April 13, 2009

490 years ago
1519

Born on this date
Catherine de' Medici. Queen consort of France, 1547-1559. Catherine, the daughter of Lorenzo II de' Medici and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne, married the future King Henry II of France in 1533, and became queen consort when he acceded to the throne in 1547. She was the mother of kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III, serving as regent for Charles IX from 1560-1563. Queen Catherine, perhaps the most powerful woman in Europe in the 16th century, died on January 5, 1689 at the age of 69.

180 years ago
1829

Politics and government
The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 received royal assent, giving Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom the right to vote and to sit in Parliament.

160 years ago
1849

Europeana
Lajos Kossuth presented the Hungarian Declaration of Independence in a closed session of the National Assembly.

150 years ago
1859

Academia
By an Act of the Legislature, King's College was transformed into the University of New Brunswick, with its new charter guaranteeing a non-denominational provincial institution open to all students regardless of religious persuasion.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Herbert Yardley. U.S. cryptographer. Mr. Yardley founded and led the American Black Chamber, a cryptographic organization, breaking Japanese codes during the Washington Naval Conference of 1921-1922. He helped the Chinese Nationalists from 1938-1940 in breaking Japanese codes, and worked briefly for the Canadian government in 1941. Mr. Yardley died on August 7, 1958 at the age of 69, after suffering a stroke.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Harold Osborn. U.S. athlete. Mr. Osborn won gold medals in the decathlon and men's high jump at the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris; he remains the only competitor to win gold medals in the decathlon and an individual event. Mr. Osborn competed in the high jump in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, just failing to win a medal. He died on April 5, 1975, eight days before his 76th birthday.

Alfred Mosher Butts. U.S. architect and game creator. Mr. Butts was unemployed in the early 1930s when he invented the board game Scrabble, which combined crossword puzzles and anagrams. He eventually sold he rights to the game to James Brunot. Mr. Butts also created Alfreds Other Game, a word game which first appeared in 1985. He died on April 4, 1993, nine days before his 94th birthday.

Died on this date
James Service, 75. U.K.-born Australian politician. Mr. Service, a native of Scotland, moved to Australia in 1853, and became a businessman and banker in Melbourne. He had a career in politics spanning more than 40 years, and served as Premier of Victoria from March-August 1880 and 1883-1886.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Eudora Welty. U.S. authoress. Miss Welty wrote novels and short stories about the American South in a career spanning more than 50 years, and received numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1973 for her novel The Optimist's Daughter. She died on July 23, 2001 at the age of 92.

World events
The Ottoman countercoup of 1909 took place. It was an attempt to dismantle the Second Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire and replace it with an autocracy under Sultan/Caliph Abdul Hamid II. The countercoup was overthrown 11 days later.

90 years ago
1919

Abominations
British troops gunned down at least 379 unarmed demonstrators in Amritsar, India; at least 1,200 were wounded.

80 years ago
1929

At the movies
The Letter, directed by Jean di Limur, and starring Jeanne Eagels and O.P. Heggie, opened in theatres.



70 years ago
1939

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Boston 2 @ Toronto 0 (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Roy Conacher scored in the 1st and 3rd period, and Frank Brimsek posted a shutout in goal as the Bruins blanked the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Baseball
The New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 13-5 in a spring training game in Norfolk, Virginia. Yankees' first baseman Lou Gehrig, who had had a poor spring, had 4 hits in 5 at bats, including 2 home runs. They were the last home runs he ever hit.

60 years ago
1949

War
Israel and Syria agreed to a cease-fire pending continued armistice talks.

Diplomacy
The United Nations General Assembly's Steering Committee delayed a final decision on Israel's admission to the UN, to indicate disapproval of Israeli opposition to the internalization of Jerusalem.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate a $15-billion defense budget for fiscal 1950, including funds for a 70-group Air Force.

Crime
Frank Meyer, former director of Communist educational activities in Chicago, appeared as a prosecution witness in the New York trial of 11 U.S. Communist leaders, and testified that Party courses advocated the violent overthrow of American democracy.

Energy
U.S. President Harry Truman urged Congress to authorize the creation of a Columbia Valley Administration, modelled on the Tennessee Valley Authority, to provide federal power, irrigation, and flood control programs for the Pacific Northwest.

Economics and finance
The Western Allies announced their willingness to let West Germany keep most factories currently marked for dismantling as reparations.

Business
Montgomery Ward board chairman Sewell Avery gained control over the company, following the resignation of four vice presidents in a management dispute.

Disasters
The Pacific Northwest of North America's worst recorded earthquake struck a 150,000-square-mile area in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, causing eight deaths.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 1 @ Toronto 3 (Toronto led best-of-seven series 3-0)

Bill Ezinicki, Ted Kennedy, and Gus Mortson scored to give the Maple Leafs their win over the Red Wings at Maple Leaf Gardens. Jack Stewart scored to give Detroit an early lead. Turk Broda outdueled Harry Lumley in goal.

Basketball
BAA
Finals
Washington 56 @ Minneapolis 77 (Minneapolis won best-of-seven series 4-2)

George Mikan scored 29 points to lead the Lakers over the Capitols before 10,482 fans at Minneapolis Auditorium. Kleggie Hermsen led Washington scorers with 12 points. It was the first BAA championship for the Lakers and the last game for the Basketball Association of America before it merged with the National Basketball League to become the National Basketball Association.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mariquilla--José Luís y su Guitarra (9th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods
2 Venus--Frankie Avalon
3 Pink Shoe Laces--Dodie Stevens
4 It's Just a Matter of Time--Brook Benton
5 Tragedy--Thomas Wayne with the DeLons
6 Never Be Anyone Else But You--Ricky Nelson
7 Charlie Brown--The Coasters
8 (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I--Elvis Presley
9 Guitar Boogie Shuffle--The Virtues
10 I Need Your Love Tonight--Elvis Presley

Singles entering the chart were Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye by Kathy Linden (#70); The Kissing Tree (#76)/Bonaparte's Retreat (#87) by Billy Grammer; The Walls Have Ears by Patti Page (#78); I Still Get a Thrill (Thinking of You) by Joni James (#81); I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself by Buddy Knox (#88); Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy by Annette (#90); I've Come of Age by Billy Storm (#91); Lonely for You by Gary Stites (#94); Quiet Village by Martin Denny (#95); My Heart is an Open Book by Carl Dobkins, Jr. (#96); Little Queenie by Chuck Berry (#98); You Can't Be True Dear by the Mary Kaye Trio (#99); and Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I/I Need Your Love Tonight--Elvis Presley (2nd week at #1)
2 Guitar Boogie Shuffle--The Virtues
3 It's Late/Never Be Anyone Else But You--Ricky Nelson
4 Venus--Frankie Avalon
5 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods
6 Pink Shoe Laces--Dodie Stevens
7 The Tijuana Jail--The Kingston Trio
8 Sea Cruise--Frankie Ford
9 Raw-Hide--Link Wray and the Wraymen
10 It Doesn't Matter Anymore--Buddy Holly

Singles entering the chart were Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye by Kathy Linden (#53); Quiet Village by Martin Denny #58); I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself by Buddy Knox (#59); and Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy by Annette (#60).

Died on this date
Eduard van Beinum, 57. Dutch orchestra conductor. Mr. van Beinum began his musical career as a violinist and pianist before moving into conducting. He led several orchestras, most notably Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Orchestra, becoming second conductor in 1931 and eventually serving as principal conductor. Mr. van Beinum suffered from heart problems for years, and was conducting a rehearsal of the Concertgebouw Orchestra when he suffered a fatal heart attack on the podium.

Space
The U.S. Air Force launched a 1,600-pound Discoverer II satellite into a polar orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Diplomacy
The Indian Foreign Ministry announced that the exiled Dalai Lama would be given residence in Mussourie, a former Himalayan resort 150 miles from New Delhi.

Defense
James Wadsworth, U.S. delegation chief to the Geneva test ban talks, proposed a ban on all nuclear detonations in the lower atmosphere and underwater as part of a step-by-step international accord to prohibit all nuclear testing.

Arriving in New York for talks with U.S. military leaders, West German Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss said that he doubted that Soviet leaders would risk war for attainment of their demands in Europe.

Crime
Vito Genovese, alleged head of an international drug ring, was sentenced in New York to 15 years in prison and fined $20,000 for conspiracy to violate federal narcotics laws. He also became subject to deportation to his native Italy.

40 years ago
1969

Died on this date
Alfred Karindi, 67. Estonian conductor and composer. Mr. Karindi was an organist who taught music for many years and conducted choirs. He wrote choral music as well as works for organ, orchestral music, and chamber pieces.

World events
Four Muslims from the Basrah region of Iraq, charged with being spies for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, were hanged in Baghdad, bringing the number executed as spies since January to 26. Baghdad radio termed the hangings "a victory for the Palestinian cause and Vietnam."

Disasters
Melting snow was causing rivers in the Midwestern United States to swell to record levels against bolstered dikes, leaving 8,000 people homeless.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Los Angeles 5 @ Oakland 3 (Los Angeles won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Semi-Finals
Boston 3 @ Montreal 4 (OT) (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Johnny Bucyk scored with 5:48 remaining in regulation time to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead, but Serge Savard scored with 1:09 remaining to tie the score, and Mickey Redmond scored at 4:55 of the 1st overtime period to give the Canadiens their second straight overtime win over the Bruins at the Montreal Forum.

CHL
Adams Cup
Finals
Dallas 2 @ Oklahoma City 5 (Oklahoma City led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Tom Webster scored 3 goals for the Blazers as they defeated the Black Hawks.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (10th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Dschinghis Khan--Dschinghis Khan

#1 single in France (IFOP): Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez (7th week at #1)

War
Rhodesian commandos raided the headquarters of the Patriotic Front in Lusaka, Zambia in an attempt to kill or kidnap guerrilla leader Joshua Nkomo. 10 were killed in the raid.

Diplomacy
In retaliation for South Africa's expulsion of three American embassy officials the previous day, the United States ordered two military attaches to leave Washington.

Hockey
The Calgary Wranglers defeated the Lethbridge Broncos 6-2, reducing the Broncos' lead in their Western Hockey League playoff series to 2 games to 1.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): 99 Luftballons--Nena

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Big in Japan--Alphaville (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Richard Hurndall, 73. U.K. actor. Mr. Hurndall appeared in numerous British radio and television programs. He played Sherlock Holmes in a five-part adaptation of The Sign of Four that aired on BBC from May 17-June 14, 1959.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Challenger and its five-man crew landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California to conclude mission STS-41-C (STS-13).

World events
India moved into Siachen Glacier, thus annexing more territory from the Line of Control (the military control line between the Indian and Pakistani-controlled parts of Jammu and Kashmir).

Crime
Six members of the Ku Klux Klan and three members of the American Nazi Party were acquitted by an all-white jury in a U.S. federal district court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina of federal civil rights charges arising from the deaths of five people--four white men and a Negro woman, all members of the Communist Workers Party--in Greensboro, N.C. on November 3, 1979. The five had been killed at a "Death to the Klan" rally. Five of the defendants had also been acquitted of state murder and rioting charges in 1980. The government claimed that the defendants had gone to the rally to provoke a fight and that they had fired the first 11 shots in the subsequent outburst of violence. Defense lawyers argued that the defendants had gone to the rally because of their patriotic, anti-Communist feelings and that they had been provoked by the other side. The prosecution was required to prove that the defendants had been motivated by racial hatred.

Defense
U.S. President Ronald Reagan invoked emergency powers under the Arms Expert Control Act to give El Salvador an additional $332 million in military aid.

Economics and finance
The United States Senate approved a three-year $47 billion tax bill, slightly smaller than the $49.2 billion in new taxes previously approved by the House of Representatives. The Senate bill would reduce spending by $14.8 billion.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Margaret Heckler announced that the administration of President Ronald Reagan was dropping its controversial program of reviewing Social Security disability rolls to verify that recipients were eligible, and that the suspension would remain in effect until new disability legislation was enacted.

Hockey
NHL
In Stanley Cup playoff action, the Calgary Flames evened their second-round series with the Edmonton Oilers at 1 game each with a 6-5 win in overtime at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Quebec Nordiques 4-1 at Le Colisee in Quebec to knot their series at 1 game each.

Baseball
Pete Rose of the Montreal Expos doubled to right field against Jerry Koosman of the Philadelphia Phillies at Olympic Stadium in Montreal for the 4,000th hit of his major league career, joining Ty Cobb as the only players to accomplish the feat.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Like a Prayer--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): When Love Comes to Town--U2 featuring BB King

War
At least 6 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid on the West Bank village of Nahalin.

Scandal
The Wall Street securities firm Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. settled civil charges brought against it by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the settlement, DBL would be under probation for three years; would pay a fine of $15 million; would put $350 million in a fund for those injured by its violations; would dismiss junk-bond "king" Michael Milken; and would appoint or elect leaders acceptable to the SEC. DBL had previously pleaded guilty to criminal charges.

Hockey
NHL
In Stanley Cup first-round playoff action, the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-1, while the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Calgary Flames 6-3.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Willi Stoph, 84. Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of East Germany, 1964-1973; 1976-1989. Mr. Stoph joined the Communist Party in 1931 and was one of the longest-serving members of East Germany's Communist government. He and his 44-member cabinet resigned on November 7, 1989 in response to public pressure.

War
Serbian troops briefly seized an Albanian border post.

Crime
"Dr." Jack Kevorkian was sentenced in Pontiac, Michigan to 10-25 years in prison for the second-degree murder of a man whose assisted suicide was videotaped and shown on the television news program 60 Minutes.