June 20, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Dale Hein!

220 years ago
1789

Politics and government
In a pivotal event in the French Revolution, 576 of 577 members of the Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath in Versailles, vowing "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established."

190 years ago
1819

Transportation
The 320-ton American steamship S.S. Savannah arrived in Liverpool, England, 29 days after leaving Savannah, Georgia. A hybrid between a steamship and a sailing ship, the Savannah's steam engine was in use for part of 18 days (estimates range from 8 to 80 hours).

120 years ago
1889

Academia
Mary K. Tibbitts of Fredericton became the first woman to graduate from the University of New Brunswick, receiving her Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English, as well as the Governor General's Stanley Gold Medal for proficiency in English.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Errol Flynn. Australian-born U.S. actor. Mr. Flynn, a native of Tasmania, appeared in plays in England before moving to Hollywood, where he achieved fame portraying actual and fictional men of action in movies such as Captain Blood (1935); The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); The Sea Hawk (1940); They Died with Their Boots On (1941); and Gentleman Jim (1942). He led a notoriously dissolute life and was charged with rape in 1942. The trial early in 1943 resulted in acquittal, but Mr. Flynn's career never quite recovered, and he aged noticeably and suffered from financial problems in later years. He was in Vancouver, British Columbia, accompanied by teenage girlfriend Beverly Aadland, to negotiate the sale of his yacht, and died of a heart attack, complicated by other health problems, on October 14, 1959 at the age of 50.

80 years ago
1929

Politics and government
Quebec Agriculture Minister Joseph-Léonide Perron announced a program of organizational changes within his department.

60 years ago
1949

War
The Nationalist Chinese government banned river and sea traffic to all Communist-controlled areas, and threatened to bombard Shanghai and other ports.

Diplomacy
The Paris Foreign Ministers Conference ended without accord on any important problems in Germany or Berlin. Participants agreed to continue working on the Austrian peace treaty, scheduled for completion by September 1, 1949.

U.S.S.R. Ambassador to Yugoslavia Anatoly Lavrentiev returned to Belgrade after a four-month absence.

The United Nations Human Rights Commission ended its fifth session at Lake Success after drafting a covenant guaranteeing rights of assembly and association and a fair trial for all accused persons.

Politics and government
The U.S.A., U.K., and France signed an agreement establishing a civilian High Commission to exercise supreme authority in West Germany after the creation of the Federal Republic. The commission would replace Western Allied military governments.

U.S. President Harry Truman signed a bill authorizing him to reorganize executive agencies in line with recommendations of the Hoover Commission. He immediately sent Congress the first of seven reorganization plans, providing for the creation of a cabinet-level Welfare Department to administer most of the Federal Security Agency's programs.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government could sue itself in an attempt to recover funds paid to the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Crime
The defense of former U.S. State Department official Alger Hiss began at his perjury trial in New York with a presentation of character witnesses, including commendations from U.S. Ambassador-at-Large Philip Jessup and Supreme Court Justices Felix Frankfurter and Stanley Reed.

Religion
The Vatican excommunicated the organizers and supporters of a government-sponsored Catholic Action group in Czechoslovakia.

Transportation
Nelson, British Columbia retired its streetcars.

Energy
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Power Commission had no right to control a natural gas company's disposal of its gas reserves.

Economics and finance
Hungary denounced its five-year Yugoslavian commercial agreement, and Czechoslovakia banned all trade with Yugoslavia.

Labour
Coal miners in the United States returned to work on schedule following a one-week shutdown ordered by United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis.

Disasters
A typhoon accompanied by floods struck southern Japan, causing 106 deaths.

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 (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Venus--Frankie Avalon (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Die Gitarre und das Meer--Freddy Quinn (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Roulette--Russ Conway

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Battle of New Orleans--Johnny Horton (4th week at #1)
2 Personality--Lloyd Price
3 Dream Lover--Bobby Darin
4 Kansas City--Wilbert Harrison
5 Quiet Village--Martin Denny
6 A Teenager in Love--Dion and the Belmonts
7 Lonely Boy--Paul Anka
8 Tallahassee Lassie--Freddy Cannon
9 Frankie--Connie Francis
10 Only You (Loin de Vous)--Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles

Singles entering the chart were Twixt Twelve and Twenty by Pat Boone (#55); Remember When by the Platters (#59); Only Sixteen by Sam Cooke (#61); Back in the U.S.A. by Chuck Berry (#77); Let it Roll (Let the Good Times Roll - Part 1) by Earl Knight and George Kelley (#87); It was I by Skip and Flip (#89); I'll Be Satisfied by Jackie Wilson (#92); Ciao, Ciao Bambina by Jacky Noguez and his Musette Orchestra (#93); Cherrystone by the Addrisi Brothers (#94); The Quiet Three by Duane Eddy and the Rebels (#95); The Whistling Organ by Dave 'Baby' Cortez (#96); Flower of Love by the Crests (#98); Steel Guitar Rag by the Dynatones (#99); and It Could've Been Worse by Jesse Belvin (#100). The Quiet Three was the B-side of Forty Miles of Bad Road, charting at #41.

War
The United Nations Command for Korea charged that North Korean troops had built fortifications in the demilitarized zone.

World events
2 nationalists were killed and 40 injured in Tivouane, Senegal when police dispersed a meeting of the Senegalese Solidarity Party.

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev and East German Premier Otto Grotewohl issued a joint communique declaring their intention to "take the necessary measures for the speedy removal" of the Berlin situation.

Politics and government
The Young Republican National Federation convention in Denver censured U.S. Senators Margaret Chase Smith (Maine) and William Langer (North Dakota) for voting against the nomination of Lewis Strauss for U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Mr. Strauss's nomination had been rejected the previous day by a vote of 49-46, and if the two Senators in question had voted for him, he would have been confirmed.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Hair--The Cowsills

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 The Ballad of John and Yoko/Old Brown Shoe--The Beatles
2 Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet--Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus
3 I Threw it All Away--Bob Dylan
4 Israelites--Desmond Dekker and the Aces
5 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
6 Bad Moon Rising/Lodi--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Let Me--Paul Revere and the Raiders
8 Medicine Man (Part I)--Buchanan Brothers
9 Oh Deed I Do--Elyse Weinberg
10 Get Back/Don't Let Me Down--The Beatles with Billy Preston

Singles entering the chart were Can I Sing a Rainbow/Love is Blue by the Dells (#28); Spinning Wheel by Blood, Sweat & Tears (#29); and I've Been Hurt by Bill Deal & the Rhondels (#30).

Edmonton’s top 10 (CJCA)
1 The Ballad of John and Yoko--The Beatles
2 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
3 Bad Moon Rising--Creedence Clearwater Revival
4 Medicine Man (Part I)--Buchanan Brothers
5 Atlantis--Donovan
6 Get Back--The Beatles
7 One--Three Dog Night
8 Gitarzan--Ray Stevens
9 Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet--Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus
10 No Matter What Sign You Are--Diana Ross and the Supremes

Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet, composed by Nino Rota with lyrics by Eugene Walter for the film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, was performed by Mr. Mancini as an instrumental, and became his biggest hit. The original version from the movie, sung by Glen Weston, was released as a single at about the same time, but failed to become a hit. The B-side of Mr. Mancini’s single, an instrumental version of The Windmills of Your Mind, was the theme from another 1968 film, The Thomas Crown Affair. In the movie it was sung by Noel Harrison.

War
American and South Vietnamese forces repulsed an enemy attack at Tayninh, 50 miles northwest of Saigon. Meanwhile, officials of the administration of U.S. President Richard Nixon insisted that Mr. Nixon’s remark the previous day that he hoped to bring troops home before the end of 1970 was just a hope and nothing more.

Lebanese sources disclosed that Arab commandos were withdrawing from Lebanon because of government fears of Israeli retaliation if raids were to be launched from Lebanese territory.

Terrorism
Terrorists in Montivideo set fire to a General Motors building, causing $1 million in damages. The attack came the day before New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller was due to arrive in the Uruguayan capital as part of his fact-finding tour of Latin America.

Politics and government
Georges Pompidou officially succeeded Charles De Gaulle as President of France, and began his seven-year term by naming Jacques Chaban-Delmas, 54, President of the Assembly, to succeed Maurice Couve de Murville as Premier.

Rhodesians, voting in a national referendum, approved a new constitution turning the country into a republic and severing all links with Great Britain, as well as guaranteeing white minority rule. The measures were passed by an overwhelming majority of the country’s eligible voters: 81,583 whites and 6,634 blacks.

Disasters
A freight train slammed into a car packed with women and children in Vienna, Georgia, U.S.A., killing 10.

Boxing
Oscar Bonavena (40-5) scored a 3-round technical knockout of Wilhelm Von Homburg (30-8-6) in a heavyweight bout at Sportpalast in Schoeneberg, West Germany. Mr. Von Homburg was knocked down 5 times.

Baseball
New York Yankees’ first baseman Joe Pepitone hit a grand slam off Mike Nagy of the Boston Red Sox in the top of the 1st inning at Fenway Park in Boston, only to have the home run wiped from the record books when the game was called because of rain just one batter later.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Ring My Bell--Anita Ward (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Bill Stewart, 37. U.S. journalist. Mr. Stewart, a reporter with ABC-TV, was shot to death, along with his interpreter, Juan Espinosa, shortly after taping his latest report from Nicaragua. Mr. Stewart was travelling in a van in the capital city of Managua with his camera crew when they were stopped at a checkpoint run by the National Guard, the main force of President Anastasio Somoza Debayle. They were killed at the scene of recent fighting between forces of the government of President Somoza and Sandanista rebels.



Terrorism
Nikola Kavaja, a Serbian nationalist, hijacked an American Airlines jet flying from New York to Chicago, demanding the release of Rev. Stojilko Kajevic, another Serb in jail, and to be flown to Peru. The two Serbs had been convicted on May 25 of the 1975 bombing of the Yugoslavian consul general’s home near Chicago, and an alleged plot to bomb a local Yugoslav club. All 128 passengers and the women in the flight crew were released in Chicago. Mr. Kavaja had the plane flown back to New York, switched to a Boeing 707, and flew with his lawyer to Ireland.

Politics and government
Ugandan President Yusufu Lule resigned his office less than 10 weeks after replacing overthrown dictator Idi Amin. Mr. Lule was ousted in a non-confidence vote by the 30-member legislature, known as the National Consultative Council. A spokesman for the NCC said that Mr. Lule "ignored the democratic methods of making decisions" when he had created four new cabinet positions and demoted three ministers two weeks earlier without consulting the legislators. Mr. Lule was replaced by Godfret Binaisa, 59, a lawyer.

Zimbabwe-Rhodesian Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa lost his majority in Parliament when eight leaders of his own party defected and formed their own faction. The governing coalition remained shaky in the face of continued war with Patriotic Front guerrillas.

Labour
After weeks of wildcat strikes, independent truckers in the United States staged a nationwide work stoppage to protest fuel prices and inadequate federal allocations. Violent incidents included the shooting death of a trucker in Alabama.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Montreal (2-0) 19 @ Saskatchewan (1-1) 7

Baseball
Jim Mason doubled home Tommy Hutton with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Montreal Expos a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 25,233 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal in the Wednesday night Expos Baseball telecast on CBC.

After Juan Beniquez led off with a triple, Bucky Dent singled him home and came around to score on a wild pitch by Tom Underwood as the New York Yankees scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning and defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 32,129 fans at Yankee Stadium. John Mayberry hit a solo home run with 1 out in the top of the 9th to break a 2-2 tie as the Blue Jays won the second game 3-2. Mr. Underwood and Balor Moore pitched respective complete games for the Blue Jays.

Six different players hit home runs for the Boston Red Sox as they overcame an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Detroit Tigers 13-3 before 34,035 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Mike Torrez pitched a 7-hit complete game victory.

25 years ago
1984

World events
The Sandanista government of Nicaragua accused a Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Luis Amado Pena, of supplying explosives to rebels fighting the regime, and of being part of a plot to establish an "internal front" inside Nicaragua.

French President Francois Mitterand arrived in the Soviet Union for a visit, and asked about the health of dissident physicist Andrei Sakharov, who had begun a hunger strike in May in order to ensure that his wife Yelena Bonner receive medical treatment in the west. Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko refused to discuss the subject with Mr. Mitterand.

Politics and government
The United States House of Representatives voted 216-211 to approve a bill providing legal status or amnesty to millions of aliens who had established U.S. residence before 1982. The bill would have to be reconciled in conference committee with a similar bill passed by the Senate in 1983 which put the date of U.S. residence at January 1, 1980. Both bills required employers to demand documents from job applicants to verify citizenship or eligibility to work in the United States.

Education
British Education Secretary Keith Joseph announced that O-Level and Certificate for Secondary Education (CSE) exams were being replaced by a new examination for 16-year-olds, the General Certificate for Secondary Education (GCSE). Instead of being graded relatively against other students, those taking the exam were to be graded according to absolute knowledge. It was the biggest change in exams in more than a decade.

Football
The Calgary Stampeders traded holdout linebacker Danny Bass to the Edmonton Eskimos for veteran slotback Tom Scott. The deal outraged Stampeder fans, as it seemed as though the Stampeders were trading the best middle linebacker in the CFL for a receiver who was past his prime. Indeed, this proved to be the case.

20 years ago
1989

Baseball
The Montreal Expos scored 2 runs in the 8th inning and 3 in the 9th as they overcame a 5-0 1st-inning deficit and defeated the New York Mets 8-5 before 37,570 fans at Shea Stadium in New York in a game that was televised on Radio-Canada.

Shawon Dunston singled home Vance Law with 2 out in the top of the 11th inning to break a 4-4 tie as the Chicago Cubs edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 before 11,713 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.

The Kansas City Royals scored 6 runs in the top of the 11th inning to break a 2-2 tie and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 8-2 before 17,185 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Jaime Navarro started on the mound for Milwaukee and allowed 8 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 6 2/3 innings, walking 2 batters and striking out 2 in his first major league game.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Clifton Fadiman, 95. U.S. media personality. Mr. Fadiman was a reader at the Simon & Schuster publishing house, and edited the book review section of The New Yorker (1933-1943), but was best known as host of the radio (1938-1948) and television (1952) quiz show Information, Please!. He died of pancreatic cancer.

War
NATO ended its bombing campaign against Yugoslavia as Serb forces completed their withdrawal from the province of Kosovo.

Diplomacy
Russian President Boris Yeltsin met with U.S. President Bill Clinton in Cologne. The two agreed to resume arms control negotiations.

Economics and finance
The Group of Seven (G7) leaders, at their summit in Cologne, Germany, pledged to provide substantial aid for the reconstruction of Kosovo and the rest of the Balkans, but made it clear that Serbs, in order to share in the assistance, must commit to political and economic reforms.

Golf
Payne Stewart shot an even par 70 in the final round to win the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort, Course No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina with a 1-under-par total score of 279, 1 stroke ahead of Phil Mickelson, who also shot 70 in the final round. First prize money was $625,000.