May 6, 2011

540 years ago
1471

Died on this date
Thomas Tresham. English politician. Sir Thomas represented various constituencies in the House of Commons, served as a justice of the peace, and was Speaker of the House of Commons (1459-1460). He sided with the Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London from 1468 until Henry VI regained the throne in 1470. Yorkist King Edward IV was restored to the throne after the Battle of Barnet in April 1471; Sir Thomas fled to meet Queen Margaret of Anjou, but was captured and executed.

Edmund Beaufort, 32-33 (?). English nobleman and military commander. Mr. Beaufort held several titles, and supported Lancastrian King Henry VI in the Wars of the Roses. He and other Lancastrian leaders were captured in Tewkesbury Abbey, two days after their defeat by Yorkist forces in the Battle of Tewkesbury, and were tried and executed immediately at the Cross in the centre of Tewkesbury.

510 years ago
1501

Born on this date
Marcellus II. Roman Catholic Pope, 1555. Marcellus II, born Marcello Cervini degli Spannochi, was ordained a priest in 1535, and held various bishoprics and administrative positions before succeeding Pope Julius III on April 9, 1555. Pope Marcellus fell ill soon after his installation, and died of a stroke on May 1, 1555, just 22 days into his papacy, and five days before his 54th birthday. He was succeeded as Pope by Paul IV.

210 years ago
1801

War
U.K. Royal Navy Captain Thomas Cochrane, in the 14-gun HMS Speedy, captured the 32-gun Spanish frigate El Gamo off Barcelona.

160 years ago
1851

Born on this date
Aristide Bruant. French entertainer. Mr. Bruant was a nightclub singer and comedian in Paris who was credited with creating the chanson réaliste genre of music, but was best known as the man in the red scarf and black cape featured on certain famous posters by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. He died on February 11, 1925 at the age of 73.

150 years ago
1861

Born on this date
Motilal Nehru. Indian politician. Mr. Nehru was a lawyer and journalist before entering politics. He was President of the Indian National Congress (1919-1920, 1928-1929), and chaired the Nehru Commission (1928), a memorandum to appeal for a new dominion status and a federal set-up of government for the constitution of India. Mr. Nehru died on February 6, 1931 at the age of 69, after years of declining health; his son Jawaharlal served as the first Prime Minister of independent India (1947-1964).

140 years ago
1871

Born on this date
Victor Grignard. French chemist. Professor Grignard was awarded a share of the 1912 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the discovery of the [...] Grignard reagent." He died on December 13, 1935 at the age of 64.

80 years ago
1931

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Willie Mays!
The Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder was born in Westfield, Alabama.

70 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Heinrich Simon, 60. German journalist. Dr. Simon, a Jewish refugee and writer of anti-Nazi editorials in Germany, died in Washington after being beaten by unknown assailants.

War
Germany announced the seizure of eight islands, closing the Aegean Sea to British ships. British troops broke the siege of Habbania air base in Iraq.

Diplomacy
Japan and France signed two agreements in Tokyo for economic collaboration between Japan and Indochina.

Defense
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft, piloted by Lowry Brabham, made its first flight. U.S. War Secretary Henry Stimson urged that the U.S. Navy be used to insure that Lend-Lease aid reached Britain. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 161-131 to reject an amendment to the ship seizure bill that would have barred the President from turning the captured vessels over to the United Kingdom. U.S. Senator Claude Pepper (Democrat--Florida) urged the U.S. to get tough with the Axis, and occupy, with the U.K., Dakar, the Azores, the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, Greenland, and Iceland.

Politics and government
U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin became Premier of Russia, replacing Vyacheslav Molotov.

The Congressional bloc of the Radical Party in Argentina voted to end its three-month legislative boycott, thus permitting Congress to resume its normal functions.

Aviation
Igor Sikorsky set a world record at Bridgeport, Connecticut, of 1 hour 32½ minutes for sustained flight in a helicopter.

Humour
Bob Hope performed his first United Service Organizations show, at March Field, California.

Economics and finance
U.S. Reconstruction Finance Corporation Chairman Emil Schram accepted the presidency of the New York Stock Exchange.

Labour
The U.S. Third Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Merchant seamen had the right to strike aboard ship when it was in a safe domestic port.

Baseball
Playing his last game before induction into the U.S. Army, Hank Greenberg hit 2 home runs to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 7-4 win over the New York Yankees before 7,850 fans at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Bruce Campbell also hit 2 home runs for the Tigers--both of them hit back-to-back with the homers of Mr. Greenberg. New York second baseman Jerry Priddy hit his first major league home run in the 7th inning, a 3-run blast off winning pitcher Johnny Gorsica, who pitched a complete game. Ernie Bonham allowed 5 earned runs in 3 innings in taking the loss.

The Boston Braves scored all their runs in the 5th inning as they edged the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 at Braves Field. Wes Ferrell started on the mound for Boston, but allowed 2 hits, a base on balls, and 2 runs in just 1 inning in the final game of his 15-year major league career.

60 years ago
1951

Married on this date
King Farouk of Egypt, 31, and commoner Narriam Sadek, 17, were married in Cairo. It was the second marriage for King Farouk; he had married Safinaz Zulficar in 1938, and the couple were divorced in 1948.



War
An Ethiopian light infantry battalion of 1,158 men arrived in Pusan, South Korea to fight for the United Nations.

Politics and government
Víctor Paz Estenssoro, exiled leader of the opposition Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR), won a plurality of 42.9% of the vote in the Bolivian presidential election. Republican Socialist Unity Party candidate Gabriel Gosalvez was second with 32.0%, and Bolivian Socialist Falange candidate Bernardino Bilbao Rioja was third with 10.5%. Because none of the six candidates received a majority of the popular vote, the National Congress was constitutionally obliged to elect a President on August 6 from the three candidates who received the most public votes. Hernán Siles Zuazo, Mr. Paz's running mate, led vice presidential candidates with 43.25% of the vote.

The first round of voting in the Austrian presidential election resulted in Austrian People's Party candidate Heinrich Gleißner leading with 40.14% of the vote, followed by Socialist Party candidate Theodor Körner (39.15%) and Federation of Independents candidate Burghard Breitner (15.41%). Because no candidate won a majority of the vote, a runoff election between the top two contenders was scheduled for May 27.

State parliamentary elections in Lower Saxony (the British zone of Germany) gave 11% of the popular vote to the neo-Nazi Socialist Reich Party, led by Otto Ernst Remer.

Disasters
An earthquake in southeastern El Salvador caused 200 deaths and 700 injuries, and left 20,000 people homeless.

Baseball
Cliff Chambers (3-2) pitched a no-hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates--their first in 44 years--as they shut out the Boston Braves 3-0 in the second game of a doubleheader before 15,492 fans at Braves Field. Mr. Chambers pitched the shutout despite giving up 8 bases on balls and a wild pitch. He also batted in the game’s third run in the 8th inning. It was the only major league start and decision for losing pitcher George Estock (0-1), normally a reliever. Warren Spahn (3-2) pitched a 6-hit shutout as the Braves won the first game 6-0, with Murry Dickson (3-1) taking the loss.

The St. Louis Cardinals scored 6 runs in the top of the 8th inning to overcome a 7-5 deficit and defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers 11-7 before 32,200 fans at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Surrender--Elvis Presley (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Jealous of You--Connie Francis (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Babysitter-Boogie--Ralf Bendix (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40): Non je ne regrette rien--Edith Piaf (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): You're Driving Me Crazy--The Temperance Seven (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Mother-in-Law--Ernie K-Doe
2 Runaway--Del Shannon
3 Blue Moon--The Marcels
4 A Hundred Pounds of Clay--Gene McDaniels
5 (I Don’t Know Why) But I Do--Clarence "Frogman" Henry
6 I’ve Told Every Little Star--Linda Scott
7 You Can Depend on Me--Brenda Lee
8 On the Rebound--Floyd Cramer
9 Daddy’s Home--Shep and the Limelites
10 Take Good Care of Her--Adam Wade

Singles entering the chart were Peanut Butter by the Marathons (#71); The Touchables in Brooklyn by Dickie Goodman (#80); Raindrops by Dee Clark (#86); Be My Boy by the Paris Sisters (#91); Lullaby of the Leaves by the Ventures (#93); Moody River by Pat Boone (#94); What a Surprise by Johnny Maestro (#96); (It Never Happens) In Real Life by Chuck Jackson (#100); The World We Love In (Il Cielo In Una Stanza) by Mina (also #100); and The Great Snow Man by Bob Luman (also #100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Travelin' Man/Hello Mary Lou--Ricky Nelson
2 Runaway--Del Shannon
3 Shy Away--Jerry Fuller
4 Running Scared--Roy Orbison
5 Little Devil--Neil Sedaka
6 Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)--The Coasters
7 Theme for a Dream--Cliff Richard and the Shadows
8 The Rebel - Johnny Yuma--Johnny Cash
9 Tragedy--The Fleetwoods
10 After the Hurricane--Paul Evans

Singles entering the chart were Travelin' Man; Indian Giver by Annette with the Up Beats (#36); That Old Black Magic by Bobby Rydell (#41); Ronnie by Marcy Joe (#43); How Many Tears by Bobby Vee (#44); I'm a Fool to Care by Joe Barry (#46); What a Surprise by Johnny Maestro (#47); and Mama Said by the Shirelles (#50).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Little Devil--Neil Sedaka
2 Hello Mary Lou/Travelin' Man--Ricky Nelson
3 Running Scared--Roy Orbison
4 Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)--The Coasters
5 Runaway--Del Shannon
6 Theme for a Dream--Cliff Richard and the Shadows
7 Moody River--Pat Boone
8 After the Hurricane--Paul Evans
9 Peanut Butter--The Marathons
10 The Rebel - Johnny Yuma--Johnny Cash

Singles entering the chart were Indian Giver by Annette with the Up Beats (#32); Bongo Express by Preston Epps (#34); Underwater by the Frogmen (#35); Louisiana Mama by Gene Pitney (#36); The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant (#38); Daddy's Home by Shep and the Limelites (#39); and I Feel So Bad by Elvis Presley (#40).

On television tonight
The Roaring 20's, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Among the Missing

Horse racing
Carry Back, with Johnny Sellers up, won the 87th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in 2:04. Crozier placed second and Bass Clef finished third in the 15-horse field. First prize money was $120,500.



Baseball
At Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Woodie Held of the Cleveland Indians hit a grand slam in the 1st inning of a game against the Washington Senators--only to have it wiped from the record when the game was rained out after 2 innings.

40 years ago
1971

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

Business
Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn signed major league baseball to a $72-million television contract with NBC.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 3 @ Chicago 5 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Lou Angotti scored 2 goals and 2 assists to lead the Black Hawks past the Canadiens at Chicago Stadium. Chicago defenseman Pat Stapleton’s face was badly gashed by the skate blade of Montreal’s Rejean Houle, and Mr. Stapleton required over 50 stitches as well as later treatment by a plastic surgeon.

30 years ago
1981

Baseball
The Seattle Mariners, with a record of 6-18, fired Maury Wills as manager, replacing him with Rene Lachemann. The Mariners responded with a 12-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers before 4,828 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle. Winning pitcher Mike Parrott (1-2) snapped a personal 18-game losing streak, allowing 5 hits and 1 unearned run in 7 innings. Seattle shortstop Jim Anderson batted 3 for 4 with a double, 2 runs, and 5 runs batted in.

Steve Dillard drew a base on balls to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning and scored from second base on a 2-out single by Ken Reitz to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 win over the Houston Astroe before 2,572 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

The Cincinnati Reds, trailing 8-4 after 7½ innings, scored a run in the bottom of the 7th inning, 2 in the 8th, and 2 in the 9th to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-8 before 14,551 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Johnny Bench singled home Ken Griffey from third base with none out and the bases loaded to end the game.

25 years ago
1986

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Calgary 5 @ St. Louis 3 (Calgary led best-of-seven series 2-1)

20 years ago
1991

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

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Se mustamies--Hausmylly (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Joyride--Roxette (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
Hollywood Detective, on A&E
Tonight's episode: Chasing the Goose

Died on this date
Wilfrid Hyde-White, 87. U.K. actor. Mr. Hyde-White was a character actor on stage, screen, and television in both the United Kingdom and United States for more than 60 years. He played Colonel Pickering in the movie My Fair Lady (1964). Mr. Hyde-White died six days before his 88th birthday.

Journalism
This date's issue of Time magazine contained the cover story The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power by Richard Behar criticizing the Church of Scientology, leading to years of legal conflict.

Business
Montreal-based Canadair received 100 orders for its twin-engined Regional Jet; costing $275 million to develop, the plane was a stretched Challenger for less than 100 passengers.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Minnesota 7 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 2-1)

10 years ago
2001

Terrorism
A bomb, the second such in three weeks, exploded at a north London post office, but killed no one.

Religion
Pope John Paul II, during a trip to Syria, became the first Roman Catholic pope to enter a mosque when he entered the Omayyad Great Mosque in Damascus. He also met with Greek Orthodox and Catholic leaders in Damascus.