June 13, 2014

1,175 years ago
839

Born on this date
Charles III, aka Charles the Fat. Holy Roman Emperor, 881-887. A great-grandson of Charlemagne, Charles the Fat was the last Carolingian to rule over a united Holy Roman Empire. He was deposed in November 887, and died on January 13, 888 at the age of 48.

240 years ago
1774

Society
Rhode Island became the first British North American colony to ban the importation of slaves.

120 years ago
1894

Died on this date
John Cox Bray, 52. Australian politician. Mr. Bray represented East Adelaide in the South Australian House of Assembly from 1871-1892, and held several cabinet posts before serving as Premier of South Australia (1881-1884), becoming the state's first native-born Premier. He died at sea between Aden and Colombo while en route to South Australia, 13 days after his 52nd birthday.

75 years ago
1939

Canadiana
Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth commenced their Royal Tour of New Brunswick, arriving in Newcastle on the royal train. Travelling by car to Fredericton, they made an unscheduled stop for refreshments at Gilks House in Doaktown.

70 years ago
1944

Died on this date
Andrew Mynarski, 27. Canadian military aviator. Royal Canadian Air Force Flight Sergeant Mynarski, a native of Winnipeg, was aboard Lancaster bomber A for Able in No. 419 Squadron over Cambrai on the night of June 12-13, when the plane was attacked by a Junkers night fighter and set on fire. Sgt. Mynarski tried to rescue crewmate Pat Brophy, the trapped rear gunner, but his clothes and parachute caught fire; by the time Sgt. Mynarski jumped, he was badly burned, and later died of his burns. Mr. Brophy survived, carrying a four leaf clover that Sgt. Mynarski had given him just before takeoff. Sgt. Mynarski was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross October 16, 1946 for his valour.

War
U.K. and German forces fought the Battle of Villers-Bocage in France. German tank ace Michael Wittmann ambushed elements of the British 7th Armoured Division, destroying up to 14 tanks, 15 personnel carriers, and 2 anti-tank guns in a Tiger I tank. Germany launched a V-1 Flying Bomb attack on England. Only four of the eleven bombs actually hit their targets. German combat forces--reinforced by the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division--launched a counterattack on American forces near the town of Carentan in Normandy. U.S. Army Lieutenant General Mark Clark reported that American forces were 70 miles north of Rome. U.S. naval units attacked the southern Marianas Islands, bombarding Saipan and Tinian Islands. Japanese troops in China neared the gates of Changsha, Hunan Province, on three sides.

Medicine
Dr. Herman Kretschmer, newly-elected President of the American Medical Association, condemned widespread use of vitamins as extravagant and useless.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): My Guy--Mary Wells

#1 single in France: La Plus Belle Pour Aller Danser--Sylvie Vartan (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Cin, cin--Richard Anthony (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Oh My Darling Caroline--Ronny (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): You're My World (Il Mio Mondo)--Cilla Black (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Chapel of Love--The Dixie Cups (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Chapel of Love--The Dixie Cups (2nd week at #1)
2 A World Without Love--Peter and Gordon
--[Bobby Rydell]
3 Love Me Do--The Beatles
4 Love Me with All Your Heart (Cuando Calienta El Sol)--The Ray Charles Singers
5 My Guy--Mary Wells
6 Walk on By--Dionne Warwick
7 Hello, Dolly!--Louis Armstrong
8 Do You Love Me--The Dave Clark Five
9 I Get Around--The Beach Boys
10 Diane--The Bachelors

Singles entering the chart were Can't You See That She's Mine by the Dave Clark Five (#64); Alone by the 4 Seasons (#66); I Still Get Jealous by Louis Armstrong (#70); Try it Baby by Marvin Gaye (#72); You're My World (Il Mio Mondo) by Cilla Black (#80); Hey Harmonica Man by Stevie Wonder (#81); Angelito by Rene and Rene (#90); It Ain't No Use by Major Lance (#93); The Night of the Full Moon by Jack Jones (#95); and That's Really Some Good by Rufus and Carla (#96).

On television tonight
The Saturday Night Hollywood Palace on ABC

Dean Martin hosted this week's program, which included the first U.S. television appearance of the Rolling Stones. Mr. Martin mercilessly ridiculed the Rolling Stones before and after presenting their performance of the Muddy Waters song I Just Want To Make Love To You. They recorded Not Fade Away during the same session, but that wasn't shown on the program until September 26, 1964.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Any Dream Will Do--Joe Cuddy (5th week at #1)

Terrorism
Four Arab guerrillas attacked the Shamir kibbutz in northern Israel, killing three women before being killed themselves in a battle with men of the kibbutz. The terrorists carried leaflets indicating that they had intended to seize hostages as barter for the release of 100 Palestinian guerrillas in Israeli jails. The terrorists stated that their attack was a reaction to the visit of U.S. President Richard Nixon's visit to the Arab world.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, meeting in Cairo, agreed to hold a series of bilateral meetings involving the Arab countries, U.S.S.R., and U.S.A. before the next round of Middle East peace talks in Geneva.

25 years ago
1989

Died on this date
Fran Allison, 81. U.S. entertainer. Miss Allison starred in the children's television program Kukla, Fran and Ollie, which was broadcast on NBC from 1947-1957.

Diplomacy
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl signed a declaration in Bonn affirming that every state had a right to freely choose its own political and social system.

U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle continued his tour of Central America, meeting with four commanders of the Nicaraguan Contra opposition and political leaders in El Salvador. One of the leaders he met with in El Salvador was Roberto D'Aubuisson, founder of the right-wing ARENA party, who had been linked with death squads. Mr. Quayle stressed to him the importance of human rights.

Politics and government
Hungary's Communist regime and leading political opponents began talks on transition to a multiparty system.

Economics and finance
U.S. President George Bush cast his first veto, rejecting a bill that would have increased the minimum wage from $3.35 to $4.55 per hour. Mr. Bush said the increase was too great and would cause young people to lose jobs.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Detroit 105 @ Los Angeles Lakers 97 (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-0)

The Pistons overcame a 35-23 1st-quarter deficit to complete the sweep over the Lakers before 17,505 fans at the Forum in Inglewood, California to win their first National Basketball Association championship. Detroit guard Joe Dumars, who was named the Finals' Most Valuable Player, scored 23 points and added 5 assists. James Worthy of Los Angeles led all scorers with 40 points. The game marked the end of the 20-year Hall of Fame career of Los Angeles center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; he scored 7 points in 29 minutes, with 3 rebounds and 3 assists.



Baseball
Mark Langston pitched a 4-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Jose DeLeon as the Montreal Expos shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 before 35,828 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. The Expos managed just 3 hits, but parlayed a single, 2 bases on balls, and a sacrifice fly into 2 runs in the 6th inning.

Houston Astros’ right fielder Terry Puhl played in his 1‚403rd major league game to break Jack Graney's record for Canadian-born players. The Astros lost 3-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers before 29,073 fans at Dodger Stadium.

Al Newman singled home Gary Gaetti with 1 out in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Minnesota Twins a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners before 18,839 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.

George Bell hit a 3-run home run in the top of the 8th inning and pinch hitter Kelly Gruber hit a solo home run with 2 out in the 9th to break a 3-3 tie as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 before 15,469 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Kevin Batiste made his major league debut with the Blue Jays, entering the game as a pinch runner at first base for Ernie Whitt in the 9th. He was picked off by pitcher Dan Plesac immediately prior to Mr. Gruber's home run.

The Cleveland Indians scored 5 runs in the 3rd inning, led 8-0 after 6 1/2 innings, and withstood a 5-run 8th-inning rally to defeat the Chicago White Sox 9-6 before 10,264 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Greg Swindell allowed 10 hits and 4 runs--all earned--in 7 2/3 innings to get the win, improving his 1989 record to 8-1.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): United--Prince Ital Joe & Marky Mark

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 I'll Remember--Madonna (5th week at #1)
2 Sleeping in My Car--Roxette
3 I Swear--All-4-One
4 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol)
5 Misled--Celine Dion
6 Wild Night--John Mellencamp with Me’shell Ndegeocello
7 You Mean the World to Me--Toni Braxton
8 Don't Turn Around--Ace of Base
9 Night in My Veins--The Pretenders
10 If You Go--Jon Secada

Singles entering the chart were Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind by Stevie Nicks (#60); You by Bonnie Raitt (#83); Eyes of Truth by Enigma (#85); Scanning These Crowds by Bruce Cockburn (#89); Vaseline by Stone Temple Pilots (#90); Cleopatra's Cat by Spin Doctors (#93); Moving on Up by M People (#94); and All I Do by Jane Child (#95).

Died on this date
Nadia Gray, 70. Romanian-born actress. Miss Gray, born Nadia Kujnir, appeared in numerous movies from 1949-1968, most notably La Dolce Vita (1960).

War
It was reported that Rwandan Patriotic Front rebel forces had overrun the temporary capital of Gitarama.

Environment
A jury in Anchorage, Alaska, blamed recklessness by Exxon Corporation and Captain Joseph Hazelwood for the Exxon Valdez disaster, allowing victims of the oil spill to seek $15 billion in damages.

10 years ago
2004

Politics and government
Most voters stayed away from the polls in the European Union elections, and most of those who did show up voted for parties opposed to the EU.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 80 @ Detroit 88 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Rasheed Wallace scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Pistons defeated the Lakers at the Palace at Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers led all scorers with 36 points and added 20 rebounds. Kobe Bryant added 20 points for Los Angeles, but was successful on just 32% of his field goal attempts. The game was the last in the 19-year Hall of Fame career of forward Karl Malone, who had joined the Lakers for the 2003-04 season after 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz. Mr. Malone was suffering from a knee injury, and was unable to dress for the fifth game of the Finals.