June 8, 2013

1,220 years ago
793

World events
Vikings raided the abbey at Lindisfarne in Northumbria in what is commonly accepted as the beginning of the Scandinavian invasion of England.

230 years ago
1783

Disasters
Laki, a volcano in Iceland, began an eight-month eruption which killed over 9,000 people and started a seven-year famine.

225 years ago
1788

Born on this date
Charles Wickliffe. U.S. politician. Mr. Wickliffe was a member of several parties during the course of his career. He represented Kentucky's 9th District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1823-1833) and was a Whig when he was Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1836-1839), acting as Governor (1839-1840) following the death of Governor James Clark. Mr. Clark was U.S. Postmaster General in the administration of President John Tyler (1841-1845), and served as President James K. Polk's envoy to the Republic of Texas in 1845. As a Union Whig, Mr. Wickliffe represented Kentucky's 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1861-1863), opposing the state's secession from the United States. He was permanently crippled in a fall from a carriage near the end of his term, but still ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Kentucky as a Peace Democrat. Mr. Wickliffe became totally blind in later years, and died on October 31, 1869 at the age of 81.

120 years ago
1893

Transportation
Miowera, the first steamship of the Canadian Australian Line, arrived in Victoria, British Columbia from Sydney, Australia.

75 years ago
1938

Politics and government
The Liberal Party, led by Premier William Patterson, won a second consecutive majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly in the Saskatchewan provincial election. The Liberals took 38 of 52 seats, a decrease of 12 from the most recent election in 1934. The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, led by G.H. Williams, increased their total from 5 seats to 10. Social Credit, led by Joseph Needham, won 2 seats, as did the Unity Party. The Conservatives, led by future Canadian Prime Minister, were shut out.

70 years ago
1943

War
British forces failed to land units on the Mediterranean island of Lamand as Axis forces repelled the effort. Soviet forces repulsed a German attempt to cross the Donets River in the Lisichansk area and threw back an attack in the Volkhov sector east of Leningrad. Chinese trops completed the occupation of Itu, a Yangtze River port 18 miles below Ichang.

Politics and government
The Argentine government of General Pablo Ramirez announced that it had been recognized by the Supreme Court, and ended martial law.

Crime
U.S. Navy authorities declared the entire area of Los Angeles out-of-bounds for sailors on liberty, after four nights of street fighting between white sailors and youths, mainly Mexican Americans, wearing zoot suits.



Economics and finance
U.S. and Liberian representatives signed a Lend-Lease agreement at a ceremony in New York attended by Liberian President Edwin Barclay.

Boxing
Willie Pep (67-1) retained New York State Athletic Commission recognition as world featherweight champion with a 15-round unanimous decision over Sal Bartolo (46-16-6) at Braves Field in Boston. Mr. Pep had won a 10-round split decision over Mr. Bartolo in a non-title bout two months earlier.

60 years ago
1953

Law
The United States Supreme Court ruled that restaurants in Washington, D.C., could not refuse to serve Negro customers.

Disasters
An F5 tornado struck Flint and Beecher, Michigan, killing 116, injuring 844, and destroying 340 homes.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Tamoure--Bill Justis

#1 single in France: Dis-Lui--Claude François (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Il Ballo del Mattone--Rita Pavone

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Schuld war nur der Bossa Nova--Manuela (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Do You Want to Know a Secret?--Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): It's My Party--Lesley Gore (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 It's My Party--Lesley Gore (2nd week at #1)
2 Sukiyaki--Kyu Sakamoto
3 If You Wanna Be Happy--Jimmy Soul
4 I Love You Because--Al Martino
5 Da Doo Ron Ron--The Crystals
6 You Can't Sit Down--The Dovells
7 Two Faces Have I--Lou Christie
8 Surfin' U.S.A.--Beach Boys
9 Still--Bill Anderson
10 Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer--Nat King Cole

Singles entering the chart were Surf City by Jan & Dean (#80); Not Me by the Orlons (#81); Give Us Your Blessing by Ray Peterson (#87); Detroit City by Bobby Bare (#88); Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash (#90); Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport by Rolf Harris (#92); Goodnight My Love by the Fleetwoods (#98); Rat Race by the Drifters (#99); Say Wonderful Things by Patti Page (#100); Tips of My Fingers by Roy Clark (also #100); and Wipe Out by the Surfaris (also #100). Ronnie Carroll's version of Say Wonderful Things was listed with Patti Page's version.

Calgary's Top 10
1 It's My Party--Lesley Gore
2 Tamoure--Bill Justis
3 I Will Follow Him--Little Peggy March
4 Two Faces Have I--Lou Christie
5 Killer Joe--The Rocky Fellers
6 Reverend Mr. Black--The Kingston Trio
7 Sukiyaki--Kyu Sakamoto
8 Da Doo Ron Ron--The Crystals
9 Patty Baby--Freddy Cannon
10 Pipeline--Chantays
Pick hit of the week: Hello Stranger--Barbara Lewis

Scandal
Dr. Stephen Ward, a London osteopath and friend of call girl Christine Keeler, was arrested and charged with living on immoral earnings. Three days earlier, U.K. Secretary of State for War John Profumo had resigned his office after admitting that he had lied when he had denied having a relationship with Miss Keeler.

Horse racing
Chateaugay, with Braulio Baeza up, won the 95th running of the Belmont Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York in a time of 2:30 1/5. Chateaugay had also won the Kentucky Derby, and placed second in the Preakness Stakes. Candy Spots, winner of the Preakness Stakes, placed second in the Belmont Stakes. The race was run at Aqueduct because Belmont Park was being renovated.



40 years ago
1973

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

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Get Down--Gilbert O'Sullivan (5th week at #1)

Politics and government
Generalissimo Francisco Franco, 80, who had been dictator of Spain since the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939, resigned as Premier, but remained as Chief of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

30 years ago
1983

Defense
The Israeli Knesset defeated a motion to call for Israeli troops in Lebanon to withdraw to the southern part of the country.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that police had the power to obtain search warrants on the basis of anonymous tips.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Only One Woman--Alien (3rd week at #1)

20 years ago
1993

Died on this date
Roy Henshaw, 81. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Henshaw played with the Chocago Cubs (1933, 1935-1936); Brooklyn Dodgers (1937); St. Louis Cardinals (1938); and Detroit Tigers (1942-1944), compiling a record of 33-40 with an earned run average of 4.16 in 216 games. His best season was 1935, when he was 13-5 with a 3.28 ERA in helping the Cubs win the National League pennant, and was 0-0 with a 7.61 ERA in his only World Series appearance.

10 years ago
2003

Basketball
NBA
Finals
San Antonio 84 @ New Jersey 89 (San Antonio led best-of-seven series 2-1)