June 26, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Beth Stover!

150 years ago
1862

War
In the U.S. Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee started Seven Days' Battles at Mechanicsville, Virginia. Union General George McClellan withdrew his forces to Gaines Mill.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Where Beauty Lies, starring George Nader and Cloris Leachman

This was the last episode of the series to be broadcast. The Sorcerer's Apprentice, starrng Diana Dors and Brandon De Wilde, was deemed too gruesome for broadcast, and wasn't shown until the series was sold into syndication. The series moved to CBS after this season, and resumed on September 20, 1962 as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Baseball
Earl Wilson pitched a no-hitter as the Boston Red Sox blanked the Los Angeles Angels 2-0 at Fenway Park in Boston.

40 years ago
1972

Edmontonia
The Law Courts building officially opened.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Security Council voted 13-0, with the U.S.A. and Panama abstaining, to condemn Israel for its reprisal attacks against guerrilla bases in Lebanon on June 21 and June 23.

Politics and government
Giulio Andreotti was sworn in as Premier of Italy. Mr. Andreotti, a Christian Democrat, headed a three-party coalition and the 34th cabinet in Italy since the end of World War II.

Boxing
In one of boxing’s great injustices, Roberto Duran (29-0) won the world lightweight title when he hit defending champion Ken Buchanan (43-2) with a low blow after the bell to end the 13th round at Madison Square Garden in New York, and Mr. Buchanan was unable to continue.



30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: I've Never Been to Me--Charlene

#1 single in the U.S.A.: (Billboard): Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (7th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
2 Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
3 Rosanna--Toto
4 Always on My Mind--Willie Nelson
5 The Other Woman--Ray Parker, Jr.
6 Crimson and Clover--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
7 Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me--Juice Newton
8 Hurts So Good--John Cougar
9 Heat of the Moment--Asia
10 I've Never Been to Me--Charlene

Singles entering the chart were Wasted on the Way by Crosby, Stills & Nash (#52); Love is in Control (Finger on the Trigger) by Donna Summer (#82); American Music by the Pointer Sisters (#85); Route 101 by Herb Alpert (#86); Think I'm in Love by Eddie Money (#88); Street Corner by Ashford & Simpson (#90); and I Really Don't Need No Light by Jeffrey Osborne (#95).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 I've Never Been to Me--Charlene
2 Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
3 Body Language--Queen
4 867-5309/Jenny--Tommy Tutone
5 Crimson and Clover--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
6 Rosanna--Toto
7 The Other Woman--Ray Parker, Jr.
8 Homosapien--Pete Shelly
9 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
10 Love Plus One--Haircut One Hundred

Singles entering the chart were Keep the Fire Burnin' by REO Speedwagon (#44); Even the Nights are Better by Air Supply (#45); Too Many Times by Mental as Anything (#47); Foolin' Yourself by Aldo Nova (#48); and Enough is Enough by April Wine (#50).

25 years ago
1987

Economics and finance
The Central Committee of the U.S.S.R.’s Communist Party endorsed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s economic reforms and elevated three of his allies to full membership in the Politburo. Mr. Gorbachev had addressed the committee the previous day, calling for a “radical reorganization of economic management” by the end of the 1980s. He had endorsed competition for state-owned enterprises; reduced central control over pricing and distribution of goods; and more decision-making by local party organizations.

Politics and government
The United States Senate voted 84-2 in favour of a resolution calling for free elections in Panama.

Football
CFL
Hamilton (0-1) 32 @ Ottawa (1-0) 36

The Rough Riders held off a late challenge from the defending Grey Cup champion Tiger-Cats to give Fred Glick a win in his first regular season game as a CFL head coach. Ottawa receiver Carl Williams caught 3 passes for 82 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown in what turned out to be his only CFL game. He was cut before the next game, and never played in the league again.

20 years ago
1992

Scandal
Lawrence Garrett resigned as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, saying that he accepted “full responsibility” for the Tailhook scandal. In September 1991 members of the Tailhook Association, a private organization of Navy and Marine Corps fliers, had held their convention at a hotel in Las Vegas. After complaints from women, two Navy investigations concluded that 26 women, including 14 military officers, had been abused at the convention, which had included heavy drinking and entertainment by nude dancers. An admiral was relieved of command for ignoring a complaint. In June it was revealed that Mr. Garrett had been nearby at the time of the misconduct. On the day of Mr. Garrett’s resignation, Navy Lieutenant Paula Coughlin, who claimed to have been assaulted by 20 or more men, met with U.S. President George Bush.

Labour
U.S. President George Bush signed legislation ordering an end to the two-day-old strike of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers against the freight rail company CSX Transportation, Inc. Other freight railroads had shut down operations, and Amtrak passenger trains had been halted where their trains used the freight rails. The United States Congress passed back-to-work legislation on June 25 that provided for a 38-day period for negotiations.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Winnipeg (1-0) 33 @ Saskatchewan (0-1) 11

10 years ago
2002

Crime
The day after WorldCom, the second-largest American long distance communication carrier, admitted that it had overstated its cash flow by more than $3.8 billion during the previous past five quarters, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed fraud charges against the company.

Law
A three-member panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, covering California, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance could not be recited in public schools because the phrase “under God,” added to the pledge in 1954, violated the constitutional prohibition against government support of a particular religion.