May 16, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Jessie Larocque and Polly Pratt!

275 years ago
1739

War
The Battle of Vasai in India concluded as the Marathas defeated the Portuguese army.

160 years ago
1854

Economics and finance
The Reciprocity Treaty between Canada and the U.S.A. went into effect. The U.S. agreed to admit most Canadian products duty free, while U.S. fishermen were allowed to catch within the three-mile limit; to land to cure their fish; and to freely navigate the St. Lawrence River.

125 years ago
1889

Baseball
The Philadelphia Quakers outlasted the Chicago White Stockings 16-12 in a National League game. 4 of the Philadelphia runs came on a grand slam by Sam Thompson off Ad Gumbert, who had been brought in from the outfield just to face Mr. Thompson. After the blast, Will Hutchison returned to the mound for Chicago.

In the American Association, the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 at League Park in Cincinnati. Mike Griffin led off the game with a home run for the Orioles, while Bug Griffin matched the feat for the Reds.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Walter Yust. U.S. journalist. Mr. Yust was editor-in-chief of Encyclopædia Britannica from 1938 until his death on February 29, 1960 at the age of 65.

75 years ago
1939

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox scored 3 runs in the 2nd inning, 5 in the 3rd, and 7 in the 5th as they routed the Chicago White Sox 18-4 before 5,800 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Joe Vosmik and Jim Tabor each drove in 5 runs for the Red Sox, and every man in the Boston lineup had at least 1 hit.

The Cleveland Indians scored 5 runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 3-3 tie and beat the Philadelphia Athletics 8-3 in 10 innings before a crowd of 15,109 in the first night game at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Johnny Humphries was the winning pitcher over Roy Parmalee.

The Brooklyn Dodgers scored 7 runs in the 1st inning and 2 in the 2nd en route to a 12-2 win over the Chicago Cubs before 7,491 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Brooklyn third baseman Cookie Lavagetto batted 3 for 5 with a home run, 2 runs, and 4 runs batted in. Whit Wyatt pitched a 4-hitter to improve his 1939 record to 4-0.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
George Ade, 75. U.S. humourist. Mr. Ade, a native of Indiana who worked as a journalist in Chicago, was known for his short stories and plays about ordinary Americans, and often pointed out the ironies of those who grew up with traditional rural values and ended up in cities such as Chicago where the values weren't practiced.

War
U.S. troops pursued German forces fleeing up the Tyrrhenian coast. A new Japanese thrust at India was thrown back southwest of Imphal and Kohima.

Politics and government
The U.S.A. and U.K. signed agreements with the exiled government of Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands defining terms of civil administration during the liberation of these countries.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and New York Governor and candidate for the 1944 Republican Party U.S. presidential nomination Thomas Dewey gained more delegates in state primaries and conventions in California, New Jersey, Montana, and Delaware.

Labour
After the U.S. Navy refused to accept work without supervision, the foremen's strike at the Briggs Manufacturing plant in Detroit idled 10,000 workers.

The U.S. National War Labor Board upheld the right of Borg Warner Corporation to discharge 41 employees who had quit work the previous December without following grievance procedures specified in their union contract.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Can't Buy Me Love/You Can't Do That--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: La Plus Belle Pour Aller Danser--Sylvie Vartan (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): E' l'uomo per me--Mina (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Oh My Darling Caroline--Ronny (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Juliet--The Four Pennies

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): My Guy--Mary Wells

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hello, Dolly!--Louis Armstrong
2 Love Me Do--The Beatles
3 Do You Want to Know a Secret--The Beatles
4 My Guy--Mary Wells
5 Bits and Pieces--The Dave Clark Five
6 Ronnie--The 4 Seasons
7 Can't Buy Me Love--The Beatles
8 Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)--The Serendipity Singers
9 Shangri-La--Robert Maxwell and his Orchestra
--Vic Dana
10 White on White--Danny Williams

Singles entering the chart were Viva Las Vegas (#60)/What'd I Say (#70) by Elvis Presley; Tears and Roses by Al Martino (#72); Too Late to Turn Back Now by Brook Benton (#77); Giving Up by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#82); Milord by Bobby Darin (#86); Tell Me Mamma by Christine Quaite (#87); Spend a Little Time by Barbara Lewis (#94); My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small (#95); What Have I Got of My Own by Trini Lopez (#96); Beg Me by Chuck Jackson (#97); Kiko by Jimmy McGriff (#99); and Yesterday's Hero by Gene Pitney (#100).

Horse racing
Northern Dancer, with Bill Hartack up, won his second straight Triple Crown race, taking the 89th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:56 4/5. The Scoundrel placed second and Hill Rise third.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Any Dream Will Do--Joe Cuddy (2nd week at #1)

Terrorism
At least 27 people were killed and 138 injured when Israeli planes bombed seven Palestinian refugee camps in southern Lebanon in retaliation for the deaths of 18-21 Isreali schoolchildren in Ma'alot during a raid the previous day by Israeli troops against Popular Democratic Front terrorists, who had been holding the youths hostage.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Philadelphia 1 @ Boston 5 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-2)

30 years ago
1984

Baseball
The Baltimore Orioles released veteran pitcher Jim Palmer‚ who was 0-3 with a 9.17 earned run average in 1984. Mr. Palmer was asked to retire and accept a job with the organization‚ but he declined‚ hoping to find a roster spot on another major league team. He was unsuccessful.

Pitcher Steve Carlton helped his cause with a grand slam off Fernando Valenzuela to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Catcher Carlton Fisk hit for the cycle in a losing effort the Chicago White Sox lost 7-6 to the Kansas City Royals.

The Minnesota Twins sold 51‚863 tickets, but only 6‚346 fans showed up at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis to see them lose 8-7 to the Toronto Blue Jays. The skewed numbers were the result of a large ticket buyout plan organized by Minneapolis businessman Harvey Mackay to keep the Twins in Minnesota; if the club did not sell 2.41 million tickets this season it could break its lease with the Metrodome. Taking advantage of reduced prices on the Family Day promotion‚ Mr. Mackay paid $218‚718 for 44‚166 tickets.

25 years ago
1989

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: How I'm Spending My Summer Vacation

This was the last episode of the season.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 I'll Remember--Madonna
2 Love Sneakin' Up on You--Bonnie Raitt
3 Baby, I Love Your Way--Big Mountain
4 Return to Innocence--Enigma
5 Misled--Celine Dion
6 Sleeping in My Car--Roxette
7 Mr. Jones--Counting Crows
8 Swimming in Your Ocean--Crash Test Dummies
9 Streets of Philadelphia--Bruce Springsteen
10 Keep Talking--Pink Floyd

Singles entering the chart were Shine by Collective Soul (#57); Take it Back by Pink Floyd (#83); Love Theme from Napoleon by Dan Hill and Rique Franks (#84); Boom Bapa Boom by Jimmie Vaughan (#85); Silent Scream by Richard Marx (#90); Bizarre Love Triangle by Frente! (#93); The Bonny Swans by Loreena McKennit (#94); and Rocks by Primal Scream (#97).

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
June Taylor, 86. U.S. dancer and choreographer. Miss Taylor danced in nightclubs before turning to choreography. She was best known for the June Taylor Dancers, who were featured on Jackie Gleason's television variety program in the 1950s and '60s. Miss Taylor won an Emmy Award in 1955. She choreographed the Miami Dolphins' cheerleaders from 1978-1990.