Phillies 3-1 to improve to 10-32. This started a five game winning streak, and a nine game stretch where Cincinnati won eight games.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
On June 15, the Reds traded outfielder Wally Roettger to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Taylor Douthit. Douthit had a .331 average with a home run and 21 RBI in 36 games with the Cardinals during the season. In 1929 with the Cardinals, Douthit was among the National League leaders with a .336 batting average.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
The club continued to struggle for wins during the rest of the season, as they never were able to climb out of the basement. Cincinnati finished the 1931 season with a league worst record of 58-96, finishing six games behind the Boston Braves for seventh place. The Reds finished 43 games behind the pennant winning St. Louis Cardinals.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
The 58 wins by Cincinnati was one fewer than they had in 1930, and the lowest win total in team history since they won 52 games in 1901. The Reds last place finish was the first time the finished that low since 1914.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
Third baseman Joe Stripp led the Reds with a .324 average, while hitting three home runs and 42 RBI in 105 games. First baseman Harvey Hendrick hit .315 with a home run and 75 RBI in 137 games, while leading the club with 74 runs. Second baseman Tony Cuccinello also hit .315 while two home runs and a team best 93 RBI in 154 games. Outfielder Edd Roush hit .271 with a home run and 41 RBI in 101 games in his return with the Reds. Overall, Cincinnati hit an NL low 21 home runs during the season.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Regular season
On the mound, Red Lucas led the club with a 14-13 record and a 3.59 ERA in 238 innings pitched in 29 starts. Lucas had 24 complete games and three shutouts. Si Johnson had a record of 11-19, leading the NL in losses, however, he led the Reds with 262.1 innings pitched and 95 strikeouts in 42 games. Larry Benton had a team-low 3.35 ERA, while posting a 10-15 record, while pitching 204.1 innings pitched.


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Cincinnati Reds season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Clarence state by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Clarence on 7 March 1931 following the death of Alfred Pollack (Country). There were three candidates endorsed by the Country Party


1931 Clemson Tigers football team
The 1931 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson College in the Southern Conference during the 1931 college football season. In their first season under head coach Jess Neely, the Tigers compiled a 1–6–2 record (1–4 against conference opponents), finished 20th in the conference, and was outscored by a total of 164 to 19. D. Fordham was the team captain.


1931 Cleveland Indians (NFL) season
The 1931 Cleveland Indians season was their first and only in the league. They played eight of ten games on road, finishing eighth in the league.


1931 Cleveland Indians (NFL) season, Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.


1931 Cleveland Indians season
The 1931 Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the American League with a record 78–76, 30 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics.


1931 Cleveland Indians season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Cleveland Indians season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


1931 Cleveland Indians season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Cleveland Indians season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Cleveland Indians season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


1931 Colgate football team
The 1931 Colgate football team was an American football team that represented Colgate University as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In its third season under head coach Andrew Kerr, the team compiled an 8–1 record, shut out five of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 227 to 34. John Orsi was the team captain. The team played its home games on Whitnall Field in Hamilton, New York.


1931 College Basketball All-Southern Team
The 1931 College Basketball All-Southern Team consisted of basketball players from the South chosen at their respective positions.


1931 College Football All-America Team
The 1931 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1931. The seven selectors recognized by the NCAA as "official" for the 1931 season are (1) Collier's Weekly, as selected by Grantland Rice, (2) the Associated Press, (3) the United Press, (4) the All-America Board, (5) the International News Service (INS), (6) Liberty magazine, and (7) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA).


1931 College Football All-America Team, Consensus All-Americans
Following the death of Walter Camp in 1925, there was a proliferation of All-American teams in the late 1920s. For the year 1931, the NCAA recognizes seven published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received. The only unanimous All-America selections in 1931 were Tulane's Gerald "Jerry" Dalrymple and Notre Dame's Marchmont Schwartz.


1931 College Football All-America Team, Proliferation of All-American teams
In 1931, Damon Runyon wrote a column about the proliferation of "All-America" teams. He noted: "The 'All' boys are it, tooth and nail. They are 'All'-ing North, South East and West. They will wind up 'All'-Americaing, the most virulent form of the 'All' plague that besets us every Winter. The late Walter Camp little realized what he was bringing upon the country. ... At the moment, Mr. Camp probably had no idea that he was sowing the seed of a fearful pestilence." Runyon noted that Camp's word was viewed as gospel, but with his passing "the rush to fill his shoes was prodigious," and the "'All' business became a national obsession."


1931 College Football All-Southern Team
The 1931 College Football All-Southern Team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-Southern Teams selected by various organizations for the 1931 Southern Conference football season. Tulane won the Southern Conference championship. In December 2008, Sports Illustrated undertook to identify the individuals who would have been awarded the Heisman Trophy in college football's early years, before the trophy was established. Tulane's Jerry Dalrymple was selected as the would-be Heisman winner for the 1931 season.


1931 College Football All-Southern Team, Composite overview
Overview of the Associated Press composite. "Votes" were tallied as 2 points for a first-team selection and 1 for a second-team selection.


1931 College Football All-Southern Team, Key
AP = selected by coaches and sports writers, compiled by the Associated Press. It had a first and second team.


1931 College Football All-Southern Team, Key
CP = selected by captains of the football team of the south, compiled by Central Press newspapers.


1931 College Football All-Southern Team, Key
TUL = the "All Players All-Southern", selected by the players of the Tulane team.


1931 College Football All-Southern Team, Key
CO = selected by the coaches of the Southern Conference.