April 3, 2015

150 years ago
1865

War
In the U.S. Civil War, Union forces occupied the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.

130 years ago
1885

Born on this date
Allan Dwan. Canadian-born U.S. movie director. Mr. Dwan, a native of Toronto, moved to the United States with his family at the age of 7. He began working in the motion picture industry in Chicago and New York; he spent his winters in California and, like many others, moved there to work full-time. Mr. Dwan directed 125 movies from 1911-1961; he directed Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks in several silent films, and directed eight movies starring Gloria Swanson. Mr. Dwan's movies included Robin Hood (1922); The Iron Mask (1929); and Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). He died on December 28, 1981 at the age of 96.

Technology
Gottlieb Daimler was granted a German patent for his engine design.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Italian-born U.S. composer. Mr. Castelnuovo-Tedesco immigrated to the United States in 1939. He was best known for composing almost 100 works for guitar, but also wrote music for other instruments. Mr. Castelnuovo-Tedesco died on March 16, 1968 at the age of 72.

Zez Confrey. U.S. musician and composer. Edward Elzear Confrey was a jazz pianist who composed and performed novelty tunes in a career spanning more than 40 years, but was best known for writing Kitten on the Keys (1922) and Dizzy Fingers (1923). He died on November 22, 1971 at the age of 76, after suffering from Parkinson's disease for many years.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Piet de Jong! Mr. de Jong, a Royal Netherlands Navy officer before entering politics, was a member of the Catholic People's Party and held various offices before serving as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1967-1971.

Died on this date
Arthur Hussey, 33. U.S. golfer. Mr. Hussey was a member of the U.S. team that won the bronze medal in the 1904 Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis.

90 years ago
1925

Baseball
In an exhibition game in Birmingham, Alabama, Johnny Mostil, playing center field for the Chicago White Sox, chased a high, wind-blown fly ball and caught it in foul territory.

75 years ago
1940

War
German troops secretly began to embark for the invasion of Norway.

Politics and government
The British government announced the appointment of George Cambridge, Earl Athlone, as Governor General of Canada, succeeding John Buchan, Lord Tweedsmuir, who had died in office on February 11, 1940.

Winston Churchill was given general supervision over the British armed forces, while Lord Woolton became food minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.

New Zealand acting Prime Minister Peter Fraser was elected in Wellington as head of the Labour Party. He succeeded Prime Minister Michael Savage, who had died on March 26.

Journalism
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch was fined $2,000 and reporters Ralph Coghlon and Daniel R. Fitzpatrick were given short jail terms when found guilty of contempt of court for articles criticizing an extortion case.

Olympics
Finnish Education Minister Antti Kukonen said that Helsinki could not host the Summer Olympic Games in 1940.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 2 @ New York Rangers 6 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Bryan Hextall scored 3 goals and an assist for the Rangers as they defeated the Maple Leafs before 13,000 fans at Madison Square Garden.

70 years ago
1945

War
The United States Senate rejected a compromise manpower bill and insisted on its own "voluntary" bill, calling for a new conference with the House of Representatives. Canadian troops captured Huissen, Netherlands as British units rolled into Germany and moved toward the North Sea and eastward to enter Osnabrueck. Soviet troops smashed ahead 21 miles in Austria to reach a point 6 miles south of Vienna. Soviet troops reportedly took Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, which the Germans had used as the capital of their "Slovak" republic. U.S. Marines reached the east coast of Okinawa in a drive that cut off the Katachin Peninsula.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius said that the United States would not ask for three votes in the assembly of the proposed international organization, but would continue to back the Soviet request for separate votes for White Russia and Ukraine.

Disasters
The Mississippi River spilled over its banks in one of Louisiana's worst floods, forcing 10,000 people to evacuate their homes.

60 years ago
1955

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Golden Pince-Nez

Literature
The American Civil Liberties Union announced that it would defend Allen Ginsberg's book Howl against obscenity charges.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 2 @ Detroit 4 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Marty Pavelich scored on a breakaway with 2:53 remaining in regulation time to break a 2-2 tie and Ted Lindsay scored into an empty net as the Red Wings defeated the Canadiens at Olympia Stadium.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Syracuse 89 Fort Wayne 96 @ Indianapolis (Syracuse led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Mel Hutchins scored 22 points to lead the Pistons over the Nationals, while Red Rocha and Dolph Schayes each scored 21 points for Syracuse. The Pistons' home games in the series were played in Indianapolis because War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne had been booked and was unavailable. Only 3,200 fans showed up to see this game.

50 years ago
1965

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

#1 single in France: Le Choses de la Maison--Claude François

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

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Downtown--Petula Clark (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Letkiss--Gudrun Jankis; Stig Rauno; Dutch College Swing Band (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): The Last Time--The Rolling Stones (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Stop! In the Name of Love--The Supremes (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Can't You Hear My Heartbeat--Herman's Hermits
2 Stop! In the Name of Love--The Supremes
3 I'm Telling You Now--Freddie and the Dreamers
4 King of the Road--Roger Miller
5 The Birds and the Bees--Jewel Akens
6 Eight Days a Week--The Beatles
7 Goldfinger--Shirley Bassey
--[John Barry and his Orchestra]
8 Shotgun--Jr. Walker and the All Stars
9 Ferry Cross the Mersey--Gerry & the Pacemakers
10 Nowhere to Run--Martha & the Vandellas

Singles entering the chart were Truly, Truly, True by Brenda Lee (#72); ...And Roses and Roses by Andy Williams (#79); Woman's Got Soul by the Impressions (#80); We're Gonna Make It by Little Milton (#81); Think of the Good Times by Jay & the Americans (#82); Do the Freddie by Chubby Checker (#83); Mexican Pearls, with versions by Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra and Don Randi (#84); It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones (#85); Count Me In by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#86); The Mouse by Soupy Sales (#88); Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs (#91); I Need You by Chuck Jackson (#92); Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan (#94); All of My Life by Lesley Gore (#95); Iko Iko by the Dixie Cups (#96); Toy Soldier by the Four Seasons (#97); and Silhouettes by Herman's Hermits (#98).

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock, on BBC 1
Tonight's episode: The Man with the Twisted Lip

Space
The Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) 10A reactor, the first atomic power reactor to be put into space, was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California for a year-long test.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Bye Bye Baby--Bay City Rollers (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Mary Ure, 42. U.K. actress. Miss Ure, a native of Scotland, was primarily known as a stage actress, bu appeared in several movies. She appeared in stage (1956, 1957) and film (1959) versions of Look Back in Anger, and also appeared in movies such as Sons and Lovers (1960); The Mind Benders (1963); The Luck of Ginger Coffey (1964); and Where Eagles Dare (1968). On April 2, 1975, Miss Ure appeared in the opening night performance of The Exorcism in London, but the opening night was reportedly a disaster, and she went home and overdosed on alcohol and barbiturates.

War
North Vietnamese forces completed three days of seizing major coastal cities in South Vietnam as defending forces fled.

Economics and finance
Statistics Canada reported a record $2.19 billion paid out in 1974 for unemployment insurance benefits.

Chess
Bobby Fischer refused to defend his world championship against Anatoly Karpov, giving Mr. Karpov the title of world champion by default.

Baseball
Bert Campaneris led off the bottom of the 9th inning with his second home run of the game to tie the score, Sal Bando followed with a double, and pinch runner Don Hopkins scored the winning run on an infield single by Claudell Washington with 1 out as the Oakland Athletics edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-9 in a spring training game before 4,824 fans in Mesa, Arizona. Neither starting pitcher was effective, as Oakland's Vida Blue allowed 8 hits and 9 earned runs in 6 innings, while Los Angeles starter Andy Messersmith allowed 10 hits and 8 runs--7 earned--in 6 innings. Mr. Messersmith hit a home run off Mr. Blue. Winning pitcher Roger Nelson, recently signed by Oakland after being released by the Chicago White Sox, pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief of Mr. Blue, allowing just 1 hit and 1 base on balls.

Eddie Watt walked Larry Biittner with the bases loaded to force in the eventual winning run as the Montreal Expos rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 before 1,705 fans in Daytona Beach, Florida. Winning pitcher Balor Moore pitched the 7th and 8th innings and allowed 1 hit and no runs, but issued 5 bases on balls in his final game in a Montreal uniform. He had once been considered a hot prospect by the Expos, but arm trouble had impeded his career. Mr. Moore compiled a record of 16-29 in 4 seasons with the Expos; he was demoted to the Memphis Blues of the International League.

Gary Nolan, who had missed almost all of the 1973 and 1974 seasons with shoulder trouble, allowed just 5 hits and 1 earned run in 7 innings as he pitched the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers in a spring training game before 2,603 fans in Tampa, Florida. Losing pitcher Mickey Lolich pitched a complete game, allowing 8 hits and 3 earned runs in 8 innings. Cincinnati third baseman John Vukovich, usually a pathetic hitter, batted 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored. Nate Colbert doubled home Cleo James for the only Detroit run in the 6th inning.

Alex Johnson, Walt Williams, and Lou Piniella--the top of the order--each batted in 2 runs as the New York Yankees beat the New York Mets 7-3 in a spring training game before 8,439 fans in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Winning pitcher Larry Gura allowed just 5 hits and no runs in 7 innings. Tom Seaver allowed 5 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 6 innings and was charged with the loss; he was relieved by Jerry Koosman, who was shelled for 4 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 5 runs--all earned--in 2 innings.

30 years ago
1985

Baseball
The Major League Players' Association agreed to the owners' proposal to expand the 1985 League Championship Series from the best-of-5 games to best-of-7.

25 years ago
1990

Died on this date
Sarah Vaughan, 66. U.S. singer. Miss Vaughan was a jazz and popular singer whose hit singles included Tenderly (1947); It's Magic (1948); Nature Boy (1948); Make Yourself Comfortable (1954-1955); Whatever Lola Wants (1955); and Broken-Hearted Melody (1959). After the hits stopped, she remained a popular concert performer through the 1980s.

World events
On the day that Violetta Chamorro was inaugurated as President of Nicaragua, five Central American presidents set a deadline of three weeks hence for the Nicaraguan Contras to disarm.

Politics and government
The Bulgarian Communist Party changed its name to the Bulgarian Socialist Party. The nation’s parliament gave its approval to free multiparty elections to be held in June. Parliament also amended the constitution to create an executive presidency, and delete the words "Communist" and "socialist" from the document. Former Communist Party General Secretary Peter Mladenov was elected Executive President.

Environment
The United States Senate passed the Acid Rain Act, which legislated cuts in emissions of 50% by 2000.

Quebec Cree Grand Chief Matthew Coon-Come files for an injunction to stop the $7.5-billion Great Whale Hydro development in the James Bay region, saying it would harm the environment and damage the Crees' way of life by flooding 5,000 square kilometres of ancestral lands.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had fallen 1% in February.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Baby Baby--Corona

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Back for Good--Take That

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Think Twice--Celine Dion (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis (8th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow (3rd week at #1)
2 I Know--Dionne Farris
3 Believe--Elton John
4 O Siem--Susan Aglukark
5 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead--Crash Test Dummies
6 Murder Incorporated--Bruce Springsteen
7 You Lose You Gain--John Bottomley
8 She's a River--Simple Minds
9 In the House of Stone--Martin Page
10 Gel--Collective Soul

Singles entering the chart were Fire in the Head by the Tea Party (#77); Ghost Dance by Robbie Robertson (#83); It's Good to Be King by Tom Petty (#84); Run Away by Real McCoy (#88); Unsound by Headstones (#93); Run Around by Boyz of Paradize (#94); She's Got It by Realworld (#95); and Hakuna Matata by Jimmy Cliff and Lobo McTierney (#96). Hakuna Matata was a version of the song from the movie The Lion King (1994).

Died on this date
Alfred J. Billes, 92. Canadian businessman. Mr. Billes co-founded Canadian Tire Corporation with his brother William in 1927. When William died in 1956, Alfred took over as president of the company for the next 10 years and remained a director until 1988.

Economics and finance
The U.S. dollar fell to 85.85 against the Japanese yen during New York trading, and rebounded only slightly at the close, after the Federal Reserve bank of New York and Japan's central bank spent $1-2 billion buying dollars and selling yen. Persistently large U.S. budget deficits and trade deficits with Japan contributed to the dollar's decline.

Labour
Major league baseball owners and players approved an agreement for a shortened 1995 regular season of 144 games instead of the usual 162.

Basketball
NCAA
Men's Championship @ Kingdome, Seattle
Final
California at Los Angeles 89 Arkansas 78

Forward Ed O'Bannon scored 30 points and pulled down 17 rebounds as the Bruins, coached by Jim Harrick, won their first NCAA title in 20 years. Mr. O'Bannon was named the tournament's outstanding player as UCLA finished the season with a record of 31-2.