May 17, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Katya Semenova!

620 years ago
1395

War
Wallachian forces defeated an invading Ottoman army in the Battle of Rovine in what is now Romania.

425 years ago
1590

Britannica
Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland.

240 years ago
1775

Economics and finance
The American Continental Congress banned trade with Canada.

210 years ago
1805

Politics and government
Muhammad Ali became Wāli of Egypt.

160 years ago
1855

Canadiana
Charlottetown was incorporated as a city.

150 years ago
1865

Communications
The International Telegraph Union (later the International Telecommunication Union) was established in Paris.

140 years ago
1875

Died on this date
John C. Breckinridge, 54. 14th Vice President of the United States of America, 1857-1861. Mr. Breckinridge, a Democrat, represented Kentucky in the United States House of Representatives from 1851-1855. He was Vice President under President James Buchanan, and in 1859, was elected to succeed U.S. Senator John J. Crittenden at the end of Crittenden's term in 1861. When southern Democrats split from their northern colleagues in 1860, they nominated Mr. Breckinridge as their candidate for President of the United States, but Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln won the election, and Mr. Breckinridge took his seat in the Senate. He supported the Union, but joined the Confederate States Army in the fall of 1961 in protest against what he saw as President Lincoln's unconstitutional acts, and was indicted for treason and declared a traitor by the United States Senate. Mr. Breckinridge served in the U.S. Civil War as a brigadier general, and was Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Jefferson Davis from February 6-May 10, 1865. When the war ended, he fled to Cuba, Britain, and Canada, before touring Europe. Mr. Breckinridge returned to Kentucky in 1869 after U.S. President Andrew Johnson issued an amnesty for all former Confederates. He refused to re-enter politics, and died of cirrhosis of the liver.

Horse racing
Aristides, with Oliver Lewis aboard, won the 1st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:37¾. The race was then 1½ miles, not the 1¼-mile distance the race covers today.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Dean Griffing. U.S.-born football player, coach, and executive. Mr. Griffing played center and linebacker at Kansas State University (1933-1934) before going to Canada and playing with the Regina Roughriders (1936-1943); Toronto Balmy Beach (1944); and Calgary Stampeders (1945-1947). He coached the Stampeders while playing for them, and served as general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1954-1957) and Denver Broncos (1960-1961). Mr. Griffing was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1965 as a player, and died on February 9, 1998 at the age of 82.

Politics and government
The last British Liberal Party government, led by Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, fell, soon to be replaced by a coalition government led by Mr. Asquith.

80 years ago
1935

Died on this date
Paul Dukas, 69. French composer. Mr. Dukas was best known for his scherzo for orchestra, L'apprenti sorcier (The Sorcerer's Apprentice) (1897).

75 years ago
1940

War
German forces occupied Louvain and Brussels, forcing the Belgian government to relocate to Ostend on the Channel coast. German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler ordered Wehrmacht General Heinz Guderian to check the advance until the German infantry caught up with him. A counterattack by French tank units commanded by General Charles de Gaulle was thrown back near Montcornet. German forces reached the Oise River. The old city centre of the Dutch town of Middelburg was bombed by the German Luftwaffe, to force the surrender of the Dutch armies in Zeeland. Chinese forces reported inflicting 7,000 casualties on Japanese troops in an attack on the city of Tsaoyang in the Chinese province of Hupeh.

Defense
The United States House of Representatives Military Affairs Committee opened hearings on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal for equipping and training 1 million fighting men by June 1941.

With President Roosevelt's approval, Chicago newspaper publisher Frank Knox announced plans to help train 10,000 civilian air pilots in the summer of 1940.

Labour
United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis asked that the U.S. government grant labour a voice in formulating defense policies.

70 years ago
1945

War
U.S. troops captured Lieutenant Colonel Otto Skorzeny, suspected of being the leader of German guerrilla forces and the man who liberated Italian Duce Benito Mussolini from the Allies in 1943. U.S. Marines gained positions inside Naha, Okinawa as other units advanced to Ishimmi, close to the central anchor of the Japanese defense line, but further advances were stalled by stiffening Japanese resistance.

Politics and government
A British White Paper disclosed three steps in a pan to provide Burma "full self-government within the British Commonwealth."

Communications
U.S. President Harry Truman addressed a message of friendship to Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie in opening the first direct radio-telegraphic circuit between the United States and Ethiopia.

Labour
The United States Senate passed a bill granting increases in basic and overtime pay for 1,225,000 federal employees.

60 years ago
1955

Died on this date
Manny Ayulo, 33. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Ayulo raced in the AAA Championship Car circuit from 1948-1955, winning two races--Darlington and Milwaukee, both in 1955--and recording 20 other top 10 finishes, including the 1951 Indianapolis 500, in which he drove the last half of the race in relief of Jack McGrath and finished third, with both drivers receiving credit. Mr. Ayulo died less than 24 hours after crashing into a retaining wall while practicing for the Indianapolis 500; he wasn't wearing a seat belt, and his pockets were filled with wrenches.

Politics and government
British Prime Minister Anthony Eden hosted a half-hour television election program for the Conservative Party, pitting government ministers against newspaper editors in the first broadcast of its kind.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Downtown--Petula Clark (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Ticket to Ride--The Beatles (4th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Concrete and Clay--Unit Four Plus Two
--Eddie Rambeau
2 Ticket to Ride--The Beatles
3 Walk That Walk--David Clayton-Thomas
4 It's Not Unusual--Tom Jones
5 Talk About Love--Adam Faith
6 Count Me In--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
7 S.O.S. (Sweet On Susie)--Kenny Chandler
8 Just Once in My Life--The Righteous Brothers
9 Our Love has Passed--Jack London
10 Help Me, Rhonda--The Beach Boys

Singles entering the chart were Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte by Patti Page (#35); Back in My Arms Again by the Supremes (#36); Last Chance to Turn Around by Gene Pitney (#37); Engine Engine #9 by Roger Miller (#38); For Your Love by the Yardbirds (#39); and L-O-N-E-L-Y by Bobby Vinton (#40).

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Piange il telefono--Domenico Modugno (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Love Is All--Roger Glover and Guests (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Stand by Your Man--Tammy Wynette

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)--Tony Orlando and Dawn (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Jackie Blue--The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (2nd week at #1)
2 Shining Star--Earth, Wind & Fire
3 How Long--Ace
4 Before the Next Teardrop Falls--Freddy Fender
5 He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)--Tony Orlando and Dawn
6 I Don't Like to Sleep Alone--Paul Anka
7 Walking in Rhythm--Blackbyrds
8 Philadelphia Freedom--The Elton John Band
9 Thank God I'm a Country Boy--John Denver
10 It's a Miracle--Barry Manilow

Singles entering the chart were Hey You by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (#69); Just a Little Bit of You by Michael Jackson (#81); Hurt by the Manhattans (#85); Rock and Roll All Nite by Kiss (#91); It Hurts a Little Even Now by John Reid (#93); Slippery When Wet by the Commodores (#95); I'm on Fire by the Dwight Twilley Band (#96); Damn it All by Gene Cotton (#97); The Funky Gibbon by the Goodies (#98); Rolling Down a Mountainside by the Main Ingredient (#99); and How Glad I Am by Kiki Dee (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 It's a Miracle--Barry Manilow (2nd week at #1)
2 Philadelphia Freedom--The Elton John Band
3 (Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song--B.J. Thomas
4 He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)--Tony Orlando and Dawn
5 Thank God I'm a Country Boy--John Denver
5 Emma--Hot Chocolate
6 Jackie Blue--The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
7 How Long--Ace
8 Only Yesterday--Carpenters
9 Emma--Hot Chocolate
10 Rainy Day People--Gordon Lightfoot

Singles entering the chart were Hey You by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (#81); Love Will Keep Us Together by the Captain & Tennille (#85); Baby That's Backatcha by Smokey Robinson (#86); Good Lovin' Gone Bad by Bad Company (#90); Ease on Down the Road by Consumer Rapport (#91); Tropical Heat by David George (#92); Dynomite by Tony Camillos (#93); Fly by Night by Rush (#94); Thank You Baby by the Stylistics (#95); Your Mama Won't Like Me by Suzi Quatro (#96); Just Like Romeo and Juliet by Sha Na Na (#97); Makin' Love in My Mind by Patsy Gallant (#98); and Midnight Blue by Melissa Manchester (#99).

Winnipeg's Top 30 (CFRW)
1 I Don't Like to Sleep Alone--Paul Anka (5th week at #1)
2 (Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song--B.J. Thomas
3 Lovin' You--Minnie Riperton
4 Jackie Blue--The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
5 Chevy Van--Sammy Johns
6 Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)--Leo Sayer
7 How Long--Ace
8 The Immigrant--Neil Sedaka
9 Pinball Wizard--Elton John (LP track)
10 Philadelphia Freedom--The Elton John Band
11 Shame, Shame, Shame--Shirley (And Company)
12 Autobahn--Kraftwerk
13 No No Song--Ringo Starr
14 Killer Queen--Queen
15 Sister Golden Hair--America
16 Stand by Me--John Lennon
18 Essence of Joan--Andy Kim
17 He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)--Tony Orlando and Dawn
19 Loves Me Like a Brother--The Guess Who
20 You are So Beautiful--Joe Cocker
21 Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)--Charity Brown
22 Lady Marmalade--LaBelle
23 Thank God I'm a Country Boy--John Denver
24 Old Days--Chicago
25 Amie--Pure Prairie League
26 Bad Time--Grand Funk
27 It's a Miracle--Barry Manilow
28 Don't Call Us, We'll Call You--Sugarloaf/Jerry Corbetta
29 Rainy Day People--Gordon Lightfoot
30 Julie--Ian Thomas

Winnipeg's Top 30 (CKRC)
1 I Don't Like to Sleep Alone--Paul Anka (4th week at #1)
2 Jackie Blue--The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
3 He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)--Tony Orlando and Dawn
4 Killer Queen--Queen
5 Bad Time--Grand Funk
6 Pinball Wizard--Elton John (LP track)
7 Stand by Me--John Lennon
8 Emma--Hot Chocolate
9 Philadelphia Freedom--The Elton John Band
10 How Long--Ace
11 Sister Golden Hair--America
12 Only Yesterday--Carpenters
13 Old Days--Chicago
14 (Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song--B.J. Thomas
15 Magic--Pilot
16 Sail on Sailor--The Beach Boys
17 Lovin' You--Minnie Riperton
18 Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)--The Doobie Brothers
19 Misty--Ray Stevens
20 Thank God I'm a Country Boy--John Denver
21 Hey You--Bachman-Turner Overdrive
22 I Can Dance--Shooter
23 Let the Phone Ring--Jim Mancel
24 Cum Hear the Band--April Wine
25 Julie--Ian Thomas
26 Wildfire--Michael Murphey
27 Shame, Shame, Shame--Shirley (And Company)
28 What am I Gonna Do with You--Barry White
29 Love Will Keep Us Together--The Captain & Tennille
30 Hit the Road Jack--Stampeders

Diplomacy
Chinese Deputy Premier Deng Xiaoping concluded his five-day visit to France, agreeing to promote more high-level meetings and to increase trade.

Society
10 women started training to be OPP constables at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer, ending 65 years of male-only service in the Ontario Provincial Police.

Horse racing
Master Derby, with Darrel McHargue aboard, won the 100th running of the Preakness Stakes before a crowd of 75,216 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:56 2/5, 1 length ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure and 2 ahead of Diabolo (see video).

Baseball
Ken Henderson's 3-run home run was the big blow as the Chicago White Sox scored 7 runs in the 1st inning and coasted to a 10-1 win over the Cleveland Indians before 8,070 fans at White Sox Park. Cleveland manager and designated hitter Frank Robinson was ejected in the 6th inning for bumping first base umpire Jerry Neudecker during an argument about the umpire's decision to award Chicago second baseman Jorge Orta a triple on a ball touched by a fan.

The Philadelphia Phillies, trailing 7-1 after 4½ innings, rallied for 2 runs in the 4th inning, 3 in the 5th, and 3 in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Atlanta Braves 9-8 before 30,369 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

Steve Huntz singled in 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to break a 1-1 tie as the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 before a Helmet Night crowd of 49,599, the largest crowd yet to attend a baseball game at San Diego Stadium.

Pinch hitter Joe Ferguson singled home Tom Paciorek with the bases loaded and 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 46,790 fans at Dodger Stadium. Andy Messersmith (6-0) allowed 7 hits and 3 runs--2 earned--in pitching a complete game.

Ken Griffey and Johnny Bench hit home runs off John Montague in the top of the 10th inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 5-3 win over the Montreal Expos before 18,142 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal in the NBC Game of the Week. Montreal second baseman Pete Mackanin hit his first major league home run in the 6th inning, and pinch hitter Jose Morales hit hit first homer of the season in the 7th.

The St. Louis Cardinals scored 4 runs in the top of the 1st inning and 7 in the 3rd as they routed the San Francisco Giants 17-2 before 6,891 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Cardinals amassed 23 hits, and every man in the St. Louis lineup except center fielder Luis Melendez had at least one hit. Ted Martinez, whose baserunning boner had helped cost the Cardinals the previous day's game, strted the game in right field and doubled in 2 runs in the 1st inning in what turned out to be his last game in a St. Louis uniform; he was traded to the Oakland Athletics the next day. Jake Brown made his major legue debut with the Giants, replacing Gary Matthews in left field to begin the 8th inning. Mr. Brown came to bat in the bottom of the 9th, drew a base on balls, and scored the final run. Winning pitcher Bob Forsch allowed 7 hits and 2 earned runs in pitching a complete game, while batting 2 for 5 with a run and a run batted in. The Giants used four pitchers, all of whom allowed at least 2 runs.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Live is Life--Opus (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): We are the World--USA For Africa (7th week at #1)

Baseball
The Texas Rangers fired manager Doug Rader and replaced him with New York Mets’ third base coach Bobby Valentine. The Rangers had the worst record in the major leagues at the time: 9-23.

Baltimore Orioles’ rookie Fritz Connally hit his second career major league home run and his second grand slam to help the Orioles defeat the Seattle Mariners 11-3 before 13,669 fans at Kingdome in Seattle. Mr. Connally hit just one more home run in the major leagues.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Raptori--Raptori (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Game--The Memories

Diplomacy
Lithuanian Premier Kasimiera Prunskiene met with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow. Ms. Prunskiene later said that the discussions were a big step forward. Lithuania had declared independence from the U.S.S.R. in March, but the Soviets had refused to recognize it.

Politics and government
A report was released by a House of Commons committee headed by Jean Charest that had been established in March to examine the proposal that the Meech Lake Canadian constitutional accord be approved by its June 23 deadline, but that it be followed by a companion agreement addressing critics’ concerns. The report unanimously recommended approving Meech Lake by June 23, saying that the federal government should promote the two official languages, recognize the distinct society clause, and reform the Senate. The report called for an agreement that the clause recognizing Quebec as a "distinct society" could not be used to undermine the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Abominations
The General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) eliminated homosexuality from the list of psychiatric diseases.

Art
Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito, who had paid a record $82.5 million for a Van Gogh painting at Christie’s in New York two days earlier, was the successful bidder for Renoir’s painting Au Moulin de la Galette at Sotheby’s in New York, paying $78.1 million, including commission.

Economics and finance
Those in attendance at the White House economic summit between U.S. President George Bush and Congressional leaders heard a Congressional Budget Office report putting the 1991 deficit projection as high as $159 billion. No agreements on the budget were reported from the talks.

The United States Commerce Department reported that the U.S. merchandise trade deficit had risen to $8.45 billion in March, propelled by a 10% increase in imports.

Business
Star-Kist Canada announced its intention to close its tuna plant in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, throwing 250 people out of work. Slumping prices were to blame; the plant closed due to the tainted tuna scandal of 1985-88.

Soccer
English FA Cup Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Manchester United 1 Crystal Palace 0

This Thursday match was a replay of the previous Saturday’s final, which was tied after extra time.



20 years ago
1995

Died on this date
Toe Blake, 82. Canadian hockey player and coach. Hector Blake played left wing with the Montreal Maroons (1934-35) and Montreal Canadiens (1935-48), scoring 527 pointson 235 goals and 292 assists in 577 regular season games, and 62 points on 25 goals and 37 assists in 57 playoff games. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1938-39 as the National Hockey League's most valuable player, and won the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer the same year, with 47 points on 24 goals and 23 assists in 48 games. For much of his career, Mr. Blake was part of the "Punch Line," with Elmer Lach at centre and Maurice "Rocket" Richard on right wing. Mr. Blake coached the Canadiens from 1955-68, leading them to 8 Stanley Cup championships, and never missing the playoffs. He posted a regular season coaching record of 500-255-158. Mr. Blake was also a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams as a player: 1935, 1944, and 1946. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966 as a player, but could equally have been inducted as a builder. Mr. Blake died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Shawn Nelson, 35. U.S. criminal. Mr. Nelson, a U.S. Army veteran and unemployed plumber, stole an M60A3 Patton tank from the California Army National Guard Armory in San Diego and went on a rampage, destroying cars, fire hydrants, and a recreational vehicle before being shot and killed after a 23-minute police chase. Mr. Nelson was killed by Officer Richard Piner after the tank got stuck on a concrete barrier.

Politics and government
Jacques Chirac was inaugurated as President of France and named former Foreign Minister Alain Juppe as Prime Minister.

Scandal
The United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics released its preliminary report on the conduct of Senator Bob Packwood (Republican--Oregon), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. The Select Committee, which had interviewed 264 witnesses over a total of 11,000 hours, identified 17 incidents involving women toward whom Sen. Packwood had allegedly made harassing overtures. The committee also found evidence that Sen. Packwood had asked lobbyists to find a job for his wife, from whom he was in the process of getting a divorce; steady income for her would have reduced Sen. Packwood's alimony payments.

U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (Republican--Texas), who was seeking conservative support for his bid for his party's 1996 nomination for President of the United States, acknowledged that he had invested $7,500 in 1974 in the movie Beauty Queen, which he said he was told "was to be an R-rated spoof of beauty contests," and was to have been produced by his then-brother-in-law George Caton. The film, referred to by Mr. Caton as a "sexploitation" film, was never made, and Mr. Caton said that he had redirected the money into the movie White House Madness, a satire about President Richard Nixon.

Diplomacy
Oman presented a United Nations Security Council resolution opposing Israel's plan to expropriate 134 acres of land in East Jerusalem, mostly owned by Arabs, for the site of a police station and housing for Jews. The United States vetoed the resolution, but called the seizure of land "unhelpful" to the Middle East peace process.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Bill Clinton said that he would veto a bill moving through Congress that cut $16.4 billion in funding for domestic programs that the previous Congress had approved. The so-called recissions bill deleted funding for some housing programs, airport and highway construction, and treatment of drinking water. Mr. Clinton especially objected to cuts in education and job-training programs.