May 28, 2013

510 years ago
1503

Married on this date
King James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor were married according to a Papal Bull by Pope Alexander VI. A Treaty of Everlasting Peace between Scotland and England signed on that occasion resulted in a peace that lasts ten years.

580 years ago
1533

Britannica
Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer declared the marriage of King Henry VIII of England to Anne Boleyn valid.

425 years ago
1588

World events
The Spanish Armada, with 130 ships and 30,000 men, set sail from Lisbon heading for the English Channel. It took until May 30 for all ships to leave port.

250 years ago
1763

War
Chief Pontiac led the Wyandots in the defeat of Lt. Cuyler at Point Pelee in what is now Ontario.

200 years ago
1813

War
In the War of 1812, British General John Vincent ended his retreat to Burlington Heights in what is now Ontario after losing Fort George, leaving American forces in control of the Niagara Peninsula.

170 years ago
1843

Died on this date
Noah Webster, 84. U.S. writer and lexicographer. Mr. Webster was best known for An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828), which has been continued in the modern Merriam-Webster dictionaries. More than anyone else, Mr. Webster was responsible for the American spelling of words as distinct from the English spelling. His spelling books were standard school texts for several generations.

150 years ago
1863

War
Robert Gould Shaw, leading the first northern all-Negro regiment, left Boston to fight for the Union in the American Civil War.

130 years ago
1883

Born on this date
Václav Talich. Czech musician and conductor. Mr. Talich was a violinist and violist who took up conducting in his late 20s. He was chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (1919-1941), and was known for performing the works of Czech composers. He ran afoul of the Nazis and Communists in the 1940s, interrupting his career. Mr. Talich established the Czech Chamber Orchestra in 1946, and founded and led the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (1948-1952). He resumed his association with the Czech Philharmonic in the 1950s, conducting concerts, broadcasts, and recording sessions. Mr. Talich died on March 16, 1961 at the age of 77.

125 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Kaarel Eenpalu. Prime Minister of Estonia, 1938-1939. Born Karl August Einbund, Mr. Eenpalu was an editor of several newspapers, and held numerous political offices beginning in 1920. He was Stae Elder of Estonia' (head of state) from July 19-November 1, 1932, and became the country's first prime minister. When the U.S.S.R. occupied the Baltic republics in June 1940, Mr. Eenpalu was one of a number of polticians who were arrested and deported to Russia. He died in a Soviet prison camp in Vyatka, Kirov Oblast on January 27 or 28, 1942 at the age of 53.

70 years ago
1943

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Red-Headed League

50 years ago
1963

At the movies
55 Days at Peking, directed by Nicholas Ray, and starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, David Niven, and others, received its premiere screening at the Beverly Theater in Los Angeles.





40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Et surtout ne m'oublie pas--Crazy Horse (4th week at #1)

World events
The military-backed government of Greece announced that the 35 officers involved in a May 24 coup attempt would be put on trial. According to government sources, the officers had tried to hijack the Greek fleet, occupy some unguarded Aegean islands and, after inviting the army and air force to join them, ask the military government to surrender.

Auto racing
The Indianapolis 500 was stopped just seconds after it started when an 11-car pileup culminated in the car driven by Salt Walther crashing into the catch fence before careening down the track. The front of Mr. Walther's car was cut off, exposing his legs, and his legs and hands were badly burned. Race officials rescheduled the start of the race for the following day, with the remaining 32 cars to start in their original positions; Mr. Walther was recorded as placing 33rd and last.





30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Billie Jean--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Beat It--Michael Jackson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Words--F.R. David (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Candy Girl--New Edition

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara

Flashdance...What a Feeling was from the movie Flashdance (1983), and ended up winning that year's Academy Award as Best Original Song.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
2 Let's Dance--David Bowie
3 Beat It--Michael Jackson
4 She Blinded Me with Science--Thomas Dolby
5 Overkill--Men at Work
6 Come On Eileen--Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express
7 Little Red Corvette--Prince
8 Der Kommissar--After the Fire
9 Solitaire--Laura Branigan
10 Time (Clock of the Heart)--Culture Club

Singles entering the chart were Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' by Michael Jackson (#44); Baby Jane by Rod Stewart (#57); Roll Me Away by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (#61); She Works Hard for the Money by Donna Summer (#68); I.O.U. by Lee Greenwood (#84); Saved by Zero by the Fixx (#85); and Save the Overtime (For Me) by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#88).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Beat It--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)
2 Let's Dance--David Bowie
3 Rio--Duran Duran
4 Time (Clock of the Heart)--Culture Club
5 She Blinded Me with Science--Thomas Dolby
6 Flashdance...What a Feeling--Irene Cara
7 Puttin' on the Ritz--Taco
8 Overkill--Men at Work
9 Jeopardy--Greg Kihn Band
10 Billie Jean--Michael Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Every Breath You Take by the Police (#44); Come Dancing by the Kinks (#45); and Our House by Madness (#47).

Diplomacy
A three-day summit of western democratic nations, hosted by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, began in Williamsburg, Virginia. The guest nations were Canada, Japan, Britain, West Germany, Italy, and France. Economic issues related to the worldwide recession dominated the talks.

Society
A majority of the board of directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) called for the resignation of Margaret Bush Wilson as chairman, and limited her authority.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): I'm Not Scared--Eighth Wonder (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Yé ké yé ké--Mory Kante

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros

#1 single in France (SNEP): N'importe quoi--Florent Pagny (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): With a Little Help from My Friends--Wet Wet Wet/She's Leaving Home--Billy Bragg featuring Cara Tivey (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): With a Little Help from My Friends--Wet Wet Wet/She's Leaving Home--Billy Bragg featuring Cara Tivey (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): One More Try--George Michael

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 One More Try--George Michael
2 Anything for You--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
3 Shattered Dreams--Johnny Hates Jazz
4 Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)--Samantha Fox
5 Wishing Well--Terence Trent D'Arby
6 Angel--Aerosmith
7 Everything Your Heart Desires--Daryl Hall John Oates
8 I Don't Want to Live Without You--Foreigner
9 Together Forever--Rick Astley
10 Wait--White Lion

Singles entering the chart were Sign Your Name by Terence Trent D'Arby (#74); The Colour of Love by Billy Ocean (#80); Darlin' Danielle Don't by Henry Lee Summer (#84); You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart by Eurythmics (#85); Wishing I was Lucky by Wet Wet Wet (#86); Fat by "Weird Al" Yankovic (#89); and Little Walter by Tony! Toni! Tone! (#90). Fat was a spoof of Michael Jackson's 1987 hit Bad.

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Always on My Mind--Pet Shop Boys (2nd week at #1)
2 Beds are Burning--Midnight Oil
3 I'm Still Searching--Glass Tiger
4 Wishing Well--Terence Trent D'Arby
5 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car--Billy Ocean
6 One More Try--George Michael
7 Together Forever--Rick Astley
8 Pink Cadillac--Natalie Cole
9 Shattered Dreams--Johnny Hates Jazz
10 What a Wonderful World--Louis Armstrong

Singles entering the chart were The Flame by Cheap Trick (#71); Lost in You by Rod Stewart (#73); Foolish Beat by Debbie Gibson (#76); Black & Blue by Van Halen (#82); Send Me a Miracle by Paul Janz (#87); and New Sensation by INXS (#95).

Died on this date
Sy Oliver, 77. U.S. musician, composer, and bandleader. Mr. Oliver was a trumpeter and arranger with the band of Jimmie Lunceford in the mid-1930s, and joined Tommy Dorsey's orchestra in 1939 as an arranger. He led his own band in later years. Mr. Oliver co-wrote the song T'ain't What You Do (It's the Way that You Do It).

Defense
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet unanimously approved the intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) treaty.

Environment
The Canadian aerosol industry said it would ban ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from spray cans.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Finals
Boston 94 @ Detroit 98 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-1)

20 years ago
1993

Diplomacy
Eritrea and Monaco joined the United Nations.

Crime
William Lozano, 33, a Miami police officer of Hispanic ethnicity, was acquitted by a jury in his second trial of the killings of two young Negro men. The case had aroused racial tensions in Florida.

Basketball
NBA
Western Conference
Finals
Phoenix 104 @ Seattle 97 (Phoenix led best-of-seven series 2-1)


10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Martha Scott, 90. U.S. actress. Miss Scott made her broadway debut in Our Town (1938), and made her movie debut in 1940 by reprising her supporting role, which earned her an Academy Award nomination. Miss Scott's other movies included The Desperate Hours (1955); The Ten Commandments (1956); Sayonara (1957); and Ben-Hur (1959). She appeared in many television programs from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Ilya Prigogine, 86. Russian-born Belgian chemist. Dr. Prigogine won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1977 for his discovery of dissipative structures and their role in thermodynamic systems far from equilibrium.

Oleg Makarov, 70. U.S.S.R. cosmonaut. Mr. Makarov flew on the missions Soyuz 12 (1973); Soyuz 18a (1975); Soyuz 27 (1978); Soyuz 26 (1978); and Soyuz T-3 (1980).

War
After the deaths of four American soldiers in Iraq within the past few days, U.S. officials said that a larger military force than previously planned would be kept in Iraq. Officials with the U.S. administration of President George W. Bush concluded that two tractor-trailer units in Iraq, including one found in April, were designed to produce deadly biological weapons, but there was no evidence they had been used for that purpose.

Health
2,000 students, teachers, and staff members at a Toronto school were quarantined after a student showed symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The government of Ontario announced that it would spend $720 million on assisting health care workers and facilities involved in the fight against SARS.

Despite the existence of only one confirmed case of Mad Cow disease, Canadian food inspectors singled out nearly 1,000 cattle for slaughter and quarantined 17 farms in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Economics and finance
U.S. President George W. Bush signed into law a bill lowering tax rates for capital gains and dividends to 15% for most taxpayers, but only for five years. It immediately reduced tax rates for upper- and middle-income taxpayers.

Scandal
Rick Bragg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter with The New York Times, resigned from the paper after questions were raised about his reliance on a freelance journalist whom he did not credit.