May 26, 2011

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Isatou Ndow!

1,050 years ago
961

Europeana
King Otto I elected his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. Otto II was crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda.

590 years ago
1421

Died on this date
Mehmed I, 31 or 32. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1413-1421. Mehmed I acceded to the throne as a result of victory over his brothers in the interregnum following the death of their father Bayezid I. He defeated his brother Mustafa in battle during his reign, and blinded his nephew Orhan in order to insure the passage of the throne to his son Murad II.

190 years ago
1821

Politics and government
The Peloponnesian Senate was established by Greek rebels.

130 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Adolfo de la Huerta Marcor. President of Mexico, 1920. Mr. de la Huerta was a Liberal Constitutionalist and chief clerk to President Venustiano Carranza (1915-1916), and was then Governor of Sonora (1917-1918, 1919-1920); Mexican consul general in New York City (1918); and federal senator (1918). He eventually turned against Mr. Carranza, and was one of the leaders of the Revolution of Agua Prieta, which deposed Mr. Carranza. Mr. de la Huerta was appointed President by Congress, serving from June 1-November 30, 1930, until the election of Álvaro Obregón. Mr. de la Huerta then served as Secretary of Finance and Public Credit (1920-1923), but led an unsuccessful revolt against President Obregón in 1923, and was forced into exile in Los Angeles from 1924-1935. He returned to Mexico at the invitation of President Lázaro Cárdenas, and served as inspector of Mexican consulates in the United States until his retirement in 1946. Mr. de la Huerta died in Mexico City on July 9, 1955 at the age of 74.

120 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Gene Paulette. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Paulette was an infielder with the New York Giants (1911); St. Louis Browns (1916-1917); St. Louis Cardinals (1917-1919); and Philadelphia Phillies (1919-1920), batting .269 with 2 home runs and 165 runs batted in in 500 games. He played in the Southern Association from 1912-1916. Mr. Paulette was permanently barred from organized baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis on March 24, 1921 for failing to adequately explain a letter he'd written in 1919 to St. Louis gamblers Elmer Farrar and Carl Zork offering to elist the help of two Cardinals' players to fix the outcome of games. With his baseball career over, Mr. Paulette worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad in Little Rock, Arkansas; he died of a heart attack at the age of 74 on February 8, 1966.

Baseball
In an American Association game at Pendleton Park in Cincinnati between the Cincinnati Kellys and Boston Reds, Cincinnati second baseman Yank Robinson made 7 errors on 7 fielding chances. The Kellys (also known as the Porkers) won 21-16. Mr. Robinson finished the season with 79 errors in 98 games. It was the fourth and last major league game for Boston starting pitcher Tod Brynan, who allowed 4 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 6 runs--all earned--in 1 inning, and took the loss.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Henry Ephron. U.S. screenwriter. Mr. Ephron often collaborated with his wife Phoebe, and was known for writing screenplays for movies such as There's No Business Like Show Business (1954); Carousel (1956); Desk Set (1957); and Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), receiving an Academy Award nomination for the latter. Mr. Ephron died on September 6, 1992 at the age of 81. His four daughters also became notable writers.

Maurice Baquet. French actor and musician. Mr. Baquet was a classical cellist who appeared in plays and in almost 100 movies and television programs in a career spanning more than 60 years. He also participated in alpine ski events in the 1940s and '50s. Mr. Baquet died on July 8, 2005 at the age of 94.

70 years ago
1941

War
A spokesman in Berlin said that the British fleet in the eastern Mediterranean Sea may be considered destroyed. German troops advanced on Suda Bay as fighting on Crete continued.

Defense
The Nationalist Party of Uruguay adopted a resolution urging Uruguayan neutrality in the European war and opposing the cession of bases to foreign powers.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered all men previously registered who turned 21 years of age by July 1, 1941 to register on that date under the Selective Service Act.

Politics and government
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, ruled that Congress had the power to regulate primary elections for the nomination of candidates for federal office.

Protest
Six people were killed in rioting in Bombay, bringing the total casualties for five days to 40 dead and 140 injured.

Labour
U.S. Senator Harry Byrd (Democrat--Virginia) introduced a joint resolution in Congress condemning strikes in defense industries, and demanded the resignation of Labor Secretary Frances Perkins.

60 years ago
1951

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Tennessee Waltz--Pee Wee King and his Orchestra; Patti Page (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): How High the Moon--Les Paul and Mary Ford (Best Seller--5th week at #1; Disc Jockey--5th week at #1; Jukebox--4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Mockin’ Bird Hill--Les Paul and Mary Ford (5th week at #1)
--Patti Page
2 How High the Moon--Les Paul and Mary Ford
3 On Top of Old Smoky--The Weavers and Terry Gilkyson
--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
4 Too Young--Nat "King" Cole
5 The Syncopated Clock--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
6 Be My Love--Mario Lanza
7 If--Perry Como
8 Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)--Patti Page
9 I Apologize--Billy Eckstine
10 Sound Off (The Duckworth Chant)--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were I Like the Wide Open Spaces by Arthur Godfrey and Laurie Anders (#24); The Strange Little Girl by Eddy Howard (#33); and I’ll Never Know Why by Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#34).

Died on this date
Lincoln Ellsworth, 71. U.S. explorer. Mr. Ellsworth accompanied Roald Amundsen on flights to the North Pole in 1925 and 1926, the latter of which resulted in the sighting of the geographic North Pole. He made four air expeditions to Antarctica from 1933-1939, and discovered the Ellsworth Mountains of Antarctica in 1925. Mr. Ellsworth died two weeks after his 71st birthday.

Defense
U.S., U.K., French, and Italian naval units completed a week of maneuvers around Malta.

Academia
175,000 college students took the U.S.A.'s first draft deferment test, a 150-question exam administered at 1,000 centres throughout the United States.

Oil
The United Kingdom took its oil nationalization dispute with Iran to the International Court of Justice, claiming that Iran would violate international law if it continued its refusal to accept arbitration.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Surrender--Elvis Presley

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?, starring John Hoyt, Barney Phillips, and Jack Elam

The Lawless Years, starring James Gregory, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Louy K: Part 1



40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Knock Three Times--Dawn (2nd week at #1)

Abominations
The Pakistani Army slaughtered at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson (50-7-1) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Terry Daniels (24-3-1) at Cleveland Arena.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes (2nd week at #1)
2 Medley--Stars on 45
3 Morning Train (Nine to Five)--Sheena Easton
4 Watching the Wheels--John Lennon
5 Take it on the Run--REO Speedwagon
6 Kiss on My List--Daryl Hall & John Oates
7 Sweetheart--Franke & the Knockouts
8 I Love You--Climax Blues Band
9 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
10 Angel of the Morning--Juice Newton

Singles entering the chart were Medley; and Sukiyaki by A Taste of Honey (#20).

Art
South Shore, Baffin Island by Group of Seven member Lawren Harris sold for $240,000 in Toronto, a record for a Canadian painting.

Scandal
Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resigned following identification of many prominent people as members of the illegal P2 (Propaganda Two) Masonic lodge.

Economics and finance
Canada and the United States signed a Pacific coast fishery treaty in Vancouver, British Columbia; each country could enter four Canadian or American ports.

25 years ago
1986

Weather
The temperature reached 90 F. in Edmonton.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Trippin'--Push Push (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Wind of Change--Scorpions

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Joyride--Roxette (9th week at #1)
2 How to Dance--Bingoboys featuring Princessa
3 Secret Love--Bee Gees
4 No Coke--Dr. Alban
5 Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)--Pet Shop Boys
6 The One and Only--Chesney Hawkes
7 The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in his Kiss)--Cher
8 Lucifer--Blue System
9 Rhythm of My Heart--Rod Stewart
10 Crazy--Seal

Singles entering the chart were Wind of Change by Scorpions (#11); The Wanderer by D.J. Stevie B. (#18); Bow Down Mister by Jesus Loves You (#19); In Love with Two Ladies by Bilgeri (#20); Here We Go by C & C Music Factory presents Freedom Williams and Zelma Davis (#25); and Wild Wild Wild by Mo (#26).

Died on this date
Tom Cassidy, 41. U.S. journalist. Mr. Cassidy worked in radio and television before joining Cable News Network in 1981 as its business anchor; he was best known for providing live coverage of "Black Monday," October 19, 1987. Mr. Cassidy was a sodomite who died of AIDS.

Politics and government
Round Table-Free Georgia candidate Zviad Gamsakhurdia was elected the first President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era, receiving 87.6% of the vote.

Disasters
All 223 people aboard Lauda Air Flight 004--a chartered Boeing 767 from Austria--were killed when it exploded in midair soon after takeoff from Bangkok and crashed in an area of western Thailand after a thrust reverser malfunction.

Auto racing
Rick Mears won the Indianapolis 500 for a record-tying fourth--and final--time, narrowly finishing ahead of Michael Andretti, who had led 97 of the race’s 250 laps. A.J. Foyt was the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.



10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Dona Massin, 84. Canadian-born U.S. choreographer. Miss Massin, a native of Winnipeg, moved with her family to Los Angeles at the age of 8. She began her career as a child singer, but eventually became a choreographer for movie musicals. Miss Massin was best known for her choreography for The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Anne Haney, 67. U.S. actress. Mrs. Haney appeared on stage, screen, and television, and was best known for her supporting performances in the movies Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and Liar, Liar (1997). She died of congestive heart failure.

Vittorio Brambilla, 63. Italian auto racing driver. Mr. Brambilla, nicknamed "The Monza Gorilla," participated in 79 Formula One races (1974-1980), and was known for his ability to drive in the rain. His only podium finish came when he won the rain-shortened 1975 Austrian Grand Prix. Mr. Brambilla died of a heart attack while mowing his lawn.

Moven Mahachi, 52. Zimbabwean politician. Mr. Mahachi was a close ally of Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, and was Zimbabwean Minister of Defence. He was killed when his Land Rover was collided with another vehicle on a highway; many considered his death suspicious, and his successor as Defence Minister, Enos Nkala, claimed years later that Mr. Mahachi had been assassinated because of his opposition to the looting of diamonds in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Politics and government
Eric Fairclough was elected leader of the Yukon New Democratic Party by acclamation, becoming the first aboriginal person to head a major political party in Canada.

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Finals
New Jersey 0 @ Colorado 5 (Colorado led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Joe Sakic scored 2 goals and an assist and Patrick Roy made 25 saves in goal for the Avalanche as they shut out the Devils before 18,007 fans at Pepsi Center in Denver.