June 4, 2010

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Linda Fortin Gerritsen!

250 years ago
1760

Canadiana
22 ships carrying New England planters arrived in Nova Scotia to claim land taken from the Acadians, who had been forcibly evicted.

180 years ago
1830

Died on this date
Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá, 35. President of Peru, 1823; President of Bolivia, 1825-1828. Marshal Sucre, the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" (Grand Marshal of Ayacucho), was a Venezuelan independence leader and a close friend of Simón Bolívar. Marshal Sucre achieved military victories that helped to secure the independence of Ecuador and Peru, and he served as President of Peru from June 23-July 17, 1823, elected by Congress to exercise provisional military power. Marshal Sucre was one of the founders of Bolivia, serving as its second President and giving it its constitution, although opposition to the constitution led to his resignation. He was assassinated in an ambush by a five-man gang working on behalf of General Juan José Flores, who wanted to separate the District of Ecuador from Gran Colombia in order to be president of his own country. The constitutional capital of Bolivia and the Venezuelan state of Sucre are among the many places named in Marshal Sucre's honour.

125 years ago
1885

Baseball
The St. Louis Maroons beat the Buffalo Bisons 8-4 in the last game at Palace Park of America in St. Louis.

120 years ago
1890

Baseball
Tim Keefe gave up 8 hits, struck out 7, and made 4 errors in earning his 300th career major league victory as the New York Giants beat the Boston Reds 9-4 in a Players League game. The teams combined for 14 errors.

110 years ago
1900

Born on this date
George Watkins. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Watkins was an outfielder with the St. Louis Cardinals (1930-1933); New York Giants (1934); Philadelphia Phillies (1935-1936); and Brooklyn Dodgers (1936), batting .288 with 73 home runs and 420 runs batted in in 894 games. He hit .373 in his rookie year, which remains the National League record for highest batting average by a rookie. Mr. Watkins helped the Cardinals win the National League pennant in 1930 and the World Series in 1931, batting .231 with 2 homers and 3 RBIs in 9 World Series games, and becoming, in 1930, the first NL player to hit a home run in his first World Series plate appearance. He played 702 games in 6 seasons in the minor leagues (1925-1929, 1937), batting .313 with 83 home runs, beginning and ending his career with the Houston Buffaloes of the Texas League. Mr. Watkins drank himself to death on June 1, 1970, three days before his 70th birthday.

90 years ago
1920

War
The Kingdom of Hungary lost 72% of its territory and 64% of its population with the signing in Paris of the Treaty of Trianon, which ended and punished Hungary's involvement in World War I.

Transportation
Ontario provincial legislation established the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals, behind the 8-hit pitching of Bill Doak (6-4) and 2 triples by Rogers Hornsby, defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-1 at Robison Field in St. Louis. Grover Cleveland Alexander (11-3) allowed 14 hits and 5 earned runs in a complete game, ending his 11-game winning streak.

70 years ago
1940

War
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King placed all Canadian military forces at the disposal of the British government. The Royal Air Force's 242 "Canadian" Squadron was posted to France. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced a "miracle of deliverance" as the last of the soldiers returned home from Dunkirk, France. 338,226 people were rescued in the 10-day flotilla known as Operation Dynamo. While admitting that the landing at Dunkirk had been a "colossal military disaster," Mr. Churchill told the House of Commons (and later, the nation), "We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender." French Vice Admiral Jean Marie Abrial left Dunkirk, officially concluding the Allied rescue effort. German planes bombed the French port of Le Havre. The Nationalist Chinese government claimed the recapture of Siangyang in the northern part of the province of Hupeh.



Defense
The United States Senate approved the House of Representatives version of a Navy bill calling for 10,000 airplanes and 16,000 aviators. Assistant U.S. Secretary of War Louis Johnson told a group of 1,200 business executives that it would take two years until the defense program was fully prepared.

Politics and government
Oren Root, Jr., originator of the Willkie-for-President movement, claimed that New York lawyer Wendell Willkie would receive the Republican Party's nomination as its 1940 candidate for President of the United States on the second ballot at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia later in the month.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee voted to increase the national debt limit by $4 billion and new tax measures by $1 billion.

Baseball
Before 20,310 fans, the Pittsburgh Pirates routed the Boston Bees 14-2 in the first night game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.

Pete Coscarart’s 3-run home run was the big blow in a 5-run 1st inning as the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 10-1 before 23,500 fans at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis in the Cardinals’ first night game at home. Joe Medwick batted 5 for 5 for the Cardinals.

60 years ago
1950

Academia
Boston University President Daniel Marsh told graduating students that "if the television craze continues with the present level of programs, we are destined to have a nation of morons."

Politics and government
The Christian Social Party, led by Jean Duvieusart, won a narrow majority in the Belgian general election, taking 108 of 212 seats in the in the Chamber of Representatives. The Christian Social Party was a Roman Catholic party, and the only party to favour the return of King Leopold III to the throne; their total was an increase of 3 from the most recent election in 1949. The Socialist Party, led by Max Buset, was second with 73 seats, an increase of 7 from 1949. The Liberals, led by Roger Motz, was third with 20 seats, a decrease of 9 from 1949.

Elections for the House of Councillors, the upper house of the Japanese Diet, resulted in a plurality for the Liberal Party of Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida. The Liberals won 52 of 132 seats; the Socialist Party, led by Tetsu Katayama, was second with 36. The National Democratic Party and Ryokufūkai each won 9, and 19 independent candidates were elected.

Nazem el-Kodsi, deputy leader of the People's Party, became Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Syria, leading a cabinet that was appointed to serve until the Constituent Assembly completed work on a new constitution.

The U.S. Socialist Party ended a three-day convention in Detroit after shifting party leadership from longtime leader Norman Thomas to Darlington Hoopes, proponent of a stronger "anti-capitalist" line.

50 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): My Old Man's a Dustman--Lonnie Donegan and his Group (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Scandalo al sole (The Theme from "A Summer Place")--Percy Faith and his Orchestra (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Wir wollen niemals auseinandergehn--Heidi Brühl (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Cathy's Clown--The Everly Brothers (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Cathy’s Clown--The Everly Brothers (3rd week at #1)
2 Stuck on You--Elvis Presley
3 Good Timin’--Jimmy Jones
4 Night--Jackie Wilson
5 He’ll Have to Stay--Jeanne Black
6 Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool--Connie Francis
7 Paper Roses--Anita Bryant
8 Burning Bridges--Jack Scott
9 Swingin’ School--Bobby Rydell
10 Greenfields--The Brothers Four

Singles entering the chart were Alley-Oop by Dante and the Evergreens (#56, charting with the version by the Hollywood Argyles); Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel) by Roy Orbison (#71); Please Help Me, I'm Falling by Hank Locklin (#75); That's All You Gotta Do by Brenda Lee (#79); Mule Skinner Blues by the Fendermen (#83); Maria by Johnny Mathis (#85); I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter by Fabian (#86); Down Yonder by Johnny and the Hurricanes (#87); Finger Poppin' Time by Hank Ballard (#96); One Last Kiss by Bobby Vee (#97); Mojo Workout (Dance) by Larry Bright (#98); Lonely Winds by the Drifters (#99); Everyday by Della Reese (#100); and Bye Bye Johnny by Chuck Berry (also #100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Cathy's Clown--The Everly Brothers (2nd week at #1)
2 Because They're Young--Duane Eddy and the Rebels
3 Jump Over--Freddy Cannon
4 Biology--Danny Valentino
5 Good Timin'--Jimmy Jones
6 Happy-Go-Lucky-Me--Paul Evans
7 Stuck on You--Elvis Presley
8 Alley-Oop--The Hollywood Argyles
9 Swingin' School--Bobby Rydell
10 Three Steps to Heaven--Eddie Cochran

Singles entering the chart were Walking the Floor Over You by Pat Boone (#42); Rock-A-Long by the Craftsmen (#43); Dutchman's Gold by Walter Brennan (#45); Mack the Knife by Ella Fitzgerald (#46); Mule Skinner Blues by the Fendermen (#48); and Wild Weekend by the Rebels (#49).

40 years ago
1970

Died on this date
Peter Godfrey, 70. U.K.-born actor and director. Mr. Godfrey began his acting career in repertory theatre, but became interested in expressionism, and founded the Gate Theatre in London in 1925. He appeared in a few films in Britain before moving to New York circa 1937 and working in theatre there. Mr. Godfrey moved to Hollywood in 1939, appearing in bit parts in a few movies and directing films such as The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939); Christmas in Connecticut (1945); and The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947).

Sonny Tufts, 58. U.S. actor. An alumnus of Yale University, Bowen Charlton Tufts III appeared in the movie So Proudly We Hail! (1943), and was promoted as "The Male Sensation of 1944!" However, his movie career consisted mostly of turkeys, and he made headlines in later years mainly for drinking and getting into fights. Cat-Women of the Moon (1954) didn't do anything to revive his career, nor did a guest appearance--as himself--in an episode of the television comedy series My Mother the Car (1965). He also made several guest appearances on the television comedy show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

Oceanatica
King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV declared the Kingdom of Tonga to be completely independent and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Tonga had been protected for 70 years by Great Britain under a Treaty of Friendship.

Crime
Arthur Barkley of Phoenix, who had hijacked a plane, was lured back to Dulles Airport in Washington to collect what he thought would be almost $100 million in ransom money, only to be disarmed and arrested.

Labour
A wildcat strike by Canadian workers over the hiring of nonunion help forced the closing of the U.S. section of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Baseball
In the annual major league free agent draft, the first pick was catcher Mike Ivie, taken from high school by the San Diego Padres. The next three players taken were Stanford University pitcher Steve Dunning (Cleveland Indians), and catchers Barry Foote (Montreal Expos) and Darrell Porter (Milwaukee Brewers). The San Francisco Giants had two first-round picks, which they used to take pitcher John D’Acquisto and outfielder Dave Kingman. Players who ended up with notable major league careers who were drafted in later rounds included pitcher Rick Reuschel (Chicago Cubs, 3rd round); pitcher Will McEnaney (Cincinnati Reds, 8th); pitcher Rich "Goose" Gossage (Chicago White Sox, 9th); infielder Ray Knight (Cincinnati Reds, 10th); outfielder Dave Parker (Pittsburgh Pirates, 14th); pitcher Pat Zachry (Cincinnati Reds, 19th); and outfielder Bake McBride (St. Louis Cardinals, 37th). Mr. Dunning went straight to the Indians, becoming just the second player ever drafted to skip the minor leagues. Frank White, who went on to a 17-year career as a second baseman with the Kansas City Royals, wasn’t drafted at all.

The Buffalo Bisons of the AAA International League, top farm team of the Montreal Expos, moved to Winnipeg to become the Winnipeg Whips. The Bisons were suffering from poor attendance--averaging just 700 fans per game at War Memorial Stadium--and had a record of 9-29 at the time of the move.

30 years ago
1980

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Ties that Bind

Died on this date
Charles Miller, 41. U.S. musician. Mr. Miller played various instruments with the funk group War and its predecessors in the 1960s and '70s. He was best known for providing the lead vocal and saxophone solo in the song Low Rider (1975). Mr. Miller was stabbed to death in a botched robbery, two days after his 41st birthday; his murder remains unsolved.

Protest
Israeli soldiers forced West Bank merchants to reopen their stores, a day after shopkeepers had closed their stores in protest against bombings on June 2 which had maimed the mayors of two West bank communities, and which had been attributed to Jewish extremists.

Hockey
NHL
"Mr. Hockey," Gordie Howe, announced his retirement as a player at the age of 52. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings (1946-71) and Hartford Whalers (1979-80) and in the World Hockey Association with the Houston Aeros (1973-77) and New England Whalers (1977-79), amassing too many accomplishments to list here.

25 years ago
1985

Academia
Michael Martin was among those graduating from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and this blogger was pleased to be one of his guests attending the ceremony at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton.

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Pure Gold--Eikichi Yazawa

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Verdammt, Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Janet Adkins. U.S. assisted-suicide case. Mrs. Adkins, who had Alzheimer’s disease, had come to the Detroit area, where Dr. Jack Kevorkian injected a fatal dose of drugs into her bloodstream. Michigan had no law prohibiting doctor-assisted suicide, but the American Medical Association’s code of ethics prohibited doctors from helping their patients to die. Mrs. Adkins’ husband supported his wife’s decision.

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev flew to California, where he and his wife Raisa visited with former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy. Mr. Gorbachev addressed 1,700 students at Stanford University, saying, "The cold war is now behind us. Let us not wrangle over who won it." Mr. Gorbachev also met with South Korean President Roh Tae Woo in San Francisco; Mr. Roh later said that Russia and South Korea would normalize relations.

Protest
Violent clashes began in Osh, in the Soviet republic of Kirghizia, between Uzbeks and Kirghiz citizens. The dispute was over a proposed allocation of a large plot of land for housing for the Kirghiz. Thousands of Uzbeks rioted, and Soviet troops were sent to the area.

Politics and government
Canada’s provincial premiers began a conference with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in Ottawa in an attempt to save the Meech Lake Canadian constitutional accord.

Crime
Daniel Maston was charged in Moncton, New Brunswick with spiking a lunch room cooler with radioactive heavy water, exposing eight co-workers to high radiation when they drank the water.

Scandal
The trial of Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry began. He faced 11 misdemeanour counts relating to cocaine and 3 felony counts of lying to a grand jury.

Baseball
In the annual major league free agent draft, the first player picked was high school shortstop Chipper Jones, taken by the Atlanta Braves. The next two players taken were outfielder Tony Clark (Detroit Tigers) and catcher Mike Lieberthal (Philadelphia Phillies). Mike Mussina was the 20th player taken, drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. The New York Yankees drafted outfielder Carl Everett 10th overall, but had even better success in the later rounds, choosing pitcher Andy Pettitte (20th round); catcher Jorge Posada (24th); and outfielder Shane Spencer (25th).

Ramon Martinez tied Sandy Koufax’s team record for a single game as he struck out 18 batters in pitching the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves before 22,098 fans at Dodger Stadium.

10 years ago
2000

Protest
Anti-globalization protesters were arrested and blasted with pepper spray by police riot squads in Windsor, Ontario prior to the opening of the annual general assembly of the Organization of American States.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Bill Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting in Moscow, agreed to reduce their stockpiles of plutonium, which was used to build nuclear weapons. The two leaders discussed the rebellion in the breakaway Russian province of Chechnya; Russia’s economic problems; trade; and missile defense.

Auto racing
CART
Juan Pablo Montoya won the Miller Lite 225 at the Milwaukee Mile.



Baseball
In interleague action, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the New York Mets 15-5 before 43,610 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. In the 2nd inning, Tampa Bay shortstop Felix Martinez hit his first major league home run off Bobby Jones. Pitcher Esteban Yan followed Mr. Martinez at bat and hit Mr. Jones’ first pitch for his first major league homer, becoming the 77th major league player to hit a home run in his first major league at bat, and only the fourth American League pitcher (the most recent before Mr. Yan was Don Rose of the California Angels in 1972). Alan Trammell came to bat as a pinch hitter for the Devil Ray in the 8th inning and hit a 3-run homer.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 8th inning, Rondell White doubled, advanced to third base on a single by Vladimir Guerrero, and scored on a single by Lee Stevens for the only run of the game as the Montreal Expos edged the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 in an interleague game before 15,181 fans at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Tony Armas, Jr. (1-3) allowed 2 hits in 8 innings, but relief pitcher Steve Kline almost blew the save. After the first 2 batters were retired, pinch hitter Mark Lewis doubled and advanced to third base on a passed ball by Brian Schneider. Jeff Conine drew a base on balls, but B.J. Surhoff grounded out to second base to end the game.

Ron Gant led off the bottom of the 12th inning with a single, advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Rheal Cormier, and scored on a 2-out double by Brian Jordan to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox in an interleague game before 27,382 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Red Sox scored all their runs off Curt Schilling in the 3rd inning, when they took a 5-0 lead.

The Kansas City Royals scored 3 runs in the top of the 11th inning to break a 4-4 tie as they beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 in an interleague game before 27,915 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Pirates had the bases loaded with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th, but Dan Reichert struck out Pat Meares to end the game.

Juan Castro doubled with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning and Pokey Reese followed with a single to score Mr. Castro to give the Cincinnati Reds a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in an interleague game before 40,169 fans at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati.

Bobby Higginson led off the top of the 12th inning with a base on balls, stole second base, and scored from third on a 2-out bunt single by Shane Halter to break a 2-2 tie as the Detroit Tigers edged the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in an interleague game before 36,749 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Augie Ojeda made his major league debut at shortstop for the Cubs, batting 1 for 4 with a double, and making 4 assists in the field.

The San Francisco Giants hit 5 doubles and 5 home runs in an 18-2 rout of the Oakland Athletics in an interleague game before 48,128 fans at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland. Jeff Kent led the San Francisco attack, batting 4 for 6 with 2 homers, 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 5 runs batted in.

Rafael Palmeiro drew a bases-loaded walk with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to score Kevin Stocker and give the Anaheim Angels an 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in an interleague game before 40,489 fans at Edison International Field of Anaheim. Mr. Stocker had led off with a base on balls, and the inning included another walk and a hit batsman. The Dodgers took an early lead with 4 runs in the top of the 1st.