April 23, 2013

1,710 years ago
303

Died on this date
Saint George, 23-28 (?). Roman soldier and Christian martyr. George was a tribune in the Guard of Emperor Diocletian. He was decapitated in Nicomedia after proclaiming his Christian faith and refusing to the emperor's face Diocletian's edict to offer a sacrifice to Roman gods.

670 years ago
1343

Protest
Estonians in the Duchy of Estonia, the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, and the territories of the State of the Teutonic Order began the St. George's Night Uprising in an attempt to rid the areas of Danish and German rulers and landlords.

380 years ago
1633

Europeana
Sweden and the Protestant German monarchy formed the Union of Heilbronn.

200 years ago
1813

Born on this date
Stephen A. Douglas. U.S. politician. Mr. Douglas, a Democrat, represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives from 1843-1847 and in the U.S. Senate from 1847-1861. He believed in compromise and popular sovereignty--that the people should decide issues such as slavery and territorial expansion, and that these issue should be decided by the local people, not by the federal government. Mr. Douglas is best remembered for his campaign for re-election in 1858, when he engaged in a series of lengthy debates with Republican challenger Abraham Lincoln. While Mr. Douglas emphasized popular sovereignty, Mr. Lincoln stressed slavery as a moral issue. Mr. Douglas was re-elected, but Mr. Lincoln's campaign made him a national figure. In 1860 the Republican Party nominated Mr. Lincoln as its candidate for President of the United States, while the Democrats nominated Mr. Douglas. The Democratic Party was badly divided, as pro-slavery southern Democrats broke with the national party and nominated Vice-President John C. Breckinridge as their presidential candidate. Mr. Douglas became the first presidential nominee to campaign for election in person; he made speaking tours where he opposed southern secessionism and stressed the importance of preserving the Union. Mr. Lincoln won a decisive victory, capturing 180 electoral votes to only 12 for Mr. Douglas. Mr. Douglas urged the South to accept Mr. Lincoln's victory, denouncing secession as criminal. He supported Mr. Lincoln's actions at the beginning of the Civil War in April 1861, but died of typhoid fever on June 3, 1861 at the age of 48.

130 years ago
1883

Politics and government
Conservative party leader Jan Heemskerk Abrahamzoon took office as Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Georges Vanier. Governor General of Canada, 1959-1967. Mr. Vanier, a native of Montreal, won the Military Cross in 1916 for his actions in the Great War, and lost his right leg in battle two years later. He continued as an army officer and spent several decades as a diplomat before accepting the position as Governor General, becoming the first person of French-Canadian ancestry to be appointed to the post. Mr. Vanier continued the Canadian tradition of vice-regal patronage of amateur sports when he created the Governor General's Fencing Award and donated the Vanier Cup in 1965 for the championship of university football in Canada. Mr. Vanier died in office on March 5, 1967 at the age of 78; Roland Michener was soon appointed to succeed him as Governor General.

Politics and government
Aeneas Mackay, leader of the Anti-Revolutionaire Partij, took office as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, replacing Jan Heemskerk Abrahamzoon.

50 years ago
1963

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the satellite Cosmos 14.

Law
Robert Taschereau was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. He had been a Puisne (Associate) Justice of the Supreme Court since 1940.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Top of the World--Carpenters

#1 single in France: Rien qu'une larme--Mike Brant (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
U.S. National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger told the annual meeting of Associated Press of a U.S. proposal for "a new Atlantic Charter setting the goals for the future" by the time President Nixon travelled to Europe in the fall. According to Mr. Kissinger, the plan "...creates for the Atlantic nations a new relationship in whose progress Japan can share." He stressed that Europe's economic success had created friction with the United States that could be overcome by a determined commitment on both sides to find cooperative solutions. The United Kingdom and West Germany hailed Mr. Kissinger's proposal, while a European Economic Community spokesman praised the speech as an indication that the U.S. was reducing its involvement in Vietnam.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Words--F.R. David

#1 single in the U.K.: Let's Dance--David Bowie (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Come On Eileen--Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Come On Eileen--Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express
2 Mr. Roboto--Styx
3 Billie Jean--Michael Jackson
4 Beat It--Michael Jackson
5 Jeopardy--Greg Kihn Band
6 One on One--Daryl Hall & John Oates
7 Der Kommissar--After the Fire
8 Back on the Chain Gang--Pretenders
9 You Are--Lionel Richie
10 Let's Dance--David Bowie

Singles entering the chart were Looking for a Stranger by Pat Benatar (#78); Do You Wanna Hold Me? by Bow Wow Wow (#82); Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant (#83); Too Shy by Kajagoogoo (#84); Front Page Story by Neil Diamond (#86); You Can't Run from Love by Eddie Rabbitt (#87); When I'm with You by Sheriff (#88); The Devil Made Me Do It by Golden Earring (#89); and That's Love by Jim Capaldi (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 She Blinded Me with Science--Thomas Dolby
2 Mr. Roboto--Styx
3 Billie Jean--Michael Jackson
4 Jeopardy--Greg Kihn Band
5 Hungry Like the Wolf--Duran Duran
6 Let's Dance--David Bowie
7 Midnight Blue--Louise Tucker
8 Beat It--Michael Jackson
9 Back on the Chain Gang--Pretenders
10 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club

Singles entering the chart were Welcome to the Heartlight by Kenny Loggins (#41); Some Kind of Friend by Barry Manilow (#42); My Love by Lionel Richie (#44); Affair of the Heart by Rick Springfield (#46); Wishing by A Flock of Seagulls (#49); and Flashdance...What a Feeling by Irene Cara (#50). Flashdance...What a Feeling was from the movie Flashdance (1983).

Died on this date
Buster Crabbe, 75. U.S. swimmer and actor. Mr. Crabbe, a graduate of the University of Southern California, won a bronze medal in the 1,500 metre freestyle swimming event in the 1928 Olympic games at Amsterdam, and followed that with a gold medal in the 400 metre freestyle in the 1932 Olympics at Los Angeles. By that time he’d already made several movie appearances, beginning with Good News in 1930. He appeared in many western and adventure movies, but is best known as the star of the Flash Gordon (1936) and Buck Rogers (1939) serials. Mr. Crabbe also starred in the television series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (filmed in Morocco) from 1955-1957. In 1971, at the age of 64, Mr. Crabbe set a record time for swimmers over 60 in the 400 metre freestyle. He made his last movie appearance in The Comeback Trail in 1982.

Academia
Grant MacEwan Community College held its graduation ceremony at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. This blogger, who attended GMCC in 1981-82, was on hand to congratulate some of his former classmates.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): L'Amore Rubato--Luca Barbarossa (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Gimme Hope Jo'anna--Eddy Grant (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Gimme Hope Jo'anna--Eddy Grant (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Heart--Pet Shop Boys (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Heart--Pet Shop Boys (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Heart--Pet Shop Boys (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Where Do Broken Hearts Go--Whitney Houston

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car--Billy Ocean (2nd week at #1)
2 Devil Inside--INXS
3 Where Do Broken Hearts Go--Whitney Houston
4 Wishing Well--Terence Trent D'Arby
5 Man in the Mirror--Michael Jackson
6 Girlfriend--Pebbles
7 Angel--Aerosmith
8 Pink Cadillac--Natalie Cole
9 Some Kind of Lover--Jody Watley
10 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley

Singles entering the chart were Foolish Beat by Debbie Gibson (#61); Make it Real by the Jets (#72); Nothin' But a Good Time by Poison (#84); Tall Cool One by Robert Plant (#85); Stand Up by David Lee Roth (#86); and Love Struck by Jesse Johnson's Revue (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car--Billy Ocean (3rd week at #1)
2 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
3 Man in the Mirror--Michael Jackson
4 Endless Summer Nights--Richard Marx
5 I Saw Him Standing There--Tiffany
6 Devil Inside--INXS
7 Wishing Well--Terence Trent D'Arby
8 Push It--Salt-N-Pepa
9 (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay--Michael Bolton
10 I'm Still Searching--Glass Tiger

Singles entering the chart were One More Try by George Michael (#79); Say it Again by Jermaine Stewart (#85); Together Forever by Rick Astley (#88); Circle in the Sand by Belinda Carlisle (#91); Piano in the Dark by Brenda Russell (#96); and Talking Back to the Night by Steve Winwood (#97).

Canada's top 10 (The Record)
1 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car--Billy Ocean (2nd week at #1)
2 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
3 Wishing Well--Terence Trent D'Arby
4 I Saw Him Standing There--Tiffany
5 Push It--Salt-N-Pepa
6 Pump Up the Volume--M/A/R/R/S
7 Man in the Mirror--Michael Jackson
8 I'm Still Searching--Glass Tiger
9 Endless Summer Nights--Richard Marx
10 Devil Inside--INXS

Aviation
A Greek man pedalled a self-powered aircraft 74 miles.

Health
The United States instituted a federal ban on smoking during domestic airline flights of 2 hours or less.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Division Finals
Detroit 3 @ St. Louis 6 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Calgary 2 @ Edmonton 4 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 3-0)

20 years ago
1993

Died on this date
César Chávez, 66. U.S. labour activist. Mr. Chávez co-founded the National Farm Workers' Association (later known as United Farm Workers). He was known for his support of the rights of migrant farm workers--especially those of Hispanic ancestry--in the western United States.

Lalith Athulathmudali, 56. Sri Lankan politician. Mr. Athulathmudali was Sri Lanka's Minister of Education, National Security, Trade and Agriculture in the United National Party government of President J.R. Jayewardene in the 1980s. He formed a new party, the Democratic United National Front, after an unsuccessful attempt to impeach Mr. Jayewardene's successor, Ranasinghe Premadasa. Four weeks before Provincial Council elections for the Western Province, Mr. Athulathmudali was assassinated by a gunman in Colombo after an election rally. A Tamil youth named Ragunathan--whose body was found the next day--was initially blamed, but a presidential commission concluded that Mr. Premadasa was directly responsible for the assassination of Mr. Athulathmudali and the death of Mr. Ragunathan, who had been forced to take cyanide. Mr. Premadasa never faced any charges, since he was assassinated by a suicide bomber just eight days after the death of Mr. Athulathmudali.

Politics and government
Eritreans voted overwhelmingly for independence from Ethiopia in a United Nations-monitored referendum.

Scandal
A U.S. Defense Department inquiry found that 175 U.S. Navy personnel could face disciplinary charges for drinking, debauchery, and sexual assault and harassment of 83 women and 7 men at the 35th Annual Tailhook Association Symposium from September 8–12, 1991 at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Division Semi-Finals
Chicago 0 @ St. Louis 3 (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 3-0)
Detroit 2 @ Toronto 4 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Vancouver 4 @ Winnipeg 5 (Vancouver led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Calgary 5 @ Los Angeles 2 (Calgary led best-of-seven series 2-1)

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
James H. Critchfield, 86. U.S. intelligence officer. Mr. Critchfield was chief of the Central Intelligence Agency's Near East and South Asia division, in which position he recommended in the early 1960s that the United States support the Ba'ath Party in Iraq against the current government, which was believed to be under Soviet influence. Shortly after joining the agency in 1948, he exploited former Nazi organizations to gain intelligence on the Soviet Union.

Diplomacy
U.S. and North Korean officials met in Beijing to discuss the status of North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

World events
11 of the 55 members of the deposed Iraqi regime of President Saddam Hussein who were being sought by U.S. military officials were now in custody.

Politics and government
After a 10-day stalemate, Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas, his choice for Prime Minister of the Palestinian Territories, reached agreement on the composition of a new cabinet; it included several members loyal to Mr. Arafat. The move paved the way for the U.S.A. to introduce a new peace plan.

Health
The World Health Organization added Toronto to a list of places that should be avoided by travellers because of the risk of severe acute repiratory syndeome (SARS). The move angered Canadian officials.

Crime
Stan and Frank Koebel, the brothers at the centre of the tainted water scandal in Walkerton, Ontario, were charged with 12 offenses, including breach of trust and public endangerment. Seven people had died in 2000 when deadly E. coli bacteria had contaminated the town's water supply, which the brothers had been responsible for.