June 14, 2012

180 years ago
1832

Born on this date
Nicolaus Otto. German engineer. Mr. Otto developed the internal combustion engine in the 1860s and '70s, obtaining a patent, obtaining a patent in 1876. He died on January 26, 1891 at the age of 58.

130 years ago
1882

Born on this date
Ion Antonescu. Prime Minister and Conducător (Leader) of Romania, 1940-1944. Mr. Antonescu presided over a dictatorial regime that was allied with the Axis during World War II, and was responsible for the deaths of 400,000 people. He was overthrown in a coup in August 1944, and was executed by a military firing squad on June 1, 1946 after being convicted by a People's Tribunal of war crimes, two weeks before his 64th birthday.

90 years ago
1922

Radio
Warren G. Harding became the first President of the United States to be heard on radio.

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra (Best Seller--5th week at #1); Kiss of Fire--Georgia Gibbs (Disc Jockey--5th week at #1; Juke Box--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Kiss of Fire--Georgia Gibbs (3rd week at #1)
--Tony Martin
2 I'm Yours--Don Cornell
--Eddie Fisher
3 Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
4 I'll Walk Alone--Don Cornell
--Jane Froman
5 Here in My Heart--Al Martino
6 A Guy is a Guy--Doris Day
7 Delicado--Percy Faith and his Orchestra
8 Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr
9 Forgive Me-Eddie Fisher
10 The Blacksmith Blues--Ella Mae Morse

Singles entering the chart were Walkin' My Baby Back Home by Johnnie Ray (#17); Lover by Peggy Lee and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (#31); Vanessa by Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#40); and I'm Sorry by Bobby Wayne (#41).

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Good Luck Charm--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Pressure

Died on this date
Anna E. Slesers, 55. U.S. crime victim. Mrs. Slesers was sexually molested with an unknown object and strangled with the belt on her bathrobe in Boston, becoming the first victim of the Boston Strangler.

40 years ago
1972

At the movies
The Burglars, co-written, produced, and directed by Henri Verneuil, and starring Omar Sharif, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Dyan Cannon, opened in theatres. It had been made in French by the same cast and crew as Le Casse; that version opened in theatres in France on October 27, 1971.





Labour
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA) called a 24-hour work stoppage, accusing governments of failing to take action to halt hijacking.

Environment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a near-total ban on agricultural and other uses of the pesticide DDT as of December 31, 1970.

Society
U.S. District Court Judge Stephen J. Roth ordered the integration of 780,000 students in Detroit and 53 suburban school districts. The plan, the most extensive desegregation order issued by a U.S. federal court, would entail busing 310,000 students.

Disasters
87 people were killed when a Japan Air Lines jet crashed at the airport in New Delhi.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Mickey--Toni Basil (2nd week at #1)

War
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced that Argentine forces in the Falkland Islands’ capital of Stanley had surrendered, and that Brigadier John Waters, deputy commander of the British land forces, was negotiating surrender terms with General Mario Menendez, commander of Argentine troops in Stanley.

Israeli forces had succeeded in cutting off west Beirut, trapping the military and political leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Viens boire un p'tit coup à la maison--License IV (10th week at #1)

Died on this date
Curt Boettcher, 43. U.S. record producer and songwriter. Mr. Boettcher (he spelled his name "Becher" at times) was one of the most skilled and innovative producers of pop music recordings in the United States in the mid-1960s. His productions included the debut album by the Association as well as a group he formed called The Millennium, and another studio group called Sagittarius. In the late 1970s, Mr. Boettcher worked briefly with the Beach Boys.

Religion
Pope John Paul II concluded his visit to Poland with a mass in Warsaw.

20 years ago
1992

Diplomacy
The Earth Summit concluded in Rio de Janeiro, with delegates approving a statement calling on all countries to develop their forest resources in such a way as to minimize damage to the ecosystem. The Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 outlined cleanup strategies and means to encourage environmentally sound development. More than 150 of the 178 countries represented had signed the global warming treaty, calling for limits on emissions of greenhouse gases.

10 years ago
2002

Terrorism
12 people were killed and more than 50 injured when a car bomb exploded outside the U.S. consulate in Karachi.

Religion
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting in Dallas, set a new policy declaring that any priest who had ever sexually abused a minor could no longer engage in ministerial duties, although it stopped short of requiring that such a priest be defrocked.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Edmonton (0-1) 24 @ Saskatchewan (1-1) 27

Rookie Ricky Ray won the backup quarterbacking job behind Edmonton starter Jason Maas, as he clearly outperformed fellow rookie Leon Murray. Edmonton defensive back Patrick Burke suffered a career-ending torn patella tendon on the wretched artificial surface of Taylor Field.