June 15, 2011

670 years ago
1341

Died on this date
Andronikos III, 44. Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 1328-1341. Andronikos III acceded to the throne after the deposition of his grandfather Andronikos II. Andronikos III achieved mixed results in wars, but succeeded in implementing judicial reforms. His death may have been from chronic malaria, and he was succeeded by his 9-year-old son John V.

630 years ago
1381

Died on this date
Wat Tyler, 40 (?). English rebel. Mr. Tyler led the Peasants' Revolt march of rebels from Canterbury to London to oppose the institution of a poll tax and to demand economic and social reforms. He and King Richard II began negotiations, but officers loyal to the king took exception to Mr. Tyler's manners, and the rebel leader was stabbed and eventually publicly decapitated. The rebels were driven from London, and King Richard withdrew all the concessions he'd made.

John Cavendish, 35. English judge. Sir John was appointed as a Justice of the Common Pleas in 1371 and Chief Justice of the King's Bench in 1372. He was murdered by rebels at Bury St. Edmonds during the Peasants' Revolt.

200 years ago
1811

War
John Jacob Astor's ship Tonquin was attacked by local Tla-o-qui-aht (Nootka) Indians on Vancouver Island, who killed the sailors and destroyed the ship the next day, ending the New York fur trader's hopes for northwest coast trade in competition with the North West Company.

175 years ago
1836

Americana
Arkansas entered the union as the 25th state.

150 years ago
1861

Born on this date
Ernestine Schumann-Heink. German-born singer. Mrs. Schumann-Heink was an operatic contralto who had an international career spanning more than 50 years, and was especially known for her performances of the works of Richard Wagner. She became an American citizen in 1905, and began hosting a weekly radio program in 1926. Mrs. Schumann-Heink died of leukemia on November 17, 1936 at the age of 75.

130 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Kesago Nakajima. Japanese military officer. Lieutenant General Nakajima was Operational Commander in the Battle of Nanjing in 1937 and was implicated in what was known at the time as the "Rape of Nanking." He retired from the Imperial Japanese Army in 1939 and died of illness on October 28, 1945 at the age of 64.

125 years ago
1886

Politics and government
Voting concluded in the Nova Scotia provincial election, as Premier William Fielding led his Liberal Party to a a third consecutive majority government, on a pledge to remove Nova Scotia from Confederation. The Liberals captured 28 of 38 seats in the House of Assembly, an increase of 4 from the 1882 election. The Conservatives, led by Adam Carr Bell, won the remaining 10 seats, down 4 from 1882. The Liberals took 54.7% of the popular vote to 28.6% for the Conservatives.

120 years ago
1891

Politics and government
Sir John Abbott was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada and President of the Council after being chosen leader of Conservative Party, nine days after Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald's death. Sir John was the first Prime Minister to assume the office while sitting in the Senate.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Wilbert Awdry. U.K. author. Rev. Awdry, an Anglican priest, was known for The Railway Series of 26 children's books (1945-1972), featuring Thomas the Tank Engine He died on March 21, 1997 at the age of 85.

80 years ago
1931

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Adventure of the Abbey Grange

This was the last episode of the season.

75 years ago
1936

At the movies
Trapped by Television, directed by Del Lord, and starring Mary Astor, Lyle Talbot, and Nat Pendleton, opened in theatres.



Defense
The prototype of the British bomber Vickers Wellington, piloted by Joseph Summers, made its first flight, from Brooklands aerodrome in Surrey.

70 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Evelyn Underhill, 65. U.K. authoress. Miss Underhill was an Anglo-Catholic mystic who has been credited as the person most responsible for introducing forgotten and neglected medieval Roman Catholic authors to a Protestant audience. Her best-known book was Mysticism: A Study of the Nature and Development of Man's Spiritual Consciousness (1911).

War
Allied forces captured the Lebanese port of Saida and Abu Kemal in the interior after French forces withdrew. British forces began an offensive against Axis forces along the Egyptian-Libyan border. Neutral diplomats in Ankara said that a German attack on Russia was inevitable unless the U.S.S.R. agreed to help feed Nazi-occupied countries.

Defense
Croatia joined the Axis when its leader, Ante Pavelitch, signed the Tripartite Pact in Vienna. Finland called up reservists for "military exercises." Reportes from San Jose, Costa Rica stated that Guatemela, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras had agreed to inform Germany that they endorsed U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's May 27 speech in which he proclaimed that "an unlimited national emergency confronts this country, which requires that its military, naval, air and civilian defenses be put on the basis of readiness to repel any and all acts or threats of aggression directed toward any part of the Western Hemisphere."

Labour
U.S. President Roosevelt criticized discrimination against workers in defense industries solely because of race, religion, or national origin, and asked the Office of Production Management to deal with the situation. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations machinists striking San Francisco shipyards voted to continue their five-week strike. Representatives of 50,000 CIO Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers members voted in Camden, New Jersey to accept a two-year, no-strike agreement proposed by the U.S. Office of Production Management. The U.S. Labor Department ruled that commercial establishments must show that 75% of their sales wer retail in order to qualify for exemption from the Wage-Hour Law.

60 years ago
1951

Died on this date
John Uhrich, 74. Canadian physician and politician. Dr. Uhrich, a native of Formosa, Ontario, began a medical practice in Hague, Saskatchewan in 1909. A Liberal, he represented Rosthern in the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly (1921-1944), and held several cabinet posts, most notably Minister of Public Health (1923-1929, 1934-1944), overseeing increased government operation of hospitals and immunization programs. Dr. Uhrich retired from electoral politics in 1944; he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan in 1948, and died in office, eight days after his 74th birthday. Dr. Uhrich was succeeded as Lieutenant Governor by William John Patterson.

Journalism
The St. Louis Star-Times ceased publication after 67 years, after being bought by the Pulitzer-owned St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Politics and government
The Canadian Parliament amended the Northwest Territories Act to provide for a partly-elective Territorial Council.

Health
Four Metropolitan Life Insurance Company physicians reported to the American Medical Association meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey that 15 million overweight Americans faced an earlier death than normal Americans.

Economics and finance
The U.S. National Security Council suspended the ban on economic aid to nations shipping strategic materials to Soviet bloc states.

U.S. President Harry Truman signed a bill authorizing a $190-million loan to India for famine relief.

Labour
Mexico informed the United States that contracting for Mexican work on U.S. farms would end on June 30 when the U.S.-Mexican migratory labour agreement expired.

60,000 members of the Congress of Industrial Organizations National Maritime Union, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, and American Radio Association struck at East Coast and Gulf Coast as their contracts expired, tying up most harbour contracts.

Disasters
35 elderly residents died in a fire at l'Hospice Ste-Cunégond in Montréal.

Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Joe Louis (64-2) knocked out Lee Savold (96-37-3) at 2:29 of the 6th round at Madison Square Garden in New York. Going into the fight, Mr. Savold, an American, had been recognized as world heavyweight champion by the British Boxing Board of Control. After this fight, the BBBC joined other ruling bodies in recognizing Ezzard Charles as world heavyweight champion.



Baseball
Just before the Brooklyn Dodgers were to play the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, the teams completed an eight-player trade. The Cubs traded outfielder Andy Pafko (batting .284 with 12 home runs and 35 runs batted in in 49 games in 1951); catcher Rube Walker (.234 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in 37 games); second baseman Wayne Terwilliger (.214 with no homers and 10 RBIs in 50 games); and pitcher Johnny Schmitz (1-2 in 8 games) for infielder Eddie Miksis (.200 with no homers and no RBIs in 19 games with the Dodgers in 1951); catcher Bruce Edwards (.250 with 1 home run and 8 RBIs in 17 games); outfielder Gene Hermanski (.250 with 1 home run and 5 RBIs in 31 games); and pitcher Joe Hatten (1-0 in 11 games).

The Pittsburgh Pirates traded pitcher Cliff Chambers (3-6 in 10 games in 1951—including a no-hitter on May 6) and outfielder Wally Westlake (.282 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs) to the St. Louis Cardinals for catcher Joe Garagiola (.194 with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs in 27 games); second baseman Dick Cole (.194 with no homers and 3 RBIs in 15 games); outfielder Bill Howerton (.262 with 1 home run and 4 RBIs in 24 games); pitcher Ted Wilks (0-0 with 1 save in 17 games); and pitcher Howie Pollett (0-3 in 6 games).

The New York Yankees traded pitcher Tommy Byrne (2-1 in 9 games with the Yankees in 1951) and $25,000 to the St. Louis Browns for pitcher Stubby Overmire (1-6 in 8 games). The Yankees also traded righthanded pitchers Bob Porterfield (0-0 in 2 games); Fred Sanford (0-3 in 11 games); and Tom Ferrick (1-1 in 9 games) to the Washington Nationals for lefthanded pitcher Bob Kuzava (3-3 in 8 games).

Don Newcombe (7-4) pitched an 8-hitter to outduel Paul Minner (3-5), who allowed 11 hits in a complete game, and singled home Carl Furillo with the winning run in a 2-run 6th-inning rally as the Brooklyn Dodgers edged the Chicago Cubs 2-1 before 11,389 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Wes Westrum drove in 6 runs with a grand slam and a 2-run home run to help the New York Giants defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-6 before 22,746 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Jim Hearn (6-3) pitched an 11-hit complete game victory, allowing 3 earned runs.

Vic Raschi (10-3) pitched a 3-hitter to outduel Hal Newhouser (5-5) and Fred Hutchinson as the New York Yankees shut out the Detroit Tigers 2-0 before 43,804 fans at Yankee Stadium. Phil Rizzuto scored the winning run in the bottom of the 1st inning when he singled with 1 out, advanced to third base on a single by Hank Bauer, and scored when Jackie Jensen grounded into a force play.

Elmer Valo drew a base on balls with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th inning and scored when Gus Zernial followed with a double to left field, and catcher Gus Niarhos dropped the throw, giving the Philadelphia Athletics a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in the first game of a doubleheader before 13,161 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Bob Hooper (2-4) pitched a 6-hit complete game to outduel Saul Rogovin (5-5), who allowed 10 hits and 3 earned runs, and was ejected by home plate umpire Charlie Berry at the conclusion of the game for arguing that Mr. Valo was out at home plate on the game-ending play. Mr. Zernial hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 1st inning to help the Athletics win 12-5 to complete the sweep, with Bobby Shantz (5-4) pitching an 11-hit complete game victory.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade): Runaway--Del Shannon

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Surrender--Elvis Presley (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Peyami Safa, 62. Turkish writer. Mr. Safa was a journalist and novelist of conservative and nationalist views. His novels included Dokuzuncu Hariciye Koğuşu (The Ninth External Ward) (1930).

Giulio Cabianca, 38. Italian auto racing driver. Mr. Cabianca participated in four Formula One races from 1958-1960, with a best finish of 4th in the 1960 Italian Grand Prix. He was killed during a test drive at the Modena Autodrome when a stuck throttle resulted in his car going off the track, through the open gate of the autodrome, and across the street, killing two other people in addition to Mr. Cabianca.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Funny Funny--The Sweet

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep--Middle of the Road (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Wendell M. Stanley, 66. U.S. biochemist and virologist. Dr. Stanley worked with the National Research Council and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research before becoming a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of California, where he built the Virus Laboratory. He and John H. Northrop were awarded a share of the 1946 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for their preparation of enzymes and virus proteins in a pure form."

Protest
Opposition was growing to British Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher’s plan to end the provision of free milk in school for children over the age of 7.

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals traded pitcher Mike Torrez to the Montreal Expos for pitcher Bob Reynolds. Mr. Torrez was 1-2 with an earned run average of 6.75 in 9 games with St. Louis in 1971, batting .143 wit 1 run batted in, and was assigned by the Expos to the Winnipeg Whips of the AAA International League. Mr. Reynolds was 4-2 with a 2.07 ERA and 4 saves in 20 games with Winnipeg in 1971, and was batting .125 with 1 RBI.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Bette Davis Eyes--Kim Carnes

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Natsu no Tobira--Seiko Matsuda (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Stars on 45--Stars on 45

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Medley--Stars on 45 (4th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Making Your Mind Up--Bucks Fizz (5th week at #1)
2 Video Life--Bilgeri
3 Stars on 45--Stars on 45
4 Per Elisa--Alice
5 In the Air Tonight--Phil Collins
6 Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)--Ottawan
7 Jealous Guy--Roxy Music
8 Fade to Grey--Visage
9 Shaddap You Face--Joe Dolce Music Theatre
10 9 to 5--Dolly Parton

Singles entering the chart were Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart); Running Scared by the Fools (#14); Mister Sandman by Emmylou Harris (#15); Watching the Wheels by John Lennon (#17); and Stop 'n' Go by Peter Kent (#18).

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Sailing Away--All of Us

#1 single in Switzerland: Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox

Golf
Ray Floyd won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Shinnecock Hills, New York with a 1-under-par score of 279, one stroke ahead of Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins. First prize money was $115,000.



20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): The Grease Megamix--Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Anata ni aete yokatta--Kyoko Koizumi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Let There Be Love--Simple Minds

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El 7 de Septiembre--Mecano (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Last Train To Trancentral--The KLF (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Senza una donna--Zucchero & Paul Young

#1 single in France (SNEP): Désenchantée--Mylène Farmer (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): I Wanna Sex You Up--Color Me Badd (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Wind of Change--Scorpions (3rd week at #1)
2 Last Train To Trancentral (Live from the Lost Continent)--The KLF
3 Senza Una Donna (Without a Woman)--Zucchero & Paul Young
4 Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da)--Crystal Waters
5 Anasthasia--T99
6 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)--De La Soul
7 Strike it Up--Black Box
8 Just a Groove--Nomad
9 Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)--Roxette
10 No Coke--Dr. Alban

Singles entering the chart were I Wanna Sex You Up by Color Me Badd (#25); Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. (#28); Sedalia by Cees Tol & Thomas Tol (#31); Silent Lucidity by Queensrÿche (#32); Cold Slammin' by King Bee (#33); Blauw by the Scene (#34); and Touch Me (All Night Long) by Cathy Dennis (#35).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul
2 I Wanna Sex You Up--Color Me Badd
3 More than Words--Extreme
4 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
5 Losing My Religion--R.E.M.
6 I Don't Wanna Cry--Mariah Carey
7 Unbelievable--EMF
8 Power of Love/Love Power--Luther Vandross
9 Strike it Up--Black Box
10 I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)--Hi-Five

Singles entering the chart were Every Heartbeat by Amy Grant (#53); Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave) by Roxette (#59); Motownphilly by Boyz II Men (#63); Summertime by D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (#85); Your Love by Keith Sweat (#91); Summer Vacation by the Party (#96); and Love Gets Rough by Troy Newman (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 More than Words—Extreme (2nd week at #1)
2 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul
3 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
4 I Wanna Sex You Up—Color Me Badd
5 I Don’t Wanna Cry--Mariah Carey
6 Losing My Religion--R.E.M.
7 Unbelievable—EMF
8 Couple Days Off—Huey Lewis and the News
9 Power of Love/Love Power—Luther Vandross
10 I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)--High-Five

Singles entering the chart were Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave) by Roxette (#38); Love and Understanding by Cher (#51); Every Heartbeat by Amy Grant (#70); Move Right Out by Rick Astley (#84); Your Love (Part 2) by Keith Sweat (#87); and Only a Heartbeat by T’Pau (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 More than Words—Extreme (2nd week at #1)
2 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
3 I Don’t Wanna Cry--Mariah Carey
4 Rhythm of My Heart--Rod Stewart
5 Couple Days Off—Huey Lewis and the News
6 Baby Baby--Amy Grant
7 Losing My Religion--R.E.M.
8 Rush Rush—Paula Abdul
9 Silent Lucidity--Queensryche
10 Walking in Memphis—Marc Cohn

Singles entering the chart were The Rhythm of Your Love by Glass Tiger (#33); Weight of the World by Young Saints (#64); Everybody Gets a Second Chance by Mike + the Mechanics (#85); It Ain’t Over ‘Til it’s Over by Lenny Kravitz (#87); Conductin’ Thangs by Maestro Fresh Wes (#89); Dis Moi, Dis Moi by Mitsou (#92); Move Right Out by Rick Astley (#94); and Love and Understanding by Cher (#95).

Died on this date
Albert “Happy” Chandler, 92. U.S. politician. Mr. Chandler, a Democrat, represented the 22nd District in the Kentucky Senate (1929-1931) was Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1931-1935); Governor of Kentucky (1935-1939, 1955-1959), and represented Kentucky in the United States Senate 1939-1945). He succeeded the late Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis as Commissioner of Baseball (1945-1951), and is best remembered for presiding over the integration of Negroes into professional baseball against the opposition of most of the major league owners, which has been offered as the main explanation for why his contract as commissioner wasn’t renewed after it expired. Mr. Chandler was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, and died 29 days before his 93rd birthday.

Arthur Lewis, 76. Saint Lucian economist. Sir Arthur shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with Theodore Schultz "for their pioneering research into economic development research with particular consideration of the problems of developing countries."

Politics and government
Lucien Bouchard, former Minister of the Environment in the Progressive Conservative government of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, officially founded a new independent party, the Bloc Québécois. Mr. Bouchard had resigned from the cabinet and Progressive Conservative Party May 21, 1990 to protest failure of the Meech Lake constitutional Accord.

Dennis Cochrane was elected Leader of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party, receiving 955 votes to 166 for Bev Lawrence. He replaced Barbara Filliter, who resigned after 17 months in the position.

Disasters
In the Philippines, Mount Pinatubo erupted in the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th Century, eventually resulting in the deaths of over 800 people.

10 years ago
2001

Diplomacy
Leaders of the People's Republic of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan formed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 108 @ Philadelphia 96 (Los Angeles won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Shaquille O'Neal scored 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant added 26 points and 12 rebounds to help the Lakers defeat the 76ers before 20,900 fans at First Union Center for their second straight championship. Allen Iverson led Philadelphia scorers with 37 points. Mr. O'Neal was named the Finals' Most Valuable Player.