April 13, 2012

270 years ago
1742

Music
G.F. Handel's oratorio Messiahwas given its first public performance, in Dublin.

250 years ago
1762

Born on this date
Jean-Étienne Championnet. French military officer. General of Division Championnet led a Republican French division in many important battles during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was commander-in-chief of the Army of Rome (1798) and of the Army of Italy (1799). He died of typhus on January 9, 1800 at the age of 37.

90 years ago
1922

Baseball
Dazzy Vance, pitching his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers and his first game in the major leagues since 1915, came out on the losing end of a 4-3 decision to the New York Giants and winning pitcher Phil Douglas.

80 years ago
1932

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs

75 years ago
1937

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Rangers 0 @ Detroit 1 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

Earl Robertson, playing in place of injured regular Normie Smith, played an outstanding game in goal for the Red Wings, earning the shutout at Olympia Stadium.

60 years ago
1952

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

Gordie Howe scored 2 goals and Ted Lindsay scored on a 65-foot shot as the Red Wings blanked the Canadiens at Olympia Stadium.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Hocus-Pocus and Frisby, starring Andy Devine and Milton Selzer

At the movies
Experiment in Terror, produced and directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Glenn Ford, Lee Remick, Stefanie Powers, and Ross Martin, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Bill Akers, 57. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Akers was an infielder with the Detroit Tigers (1929-1931) and Boston Braves (1932), batting .261 with 11 home runs and 69 runs batted in in 174 games. He played at least 834 games in 11 seasons in the minor leagues (1924-1934), hitting at least 72 homers. Mr. Akers later served as an Arkansas State Trooper and earned several decorations with the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II.

Baseball
The New York Mets played their first regular season home game, losing 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates before just 12,447 fans in the first game at the Polo Grounds since 1957. Sherman “Roadblock” Jones (0-1) was the losing pitcher.

Stan Musial set a National League career record with 1,869 runs as his St. Louis Cardinals scored 3 runs in the top of the 13th inning to break a 5-5 tie and defeated the Chicago Cubs 8-5 before 9,750 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

40 years ago
1972

War
North Vietnamese troops began a siege of An Loc, capital of the South Vietnamese province of Binh Loc, near Saigon.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon arrived in Ottawa for three days of talks with Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Mr. Nixon pledged that the United States “will respect the separate identity” of Canada and its people’s “right to pursue their own way.”

Labour
The major league baseball players’ strike, which had begun March 31, ended. The regular season was to begin two days later, with games missed during the strike not being made up.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
New York 3 @ Montreal 2 (New York won best-of-seven series 4-2)
Minnesota 2 @ St. Louis 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Bill Fairbairn scored his 4th and 5th goals of the series and Walt Tkaczuk scored the winning goal 29 seconds into the 3rd period at the Montreral Forum as the Rangers eliminated the defending champion Canadiens from further playoff competition.

Garry Unger scored the winning goal in the 2nd period at St. Louis Arena and Jacques Caron won the goaltending duel over Gump Worsley to force a seventh and deciding game in Minnesota.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: Oh Julie--Shakin' Stevens (6th week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Quebec 3 @ Montreal 2 (OT) (Quebec won best-of-five series 3-2)
Los Angeles 7 @ Edmonton 4 (Los Angeles won best-of-five series 3-2)

The Kings, who had finished 54 points behind Edmonton in the regular season standings, easily defeated the Oilers at Northlands Coliseum, prompting Edmonton Journal sports columnist Terry Jones to denounce the losing team as “weak-kneed wimps” in a front-page tirade the next day.



25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Boom Boom (Let's Go Back to My Room)--Paul Lekakis

Music
This blogger attended an enjoyable concert by Gordon Lightfoot at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. I paid $21.50 for my ticket.

Baseball
Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn, and John Kruk of the San Diego Padres hit consecutive home runs off Roger Mason to lead off the game, but the San Francisco Giants came back to beat the Padres 13-6.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Telepatiaa--J. Karjalainen

Politics and government
Neil Kinnock, who had led Britain’s Labour Party since 1983, announced his forthcoming resignation, four days after the ruling Conservatives had won a fourth consecutive majority government in the U.K.’s general election.

10 years ago
2002

Diplomacy
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague delimited a 620-mile stretch of border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, ending a dispute that had led to war between the two countries from 1998-2000.

Curling
Scotland defeated Sweden to win the women’s world championship.

April 9, 2012

125 years ago
1887

Born on this date
Florence Price. U.S. composer. Mrs. Price was a pianist, organist, and music teacher who wrote four symphonies, four concertos, and numerous other orchestral, chamber, and vocal works. She became the first Negro American female composer to have a work played by a major orchestra when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed her Symphony No. 1 in E minor in 1933. Mrs. Price died of a stroke on June 3, 1953 at the age of 66.

100 years ago
1912

Baseball
Exhibition
Harvard University 0 @ Boston Red Sox 2

Just 3,000 fans braved cold and snowy weather to attend the was the first game ever played at Fenway Park.

80 years ago
1932

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Rangers 4 @ Toronto 6 (Toronto won best-of-five series 3-0)

Ace Bailey’s goal with 4:53 remaining in regulation time was the winner in the first Stanley Cup final game ever played at Maple Leaf Gardens. It was the Maple Leafs’ first Stanley Cup since becoming the Maple Leafs in 1927, and the first for the franchise since 1922, when the team had been known as the St. Patricks.

70 years ago
1942

War
Japanese troops overwhelmed American and Philippine troops at Bataan.

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

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
The Unexpected, hosted by Herbert Marshall, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Born Again, starring Billy Halop, Dolores Mann, and Mira McKinney

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Innocent Bystanders, starring John Anderson, George Kennedy, Steven Terrell, and Janet Lake



Baseball
U.S. President John F. Kennedy threw out the first ball as the Washington Senators defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-1 in the first baseball game at District of Columbia Stadium. 42,143 fans saw Bennie Daniels pitch a 5-hitter to get the win for the Senators.

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
James F. Byrnes, 89. U.S. politician and judge. Mr. Byrnes, a Democrat, represented South Carolina's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1911-1925, and represented the state in the U.S. Senate from 1931-1941. He was an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1941-1942, but resigned in order to joint the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, serving as Director of the Office of Economic Stabilization (1942-1943) and Director of the Office of War Mobilization (1943-1945). After Harry Truman took office as President upon the death of Mr. Roosevelt in 1945, Mr. Byrnes was appointed U.S. Secretary of State, serving until January 21, 1947, when he resigned as the result of deteriorating relations with Mr. Truman. Mr. Byrnes served as Governor of South Carolina from 1951-1955, opposing forced racial desegregation of schools. Mr. Byrnes died 23 days before his 90th birthday.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
New York 6 @ Montreal 4 (New York led best-of-seven series 3-1)
Boston 5 @ Toronto 4 (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-1)
Chicago 6 @ Pittsburgh 5 (OT) (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-0)
Minnesota 2 @ St. Louis 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Bobby Rousseau scored 2 goals and Pete Stemkowski scored the winning goal with 5:05 remaining in regulation time as the Rangers defeated the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum.

Ken Hodge scored 2 goals in the 3rd period, including the winner with 3:49 remaining, as the Bruins scored 4 goals in the period to overcome a 3-1 deficit and edge the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens in a game that was broadcast across Canada on CBC radio.

Pit Martin set a record for the fastest overtime goal--just 12 seconds into the period--to give the Black Hawks the series sweep over the Penguins at Civic Arena. Bobby Hull scored 3 goals for Chicago and Dennis Hull added another. Ken Schinkel scored 2 goals for the Penguins. Gerry Desjardins, who had missed more than a calendar year with a broken arm before returning to action late in the season, plaeyed the entire game in goal for the Black Hawks.

Barclay Plager's goal with 8:10 remaining in regulation time gave the Blues the win over the North Stars at St. Louis Arena.

30 years ago
1982

Died on this date
Wilfrid Pelletier, 85. Canadian musician and conductor. Mr. Pelletier, a native of Montreal, was a classical pianist who accompanied the Metropolitan Opera in New York and often worked as a duo with Arthur Loesser in the 1920s and '30s. He helped to found the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and was its first artistic director and conductor (1935-1941), and was principal conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (1951-1966). Mr. Pelletier was one of most influential music educators in Canada in the 20th century, serving as director of the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec (CMADQ) from 1943-1961.

Francisco Barrios, 28. Mexican-born U.S. baseball pitcher. In 7 seasons (1974, 1976-1981) with the Chicago White Sox, Mr. Barrios compiled a record of 38 wins and 38 losses, with an earned run average of 4.15. His best season was 1977, when he was 14-7 with a 4.13 ERA. The highlight of Mr. Barrios’ career occurred on July 28, 1976, when he and Blue Moon Odom combined to allow 11 bases on balls but pitch a no-hitter as the White Sox edged the Oakland Athletics 2-1 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mr. Odom pitched the first 5 innings and was credited with the win, and Mr. Barrios, who entered the game after Mr. Odom walked the leadoff hitter in the 6th inning, pitched the last 4 innings to earn the save. Mr. Barrios missed most of the 1981 season with a shoulder injury, but he accompanied the team to Edmonton for an exhibition game on May 21 against the Trappers, their Pacific Coast League farm team. Mr. Barrios was wearing a cowboy outfit, and made for an amusing sight as he walked around Renfrew Park. He died of a drug overdose in his native Hermosillo.

25 years ago
1987

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Liberation Summer: 1944



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Boston 3 @ Montreal 4 (OT) (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Quebec 4 @ Hartford 5 (Hartford led best-of-seven series 2-0)
New York Rangers 3 @ Philadelphia 8 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
New York Islanders 3 @ Washington 1 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Chicago 1 @ Detroit 5 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Toronto 3 @ St. Louis 2 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Winnipeg 3 @ Calgary 2 (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Los Angeles 3 @ Edmonton 13 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

20 years ago
1992

Music
This blogger was in attendance as the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Uri Mayer, performed at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. The featured soloist was pianist Dang Thai Son.

Politics and government
The Conservative party, under Prime Minister John Major, won a reduced majority in the House of Commons in the British general election. The Conservatives captured 336 seats to 271 for the Labour Party, 20 for the Liberal Democrats, and 24 for other parties.

Crime
Former Panamanian President General Manuel Noriega was convicted by United States District Court in Miami of racketeering, drug trafficking, and money laundering. Gen. Noriega had been seized by U.S. forces after their invasion of Panama early in 1990.

April 11, 2012

175 years ago
1837

Born on this date
Elmer E. Ellsworth. U.S. military officer. Colonel Ellsworth studied law under Abraham Lincoln, and worked on Mr. Lincoln's 1860 U.S. presidential campaign. He was a colonel of National Guard Cadets in Chicago in the late 1850s, and was given command of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment when the American Civil War began in 1861. Col. Ellsworth was 24 and was leading an attempt to seize a Confederate flag from the roof of the Marshall House inn during the Union Army's occupation of Alexandria, Virginia on May 24, 1861 when he was fatally shot by James W. Jackson. Col. Ellsworth was the first Union officer to die in the Civil War, and he lay in state in the White House.

100 years ago
1912

Transportation
The British White Star ocean liner RMS Titanic continued its maiden voyage, stopping at Queenstown, Ireland to pick up passengers and mail. One crewman—Fireman J. Coffy—deserted before the White Star ship departed for New York, with 1,316 passengers and a crew of 891.

Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Chicago Cubs 10-6 in the first game ever played at Redland Field in Cincinnati.

With 30,000 people crowding into the outfield and along foul lines, the New York Giants hit a record 13 ground-rule doubles as they routed the Brooklyn Dodgers 18-3 at Washington Park in Brooklyn in a game called after 6 innings because of darkness.

Winning pitcher Smoky Joe Wood singled in 2 runs in a 4-run 9th inning to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees on opening day at Hilltop Park in New York. The game marked the first time that the Yankees wore pinstriped uniforms. Ray Caldwell was the losing pitcher.

Jack Coombs won the pitching duel over Walter Johnson as the Philadelphia Athletics defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 in the season opener at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

80 years ago
1932

Baseball
U.S. President Herbert Hoover threw out the first ball as Heinie Manush doubled off losing pitcher Danny MacFayden to give the Washington Nationals a 1-0 win over the Boston Red Sox at Griffith Stadium in Washington. General Crowder was the winning pitcher.

75 years ago
1937

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Rangers 1 @ Detroit 0 (New York led best-of-five series 2-1)

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Moonlight Cocktail--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (7th week at #1)

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Sleep No More, starring Jeffrey Lynn

At the movies
Singin' in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Howie Hansen, 26. U.S. football player. Mr. Hansen was a halfback with the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins from 1949-1950. His wife died a couple of days before a game, and his father died soon after. Mr. Hansen joined the Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Interprovincial Football Union in 1951, and played on both offense and defense, scoring 2 touchdowns early in the season. Mr. Hansen was given permission in mid-season to bring his sons Craig, 3, and Dennis, 2 to Edmonton from his home in Utah, but on the way to Edmonton, Mr. Hansen was involved in a car accident, resulting in Craig's death. Mr. Hansen was injured, enough to keep him out of action for the rest of the season. Edmonton football fans raised $6,000 for him, and Mr. Hansen vowed to make the city his permanent home. Mr. Hansen was a captain in the United States Marine Corps and was ordered to report for action on May 29, 1952, and decided to spend his last days of civilian life with family members in Utah. He was engaged to be remarried and was supposed to meet his fiancee in Salt Lake City, but when he didn't show up a search was made. On April 14, Mr. Hansen's body was discovered at the bottom of Squaw Canyon near Provo, Utah, where he had fallen or jumped to his death. Mr. Hansen's older brother Doug was a second baseman who played three games with the Cleveland Indians in 1951 and spent several seasons in the minor leagues.

50 years ago
1962

At the movies
Follow That Dream, starring Elvis Presley and Arthur O'Connell, opened in theatres.

Baseball
The New York Mets played their first regular season game, losing 11-4 to the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Carroll Hardy hit a grand slam in the 12th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-0 win over the Cleveland Indians.

40 years ago
1972

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Montreal 2 @ New York 1 (New York led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Toronto 2 @ Boston 3 (Boston won best-of-seven series 4-1)
St. Louis 3 @ Minnesota 4 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Jim Roberts scored at 3:12 of the 3rd period to lift the Canadiens past the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The game was broadcast on CBC radio.

Ken Hodge scored the winning goal at 7:38 of the 3rd period as the Bruins eliminated the Maple Leafs from further playoff contention at Boston Garden.

The North Stars were trailing the Blues 3-2 early in the 3rd period at Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, but Jean-Paul Parise scored at 2:55 and Jude Drouin at 5:45 to provide the winning margin for Minnesota.

30 years ago
1982

World events
Alan Harry Goodman, who had moved from Baltimore, Maryland to Israel and had become an Israeli soldier, shot his way into the Dome of the Rock—the Islamic shrine on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount—and killed at least 2 Arabs and wounded at least 30 with automatic rifle fire. Israeli police and border guards stormed the shrine and captured Mr. Goodman, but anti-Israel demonstrations took place over the next few days.

Disasters
More than 160 people were reported missing following the sinking of a ferry near Henzada, Burma.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup playoffs
Division Semi-Finals
Quebec 2 @ Montreal 6 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Electrica Salsa--OFF

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Respectable--Mel and Kim (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Sailing Home--Piet Veerman

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): With or Without You--U2 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Let it Be--Ferry Aid

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Let it Be--Ferry Aid (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship (2nd week at #1)
2 Lean on Me--Club Nouveau
3 I Knew You were Waiting (For Me)--Aretha Franklin and George Michael
4 Tonight, Tonight, Tonight--Genesis
5 Come Go with Me--Expose
6 Sign 'o' the Times--Prince
7 Don't Dream it's Over--Crowded House
8 Let's Wait Awhile--Janet Jackson
9 Mandolin Rain--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
10 Let's Go!--Wang Chung

Singles entering the chart were Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi (#59); Diamonds by Herb Alpert (#78); Songbird by Kenny G (#84); Head to Toe by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (#85); I'm No Angel by Gregg Allman Band (#86); Don't Disturb this Groove by System (#88); I'll Still be Loving You by Restless Heart (#89); and Endless Nights by Eddie Money (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 Lean on Me--Club Nouveau
2 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
3 Somewhere Out There--Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
4 Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox
5 The Final Countdown--Europe
6 I Knew You were Waiting (For Me)--Aretha Franklin and George Michael
7 (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)--Beastie Boys
8 Montego Bay--Amazulu
9 Let's Go!--Wang Chung
10 Don't Dream it's Over--Crowded House

Singles entering the chart were Looking for a New Love by Jody Watley (#83); Se La by Lionel Richie (#85); I Know what I Like by Huey Lewis and the News (#92); and Boom Boom (Let’s Go Back to My Room) by Paul Lekakis (#94).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Montreal 5 Boston 4
St. Louis 5 Toronto 3
Calgary 3 Winnipeg 2 (OT)
Edmonton 6 @ Los Angeles 5 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-1)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Marvellous!--The Twelfth Man featuring MC Hammer (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kanashimi hayuki no yoni--Shogo Hamada (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Non Amarmi--Aleandro Baldi & Francesca Alotta

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Quimica--Chimo Bayo

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): She Goes Nana--The Radios (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): You--Ten Sharp

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Under the Bridge--Red Hot Chili Peppers (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Stay--Shakespears Sister (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams (4th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams (2nd week at #1)
2 Tears in Heaven--Eric Clapton
3 Masterpiece--Atlantic Starr
4 Remember the Time--Michael Jackson
5 I Can't Dance--Genesis
6 Make it Happen--Mariah Carey
7 To Be with You--Mr. Big
8 Thinkin' Back--Color Me Badd
9 Justified & Ancient--The KLF (featuring Tammy Wynette)
10 Everything Changes--Kathy Troccoli

Singles entering the chart were Jump by Kris Kross (#77); High by the Cure (#79); Viva Las Vegas by ZZ Top (#86); and Please Don't Go by Boyz II Men (#89).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Tears in Heaven--Eric Clapton
2 To Be with You--Mr. Big
3 Hazard--Richard Marx
4 Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven--Bryan Adams
5 Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams
6 Human Touch--Bruce Springsteen
7 One--U2
8 Justified & Ancient--The KLF (featuring Tammy Wynette)
9 I Can't Dance--Genesis
10 Remember the Time--Michael Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Let's Get Rocked by Def Leppard (#68); Money Don't Matter 2 Night by Prince and the New Power Generation (#84); Breakin' My Heart by Mint Condition (#87); Tear it All Down by Monkeywalk (#88); Close Your Eyes by Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt (#93); Lift Me Up by Howard Jones (#94); Don't Talk Just Kiss by R.S.F. (Right Said Fred) (#95); and High by the Cure (#97).

Died on this date
James Brown, 72. U.S. actor. Mr. Brown appeared in numerous movies and television programs in a career spanning almost 50 years, but was best known for playing Lieutenant Ripley "Rip" Masters in the television series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954-1959). He died of lung cancer, 20 days after his 72nd birthday.

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 7-5 in 19 innings at Cleveland Stadium. Indians’ second baseman Carlos Baerga batted 6 for 9.

Archi Cianfrocco singled in 3 runs with his first major league hit as the Montreal Expos beat the New York Mets 9-2. Mr. Cianfrocco’s hit came on a 3-2 count with 2 out, the bases loaded, and runners going on the pitch. Spike Owen scored from first base.

10 years ago
2002

Diplomacy
A treaty creating an International Criminal Court, to be based in The Hague, was signed at United Nations headquarters in New York City. The United States government boycotted the ceremony.

Terrorism
18 people, most of them German tourists, were killed when a truck bomb exploded at a historic synagogue in Djerba, Tunisia.

Baseball
The Baltimore Orioles batted 11 for 16 in scoring 12 runs in the 6th inning as they beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 15-6. Mike Bordick led the Orioles with 3 runs batted in.

April 10, 2012

140 years ago
1872

Americana
The first Arbor Day was observed in Nebraska with the planting of more than one million trees.

130 years ago
1882

Died on this date
William Hulbert, 49. U.S. baseball executive. Mr. Hulbert was one of the founders of the National League in 1876, and was the NL's president from 1877-1882. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.

125 years ago
1887

Born on this date
Bernardo Houssay. Argentine physiologist. Dr. Houssay became the first Argentine Nobel Prize winner when he was awarded a share of the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for his discovery of the part played by the hormone of the anterior pituitary lobe in the metabolism of sugar." Dr. Houssay died on September 21, 1971 at the age of 84.

Academia
On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorized the establishment of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

100 years ago
1912

Transportation
The British White Star ocean liner RMS Titanic, with approximately 2,200 passengers and crew aboard, departed Southampton, England on its maiden voyage, destined for New York by way of Cherbourg, France, and Queenstown, Ireland.

60 years ago
1952

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 3 @ Montreal 1 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Tony Leswick scored 2 goals and Ted Lindsay scored into an empty net as the Red Wings defeated the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum. Terry Sawchuk won the goaltending duel over Gerry McNeil.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Act of Faith, starring George Grizzard, Dennis King, and Florence MacMichael

Died on this date
Stuart Sutcliffe, 21. U.K. musician and artist. Mr. Sutcliffe played bass guitar with the Beatles in their early years, leaving the group in Hamburg in 1961 to pursue a career as an artist. It was his girlfriend, photographer Astrid Kircherr, who encouraged the boys to adopt the haircuts that eventually became their trademark. Mr. Sutcliffe died of a brain tumour; there was speculation that this may have resulted from a severe beating at the hands of anti-Beatle thugs.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Chicago 1 @ Toronto 4 (Toronto led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Frank Mahovlich's goal with 6:06 remaining in the 2nd period was the winner as the Maple Leafs beat the Black Hawks at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Baseball
Roman Mejias hit two 3-run home runs to lead the Houston Colt .45s to an 11-2 win over the Chicago Cubs before 25,271 fans at Colts Stadium in the National League expansion team’s first regular season game. Bobby Shantz was the winning pitcher.

Wally Post hit a 3-run home run in the 7th inning to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 52,564 fans in the first game ever played at Dodger Stadium.

Bill Skowron hit an inside-the-park home run and Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris added homers to lead the New York Yankees to a 7-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Baltimore second baseman Johnny Temple, in his first game with the Oriioles, had 3 hits, including a home run. Ralph Terry was the winning pitcher in relief of Whitey Ford, while Hal Brown took the loss in relief of Billy Hoeft.

40 years ago
1972

Disasters
More than 5,300 people were killed when an earthquake struck southern Iran, centred in the town of Ghir.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Seven Tears--Goombay Dance Band (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A.: (Billboard): I Love Rock and Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Love Rock and Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (3rd week at #1)
2 We Got the Beat--Go-Go's
3 That Girl--Stevie Wonder
4 Titles--Vangelis
5 Make a Move on Me--Olivia Newton-John
6 Centerfold--J. Geils Band
7 Freeze Frame/Flamethrower--J. Geils Band
8 Key Largo--Bertie Higgins
9 Don't Talk to Strangers--Rick Springfield
10 Open Arms--Journey

Singles entering the chart were Work That Body by Diana Ross (#78); Secret Journey by the Police (#85); When it's Over by Loverboy (#86); If it Ain't One Thing...It's Another by Richard "Dimples" Fields (#87); A Night to Remember by Shalamar (#88); I'm in Love Again by Pia Zadora (#89); and Right the First Time by Gamma (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 I Love Rock and Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (4th week at #1)
2 Open Arms--Journey
3 Freeze Frame--J. Geils Band
4 We Got the Beat--Go-Go's
5 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
6 Tainted Love--Soft Cell
7 Make a Move on Me--Olivia Newton-John
8 Pretty Woman--Van Halen
9 Pac-Man Fever--Buckner & Garcia
10 Centerfold--J. Geils Band

Singles entering the chart were The Beatles' Movie Medley (#42); Titles (from Chariots of Fire) by Vangelis (#43); Man on the Corner by Genesis (#47); '65 Love Affair by Paul Davis (#49); and 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone (#50).

World events
It was announced that Sadegh Ghotbzadeh, former Iranian Foreign Minister, had been arrested and charged with plotting to assassinate Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and members of Iran’s Supreme Defense Council.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Edmonton 5 @ Los Angeles 6 (OT) (Los Angeles led best-of-five series 2-1)

Daryl Evans scored off a face-off to give the Kings their win over the Oilers at the Forum to finish one of the greatest comebacks—or collapses—in Stanley Cup history. The Oilers led 5-0 after 2 periods, but the Kings rallied for 3 goals to get within striking distance when the Oilers took a 5-minute major penalty with about as many minutes remaining in regulation time. Los Angeles scored to make it 5-4, and with their net empty in the final seconds, Wayne Gretzky got the puck caught up in his skates in his own zone, and Los Angeles tied the game with 5 seconds left, prompting Edmonton play-by-play radio broadcaster Rod Phillips to say, “Oh, the Edmonton Oilers have blown this hockey game!”

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Das Boot--U96 (12th week at #1)

Died on this date
Sam Kinison, 38. U.S. comedian. A former Pentecostal preacher, Mr. Kinison abandoned preaching and became a comedian of the foul-mouthed, politically-incorrect variety that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Twice divorced, he was killed in a highway accident in California when hit by a drunk driver. Mr. Kinison was driving with cocaine and other substances in his system.

Baseball
Dave Eiland of the San Diego Padres became the ninth pitcher to hit a home run in his first major league at bat as he connected off Bob Ojeda of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game won 8-3 by the Padres. Mr. Eiland also gave up a home run to the first batter he faced.

10 years ago
2002

Space
Scientists described research on two unusual stars based on data gathered by the Chandra X-ray Observatory that led them to think that the stars might be made of quarks in a form called strange quark matter.

Business
General Motors and the creditors of Daewoo Motor reached a detailed agreement on the takeover of Daewoo by General Motors.

Baseball
A record crowd for a college game—27,673—was in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans as Louisiana State University defeated Tulane University 9-5. Aaron Hill batted in 4 runs for the victorious Tigers.

April 12, 2012

170 years ago
1742

Born on this date
Maurice Rouvier. Prime Minister of France, 1887, 1905-1906. Mr. Rouvier was a member of the Republican Union who was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1871, and held several cabinet posts, including Minister of Finance, in various governments, while serving as Prime Minister of two short-lived governments. His second government was noted for passing a law on the separation of the churches and the state in December 1905. Mr. Rouvier died on June 7, 1911 at the age of 69.

150 years ago
1862

War
James J. Andrews led an expedition of Union soldiers that stole the Confederate locomotive "The General." The incident inspired the movies The General (1926) and The Great Locomotive Chase (1956).

120 years ago
1892

Disasters
A fire in Tokyo destroyed 6,000 houses.

100 years ago
1912

Died on this date
Clara Barton, 90. U.S. nurse. Miss Barton was a schoolteacher and self-taught nurse who aided Union Army soldiers in the American Civil War and ran the Office of Missing Soldiers after the war, identifying soldiers killed or missing in action. She founded the American Red Cross in 1881 and was its president until her retirement in 1904.

Baseball
The first regular season game scheduled for brand new Fenway Park in Boston was postponed because of rain.

The Tinker-Evers-Chance double play combination (with Ed Lennox at third base) played their final game together as the Chicago Cubs lost 3-2 to the Cincinnati Reds at Redland Field in Cincinnati. Vic Saier replaced Mr. Chance at first base.

90 years ago
1922

Baseball
U.S. President Warren G. Harding threw out the first ball, and the Washington Nationals came from behind to defeat the New York Yankees 6-5 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Babe Ruth, who, along with teammate Bob Meusel, had been suspended by baseball commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis for off-season barnstorming, watched the game from the presidential box.

80 years ago
1932

Baseball
Babe Ruth and Sammy Byrd each hit 2 home runs and Lou Gehrig added a home run, triple, and single as the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Athletics 12-6 before just 16,000 fans in the season opener at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Jimmie Foxx and Al Simmons homered for the Athletics. Lefty Gomez won the pitching duel over George Earnshaw, with Red Ruffing getting the last out with the bases loaded.

70 years ago
1942

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 4 @ Detroit 3 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Baseball
PCL
Hal Turpin of the Seattle Rainiers came within one pitch of a perfect game but still pitched a no-hitter as the Rainiers blanked the San Diego Padres 2-0. The perfect game ended with 2 out in the 9th inning when Cedric Durst drew a bases on balls on a 3-2 count.

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (Best Seller--5th week at #1; Disc Jockey--5th week at #1); Juke Box--3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (3rd week at #1)
--Bobby Wayne
--Eddie Wilcox Orchestra with Sunny Gale
2 Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
3 The Blacksmith Blues--Ella Mae Morse
4 Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
5 Tell Me Why--The Four Aces
--Eddie Fisher
6 Any Time--Eddie Fisher
7 A Guy is a Guy--Doris Day
8 Please, Mr. Sun--Johnnie Ray
9 Hambone--Frankie Laine and Jo Stafford
10 Perfidia--The Four Aces

Singles entering the chart were Be Anything (But Be Mine) by Eddy Howard (#32); Whispering Winds by Patti Page (#39); and Festival, with versions by Johnny Desmond, the DeMarco Sisters, and Percy Faith and his Orchestra (#41).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 2 @ Montreal 1 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Ted Lindsay scored the winning goal at the Montreal Forum in the 2nd period as the puck bounced into the net off the chest of Montreal defenseman Butch Bouchard.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Wonderful Land--The Shadows (4th week at #1)

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

George Armstrong scored with 3:54 remaining in regulation time to lift the Maple Leafs past the Black Hawks at Maple Leaf Gardens. Johnny Bower won his second straight goaltending duel over Glenn Hall.

Baseball
The New York Mets’ first regular season game, against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Polo Grounds in New York, was postponed because of rain.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): What About Me--Moving Pictures (4th week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Los Angeles 2 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Funkytown--Pseudo Echo (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Viens boire un p'tit coup à la maison--License IV

Business
Texaco, Inc. filed for bankruptcy, becoming the largest American company to do so. Texaco had been ordered by a Texas court to pay Pennzoil Co. $8.53 billion for having wrongfully interfered with a merger agreement between Pennzoil and Getty Oil Company. Texaco had also been required to post a $12 billion bond while appealing the original judgment.

Religion
Pope John Paul II climaxed a week-long visit to Buenos Aires by conducting a Palm Sunday mass for 500,000 people.

Golf
Larry Mize chipped in from 140 feet on the second hole of a three-way sudden-death playoff for a birdie to defeat Greg Norman and win the Masters at Augusta, Georgia. Severiano Ballasteros had been eliminated on the previous hole.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Montreal 4 Boston 2
Toronto 2 St. Louis 1
Winnipeg 4 Calgary 3
Edmonton 6 @ Los Angeles 3 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Brett Hull, son of the legendary Bobby Hull, played his first NHL game for the Flames in their loss to the Jets.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): To Be with You--Mr. Big (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Das Boot--U 96 (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Das Boot--U 96 (6th week at #1)

Music
This blogger was in attendance at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium as Victor Borge made his last appearance in Edmonton. I spent $20 for my ticket and got my money’s worth.

Golf
Fred Couples won the Masters tournament at August National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

10 years ago
2002

World events
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was forced from office when some military generals broke ranks with pro-Chavez forces who were firing on anti-Chavez demonstrators in Caracas.

April 8, 2012

100 years ago
1912

Born on this date
Sonja Henie. Norwegian figure skater and actress. Miss Henie won 10 straight women's world championships (1927-1936); six straight European championships (1931-1936); and three straight Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, 1936). She moved to the United States in 1936 to pursue an acting career, and became an American citizen several years later. Miss Henie's movies included Sun Valley Serenade (1941). She developed leukemia in the mid-1960s, and died of it at the age of 57 on October 12, 1969, while on a flight from Paris to Oslo.

75 years ago
1937

Hockey
NHL
New York Rangers 2 @ Detroit 4 (Best-of-five series tied 1-1)

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Black Panther, starring Chester Morris, Olive Deering, and James Gregory



50 years ago
1962

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Montreal 0 @ Chicago 2 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Glenn Hall had an outstanding game, stopping all 41 shots, to lead the defending champion Black Hawks back into the finals. Ab McDonald's goal at 4:02 of the 1st period was the winner, and Ken Wharram scored in the 2nd period at Chicago Stadium.

40 years ago
1972

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Without You--Nilsson (5th week at #1)

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean (4th week at #1)
2 Ranger's Waltz--The Mom and Dads
3 Without You--Nilsson
4 My World--The Bee Gees
5 Joy--Apollo 100
6 Brand New Key--Melanie
7 I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)--The New Seekers
8 Cherish--David Cassidy
9 Day After Day--Badfinger
10 Day by Day--Colleen Hewitt

Singles entering the chart were A Horse with No Name by America (#33); Pasadena by John Young (#34); Rave On by Jerry and the Joy Boys (#38); Live with Friends by Russell Morris (#39); and Turned 21 by New Dream (#40).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): A Horse with No Name--America (3rd week at #1)

U.S. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 A Horse with No Name--America (3rd week at #1)
2 Heart of Gold--Neil Young
3 Puppy Love--Donny Osmond
4 Rockin' Robin--Michael Jackson
5 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack
6 In the Rain--Dramatics
7 I Gotcha--Joe Tex
8 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
9 Jungle Fever--Chakachas
10 The Lion Sleeps Tonight--Robert John

Singles entering the chart were Oh Girl by the Chi-Lites (#88); Love Theme from "The Godfather" (Speak Softly Love) by Andy Williams (#92); Changes by David Bowie (#95); Jambalaya (On the Bayou) by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (#96); and Taos New Mexico by R. Dean Taylor (#100).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 Heart of Gold--Neil Young
2 A Horse with No Name--America
3 Cotton Jenny--Anne Murray
4 Puppy Love--Donny Osmond
5 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
6 You Could Have Been a Lady--April Wine
7 Rock and Roll Lullabye--B.J. Thomas
8 The Way of Love--Cher
9 A Cowboys Work is Never Done--Sonny and Cher
10 Could it Be Forever--David Cassidy

Singles entering the chart were Get Up, Get Out, Move On by Fludd (#88); Sing a Song by David Clayton-Thomas (#90); Mister Can't You See by Buffy Sainte-Marie (#91); Too Beautiful to Last by Engelbert Humperdinck (#92); Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen (#93); Slippin' Into Darkness by War (#96); and In the Rain by the Dramatics (#99).

Calgary's top 10
1 Joy--Apollo 100
2 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
3 Castles in the Air--Don McLean
4 A Horse with No Name--America
5 Give Ireland Back to the Irish--Wings
6 Everything I Own--Bread
7 Puppy Love--Donny Osmond
8 Heart of Gold--Neil Young
9 I Just Get Older--Murray McLauchlan
10 Monday Morning Choo Choo--Stampeders
Pick hit of the week: Tiny Dancer--Elton John

Died on this date
Joseph “Crazy Joe” Gallo, 43. U.S. gangster. Mr. Gallo was shot to death in a New York restaurant as he celebrated his birthday with family and friends. Police saw the slaying as retaliation for the June 28, 1971 assassination attempt on Joseph Colombo, Sr., whose Mafia “family” had feuded with the Gallo clan.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
New York 1 @ Montreal 2 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Boston 2 @ Toronto 0 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Chicago 2 @ Pittsburgh 0 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 3-0)
Minnesota 1 @ St. Louis 2 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Frank Mahovlich and Marc Tardif scored in the 2nd period to lift the Canadiens past the Rangers at the Montreal Forum.

Mike Walton and Bobby Orr scored goals for the Bruins and Ed Johnston made 30 saves in posting the shutout to win the goaltending duel over Bernie Parent at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Chris Bordeleau and Stan Mikita scored goals for the Black Hawks and Gary Smith made 31 saves for his first Stanley Cup shutout as the Black Hawks blanked the Penguins at Civic Arena.

Phil Roberto scored 2 goals and Jacques Caron won the goaltending duel over Gump Worsley as the Blues edged the North Stars at St. Louis Arena.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
Edmonton’s top 10 (CFRN)
1 Tainted Love—Soft Cell
2 Titles—Vangelis
3 One Hundred Ways—Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram
4 I’ve Never Been to Me—Charlene
5 Key Largo—Bertie Higgins
6 ’65 Love Affair—Paul Davis
7 Open Arms—Journey
8 Don’t Talk to Strangers—Rick Springfield
9 Bobbie Sue—Oak Ridge Boys
10 That Girl—Stevie Wonder

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig met with British officials in London to try to create a plan for a peaceful settlement to the war in the Falkland Islands.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup playoffs
Division Semi-Finals
Los Angeles 2 @ Edmonton 3 (OT) (Best-of-five series tied 1-1)
Vancouver 2 @ Calgary 1 (OT) (Vancouver led best-of-five series 2-0)

Wayne Gretzky scored in overtime to give the Oilers their win over the Kings at Northlands Coliseum. Former University of Alberta defenseman Randy Gregg, who had been playing in Japan, played his first NHL game with the Oilers.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): You're the Voice--John Farnham

Society
Al Campanis resigned as a vice-president of the Los Angeles Dodgers after appearing on the ABC television program Nightline and telling host Ted Koppel that Negroes "may not have some of the necessities" to be managers or executives in baseball. The broadcast was observing the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut as the first Negro in modern major league baseball. Ironically, Mr. Campanis, a player with the Dodgers, had been one of the first white players to befriend Mr. Robinson when he joined the team, then based in Brooklyn, in 1947.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup playoffs
Division Semi-Finals
Montreal 6 Boston 2 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Winnipeg 4 Calgary 2 (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Los Angeles 5 @ Edmonton 2 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 1-0)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): To Be with You--Mr. Big (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Lost Weekend

Tennis
Former U.S. star Arthur Ashe disclosed that he had recently learned that he had the AIDS virus, and said that he believed that he had contracted the virus from a blood transfusion during open-heart surgery in 1983.

10 years ago
2002

World events
An international commission announced that the Irish Republican Army had, for the second time, decommissioned a large quantity of arms.

Law
Algeria’s legislature approved a constitutional amendment making Tamazight, the Berber language, a national language.

April 7, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Bill Stoneman!

150 years ago
1862

War
Union forces under the command of General U.S. Grant defeated Confederate forces in the Battle of Shiloh in the U.S. Civil War.

80 years ago
1932

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 6 New York Rangers 2 @ Boston (Toronto led best-of-five series 2-0)

Madison Square Garden was unavailable for hockey because of a circus, so the Rangers—the home team—elected to have the game played on the “neutral” ice of Boston Garden.

70 years ago
1942

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 4 @ Toronto 2 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-0)

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Pit, starring Norman Rose and Murvyn Vye

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Quando, Quando, Quando--Tony Renis (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Wonderful Land--The Shadows (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Johnny Angel--Shelley Fabares

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Slow Twistin'--Chubby Checker (with Dee Dee Sharp)
2 Good Luck Charm--Elvis Presley
3 Don't Break the Heart That Loves You--Connie Francis
4 Johnny Angel--Shelley Fabares
5 Hey! Baby--Bruce Channel
6 Mashed Potato Time--Dee Dee Sharp
7 Let Me In--The Sensations
8 Twistin' the Night Away--Sam Cooke
9 Love Letters--Ketty Lester
10 Lover Please--Clyde McPhatter

Singles entering the chart were Old Rivers by Walter Brennan (#84); King of Clowns by Neil Sedaka (#90); Village of Love by Nathaniel Mayer and the Fabulous Twilights (#91); Itty Bitty Pieces by James Ray (#92); Colinda by Rod Bernard (#94); Ain't That Loving You by Bobby Bland (#96); What am I Supposed to Do by Ann-Margret (#97); Blues (Stay Away from Me) by Ace Cannon (#98); Doctor Feel-Good by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns (#99); and Most People Get Married by Patti Page (#100).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
New York 1 @ Toronto 7 (Toronto won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Dave Keon scored 2 goals and 2 assists and Dick Duff added 2 goals and 1 assist as the Maple Leafs routed the Rangers at Maple Leaf Gardens.

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Sheik Abeid Amani Karume, 66. 1st President of Zanzibar, 1964; Vice-President of Tanzania, 1964-1972. A socialist dictator who had come to power in a violent revolution, Sheik Karume was assassinated by a four-man team of commandos.

August Zaleski, 89. Polish politician. A senator from 1928-1935, Mr. Zaleski was President of the Polish government-in-exile from 1947 until his death. He died in London

World events
U.K. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland William Whitelaw freed 73 Roman Catholic prisoners who had been interned or detained on suspicion of being terrorists. The Maidstone, the prison ship where they had been held, was also shut down.

Diplomacy
Soviet officials in Stockholm refused to issue a visa to a Swedish Academy representative who wanted to go to Moscow to present the 1970 Nobel Prize for Literature to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Terrorism
Richard F. McCoy, 29, a U.S. veteran of the war in Vietnam, hijacked a United Airlines jetliner over western Colorado, ordering the plane to San Francisco from its Denver-Los Angeles route. The 85 passengers were let off in San Francisco in return for $500,000. Mr. McCoy then ordered the plane to fly to Utah, where he bailed out over Provo with the ransom money.

Boxing
Bob Foster (47-5) retained his world light heavyweight title with a technical knockout of Vicente Rondon (36-6-1) at 2:55 of the 2nd round at Convention Hall in Miami Beach, Florida.

30 years ago
1982

War
France, West Germany, Belgium, and Austria joined the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.K. in banning the sale of arms and military equipment to Argentina. Great Britain threatened to sink any Argentine ship that came within 200 miles of the Falkland Islands after April 11.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division semi-finals
Vancouver 5 @ Calgary 3 (Vancouver led best-of-five series 1-0)

Los Angeles 10 @ Edmonton 8 (Los Angeles led best-of-five series 1-0)



25 years ago
1987

Died on this date
Maxine Sullivan, 75. U.S. singer. Miss Sullivan was a jazz singer who performed for more than 40 years, but was best known for her swing version of Loch Lomond (1937). She died after suffering a seizure.

20 years ago
1992

Died on this date
Irvin “Ace” Bailey, 88. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Bailey starred with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1925-1933, but his career was ended by a near-fatal hit from Boston Bruins’ defenseman Eddie Shore. Mr. Bailey was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

Defense
Iraq agreed to destroy its nuclear weapons complex at Al-Atheer. The International Atomic Energy Agency complained that it was still unable to obtain details of Iraq’s nuclear weapons program.

Diplomacy
The United States and the nations of the European Community recognized the independence of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The U.S.A. also recognized Croatia and Slovenia as independent nations.

Politics and government
Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton won the New York primary for the 1992 Democratic Party primary for President of the United States, taking 41% of the vote to 29% for former U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts and 26% for former California Governor Jerry Brown. Mr. Clinton also won primaries in Kansas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs announced that the 6,699 business and consumer bankruptcies in February rivalled the record of 6,896 set in October 1991.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
John Agar, 81. U.S. actor. Mr. Agar was best known for his 1945 marriage to legendary child star Shirley Temple. He was a heavy drinker and drunk driver, and the marriage ended in divorce in 1950. Mr. Agar appeared in several movies with John Wayne, including Fort Apache (1948); She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). He later appeared in such classics as The Brain from Planet Arous (1957) and Attack of the Puppet People (1958). Mr. Agar died of complications from emphysema.

Terrorism
12 people were killed and dozens injured when two bombs exploded in rapid succession in a nightclub in Villavicencio, Colombia.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell departed on a peacemaking trip to the Middle East.

April 6, 2012

160 years ago
1852

Died on this date
François-Louis Cailler, 55. Swiss chocolatier. Mr. Cailler founded the firm bearing his name in 1819 as the first modern brand of Swiss chocolate.

150 years ago
1862

War
The Battle of Shiloh began in the U.S. Civil War in Hardin County, Tennessee.

120 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Donald Wills Douglas, Sr.. U.S. engineer and aviation executive. Mr. Douglas founded the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1921, which became one of the major firms in the aircraft industry, achieving tremendous success with the Douglas Sleeper Transport (DST) and the DC-3 in the mid-late 1930s. He was president of the company until he retired in favour of his son Douglas, Jr. in 1957, but remained as Chairman of the Board, approving a merger with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in 1967 to become McDonnell Douglas. Mr. Douglas was honourary chairman of the board with McDonnell Douglas until his death on February 1, 1981 at the age of 88.

Lowell Thomas. U.S. journalist. Mr. Thomas was a writer, broadcaster, and film producer who was known for his wide travels. He publicized T.E. Lawrence during World War I, making him famous as Lawrence of Arabia. Mr. Thomas presented the first televised newscast in 1939, and produced the first Cinerama movie in 1952, but was best known for his radio newscasts, which he presented on CBS and from 1930-1932 and 1947-1976 and on NBC from 1932-1947. He died on August 29, 1981 at the age of 89.

80 years ago
1932

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger

75 years ago
1937

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 1 @ New York Rangers 5 (New York led best-of-five series 1-0)

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Four O'Clock, starring Theodore Bikel

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched Cosmos 2, whose mission was to study cosmic rays and dust, Earth’s geomagnetic field, cloud distribution, and solar radiation.

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Heinrich Luebke, 77. 2nd President of West Germany, 1959-1969. Mr. Luebke, a member of the Christian Democratic Union party, served as West Germany's minister of agriculture in the government of Premier Konrad Adenauer before succeeding to the largely ceremonial position of President.

Brian Donlevy, 71. U.S. actor. Mr. Donlevy achieved success on stage in the 1920s and '30s before moving to Hollywood, where he appeared in movies, radio, and television programs through the 1960s, often in "tough guy" roles. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting performance in Beau Geste (1939), and starred as the title character in The Great McGinty (1940). Mr. Donlevy appeared in films noir such as Impact (1949) and The Big Combo (1955), and played Professor Bernard Quatermass in The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) and Quatermass 2 (1957). He starred in the radio (1949, 1950-1953) and television (1951-1952) series Dangerous Assignment. Mr. Donlevy died of throat cancer.

War
A North Vietnamese tank force struck from Cambodia against South Vietnamese troops at Loc Ninh, a fire base five miles from the border.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Montreal 2 @ New York 5 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Toronto 4 @ Boston 3 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Pittsburgh 2 @ Chicago 3 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 2-0)
St. Louis 5 @ Minnesota 6 (OT) (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Bill Fairbairn scored 2 goals in the 3rd period and Ted Irvine added another to lead the Rangers past the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden. Guy Lafleur scored his first career Stanley Cup goal for the Canadiens.

Jim Harrison scored 2:58 into overtime as the Maple Leafs upset the Bruins at Boston Garden. The Bruins led 3-2 before Guy Trottier tied the game with his only Stanley Cup goal at 9:42 of the 3rd period. Bernie Parent won the goaltending duel over Gerry Cheevers.

Chico Maki's goal with 8:43 remaining in regulation time lifted the Black Hawks past the Penguins at Chicago Stadium. Tony Esposito won his second straight goaltending duel over Jim Rutherford.

Bill Goldsworthy scored 1:36 into overtime to give the North Stars the win over the Blues at Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington. Frank St. Marseille scored 2 goals for the Blues.

Baseball
The Montreal Expos traded right fielder Rusty Staub to the New York Mets for first baseman Mike Jorgensen, shortstop Tim Foli, and right fielder Ken Singleton. Mr. Staub, nicknamed "Le Grand Orange," had been the Expos' biggest star in the first three seasons of the team's existence from 1969-1971, leading them in home runs in all three years. The three players the Expos obtained were promising youngsters.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Oh Julie--Shakin' Stevens (5th week at #1)

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): I Knew You were Waiting for Me--Aretha Franklin and George Michael (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney concluded their two-day summit in Ottawa, with the main subjects being acid rain and free trade. Mr. Reagan addressed Parliament and gave no timetable, but said that he and Mr. Mulroney had agreed to consider a bilateral accord on acid rain. He also said that his administration was committed to “good-faith negotiations” to achieve free trade between the countries.

Boxing
Sugar Ray Leonard (34-1), fighting for the first time in three years, won a 12-round split decision over defending champion Marvin Hagler (62-3-2) to win the World Boxing Council world middleweight chamionship at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. It was Mr. Hagler's last fight.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): En rakkauttas saa--Kurre (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Isaac Asimov, 72. Russian-born U.S. author. Dr. Asimov, the author and/or editor of more than 500 books of fiction and non-fiction, was best known for his Foundation series. In 1969 this blogger received a signed postcard from Dr. Asimov after pointing out an error in an astronomy book that he had written for children.

Politics and government
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, citing corruption in the Congress and the judiciary, dissolved the Peruvian Congress.

Two days of voting in the Italian general election produced a minority government, with the Christian Democrats failing to gain a majority. 67% of the 47.5 million eligible voters cast ballots.

10 years ago
2002

Politics and government
Jose Manuel Durao Barroso was sworn in as Prime Minister of Portugal.

April 5, 2012

220 years ago
1792

Politics and government
U.S. President George Washington cast the first presidential veto of Congressional legislation.

175 years ago
1837

Born on this date
Algernon Charles Swinburne. U.K. poet. Mr. Swinburne was a poet of the decadent school; a drunkard and masochist until he was in his mid-40s, he eventually settled into social respectability, although his literary output declined. Mr. Swinburne died on April 10, 1909, five days after his 72nd birthday.

125 years ago
1887

Popular culture
Anne Sullivan first succeeded in communicating with deaf-and-blind Helen Keller by spelling the word "water" in the manual alphabet. The story was told in the movie The Miracle Worker (1962).

80 years ago
1932

HockeyNHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 6 @ New York Rangers 4 (Toronto led best-of-five series 1-0)

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Disc Jockey--4th week at #1); Juke Box--2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (2nd week at #1)
--Bobby Wayne
--Eddie Wilcox Orchestra with Sunny Gale
2 Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
3 Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
4 Tell Me Why--The Four Aces
--Eddie Fisher
5 Any Time--Eddie Fisher
6 Please, Mr. Sun--Johnnie Ray
7 The Little White Cloud that Cried--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
8 The Blacksmith Blues--Ella Mae Morse
9 Hambone--Frankie Laine and Jo Stafford
10 Perfidia--The Four Aces

Singles entering the chart were That's the Chance You Take by Eddie Fisher (#32); and Honest and Truly, with versions by the Ink Spots and Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (#33). That's the Chance You Take was the B-side of Forgive Me, which charted at #19.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Wonderful Land--The Shadows (3rd week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Chicago 4 @ Montreal 3 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 3-2)
New York 2 @ Toronto 3 (2 OT) (Toronto led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Bill Hay's goal at 1:39 of the 3rd period was the winner for the Black Hawks as they edged the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum.

Red Kelly assisted on goals by Ron Stewart and Frank Mahovlich and then scored the winner at 4:23 of the second overtime period to led the Maple Leafs past the Rangers at Maple Leaf Gardens. Frank Mahovlich's shot was stopped by New York goalie Gump Worsley, and Mr. Worsley lost sight of the puck, which was underneath him as he lay on his back. When he lifted his head, Mr. Kelly put the puck in the net for the winning goal. Mr. Worsley stopped 53 shots, while Johnny Bower made 37 saves for the Maple Leafs.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Man in the Middle

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Brian Donlevy, 71. U.S. actor. Mr. Donlevy’s movies included Beau Geste (1939); The Great McGinty (1940); The Beginning or the End (1947); Impact (1949); and The Big Combo (1955).

Diplomacy
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat announced that Egypt had severed diplomatic relations with Jordan to protest Jordanian King Hussein’s proposal to form a federation with Israeli-occupied territories on the West Bank of the Jordan River. Mr. Sadat asserted that “Egypt will not allow anyone to liquidate the rights of the Palestine people.” Addressing a meeting of the Palestinian National Council in Cairo, Mr. Sadat said, “The political rights of the Palestinian people will not be a point of bargaining.” He charged that King Hussein’s proposal was a “Jordanian plot which aims at liquidating the Palestinian and Arab cause.”

Crime
The 11-week trial of the “Harrisburg 7”—Rev. Philip Berrigan and six other anti-Vietnam War activists—on conspiracy charges ended in a mistrial in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania after 59 hours of deliberations with the jury deadlocked 10-2 in favour of acquittal. The jury did convict Rev. Berrigan and Sister Elizabeth McAlister of smuggling letters to and from Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. Rev. Berrigan, Sister McAlister, Rev. Neil McLaughlin, Rev. Joseph Wenderoth, Anthony Scoblick and his wife Mary, and Eqbal Ahmad had been charged with plotting to kidnap presidential adviser Henry Kissinger and to blow up federal building heating systems to disrupt the government. The prosecution,s main witness was a convicted forger and con man who testified that he had set up a correspondence smuggling net for the activists.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Montreal 2 @ New York 3 (New York led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Toronto 0 @ Boston 5 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Pittsburgh 1 @ Chicago 3 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 1-0)
St. Louis 0 @ Minnesota 3 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Vic Hadfield scored 2 goals, including the winner with 7:17 remaining in regulation time, to lead the Rangers past the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.

Phil Esposito scored 2 goals and an assist and Gerry Cheevers had an easy time in posting a shutout as the Bruins blanked the Maple Leafs at Boston Garden. Jacques Plante played the entire game in goal for Toronto.

Dean Prentice scored 2 goals and Bob Nevin the other while Gump Worsley posted the shutout as the North Stars blanked the Blues at Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington.

Pit Martin scored 2 goals and Jim Pappin added the other as the Black Hawks defeated the Penguins at Chicago Stadium.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): What About Me--Moving Pictures (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
Lord Carrington resigned as British Foreign Secretary because of his embarrassment at not having taken measures to forestall the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands on April 2.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Funkytown--Pseudo Echo (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France: On se retrouvera--Francis Lalanne (6th week at #1)

Terrorism
Tamil Tigers were blamed after a bomb exploded in the main bus terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka, killing more than 100 people.

Curling
Canada, represented by Ontario’s Russ Howard, defeated West Germany 9-5 to win the men’s world championship.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): To Be with You--Mr. Big (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): I'm Too Sexy--Right Said Fred

#1 single in Switzerland: Das Boot--U 96 (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Sam Walton, 74. U.S. business magnate. Mr. Walton founded the Wal-Mart chain of stores.

Politics and government
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori suspended sections of the Peruvian constitution and seized power with the support of the military.

10 years ago
2002

Agriculture
A team of Chinese researchers and a Swiss genomics company published the genomes of two different strains of rice.

Popular culture
U.S. television hostess Oprah Winfrey announced that she was discontinuing Oprah’s Book Club, which had boosted the sales of each of its featured books.