April 21, 2010

280 years ago
1730

Born on this date
Antonín Kammel. Czech musician and composer. Mr. Kammel was a concert violinist whose best-known composition was String Quartet No. 2. He died on October 5, 1784, 1785, or 1788 at the age of 54, 55, or 58.

220 years ago
1790

Born on this date
Manuel Blanco Encalada. 1st President of Chile, 1826. Vice-Admiral Blanco Encalada served in the Chilean War of Independence, and was elected President of the Republic in 1826. He took office on July 9, 1826 and resigned exactly two months later after disputes with Congress. Vice-Admiral Blanco Encalada died on September 5, 1876 at the age of 86.

140 years ago
1870

Born on this date
Edwin S. Porter. U.S. movie director, producer, and screenwriter. Mr. Porter was one of the most important figures in the early history of motion pictures, beginning his career as a projectionist and then as a cameraman. He produced, directed, wrote, and photographed numerous short films from 1901-1915; his most famous film was The Great Train Robbery (1903). Mr. Porter retired from moviemaking in 1915, and worked as an inventor and designer; he died on April 30, 1941, nine days after his 71st birthday.

110 years ago
1900

Died on this date
Vikramatji Khimojiraj, 81. Indian ruler. RanaShri Vikramatji Khimojiraj Sahib succeeded his father Khimojiraj Haloji as Maharaja of Porbandar in 1831, and ruled the princely state until his death, 20 days after his 81st birthday. He was succeeded by his grandson Bhavsinhji Madhavsinhji.

Baseball
The Chicago White Stockings, formerly the St. Paul franchise in the Western League, played their first game in their new city, in the league which was now called the American League. They lost 5-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers at South Side Park. The AL was still a minor league in 1900.

100 years ago
1910

Died on this date
Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain), 74. U.S. writer. Mr. Clemens, who adopted the nom de plume Mark Twain, was the author of such works as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876); Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884); and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889).

Defense
The Canadian House of Commons passed Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier's Naval Service Act by a margin of 111-70, creating a Department of Naval Service to be administered by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries. The Act provided for a permanent Canadian Naval Service; a naval reserve to be called up in emergencies; a volunteer reserve and a naval college in Halifax; and the construction of five cruisers and six destroyers. The bill, given Royal Assent on May 4, was heavily criticized by the English as creating a "Tin Pot Navy," and by the French as a prelude to conscription.

90 years ago
1920

Crime
Marie-Anne Houde was sentenced in Montreal to hang for abusing and murdering her step-daughter Aurore Gagnon. Aurore became a martyr in Quebec's consciousness after publication of her story, L'enfant martyr (The Child Martyr). Ms. Houde's sentence was changed to life imprisonment after pressure from civic groups.

80 years ago
1930

Died on this date
Robert Bridges, 85. U.K. poet and hymnist. Mr. Bridges, a physician by training, gave up medicine in 1882 after developing lung disease, and turned to writing. He wrote poems, hymns, and verse dramas, and was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1913 until his death.

75 years ago
1935

Baseball
First baseman Lou Gehrig was named captain of the New York Yankees, one of the few teams in the major leagues that had resorted to the custom.

Babe Ruth hit his 2nd home run as a member of the Boston Braves, but his 1st-inning home run off Ray Benge was the only scoring the Braves managed as they lost 8-1 to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Cleveland Indians lost 3-2 to the Detroit Tigers in 13 innings. It was the third consecutive extra-inning game for the Indians: they had beaten the Tigers 2-1 in 14 innings in the previous game, and had defeated the St. Louis Browns 2-1 in 14 innings the game before that. The 41 innings in 3 straight games set an American League record.

70 years ago
1940

War
Allied forces landed at Andalsnes, Norway in an effort to prevent the German army in the south from joining units at Trondheim.

World events
Clashes between Hindus and Muslims in the Burmese capital of Rangoon resulted in 11 deaths and 69 injuries.

Politics and government
A Gallup Poll indicated that if the 1940 U.S. Presidential election were held today, the Democratic candidate would capture 31 of 48 states and 317 of 531 electoral votes.

Oren Root, leading a drive to nominate New York lawyer Wendell Willkie as the 1940 Republican Party candidate for President of the United States, claimed to have 35,000 declarations of support for Mr. Willkie.

Business
The United States Justice Department announced that it was dropping antitrust actions against five major typewriter companies because they would sign decrees promising never again to violate antitrust laws.

Labour
United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis called upon his union members to support the LaFollette Oppressive Labor Practices Bill.

Football
APFA
George Heitzler was elected president of the new American Professional Football Association.

60 years ago
1950

At the movies
D.O.A., directed by Rudolph Maté, and starring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, and Luther Adler, opened in theatres.



Diplomacy
Czechoslovakia withdrew from the World Health Organization, accusing the agency of "discrimination" against Czechs. The move left Poland and Hungary as the only Communist states in the WHO.

Republican U.S. Senators charged State Secretary Dean Acheson with violating the bipartisan foreign policy principle by testifying for the International Trade Organization charter without first consulting with Senate Republicans.

Terrorism
French Communists raided a railway yard in Paris and damaged several American-made military vehicles intended for shipment to Indochina.

Politics and government
Allied commanders in West Berlin approved a City Assembly request for free city-wide municipal elections.

Academia
University of California regents voted to drop a controversial mandatory loyalty oath for all university employees, replacing it with the constitutional loyalty oath required of all state workers and a new employment contract disavowing Communist Party membership.

Economics and finance
India and Pakistan reached a trade agreement, ending a seven-month freeze of commercial relations between the two states.

U.S. President Harry Truman urged Congress to continue federal rent controls for another year beyond the June 30 expiration date to avert "a wave of exorbitant rent increases."

Disasters
The Red River Flood of 1950 claimed its first lives in the United States and Canada.

Baseball
Vern Stephens hit a grand slam in the 9th inning to help the Boston Red Sox clinch an 8-2 win over the Philadelphia Athletics before 8,184 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Before the game, the Athletics honoured Connie Mack, who was beginning his 50th season as the team's manager.

Sam Jethroe became the first Negro to play for the Boston Braves, batting 1 for 3 as the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies tied 2-2 before 7,308 fans in a game that was called when Braves Field was hit by a thunderstorm in the bottom of the 8th inning, with the results reverting to the end of the 7th.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Marina--Rocco Granata and the International Quintet (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): My Old Man's a Dustman--Lonnie Donegan (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Head of Fire: Feet of Clay, with guest stars Nehemiah Persoff, Madlyn Rhue, and Jack Warden

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker left Ottawa for Mexico City for talks with Mexican President Adolfo Lopez Mateos.

South Americana
Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia. At 9:30 A.M., the Three Powers of the Republic were simultaneously transferred from the old capital, Rio de Janeiro.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Let it Be--The Beatles (7th week at #1)

World events
Black Power demonstrators ignored Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Eric Williams' state-of-emergency proclamation and went on a looting rampage in Port of Spain. Police opened fire after some of the demonstrators threw stones and bottles at firemen fighting a blaze. Several people, including policemen, were injured. 15 Black Power leaders were arrested. Members of the Trinidad Defense Force, led by Raffique Shah and Rex Lassalle, mutinied and took hostages at the army barracks at Teteron.

Protest
A Yale University student sympathy strike for Black Panthers awaiting trial at a nearby New Haven court for the murder of a fellow Panther virtually shut down regular classroom activity for more than 10 days as thousands of sympathizers from neighbouring colleges and militant groups from all over the U.S.A. flocked to the campus for rallies.

In response to a dispute over wheat production quotas, Leonard Casley declared his 29-square-mile farm in Western Australia to be an independent country as the Hutt River Province.

Disasters
All 36 people aboard a Philippine plane died when it crashed north of Manila.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Boston 4 @ Chicago 1 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Pittsburgh 1 @ St. Louis 4 (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds outslugged the Atlanta Braves 13-8 before 7,897 fans at Atlanta Stadium in a game that featured 10 home runs by 9 different players. Bernie Carbo hit 2 home runs for the Reds, while Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Dave Concepcion, Tony Perez, and Bobby Tolan also homered for Cincinnati. Rico Carty, Orlando Cepeda, and Felix Millan hit home runs for the Braves.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Got You--Split Enz (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Runaway--Chanels

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Rapper's Delight--Sugarhill Gang (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band (9th week at #1)

World events
About 50 small fishing boats set sail from Florida for Mariel, Cuba to pick up Cubans who wanted to flee to the United States.

Protest
Protests against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan broke out in Kabul when the Soviet-backed government unveiled a new flag that resembled the flag flown under the monarchy before pro-Soviet factions had come to power two years earlier. There were sporadic protests at schools where the flags were distributed.

Scandal
Rosie Ruiz appeared to be the top female finisher at the Boston Marathon, but she had actually cheated and entered the race near the end.



Track and field
Bill Rodgers became the first runner in 56 years to win three straight Boston Marathons, finishing in 2 hours, 12 minutes, 11 seconds. 5,364 people started the race. Jacqueline Gareau of Canada was declared the women’s champion, after Rosie Ruiz had been exposed as a cheater.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Boston 4 @ New York Islanders 3 (OT) (New York Led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Terry O'Reilly scored the winning goal at 17:13 of the 1st overtime period as the Bruins averted elimination at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.

25 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): We are the World--USA for Africa

#1 single in France (SNEP): Johnny, Johnny--Jeanne Mas (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)--Dead or Alive (2nd week at #1)

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: Lack of Evidence

Died on this date
Foster Hewitt, 82. Canadian sportscaster. Mr. Hewitt was the most famous sportscaster in Canadian history, as the best-known play-by-play voice of hockey--especially for games of the Toronto Maple Leafs--for more than 40 years after calling his first game in 1923. He was famous for the phrase, "He shoots! He scores!"

Tancredo Neves, 75. Prime Minister of Brazil, 1961-1962; President-elect of Brazil, 1985. Mr. Neves was a member of several political parties and held several cabinet posts. He was elected President on January 15, 1985, but took ill and died before he could take office.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Quebec 4 @ Montreal 6 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
New York Islanders 2 @ Philadelphia 5 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Minnesota 2 @ Chicago 6 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Vattene Amore--Amedeo Minghi; Mietta (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Enjoy the Silence--Depeche Mode (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Le temps des Yéyés--Les Vagabonds (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Vogue--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 The Power--Snap! (2nd week at #1)
2 Dub Be Good to Me--Beats International
3 Infinity (1990's... Time for the Guru)--Guru Josh
4 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor
5 Oh Pretty Woman--Gary Moore featuring Albert King
6 Vogue--Madonna
7 This Beat is Technotronic--Technotronic featuring MC Eric
8 Enjoy the Silence--Depeche Mode
9 What "U" Waitin'....."4"?--Jungle Brothers
10 Daar Gaat Ze--Clouseau

Singles entering the chart were Oranje Bovenaan by André Hazes (#29); The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite) by Quincy Jones featuring Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge & Barry White (#30); Mélodie D'Amour by Kaoma (#31); Yo-Yo (Ten Years Ago) by Plaza (#32); Jump on the Floor by Black Kiss featuring Cherita (#35); and Ik Wil Je by De Kreuners (#36).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor
2 Don't Wanna Fall in Love--Jane Child
3 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
4 I Wanna Be Rich--Calloway
5 I'll Be Your Everything--Tommy Page
6 Here and Now--Luther Vandross
7 How Can We Be Lovers--Michael Bolton
8 Forever--Kiss
9 Without You--Motley Crue
10 Whole Wide World--A'me Lorain

Singles entering the chart were Deadbeat Club by the B-52's (#84); Coming of Age by Damn Yankees (#85); Turtle Power by Partners in Kryme (#89); Drag My Bad Name Down by 4 of Us (#92); and Pictures of You by the Cure (#94). Turtle Power was from the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I’ll Be Your Everything--Tommy Page
2 Don’t Wanna Fall in Love--Jane Child
3 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor
4 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
5 I Wanna Be Rich--Calloway
6 Love Will Lead You Back--Taylor Dayne
7 Here and Now--Luther Vandross
8 Forever--Kiss
9 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
10 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic

Singles entering the chart were Ooh La La (I Can’t Get Over You) by Perfect Gentlemen (#53); Deadbeat Club by the B-52's (#55); Drag My Bad Name Down by 4 of Us (#62); Spin That Wheel by Hi Tek 3 featuring Ya Kid K (#75); Get a Life by Soul II Soul (#80); Dub Be Good to Me by Beats International (#82); and Nicety by Michel'le (#88).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins (5th week at #1)
2 Love Will Lead You Back--Taylor Dayne
3 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
4 Lover of Mine--Alannah Myles
5 I’ll Be Your Everything--Tommy Page
6 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor
7 The Heart of the Matter--Don Henley
8 Blue Sky Mine--Midnight Oil
9 Every Little Tear--Paul Janz
10 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic

Singles entering the chart were Vogue by Madonna (#71); Love Child by Sweet Sensation (#73); Honest Man by the Partland Brothers (#75); Room at the Top by Adam Ant (#78); Paper Walls by Watertown (#81); Lost Lovers Found by Kim Mitchell (#84); Whip Appeal by Babyface (#87); Love Me for Life by Stevie B (#89); Not Even Close by Tim Finn (#91); This and That by Michael Penn (#93); and Children of the Night by Richard Marx (#95).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Montreal 4 @ Boston 5 (OT) (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Washington 6 @ New York Rangers 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds improved their record to 9-0, the best start in their history, with an 8-1 win over the Atlanta Braves before 24,091 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. The only Atlanta run came on a home run by Dale Murphy; it was the 335th of his career as an Atlanta Brave, passing Hank Aaron (Mr. Aaron hit 399 home runs as a Milwaukee Brave).

10 years ago
2000

At the movies
The Virgin Suicides, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, and starring James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, and Josh Hartnett, opened in limited release in theatres in teh United States.





Defense
The Russian Duma voted 298-74 to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Although more than 150 countries had ratified the treaty by then, it couldn’t go into effect until it was ratified by all 44 countries having nuclear capability. By then, 15 had not done so, including the United States.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Conference Quarter-Finals
Edmonton 2 @ Dallas 3 (Dallas won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Pittsburgh 2 @ Washington 1 (Pittsburgh won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Phoenix 1 @ Colorado 2 (Colorado won best-of-seven series 4-1)
San Jose 3 @ St. Louis 5 (San Jose led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Baseball
The Anaheim Angels defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9-6 before 22,221 fans at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg as Mo Vaughn and Tim Salmon hit back-to-back home runs in the 4th inning and again in the 9th. Troy Glaus of the Angels also homered in those innings, marking the first time in major league history that three players had hit home runs in the same inning twice in the same game.