April 18, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Mila Levashova!

425 years ago
1590

Born on this date
Ahmed I. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1603-1617. Ahmed I succeeded his father Mehmed III at the age of 13; he died of typhus on November 22, 1617 at the age of 27 and was succeeded by his younger brother Mustafa I.

275 years ago
1740

Born on this date
Francis Baring, 1st Baronet Baring. U.K. banker and politician. Sir Francis and his brother John, who was mostly a silent partner, founded the John and Francis Baring Company, which eventually became Barings Bank, a merchant bank that achieved success and influence in Europe and America. Sir Francis served as an adviser to the British government, promoting liberalization of trade, and was also a director of the East India Company, supporting the company's monopoly. He represented various ridings in the House of Commons (1784-1790, 1794-1806), and was created 1st Baronet Baring in 1793. Sir Francis died on September 11, 1810 at the age of 70.

240 years ago
1775

War
Paul Revere rode from Charlestown to Lexington to warn Massachusetts colonists of the arrival of British troops during the American Revolution.

130 years ago
1885

Died on this date
Ted Firth, 29. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Firth, who had pitched a complete game and given up 8 earned runs with the Richmond Virginians of the American Association in his only major league game in 1884, was murdered.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Joy Davidman. U.S.-born U.K. poet and authoress. Miss Davidman was a child prodigy who became a Communist in her youth, and wrote the collection Letters to a Comrade (1938). She married author William Lindsay Gresham in 1942 and had two sons by him; they both became disillusioned with Communism, and she eventually converted to Christianity, partly through the apologetic writings of C.S. Lewis. While Mr. Gresham professed Christian belief for a time, he eventually gravitated toward occultism, and the couple, divorced in 1954. Miss Davidman settled in England with her two sons, and published Smoke on the Mountain: An Interpretation of the Ten Commandments (1954). She fell in love with Mr. Lewis, while he regarded her as an intellectual friend. When her visa was about to expire in 1956, he agreed to marry her in order for her to remain in Britain. Miss Davidman soon developed bone cancer, and Mr. Lewis realized that he had developed a love for her. The couple married in 1957, and remained so until her death from cancer on July 13, 1960 at the age of 45. The relationship between Miss Davidman and Mr. Lewis was dramatized in the made-for-television movie (1985) and theatrical movie (1993) Shadowlands.

75 years ago
1940

War
German troops captured the Norwegian fortresses of Oskarborg and Drobak in Oslo Fjord. The Japanese Army claimed a rout of Chinese forces in the province of Shangsi in northeastern China.

Diplomacy
Argentine President Roberto Ortez recalled the Argentine military mission to Berlin.

Protest
The All-India National Congress directed its committees to prepare for a declaration of civil disobedience.

Politics and government
The United States House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate the Walter-Logan bill, which provided court review for rulings of 130 federal bureaus and agencies.

U.S. Senator Robert Taft (Ohio) declined to enter the Republican Party primary in Maryland, leaving New York City District Attorney Thomas Dewey as the only candidate there in the contest for the 1940 Republican nomination for President of the United States.

70 years ago
1945

Died on this date
John Ambrose Fleming, 95. U.K. physicist and engineer. Sir John was an electrical engineer who taught at University College, London (1897-1927), and played an important role in the invention of radio. While under contract to Guglielmo Marconi, he designed the world's first large radio transmitter, which enabled the first transatlantic radio transmission in 1901. Mr. Marconi received all the credit because of the contractual arrangement, and later reneged on an agreement with Dr. Fleming to give him shares in the Marconi company. Sir John invented the thermionic vacuum tube in 1904--the two-electrode diode--and accused U.S. engineer Lee de Forest of infringing on his patents when Mr. de Forest added a control "grid" to make a triode. Court battles between the two men dragged on for years. Sir John promoted the new technology of television in his later years, and was the second president of the Royal Television Society. He was a devout Christian, and co-founded the Evolution Protest Movement (now the Creation Science Movement) in 1932.

Wilhelm of Wied, 69. Prince of Albania, 1914-1925. Wilhelm, a native of Germany, reigned as sovereign of the Principality of Albania from March 7, 1914 until September 3, 1914, when he went into exile, eventually returning to Germany. His reign officially ended on January 31, 1925 with the proclamation of the Albanian Republic.

Ernie Pyle, 44. U.S. journalist. Mr. Pyle was the most famous American war correspondent of World War II, and won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting in 1944. He was killed on Ie Shima during the Battle of Okinawa when he was hit by a machine gun bullet.

War
Over 1,000 Allied bombers attacked the small German island of Heligoland. Germany was divided in two as spearheads of the 3rd U.S. Army drove into Czechoslovakia near Asch. German radio broadcasts reported that Soviet troops were within 14 miles of Berlin and were moving southward to outflank the city. U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur reported that his forces in the Philippines had rescued about 7,000 civilians--mostly Filipinos, but including Americans, Britons, and others--from the Japanese forces cornered at Baguio, Luzon since March 28. British troops captured Chauk, centre of one of Burma's richest oil-producing areas.

Diplomacy
The United States Senate ratified the Mexican water pact, guaranteeing Mexico 2.5 million acre-feet of water annually from the Colorado River, and giving the U.S.A. about 350,000 acre-feet from the Rio Grande.

World events
Brazilian Communist Luis Carlos Prestes was released after nine years in prison under a general amnesty signed by President Getulio Vargas.

60 years ago
1955

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Ronald Howard and H. Marion Crawford
Tonight's episode: The Case of the Violent Suitor



Died on this date
Albert Einstein, 76. German-born U.S. physicist. Dr. Einstein, one of the most famous scientists in history, was best known for his general theory of relativity, but received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."

Diplomacy
Representatives from 29 countries met for the opening of the first Asian-African Conference began in Bandung, Indonesia.

50 years ago
1965

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles 110 @ Boston 142 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Sam Jones scored 25 points and John Havlicek added 22 as the Celtics routed the Lakers at Boston Garden. Jerry West of Los Angeles led all scorers with 26 points, while Dick Barnett added 21 for the Lakers.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Free and Easy--Helen Reddy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Shame, Shame, Shame--Shirley (And Company)

#1 single in Switzerland: Ding-A-Dong--Teach-In

Died on this date
Jack Burns, 67. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Burns was a first baseman with the St. Louis Browns (1930-1936) and Detroit Tigers (1936), batting .280 with 44 home runs and 417 runs batted in in 890 games. His best season was 1932, when he batted .305 with 11 homers and 80 RBIs. Mr Burns managed in the minor leagues and coached in the major leagues after his playing career.

Diplomacy
An international conference to update the 1949 Geneva Conventions ended in Geneva, Switzerland after delegates approved 77 articles aimed at protecting civilians in time of war.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau ended tax breaks for Canadians advertising on U.S. border television stations and in foreign-owned Canadian magazines.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
Quarter-Finals
Minnesota 4 @ New England 0 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Toronto 3 @ San Diego 4 (San Diego led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Fran Huck's goal with 2:31 remaining in the 2nd period broke a 0-0 tie as the Fighting Saints beat the Whalers before 10,507 fans at Hartford Civic Centre. Wayne Connelly scored 2 goals in the 3rd period and Mike Walton another, while John Garrett stopped all 27 shots to win the goaltending duel over Al Smith.

Gene Peacosh's second goal of the game with 8:01 remaining in regulation time gave the Mariners their win over the Toros before 12,819 fans at San Diego Sports Arena. Frank Mahovlich opened the scoring for Toronto in the 1st period and Vaclav Nedomansky scored in the 2nd period to give the Toros a 2-0 lead, but the Mariners tied the game on goals by Mr. Peacosh and Mike Laughton, and Rick Adduono scored at 4:02 of the 3rd to give San Diego a 3-2 lead. Gavin Kirk tied the game for Toronto just 20 seconds later. The Mariners outshot the Toros 55-37, with 22 of their shots coming in the 3rd period. Ernie Wakely made 34 saves for San Diego, while Toronto's Jim Shaw made 51 saves in defeat.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Conference Semi-Finals
First Round
Washington 102 @ Buffalo 108 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)
Chicago 100 @ Kansas City-Omaha 104 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Bob McAdoo scored 50 points and grabbed 21 rebounds to lead the Braves over the Bullets before 15,307 fans at War Memorial Auditorium.

Jimmy Walker scored 30 points--8 in overtime--to lead the Kings over the Bulls before 14,945 fans at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. Nate Archibald added 28 points for Kansas City-Omaha. Chicago's Bob Love led all scorers with 34 points. The Bulls trailed by as much as 14 points in the 2rd quarter, but tied the game with 4 points in the final 10 seconds of regulation time. Bob Wilson made a field goal with 10 seconds left to draw Chicago to within 94-92, but Kansas City-Omaha had an opportunity to put the game away when Mr. Archibald was fouled by Matt Goukas with 6 seconds left. Mr. Archibald missed both free throws, and Chicago's Chet Walker was fouled by Sam Lacey as time ran out. Mr. Walker made both free throws to tie the game 94-94.

Baseball
The Baltimore Orioles traded catcher and first baseman Earl Williams back to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Jimmy Freeman and cash. Mr. Williams, who had yet to play in 1975, had played with the Braves from 1970-1972 before being traded to the Orioles. Mr. Freeman was with the Richmond Braves of the AAA International League at the time of the trade, and was assigned to the Rochester Red Wings of the IL.

Mike Anderson hit a home run and batted in 4 runs and Willie Montanez drove in 2 more with a double and homer as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Montreal Expos 6-3 before 21,274 fans at Jarry Park in the Expos' 1975 home opener.

Garry Maddox and Gary Matthews hit home runs and John Montefusco pitched a 7-hit complete game as the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 before 53,060 fans at Dodger Stadium.

Pinch hitter Luis Melendez singled home Keith Hernandez with the winning run with 1 out in the bottom of the 13th inning as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 before 19,975 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

Don Gullett pitched a 5-hit complete game and hit 2 singles as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Houston Astros 5-2 before 36,485 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

Lee May drove in 7 runs with a pair of 3-run home runs and a sacrifice fly as the Baltimore Orioles outlasted the Boston Red Sox 9-7 before 8,219 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Jim Rice hit 2 homers for Boston and Fred Lynn added another Boston homer.

Bobby Bonds hit his first American League home run and added 2 singles as the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 11-3 before 9,047 fans at Tiger Stadium. Ron Blomberg doubled and homered to help the Yankee cause. George Medich allowed 11 hits but no bases on balls in pitching a complete game victory.

Hank Aaron hit his first American League home run--a solo blast off Gaylord Perry--and singled in another run as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 before 8,812 fans at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

Amos Otis and Harmon Killebrew each hit home runs and Steve Busby pitched a complete game victory as the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 5-3 before 23,080 fans at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

30 years ago
1985

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Quebec 2 Montreal 1 (OT) (Quebec led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Winnipeg 2 @ Edmonton 4 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Baseball
Jim Rice’s home run with 2 out in the top of the 14th inning gave the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals before 22,587 fans at Royals Stadium.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (9th week at #1)

Literature
W. O. Mitchell won the Stephen Leacock Humour Award for According to Jake and the Kid, published in 1989.

World events
The U.S.S.R. cut off the flow of crude oil into Lithuania.

Politics and government
Speaking to Parliament, South African President F.W. de Klerk rejected the idea of majority rule, which he said would result in Negro domination, but he endorsed the sharing of power between the races, which would include "the requirement of consensus on controversial matters." Mr. de Klerk said that the African National Congress would have to renounce violence before participating in negotiations on a new constitution.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the U.S. merchandise trade deficit had fallen to $6.49 billion in February, the smallest monthly gap since 1983.

Baseball
Eddie Murray became the first major league player to hit a home run from each side of the plate in a game in both leagues as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 6-2 before 22,022 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

20 years ago
1995

Died on this date
Arturo Frondizi, 86. 35th President of Argentina, 1958-1962. Mr. Frondizi joined the Radical Civic Union in 1932, and was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1946. He founded the Intransigent Radical Civic Union in 1956 and took office as President three years after a coup had deposed Juan Peron. Mr. Frondizi implemented economic and educational reforms, and cultivated good relations with both the United States and non-aligned nations. He lifted the ban on the Perónist Party early in 1962, and was deposed by a military coup on March 29, 1962. Mr. Frondizi founded the Integration and Development Movement (MID) in 1963, but his influence within government gradually declined until his death.

World events
The government of Rwanda began expelling refugees from camps in the southwestern part of the country, arguing that they were a destabilizing influence and that the camps were hiding places for soldiers who had participated in massacres in 1994.

Football
NFL
Joe Montana, 38, retired at a ceremony attended by 20,000 people in San Francisco. He played 14 seasons as a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers and 2 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, leading the 49ers to four Super Bowl championships.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Sam Mills, 45. U.S. football player and coach. Mr. Mills was a linebacker who starred at Montclair State College from 1977-1980. He failed in attempts to make the roster of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (1981) and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (1982) before playing with the Philadelphia and Baltimore Stars of the United States Football League (1983-1985), making the All-USFL team for all three seasons of the league's existence. Mr. Mills finally succeeded in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints (1986-1994) and Carolina Panthers (1994-1997), and was selected to four All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowl games. He was a linebacker coach with the Panthers after his playing days, and was still with the team when he died after a long battle with intestinal cancer. Mr. Mills' jersey #51 was retired by both the Saints and the Panthers.