May 5, 2013

1,460 years ago
553

Religion
The Second Council of Constantinople, convoked by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I under the presidency of Patriarch Eutychius of Constantinople, began.

200 years ago
1813

Born on this date
Søren Kierkegaard. Danish philosopher. Mr. Kierkegaard believed that truth was subjective rather than objective, and that one comes to knowledge of God trough mystical experience. Mr. Kierkegaard has been called the father of existentialism, and his ideas tremendously influenced the 20th century strain of pseudo-Christian liberalism known as Neo-Orthodoxy. He's one of the figures profiled in Dave Breese's book 7 Men Who Rule the World from the Grave (1980). Mr. Kierkegaard died on November 13, 1855 at the age of 42.

War
In the War of 1812, British troops under the command of Major General Henry Proctor attacked 1,200 U.S. reinforcements coming up to end a 5-day siege of American troops commanded by General William Henry Harrison at Fort Meigs, Ohio. 400 U.S. soldiers were killed, while British losses numbered only 15.

150 years ago
1863

Academia
The Anglican Church founded Huron College, now a part of the University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario.

140 years ago
1873

Born on this date
Leon Czolgosz. U.S. assassin. Mr. Czolgosz was a factory worker before becoming a socialist and anarchist. On September 6, 1901, he shot U.S. President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo; Mr. McKinley died eight days later. Mr. Czolgosz was charged with first-degree murder on September 16; his trial began in Buffalo on September 23, and he was convicted after just two days. He was executed in the electric chair at Auburn Prison on October 29, 1901 at the age of 28.

Martin Archer-Shee. U.K. military officer and politician. Sir Martin served with the Royal Navy (1886-1890) before becoming an officer in the British Army, winning the Distinguished Service Order in the Boer War and commanding three battalions in World War I, rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. A Conservative, he represented Finsbury in the House of Commons (1910-1923). Sir Martin was the half-brother of George Archer-Shee, whose acquittal on a charge of theft provided the basis for Terence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy. Sir Martin died on January 6, 1935 at the age of 61, after a long illness.

80 years ago
1933

Died on this date
Bill Van Dyke, 69. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Van Dyke was the starting left fielder for the 1890 Toledo Maumees in the American Association, where he became the first rookie ever to hit for the cycle. Toledo did not field a team again in 1891, and many of their starters were unable to find major league employment. Mr. Van Dyke played just 4 games in the National League in 1892 (St. Louis Cardinals) and 3 in 1893 (Boston Beaneaters). His career major league totals were: 136 games (129 with Toledo in 1890), with a .253 batting average, 2 home runs.

75 years ago
1938

Baseball
Hal Kelleher of the Philadelphia Phillies faced 16 batters in the sixth inning as the Cubs scored 12 runs. Both marks are National League records off one pitcher in a single inning. The Cubs won 21-2, with Joe Marty collecting four hits, four runs, and four RBI. The loss went to Wayne LaMaster, who threw just three pitches to leadoff batter Stan Hack before leaving the game with a pain in his throwing arm.

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Gordon Hewart, 1st Viscount Hewart, 73. Lord Chief Justice of England, 1922-1940. Viscount Hewart, a Liberal, was Solicitor General for England (1916-1919) and Attorney General for England before being appointed Lord Chief Justice. He has been credited with originating the saying, "Not only must Justice be done; it must also be seen to be done."

War
In World War II's largest raid by four-engine planes, U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft dropped 1,500 tons of bombs on the German manufacturing city of Dortmund. Soviet troops recaptured Krymsk and advanced on a 15-mile front toward Novorossiisk.

Defense
The U.S. Army announced the promotion of 63 generals, giving the Army more than 600.

Aviation
It was announced that British Overseas Airway Corporation pilot Captain G.R. Buxton, 37, had flown a Liberator from Newfoundland to Great Britain in 6 hours 12 minutes for a North Atlantic record.

Politics and government
Venezuelan President Isaias Medina Angarita formed a new cabinet which included five new ministers.

Communications
U.S. Postmaster General Frank Walker announced that a system of zoned numbers would be added after the name of the city on all mailed matter in 178 large cities to facilitate delivery.

Economics and finance
Brazilian President Getulio Vargas cancelled Paraguay's war indemnity debt dating from 1870.

Labour
The U.S. Senate passed 63-16 and sent to the House of Representatives the Connally bill to expand the President's power to seize strike-bound plants.

60 years ago
1953

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Suitor, starring Mildred Natwick

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Power to All Our Friends--Cliff Richard (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Australia (Go-Set): Killing Me Softly with His Song--Roberta Flack (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (2nd week at #1)
2 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia--Vicki Lawrence
3 The Cisco Kid--War
4 Little Willy--The Sweet
5 Sing--Carpenters
6 The Twelfth of Never--Donny Osmond
7 Stuck in the Middle with You--Stealers Wheel
8 You are the Sunshine of My Life--Stevie Wonder
9 Frankenstein--The Edgar Winter Group
10 Drift Away--Dobie Gray

Singles entering the chart were With a Child's Heart by Michael Jackson (#75); Isn't it About Time by Stephen Stills and Manassas (#82); Letter to Lucille by Tom Jones (#83); Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by Bette Midler (#85); There's No Me Without You by the Manhattans (#87); Why Me by Kris Kristofferson (#92); Full Circle by the Byrds (#94); The Free Electric Band by Albert Hammond (#96); Never, Never, Never (Grande, Grande, Grande) by Shirley Bassey (#99); and Instigating (Trouble Making) Fool by the Whatnauts (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia--Vicki Lawrence
2 Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
3 You Don't Know What Love Is--Susan Jacks
4 The First Cut is the Deepest--Keith Hampshire
5 The Twelfth of Never--Donny Osmond
6 Stuck in the Middle with You--Stealers Wheel
7 The Cisco Kid--War
8 Little Willy--The Sweet
9 I'm a Stranger Here--Five Man Electrical Band
10 Drift Away--Dobie Gray

Singles entering the chart were I'm Doin' Fine Now by New York City (#93); Butterfly Days by Bob McBride (#94); One of a Kind Love Affair by the Spinners (#95); Down by Maple River by Tapestry (#96); You Can't Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones (#97); Dueling Tubas by Martin Mull (#98); Shadow by R. Dean Taylor (#99); and Give it to Me by J. Geils Band (#100). You Can't Always Get What You Want was the B-side of Honky Tonk Women, which had been a major hit in 1969. Dueling Tubas was a spoof of the recent hit Dueling Banjos.

Calgary’s Top 10
1 Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree--Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (3rd week at #1)
2 The Twelfth of Never--Donny Osmond
3 Drift Away--Dobie Gray
4 Sing--Carpenters
5 Walk on the Wild Side--Lou Reed
6 Stuck in the Middle with You--Stealers Wheel
7 The Cover of "Rolling Stone"--Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show
8 Wildflower--Skylark
9 The Cisco Kid--War
10 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia--Vicki Lawrence
Pick hit of the week: Out of the Question--Gilbert O'Sullivan

Terrorism
The People's Revolutionary Armed Forces guerrillas in Mexico who had kidnapped U.S. Consul General Terrance Leonhardy from his home near Guadalajara the previous day issued a statement accusing the Mexican government of representing the "rich and privileged," and asserting that nothing had changed in Mexico since the revolution of 1910. The Mexican government announced that they would accede to the demands of the kidnappers that 30 inmates in prisons throughout Mexico be freed and flown to Cuba.

Disasters
At least 250 people were killed when three passenger river boats collided near Dacca, Bangladesh.

Horse racing
Secretariat, with Ron Turcotte aboard, won the 99th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a record time of 1:59 2/5. Sham, who finished second, also broke the old Kentucky Derby record time of exactly 2 minutes set by Northern Dancer in 1964. 40 years later, Secretariat's record time still stands.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
Finals
Winnipeg 2 @ New England 4 (New England led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Mike Byers scored 2 goals to lead the Whalers over the Jets at Boston Garden.

30 years ago
1983

Died on this date
Horst Schumann, 77. German physician and war criminal. Dr. Schumann conducted sterilization and castration experiments at the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz and was particularly interested in the mass sterilization of Jews by means of X-rays. He wasn't convicted of war crimes until 1970.

Edmontonia
Former U.S. Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver was in Edmonton, speaking in Tory Lecture Theatre L-11 on the University of Alberta campus. Mr. Cleaver expressed his opposition to much of the "peace" talk and activities of the day. He talked about how he had come to oppose Communism as a result of actually living under Communism in Cuba. Mr. Cleaver was followed by Cleon Skousen, author of The Naked Communist. The lectures were sponsored by The Freemen Institute, an organization dedicated to upholding the principles of the United States Constitution. See my other post on this event for more details.

Hit parade
Canada's top 30
1 Jeopardy--Greg Kihn Band
2 Beat It--Michael Jackson
3 Let's Dance--David Bowie
4 Midnight Blue--Louise Tucker
5 She Blinded Me with Science--Thomas Dolby
6 Even Now--Bob Seger
7 Safety Dance--Men Without Hats
8 Overkill--Men at Work
9 Some Kind of Friend--Barry Manilow
10 I Won't Hold You Back--Toto
11 Mr. Roboto--Styx
12 Twistin' By the Pool--Dire Straits
13 Time (Clock of the Heart)--Culture Club
14 Shy Boy--Bananarama
15 Little Red Corvette--Prince
16 Whirly Girl--Oxo
17 Always Something There to Remind Me--Naked Eyes
18 Affair of the Heart--Rick Springfield
19 Sheriff--The Tenants
20 Solitaire--Laura Branigan
21 It Might Be You--Stephen Bishop
22 So Wrong--Patrick Simmons
23 Rio--Duran Duran
24 Love Me Today--Corect Spelling
25 Mornin'--Al Jarreau
26 Too Shy--Kajagoogoo
27 Straight From the Heart--Bryan Adams
28 Electric Avenue--Eddy Grant
29 Don't Let it End--Styx
30 White Wedding--Billy Idol

Died on this date
John Williams, 80. U.K.-born U.S. actor. A tall, moustachioed Englishman, Mr. Williams was one of Alfred Hitchcock’s favourite actors. He appeared in Mr. Hitchcock’s films The Paradine Case (1947); Dial M for Murder (1954); and To Catch a Thief (1955), as well as a number of episodes of the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents (including some directed by Mr. Hitchcock himself). In Dial M For Murder, he recreated the role he had played on Broadway, which had earned him the 1953 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic). His performance in that play also won the Donaldson and New York Drama Critics award. Other movies for Mr. Williams included Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936); Kind Lady (1951); Witness for the Prosecution (1957); The Young Philadelphians (1959); and Midnight Lace (1960). He briefly replaced Sebastian Cabot in the television comedy series Family Affair when Mr. Cabot took ill with pneumonia in 1967.

Politics and government
In the British Columbia provincial election, the Social Credit party, under Premier Bill Bennett, retained power by winning 35 seats in the provincial legislature. The New Democrats took 27 seats.

Defense
The United States performed a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site.

U.S. President Ronald Reagan described the amended nuclear freeze resolution passed in the House of Representatives the day before as ambiguous, and said that he still withheld his support.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference Finals
New York Islanders 1 @ Boston 5 (New York led best-of-seven series 3-2)

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Always on My Mind--Pet Shop Boys (10th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Heart--Pet Shop Boys (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
George Rose, 68. U.K.-born U.S. actor. Mr. Rose had a long career in cinema and theatre. He made his first Broadway appearance in Henry IV, Part I in 1946, and eventually received five Tony nominations, winning for My Fair Lady (1976) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1986). His movie appearances included A Night to Remember (1958). Mr. Rose was beaten to death by his adopted son at his vacation home in the Dominican Republic. He was on tour with The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and had gone to the D.R. during a two-week vacation break.

Tamara Pos. Surinamese/Dutch activist. I don’t know who she was, but I do know this...

War
French commandos attacked Melanesian separatists on the island of New Caledonia and freed 23 French hostages. For two weeks, the Melanesians had been attacking French military patrols, and a French navy patrol boat had shelled a Melanesian camp. Seven people had been reported killed prior to May 5. Two commandos and 19 Melanesians were killed in the assault. In a statement, the separatists said the "massacre" would reinforce their determination to end French rule.

Terrorism
In France, three French hostages who had been freed from Lebanon the day before were welcomed back by Premier Jacques Chirac. Mr. Chirac had indirect responsibility for hostage negotiations. His government denied that ransom had been paid, but it was reported that France would repay about $340 million (U.S.) owed to Iran.

Labour
Police raided the Lenin steel mill near Krakow Poland and put an end to a 9-day strike of about 7,000 workers who had been demanding more pay and recognition of the independent labour federation Solidarity.

Religion
Eugene Marino was installed as the first Negro U.S. Roman Catholic archbishop.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Detroit 3 @ Edmonton 5 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-0)

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Informer--Snow (3rd week at #1)

Medicine
A team of scientists in Helsinki announced that they were near to locating the gene that triggered colon cancer and several other varieties of disease.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
St. Louis 2 @ Toronto 1 (2 OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Los Angeles 6 @ Vancouver 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

10 years ago
2003

War
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced that Canada would take over international command of the peacekeeping mission in Kabul, Afghanistan. Nearly 1,800 troops were to be deployed, beginning in August 2003.

Diplomacy
Pakistan offered to eliminate its nuclear weapons if India did the same.

The presidents of South Africa, Nigeria, and Malawi, meeting in Harare, failed to resolve the growing turmoil between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.