May 22, 2012

210 years ago
1802

Died on this date
Martha Washington, 70. U.S. first lady. Mrs. Washington was a widow with two children when she met and married George Washington, who went on to serve as the first President of the United States of America from 1789-1797.

140 years ago
1872

Law
The Amnesty Act became law in the United States, restoring civil rights to all citizens of the former Confederate States of America except for 500-700 former C.S.A. soldiers.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Opportunity, starring Richard Long, Coleen Gray, and Rebecca Sand

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Margaret Rutherford, 80. U.K. actress. Dame Margaret portrayed Agatha Christie’s detective Miss Marple in four movies in the 1960s, and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for 1963 for her performance in The V.I.P.’s.

World events
Ceylon changed its name to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Diplomacy
Richard Nixon became the first American president to visit Moscow when he arrived, accompanied by top cabinet and staff advisers, for summit talks with Soviet leaders. His party was greeted by Soviet Premier Aleksei Kosygin and President Nikolai Podgorny.

Politics and government
Ferit Melen, a centrist senator, formed Turkey’s fourth government since March 1971, when the armed forces had intervened, demanding reforms and an end to civil disruptions. The 25-man cabinet included 17 holdovers from the previous government, which had remained in a caretaker role since the April resignation of Premier Nihat Erim.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: A Little Peace--Nicole (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A.: (Billboard): Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (2nd weeek at #1)
2 Don't Talk to Strangers--Rick Springfield
3 Titles--Vangelis
4 I've Never Been to Me--Charlene
5 867-5309/Jenny--Tommy Tutone
6 The Other Woman--Ray Parker, Jr.
7 I Love Rock 'N' Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
8 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
10 Did it in a Minute--Daryl Hall and John Oates

Singles entering the chart were Take Me Down by Alabama (#74); Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do by Huey Lewis and the News (#76); Still They Ride by Journey (#78); Angel in Blue by J. Geils Band (#80); Dancing in the Street by Van Halen (#83); Nice Girls by Eye to Eye (#84); I'll Find My Way Home by Jon and Vangelis (#85); Be Mine Tonight by Neil Diamond (#86); If the Love Fits Wear It by Leslie Pearl (#87); Early in the Morning by the Gap Band (#88); Kids in America by Kim Wilde (#89); and The Last Safe Place on Earth by Le Roux (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 Ebony and Ivory--Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
2 I Love Rock 'N' Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
4 Titles--Vangelis
5 867-5309/Jenny--Tommy Tutone
6 Don't Talk to Strangers--Rick Springfield
7 Key Largo--Bertie Higgins
8 Heat of the Moment--Asia
9 Freeze Frame--J. Geils Band
10 Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)--Elton John

Singles entering the chart were Crimson and Clover by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (#39); The Other Woman by Ray Parker, Jr. (#41); Hurts So Good by John Cougar (#42); Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me by Juice Newton (#44); Who Can it Be Now? by Men at Work (#48); and Homosapien by Pete Shelly (#50).

Died on this date
Cevdet Sunay, 83. 5th President of Turkey, 1966-1973. General Sunay was Commander of the Turkish Army from June-August 1960, and then Chief of the General Staff of Turkey until he was appointed to the Senate on March 14, 1966. Two weeks later, he was elected President by the Grand National Assembly, replacing Cemal Gürsel, who had resigned because of illness. After serving his term as President, Gen. Sunay became a permanent Senator.

Soccer
English FA Cup Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Queen’s Park Rangers 0

25 years ago
1987

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Philadelphia 5 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-1)

20 years ago
1992

On television tonight
The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, on NBC

Mr. Carson, whose absences from the show had become more frequent in recent years, made his last appearance after 30 years as host. 55 million viewers tuned in for his farewell performance. Jay Leno, who had often substituted for Mr. Carson, replaced him as Tonight’s permanent host.

Environment
In Nairobi, delegates from 98 countries approved a draft treaty on biodiversity, which called on all countries to develop strategies for protecting plants and animals.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Chicago 5 @ Edmonton 1 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-0)

The Blackhawks led 5-0 after 2 periods and coasted to an easy victory at Northlands Coliseum to advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 19 years. Kelly Buchberger scored the Oilers’ only goal against Ed Belfour. It remains the only Stanley Cup playoff game that this blogger has ever attended.

10 years ago
2002

Crime
The skeletal remains of U.S. congressional intern Chandra Levy, missing since April 30, 2001, were discovered in Washington D.C.’s Rock Creek Park, not far from her home. It was later confirmed that she had been murdered.

Former Ku Klux Klansman Bobby Frank “Dynamite Bob” Cherry was convicted in Birmingham, Alabama of four counts of murder in the September 15, 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, which killed four young girls.

Scandal
Samuel D. Waksal resigned as Chief Executive Officer of ImClone, which was under investigation for having misled investors as to the regulatory status of its anti-cancer drug Erbitux.

Religion
Pope John Paul II arrived in Baku, the capital of the Muslim nation of Azerbaijan, to begin a five-day trip that would also take him to Bulgaria.