June 7, 2009

240 years ago
1769

Exploration
Daniel Boone first saw what is now Kentucky.

210 years ago
1799

Died on this date
Increase Sumner, 52. U.S. politician and judge. Mr. Sumner served in the provisional government of Massachusetts during the American Revolutionary War, and was elected to the Confederation Congress in 1782. He was an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (1782-1797) before resigning from the bench to run as a Federalist candidate for Governor of Massachusetts. Mr. Sumner was elected in 1797, and served as Governor until his death from angina pectoris; he was succeeded as Governor by Moses Gill.

125 years ago
1884

Baseball
Charlie Sweeney became the first pitcher to strike out 19 batters in a 9-inning major league game as the Providence Grays edged the Boston Beaneaters 2-1 in a National League game. Jumbo Jim Whitney allowed 2 unearned runs in the 8th inning to take the loss.

120 years ago
1889

Baseball
The Philadelphia Athletics defeated the Louisville Colonels 9-7 in 11 innings at Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia. Outfielder Pete Browning went 5 for 6 at bat, but his performance failed to prevent the Colonels' 14th straight loss. Gate receipts from the is game went to benefit the survivors of the Johnstown flood, which had occurred a week before.

110 years ago
1899

Society
American temperance crusader Carrie Nation began her campaign of vandalizing alcohol-serving establishments by destroying the inventory in a saloon in Kiowa, Kansas.

100 years ago
1909

At the movies
The Violin Maker of Cremona, a short film directed by D.W. Griffith, and starring Herbert Prior, Marion Leonard, David Miles, and Mary Pickford, opened in theatres.

Born on this date
Jessica Tandy. U.K.-born U.S. actress. Miss Tandy, a renowned stage actress, won Tony Awards for Best Actress in A Streetcar Named Desire (1947); The Gin Game (1977); and Foxfire (1982). She repeated her Brodway role in the made-for-television version of Foxfire (1987), and won an Emmy Award. Miss Tandy won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her starring performance in Driving Miss Daisy (1989). She often appeared in productions with her husband Hume Cronyn. Miss Tandy died on September 11, 1994 at the age of 85.

Peter Rodino. U.S. politician. Mr. Rodino, a Democrat, represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1949-1989. He was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 1973-1989, overseeing impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon in 1974. Mr. Rodino died on May 7, 2005, a month before his 96th birthday.

Protest
Nationalist riots broke out in Valletta, the capital of Malta. British soldiers fired into the crowd, killing four people.

80 years ago
1929

Europeana
The sovereign state of Vatican City came into existence as copies of the Lateran Treaty were exchanged in Rome.

70 years ago
1939

Transportation
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth dedicated the new Toronto-Niagara Falls highway at St. Catharines, Ontario; as their car passed through a light beam at the Henley Bridge in St. Catharines, it caused two Union Jacks to swing out, revealing a sign reading "The Queen Elizabeth Way."



Diplomacy
King George VI became the first British monarch to visit the United States as he and Queen Elizabeth ended their Canadian tour in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and went to Niagara Falls, New York.



In spite of a telegraphed petition from 41 prominent citizens of Toronto, including clergyman and historian George Wrong, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King denied sanctuary to Jewish refugees on board the MS St. Louis. The ship had sailed on May 13 from Hamburg for Cuba, with 937 passengers who hoped to escape Nazi persecution and obtain visas that would allow them to enter the United States. Captain Gustav Schroeder was turned away from Havana, and ports in South America and the United States as well as Halifax.

60 years ago
1949

On the radio
Philo Vance, starring Jackson Beck
Tonight's episode: Mistletoe Murder

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Yellow Scarf, starring Boris Karloff, Felicia Montealegre, and Russell Collins



War
The Chinese Nationalist government prepared to transfer its capital from Nanking to Chungking as Communist forces advanced toward Canton.

Defense
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee recommended prompt U.S. ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty. U.S. Defense Secretary Louis Johnson accepted a Navy plan to assure racial equality for all naval and marine personnel, but rejected a proposed Army plan for the second time.

Politics and government
U.S. President Harry Truman nominated Army Undersecretary Gordon Gray to succeed Kenneth Royall as Army Secretary. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a compromise measure authorizing secret operation of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Crime
Continuing his testimony at the perjury trial of former U.S. State Department official Alger Hiss, former Communist and Time editor Whittaker Chambers declared that he had perjured himself repeatedly in earlier hearings to protect Mr. Hiss and give him a chance to quit the Communist Party.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Truman urged Congress to appropriate $150 million for economic aid to South Korea during the next year, calling Korea a testing ground for democracy "matched against the practices of Communism."

50 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Oui, oui, oui, oui--Jean Philippe (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: A True Account, starring Jane Greer, Kent Smith, Robert Webber, and Jocelyn Brando

Defense
In a statement urging the United States to make an agreement to ban nuclear tests "a primary objective of our foreign policy," the Federation of American Scientists asserted that "no system of inspection can be 100% effective in detecting very small test explosions."

Politics and government
West German Deputy Chancellor Ludwig Erhard said in a televised interview that Konrad Adenauer's refusal to retire as Chancellor was "to be regretted" and reflected badly on the West German political system.

Economics and finance
The United Arab Republic and Lebanon signed an agreement fixing visa, customs, and export charges between the countries.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Get Back/Don't Let Me Down--The Beatles with Billy Preston (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Le métèque--Georges Moustaki (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Tutta mia la città--Equipe 84 (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Das Mädchen Carina--Roy Black

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (5th week at #1)

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Get Back/Don't Let Me Down--The Beatles with Billy Preston
2 The Real Thing--Russell Morris
3 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension
4 Goodbye--Mary Hopkin
5 Gitarzan--Ray Stevens
6 Proud Mary--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)--Peter Sarstedt
8 Sorry Suzanne--The Hollies
9 Galveston--Glen Campbell
10 The Boxer/Baby Driver--Simon & Garfunkel

Singles entering the chart were Love Me Tonight by Tom Jones (#21); Bad Moon Rising/Lodi by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#35); Memories by Elvis Presley (#38); and Happy Heart by Petula Clark (#40).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Oh Happy Day--The Edwin Hawkins Singers
2 Israelites--Desmond Dekker and the Aces
3 The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
4 Big Bamboo--The Merrymen
5 Get Back--The Beatles featuring Billy Preston
6 Suzanne--Herman Van Veen
7 Let the Sun Shine In--Marva Hodge & the Moody Sec
8 Harlem Shuffle--Bob and Earl
9 Je t'aime...mon non plus--Jane Birkin avec Serge Gainsbourg
10 Cupid--Johnny Nash

Singles entering the chart were Pretty Belinda by Chris Andrews (#21); Gina Lollobrigida by Tony Bass (#23); Love Me Tonight by Tom Jones (#29); Think it All Over by Sandie Shaw (#31); Let Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders (#37); Only a Fool by The Mighty Sparrow with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires (#39); and Time is Tight by Booker T. & the M.G.'s (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (3rd week at #1)
2 Love (Can Make You Happy)--Mercy
3 Grazing in the Grass--The Friends of Distinction
4 Oh Happy Day--The Edwin Hawkins Singers
5 Bad Moon Rising--Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
7 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension
8 Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet--Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus
9 These Eyes--The Guess Who?
10 Too Busy Thinking About My Baby--Marvin Gaye

Singles entering the chart were Didn't We by Richard Harris (#83); My Pledge of Love by the Joe Jeffrey Group (#84); You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain by the Turtles (#87); It's Getting Better by Mama Cass (#88); Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells (#89); Mrs. Robinson by Booker T. & the M.G.'s (#90); Listen to the Band by the Monkees (#97); Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (#98); and Galveston by Roger Williams (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (3rd week at #1)
2 Love (Can Make You Happy)--Mercy
3 Oh Happy Day--The Edwin Hawkins Singers
4 These Eyes--The Guess Who?
5 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
6 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension
7 More Today than Yesterday--The Spiral Starecase
8 Grazing in the Grass--The Friends of Distinction
9 Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet--Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus
10 Hair--The Cowsills

Singles entering the chart were Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells (#68); Mrs. Robinson by Booker T. & the M.G.'s (#74); The Days of Sand and Shovels by Bobby Vinton (#78); You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain by the Turtles (#82); Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (#84); I Want to Take You Higher by Sly & the Family Stone (#89); The Girl I'll Never Know (Angels Never Fly this Low) by Frankie Valli (#90); Son of a Travelin' Man by Ed Ames (#94); Don't Wake Me Up in the Morning, Michael by Peppermint Rainbow (#95); It's Getting Better by Mama Cass (#96); Lollipop (I Like You) by the Intruders (#98); Quentin's Theme by the Charles Randolph Grean Sounde (#99); And She's Mine by Spanky and Our Gang (#100); and Galveston by Roger Williams (also #100). Quentin's Theme was from the television series Dark Shadows.

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Get Back--The Beatles with Billy Preston (3rd week at #1)
2 Medicine Man (Part I)--Buchanan Brothers
3 Gitarzan--Ray Stevens
4 The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
5 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley
6 Love (Can Make You Happy)--Mercy
7 Hair--The Cowsills
8 I'm a Drifter--Bobby Goldsboro
9 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension
10 Goodbye--Mary Hopkin
Pick hit of the week: Everyday with You Girl--Classics IV

The Buchanan Brothers were neither Buchanans nor brothers; they were actually Terry Cashman, Tommy West, and Gene Pistilli. Cashman & West had a hit single with American City Suite in the fall of 1972; Gene Pistilli later recorded with an early version of The Manhattan Transfer.

Politics and government
U.S.S.R. Communist Party First Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, addressing the conference of 75 Communist Parties in Moscow, harshly attacked the Chinese Communist leadership.

Crime
A court-martial in Fort Ord, California gave light sentences to 14 young soldiers convicted of mutiny. The sentences ranged from 6 months to 18 months at hard labour coupled with bad-conduct or dishonorable discharges.

Horse racing
Arts and Letters, with Braulio Baeza up, won the 101st running of the Belmont Stakes, preventing Majestic Prince from becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 21 years. Arts and Letters, who had placed second in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, ran the 1½-mile race in 2:28 4/5. Majestic Prince placed second, but was running with an injury, and retired after this race, his only loss.



Baseball
Outfielder Jeff Burroughs was the first player chosen in major league baseball's annual amateur draft. He was selected by the Washington Senators. The second player picked was pitcher J.R. Richard (Houston Astros). The Los Angeles Dodgers, who had chosen first baseman Bill Seinsoth in the 6th round in 1968, took him in the first round this year and were successful in signing him, but he was killed in a car accident just three months later.

30 years ago
1979

Died on this date
Asa Earl Carter, 53. U.S. racial activist and author. Mr. Carter was a Ku Klux Klan leader in Alabama in the 1950s and '60s, and co-wrote Alabama Governor George Wallace's line "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever" in 1963. In later years, Mr. Carter used the pseudonym Forrest Carter, claiming to be a Cherokee Indian while writing novels such as The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (1972) and The Education of Little Tree (1976). Mr. Carter reportedly died of heart failure caused by a fistfight with his son.

Abominations
United States President Jimmy Carter announced that he would not lift trade sanctions against Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, because the recent change in government in that country did not fulfill the requirements under the 1978 U.S. law set down for the lifting of sanctions. Translation: because the Communist groups, led by Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, didn’t participate in the recent election (because they knew they wouldn’t win), St. Jimmy refused to recognize the outcome. The refusal to lift trade sanctions helped to doom Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and pave the way for Mr. Mugabe to take power early in 1980. Thanks in no small part to the treachery of the pseudo-Christian treasonous weasel Jimmy Carter, a prosperous, crime-free land has been turned into a hellhole over the last 30 years.

Defense
U.S. President Carter approved the development of the MX missile. At this stage, the project was a $30 billion weapons system that would deploy the large missiles along railroad tracks leading to underground shelters. With more shelters than missiles, the system would allow the U.S.A. to conceal the exact site of a missile. The system was designed to counter the growing ability of the U.S.S.R. to threaten the 1,054 American land-based Minuteman missiles. In order to eliminate the MX system, the enemy would have to knock out all projected 8,800 shelters. Some critics of the system’s "first strike" capability, such as Senator Mark Hatfield (Republican--Oregon), thought that the fear of a preemptive first strike might push one side into an attack out of fear that the other side might strike first.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that producer prices were up 0.4% for May, the lowest rise in 9 months. Food prices had declined 1.3%. The jobless rate remained at 5.8%.

Labour
Independent truckers in the United States went on a wildcat strike against high fuel prices and scarce supplies; they also demanded load limits and a 65 miles-per-hour speed limit. Drivers blocked fuelling stations and slowed traffic in 14 states, mostly in the west and midwest.

25 years ago
1984

Died on this date
Rabbit Benton, 82. U.S. baseball player. Stanley Benton was a second baseman with the Philadelphia Phillies (1922), batting .211 with no home runs and 3 runs batted in in 6 games. He played at least 1,498 games in 16 seasons in the minor leagues (1919-1934).

Diplomacy
Presidents and prime ministers of seven leading industrial nations (better known as G7) began their 10th annual summit in London, England.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Saskatchewan (1-0) 33 @ Edmonton (0-1) 30

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Minä olen muistanut--Kim Lönnholm (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Eternal Flame--Bangles (2nd week at #1)

Economics and finance
The government of Argentina reported that retail prices had risen 78.5% in May alone.

Disasters
Surinam Airways Flight 764, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 en route from Amsterdam to Paramaribo, crashed on approach to Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport in Suriname because of pilot error, killing 176 of 187 people aboard.

Hockey
NHL
The National Hockey League awards for 1988-89 were presented. Los Angeles Kings' centre Wayne Gretzky was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player for the ninth time in his 10-year NHL career.

Baseball
Ernie Whitt batted 3 for 3 with a base on balls, a double, and 3 runs batted in to help the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 before 45,372 fans for their first victory at SkyDome. It was the first game in major league history played indoors and outdoors in the same day: with rain threatening in the 5th inning, operators started closing the $100-million retractable roof at 8:48 pm, finishing 34 minutes later, too late to prevent a short game delay.

Greg Swindell pitched a 2-hitter, winning the pitchers' duel over Chuck Finley and improving his 1989 record to 7-1 as the Cleveland Indians edged the California Angels 1-0 before 26,536 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Mr. Finley allowed just 5 hits, but one was Luis Medina's home run leading off the 7th inning for the game's only run.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Bob Garber, 70. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Garber played 2 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956, posting a 0-0 record with a 2.25 earned run average in 4 innings. He played 9 seasons in the minor leagues from 1948-1958, winning 20 games in 1949 in a season combined with the Greenville Pirates of the Class D Alabama State League and the Davenport Pirates of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, and posting a 20-16 record and 2.84 ERA with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League in 1955.

Politics and government
Bernard Lord led his Progressive Conservative Party to a surprise landslide victory in the New Brunswick provincial election, winning 44 of 55 seats in the Legislative Assembly to end almost 12 years of Liberal Party government. The PC total was an increase of 38 from the most recent election in 1995. The governing Liberals, led by Premier Camille Thériault, dropped from 48 seats to 10. New Democratic Party leader Elizabeth Weir retained her seat in Saint John Harbour.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference Finals
Indiana 90 @ New York 78 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)