May 30, 2009

470 years ago
1539

Exploration
Hernando de Soto landed at Tampa Bay, Florida with 600 soldiers, with the goal of finding gold.

190 years ago
1819

Born on this date
Constant Fornerod. President of the Swiss Council of States, 1855; President of the Swiss Confederation, 1857, 1863, 1867. Mr. Fornerod, a member of the Free Democratic Party, was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1855-1867, and held various offices. He died on November 27, 1899 at the age of 80.

125 years ago
1884

Born on this date
Rube Oldring. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Oldring was an outfielder with the New York Highlanders/Yankees (1905, 1916) and Philadelphia Athletics (1906-1916, 1918), batting .270 with 27 home runs and 471 runs batted in in 1,239 games in an injury-plagued career. He helped the Athletics win four American League pennants and three World Series, batting .194 with 1 homer and 3 RBIs in 15 World Series games. Mr. Oldring played 5 seasons in the minor leagues (1905, 1919, 1921-1923). He died from severe arterial blockage on September 9, 1961 at the age of 77.

Baseball
In Decoration Day action in the American Association, the New York Metropolitans and Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers played doubleheaders at home, but switched opponents between games. The Metropolitans defeated the St. Louis Browns 4-2 at Metropolitan Park in the morning, while the Trolley Dodgers blanked the Indianapolis Hoosiers 5-0 at Washington park in Brooklyn. The visiting teams then exchanged locations. The Hoosiers beat the Metropolitans 10-4 at Metropolitan Park, while the Browns beat the Trolley Dodgers 11-5 at Washington Park.

Also in the AA, the Washington Nationals defeated the Columbus Colts 10-1 in a morning game; the Nationals then lost 6-5 in an afternoon game against the Cincinnati Red Stockings. After losing to the Nationals in the morning, the Colts lost 10-2 to the Baltimore Orioles in the afternoon. Ed Morris, who pitched a no-hitter against Pittsburgh the day before, gave up 17 hits in losing to the Orioles.

It was also an unusual day's activity for the New York Maroons in the National League. In their first game of the day, the Maroons lost 12-9 to the Providence Grays at Messer Street Grounds in Providence. The teams, with the sun in their eyes, combined for 21 errors. Losing pitcher Johnny Ward, last major league start, gave up 16 hits. The Maroons then moved on to Boston, losing 5-1 to the Beaneaters before 14,000 fans at South End Grounds.

Elsewhere in the NL, Ed Williamson hit a major league record 3 home runs and added a double as the Chicago White Stockings beat the Detroit Wolverines 12-2 at Lakefront Park in Chicago in the completion of a Decoration Day twinbill.

120 years ago
1889

Baseball
In a Decoration Day double bill at Washington park in Brooklyn, the Bridegrooms lost 8-4 to the St. Louis Browns, and then won the second game 9-7. The afternoon game drew 22,122, the largest American Association attendance to date. Most of the spectators were standing, since only 3,000 seats had been erected since a fire 11 days earlier. 8,462 were at the morning game.

110 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Cornelia Otis Skinner. U.S. actress and writer. Miss Skinner was best known for her one-woman stage performances, often based on her own writings. Her best-known book was Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1942), co-written with Emily Kimbrough, and based on their European tour after college. Miss Skinner died on July 9, 1979 at the age of 80.

Died on this date
Irving Thalberg. U.S. movie producer. Mr. Thalberg worked at Universal Pictures in the early 1920s and was head of production at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, helping to make MGM the most prestigious studio from 1925 until his death from pneumonia, while burdened with a congenital heart condition, at the age of 37 on September 14, 1936. He was perhaps the most brilliant producer in the history of motion pictures, and his early death was a devastating loss to cinema.

Crime
Pearl Hart, a female outlaw of the Old West, robbed a stage coach 30 miles southeast of Globe, Arizona.

Horse racing
Half Time, with Richard Clawson up, won the 24th running of the Preakness Stakes at Gravesend Race Track in Coney Island, New York in a time of 1:47, 3/4 length ahead of Filigrane, with Lackland finishing third in the three-horse field. Mr. Clawson had ridden Jean Bereaud to victory in the Belmont Stakes five days earlier.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Benny Goodman. U.S. musician. Mr. Goodman, one of the biggest names of the swing era, had a recording career as clarinetist and bandleader that started in 1926, and ended just before his death on June 13, 1986, two weeks after his 77th birthday. His band's concert in Carnegie Hall in 1938 is considered to be one of the major live music events of the 20th Century. A fictionalized account of his life was told in the movie The Benny Goodman Story (1956), with Steve Allen as Benny Goodman. Mark Steyn has written a recent article about Mr. Goodman and his performance of Sing, Sing, Sing.

Baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates swept a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs at West Side Park in Chicago. The Pirates came from behind to win the first game 5-4; in the second game, shortstop Honus Wagner broke up a 2-2 tie with a double in the 9th inning, and the Pirates won 4-2. The sweep gave the Pirates a 2-game lead over the Cubs for first place in the National League.

The St. Louis Cardinals scored 11 runs in the first inning, cruising to a 12-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Palace of the Fans in Cincinnati. Bunny Pearce finished the game as the Cincinnati catcher, batting 0 for 1 and making 3 putouts in the 4th and last game of his 2-year major league career.

90 years ago
1919

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox swept a doubleheader from the Cleveland Indians by scores of 4-1 and 3-2 to take a 4-game lead over the Indians for first place in the American League.

The St. Louis Cardinals swept a National League doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs 5-4 and 4-1 at Robison Field in St. Louis. Grover Cleveland Alexander took the loss in game 1, dropping his 1919 record to 0-4. Sam Fishburn made his major league debut as a pinch runner for Verne Clemons in the 2nd inning of the first game.

The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Athletics split a doubleheader at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Babe Ruth pitched the Red Sox to a 10-6 win in the opener and added 3 hits. Mr. Ruth hit a home run over the right field wall in the second game, but the Athletics won 4-3 in 10 innings.

80 years ago
1929

Died on this date
Bill Spence, 22. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Spence started 16th in the Indianapolis 500, and died from a fractured skull, a week before his 23rd birthday, when his car crashed on turn 2 of the 10th lap. Footage of Mr. Spence's fatal crash was included in the movie Speedway (1929).

Auto racing
Ray Keech won the Indianapolis 500, with an average speed of 97.585 miles per hour.





75 years ago
1934

Auto racing
Bill Cummings won the Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 104.863 miles per hour. Mauri Rose finished second and Lou Moore third.







Baseball
The New York Giants swept a doubleheader from the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn by scores of 5-2 and 8-6.

The Cleveland Indians swept a pair of games against the Chicago White Sox, 7-5 in 10 innings and 5-4. Indians' first baseman Hal Trosky hit 3 straight home runs in the second game.

The New York Yankees and Washington Nationals split a doubleheader. In the first game, Yankees' outfielder Ben Chapman broke up Earl Whitehill's no-hit bid with a 9th-inning single, but the Nationals prevailed 1-0, as Mr. Whitehill won over Lefty Gomez. The Yankees won the second game 5-4 in 11 innings, as Burleigh Grimes, in his first American League game, pitched the final 4 innings to get his 269th and last major league victory.

In the minor leagues, Lou Frierson hit 5 straight home runs, and amassed 8 runs batted in, for Paris in a 17-12 loss to Jacksonville in a West Dixie League game.

70 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Floyd Roberts, 39. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Roberts, winner of the 1938 Indianapolis 500, was killed in a crash on lap 109 of the 1939 race, which he had previously announced would be his last.



Auto racing
Wilbur Shaw, winner of the 1937 Indianapolis 500, won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, with an average speed of 115.035 miles per hour.





Baseball
National League umpires wore white gabardine trousers with blue jackets in an attempt to spruce up their appearance.

The Chicago Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds before 18,875 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Larry French took the opener against Whitey Moore 6-0, while Vance Page outduelled Bucky Walters to win the second game 2-0. Wes Livengood made his major league debut on the mound for Cincinnati in the first game, allowing a base on balls but no other baserunners in 1 1/3 innings of relief as he finished the game.

Jimmy Brown batted 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and a run batted in, and Johnny Mize was 2 for 3 with a home run, double, base on balls, 2 runs, and 3 RBIS, to help the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 14,178 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Pirates won the second game 14-8, as left fielder Johnny Rizzo batted 5 for 6 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 4 runs, and 9 runs batted in. Red Juelich made his major league debut with the Pirates as a pinch runner in the 9th inning of the first game, but was stranded at first base.

The Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 8-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 35,000 fans at Fenway Park in Boston, while the Yankees came back to win the second game 17-9. Boston right fielder Ted Williams hit a home run off Red Ruffing in the first game that he later said was the hardest ball he ever hit. Mr. Williams also homered in the second game.

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 Adventure of the Curious Crypt

Died on this date
Charles Hutchison, 69. U.S. actor and director. Mr. Hutchison was a popular star of silent movie serials from 1918-1926, doing his own stunts. He directed 33 movies from 1915-1938.

Diplomacy
At the Paris Foreign Ministers Conference, U.S.S.R. Foreign Minister Andrei Vishinsky rejected Western proposals for German unification.

Politics and government
The Communist-led German People's Congress ended a two-day session in East Berlin after proclaiming the German Democratic Republic in the Soviet zone, and adopting a constitution providing for a parliament chosen on geographical and occupational lines.

Syrian Prime Minister Husni Zayam abolished political parties, but promised that new parties would be permitted after upcoming legislative elections.

Economics and finance
The United Kingdom signed an agreement allowing Israel to spend $28 million in Jewish assets frozen in Britain since February 1948.

Auto racing
Bill Holland won the Indianapolis 500, with an average speed of 121.327 miles per hour. Mr. Holland had finished second to teammate Mauri Rose in both the 1947 and 1948 Indianapolis 500s; he led for 146 laps, but Mr. Rose slowly closed in on him. Owner Lou Moore ordered the drivers to maintain their respective positions, but Mr. Rose closed rapidly on Mr. Holland. Mr. Rose was knocked out of the race because of a magneto failure with 8 laps to go, and was fired on the spot by Mr. Moore.



Baseball
The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants split a Memorial Day doubleheader before 53,053 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Jackie Robinson hit a home run in the 13th inning to give the Dodgers a 2-1 win in game 1; the Giants scored 6 runs in the first 2 innings as they won the second game 7-4.

The St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds 8-6 and 9-2 before 28,992 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, scoring 5 runs in the 6th inning as they overcame an early 5-0 deficit in the first game, and 5 runs in the 7th inning of the second game.

The Washington Nationals scored 2 runs in the 4th inning and 3 in the 5th as they beat the New York Yankees 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 33,081 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington, with Walt Masterson pitching a 6-hit complete game victory. Gene Woodling batted 4 for 4 with 3 doubles, a base on balls, and 4 runs to help the Yankees win the second game 13-3.

Thurman Tucker drew a base on balls with 1 out in the bottom of the 12th inning and came around to score on an outfield fly by Ken Keltner to give the Cleveland Indians a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Browns in the first game of a doubleheader before 33,809 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Gene Bearden pitched a 5-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Ned Garver, who also went the distance. Mike Garcia pitched a 6-hitter for the Indians as they won the second game 5-0 to complete the sweep.

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): (Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such as I--Elvis Presley (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes--The Platters (10th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Die Gitarre und das Meer--Freddy Quinn (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): (Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such as I/I Need Your Love Tonight--Elvis Presley (5th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Battle of New Orleans--Johnny Horton
2 Kansas City--Wilbert Harrison
3 Quiet Village--Martin Denny
4 Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)--Edward Byrnes & Connie Stevens
5 Dream Lover--Bobby Darin
6 The Happy Organ--Dave "Baby" Cortez
7 Personality--Lloyd Price
8 A Teenager in Love--Dion and the Belmonts
9 Only You (Loin de Vous)--Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles
10 Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)--The Impalas

Singles entering the chart were Bobby Sox to Stockings (#66)/A Boy Without a Girl (#100) by Frankie Avalon; Hushabye by the Mystics (#74); Ring-a-Ling-a-Lario by Jimmie Rodgers (#84); Yes-Sir-ee by Dodie Stevens (#89); Forty Days by Ronnie Hawkins (#90); This I Swear by the Skyliners (#91); I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) by Terri Dean (#92); La Strada Del' Amore (The Street of Love) by Caterina Valente (#94); Danny Boy by Sil Austin (#95); To a Soldier Boy by the Tassels (#97); Someone to Come Home To by the Ames Brothers (#98); One Love, One Heart by the Four Coins (#99); and Robbin' the Cradle by Tony Bellus (also #100).

On the radio
The Sign of Four: Part 3, starring Richard Hurndall as Sherlock Holmes and Bryan Coleman as Dr. Watson, on BBC

Died on this date
Doc Tonkin, 77. U.S. baseball pitcher. Harry Glenville Tonkin played in 1 game with the Washington Nationals in 1907, with no decision and an earned run average of 6.75 in 2 2/3 innings.

World events
In the wake of political unrest, Nicaraguan President Luis Somoza Debayle imposed martial law throughout the nation, placed radio and press under censorship, and suspended freedom of assembly.

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev rejected the West's seven-point proposal for reunification of Berlin, charging that it did not contain "a single element for negotiation."

Defense
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry terminated the 1954 militry assistance pact with the United States, the 1955 supplementary military aid agreement, and the 1957 Iraqi-American economic assistance agreement.

Politics and government
The People's Action Party, led by Lee Kuan Yew, won 43 of 51 seats in the Legislative Assembly in the first Singaporean general election under the British colony's new constitution, and the first in which all 51 seats were up for election. The Singaporean People's Alliance, led by Lim Yew Hock, were second with 4 seats, and the United Malays National Organisation won 3 seats, with 1 independent candidate elected.

Louisiana Governor Earl Long (Democrat) was flown in a National Guard plane to Galveston, Texas for psychiatric observation at John Sealy Hospital.

Transportation
The Auckland Harbour Bridge, crossing the Waitematā Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand, was officially opened by Governor-General Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham.

Auto racing
Rodger Ward won the Indianapolis 500 for the first time, with an average speed of 135.857 miles per hour.



Baseball
The Boston Red Sox swept a doubleheader from the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 and 8-3 before 19,403 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Boston left fielder Ted Williams hit his first home run of the season in the 7th inning of the second game, a 2-run blow that gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead.

The New York Yankees scored 10 runs in the first 3 innings and coasted to an 11-2 win over the Washington Senators in the first game of a doubleheader before 26,046 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Elston Howard drove in 4 runs for New York with a pair of 2-run home runs, while Mickey Mantle batted 4 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs, and 2 runs batted in. Don Larsen pitched a 4-hitter to improve his 1959 record to 5-0, and batted 1 for 3 with a double, 2 runs, and a run batted in as the Yankees won the second game 11-0. Tony Kubek led the New York attack in the second game, batting 4 for 5 with a double, sacrifice, 2 runs, and 5 RBIs.

Woodie Held singled home Minnie Minoso with none out in the bottom of the 9th to conclude a 3-run rally as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Athletics 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 20,338 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Rip Coleman pitched a 6-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Cal McLish and post his first win of the season after 3 losses as the Athletics won the second game 3-1.

Gail Harris hit a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning and Frank Lary pitched a 9-hit complete game victory as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 23,621 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Nellie Fox doubled home Jim Rivera with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the score and beat shortstop Rocky Bridges' throw to home plate on a ground ball by Johnny Romano to give the White Sox a 4-3 win in the second game, in which the Tigers led 3-0 after 6 1/2 innings.

Ron Fairly led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a home run and Gil Hodges hit a solo homer with 1 out to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 7-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 22,692 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Cardinals had taken a 6-5 lead with 1 out in the top of the 9th on a 2-run inside-the-park home run by Ken Boyer.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
2 Get Back/Don't Let Me Down--The Beatles with Billy Preston
3 Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet--Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus
4 Bad Moon Rising/Lodi--Creedence Clearwater Revival
5 Goodbye--Mary Hopkin
6 Heather Honey--Tommy Roe
7 Day is Done--Peter, Paul and Mary
8 Happy Heart--Andy Williams
9 Badge--Cream
10 Where's the Playground Susie--Glen Campbell

Singles entering the chart were Tomorrow Tomorrow by the Bee Gees (#21); Let Me by Paul Revere and the Raiders (#25); See by the Rascals (#27); My Pledge of Love by the Joe Jeffrey Group (#28); Medicine Man (Part I) by the Buchanan Brothers (#29); and Hands of the Clock by Life (#30).

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (3rd week at #1)
2 Hair--The Cowsills
3 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
4 These Eyes--The Guess Who?
5 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension
6 Goodbye--Mary Hopkin
7 Gitarzan--Ray Stevens
8 The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
9 Pinball Wizard--The Who
10 Galveston--Glen Campbell

On the radio
Squad Cars, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: Kidnap

Died on this date
Bruce Mayrock, 20. U.S. student. Mr. Mayrock, a Columbia University student, died the day after he set himself on fire on the lawn of the United Nations building in New York in full view of delegates and visitors. He was protesting what he called genocide in Biafra.

Protest
5,000 striking oil refinery workers went on a rampage in Willemstad, Curacao, concentrating their looting and burning on white-owned businesses. Dutch marines were called in to quell the disorders, which began as a demonstration over wages.

Labour
A nationwide strike virtually paralyzed Argentina in defiance of the limited state of siege that had been imposed two days earlier by President Juan Carlos Ongania.

Auto racing
Mario Andretti won the Indianapolis 500, with an average speed of 156.867 miles per hour. For owner Andy Granatelli, who had been entering cars in the Indianapolis 500 since 1946, it was his first win. The race, which took place on a Friday (the actual date of Memorial Day in the United States), wasn’t telecast until eight days later, when an edited version was broadcast on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.



Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals traded outfielder Jim Hicks to the California Angels for outfielder Vic Davalillo. Mr. Hicks was batting .182 with 1 home run and 3 runs batted in in 19 games with St. Louis in 1969; Mr. Davalillo was batting .155 with no home runs and 1 RBI in 33 games with California in 1969.

John Sipin's first major league home run, a leadoff homer in the 10th inning, broke a 2-2 tie as the San Diego Padres edged the Montreal Expos 3-2 before 14,320 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal, handing the Expos their 14th straight loss. Montreal starting pitcher Mike Wegener was removed for a pinch hitter after allowing just 4 hits in 9 innings, with both runs against him being unearned, resulting from 3 Montreal errors.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored 6 runs in the 1st inning en route to a 13-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 10,737 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Los Angeles outfielder Andy Kosco drove in 5 runs with a home run, double, and ground out.

Clay Carroll pitched 3 innings of hitless relief and hit his only major league home run, off Bob Gibson with 2 out in the top of the 10th inning, breaking a 3-3 tie as the Cincinnati Reds edged the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 before 34,005 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

The New York Yankees scored all their runs in the first 2 innings and Fritz Peterson pitched a 5-hit complete game as they beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 22,335 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The Yankees scored 2 unearned runs in the top of the 15th inning to break a 3-3 tie and held on to win the second game 5-4 to complete the sweep. The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the 15th and had the bases loaded with 2 out, but pinch hitter Jerry Adair grounded out to first baseman Joe Pepitone to end the game.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Sunday Girl--Blondie

Died on this date
Joe Smaza, 55. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Smaza was a right fielder who played 2 games with the Chicago White Sox in 1946, batting .200 (1 for 5) with no home runs or runs batted in. He played at least 510 games in 5 seasons in the minor leagues from 1946-1950.

War
Ethnic Arabs seeking independence from Iran began clashing with government forces in the port city of Khurramshahr on the Persian Gulf.

Defense
United States Defense Secretary Harold Brown said that the U.S.S.R. was continuing to seek a first-strike capability against American land-based missiles, and that the new missiles the Soviet Union was developing could, by the 1980s, enable the Soviets to destroy existing American intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Politics and government
Rhodesian Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa appointed a 17-member cabinet that included 17 Negroes and 5 whites. Former Prime Minister Ian Smith was retained in the cabinet as minister without portfolio.

Crime
Italian police arrested Valerio Morucci and Adriana Faranda for the 1978 murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.

Medicine
A small connection between the brains of conjoined twins Lisa and Elisa Hansen was severed in a 16½ hour operation in Salt Lake City. It was not known if the girls, who had been linked at a small spot at the back of the head, had suffered any brain damage. The 19-month-old girls were in critical but stable condition after the operation.

Baseball
On the Wednesday CBC telecast, the Montreal Expos defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, with Bill Lee pitching the Expos' second straight shutout over the Phillies. Mr. Lee pitched a 6-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Nino Espinosa, with Gary Carter's 2-run home run in the 2nd inning providing the scoring.

The New York Yankees scored 3 runs in the top of the 11th inning to break a 2-2 tie and defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 before 27,338 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. The fourth Yankee run was scored by Cliff Johnson, who crashed into home plate umpire Lou DiMuro and knocked him out. Mr. DiMuro was unconscious for 32 minutes, and was taken to hospital.

Richie Zisk singled home Al Oliver with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Texas Rangers a 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox before 16,618 fans at Arlington Stadium.

25 years ago
1984

World events
A move toward unity among "Contras" opposing the Nicaraguan regime of Daniel Ortega was reported. The group based in Costa Rica voted to unite with the group in Honduras, but Eden Pastora Gomez, military leader of the Costa Rican group, opposed the union, which was supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, because of the influence of former Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in the other group.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department said that the U.S. trade deficit set another record in April at $12.2 billion.

Football
Green defeated Gold 29-17 in the Edmonton Eskimos’ intrasquad game at Commonwealth Stadium. Rookie receiver Gord Bolstad was the game’s biggest star, with two touchdown receptions for the Green squad. Former Eskimo quarterback Warren Moon, who had recently signed with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League, was a spectator on the sidelines. His backup from 1983, Matt Dunigan, showed well in vying for the starting job. The game was taped for later broadcast on CFRN, with Al McCann calling the play-by-play. The broadcast served as a useful tuneup for former Calgary Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Jack Gotta, who had joined CTV as an analyst for the network’s 1984 CFL telecasts.

Baseball
Kirk Gibson's 9th-inning home run off Steve McCatty gave the Detroit Tigers a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics. Guillermo Hernandez was the winning pitcher in relief.

20 years ago
1989

Died on this date
Claude Pepper, 88. U.S. politician. Mr. Pepper, a Democrat, was a member of the Florida House of Representatives (1929-1931); represented Florida in the U.S. Senate (1936-1951); and represented four different Florida districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1963-1989), and chaired the House Rules Committee (1963-1989). He was nicknamed "Red Pepper" because of his pro-Soviet views in the 1930s and '40s, but became a staunch anti-Communist in the 1960s. Rep. Pepper became chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging in 1977, and became America's most prominent advocate for old people. He remained in office until his death.

Protest
The 33-foot high "Goddess of Democracy" statue is unveiled in Tiananmen Square by student demonstrators.

Defense
Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze said that he welcomed the proposal of U.S. President George Bush for reduction of American and Soviet conventional military forces in Europe. At the conventional forces talks in Vienna, the Warsaw pact put forth its proposals for ceilings on personnel and weapons for both sides. At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit in Brussels, a compromise was reached on the dispute about short-range U.S. missiles based in West Germany. Under the agreement, the two alliances would first reach an accord on reducing conventional forces. Then the United States, in consultation with its allies, would enter negotiations with the U.S.S.R. to achieve a partial reduction in land-based short-range missiles. Mr. Bush flew to Bonn, West Germany. Accepting the presidency of the U.S.S.R., Mikhail Gorbachev promised that defense spending would be cut by 14% in 1990-1991.

Politics and government
In other speeches at the assembly of the U.S.S.R. Congress of People’s Deputies, deputies denounced the slayings of demonstrations in Georgia ; the brutality of the KGB (Soviet secret police); and the restraints on nationalist autonomy.

Baseball
The Montreal Expos overcame a 4-1 deficit with 4 runs in the 9th inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 before 25,336 fans at Dodger Stadium in a game televised on Radio Canada. The game ended when Mike Marshall struck out and Montreal catcher Mike Fitzgerald threw to shortstop Tom Foley to retire pinch runner John Shelby, who was attempting to steal second base.

The Cleveland Indians scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to offset 2 runs in the top of the 5th as they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 before 6,204 fans at Cleveland Stadium. John Farrell pitched a 5-hit complete game victory.

10 years ago
1999

War
Fighting erupted between two ethnic groups in an oil-producing region in the Niger River delta in Nigeria, which, within several days, took 200 lives.

Auto racing
Kenny Brack became the first Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500. Robby Gordon was leading late in the race, but opted to stay on the track instead of going in for a final pit stop, gambling that there might be a yellow flag to slow the race down, enabling him to conserve enough fuel to finish the race. The gamble didn’t pay off, and Mr. Gordon was forced to make a pit stop for fuel on lap 199 of 200, leaving Mr. Brack as the leader.