May 31, 2012

1,010 years ago
902

Britannica
Edward the Elder was crowned King of England at Kingston-on-Thames.

160 years ago
1852

Born on this date
Julius Richard Petri. German physician. Dr. Petri was a hospital and military physician who was assisting bacteriologist Robert Koch at the Imperial Health Office in Berlin (1877-1879) when he invented the Petri dish, a shallow transparent lidded dish that biologists use to hold growth medium in which cells can be cultured. Dr. Petri died on December 20, 1921 at the age of 69.

75 years ago
1937

Auto racing
Wilbur Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 for the first time; he won again in 1939 and 1940. Mr. Shaw led for 131 of 200 laps, but slowed down in the last 20 laps because of an oil leak and a worn tire. He barely held off Ralph Hepburn to win by 2.16 seconds, the closest finish in the race until 1982. 14 of the 33 cars that started the race were still running at the end.

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra (Best Seller--3rd week at #1); Kiss of Fire--Georgia Gibbs (Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1); Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr (Juke Box--9th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Kiss of Fire--Georgia Gibbs
--Tony Martin
2 Blue Tango--Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra
--Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra
3 A Guy is a Guy--Doris Day
4 I'm Yours--Don Cornell
--Eddie Fisher
5 Wheel of Fortune--Kay Starr
6 The Blacksmith Blues--Ella Mae Morse
7 I'll Walk Alone--Don Cornell
--Jane Froman
8 Be Anything (But Be Mine)--Eddy Howard
9 Delicado--Percy Faith and his Orchestra
10 Here in My Heart--Al Martino

Singles entering the chart were A Little Kiss Goodnight by Doris Day and Guy Mitchell (#20); I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) by Les Paul and Mary Ford (#23); Junco Partner (A Worthless Cajun) by Richard Hayes (#24); and Why Did You Leave Me by Perry Como (#38). A Little Kiss Goodnight was the B-side of Gently Johnny, which charted at #41.

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Good Luck Charm--Elvis Presley (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Contract

World events
The Federation of the West Indies, a federation of Caribbean island groupings that had come into existence in 1958, dissolved because of internal problems.

40 years ago
1972

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon, who had spent a week in the U.S.S.R., stopped in Poland on the way home.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Love Rock 'N' Roll--Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (5th week at #1)

War
British troops were within 15 miles of the Falkland Islands capital of Stanley, and were fighting Argentine troops in the hills near the town.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Viens boire un p'tit coup à la maison--License IV (8th week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Philadelphia 1 @ Edmonton 3 (Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4-3)

The Flyers, attempting to complete a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit, led 1-0 at Northlands Coliseum after the 1st period, but the Oilers came back to win the Stanley Cup for the third time in the previous four years. It was the first time since 1971 that the finals had gone seven games.

10 years ago
2002

Soccer
In first-round World Cup play in Seoul, Senegal pulled a stunning upset with a win over France, the defending World Cup champion.