April 24, 2015

200 years ago
1815

Born on this date
Anthony Trollope. U.K. author. Mr. Trollope was one of the most popular and prolific novelists of the Victorian era, writing 47 novels. His works included a series of six novels collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, and another six collectively known as the Palliser novels. Mr. Trollope died on December 6, 1882 at the age of 67.

130 years ago
1885

War
Frederick Middleton engaged the Metis troops of Gabriel Dumont at Fish Creek, Northwest Territories. The battle was a stalemate, with Mr. Middleton's forces badly mauled--losing 11 killed and 48 wounded--and his advance to Batoche slowed. William Otter relieved the North West Mounted Police garrison at Battleford.

120 years ago
1895

Exploration
Joshua Slocum, from Briar Island, Nova Scotia, left Boston to begin his solo around-the-world voyage on the 11-metre oystercatcher Spray.

Society
The Canadian Parliament decided not to bring in prohibition after reading the Report of the Royal Commission.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Michael Carver, Baron Carver. Field Marshal Baron Carver joined the British Army in 1935 and served in World War II in Italy and North Africa. He rose through the ranks during the war and afterward; he was Deputy Chief of Staff at East Africa Command (1954), taking part in the closing stages of the response to the Mau-Mau rebellion, and then being promoted to Chief of Staff in East Africa (1955). Lord Carver had several more commands, and was promoted to Chief of the General Staff (1971) and Chief of Defence Staff (1973), serving until his retirement in 1976. He was appointed resident commissioner designate for Rhodesia in August 1977 with responsibility for ending the dispute over independence there, but resigned in October 1978 after 14 months of deadlock. Baron Carver died on December 9, 2001 at the age of 86.

Died on this date
William Hall, 30. Canadian military officer. Sergeant-Major Hall, of the 8th Battalion, 90th Winnipeg Rifles, made a second attempt to help a wounded man lying 15 yards from the trench, in the face of very heavy enfilade fire by the enemy, when he is killed by a bullet in the head during the Second Battle Of Ypres at St-Julien, Belgium. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on June 23, 1915.

War
German forces poured shells and mustard gas against Canadian troops in the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium, but their attack was repelled. Near Kerselaere, Lieutenant Edward Donald Bellew of the 7th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment, was in action as battalion machine-gun officer, with two guns in action on high ground, when the enemy's attack broke in full force. With no reinforcements in sight, Lt. Bellew and his Sergeant Peerless decided to fight it out; Sgt. Peerless was killed and Lt. Bellew wounded, yet he kept up his fire until his ammunition failed, and he was taken prisoner. Lt. Bellew was awarded the Victoria Cross on his release from a prisoner of war camp on May 15 1919.

Abominations
The arrest by officials of the Ottoman Empire of 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul marked the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, which resulted in a death toll estimated at between 800,000-1.5 million people.

Baseball
Frank Allen pitched a no-hitter for the Pittsburgh Rebels as they blanked the St. Louis Terriers 2-0 in a Federal League game at Handlan's Park in St. Louis.

75 years ago
1940

War
Germany claimed unrestricted control over areas of occupied Norway and declared war on the Norwegian government. Germany responded in a conciliatory manner to the Swedish protest over the flight of German bombers over Swedish air space, but did not promise to end the practice. Pope Pius XII sent a message to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini urging him to keep Italy out of the European war.

Politics and government
Josef Terboven was named Reichskommissar for Norway, even before the German occupation of Norway had been completed.

Education
New York Governor Herbert Lehman signed the McCaffrey bill, providing for a Bill of Rights Week in the state's public schools.

70 years ago
1945

War
The United States Senate voted in favour of an amendment to prohibit the Army's use of 18-year-old soldiers in combat until they had at least six months' training. Two Soviet armies linked up inside Berlin, giving Soviet forces control over at least 1/4 of the city. German S.S. leader Heinrich Himmler met Sweden's Count Bernadotte in Luebeck, asking the Count to arrange a meeting with Allied Supreme Commander General Dwight Eisenhower for capitulation on the entire western front. Gen. Eisenhower asked the United Nations War Crimes Commission to send investigators to German concentration camps to make an official survey of the situation. U.S. forces made substantial gains on Okinawa, retaking Kakuzu in the centre of the line after days of very strong Japanese resistance. Chinese forces counterattacked against a Japanese drive into the western area of the Chinese province of Hunan in an effort to keep the enemy from reaching the U.S. air base at Chihkiang, 250 miles southwest of Chungking.

World events
French Marshal Henri-Philippe Petain arrived in Switzerland from southern Germany on his way to France to face charges of treason.

Law
The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee asked the government to use arms and ignore treaties if necessary to track down German war criminals.

Baseball
The 16 major league clubs elected U.S. Senator Albert "Happy" Chandler (Democrat--Kentucky) as Commissioner, replacing Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who had died on November 25, 1944 after almost 25 years in office.

60 years ago
1955

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Empty House

This was the final episode of the series.

Diplomacy
The Bandung Conference ended, as representatives of 29 non-aligned nations of Asia and Africa finished a meeting that condemned colonialism, racism, and the Cold War.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Rock and Roll Music/Honey Don't--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: La Nuit--Salvatore Adamo (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Un anno d'amore--Mina (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Downtown--Petula Clark (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Rock and Roll Music/No Reply--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Ticket to Ride--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Game of Love--Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Game of Love--Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
2 I Know a Place--Petula Clark
3 Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter--Herman's Hermits
4 I'm Telling You Now--Freddie and the Dreamers
5 Tired of Waiting for You--The Kinks
6 Go Now!--The Moody Blues
7 The Clapping Song (Clap Pat Clap Slap)--Shirley Ellis
8 Stop! In the Name of Love--The Supremes
9 I'll Never Find Another You--The Seekers
10 The Last Time--The Rolling Stones

Singles entering the chart were Help Me, Rhonda by the Beach Boys (#74); Reelin' and Rockin' by the Dave Clark Five (#77); Crying in the Chapel by Elvis Presley (#82); Come on Over to My Place by the Drifters (#83); Now That You've Gone by Connie Stevens (#85); Concrete and Clay by Unit Four Plus Two (#86, with the version by Eddie Rambeau mentioned but not charted); Peanuts (La Cacahuata) by the Sunglows (#88); Betrayed by the 4 Seasons (#91); Queen of the House by Jody Miller (#93); Something You Got by Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown (#94); Gotta Have Your Love by the Sapphires (#96); and Talk About Love by Adam Faith (#99). Betrayed was the B-side of Toy Soldier, charting at #69.

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock, on BBC 1
Tonight's episode: Charles Augustus Milverton

War
Civil war broke out in the Dominican Republic after the U.S.-sponsored government of President Donald Reid Cabral Huberto was overthrown by rebels demanding the return of former President Juan Bosch.

Agriculture
Nepal and India inaugurated the Kosi Barrage, part of a project to irrigate 2.6 million acres in Nepal and the Indian state of Bihar.

Economics and finance
Indonesian President Sukarno signed a decree for the seizure of remaining foreign-owned enterprises.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Love is All--Red Hurley

Died on this date
Pete Ham, 27. U.K. musician. Mr. Ham, a native of Wales, was the leader of the group Badfinger, known for the 1970-1972 string of hit singles Come and Get It; No Matter What; Day After Day; and Baby Blue. He also co-wrote the song Without You, a major hit for Harry Nilsson in 1972. Badfinger became embroiled in legal and business difficulties, and Mr. Ham hanged himself at his home three days before his 28th birthday.

Terrorism
At least 3 people were killed in the 12-hour seizure by five members of the Baader-Meinhof gang of the West German embassy in Stockholm.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-finals
Pittsburgh 1 @ New York Islanders 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

WHA
Avco World Trophy
Semi-Finals
Minnesota 5 @ Quebec 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Basketball
NBA
Conference Semi-Finals
Houston 115 @ Boston 128 (Boston won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Golden State 105 @ Seattle 96 (Golden State won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Jo Jo White scored 29 points, John Havlicek 28, and Don Nelson 25 as the Celtics eliminated the Rockets before 15,320 fans at Boston Garden. Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich each scored 27 points for Houston.

Rick Barry scored 31 points to lead the Warriors as they eliminated the SuperSonics before 14,082 fans at Seattle Center Coliseum. Slick Watts led Seattle with 24 points, while Spencer Haywood scored just 8 points.

ABA
Semi-Finals
Denver 112 @ Indiana 118 (Indiana led best-of-seven series 2-1)

George McGinnis scored 33 points and Billy Knight added 26 as the Pacers defeated the Nuggets before 15,496 fans at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. Ralph Simpson led the Nuggets with 30 points.

30 years ago
1985

Law
A Supreme Court of Canada ruling allowed Sunday shopping in most provinces.

25 years ago
1990

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Goodbye

This episode, the last to feature the character of Kevin Arnold’s math teacher, Mr. Collins, was reported to be series star Fred Savage’s favourite episode.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Discovery blasted off to begin mission STS-31, with a crew of five and the Hubble Space Telescope aboard.





Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush announced an indefinite delay in imposing sanctions against the U.S.S.R. for cutting off the flow of oil to Lithuania, saying he did not want to add fuel to "an already volatile situation." Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis called the situation a modern Munich, a reference to European appeasement of German dictator Adolf Hitler in 1938.

Scandal
Michael Milken, the former "junk bond king" at the U.S. securities firm Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc., pled guilty in U.S. District Court in New York to six counts relating to securities fraud, and agreed to pay a total of $600 million in fines and restitution. Under the agreement, more serious charges were dropped, and a case against his brother Lowell Milken was also dropped. Counts to which Michael Milken pled guilty to included conspiracy; aiding and abetting the filing of a false statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and assisting the filing of a false tax return. He still faced the possibility of going to prison.

Health
Gruinard Island, Scotland was officially declared free of the anthrax disease after 48 years of quarantine.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Baby Baby--Corona (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop)--Scatman John (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Self Esteem--The Offspring (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis (11th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Believe--Elton John (2nd week at #1)
2 I Know--Dionne Farris
3 No More "I Love You's"--Annie Lennox
4 O Siem--Susan Aglukark
5 Wonderdrug--Jann Arden
6 Can't Stop Lovin' You--Van Halen
7 You Lose You Gain--John Bottomley
8 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead--Crash Test Dummies
9 Murder Incorporated--Bruce Springsteen
10 In the House of Stone--Martin Page

Singles entering the chart were Hypnotized by Simple Minds (#84); December by Collective Soul (#86); You Don't Know (Where My Lips Have Been) by Carol Medina (#94); Hey What Can I Do by Hootie & the Blowfish (#95); Can't Stop My Heart by Aaron Neville (#96); Old Pop in an Oak by Rednex (#97); What Would You Say by the Dave Matthews Band (#98); and Dancing Days by Stone Temple Pilots (#99).

Died on this date
Gilbert Murray. U.S. forestry executive. Mr. Murray, president of the California Forestry Association, was killed by a letter bomb sent by Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Ezer Weizman, 80. 7th President of Israel, 1993-2000. Mr. Weizman was the nephew of Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first President. He had a distinguished career as a military pilot before entering politics, where he served as Israel's Minister of Defense in the government of Prime Minister Menachem Begin from 1977-1980. Mr. Weizman resigned as President amidst allegations that he had accepted large sums of money from businessmen before becoming President, without reporting this to the proper authorities.

Religion
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was installed as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Benedict XVI.

Science
Snuppy, an Afghan hound from South Korea, became the world's first cloned dog, as the result of experiments at Seoul National University.