May 4, 2008

190 years ago
1818

Diplomacy
Netherlands and England signed a treaty against illegal slave handling.

150 years ago
1858

War
Mexico’s War of Reform began; the Liberals established their capital at Vera Cruz.

130 years ago
1878

Technology
The phonograph was shown for the first time at the Grand Opera House in London.

125 years ago
1883

Journalism
John Gordon Cashmans began publishing the Vicksburg (Mississippi) Evening Post.

120 years ago
1888

Defense
Italy and Spain signed a military covenant.

110 years ago
1898

Horse racing
Plaudit, with Willie Simms up, won the 24th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:09. Only four horses competed.

90 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Kakuei Tanaka. Japanese politician. Mr. Tanaka, a man with a history of taking bribes, was Prime Minister of Japan from 1972-1974. He died on December 16, 1993.

Died on this date
Maury Uhler, 31. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Uhler, an outfielder, hit .214 in 46 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1914.

Baseball
The New York Yankees set a record with 8 sacrifices, beating the Boston Red Sox' Babe Ruth 5-4.

80 years ago
1928

Born on this date
Betsy Rawls. U.S. golfer. Miss Rawls joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1951, and won 55 tournaments, including eight majors. She was the leading money-winner in 1959.

Hosni Mubarak. Egyptian politician. Mr. Mubarak became President of Egypt upon the assassination of Anwar Sadat on October 6, 1981.

Maynard Ferguson. Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Mr. Ferguson achieved success as a member of Stan Kenton’s band from 1950-1952, and became the leader of his own band in 1957. His version of Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) was a major hit single in 1977. Mr. Ferguson died on August 23, 2006.

Died on this date
Leonard W. Bonney, 52. U.S. aviator. Mr. Bonney was killed in the crash of his all-metal experimental plane The Gull at Curtiss Field, Long Island, New York. His death was followed six days later by the suicide of Mrs. Jean Le Brun, an actress, in New York City.

Diplomacy
Prince Ludovic Spada Potenziani, Governor of Rome, arrived in New York City.

Disasters
The Greenville, South Carolina drinking water reservoir (Table Rock Cove Dam), in the Saluda River Valley, partly gave way and gradually let out 5 billion gallons. Hundreds of farmers and other residents along 60 miles of valley took to the hills.

70 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Carl von Ossietzky, 48. German journalist. Mr. Ossietzky, a pacifist, was convicted of high treason and espionage in 1931 after publishing details of Germany’s alleged violations of the Treaty of Versailles. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they arrested Mr. Ossietzky and put him in the concentration camp Esterwegen near Oldenburg. He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for 1935, but the Nazis refused to release him in order to go to Oslo to accept the prize. They did, however, transfer him to the Nordend police hospital in Berlin because he was suffering from tuberculosis. Mr. Ossietzky was still in custody at the time of his death.

Born on this date
Tyrone Davis. U.S. soul singer. Mr. Davis was known for his hits Can I Change My Mind (1969) and Turn Back the Hands of Time (1970). He died on February 9, 2005 at the age of 66.

60 years ago
1948

On the radio
The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis, on MBS

At the movies
Hamlet, produced by, directed by, and starring Laurence Olivier, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom.

War
The Hague Court of Justice convicted former Nazi Chief of Police and SS officer Hans Rauter of war crimes, and sentenced him to death.

50 years ago
1958

On the radio
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Part 5, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Light Programme

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Festive Season, starring Carmen Mathews, Richard Waring, and Edmon Ryan

Politics and government
Alberto Lleras Camargo was elected President of Colombia.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Honey--Bobby Goldsboro

#1 single in France: My Year is a Day--Les Irrésistibles

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La bambola--Patty Pravo

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Mama--Heintje (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Congratulations--Cliff Richard (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): What a Wonderful World--Louis Armstrong

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Honey--Bobby Goldsboro (4th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Congratulations--Cliff Richard(2nd week at #1)
2 Delilah--Tom Jones
3 Jumbo/The Singer Sang His Song--The Bee Gees
4 Cinderella Rockefella--Esther and Abi Ofarim
5 If I were a Carpenter--The Four Tops
6 Kom Uit De Bedstee Mijn Liefste--Egbert Douwe
7 I've Just Lost Somebody--Golden Earrings
8 Hush--Billy Joe Royal
9 Storybook Children--Nancy & Lee
10 Rosie--Don Partridge

Singles entering the chart were Lazy Sunday by Small Faces (#25); Black Veils of Melancholy by the Status Quo (#31); and Rainbow Valley by the Love Affair (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Honey--Bobby Goldsboro (3rd week at #1)
2 Cry Like a Baby--The Box Tops
3 Lady Madonna--The Beatles
4 Young Girl--The Union Gap
5 Tighten Up--Archie Bell & the Drells
6 A Beautiful Morning--The Rascals
7 The Unicorn--The Irish Rovers
8 The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde--Georgie Fame
9 Summertime Blues--Blue Cheer
10 The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)--Manfred Mann

Singles entering the chart were I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) by the Temptations (#59); MacArthur Park by Richard Harris (#76); I Can't Make it Alone by Bill Medley (#83); Brooklyn Roads by Neil Diamond (#85); I'm Sorry by the Delfonics (#86); Angel of the Morning by Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts (#91); Sleepy Joe by Herman's Hermits (#92); She's a Heartbreaker by Gene Pitney (#93); Reach Out of the Darkness by Friend and Lover (#95); Foggy Mountain Breakdown by Flatt and Scruggs (#97); Apologize by Ed Ames (#99); and A Tribute to a King by William Bell (#100). A Tribute to a King was a tribute to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., who had been assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Honey--Bobby Goldsboro (2nd week at #1)
2 Lady Madonna--The Beatles
3 Summertime Blues--Blue Cheer
4 Cry Like a Baby--The Box Tops
5 A Beautiful Morning--The Rascals
6 Cinderella Rockefella--Esther and Abi Ofarim
7 Take Time to Know Her--Percy Sledge
8 Young Girl--The Union Gap
9 Love is All Around--The Troggs
10 U.S. Male--Elvis Presley

Singles entering the chart were Congratulations by Cliff Richard (#54); Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and his Comets (#78); Lazy Sunday by Small Faces (#82); Jelly Jungle by the Lemon Pipers (#83); I Wish I Knew (How it Would Feel to Be Free) by Solomon Burke (#85); Harlem Lady by the Witness, Inc. (#86); Love in Every Room by Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (#87); The Happy Song (Dum-Dum) by Otis Redding (#88); Friends by the Beach Boys (#90); Cabaret by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass (#91); Yummy Yummy Yummy by Ohio Express (#93); The Shadow of Your Love by the Five Stairsteps and Cubie (#94); Love Machine by the Roosters (#96); Lili Marlene by Al Martino (#98); A Dime a Dozen by Carla Thomas (#99); and Only Me by the First Edition (#100). RPM didn't exist when Rock Around the Clock was first released in 1954, or when it achieved its greatest success in 1955.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Young Girl--The Union Gap
2 Honey--Bobby Goldsboro
3 The Unknown Soldier--The Doors
4 Love is All Around--The Troggs
5 Delilah--Tom Jones
6 Black Day in July--Gordon Lightfoot
7 Summertime Blues--Blue Cheer
8 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly--Hugo Montenegro, his Orchestra and Chorus
9 Does Your Mama Know About Me/Fading Away--Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers
10 Scarborough Fair (/Canticle)--Simon & Garfunkel

Singles entering the chart were Here's to You by Hamilton Camp (#24); Look to Your Soul by Johnny Rivers (#26); I Wish I Knew (How it Would Feel to Be Free) by Solomon Burke (#27); Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (#28); Like to Get to Know You by Spanky & Our Gang (#29); and How'd We Ever Get this Way by Andy Kim (#30).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 I Love You--People
2 A Question of Temperature--Balloon Farm
3 I Can't Make it Anymore--The Original Caste
4 Love is All Around--The Troggs
5 Young Girl--The Union Gap
6 Goin' Away--The Fireballs
7 Call Me Lightning--The Who
8 Lady Madonna--The Beatles
9 In Need of a Friend--The Cowsills
10 Forever Came Today--Diana Ross and the Supremes
Pick hit of the week: Harlem Lady--The Witness, Inc.

Protest
Angered by Britain’s alleged military aid to Nigeria, Biafran demonstrators burned down five British buildings and thousands marched through the streets of three towns, chanting anti-British slogans.

Politics and government
At Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, a small group of students walked out on a campaign speech by U.S. Vice President Hubert Humphrey, but the audience of 3,000 cheered Mr. Humphrey when he decried "the censorship of walking out."

Horse racing
Dancer's Image, with Bobby Ussery up, finished first in the 94th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:02 1/5. However, three days later, when phenylbutazone, a substance banned at the time in Kentucky, was found in Dancer’s Image’s post-race urine test, he was listed as having finished last, and Forward Pass, with Ismael Valenzuela up, was awarded the first prize money of $122,600. Phenylbutazone was later legalized when it was discovered not to improve a horse’s performance.









Basketball
ABA
Finals
New Orleans 113 @ Pittsburgh 122 (Pittsburgh won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Charles Williams scored 35 points and Connie Hawkins added 20 points and 13 rebounds to help the Pipers defeat the Buccaneers at Civic Arena to win the first American Basketball Association championship. Doug Moe led New Orleans scorers with 28 points.

30 years ago
1978

War
Between 300 and 700 South African troops raided South-West African People’s Organization (SWAPO) bases in Angola, in response to recent guerrilla attacks in Namibia (South-West Africa). SWAPO bases and two smaller headquarters were destroyed.

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. President Leonid Brezhnev began a visit to West Germany.

Disasters
A tornado killed 2 and injured 96 at an elementary school in Clearwater, Florida. In New Orleans, heavy rains left 4 dead and caused an estimated $60 million in damage.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Toronto 2 @ Montreal 3 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Philadelphia 5 @ Boston 7 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)

25 years ago
1983

Died on this date
Nino Sanzogno, 72. Italian conductor and composer. Mr. Sanzogno conducted mainly in Venice and Milan. His compositions included symphonic poems and concertos written in the 1930s.

Defense
The People’s Republic of China performed a nuclear test at Lop Nor.

The United States House of Representatives approved a watered-down endorsement of a "mutual and verifiable freeze and reductions in nuclear weapons" by the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. The non-binding resolution carried 278-149, but only after the adoption of an amendment (by a vote of 221-203) that tied the freeze to negotiated arms reductions that must be achieved "within a reasonable, specified period of time." Another amendment called for the U.S. to continue to modernize its nuclear weapons until the freeze was actually in place.

Diplomacy
Lebanon gave its approval to the U.S.-mediated plan for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

20 years ago
1988

Died on this date
Lillian Estelle Fisher, 97. U.S. historian. Dr. Fisher was known for writing numerous works on colonial Latin America. She died three days after her 97th birthday.

War
Two days after entering Lebanon in pursuit of Palestinian guerrillas, Israeli troops fought a battle with Shiite Muslim militiamen in which 40 Lebanese and 3 Israelis were killed. The Israelis, using tanks, helicopter gunships and heavy artillery, fought in alliance with a mostly "Christian" mercenary force.

Terrorism
Three French hostages were freed in Lebanon.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. performed a nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk.

Society
Nearly 1.4 million illegal aliens met the deadline for applying for amnesty under a U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service policy. Those who claimed residence in the United States since January 1, 1982 could, if their claims could be proven, receive legal status and eventual citizenship. More than 100,000 rushed to apply on the last day. The INS estimated that more than half of the applications had come from California, and that about 71% nationwide had entered the country from Mexico.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference
Finals
New Jersey 3 @ Boston 2 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Doug Brown scored at 17:46 of the 1st overtime period to give the Devils their win over the Bruins at Boston Garden.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Eastern Conference
First Round
Atlanta 115 @ Milwaukee 123 (Atlanta led best-of-five series 2-1)
Boston 100 @ New York 109 (Boston led best-of-five series 2-1)
Detroit 103 @ Washington 106 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

Western Conference
First Round
Portland 108 @ Utah 113 (Utah led best-of-seven series 2-1)

10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Sam Gentile, 81. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Gentile batted .250 with a double, a base on balls, and a run scored in 8 games with the Boston Braves in 1943.

Alois Estermann. Vatican military officer. The bodies of Colonel Estermann, the Swiss Guards’ new commandant, his wife, and the Vice Corporal, were found in the Vatican shortly after Col. Estermann's appointment. Authorities suspected a murder-suicide by the subordinate.

Personal
This blogger was in line to be one of the first 50 people at a certain place at a certain time to pick up passes to a free preview showing of the movie Deep Impact. Local legend Harry Woo arrived about 5 minutes later, and asked what number I was. "About #38." "Oh, you counted?" "Of course I counted!" Everyone within earshot promptly started laughing.

Crime
The Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, was sentenced to four life terms and an additional 30 years. The sentencing judge said that Mr. Kaczynski "committed unspeakable and monstrous crimes for which he shows utterly no remorse."

Scandal
Susan McDougal, a former law partner of Bill and Hillary Clinton in the Whitewater land venture, was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in Arkansas on charges of criminal contempt of court and obstruction of justice for her refusal to answer questions about the President and Mrs. Clinton.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference
Quarter-Finals
Edmonton 4 @ Colorado 0 (Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Janne Niinimaa's goal at 4:22 of the 1st period held up as the winner as the Oilers completed their comeback from a 3-1 deficit in games to shock the Avalanche at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. Curtis Joseph made 31 saves to earn his second straight shutout in goal for Edmonton, while Colorado goalie Patrick Roy allowed 4 goals on just 17 shots.

Basketball
NBA
Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 92 @ Seattle 106 (Seattle led best-of-seven series 1-0)