May 10, 2012

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (Best Seller--9th week at #1; Disc Jockey--9th week at #1); Juke Box--7th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (4th week at #1)
--Bobby Wayne
--Eddie Wilcox Orchestra with Sunny Gale
2 Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
3 The Blacksmith Blues--Ella Mae Morse
4 A Guy is a Guy--Doris Day
5 Any Time--Eddie Fisher
6 Kiss of Fire--Georgia Gibbs
--Tony Martin
7 I'll Walk Alone--Don Cornell
--Jane Froman
8 Be Anything (But Be Mine)--Eddy Howard
9 Perfidia--The Four Aces
10 Forgive Me--Eddie Fisher

Singles entering the chart were I'm Yours, with versions by Don Cornell; and Eddie Fisher (#23); Two Little Kisses by the Four Aces (#41); What Does it Take for You to Take to Me by Nat "King" Cole (#42); and Gently Johnny by Doris Day and Guy Mitchell (#43).

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Wonderful Land--The Shadows (8th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Case Against Eliot Ness

40 years ago
1972

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox scored 3 runs in the 6th inning and 4 in the 8th as they shut out the Detroit Tigers 7-0 before 5,610 fans at White Sox Park. Chicago shortstop Rich Morales, normally a weak hitter, batted 3 for 4 with 2 runs batted in. Tom Bradley (3-1) pitched a 4-hitter, striking out 7 batters and walking none. Phil Meeler (0-1), the second of six Detyroit pitchers, made his major league debut, allowing 3 hits and 3 runs--1 earned--in 1.2 innings to take the loss, strking out 1 batter and walking none, striking out in his only plate appearance. Bob Strampe, the fifth Detroit pitcher, also made his major league debut, allowing 4 hits and 4 runs--all earned--in just 1/3 inning, walking 1 batter and striking out none.

Merv Rettenmund scored on a throwing error by catcher Ken Suarez with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Baltimore Orioles a 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers before 6,617 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Don Buford singled with 1 out, and Mr. Rettenmund and Boog Powell followed with walks to load the bases. Brooks Robinson then grounded to third baseman Dave Nelson, who threw to Mr. Suarez to force Mr. Buford at home plate for the second out of the inning. However, Mr. Suarez accidentally stepped on Mr. Robinson's bat as he threw to first base, and Mr. Rettenmund scored on the wild throw. Dave McNally (4-1) pitched a 7-hit shutout, while Pete Broberg (2-2) allowed just 2 hits in taking the loss.

Harmon Killebrew's home run leading off the bottom of the 2nd inning proved to be the winning run as the Minnesota Twins shut out the New York Yankees 2-0 before 8,014 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Jim Perry (3-1) allowed 9 hits in 8 innings to get the win over Mike Kekich (2-2), who allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs in 6 innings.

Ken Brett (2-3) pitched a 3-hitter to outduel Catfish Hunter (2-2) as the Milwaukee Brewers shut out the Oakland Athletics 4-0 before 3,079 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Billy Conigliaro hit a 2-run home run in the 7th inning.

The Chicago Cubs scored all their runs in the 4th inning as they defeated the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 before 7,051 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Milt Pappas (3-2) allowed 7 hits and 2 runs--1 earned--in 6+ innings and singled home Carmen Fanzone with the final Chicago run. Gary Nolan (3-1) allowed 5 hits and 4 unearned runs in 6 innings to take the loss.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 14th inning, Bud Harrelson singled, stole second base, advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Pete Mikkelsen, and scored on an infield single by Ted Martinez to give the New York Mets a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 20,766 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.

The San Francisco Giants broke a 1-1 tie with 6 runs in the top of the 8th inning as they beat the Montreal Expos 7-3 before 11,031 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal. Sam McDowell (5-0) pitched a 7-hit complete game victory over Bill Stoneman (3-3), who allowed 8 hits and 5 runs--all earned--in 7+ innings. It was the last game as a Giant for center fielder Willie Mays, who didn't play in the game, and was traded to the Mets the next day for pitcher Charlie Williams and $50,000.



The Houston Astros, trailing 7-3 after 7 innings, erupted for 6 runs in the top of the 8th and another in the 9th to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 10-7 before 8,691 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Lee May led the Houston attack, batting 4 for 5 with a home run, triple, 3 runs, and 3 runs batted in. Ted Simmons hit a grand slam to climax a 5-run 3rd inning for the Cardinals.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Love Rock 'N' Roll--Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (2nd week at #1)

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Lean on Me--Club Nouveau (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Viens boire un p'tit coup à la maison--License IV (5th week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference Finals
Philadelphia 6 @ Montreal 3 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-1)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Tears in Heaven--Eric Clapton

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Das Boot--U 96 (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: To Be with You--Mr. Big (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
John Lund, 81. U.S. actor. Mr. Lund, who was born on the same day as Ronald Reagan, appeared in such movies as A Foreign Affair (1948); Miss Tatlock's Millions (1948); My Friend Irma (1949); The Mating Season (1951); High Society (1956); and The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960). From 1952-1954 Mr. Lund starred in the CBS radio series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Sylvia Syms, 74. U.S. singer. Miss Syms, once dubbed "the world's greatest saloon singer" by Frank Sinatra, had her biggest hit record with I Could Have Danced All Night in 1956. She died of a heart attack on stage at the Algonquin Hotel in New York.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Division Semi-Finals
Cleveland 114 Boston 112 (OT)

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
David Riesman, 92. U.S. sociologist. Mr. Riesman was best known as co-author of The Lonely Crowd (1950), which analyzed American society by dividing people into “other-directed,” tradition-directed,” and “inner-directed” character types.

World events
The siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem by Israeli forces that had existed since April 2 was lifted with an agreement that many of the Palestinian gunmen within would be exiled.

Crime
Robert Hanssen, a former employee of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation who had been a double agent for the Soviet Union, was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
Boston 66 Detroit 64