April 27, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Rod Crossley!

420 years ago
1593

Born on this date
Mumtaz Mahal. Empress consort of the Mughal Empire, 1628-1631. Mumtaz Mahal, born Arjumand Banu Begum, married the future Emperor Shah Jahan in 1612, and became Empress consort upon his accession to the throne in 1628. The couple had 14 children, but Empress Mumtaz Mahal died on June 17, 1631 at the age of 38 while giving birth to Princess Gauhar Ara. A grieving Emperor Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal built in Agra as a tomb for Empress Mumtaz Mahal.

200 years ago
1813

Died on this date
Zebulon Pike, 34. U.S. explorer and military officer. Mr. Pike, then a captain in the United States Army, led the Pike Expedition in 1806-1807 that explored the southern area of the Louisiana Purchase and to find the headwaters of the Red River. The expedition discovered the peak in Colorado which was later named Pike's Peak. Mr. Pike rose to the rank of Brigadier General; while commanding U.S. forces in the attack on York, he was killed by flying rocks and other debris when the withdrawing British garrison blew up its ammunition magazine as the American troops were approaching Fort York.

War
In the War of 1812, an invasion force of 1,700 U.S. troops under Zebulon Pike and Henry Dearborn attacked the Upper Canada capital of York (later known as Toronto). Upper Canada Lieutenant Governor and Major General Roger Hale Sheaffe withdrew with 600 defenders to Kingston.

175 years ago
1838

Disasters
Fire destroyed half of Charleston, South Carolina.

80 years ago
1933

Science
Karl Jansky reported reception of a cosmic radio signal in Washington, D.C.

60 years ago
1953

War
Operation Moolah--an attempt by the United States Air Force to obtain a Soviet MiG-15 fighter plane through defection of North Korean pilots--was initiated by General Mark Clark. The MiG-15 was regarded as superior to all United Nations aircraft, including the USAF's latest plane, the F-86 Sabre.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Pipeline--Chantays

#1 single in France: L'école est Finie--Sheila (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Come te non c'è nessuno--Rita Pavone (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Ich kauf' mir lieber einen Tirolerhut--Billy Mo (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): From Me to You--The Beatles

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Will Follow Him--Little Peggy March

U.S. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Can't Get Used to Losing You--Andy Williams
2 I Will Follow Him--Little Peggy March
3 He's So Fine--The Chiffons
4 Puff the Magic Dragon--Peter, Paul and Mary
5 Baby Workout--Jackie Wilson
6 Pipeline--Chantays
7 Young Lovers--Paul and Paula
8 Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)--The Cookies
9 Surfin' U.S.A.--Beach Boys
10 If You Wanna Be Happy--Jimmy Soul

Singles entering the chart were Prisoner of Love by James Brown and the Famous Flames (#79); Soon (I'll Be Home Again) by the 4 Seasons (#89); Diane by Joe Harnell and his Orchestra (#90); Let's Go Steady Again by Neil Sedaka (#91); Sweet Dreams (Of You) by Patsy Cline (#93); Sting Ray by the Routers (#97); Shy Girl by the Cascades (#99); Old Enough to Love by Rick Nelson (#100); You Know it Ain't Right by Joe Hinton (also #100); and Cry on My Shoulder by Johnny Crawford (also #100). Soon (I'll Be Home Again) was the B-side of Ain't That a Shame!, charting at #46.

Space
The mission of the Soviet satellite Cosmos 15 ended, five days after it had been launched.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Killing Me Softly with His Song--Roberta Flack

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Der Junge mit der Mundharmonika--Bernd Clüver (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
There was a major shake-up in the Soviet Politburo, as Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, armed forces leader Andrei Grechko, and KGB (secret police) head Yuri Andropov were elevated to full membership in the Politburo, while former Ukrainian Communist leader Pyotr Shelest and former Russian Premier Gennadi Voronov were retired early after both had previously been removed from key positions. The changes confirmed the prevailing trends toward easing tensions with the Eest and stricter defense and security measures at home. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. rousingly endorsed First Secretary Leonid Brezhnev's policy of easing East-West relations, and particularly his impending visits to Bonn and Washington.

Scandal
L. Patrick Gray resigned as acting director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the day after he told friends that he had burned some papers belonging to E. Howard Hunt after the suggestion had been made at a White House meeting attended by presidential counsel John Dean and domestic affairs assistant John Ehrlichman. Mr. Hunt was one of the men charged in connection with the June 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Mr. Gray was immediately replaced as acting FBI director by William Ruckelshaus.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau named Beryl Plumptre as chairman of the new Food Prices Review Board.

Baseball
Rookie Steve Busby of the Kansas City Royals evened his record for the season at 2-2 with a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers, walking 6 and striking out 4 as the Royals won 3-0 before 16,345 fans at Tiger Stadium. Ed Kirkpatrick, with his 3rd home run of the season, and Amos Otis, with his 4th, provided run support for Mr. Busby.

30 years ago
1983

Diplomacy
Soviet leader Yuri Andropov proposed an international agreement that would keep outer space free from weapons, probaly in reaction to U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s recent announcement of the Strategic Defense Initiative.

Defense
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, in Israel, received a briefing on a large Soviet military buildup in Syria.

Politics and government
U.S. President Ronald Reagan took the unusual step of addressing a joint session of Congress on a foreign policy issue. He appealed for approval of his requests for economic and military assistance to Central America, stressing the region’s proximity to the United States, adding that it was vital to American interests. While acknowledging that the government of El Salvador had human rights problems, the President said that El Salvador was making progress in democracy and land reform, and that the Marxists were seeking to destabilize the country and its neighbours. President Reagan also accused Nicaragua of stirring up trouble in the area. The President received heavy applause when he said that he had "no thought of sending American combat troops" into Central America. Senator Christopher Dodd, replying for the Democrats, called for negotiated settlements for the region, and said that the Reagan administration did not understand the causes of conflict in Central America.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that productivity had increased 4.8% in March, the largest increase in two years.

Baseball
Pitcher Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros struck out Brad Mills of the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium in Montreal for his 3,509th career major league strikeout, passing Walter Johnson for first place on the list, as the Astros won 4-2. By the time he finally retired 10 years later, Mr. Ryan had accumulated a career total of 5,714 strikeouts. Mr. Johnson pitched for the Washington Nationals from 1907-1927.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Maybe We're About to Fall in Love--Tommy Nilsson

Londonia
The London chapter (now the Southwestern Ontario Chapter) of the Ontario Association of Archivists (now the Archives Association of Ontario) was formed at a meeting on the campus of the University of Western Ontario. This blogger was one of those in attendance.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney arrived in Washington for his fourth and final summit conference with U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In an address to Congress, Mr. Mulroney urged approval of a bilateral agreement on control of acid rain, and he called on Congress to ratify the U.S.-Canada free trade agreement. At his meeting with Mr. Reagan, the Prime Minister asked the President to set a timetable for banning sulfurous emissions in the United States that many experts--though not those in the Reagan administration--believed were the cause of acid rain. President Reagan said that the United States would not oppose the transfer of nuclear reactor technology, clearing the way for Canada to purchase British nuclear submarines.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Division Finals
St. Louis 3 @ Detroit 4 (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Tim Higgins scored with 2:25 remaining in regulation time to break a 3-3 tie as the Red Wings eliminated the Blues at Joe Louis Arena.

20 years ago
1993

Africana
Eritrea declared itself independent from Ethiopia.

Defense
U.S. defense Secretary Les Aspin announced an order to the military to drop most restrictions on women in combat roles in aerial and naval warfare.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Bond Rating Service slightly reduced the Canadian government's credit rating.

Disasters
All members of the Zambian national football team were killed in a plane crash off Libreville, Gabon en route to Dakar, Senegal to play a 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Senegal.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Division Semi-Finals
Toronto 5 @ Detroit 4 (OT) (Toronto led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Winnipeg 4 @ Vancouver 3 (OT) (Vancouver led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Los Angeles 9 @ Calgary 4 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Mike Foligno scored at 2:05 of the 1st overtime period to give the Maple Leafs their win over the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit led 4-1 in the 2nd period, but Toronto scored 2 goals in the 2nd period, and Wendel Clark scored the tying goal with 8:22 remaining in regulation time.

Teemu Selanne scored at 6:18 of the 1st overtime period to give the Jets their win over the Canucks at Pacific Coliseum. Vancouver led 3-1 after the 1st period, but Keith Tkachuk scored in the 2nd period, and Darrin Shannon scored the tying goal with 10:55 remaining in regulation time.

10 years ago
2003

World events
U.S. forces in Iraq arrested Muhammad Mohsen Zobeidi, who had proclaimed himself mayor of Baghdad.

Diplomacy
Gerry Adams, president of the Sinn Fein party in Northern Ireland, announced that the Irish Republican Army would disarm and ban paramilitary activity as long as other groups met their commitments to the Good Friday Peace Accords.