May 29, 2013

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Cathy Brown!

1,650 years ago
363

War
Roman Emperor Julian defeated the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Sassanid capital, but was unable to take the city.

560 years ago
1453

Died on this date
Constantine XI Palaiologos, 49. Byzantine emperor, 1449-1453. Constantine succeeded John VIII Palaiologos as Emperor, but was killed in battle when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman army, ending the Byzantine Empire.

War
Ottoman armies under Sultan Mehmed II Fatih captured Constantinople after a 53-day siege, ending the Byzantine Empire.

420 years ago
1593

Died on this date
John Penry, 34 (?). Welsh-born English Protestant martyr. Mr. Penry printed tracts that were distributed in Wales, but earned the enmity of Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift for not printing enough Bibles to supply the demand in Wales, and he was hanged eight days after being convicted of sedition.

340 years ago
1673

Canadiana
Louis de Buade et de Palluau, Count Frontenac, issued a proclamation giving the Récollet fathers land on the St. Charles River.

280 years ago
1733

Law
Gilles Hocquart, Intendant of New France, upheld the right of Canadians to have Indians as slaves and to sell them.

200 years ago
1813

War
In the War of 1812, British forces led by the new Commodore of Provincial Marine, James Yeo, raided Isaac Chauncey's naval base at Sackett's Harbour, New York, with Roger Sheaffe, but were forced to withdraw by U.S. forces commanded by Brigadier Jacob Brown.

175 years ago
1838

Terrorism
Pirate Bill Johnston attacked and burned the Canadian steamer Sir Robert Peel off Wellesley Island in the Thousand Islands in Upper Canada.

Politics and government
John George Lambton, Lord Durham, landed at Quebec. He had been appointed Governor by British Prime Minister Lord Melbourne to investigate Canadian colonial grievances after the rebellions of 1837.

125 years ago
1883

Politics and government
Frank Oliver was elected to represent the city of Edmonton on the Northwest Territories Council.

100 years ago
1913

Ballet
Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), with a score by Igor Stravinsky and choregraphy by Vaslav Nijinsky, received its premiere performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, provoking a near-riot by the audience.

70 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): That Old Black Magic--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra with Skip Nelson and the Modernaires

War
The largest U.S. air strike of World War II was made on three German bases in France: St. Nazaire, Renne, and La Pallice. Nearly 100 U.S. Flying Fortresses bombed the Italian port and oil refining centre of Livorno, 160 miles northwest of Rome, without a loss. Chinese troops recaptured Yuyangkwan--35 miles southwest of Ichang--and inflicted more than 2,000 casualties on the Japanese.

Science
The Spanish government reported that German scientists in Potsdam had discovered that North America was moving away from Europe at the rate of about one foot per year.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (6th week at #1)

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Lazarus Walks, starring Olive Deering, William Prince, and Joseph Wiseman

Died on this date
Man Mountain Dean, 61. U.S. wrestler. Born Frank Leavitt, Mr. Dean wrestled professionally in the 1920s and '30s and appeared in a number of movies, initially as a stunt double, and eventually as himself.

Exploration
Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

50 years ago
1963

Canadiana
The National Museum of Canada opened its Hall of the Canadian Eskimos exhibit.

Hockey
WHL
The Edmonton Flyers and Calgary Stampeders were each granted a leave of absence from the Western Hockey League. The Flyers were the farm team of the Detroit Red Wings and the Stampeders were the farm team of the Chicago Black Hawks, but relations between the Edmonton and Calgary clubs and their respective parent clubs had soured in recent years. The leaves of absence from the WHL turned out to be permanent, and professional hockey didn't return to Edmonton until the Alberta Oilers began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972. Professional hockey returned to Calgary when the WHA's Vancouver Blazers moved there in 1975, and the team played two seasons as the Cowboys before folding after the 1976-77 season.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Der Junge mit der Mundharmonika--Bernd Clüver (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
P. Ramlee, 44. Malaysian actor, director, singer, and songwriter. Mr. Ramlee directed and acted in 66 movies, and recorded more than 360 songs. He died of a heart attack at a time when he was penniless and no longer in fashion.

World events
Greek newspapers reported that the country's military-backed government would soon abolish the Greek monarchy by decree, not by referendum as had originally been reported.

War
Canada announced that it would withdraw from the International Control Commission (ICCS) truce observance force in Vietnam by July 31, two months after the end of the initial 60-day period.

Law
The Canadian House of Commons voted 138-114 in favourr of extending a partial ban on capital punishment for five more years, with capital punishment to be enforced only for murderers of policemen and prison guards.

Politics and government
Tom Bradley, 55, defeated incumbent Sam Yorty by a wide margin to become the first Negro to be elected mayor of Los Angeles. Mr. Bradley was a 21-year veteran of teh Los Angeles Police Department.

Auto racing
The day after the Indianapolis 500 had been stopped seconds after the start because of an 11-car pileup resulting in serious injuries to driver Salt Walther, it was raining heavily in Indianapolis, forcing a postponement of the restart of the race until the following day.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Bruttosozialprodukt--Geier Sturzflug (2nd week at #1)

Diplomacy
At the Williamsburg summit of Western democracies (U.S.A.; Canada; Britain; Japan; West Germany; Italy; France), U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz issued a statement supported by all of the countries, affirming their desire to reduce armaments through negotiations. The statement warned that U.S. medium-range missiles would be deployed in western Europe if no accord were reached with the Soviet Union on arms limitation.

Auto racing
Perennial bridesmaid Tom Sneva finally won the Indianapolis 500. Mr. Sneva, who had finished second in 1977, 1978, and 1980, took the checkered flag with an average speed of 162.117 miles per hour. Al Unser, who had won the race three times, finished second. Mr. Sneva was stuck behind the lapped car of Al Unser, Jr., who was helping to protect the lead of his father despite being shown the blue "move-over" flag. Mr. Sneva took advantage of some other slower cars to pass both Unsers in daring moves on the main stretch and third turn on lap 190, and went on to win. Teo Fabi joined Walt Faulkner (1959) as one of only two rookies ever to qualify for the pole position.



25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Breakaway--Big Pig (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Heart--Pet Shop Boys (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Salem bin Laden, 42. Saudi Arabian businessman. Mr. bin Laden, a half-brother of terrorist Osama bin Laden, succeeded his father Mohammed as patriarch of the Saudi Binladin Group. He was flying an ultralight aircraft in Texas when it hit power lines and dropped 115 feet; he wasn't wearing a helmet, and was killed.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Ronald Reagan arrived in Moscow for a summit meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. At their first conversation, President Reagan reportedly pressed Mr. Gorbachev on human rights issues, while Soviet human rights activists demonstrated in the streets of Moscow and Leningrad. That evening, President and Mrs. Reagan strolled near Spasso House, the U.S. ambassador’s residence where they were staying, and were mobbed by Soviet citizens. U.S. and Soviet working groups met to discuss human rights, arms control, and regional conflicts.

Auto racing
Rick Mears won the Indianapolis 500 for the third time, with an average speed of 144.809 miles per hour.



Basketball
NBA
Western Conference
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 104 @ Dallas 118 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson

#1 single in Italy: Sei un Mito--883 (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): All that She Wants--Ace of Base (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Informer--Snow

#1 single in France (SNEP): Your Latest Trick--Dire Straits

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): What is Love?--Haddaway (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): All that She Wants--Ace of Base (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Looking Through Patient Eyes--PM Dawn
3 Love Is--Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight
4 Freak Me--Silk
5 Who is It--Michael Jackson
6 I'm So Into You--SWV
7 Knockin' Da Boots--H-Town
8 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston
9 Livin' on the Edge--Aerosmith
10 Weak--SWV

Singles entering the chart were I Don't Wanna Fight by Tina Turner (#63); Fields of Gold by Sting (#66); Little Miracles (Happen Every Day) by Luther Vandross (#72); Love No Limit by Mary J. Blige (#75); and The Floor by Johnny Gill (#78).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Looking Through Patient Eyes--PM Dawn
2 The Crying Game--Boy George
3 That's the Way Love Goes--Janet Jackson
4 Come Undone--Duran Duran
5 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston
6 Who is It--Michael Jackson
7 Love Is--Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight
8 Lost in Your Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band
9 Can't Do a Thing (To Stop Me)--Chris Isaak
10 Are You Gonna Go My Way--Lenny Kravitz

Singles entering the chart were Almost Unreal by Roxette (#70); (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You by UB40 (#73); The Truth by Banned in the U.K. (#75); By the Time this Night is Over by Kenny G with Peabo Bryson (#83); Break it Down by Tears for Fears (#84); Everybody Lay Down by Pat Benatar (#85); No Apologies by Alanis (#89); Shake My Tree by Coverdale-Page (#90); One Tongue by Hothouse Flowers (#91); and Down with the King by Run DMC (#93). Almost Unreal was from the movie Super Mario Bros. (1993); (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You was from the movie Sliver (1993).

Died on this date
Billy Conn, 75. U.S. boxer. Mr. Conn was world light heavyweight champion from 1939-1940, but is best remembered for relinquishing his belt in order to fight Joe Louis for the world heavyweight title on June 18, 1941. After 12 rounds, Mr. Conn was outboxing Mr. Louis and appeared to be on the way to winning the title, but he decided to go for a knockout in round 13, and was instead knocked out himself. Both men interrupted their boxing careers to serve in the U.S. Army in World War II, and fought a rematch on June 19, 1946. Mr. Louis won by knockout in the 8th round. Mr. Conn retired from the ring in 1948 with a record of 64-11-1.

Politics and government
The governments of Canada and Yukon Territory and Yukon's 14 First Nations signed the Umbrella Final Agreement in Whitehorse. 41,400 square kilometres of land and $280 million was to be divided among the 8,000 beneficiaries, and a joint-management board shared by the natives and the territorial government was established to oversee wildlife and land use. The agreement also paved the way for native self-government and the handing over of jurisdiction over such federal and territorial matters as education, justice, and environmental protection.

U.S. President Bill Clinton named veteran journalist David Gergen, a former adviser to President Ronald Reagan, to improve the White House communications operation.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Finals
Los Angeles 5 @ Toronto 4 (Los Angeles won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Mike Donnelly broke a 3-3 tie with 3:51 remaining in regulation time, and Wayne Gretzky scored his third goal of the game 37 seconds later as the Kings eliminated the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in their 26-year history. Wendel Clark scored 2 goals for Toronto, and Dave Ellett scored with 1:07 remaining in regulation time to narrow the deficit to 5-4.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Finals
New York 83 @ Chicago 103 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-1)

10 years ago
2003

Protest
A student was killed and more than 70 people were injured as Peruvian troops and protesters clashed after President Alejandro Toledo, faced with strikes by teachers and health care workers, declared a 30-day state of emergency.

Abominations
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said he was "saddened" by the blessing given by Vancouver, British Columbia-area Anglican Church of Canada Bishop Michael Ingham to a same-sex union using a special rite.

Science
U.S. scientists announced the creation of a cloned mule, named Idaho Gem, from a cell from a mule fetus and a horse egg. This was the first cloning of a member of the horse family.

Business
Microsoft and America Online Time Warner reached a legal settlement under which Microsoft would pay AOL Time Warner $750 million to end a private antitrust suit brought by Netscape (a unit of AOL). Microsoft would also give AOL access to some of its key software. The accord, described as ending a long-running war between the companies, called for cooperation on new technology and joint efforts against electronic piracy.