May 6, 2012

130 years ago
1882

Born on this date
Wilhelm. German royal family member. Crown Prince Wilhelm was the eldest child of Kaiser Wilhelm II, and held the title of Crown Prince from 1888, commanding forces in World War I until the monarchy ended on November 9, 1918, and he and his father went into exile in the Netherlands. Five years to the day after Kaiser Wilhelm II's abdication, Crown Prince Wilhelm returned to Germany on condition that he not engage in politics. He broke that promise and expressed interest in running for President in 1932, but was forbidden to do so by his father. Crown Prince Wilhelm supported Adolf Hitler's rise to power, but withdrew from all political activity in 1934, and his relationship with Mr. Hitler cooled after it became apparent that the monarchy would not be restored. He became head of the House of Hohanzollern upon he death of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1941, and was interned after World War II. Crown Prince Wilhelm died of a heart attack in Hechingen, Württemberg-Hohenzollern on July 20, 1951 at the age of 69.

Law
The United States Congress overrode President Chester Arthur's veto and passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited immigration of Chinese labourers to the United States.

110 years ago
1902

Born on this date
Harry Golden. Ukrainian-born U.S. journalist. Mr. Golden, born Herschel Goldhirsch in what was then part of Austria-Hungary, moved with his family to Winnipeg and then New York City as a child. He moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1941, working as a reporter for two newspapers before publishing and writing for The Carolina Israelite (1942-1968). Mr. Golden wrote more than two dozen books, consisting of essays expressing his liberal views as well as reminiscences of his childhood. He died on October 2, 1981 at the age of 79.

75 years ago
1937

Disasters
The German airship Hindenburg, making its first flight of the season, burst into flames as it landed at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 passengers and crew members and one member of the ground crew. The disaster effectively ended the age of travel by airship.

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Mandarin Murders, starring Cloris Leachman and William Redfield

40 years ago
1972

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (4th week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Without You--Nilsson (2nd week at #1)
2 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean
3 A Horse with No Name--America
4 Joy--Apollo 100
5 Most People I Know Think that I'm Crazy--The Aztecs
6 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
7 Morning Has Broken/I Want to Live in a Wigwam--Cat Stevens
8 Ranger's Waltz--The Mom and Dads
9 Day After Day--Badfinger
10 My World--The Bee Gees

Singles entering the chart were You are Everything by the Stylistics (#36); A Cowboys Work is Never Done by Sonny and Cher (#37); and People Call Me Country by Digby Richards (#38).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack (3rd week at #1)
2 Rockin' Robin--Michael Jackson
3 I Gotcha--Joe Tex
4 Betcha By Golly, Wow--Stylistics
5 Day Dreaming--Aretha Franklin
6 A Cowboys Work is Never Done--Sonny and Cher
7 Look What You've Done for Me--Al Green
8 I'll Take You There--Staple Singers
9 Baby Blue--Badfinger
10 The Family of Man--Three Dog Night

Singles entering the chart were Ain't Wastin' Time No More by Allman Brothers Band (#80); Immigration Man by Graham Nash and David Crosby (#81); The Young New Mexican Puppeteer by Tom Jones (#83); Speak Softly Love by Al Martino (#91); An American Trilogy by Elvis Presley (#92); Love Theme from "The Godfather" by Nino Rota and Carlo Savina (#97); Troglodyte by the Jimmy Castor Bunch (#98); and Just as Long as You Need Me (Part 1) by the Independents (#99). Speak Softly Love was a vocal version of Love Theme from "The Godfather."

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 A Horse with No Name--America
2 Heart of Gold--Neil Young
3 You Could Have Been a Lady--April Wine
4 A Cowboys Work is Never Done--Sonny and Cher
5 The Family of Man--Three Dog Night
6 Cotton Jenny--Anne Murray
7 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack
8 Puppy Love--Donny Osmond
9 Baby Blue--Badfinger
10 Vincent--Don McLean

Singles entering the chart were Song Sung Blue by Neil Diamond (#54); Little Bitty Pretty One by the Jackson 5 (#58); Old Man by Neil Young (#62); I'm Movin' On by John Kay (#85); Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love by Love Unlimited (#88); Someday Never Comes by Creedence Clearwater Revival (#90); Make the Sun Shine by Ocean (#92); Rocket Man by Elton John (#94); Beg, Steal or Borrow by the New Seekers (#95); Can You Tell Me by Heat Exchange (#96); It's Going to Take Some Time by the Carpenters (#97); Amazing Grace by Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (#98); I Don't Wanna Hear by Seadog (#99); and Isn't Life Strange by the Moody Blues (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 Sylvia's Mother--Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
2 I Like What I Like--Everyday People
3 A Horse with No Name--America
4 I Gotcha--Joe Tex
5 Taxi--Harry Chapin
6 Taos New Mexico--R. Dean Taylor
7 Strawberry Wine--Spice
8 Castles in the Air--Don McLean
9 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
10 Son of My Father--Giorgio Moroder
Pick hit of the week: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack

Society
A letter from U.S. President Richard Nixon to Terence Cardinal Cooke, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York, was released. Mr. Nixon backed Cardinal Cooke’s stand against abortion on demand. Two years earlier, New York had passed the U.S.A.’s most liberal abortion law, permitting elective abortions through the 24th week of pregnancy. The law was repealed in the state’s assembly and senate, but Governor Nelson Rockefeller threatened to veto the repeal.

Politics and government
Alabama Governor George Wallace won the North Carolina primary for the 1972 Democratic party nomination for President of the United States, taking 50% of the vote. Former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford finished second in the voting. President Richard Nixon won the Republican party primary, taking 95% of the vote.

Horse racing
Riva Ridge, with Ron Turcotte aboard, won the 98th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:01 4/5 seconds.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
Edmonton’s Top 10 (CFRN)
1 I’ve Never Been to Me—Charlene (3rd week at #1)
2 ’65 Love Affair—Paul Davis
3 Always on My Mind—Willie Nelson
4 Ebony and Ivory—Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
5 Beechwood 4-5789—Carpenters
6 Don’t You Want Me—The Human League
7 Shanghai Breezes—John Denver
8 Did it in a Minute—Daryl Hall & John Oates
9 Wake Up, Little Susie—Simon and Garfunkel
10 Theme from Magnum, P.I.—Mike Post

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Vancouver 6 @ Chicago 2 (Vancouver won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Baseball
Gaylord Perry became the first pitcher since Early Wynn in 1963 to earn 300 career major league wins as the Seattle Mariners defeated the New York Yankees 7-3 at the Kingdome in Seattle.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): You're the Voice--John Farnham (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
William Casey, 74. U.S. bureaucrat. Mr. Casey was director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1981-1987.

Politics and government
Parliamentary elections in South Africa gave the government of President P.W. Botha a slightly increased majority, while the Conservative Party displaced the Progressive Federal Party as the second-largest party. Black people had not been permitted to vote, while members of Asian and other mixed-race minorities were to choose their members of parliament at a later date.

Scandal
The Assemblies of God dismissed Jim Bakker, televangelist and former chairman of the PTL “ministry,” and Richard Dortch, former PTL president, as ministers. Mr. Bakker was cited for his “sexual encounter” with secretary Jessica Hahn in 1980 and for “his alleged misconduct involving bisexual activity.” Mr. Dortch was dismissed for concealing “the immoral conduct of a fellow minister” and for his apparent role in a “coverup,” a reference to the fact that he had negotiated a financial settlement (a fund of $265,000) for Miss Hahn.

Hockey
NHL
Prince of Wales Conference Finals
Montreal 5 @ Philadelphia 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): To Be with You--Mr. Big (6th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Back to the Lake

Died on this date
Marlene Dietrich, 90. German-born U.S. actress and singer. Miss Dietrich became a star in her native land with her appearance in The Blue Angel (1930), and then moved to Hollywood, where her movies included Morocco (1930); Blonde Venus (1932); Desire (1936); Destry Rides Again (1939); A Foreign Affair (1948); Witness for the Prosecution (1957); Touch of Evil (1958); and Judgement at Nuremberg (1961). Miss Dietrich was an opponent of Germany's Nazi regime and aided the Allied effort in World War II. She narrated the documentary Black Fox: The True Story of Adolf Hitler, which won the Academy Award as best documentary feature of 1962. Miss Dietrich was known for performing the songs Falling in Love Again and Lili Marlene.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Chicago 5 Detroit 4

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Otis Blackwell, 71. U.S. singer and songwriter. Mr. Blackwell was a pioneer in writing rock and roll songs, including Don’t Be Cruel and All Shook Up for Elvis Presley; Great Balls of Fire and Breathless for Jerry Lee Lewis; and Fever for Little Willie John (and, most famously, Peggy Lee).

Pim Fortuyn, 54. Dutch politician. Mr. Fortuyn, a leading candidate for prime minister who was known for his opposition to Islamic immigrants to the Netherlands, was assassinated days before parliamentary elections. Volkert van der Graaf, a radical animal rights activist, was arraigned in Amsterdam two days later.