April 17, 2014

1,970 years ago
44

Born on this date
Evaristus. Judean-born Roman clergyman. Evaristus was the Christian Bishop of Rome from circa 99 until his death circa 107 at the age of 63. He reportedly divided Rome into several titles, assigning a priest to each.

1,270 years ago
744

Died on this date
Al-Walid II, 35 (?). Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, 743-744. Al Walid II became Caliph upon the death of his uncle Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. Al Walid II had a reputation for immorality, which led to a plot against him, and his death in battle in Jordan at the hands of forces led by Sulayman ibn Hisham. Al-Walid II was succeeded as Caliph by his cousin Yazid III.

670 years ago
1344

Died on this date
Constantine II. King of Armenia, 1342-1344. Constantine II succeeded his cousin Leo IV. He was killed in an uprising, and was succeeded by his distant cousin Constantine III.

490 years ago
1524

Exploration
Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano reached New York harbour.

150 years ago
1864

War
In the U.S. Civil War, the Battle of Plymouth began as Confederate forces attacked Plymouth, North Carolina.

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
The new Union Association, attempting to compete as a major league, opened its season with 3 games. Tom O'Brien had 5 hits and 4 runs as the Boston Reds beat the Philadelphia Keystones 14-2. Bill Sweeney pitched a 5-hitter to get the win as the Baltimore Monumentals beat the Washington Nationals 7-3.

125 years ago
1889

Canadiana
Saint John and Portland agreed to merge, becoming one City of Saint John, New Brunswick.

75 years ago
1939

Boxing
Joe Louis (38-1) retained his world heavyweight title with a knockout of Jack Roper (61-40-10) at 2:20 of the 1st round at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.



70 years ago
1944

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Singular Contents of the Ancient British Barrow

Died on this date
Dimitrios Psarros, 50 or 51. Greek military officer and resistance leader. Lieutenant Psarros founded the National and Social Liberation (EKKA) movement. He was captured, shot, stabbed, and beheaded as forces of the Communist-controlled Greek People's Liberation Army ELAS) attacked the smaller National and Social Liberation resistance group, which surrendered.

War
Soviet troops swept another 12 miles across Crimea, taking the highway junction of Varnutka. Allied forces cut a Japanese roadblock on the Kohima-Dimapur road, 4 miles north of Kohima in the Indian state of Manipur. U.S. War Secretary Henry Stimson said the U.S. Army would require a minimum of 750,000 men during the remainder of 1944.

World events
The trial of 30 alleged seditionists, who were charged with plotting to establish a Nazi government in the United States, opened in Washington, D.C.

Mexican labour leader Vicente Lombardo Toledano said that the April 12 assassination attempt on President Avila Camacho had been plotted by a Fascist group hoping to establish an Argentine-model government.

Diplomacy
To prevent leakage of invasion plans, the British government of Prime Minister Winston Churchill imposed unprecedented restrictions on all foreign envoys except for those of the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R.

Politics and government
The Italian government of Prime Minister Marshal Pietro Badoglio resigned, and King Victor Emmanuel III asked him to form a new ministry representing all parties.

The South Carolina General Assembly passed hundreds of bills repealing laws governing primary elections in order to remove such elections from te jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Aviation
A Lockheed Constellation piloted by Howard Hughes and Jack Frye flew from Burbank, California to Washington, D.C. in the record time of 6 hours, 58 minutes at an average speed of 355 miles per hour.

Economics and finance
U.S. automobile magnate Henry Ford said that the Ford Motor Company would give employment preference to war veterans as they were demobilized.

60 years ago
1954

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): That's Amore--Dean Martin

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Wanted--Perry Como (Best Seller--2nd week at #1); Make Love to Me--Jo Stafford (Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Wanted--Perry Como (2nd week at #1)
2 Make Love to Me--Jo Stafford
3 Young at Heart--Frank Sinatra
4 Secret Love--Doris Day
5 I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)--The Four Knights
6 Cross Over the Bridge--Patti Page
7 A Girl, A Girl (Zoom-Ba Di Alli Nella)--Eddie Fisher
8 Answer Me, My Love--Nat "King" Cole
9 Here--Tony Martin
10 Stranger in Paradise--Tony Bennett
--The Four Aces
--Tony Martin

Singles entering the chart were I Should Care by Jeff Chandler (#24); Little Things Mean a Lot by Kitty Kallen (#25); If You Love Me (Really Love Me), with versions by Kay Starr and Vera Lynn (#36); and Latin Lady by Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#39).

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Can't Buy Me Love--The Beatles

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 All My Loving--The Beatles (6th week at #1)
2 Bits and Pieces--The Dave Clark Five
3 Twist and Shout--The Beatles
4 Can't Buy Me Love--The Beatles
5 Kissin' Cousins--Elvis Presley
6 Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)--The Serendipity Singers
7 This Boy--The Beatles
8 She Loves You--The Beatles
9 One Minute to One--Rick Nelson
10 Glad All Over--The Dave Clark Five
Pick hit of the week: I'm the Lonely One--Cliff Richard
New this week: Big Buildin'--Wink Martindale and Robin Ward
Wait for the Wagon--Jimmy Dean
Kiss Me Quick--Elvis Presley
Tea for Two--Nino Tempo & April Stevens
Only the Young--The Champs
If You Don't Look Around--The Kingston Trio

On television tonight
Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Jeopardy Room, starring Martin Landau, John van Dreelen, and Robert Kelljan

Aviation
Jerrie Mock, flying her single-engine Cessna 180 Spirit of Columbus, became the first woman to fly solo around the world, landing in Columbus, Ohio 29 days and 22,860 miles after departing the city.

Transportation
Ford Motor Company introduced the Ford Mustang to the North American market at the company's pavilion at the World's Fair in New York City.

Economics and finance
In Timmins Ontario, Texas Gulf Sulphur announced the Kidd Creek copper-zinc-silver discovery, leadin to the highest daily volume in North American stock exchanges to date: 28.7 million shares.

Baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates edged the New York Mets 4-3 before 50,312 fans in the first game ever played at Shea Stadium in New York. Bob Friend was the winning pitcher over Ed Bauta. Mr. Friend had also been the winning pitcher in the Mets' last home game at the Polo Grounds in 1963.



40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Tchip Tchip--Cash & Carry (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Frank McGee, 52. U.S. journalist. Mr. McGee was a television newscaster who began his career in Oklahoma before being transferred in 1955 to New York City, where he became prominent as an anchorman and reporter with the National Broadcasting Company. He anchored NBC's coverage of the assassinations of U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 and covered the manned space program. Mr. McGee hosted The Frank McGee Report in the 1960s, co-anchored NBC's weekend newscasts and the NBC Nightly News (1970-1971), and hosted The Today Show from 1971 until six days before his death, after a four-year battle with multiple myeloma.

Politics and government
U.S. President Richard Nixon named Federal Energy Office administrator to replace George Shultz as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Shultz had resigned on March 14. Unlike Mr. Shultz, Mr. Simon would not be overall director of the administration's economic policy, as Mr Nixon would succeed Mr. Shultz as chairman of the Council on Economic Policy.

Baseball
Chicago Cubs' catcher George Mitterwald had the biggest game of his career, hitting 3 home runs--including a grand slam--and a double and driving in 8 runs as the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 18-9 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Chicago third baseman Bill Madlock homered and scored 5 runs. Chicago pitcher Burt Hooton pitched a complete game for the victory despite allowing 9 runs, all of them earned. It was the last regular season major league appearance for Pittsburgh's Steve Blass, who had been one of the best pitchers in baseball in 1972 but had mysteriously lost his control in 1973 and had been unable to regain his previous form. Mr. Blass pitched 5 innings of relief, allowing 8 runs--5 earned--on 5 hits, with 7 bases on balls and 2 strikeouts.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): 99 Luftballons--Nena (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Claude Provost, 50. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Provost played right wing with the Montreal Canadiens from 1955-1970, scoring 589 points on 254 goals and 335 assists in 1,005 regular season games and adding 63 points on 25 goals and 38 assists in 126 playoff games. He played on nine Stanley Cup championship teams (1956-1960; 1965-66; 1968-69), and in 1968 became the first winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for exemplifying the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Mr. Provost died of a heart attack while playing tennis at his home in Florida.

Yvonne Fletcher, 25. U.K. police officer. Miss Fletcher was killed, and 10 others wounded by gunfire from the Libyan People's Bureau (Embassy) in London, during a small demonstration outside the embassy. The events led to an 11-day siege of the building.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that housing starts had declined 26.6% in March, the biggest one-month decline ever. The drop was reported to be due to bad weather.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Like a Prayer--Madonna

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Like a Prayer--Madonna (6th week at #1)

Scandal
The U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee, consisting of six Republicans and six Democrats, released a report that held, unanimously, that there was reason to believe that House Speaker Jim Wright (Democrat--Texas) had violated House rules. The 69 separate instances cited by the committee related to the acceptance of gifts and outside income, and were the legislative equivalent of an indictment. Mr. Wright said, "I know in my heart I have not violated any rules."

Economics and finance
U.S. President George Bush announced a package of economic aid to Poland, including elimination of U.S. tariffs on some Polish goods; loans to Poland (subject to Congressional approval); and an effort to expand the role of U.S. companies in Poland.

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

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Gangsta Lean--DRS (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Without You--Mariah Carey

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol)

Died on this date
Roger Wolcott Sperry, 80. U.S. neuropsychologist and neurobiologist. Dr. Sperry was shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine with David Hunter Hubel and Torsten Nils Wiesel for his work in split-brain research.

Curling
Canada captured both the men's and women's world championships at Eisstadion in Oberstdorf, Germany. The Sandra Peterson rink from Regina defeated Christine Cannon's Scottish rink 5-3 to win the women's title, while Rick Folk of British Columbia edged Jan-Olov Nässén's Swedish rink 3-2 in the men's final.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Washington 5 @ Pittsburgh 3 (Washington led best-of-seven series 1-0)
New York Islanders 0 @ New York Rangers 6 (Rangers led best-of-seven series 1-0)

IIHF Women's World Championship @ Herb Brooks Arena, Lake Placid, New York
Final
Canada 6 U.S.A. 3

The championship was the third straight for Canada.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Abdel Aziz Rantisi, 56. Palestinian terrorist leader. Dr. Rantisi, who had replaced Sheik Ahmed Yassin as leader of Hamas after Sheik Yassin's assassination in March, was killed in an Israeli missile attack in the Gaza Strip.

Terrorism
The government of Jordan announced that it had foiled an attack involving chemical weapons against the headquarters of its intelligence service. Al-qaeda was accused of plotting the attack.