June 11, 2008

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Vivian Koshman!

890 years ago
1118

War
Roger of Salerno, Prince of Antioch, captured Azaz from the Seljuk Turks.

520 years ago
1488

Died on this date
James III, 36. King of Scotland, 1460-1488. James succeeded his father James II as king. An unpopular monarch, James III was killed in the Battle of Sauchieburn, in which he and his followers fought against rebellious noblemen. James III was succeeded on the throne by his eldest son James IV.

425 years ago
1583

Exploration
Sir Humphrey Gilbert began his second voyage to colonize the coast of North America for England. This one resulted in the colonization of Newfoundland.

370 years ago
1638

Canadiana
The first earthquake recorded in what is now Canada was felt in Quebec. It was thought to have originated in New England.

260 years ago
1748

Europeana
Denmark adopted the characteristic Nordic Cross flag later taken up by all other Scandinavian countries.

220 years ago
1788

Exploration
Russian explorer Gerasim Izmailov reached Alaska.

120 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Bartolomeo Vanzetti. Italian-born U.S. anarchist. Mr. Vanzetti and fellow anarchist were convicted of murdering two men during the armed robbery of a shoe factory in South Braintree, Massachusetts in 1920. Despite much public protest about the fairness of their trials and convictions, Messrs. Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in the electric chair at Charlestown State Prison on August 23, 1927. Mr. Vanzetti was 39.

110 years ago
1898

Politics and government
The Hundred Days' Reform, a planned movement to reform social, political, and educational institutions in China, was started by the Guangxu Emperor, but was suspended by Empress Dowager Cixi after 104 days.

80 years ago
1928

Aviation
Mexican aviator Captain Emilio Carranza flew The Mexico Exclesior from Valbuena Airfield in Mexico City to Mooresville, North Carolina, where he made a forced landing and spent the night before flying to Washington, D.C. the next day to begin a goodwill tour.

70 years ago
1938

War
The Battle of Wuhan, in which Chinese forces commanded by Chiang Kai-shek defended the Chinese city of Wuhan against invading Japanese forces, began.

Golf
Ralph Guldahl, trailing by 4 strokes after 3 rounds, shot a 2-under-par score of 69 to finish with an even par total of 284 to win the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club in Englewood, Colorado, 6 strokes ahead of third-round leader Dick Metz, who shot an 8-over-par 79 in the final round. It was the first U.S. Open to be played in a western state, and the second straight U.S. Open win for Mr. Guldahl. First prize money was $1,000.

Horse racing
Pasteurized, with James Stout up, won the 70th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York, in a time of 2:29 2/5. Dauber, the winner of the Preakness Stakes and runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, placed second. Mr. Stout had also ridden Granville to victory in the 1936 Belmont Stakes.

Baseball
Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched his first major league no-hitter as the Reds shut out the Boston Bees 3-0 before 5,814 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The winning run scored when Wally Berger led off the bottom of the 4th inning with a triple and Ival Goodman followed with a fly ball to right field to drive him home. Ernie Lombardi added a 2-run homer in the 6th. Losing pitcher Danny MacFayden allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs in pitching a complete game.

Don Gutteridge led off the bottom of the 8th inning with a home run and Joe Medwick singled home Jimmy Brown with 2 out to bring the St. Louis Cardinals into a 2-2 tie with the New York Giants before 5,863 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Max Macon relieved St. Louis starting pitcher Bill McGee to start the 9th inning and was greeted by a leadoff single by Jimmy Ripple, but rain then ended the game, and it reverted back to the 8th inning. The Giants scored their runs in the 6th when St. Louis center fielder Terry Moore was knocked out when he ran into the concrete wall, as Alex Kampouris ended up with a triple to drive home Harry Danning with the first run, and Cliff Melton then singled home Mr. Kampouris. Mr. McGee was credited with a complete game, allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs, while Mr. Melton allowed 8 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete game.

Bob Johnson batted 4 for 5 with 2 solo home runs, a double, 3 runs, and 3 runs batted in to lead the Philadelphia Athletics over the St. Louis Browns 5-4 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Mr. Johnson doubled with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th and scored the winning run on a 2-out single by Wayne Ambler.

60 years ago
1948

War
A United Nations-sponsored cease-fire went into effect in Palestine, ending 28 days of open warfare between Jews and Arabs.

Prosecution and defense attorneys ended their summations at the war crimes trial of I.G. Farben directors in Nuremberg.

Politics and government
Southern Democrats, meeting in Jackson, Mississippi, announced that they would choose their own U.S. presidential candidate to run against President Harry Truman.

Economics and finance
U.K. and U.S. authorities in Germany authorized the formation of cartels in their occupation zones to speed German economic recovery.

The Romanian National Assembly approved a sweeping nationalization measure affecting most manufacturing and service industries.

Labour
The Argentine government decreed that employers must pay all future wagfe increases out of profits without raising prices.

The Congress of Industrial Organizations United Furniture Workers ended a five-day convention in Chicago after endorsing former U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace's presidential candidacy and re-electing Morris Pizer as union president.

50 years ago
1958

Died on this date
Clarence DeMar, 70. U.S. runner. Mr. DeMar, nicknamed "Mr. DeMarathon," won the Boston Marathon seven times from 1911-1930, and won a bronze medal in the marathon at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. He won five straight marathons in 1926-1927, and ran his last Boston Marathon at the age of 65. Mr. DeMar died of cancer four days after his 70th birthday.

Crime
A Manila court sentenced former Philippine Hukbalahap guerrilla leader Luis Taruc to life imprisonment for kidnapping and murder.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Delilah--Tom Jones (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Danny Boone, 73. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Boone played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1919); Detroit Tigers (1921); and Cleveland Indians from (1922-1923), compiling a record of 8 wins and 13 losses with an earned run average of 5.10 in 42 games, and batting .180 with no home runs and 2 runs batted in. He pitched for 6 years in the minor leagues from 1919-1925, compiling a record of 72-64 in 168 games. Mr. Boone moved to first base in 1926 and to the outfield in 1927, and played in the minors through 1933, batting .356 with 214 home runs.

Defense
A two-day summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia concluded with the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia reaffirming their pledge to maintain defense of Southeast Asia after Britain's withdrawal from Malaysia and Singapore in 1971.

Protest
French student rebel leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit arrived in Britain, stirring up fears of campus unrest.

Medicine
Dr. Lloyd J. Old identified the first cell surface antigens that could differentiate among different cell types.

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

On television tonight
1968: A Crack in Time, on ABC

Frank Reynolds and Cliff Robertson hosted this documentary, which reviewed the events of 1968.









Space
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration concluded an attempt to re-orient Skylab, the space station that had been in Earth orbit since May 1973. Skylab's orbit had been deteriorating because of interference of the upper atmosphere and sunspot-related ultraviolet radiation. NASA officials feared that although the space station would disintegrate upon reentry, large chunks may land on populated areas if the deterioration of the orbit weren't checked, so they hoped to modify the orbit to give Skylab an additional 6-12 months, by which time a space shuttle might be ready to lift Skylab to a higher, more stable orbit or direct its descent so that it crashed into an uninhabited area of the South Pacific Ocean.

Politics and government
Altaf Hussain founded the student political movement All Pakistan Muhajir Students Organisation (APMSO) at Karachi University.

Golf
Andy Bean won his second straight tournament, winning the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic in a playoff after posting a four-round score of 277. First prize money was $50,000.

Nancy Lopez won her fourth straight tournament and fifth of the year, winning the LPGA Championship in Mason, Ohio with a 13-under-par total score of 275. First prize money was $22,500.

25 years ago
1983

Politics and government
Brian Mulroney, 44, defeated incumbent Joe Clark to become leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Mr. Mulroney, who had been an unsuccessful challenger for the position in 1976, became the first leader of the party to come from Quebec.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Gimme Five--Jovanotti (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Yé ké yé ké--Mory Kante (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): N'importe quoi--Florent Pagny (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Boys in Green--Republic of Ireland Soccer Squad

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): With a Little Help from My Friends--Wet Wet Wet/She's Leaving Home--Billy Bragg featuring Cara Tivey (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): One More Try--George Michael (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 One More Try--George Michael (3rd week at #1)
2 Together Forever--Rick Astley
3 Shattered Dreams--Johnny Hates Jazz
4 Foolish Beat--Debbie Gibson
5 Everything Your Heart Desires--Daryl Hall John Oates
6 Make it Real--The Jets
7 Dirty Diana--Michael Jackson
8 Circle in the Sand--Belinda Carlisle
9 Piano in the Dark--Brenda Russell
10 The Valley Road--Bruce Hornsby and the Range

Singles entering the chart were Roll With It by Steve Winwood (#58); Feelings of Forever by Tiffany (#81); I'll Always Love You by Taylor Dayne (#83); I Know You're Out There Somewhere by the Moody Blues (#86); In Your Soul by Corey Hart (#89); Rhythm of Love by the Scorpions (#90); and When You Walk in the Room by Paul Carrack (#91).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 One More Try--George Michael
2 Together Forever--Rick Astley
3 Beds are Burning--Midnight Oil
4 I'm Still Searching--Glass Tiger
5 Pink Cadillac--Natalie Cole
6 Shattered Dreams--Johnny Hates Jazz
7 Always on My Mind--Pet Shop Boys
8 Everything Your Heart Desires--Daryl Hall John Oates
9 Circle in the Sand--Belinda Carlisle
10 Love Changes Everything--Honeymoon Suite

Singles entering the chart were Heart of Mine by Boz Scaggs (#73); The Color of Love by Billy Ocean (#77); Paradise by Sade (#84); Tomcat Prowl by Doug and the Slugs (#87); and Nite and Day by Al B. Sure! (#95).

Died on this date
Nathan Cook, 38. U.S. actor. Mr. Cook was best known for his supporting roles in the television series The White Shadow (1978-1980) and Hotel (1983-1988). He died from a severe allergic reaction to penicillin.

Horse racing
Risen Star, with Eddie Delahoussaye aboard, won his second straight Triple Crown race, finishing first in the 120th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York, in a time of 2:26 3/5. Kingpost placed second, 14 1/4 lengths behind the winner, in the second-fastest Belmont Stakes ever run, behind only Secretariat's record time of 2:24 in 1973. Risen Star was Secretariat's son.



10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Catherine Cookson, 91. U.K. authoress. Dame Catherine wrote almost 100 books, mainly novels set in North East England. She died 16 days before her 92nd birthday; Tom Cookson, 86, her husband of 68 years, died 17 days later.

Business
Compaq Computer paid U.S.$9 billion for Digital Equipment Corporation in the largest high-technology acquisition.

Disasters
The United Nations declared an official famine in Sudan.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Washington 4 @ Detroit 5 (OT) (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Trailing 4-1 after 2 periods, the Red Wings scored 3 straight goals to tie the game before Kris Draper scored at 15:24 of the 1st overtime period to give them their win over the Capitals at Joe Louis Arena.