May 19, 2015

1,300 years ago
715

Religion
Gregory II was elected Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He held the office until his death in 731 at the age of 62.

220 years ago
1795

Born on this date
Johns Hopkins. U.S. businessman and philanthropist. Mr. Hopkins, a devout Quaker, became prosperous as a partner in Hopkins & Brothers Wholesalers, which he and his brothers founded in Baltimore in 1819. Mr. Hopkins made so much money from wise investments that he retired at the age of 52, and spent the rest of his life as a philanthropist. He was best known for providing the money to found Johns Hopkins University and various institutions associated with it. Mr. Hopkins died on December 24, 1873 at the age of 78.

Died on this date
Josiah Bartlett, 65. U.S. physician, judge, and politician. Dr. Bartlett practiced medicine for 45 years; he discovered a successful treatment for an illness known as throat distemper, and was the first president of the New Hampshire Medical Society. Dr. Bartlett was a delegate from New Hampshire to the Continental Congress (1774-1776, 1778), and signed the Declaration of Independence. He served as a judge, sitting on the N.H. Court of Common Pleas before being promoted to the New Hampshire Supreme Court in 1782; he was named Chief Justice in 1788. Dr. Bartlett declined the nomination of the N.H. legislature to the United States Senate, but served as Governor of New Hampshire (1790-1794). He resigned because of declining health after one term, and died of paralysis.

James Boswell, 54. U.K. writer. Mr. Boswell, a native of Edinburgh, was known for his biography Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. (1791), which resulted from the close friendship of the men, and became one of the most famous biographies ever written. Mr. Boswell had an unsuccessful career as a lawyer, and died from the effects of heavy drinking and venereal disease.

170 years ago
1845

Exploration
U.K. Royal Navy Captain John Franklin departed Greenhithe, England on an expedition to the Canadian Arctic, with the Royal Navy ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror and a handpicked crew of 24 officers and 110 men. The vessels had steam engines and ice-breaking bows, and carried enough food for three years.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Ho Chi Minh. 1st President of Vietnam, 1945-1969; Prime Minister of Vietnam, 1945-1955. Mr. Ho, born Nguyễn Sinh Cung, was a Vietnamese Communist revolutionary leader and the key figure in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, as well as the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Việt Cộng (NLF or VC) during the Vietnam War. When Vietnam was divided as a result of the Geneva Accords in 1954, Mr. Ho continued as President of North Vietnam. He died on September 2, 1969 at the age of 79, and was succeeded as President of North Vietnam by Tôn Đức Thắng.

80 years ago
1935

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Leigh Lovell, on NBC

Died on this date
T.E. Lawrence, 46. U.K. adventurer, diplomat, soldier, and author. The man popularly known as Lawrence of Arabia settled in the Middle East after going there on an archaeological expedition. During World War I, he was attached to the intelligence section of the British army in Egypt, unified Arab forces, and led successful efforts to tie down Turkish forces. Mr. Lawrence was a delegate to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, where he tried and failed to win independence for the Arabs. In a search for anonymity he joined the Royal Air Force under the name of Ross, and eventually changed his name to T.E. Shaw. His account of his Arabian adventures, titled The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, was privately circulated beginning in 1926, but wasn’t published commercially until 1935. Mr. Lawrence was killed in a motorcycle crash.

75 years ago
1940

War
General Maxim Weygand was appointed chief of the French general staff and commander-in-chief of all theatres of operation. German Wehrmacht Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Panzer units reached Cambrai. French General Charles de Gaulle's tank units attempted a counterattack on the German flank, but were repulsed with heavy losses. In northern France, British forces fell back to the Escaut line. French General Henri Giraud surrendered to German troops after being cut off. German forces in Belgium pushed west of Antwerp and Brussels toward the channel ports. Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek announced that his government would not reduce its war effort against Japan because of lessened foreign aid due to the European war.

Diplomacy
The American republics published a collective protest against German aggression.

Brazilian President Getulio Vargas extended his country's neutrality laws to Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Defense
New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser announced acceleration of military training.

Famed aviator Colonel Charles Lindbergh said that the American people had nothing to fear concerning possible invasion of the North American continent.

Politics and government
In the French cabinet, Eduard Daladier was moved from the war office to the foreign ministry.

Sources in Washington indicated that U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt planned to bring several Republicans into his cabinet for the purpose of defense unity in case of war.

Chess
Samuel Reshevsky defeated Reuben Fine to retain the United States Chess Federation championship.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (Best Seller--7th week at #1; Juke Box--5th week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--8th week at #1); There! I've Said it Again--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters) (Airplay--2nd week at #1)

At the movies
The Bullfighters, starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Philipp Bouhler, 45. German SS officer. SS-Obergruppenführe Bouhler was responsible for the Nazi Aktion T4 euthanasia program that killed more than 70,000 handicapped adults and children in the Nazi regime. He and his wife Helene were arrested by American troops at Schloss Fischhorn in Bruck near Zell-am-See on May 10, 1945, and both committed suicide. Helen Bouhler jumped from a window at Schloss Fischhorn, and Philipp Bouhler used a cyanide capsule while in the U.S. internment camp at Zell-am-See.

War
In a message to Allied troops in the Mediterranean theatre, U.K. Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander compared Yugoslavian Marshal Josip Tito's seizure of Trieste to methods "reminiscent of Hitler, Mussolini and Japan."

After taking Sugar Loaf Hill for the fifth time, U.S. Marines advanced in the centre of the Japanese lines on Okinawa. U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur announced that Allied forces had secured all major installations and objectives on Tarakan Island near Borneo.

World events
The U.S. 15th Army was temporarily controlling 14,000 square miles of Germany, as the Soviets announced for their zone of Germany a variety of measures, including free trade and food rationing.

Law
The Commission on Judicial Organization met in San Francisco for the first time to consider creation of a new world court.

Politics and government
In China, the Sixth National Kuomintang Congress approved a resolution calling for legalization of political groups aside from the governing Kuomintang.

50 years ago
1965

Died on this date
Tu'i Malila, 188 (?). Madagascaran tortoise. Tu'i Malila, whose name meant King Malila in Tongan, was a radiated tortoise that was allegedly given to the Tongan royal family by Captain James Cook on his visit to Tonga in 1777. He was the oldest radiated tortoise whose age has been verified.

Diplomacy
Iranian Shah Reza Pahlevi arrived in Ottawa with Empress Farah for an eight-day state visit to Canada.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Summer Love--Sherbet (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Cyclamen no Kaori--Akira Fuse

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El Bimbó--Bimbo Jet (4th week at #1)

War
Fighting began in Lebanon between Palestinian guerrillas and Christian Phalangist militia.

Defense
The United States Senate voted to end the embargo on military aid to Turkey.

Basketball
ABA
Finals
Kentucky 86 @ Indiana 94 (Kentucky led best-of-seven series 3-1)

The Pacers, trailing 69-67 after 3 quarters, scored 10 straight points in the 4th quarter as they averted elimination by the Colonels before 14,589 fans at Market Square in Indianapolis. George McGinnis, playing with a sore ankle, led Indiana with 22 points, while Billy Keller added 20. Dan Issel of Kentucky led all scorers with 26 points. A few hours before the game, ABA Commissioner Dave DeBusschere disallowed the Pacers' protest of their loss in the second game of the series, upholding referee Ed Rush's ruling that Mr. Keller's three-point field goal had come after the horn to end the game, leaving the Colonels winners by a score of 95-93.

Baseball
Johnny Grubb hit a home run off John Curtis with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the San Diego Padres a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 10,111 fans at San Diego Stadium. Winning pitcher Randy Jones allowed just 1 hit, a single in the 7th inning by Luis Melendez. Mr. Curtis allowed only 6 hits.

Mike Caldwell doubled home 3 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning and added a single as he posted his first win of the season after 5 straight losses, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before just 1,795 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

Jerry Remy hit his first major league home run, a 3-run blow off Jim Perry in the 4th inning, to help the California Angels defeat the Cleveland Indians 12-5 before 6,400 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. It was Mr. Perry's last game in a Cleveland uniform; he was traded to the Oakland Athletics the next day.

The Boston Red Sox scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning and 4 in the 7th, breaking a 5-5 tie, as they defeated the Oakland Athltetics 10-5 before 14,700 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Luis Tiant allowed 11 hits and 5 earned runs, but pitched a complete game for the win. Blue Moon Odom, who entered the game to begin the 6th inning, took the loss, allowing 3 hits, 2 bases on balls, and 4 runs--all earned--in his final game with the Athletics after 12 years with the team. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians the next day.

In one of the strangest Pacific Coast League games ever played, the Hawaii Islanders scored 15 runs in the top of the 1st inning and Gary Ross pitched 5 perfect innings to improve his record for the season to 5-1 as the Islanders routed the Salt Lake City Gulls 19-0 before just 101 fans in Salt Lake City in the first game of a doubleheader that was called after 5 innings because of cold, rainy weather and wet grounds. The Islanders scored their first 11 runs before the first out was made. Losing pitcher Sid Monge, whose record dropped to 5-2, faced 6 batters, allowing 5 hits and a base on balls, and 6 earned runs. Stever Blateric relieved Mr. Monge and pitched 5 innings, allowing 15 hits, 5 bases on balls, and 13 earned runs. Hawaii's 1st-inning total was one run shy of the PCL record of 16 set by Salt Lake City on May 11, 1923. Every batter in the Hawaii lineup made at least 1 hit and scored at least 1 run, and leadoff hitter Sonny Jackson was the only player without a run batted in.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): We are the World--USA for Africa (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): We are the World--USA for Africa (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: We are the World--USA for Africa (3rd week at #1)

Labour
Air Canada and the union representing 29-hundred striking ticket agents signed a deal ending the three-week walkout.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Vogue/Keep it Together--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Senryū no shizuku--Kudo Shizuka

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Vogue--Madonna (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Vogue--Madonna (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Vogue--Madonna

#1 single in France (SNEP): Words--The Christians (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Kingston Town--UB40 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Killer--Adamski featuring Seal (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Vogue--Madonna

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Vogue--Madonna
2 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor
3 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
4 Alright--Janet Jackson
5 I Wanna Be Rich--Calloway
6 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
7 Sending All My Love--Linear
8 Poison--Bell Biv DeVoe
9 How Can We Be Lovers--Michael Bolton
10 What it Takes--Aerosmith

Singles entering the chart were She Ain't Worth It by Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown (#56); Doubleback by ZZ Top (#61); Kiss This Thing Goodbye by Del Amitri (#69); Nick of Time by Bonnie Raitt (#75); The Power by Snap! (#78); Bad of the Heart by George LaMond (#81); Mentirosa by Mellow Man Ace (#86); Jealous Again by the Black Crowes (#93); and When Something is Wrong with My Baby by Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville) (#94).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor (3rd week at #1)
2 This Old Heart of Mine--Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley
3 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
4 How Can We Be Lovers--Michael Bolton
5 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
6 Vogue--Madonna
7 Don’t Wanna Fall in Love--Jane Child
8 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
9 The Heart of the Matter--Don Henley
10 Alright--Janet Jackson

Singles entering the chart were Spin That Wheel by Hi Tek 3 (#67); Forgotten Years by Midnight Oil (#68); Put it There by Paul McCartney (#72); Sky by Crash Vegas (#81); When Something is Wrong with My Baby by Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville) (#86); Burning Down the Amazon by Marc Jordan (#87); and Kiss This Thing Goodbye by Del Amitri (#95). Spin That Wheel was from the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).

Died on this date
Hector Dyer, 79. U.S. runner. Mr. Dyer ran the third leg in the American 4 × 100-metres relay team that won the gold medal at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He died two weeks before his 80th birthday.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State James Baker reported progress on several issues after visiting the U.S.S.R. Mr. Baker said that all major obstacles had been cleared away on strategic arms, opening the way to a treaty that would reduce nuclear missile arsenals by 30%. The agreement included limitations on both air- and sea-launched cruise missiles. The two superpowers also agreed to begin eliminating their arsenals of chemical weapons in 1992. However, no breakthrough was reported on reducing conventional arms in Europe.

Horse racing
Summer Squall, with Pat Day up, won the 115th running of the Preakness Stakes before 96,106 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in a time of 1:53 3/5. Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled placed second, with Mister Frisky third in the 9-horse field.



Baseball
Tom Brunansky batted 5 for 5 with 2 home runs and 7 runs batted in as the Boston Red Sox, behind the pitching of Roger Clemens, beat the Minnesota Twins 13-1 before 34,145 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Back for Good--Take That (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Se på mej--Jan Johansen (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Fred Frink, 83. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Frink was a center fielder with the Philadelphia Phillies (1934), with no plate appearances and 1 putout. He batted .283 with 55 home runs in 554 games in 8 seasons in the minor leagues (1934-1942).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Quarter-Finals
Toronto 2 @ Chicago 5 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-3)
Vancouver 5 @ St. Louis 3 (Vancouver won best-of-seven series 4-3)
San Jose 5 @ Calgary 4 (2 OT) (San Jose won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Ray Whitney scored at 1:54 of the 2nd overtime period as the Sharks eliminated the Flames at Olympic Saddledome. San Jose goalie Wade Flaherty made 56 saves.



10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Johnny Arthur, 75. S.A. boxer. Mr. Arthur won the bronze medal in the heavyweight division in the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London and compiled a record of 33-8 in a professional career running from 1949-1957. He was South African heavyweight champion from 1951 until his retirement.