May 23, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Chrisie Bell!

225 years ago
1790

Born on this date
Jules Dumont d'Urville. French military officer and explorer. Rear Admiral Dumont joined the French Navy in 1808 and spent much of his career exploring the south and western Pacific Ocean, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. He was a botanist and cartographer who gave his name to several plants and places. Rear Admiral Dumont died in France's first rail disaster on May 8, 1842, 15 days before his 52nd birthday.

200 years ago
1815

Died on this date
Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg, 61. U.S. botanist. Mr. Muhlenberg was a Lutheran pastor after whom the genus of grasses known as Muhlenbergia is named. Mr. Muhlenberg also discovered the bog turtle.

175 years ago
1840

Born on this date
George Throssell. U.K.-born Australian politician. Mr. Throssell, a native of Ireland, moved to Australia with his parents in 1850, and was a successful produce merchant before entering politics. He represented Northam in the Western Australia Legislative Assembly (1890-1904), serving as Premier of Western Australia from February-May 1901. Mr. Throssell represented East Province on the Western Australia Legislative Council from 1907 until his death on August 30, 1910 at the age of 70.

150 years ago
1865

Born on this date
Epitácio Pessoa. 11th President of Brazil, 1919-1922. Mr. Pessoa, a member of the Minas Gerais Republican party, held several positions before taking office as President in place of Rodrigues Alves, who had won the presidential election in 1918, but had been unable to assume the presidency because of illness. Mr. Pessoa's term as President was plagued by military revolts. After leaving the presidency, Mr. Pessoa served as a justice on the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague until November 1930. Mr. Pessoa died on February 13, 1942 at the age of 76.

130 years ago
1885

War
At Fort Pitt, Northwest Territories (in present-day Saskatchewan), Chief Poundmaker surrendered to Canadian government forces with his Cree warriors and 150 Metis on hearing of Louis Riel's defeat.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Herbert Marshall. U.K.-born U.S. actor. Mr. Marshall was a leading man and later a character actor in numerous plays, films, and radio programs from the 1910s through the 1960s, despite losing his right leg as a result of a wound in battle during World War I in 1915. His movies included The Letter (1929, and the remake in 1940); Murder! (1930); Foreign Correspondent (1940); The Little Foxes (1941); The Razor's Edge (1946); Duel in the Sun (1946); and The Fly (1958). Mr. Marshall's excellent speaking voice made him a popular choice to act in guest roles on various radio programs, and as the star of the espionage series The Man Called X (1944-1952). Mr. Marshall died on January 22, 1966 at the age of 75.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
S. Donald Stookey. U.S. inventor. Mr. Stookey was a physicist and chemist who held 60 patents related to glass and ceramics. He was a research director at Corning Glass Works from 1940-1987, and invented Fotoform, CorningWare, Cercor, Pyroceram and Photochromic Ophthalmic glass eyewear. Mr. Stookey died on November 4, 2014 at the age of 99.

War
Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, thus joining the Allies.

75 years ago
1940

War
German forces pushed Belgian forces out of the key points of Ghent and Terneuzen, while British forces abandoned Arras. German planes bombed port facilities at Dunkirk and Dover. Japanese troops commenced a counterattack at Tsaoyang in the Chinese province of Hupeh. Cuban presidential candidate General Fulgencio Batista pledged full cooperation with the United States should war come to the Western Hemisphere.

Defense
The U.S. administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt directed its Latin American envoys to propose secret joint defense talks between army and navy representatives of all the Western Hemisphere nations in view of the German military successes in Europe.

Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced the creation of a third army division for service abroad.

Diplomacy
U.K. Secretary for Indian Leo Amery asserted that Britain wanted the equal partnership of India in the Commonwealth.

Politics and government
By gaining the support of Vermont's delegates to the Democratic National Convention, Franklin D. Roosevelt was assured of nomination for a third term as President of the United States in the November 1940 election. Mr. Roosevelt was assured of the support of at least 547 1/2 pledged delegates.

Economics and finance
A Gallup Poll revealed that 51% of Americans favoured granting war credits to the Allies.

Baseball
The St. Louis Browns edged the Washington Nationals 8-7 in 12 innings in front of just 793 fans at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Jimmy Bloodworth hit a 2-run home run to give the Nationals a 7-5 lead in the top of the 12th inning. George McQuinn’s second homer of the day for the Browns cut the lead to 7-6. After a single, Rip Radcliff tripled in the tying run and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly.

70 years ago
1945

Died on this date
Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, 49. German military officer. Generaladmiral Friedeburg was deputy commander of German U-boat forces and the last Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine. He negotiated the German surrender to Allied forces in early May 1945, and was arrested with other members of the Flensburg government on May 23. Generaladmiral Friedeburg committed suicide by taking poison while in British custody.

Heinrich Himmler, 44. German SS officer. Mr. Himmler was Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel (SS), one of the most powerful figures in Germany's Nazi regime, and, As facilitator and overseer of concentration camps, one of the people most responsible for the genocide of Jews in World War II. While attempting to escape Germany in the aftermath of Germany's surrender to Allied forces, Mr. Himmler was arrested on May 21, 1945, and committed suicide by biting on a cyanide pill (see video).

War
Japanese forces began a seventh massed kamikaze attack on the U.S. 5th Fleet off Okinawa. 165 kamikaze planes participated, sinking three American vessels and damaging six.

The French war office reported that a revolt of Berber tribesmen in Algeria had resulted in 1,300 deaths.

World events
The Flensburg government in Germany under Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz was dissolved when its members were captured and arrested by British forces at Flensburg in northern Germany.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco approved veto right of the Big Five (U.S.A.; U.S.S.R.; U.K.; China; France) on the Security Council.

Syria and Lebanon issued statements in Paris condemning the stationing of French troops in their countries, and said they would do everything possible to resist a return to colonial status.

The U.S. administration of President Harry Truman announced that Harry Hopkins and Joseph Davies were to go on special missions for Mr. Truman to Moscow and London, respectively.

The United States government formally took over the German embassy and property in Washington as a trustee until a responsible German government was formed.

Politics and government
Winston Churchill resigned as British Prime Minister in a move to prepare for general elections, but was named by King George VI to form a government to serve until after elections.

U.S. President Harry Truman reorganized his cabinet, accepting resignations from Attorney General Francis Biddle, Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, and Agriculture Secretary Claude Wickard, replacing them respectively with Thomas C. Clark, Lewis Schwellenbach, and Clinton Anderson.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Price Administration announced that ration coupons would allow purchase of 50% more gas after June 22, 1945.

Business
The U.S. government filed suit in Toledo, Ohio accusing 10 companies, including Pittsburgh Plate Glass, of conspiring to monopolize production, distribution, and sale of flat glass.

Labour
The United States Senate Committee on Education and Labor approved a bill to establish a permanent Fair Employment Practices Commission.

60 years ago
1955

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Ronald Howard and H. Marion Crawford
Tonight's episode: The Case of the Eiffel Tower



50 years ago
1965

Died on this date
Earl Webb, 67. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Webb was a pitcher in the minor leagues from 1921-1924 and a right fielder with the New York Giants (1925); Chicago Cubs (1927-1928); Boston Red Sox (1930-1932); Detroit Tigers (1932-1933); and Chicago White Sox (1933), batting .306 with 56 home runs and 333 runs batted in in 650 games. His best season was 1931, when he batted .333 with 14 home runs and 103 runs batted in. Mr. Webb's most noteworthy accomplishment in 1931 was hitting 67 doubles, a major league record for a single season that still stands.

Politics and government
Franz Jonas, leader of the Social Democratic Party, was elected President of Austria, with his six-year term to begin June 9.

Baseball
The Milwaukee Braves traded outfielder Lee Maye to the Houston Astros for outfielder and first baseman Jim Beauchamp and pitcher Ken Johnson. Mr. Maye, who led the National League with 44 doubles in 1964, was batting .302 with 2 home runs and 7 runs batted in in 15 games with Milwaukee in 1965. Mr. Beauchamp was batting .189 with no homers and 4 RBIs in 24 games with Houston, while Mr. Johnson was 3-2 with a 4.15 earned run average in 8 games with the Astros.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: My Eyes Adored You--Frankie Valli (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Fox on the Run--Sweet (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do--ABBA

Married on this date
Happy Anniversary, Polly and Maurice Pratt!

Died on this date
Moms Mabley, 81. U.S. comedienne. Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Aiken, was one of the most popular entertainers on the "Chitlin' circuit" for several decades, eventually becoming known to white audiences through numerous television appearances.

Paul Gibson, 26. U.S. football player. Mr. Gibson was a wide receiver with the University of Texas at El Paso, and was the 8th draft choice of the Buffalo Bills in 1972. He failed to make the Bills, but played that year with the Green Bay Packers as a defensive back. Mr. Gibson failed to make the Dallas Cowboys in 1974, and had begun competing as a hurdler in the professional International Track Association, when he was killed in a car accident near El Paso.

Movies
Canadian director Michel Brault was named co-winner of the Best Direction award at the Cannes Film Festival for Les Ordres, a feature film about the 1970 October Crisis in Montreal.

Defense
North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense ministers concluded two days of discussions about Spain's role in European defense, and agreed to standardize equipment to cut costs.

Politics and government
Former Australian Prime Minister John Gorton quit the Liberal Party to become an independent.

Society
The Alberta Conference of Physically Disabled Persons, with 40-60 delegates in attendance, opened at the Edmonton Plaza Hotel.

Environment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed sharp reductions in the maximum radiation levels from nuclear power plants to protect the public.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Washington 101 @ Golden State 109 (Golden State led best-of-seven series 3-0)

Rick Barry scored 38 points to lead the Warriors over the Bullets before 13,225 fans at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California. Elvin Hayes led the Bullets with 24 points, but seemed tired in the 2nd half, making 3 of 6 shots and grabbing only 4 rebounds in the final 24 minutes.



Baseball
Harmon Killebrew hit a pair of 2-run home runs and Jim Wohlford batted 4 for 4 with a run, 2 runs batted in, and 2 stolen bases, as the Kansas City Royals routed the Baltimore Orioles 10-1 before 11,109 fans at Royals Stadium.

Sonny Siebert, making his first appearance in an Oakland uniform since being acquired a week earlier in a trade with the San Diego Padres, allowed just 1 hit in 5 innings to get the win, while Jim Todd allowed 2 hits in 4 innings to get the save as the Athletics blanked the Cleveland Indians 3-0 before 15,608 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Losing pitcher Gaylord Perry allowed 9 hits and 3 earned runs in pitching a complete game.

Fred Kendall singled home Dave Winfield with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the San Diego Padres a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 14,858 fans at San Diego Stadium.

30 years ago
1985

Boxing
Mike Tyson (3-0) knocked out Don Halpin (10-19) at 1:04 of the 4th round of their heavyweight bout at Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, New York.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Philadelphia 1 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Wayne Gretzky, Willy Lindstrom, and Dave Hunter scored for the Oilers as they defeated the Flyers at the Spectrum.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Black Velvet--Alannah Myles

Albertana
A two-tonne "mystery rock," identified as a fossilized coral, was unearthed at the Syncrude site in Fort McMurray.

Scandal
Neil Bush, son of U.S. President George Bush, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Banking Committee about his role as a director of Silverado Banking, a savings and loan institution in Colorado, which had been taken over by the U.S. government in 1988 at a cost to taxpayers of possibly $1 billion. Questioned about possible conflict of interest related to loans Silverado had made to two of his business partners, Mr. Bush denied any wrongdoing..

U.S. Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady told the U.S. Senate Banking Committee that the cost of bailing out the savings and loan industry could run as high as $130 billion, nearly twice previous projections. He said the higher figure could become a reality if real estate prices continued to fall and if thrifts continued to fail at an accelerating rate. Interest payments, furthermore, could help send the cost over the next 10 years toward $300 billion.

20 years ago
1995

War
Bosnian Serbs seized weapons from a United Nations-guarded weapons depot outside Sarajevo, and the Serbs also escalated their attacks on Sarajevo.

Crime
Leland Modjeski, carrying an unloaded handgun, climbed over a fence and ran toward the White House in Washington. A U.S. Secret Service agent tackled him 60 feet from the building, while a second Secret Service agent fired a shot that wounded both Mr. Modjeski and the other Secret Service agent. Mr. Modjeski was charged the next day with assaulting federal officers and transporting a weapon across state lines.

In Edmonton, Marilyn Tan was acquitted of charges that she had injected her former lover, photographer Con Boland, with HIV-infected blood.

Technology
The first version of the Java computer programming language was released.