May 16, 2010

1,720 years ago
290

Died on this date
Wu, 53 or 54. Emperor of China, 266-290. Wu, born Sima Yan, became the first emperor of the Jin dynasty after forcing the abdication of Emperor Cao Huan. Emperor Wu was viewed as kind and generous but wasteful, and his practice of empowering his male relatives had the effect of destabilizing the empire, and produced the War of the Eight Princes after his death following a period of illness.

390 years ago
1620

Died on this date
William Adams, 55. English explorer. Mr. Adams was a navigator who was the first Englishman to travel to Japan (1600) and Thailand (1614-1615), and the third to visit Vietnam (1618). He spent most of his last 20 years in Japan, and became a key advisor to shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu.

240 years ago
1770

Married on this date
Marie Antoinette, 14, married the future King Louis XVI, 15, of France.

180 years ago
1830

Died on this date
Joseph Fourier, 62. French mathematician and physicist. Mr. Fourier was best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series, which eventually developed into Fourier analysis and harmonic analysis, and their applications to problems of heat transfer and vibrations. The Fourier transform and Fourier's law of conduction are also named in his honour, and he has been credited with discovering the greenhouse effect. Mr. Fourier was Napoleon Bonaparte's scientific adviser on his expedition to Egypt in 1798, and was appointed secretary of the Institut d'Égypte. Mr. Fourier died of a heart ailment.

150 years ago
1860

Politics and government
The U.S. Republican National Convention opened at the Wigwam in Chicago.

120 years ago
1890

Politics and government
The Fourth Session of the Sixth Dominion Parliament was prorogued in Ottawa after passing several acts, including one making the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) a department in its own right.

Transportation
The Canadian Parliament authorized James Ross, Herbert Holt, William Mackenzie, and Donald Mann to construct a rail line from Calgary to Edmonton, and from Calgary to the Boundary; it became part of Canadian Northern Railway.

Economics and finance
Royal assent was given to the Dominion Bank Act to regulate the management of banks in Canada. The act forbade them to issue notes of a lower denomination than $5, and compelled all their notes to be multiples of $5.

Business
The Canadian Parliament passed a bill by Clarke Wallace (Liberal-Conservative--York West) to incorporate the Grand Orange Lodge of British America.

100 years ago
1910

Died on this date
Henri-Edmond Cross, 53. French artist. Mr. Cross, born Henri-Edmond-Joseph Delacroix was a Neo-Impressionist painter whose works incorporated his utopian anarchist views. He died of cancer, four days before his 54th birthday.

90 years ago
1920

Born on this date
Martine Carol. French actress. Miss Carol, born Marie-Louise Mourer, was a leading sex symbol of French cinema in the 1950s, in movies such as Madame du Barry (1954) and Lola Montès (1955). Her unhappy personal life included four marriages and a suicide attempt, and she died of a heart attack in a hotel bathroom in Monte Carlo on February 6, 1967 at the age of 46 while filming Hell is Empty (1967).

Died on this date
Levi P. Morton, 96. 22nd Vice President of the United States, 1889-1893. Mr. Morton, a Republican, was a successful businessman before entering politics. He represented New York's 11th District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1879-1881) and was U.S. Minister to France (1881-1885) before serving as Vice President in the administration of President Benjamin Harrison. Mr. Morton declined to run for a second term as Vice President in 1892; he was elected Governor of New York in 1894, serving one two-year term (1895-1896). Mr. Morton died on his 96th birthday.

Religion
Pope Benedict XV canonized Joan of Arc in a ceremony at the Vatican.

80 years ago
1930

Baseball
The Washington Nationals swept a doubleheader from the Philadelphia Athletics 5-3 and 4-0 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia to move past the Athletics into first place in the American League. Washington leadoff hitter George Loepp batted 4 for 4 with a double and 2 runs batted in in the first game, while wining pitcher Bump Hadley (3-1) pitched a 10-hit complete game, allowing 1 earned run, and batting 2 for 4 with an RBI, with Rube Walberg (5-2) taking the loss. Ad Liska (2-1) pitched a 3-hitter to outduel George Earnshaw (4-3) in the second game, with Joe Judge hitting a 3-run home run in the 8th inning.

Bill Sweeney doubled home Russ Scarritt with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 win over the New York Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston. The Yankees had tied the score in the top of the 9th on a solo home run by catcher Bill Dickey.

The Brooklyn Robins scored 8 runs in the first 3 innings and coasted to a 10-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Redland Field. Brooklyn leadoff hitter Johnny Frederick batted 4 for 5 with a double, 3 runs, and 2 runs batted in. Dazzy Vance (4-2) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory, allowing 1 earned run.

The St. Louis Cardinals scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat the Chicago Cubs 9-8 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. St. Louis leadoff hitter Taylor Douthit batted 5 for 6 with a triple, run, and 4 runs batted in, while shortstop Charlie Gelbert was 5 for 5 with a home run, double, 4 runs, and 2 RBIs. Chick Hafey hit 2 home runs for the Cardinals.

70 years ago
1940

War
German units in France advanced beyond Montcornet and Auesnes. French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud addressed the French Assembly, promising "revolutionary" steps to deal with the German breakthrough. U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill met in Paris with French leaders and promised that more fighter squadrons would be thrown into the battle.

Diplomacy
Sources in Rome indicated that Italian Duce Benito Mussolini was cool to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's suggestion that Italy stay out of the European war.

Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kensuki Horinouchi indicated after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull that Japan, France, U.K., and U.S.A. were in agreement that the status quo of the Netherlands East Indies should be maintained.

James Cromwell resigned as U.S. Minister to Canada.

American and Canadian officials joined in ground-breaking ceremonies for a bridge across the Niagara Falls gorge.

Politics and government
The first session of the 19th Parliament of Canada opened in Ottawa; the session would continue until November 5, 1940.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress for appropriations to increase airplane production to 50,000 a year.

Archaeology
Dr. H.J. Spinden reported that recent decipherment of Mayan relics in Mexico indicated a civilization 1,250 years in advance of Europe in astronomy and mathematics.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill permitting the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to make direct loans to individuals developing any strategic material in war time.

Batavia, capital of the Netherlands East Indies, became the headquarters for Dutch corporations for the duration of World War II.

60 years ago
1950

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Polly Pratt!

On the radio
Philo Vance, starring Jackson Beck
Tonight’s episode: The Manicure Murder Case

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: One and One's a Lonesome, starring Robert Emhardt, Nina Foch, and Scott McKay

At the movies
The Jackie Robinson Story, directed by Alfred E. Green, and starring Jackie Robinson, Ruby Dee, and Minor Watson, opened in theatres.



War
Nationalist Chinese forces announced the abandonment of Chusan Island, a base 100 miles southeast of Shanghai used for blockade operations. Nationalist Chinese President Chiang Kai-shek said in a broadcast that Taiwan would be made "invulnerable" to Communist attack in preparation for a "counter-offensive" on the mainland.

Diplomacy
Vladimir Houdek resigned as Czechoslovakia's chief United Nations delegate, and sought asylum for himself and his family in the United States.

World events
King Farouk of Egypt deprived his sister Fathia, 19, of her title of princess and of her income for marrying her mother's political secretary, a Coptic Christian commoner.

Politics and government
The Democratic National Resolutions Committee accepted the 1948 Democratic party platform as representing the party's position for the 1950 U.S. Congressional campaign.

Governor James Duff and former Judge John Fine defeated former Senator Joseph Grundy's Republican Party machine in a Pennsylvania primary, winning Republican nominations for Senator and Governor respectively.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. announced that it was cutting the remaining reparations, owed to it from East Germany, by half. Of $10 billion demanded, the East Germans' payments since 1945 were to amount to $3,658,000,000 by year's end. The remaining $6,342,000,000 was reduced to $3,171,000,000 to be paid by the end of 1965. The announcement came after worldwide protests of the Soviet declaration that it had no more German prisoners of war to return.

The West German cabinet approved the French proposal for pooling German and French coal and steel industries as a first step in European economic unity.

Labour
A six-day strike of 18,000 members of the U.S. Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen ended after the union dropped a demand for the employment of two firemen instead of one on multiple-unit diesel engines. The settlement applied to all the nation's 150 railroads.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mustapha--Bob Azzam (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Mustapha--Bob Azzam (8th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Stuck on You--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)
2 Cathy's Clown--The Everly Brothers
3 Greenfields--The Brothers Four
4 Night--Jackie Wilson
5 Good Timin'--Jimmy Jones
6 Sixteen Reasons--Connie Stevens
7 Let the Little Girl Dance--Billy Bland
8 Cradle of Love--Johnny Preston
9 Sink the Bismarck--Johnny Horton
10 He'll Have to Stay--Jeanne Black

Singles entering the chart were Always it's You by the Everly Brothers (#71); Ebb Tide by the Platters (#77); The Urge by Freddy Cannon (#78); National City by the Joiner, Arkansas Junior High School Band (#80); Finger Poppin' Time by Hank Ballard (#81); La Montana by Frank DeVol and his Rainbow Strings (#92); Exclusively Yours by Carl Dobkins, Jr. (#98); Clap Your Hands by the Beau-Marks (#99); and Mojo Workout (Dance) by Larry Bright (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Music Vendor)
1 Cathy's Clown--The Everly Brothers
2 Night--Jackie Wilson
3 Stuck on You--Elvis Presley
4 Sixteen Reasons--Connie Stevens
5 Cradle of Love--Johnny Preston
6 Greenfields--The Brothers Four
7 Stairway to Heaven--Neil Sedaka
8 He'll Have to Stay--Jeanne Black
9 Paper Roses--Anita Bryant
10 Good Timin'--Jimmy Jones

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Cathy's Clown--The Everly Brothers
2 Stuck on You/Fame and Fortune--Elvis Presley
3 Cradle of Love--Johnny Preston
4 Got a Girl--The Four Preps
5 Good Timin'--Jimmy Jones
6 Sixteen Reasons--Connie Stevens
7 Paper Roses--Anita Bryant
8 Happy-Go-Lucky-Me--Paul Evans
9 Just a Closer Walk with Thee--Jimmie Rodgers
10 Stairway to Heaven--Neil Sedaka

Singles entering the chart were Jealous of You (Tango Della Gelosia) by Connie Francis (#21, charting with its other side, Everybody's Somebody's Fool); Runaround by the Fleetwoods (#52); Ebb Tide by the Platters (#57); Train of Love (LP track) by Annette (#58); Biology by Danny Valentino (#59); A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love) by Dinah Washington & Brook Benton (#60); and Walking the Floor Over You by Pat Boone (also #60).

Diplomacy
A harsh exchange between U.S.S.R. leader Nikita Khrushchev and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower doomed a much-heralded summit conference involving the U.S.S.R., U.S.A., U.K., and France, following the Soviet downing of an American U-2 spy plane on May 1.



Technology
Theodore Maiman operated the first optical laser (a ruby laser), at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Bridge Over Troubled Water (LP)--Simon & Garfunkel (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)--John Ono Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La prima cosa bella--Nicola Di Bari (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): House of the Rising Sun--Frijid Pink

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Back Home--England World Cup Squad '70

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Let it Be--The Beatles (4th week at #1)
2 Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse
3 Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop the Rain--Creedence Clearwater Revival
4 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
5 A Little Ray of Sunshine--Axiom
6 Ma Belle Amie--The Tee Set
7 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
8 Instant Karma (We All Shine On)--John Ono Lennon (with the Plastic Ono Band)
9 Temma Harbour--Mary Hopkin
10 All I Have to Do is Dream--Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell

Singles entering the chart were Airport Love Theme by Vincent Bell (#36); Julia by Ted Mulry (#38); Up the Ladder to the Roof by the Supremes (#39); and Everything is Beautiful by Ray Stevens (#40).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 El Condor Pasa--Simon & Garfunkel (Instrumental track by Los Incas) (6th week at #1)
2 Sympathy--Steve Rowland & the Family Dogg
3 Cecilia--Simon and Garfunkel
4 House of the Rising Sun--Frijid Pink
5 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
6 Osaka--The Shoes
7 Good Morning Freedom--Blue Mink
8 Ruby is the One--Earth and Fire
9 All Kinds of Everything--Dana
10 Up Around the Bend--Creedence Clearwater Revival

Singles entering the chart were Up Around the Bend; Make Me Smile by Chicago (#35); If You Do Believe in Love by Tee-Set (#36); and Keep on Smiling by James Lloyd (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 American Woman/No Sugar Tonight--The Guess Who (2nd week at #1)
2 ABC--The Jackson 5
3 Vehicle--The Ides of March
4 Let it Be--The Beatles
5 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
6 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
7 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
8 Turn Back the Hands of Time--Tyrone Davis
9 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival
10 Reflections of My Life--The Marmalade

Singles entering the chart were The Wonder of You/Mama Liked the Roses by Elvis Presley (#66); Whoever Finds This, I Love You by Mac Davis (#72); Check Out Your Mind by the Impressions (#76); Come to Me by Tommy James and the Shondells (#77); Killer Joe by Quincy Jones (#79); Hey, Mister Sun by Bobby Sherman (#81); Mississippi by John Phillips (#83); So Much Love by Faith, Hope and Charity (#85); Red Red Wine by Vic Dana (#87); Let This Be a Letter (To My Baby) by Jackie Wilson (#91); I Want To (Do Everything for You) by the Raeletts (#97); Cottage Cheese by Crow (#98); That Same Old Feeling by the Fortunes (#99); and That Same Old Feeling by Pickettywitch (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 American Woman--The Guess Who
2 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
3 ABC--The Jackson 5
4 Turn Back the Hands of Time--Tyrone Davis
5 Up Around the Bend--Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 Vehicle--The Ides of March
7 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
8 Reflections of My Life--The Marmalade
9 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
10 For the Love of Him--Bobbi Martin

Singles entering the chart were The Long and Winding Road (#38)/For You Blue (#74) by the Beatles; Hey, Mister Sun by Bobby Sherman (#62); Gimme Dat Ding by the Pipkins (#77); Westbound #9 by the Flaming Ember (#79); That Same Old Feeling by the Fortunes (#80); She Didn't Know (She Kept on Talking) by Dee Dee Warwick (#83); What am I Gonna Do by Smith (#86); That Same Old Feeling by Pickettywitch (#88); Come to Me by Tommy James and the Shondells (#89); Friends by Feather (#93); I Think I Love You Again by Brenda Lee (#94); You, Me and Mexico by Edward Bear (#95); Red Red Wine by Vic Dana (#98); Check Out Your Mind by the Impressions (#99); and Let This Be a Letter (To My Baby) by Jackie Wilson (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 American Woman/No Sugar Tonight--The Guess Who
2 Turn Back the Hands of Time--Tyrone Davis
3 Vehicle--The Ides of March
4 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
5 Love or Let Me Be Lonely--The Friends of Distinction
6 Let it Be--The Beatles
7 Something’s Burning--Kenny Rogers and the First Edition
8 Reflections of My Life--The Marmalade
9 For the Love of Him--Bobbi Martin
10 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival

Singles entering the chart were The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue by the Beatles (#44); Come to Me by Tommy James and the Shondells (#75); She Didn't Know (She Kept on Talking) by Dee Dee Warwick (#76); What am I Gonna Do by Smith (#77); Who's Gonna Take the Blame by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (#79); I Wanna Be a Free Girl by Dusty Springfield (#85); Love Like a Man by Ten Years After (#89); Westbound #9 by the Flaming Ember (#90); Lay a Little Lovin' on Me by Robin McNamara (#93); Man of Constant Sorrow by Ginger Baker (#94); Darkness, Darkness by the Youngbloods (#97); A Little Bit of Soap by Paul Davis (#98); Baby I Love You by Little Milton (#99); and And My Heart Sang by Brenda and the Tabulations (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 American Woman/No Sugar Tonight--The Guess Who (2nd week at #1)
2 Love or Let Me Be Lonely--The Friends of Distinction
3 You, Me and Mexico--Edward Bear
4 Vehicle--The Ides of March
5 Turn Back the Hands of Time--Tyrone Davis
6 Something’s Burning--Kenny Rogers and the First Edition
7 Reflections of My Life--The Marmalade
8 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
9 Let it Be--The Beatles
10 For the Love of Him--Bobbi Martin

Singles entering the chart were The Long and Winding Road by the Beatles (#65); Ride Captain Ride by Blues Image (#67); Baby Hold On by the Grass Roots (#70); Love Like a Man by Ten Years After (#71); If You Do Believe in Love by the Tee Set (#72); I Call My Baby Candy by the Jaggerz (#76); Cecilia by Sweet Henry (#79); I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top by the Hollies (#81); The Call by Gene MacLellan (#91); The Wonder of You by Elvis Presley (#98); Goodbye by the Mercey Brothers (#99); and Hey, Mister Sun by Bobby Sherman (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 American Woman--The Guess Who (2nd week at #1)
2 Little Green Bag--George Baker Selection
3 Let it Be--The Beatles
4 My Baby Loves Lovin'--White Plains
5 Up Around the Bend--Creedence Clearwater Revival
6 Everybody's Out of Town--B.J. Thomas
7 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
8 Tennessee Bird Walk--Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan
9 Mr. Monday--The Original Caste
10 Instant Karma (We All Shine On)--John Ono Lennon (with the Plastic Ono Band)
Pick hit of the week: The Long and Winding Road--The Beatles

Died on this date
Dutch Ruether, 76. U.S. baseball pitcher. Walter Henry Ruether played with the Chicago (Cubs (1917); Cincinnati Reds (1917-1920); Brooklyn Robins (1921-1924); Washington Nationals (1925); and New York Yankees (1925-1927), compiling a record of 137-95 with an earned run average of 3.50 in 309 games, batting 258 with 7 home runs and 111 runs batted in in 488 games. He led the National League in winning percentage (.760) when he was 19-6 in helping the Reds to the 1919 World Series championship. Mr. Ruether played on AL pennant-winning teams in his last three seasons, and finished his major league career with the team widely regarded as the greatest in history. He spent at least 12 seasons in the minor leagues from 1911-1935, and was 29-7 with a 3.03 ERA, batting .316 with 2 homers with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1928. Mr. Ruether spent 7 years as a scout with the Chicago Cubs, and 24 years as a scout with the New York Giants.

War
In what was termed a reprisal for two recent attacks, Israeli planes sank an Egyptian destroyer and missile boat in the Red Sea. The Israeli action followed the reported sinking of an Israeli fishing boat and the death of an Israeli frogman in Elath harbour.

U.S. deaths in Vietnam for the week numbered 217, exceeding 200 for the first time in nine months. 1,281 were wounded, 199 in Cambodia. Of the fatalities, 140 died in South Vietnam and 77 in Cambodia.

Politics and government
Joaquin Balaguer was re-elected to another four-year term as President of Dominican Republic, with more than 57% of the vote. His centrist Reformist Party maintained control of Congress, taking 45 of 74 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 21 of 27 seats in the Senate. The main opposition party, Dominican Revolutionary Party, did not contest the election. Mr. Balaguer had originally become president in 1961, was forced from office in 1962, and was elected to his first four-year term in 1966.

Horse racing
Personality, with Eddie Belmonte up, won the 95th running of the Preakness Stakes in a time of 1:56 1/5, a neck ahead of My Dad George, who had placed second in the Kentucky Derby. Silent Screen finished third in the 14-horse field.

Baseball
The Oakland Athletics sold outfielder Tommie Reynolds to the California Angels. He was batting .383 with 2 home runs and 19 runs batted in in 23 games with the Iowa Oaks of the AAA American Association in 1970.

The New York Met traded third baseman Terry Dailey to the Montreal Expos to complete the June 15, 1969 trade in which the Expos traded first baseman Donn Clendenon to the Mets for pitcher Steve Renko, infielder Kevin Collins, pitchers Jay Carden and David Colon, and a player to be named later. Mr. Dailey was batting .227 with no home runs and 4 runs batted in in 16 games with the Jacksonville Suns of the AA Southern League in 1970.

Willie McCovey drove in 3 runs with a pair of home runs and drew 3 bases on balls to help the San Francisco Giants edge the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 before 42,241 fans at Dodger Stadium. 13-year-old fan Alan Fish was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Manny Mota and initially reported feeling fine, but after the game became disoriented and began walking in circles. He was hospitalized and died four days later. His parents sued the team and the doctor, but the suit was decided in favour of the team in 1973. He remains the only fan to die after being hit by a ball or bat at a major league game.

Matty Alou singled home Fred Patek from second base with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 4-3 win over the Montreal Expos before 4,237 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Mr. Patek was picked oof first base by Montreal pitcher Claude Raymond (2-2), but Mr. Raymond's throw was wild, allowing Mr. Patek to go to second on the error. Luke Walker (5-2) pitched 2 hitless and scoreless innings of relief to get the win.

Jerry Koosman (2-2) pitched a 4-hitter and Ron Swoboda singled home 2 runs with 2 out in the top of the 1st inning to provide the necessary scoring as the New York Mets shut out the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0 before 4,826 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia.

Atlanta Braves’ left fielder Rico Carty’s hitting streak ended at 31 games as the Braves lost 2-0 to the Cincinnati Reds before 15,382 fans as Jim McGlothlin (4-3) pitched a 5-hitter for the last shutout at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

The New York Yankees scored 5 runs with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning as they beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4 before 26,178 fans at Yankee Stadium.

The Minnesota Twins (4) and Milwaukee Brewers (3) combined to hit 7 home runs as the Twins won 11-7 before 9,145 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee.

The Oakland Athletics scored 5 runs in the 4th inning and 4 in the 8th as they beat the California Angels 11-3 before 5,653 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Felipe Alou, Dave Duncan, Dick Green, and Bert Campaneris hit home runs for Oakland. Chuck Dobson (3-4) pitched a 3-hit complete game victory, allowing a 2-run homer by Ken McMullen in the 5th. Tom Murphy (4-3) allowed 6 hits and 7 runs--6 earned--in 3.2 innings to take the loss, while Harvey Shank, the third of four California pitchers, allowed 2 hits and no runs in 3 innings, walking 2 batters and striking out 1 in his only major league game. He was one of the players profiled in the book Once Around the Bases (1998) by Richard Tellis.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Just nu!--Tomas Ledin

#1 single in France (IFOP): One Step Beyond--Madness (4th week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Fly Too High--Janis Ian
2 Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band
3 Please Don't Go--KC and the Sunshine Band
4 I'm in the Mood for Dancing--The Nolans
5 Message in a Bottle--The Police
6 Computer Games--MS
7 Brass in Pocket--Pretenders
8 American Dream--The Dirt Band
9 Rapper's Delight--Sugarhill Gang
10 Romeo's Tune--Steve Forbert

Singles entering the chart were Bolero by Tomita (#16); and Together We are Beautiful by Fern Kinney (#17).

World events
Two days after U.S. President Jimmy Carter had decided against welcoming more private boats carrying refugees from Cuba who were escaping to the United States, the U.S. Coast Guard had seized 119 boats.

Environment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the findings of a study that claimed that some residents of the Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York had incurred chromosome damage from the toxic chemicals buried there.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles 123 @ Philadelphia 107 (Los Angeles won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Rookie Magic Johnson, moved from point guard to center in place of injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds before 18,726 fans at the Spectrum to lead the Lakers to their first National Basketball Association championship since 1972. Julius Erving led the 76ers with 27 points. The NBA was so out of fashion that year that the finals weren’t televised in prime time in most markets; CBS showed the games after the late newscasts.



25 years ago
1985

Died on this date
Margaret Hamilton, 82. U.S. actress. Miss Hamilton was best known for playing the Wicked Witch of the West in the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Crime
South Wales miners Dean Hancock and Russell Shankland, both 21, were sentenced to life in prison in Cardiff Crown Court for the November 1984 murder of taxi driver David Wilkie, who died when a 46-pound block of concrete was hurled from a bridge and landed on his cab as he was driving miner David Williams to the Merthyr Vale pit. The sentences were later reduced on appeal.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Edmonton 8 @ Chicago 2 (Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4-2)

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vogue--Madonna (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
Hands of a Murderer, starring Edward Woodward as Sherlock Holmes and John Hillerman as Dr. Watson, on CBS

I didn’t think this made-for-television movie was one of the better efforts at presenting the Master on TV, and the casting was wrong. John Neville, who had played Sherlock Holmes in the movie A Study in Terror (1965) and on stage at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton in William Gillette’s play Sherlock Holmes in 1975, was cast as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft. Mr. Neville should have been cast as Sherlock Holmes and Mr. Woodward as Mycroft.



Died on this date
Sammy Davis Jr., 64. U.S. entertatiner. Mr. Davis was a dancer, singer, and actor in a career that spanned more than 50 years. He was part of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack" in the 1960s. Mr. Davis appeared in numerous movies and television programs, and his hit records included The Candy Man, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1972.

Jim Henson, 53. U.S. puppeteer and producer. Mr. Henson created the puppet characters the Muppets, who made numerous appearances on television in the 1950s and '60s before becoming regular characters on the children's television program Sesame Street when that show began broadcasting in 1969. Mr. Henson subsequently created the programs The Muppet Show (1976-1981) and Fraggle Rock (1983-1987), and his characters starred in several Muppet movies. Mr. Henson died when struck by a sudden bacterial infection.

World events
The Lithuanian government suspended enforcement of its independence laws.

Health
The British government attempted to reassure the public that British beef was safe to eat, despite concern over mad cow disease.

Environment
Fire broke out at Quebec's largest tire dump (3 million tires) in St.-Amable, near Montreal; it raged for four days before being put out.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that consumer prices had risen 0.2% in April, the smallest rise since the previous September.

10 years ago
2000

Society
Canadian federal Privacy Commissioner Bruce Phillips warned that the federal government’s department of Human Resources and development had a huge database containing data relating to the lives of ordinary Canadians.

Crime
Two former Ku Klux Klan members--Thomas Blanton, Jr. and Bobby Frank Cherry--were indicted for murder in connection with the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama on September 15, 1963 that killed four young Negro girls and injured about 20 others. One KKK member, Robert "Dynamite Bob" Chambliss, was convicted of murder in the case in 1977 and died in prison. Another suspect, now dead, was never charged.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates for the sixth time since June 1999. The federal funds rate--the rate banks charged each other on overnight loans--was raised from 6% to 6.5%. The discount rate--the rate the Fed charged on loans to banks--rose from 5.5% to 6%.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Finals
New Jersey 3 @ Philadelphia 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)