May 30, 2014

475 years ago
1539

Exploration
Hernando de Soto landed at Tampa Bay, Florida with 600 soldiers, with the goal of finding gold.

160 years ago
1854

Americana
The territories of Nebraska and Kansas were established.

130 years ago
1884

Born on this date
Rube Oldring. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Oldring was an outfielder with the New York Highlanders/Yankees (1905, 1916) and Philadelphia Athletics (1906-1916, 1918), batting .270 with 27 home runs and 471 runs batted in in 1,239 games in an injury-plagued career. He helped the Athletics win four American League pennants and three World Series, batting .194 with 1 homer and 3 RBIs in 15 World Series games. Mr. Oldring played 5 seasons in the minor leagues (1905, 1919, 1921-1923). He died from severe arterial blockage on September 9, 1961 at the age of 77.

Baseball
In Decoration Day action in the American Association, the New York Metropolitans and Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers played doubleheaders at home, but switched opponents between games. The Metropolitans defeated the St. Louis Browns 4-2 at Metropolitan Park in the morning, while the Trolley Dodgers blanked the Indianapolis Hoosiers 5-0 at Washington park in Brooklyn. The visiting teams then exchanged locations. The Hoosiers beat the Metropolitans 10-4 at Metropolitan Park, while the Browns beat the Trolley Dodgers 11-5 at Washington Park.

Also in the AA, the Washington Nationals defeated the Columbus Colts 10-1 in a morning game; the Nationals then lost 6-5 in an afternoon game against the Cincinnati Red Stockings. After losing to the Nationals in the morning, the Colts lost 10-2 to the Baltimore Orioles in the afternoon. Ed Morris, who pitched a no-hitter against Pittsburgh the day before, gave up 17 hits in losing to the Orioles.

It was also an unusual day's activity for the New York Maroons in the National League. In their first game of the day, the Maroons lost 12-9 to the Providence Grays at Messer Street Grounds in Providence. The teams, with the sun in their eyes, combined for 21 errors. Losing pitcher Johnny Ward, last major league start, gave up 16 hits. The Maroons then moved on to Boston, losing 5-1 to the Beaneaters before 14,000 fans at South End Grounds.

Elsewhere in the NL, Ed Williamson hit a major league record 3 home runs and added a double as the Chicago White Stockings beat the Detroit Wolverines 12-2 at Lakefront Park in Chicago in the completion of a Decoration Day twinbill.

125 years ago
1889

Baseball
In a Decoration Day double bill at Washington park in Brooklyn, the Bridegrooms lost 8-4 to the St. Louis Browns, and then won the second game 9-7. The afternoon game drew 22,122, the largest American Association attendance to date. Most of the spectators were standing, since only 3,000 seats had been erected since a fire 11 days earlier. 8,462 were at the morning game.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Hubertus van Mook. Dutch politician. Following the Japanese conquest of Indonesia in 1942, Mr. van Mook was appointed Acting Governor-General by the Dutch East Indies government in exile near Brisbane, Australia, and held the position until 1948. He died on May 10, 1965, 20 days before his 71st birthday.

Baseball
Bobby Lowe of the Boston Beaneaters became the first major league player to hit 4 home runs in a game, hitting his homers in succession and adding a single as the Beaneaters beat the Cincinnati Reds 20-11 in the second game of a doubleheader before a Decoration Day crowd of 8,500 at Congress Street Grounds in Boston. Mr. Lowe hit 2 of his home runs in the 3rd inning, with all of his homers coming against Cincinnati pitcher Elton "Ice Box" Chamberlain. The Beaneaters also won the first game 13-10.

100 years ago
1914

Transportation
The Cunard liner RMS Aquitania began her maiden voyage, departing Liverpool for New York under the command of Captain William Turner.

Auto racing
René Thomas won the Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 82.474 miles per hour. Mr. Thomas was one of three French drivers who finished in the first four positions, with Belgian Arthur Duray finishing second.



90 years ago
1924

Auto racing
L.L. Corum and Joe Boyer were credited as co-winners of the Indianapolis 500, as Mr. Boyer, whose original car had crashed, relieved Mr. Corum after 111 laps and drove to victory. The average speed was 98.24 miles per hour.



80 years ago
1934

Auto racing
Bill Cummings won the Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 104.863 miles per hour. Mauri Rose finished second and Lou Moore third.







75 years ago
1939

Died on this date
Floyd Roberts, 39. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Roberts, winner of the 1938 Indianapolis 500, was killed in a crash on lap 109 of the 1939 race, which he had previously announced would be his last.



Auto racing
Wilbur Shaw, winner of the 1937 Indianapolis 500, won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, with an average speed of 115.035 miles per hour.





Baseball
National League umpires wore white gabardine trousers with blue jackets in an attempt to spruce up their appearance.

The Chicago Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds before 18,875 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Larry French took the opener against Whitey Moore 6-0, while Vance Page outduelled Bucky Walters to win the second game 2-0. Wes Livengood made his major league debut on the mound for Cincinnati in the first game, allowing a base on balls but no other baserunners in 1 1/3 innings of relief as he finished the game.

Jimmy Brown batted 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and a run batted in, and Johnny Mize was 2 for 3 with a home run, double, base on balls, 2 runs, and 3 RBIS, to help the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 in the first game of a doubleheader before 14,178 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The Pirates won the second game 14-8, as left fielder Johnny Rizzo batted 5 for 6 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 4 runs, and 9 runs batted in. Red Juelich made his major league debut with the Pirates as a pinch runner in the 9th inning of the first game, but was stranded at first base.

The Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 8-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 35,000 fans at Fenway Park in Boston, while the Yankees came back to win the second game 17-9. Boston right fielder Ted Williams hit a home run off Red Ruffing in the first game that he later said was the hardest ball he ever hit. Mr. Williams also homered in the second game.

70 years ago
1944

War
U.S. planes attacked targets in Germany, Belgium, and France, striking at airports and railroads. U.K. troops seized the small Tyrrhenian port of L'Americano and the town of Ardea, four miles northeast. Chinese troops in northern Burma captured Malakawng on the Mogaung Valley road, 15 miles north of Kamaing. Japanese forced landed on the southeastern shore of Lake Tungting, breaching the Chinese second line of defense at the Milo River.

Defense
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull invited the governments of the U.K., U.S.S.R., and China to designate representatives to open conversations on postwar security plans.

Politics and government
Quito reported that General Luis Larrea Alba was now in control of the Ecuadorian revolutionary government.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Can't Buy Me Love/You Can't Do That--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: La Plus Belle Pour Aller Danser--Sylvie Vartan (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Cin, cin--Richard Anthony

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Oh My Darling Caroline--Ronny (6th week at #1)

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

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Love Me Do--The Beatles

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 My Guy--Mary Wells
2 Love Me Do--The Beatles
3 Chapel of Love--The Dixie Cups
4 Hello, Dolly!--Louis Armstrong
5 A World Without Love--Peter and Gordon
--[Bobby Rydell]
6 Love Me with All Your Heart (Cuando Calienta El Sol)--The Ray Charles Singers
7 Little Children--Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas
8 Bits and Pieces--The Dave Clark Five
9 (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet--The Reflections
10 Walk on By--Dionne Warwick

Singles entering the chart were Don't Throw Your Love Away by the Searchers (#74); No Particular Place to Go by Chuck Berry (#75); I'll Be in Trouble by the Temptations (#77); Be My Girl by the Four-Evers (#80); The World of Lonely People by Anita Bryant (#81); Four by the Beatles (EP) by the Beatles (#91); Remember Me by Rita Pavone (#93); Swing by the Tokens (#99); and Just Ain't Enough Love by Eddie Holland (#100). I'll Be in Trouble was the B-side (or maybe the A-side) of The Girl's Alright with Me, which had charted the previous week at #82.

Died on this date
Eddie Sachs, 37; Dave MacDonald, 27. U.S. auto racing drivers. Messrs. Sachs and MacDonald were killed in a crash on lap 2 of the Indianapolis 500. Mr. Sachs was in his eighth Indianapolis 500, while Mr. MacDonald, who normally drove sports cars, was driving in the race for the first time.

Auto racing
A.J. Foyt won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, three years after winning it for the first time. As a result of the crash on lap 2 that claimed the lives of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald, it became the first Indianapolis 500 to be red-flagged.





40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I See a Star--Mouth & MacNeal

Baseball
Rick Monday and Jerry Morales each doubled home 2 runs and Billy Williams hit a pair of doubles and scored 2 runs for the Chicago Cubs as they defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-3 before 12,630 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Bill Bonham (4-8) pitched an 11-hit complete game victory.

Milt May led off the top of the 10th inning with a single and scored from second base on a 2-out single by Tommy Helms to break a 3-3 tie as the Houston Astros edged the Montreal Expos 4-3 before 6,593 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal. The Astros led 3-0 until Willie Davis tied the score for Montreal with a 3-run home run with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th. The Expos loaded the bases with 2 out in the 9th, but Ron Hunt flied out to center field to end the inning. They had runners on first and second bases with 1 out in the 10th, but Larry Lintz grounded out to second base, and when Mr. Davis attempted to score on the play, he was thrown out at home plate by third baseman Doug Rader, with catcher Milt May applying the tag to end the game.

Chris Chambliss drew a bases-loaded walk with 2 out in the top of the 3rd inning to drive home the tying run, and Fernando Gonzalez followed with a grand slam to break a 1-1 tie as the New York Yankees scored all their runs in the first 4 innings and defeated the New York Mets 9-4 before 35,894 fans at Shea Stadium in the annual Mayor's Trophy Game. Dave Pagan pitched the first 2 innings for the Yankees and was credited with the win over Mets' starter Mike Wegener, who had been called up from the Tidewater Tides of the AAA International League, and who hadn't appeared in a regular season game in the major leauges since 1970.



30 years ago
1984

Football
CFL
Edmonton Eskimos' intrasquad game
Gold 29 Green 17

Rookie receiver Gord Bolstad caught 2 touchdown passes for the Gold team at Commonwealth Stadium. Warren Moon, who had recently signed with the Houston Oilers of the NFL after 6 years as quarterback with the Eskimos, was a spectator on the sidelines. The game was taped for later broadcast on Edmonton station CFRN, with Al McCann calling play-by-play and former Calgary Stampeders' head coach Jack Gotta making his debut as a colour commentator.

25 years ago
1989

Died on this date
Claude Pepper, 88. U.S. politician. Mr. Pepper, a Democrat, was a member of the Florida House of Representatives (1929-1931); represented Florida in the U.S. Senate (1936-1951); and represented four different Florida districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1963-1989), and chaired the House Rules Committee (1963-1989). He was nicknamed "Red Pepper" because of his pro-Soviet views in the 1930s and '40s, but became a staunch anti-Communist in the 1960s. Rep. Pepper became chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging in 1977, and became America's most prominent advocate for old people. He remained in office until his death.

Protest
The 33-foot high "Goddess of Democracy" statue is unveiled in Tiananmen Square by student demonstrators.

Defense
Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze said that he welcomed the proposal of U.S. President George Bush for reduction of American and Soviet conventional military forces in Europe. At the conventional forces talks in Vienna, the Warsaw pact put forth its proposals for ceilings on personnel and weapons for both sides. At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit in Brussels, a compromise was reached on the dispute about short-range U.S. missiles based in West Germany. Under the agreement, the two alliances would first reach an accord on reducing conventional forces. Then the United States, in consultation with its allies, would enter negotiations with the U.S.S.R. to achieve a partial reduction in land-based short-range missiles. Mr. Bush flew to Bonn, West Germany. Accepting the presidency of the U.S.S.R., Mikhail Gorbachev promised that defense spending would be cut by 14% in 1990-1991.

Politics and government
In other speeches at the assembly of the U.S.S.R. Congress of People’s Deputies, deputies denounced the slayings of demonstrations in Georgia ; the brutality of the KGB (Soviet secret police); and the restraints on nationalist autonomy.

Baseball
The Montreal Expos overcame a 4-1 deficit with 4 runs in the 9th inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 before 25,336 fans at Dodger Stadium in a game televised on Radio Canada. The game ended when Mike Marshall struck out and Montreal catcher Mike Fitzgerald threw to shortstop Tom Foley to retire pinch runner John Shelby, who was attempting to steal second base.

The Cleveland Indians scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to offset 2 runs in the top of the 5th as they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 before 6,204 fans at Cleveland Stadium. John Farrell pitched a 5-hit complete game victory.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Without You--Mariah Carey (3rd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I'll Remember--Madonna (3rd week at #1)
2 Baby, I Love Your Way--Big Mountain
3 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World--The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (Love Symbol)
4 Sleeping in My Car--Roxette
5 Love Sneakin' Up on You--Bonnie Raitt
6 Misled--Celine Dion
7 I'll Take You There--General Public
8 You Mean the World to Me--Toni Braxton
9 Keep Talking--Pink Floyd
10 Round Here--Counting Crows

Singles entering the chart were Can You Feel the Love Tonight by Elton John (#73); Tell Me Where it Hurts by Kathy Troccoli (#78); Breakin' Up the House by Colin James (#82); Any Time, Any Place by Janet Jackson (#89); Between Friends by Richard Samuels (#90); Invitation by Lost and Profound (#91); I'm Ready by Tevin Campbell (#92); Prayer for the Dying by Seal (#95); Someone to Talk To by the Devlins (#96); and No One to Run With by the Allman Brothers Band (#97).

10 years ago
2004

Auto racing
Buddy Rice won the Indianapolis 500 in a race that was stopped because of rain after 450 miles (180 laps). The average speed was 138.518 miles per hour.



Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (1-0) 33 @ Hamilton (0-1) 10
Edmonton (0-1) 17 @ Saskatchewan (1-0) 27

Edmonton running back Troy Mills suffered a career-ending broken leg in the Eskimos' loss to the Roughriders at Taylor Field in Regina.