May 5, 2012

150 years ago
1862

War
Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza successfully defended the town of Puebla against French forces intending to create a puppet regime in Mexico under Emperor Napoleon III. The event was the inspiration for the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo.

80 years ago
1932

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: A Journey into the Shadows, starring Katharine Bard, Robert Pastene, Charles Proctor, and Ann Shoemaker

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Quando, Quando, Quando--Tony Renis (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Wonderful Land--The Shadows (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Soldier Boy--The Shirelles

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Soldier Boy--The Shirelles
2 Mashed Potato Time--Dee Dee Sharp
3 Stranger on the Shore--Mr. Acker Bilk
4 Johnny Angel--Shelley Fabares
5 Good Luck Charm--Elvis Presley
6 She Cried--Jay and the Americans
7 P.T. 109--Jimmy Dean
8 Lover Please--Clyde McPhatter
9 Slow Twistin'--Chubby Checker (with Dee Dee Sharp)
10 Shout (Part 1)--Joey Dee and the Starliters

Singles entering the chart were Hit Record by Brook Benton (#67); Playboy by the Marvelettes (#73); It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin' by Johnny Tillotson (#75); (The Man who Shot) Liberty Valance by Gene Pitney (#77); Love Can't Wait by Marty Robbins (#90); Imagine That by Patsy Cline (#93); Follow That Dream by Elvis Presley (#94); Oh My Angel by Bertha Tillman (#96); and After the Lights Go Down Low by George Maharis (#100). The Man who Shot Liberty Valance, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was intended to be the title song for the movie, but director John Ford decided not to use it. Follow That Dream was the title song of a movie starring Mr. Presley. After the Lights Go Down Low was the B-side of Teach Me Tonight, which charted at #62.

Horse racing
Decidedly, with Bill Hartack up, won the 88th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2 minutes, 2/5 seconds. Roman Line placed second.

Baseball
Rookie Bo Belinsky improved his record to 5 wins and no losses, pitching a no-hitter as the Los Angeles Angels blanked the Baltimore Orioles 2-0 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

40 years ago
1972

Society
U.S. President Richard Nixon, charging that several key suggestions by his Commission on Population Growth and the American Future “would do nothing to preserve and strengthen close family relationships,” rejected such measures as abortion on demand, unrestricted distribution of family-planning services, and making contraceptive devices available to minors.

Disasters
All 115 people aboard an Alitalia jetliner were killed when it slammed into a mountainside and burst into flames as it was about to land at Palermo, Sicily.

30 years ago
1982

Died on this date
Cal Tjader, 56. U.S. jazz musician. Mr. Tjader played the vibraphone and other instruments and was a key figure in the development of Latin jazz. He performed in combos with Dave Brubeck and George Shearing before leading his own combos. Cal Tjader died of a heart attack in Manila while on tour with his band.

25 years ago
1987

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Detroit 3 @ Edmonton 1 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 1-0)

20 years ago
1992

World events
Rival rebel factions in Afghanistan reached a peace settlement. Interim President Sibghatullah Mojadidi appointed a 36-member temporary cabinet, which included Ahmed Shah Massoud, leader of a major faction, as defense minister. Meanwhile, a fundamentalist Muslim faction led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was shelling Kabul.

War
The Yugoslav army, dominated by Serbs, signed a truce with the government of the secessionist republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
George Sidney, 85. U.S. film director. Mr. Sidney was known for directing musicals, including Anchors Aweigh (1945); Show Boat (1951); and Pal Joey (1957).

Politics and government
President Jacques Chirac defeated Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second round of France’s presidential elections.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Coference Semi-Finals
New Jersey 120 Indiana 109 (2 OT) New Jersey won best-of-five series 3-2)