May 13, 2011

120 years ago
1891

Horse racing
Kingman, with Isaac Murphy aboard, won the 17th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:52¼, the slowest winning time in Kentucky Derby history. Balgowan placed second and High Tariff finished third in the 4-horse field.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Robert Middleton. U.S. actor. Often cast as a brutal villain, Mr. Middleton, born Samuel G. Messer, was a character actor who gave memorable performances in movies such as The Desperate Hours (1955) and A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966), and in two episodes of the television series Thriller (1961). He also played (uncredited) Ralph Kramden's boss, Mr. Marshall, in several sketches of The Honeymooners on The Jackie Gleason Show, and appeared as "Wisconsin Skinny" with Don Adams in a 1973 television commercial for the game Skittle Pool. Mr. Middleton died of congestive heart failure on June 14, 1977 at the age of 66.

Horse racing
Meridian, with George Archibald up, won the 37th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:05. Governor Gray placed second and Colston finished third in the 7-horse field.

Baseball
The Detroit Tigers blew a 10-1 lead and lost 13-11 to the Boston Red Sox in 10 innings. Ty Cobb hit his first career major league grand slam in the 3rd inning for the Tigers, but Duffy Lewis hit a grand slam for the Red Sox in the 9th to tie the game.

Fred Merkle drove in 6 runs with a double and an inside-the-park grand slam as the New York Giants scored 13 runs--7 before the 1st out was recorded--in the first inning and coasted to a 19-5 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals at Hilltop Park in New York. Christy Mathewson was credited as the winning pitcher despite being pulled by manager John McGraw after the 1st inning. Rube Marquard relieved and struck out 14 batters in 8 innings.

90 years ago
1921

Baseball
A jury acquitted former New York Giants’ outfielder Benny Kauff of auto theft and related charges, but baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis refused to lift the lifetime ban against him.

70 years ago
1941

War
Yugoslavian royal colonel Dragoljub Mihailović started fighting against German occupation troops, beginning the Serbian resistance. The German government proclaimed the northern area of the Red Sea to be a zone of military occupation, and warned neutral shipping against sailing in the area. Haj Amin al-Husseini, exiled Mufti of Jerusalem and leader of a million Muslims, broadcast a proclamation from Baghdad summoning all Muslims to join Iraqi forces in armed revolt against the United Kingdom.

Diplomacy
Ecuador and Peru notified the U.S. State Department that they were willing to accept the services of Argentina, Brazil, and the United States in ending their century-old boundary dispute.

Politics and government
Joseph Rosier (Democrat) took the oath of office as a United States Senator from West Virginia upon the Senate approving his appointment to fill ther remainder of the term of Matthew Neely (Democrat), who had resigned in the fall of 1940 to run for Governor of West Virginia. Mr. Rosier was appointed to the Senate on January 13, 1941, but a challenge to his appointment delayed his assumption of the office. His term was due to expire on January 3, 1943.

Frank Hague was elected to his seventh consecutive four-year term as Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Labour
Most employees of Colt Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut went on strike for an hourly wage increase of 20c. The comapny had $30 million in defense contracts.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Runaway--Del Shannon

#1 single in Italy: Where the Boys Are--Connie Francis

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Babysitter-Boogie--Ralf Bendix (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40): Wheels--The String-A-Longs

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Blue Moon--The Marcels

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Mother-in-Law--Ernie K-Doe (2nd week at #1)
2 Runaway--Del Shannon
3 A Hundred Pounds of Clay--Gene McDaniels
4 Blue Moon--The Marcels
5 But I Do--Clarence "Frogman" Henry
6 I’ve Told Every Little Star--Linda Scott
7 Daddy’s Home--Shep and the Limelites
8 You Can Depend on Me--Brenda Lee
9 Breakin’ in a Brand New Broken Heart--Connie Francis
10 Take Good Care of Her--Adam Wade

Singles entering the chart were Rama Lama Ding Dong by the Edsels (#68); Stand By Me by Ben E. King (#70); How Many Tears (#73)/Baby Face (#100) by Bobby Vee; Barbara Ann by the Regents (#75); A Little Feeling (Called Love) by Jack Scott (#85); Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me of You) by Little Caesar and the Romans (#88); Our Love is Here to Stay by Dinah Washington (#90); A Love of My Own by Carla Thomas (#95); Nobody Cares (About Me) by Jeanette (Baby) Washington (#96); Sucu Sucu by Ping-Ping (also #100); and Louisiana Mama by Gene Pitney (also #100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Travelin' Man/Hello Mary Lou--Ricky Nelson (2nd week at #1)
2 Little Devil--Neil Sedaka
3 Moody River--Pat Boone
4 Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)--The Coasters
5 Runaway--Del Shannon
6 Running Scared--Roy Orbison
7 The Rebel - Johnny Yuma--Johnny Cash
8 Louisiana Mama--Gene Pitney
9 She Wears My Ring--Jimmy Bell
10 Shy Away--Jerry Fuller

Singles entering the chart were I Feel So Bad by Elvis Presley (#31); Raindrops by Dee Clark (#35); Girl of My Best Friend by Ral Donner (#38); The Kissin' Game by Dion (#41); Little Feeling Called Love by Jack Scott (#42); Pick Me Up on Your Way Down by Pat Zill (#45); Book of Love by Bobby Bare (#47); Time by Jerry Jackson (#49); and (Dance the) Mess Around by Chubby Checker (#50).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Travelin' Man/Hello Mary Lou--Ricky Nelson
2 Little Devil--Neil Sedaka
3 Moody River--Pat Boone
4 Running Scared--Roy Orbison
5 Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)--The Coasters
6 The Rebel - Johnny Yuma--Johnny Cash
7 She Wears My Ring--Jimmy Bell
8 Runaway--Del Shannon
9 Peanut Butter--The Marathons
10 Triangle--Janie Grant

Singles entering the chart were Wild in the Country by Elvis Presley (#14, charting with its A-side, I Feel So Bad);How Many Tears by Bobby Vee (#25); Rampage by the Revels (#32); Jimmy Martinez by Marty Robbins (#34); Raindrops by Dee Clark (#38); Everyday by Bobby Lee (#39); and Ring of Fire by Duane Eddy (#40). Wild in the Country was the title song of the movie. Ring of Fire was the title song of the movie (1961).

On television tonight
The Roaring 20's, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Right Off the Boat: Part 1

Died on this date
Gary Cooper, 60. U.S. actor. One of the biggest movie stars of the first half of the 20th century, Mr. Cooper won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performances in Sergeant York (1941) and High Noon (1952). Other notable films of Mr. Cooper included The Virginian (1929); A Farewell to Arms (1932); Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936); Beau Geste (1939); The Westerner (1940); Ball of Fire (1941); Meet John Doe (1941); The Pride of the Yankees (1942); For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943); The Fountainhead (1949); Ten North Frederick (1958); Man of the West (1958); and They Came to Cordura (1959). He died of cancer, six days after his 60th birthday.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Les rois mages--Sheila (2nd week at #1)

Politics and government
U.S. President Richard Nixon and advisers Bob Haldeman and John Ehrlichman discussed various topics in the White House, including Mexicans, Negroes, and homosexuality.





Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 0 @ Chicago 2 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Tony Esposito won the goaltending duel over Ken Dryden as the Black Hawks shut out the Canadiens at Chicago Stadium. After the game, Montreal star Henri Richard blasted his coach, Al MacNeil, as "incompetent," and "the worst coach I ever played for." He expressed regret for his comments before game 6.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds traded backup outfielder and pinch hitter Angel Bravo to the San Diego Padres for backup outfielder and pinch hitter Al Ferrara. Mr. Bravo was batting .200 (1 for 5) in 5 games with the Reds, while Mr. Ferrara was batting .118 (2 for 17) in 17 games with the Padres.

30 years ago
1981

Crime
As Pope John Paul II rode through a crowd of 20,000 people in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, he was shot four times by Mehmet Ali Agca. In Edmonton, CFRN news director Bruce Hogle said in his television editorial that night, "The obvious question is, what can be done to prevent these things from happening? The answer is: nothing."





20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Eyes to Me--Dreams Come True (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Punaista ja makeaa--Popeda

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Joyride--Roxette (6th week at #1)

On television tonight
Hollywood Detective, on A&E
Tonight's episode: Barring Disaster

This was the sixth and last episode of the series.

Politics and government
Canadian Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn delivered the Speech from the Throne; the speech from the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney promised a House of Commons-Senate Committee to study the Constitution, and also emphasized education, aboriginal affairs, and reform of Parliament.

Abominations
Baltej Dhillon, a Sikh, became the First Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer to wear a turban since the force's creation in 1873.