April 8, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Debbie Lenglet!

350 years ago
1665

Americana
English colonial patents were granted for the establishment of the Monmouth Tract, for what would eventually become Monmouth County in northeastern New Jersey.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Kirby Higbe. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Higbe played with the Chicago Cubs (1937-1939); Philadelphia Phillies (1939-1940); Brooklyn Dodgers (1941-1943, 1946-1947); Pittsburgh Pirates (1947-1949); and New York Giants (1949-1950), compiling a record of 118-101 with an earned run average of 3.95 in 418 games. His best season was 1941, when he was 22-9, tying teammate Whit Wyatt for the National League lead in wins as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. Mr. Higbe was traded early in the 1947 season because he was one of several Brooklyn players who refused to accept racial integration on the team, with Jackie Robinson becoming the first Negro major league player in the modern era. Mr. Higbe fell on hard times after his playing career was over; he served a brief prison term for passing bad cheques, and after becoming a prison guard, was convicted of smuggling sleeping pills to prisoners. Mr. Higbe's autobiography, The High Hard One, was published in 1967. He died on May 6, 1985 at the age of 70.

80 years ago
1935

At the movies
Sanders of the River, starring Paul Robeson and Leslie Banks, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom.

Labour
The U.S. Congress approved the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935, the work relief bill that funded the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to help alleviate joblessness during the Depression.

75 years ago
1940

War
Reports from Washington indicated that the United States would undertake the protection of the Dutch East Indies should the Netherlands become involved in the European war.

Diplomacy
Iraq and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their 1936 friendship treaty.

The United Kingdom ordered an end to commercial air service to northern Europe.

Politics and government
Reports from Chungking indicated that the Kuomintang and Communist Party had reached an agreement, ending their friction.

Law
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt vetoed the Starnes bill, which provided for mandatory deportation of alien drug users.

Environment
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a law classifying the bald eagle as an endangered species and placing it under federal protection.

Labour
In its campaign policy, the U.S. Socialist Party called for a truce between the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations as the means to halt "reactionary" tendencies in the United States.

70 years ago
1945

War
The British government reported that the German V-2 rocket campaign had ended. Since June 15, 1944, the rockets had killed 8,436 and wounded an estimated 25,000. U.K. troops advanced to within 7 miles of Bremen, cutting off thousands of Germans to the southwest between the Ems and Weser Rivers. Canadian forces captured Zutphen in their final offensive in Holland. The Canadian cruiser HMCS Uganda joined the British Pacific Fleet.

Abominations
After an air raid accidentally destroyed a train carrying about 4,000 Nazi concentration camp internees in Prussian Hanover, the survivors were massacred by Nazis.

Law
The Guatemalan Congress suspended constitutional guarantees in the country for six months, following the crushing of an alleged plot to stage a revolution.

Politics and government
Syrian Prime Minister Fayez el Khoury formed a new cabinet.

Defense
U.S. War Secretary Henry Stimson endorsed a proposal for a postwar merger of the Army and Navy into a single department headed by a Secretary of the Armed Forces.

Business
The United States Senate Small Business Committee began an investigation of charges that major motion picture chains were forcing small independent houses out of business.

Golf
Byron Nelson set a PGA record for a 72-hole tournament with a score of 263 as he won the Iron Lung Open in Atlanta.

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

Frank McCool posted his second straight shutout in goal for the Maple Leafs as they blanked the Red Wings at Olympia Stadium. Ted Kennedy scored the winning goal at 13:02 of the 2nd period, and Moe Morris scored in the 3rd.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Give Me Your Word--Tennessee Ernie Ford (5th week at #1)

Golf
Cary Middlecoff made what is generally considered the longest pivotal putt in major tournament history, rolling an 82-foot eagle putt into the hole on No. 13 in the second round of the Masters at Augusta, Georgia. The former dentist defeated Ben Hogan by 7 strokes two days later.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Concrete and Clay--Unit Four Plus Two

Economics and finance
The European Economic Committee agreed to integrate the executive bodies and ministerial councils of Coal and Steel; Economic; and Atomic Energy communities, effective January 1, 1966.

40 years ago
1975

Movies
The Academy Awards for 1974 were presented. Awards for The Godfather Part II included Best Picture; Best Director (Francis Ford Coppola); and Best Supporting Actor (Robert DeNiro). Other awards included: Best Actor--Art Carney (Harry and Tonto); Best Actress--Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore); Best Supporting Actress--Ingrid Bergman (Murder on the Orient Express); and Best Foreign Language Film (Amarcord).

Theatre
The revue Joséphine à Bobino 1975 opened at the Bobino theatre in Paris. It was a retrospective show starring Josephine Baker, celebrating her 50 years in show business. The theatre was filled to overflowing, and Miss Baker received excellent notices.

Died on this date
Jim Peterson, 66. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Peterson played with the Philadelphia Athletics (1931, 1933) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1937), compiling a record of 2-6 with an earned run average of 5.27 in 41 games.

Fred Prender, 43. U.S. football coach. Mr. Prender was head coach at Bucknell University from 1969-1974, compiling a record of 23-31-3. He had a heart attack during the 1973 season, and another fatal heart attack after playing tennis.

Economics and finance
Statistics Canada reported that unemployment in March had reached 7.2%, the highest level in 14 years.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Preliminary Round
New York Islanders 3 @ New York Rangers 2 (Islanders led best-of-three series 1-0)
Chicago 2 @ Boston 8 (Boston led best-of-three series 1-0)
St. Louis 3 @ Pittsburgh 4 (Pittsburgh led best-of-three series 1-0)
Toronto 2 @ Los Angeles 3 (OT) (Los Angeles led best-of-three series 1-0)

These were the first games ever played in the preliminary round, as the National Hockey League decided to add a fourth round of playoffs prior to the 1974-75 season. The Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Vancouver Canucks had byes into the quarter-finals, having finished first in their divisions.

Billy Harris, Jean Potvin, and Clark Gillies scored in the 3rd period as the Islanders, playing their first playoff game ever, came back from a 2-0 deficit to upset the Rangers before 17,250 fans at Madison Square Garden.



Phil Esposito scored 3 goals and Gregg Sheppard added 2 as the Bruins routed the Black Hawks before 14,726 fans at Boston Garden. With the Bruins leading 1-0 in the 1st period, Mr. Sheppard was given a 5-minute high-sticking penalty, but Carol Vadnais and Andre Savard scored shorthanded goals 9 seconds apart to give Boston a 3-0 lead.

The Penguins were trailing the Blues 3-1 early in the 3rd period before 13,217 fans at Pittsburgh Civic Arena, but Chuck Arnason scored twice and Pierre Larouche scored with 2:31 remaining in regulation time to give Pittsburgh the win.

Mike Murphy scored at 8:53 of overtime to give the Kings their win over the Maple Leafs before 12,246 fans at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Ron Ellis had tied the game for Toronto with 1:30 remaining in regulation time.

WHA
Avco World Trophy
Quarter-Finals
Phoenix 2 @ Quebec 5 (Quebec led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Rejean Houle and Rene Leclerc each scored 2 goals as the Nordiques defeated the Roadrunners before 10,105 fans at Le Colisee.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
First Round
Eastern Conference
New York 84 @ Houston 99 (Houston led best-of-three series 1-0)

Western Conference
Detroit 77 @ Seattle 90 (Seattle led best-of-three series 1-0)

Calvin Murphy scored 22 points and Kevin Kunnert blocked 6 shots as the Rockets beat the Knickerbockers before 10,218 fans at Hofheinz Pavilion. Walt Frazier led New York with 21 points.

Fred Brown scored 22 points and Spencer Haywood added 21 as the SuperSonics defeated the Pistons before 14,082 fans at Seattle Center Coliseum. Howard Porter led Detroit with 21 points.

ABA
Playoffs
First Round
Memphis 105 @ Kentucky 119 (Kentucky led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Louis Dampier scored 23 points, with Artis Gimore adding 22 and Dan Issel 20 as the Colonels beat the Sounds before 4,787 fans at Freedom Hall in Louisville.

Baseball
Joe Torre, playing his first game with the New York Mets since being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals, singled home Felix Millan with none out in the bottom of the 9th for the winning run in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 18,527 fans on a cold day at Shea Stadium in New York. Dave Kingman, playing his first game as a met after being acquired from the San Francisco Giants, hit a home run in the 5th inning to tie the score. Tom Seaver allowed 6 hits and struck out 9 in pitching a complete game victory, while losing pitcher Steve Carlton also went the distance, allowing just 4 hits in the season opener for both teams.

Carl Morton pitched a 5-hit shutout as the Atlanta Braves blanked the Houston Astros 2-0 before 7,737 fans at the Astrodome.

Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians, making his regular season debut as the first Negro manager in the major leagues, hit a home run in his first plate appearance, helping the Indians beat the New York Yankees 5-3 before 56,204 fans at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in the season opener for both teams. Cleveland first baseman Boog Powell, playing his first game since being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, batted 3 for 3 with a double, homer, 3 runs, and 2 runs batted in. Gaylord Perry pitched a complete game victory, with George Medich taking the loss.

Hank Aaron, playing his first game as a Milwaukee Brewer after 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, batted 0 for 3, while Tony Conigliaro, playing his first major league game in four years, batted 1 for 4 and stole a base to help the Boston Red Sox defeat the Brewers 5-2 before 34,019 fans at Fenway Park in Boston in the season opener for both teams. Luis Tiant allowed 8 hits in pitching a complete game victory.

The Minnesota Twins scored 3 runs in each of the 1st, 2nd, and 9th innings as they beat the Texas Rangers 11-4 before 28,787 fans at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Minnesota designated hitter Tony Oliva hit a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning to knock Texas starting pitcher Ferguson Jenkins out of the game. Winning pitcher Bert Blyleven pitched 6 1/3 innings and struck out 8 batters.

Billy Williams, playing his first game with the Oakland Athletics after 15 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, doubled and scored a run to help the defending World Series champions edge the Chicago White Sox before 17,477 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in the season opener for both clubs. Vida Blue allowd just 4 hits in 7 innings in getting the win over Wilbur Wood. Veteran slugger Deron Johnson played his first game with the White Sox, batting 0 for 4 as the designated hitter. It was the first game in an Oakland uniform for veteran utility man Bill Grabarkewitz and rookie outfielder Don Hopkins, both of whom appeared in the game as pinch runners.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): We are the World--USA for Africa

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ano Ko to Scandal--The Checkers (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ni Tú, Ni Nadie--Alaska y Dinarama

Weather
It was a beautiful 68 F in Edmonton.

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees 9-2 in the season opener at Fenway Park in Boston. Oil Can Boyd was the winning pitcher, while 46-year-old Phil Niekro, the second-oldest man to start a season opener (Jack Quinn of the 1931 Brooklyn Dodgers was 47), gave up 4 walks, including 2 with the bases loaded, in 3 innings. Tony Armas, Dwight Evans, and Jim Rice all hit home runs for Boston.

The Baltimore Orioles made only 2 hits, but one of them was a 2-run home run by Eddie Murray in the 8th inning, giving the Orioles a 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers in the season opener at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Texas starting pitcher Charlie Hough was relieved in the 6th inning despite not giving up a hit; he had, however, given up 8 bases on balls, including 4 straight, and catcher Don Slaught had allowed a run to score on a passed ball. Dave Rozema replaced Mr. Hough and gave up just 2 hits, including the game-winning home run.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

#1 single in Switzerland: Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (7th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (6th week at #1)
2 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic
3 Got to Get--Rob 'n' Raz featuring Leila K.
4 Pump ab das Bier--Werner
5 Dub Be Good to Me--Beats International
6 The Message is Love--Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples featuring Al Green
7 Rich in Paradise "Going Back to My Roots"--F.P.I. Project
8 Bakerman--Laid Back
9 Touch Me--49ers
10 Sit and Wait--Sydney Youngblood

Singles entering the chart were The Beat is Technotronic by MC B. featuring Daisy Dee (#16); Infinity (1990s...Time for the Guru) by Guru Josh (#21); and Live Together by Lisa Stansfield (#30).

Politics and government
Second-round runoff elections for the Hungarian Parliament were completed. The centre-right Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF), led by József Antall, captured 164 of 386 seats (43%), and this party, in alliance with two smaller conservative parties, would control almost 60% of the seats. The liberal Free Democrats (SZDSZ), led by János Kis, won 94 seats (24%). The ruling Socialist (formerly Communist) Party (MSZP), led by Rezső Nyers won only 33 seats (11%).

Abominations
U.S. District Court Judge Carl Rubin forbade law enforcement officials in Cincinnati from closing the exhibit of pornographic sodomite photographs of the late sodomite pervert Robert Mapplethorpe at the Contemporary Arts Center.

Golf
Nick Faldo parred the second hole of a sudden-death playoff against Raymond Floyd to win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia for the second straight year. First prize money was $225,000.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
St. Louis 6 @ Toronto 5 (OT) (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 3-0)
Chicago 2 @ Minnesota 1 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Edmonton 1 @ Winnipeg 2 (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Calgary 1 @ Los Angeles 2 (OT) (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 2-1)

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Here's Johnny!--Hocus Pocus (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Sarajevo's børn - Gi dem et håb--Various artists (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Alice, Who the **** is Alice?--Gompie (title censored by blogger)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Zombie--The Cranberries

#1 single in France (SNEP): Zombie--The Cranberries (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Alice, Who the X is Alice--Gompie (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Back for Good--Take That

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (7th week at #1)
2 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
3 Run Away--Real McCoy
4 Red Light Special--TLC
5 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
6 This is How We Do It--Montell Jordan
7 Creep--TLC
8 Baby--Brandy
9 I Know--Dionne Farris
10 Big Poppa/Warning--The Notorious B.I.G.

Singles entering the chart were I'm Goin' Down by Mary J. Blige (#42); Can't You See by Total featuring the Notorious B.I.G. (#66); and So Help Me Girl by Joe Diffie (#97).

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (8th week at #1)
2 I Know--Dionne Farris
3 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
4 Red Light Special--TLC
5 Run Away--Real McCoy
6 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
7 Big Poppa/Warning--Notorious B.I.G.
8 Tell Me When--The Human League
9 If I Wanted To/Like the Way I Do--Melissa Etheridge
10 Creep--TLC

Singles entering the chart were Move It (To the Rhythm) by Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K (#72); Joy by BLACKstreet (#74); Feel So High by Des'ree (#76); Total Eclipse of the Heart by Nicki French (#82) and Can't You See by Total featuring the Notorious B.I.G. (#91). Can't You See was from the movie New Jersey Drive (1995).

Died on this date
Nicholas Ingram, 31. U.K.-born U.S. criminal. Mr. Ingram, who held dual citizenship, was executed in the electric chair at Jackson State prison in Georgia for murdering a man and wounding his wife during a robbery in 1983.

Boxing
Oliver McCall (26-5) retained his World Boxing Council heavyweight title with a unanimous 12-round decision over former champion Larry Holmes (62-5) at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.