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.