June 3, 2012

80 years ago
1932

Baseball
John McGraw resigned as manager of the New York Giants, 40 games into his 31st season in the position. He had managed the Baltimore Orioles of the National League in 1899 and the Baltimore Orioles of the American League in 1901 and at the beginning of the 1902 season before returning to the National League to take over the helm of the Giants in mid-season. In 33 seasons as a major league manager, Mr. McGraw compiled a record of 2,784 wins, 1,959 losses, 57 ties, and 1 no contest in 4,801 games. He led the Giants to 10 pennants and World Series championships in 1905, 1921, and 1922. At the time of Mr. McGraw’s, resignation the Giants were 8th and last in the National League with a record of 17-23. He was succeeded as manager by first baseman Bill Terry.

Lou Gehrig tied a major league record for a single game with 4 home runs as the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Athletics 20-13 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. New York second baseman Tony Lazzeri hit for a natural cycle (single, double, triple, and finally, home run—a grand slam, at that), and Babe Ruth and Earl Combs added home runs as the Yankees set a single-game record for extra bases on long hits—41—that still stands. Jimmie Foxx hit a home run and triple and Mickey Cochrane hit a home run for the Athletics. “The Iron Horse” became the first American League to hit 4 consecutive homers in a single game, the first major league player to hit 4 home runs in a game since Ed Delahanty of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1896, and the first to hit 4 consecutive home runs in a game since Bobby Lowe of the Boston Beaneaters in 1894.

75 years ago
1937

Married on this date
The Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII of Great Britain, married American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson in France.

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Murder of Necessity, starring John Forsythe

Labour
The day after the United States Supreme Court had invalidated President Harry Truman’s April 8 seizure of the nation’s steel mills in an attempt to avert a strike by 600,000 Congress of Industrial Organizations United Steelworkers, the workers went on strike.

50 years ago
1962

Disasters
130 people were killed when an Air France Boing 707 bound for Atlanta crashed on takeoff at Orly Airport in Paris.

40 years ago
1972

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Metal Guru--T. Rex (3rd week at #1)

Rhodesia's Top 10 (Lyons Maid)
1 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
2 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
3 Son of My Father--Chicory Tip
4 Beautiful Sunday--Daniel Boone
5 American Pie--Don McLean
6 Beg, Steal or Borrow--The New Seekers
7 Sacramento--Middle of the Road
8 Poppa Joe--The Sweet
9 Without You--Nilsson
10 A Horse with No Name--America

Singles entering the chart were Pasadena by John Edmond (#14); and I Need Someone by Alan Garrity (#20).

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
2 A Horse with No Name--America
3 Without You--Nilsson
4 Most People I Know Think that I'm Crazy--The Aztecs
5 Morning Has Broken/I Want to Live in a Wigwam--Cat Stevens
6 Hurting Each Other--Carpenters
7 Mother and Child Reunion--Paul Simon
8 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean
9 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack
10 Vincent--Don McLean

Singles entering the chart were Open Up Your Heart by G. Wayne Thomas (#34) and Down by the Lazy River by the Osmonds (#35).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I'll Take You There--The Staple Singers

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Oh Girl--Chi-Lites
2 The Candy Man--Sammy Davis, Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation
3 Look What You've Done for Me--Al Green
4 Sylvia's Mother--Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
5 Little Bitty Pretty One--The Jackson 5
6 I'll Take You There--Staple Singers
7 Nice to Be with You--Gallery
8 Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love--Love Unlimited
9 Hot Rod Lincoln--Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
10 Tumbling Dice--Rolling Stones

Singles entering the chart were All the King's Horses by Aretha Franklin (#69); Sealed with a Kiss by Bobby Vinton (#80); We've Come Too Far to End it Now by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (#81); Coconut by Nilsson (#84); The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A. by Donna Fargo (#86); Woman is the Nigger of the World by John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (#93); Hold Your Head Up by Argent (#95); Beautiful Sunday by Daniel Boone (#98); Gotta Be Funky by Monk Higgins and the Specialties (#99); and School of Life by Tommy Tate (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack (3rd week at #1)
2 Back Off Boogaloo--Ringo Starr
3 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
4 Morning has Broken--Cat Stevens
5 The Candy Man--Sammy Davis, Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation
6 Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard--Paul Simon
7 Hot Rod Lincoln--Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
8 Doctor My Eyes--Jackson Browne
9 Tumbling Dice--Rolling Stones
10 Vincent--Don McLean

Singles entering the chart were Storm Warning by Bob Ruzicka (#84); Day by Day by Godspell (#87); Too Late to Turn Back Now by Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose (#90); Lean on Me by Bill Withers (#92); Daddy Don't You Walk so Fast by Wayne Newton (#94); School's Out by Alice Cooper (#95); Take it Easy by the Eagles (#96); Darling Be Home Soon by the Association (#97); Kate by Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three (#99); and Woman's Gotta Have It by Bobby Womack (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 Amazing Grace--Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (2nd week at #1)
2 The Family of Man--Three Dog Night
3 Song Sung Blue--Neil Diamond
4 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--Roberta Flack
5 Nice to Be with You--Gallery
6 Hot Rod Lincoln--Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
7 Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love--Love Unlimited
8 Sylvia's Mother--Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
9 Young New Mexican Puppeteer--Tom Jones
10 Jump Into the Fire--Nilsson
Pick hit of the week: Morning has Broken--Cat Stevens

Protest
A Protestant march against "no-go" areas in Londonderry, Northern Ireland ended in a bloody battle on the Craigavon Bridge.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
Edmonton’s Top 7 (CHED)
1 Who Can it Be Now?—Men at Work
2 Six Months in a Leaky Boat—Split Enz
3 Kids in America—Kim Wilde
4 867-5309/Jenny—Tommy Tutone
5 I’ve Never Been to Me—Charlene
6 Heat of the Moment—Asia
7 Ebony and Ivory—Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder

Edmonton’s Top 10 (CFRN)
1 Ebony and Ivory—Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (3rd week at #1)
2 Always on My Mind—Willie Nelson
3 I’ve Never Been to Me—Charlene
4 Six Months in a Leaky Boat—Split Enz
5 Did it in a Minute—Daryl Hall & John Oates
6 Making Love—Roberta Flack
7 Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me—Juice Newton
8 Just to Satisfy You—Waylon and Willie
9 The Other Woman—Ray Parker, Jr.
10 Rosanna—Toto

Terrorism
An assassination attempt in London against Shlomo Argov, Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, was unsuccessful. Israel blamed the act on the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Ronald Reagan met with French President Francois Mitterand in Paris, where they discussed the Falkland Islands war and France’s objections to U.S. policies in Central America. Mr. Reagan admitted that the two countries were travelling different roads toward economic growth, but praised Mr. Mitterand for working to set a new course for France.

Disasters
Heavy flooding killed 176 and left 25,000 homeless on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

A storm in the southwestern coastal Indian state of Orissa killed 200 people and wrecked thousands of homes.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): It's My Life--Dr. Alban (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Robert Morley, 84. U.K. actor. Mr. Morley was a well-known stage actor in Britain, and appeared in such movies as Outcast of the Islands (1951); The African Queen (1951); Beat the Devil (1953); Around the World in Eighty Days (1956); Oscar Wilde (1960); Murder at the Gallop (1963); Topkapi (1964); The Loved One (1965); A Study in Terror (1965); and Cromwell (1970).

William M. Gaines, 70. U.S. publisher. Mr. Gaines founded EC Comics, whose violent content attracted much criticism in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Mr. Gaines achieved lasting success with the founding of Mad in the fall of 1952. Originally a comic book, Mad switched to a magazine format in 1955, and was much loved by millions, including this blogger. Mr. Gaines was still the publisher of Mad at the time of his death.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, popularly known as the Earth Summit, opened in Rio de Janeiro. 35,000 delegates from 178 countries were in attendance.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Portland 89 @ Chicago 122 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Michael Jordan scored 39 points--a Finals-record 35 in the 1st half--as the Bulls took a 66-51 halftime lead and coasted to victory over the Trail Blazers before 18,676 fans at Chicago Stadium. Clyde Drexler led the Trail Blazers with just 16 points.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Lew Wasserman, 89. U.S. agent and film executive. Mr. Wasserman was a successful agent for Music Corporation of America (MCA). In 1962 he bought Universal Studios and Decca Records, and merged them with MCA.