May 31, 2011

690 years ago
1321

Died on this date
Birger, 40-41. King of Sweden, 1290-1318. Birger acceded to the throne upon the death of his father Magnus III, and came of age during a civil war involving his brothers, who took him captive in 1306 and imprisoned him in Nyköping Castle. Pressure from King Erik VI of Denmark forced Birger's relase in 1308; he appealed to King Erik for help, and was forced to give up the Royal Domain, remaining King of Sweden in name only. The supporters of King Birger ousted him in 1318, and he died in exile in Denmark.

200 years ago
1811

Politics and government
Sir George Prevost took office as Governor of Lower Canada.

Exploration
James Ross discovered Bellot Strait, dividing Somerset Island from the mainland of Boothia Peninsula--the northernmost point of the North American continentin what is now Nunavut.

Transportation
The Clipper ship Marco Polo, launched April 19 by James Smith at Marsh Creek, Courtenay Bay, New Brunswick, left Saint John, N.B. for Liverpool; it set a record for the passage at 15 days.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Alfredo Antonini. Italian-born U.S. conductor and composer. Mr. Antonini began his career as an organist and pianist in his native Italy before emigrating to the United States in 1929. He conducted various orchestras in radio broadcasts, recordings, and concerts from the 1940s through the '70s. His eight compositions included tone poems and chamber works. Mr. Antonini died during heart surgery on November 3, 1983 at the age of 82.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Maurice Allais. French economist and physicist. Professor Allais began his career as a physicist, publishing numerous works, notably on pendular oscillations and the laws of gravitation. He became an economist after a visit to the United States in 1933 during the Depression. Prof. Allais was awarded the 1988 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences "for his pioneering contributions to the theory of markets and efficient utilization of resources." He died on October 9, 2010 at the age of 99.

World events
Mexican President Porfirio Díaz fled the country during the Mexican Revolution.

Transportation
The hull of the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic was launched in Belfast. At the ceremony, a White Star Line employee claimed, "Not even God himself could sink this ship."

90 years ago 1921 Abominations
Mobs of white people attacked the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killing as many as 300 Negroes, destroying Negro-owned businesses, and leaving 1,256 Negroes homeless.

70 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square--Vera Lynn; West End Players (1st month at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra with Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell (10th week at #1)

War
A Luftwaffe air raid on Dublin claimed 38 lives. The United Kingdom completed the re-occupation of Iraq, and returned 'Abd al-Ilah to power as regent for King Faisal II.

Horse racing
Whirlaway, with Eddie Arcaro aboard, won his second straight Triple Crown race, winning the 67th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:58 4/5. King Cole placed second and Our Boots finished third; only three horses participated.



60 years ago
1951

Television
Moscow radio asserted that television had been invented by a Russian, Professor Boris Rosing, in 1907.

Diplomacy
Western powers at the stalemated Big Four conference in Paris invited the U.S.S.R. to a Big Four foreign ministers meeting, to begin July 23 in Washington.

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman signed a $6.4-billion supplementary defense appropriation for fiscal 1951.

50 years ago
1961

Africana
The Union of South Africa became the Republic of South Africa, formally severed its affiliation with the Commonwealth of Nations, and inaugurated Charles Swart, its last governor general, as its first president. In his inaugural address, Mr. Swart implied that the racial separation policy of apartheid would continue.

World events
The Rokotov–Faibishenko show trial of financial speculators began in Moscow City Court, despite the Khrushchev Thaw to reverse Stalinist elements in Soviet society.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Another Day--Paul McCartney

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Mata Au Hi Made--Kiyohiko Ozaki (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Qué Será (Che Sará)--José Feliciano (3rd week at #1)

Americana
In accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1968, the observance of Memorial Day occurred on the last Monday in May for the first time, rather than on the traditional Memorial Day of May 30.

Law
Sandra Oxner was appointed the first female judge of Nova Scotia Magistrate's Court.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Being with You--Smokey Robinson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Stars on 45--Stars on 45 (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth, 67. U.K. economist. Miss Ward was a lifelong Roman Catholic whose religious views influenced her economic views. She advised major Western leaders, urging them to share their countries' prosperity with backward countries. Miss Ward was an early advocate of sustainable development, and has been credited by some with coining the term "spaceship Earth." She was married to Sir Robert Jackson, an Australian administrator of the United Nations; they separated in the early 1970s, but she used his surname when she was given a life peerage in 1976. Baroness Jackson died eight days after her 67th birthday.

Protest
An organized mob of police and government-sponsored Sinhalese paramilitary forces began three days of attacks that led to the burning of the Jaffna Public Library in Sri Lanka.

Environment
Parks Canada declared Carbonear Island, Newfoundland a National Historic Site. Fort Carbonear was an early British post, and was attacked by the French in 1696 and 1705.

Baseball
The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team in major league history to pass one million in home attendance before the end of May, as 46,411 fans saw the Dodgers rout the Cincinnati Reds 16-4 at Dodger Stadium. Every Los Angeles starter had at least 1 hit and 1 run except pitcher Jerry Reuss, who left the game with a strained hamstring after Dave Collins singled to lead off the game.

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Live to Tell--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): J'aimie Le Vie--Sandra Kim

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Wonderful World--Sam Cooke (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Rollin' Home--Status Quo

#1 single in the U.K.: The Chicken Song--Spitting Image (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Greatest Love of All--Whitney Houston (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Greatest Love of All--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)
2 Live to Tell--Madonna
3 Why Can’t This Be Love--Van Halen
4 On My Own--Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
5 West End Girls--Pet Shop Boys
6 What Have You Done for Me Lately--Janet Jackson
7 I Can’t Wait--Nu Shooz
8 If You Leave--Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
9 All I Need is a Miracle--Mike & the Mechanics
10 Be Good to Yourself--Journey

Singles entering the chart were Invisible Touch by Genesis (#39); Love Touch by Rod Stewart (#48); Opportunities by Pet Shop Boys (#68); and Take it Easy by Andy Taylor (#82).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Live to Tell--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 Greatest Love of All--Whitney Houston
3 West End Girls--Pet Shop Boys
4 The Power of Love--Jennifer Rush
5 If You Leave--Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
6 Addicted to Love--Robert Palmer
7 What Have You Done for Me Lately--Janet Jackson
8 Let’s Go All the Way--Sly Fox
9 Tender Love--Force M.D.’s
10 Bad Boy--Miami Sound Machine

Singles entering the chart included Invisible Touch by Genesis (#84); Like a Rock by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (#90); The Best of Me by David Foster and Olivia Newton-John (#92); Love Touch by Rod Stewart (#96); and You Should Be Mine by Jeffrey Osborne (#100).

Died on this date
James Rainwater, 68. U.S. physicist. Dr. Rainwater shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics with Aage Bohr and Ben Roy Mottelson "for the discovery of the connection between collective motion and particle motion in atomic nuclei and the development of the theory of the structure of the atomic nucleus based on this connection."

Auto racing
Bobby Rahal won the Indianapolis 500, which had been postponed from the previous weekend because of rain.



20 years ago
1991

War
People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) President José Eduardo dos Santos and National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) President Jonas Savimbi signed the Bicesse Accords in Lisbon, ending a 16-year civil war and laying out a transition to multi-party democracy in Angola under the supervision of the United Nations' United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II).

Politics and government
Chief George Martin of Kahnesatake Mohawk Reserve in Quebec failed to block members from voting 526-21 for direct election of a new band council.

Basketball
NBA
Pat Riley, who had coached the Los Angeles Lakers to four National Basketball Association titles in the 1980s, was named head coach of the New York Knickerbockers.

Baseball
The San Diego Padres traded shortstop Garry Templeton to the New York Mets for utility infielder Tim Teufel. Mr. Templeton, who had been traded to the Padres in 1982 for shortstop Ozzie Smith, was batting .193 with 1 home run and 6 runs batted in in 32 games with the Padres in 1991, while Mr. Teufel was batting just .118 in 20 games with the Mets.

Mike Hampton pitched a no-hitter for the San Bernardino Spirit of the Class A California League as they shut out the Visalia Oaks 6-0 in San Bernardino. Troy Mooney pitched a 7-inning no-hitter for the Augusta Pirates of the Class A South Atlantic League as they edged the Savannah Cardinals 1-0.

10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Arlene Francis, 93. U.S. actress and television personality. Miss Francis, born Arline Francis Kazanjian, appeared in plays, and movies such as Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) and All My Sons (1948), and hosted radio programs, but was best known for her work in television, particularly as a panelist on the quiz show What's My Line? (1950-1967, 1968-1975). She died of Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

Economics and finance
Sheila Fraser was appointed Auditor General of Canada, becoming the first woman to hold the position; she retired in May 2011.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Colorado 3 @ New Jersey 1 (Colorado led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Ray Bourque's powerplay goal 31 seconds into the 3rd period broke a 1-1 tie as the Avalanche defeated the Devils before 19,040 fans at Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford. Patrick Roy made 21 saves to win the goaltending duel over Martin Brodeur.