May 30, 2012

110 years ago
1902

Died on this date
Sylvester Pennoyer, 70. U.S. politician. Mr. Pennoyer was Governor of Oregon from 1887-1895. He was a Democrat when he was first elected, but switched to the Populist Party in the early 1890s. Mr. Pennoyer didn't get along with either U.S. President Grover Cleveland or Benjamin Harrison, and was known for his opposition to Chinese immigrants. He was Mayor of Portland (1896-1898), and died of heart disease.

100 years ago
1912

Auto racing
Joe Dawson won the Indianapolis 500. Only 10 of the 24 that started the race finished. Ralph DePalma led for 196 of 200 laps, but suffered a mechanical failure at the beginning of lap 197. The car slowly made it to lap 199 and Mr. DePalma and his riding mechanic pushed the car across the finish line. Race officials ruled that a car had to finish under its own power, and Mr. DePalma was relegated to 11th place. Mr. Dawson finished in 6 hours, 21 minutes, 6 seconds, while Ralph Mulford, in 10th place, crossed the finish line in 8 hours and 53 minutes. Mr. Mulford had reportedly stopped for a quick dinner of fried chicken and ice cream with his riding mechanic, and he had numerous problems with his clutch, but he kept going, because only the top 10 finishers qualified for prize money, and they had to complete 500 miles. The sun was setting, the grandstand was largely deserted, and the speedway president and starter had left the premises when Mr. Mulford finished the race. His average speed of 56.285 miles per hour remains an Indianapolis 500 record for the slowest speed for a driver who completed the race.





90 years ago
1922

Americana
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington was dedicated by Chief Justice William Howard Taft.



Auto racing
Jimmy Murphy won the Indianapolis 500. 15 of the 27 cars that started the race were still running at the end.



80 years ago
1932

Auto racing
Fred Frame won the Indianapolis 500. 40 drivers started the race, and 14 finished.



Boxing
Larry Gains (77-11-4) won a 10-round decision over Primo Carnera (57-5) in a heavyweight bout at White City Stadium, London.



75 years ago
1937

On the radio
Repertory Theater of the Air
Tonight’s episode: R.U.R.

R.U.R. was a play written in Czech by Karel Čapek. Premiering in 1921, it introduced the word "robot" to the English language.

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Tangerine--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Little Black Bag, starring Vicki Cummings, Joseph Anthony, and Florence Anglin



Auto racing
Troy Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500. At 22 years of age, Mr. Ruttman became the youngest man to win the race. 20 of the 33 cars that had started the race were still running at the end.



50 years ago
1962

Auto racing
Rodger Ward won the Indianapolis 500, winning the race for the second time in the previous four years. 15 of the cars that had started the race were still running at the end (see film).

40 years ago
1972

World events
The official Irish Republican Army announced a cease-fire, but the provisional IRA dismissed the truce.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon, on his way back from the U.S.S.R., stopped in Iran.

30 years ago
1982

War
British forces, driving toward the Falkland Islands capital of Stanley, captured Douglas and Teal Inlet from Argentine forces.

Defense
Spain became the 16th nation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, becoming the first new nation to join since West Germany in 1955. Spain was to contribute or make available to the military command 34,000 troops, more than 190 war planes, and 29 warships. Joining with Norway and Denmark, Spain indicated that no nuclear weapons would be allowed to be stored or used within its boundaries.

Auto racing
Gordon Johncock won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, holding off Rick Mears in the final laps in the closest finish in the race’s history to that time. The race got off to a bad start when inexperienced driver Kevin Cogan collided with pole-sitter Mario Andretti in an incident that Mr. Andretti blamed entirely on Mr. Cogan. Jim Hickman finished 5th to take the award for top rookie driver. Mr. Johncock had previously won in 1973, while Mr. Mears had won in 1979.



Baseball
Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles started at third base against the Toronto Blue Jays at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, beginning a streak of 2,632 consecutive games played.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Let it Be--Ferry Aid (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): With or Without You--U2 (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 With or Without You--U2 (3rd week at #1)
2 The Lady in Red--Chris DeBurgh
3 Always--Atlantic Starr
4 You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde
5 Looking for a New Love--Jody Watley
6 Head to Toe--Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
7 Big Love--Fleetwood Mac
8 Wanted Dead or Alive--Bon Jovi
9 Heat of the Night--Bryan Adams
10 I Know What I Like--Huey Lewis and the News

Singles entering the chart included Rhythm is Gonna Get You by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (#64); She Don't Look Back by Dan Fogelberg (#83); and Back in the High Life Again by Steve Winwood (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 (I Just) Died in Your Arms--Cutting Crew (3rd week at #1)
2 With or Without You--U2
3 La Isla Bonita--Madonna
4 Lean on Me--Club Nouveau
5 Boom Boom--Paul Lekakis
6 Looking for a New Love--Jody Watley
7 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
8 Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You--Glenn Medeiros
9 Heat of the Night--Bryan Adams
10 Moonlight Desires--Gowan

Singles entering the chart included Funkytown by Pseudo Echo (#87); Every Little Kiss by Bruce Hornsby and the Range (#93); Give Me All Night by Carly Simon (#95); and Dirty Looks by Diana Ross (#96).

Politics and government
The Soviet Politburo dismissed Defense Minister Marshal Sergei Sokolov and Major Aleksandr Koldunov, commander-in-chief of air defense, in reaction to the previous day’s event, when 19-year-old West German Mathias Rust had flown a small plane from Helsinki across 400 miles of Soviet air space and landed in Moscow’s Red Square, a few yards from the Kremlin Wall. General Dimitri Yazov was named the new defense minister.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): To Be with You--Mr. Big (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap!

#1 single in France: Joy--François Feldman (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jump--Kris Kross (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)--En Vogue (2nd week at #1)
2 Jump--Kris Kross
3 Under the Bridge--Red Hot Chili Peppers
4 One--U2
5 Bohemian Rhapsody--Queen
6 Live and Learn--Joe Public
7 Let's Get Rocked--Def Leppard
8 Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams
9 In the Closet--Michael Jackson
10 Damn I Wish I was Your Lover--Sophie B. Hawkins

Singles entering the chart included Just for Tonight by Vanessa Williams (#89); Make You a Believer by Sass Jordan (#91); Fall in Love Again by Eddie Money (#93); and Why by Annie Lennox (#96).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 One--U2 (4th week at #1)
2 Sinking Like a Sunset--Tom Cochrane
3 If You Asked Me To--Celine Dion
4 Let's Get Rocked--Def Leppard
5 Human Touch--Bruce Springsteen
6 Lift Me Up--Howard Jones
7 Under the Bridge--Red Hot Chili Peppers
8 Constant Craving--k.d. lang
9 Damn I Wish I was Your Lover--Sophie B. Hawkins
10 Hold on My Heart--Genesis

Singles entering the chart included When Lovers Become Strangers by Cher (#77); The Best Things in Life are Free by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson (#79); Weight of the World by Ringo Starr (#81); and Love of My Life by Carly Simon (#88). The Best Things in Life are Free was from the movie Mo' Money (1992).

Music
Procol Harum and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performed the second of two concerts at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. This blogger, who had been at the concert the previous night, sneaked in to hear the encore.

10 years ago
2002

Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a small study of an experimental drug that appeared to stop the progress of Type I diabetes.

Business
Philip Morris Companies agreed to sell Miler Brewing Company to South African Breweries.