May 29, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Cathy Brown!

575 years ago
1439

Born on this date
Pius III. Roman Catholic Pope, 1503. Pius III, born Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, was the nephew of Pope Pius II, who made him a cardinal in 1460. He held various offices before succeeding Alexander VI as pope. Pius III was elected Pope on September 22 and consecrated on October 1, but died on October 15, 1503, just 14 days after his consecration. He was said to be suffering from gout and an ulcer on the leg, but it has been alleged that he was poisoned. Pius III was succeeded as pope by Julius II.

130 years ago
1884

Baseball
Ed Morris pitched a no-hitter as the Columbus Colts blanked the Pittsburgh Alleghenys 5-0 in an American Association game at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. The game was played just 5 days after Al Atkinson of the Philadelphia Athletics had pitched a no-hitter against the Alleghenys.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Josef von Sternberg. Austro-Hungarian born U.S. film director. Mr. Sternberg, born Jonas Sternberg, moved with his family to New York at the age of 3, and began his film career performing various tasks in silent films. He learned his craft in Europe in the early 1920s, and worked there and in Hollywood into the era of sound films, directing movies such as Underworld (1927) and The Docks of New York (1928). Mr. Sternberg was best known for working with Marlene Dietrich, directing her in movies such as Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930); Morocco (1930); and Blonde Venus (1932). His later works were less distinguished, and he taught at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1959-1963. Mr. Sternberg died of a heart attack on December 22, 1969 at the age of 75.

Beatrice Lillie. Canadian-born U.K. actress. Born Constance Sylvia Gladys Munston in Toronto, Miss Lillie was often called the funniest woman in the world. She appeared in such films as Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and died on January 20, 1989 at the age of 94.

100 years ago
1914

Disasters
In Canada's worst maritime disaster, the Canadian Pacific passenger ship Empress of Ireland, en route from Quebec City to Liverpool, sank in the Gulf of St. Lawrence after being rammed by the Norwegian collier Storstad in foggy conditions. 840 passengers and 172 crew members were killed.

75 years ago
1944

Literature
New York Magistrate Charles Keutgen ruled D.H. Lawrence's novel The First Lady Chatterly obscene, and ordered a trial of the publisher, Dial Press, Ince.

War
Allied forces advanced to within 16 miles of Rome. U.S. and Chinese troops penetrated the southern portion of Myitkyina, Burma, blocking one of the last escape routes of the Japanese garrison.

World events
A military junta seized control of Guayaquil, Ecuador--forcing the resignation of the government of President Carlos Arroyo del Rio--and named Dr. Fausto Navarro Allende as provisional President.

Diplomacy
Dispatches from Berne reported that Bulgarian Regent Bogdan Philov had returned to Sofia after receiving an ultimatum from German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden to sever relations with the U.S.S.R.

Defense
U.S. Senator Lister Hill (Democrat--Alabama) introduced a bill which would provide for the consolidation of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force in one department under a civilian secretary.

60 years ago
1954

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Oh My Pa-Pa (O Mein Papa)--Eddie Fisher (4th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Wanted--Perry Como (Best Seller--7th week at #1; Disc Jockey--5th week at #1; Jukebox--4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Wanted--Perry Como (8th week at #1)
2 Young at Heart--Frank Sinatra
3 I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)--The Four Knights
4 Little Things Mean a Lot--Kitty Kallen
5 The Happy Wanderer--Frank Weir and his Orchestra
--Henri Rene's Musette
6 Here--Tony Martin
7 Cross Over the Bridge--Patti Page
8 Three Coins in the Fountain--The Four Aces
9 Make Love to Me--Jo Stafford
10 A Girl, A Girl (Zoom-Ba Di Alli Nella)--Eddie Fisher

Singles entering the chart were My Friend by Eddie Fisher (#34); Sugar Lump by the Four Tunes (#35); Wow by Ronnie Gaylord (#36); The Last Time by Don, Dick and Jimmy (#42); I'm in the Mood for Love by Spike Jones and his City Slickers (#44); and Joey by Betty Madigan (#50). Sugar Lump was the B-side of I Understand Just How You Feel, which charted at #20.

At the movies
Dial M for Murder, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, and John Williams, opened in theatres.



50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Fallen Star--Eileen Reid; I'm Yours--Dickie Rock

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 All My Loving--The Beatles (12th week at #1)
2 Viva Las Vegas--Elvis Presley
3 Do You Love Me--The Dave Clark Five
4 A World Without Love--Peter and Gordon
5 Little Children--Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas
6 Bits and Pieces--The Dave Clark Five
7 Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying--Gerry and the Pacemakers
8 Hello, Dolly!--Louis Armstrong
9 Kiss Me Quick--Elvis Presley
10 Twist and Shout--The Beatles
Pick hit of the week: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying--Gerry and the Pacemakers
New this week: The World of Lonely People--Anita Bryant
Hickory, Dick and Doc--Bobby Vee
Remember Me--Rita Pavone
What Kind of Bird is That--The Four Preps
Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets
Just One of Life's Little Tragedies--Murray Logan

On television tonight
Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Fear, starring Mark Richman and Hazel Court

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Second Verdict, starring Martin Landau, Frank Gorshin, Sharon Farrell, John Marley, Nancy Kovack, and Harold J. Stone

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland: Waterloo--ABBA (6th week at #1)

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Big in Japan--Alphaville

Protest
41 police officers and 28 miners were injured in clashes between police and striking coal miners outside the Orgreave coking plant near Sheffield, England. 81 people were arrested.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Like a Prayer--Madonna (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ibiza--Amnesia (2nd week at #1)

Canada's top 10 (RPM):
1 Forever Your Girl--Paula Abdul
2 Real Love--Jody Watley
3 Like a Prayer--Madonna
4 Rock On--Michael Damian
5 After All--Cher and Peter Cetera
6 I'll Be There for You--Bon Jovi
7 Second Chance--Thirty Eight Special
8 Pop Singer--John Mellencamp
9 Heaven Help Me--Deon Estus (with George Michael)
10 Everlasting Love--Howard Jones

Singles entering the chart were Boomtown by Andrew Cash (#76); Express Yourself by Madonna (#82); Dressed for Success by Roxette (#88); Trouble Me by 10,000 Maniacs (#94); It Doesn't Matter by Coleman Wilde (#96); Little Jackie Wants to Be a Star by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (#98); and I Hear a Symphony by Eric Fachia (#99).

Died on this date
George C. Homans, 78. U.S. sociologist. Professor Homans was the founder of behavioural sociology and the Social Exchange Theory, which studies human interactions in terms of costs and benefits. His best-known book was The Human Group (1950). Prof. Homans died of a heart ailment.

Politics and government
Premier Joe Ghiz led his Liberal Party to a landslide win in the Prince Edward Island provincial election, taking 30 of 32 seats in the Legislative Assembly; the Liberals' total was an increase of 9 from the most recent election in 1986. The Progressive Conservatives, led by Mel Gass, won the remaining 2 seats, a decline of 9 from 1986.

U.S.S.R. leader Mikhail Gorbachev engineered the seating of reformer Boris Yeltsin on the Supreme Soviet, with one of the chosen members agreeing to step aside.

Defense
In Brussels, at the observance of the 40th anniversary of the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, U.S. President George Bush proposed that both NATO and the Warsaw pact cut back on their conventional forces in Europe. He proposed specific ceilings for each class of weaponry and also recommended that the United States reduce its combat forces in Europe to 275,000, or about 20%.

Baseball
Mike Schmidt, perhaps the greatest third baseman in baseball history, announced his retirement at the age of 39. He was hitting just .203 with 6 home runs in 42 games in 1989. In 18 major league seasons, all with the Philadelphia Phillies, Mr. Schmidt hit 548 home runs.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: The Sign--Ace of Base (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Without You--Mariah Carey (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Without You--Mariah Carey (7th week at #1)

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

Love is All Around was from the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).

Died on this date
Erich Honecker, 81. General Secretary of the Socialist Unity (Communist) Party of Germany, 1971-1989. Mr. Honecker joined the Communist Party in the late 1930s, and spent several decades with the Communist government of East Germany. He was the prime organizer of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, and initiated the power struggle in 1970 that saw Walter Ulbricht ousted as First Secretary of the Socialist Unity (Communist) Party. Mr. Honecker governed East Germany for 18 years, and was successful in having East Germany admitted to membership in the United Nations. He resisted political reforms, and was removed from power in October 1989, several weeks before the fall of the East German Communist regime. Mr. Honecker attempted to seek asylum in the Chilean embassy in Moscow in 1991, but was extradited to the now-united Germany in 1992 to face trial for human rights abuses. The proceedings were abandoned because of Mr. Honecker's failing health, and he died of liver cancer.

Auto racing
Al Unser, Jr. won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, at an average speed of 160.872 miles per hour. Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, driving in his first Indianapolis 500, finished second.



10 years ago
2004

War
A memorial to the U.S.A.'s World War II veterans was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Tampa Bay 0 @ Calgary 3 (Calgary led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 21 shots for the shutout, and Chris Simon's goal in the 2nd period held up as the winner as the Flames blanked the Lightning at Pengrowth Saddledome.