May 22, 2010

810 years ago
1200

War
King John of England and King Philip II of France signed the Treaty of Le Goulet, ending the war over the Duchy of Normandy and finalizing its new borders.

640 years ago
1370

Abominations
6-20 Jews were murdered and the rest of the Jewish community was banished from Brussels for allegedly desecrating the consecrated Host at the city's synagogue.

490 years ago
1520

Abominations
The Massacre in the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (see also here) took place at the festival of Tóxcatl, resulting in turning the Aztecs against the Spanish.

240 years ago
1770

Born on this date
Elizabeth. U.K. royal family member. Princess Elizabeth, the seventh child and third daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte, was to married Friedrich VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, from 1818 until his death in 1829. She died on January 10, 1840 at the age of 69.

190 years ago
1820

Born on this date
Worthington Whittredge, 89. U.S. artist. Mr. Whittredge was a landscape painter of the Hudson River School. He died on February 25, 1910 at the age of 89.

Academia
George Ramsay, ninth Earl of Dalhousie laid the cornerstone of Dalhousie College in Halifax, Nova Scotia "with full masonic and military honours." The college, chartered in 1818, was to be modelled on the University of Edinburgh, open to youth of all religions and every class of society, and with professors lecturing on classics, mathematics, and eventually moral and natural philosophy. It was officially incorporated by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1821.

Communications
The New Brunswick Executive Council authorized £125 for a mail courier between Fredericton and the Miramichi and an additional £50 for the courier from Miramichi to Nepisiguit (Bathurst).

170 years ago
1840

Law
The transportation of British convicts to New South Wales was abolished.

110 years ago
1900

Journalism
The Associated Press was formed in New York City as a non-profit news cooperative.

80 years ago
1930

Baseball
The New York Yankees swept a doubleheader from the Philadelphia Athletics 10-1 and 20-13 before 24,000 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, with the teams combining to hit 14 home runs, 10 in the second game. Babe Ruth hit 2 home runs for the Yankees in the first game, with Ben Chapman and winning pitcher George Pipgras also homering. Lou Gehrig hit 3 home runs and drove in 8 runs in the second game, while Mr. Ruth also homered. New York second baseman Tony Lazzeri batted 4 for 4, drove in 4 runs, and scored 5. Jimmie Foxx hit 2 home runs and batted in 6 runs for the Athletics in the second game. Howard Ehmke (0-1) started on the mound for Philadelphia in the first game and allowed 8 hits and 5 runs--all earned--in 2+ innings, striking out 1 batter and walking none, drawing a base on balls in his only plate appearance in the 429th and last game of his 15-year major league career.

Socks Seibold (6-2) pitched a 10-hit complete game and singled home Al Spohrer with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to climax a 2-run rally as the Boston Braves edged the Brooklyn Robins 6-5 at Braves Field. The Braves trailed 5-2 after 7 1/2 innings, but Rabbit Maranville singled home 2 runs with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th to reduce the deficit to 5-4.

Chuck Klein's 2-run home run with 2 out in the top of the 12th inning broke an 8-8 tie and the Philadelphia Phillies held on to defeat the New York Giants 10-8 before 5,000 fans at the Polo Grounds in New York. Philadelphia left fielder Lefty O'Doul batted just 1 for 7, but hit a 2-run homer in the 3rd; with 2 out and runners on second and third bases in the bottom of the 12th, Mr. O'Doul made a running catch of Bob O'Farrell's line drive to rob him of a home run and end the game.

70 years ago
1940

War
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill conferred in Paris with French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud and French commander-in-chief General Maxim Weygand. German General Heinz Guderian's Panzers reached the outskirts of Boulogne and Calais on the Channel coast of France. A French counterattack toward Cambrai was repulsed.

Diplomacy
German Ambassador to Japan Eugen Ott informed Japanese Foreign Minister Hachirō Arita that Germany was not interested in the Netherlands East Indies.

Politics and government
C.G. "Chubby" Power was named Air Minister in the Canadian cabinet of Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt evaded former Republican Party presidential candidate Alf Landon's request that he refuse a third term as President as a price for Republican cooperation in an emergency cabinet.

Defense
The United States Senate approved and sent to the House of Commons a $1.823-billion defense appropriation bill.

U.S. Senator James Byrnes (Democrat--South Carolina) accused famed aviator Colonel Charles Lindbergh of fifth column activities.

Economics and finance
The British Parliament extended the Emergency Powers Defense Bill, putting the U.K.'s war industries under direct government contract.

Health
The American Medical Association's Council on Foods gave its first seal of approval to the Birdseye Corporation for its quick frozen foods.

60 years ago
1950

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Rendezvous, starring Inge Adams, Nick Dennis, and Winifield Hoeny

Died on this date
Alfonso Quiñónez Molina, 76. President of El Salvador, 1914-1915, 1918-1919, 1923-1927. Dr. Quiñónez, a physician and professor, was provisional President of El Salvador (1914-1915), and then served as Vice President during the administrations of his brothers-in-law Carlos Meléndez (1915-1918) and Jorge Meléndez (1919-1923). Dr. Quiñónez served two terms as constitutional President, and remains the only person to serve three terms as provisional or constitutional President of El Salvador.

Don "Creesh" Hornsby, 26. U.S. entertainer. Mr. Hornsby, whose nickname derived from a word that he invented and frequently used, was a pianist who developed a nightclub act incorporating surrealist comedy into his performances. He was scheduled to host the new NBC television variety program Broadway Open House, but was suddenly stricken with polio, and died the day of the scheduled premiere broadcast, which was postponed for a week until a replacement was found.

Literature
I Chose Justice, former Soviet official Victor Kravchenko's account of his successful libel suit against a Communist weekly in Paris,was published in New York by Scribners.

War
Hong Kong sources reported Nationalist Chinese attempts to infiltrate guerrillas into the Shanghai area to carry out sabotage and assassinate Communist officials.

Defense
The President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Forces reported to U.S. President Harry Truman that Negroes were being assigned to every type of job in the armed forces.

Politics and government
The Turkish Grand National Assembly elected Democratic Party leader Celal Bayar as President, as a Democratic cabinet under Prime Minister Adnan Menderes took office.

A Peking broadcast said that Tibet may have autonomous status and avoid "unnecessary losses" if it granted allegiance to the Chinese Communist government.

Law
The South African Supreme Court's appellate division invalidated regulations separating white people from black people on trains, holding that the rules caused unequal treatment of the races.

Judge Lawson Thomas was appointed in Miami to head Florida's first all-Negro court since Reconstruction in the 19th century. The court would try only cases involving Negroes.

Protest
500 protesters, mainly high school-age boys, carried on a violent demonstration outside United Ukrainian Hall in Calgary against a speech being given inside by Very Reverend Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury and well-known Soviet apologist.

Transportation
Mexico opened its 2,178-mile link in the Alaska-Argentina highway.

Economics and finance
Belgium and Luxembourg began free exchange of Belgian francs and American, French, Swiss, German, and Italian currency.

Israel and the World Zionist Organization reached an agreement whereby they would share responsibility for economic development of the state and immigration.

50 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: One Grave Too Many, starring Neile Adams, Jeremy Slate, Biff Elliot, and Howard McNear

Died on this date
Robert Morris, 25. U.S. bodybuilder and actor. Mr. Morris, born Robert Morawczynski, entered several bodybuilding competitions in the 1950s before going into acting. He appeared, uncredited, in the movie East of Eden (1955), and in several television programs. Mr. Morris' most notable television appearance was as Lincoln Ridgeway, co-starring with George Maharis in the Naked City episode Four Sweet Corners (1959), which was a "backdoor pilot" for the series that became Route 66. Mr. Morris died from the results of an epileptic seizure, and he was replaced in Route 66 by Martin Milner.

Disasters
The most powerful earthquake ever recorded, registering approximately 9.5 Mw, struck near Valdivia, Chile, generating tsunamis that reached Hawaii and Japan.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Girlie--The Peddlers

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Carol Ok--Chris Andrews
2 Ma Belle Amie--Tee Set
3 Spider Spider--Tidal Wave
4 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
5 Tchaikovsky One--Omega Limited
6 Love is a Beautiful Song--Dave Mills
7 Elizabethan Reggae--Boris Gardiner
8 My Baby Loves Lovin'--White Plains
9 Travelin' Band--Creedence Clearwater Revival
10 Can't Help Falling in Love--Andy Williams

Singles entering the chart were Daughter of Darkness by Tom Jones (#11); When Julie Comes Around by the Cuff Links (#13); All Kinds of Everything by Dana (#17); and Come Softly to Me by Percy Sledge (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival
2 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
3 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
4 Mr. Monday--The Original Caste
5 For the Love of Him--Bobbi Martin
6 Woodstock--Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
7 My Baby Loves Lovin'--White Plains
8 Make Me Smile--Chicago
9 What is Truth--Johnny Cash
10 Little Green Bag--George Baker Selection

Singles entering the chart were Run Through the Jungle; Into the Mystic by Johnny Rivers (#25); Question by the Moody Blues (#26); It's All in the Game by the Four Tops (#27); Mama Told Me (Not to Come) by Three Dog Night (#28); Love on a Two Way Street by the Moments (#29); and Mississippi by John Phillips (#30).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival
2 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
3 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
4 Woodstock--Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5 Mr. Monday--The Original Caste
6 Make Me Smile--Chicago
7 You're the One--Part I--Little Sister
8 Little Green Bag--George Baker Selection
9 Vehicle--The Ides of March
10 A Song of Joy--Miguel Rios

Singles entering the chart were My Baby Loves Lovin' by White Plains (#11); Maybe I'm Amazed (LP track) by Paul McCartney (#18); Mama Told Me (Not to Come) by Three Dog Night (#29); and Are You Ready? by Pacific Gas and Electric (#30).

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Let it Be--The Beatles (9th week at #1)
2 Up Around the Bend--Creedence Clearwater Revival
3 Little Green Bag--George Baker Selection
4 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
5 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
6 Tennessee Bird Walk--Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan
7 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
8 The Long and Winding Road--The Beatles
9 Soolaimón (African Trilogy II)--Neil Diamond
10 Mr. Monday--The Original Caste

The B-side of Soolaimon, And the Grass Won’t Pay No Mind, was released as a single by Mark Lindsay several months later and became a minor hit.

Television
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) introduced 50% Canadian content program rules for radio and television; the requirements became effective in September 1970 for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and September 1971 for private sector broadcasters.

Terrorism
Eight Israeli schoolchildren two teachers, and their bus driver were killed in an ambush of their school bus near the Lebanese border. As Israel began shelling nearby villages in retaliation, a small Arab guerrilla group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Politics and government
U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew, speaking in Houston, rejected accusations that he and President Richard Nixon had contributed to campus disorders with their public comments. Comparing campus rioters to enemy soldiers, Mr. Agnew demanded that "hard core" students and faculty members be expelled from colleges. He said he had no intention of toning down his remarks, and referred to his media critics as "an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals."

Diplomacy
The British Cricket Council, under pressure from the government of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, reversed a decision to allow a tour of visiting South African cricketers.

Labour
Leonard Woodcock was chosen as President of the United Auto Workers of America, succeeding Walter Reuther, who had been killed in a plane crash on May 9.

Disasters
41 people were killed and 660 homes were destroyed in brush fires in Egypt.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (Hot Press): What's Another Year--Johnny Logan

Popular culture
Location testing for the Japanese video game Pac-Man began in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Disasters
U.S. President Jimmy Carter took a helicopter trip around Mount St. Helens in Washington, four days after the volcano erupted. Mr. Carter said, "The moon looks like a golf course compared to what’s up there."

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Islanders 3 @ Philadelphia 6 (New York led best-of-seven series 3-2)



25 years ago
1985

At the movies
A View to a Kill, starring Roger Moore in his final performance as James Bond, received its world premiere screening at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.



Baseball
Pinch hitter Brian Dayett his only home run of the season--a grand slam off Tom Browning in the 6th inning--to help the Chicago Cubs to a 7-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 27,863 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Dennis Eckersley was the winning pitcher.

20 years ago
1990

Died on this date
Rocky Graziano, 71. U.S. boxer. Mr. Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella, was world middleweight champion from 1947-1948. His three title fights against Tony Zale were regarded as classics of ferocity. Mr. Graziano retired in 1952 after compiling a professional record of 67-10-6; 52 of his wins were by knockout, and he was regarded as one of the hardest punchers in boxing history. Mr. Graziano's autobiography Somebody Up There Likes Me (1955) was made into a movie in 1956, starring Paul Newman.

Asiatica
North Yemen and South Yemen merged to form the Republic of Yemen.

Politics and government
Lucien Bouchard, who had resigned from the Canadian cabinet and the Progressive Conservative caucus the day before, lashed out at a House of Commons report that had recommended compromises in order to save the Meech Lake constitutional accord, and he denounced the federal government for "making an alliance with those who want Quebec to continue to be humiliated." Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr. Bouchard urged Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa to boycott a first ministers’ conference to resolve the deadlock. In a later news conference, Mr. Bouchard predicted that Quebec would separate if the accord wasn’t approved by the June 23 deadline. Unfortunately, that prediction proved inaccurate.

Defense
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization scrapped plans for a low-level flight training centre at Goose Bay, Labrador, citing the $500 million cost, plus reduction in east-west tensions.

War
15 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since rioting had broken out two days earlier.

Technology
Microsoft released the Windows 3.0 computer operating system.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Boston 1 @ Edmonton 5 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Glenn Anderson and Craig Simpson each scored 2 goals for the Oilers as they beat the Bruins at Northlands Coliseum.



10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Davie Fulton, 84. Canadian politician. Mr. Fulton, a Progressive Conservative, represented Kamloops in the House of Commons from 1945-1963 and 1965-1968. He was Minister of Justice in the government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker from 1957-1962 and Minister of Public Works from 1962-1963. Mr. Fulton left federal politics to take the leadership of the British Columbia Progressive Conservative Party, but he failed to achieve electoral success, and returned to federal politics. Mr. Fulton was a justice on the Supreme Court of British Columbia from 1973-1981, and a commissioner with the International Joint Commission from 1986-1992.

War
Lebanese Hezbollah fighters advanced into Israel’s southern occupation zone, split it in two, and moved to within a few miles of the common border.

Over 150 Tamil rebels were killed over two days of fighting for control in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Politics and government
Alejandro Toledo, the main challenger to Alberto Fujimori for the presidency of Peru, officially withdrew from the campaign, six days before a scheduled runoff election. Mr. Fujimori had won a plurality on April 9, but Mr. Toledo had charged that the election had been marked by widespread fraud.

Scandal
A disciplinary committee of the Arkansas Supreme Court recommended that U.S. President Bill Clinton’s license to practice law be revoked after he was found guilty in 1999 of contempt of court for giving false testimony when he was accused of sexual harassment by Paula Jones. The disbarment recommendation went to an Arkansas circuit court for consideration.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Finals
New Jersey 4 @ Philadelphia 1 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Baseball
In the first game of a doubleheader before 3,913 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Brewers scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the Houston Astros 9-9, then won the game 10-9 with a home run by Jose Hernandez with 1 out in the 10th. The Brewers completed the sweep with a 6-1 win in the second game, as winning pitcher Jason Bere (3-3) allowed 7 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings.

Eric Owens singled with 1 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 8th inning, stole second base, and scored on a single by Ruben Rivera for the only run as the San Diego Padres edged the New York Mets 1-0 before 17,966 fans at Qualcomm Stadium.

Todd Hundley drew a base on balls to lead off the bottom of the 14th inning and scored on an error by catcher Ed Taubensee with 1 out and the bases loaded to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 31,000 fans at Dodger Stadium. Manny Aybar (0-2), who entered the game in the bottom of the 14th as the sixth Cincinnati pitcher, allowed no hits, but walked 3 batters and made 2 wild pitches.

Pinch hitter Darrin Fletcher drew a base on balls with 1 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 9th inning, advanced to third base on a double by Shannon Stewart, and scored on a single by Craig Grebeck to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox before 19,167 fans at SkyDome in Toronto. The White Sox had tied the game with 2 out in the top of the 9th on a 2-run home run by Herbert Perry.