February 27, 2009

200 years ago
1809

War
The French frigates Pénélope and Pauline, led by Captains Bernard Dubourdieu and François-Gilles Montfort, respectively, captured the British frigate HMS Proserpine, led by Captain Charles Otter, near Toulon.

150 years ago
1859

Died on this date
Philip Barton Key II, 40. U.S. lawyer. Mr. Key, the son of The Star Spangled Banner composer Francis Scott Key, was U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. He was having an affair with Teresa Sickles, wife of U.S. Representative Daniel Sickles (Democrat--New York), and Rep. Sickles fatally shot him. Charged with murder, Rep. Sickles invoked the defense of temporary insanity, and was acquitted, in the first successful use of such a defense in the United States.

130 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Charles Stockard. U.S. anatomist and zoologist. Dr. Stockard conducted numerous experiments studying the growth and differentiation of germ line cells within embryos. His research on embryonic development in guinea pigs given alcohol demonstrated that alcohol consumption can lead to birth defects. Dr. Stockard's books included Hormones and Structural Development (1927) and The Physical Basis of Personality (1931). He died on April 7, 1939 at the age of 60.

Business
Henry Birks opened a small jewellery shop, Henry Birks and Company, at 222 Rue Saint-Jacques, in the heart of Montreal’s business section. His business formula was: cash sales only and the same price for everyone. In 1893, he went into partnership with his three sons as Henry Birks and Sons.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Charles H. Best. U.S.-born Canadian physiologist and biochemist. Dr. Best, born in Maine to parents from Nova Scotia, moved to Toronto in 1915. As a medical student at the University of Toronto, he assisted Dr. Frederick Banting in the discovery of Insulin in 1921. Dr. Best died on March 31, 1978 at the age of 79.

Transportation
The Canadian Pacific Railway launched the 70-ton steamboat Ymir (70 tons) at Nelson, British Columbia; it was withdrawn from service in 1929.

Labour
An amendment to British Columbia's Inspection of Metaliferous Mines Act 1897 received royal assent, limiting underground miners' hours to 8 hours per day.

100 years ago
1909

Canadiana
Ontario added a crest, supporters, and motto to the provincial coat-of-arms.

90 years ago
1919

Hockey
Stanley Cup
NHL
Finals
Montreal 5 @ Ottawa 3 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Joe Malone scored 2 straight goals in the 2nd period and Odie Cleghorn scored a true hat trick in the 3rd period to enable the Canadiens to defeat the Senators at the Arena. Harry Cameron, Buck Boucher, and Cy Denneny scored the Ottawa goals.

80 years ago
1929

Boxing
Jack Sharkey (32-8-1) won a 10-round decision over Young Stribling (214-11-17-1) at Flamingo Park in Miami Beach, Florida in an elimination bout for the vacant world heavyweight title. The card opened with a battle royale of 12 Negro fighters.



70 years ago
1939

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sit-down strikes violated property owners' rights, and were therefore illegal.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
Pat Novak For Hire, starring Jack Webb, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Marcia Halpern

Died on this date
Luis Manuel Rojas Arreola. Mexican politician. Mr. Rojas was president of the congress in 1916-1917 that framed Mexico's constitution.

War
A two-day battle between Siamese Army and Navy forces ended in Bangkok with 50 soldiers dead. Government spokesmen blamed the incident on agitation by dissident politicians.

The Chinese Nationalist peace mission returned from Peking after conferring with Communist leader Mao Tse-tung.

Defense
The U.S. Navy began its largest post-World War II maneuvers to date with a simulated nuclear attack on surface ships in the Caribbean Sea.

Health
A joint meeting of the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute in Memphis ended after hearing a report linking increased cigarette smoking to the rapid rise in the incidence of lung cancer during the past 25 years.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): As I Love You--Shirley Bassey with Wally Stott and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)

Space
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration disclosed that it had compiled a list of 110 pilots from which it expected to select the pilot of the first Project Mercury flight.

Politics and government
General Ne Win took office as Prime Minister of a revised Burmese cabinet.

Scandal
In Tacoma, Washington, U.S. District Court Judge George Boldt sentenced former Teamsters union President Dave Beck to five years in prison, fined him $60,000, and ordered him to pay $10,000 in court costs, following his conviction on six counts of tax evasion.

A U.S. federal grand jury in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania acquitted U.S. Representative William Green, Jr. (Democrat--Pennsylvania) of charges that he had conspired to defraud the U.S. government in connection with the construction of a $33-million Army Signal Corps depot at Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania.

40 years ago
1969

On television tonight
Dragnet 1969, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Juvenile Division: DR-19



Died on this date
Marius Barbeau, 85. Canadian anthropologist. Professor Barbeau, a native of Sainte-Marie, Quebec, was one of the founders of Canadian anthropology, specializing in Québecois folk culture and traditions and culture of the Tsimshianic-speaking peoples--Tsimshian, Gitxsan, and Nisga'a--in northern British Columbia. His belief that the latter groups had migrated from Siberia across the Bering Strait has been heavily disputed. Prof. Barbeau died in Ottawa, six days before his 86th birthday.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon spent 20 hours in Rome, where he was greeted by President Giuseppe Saragat. The occasion was also marked by thousands of student protesters and Communists, who started a riot that lasted into the next day. At least 31 people, including 21 policemen, were injured. However, the only crowds that Mr. Nixon saw were friendly ones lining his route.

Economics and Finance
The British bank rate was raised to 8% from 7% in a move to reinforce the credit squeeze on commercial banks--a move considered essential to bring imports into better balance with exports.

Labour
A nationwide strike of 15,000 American Airlines ground employees caused delays and roundabout routings.

30 years ago
1979

On television tonight
The Paper Chase, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Once More with Feeling



Diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin agreed to meet with United States President Jimmy Carter to discuss the proposed Middle East peace settlement, but the Israeli cabinet vetoed Mr. Begin's return to Camp David to conclude treaty negotiations with Egypt.

Health
A study by the National Academy of Sciences recommended restrictions but no ban on the use of the artificial sweetener Saccharin, which had caused cancer in laboratory rats.

Economics and Finance
Cleveland voters approved a 50% increase in city taxes to bail out the financially strapped city government and the retention of the city-owned municipal electrical utility. The results were seen as a victory for Mayor Dennis Kucinich, who had campaigned for both measures.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Love Is a Battlefield--Pat Benatar (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Thriller--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

War
Iraq said that it had begun to blockade Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal, and that its forces had launched air attacks against oil tankers at Kharg. The United States said that it was unable to verify the air attacks.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)--The Proclaimers (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Real Gone Kid--Deacon Blue (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush met with South Korean opposition leaders and addressed the National Assembly in Seoul.

Protest
Riots spread across Venezuela in reaction against government-imposed increases in transportation fares and gasoline prices.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Horace Tapscott, 64. U.S. musician. Mr. Tapscott was a jazz trombonist who played with various bands, including that of Lionel Hampton (1959-1961), before focusing on piano and forming the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, which he led from 1961 through the 1990s.

War
Eritrea accepted the peace plan, originally put forth by the Organization for African Unity, intended to end the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Politics and government
Olusegun Obasanjo, representing the People's Democratic Party, won the Nigerian presidential election, receiving 62.78% of the vote to 37.22% for Alliance for Democracy-All People's Party candidate Olue Falae, nearly completing the country's transition to civilian rule. Mr. Obasanjo, a military leader during the civil war with Biafra from 1967-1970, had become President in 1976 after his predecessor was assassinated while trying to implement civilian rule. Mr. Obasanjo completed the transition, handing over the presidency to an elected civilian in 1979. The military later seized power again, and Mr. Obasanjo was imprisoned from 1995 to 1998, when General Sani Abacha, Nigeria's ruler, died. Mr. Falae claimed that vote fraud had occurred in the election.

Hockey
NHL
Florida 1 @ Toronto 4