May 17, 2010

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Katya Semenova!

500 years ago
1510

Died on this date
Sandro Botticelli, 64 or 65 (?). Italian artist. Mr. Botticelli, born Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, was a painter of the Florentine School, and a major painter in the early Renaissance. His best-known works are The Birth of Venus and Primavera. In addition to mythological subjects, Mr. Botticelli painted religious works and portraits. He died after years of declining health.

420 years ago
1590

Britannica
Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland.

140 years ago
1870

Born on this date
Newton Moore. Australian politician. Major General Sir Newton served with the Western Australian infantry before and during World War I. As an independent politician, he was elected to the Western Australia Legislative Assembly in 1904, representing Bunbury. He was appointed Minister of Lands and Agriculture in 1905, and then served as Premier of Western Australia (1906-1910). Sir Newton resigned his legislative seat in 1911 to serve as Agent-General for Western Australia in London. After commanding forces in World War I, he resigned as Agent-General, and was elected to the British House of Commons, representing three different ridings (October-December 1918, 1918-1923, 1924-1932). Sir Newton died on October 28, 1936 at the age of 66.

110 years ago
1900

Literature
The novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum was first published, by George M. Hill Company. The first copy was given to the author's sister.

War
The 217-day Siege of Mafeking, South Africa was relieved by British troops.

80 years ago
1930

Politics and government
Liberal Party candidate Lady Helena Squires, wife of Newfoundland Prime Minister Sir Richard Squires, won a by-election in the District of Lewisporte, becoming the first woman elected to the Newfoundland House of Assembly.

Horse racing
Gallant Fox, with Earl Sande up, won his second straight Triple Crown race, winning the 56th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:07 3/5, 2 lengths ahead of Gallant Knight, with Ned O. finishing third in the 15-horse field. In 1930 the Preakness Stakes was the first leg of the Triple Crown, and was run eight days before the Kentucky Derby.

70 years ago
1940

War
German forces occupied Louvain and Brussels, forcing the Belgian government to relocate to Ostend on the Channel coast. German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler ordered Wehrmacht General Heinz Guderian to check the advance until the German infantry caught up with him. A counterattack by French tank units commanded by General Charles de Gaulle was thrown back near Montcornet. German forces reached the Oise River. The old city centre of the Dutch town of Middelburg was bombed by the German Luftwaffe, to force the surrender of the Dutch armies in Zeeland. Chinese forces reported inflicting 7,000 casualties on Japanese troops in an attack on the city of Tsaoyang in the Chinese province of Hupeh.

Defense
The United States House of Representatives Military Affairs Committee opened hearings on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal for equipping and training 1 million fighting men by June 1941.

With President Roosevelt's approval, Chicago newspaper publisher Frank Knox announced plans to help train 10,000 civilian air pilots in the summer of 1940.

Labour
United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis asked that the U.S. government grant labour a voice in formulating defense policies.

60 years ago
1950

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Ben Wright and Eric Snowden, on ABC
Tonight’s episode: The Importance of the Press

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Martin Gabel, on ABC

At the movies
Annie Get Your Gun, directed by George Sidney, and starring Betty Hutton and Howard Keel, opened in theatres.



Diplomacy
Reporting on his talk with U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin, United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie said that Mr. Stalin was in good health, and dismissed rumours to the contrary as "lies."

The Indonesian government announced its neutrality in the Cold War.

Romania asked the United States to reduced its diplomatic mission in the country from 20 to 10.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate defeated President Harry Truman's plans to reorganize the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.

Economics and finance
The United Kingdom formally announced its intention of joining the projected European foreign-trade payments union, although questions affecting sterling-gold exchange and long-term trade credits had yet to be worked out.

50 years ago
1960

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Light Programme
Tonight’s episode: The Engineer’s Thumb

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Gypsy, starring Robert Blake, John Kellogg, Johnny Seven, and Murvyn Vye



Diplomacy
The Big Four summit of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S.S.R. leader Nikita Khruschchev, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, and French President Charles de Gaulle ended in failure over recriminations concerning the Soviet downing two weeks earlier of a U.S. U2 spy plane and the capture of the pilot, Gary Powers.



40 years ago
1970

On television tonight
Hollywood Television Theatre, on PBS
Tonight's episode: The Andersonville Trial

This dramatization of Saul Levitt's play was directed by George C. Scott, and starred William Shatner, Cameron Mitchell, Jack Cassidy, and Richard Basehart.

Exploration
Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, with an international crew of seven, set sail from Safi, Morocco in the papyrus boat Ra II in a second attempt to prove that Egyptians could have reached the New World 4,000-5,000 years ago.

Basketball
ABA
Finals
Los Angeles 111 @ Indiana 114 (Indiana led best-of-seven series 2-0)

The Pacers outscored the Stars 62-53 in the 2nd half as they came back from a 48-42 halftime deficit to defeat the Stars before 9,014 fans at Indiana State Fair Coliseum in Indianapolis. Bob Netolicky led the Pacers with 32 points, and Mel Daniels added 31. George Stone led Los Angeles scorers with 29 points, and Mervin Jackson added 28.

Baseball
The largest crowd at Crosley Field since 1947--33,217--saw the hometown Cincinnati Reds sweep a doubleheader from the Atlanta Braves, 5-1 and 7-6 in 15 innings. In the 1st inning of the second game, Hank Aaron of the Braves singled off Wayne Simpson for his 3,000th career major league hit. He later hit his 570th career home run off Mr. Simpson. Cincinnati third baseman Tony Perez batted 5 for 7 in the second game, and the Reds got home runs from Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Lee May. Rookie Don Gullett (2-0), who pitched the last 2 innings for the Reds, singled home Dave Concepcion with the winning run with 1 out in the bottom of the 15th. Jim Merritt (8-2) pitched a 7-hit complete game victory in the first game.



Bobby Wine led off the 6th inning with a home run and Mack Jones hit a 2-run homer with 1 out as the Montreal Expos scored 3 runs to take an 8-6 lead and held on for an 8-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 8,604 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Rookie John Strohmayer (1-0) allowed 5 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 2.1 innings of relief to get his first major league win, and singled between the home runs of Messrs. Wine and Jones, getting his first major league hit and scoring his first run.



Claude Osteen (4-4) pitched a 4-hitter and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored 6 runs in the 5th inning as they shut out the San Francisco Giants 8-0 before 28,122 fans at Dodger Stadium.

Marty Keough singled and scored the tying run in the top of the 9th inning and doubled home Amos Otis with the winning run in the 10th as the Kansas City Royals edged the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 18,145 fans at White Sox Park. Catcher Ed Herrmann hit a pair of solo home runs to account for the Chicago scoring, but grounded out to end the game. Pitcher Jim Rooker doubled home 2 runs to break a 4-4 tie and Pat Kelly followed with a home run as the Kansas City Royals scored 4 runs in the top of the 11th to win the second game 8-4 to complete the sweep. Mr. Rooker (2-2) allowed 9 hits and 4 earned runs in a complete game, while batting 2 for 5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 5 runs batted in.

Roger Repoz drove in 4 runs with a pair of doubles and Clyde Wright (5-2) allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings to get the win as the California Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 7-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 17,326 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Greg Garrett walked Roberto Pena to load the bases with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning and followed with a base on balls to Bert Campaneris to score Sal Bando and give the Athletics a 6-5 win in the second game. Oakland trailed 5-2 before tying the game in the 8th on home runs by Felipe Alou and Mr. Bando.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): What's Another Year--Johnny Logan

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): What's Another Year--Johnny Logan

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band (2nd week at #1)
2 I'm in the Mood for Dancing--Nolan Sisters
3 American Dream--The Dirt Band
4 Funkytown--Lipps Inc.
5 You and Me--Spargo
6 Working My Way Back to You--Spinners
7 Our Song--Guys 'n' Dolls
8 Special Lady--Ray, Goodman & Brown
9 Buzz Buzz a Diddle It--Matchbox
10 We Believe in Love--Dolly Dots

Singles entering the chart were Dance Yourself Dizzy by Liquid Gold (#24); Lost in Love by Demis Roussos (#32); Happy Birthday, Baby by Lee Towers (#34); Rosie by Joan Armatrading (#37); and Ravel's Bolero--Love Theme from "10" by Thijs van Leer (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Call Me--Blondie (5th week at #1)
2 Ride Like The Wind--Christopher Cross
3 Lost in Love--Air Supply
4 Funkytown--Lipps Inc.
5 With You I’m Born Again--Billy Preston & Syreeta
6 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
7 You May Be Right--Billy Joel
8 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
9 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
10 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia

Singles entering the chart were Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time by the Spinners (#67); Atomic by Blondie (#71); One Fine Day by Carole King (#73); All Night Long by Joe Walsh (#74); Back Together Again by Roberta Flack with Donny Hathaway (#76); Clones (We're All) by Alice Cooper (#77); All Night Thing by the Invisible Man's Band (#79); Dancin' Like Lovers by Mary MacGregor (#83); Is This Love by the Pat Travers Band (#84); Stand by Me by Mickey Gilley (#85); I Only Want to Be with You by the Tourists (#87); Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like by Glen Campbell (#88); Love and Loneliness by the Motors (#89); and A Lover's Holiday by Change (#90). All Night Long and Stand by Me were from the movie Urban Cowboy (1980).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Call Me--Blondie (6th week at #1)
2 Lost in Love--Air Supply
3 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
4 Ride Like the Wind--Christopher Cross
5 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
6 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
7 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
8 You May Be Right--Billy Joel
9 Stomp!--The Brothers Johnson
10 Hurt So Bad--Linda Ronstadt

Singles entering the chart were Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time by the Spinners (#61); All Night Long by Joe Walsh (#69); Atomic by Blondie (#83); Stand by Me by Mickey Gilley (#85); One Fine Day by Carole King (#86); Angel Say No by Tommy Tutone (#87); Back of My Hand (I've Got Your Number) by the Jags (#88); Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd (#89); Love and Loneliness by the Motors (#90); Gone Too Far by Eddie Rabbitt (#96); King of the Hill by Rick Pinette and Oak (#97); Real Love by the Cretones (#98); and Every Step of the Way by Steve Walsh (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Call Me--Blondie (5th week at #1)
2 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
3 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
4 Lost in Love--Air Supply
5 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
6 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
7 With You I’m Born Again--Billy Preston & Syreeta
8 You May Be Right--Billy Joel
9 Hurt So Bad--Linda Ronstadt
10 Ride Like The Wind--Christopher Cross

Singles entering the chart were Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time by the Spinners (#46); All Night Long by Joe Walsh (#63); Angel Say No by Tommy Tutone (#76); Stand by Me by Mickey Gilley (#80); Atomic by Blondie (#81); Misunderstanding by Genesis (#82); Clones (We're All) by Alice Cooper (#83); Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd (#84); Time for Me to Fly by REO Speedwagon (#86); One Fine Day by Carole King (#88); and Slipstream by Allan Clarke (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Call Me--Blondie (3rd week at #1)
2 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
3 Ride Like the Wind--Christopher Cross
4 Rock Lobster--The B-52's
5 Fire Lake--Bob Seger
6 Cars--Gary Numan
7 You May Be Right--Billy Joel
8 Working My Way to You/Forgive Me, Girl--Spinners
9 I Can't Tell You Why--Eagles
10 An American Dream--The Dirt Band

Singles entering the chart were The Rose by Bette Midler (#88); Headed for a Fall by Firefall (#89); Love and Loneliness by the Motors (#91); All the Tea in China by Susan Jacks (#97); Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd (#98); Another Nail in My Heart by Squeeze (#99); and Try Walkin' Away by Murray McLauchlan (#100).

At the movies
The Empire Strikes Back, the second movie in the Star Wars series, received its premiere screening at Kennedy Center in New York City.



Died on this date
Harold Connolly, 78. Canadian politician. Mr. Connolly, a Liberal, represented Halifax North in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1936-1955. He held several cabinet posts before taking office as Premier on April 14, 1954 upon the death of Angus L. Macdonald. Messrs. Macdonald and Connolly were both Roman Catholics, and since the Nova Scotia Liberal Party had a tradition of alternating between Catholic and Protestant leaders, the appointment of Mr. Connolly as Premier aroused the opposition of Protestants within the party, who succeeded in electing Henry Hicks as Liberal leader at the party's convention in September 1954. Mr. Connolly moved to federal politics when he was appointed to the Senate, representing Halifax North from July 28, 1955 until his resignation on May 14, 1979.

War
On the eve of presidential elections, Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path attacked a polling location in Chuschi (a town in Ayacucho), starting the internal conflict in Peru.

World events
Lieutenant General Chun Doo Hwan, head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency and the defense security Command, imposed a comprehensive martial law in order to end two weeks of bloody demonstrations in several South Korean cities by students who were demanding a concrete timetable for the democratization of the country. Kim Dae Jung, a popular native politician and resident of South Cholla province, was immediately arrested.

Protest
Hours after an all-white jury in Tampa, Florida had acquitted four Miami police officers of charges in the fatal beating of Arthur McDuffie--a Negro insurance executive whom they had chased and stopped for a traffic violation--rioting by Negroes began in the Miami neighbourhood of Liberty City. Florida Governor Bob Graham ordered the National Guard into the neighbourhood and imposed a curfew in an area several miles square.

Disasters
An overloaded 36-foot cabin cruiser bringing refugees from Cuba to Florida sank 25 miles off Cuba, killing 14 of the 52 refugees aboard. The U.S. Coast Guard set a 200-mile patrol zone stretching from Key West, Florida to Miami to enforce the new U.S. policy against the flotilla of boats bringing Cuban refugees to the U.S.A.

Horse racing
Codex, with Angel Cordero, Jr. up, won the 105th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:54 1/5, 4¾ lengths ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Genuine Risk, with Colonel Moran finishing third in the 8-horse field. Mr. Cordero appeared to interfere with Genuine Risk on the backstretch, but the appeal was denied.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Philadelphia 2 @ New York Islanders 6 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-1)



Baseball
The Montreal Expos scored 6 runs in the 7th inning and 2 in the 8th as they beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-6 before 22,702 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Ellis Valentine and Gary Carter each drove in 3 runs for the Expos.

Dave McKay singled off pitcher Joey McLaughlin's leg and reached second base on an error by second baseman Pedro Garcia on the play, and then scored on a 2-out single by Jeff Newman to break a 2-2 tie as the Oakland Athletics scored 2 runs in the top of the 14th inning and defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 before 23,074 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Matt Keough (5-3) pitched a 5-hit complete game victory, allowing 1 earned run, while Toronto starter Dave Stieb allowed 10 hits and 2 earned runs in 12 innings. Ray Cosey flied out as a pinch hitter for Oakland in the 11th in his 9th and last major league game.

The Milwaukee Brewers scored 5 runs in the top of the 1st inning and 2 in the 2nd to take a 7-0 lead, and held on for a 14-11 win over the Minnesota Twins before 13,394 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.

25 years ago
1985

Baseball
The Texas Rangers fired manager Doug Rader and replaced him with New York Mets’ third base coach Bobby Valentine. The Rangers had the worst record in the major leagues at the time: 9-23.

Baltimore Orioles’ rookie Fritz Connally hit his second career major league home run and his second grand slam to help the Orioles defeat the Seattle Mariners 11-3. Mr. Connally hit just one more home run in the major leagues.

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Raptori--Raptori (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Game--The Memories

Diplomacy
Lithuanian Premier Kasimiera Prunskiene met with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow. Ms. Prunskiene later said that the discussions were a big step forward. Lithuania had declared independence from the U.S.S.R. in March, but the Soviets had refused to recognize it.

Politics and government
A report was released by a House of Commons committee headed by Jean Charest that had been established in March to examine the proposal that the Meech Lake Canadian constitutional accord be approved by its June 23 deadline, but that it be followed by a companion agreement addressing critics’ concerns. The report unanimously recommended approving Meech Lake by June 23, saying that the federal government should promote the two official languages, recognize the distinct society clause, and reform the Senate. The report called for an agreement that the clause recognizing Quebec as a "distinct society" could not be used to undermine the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Abominations
The General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) eliminated homosexuality from the list of psychiatric diseases.

Art
Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito, who had paid a record $82.5 million for a Van Gogh painting at Christie’s in New York two days earlier, was the successful bidder for Renoir’s painting Au Moulin de la Galette at Sotheby’s in New York, paying $78.1 million, including commission.

Economics and finance
Those in attendance at the White House economic summit between U.S. President George Bush and Congressional leaders heard a Congressional Budget Office report putting the 1991 deficit projection as high as $159 billion. No agreements on the budget were reported from the talks.

The United States Commerce Department reported that the U.S. merchandise trade deficit had risen to $8.45 billion in March, propelled by a 10% increase in imports.

Business
Star-Kist Canada announced its intention to close its tuna plant in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, throwing 250 people out of work. Slumping prices were to blame; the plant closed due to the tainted tuna scandal of 1985-88.

Soccer
English FA Cup Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Manchester United 1 Crystal Palace 0

This Thursday match was a replay of the previous Saturday’s final, which was tied after extra time.



10 years ago
2000

At the movies
This blogger attended a preview screening of The Virgin Suicides, the first movie to be directed by Sofia Coppola. The story, set in 1975, is about a group of teenage boys who become obsessed about a group of sisters after one of the girls commits suicide. The movie did a good job of recreating the look and sound of 1975, but I didn't buy the way the boys regarded the sisters as being interchangeable. I was in love with the oldest of three sisters in 1975, and they were definitely not interchangeable.





Died on this date
Donald Coggan, 90. U.K. clergyman. Most Rev. Coggan was a Church of England minister and scholar, holding various posts culminating in the office of Archbishop of Canterbury (1974-1980). He supported the ordination of women and full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, while denying biblical inerrancy.

World events
Arsenal and Galatasaray fans clashed in the 2000 UEFA Cup Final soccer riots in Copenhagen.





Foday Sankoh, leader of the Sierra Leone rebel movement Revolutionary United Front, who had fled his home, was seized by pro-government forces when he tried to return to it.

Exploration
Royal Marine commandos Alan Chambers and Charlie Paton became the first Britons to reach the geographical North Pole without outside support.

Medicine
A team of doctors at the University of Alberta announced that they had successfully transplanted human pancreatic cells into eight severely-diabetic patients, who began producing their own insulin immediately.