July 2, 2011

450 years ago
1561

World events
Ethiopian Emperor Admas Sagad I defeated a revolt in Emfraz.

420 years ago
1591

Died on this date
Vincenzo Galilei, 71 (?). Italian composer. Mr. Galilei, the father of physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei, was a lutanist and composer of numerous pieces for voice and lute. He did pioneering research into acoustics, and has been credited with influencing his son's experimentation in physics.

190 years ago
1821

Born on this date
Charles Tupper. Prime Minister of Canada, 1896. Sir Charles was the most prominent Father of Confederation to come from Nova Scotia. He was a physician who served as the first president of the Canadian Medical Association in the 1870s. As a politician, he was a Conservative who was Premier of Nova Scotia from 1864-1867 and held various cabinet posts in the government of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald before serving as Canada's High Commissioner in London from 1883-1896. With the Conservative government of Prime Minister Sir Mackenzie Bowell in serious trouble in 1896, Sir Charles was summoned back to Canada. He was elected to the House of Commons in a by-election and took office as Prime Minister on May 1, leading the Conservatives in the federal election campaign. The Liberals, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won a majority of seats in the House of Commons, and Sir Charles handed over the reigns of power on July 8. His 69-day reign as Prime Minister remains the shortest in Canadian history. Sir Charles remained in the House as Leader of the Opposition from 1896-1900; he resigned from the House of Commons in 1901 and returned to England. Sir Charles died on October 30, 1915 at the age of 94; he was the last Father of Confederation to die, and had the longest lifespan (so far) of any Canadian Prime Minister.

Business
The British Parliament pass an Act for Regulation of the Fur Trade, extending the Hudson's Bay Company monopoly over the fur trade in Rupert's Land by 21 years.

140 years ago
1871

War
King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy entered Rome after having conquered it from the Papal States.

130 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Royal Hurlburt Weller. U.S. politician. Mr. Weller, a Democrat, represented New York's 21st District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1923 until his death on March 1, 1929 at the age of 47.

Crime
U.S. President James A. Garfield was shot and seriously wounded by Charles Guiteau in Washington.

90 years ago
1921

War
U.S. President Warren G. Harding signed the Knox–Porter Resolution, formally ending the war between the United States and Germany.

Boxing
Jack Dempsey (51-4-8) retained his world heavyweight title by knocking out world light heavyweight champion Georges Carpentier (82-12-5) at 1:16 of the 4th round at Boyle's Thirty Acres in Jersey City, New Jersey. Promoter Tex Rickard had built a grandstand especially for this fight. 90,000 fans showed up, producing a gate of $1.6 million, the first million-dollar gate in boxing history. It was also the first major sporting event to have its proceedings transmitted by radio.



70 years ago
1941

War
The Royal Canadian Air Force was authorized to enlist women; the RCAF was followed by the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Navy. Pilots with the American Eagle Squadron shot down three German fighters and damaged two others during a British Royal Air Force raid near Lille, France.

Defense
28 U.S. state governors, meeting in Boston, adopted a resolution pledging full support to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his effort "to preserve the freedom of men and the institutions of free men." American Peace Mobilization and the Congress of Insustrial Organizations National Maritime Union announced in New York that they now supported aid to the U.K. and U.S.S.R.; both had opposed Lend-Lease. The U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee tentatively approved new and additional taxes designed to raise $3.5 billion in additional revenue to help pay for the defense program. Mr. Roosevelt directed War Secretary Edward L. Stimson to return the North American Aviation plant in Inglewood, California to its owners.

Diplomacy
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles declared that the United States welcomed Uruguay's proposal that any republic engaged in a foreign war be regarded as a non-belligerent.

Protest
Several people were injured when police broke up an anti-Fascist demonstration in Trinidad, Uruguay.

Crime
Sir John Henry Delves was acquitted in Nairobi of a charge of killing the Earl of Erroll.

Baseball
Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees extended his hitting streak to 45 games--breaking the major league record set by Willie Keeler of the Baltimore Orioles in 1897--with a home run off Dick Newsome of the Boston Red Sox as the Yankees beat the Red Sox 8-4 in 95-degree heat before 8,682 fans at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees scored 6 runs in the 5th inning.

The Philadelphia Athletics scored a run in the bottom of the 8th inning, 3 in the 9th, and 1 in the 10th as they came back from a 5-0 deficit to defeat the Washington Nationals 7-6 before 15,000 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

Bobo Newsom pitched a 3-hit shutout and Rudy York doubled home Pat Mullin in the 1st inning for the game's only run as the Detroit Tigers edged the Chicago White Sox 1-0 before 22,555 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Losing pitcher "Bullfrog Bill" Dietrich allowed just 5 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings.

60 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: And Adam Begot, starring Kent Smith, Philip Bourneuf, Joan Wetmore, and Kurt Katch



Died on this date
Mary Reeser, 67. U.S. accident victim. Mrs. Reeser lived alone in an apartment in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was found dead in her apartment in what was believed by many to be a case of spontaneous human combustion. Part of her left foot and her backbone were found, along with her shrunken skull. The Federal Bureau of Investigation believed that Mrs. Reeser had fallen asleep while smoking a cigarette, with the wick effect resulting in her clothes catching fire and her body fat enabling the fire to continue until her body was consumed. The case remains a mystery.



Literature
The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson was published by Oxford Press.

Politics and government
In the Finnish parliamentary election, the Social Democratic Party led with 53 of 200 seats, and the Agrarian League, led by Prime Minister Urho Kekkonen, was second with 51 seats. The coalition's total was enough to retain power in the face of a threat from the Finnish People's Democratic League (i.e., Communist Party), which finished third with 43 seats, a gain of five from the most recent election in 1948.

The United Nations Trusteeship Council voted approval of Italian administration of Somaliland, and expressed regret that Italy was not yet a UN member.

Crime
4 of 11 Communist Party U.S.A. leaders convicted of conspiracy under the Smith Act jumped bail to avoid beginning their prison terms.

Economics and finance
The Council of Economic Advisers submitted a report to U.S. President Harry Truman urging New England to relax its fiscal conservatism in an effort to expand and stabilize its $14-billion economy.

Business
Bill Veeck bought sole control of the St. Louis Browns of baseball's American League from Bill and Charlie DeWitt.

Labour
The Vatican ordered its clerical and lay employees in Rome to begin punching time clocks.

50 years ago
1961

Died on this date
Ernest Hemingway, 61. U.S. writer. Mr. Hemingway was a journalist and novelist who was one of the most famous writers of the 20th century. He was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style." Mr. Hemingway committed suicide by shooting himself at his home in Ketchum, Idaho, 19 days before his 62nd birthday.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): I Am...I Said--Neil Diamond (5th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Butterfly--Danyel Gérard (6th week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Funny Funny--The Sweet
2 Long Days and Lonely Nights--Lincoln
3 Joy to the World--Three Dog Night
4 If Not for You--Olivia Newton-John
5 The Seagull's Name was Nelson--Des & Dawn
6 When Love Comes Knocking at Your Door--The Dealians
7 It Don't Come Easy--Ringo Starr
8 Mozart: Symphony No. 40 In G Minor K.550 1° Movement (Allegro Molto)--Waldo de Los Rios
9 Me and You and a Dog Named Boo--Lobo
10 I Am...I Said--Neil Diamond

Singles entering the chart were Sally Sunshine by Clive Bruce (#19); and Flower of Life by Lauren Copley (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Never Ending Song of Love--Delaney & Bonnie & Friends
2 Don't Pull Your Love--Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
3 Rainy Days and Mondays--Carpenters
4 It's Too Late--Carole King
5 Double Lovin'--The Osmonds
6 When You're Hot, You're Hot--Jerry Reed
7 Deep Enough for Me--Ocean
8 Signs--Five Man Electrical Band
9 I Love You Lady Dawn--The Bells
10 Talking in Your Sleep--Gordon Lightfoot

Singles entering the chart were Vancouver Town '71 by Rolf Harris (#18); Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight (#28); Rings by Cymarron (#29); and Change Partners by Stephen Stills (#30).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 Never Ending Song of Love--Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (4th week at #1)
2 Rainy Days and Mondays--Carpenters
3 Uncle Albert/Smile Away (LP tracks)--Paul McCartney
4 Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)--Raiders
5 Melting Pot--Booker T. & the M.G.'s
6 Signs--Five Man Electrical Band
7 You're Gonna Miss Me--Wishbone
8 Don't Pull Your Love--Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
9 Draggin' the Line--Tommy James
10 How Can You Mend a Broken Heart--The Bee Gees

Singles entering the chart were I Love You Lady Dawn by the Bells (#26); Sooner or Later by the Grass Roots (#27); Chicago by Graham Nash (#28); Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight (#29); and Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver with Fat City (#30).

Space
A public state funeral was held in Moscow for Soyuz 11 cosmonauts Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, and Victor Patsayev, who had died two days earlier from the effects of depressurization while returning to Earth from their 24-day mission. U.S. astronaut Tom Stafford was among the pallbearers.



Diplomacy
Chinese Premier Chou En-lai received the first Canadian ministerial mission to the People's Republic of China.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Medley--Stars on 45 (5th week at #1)
2 Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes
3 The One that You Love--Air Supply
4 Sukiyaki--A Taste of Honey
5 All Those Years Ago--George Harrison
6 Hearts--Marty Balin
7 Take it on the Run--REO Speedwagon
8 Nobody Wins--Elton John
9 Winning--Santana
10 This Little Girl--Gary U.S. Bonds

Singles entering the chart were Gemini Dream by the Moody Blues (#13); Boy from New York City by the Manhattan Transfer (#15); Queen of Hearts by Juice Newton (#19); and Slow Hand by the Pointer Sisters (#20).

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-0) 19 @ Toronto (0-1) 18

20 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Lee Remick, 55. U.S. actress. Miss Remick was known for her striking blue eyes and her performances in such movies as A Face in the Crowd (1957); Anatomy of a Murder (1959); The Days of Wine and Roses (1962); and The Omen (1976). She died of kidney cancer.

Law
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that psychiatrists could not give medication against the wishes of patients; this was challenged by professionals and relatives of the mentally ill.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (0-2) 25 @ Hamilton (1-1) 28 (OT)
Edmonton (1-1) 21 @ Calgary (2-0) 25

10 years ago
2001

Crime
Barry George was sentenced to life in prison for the 1999 murder of British television hostess Jill Dando.

Medicine
The AbioCor self-contained artificial heart was first implanted, into Robert Tools at Jewish Hospital in Louisville.

Baseball
Manny Ramirez hit a 3-run home run in the 1st inning for the Boston Red Sox as they whipped the Toronto Blue Jays 16-4 before 38,237 fans at SkyDome in Toronto. Mr. Ramirez's homer was his 7th of the season against the Blue Jays.