May 4, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, John Dea!

200 years ago
1814

World events
Emperor Napoleon I of France arrived at Portoferraio on the island of Elba to begin his exile.

Politics and government
King Ferdinand VII of Spain signed the Decrete of the 4th of May, returning Spain to an absolute monarchy.

125 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Francis Spellman. U.S. clergyman. Cardinal Spellman was Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York from 1939-1967 and was named a Cardinal in 1946. He was a strong opponent of Communism and supported the U.S. war in Vietnam. Cardinal Spellman died on December 2, 1967 at the age of 78.

120 years ago
1894

Americana
The first Bird Day was observed. It was initiated by Charles Almanzo Babcock, superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania.

110 years ago
1904

Americana
The United States began construction of the Panama Canal.

90 years ago
1924

At the movies
The Rejected Woman, directed by Albert Parker, and starring Alma Rubens, Conrad Nagel, Wyndham Standing, and Bela Lugosi, opened in theatres.



75 years ago
1939

Baseball
Ted Williams hit 2 home runs in a game for the first time in his major league career, as the Boston Red Sox edged the Detroit Tigers 7-6 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. The second of Mr. Williams' homers, off Bob Harris in the 5th inning, went over the right field roof, the first ball hit out over the double deck at the stadium, which had opened as Navin Field in 1912. The homers were the Splendid Splinter's 2nd and 3rd in the major leagues. Rudy York hit his first home run of the season for the Tigers.

70 years ago
1944

War
11 Nazi ships were sunk by a Soviet air assault on Sevastopol. Japanese forces cleared all but a 65-mile gap along the Peking-Hankow railroad. In compliance with the Hatch Act, the United States Army announced that all commanders must practice strict impartiality in the dissemination of political information. Legislation to draft one million 4-F registrants not in essential jobs and assign them to special work units was endorsed by the U.S. Senate Military Affairs Committee.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius returned to Washington from the United Kingdom, where he had conferred with the British on war and postwar problems.

Education
Canadian Senator Athanase David tabled a motion suggesting the development of a unique Canadian history textbook.

Economics and finance
U.S. War Production Board Director Donald Nelson said that proposals to allocate "a small percentage" of beverage alcohol to distillers "appear to have merit," but that there would be no releases for three or four months.

Labour
U.S. delegates to the International Labour Organization conference submitted a plan calling for expeditious handling of demobilization, termination of war contracts, and adjustment of tax rates to encourage postwar production.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Paul Sowell, assistant manager of Montgomery Ward & Company, when he removed a placard posted by the U.S. government in the company's Chicago plant. The plant had been seized by U.S. Army troops nine days earlier for refusing to obey President Franklin D. Roosevelt's order to recognize a Congress of Industrial Organizations union.

60 years ago
1954

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Smoke, starring Bart Burns, Kenny Delmar, Pat Hingle, and E.G. Marshall

The teleplay for this episode was written by Gore Vidal, based on a story by William Faulkner.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Non Ho L'Etá (Per Amarti)--Gigliola Cinquetti (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Outer Limits, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Forms of Things Unknown, starring David McCallum, Cedric Hardwicke, Vera Miles, Barbara Rush, and Scott Marlowe

This was the last episode of The Outer Limits' first season, and the last to feature the involvement of Leslie Stevens as executive producer (although he technically retained the title for the second season) or Joseph Stefano as producer, as well as others associated with Daystar Productions. This episode was originally filmed, with a different ending, different music, and other changes, as The Unknown, a pilot for a proposed series. The Unknown was never broadcast, but is available on video.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Be My Day--The Cats (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Waterloo--ABBA

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 My Coo Ca Choo--Alvin Stardust (6th week at #1)
2 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks
3 Farewell Aunty Jack--Grahame Bond
4 Daytona Demon--Suzi Quatro
5 She Didn't Remember My Name--Osmosis
6 The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead
7 You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me--New Seekers
8 I Love You Love Me Love--Gary Glitter
9 Sorrow--David Bowie
10 Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were You're Sixteen by Ringo Starr (#24); The Air that I Breathe by the Hollies (#29); I Love by Tom T. Hall (#38); Eres Tu (Touch the Wind) by Mocedades (#39); and Rebel Rebel by David Bowie (#40).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Loco-Motion--Grand Funk

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Loco-Motion--Grand Funk
2 TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)--MFSB featuring the Three Degrees
3 The Show Must Go On--Three Dog Night
4 Dancing Machine--The Jackson 5
5 The Entertainer--Marvin Hamlisch
6 Tubular Bells--Mike Oldfield
7 The Streak--Ray Stevens
8 Come and Get Your Love--Redbone
9 Just Don't Want to Be Lonely--The Main Ingredient
10 Oh My My--Ringo Starr

Singles entering the chart were Son of Sagittarius by Eddie Kendricks (#75); Haven't Got Time for the Pain by Carly Simon (#76); Something There is About You by Bob Dylan (#80); Rikki Don't Lose that Number by Steely Dan (#83); Finally Got Myself Together (I’m A Changed Man) by the Impressions (#84); Already Gone by the Eagles (#85); Help Yourself by the Undisputed Truth (#92); Silver Threads and Golden Needles by Linda Ronstadt (#94); (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away by Dr. John (#96); I Don't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore by Charlie Rich (#97); Sideshow by Blue Magic (#98); If I were a Carpenter by Leon Russell (#99); and The Sound of Silence by Paul Simon (#100).

#1 single in Canada (RPM): TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)--MFSB featuring the Three Degrees (2nd week at #1)

Calgary's Top 10
1 Hooked on a Feeling--Blue Swede (3rd week at #1)
2 The Show Must Go On--Three Dog Night
3 (I've Been) Searchin' So Long--Chicago
4 TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)--MFSB featuring the Three Degrees
5 Werewolf--Five Man Electrical Band
6 The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead
7 Let it Ride--Bachman-Turner Overdrive
8 Bennie and the Jets--Elton John
9 Don't Stop Now--The Original Caste
10 Keep on Singing--Helen Reddy
Pick hit of the week: Oh My My--Ringo Starr

Adventure
An all-female four-member Japanese team led by Kyoko Sato, plus guide Jambu Sherpa, reached the summit of Manaslu (8,156 metres (26,759 feet)), becoming the first women to climb an 8,000-metre peak. One of the women fell to her death the following day.

Horse racing
Cannonade, with Angel Cordero, Jr. aboard, won the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:04, leading a record field of 23 horses. Hudson County placed second.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
Semi-Finals
East Division
Toronto 2 @ Chicago 9 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Rosaire Paiement scored a goal in each period and added an assist as the Cougars routed the Toros before 2,833 fans at Randhurst Twin Ice Arena in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Bob Liddington, Bob Sicinski, Darryl Maggs, Don Gordon, Rod Zaine, and Jan Popiel scored the other Chicago goals. Tom Martin and Rick Sentes scored for Toronto. The Cougars outshot the Toros 38-27. Les Binkley played the entire game in goal for Toronto, while Andre Gill was in goal for Chicago.

Basketball
ABA
Finals
Utah 94 @ New York 118 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Julius Erving scored 32 points to lead the Nets over the Stars before 15,934 fans at Nassau County Coliseum in Uniondale.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Girls Just Wanna Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): People are People--Depeche Mode (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Diana Dors, 52. U.K. actress. Miss Dors, born Diana Fluck, was the leading British female sex symbol of the 1950s. Her films included Yield to the Night (1956); The Unholy Wife (1957); and I Married a Woman (1958). Miss Dors died of ovarian cancer.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Labor Department reported that the nation's unemployment rate had held steady in April at 7.7%.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Like a Prayer--Madonna (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Far from Home--Daniel O'Donnell

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis, with a five-member crew commanded by David Walker, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin mission STS-30. 6 hours and 14 minutes later, the crew deployed the probe Magellan on a 15-month, 800-million-mile trip to Venus. Magellan's mission was to use radar to map 90% of the surface of Venus.

Scandal
Former U.S. National Security Council member Oliver North became the first person convicted in a jury trial in connection with the mid-1980s Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal. He was convicted of aiding and abetting the obstruction of Congress by preparing a false chronology of arms sales to Iran by the U.S. administration of President Ronald Reagan; altering, destroying, removing, or concealing NSC documents related to Mr. North's efforts to assist the Nicaraguan Contra opposition forces when it was forbidden by law; and receiving as an illegal gratuity a $13,800 security system for his home to protect him and his family from Arab terrorist Abu Nidal. Meanwhile, U.S. President George Bush denied that he had offered increased aid to Honduras in 1985 (while he was Vice President) in return for that country's support for the Contras.

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada overturned a Manitoba Court of Appeal ruling and restored the judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench that an employer was responsible for sexual harassment committed by an employee. The appellants, Dianna Janzen and Tracy Govereau, originally filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission against their employer, Platy Enterprises Ltd., as a result of the same harassment by the same employee, a cook, whose behaviour toward them caused one of the women to quit and the other to be fired.

Hockey
NHL
One day after defecting from the Soviet Union, the 20-year-old Alexander Mogilny signed with the Buffalo Sabres. Mr. Mogilny had slipped away from a banquet in Stockholm during a celebration for the U.S.S.R.'s 21st world championship.

Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Chicago 4 @ Calgary 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Baseball
Toronto Blue Jays' designated hitter Junior Felix became the 53rd player to hit a home run in his first major league at bat, hitting the first pitch he faced from Kirk McCaskill of the California Angels in the bottom of the 3rd inning before 21,188 fans at Exhibition Stadium. He was the 27th player in American League history to accomplish the feat, and the 10th AL player to hit the first pitch he faced for a home run. The Angels edged the Blue Jays 3-2 in 10 innings.

20 years ago
1994

Music
This blogger paid $30 to see Crowded House perform at the Edmonton Convention Centre. They performed without drummer Paul Hester, who had left the group earlier on their Canadian tour. This blogger found the concert to be a disappointment, mainly because of the venue's poor acoustics.

Diplomacy
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, meeting in Cairo, signed the Oslo I Accord on Palestinian autonomy that granted limited Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho. The agreement provided for a 24-member Palestinian National Authority led by Mr. Arafat to oversee the self-governed area. Israel would withdraw her troops from the designated area within three weeks, but would remain responsible for foreign relations and security of Jewish settlements. Israel also agreed to release about 5,000 Palestinian prisoners over a period of about five weeks.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board reported that much of the country was experiencing "solid economic growth."

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
San Jose 1 @ Toronto 5 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

10 years ago
2004

War
About 150 Shia leaders met in Baghdad and urged rebel Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to hand over weapons and remove his militia from Najaf and Karbala. The meeting came as U.S. troops began an assault on a militia loyal to Mr. al-Sadr in Karbala and Diwaniya in southern Iraq.