April 18, 2009

1,650 years ago
359

Born on this date
Gratian. Roman Emperor, 367-383. Gratian, the son of Emperor Valentinian, was given the title of Augustus as Junior Emperor by his father in 367, and became senior Augustus in 375. He and his brother Valentinian II were co-Emperors in the entire empire from 378-379, and in the west from 379 until Gratian was assassinated at the age of 24 by rebel general Andragathius on August 25, 383. Gratian was regarded as a successful ruler for several years, but degenerated into a life of indolence after the deaths of some of his more able counsellors.

1,100 years ago
909

Died on this date
Dionysius II. Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, 896-909. Dionysius II succeeded Theodosius Romanus, and was succeeded in turn by John V.

320 years ago
1689

Died on this date
George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys, 43. Welsh judge and politician. Lord Jeffreys was Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1683-1685, enforcing the policy of King James II and acquiring the nickname "The Hanging Judge." He served as Lord Chancellor of England and Wales from 1685-1688, but was captured by the forces of William of Orange during the Glorious Revolution and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he died of kidney disease, 27 days before his 44th birthday.

Protest
A mob of provincial militia in citizens in Boston rose up in rebellion against New England Governor Sir Edmund Andros.

250 years ago
1759

Born on this date
Jacques Widerkehr. French musician and composer. Mr. Widerkehr was a cellist who was known for composing symphonies concertantes for several wind instruments. He died in April 1823, the month of his 64th birthday.

190 years ago
1819

Born on this date
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo. Cuban revolutionary leader. Mr. Céspedes was a plantation owner who freed his slaves and made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868 which started the Ten Years' War (1868-1878), ultimately leading to Cuban independence, and earning Mr. Céspedes the nickname "Father of the Motherland." He was deposed in a leadership coup in 1873, and was killed by Spanish troops on February 27, 1874 at the age of 54.

Franz von Suppé. Austro-Hungarian composer and conductor. Mr. Suppé composed about 30 operettas and 180 other stage works. His overtures, especially Leichte Kavallerie (Light Cavalry)) (1866) are still regularly performed. Mr. Suppé died on May 21, 1895 at the age of 76.

150 years ago
1859

Died on this date
Tatya Tope, 44 or 45. Indian military officer. Tatya Tope, born Ramachandra Panduranga, was a general who commanded Indian forces in the sepoy rebellion against British rule in 1857. After the revolt was put down, Tatya Tope continued as a guerrilla fighter until he was arrested by the British and hanged in Shivpuri.

120 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Jessie Street. Indian-born Australian activist. Lady Street, the wife of Chief Justice Sir Kenneth Whistler Street, supported suffragism and other fashionable "progressive" causes, earning the nickname "Red Jessie" from her detractors. She was Australia's first and only female delegate to the establishment of the United Nations. Lady Street died on July 2, 1970 at the age of 81.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Bill Bayne. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Bayne played with the St. Louis Browns (1919-1924); Cleveland Indians (1928); and Boston Red Sox (1929-1930), compiling a record of 31-32 with an earned run average of 4.84 in 199 games, batting .290 with 1 home run and 13 runs batted in. He won at least 143 games and lost at least 103 in 398 games in 12 seasons in the minor leagues (1919, 1924-1937). Mr. Bayne died after a long illness on May 22, 1981 at the age of 82.

Britannica
The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association was granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria.

100 years ago
1909

Religion
Joan of Arc was beatified in Rome.

70 years ago
1939

Politics and government
Robert Menzies was elected as leader of the United Australia Party, following the death of Prime Minister Joseph Lyons.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and George Spelvin (Wendell Holmes), on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Burmese Goddess

Defense
The keel for the aircraft carrier USS United States was laid down at Newport News Drydock and Shipbuilding in Virginia. The "supercarrier" was designed with the primary mission of carrying long-range bomber aircraft that could carry a heavy enough load to undertake nuclear bombardment missions. However, construction was cancelled five days later, resulting in the Revolt of the Admirals.

Politics and government
Eire officially ended its allegiance to the British crown as the Republic of Ireland Act went into effect.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated "quick" Nevada divorces in which the couple involved were not personally involved in the proceedings.

Crime
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington upheld the conviction on passport fraud charges of Gerhard Eisler, a German and accused Soviet spy who had concealed his Communist affiliations when applying for a U.S. passport.

Labour
A special U.S. presidential commission on labour relations in nuclear facilities recommended the creation of a three-man board to mediate atomic energy labour disputes.

Baseball
The New York Yankees released pitcher Bill Bevens. Mr. Bevens had played with the Yankees from 1944-1947, and was best known for coming within 1 out of a no-hitter in the fourth game of the 1947 World Series, giving up a double to pinch hitter Cookie Lavagetto, which not only ruined the no-hit bid, but gave the Brooklyn Dodgers a 3-2 win. He had played just 2 games in 1948 with the Newark Bears, the Yankees' farm team in the AAA International League, compiling a 0-0 record with a 2.25 earned run average in 8 innings.

U.S. President Harry Truman threw out the first ball to open the American League regular season as the Washington Nationals scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to edge the Philadelphia Athletics 3-2 before 26,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Pinch hitter Sherry Robertson led off the bottom of the 9th with a double, and pinch hitter Bud Stewart followed with a double to drive him home with the tying run, and advanced to third base when Gil Coan singled. Sam Dente was intentionally walked to load the bases, and after Buddy Lewis was retired on a foul popup, Clyde Vollmer singled home Mr.Stewart to end the game. Ray Scarborough pitched a 7-hit complete game victory, while losing pitcher Dick Fowler allowed 11 hits and 2 earned runs in pitching a complete game defeat.

Ken Heintzelman pitched a 5-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Johnny Sain as the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the defending National League champion Boston Braves 4-0 before an opening day crowd of 9,195 at Braves Field. The Phillies scored the necessary runs in the top of the 1st inning when Richie Ashburn led off with a single, and advanced to second and third bases by beating throws by Mr. Sain to the respective bases on consecutive ground balls. Mr. Sain then walked home 2 runs. Mr. Sain pitched a 7-hit complete game, allowing 3 earned runs.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Tom Dooley--The Kingston Trio (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): It Doesn't Matter Anymore--Buddy Holly

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods (2nd week at #1)
2 Venus--Frankie Avalon
3 (Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such as I--Elvis Presley
4 Pink Shoe Laces--Dodie Stevens
5 Never Be Anyone Else But You--Ricky Nelson
6 It's Just a Matter of Time--Brook Benton
7 Since I Don't Have You--The Skyliners
8 I Need Your Love Tonight--Elvis Presley
9 Guitar Boogie Shuffle--The Virtues
10 Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)--The Impalas

Singles entering the chart were 77 Sunset Strip by the Frank Ortega Trio (#38, charting with the version by Don Ralke); Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison (#66); Endlessly by Brook Benton (#76); Frankie's Man, Johnny by Johnny Cash (#92); Does Your Heart Beat for Me? by Betty Johnson (#93); I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself by Buddy Knox (#96); Dream Lover by Bobby Darin (#97); Lonely Saturday Night by Don French (#99); A Teenager in Love by Dion and the Belmonts (#100); and Caramba by the Champs (also #100).

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Mila Levashova!

Died on this date
Irving Cummings, 70. U.S. actor and director. Mr. Cummings, born Irving Caminsky, was a popular leading man in silent movies in the 1910s and '20s before becoming a director. He was known for directing Technicolor musicals in the 1930s and '40s, but his only Academy Award nomination was for the Western In Old Arizona (1928).

David Chapman Bull, 67. U.S. physician. Dr. Bull was a pioneer in blood transfusion.

Diplomacy
India and Pakistan announced the conclusion of a one-year agreement on the division of the Indus River and its tributaries for purposes of irrigation.

Politics and government
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower nominated Christian Herter to succeed John Foster Dulles as Secretary to State. Mr. Dulles, suffering from advancing cancer, had resigned two days earlier.

Crime
National Guardsmen stormed a cell block at Montana State Prison to release 21 hostages held by inmates, following the fatal shooting of a deputy warden over a lights-out dispute.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 3 @ Montreal 5 (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Marcel Bonin's goal with 10:05 remaining in the 2nd period proved to be the winner as the Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs before 14,701 fans at the Montreal Forum to become the first team to win four consecutive Stanley Cup championships. Mr. Bonin's goal gave Montreal a 4-1 lead, and Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion scored on a powerplay with 35 seconds remaining in the period to make the score 5-1. Frank Mahovlich scored with 7:53 remaining in the 3rd period to make it 5-2, and Bert Olmstead scored with 3:41 remaining.



40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension (2nd week at #1)
2 Hair--The Cowsills
3 Gitarzan--Ray Stevens
4 Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'--Crazy Elephant
5 What Can the Matter Be--The Poppy Family
6 Galveston--Glen Campbell
7 November Snow--Rejoice
8 Rock Me--Steppenwolf
9 You've Made Me So Very Happy--Blood, Sweat & Tears
10 Sweet Cherry Wine--Tommy James and the Shondells

Singles entering the chart were Playgirl by Thee Prophets (#20); Love is Just a Four-Letter Word by Joan Baez (#21); Badge by Cream (#22); Hawaii Five-O by the Ventures (#24); Time is Tight by Booker T. & the M.G.'s (#26); Twenty-Five Miles by Edwin Starr (#28); Tricia Tell Your Daddy by Andy Kim (#29); and Mini-Skirt Minnie by Wilson Pickett (#30).

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Galveston--Glen Campbell
2 Hair--The Cowsills
3 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension
4 Long Green--The Fireballs
5 Things I'd Like to Say--The New Colony Six
6 Mendocino--Sir Douglas Quintet
7 Rock Me--Steppenwolf
8 Time of the Season--The Zombies
9 The Letter--The Arbors
10 Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'--Crazy Elephant

The Letter, written by Wayne Carson Thompson, was one of the biggest hits of the 1960s. The Box Tops had a number 1 hit with it in the fall of 1967, and the Edmonton group The Nomads released it as the B-side of Hey Joe in the spring of 1968. In the spring of 1970, Joe Cocker released it as the B-side of Space Captain, but it ended up becoming the hit side of the single, hitting the U.S. top 10.

War
U.S. President Richard Nixon charged that North Korea's downing of a U.S. reconnaissance plane three days earlier was "unprovoked" and "without warning", and ordered resumption of the flights under naval protection.

Defense
U.S. President Richard Nixon declared that he would "fight as hard as I can" for the Safeguard anti-ballistic missile system as pro- and anti-ABM debate heated up in Congress. According to Mr. Nixon, an inferior arms position would impair America's "diplomatic credibility," adding that the ABM was "absolutely essential for the security of the country."

Politics and government
Gustav Husak, the new Czechoslovak Communist Party chief, told the nation that the party would not tolerate any resistance to its decisions, and warned against "counterrevolutionary" elements. "I am not afraid of that expression," he said, although observers noted that none of the top leadership had used it since the Soviet invasion the previous August.

Academia
Harvard Corporation, the executive body of Harvard University, endorsed a faculty proposal to downgrade campus military training to an "extracurricular activity." That day protesting students voted at a mass meeting to suspend the student strike for a week.

Disasters
For the second time in five days, a tornado hit East Pakistan. 60 were killed and 5,000 left homeless.

An apartment house fire in Atlantic City, New Jersey killed 4 and injured 24.

Boxing
Jose Napoles (60-4) won the world welterweight title when defending champion Curtis Cokes (55-10-3) retired at the end of the 13th round at the Forum in Inglewood, California.



Hockey
CHL
Adams Cup
Finals
Oklahoma City 1 @ Dallas 6 (Dallas led best-of-seven series 3-1)

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Bright Eyes--Art Garfunkel (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Real People, on NBC

This was the first broadcast of the program.

Law
A ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States allowed plaintiffs in press libel suits to inquire as to a reporter's "state of mind," judgements, and opinions while preparing material for publication.

Disasters
A New York Airways helicopter crashed at Newark International Airport, killing 3 and injuring 12 of the remaining 15 survivors.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Chicago 0 @ New York Islanders 1 (OT) (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Toronto 1 @ Montreal 5 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Pittsburgh 3 @ Boston 4 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)
New York Rangers 7 @ Philadelphia 1 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Mike Bossy scored at 2:31 of the 1st overtime period to give the Islanders their win over the Black Hawks at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale. Billy Smith made 22 saves to get the shutout in goal, while Chicago goalie Tony Esposito made 40 saves.

25 years ago
1984

World events
U.S. Senators Lawton Chiles (Democrat--Florida) and J. Bennett Johnston (Democrat--Louisiana) were uninjured when the helicopter in which they were passengers was struck by gunfire from rebels near the border between Honduras and El Salvador.

Diplomacy
Newspaper reports confirmed that the United States had rejected Nora Astorga, whom Nicaragua had proposed as its ambassador to the United States. She had been linked to the 1978 killing of an officer in the Nicaraguan National Guard who had reportedly worked with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

Defense
At a meeting of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva, U.S. Vice President George Bush presented the proposed U.S. treaty providing for a comprehensive ban on chemical weapons.

Politics and government
Former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale won the Missouri caucuses in the contest for the Democratic party nomination for President of the United States in the November 1984 election.

Hockey
NHL
Steve Penney recorded his second shutout of the 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Quebec Nordiques 4-0 at Le Colisee in Quebec to take a 3 games to 2 lead in their second-round series. At Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, the Calgary Flames defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 to reduce the Oilers' lead in their series to 3 games to 2.

20 years ago
1989

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Brightwing

Protest
Thousands of Chinese students demanding democracy tried to storm Communist Party headquarters in Beijing.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that consumer prices, led by energy prices, had risen 0.5% in March.

10 years ago
1999

Hockey
NHL
Pittsburgh 2 @ New York Rangers 1 (OT)

Wayne Gretzky, playing the last game of his 21-year professional career, assisted on the Rangers' goal in the loss to the Penguins at Madison Square Garden; it was his 1,963rd career NHL assist and his 2,857th point.