May 18, 2010

230 years ago
1780

Died on this date
Charles Hardy, 65-66 (?). U.K. military officer and politician. Sir Charles joined the Royal Navy in 1731, and rose to the rank of Admiral of the White. He was colonial Governor of New York (1755-1757) before commanding forces in the Seven Years' War. Sir Charles represented Rochester (1764-1768) and Plymouth (1771-1780). He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet in 1779, and held that position and his parliamentary seat at the time of his death.

150 years ago
1860

Politics and government
The U.S. Republican National Convention concluded at the Wigwam in Chicago with the nomination of former U.S. Representative Abraham Lincoln (Illinois) on the fourth ballot as the party's candidate for President of the United States in the 1860 election. U.S. Senator Hannibal Hamlin (Maine) was nominated on the second ballot as the 1860 Republican candidate for Vice President.

140 years ago
1870

Born on this date
Chappie Snodgrass. U.S. baseball player. Amzie Beal Snodgrass played left field with the Baltimore Orioles (1901), batting .100 (1 for 10) with no home runs and 1 batted in in 3 games. He played with the Baton Rough Red Sticks of the Class D Cotton States League (1904), batting .228. Mr. Snodgrass died on September 9, 1951 at the age of 81.

130 years ago
1880

Horse racing
Fonso, with G.G. Lewis up, won the 6th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:37.5. Kimball placed second and Bancroft finished third in the 5-horse field. A foul claim against Fonso by Kimball's jockey, William Lakeland, was disallowed.

110 years ago
1900

Politics and government
In order to discourage German advances, the Kingdom of Tonga became a Protected State with the United Kingdom under a Treaty of Friendship signed by King George Tupou II after European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs had attempted to overthrow him. Foreign affairs of the Kingdom of Tonga were conducted through the British Consul, and the U.K. had veto power over Tonga's foreign policies and finances.

100 years ago
1910

Science
At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of the Feeble-Minded, psychologist Dr. Henry H. Goddard proposed definitions for a system for classifying individuals with intellectual disability based on intelligence quotient (IQ). The lowest levels were: moron (IQ 51-70); imbecile (26-50); and idiot (0-25). A moron, by Dr. Goddard's definition, was any adult with mental age from 8-12.

90 years ago
1920

Born on this date
Karol Wojtyla. The future Pope John Paul II was born near Krakow, Poland.

Horse racing
Man o'War, with Clarence Kummer up, won the 45th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 3/5, 1 1⁄2 lengths ahead of Upset, with Wild Air third in the 9-horse field.

Baseball
The University of Chicago edged Keio University 1-0 in 10 innings in Tokyo.

80 years ago
1930

Baseball
Babe Ruth hit one of the longest home runs in the history of Fenway Park in Boston, a blast off Ed Morris (2-4) over the right field roof, as the New York Yankees whipped the Boston Red Sox 11-0. George Pipgras (4-2) pitched his third shutout of the season, allowing just 3 hits.

Lefty Grove (5-0) pitched a 5-hitter to lead the Philadelphia Athletics to a 1-0 win over the Washington Nationals at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Losing pitcher Lloyd Brown (4-4) gave up just 3 hits in 8 innings. Max Bishop was hit by a pitch to lead off the 6th inning and eventually scored the only run when Jimmie Foxx grounded into a force play at second base and beat Washington second baseman Buddy Myer's throw to first base.

Hack Wilson drove in 3 runs with a pair of home runs as the Chicago Cubs scored all their runs in the last 4 innings to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 in the first game of a doubleheader at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Chick Hafey hit a 3-run homer in a 4-run 4th inning and the Cardinals added 3 in the 5th as they won the second game 8-2, with Jesse Haines (3-0) pitching a 6-hit complete game victory.

70 years ago
1940

Television
Robert Lorenzon developed a system of broadcasting and receiving in natural colour.

Diplomacy
Under Panama's leadership, the 21 American republics issued a declaration stating that Germany's invasion of the Low Countries was "unjustified and cruel."

56 aliens were deported from New York City to Italy, France, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Romania.

Politics and government
Supporters of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt won the Oregon primary for the 1940 Democratic Party presidential nomination, putting Mr. Roosevelt 45 votes short of a majority of delegates at the Democratic National Convention.

Disasters
Earthquakes in Imperial Valley, California killed five people.

Horse racing
Corydon won the Withers Stakes at Belmont Park, New York.

60 years ago
1950

At the movies
Father of the Bride, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor, received its premiere screening at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.



Theatre
The eight-hour Oberammergamau Passion Play was performed for the first time since 1934, with 1,400 villagers participating in the production.

War
U.S. President Harry Truman and the U.S. State Department issued statements implying plans for early action on a peace treaty with Japan.

Defense
The 12 nations who had signed the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949--Belgium; Canada; Denmark; France; Great Britain; Iceland; Italy; Luxembourg; the Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; and the United States--concluded the final meeting of their fourth session in London with an agreement on a permanent organization.

Canada reportedly bought 100 F-86 Sabre jets in the United States for joint air defense.

Diplomacy
Egypt announced that the Suez Canal was closed to Israeli ships and commerce.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate rejected President Truman's proposal to tighten the Agriculture Secretary's control over agencies in the department, but the House of Representatives supported the Truman administration's plans for reorganizing the Labor and Commerce Departments.

Labour
Bolivian police broke up an allegedly Communist-led general strike in La Paz, resulting in 38 deaths, 141 injuries, and 400 arrests.

Disasters
A barge containing munitions destined for Pakistan exploded in the harbor at South Amboy, New Jersey, devastating the city.

Baseball
St. Louis Cardinals’ third baseman Tommy Glaviano made 3 errors on consecutive plays in the 9th inning--2 wild throws and a booted ground ball--to enable the Brooklyn Dodgers to overcome an 8-0 deficit and beat the Cardinals 9-8 before 7,510 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The Dodgers were trailing 8-5 with the bases loaded when Mr. Glaviano made his errors. Billy Loes, the third of five Brooklyn pitchers, allowed 1 hit and 2 runs--both earned--in 2 innings, walking 5 batters and striking out 1, making 1 assist in his first major league game.

Al Walker hit a grand slam for the Chicago Cubs in the top of the 6th inning of a game against the New York Giants before 1,542 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York, but Monte Irvin of the Giants responded with a grand slam in the bottom of the 6th inning. The game was called by rain after that inning, and the Giants won 10-4, with Clint Hartung (1-0) the winning pitcher over Johnny Schmitz (2-2). It was the first time in major league history that each team had hit a grand slam in the same inning.

The Boston Red Sox scored 7 runs in the top of the 4th inning to take an 11-1 lead, but the Detroit Tigers responded with 6 in the bottom of the inning to reduce the deficit to to 11-7. The Red Sox held on to win 13-12 before 16,110 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. The Tigers scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th and had runners on first and third bases with 1 out, but George Kell flied out to right field and Vic Wertz grounded to first baseman Walt Dropo, who threw to pitcher Joe Dobson for the putout to end the game.

Lou Brissie (0-6) intentionally walked Dale Mitchell to load the bases with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning and then unintentionally walked Bob Kennedy to score Ray Boone and give the Cleveland Indians a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Athletics before 5,251 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.

50 years ago
1960

Playhouse 90, on CBS
Tonight's episode: In the Presence of Mine Enemies, directed by Fielder Cook, and starring Charles Laughton, Arthur Kennedy, Susan Kohner, Oskar Homolka, George Macready, Sam Jaffe, and Robert Redford

This drama about the Warsaw ghetto was written by Rod Serling. It was the last episode of Playhouse 90; the cancellation of the program is regarded by many to have marked the end of the "Golden Age of Television."



40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Onna no Blues--Keiko Fuji (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Gwendolyne--Julio Iglesias (7th week at #1)

On the radio
The Challenge of Space, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: Object Myra XVI

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. accused the regime of Mao Tse-tung in Communist China with seeking the total domination of Asia, rejecting calls for concerted Communist action in Indochina, and creating an anti-Soviet war atmosphere.

Basketball
ABA
Finals
Indiana 106 @ Los Angeles 109 (Indiana led best-of-seven series 2-1)

The Stars outscored the Pacers 92-68 over the last 3 quarters as they came back from a 38-17 1st-quarter deficit to win before 5,780 fans at the Anaheim Convention Center. George Stone led the Stars with 34 points, while Freddie Lewis scored 24 points for Indiana.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook

#1 single in Switzerland: Boat on the River--Styx (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Harry R. Truman, 83. U.S. folk hero. Mr. Truman served with the U.S. Army in World War I and was then a prospector and bootlegger before opening Mount St. Helens Lodge in the state of Washington in 1928. He ran the lodge for 52 years, and became a folk hero in the spring of 1980 when he refused to evacuate his lodge despite repeated warnings from state authorities that Mount St. Helens, a volcano, was about to erupt. Mr. Truman died when the volcano erupted, burying Mr. Truman, his 16 cats, and 2 dogs.

Disasters
Mount St. Helens, a volcano in southwestern Washington state, erupted after being dormant for 123 years, in a giant blast that hurled ash and steam 60,000 feet into the sky. The top of the mountain was blown off, leaving the 9,677-foot peak only 8,300 feet high. A 2-mile-long crater was also formed. Scientists calculated that the explosion released 500 times more energy than the atomic bomb that hit Hiroshima in 1945. The shock waves levelled 44,000 acres of fir trees, and the intense heat from the blast killed millions of salmon and trout in rivers and streams, started huge forest fires, and melted snow, resulting in floods and hot mudslides. The gases propelled the mudflows at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, smashing at least 10 bridges and swallowing homes. Drifting volcanic ash up to 7 inches deep blanketed many communities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana.



Diplomacy
In support of American efforts to secure the release of the hostages from the U.S. embassy in Tehran, the European Economic Community cancelled all trade contracts signed with Iran since November 4, 1979, the day the embassy was seized by terrorists. The final approval of sanctions fell short of the April 22 pledge to cancel all trade with Iran except for food and medicine.

Protest
More than 50 fires broke out in Miami as rioting by Negroes which had begun the day before continued. A Negro man was shot as he attacked police with a knife.

South Korean soldiers entered Chonnam National University in Kwangju to enforce the previous day's martial law decree, which closed all universities. Rumours of troop brutality toward the students ignited the city residents. Demonstrators demanded the resignation of Lt. Gen. Chun Doo Hwan--South Korea's military strongman--as well as the release of popular South Chonnam politician Kim Dae Jung, and repeatedly clashed with troops.

25 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): We are the World--USA for Africa (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): We are the World--USA for Africa (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): We are the World--USA for Africa (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Unforgettable Fire--U2 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: 19--Paul Hardcastle (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds
2 We are the World--USA for Africa
3 Crazy for You--Madonna
4 One Night in Bangkok--Murray Head
5 Everything She Wants--Wham!
6 Some Like it Hot--Power Station
7 Smooth Operator--Sade
8 Rhythm of the Night--Debarge
9Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears
10 Axel F--Harold Faltermeyer

Singles entering the chart were Raspberry Beret by Prince and the Revolution (#28); A View to a Kill by Duran Duran (#38); The Goonies 'R' Good Enough by Cyndi Lauper (#42); Square Rooms by Al Corley (#84); Little by Little by Robert Plant (#86); People are People by Depeche Mode (#87); Find a Way by Amy Grant (#88); and Alone Again by Dokken (#90). A View to a Kill was the title song of the movie. The Goonies 'R' Good Enough was from the movie The Goonies (1985).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 We are the World--USA for Africa (3rd week at #1)
2 Crazy for You--Madonna
3 Tears are Not Enough--Northern Lights
4 Rhythm of the Night--DeBarge
5 Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds
6 One Night in Bangkok--Murray Head
7 Obsession--Animotion
8 Nightshift--Commodores
9 Some Like it Hot--Power Station
10 Everything She Wants--Wham!

Singles entering the chart were A View to a Kill by Duran Duran (#69); Cannonball by Supertramp (#75); Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes) by Kim Carnes (#79); Everytime You Go Away by Paul Young (#88); Never Ending Story by Limahl (#91); Oh Girl by Boy Meets Girl (#93); and You Give Good Love by Whitney Houston (#95).

Horse racing
Tank’s Prospect, with Pat Day up, won the 110th running of the Preakness Stakes before 81,235 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:53 1/5 (see video). Chief's Crown placed second and Eternal Prince third. It was the first win in a Triple Crown race for Mr. Day. The time was regarded for many years as a record for the race until a 2012 re-examination of video of the 1973 Preakness proved that Secretariat had run the race in 1:53.

Soccer
English FA Cup Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Manchester United 1 Everton 0 (ET)

Norman Whiteside scored the game’s only goal in the 10th minute of extra time before 100,000 fans.



20 years ago
1990

Died on this date
Jill Ireland, 54. U.K. actress. Miss Ireland was known for acting in television with her first husband, David McCallum, and in movies with her second husband, Charles Bronson. She died after a long and public battle with breast cancer.

Music
Laurel Masse, a member of the Manhattan Transfer from 1972-1979, performed for the first of two nights at the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton. I had the pleasure of meeting her, and she was kind enough to autograph some old albums for me.

Politics and government
Canadian Senator Lowell Murray (Progressive Conservative--Prince Edward Island), acting as Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's emissary, began meeting provincial premiers individually to lobby for passage of the Meech Lake Constitutional Accord.

Transportation
In France, a modified TGV train achieved a rail world speed record of 515.3 kilometres per hour (320.2 miles per hour).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Edmonton 7 @ Boston 2 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Jarri Kurri scored 3 goals to lead the Oilers over the Bruins at Boston Garden.



Baseball
The Chicago Cubs blanked the Houston Astros 7-0 before 22,972 fans at the Astrodome in a game that saw Chicago second baseman Ryne Sandberg’s record errorless streak end at 123 games and 584 chances.

Paul O’Neill’s home run with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning gave the Cincinnati Reds a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 34,968 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Norm Charlton won in relief over Ken Dayley.

10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Doyle Lade, 79. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Lade played with the Chicago Cubs (1946-1950), compiling a record of 25-29 with an earned run average of 4.39 in 126 games, batting .220 with no home runs and 11 runs batted in in 127 games. He was 75-68 with a 4.29 ERA in 231 games in 9 seasons in the minor leagues from 1939-1954. On July 8, 1942, Mr. Lade pitched a no-hitter for the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League, and his home run accounted for the game's only run in a 1-0 win over the San Antonio Missions.

Society
A bill was passed that removed the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse.

Disasters
U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announced that the government would compensate those who had lost property after a "prescribed" burn that began on May 4 had gotten out of control and had turned into a blaze that destroyed hundreds of buildings in New Mexico. A U.S. government report released on this day concluded that wind conditions, terrain, and plant life had not been properly considered, and that not enough firefighters and equipment were on hand.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Finals
Philadelphia 4 @ New Jersey 2 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Baseball
Mark McGwire hit 3 home runs and drove in 7 runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 17,137 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The homers gave Mr. McGwire a major league career total of 539, moving him past Mickey Mantle into 8th place on the career list. Jose Rodriguez, the third of five St. Louis pitchers, pitched 1/3 hitless and scoreless inning, walking 1 batter and striking out none in his first major league game. St. Louis starter Garrett Stephenson (6-0) allowed 9 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 5.2 innings.

The Florida Marlins stole 10 bases in as many attempts but still lost 6-2 to the San Diego Padres before 7,832 fans at Pro Player Stadium in Miami.

Wilton and Vladimir Guerrero each hit a home run for the Montreal Expos, but the Arizona Diamondbacks scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning to beat the Expos 8-6 before 11,073 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.