May 19, 2014

270 years ago
1744

Born on this date
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland, 1761-1818. Charlotte was the wife of King George III from 1761 until her death. The couple had 15 children, including Kings George IV and William IV. Queen Charlotte died on November 17, 1818 at the age of 74. Canada's Queen Charlotte Islands were named in her honour.

175 years ago
1839

Born on this date
Alice Mary Smith. U.K. composer. Miss Smith wrote two symphonies, two large works for stage, a clarinet sonata, and numerous chamber works. She died of typhoid fever on December 4, 1884 at the age of 45.

150 years ago
1864

Died on this date
Nathaniel Hawthorne, 59. U.S. author. Mr. Hawthorne was best known for his collection of short stories Twice-Told Tales (1837) and the novels The Scarlet Letter (1850) and The House of the Seven Gables (1851).

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Henry B. Richardson. U.S. archer. Dr. Richardson was a teenager when he won a bronze medal in the team round at the 1904 Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis, and another bronze medal in the Double York round at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He later graduated from Harvard Medical School, and died on November 19, 1963 at the age of 74.

75 years ago
1939

Politics and government
King George VI became the first reigning monarch to address the Canadian Parliament in person, and gave royal assent to several acts of Parliament.

70 years ago
1944

War
American troops completed the capture of the Wakde Islands, as the Japanese forces fought until wiped out.

Politics and government
Members of the right-wing faction of the American Labor Party, who had lost control of the organization in the recent New York state primary, met in New York and formed the Liberal Party.

Academia
The American Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Institute of Arts and Letters presented their 1944 awards to Willa Cather, S.S. McClure, Theodore Dreiser, and Paul Robeson.

Business
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull asked American business to avoid postwar production that called for heavy tariff protection or government subsidies.

Labour
The U.S. National War Labor Board approved a wage agreement between the United Mine Workers of America and operator representing 70% of the country's soft coal production.

60 years ago
1954

Died on this date
Charles Ives, 79. U.S. composer. Mr. Ives was a full-time insurance sales man who composed music in his spare time. He wrote three symphonies and numerous tone poems and sonatas; many of his compositions were ignored during his lifetime, and it was only after his death that Mr. Ives was recognized as a notable modern American composer.

40 years ago
1974

Politics and government
Valery Giscard d'Estaing was elected President of France, defeating Francois Mitterand in the second round of elections, taking 50.7% of the vote to 49.3% for Mr. Mitterand.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Boston 0 @ Philadelphia 1 (Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Rick MacLeish deflected teammate Andre Dupont's shot for the game's only goal at 14:48 of the 1st period as the Flyers edged the Bruins before 17,007 fans at the Spectrum to become the first NHL expansion team to win the Stanley Cup. Bernie Parent, who won the goaltending duel over Gilles Gilbert, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player.



WHA
Avco World Trophy
Finals
Chicago 2 @ Houston 6 (Houston won best-of-seven series 4-0)

The Aeros defeated the Cougars at Sam Houston Arena to win their first Avco World Trophy. For Gordie Howe, who had come out of retirement to play with his sons Mark and Marty, it was the first time he had played on a championship team since the Detroit Red Wings' Stanley Cup championship in 1955.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Love of the Common People--Paul Young (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Hello--Lionel Richie (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Ik voel me zo verdomd alleen--Danny de Munk (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Reflex--Duran Duran (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: The Reflex--Duran Duran (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Hello--Lionel Richie (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hello--Lionel Richie (2nd week at #1)
2 Let's Hear it for the Boy--Deniece Williams
3 To All the Girls I've Loved Before--Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
4 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins
5 Love Somebody--Rick Springfield
6 Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry
7 Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins
8 Time After Time--Cyndi Lauper
9 Footloose--Kenny Loggins
10 Head Over Heels--Go-Go's

Singles entering the chart were Magic by the Cars (#68); Legs by ZZ Top (#74); Prime Time by the Alan Parsons Project (#83); If Ever You're In My Arms Again by Peabo Bryson (#84); Little Bit of Love by Dwight Twilley (#86); Love of the Common People by Paul Young (#89); and Darlin' by Frank Stallone (#100).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 To All the Girls I've Loved Before--Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
2 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins
3 Hello--Lionel Richie
4 Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins
5 They Don't Know--Tracey Ullman
6 Time After Time--Cyndi Lauper
7 Footloose--Kenny Loggins
8 You Might Think--The Cars
9 Rockit--Herbie Hancock
10 Breakdance--Irene Cara

Singles entering the chart were Who's That Girl? by Eurythmics (#43); I Want to Break Free by Queen (#46); Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly) by the Icicle Works (#48); Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol (#49); and Strike by Eddie Schwartz (#50).

Labour
Workers at the Vancouver Sun and Vancouver Province newspapers ended a two-month strike.

Horse racing
Gate Dancer, with Angel Cordero, Jr. aboard, won the 109th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:53 3/5. Play On placed second, and Fight Over third. Swale, the Kentucky Derby winner and favourite, finished seventh.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Islanders 2 @ Edmonton 5 (Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Wayne Gretzky scored 2 goals in the 1st period and Ken Linseman's goal 38 seconds into the 2nd period proved to be the winner as the Oilers won their first Stanley Cup and ended the Islanders' four-year reign before a capacity crowd at Northlands Coliseum. Andy Moog was in goal for the Oilers, replacing the injured Grant Fuhr. Mike Zanier, who had yet to play an NHL game, dressed as Mr. Moog's backup for the last two games of the finals, qualifying him to get his name on the Stanley Cup.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Looking for Freedom--David Hasselhoff (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Yiannis Papaioannou, 79. Greek composer and teacher. Mr. Papaioannou had a long career as a music teacher, who wrote five symphonies and other orchestral, chamber, instrumental, and vocal works.

Weather
A freak snowstorm hit Edmonton in the morning, but it had melted by the afternoon, and it ended up as a nice, sunny day.

Scandal
The National Collegiate Athletic Association placed the University of Kentucky's men's basketball program on probation for three years for widespread recruiting and academic violations. The NCAA's investigation had led to the resignations months earlier of coach Eddie Sutton and athletic director Cliff Hagan.

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average closed at 2500, a rise of nearly 425 points (20%) in six months.

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

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): The Real Thing--2 Unlimited

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Riverdance--Bill Whelan (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
L.A. Law, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Finish Line

This was the last episode of the series, ending an eight-season run.

Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics, on CBS

This made-for-television movie, hosted by James Earl Jones, was based on two unpublished and previously unfilmed teleplays by Rod Serling: The Theater, starring Amy Irving and Gary Cole; and Where the Dead Are, starring Patrick Bergin, Julia Campbell, and Jack Palance.





Died on this date
Jacques Ellul, 82. French sociologist, philosopher, and theologian. Professor Ellul was influenced by the teachings of Karl Marx in his early years, but had a religious experience in late adolescence that led him to profess himself a Christian. He claimed to be a Christian anarchist, criticizing the state as an expression of violence. Prof. Ellul's books included La technique ou l'enjeu du siècle (The Technological Society) (1954); Propagandes (Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes) (1962); and L'illusion politique (The Political Illusion) (1967). He died after a long illness.

Henry Morgan, 79. U.S. humourist. Mr. Morgan, born Henry Van Ost, Jr., was known for his acerbic wit, often targeting sponsors, especially on his own radio program in the 1940s and as a regular panelist on the television quiz show I've Got a Secret (1952-1967). He made frequent appearances on television game and talk shows until his death from lung cancer.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 64. U.S. First Lady, 1961-1963. Mrs. Onassis, born Jacqueline Bouvier, married U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy in 1953, accompanied him to the White House in 1961, and was at his side when he was assassinated on November 22, 1963. She married Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis in 1968; the marriage ended with his death in 1975. Mrs. Onassis, who was widely admired for her style and grace, died of cancer.

Luis Ocaña, 48. Spanish cyclist. Mr. Ocaña won 110 races in a professional career from 1968-1977, including the 1973 Tour de France and the 1970 Vuelta a España. He committed suicide by shooting himself, reportedly depressed over financial matters, and also suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C, and cancer.

10 years ago
2004

War
U.S. Army Specialist Jeremy C. Sivits received a sentence of one year in prison and a bad conduct discharge in the first court-martial stemming from abuse of Iraqis at the Abu Ghraib prison.

Protest
Two members of the group Fathers 4 Justice pelted British Prime Minister Tony Blair with condoms full of flour in the House of Commons. The group was advocating equal rights of access to their children for divorced fathers.