May 14, 2009

500 years ago
1509

War
French forces defeated the Republic of Venice in the Battle of Agnadello in northern Italy.

130 years ago
1879

Labour
The first group of 463 Indian indentured labourers arrived in Fiji aboard the Leonidas.

125 years ago
1884

Baseball
Old Hoss Radbourn gave up 5 hits and got 5 hits at bat as the Louisville Grays whipped the Detroit Wolverines 25-3 in a National League game. The Wolverines committed 18 errors, including 5 by right fielder Fred Wood. Stump Wiedman was the starting pitcher for Detroit, and was relieved by Bill Geiss with the score 9-0 for Louisville. Mr. Wiedman, pitching his only major league game of the season, gave up 16 runs, 8 of them earned, in 5 innings.

120 years ago
1889

Died on this date
Volney Howard, 79. U.S. politician and judge. Mr. Howard was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1836. He moved to the Republic of Texas in the 1840s and served as Attorney General of Texas for six months in 1846. Mr. Howard represented Texas' 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1849-1853, and then moved to California after being appointed to the state's Land Commission by President Franklin Pierce. He practiced law in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, serving as the latter's District Attorney from 1864-1867. Mr. Howard became a judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court in 1879; ill health led him to serve only one term and to decline a nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Society
The U.K. children's charity National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was founded in London.

Baseball
The Pittsburgh Alleghenys suspended sore-armed pitchers Ed Morris and Pete Conway so that the club wouldn't have to pay them while they were disabled. Mr. Morris returned to action on June 8, but Mr. Conway was through as a player because of his injury.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Earle Combs. U.S. baseball player and coach. Mr. Combs was a center fielder with the New York Yankees from 1924-1935, batting .325 with 58 home runs and 633 runs batted in in 1,455 regular season games, and .350 with 1 homer and 9 RBIs in 16 World Series games. He helped the Yankees win the American League pennant in 1926 and World Series championships in 1927, 1928, and 1932. Mr. Combs coached with the Yankees (1936-1944); St. Louis Browns (1947); Boston Red Sox (1948-1952); and Philadelphia Phillies (1954). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970, and died on July 21, 1976 at the age of 77.

90 years ago
1919

Died on this date
H. J. Heinz, 74. U.S. businessman. Henry John Heinz founded the H. J. Heinz Company condiment firm in 1888, and introduced the "57 varieties" slogan in 1896.

Horse racing
Sir Barton, with Johnny Loftus up, won his second straight Triple Crown race, taking the 44th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:59, 4 lengths ahead of Eternal, with Sweep On finishing third in the 12-horse field. The race took place just four days after the Kentucky Derby.

Baseball
Ed Cicotte pitched a 4-hitter to win the pitchers' duel with Carl Mays, who pitched a 5-hitter, as the Chicago White Sox edged the Boston Red Sox 1-0 before 8,000 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The only run was scored by Eddie Collins on an error by Boston second baseman Jack Barry.

Burleigh Grimes pitched a 5-hitter for the Brooklyn Robins as they shut out the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 before 5,000 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The game's first run came on a home run by outfielder Hy Myers over the right centre field wall, reportedly the longest home run ever hit at Ebbets Field. It was the only home run that Mr. Myers hit at home all year. Ed Gerner, the third and last Cincinnati pitcher, allowed 5 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 2 innings, with no walks or strikeouts, in his first major league game.

80 years ago
1929

Baseball
The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 10-8 before 10,000 fans at Navin Field in Detroit to pass the New York Yankees and move into first place in the American League. Jack Quinn started and won for the Athletics, but needed the help of three relievers. The Yankees were rained out in Cleveland.

Goose Goslin's 2-run home run in the top of the 9th inning as the Washington Nationals withstood a 4-run rally in the bottom of the 9th and held on to defeat the St. Louis Browns 9-7 before 5,000 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

70 years ago
1939

Medicine
Lina Medina of Peru became the youngest confirmed mother in medical history at the age of 5 years, 7 months, 17 days.

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox scored 3 runs in the top of the 12th inning to break a 2-2 tie, and held on to defeat the Washington Nationals 5-4 before 17,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. The Nationals had runners on first and second bases with 2 out in the bottom of the 12th, but Buddy Myer grounded out to second base to end the game.

Red Ruffing pitched a 4-hitter to improve his 1939 record to 5-0 as the New York Yankees routed the Philadelphia Athletics 10-0 before 15,589 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Yankees scored 6 runs in the 6th inning.

Ben Chapman batted 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, a triple, 2 runs, and 7 runs batted in to lead the Cleveland Indians over the Chicago White Sox 9-4 before 28,000 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. It was the first time that Bob Feller's mother had ever seen her the Cleveland ace pitch in the majors, but she was knocked unconscious by a foul drive off the bat of Marv Owen of the White Sox. Fortunately, Mrs. Feller revived, and required only a few stitches. Mr. Feller pitched a 6-hit complete game to improve his 1939 record to 6-1.

The Detroit Tigers scored 3 runs in the 6th inning, 6 in the 7th, and 4 in the 8th as they overcame an early 4-0 deficit to crush the St. Louis Browns 14-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 15,328 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Hank Greenberg led the Detroit attack with 2 home runs, a single, 3 runs, and 4 runs batted in. Pinch hitter Rudy York hit a grand slam with none out in the top of the 9th to enable the Tigers to complete the sweep with a 7-4 win in the second game.

Pinch hitter Ken O'Dea led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a home run to give the New York Giants a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 22,485 fans at the Polo Grounds. Carl Hubbell, making his first appearance since elbow surgery the previous August, pitched an 11-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Max Butcher, who allowed 9 hits.

60 years ago
1949

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon--Danny Kaye and the Andrews Sisters; Ray McKinley

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra

This went on to become the #1 single of the year in the United States. The B-side, Single Saddle, was an early songwriting credit for Hal David, later to become famous as the partner of Burt Bacharach. Mr. David's lyrics for this song were to the music of Arthur Altman.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Forever and Ever--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)
--Perry Como
2 "A" You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song)--Perry Como with the Fontane Sisters
--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae
3 Cruising Down the River--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--Blue Barron and his Orchestra
--Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters
4 Again--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
--Mel Torme
--Vic Damone
5 So Tired--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
6 Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
--Burl Ives
--Bing Crosby
7 Sunflower--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--Jack Fulton
8 Once in Love with Amy--Ray Bolger
9 Far Away Places--Bing Crosby
--Perry Como
10 Careless Hands--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Mel Torme

Singles entering the chart were the version of Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend) by Bing Crosby; How it Lies, How it Lies, How it Lies!, with versions by Connie Haines; and Kay Starr (#24); Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue by Benny Strong and his Orchestra (#32); and I Didn't Know the Gun was Loaded by the Andrews Sisters (#37).

On the radio
Tales of Fatima, starring Basil Rathbone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: Over My Dead Body

War
Communist forces battling around Shanghai pierced the city's outer defenses.

The United Kingdom granted Malaya $80 million to cover war damages.

Defense
The U.S. State Department urged Congress to give President Harry Truman increased power to meet "changing situations" in the Cold War through military aid grants and other measures short of war.

The U.S. Navy commissioned the 17,000-ton heavy cruiser Salem in Boston.

Politics and government
Felipe Moas Lopez was inaugurated as President of Paraguay.

The Italian government banned mass political demonstrations in an effort to reduce neo-Fascist and Communist activity.

The Western Allies issued a new occupation statute for their sectors of Berlin, giving the City Council greater administrative authority.

Crime
Scotland Yard arrested accused Soviet spy Gerhard Eisler in Southampton after he had fled the United States to escape a one-year prison sentence for contempt of Congress.

Journalism
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a "Convention on the International Transmission of News and the Right of Correction," giving journalists the right to move freely between signatory countries and have equal access to the news.

Business
The Argentine government took over the Buenos Aires central railroad, the last foreign-owned line in the nation.

Horse racing
Capot, with Ted Atkinson up, won the 74th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:56. Palestinian placed second, while Kentucky Derby winner Ponder finished fifth.

Baseball
U.S. President Harry Truman made a surprise appearance at Griffith Stadium, and cheered the Washington Nationals to a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox, the Nationals' 10th win in their last 11 games. The official attendance was 18,664.

Eddie Joost hit a 3-run home run with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning to break a 5-5 tie as the Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Yankees 8-5 before 11,946 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Yankees scored 5 runs in the 6th to take a 5-2 lead, but the Athletics scored 3 in the 7th to tie the score.

The St. Louis Browns defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-3 before 2,981 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, as rookie outfielder Roy Sievers drove in 4 runs with his first major league home run and a double. Al Papai pitched an 11-hit complete game victory.

The Boston Braves gave up an 8th-inning grand slam to Gil Hodges, but came back to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 7-6 in 12 innings before 25,924 fans at Braves Field. Jackie Robinson drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th with a triple, but the Braves scored 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, with Sibby Sisti singling home Jim Russell with the winning run.

Willard Marshall batted 4 for 5 with a home run, 4 runs, and 3 runs batted in to help the New York Giants rout the Philadelphia Phillies 12-2 before 17,867 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Sheldon Jones pitched a 10-hit complete game victory, with Robin Roberts taking the loss.

Red Schoendienst doubled home Joe Garagiola with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning with the eventual deciding run as the St. Louis Cardinals held on to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 before 18,914 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Monty Basgall hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 9th and pinch hitter Les Fleming singled with 2 out, but Stan Rojek popped out to end the game.

The Chicago Cubs scored 7 runs in the 4th inning, 2 in the 5th, and 2 in the 6th as they routed the Cincinnati Reds 13-1 before 8,855 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Dutch Leonard pitched a 5-hit complete game for his first win in a Chicago uniform, and batted 2 for 5 with a run and a run batted in.

In the Pacific Coast League, the Los Angeles Angels defeated the San Diego Padres 8-5, despite 2 home runs by San Diego first baseman Luke Easter. It was the third time in four days that Mr. Easter had hit 2 homers in a game.

50 years ago
1959

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



Died on this date
Sidney Bechet, 62. U.S. musician. Mr. Bechet was a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who was one of the first important soloists, playing and recording with various bands in the United States and Europe in a career spanning about 50 years. He died of cancer on his 62nd birthday.

Divorced on this date
Swedish actress Anita Ekberg and U.K. actor Anthony Steel were divorced in Santa Monica, California.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Christian Herter, in his first major address to the Big Four foreign ministers' conference in Geneva, submitted a four-stage Western plan for a "permanent settlement in Europe" through "closely interrelated" solutions of the questions of Berlin, Germany unity, and European security.

Conceding that "hurdles" remained in the way of an Indian-Pakistani agreement on distribution of Indus River valley waters, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru expressed doubt that a conference with Pakistani President Ayub Khan could settle the differences.

Politics and government
Premier Duff Roblin led his governing Progressive Conservative Party to a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly in the Manitoba provincial election. The PCs won 36 of 57 seats, an increase of 10 from their total in the 1958 election, and the first majority for a Conservative party in a Manitoba election since 1914. The Liberal-Progressive Party, led by former Premier Douglas Campbell, dropped from 19 seats to 11, and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, led by Lloyd Stinson, dropped from 11 seats to 10, as Mr. Stinson lost his seat.

Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Karim el-Kassem said that he was leading his country toward democracy and favoured the eventual formation of political parties.

Americana
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower participated in ground-breaking ceremonies for the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.

Energy
U.S. President Eisenhower said in New York that he would ask Congress for money for a two-mile-long atom smasher.

Economics and finance
The Swedish Parliament approved a government bill giving all wage earners pensions equal to two-thirds of their average income over a 15-year period.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (4th week at #1)

At the movies
Krakatoa East of Java, directed by Bernard L. Kowalski, and starring Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, and Sal Mineo, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Enid Bennett, 75. Australian-born U.S. actress. Miss Bennett appeared in silent films in Australia and then in the United States, and was best known for playing Maid Marian in Robin Hood (1922). She was married to director Fred Niblo from 1918 until his death in 1948.

Music
The Canadian rock band Lighthouse, 13-piece group founded by drummer and singer Skip Prokop and keyboardist and vibraphonist Paul Hoffert, debuted at the Rock Pile in Toronto.

Abominations
In Canada, the House of Commons voted 149-55 to pass Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's omnibus bill amending the Criminal Code of Canada to legalize abortion, homosexual acts, and lotteries. The final vote came after a two-week filibuster (which might have been the last filibuster in the House of Commons before Chairman Pierre outlawed the practice). 40 years later, hundreds of thousands of babies have been murdered in Trudeaupia, the country is a sodomite paradise, and many Trudeaupians gamble their money away instead of saving it.

Scandal
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Abe Fortas sent his resignation to President Richard Nixon. At the same time he sent a letter of explanation to Chief Justice Earl Warren, insisting that "there has been no wrongdoing on my part." Mr. Fortas added that he was resigning to let the court "proceed with its vital work free from extraneous stress." Mr. Fortas's resignation came in the wake of a public uproar ten days after a Life magazine article reported that Mr. Fortas had accepted $20,000 from a charitable foundation created by the family of financier Louis Wolfson, who was serving a year in prison for stock manipulation. The payment, which Mr. Fortas had returned 11 months later, was the first in an annual lifetime arrangement. The Fortas resignation was the first to occur under public pressure in the Court's history and came after Republicans and Democrats in Congress called for an investigation of his conduct; some even suggested impeachment. Mr. Fortas's resignation as an associate justice came less than a year after his friend, then-President Lyndon Johnson, had nominated him for Chief Justice to succeed the retiring Earl Warren. Mr. Fortas requested that his nomination be withdrawn after confirmation was blocked by a filibuster in the Senate.

War
In his first major report to the nation on the Paris peace talks, U.S. President Richard Nixon delivered a televised address presenting a phased, flexible 8-point formula for peace, calling for withdrawal of "major portions" of all foreign forces from South Vietnam over the period of a year. Then, he said, the remaining non-South Vietnamese troops would with draw into enclaves to complete their departures while an internationally-supervised body prepared free elections. Counselling patience, Mr. Nixon called his plan "generous," but offered to consider "other proposals." He established only one condition for any peace agreement: a guarantee of freedom for South Vietnam, which he termed "our essential objective."

Protest
Gunfire from Honduran police killed a member of a pro-Fidel Castro crowd of students outside the presidential palace where New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, on the fourth day of a tour of Latin America on behalf of President Nixon, was conferring with Honduran President Osvaldo Lopez Arellano.

World events
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Rahman suspended the constitution and assumed complete power in the wake of ethnic fighting between Chinese and Malay mobs.

Labour
A silent protest by 20,000 Quebec teachers took place in front of the National Assembly in Quebec City in an attempt to put pressure on the Quebec government to obtain a settlement in the conflict between them and avoid the adoption of a special law.

Baseball
The California Angels and Chicago White Sox traded second basemen; the White Sox traded Sandy Alomar and pitcher Bob Priddy to the Angels for Bobby Knoop. Mr. Alomar was batting .224 with no home runs and 4 runs batted in in 22 games with Chicago in 1969, while Mr. Priddy was 0-0 with an earned run average of 4.50 in 4 games with the White Sox in 1969. Mr. Knoop was batting .197 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs in 27 games with California in 1969.

Center fielder Paul Blair batted 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, 2 runs, and 5 runs batted in, and robbed Rod Carew of a hit in the 9th inning with a sensational catch, as he helped the Baltimore Orioles edge the Minnesota Twins 9-8 before 17,696 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Tom Phoebus allowed 8 hits and 7 runs--6 earned--in 7 2/3 innings to get the win, improving his 1969 record to 4-0, and batted 2 for 4 with a double, run, and RBI. Charlie Walters, the second of five Minnesota pitchers, allowed 3 hits and 4 runs--all earned--in 1/1 innings, with 2 bases on balls and a strikeout in his sixth and last major league game.

Jose Cardenal led off the top of the 11th inning with a single, stole second and third bases, and scored on a ground out by Tony Horton to break a 2-2 tie as the Cleveland Indians edged the Kansas City Royals 3-2 before 11,977 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.

Bubba Morton drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Jim Fregosi with 1 out in the bottom of the 6th inning for the game's only run as the California Angels edged the Washington Senators 1-0 before 7,258 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Jim McGlothlin allowed 7 hits in 6 hits to win the pitchers' duel over Jim Hannan, who allowed 3 hits and 4 bases on balls in 5+ innings.

Ernie Banks led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a home run to tie the score and pinch hitter Willie Smith singled home Nate Oliver with 1 out to give the Chicago Cubs a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres before 9,622 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Lay Your Love on Me--Racey (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Miserarete--Judy Ongg (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Chiquitita--ABBA

Died on this date
Wesley La Roza, 58; Helen La Roza, 53. U.S. accident victims. Mr. and Mrs. La Roza were relaxing in the hot tub at their home in Simi Valley, California, and apparently fell asleep, passed into comas, and died of hypothermia caused by heat stroke. When they were found by a neighbour the next day, the temperature of the water was 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and had probably been higher hours earlier. The La Rozas were believed to be the first Americans to die from overheating in a hot tub.

Diplomacy
Chile's chief justice rejected an American request to extradite three military officers indicted in Washington for the 1976 murder of Orlando Letelier, an opponent of Chile's military junta. The U.S. planned to appeal.

Defense
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks agreement faced a new hitch as Turkey said that it would not allow United States overflights of its territory to verify Soviet compliance with SALT-II unless the U.S.S.R. agreed to them.

Law
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 to allow individuals to bring sex-bias suits against schools and colleges.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Bob Dole (Kansas), President Gerald Ford's running mate in the 1976 U.S. presidential election, announced his candidacy for the 1980 Republican Party presidential nomination.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): The Look--Roxette (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Looking for Freedom--David Hasselhoff (3rd week at #1)

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

10 years ago
1999

Politics and government
The Russian Duma called for the resignation of President Boris Yeltsin by a vote of 243-20, and debated five articles of impeachment against him.

Law
The United States Senate voted 48-47 to pass an amendment to a youth violence bill that required a mandatory background check before gun purchases. Republicans had mostly opposed the amendment, but supported a revised version, opposed by Democrats because of alleged loopholes.

Baseball
Alan Newman, 29, made his major league debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays against the Anaheim Angels after more than 11 years of pitching in the minor leagues. Entering the game with the bases loaded in the 7th inning, he balked home a run before throwing his first pitch, and then allowed Mo Vaughn to drive in 2 runs with a single. The Angels won 8-3 before 35,515 fans at Edison International Field of Anaheim, led by Mr. Vaughn's 8th career grand slam and 6 runs batted in.