May 8, 2013

1,600 years ago
413

Economics and finance
Roman Emperor Honorius signed an edict providing tax relief for the Italian provinces Tuscia, Campania, Picenum, Samnium, Apulia, Lucania and Calabria, who were plundered by the Visigoths.

260 years ago
1753

Born on this date
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Mexican revolutionary leader. Don Miguel Hidalgo was a Roman Catholic priest who, in 1810-1811, led a rebellion of poor farmers and civilians against European-born Spaniards who had overthrown the Spanish viceroy. Don Miguel Hidalgo attracted almost 90,000 followers, but they were untrained and poorly-armed, and were defeated by 6,000 well-armed Spanish troops in the Battle of Calderón Bridge in January 1811. Dom Miguel Hidalgo and his troops fled northward, but he was betrayed, captured, and convicted of treason. He was executed by firing squad and decapitated in Chihuahua City on July 30, 1811 at the age of 58. Dom Miguel Hidalgo is now regarded as the Padre de la Patria (Father of the Nation).

140 years ago
1873

Died on this date
John Stuart Mill, 66. U.K. philosopher. Mr. Mill was regarded as the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the 19th century. He was known for his support of individual liberties in opposition to the state, and his belief in utilitarianism--maximizing happiness and avoiding pain.

110 years ago
1903

Died on this date
Paul Gauguin, 54. French artist. Mr. Gauguin was one of the leading painters of the French post-Impressionist era. He became popular after his death, and was an influence on such 20th century artists as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Sidney James. South African-born U.K. actor. Born Solomon Joel Cohen, Mr. James was a member of the cast of the British radio comedy series Hancock's Half Hour in the 1950s, but is best remembered as a star of the "Carry On" series of movies in the 1960s and '70s, and the television comedy series Bless This House (1971-1976). He died at the age of 62 of a heart attack on stage while starring in a revival of The Mating Season in Sunderland, England on April 26, 1976.

80 years ago
1933

Protest
Mohandas Gandhi began a 21-day fast to protest British rule in India.

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 (10th week at #1)

At the movies
The Ox-Bow Incident, directed by William Wellman and starring Henry Fonda, received its premiere screening in New York City.





The Black Raven, directed by Sam Newfield, and starring George Zucco, Wanda McKay, and Robert Livingston, opened in theatres in Boston.



Died on this date
Mordechai Anielewicz, 24 (?). Polish resistance fighter. Mr. Anielewicz was the leader of the Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa (Jewish Combat Organization), also known as ŻOB, during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in January and April 1943, when Jews fought attempts by the Nazi occupiers to deport Jews to extermination camps. Mr. Anielewicz's death was believed to be part of a mass suicide.

War
U.K., U.S., and French troops in Tunisia drove the remnants of Axis troops toward the Cap Bon Peninsula and mop up thousands of trapped men behind the lines.

Environment
Dr. Nabor Carrillo predicted in Puebla, Mexico that Mexico City would sink into the earth in the 20th century unless its continued subsidance into the soft ground was stopped.

Horse racing
Count Fleet, with Johnny Longden up, won his second straight Triple Crown race, winning the 68th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:57 2/5. Blue Swords placed second.

60 years ago
1953

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Believe--Frankie Laine (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Vault, starring Dorothy Peterson and Cameron Prud'Homme

50 years ago
1963

Space
The mission of the Soviet satellite Cosmos 16 ended, 10 days after it had been launched.

Protest
South Vietnamese soldiers of President Ngo Dinh Diem, a Roman Catholic, opened fire on Buddhists defying a ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Vesak, killing nine.

World events
Canada evacuated its citizens by air from riot-torn Haiti.

Hockey
WHL

The Calgary Stampeders requested a voluntary suspension of operations from the Western Hockey League. The Stampeders were the farm club of the National Hockey League's Chicago Black Hawks, but relations between the clubs had recently soured.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Der Junge mit der Mundharmonika--Bernd Clüver (3rd week at #1)

Terrorism
The 71-day occupation of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at Wounded Knee, South Dakota ended when Ogala Lakota and American Indian Movement activists surrendered to U.S. federal authorities.

Mexican officials announced that a ransom of $80,000 had been paid two days earlier to People's Revolutionary Armed Forces guerrillas as part of an arrangement to secure the release of U.S. Consul General Terrance Leonhardy, who had been kidnapped on May 4 near his home in Guadalajara. Mr. Hardy had been released near his home on May 7. U.S. officials denied endorsement of the ransom.

War
A third cease-fire of hostilities in Lebanon between the Lebanese army and Palestinian guerrillas was announced. Syria closed its border with Lebanon, accusing Lebanon of complicity in an anti-Palestinian conspiracy of "foreign design."

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Chicago 8 @ Montreal 7 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Stan Mikita and Jim Pappin each scored 2 goals for the Black Hawks as they outlasted the Canadiens before 18,950 fans at the Montreal Forum. Other Chicago goals were scored by Dennis Hull, Lou Angotti, and rookies Dave Kryskow and Len Frig. Mr. Frig's goal was his first in the NHL. Claude Larose scored 2 goals for the Canadiens, with other Montreal goals being
scored by Frank and Pete Mahovlich, Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, and Henri Richard. Montreal's Ken Dryden and Chicago's Tony Esposito, the two best goalies in the league, produced the highest-scoring game in the modern history of the Stanley Cup finals.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Let's Dance--David Bowie

Died on this date
John Fante, 74. U.S. author. Mr. Fante was best known for his four novels collectively known as "The Bandini Quartet," especially Ask the Dust (1939).

Politics and government
Spain's ruling socialist party swept municipal elections.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): One Tree Hill--U2 (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Heart--Pet Shop Boys

Died on this date
Robert A Heinlein, 80. U.S. author. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers, Mr. Heinlein set a high standard for "hard science" fiction. Mr. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke were known as the "Big Three" of science fiction authors for many years. Among Mr. Heinlein’s novels were Red
Planet (1949); The Puppet Masters (1951); and Starship Troopers (1959). His 1961 novel Stranger in a Strange Land has been called "The Bible of the hippie movement" for its advocacy of liberal sexual mores. Mr. Heinlein was known for saying that man is not a rational creature, but a rationalizing creature.

Politics and government
Francois Mitterrand was elected to a second seven-year term as President of France, with 54% of the vote.

Scandal
The New York Times reported that U.S. Vice President George Bush had been told in 1985 by Everett Briggs, U.S. Ambassador to Panama, that Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was involved in drug smuggling. Mr. Briggs denied the report; Mr. Bush had repeatedly said that he had no knowledge that early about Mr. Noriega’s activities.

Crime
A jury in Seattle convicted Stella Nickell of two counts of murder. She became the first person to be found guilty of violating the U.S. Federal Anti-Tampering Act after putting cyanide in Excedrin capsules. Mrs. Nickell was convicted of the murders of her husband Bruce and Susan Snow, who had taken a poisoned capsule from a bottle that Mrs. Nickell had tampered with and placed on a store shelf.

Labour
Talks at Gdansk, Poland between workers and the shipyard management broke down over recognition of the independent labour federation Solidarity.

Communications
A fire at Illinois Bell's Hinsdale Central Office triggered an extended 1AESS network outage. It was considered at the time to be the "worst telecommunications disaster in U.S. telephone industry history" and still ranks as the worst to occur on Mother's Day.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference
Finals
Boston 1 @ New Jersey 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Amateur officials worked the game at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey as NHL officials walked out to protest a restraining order obtained by the Devils against the suspension of head coach Jim Schoenfeld for allegedly pushing referee "Donut Don" Koharski after the previous game. Little John Ziegler, the President of the National Hockey League, was occupied by a family emergency and was unable to deal with the situation.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Eastern Conference
First Round
Milwaukee 111 @ Atlanta 121 (Atlanta won best-of-five series 3-2)
Cleveland 101 @ Chicago 107 (Chicago won best-of-five series 3-2)
Washington 78 @ Detroit 99 (Detroit won best-of-five series 3-2)

Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Utah 91 @ Los Angeles Lakers 110 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Baseball
Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitcher Doug Drabek took a no-hitter into the 9th inning before allowing a pinch single by Randy Ready and a home run by Marvell Wynne, but won a 6-2 two-hitter over the San Diego Padres.

20 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Are You Gonna Go My Way--Lenny Kravitz (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Sei un Mito--883 (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Tribal Dance--2 Unlimited

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

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

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Mr. Blue--René Klijn (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Five Live (EP)--George Michael & Queen with Lisa Stansfield (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Freak Me--Silk (2nd week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Have I Told You Lately by Rod Stewart (#52); Bad Boys by Inner Circle (#69); Typical Reasons (Swing My Way) by Prince Markie Dee and Soul Convention (#77); and A Song for You by Ray Charles (#81).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)
2 If I Ever Lose My Faith in You--Sting
3 Love Is--Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight
4 The Crying Game--Boy George
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 Simple Life--Elton John
10 Will You Remember Me--Jann Arden

Singles entering the chart included Love Don't Live Here Anymore by Sven Gali (#62); The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight by R.E.M. (#92); Worlds Away by the Northern Pikes (#93); Coat of Shame by Mae Moore (#94); and Don't Take Away My Heaven by Aaron Neville (#97).

Died on this date
Avram Davidson, 70. U.S. author. Mr. Davidson was a writer of fantasy and crime fiction who won a Hugo Award and three World Fantasy Awards.

Boxing
Lennox Lewis (23-0) retained his World Boxing Council heavyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Tony Tucker (48-2) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Mr. Tucker was knocked down in rounds 3 and 9.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference
Division Finals
Montreal 4 @ Buffalo 3 (OT) (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-0)
Pittsburgh 5 @ New York Islanders 6 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Kirk Muller scored at 11:37 of the 1st overtime period to give the Canadiens their third straight overtime win, eliminating the Sabres at War Memorial Auditorium. Montreal led 3-1 until Dale Hawerchuk scored on a powerplay with 7:30 remaining in regulation time to reduce the deficit to 3-2, and Yuri Khmylev scored with 10 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Western Conference
First Round
Los Angeles Clippers 80 @ Houston 84 (Houston won best-of-five series 3-2)
Utah 92 @ Seattle 100 (Seattle won best-of-five series 3-2)

10 years ago
2003

Health
The World Health Organization reported that recently-identified severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had been found in 31 countries, with a total of 7,053 cases and 506 deaths so far. The WHO added the Taiwanese capital of Taipei and two new Chinese areas to the list of places that travellers should avoid. Russia identified its first likely case of SARS
and closed some border crossings with China.

Disasters
An unknown number of people aboard a Russian-built Ilyushin 76 jet flying from Kinshasa to Lubumbashin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were sucked out of the plane to their deaths when the main cargo door opened at an altitude of 33,000 feet. There were estimated to be 200 people on board, with estimates of the death toll ranging from 60-170. Survivors held on to ropes and netting inside the plane.