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.