April 24, 2014

310 years ago
1704

Journalism
The first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, the News-Letter, was published in Boston.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Stafford Cripps. U.K. politician. Sir Stafford, a member of the Labour Party, was Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Minister of Aircraft Production in the government of Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II, and Minister for Economic Affairs (1947) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1947-1950) in the government of Prime Minister Clement Attlee. He died on April 21, 1952, three days before his 63rd birthday.

110 years ago
1904

Journalism
Russian authorities lifted the ban on the publication of Lithuanian-language materials within the Russian Empire that had been in place for 40 years.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
William Castle. U.S. movie director and producer. Born William Schloss, Mr. Castle was known for directing low-budget thrillers--mainly from the 1940s through the 1960s--and for the gimmicks he employed in promoting his films. For Macabre (1958), he insured viewers against death by fright. House on Haunted Hill (1958) was filmed in "Emergo," which involved a plastic skeleton appearing to emerge from the screen and sliding along a wire in the theatre. For The Tingler (1959), theatre seats were wired with electric buzzers in a process called "Percepto." Homicidal 1961) offered a "fright break" near the end of the film, where viewers who were afraid to see the climax could go out and get their money back. For Mr. Sardonicus (1961), there was a "punishment poll," offering viewers to vote "thumbs up" or "thumbs down," by means of a card handed to them, on whether the title character should live or die. Reportedly, no audience ever voted to spare the villain, and it was widely believed that only one ending had actually been filmed. Mr. Castle died on May 31, 1977 at the age of 63.

Phil Watson. Canadian hockey player and coach. Mr. Watson, a centre, played with the New York Rangers (1935-43, 1944-48) and Montreal Canadiens (1943-44), scoring 409 points (144 goals, 265 assists) in 509 regular season games. He scored 45 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 54 playoff games, and was a member of Stanley Cup[ championship teams in 1940 and 1944. Mr. Watson was a Second Team All-Star in 1941-42, when he scored 15 goals and 37 assists in 48 games. Mr. Watson coached the Rangers from 1955-1959, leading them into the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. He was fired after the first 15 games of the 1959-60 season. Mr. Watson coached the Boston Bruins to a sixth and last-place finish in 1961-62, and was fired after the first 14 games of the 1962-63 season. He came back a decade later to coach the Philadelphia Blazers of the World Hockey Association in 1972-73 and led them into the playoffs, but they were eliminated in the first round. The team then moved to Vancouver, and Mr. Watson was fired after 12 games of the 1973-74 season. He died on February 1, 1991 at the age of 76.

Science
The Franck–Hertz experiment, the first electrical measurement to clearly show the quantum nature of atoms, was presented to the German Physical Society in a paper by James Franck and Gustav Hertz.

90 years ago
1924

Died on this date
G. Stanley Hall, 80. U.S. psychologist. Dr. Hall, who specialized in the study of childhood development, was the first person in the United States to earn a doctorate in psychology, and was the first president of the American Psychological Association. He was greatly influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and Ernst Haeckel's recapitulation theory, and advocated racial eugenics, selective breeding, and forced sterilization.

75 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Louis Trousselier, 57. French cyclist. Mr. Trousselier won the 1905 Tour de France, and won Paris-Roubaix (1905) and Bordeaux-Paris (1908).

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 Dentist Who Used Wolves' Bane

War
U.S. troops advanced more than a mile on the east flank of the Anzio beachhead in Italy, reaching a point two miles from the vital Appian Way southeast of Cisterna. Japanese forces began a new spring offensive in the Chinese province of Anwhei. U.S. Selective Service Director Lewis Hershey said that large numbers of the 3.6 million rejected registrants aged 18-36 years would be re-examined.

World events
The United Kingdom announced a ban on overseas travel effective April 28 except on business of national importance.

Disasters
The crash of a four-engine Liberator in Montreal's Griffintown neighborhood caused about 15 deaths and heavy material damage. In all, four houses were destroyed under the impact and six others were burned. The causes of the incident were never accurately identified.

60 years ago
1954

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): That's Amore--Dean Martin (2nd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Wanted--Perry Como (Best Seller--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); Make Love to Me--Jo Stafford (Jukebox--7th week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Alone Too Long by Nat "King" Cole (#21); Dream, Dream, Dream by Sunny Gale (#22); The Happy Wanderer, with versions by Frank Weir and his Orchestra and Henri Rene's Musette (#23); My Sin by Georgia Gibbs (#27); Goin' Like Wild Fire by Jo Stafford and Frankie Laine (#38); Somewhere There is Someone by Lou Monte (#40); Face to Face by Gordon MacRae (#42); Big Noise from Winnetka by Ralph Marterie and his Orchestra (#46); and Beer Barrel Polka by Liberace (#47). Alone Too Long was the other side of It Happens to Be Me, charting at #32.

World events
British security forces in Kenya rounded up more than 10,000 Mau Mau rebels.

Boxing
Willie Wilson (19-2) won a 5-round unanimous decision over Ed Sanders (3-1) in a heavyweight bout at Boston Garden.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Can't Buy Me Love--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 All My Loving--The Beatles (7th week at #1)
2 Bits and Pieces--The Dave Clark Five
3 Twist and Shout--The Beatles
4 Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)--The Serendipity Singers
5 Kissin' Cousins--Elvis Presley
6 This Boy--The Beatles
7 Kiss Me Quick--Elvis Presley
8 You're Not a Goody Goody--Bobby Curtola
9 Can't Buy Me Love--The Beatles
10 Glad All Over--The Dave Clark Five
Pick hit of the week: Kiss Me Quick--Elvis Presley
New this week: Kiss Me Quick--Vik Armen
All I Do is Dream of You--Chris Crosby
Caravan--Perez Prado and his Orchestra
Candy Man--Brian Poole and the Tremeloes
I Am Woman--Barbra Streisand
It's an Open Secret--The Jay Strings

On television tonight
Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Stopover in a Quiet Town, starring Barry Nelson and Nancy Malone

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow, starring Patricia Collinge, Jessica Walter, Don Chastain, and George Macready

Politics and government
Quebec Creditiste Members of Parliament Gérard Girouard and Gérard Ouellet defected to the Progressive Conservative Party.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Boston 98 @ San Francisco 95 (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-1)

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Waterloo--ABBA

Died on this date
Bud Abbott, 78. U.S. comedian. Mr. Abbott was the straight man with Lou Costello in the Abbott and Costello comedy team, popular on radio and in movies and television in the the 1940s and 1950s. They began in burlesque, where they honed their skit, "Who's on First?," which became their best-known skit, and one of the most famous comedy skits in history. Abbott and Costello formally dissolved their partnership in 1957. Mr. Abbott suffered in later years from poor health and battles with the U.S. government over back taxes.

Crime
U.S. newspaper heiress Patty Hearst, who had been held hostage by the Symbionese Liberation Army terrorist group since being kidnapped from her Berkeley, California apartment on February 4, denied, via a tape-recorded message, that she had been coerced to participate in the April 15 robbery of a bank in San Francisco. A U.S. federal warrant was issued for her arrest as a material witness in the robbery.

Basketball
NBA
Semi-Finals
Eastern Conference
New York 94 @ Boston 105 (Boston won best-of-seven series 4-1)

John Havlicek scored 33 points as the Celtics eliminated the defending champion Knickerbockers before 15,320 fans at Boston Garden. Phil Jackson led New York with 27 points, and Walt Frazier added 23. The Knicks were suffering from injuries to stars Dave DeBusschere--who scored just 2 points in the final game--and Willis Reed, who was unable to play in the final game because of a knee injury, and retired after the season.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): 99 Luftballons--Nena (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Rafael Pérez y Pérez, 92. Spanish author. Mr. Pérez wrote 160 romantic novels in a career spanning more than 60 years.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that consumer prices had risen 0.2% in March.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference Finals
Montreal 3 @ New York Islanders 0 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Minnesota 1 @ Edmonton 7 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Rookie Steve Penney earned the shutout in goal for the Canadiens as they shut out the Islanders at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): She Drives Me Crazy--Fine Young Cannibals (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Like a Prayer--Madonna (7th week at #1)

Canada's top 10 (RPM):
1 Like a Prayer--Madonna
2 She Drives Me Crazy--Fine Young Cannibals
3 The Look--Roxette
4 Eternal Flame--Bangles
5 The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics
6 Girl You Know it's True--Milli Vanilli
7 Walk the Dinosaur--Was (Not Was)
8 Stand--R.E.M.
9 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
10 Diamond Mine--Blue Rodeo

Singles entering the chart included Seeing is Believing by Mike + the Mechanics (#82); Nineteen Forever by Joe Jackson (#86); Every Little Step by Bobby Brown (#90); Thinking of You by Sa-Fire (#91); Miss You Like Crazy by Natalie Cole (#93); Cult of Personality by Living Colour (#94); and Round & Round by New Order (#96).

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: The Sign--Ace of Base

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Without You--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol) (2nd week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
New York Rangers 5 @ New York Islanders 2 (Rangers won best-of-seven series 4-0)
Toronto 3 @ Chicago 4 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)
Dallas 2 @ St. Louis 1 (Dallas won best-of-seven series 4-0)

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Estée Lauder, 97. U.S. cosmetics magnate. Mrs. Lauder, with her husband Joseph, founded Estee Lauder Companies in New York City in 1946.

Diplomacy
The United States lifted economic sanctions imposed on Libya 18 years previously, as a reward for its cooperation in eliminating weapons of mass destruction.

About 75% of Greek Cypriots voted to reject the United Nations plan to reunify the divided island nation, while 65% of Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of the plan.