June 27, 2008

650 years ago
1358

Europeana
The Republic of Ragusa was founded.

170 years ago
1838

Born on this date
Paul Mauser. German weapon designer. Mr. Mauser and his brother Wilhelm were among the world's most successful designers of rifles, beginning with the Mauser Model 1871. Paul Mauser died on May 29, 1914 at the age of 75.

110 years ago
1898

Born on this date
Henry Gurney. U.K. bureaucrat and diplomat. Sir Henry was a colonial administrator with posts in places such as Kenya (1921-1935); Jamaica; Gold Coast (1944-1946); and Palestine (1946-1948). He was appointed High Commissioner to Malaya on October 1, 1948, and was still in office when he was assasssinated at the age of 53 on October 6, 1951 by members of the Malayan Communist Party in a highway ambush while on his way to the Fraser's Hill resort for a meeting. Sir Henry's Malayan chauffeur was also killed, and five policemen wounded. According to Communist leader Chin Peng, the ambush was routine, and the killing was by chance. Sir Henry was succeeded as High Commissioner by Field Marshal Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer.

Adventure
The first solo circumnavigation of the globe was completed by Joshua Slocum from Briar Island, Nova Scotia.

80 years ago
1928

Protest
In Louvain,Belgium, several hundred people, most of them students, pulled down and broke to pieces the pillars of the inscriptionless balustrade of the new library which Msgr. Ladeuze, rector of the university, proposed to erect in place of the one designed by Whitney Warren, which bore the words: "Destroyed by German fury, rebuilt by American generosity." The balustrade was rebuilt, and the library, a gift from Americans, was dedicated on July 4.

Disasters
An excursion train returning to Newcastle, England from Scarborough collided with a freight locomotive at Darlington, killing 22 passengers--12 of them women--and injuring 47.

60 years ago
1948

War
Indian forces began deploying around the Muslim-ruled state of Hyderabad in an effort to force the territory to unite with India.

Politics and government
The Czechoslovakian Social Democratic Party officially merged with the Communist Party.

Medicine
U.S. Army researchers reported that the new drug chloromycetin could cure typhoid fever within three days.

Track and field
AAU Championships @ Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bob Mathias won the decathlon.

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): On the Street Where You Live--Vic Damone

This was one of the songs from the musical My Fair Lady.

On television tonight
Harbor Command, starring Wendell Corey
Tonight's episode: Sanctuary

World events
Sovbiet fighter planes forced down a U.S. transport plane with nine men aboard, 30 miles inside the U.S.S.R., near Erivan, capital of Soviet Armenia.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. and Afghanistan signed a cultural exchange agreement in Washington.

Politics and government
The Indiana Republican convention nominated Governor Harold Handley for the U.S. Senate seat of the retiring William Jenner.

40 years ago
1968

Calgariana
Alberta Premier Ernest Manning opened the Husky Tower, taking a 63-second elevator ride to reach the top. It was renamed the Calgary Tower after Marathon Realty acquired it in 1970.

War
The U.S. Command in Vietnam announced that the Marines were withdrawing from the military base at Khesanh in a tactical shift to cope with increased Communist strength and activity in demilitarized zone.

30 years ago
1978

Music
Roy Orbison performed at Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg.

Terrorism
Negro Communist guerrillas in Rhodesia shot to death two German missionaries, the 14th and 15th missionaries killed in Rhodesia in June.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): What a Wonderful World--Louis Armstrong (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
In Ottawa, Canadian External Affairs Minister Joe Clark met Soviet ambassador Alexei Rodionov to ease confrontation over the recent expulsion of 9 Soviet diplomats accused of spying, and barring 10 from returning to Canada. Mr. Clark called for a freeze on additional expulsions.

Disasters
At Gare de Lyon in Paris, a train collided with a stationary train, killing 56 people.

Boxing
Mike Tyson (35-0) knocked out Michael Spinks (31-1) at 1:31 of the 1st round of their bout for the unified (World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation) world heavyweight title at Convention Hall in Atlantic City. The knockout was the fourth quickest in heavyweight championship history. It was the last fight for Mr. Spinks.



10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Gilles Rocheleau, 62. Canadian politician. Mr. Rocheleau was a member of the city council of Hull, Quebec from 1967-1974 and Mayor from 1974-1981. As a Liberal, he represented Hull in the Quebec National Assembly from 1981-1988. Mr. Rocheleau represented Hull-Aylmer in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988-1993. He left the Liberal Party of Canada after the failure of the Meech Lake constitutional accord in 1990 and sat as an independent for several months before becoming one of the founding MPs of the Bloc Québécois in December 1990. Mr. Rocheleau was defeated in his bid for re-election in 1993.