June 7, 2010

360 years ago
1660

Born on this date
George I. King of Great Britain and Ireland, 1714-1727. George I was the son of Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover, and inherited his titles upon his death in 1698. George acceded to the British throne upon the death of Queen Anne; as her second cousin, he was her closest living Protestant relative. He was active in directing British foreign policy during the early years of his reign, helping to create the anti-Spanish Triple--later Quadruple--Entente. King George's reign was characterized by a transition of political power to a modern system of government by cabinet led by a prime minister. King George I was unpopular in Britain because of his alleged lack of knowledge of the English language, and the perception that he was too German. He died of a stroke while on a visit to Hanover on June 22, 1727, 15 days after his 67th birthday, and was succeeded by his son George II.

270 years ago
1740

Died on this date
Alexander Spotswood, 64. Moroccan-born American politician. Mr. Spotswood, the son of a military surgeon, was a lieutenant-colonel in the British Army before serving as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (1710-1722). He led military and exploratory expeditions, built major industrial works, and made a treaty with the Iroquois in 1721. Mr. Spotswood was consistently opposed by the Virginia Council, and lost a power struggle with Councillor James Blair.

240 years ago
1770

Born on this date
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1812-1827. Lord Liverpool, a Tory, held various offices before serving as Prime Minister. He led the United Kingdom during the War of 1812 and the period of unrest that followed the Napoleonic Wars; initiated legal and political reforms; and sought a compromise on the issue of Roman Catholic emancipation. Lord Liverpool resigned after suffering a severe cerebral hemorrhage, and died, after a stroke, on December 4, 1828 at the age of 58.

210 years ago
1800

Exploration
David Thompson reached the mouth of the Saskatchewan River in what is now Manitoba.

200 years ago
1810

Journalism
The newspaper Gazeta de Buenos Ayres was first published in Argentina.

170 years ago
1840

Born on this date
Carlota. Empress consort of Mexico, 1864-1867. Carlota, born Charlotte, was the only daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium. She married her second cousin Archduke Maximilian, the younger brother of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, in 1857, and became queen consort of Mexico when her husband was installed as a figurehead ruler after the intervention of French troops on the initiative of Emperor Napoleon III. When the French began to withdraw their troops from Mexico, Empress Carlota sailed to France in 1866 in an attempt to persuade Emperor Napoleon to change his decision; she was unsuccessful, and the strain of her mission had serious effects on her physical and mental health. After Emperor Maximilian was executed by Republican forces, Charlotte, now once again an archduchess, lived as a dowager at Miramare Castle, Maximilian's estate in Trieste. She died of pneumonia caused by influenza on January 19, 1927 at the age of 76.

Died on this date
Friedrich Wilhelm III, 69. King of Prussia, 1797-1840. Friedrich Wilhelm III acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Friedrich Wilhelm II, and ruled Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars. He was forced to steer a careful course between France and her enemies, and was in a subservient position to France following major defeats in the battles of Jena and Auerstadt in 1806. King Friedrich William III's major interest was the reform and unification of Prussia's Protestant churches. His wife Louise was his most important political adviser, and Queen Louise was a beloved national figure before and after her death at the age of 34 in 1810. King Friedrich Wilhelm III died from a fever, and was succeeded by his son Friedrich Wilhelm IV.

130 years ago
1880

Died on this date
Francisco Bolognesi, 63. Peruvian military officer. Colonel Bolognesi was a businessman before first joining the military in 1844, and joining permanently in 1853. He retired in 1871 as Commander-in-Chief of the Artillery, but went back into service when the War of the Pacific against Chile began in 1879, and was placed in command of the Peruvian port of Arica. Col. Bolognesi refused to surrender to Chilean forces despite being outnumbered 3-1, and was among the 1,000 killed in defending the town. Col. Bolognesi is regarded as a Peruvian national hero, and on January 2, 1951 was declared patron of the Army by the Peruvian government.

War
Chilean forces led by Colonel Pedro Lagos defeated Peruvian forces commanded by Colonel Francisco Bolognesi in the Battle of Arica, ending the Campaña del Desierto (Desert Campaign) in the War of the Pacific.

125 years ago
1885

Baseball
The American Association removed all restrictions on pitchers using an overhand delivery, and also removed the foul bounce out from the rule book.

110 years ago
1900

Protest
U.S. temperance activist Carrie Nation entered a saloon in Kiowa, Kansas, and destroyed its stock of alcoholic beverages with rocks.

Golf
J.H. Taylor shot 75 in the final round to win the British Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland with a total score of 309, 8 strokes ahead of Harry Vardon. It was the third British Open title for Mr. Taylor. First prize money was £50.

100 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Mike Sebastian. U.S. football player and coach. Mr. Sebastian was a fullback with the University of Pittsburgh (1931-1933), helping the Panthers win a share of the national championship in 1931, and earning All-American honours in his last two seasons after moving to halfback. He played professionally for 10 teams from 1934-1938. Mr. Sebastian was forced to retire as a player because of knee and hip injuries, and went on to a long and successful career as a high school teacher and football coach. He died on June 28, 1989, three weeks after his 79th birthday, from hepatitis contracted during hip replacement surgery.

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox sold pitcher "Sleepy" Bill Burns to the Cincinnati Reds for $4,000. Mr. Burns was 0-0 with an earned run average of 0.00 in 1/3 inning in 1 game with Chicago in 1910.

Eddie Stack of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a 3-hitter as he beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0 before 2,900 fans at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia in his first major league game. Mr. Stack batted 0 for 2 with a base on balls, and made 3 assists. Third baseman Eddie Grant batted 3 for 4, and singled home Johnny Bates with the game's only run in the 3rd inning. Losing pitcher Harry McIntire (4-4) allowed 4 hits in 7 innings.

80 years ago
1930

Horse racing
Gallant Fox, with Earl Sande up, became the second horse to win the Triple Crown when he won the 62nd running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York in a time of 2:31 3⁄5, 4 lengths ahead of Whichone, with Questionnaire and Swinfield finishing in a dead heat for third in the 4-horse field. Sir Barton was the only previous Triple Crown winner, in 1930.



70 years ago
1940

At the movies
The Ghost Breakers, starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, received its premiere screening in Detroit.



World events
King Haakon VII, Crown Prince Olav, and the Norwegian government left Tromsø and went into exile in London.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt put into operation a plan whereby old military equipment would be immediately made available to the Allies.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Robert Taft (Republican--Ohio), speaking in Chattanooga, Tennessee, said that President Franklin D. Roosevelt should renounce a third term in office for the sake of national unity.

Fusanosuk Kuharu resigned as a Japanese cabinet counsellor and challenged the government to take a firm stand against the U.S. and U.K.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law a bill freezing the securities of all countries that had been invaded by German forces, and blocking importation of any securities held by the governments or nationals of invaded countries.

The United States Commerce Department reported that April had been the first month since November 1939 in which manufacturers' new orders had exceeded shipments.

Labour
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to abolish the old Labor Board under the National Labor Relations Act and replace it with a new three-man panel.

Baseball
Ray Blades was fired as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals after compiling a record of 14-24 to start the season. Coach Mike Gonzales replaced him until Billy Southworth could arrive from the Rochester Red Wings of the International League.

The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 in 11 innings before 8,601 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, handing Bucky Walters his first loss in 1940 after 9 straight wins.

60 years ago
1950

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

At the movies
Winchester '73, directed by Anthony Mann, and starring James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, and Stephen McNally, opened in theatres in New York City.



Diplomacy
An East German delegation signed a pact in Warsaw recognizing the Oder-Neisse frontier between Poland and Germany as permanent. Trade, currency exchange, and cultural agreements were also concluded.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. announced the replacement of military occupation officers in East Germany with civilian commissioners.

Society
The U.S. Congress completed action on a liberalized displaced persons immigration bill, raising from 205,000 to 341,000 the number of European refugees authorized to enter the United States.

Academia
The University of Texas admitted two Negro graduate students, the first in its history, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against segregated higher education.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds traded outfielder Ron Northey to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Bob Scheffing. Mr. Northey was batting .260 with 5 home runs and 9 runs batted in in 27 games with Cincinnati in 1950, while Mr. Scheffing was hitting .188 (3 for 16) with no homers and 1 RBI in 12 games with Chicago.

Vern Stephens and Clyde Vollmer each hit 2 home runs and batted in 5 runs as the Boston Red Sox whipped the St. Louis Browns 20-4 before 6,659 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Every Boston player scored at least 1 run. Joe Dobson (7-3) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory.

50 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: House of the Dead, starring Mario Alcalde and Laya Raki



Politics and government
Robert Stanfield led his governing Progressive Conservatives to a second straight majority government, taking 27 of 43 seats in the House of Assembly in the Nova Scotia provincial election. The PCs' total was an increase of 3 from the most recent election in 1956. The Liberal Party, led by Henry Hicks, won 15 seats, a decline of 3. Co-operative Commonwealth Federation leader Michael James MacDonald retained his seat in Cape Breton Centre. Gladys Porter, formerly mayor of Kentville, won for the PCs in Kings North, becoming the first woman elected to the House of Assembly.

40 years ago
1970

Died on this date
E.M. Forster, 91. U.K. author. Mr. Forster was one of the sodomite writers known as the Bloomsbury Group. His novels, most of which have been made into popular movies, include Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905); A Room with a View (1908); Howards End (1910); and A Passage to India (1924).

War
A struggle for supremacy in Jordan between Palestinian guerrillas and King Hussein’s regular army erupted into internecine warfare in and around Amman.

U.S. Senate testimony disclosed a secret 1967 agreement between the United States and Thailand under which the Thai government had received $50 million per year for sending a combat division to South Vietnam.

Politics and government
In a national referendum in Switzerland, voters narrowly defeated a proposed constitutional amendment that would have limited the number of foreigners in Switzerland from the present 990,000 to 690,000 in four years. The proposed amendment appealed to many workers, who considered immigrants responsible for the housing shortage and other difficulties.

Academia
A survey disclosed that no American scholar was devoting most of his time to studying current affairs in North Vietnam, and no scholar in the United States specializing in Vietnamese studies had a tenured professorship. It was also reported that fewer than 30 Americans were studying the Vietnamese language.

Auto racing
Pedro Rodriguez of Mexico won the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps; Chris Amon of New Zealand finished second, and Jean-Pierre Beltoise of France was third.





USAC
Joe Leonard won the Rex Mays 150 at the Milwaukee Mile. Roger McCluskey finished second and Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser was third.

Baseball
Bob Bailey hit a pair of solo home runs and Carl Morton (5-3) pitched a 10-hit complete game victory, batting 2 for 5 with a run, as the Montreal Expos beat the Atlanta Braves 10-1 before 30,801 fans at Atlanta Stadium.

Johnny Bench drove in 5 runs with a home run, double, and sacrifice fly to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 10-2 before 24,813 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Wayne Simpson (8-1) pitched an 8-hit complete game victory.

The Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants combine to hit 8 home runs--5 by the Cubs--as the Cubs won 8-4 before 31,694 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Billy Williams singled home winning pitcher Phil Regan (4-1) with 2 out in the bottom of the 7th inning to break a 4-4 tie, and Jim Hickman followed with a 2-run homer.

The St. Louis Cardinals, trailing the San Diego Padres 7-1, scored 7 runs in the 7th inning on the way to a 10-7 win before 18,474 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Vic Davalillo singled as a pinch hitter in the 7th and singled again later in the inning. Bob Gibson (6-3) allowed 8 hits and 7 runs--5 earned--in 7 innings, but was credited with the win as the result of the 7th-inning rally. St. Louis catcher Ted Simmons hit his first major league home run in the 6th inning.

Tom McCraw led off the top of the 12th inning with a double and scored from second base when second baseman Horace Clarke made an error on a ground ball by Bobby Knoop, breaking a 3-3 tie as the Chicago White Sox edged the New York Yankees 4-3 before 65,880 fans at Yankee Stadium. Mr. Clarke singled with 1 out in the bottom of the 12th and stole second with 2 out, but Roy White popped out to second base to end the game.



The Minnesota Twins scored 3 runs in the top of the 11th inning to break a 7-7 tie and held on to beat the Washington Senators 10-9 before 35,040 fans at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington. With 2 out in the bottom of the 11th, Frank Howard doubled home 2 runs, and Rick Reichardt was intentionally walked, but Steve Barber relieved Jim Kaat and retired Dave Nelson on a fly ball to center field to end the game.

The Baltimore Orioles scored 4 runs in the top of the 8th inning and withstood a 4-run rally in the bottom of the 8th as they edged the Milwaukee Brewers 7-6 before 16,692 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. The Brewers had runners on first and second bases with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th and runners on first and third with 2 out, but Eddie Watt struck out Mike Hershberger to end the game.

Frank Fernandez led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a home run to tie the score, Rick Monday followed with a base on balls, Dick Green reached first base on an error by first baseman Al Kaline, and Joe Rudi hit a 3-run homer to give the Oakland Athletics a 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers before 12,296 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Athletics used five pitchers, while losing pitcher Mickey Lolich (6-6) allowed 8 hits and 5 runs--3 earned--in a complete game.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles (13th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): What's Another Year--Johnny Logan (2nd year at #1)

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

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

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (2nd week at #1)
2 Working My Way Back to You--Spinners
3 What's Another Year--Johnny Logan
4 Buzz Buzz a Diddle It--Matchbox
5 Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band
6 I'm in the Mood for Dancing--Nolan Sisters
7 Cara Mia--Jay & the Americans
8 Crazy Guitar--Hank the Knife & the Crazy Cats
9 I See a Boat on the River--Boney M.
10 Lost in Love--Demis Roussos

Singles entering the chart were Over You by Roxy Music (#26); One More Little Kissy by Luv' (#28); Not Another Worldwar by Urban Heroes (#35); and World at War by Dr. Pop (#36).

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

Singles entering the chart were The Very Last Time by Utopia (#80); It's for You by Player (#82); The Blue Side by Crystal Gayle (#83); Back of My Hand (I've Got Your Number) by the Jags (#86); Sisters of the Moon by Fleetwood Mac (#88); and I Can Survive by Triumph (#91).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (2nd week at #1)
2 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
3 Call Me--Blondie
4 Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)--Paul McCartney & Wings
5 Cars--Gary Numan
6 Don’t Fall in Love With a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
7 The Rose--Bette Midler
8 Lost in Love--Air Supply
9 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
10 Against the Wind--Bob Seger

Singles entering the chart were All Out of Love by Air Supply (#86); Sailing by Christopher Cross (#89); Into the Night by Benny Mardones (#90); All the Way by Brick (#94); Landlord by Gladys Knight & the Pips (#97); and Sitting in the Park by GQ (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Funkytown--Lipps Inc. (2nd week at #1)
2 Biggest Part of Me--Ambrosia
3 The Rose--Bette Midler
4 Call Me--Blondie
5 Cars--Gary Numan
6 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
7 Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)--Paul McCartney & Wings
8 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
9 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
10 Little Jeannie--Elton John

Singles entering the chart were All Out of Love by Air Supply (#87); Into the Night by Benny Mardones (#88); The Very Last Time by Utopia (#89); Take a Little Rhythm by Ali Thomson (#98); and You and Me by Rocky Robbins (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Call Me--Blondie (2nd week at #1)
2 Rock Lobster--The B-52's
3 Cars--Gary Numan
4 Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
5 Ride Like the Wind--Christopher Cross
6 Pilot of the Airwaves-Charlie Dore
7 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
8 Sexy Eyes--Dr. Hook
9 You May Be Right--Billy Joel
10 Working My Way to You/Forgive Me, Girl--Spinners

Singles entering the chart were Magic by Olivia Newton-John (#81); It's Hard to Be Humble by Mac Davis (#82); Do Right by Paul Davis (#88); Leaving L.A. by Deliverance (#93); Give Me Your Love by Bryan Adams (#94); and Tired of Toein' the Line by Rocky Burnette (#98).

Died on this date
Henry Miller, 88. U.S. writer and artist. Mr. Miller wrote travel memoirs and literary criticism, and painted watercolours, but was primarily known for his novels Tropic of Cancer (1934) and Tropic of Capricorn (1939), which weren't published in the United States for many years on grounds of obscenity. He died from circulatory problems.

Horse racing
Temperence Hill, with Eddie Maple aboard, won the 112th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York in a time of 2:29.4. First prize money was $176,220. Kentucky Derby winner Genuine Risk, who had placed second in the Preakness Stakes, placed second again, with Rockhill Native third.



25 years ago
1985

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

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Live is Life--Opus (2nd week at #1)

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Boston 111 @ Los Angeles Lakers 120 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 36 points to lead the Lakers over the Celtics before 17,505 fans at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Robert Parish led Boston scorers with 26 points.



20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Put 'em Under Pressure--The Republic of Ireland Football Squad (2nd week at #1)

World events
South African President F.W. de Klerk announced that he would lift the four-year-old state of emergency in three of the country’s four provinces. He made an exception in Natal, where more than 3,000 Negroes had been killed in three years of fighting between conservative and radical Zulu factions. Nelson Mandela praised the action, but urged western governments to maintain sanctions against South Africa.

The death toll for three days of fighting between ethnic Uzbeks and Kirghiz in the Soviet republic of Kirghizia was reported at 48.

Diplomacy
France, West Germany, and Italy agreed to lift a ban on importation of British beef.

Popular culture
Universal Studios Florida theme park opened in Orlando.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Portland 106 @ Detroit 105 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Clyde Drexler made 2 free throws with 2 seconds left in overtime and Clifford Robinson blocked James Edwards' shot at the last second as the Trail Blazers upset the Pistons before 21,454 fans at the Palace at Auburn Hills, Michigan. Mr. Drexler led all scorers with 33 points, while Mr. Edwards and Bill Laimbeer led Detroit with 26 points each. Mr. Laimbeer scored 19 points in the last 17 minutes of regulation time, and tied a finals record with six 3-point field goals.



10 years ago
2000

Terrorism
On the first-ever War Heroes Day in Sri Lanka, a suicide bomber killed a cabinet minister and 20 other people during a fund-raising event for the families of slain soldiers.

Business
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled that Microsoft Corporation must be divided into two separate entities, and gave Microsoft until October 7 to devise a plan for separate operating systems and applications companies. One company would control all present and future versions of Windows, while the other would control all of Microsoft’s other programs, the rights to the Internet Explorer browser, and Microsoft’s properties on the World Wide Web. Microsoft announced that it would appeal the ruling.

Politics and government
British Prime Minister Tony Blair was heckled during a speech to the Women’s Institute.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Indiana 87 @ Los Angeles Lakers 104 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 1-0)

The Lakers took a 33-18 lead after the 1st quarter and coasted to victory over the Pacers before 18,997 fans at Staples Center. Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers with 43 points and 19 rebounds, while Mark Jackson led the Pacers with 18 points.