April 16, 2014

225 years ago
1789

Politics and government
U.S. President-elect George Washington left his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia for his inauguration in New York.

175 years ago
1839

Born on this date
Antonio Starabba, Marchese di Rudinì. The Marchese di Rudinì, a Liberal, was Prime Minister of Italy from 1891-1892 and 1896-1898. He died on August 6, 1908 at the age of 69.

160 years ago
1854

Born on this date
Jacob Sechler Coxey. U.S. politician. Mr. Coxey was a perennial candidate for various offices in Ohio for more than 50 years, and served as Mayor of Massillon, Ohio for the entire year of 1931. In 1894 and 1914 he led "Coxey's Army," a group of unemployed men who marched to Washington, D.C., to present a "Petition in Boots" demanding that the United States Congress allocate funds to create jobs for the unemployed. Mr. Coxey's efforts were unsuccessful, but Congress enacted the Social Security Act in 1935 in reaction to the issue of mass unemployment. Mr. Coxey died on May 18, 1951 at the age of 97.

140 years ago
1874

Politics and government
Louis Riel, the member from the Manitoba riding of Provencher, was expelled from the Canadian House of Commons as a fugitive, since there was a warrant for his arrest in Ontario for the 1870 shooting of Thomas Scott in Red River, Manitoba.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Charlie Chaplin. U.K.-born film actor and director. Sir Charles was one of the most important figures in the history of cinema. His character "The Little Tramp" in short comedy films was perhaps the most famous character of the silent film era. He later made feature films, including The Kid (1921); The Gold Rush (1925); The Circus (1928); City Lights (1931); Modern Times (1936); The Great Dictator (1940); Monsieur Verdoux (1947); and Limelight (1952). Mr. Chaplin ran afoul of the Hollywood blacklist in the 1950s because of alleged Communist sympathies, left the U.S. in 1952, and didn't return to the United States until 1972, when he was awarded an honourary Academy Award for lifetime achievement. Sir Charles composed the music for many of his films, and his score for Limelight won an Academy Award, although it was for the year 1972, since the film hadn't been commercially screened in Los Angeles until that year. Sir Charles, who was knighted in 1975, died on December 25, 1977 at the age of 88.

120 years ago
1894

Canadiana
Prime Minister John Thompson narrowly failed to bring Newfoundland into Confederation, as a conference in Ottawa failed to agree on terms.

75 years ago
1939

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 1 @ Boston 3 (Boston won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Roy Conacher's goal with 2:06 remaining in the 2nd period proved to be the winner as the Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs at Boston Garden to win their second Stanley Cup championship, and their first in 10 years. Boston goalie Frank Brimsek allowed just 6 goals in 5 games in the finals.

Baseball
PCL
The Hollywood Stars swept a doubleheader from the Portland Beavers at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles to extend their winning streak to 15 games. The second game was a 16-7 slugfest that was called after 5 innings so that Wrigley Field could be set up to accommodate the next day's world heavyweight championship bout between champion Joe Louis and challenger Jack Roper.

70 years ago
1944

War
Soviet troops advanced more than 30 miles along the southeast coast of Crimea and captured 40 localities, including the port of Yalta. Allied forces started bombing Belgrade, killing about 1,100 people; The bombing fell on the Orthodox Christian Easter.

Defense
United States Army Freight and Passenger (FP) ship FP-344 was launched at the Kewaunee Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. In 1966 it was transferred to the Navy and renamed USS Pueblo.

Politics and government
Soviet Commissar of Foreign Affairs Andrei Vishinsky announced that the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. had agreed to create a new Italian government representing all democratic elements.

U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur denied that he was a candidate for President of the United States in the November 1944 election.

Labour
In an unprecedented decision, the U.S. National War Labor Board ruled that American News Company was justified in discharging nine workers who struck to compel payment of wage increases that had not been approved by the NWLB.

Disasters
39 people were killed and more than 500 injured when a tornado swept through northeastern Georgia and western South Carolina, causing heavy property damage.

60 years ago
1954

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Secret Love--Doris Day

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 1 @ Detroit 2 (OT) (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Tony Leswick scored at 4:29 of the 1st overtime period as the Red Wings edged the defending champion Canadiens at Olympia Stadium to win the Stanley Cup for the third time in the previous five years. Mr. Leswick's shot was accidentally deflected off the glove of Montreal defenseman Doug Harvey past goalie Gerry McNeil. The Canadiens were heavily criticized for skating off the ice after the game without shaking hands with the new champions. The championship was the third and last for the Red Wings under head coach Tommy Ivan, who retired from coaching to move into management.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Anyone Who Had a Heart--Cilla Black

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Can't Buy Me Love--The Beatles (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Polo Grounds: Requiem for an Arena, narrated by Horace McMahon, on WABC

Howard Cosell produced this documentary about the baseball and football park in New York City, opened in 1890, that was about to be torn down (see video).

Crime
12 men involved in Britain's "Great Train Robbery" in August 1963 were given prison sentences totalling 307 years.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 3 @ Detroit 4 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Alex Delvecchio, assisted by Gordie Howe, scored the winning goal with 17 seconds remaining in regulation time as the Red Wings edged the Maple Leafs at Olympia Stadium. Floyd Smith scored 2 goals for Detroit.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Quelque chose et moi--Gérard Lenorman (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
Democratic Party candidate J. Bob Traxler defeated Republican candidate James Sparling in a by-election for Michigan's 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Traxler, the first Democrat to be elected in the district since 1932, had attempted to make the by-election a referendum on President Richard Nixon's performance in office. The result was the fourth such defeat for Republican candidates in recent months.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
East Division
New York Rangers 3 @ Montreal 2 (OT) (New York led best-of-seven series 3-2)

West Division
Los Angeles 0 @ Chicago 1 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Ron Harris scored at 4:07 of the 1st overtime period to give the Rangers their win over the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): 99 Luftballons--Nena (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Thriller--Michael Jackson (9th week at #1)

Defense
The Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security was founded in Ottawa, and funded by the government of Canada.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Like a Prayer--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Like a Prayer--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

Crime
The last of 15 mutilated bodies were found buried near Matamoros, Mexico, near the U.S. border. The bodies had been discovered over a period of five days. Five suspects were arrested who said that the victims had been sacrificed to ensure that their killers, who were drug traffickers, would be protected from police.

Baseball
Kelly Gruber of the Toronto Blue Jays became the first Toronto professional player to hit for the cycle in a 15-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): It's Alright--East 17 (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Serenata Rap--Jovanotti (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Dimension Divertida--Paco Pil (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Without You--Mariah Carey (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Everything Changes--Take That (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Bump n' Grind--R. Kelly (2nd week at #1)
2 The Sign--Ace of Base
3 Without You/Never Forget You--Mariah Carey
4 Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm--Crash Test Dummies
5 The Power of Love--Celine Dion
6 So Much in Love--All-4-One
7 Whatta Man--Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue
8 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol)
9 Now and Forever--Richard Marx
10 Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen

Singles entering the chart were Beautiful in My Eyes by Joshua Kadison (#79); Part Time Lover/I'm Still in Love with You by H-Town/Al B. Sure! (#86); Gonna Love You Right by After 7 (#93); The Right Time by I to I (#94); Play My Funk by Simple E (#96); and It Ain't Hard to Tell by Nas (#97). Gonna Love You Right and Play My Funk were from the movie Sugar Hill (1994). The Right Time was from the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Sign--Ace of Base (3rd week at #1)
2 Without You--Mariah Carey
3 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol)
4 Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm--Crash Test Dummies
5 So Much in Love--All-4-One
6 Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen
7 Now and Forever--Richard Marx
8 Whatta Man--Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue
9 Baby, I Love Your Way--Big Mountain
10 Bump n' Grind--R. Kelly

Singles entering the chart were I'll Take You There by General Public (#54); Got Me Waiting by Heavy D & Boyz (#88); and I'll Wait by Taylor Dayne (#90).

Died on this date
Ralph Ellison, 80. U.S. author. Mr. Ellison was a Negro scholar and Communist who eventually became disillusioned with Communism. He was best known for his novel Invisible Man (1952).

War
Serb forces in Bosnia used a surface-to-air missile to down a British reconnaissance and attack jet as the jet was attempting to fire on a Serbian tank.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Montreal 2 @ Boston 3 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)