June 14, 2010

320 years ago
1690

War
King William III of England (William of Orange) landed in Ireland to confront former King James II.

225 years ago
1785

Died on this date
Jean-Francois Pilâtre de Rozier, 31; Pierre Romain. French balloonists. Messrs. Pilâtre de Rozier and Romain became the world’s first air crash fatalities when their balloon exploded during an attempt to cross the English Channel.

210 years ago
1800

War
The French Army of First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte defeated Austrian forces in the Battle of Marengo in northern Italy and re-conquered Italy.

190 years ago
1820

Born on this date
John Bartlett. U.S. author, editor, and publisher. Mr. Bartlett wrote books on various subjects, and compiled a concordance of the works of William Shakespeare, but was best known for editing and publishing the compilation Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1855), which has been continually revised. Mr. Bartlett died on December 3, 1905 at the age of 85.

140 years ago
1870

Born on this date
Sophia of Prussia. Queen consort of Greece, 1913-1917, 1920-1922. Sophia, the daughter of Kaiser Friedrich III of Germany and sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II, married the future King Constantine I of Greece, her third cousin, in 1889, and became queen consort when he acceded to the throne upon the assassination of his father King George I. King Constantine was deposed in 1917, and the royal family went into exile in Switzerland while their son Alexander I sat on the throne until his sudden death in 1920. After a change of government, the royal family was allowed to return to Greece, and Constantine I resumed the throne, but he abdicated in favour of his son George II. Constantine I died in January 1923, and after the proclamation of a republic in 1924, Queen Sophia returned to live with relatives in Germany until her death from cancer on January 13, 1932 at the age of 61. She was renowned for her wartime activities: founding field hospitals, overseeing the training of Greek nurses, and healing wounded soldiers.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Red Stockings, who had won all 60 of their games in 1869 and their first 24 in 1870, finally lost when the Brooklyn Atlantics scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 11th inning after the Red Stockings had scored 2 in the top of the 11th, and won 8-7 before 20,000 fans at Capitoline Grounds in Brooklyn. George Zettlein drove in Bob Ferguson with the winning run.

120 years ago
1890

Born on this date
May Allison. U.S. actress. Miss Allison was a star in the early years of silent films; she was particularly popular for numerous films from 1915-1918 in which she was romantically teamed with Harold Lockwood. Miss Allison retired from films in 1927 and died at the age of 98 on March 27, 1989.

110 years ago
1900

Born on this date
Ruth Nanda Anshen. U.S. philosopher. Miss Anshen, beginning in 1941, edited the Science of Culture Series of books, hoping to develop a "unitary principle under which there could be subsumed and evaluated the nature of man and the nature of life, the relationship of knowledge to life." The Science of Culture Series included Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Thomas Mann on its board of editors. Miss Anshen also edited the World Perspectives Series and other "Perspectives" series. She was a member of several learned societies, and died on December 2, 2003 at the age of 103.

Americana
Hawaii became a United States territory.

Defense
The second of the German Naval Laws was passed, doubling the size of the Imperial German Navy.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Rudolf Kempe. German orchestra conductor. Mr. Kempe was an oboist and pianist before becoming a conductor, leading orchestras such as the Leipzig Opera; Dresden Opera; Staatskapelle Dresden (1949-1952); Bavarian State Opera (1952-1954); and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1961-1975); Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich (1965-1972); and Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (1967-1976). He directed the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the months leading up to his death in Zurich on May 12, 1976 at the age of 65.

Religion
The World Missionary Conference, from which the modern ecumenical movement traces its origin, began in Edinburgh. For a firsthand account of the conference, go here.

90 years ago
1920

Died on this date
Max Weber, 56. German economist and sociologist. Dr. Weber was one of the founding figures of sociology. He was best known for his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), emphasizing the importance of religious beliefs and their influence on society. Dr. Weber died of pneumonia.

80 years ago
1930

Auto racing
AAA
Championship Car Series
Billy Arnold won a 200-mile race on the board track at Altoona Speedway in Pennsylvania. Deacon Litz finished second and Frank Farmer third in the 16-car field.

75 years ago
1935

Protest
The "On to Ottawa" trek, now numbering 2,000 unemployed men, reached Regina, 11 days after leaving Vancouver with 1,000 men aboard freight cars, bound for Canada's capital to protest the economic policies of the Conservative government of Prime Minister R.B. Bennett.

Baseball
Former American League batting champion Dale Alexander hit 4 consecutive home runs, mostly off Steve Sundra, to lead the Kansas City Blues to a 15-2 win over the Minneapolis Millers in an American Association game at Nicollet Field in Minneapolis.

70 years ago
1940

At the movies
The Mortal Storm, directed by Frank Borzage, and starring James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan, Frank Morgan, Robert Young, and Robert Stack, opened in theatres.



War
German troops entered Paris. French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud sent an appeal to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the United States to enter the European war, warning him that the fall of France was imminent. Spanish troops, with the consent of France, Britain, and Italy, took control of Tangiers, Morocco. The Japanese-sponsored government in central China led by Wang Ching-wei issued a demand that all French, British, and Italian warships leave the country.

Abominations
The Nazis opened Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, with 728 Polish political prisoners from Tarnów as the first inmates.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. presented an ultimatum to Lithuania that resulted in Lithuania's loss of independence.

Politics and government
The French government relocated from Tours to Bordeaux.

In welcoming the Naturalization Service into the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney General Robert Jackson said that only aliens who could benefit the United States would be admitted to the country.

Defense
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Joseph Taussig said that the "bankrupt" United States policy in the Far East would result in war.

Journalism
Gordon Cobbledick of the Cleveland Plain Dealer broke the story about the Indians’ players meeting with team owner Alva Bradley to request that manager Ossie Vitt be fired. Mr. Vitt met with Mr. Bradley, but declined to comment on the situation.

Baseball
Johnny Allen pitched a 2-hitter as the Cleveland Indians blanked the Philadelphia Athletics 8-0at League Park in Cleveland.

60 years ago
1950

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Ben Wright and Eric Snowden, on ABC

This episode marked the end of Sherlock Holmes series originating on American networks, going back to 1932. Subsequent episodes that were broadcast in the United States were produced in the U.K. (e.g., four episode of the John Gielgud-Ralph Richardson BBC series that never aired in Britain, but were broadcast on NBC in 1955), were adaptations of A. Conan Doyle stories that aired as occasional episodes of a non-Holmes series (e.g., CBS Radio Mystery Theater from 1977-1982), or were produced and broadcast independent of networks (e.g., The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, produced by Jim French and syndicated as part of Imagination Theatre, circa 1998 and after).

Politics and government
The United Nations Trusteeship Council abandoned its attempts to internationalize Jerusalem, referring the problem back to the General Assembly.

Former South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts, 80, resigned as leader of the opposition United Party because of illness.

Energy
The U.S.A. and Canada signed an agreement to allocate to Canada more water from the Niagara River to generate hydro-electric power.

Economics and finance
During a United Nations Economic and Social Council conference at Lake Success, New York, the U.S.A. and other UN members pledged $20 million to a fund for technical aid to backward countries.

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board reported that total industrial production in May was 193% of the 1935-1939 average, only 1% short of the peacetime record set in the 1948 boom.

50 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Goodbye Grandpa, starring Edgar Stehli, Candy Moore, and Andy Karen



Divorced on this date
In Juarez, Mexico, actress Laraine Day obtained a divorce from Brooklyn Dodgers' coach Leo Durocher. They were wed on January 20, 1947.

Baseball
The Chicago Cubs signed pitcher-outfielder Danny Murphy to a $130,000 contract, making him the highest-paid player of the bonus era so far. The 17-year-old had a record of 11-0 and a batting average of .489 with his high school team in Danvers, Massachusetts.

Jim Bunning of the Detroit Tigers struck out 13 Boston Red Sox in 7 innings but gave up a solo home run to Ted Williams and was trailing 1-0 when Norm Cash was sent in to pinch hit for him. Mr. Cash hit a 2-run home run, and the Tigers and Mr. Bunning (4-3) won 2-1 before 7,019 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Bill Monbouquette (5-6) allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete game loss.

Roger Maris hit a home run, double, and single, and batted in 5 runs for the New York Yankees as they beat the Kansas City Athletics 6-2 before 15,142 fans at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Jim Coates (7-0) pitched a 6-hit complete game and batted 2 for 3 with a double and 2 runs.

Clay Dalrymple singled home 2 runs to climax a 3-run rally in the top of the 10th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies broke a 3-3 tie and withstood a 2-run rally in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 before 18,031 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Dodgers had runners on first and second bases with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th, but Norm Larker made an out to shortstop to end the game. The Phillies had tied the score with single runs in the 8th and 9th.

40 years ago
1970

Diplomacy
Egyptian President Gamal Nasser said in an interview that if Israel would agree to a complete exit from Arab lands, he could accept a six-month cease-fire to negotiate a permanent peace accord.

Politics and government
In the U.S.S.R. general election, Communist Party candidates won 562 of 767 seats in the Soviet of the Union, and 534 of 750 seats in the Soviet of Nationalities. "Independent" candidates, nominated by organizations controlled by the Communist Party, won the remaining 205 and 216 seats, respectively. The Communists and "independents" received a combined 99.7% and 99.8% of the vote, respectively.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that skilled workers in the aerospace, aircraft, weapons, and automobile industries had been those hardest hit by the industrial slowdown and rise in unemployment.

Auto racing
USAC
Bobby Unser won a 150 mile race at Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Al Unser finished second, and Mike Mosley third. It was Bobby Unser's first win of the season.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles (14th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Funkytown--Lipps Inc.

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless)--The Mash (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless)--The Mash (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (3rd week at #1)
2 Working My Way Back to You--Spinners
3 Cara Mia--Jay & the Americans
4 Buzz Buzz a Diddle It--Matchbox
5 What's Another Year--Johnny Logan
6 Lost in Love--Demis Roussos
7 Sri-Lanka...My Shangri-La--Jack Jersey
8 Runnin' with the Devil--Van Halen
9 Pierrot--Bonnie St. Claire
10 Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band

Singles entering the chart were Late at Night by Maywood (#27); No Doubt About It by Hot Chocolate (#28); Power by the Temptations (#29); The Drunken Sailor by Babe (#30); Aloha-Oe, Until We Meet Again by Goombay Dance Band (#33); and Container-Song by Henk Wijngaard (#35).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (3rd week at #1)
2 Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)--Paul McCartney & Wings
3 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
4 The Rose--Bette Midler
5 Against the Wind--Bob Seger
6 Call Me--Blondie
7 It's Still Rock and Roll to Me--Billy Joel
8 Little Jeannie--Elton John
9 Cars--Gary Numan
10 Steal Away--Robbie Dupree

Singles entering the chart were Empire Strikes Back (Medley) by Meco (#68); Let My Love Open the Door by Pete Townshend (#69); All Out of Love by Air Supply (#71); JoJo by Boz Scaggs (#74); Sailing by Christopher Cross (#77); Into the Night by Benny Mardones (#78); Sweet Sensation by Stephanie Mills (#83); I'm Happy Just to Dance with You by Anne Murray (#85); Landlord by Gladys Knight & the Pips (#87); Fame by Irene Cara (#88); On the Rebound by Russ Ballard (#89); One More Time for Love by Billy Preston & Syreeta (#90); Take a Little Rhythm by Ali Thomson (#92); and Only the Lonely (Have a Reason to Be Sad) by La Flavour (#93). Empire Strikes Back (Medley) was a version of music from the movie. Fame was the title song of the movie.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (3rd week at #1)
2 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
3 Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)--Paul McCartney & Wings
4 Cars--Gary Numan
5 The Rose--Bette Midler
6 Call Me--Blondie
7 Little Jeannie--Elton John
8 Steal Away--Robbie Dupree
9 Against the Wind--Bob Seger
10 Lost in Love--Air Supply

Singles entering the chart were Love the World Away by Kenny Rogers (#58); Let My Love Open the Door by Pete Townshend (#68); Empire Strikes Back (Medley) by Meco (#73); Take a Little Rhythm by Ali Thomson (#74); Make a Little Magic by the Dirt Band (#75); JoJo by Boz Scaggs (#82); Tulsa Time by Eric Clapton and his Band (#84); Let's Go 'round Again by Average White Band (#85); One More Time for Love by Billy Preston & Syreeta (#86); Sweet Sensation by Stephanie Mills (#87); Stop Your Sobbing by the Pretenders (#88); Alabama Getaway by the Grateful Dead (#90); It's for You by Player (#91); and I Don't Wanna Get Drafted by Frank Zappa (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (3rd week at #1)
2 The Rose--Bette Midler
3 Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)--Paul McCartney & Wings
4 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
5 Cars--Gary Numan
6 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
7 Little Jeannie--Elton John
8 Call Me--Blondie
9 Against the Wind--Bob Seger
10 Steal Away--Robbie Dupree

Singles entering the chart were Love the World Away by Kenny Rogers (#37); Let My Love Open the Door by Pete Townshend (#63); Tulsa Time by Eric Clapton and his Band (#76); JoJo by Boz Scaggs (#78); Make a Little Magic by the Dirt Band (#79); Sailing by Christopher Cross (#83); Alabama Getaway by the Grateful Dead (#84); Stop Your Sobbing by the Pretenders (#85); One More Time for Love by Billy Preston & Syreeta (#86); My Mistake by the Kingbees (#87); King of the Hill by Rick Pinette and Oak (#88); It's for You by Player (#89); Fame by Irene Cara (#90); Who Shot J.R.? by Gary Burbank with Band McNally (#94); and Shotgun Rider by Joe Sun (#99).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Call Me--Blondie (3rd week at #1)
2 Cars--Gary Numan
3 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
4 Pilot of the Airwaves-Charlie Dore
5 Rock Lobster--The B-52's
6 Ride Like the Wind--Christopher Cross
7 Brass in Pocket (I'm Special)--Pretenders
8 Lost in Love--Air Supply
9 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
10 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd

Singles entering the chart were Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time by the Spinners (#87); Let Me Love You Tonight by Pure Prairie League (#92); All Night Long by Joe Walsh (#95); I Only Want to Be with You by the Tourists (#97); Two Places at the Same Time by Raydio (#99); and Everything Works If You Let It by Cheap Trick (#100).

Diplomacy
The European Economic Community issued an 11-point declaration after its two-day meeting in Venice, which included a declaration that Israel must "put an end to the terrorist occupation" of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and that the EEC would not accept any unilateral initiative to change the status of Jerusalem.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Saskatchewan (0-2) 14 @ Edmonton (1-0) 42

25 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): 19--Paul Hardcastle (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Live is Life--Opus (3rd week at #1)

Terrorism
A 17-day hijack ordeal began when a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists from the group Hezbollah seized TWA Flight 847 shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece after stopping there en route from Cairo to San Diego.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (0-1) 25 @ Saskatchewan (2-0) 28

Dave Ridgway’s field goal on the last play of the game gave the Roughriders the win over the Eskimos at Taylor Field in Regina. Rookie Damon Allen saw some playing time at quarterback for the Eskimos, throwing a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Thad Jemison.

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Put 'em Under Pressure--The Republic of Ireland Football Squad (3rd week at #1)

World events
Hanover beat out Toronto by a 21-20 vote to host the 2000 World’s Fair. Toronto’s theme for the fair would have been "Peace with our Planet: Visions of a new millennium." It aimed to redefine Water; Land; Atmosphere; Energy; Plant Life; Animal Life; and Humanity. I’m glad Toronto's bid failed--but does anyone remember a world’s fair in Hanover?

Protest
10,000 miners poured into Bucharest, routed student protesters, set up barricades, ransacked the headquarters of two opposition parties, and wrecked the office of an independent newspaper. Foreign press people were also attacked.

Economics and finance
The Supreme Soviet of Kirghizia approved the country’s first corporate income tax, setting a basic rate of 45%, while rejecting the government’s proposal to triple the price of bread.

The United States Labor Department reported that producer prices for finished goods had edged upward 0.3% in May, following three consecutive monthly drops.

Business
Major league baseball’s National League announced plans to expand from 12 teams to 14 for the 1993 season. The price of admission for each team was set at $95 million.

Religion
Cardinal John J. O’Connor, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York City, said in an article in the archdiocese’s newspaper that Roman Catholic political leaders who supported the right of women to have an abortion "must be warned that they are at risk of excommunication." He said that the warning applied to women who obtained an abortion; to doctors who performed abortions; and to officeholders who supported abortion or made funds available for it.

Disasters
33 people were believed dead and 200 homes and trailers were destroyed when thunderstorms created a flash flood that tore through a valley and into the town of Shadyside, Ohio, 10 miles south of Wheeling, West Virginia. Part of a tavern was swept away with the customers inside.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Detroit 92 @ Portland 90 (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-1)

The Pistons scored the game's last 9 points--7 by Vinnie Johnson--as they came from behind to defeat the Trail Blazers before 12,642 fans at Memorial Coliseum to win their second straight National Basketball Association championship. Detroit guard Isiah Thomas led all scorers with 29 points and was named the finals' Most Valuable Player. Kevin Duckworth and Terry Porter each scored 21 points for Portland.



10 years ago
2000

Diplomacy
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il and South Korean President Kim Dae Jung signed an agreement in Pyongyang pledging to work for reunification. They agreed to allow members of separated families to visit each other, and promised to arrange for the repatriation of prisoners. Kim Jong Il accepted an invitation to visit Seoul, while South Korea promised to increase economic aid to North Korea.

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada, after a day of hearings into Robert Latimer’s 1993 murder of his disabled daughter Tracy, reserved decision.

Defense
Officials in the U.S. administration of President Bill Clinton said that lawyers had advised Mr. Clinton that the United States could begin building a national missile defense system without violating the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 120 @ Indiana 118 (OT) (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Kobe Bryant made three clutch field goals in overtime, while Reggie Miller missed a 3-point field goal attempt in the final seconds as the Lakers edged the Pacers before 18,345 fans at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Mr. Bryant finished the game with 28 points, while Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers with 36 points and 21 rebounds. Reggie Miller led the Pacers with 35 points, and Rik Smits added 24.