May 29, 2010

690 years ago
1320

Died on this date
John VIII of Alexandria. Coptic Orthodox Pope, 1300-1320. John VIII, born Yohanna Ben-Ebsal, succeeded Theodosius III as head of the Coptic Orthodox Church. His reign was characterized by severe financial problems, with heavy taxes imposed on the church in Egypt. Pope John VIII was succeeded by John IX.

510 years ago
1500

Died on this date
Bartolomeu Dias, 50 (?). Portuguese explorer. Mr. Dias, a squire of the royal court, became, in 1488, the first European to sail around the southernmost tip of Africa, and was the first European during the Age of Discovery to anchor at what is now South Africa. He died when his ship and four others were lost in a huge storm off the Cape of Good Hope.

380 years ago
1630

Born on this date
Charles II. King of Scotland, 1649-1651. King of England, Scotland and Ireland, 1660-1685. Charles II succeeded his father Charles I, but after his father's beheading, England became a Protestant republic led by Oliver Cromwell (1649-1658) and his son Richard (1658-1660). King Charles fled to Scotland and then Normandy, but was allowed to return to England by the Convention Parliament, arriving in London on his 30th birthday. During Charles II's reign, social restrictions were eased, but London suffered through the Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666. He pursued positive relations with Portugal and war with the Netherlands. King Charles II eventually came into confict with Parliament, and dissolved Parliament in 1679, ruling as an absolute monarch until his death at the age of 54 on February 6, 1685, four days after suffering an apoplectic fit, perhaps the result of uremia.

350 years ago
1660

Britannica
King Charles II was restored to the monarchy of England, Scotland and Ireland after an interregnum of 11 years. He was welcomed to London to public acclaim after being invited to return; all legal documents were dated as if he had succeeded his father as king in 1649.

220 years ago
1790

Americana
Rhode Island entered the Union as the 13th state, the last of the original colonies to ratify the Constitution.

150 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Isaac Albéniz. Spanish musician and composer. Mr. Albéniz was a child prodigy who began a lengthy career as a concert pianist at the age of 9. He was known for his numerous compositions for piano--often based on Spanish folk music--and influenced Spanish composers and others such as the French composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Mr. Albéniz died of Bright's disease on May 18, 1909, 11 days before his 49th birthday.

130 years ago
1880

Born on this date
Oswald Spengler. German historian. Dr. Spengler had a pessimistic view of the future of Germany and Europe; he was best known for his two-volume work Der Untergang des Abendlandes (The Decline of the West) (1918, 1922). Dr. Spengler died on May 8, 1936, three weeks before his 56th birthday.

110 years ago
1900

War
The Battle of Johannesburg concluded as British cavalry troops commanded by Lieutenant General John French captured the ridge of Doornkop, while a nearby ridge was taken by seven infantry battalions, including the City Imperial Volunteers and Gordon Highlanders of Lt. Gen. Ian Hamilton. A force of 1,900 Canadians in the 1st Mounted Infantry Brigade, which included the Royal Canadian Dragoons and the Canadian Mounted Rifles, fought with the British.

Africana
N'Djamena, now the capital of Chad, was founded as Fort-Lamy by French commander Émile Gentil.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Ralph Metcalfe. U.S. runner and politician. Mr. Metcalfe jointly held the world record in the 100-metre dash; he won silver medals in the event in the Summer Olympic Games of 1932 and 1936, and was regarded as the world's fastest man in 1934 and 2935. Mr. Metcalfe won a bronze medal in the men's 200-metre run at the 1932 Olympics, and a gold medal as a member of the American team in the men's 4 x 100-metre relay in the 1936 Olympics. Mr. Metcalfe was an alderman in Chicago from 1955-1970, and represented Illinois' 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 until his death from an apparent heart attack on October 10, 1978 at the age of 68. He co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971.

Died on this date
Mily Balakirev, 73. Russian musician and composer. Mr. Balakirev was a concert pianist who was a member of the composers known as The Five, promoting musical Russian nationalism. He wrote two symphonies, overtures, songs, and numerous works for piano, but was perhaps best known for his oriental fantasies Tamara (1867-1882) and Islamey (1869/1902).

75 years ago
1935

Died on this date
Josef Suk, 61. Czech composer. Mr. Suk, one of the leading figures among Czech modernist composers, was known for his chamber works.

Defense
The German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter airplane made its first flight.

Baseball
The Boston Braves scored 2 runs in the top of the 1st inning and 5 in the 7th to take a 7-0 lead, and held on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-6 at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Boston right fielder Babe Ruth drew a bases-loaded walk in the 2nd inning to score Ed Brandt, and Wally Berger followed with a grand slam. The run and run batted in were the last in the Babe's career.



Aided by 3 errors, the Boston Red Sox scored 8 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning as they came back from a 6-1 deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Athletics 10-9 at Fenway Park in Boston. The Athletics had the potential tying run on second base in the 9th, but Charlie Berry grounded out to pitcher Johnny Welch to end the game. Philadelphia shortstop Eric McNair batted 4 for 5 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 runs batted in, but made one of the errors in the 7th inning.

Red Ruffing (4-3) pitched a 9-hit complete game, backed up his pitching by hitting a 2-run home run, and Lou Gehrig added a 2-run homer, as the New York Yankees beat the Washington Nationals 7-4 before 6,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington in a game that was called because of rain in the middle of the 7th inning. The Yankees scored 3 runs in the top of the 7th to take a 10-4 lead, but when the game was called, the game reverted to where it was after 6 innings.

70 years ago
1940

War
The Canadian Parliament passed the $700-million War Appropriations Act, authorizing two more Army divisions. The bill quickly received royal assent. French warships arrived at Dunkirk and helped evacuate 47,310 Allied soldiers. German forces occupied the continental coast except for 54 miles north and south of Dunkirk.

Diplomacy
Shao Li-tsi, the new Chinese Ambassador to the U.S.S.R., left Chungking for Moscow.

Defense
The U.S. fighter aircraft Vought F4U Corsair, with Lyman Bullard at the controls, made its first flight; a hurried landing was made when the elevator trim tabs failed because of flutter.

Economics and finance
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau named Donald Nelson as director of the Treasury's Procurement Division.

The National Association of Manufacturers' board of directors announced that its members would meet defense production requirements without profiteering.

60 years ago
1950

On the radio
Christopher London, starring Glenn Ford, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Pattern for Murder

This series was created by Erle Stanley Gardner.

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: How Love Came to Professor Guilda, starring Frank Daly, Arnold Moss, and Brandon Peters

Broadway Open House, on NBC

This was the first broadcast of the late-night variety program, with Morey Amsterdam hosting on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Jerry Lester hosting on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The premiere was to have taken place on May 22 with Don Hornsby as the host, but Mr. Hornsby was struck by polio, and died the day of the scheduled premiere broadcast, which was postponed for a week until replacements could be found.

Married on this date
Former U.S. Justice Department employee and recently-convicted Soviet spy Judith Coplon and her defense attorney, Albert Socolov, were wed in New York.

War
France reported the clearing of all guerrillas from the Red River delta of northern Vietnam.

Exploration
The St. Roch arrived in Halifax to complete the first circumnavigation of North America. She had come from Vancouver, British Columbia via the Panama Canal.

World events
The British freighter Mausang arrived in Shanghai as the first Western ship to breach the Nationalist blockade of China.

Politics and government
Syrian Prime Minister Khaled el-Azem and his cabinet resigned amidst dissension between factors friendly to Jordan and Egypt.

Religion
The Vatican announced the formation of the first African hierarchies in 14 centuries, to be located in western Africa.

Economics and finance
French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman announced that France, West Germany, and Belgium would proceed with negotiations for a coal and steel pool without waiting for the United Kingdom, after British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin declined to accept the plan until informed of the details.

Labour
Tennessee Governor Gordon Browning called on the state National Guard to restore order when violence erupted in a strike of 700 Congress of Industrial Organizations Textile Workers Union members against American Erika Corporation rayon plant in Morristown.

Baseball
The Pueblo club of the Western League announced that its players would wear shorts during their games that summer.

50 years ago
1960

On the radio
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Red Rock Matter

Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Perfect Plan, starring George Petrie, Elizabeth Lawrence, Paul Potter, and Patsy Bruder

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Party Line, starring Judy Canova, Royal Dano, Arch Johnson, and Ellen Corby

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Cathy Brown!

I remember when she turned 15, and I can’t believe she’s 50.

Baseball
With 2 out and none on base in the bottom of the 9th inning, Eddie Kasko singled and Vada Pinson followed with a home run to give the Cincinnati Reds a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Braves before 16,119 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Jay Hook (4-3) pitched a 7-hit complete game to outduel Carlton Willey (2-3), who allowed 11 hits in a complete game.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 6 runs in the first 2 innings en rout to an 8-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 15,704 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Vern Law (7-1) was the winning pitcher over Robin Roberts (1-6).

Duke Snider batted 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and drove in all the runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the Chicago Cubs 4-0 before 24,214 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago, with Johnny Podres (8-5) and Larry Sherry combining to pitch a 5-hitter.

Daryl Spencer drove in 3 runs with a pair of singles to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 before 17,369 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in a game that was called because of rain as the 6th inning was about to begin. Larry Jackson (5-5) pitched a 6-hit complete game victory.

With 2 out and none on base in the bottom of the 11th inning, Mickey Mantle beat out an infield single and Hector Lopez followed with a home run to give the New York Yankees a 6-4 win over the Washington Senators before 21,516 fans at Yankee Stadium. The Senators rallied from a 3-0 deficit with 3 runs in the 9th and a run in the 10th, but Gil McDougald drew a bases-loaded walk with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th to force home Elston Howard with the tying run.



With 2 out and none on base in the bottom of the 6th inning, Jackie Brandt doubled home a run and Brooks Robinson followed with a 3-run home run to climax a 4-run inning as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 11,483 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Steve Barber (5-1) pitched a 6-hitter to win the pitching matchup with Frank Sullivan (1-5), who allowed 7 hits while also going the distance. In the second game, the Orioles trailed 4-2 going into the bottom of the 9th, but Willie Tasby singled and Ron Hansen followed with a home run to tie the score. Clint Courtney followed with a single, and pinch runner Albie Pearson advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Milt Pappas. Pinch hitter Jim Gentile was intentionally walked, and pinch hitter Gene Woodling singled home Mr. Pearson to give the Orioles a 5-4 win to complete the sweep.

All the runs were scored in the first 5 innings as the Detroit Tigers edged the Cleveland Indians 6-5 in the first game of a doubleheader before 42,670 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Cleveland center fielder Jimmy Piersall hit a 2-run home run and drove in 3 runs. Mr. Piersall hit a 3-run homer with 1 out in the 9th inning to provide the winning margin as the Indians came from behind to win the second game 6-4.

Andy Carey drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the 1st inning and hit a 2-run home run as part of a 3-run 3rd to help the Kansas City Athletics defeat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 before 9,975 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Ken Johnson (1-2) pitched an 8-hit complete game victory.

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Bridge over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Question--The Moody Blues

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Carol Ok--Chris Andrews (2nd week at #1)
2 Spider Spider--Tidal Wave
3 Tchaikovsky One--Omega Limited
4 Ma Belle Amie--Tee Set
5 Love is a Beautiful Song--Dave Mills
6 Daughter of Darkness--Tom Jones
7 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
8 Knock Knock Who's There--Mary Hopkin
9 Can't Help Falling in Love--Andy Williams
10 Travelin' Band--Creedence Clearwater Revival

Singles entering the chart were Heya by Jeronimo (#19); and Working on a Good Thing by Outlet (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival (2nd week at #1)
2 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
3 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
4 My Baby Loves Lovin'--White Plains
5 Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)--Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers
6 For the Love of Him--Bobbi Martin
7 The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue--The Beatles
8 The Letter--Joe Cocker with Leon Russell and the Shelter People
9 Mr. Monday--The Original Caste
10 Soolaimón (African Trilogy II)--Neil Diamond

The only single entering the chart was Ride Captain Ride by Blues Image (#30).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle--Creedence Clearwater Revival (2nd week at #1)
2 Everything is Beautiful--Ray Stevens
3 Mr. Monday--The Original Caste
4 Cecilia--Simon & Garfunkel
5 My Baby Loves Lovin'--White Plains
6 A Song of Joy (Himno a la Alegria)--Miguel Rios
7 Make Me Smile--Chicago
8 Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)--Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins Singers
9 The Letter--Joe Cocker with Leon Russell and the Shelter People
10 The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue--The Beatles

Singles entering the chart were Love on a Two-Way Street by the Moments (#25); The Love You Save by the Jackson 5 (#29); and Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell (#30).

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

Died on this date
John Gunther, 68. U.S. journalist. Mr. Gunther was known for visiting foreign countries and describing them in his "Inside" books (Inside Europe (1936); Inside Latin America (1941); Inside U.S.A. (1947), etc.). He wrote seven novels, and in 1949 he published Death Be Not Proud, an account of his 17-year-old son's battle against the brain cancer that killed him. Mr. Gunther died of liver cancer.

Diplomacy
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau returned to Canada after a 19-day, 30,000-mile tour of various Pacific nations.

Foreign ministers of the European Economic Community nations chose Italian Communications Minister Franco Maria Malfatti as president of the Executive Commission.

Terrorism
Former Argentinian President Pedro Eugenio Aramburu, 67, was kidnapped from his apartment house in downtown Buenos Aires by an Argentine terrorist group called the Gaucho Guerrillas.

Law
The conviction of Black Panther co-founder Huey Newton on charges of voluntary manslaughter was overturned by the California Court of Appeals on the ground that the trial judge had failed to properly charge the jury. Mr. Newton, 28, had been convicted in the 1968 fatal shooting of an Oakland policeman and was serving a 2-to-15-year term in a California prison. The effect of the ruling was stayed for 60 days, and Mr. Newton was denied immediate bail.

Politics and government
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was sworn in as Prime Minister of Ceylon two days after leading a coalition of her ruling Freedom Party and two other leftist parties to an overwhelming win in the country’s parliamentary elections.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Parliament approved an increase in the federal minimum wage from $1.25 per hour to $1.65. Provinces set their own minimum wages, with a high of $1.55 in Alberta and a low of 90¢ for Nova Scotia women.

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals traded utility infielder Phil Gagliano to the Chicago Cubs for relief pitcher Ted Abernathy. Mr. Gagliano was batting .188 with no home runs and 2 runs batted in in 18 games with St. Louis in 1970; Mr. Abernathy was 0-0 with an earned run average of 2.00 in 11 games with Chicago in 1970.

Bobby Tolan’s 2-run home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning gave the Cincinnati Reds a 6-4 win over the Montreal Expos before 13,559 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

Marty Keough hit a 2-run home run with 1 out in the top of the 12th inning to break a 2-2 tie, but Bernie Allen singled home 2 runs with 1 out and scored on a 2-out single by Del Unser as the Washington Senators rallied for 3 runs to defeat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 before 19,214 fans at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington.

Gerry Moses singled home Mike Andrews with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to climax a 3-run rally as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-3 before 22,737 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.

Mike Cuellar (5-3) struck out 4 consecutive batters in the 4th inning and gave up just 4 hits as the Baltimore Orioles beat the California Angels 2-0 before 18,889 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Alex Johnson, the first of Mr. Cuellar's strikeout victims in the 4th, advanced to first base on a passed ball by catcher Elrod Hendricks. Andy Messersmith (5-4) pitched a 6-hit complete game, but ended up as the loser when Frank Robinson singled with 2 out and nobody on base in the 8th and Boog Powell followed with a home run.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (Hot Press): What's Another Year--Johnny Logan (2nd week at #1)

Crime
U.S. Negro civil rights leader Vernon Jordan, 44, president of the National Urban League, was shot and critically wounded by an unknown assailant in a motel parking lot in Fort Wayne, Indiana hours after addressing the local Urban League’s annual dinner. After the dinner, Mr. Jordan struck up a conversation with Martha Coleman, a white member of the board of directors of the local Urban League chapter. She drove Mr. Jordan to her home, where they had coffee. She then drove him to his motel at about 2 A.M., and he was shot twice in the back in the parking lot as he went to his room. Ms. Coleman, who was not considered a suspect, told police that a few minutes before reaching the motel, three white men in a car alongside hers at a stop light had shouted racial slurs at her and Mr. Jordan. Police determined that there would probably not have been enough time for the three to get to the motel in time to commit the crime. Two female employees of a telephone company across the interstate highway from the motel reported that they had seen a car parked along the exit ramp at the time of the shooting.

Diplomacy
The U.K. weakened its trade sanctions against Iran to impose them only against businesses that had been in the process of negotiating contracts with Iran. A British official explained that his government was not prepared "to issue an order that was going to hurt British businessmen more than it hurt Iran."

Baseball
Johnny Bench hit 3 home runs in a game for the third time in his major league career to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 before 11,677 fans at San Diego Stadium. All three blasts came against Randy Jones (4-3).

Bob Welch (5-1) pitched a 1-hitter and faced the minimum number of batters as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-0 before 24,630 fans at Dodger Stadium. The only baserunner for the Braves was Larvell Blanks, who singled in the 4th inning and was erased on a double play.

25 years ago
1985

Canadiana
One-legged runner Steve Fonyo arrived in Victoria to complete a 1,400-mile run across Canada to raise money for cancer research, finishing the run that Terry Fox had begun in 1980, but was unable to complete because of the cancer that took his life.

Disasters
British hooligans rooting for the Liverpool soccer club stormed a section of stands filled with fans of the Juventus team from Turin, Italy, during the European Cup final at Heysel Stadium in Brussels. A concrete retaining wall collapsed and 39 people were crushed or trampled to death--32 of them Italians--and more than 400 were injured. It was the worst sports riot on record.

20 years ago
1990

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev began two days of meetings in Ottawa with Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Politics and government
Boris Yeltsin was elected President of the Russian Republic, largest and most important of the 15 Soviet republics, by the Duma on the third ballot. Mr. Yeltsin was an advocate of radical reforms and had called for economic and political sovereignty for Russia and for the U.S.S.R. to be turned into a loose confederation of republics.

Law
In a free vote, new abortion legislation passed in Canada’s House of Commons by a vote of 140-131. The bill would permit abortions providing that a single doctor believed that the physical, mental, or psychological health of the mother was threatened by continuation of the pregnancy. It also provided for a two-year prison term for doctors who ignored the law or women who lied about their health. The compromise legislation was attacked by groups on both sides of the issue. Several groups said that they would challenge the constitutional validity of the bill if it was passed by the Senate and became law.

Baseball
The New York Mets, with a record of 20-22, fired manager Davey Johnson, who was in his sixth season managing the team. Mr. Johnson had managed the Mets to a World Series win in 1986, and had a winning percentage with the Mets of .593. He was replaced by Bud Harrelson.

In a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays before 25,255 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics stole the 893rd base of his major league career, moving into second place on the list past Ty Cobb and behind Lou Brock. Mr. Henderson scored the only Oakland run with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning when he tripled and scored on a single by Carney Lansford.

10 years ago
2000

World events
While gunmen were still holding hostages in the parliament building after 10 days, Fiji’s military took control of the country and imposed martial law.

Baseball
Andy Pettitte pitched a 2-hitter as the New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 before 41,284 fans at Yankee Stadium. In the 6th inning, Oakland second baseman Randy Velarde made an unassisted triple play, just the 11th in major league history. With Tino Martinez on first base, Jorge Posada on first, and Shane Spencer at bat, Mr. Velarde caught Mr. Spencer’s line drive, tagged Mr. Posada as he came into second base, and stepped on the bag to retire Mr. Martinez before he could get back in time. Mr. Velarde broke up Mr. Pettitte's bid for a shutout by hitting a home run with 1 out in the 9th.