May 24, 2014

325 years ago
1689

Religion
The English Parliament passed the Act of Toleration, protecting dissenting Protestants but excluding Roman Catholics.

170 years ago
1844

Communications
Samuel Morse transmitted the first telegraph message from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, in which he asked, "What hath God wrought?"

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
Al Atkinson pitched a no-hitter as the Philadelphia Athletics routed the Pittsburgh Alleghenys 10-1 in an American Association game at Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia.

70 years ago
1944

War
Canadian Army Major John Mahony directed the defense of a bridgehead at the River Melfa in Italy, refusing medical treatment despite being wounded in the head and twice in the leg, earning the Victoria Cross. U.S. troops captured Terracina, a key German strongpoint in Italy. Chinese troops smashed the second Japanese attempt in two days to reinforce their besieged troops in Myitkyina, Burma. U.S. troops reached the Maffin Bay airfield in New Guinea.

Defense
The U.S. Senate Military Affairs Committee denied Lieutenant General George Patton promotion to a permanent rank of major general.

Politics and government
U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill opened up parliamentary debate on foreign policy, announcing that the single aim was to defeat the Axis at the least cost.

U.S. Representative Will Rogers, Jr. (Democrat--California) resigned from Congress to resume active service with the U.S. Army.

Labour
The Congress of Industrial Organizations United Auto Workers of America announced that its executive committee had removed President William Jenkins and 14 others of Chrysler Local 390 for calling an unauthorized strike.

50 years ago
1964

Died on this date
Renee Godfrey, 44. U.S. actress and singer. Mrs. Godfrey, born Rene Haal, was Miss New York in 1935 and 1937, and then went to Britain for a singing engagement, where she met and married actor and director Peter Godfrey. She appeared in small roles in movies, including Terror by Night (1946). Mrs. Godfrey died of cancer.

40 years ago
1974

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

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Duke Ellington, 75. U.S. musician. Edward Kennedy Ellington was a jazz pianist and bandleader who became one of the most influential figures in the history of American popular music, with a career spanning 50 years. His notable recordings included the singles Mood Indigo (1931); It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (1932); and Take the "A" Train (1941). Mr. Ellington composed scores for movies such as Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and Paris Blues (1961), and won 14 Grammy Awards--three posthumously. He died of lung cancer and pneumonia, 25 days after his 75th birthday.

Baseball
Tom Carroll pitched a no-hitter for the Indianapolis Indians as they shut out the Omaha Royals 2-0 in an American Association game before 3,786 fans at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 30 (CHED)
1 Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry
2 Time After Time--Cyndi Lauper
3 Let's Hear it for the Boy--Deniece Williams
4 The Reflex--Duran Duran
5 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins
6 Sister Christian--Night Ranger
7 I'll Wait--Van Halen
8 You Might Think--The Cars
9 Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin'--Jermaine Jackson
10 Love Somebody--Rick Springfield
11 No More Words--Berlin
12 Authority Song--John Cougar Mellencamp
13 It Ain't Enough--Corey Hart
14 The Heart of Rock and Roll--Huey Lewis and the News
15 Head Over Heels--The Go-Go's
16 The Longest Time--Billy Joel
17 It's a Miracle--Culture Club
18 Rock You Like a Hurricane--Scorpions
19 Distant Early Warning--Rush
20 Magic--The Cars
21 Who's That Girl--Eurythmics
22 Love Will Show Us How--Christine McVie
23 Self Control--Laura Branigan
24 You Can't Get What You Want--Joe Jackson
25 Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen
26 Wouldn't it Be Good--Nik Kershaw
27 They Don't Know--Tracey Ullman
28 Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins
29 High on Emotion--Chris De Burgh
30 Young Thing, Wild Dream--Red Rider

Dancing in the Dark was the first of seven straight top 10 hits from Mr. Springsteen's album Born in the U.S.A.. The B-side, Pink Cadillac, didn't appear on the album, but was a hit for Aretha Franklin a year later.

Crime
A court in El Salvador found five national guardsmen guilty of the 1980 murders of three American nuns and an American lay worker.

Politics and government
The United States House of Representatives approved $61.75 million in emergency military aid to El Salvador, but rejected further financing through the Central Intelligence Agency of Nicaraguan rebel groups, popularly known as "Contras."

Baseball
The Detroit Tigers defeated the California Angels 5-1 at Anaheim Stadium to improve to 35-5, the best start in major league history. The win was the Tigers' 17th straight on the road, setting an American League record and tying the major league record set by the 1916 New York Giants. Winning pitcher Jack Morris improved to 9-1, allowing 4 hits. Alan Trammell and Lance Parrish hit home runs for the Tigers.

The Oakland Athletics edged the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 to improve to 20-24, just 2½ games out of first place in the weak West Division of the American League. Just an hour after the game, the Athletics fired manager Steve Boros for being "too nice," and replaced him with coach Jackie Moore.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Minä olen muistanut--Kim Lönnholm (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Like a Prayer--Madonna (8th week at #1)

Journalism
A jury at the Court in London awarded £600,000 in damages to Sonia Sutcliffe, estranged wife of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, better known as the Yorkshire Ripper. Mrs. Sutcliffe had sued the satirical magazine Private Eye for libel for accusing her of attempting to profit from her association with Mr. Sutcliffe. Private Eye appealed the excessive amount of the award, which was £100,000 more than the largest award previously given in Britain for libel. The award was later reduced to £60,000.

Baseball
Johnny Ray batted 3 for 5 with a double, 2 runs, and 4 runs batted in to help the California Angels defeat the New York Yankees 11-4 before 19,144 fans at Yankee Stadium. The Angels put the game away with 5 runs in the 9th inning off Lee Guetterman, ending Mr. Guetterman's scoreless inning streak at 30 2/3.

The Minnesota Twins outscored the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 in the 1st inning and went on to win 10-4 before 27,138 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Kirby Puckett led the Minnesota attack, batting 4 for 6 with a double, 2 runs, and 3 runs batted in. Toronto starting pitcher Mike Flanagan lasted just 1/3 inning, allowing 5 hits and 5 runs--all earned--in taking the loss.

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 3 runs in the top of the 14th inning to break a 1-1 tie as they defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-1 before 5,896 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. David Justice made his major league debut in right field for Atlanta, batting 1 for 5, and making 3 putouts.

Tim Raines led off the game with a base on balls, stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hubie Brooks for the game's only run as the Montreal Expos edged the San Francisco Giants 1-0 before 9,889 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Kevin Gross pitched a 5-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Don Robinson.

20 years ago
1994

Terrorism
Ahmad Ajaj, Nidal Ayyad, Mahmud Abouhalima, and Mohammed Salameh, convicted on March 4 of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City, were each sentenced to 240 years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Kevin Duffy called the killers "cowards" and explained that 180 years of their sentences were based on the life expectancies of the six people killed in the attack, and the balance of the sentences was for charges related to assault on a federal officer. The sentences stated that there would be no possibility of parole.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Finals
Toronto 3 @ Vancouver 4 (2 OT) (Vancouver won best-of-seven series 4-1)

The Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in their 24-year history with their win over the Maple Leafs at Pacific Coliseum.