April 21, 2014

225 years ago
1789

Politics and government
John Adams was sworn in as the 1st Vice President of the United States, nine days before George Washington took office as the 1st President.

150 years ago
1864

Born on this date
Max Weber. German economist and sociologist. Dr. Weber was one of the founding figures of sociology. He was best known for his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), emphasizing the importance of religious beliefs and their influence on society. Dr. Weber died of pneumonia on June 14, 1920 at the age of 56.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Paul Karrer. Russian-born Swiss chemist. Dr. Karrer shared the 1937 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Walter Haworth, both of whom had conducted research on vitamins. Dr. Karrer died on June 18, 1971 at the age of 82.

Efrem Zimbalist. Russian-born U.S. musician. Mr. Zimbalist was one of the world's most prominent concert violinists in the first half of the 20th century. He directed the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 1941-1968. Mr. Zimbalist died on February 22, 1985 at the age of 95.

120 years ago
1894

Defense
Norway formally adopted the Krag–Jørgensen bolt-action rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Norman Panama. U.S. screenwriter and film director. Mr. Panama was known for his writing partnership with Melvin Frank. His movie credits include Road to Utopia (1945); Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948); Knock on Wood (1954); White Christmas (1954); The Court Jester (1956); Li'l Abner (1959); and The Road to Hong Kong (1962). Mr. Panama died on January 13, 2003 at the age of 88.

World events
The German steamer SS Ypiranga, carrying arms to Mexico, was intercepted by the U.S. Navy near Veracruz while the U.S. was enforcing an arms embargo. The ship was soon released, and offloaded its cargo at the port of Puerto México, which was beyond American influence.

90 years ago
1924

Died on this date
Eleonora Duse, 65. Italian actress. Miss Duse was one of the world's most famous stage actresses, touring, Europe, South America, and the United States. She was associated with plays written by Gabriele d'Annunzio and Henrik Ibsen.

80 years ago
1934

Popular culture
The "Surgeon's Photograph," the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, was published in the London Daily Mail.

70 years ago
1944

War
Japanese forces, aided by reinforcements from Manchukuo, were reported to be quickly encircling the northern Honan town of Chengchow. U.S. Army Lieutenant General George Patton was assigned to an undisclosed European command.

Diplomacy
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said that the Atlantic Charter reserved the right of the United Kingdom to maintain her empire.

Politics and government
Marshal Pietro Badoglio announced a new Italian cabinet in which he would serve as prime minister and foreign minister, with representatives of opposition parties which had been critical of his government.

U.S. Senator Clyde Reed (Republican--Kansas) introduced a resolution in the Senate for an investigation of "unauthorized disclosures of information obtained through censorship channels."

Economics and finance
U.S. Treasure Secretary Henry Morgenthau said that representatives of 30 Allied nations had agreed in principle on a plan for establishment of an $8-billion currency stabilization fund to be administered by the World Bank.

Business
The U.S. Maritime Commission announced in Washington that it had completed negotiations with Henry Kaiser's Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation, reducing its profits by $6,322,954.

Football
NFL
The National Football League announced the merger of the Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers for the 1944 season, with the team officially known as Card-Pitt.

50 years ago
1964

On television tonight
The Fugitive, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The End Game, with guest stars John McGiver, John Fiedler, and Joseph Campanella

This was the final episode of the series' first season, and one of this blogger's favourite episodes.

Space
A U.S. Navy Transit-5bn satellite failed to reach orbit after launch; as it re-entered the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source was widely dispersed.

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

Eddie Joyal's goal with 12:30 remaining in the 3rd period gave the Red Wings a 2-0 lead and proved to be the winning goal as they edged the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. Gordie Howe scored the game's first goal, and George Armstrong scored with 5:03 remaining in regulation time to ruin Terry Sawchuk's bid for a shutout.

40 years ago
1974

Died on this date
Chic Harley, 79. U.S. football player. Mr. Harley was a star halfback with Ohio State University in 1916-1917 and 1919, and was the team's first big star, scoring 23 touchdowns and 201 points in 24 games. He interrupted his career in 1918 to serve in World War I. Mr. Harley was about to turn professional with the Chicago Staleys of the American Professional Football Association (now the NFL) in 1921, but he was diagnosed with dementia praecox, apparently originating from his war service. Mr. Harley spent most of the rest of his life in a veterans' hospital in Danville, Illinois.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Chicago 6 @ Boston 8 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Baseball
Steve Staggs, second baseman with the Jacksonville Suns of the AA Southern League, made an unassisted triple play in the top of the 6th inning against the Asheville Orioles. With none out and the Suns leading 2-1, Nate Clayton on second base and Larry Harlow on first, Kiko Garcia bunted. The ball bounced high, and Mr. Clayton, thinking it had been caught on the fly by pitcher Norm Angelini, remained at second. The ball had in fact hit the ground, and Mr. Angelini threw to Mr. Staggs, covering first base, for the first out. Mr. Staggs saw both Mr. Clayton on second base and tagged him. Mr. Harlow, who had gone to second on the bunt, stepped off the bag, and Mr. Staggs tagged him for the third out. Jacksonville won the game 3-2.

The Tacoma Tigers defeated the Sacramento Solons 16-9 in a Pacific Coast League game at Camellia Gardens in Sacramento, with the teams combining to hit 12 home runs. The left field wall at Camellia Gardens was only 242 feet from home plate.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Love of the Common People--Paul Young (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Hello--Lionel Richie

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Hello--Lionel Richie (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Hello--Lionel Richie (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Hello--Lionel Richie (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins
2 Footloose--Kenny Loggins
3 Hello--Lionel Richie
4 Eat It--"Weird Al" Yankovic
5 Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins
6 Miss Me Blind--Culture Club
7 Somebody's Watching Me--Rockwell
8 Automatic--Pointer Sisters
9 Here Comes the Rain Again--Eurythmics
10 Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper

Singles entering the chart were The Reflex by Duran Duran (#63); The Heart of Rock and Roll by Huey Lewis and the News (#67); My Ever Changing Moods by the Style Council (#83); You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) by Joe Jackson (#85); Modern Day Delilah by Van Stephenson (#86); I Cry Just a Little Bit by Shakin' Stevens (#88); and Don't Waste Your Time by Yarbrough & Peoples (#89).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins
2 Footloose--Kenny Loggins
3 Somebody's Watching Me--Rockwell
4 Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper
5 Eat It--"Weird Al" Yankovic
6 Miss Me Blind--Culture Club
7 Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins
8 99 Red Balloons--Nena
9 Jump--Van Halen
10 Hello--Lionel Richie

Singles entering the chart were Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (#43); Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry (#44); Dance Hall Days by Wang Chung (#46); I'll Wait by Van Halen (#47); Head Over Heels by the Go-Go's (#49); and Come Back and Stay by Paul Young (#50).

Baseball
The Montreal Expos blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal in a game that was called after 4 1/2 innings because of rain, while Montreal's David Palmer was pitching a perfect game.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Looking for Freedom--David Hasselhoff (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
James Kirkwood, Jr., 64. U.S. actor, playwright, and author. Mr. Kirkwood acted in the television soap opera Valiant Lady (1953-1957) and wrote several novels, but was best known for co-writing the book for the musical play A Chorus Line (1975), for which he shared a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama with collaborator Nicholas Dante. Mr. Kirkwood died of AIDS.

Protest
In Beijing, about 100,000 students gathered in Tiananmen Square to commemorate recently-deceased Chinese Communist reform leader Hu Yaobang.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Montreal 5 @ Boston 4 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-0)

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Jos sulla on toinen--Taikapeili (4th week at #1)

Crime
Paul Hill, one of the "Guildford Four" convicted of the 1974 Irish Republican Army murder of a British soldier, was cleared by the Appeal Court in Belfast because his confession had been obtained improperly.

10 years ago
2004

Terrorism
Five suicide car bombers targeted police stations in and around Basra, Iraq, killing 74 people and wounding 160.

A suicide bomber blew up the headquarters of the security service in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, killing at least four people. A radical Islamist group claimed responsibility.