May 15, 2013

180 years ago
1833

Died on this date
Edmund Kean, 45. U.K. actor. In his time, Mr. Kean was considered the greatest actor ever. He created a sensation in 1814 with his performance as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, and subsequently received acclaim for performances in Richard III; Othello; Macbeth; and King Lear. Mr. Kean made successful visits to the United States and Canada in the 1820s. However, drunkenness and debauchery eventually took their toll on him. In his last performance, at Covent Garden on March 25, 1833, playing Othello to his son Charles’s Iago, Mr. Kean collapsed in his son’s arms.

130 years ago
1883

Diplomacy
Italy signed a military treaty with Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Baseball
In St. Louis, a meeting was scheduled to plan the taking of "active steps looking towards the foundation of a Colored League."

80 years ago
1933

Died on this date
Ernest Torrence, 54. U.K. actor. A 6'4" Scotsman, Mr. Torrence achieved success as an opera singer before coming to the United States. He appeared in eight Broadway productions from 1912-1920, and then made his way to Hollywood, where he made his name as a character actor, usually as a villain. Among his movies were Tol’able David (1921); The Covered Wagon (1923); The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923); Mantrap (1926); The King of Kings (1927); Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928); and Fighting Caravans (1931). Mr. Torrence was a memorable Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes (1932), and had just completed filming I Cover the Waterfront (1933), when he suffered an attack of gallstones and died of complications following surgery.

Technology
A voice amplification system was used in the United States Senate for the first time.

75 years ago
1938

Politics and government
Paul-Henri Spaak, leader of the Belgian Labour Party, took office as Prime Minister of Belgium.

70 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I've Heard That Song Before--Harry James and his Music Makers (11th week at #1)

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Ink, starring Joseph Anthony and Mildred Natwick.

Boxing
Rocky Marciano (44-0) retained his world heavyweight title by knocking out former world champion Jersey Joe Walcott (49-20-1) at 2:25 of the 1st round at Chicago Stadium; Mr. Walcott, whom Mr. Marciano had knocked out in 13 rounds on September 23, 1952 to win the title, was knocked down, and apparently miscalculated the count, rising just after the count of 10; it was his last fight. On the undercard, light heavyweight Oakland Billy Smith (53-22-4) knocked out heavyweight Billy Noble (21-2) at 2:50 of the 1st round. It was Mr. Noble's last fight; he was killed in a plane crash 19 months later. Bob Satterfield (29-14-2) knocked out Murray Burnett (5-15-1) at 1:23 of the 3rd round in another heavyweight bout on the undercard.



50 years ago
1963

At the movies
The Yellow Canary, written by Rod Serling, directed by Buzz Kulik, and starring Pat Boone, Barbara Eden, Steve Forrest, and Jack Klugman, opened in theatres.

Music
A crowd of 4,000 attended the first rock and roll show to be held at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, featuring Clyde McPhatter, Bobby Vee and the Strangers, the Crickets, and Jimmy Clanton. Mr. McPhatter won the most positive reviews from The Edmonton Journal and from those in attendance.

Space
Astronaut Gordon Cooper, in his Faith 7 spacecraft, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission.





Edmontonia
Mayor Elmer Roper officially opened the new Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Hockey
WHL
Detroit Red Wings coach and general manager Sid Abel announced that the Red Wings would no longer sponsor the Edmonton Flyers as their farm club.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Der Junge mit der Mundharmonika--Bernd Clüver (4th week at #1)

Scandal
Vernon Walters, Deputy Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee that White House counsel John Dean had asked the CIA in 1972 to aid in the cover-up of the break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. by paying bail and salaries for the men involved. Mr. Walters told the committee he would rather have quit than have become involved, and also said he had rejected a request by presidential aides Bob Haldeman and John Ehrlichman to use CIA influence to call off the 1972 Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry into laundering of campaign funds through a bank in Mexico City.

Politics and government
Two-term incumbent John Reading easily defeated Black Panther leader Bobby Seale in the Oakland mayoral election, and said he would seek out Mr. Seale "very soon to see if we can find common ground on which to work together in solving common problems."

Baseball
Nolan Ryan of the California Angels pitched his first career major league no-hitter, walking 3 batters and striking out 12, as the Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 before 12,205 fans at Royals Stadium. California first baseman Bob Oliver drove in 2 runs with his 4th home run of the season and a single.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Let's Dance--David Bowie (2nd week at #1)

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Heart--Pet Shop Boys

#1 single in Switzerland: Heart--Pet Shop Boys (2nd week at #1)

War
The U.S.S.R. began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, the date set for the withdrawal according to the agreements signed in Geneva in April.

Protest
A college student in South Korea committed suicide, leaving a note denouncing the United States and calling for the reunification of North and South Korea. The tragedy sparked a week of protests by tens of thousands of students throughout South Korea.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Boston 92 @ Atlanta 110 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Detroit 96 @ Chicago 77 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Denver 103 @ Dallas 124 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)
Los Angeles Lakers 113 @ Utah 100 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox edged the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 in 11 innings.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Easy--Faith No More

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Sei Un Mito--883 (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): All that She Wants--Ace of Base

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): All that She Wants--Ace of Base (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): No Limit--2 Unlimited (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): What is Love--Haddaway

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Looking Through Patient Eyes--PM Dawn (3rd week at #1)
2 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson
3 Love Is--Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight
4 Freak Me--Silk
5 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston
6 I'm So Into You--SWV
7 Who is It--Michael Jackson
8 Informer--Snow
9 Don't Walk Away--Jade
10 The Crying Game--Boy George

Singles entering the chart were More and More by Captain Hollywood Project (#54); Wannagirl by Jeremy Jordan (#56); Regret by New Order (#70); Six Feet Deep by Geto Boys (#82); and La La Love by Bobby Ross Avila (#85).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston (3rd week at #1)
2 The Crying Game--Boy George
3 Love Is--Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight
4 If I Ever Lose My Faith in You--Sting
5 Two Princes--Spin Doctors
6 Lost in Your Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band
7 Water from the Moon--Celine Dion
8 Looking Through Patient Eyes--PM Dawn
9 Who is It--Michael Jackson
10 Will You Remember Me--Jann Arden

Singles entering the chart included Regret by New Order (#80); Fire by Boy on a Dolphin (#90); Belly of the Sun by Barney Bentall (#91); and I'm So Into You by SWV (#94).

World events
The United Nations announced its annual ranking of countries in terms of quality of life, and Japan took over the number one ranking, with Canada dropping to second. Canada ranked 11th in terms of average income and sexual equality, but had high levels of education and life expectancy.

Terrorism
A two-day hostage crisis at a French nursery school ended when masked commandos stormed the school, killed the gunman, and freed six girls and their teacher.

Horse racing
Prairie Bayou, with Mike Smith up, won the 118th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:56 3/5, ½ length ahead of Cherokee Run and 7½ lengths ahead of third-place El Bakan.



Auto racing
On the first day of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, A.J. Foyt announced his retirement as a driver in order to devote his full efforts to managing the team he owned. He made his decision after his driver Robby Gordon crashed in an attempt to qualify. Mr. Foyt, who drove in the race for 35 consecutive years (1958-1992) and won it four times (1961, 1964, 1967, and 1977), drove his car around the circuit for one final lap before retiring.





Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Division Finals
St. Louis 0 @ Toronto 6 (Toronto won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Dave Andreychuk's powerplay goal at 5:02 of the 1st period held up as the winner as the Maple Leafs eliminated the Blues at Maple Leaf Gardens. Wendel Clark scored 2 goals, and Felix Potvin made 25 saves to get the shutout in goal.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Chicago 96 @ Cleveland 90 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 3-0)

Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Phoenix 96 @ San Antonio 111 (Phoenix led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Seattle 79 @ Houston 97 (Seattle led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Edmonton Aurora defeated Ottawa 48-46 to win the Canadian women's wheelchair championship, while Red Deer defeated British Columbia 41-35 for the bronze medal. Games were played at J. Percy Page High School and the Mill Woods Campus of Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton.

10 years ago
2003

War
Clashes between Kurds and Arabs began in northern Iraq, which continued for several days.

Health
Taiwan quarantined two hospitals and said that it had 264 probable cases and 30 deaths from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).