June 20, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Dale Hein!

230 years ago
1782

Americana
The Great Seal of the United States was adopted.

175 years ago
1837

Died on this date
William IV, 71. King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; King of Hanover, 1830-1837. The last king and penultimate monarch from the House of Hanover, William IV was the younger brother of King George IV, and succeeded him on the throne. He fathered 10 illegitimate children by actress Dorothea Jordan, but no legitimate children, and was succeeded by his niece Victoria.

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sleepy Lagoon--Harry James and his Orchestra

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Brian Wilson!
The leader of the Beach Boys was born in Inglewood, California, and grew up in nearby Hawthorne. He's the first singer whose voice I was able to do an impression of.

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Miraculous Serum, starring Lola Albright, Richard Derr, and Louis Hector



40 years ago
1972

War
U.S. President Richard Nixon named General Creighton Abrams, 57, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, to succeed Gen. William Westmoreland as Army Chief of Staff. Gen. Abrams had replaced Gen. Westmoreland as commander in Vietnam in 1968.

30 years ago
1982

War
Great Britain announced that its forces had captured the South Sandwich Islands, completing their victory over Argentina in the war over the Falkland Islands.

Economics and finance
With Britain’s victory over Argentina complete, the foreign ministers of the European Economic Community decided to lift their trade embargo against Argentina.

Golf
Tom Watson won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, California. It was the sixth of eight major tournament championships for Mr. Watson, but his only U.S. Open.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Let it Be--Ferry Aid (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Star Trekkin'--The Firm

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Head to Toe--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Head to Toe--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
2 Always--Atlantic Starr
3 I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston
4 In Too Deep--Genesis
5 You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde
6 The Lady in Red--Chris DeBurgh
7 Songbird--Kenny G
8 Diamonds--Herb Alpert (vocals by Lisa Keith and Janet Jackson)
9 Alone--Heart
10 Meet Me Half Way--Kenny Loggins

Singles entering the chart included Still a Thrill by Jody Watley (#87); Rock-A-Lott by Aretha Franklin (#88); Under the Boardwalk by Bruce Willis (#89); and Good Times by INXS and Jimmy Barnes (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You--Glenn Medeiros
2 You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde
3 (I Just) Died in Your Arms--Cutting Crew
4 Boom Boom--Paul Lekakis
5 I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston
6 Looking for a New Love--Jody Watley
7 Always--Atlantic Starr
8 La Isla Bonita--Madonna
9 With or Without You--U2
10 Talk Dirty to Me--Poison

Singles entering the chart were I Want Your Sex by George Michael (#83); Awake the Giant by Gowan (#91); Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac (#94); TeenlandOn by the Northern Pikes (#96); One for the Mockingbird by Cutting Crew (#98); and Vanna Pick Me a Letter by Dr. Dave (#99).

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Take it from Me--Girlfriend (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap! (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Smells Like Teen Spirit--Nirvana

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'll Be There--Mariah Carey

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Under the Bridge--Red Hot Chili Peppers
2 Baby Got Back--Sir Mix-a-Lot
3 Jump--Kris Kross
4 I'll Be There--Mariah Carey
5 My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)--En Vogue
6 Damn I Wish I was Your Lover--Sophie B. Hawkins
7 If You Asked Me To--Celine Dion
8 Achy Breaky Heart--Billy Ray Cyrus
9 Just Take My Heart--Mr. Big
10 Slow Motion--Color Me Badd

Singles entering the chart included Too Funky by George Michael (#67) and Good Stuff by the B-52's (#82).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Hold on My Heart--Genesis
2 If You Asked Me To--Celine Dion
3 Under the Bridge--Red Hot Chili Peppers
4 You Won't See Me Cry--Wilson Phillips
5 Sinking Like a Sunset--Tom Cochrane
6 Damn I Wish I was Your Lover--Sophie B. Hawkins
7 Do it to Me--Lionel Richie
8 Why--Annie Lennox
9 I Will Remember You--Amy Grant
10 America--Kim Mitchell

Singles entering the chart included Slow Motion by Color Me Badd (#68); Don't Tell Me by Lava Hay (#78); Driving the Last Spike by Genesis (#90); and Fly Like an Eagle by the Neville Brothers (#93).

Personal
This blogger cut his Quebec vacation short, leaving rainy Montreal for a five-hour train ride to Toronto.

Weather
It was the coldest June 20 in Toronto in 52 years.

World events
The Bosnian government claimed that 40,000 people, mostly civilians, had been massacred by Serbs since Bosnia-Herzegovina had voted for independence from Yugoslavia in February.

Politics and government
Czechoslovakian Premier-designate Vaclav Klaus and Slovak nationalist leader Vladimir Meciar agreed to prepare for the transition of Czechoslovakia into two separate countries.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Timothy Findley, 71. Canadian writer and actor. Mr. Findley, a native of Toronto, was an actor in the early years of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival, and then turned to writing. He was best known for his novel The Wars (1977).

Labour
Spain was brought to a near-standstill by a 24-hour general strike called by the country’s two largest unions in protest against changes imposed by the federal government.

Law
The United States Supreme Court ruled that an evolving national consensus now meant that executing the mentally retarded violated the constitutional prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. The court did not, however, define mental retardation.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (0-2) 6 @ Montreal (2-0) 36
Calgary (1-1) 41 @ Edmonton (1-1) 52