April 30, 2009

220 years ago
1789

Politics and government
George Washington was inaugurated as the 1st President of the United States under the Constitution. The ceremony took place on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City., and President Washington delivered his inaugural address to a joint session of Congress.

Canadiana
Parrtown and Carleton became Saint John, New Brunswick the first incorporated city in what is now Canada.

150 years ago
1859

Literature
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens began running in serial form in Mr. Dickens' new literary magazine All the Year Round.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Juliana. Queen of the Netherlands, 1948-1980. Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry. As a princess, she lived in exile in Canada from 1940-1945 during the Nazi occupation of her homeland during World War II, and helped to forge bonds of friendship between the Netherlands and Canada that continue to this day. Princess Juliana returned to the Netherlands in 1945, and succeeded to the throne upon her mother's abdication. Queen Juliana herself abdicated on her 71st birthday in 1980 in favour of her daughter Beatrix, and became known once again as Princess Juliana. She died of Alzheimer's disease on March 20, 2004, the 70th anniversary of the death of her grandmother, Queen Emma.

90 years ago
1919

Baseball
Joe Oeschger of the Philadelphia Phillies and Burleigh Grimes of the Brooklyn Robins both pitched complete games in a 9-9 20-inning tie before 1,300 fans at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Mr. Oeschger gave up 22 hits and 5 bases on balls, while Mr. Grimes gave up 15 hits and 5 walks. Brooklyn center fielder Hy Myers batted 5 for 8 with a home run, double, 3 runs, and 4 runs batted in; his 3-run homer gave the Robins a 9-6 lead in the 19th, but the Phillies rallied with 3 in the bottom of the 19th.

The New York Giants scored a run in the top of the 9th inning to tie the score and 3 in the top of the 10th to break a 2-2 tie and defeat the Boston Braves 5-2 before 1,500 fans at Braves Field.

Phil Douglas pitched a 4-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Lee Meadows as the Chicago Cubs shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 at Weeghman Park in Chicago. Chicago left fielder Turner Barber had a double and 2 triples, scoring 3 runs, while center fielder Dode Paskert drove in 3 runs with a home run and a double.

Sammy Vick led off the bottom of the 1st inning with his first major league home run, helping the New York Yankees defeat the Philadelphia Athletics 5-3 before 6,000 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York.

The Boston Red Sox scored 4 runs in the first 2 innings en route to a 6-1 win over the Washington Nationals at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Boston leadoff hitter Harry Hooper batted 4 for 5 with a double and a run. Ray Caldwell pitched a 7-hit complete game victory, and batted 1 for 3 with a sacrifice.

The Chicago White Sox took an 8-2 lead after 5 1/2 innings and withstood a 3-run 9th-inning rally to defeat the Detroit Tigers 9-7 at Navin Field in Detroit. Dickie Kerr allowed 12 hits and 7 earned runs in pitching a complete game victory.

The Cleveland Indians scored all their runs in the first 2 innings as they beat the St. Louis Browns 4-2 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. George Uhle started on the mound for Cleveland in his first major league game, allowing 8 hits and 2 earned runs, walking 5 batters and striking out 3 in 6 1/3 innings to get the win, with Fritz Coumbe allowing 1 hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief to get the save.

70 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Frank Haller, 56. U.S. boxer. Mr. Haller won the silver medal in the featherweight division at the 1904 Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis.

On television today
U.S. commercial television made its official debut as NBC broadcast U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's ceremonial address at the opening of the World’s Fair in New York City. The signal was transmitted from the Empire State Building. It was the first major public event to be televised, as the National Broadcasting Company inaugurated its regularly scheduled service over station W2XBS; an estimated 1,000 people saw the event on about 200 television sets scattered throughout the New York area.

Americana
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was on hand in New York to officially open the World's Fair; 206,000 people visited the fair on opening day.



Baseball
The Washington Nationals scored 3 runs in the top of the 8th inning, 2 on a single by Buddy Lewis, as they edged the New York Yankees 3-2 before 23,712 fans at Yankee Stadium. Joe Krakauskas started on the mound for Washington and allowed just 4 hits and 1 run, earned, in 7 innings. He was removed for a pinch hitter with the Nationals trailing 1-0, but became the winning pitcher as a result of the 8th-inning rally. Oral Hildebrand started on the mound for New York and allowed 11 hits and 3 runs--all earned--in 8 innings in taking the loss. New York first baseman Lou Gehrig played his 2,130th consecutive game, batting 0 for 4 and making 7 putouts and 2 assists. For the Iron Horse, it turned out to be the 2,164th and last game of his 17-year major league career.

The Detroit Tigers scored 4 runs in each of the 3rd, 5th, and 6th innings as they routed the Cleveland Indians 14-1 before 24,507 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Detroit second baseman Charlie Gehringer batted 4 for 5 with a grand slam, double, 3 runs, and 5 runs batted in, while Tommy Bridges pitched a 6-hitter and batted 2 for 4 with 2 runs to improve his 1939 record to 3-0.

The Chicago White Sox scored 5 runs in the first 3 innings and withstood a 3-run 9th-inning rally to defeat the St. Louis Browns 6-5 before 10,044 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Chicago first baseman Joe Kuhel batted 3 for 3 with a home run, double, sacrifice, 3 runs, and 2 runs batted in; his 2-run homer opened the scoring in the 1st inning. Eddie Silber struck out as a pinch hitter for the Browns in the 7th in the 23rd and last game of his 2-year major league career.

60 years ago
1949

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Rambling Rose--Perry Como; Tony Pastor (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Cruising Down the River--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Ttop 10 (Cash Box)
1 Cruising Down the River--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (6th week at #1)
--Blue Barron and his Orchestra
--Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters
2 Forever and Ever--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--Perry Como
3 Far Away Places--Bing Crosby
--Perry Como
4 "A" You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song)--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae
--Perry Como with the Fontane Sisters
5 Sunflower--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--Jack Fulton
6 Red Roses for a Blue Lady--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
7 Galway Bay--Bing Crosby
8 Careless Hands--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Mel Torme
9 So Tired--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
10 So in Love--Gordon MacRae
--Dinah Shore

Singles entering the chart were Some Enchanted Evening (#22)/Bali Ha'i (#23) by Perry Como; Bali Ha'i by Peggy Lee (#23, charting with the version by Perry Como); The Streets of Laredo (A New Original Song), with versions by Dick Haymes; and Ray Noble and his Orchestra (#32); Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend), with versions by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra; and Burl Ives (#36); Similau (See-Me-Lo) by Peggy Lee (#37); and No Orchids for My Lady by Frank Sinatra (#38). Some Enchanted Evening and Bali Ha'i were originally from the musical South Pacific (1949).

On the radio
Tales of Fatima, starring Basil Rathbone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: The Cautious Corpse

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent obtained a dissolution of Parliament and called a federal election for June 27.

Protest
Anti-Communist leftist intellectuals staged an International Day of Resistance to Dictatorship and War in Prague to counter the recently-concluded World Congress of Fighters for Peace. Participants included American physicist Karl Compton and philosopher Sidney Hook of New York University.

Horse racing
Coaltown, with Steve Brooks up, won the Gallant Fox Handicap in Jamaica, New York.

Soccer
English FA Cup
Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 Leicester City 1



Baseball
Johnny Sain pitched a 4-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Larry Jansen as the Boston Braves shut out the New York Giants 4-0 before 12,413 fans at Braves Field.

In the top of the 9th inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago, the St. Louis Cardinals were trailing the Chicago Cubs 3-2 before 30,775 fans when Rocky Nelson of the Cardinals hit a sinking line drive to center field. Center fielder Andy Pafko's catch was ruled a "trap" by umpire Al Barlick, and while Mr. Pafko argued the call, Mr. Nelson rounded the bases and scored with a runner ahead of him to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead, which they held. It may have been the only "inside-the-glove" home run in major league history.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored 6 runs in the 4th inning, 2 in the 5th, and 4 in the 6th as they beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 12-4 before 19,572 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

Gene Woodling led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a single and Tommy Henrich followed with a home run off Tex Hughson to give the New York Yankees a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox before 49,205 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Buddy Lewis hit a 2-run home run in the top of the 9th to give the Washington Nationals a 4-1 lead, and they withstood a 2-run 9th inning rally to defeat the Philadelphia Athletics 4-3 before 5,868 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

The Detroit Tigers scored 3 runs in each of the 4th and 5th innings to overcome a 3-0 deficit as they defeated the Cleveland Indians 7-5 before 56,340 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Virgil Trucks pitched a 9-hit complete game victory to improve his 1949 record to 3-0, while Satchel Paige allowed 6 hits and 6 runs--all earned--in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss.

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
The Lawless Years, starring James Gregory, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Jane Cooper Story



Diplomacy
Western foreign ministers, concluding two days of talks in Paris, announced that they had reached "complete agreement" on Western strategy in forthcoming East-West talks in Geneva on Germany and Berlin.

U.S. officials in Washington reported that the State and Defense Departments had ordered a suspension of high-altitude flights in the Berlin air corridors in order to prevent any future Soviet-American incidents.

Defense
Dispatches from Seoul reported that six South Korean generals had resigned and 200 other officers had been retired under Chief of Staff General Song Yo Chun's anti-corruption campaign.

Politics and government
The Belgian Chamber of Deputies approved government pledges of gradual independence for the Belgian Congo.

The U.S. House of Representatives failed by four votes to override President Eisenhower's veto of a bill depriving the Agriculture Secretary of control over Rural Electrification Administration loans.

Oil
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower exempted Canada from U.S. curbs on oil imports.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Colonel Snover, 73. U.S. baseball pitcher. "Bosco" Snover played 2 games with the New York Giants in 1919, posting a 0-1 record with an earned run average of 1.00 in 9 innings. He spent at least 6 seasons in the Class A Eastern League from 1920-1925, compiling a record of 75-72, with his best season being 1921, when he was 25-9 with the Pittsfield Hillies. Mr. Snover died 16 days before his 74th birthday.

War
Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said that Israel's raid the day before on the Nag Hammadi dam and bridge, Idfu bridge and the high-voltage power station at Isna was in retaliation for recent Egyptian attacks across the Suez Canal. Egypt denied that any damage had been done, but Israeli radio claimed that the raid had been "a severe blow to Egyptian morale" more severe than the material and economic hurt that had been inflicted. The countries exchanged tank and artillery fire across the canal along a 60-mile front from Qantara to Port Taufiq. The Israelis claimed that Egypt started the firing in which six Israelis were killed, including three civilians working on the fortifications.

Politics and government
Capt. Terence O'Neill resigned as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, two days after resigning as leader of the ruling Unionist party.

Society
It was reported that the United States administration of President Richard Nixon had indefinitely postponed plans for an all-out attack on hunger in America, turning instead to a series of stopgap measures. The main reason for the decision was fiscal, although part of the White House staff said that recent reports of starvation were exaggerated.

Basketball
ABA
Finals
Indiana 114 @ Oakland 123 (Oakland led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Gary Bradds scored 40 points for the Oaks as they beat the Pacers before 3,290 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. Bob Netolicky led Indiana with 33 points.



Baseball
Jim Maloney pitched his first no-hitter since 1965 as the Cincinnati Reds routed the Houston Astros 10-0 before 2,898 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Mr. Maloney batted 1 for 3 with a double and a base on balls, scoring 2 runs and driving in another. Cincinnati right fielder Bobby Tolan batted 3 for 4 with a triple and 4 runs batted in. The Reds scored 7 runs in the 4th inning.

Tom Seaver pitched a 5-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Mike Wegener, who also pitched a 5-hit complete game, as the New York Mets edged the Montreal Expos 2-1 before 19,024 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal.

Juan Marichal pitched a 2-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Bill Singer as the San Francisco Giants shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0 before 14,129 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Paul Popovich and Mr. Singer hit consecutive singles to lead off the 6th inning, but Mr. Marichal retired the next three batters to end the threat.

Frank Howard's home run leading off the 4th inning provided the scoring as the Washington Senators edged the Boston Red Sox 1-0 before 9,574 fans at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington. Jim Hannan allowed 4 hits in 7 innings to win the pitchers' duel over Lee Stange, who allowed 5 hits in 7+ innings.

Sam McDowell pitched a 3-hitter, walking 7 batters and striking out 12, to get his first win of the season after three straight losses as the Cleveland Indians shut out the New York Yankees 3-0 before 7,860 fans at Yankee Stadium. Losing pitcher Bill Burbach allowed 5 hits and 6 bases on balls in 7 innings.

Frank Robinson hit a 2-run home run in the 5th inning and Boog Powell homered to lead off the 8th to help the Baltimore Orioles defeat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 before 15,340 fans at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th, but were unable to tie the game. Dave McNally allowed 6 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 7 1/3 innings to improve his 1969 record to 4-0, while Pat Dobson allowed 8 hits and 2 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in taking the loss.

Jim Campanis scored from third base on a passed ball with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox before 9,036 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The Royals loaded the bases with none out in the 9th against Wilbur Wood, but pinch hitter Carl Taylor grounded into a 5-2-3 double play just before Chicago catcher Duane Josephson allowed the passed ball to score the winning run.

Rick Monday's grand slam with 2 out climaxed a 6-run 3rd inning as the Oakland Athletics beat the California Angels 9-4 before 6,282 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Winning pitcher Blue Moon Odom allowed 7 hits and 3 earned runs in pitching a complete game, while batting 3 for 5 with a run.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Heart of Glass--Blondie (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Miserarete--Judy Ongg (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Sólo Pienso en Tí--Víctor Manuel (2nd week at #1)

Defense
U.S. President Jimmy Carter defended the proposed strategic arms limitation treaty SALT II, saying that the U.S.S.R. would not violate the treaty for fear of U.S. rejection of the entire pact, and the resultant threat to U.S.-Soviet relations.

Politics and government
The United States Senate approved a bill creating a federal department of education, but the bill faced stiff opposition in the House of Representatives.

Scandal
United States Senator Herman Talmadge (Democrat--Georgia) professed his innocence in Senate hearings to five charges of mishandling his financial affairs and thus breaching the Senate's code of ethics.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): 99 Luftballons--Nena (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Thriller--Michael Jackson (11th week at #1)

Diplomacy
Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Libya officially ended, 13 days after British police officer Yvonne Fletcher had been killed by gunfire from the Libyan embassy in London, and three says after personnel from the nations' respective embassies had returned home.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan continued his visit to China, and he or his aides signed agreements with Chinese representatives that would guarantee against double taxation for American corporations operating in China; provide for new exchanges of cultural programs; and enable American companies to help build Chinese nuclear reactors. Mr. and Mrs. Reagan visited the ancient capital of Xian, where archaeologists in recent years had unearthed thousands of terra-cotta figures of soldiers at the tomb of China's first emperor.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators had declined 1.1% in March.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Wild Thing--Tone Lōc (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Looking for Freedom--David Hasselhoff

Died on this date
Sergio Leone, 60. Italian film director. Mr. Leone became known for his "Spaghetti Westerns," notably the trilogy of Fistful of Dollars (1964); For a Few Dollars More (1965); and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). He followed these movies with Once Upon a Time in the West (1969) and Once Upon a Time in America (1984).

Defense
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl met in West Germany for talks, with Mr. Kohl urging talks with the U.S.S.R. aimed at producing cuts in the number of short-range missiles, and Mrs. Thatcher reiterating her opposition to such talks. Mrs. Thatcher and U.S. President George Bush supported modernization of the arsenal of U.S. short-range missiles based in West Germany.

10 years ago
1999

Terrorism
Three people were killed and at least 30 injured in the third nail-bomb attack in London in two weeks. The attack, at the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho, was perpetrated by David Copeland, 23, an engineer who described himself as a Nazi.

Society
At the National Rifle Association convention in Denver, leaders of the NRA reaffirmed their support for Americans' constitutional right to bear arms. The convention took place just 10 days after the Columbine High School massacre in suburban Littleton, and thousands of protesters demonstrated against the NRA outside the convention hall.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Philadelphia 1 @ Toronto 2 (OT) (Toronto led best-of-seven series 3-2)
St. Louis 2 Phoenix 1 (OT)