June 26, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Beth Stover!

220 years ago
1794

War
French forces commanded by General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan defeated a Coalition Army (Great Britain, Hanover, Dutch Republic, and Habsburg Monarchy) commanded by Prince Josias of Coburg in the Battle of Fleurus in the Netherlands, leading to the permanent loss of the Austrian Netherlands and the destruction of the Dutch Republic. The French use of the reconnaissance balloon l'Entreprenant marked the first successful use of aircraft to influence a battle.

125 years ago
1889

Died on this date
Simon Cameron, 90. U.S. politician. Mr. Cameron was a journalist, railroad executive, and banker before entering politics. As a Democrat, he represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1845-1849. Mr. Cameron was then a member of the American Party before joining the Republican Party in 1856. He represented Pennsylvania in the Senate again from 1857-1861, and served as U.S. Secretary of War in the administration of President Abraham Lincoln from 1861-1862, resigning amid accusations of corruption. Mr. Cameron served as U.S. Minister to Russia from June-September 1862, and returned to the Senate in 1867, representing Pennsylvania until 1877.

Africana
Bangui, the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic, was founded in French Congo.

120 years ago
1894

Politics and government
Premier Sir Oliver Mowat led his Liberal Party to its seventh consecutive victory in the Ontario provincial election. The Liberals took 45 of 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly--a decrease of 8 from the most recent election in 1890--but Liberals running under the joint banners of Patrons of Industry (12) and Protestant Protective Association (1) provided a majority. The Conservative Party, led by W.R. Meredith, won 23 seats--a decrease of 11 from 1890--and Conservatives running under the joint banners of Protestant Protective Association (6) and Patrons of Industry (1) gave them a total of 30. The Patrons of Industry (3) and PPA (2) won seats without party affiliation, and one independent candidate was elected.

Academia
The cornerstone of Wesley College was laid in downtown Winnipeg; the college later became a founding college of what is now the University of Winnipeg.

Labour
The American Railway Union, led by Eugene Debs, called a general strike in sympathy with Pullman sleeping car workers.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Shapour Bakhtiar. Prime Minister of Iran, 1979. Dr. Bakhtiar, a member of the National Front and an opponent of the excesses of Shah Reza Pahlevi, served as Prime Minister from January 4-February 11, 1979 during the last days of the Shah's regime. Dr. Bakhtiar declared Iran to be a republic and himself as the country's first President just before fleeing to exile in France upon the return to Iran and accession to power of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The Islamic Republic of Iran issued a death sentence for Mr. Bakhtiar and finally carried it out; Dr. Bakhtiar, 77, and his secretary Soroush Katibeh were stabbed to death on August 6, 1991 by three assassins in Dr. Bakhtiar's home in the Paris suburb of Suresnes.

90 years ago
1924

World events
American forces left the Dominican Republic after eight years of occupation.

80 years ago
1934

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act, establishing credit unions.

75 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Ford Madox Ford, 65. U.K. author. Born Ford Hermann Hueffer, Mr. Ford was known for his novels The Fifth Queen (trilogy, 1906-1908); The Good Soldier (1915); and Parade's End (tetralogy, 1924-1928).

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 Dissimilar Body

War
The Battle of Osuchy in Poland ended with the defeat of the Polish resistance forces. Soviet forces took Vitebsk and Zhlobin and pushed to within 35 miles of the Polish border in western Russia. U.S. troops in France mopped up the remaining German resistance in Cherbourg.

Politics and government
California Governor Earl Warren delivered the keynote speech at the opening of the Republican National Convention in Chicago, pledging the party to cooperation in international affairs and internal reconstruction.

Baseball
More than 50,000 fans packed the Polo Grounds in New York for a unique exhibition game among the city's three major league teams to raise war bonds for World War II. The teams rotated, with one team sitting out an inning. The final score was Brooklyn Dodgers 5, New York Yankees 1, New York Giants 0.

60 years ago
1954

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Answer Me, My Love--Nat "King" Cole; Answer Me, Lord Above--Frankie Laine (4th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--1st week at #1)

#1 Rhythm and Blues single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Shake, Rattle and Roll--Joe Turner and his Blues Kings (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Three Coins in the Fountain--The Four Aces
--[Frank Sinatra]
2 Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen
3 Hernando's Hideaway--Archie Bleyer
--[Johnnie Ray]
4 The Happy Wanderer--Frank Weir and his Orchestra
--Henri Rene's Musette
5 Wanted--Perry Como
6 If You Love Me (Really Love Me)--Kay Starr
--Vera Lynn
7 Young at Heart--Frank Sinatra
8 I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)--The Four Knights
9 Here--Tony Martin
10 I Understand Just How You Feel--The Four Tunes
--June Valli

Singles entering the chart were The Little Shoemaker, with versions by the Gaylords and Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#16); Skinny Minnie (Fish Tail) by Teresa Brewer (#30); Sweetheart (Will You Remember) by the Hilltoppers (#31); Someone Else's Roses by Doris Day (#32); and Song of the Sewer by Art Carney (#41).

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): It's Over--Roy Orbison (2nd week at #1)

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Thank You Girl--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 All My Loving--The Beatles
3 A World Without Love--Peter and Gordon
4 My Boy Lollipop--Millie Small
5 As Long as I'm Sure of You--Bobby Curtola
6 Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying--Gerry and the Pacemakers
7 Sidewinder--Wes Dakus and the CJCA Rebels
8 Memphis--Johnny Rivers
9 Lucky Star--Rick Nelson
10 Little Children--Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas
Pick hit of the week: Nobody I Know--Peter and Gordon
New this week: Over My Shoulder--Barry Allen
Man Walks Among Us--Marty Robbins
I Guess I'm Crazy--Jim Reeves
Licorice Stick--Pete Fountain
Donnie--The Bermudas
Only You--Wayne Newton

Man Walks Among Us was the B-side of The Cowboy in the Continental Suit, which had been new on the playlist the week before.

Music
The original motion picture soundtrack album from A Hard Day's Night was released in North America on United Artists Records. The album featured eight songs performed by the Beatles and four Beatles' compositions performed by George Martin and his Orchestra.

Died on this date
Léo Dandurand, 74. U.S.-born Canadian sports executive. Mr. Dandurand, a native of Illinois, moved with his family to Canada at the age of 16. He was a referee in the National Hockey Association and owned the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1921-1935. Mr. Dandurand coached the team from 1921-26 and 1934-35, winning the Stanley Cup in 1924. He was one of the founders of the Montreal Alouettes of the Interprovincial Provincial Football Union in 1946, and the team won the Grey Cup in 1949. Mr. Dandurand also owned a number of horse racing tracks. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963. Mr. Dandurand died 13 days before his 75th birthday.

Music
The Beatles continued the New Zealand portion of their Far Eastern tour, performing two concerts in Dunedin. The three opening acts included Johnny Devlin.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks

Technology
The Universal Product Code was scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley's chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.

Defense
Leaders of the 15-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization signed in Brussels a declaration on Atlantic Relations to guide NATO through the next 25 years that had been agreed upon by the members' foreign ministers a week earlier in Ottawa. The declaration affirmed a wider and more intimate consultation on common problems, including those outside the alliance area. U.S. President Richard Nixon, who was in Brussels while on his way to Moscow to meet with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, told his NATO allies that the United States would maintain its forces in Europe "if there is a similar effort by our allies," and also pledged not to reduce U.S. forces unless there was a reciprocal action by the U.S.S.R.

Scandal
U.S. District Court Judge Gerhard Gesell ordered John Ehrlichman, a former aide to President Richard Nixon, to stand trial with three other defendants on charges arising from the 1971 break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of former Defense Department employee Daniel Ellsberg.

Football
CFL
All-Star Game
CFL All-Stars 22 @ Ottawa 25

Rhome Nixon caught 2 touchdown passes and was named the game's most valuable player as the defending Grey Cup champion Rough Riders defeated the All-Stars before 15,102 fans at Lansdowne Park. Gerry Organ converted both touchdowns and added 3 field goals, while Dick Adams punted for 2 singles. Jim Young of the British Columbia Lions and Terry Evanshen of the Montreal Alouettes each caught a touchdown pass for the All-Stars. Dave Cutler of the Edmonton Eskimos converted both touchdowns and added 2 field goals and a single, while Zenon Andrusyshyn of the Toronto Argonauts punted for a single for the All-Stars.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Big in Japan--Alphaville (5th week at #1)

Space
The maiden flight of the U.S. space shuttle Discovery, already postponed by one day, was aborted 4 seconds before scheduled launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida because of a malfunctioning engine fuel valve, after the main rocket engines had begun to ignite. A few minutes later, while the six-person crew were still in the craft, a fire broke out near the faulty engine. Jets of water ejected from within the launch pad extinguished the fire quickly, and the astronauts left the spacecraft unharmed.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Wind Beneath My Wings--Bette Midler (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Look--Roxette

Canada's top 10 (RPM):
1 Pop Singer--John Mellencamp
2 Satisfied--Richard Marx
3 Good Thing--Fine Young Cannibals
4 Wind Beneath My Wings--Bette Midler
5 I Won't Back Down--Tom Petty
6 Rock On--Michael Damian
7 Cry--Waterfront
8 Buffalo Stance--Neneh Cherry
9 Soldier of Love--Donny Osmond
10 Express Yourself--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were Batdance by Prince (#78); How Long by Blue Rodeo (#80); A Friend is a Friend by Pete Townshend (#84); Boy with a Beat by Trooper (#87); Cover of Love by Michael Damian (#89); Bye Bye Mon Cowboy by Mitsou (#91); and Hangin' High and Dry by Brighton Rock (#93).

Died on this date
Howard Green, 93. Canadian politician. Mr. Green was a Conservative and Progressive member of the House of Commons from 1935-1963. He was Minister of Public Works in the government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker from 1957-1959 and Secretary of State for External Affairs from 1959-1963. Mr. Green was known for his support of the Commonwealth of Nations and nuclear disarmament. His support for Mr. Diefenbaker's refusal to allow nuclear-tipped Bomarc missiles into Canada helped lead to his, and the government's defeat in the 1963 federal election.

Walter Martin, 60. U.S. Christian apologist. Dr. Martin was the founder of the Christian Research Institute and author of numerous books, most notably The Kingdom of the Cults (originally published in 1965). He died of a heart attack the day after debating apostate Anglican Bishop John Shelby Spong. Dr. Martin's messages and writings can be found at Walter Martin's Religious Info Net, a site operated by his daughter, Jill Martin Rische.

Business
Time, Inc. rejected an offer of $12.2 billion ($200 per share) from Paramount Communications Corporation to purchase the company.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol) (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Without You--Mariah Carey (8th week at #1)

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

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Love is All Around--Wet Wet Wet (5th week at #1)

Baseball
Damian Moss pitched a no-hitter for the Danville Braves as they shut out the Bluefield Orioles 6-0 in an Appalachian League game.

10 years ago
2004

Football
CFL
British Columbia (1-1) 41 @ Edmonton (0-2) 34