May 26, 2015

150 years ago
1865

War
General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, became the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender to Union forces, at Galveston, Texas.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Dorothea Lange. U.S. photographer. Miss Lange, born Dorothea Nutzhorn, was a documentary photographer who was best known for her work for the U.S. Farm Security Administration (FSA) during the Depression in the 1930s. She died on October 11, 1965 at the age of 70.

80 years ago
1935

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

This was the last episode of the season, and the last for Mr. Lovell as Dr. Watson; Harry West played the role when the series resumed in February 1936.

Baseball
Babe Ruth Day was celebrated at Crosley Field in Cincinnati as the Reds beat Mr. Ruth and the Boston Braves 6-3 before 24,360 fans. The Babe, playing his only complete game as a Brave, batted 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts.

75 years ago
1940

Died on this date
Wilhelm of Prussia, 33. German royal family member. Prince Wilhelm was the eldest child of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Prince Wilhelm of Prussia joined the Wehrmacht during World War II and died of wounds suffered during the invasion of France. 50,000 people attended his funeral in Potsdam, which so alarmed German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler that he soon issued the Prinzenerlass (Prince's Decree), barring all members of German's former reigning royal families from participating in military operations in the Wehrmacht.

War
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler ordered Panzers to resume their advance against Dunkirk, France. Viscount Gort, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, was told to fall back on the Channel coast and prepare for evacuation. In the evening, the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk began on the order of the British cabinet. The Siege of Calais ended with the surrender of the British and French garrison. The heaviest Japanese air assault yet upon Chungking caused 200 deaths.

Politics and government
N.Z. Prime Minister Peter Fraser announced the creation of a National War Council.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt castigated isolationists in a fireside radio chat and defended his plan for a large increase in defense spending. A Gallup Poll reported that 86% of Americans supported Mr. Roosevelt's request for an additional $1 billion from Congress in military spending.

Economics and finance
The Brookings Institute reported the results of a two-year study showing that U.S. President Roosevelt's New Deal economic policies were responsible for the lag in capital investment.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sentimental Journey--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (Best Seller--1st week at #1); My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (Juke Box--6th week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--9th week at #1); There! I've Said it Again--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters) (Airplay--3rd week at #1)

Music
Leo Borchard, who had conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 1933 until being banned by the Nazi regime in 1935 and spending the next decade as an anti-Nazi resistance activist, resumed his old post and conducted the orchestra in a concert at the Titania Palast cinema. The program featured the Overture to Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream; Mozart's Violin Concerto in A major; and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4.

War
Supreme Allied Commander In Europe U.S. Army General Dwight Eisenhower moved his headquarters from Reims, France to an office building in Frankfurt, Germany. About 500 Marianas-based U.S. Superfortresses dropped 4,000 tons of incendiary bombs on Tokyo. Japanese radio reported that the city had been "scorched to the ground" by the raid and subsequent firestorm. Chinese troops north of Foochow drove toward Saipu to check Japanese forces that had landed there.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco widened the powers of the proposed General Assembly by requiring the Security Council to report to the Assembly on all matters of peace and international security.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said that he may have to leave the country for a "Big Three" meeting with U.S. President Harry Truman and U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin before the coming British general election.

World events
Deposed Norwegian dictator Vidkun Quisling was arraigned in Oslo and pled "not guilty" to charges of treason.

Exploration
A British Royal Air Force party reported finding the true magnetic North Pole in the Sverdup Islands of the U.S.S.R.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend and broaden the reciprocal trade program, defeating all Republican Party amendments.

60 years ago
1955

At the movies
Love Me or Leave Me, directed by Charles Vidor, and starring Doris Day, James Cagney, and Cameron Mitchell, opened in theatres.



El Pecado De Ser Mujer (The Sin of Being a Woman), co-written and directed by Zacarías Gómez Urquiza, and starring Tito Guízar and Alma Rosa Aguirre, opened in theatres in Mexico.



50 years ago
1965

At the movies
Mirage, directed by Edward Dmytryk, and starring Gregory Peck, Diane Baker, and Walter Matthau, opened in theatres in New York City.



40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): January--Pilot

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Cyclamen no Kaori--Akira Fuse (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El Bimbó--Bimbo Jet (5th week at #1)

Baseball
Dick Allen's ground ball with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th inning got past third baseman Ed Goodson for an error, allowing Larry Bowa to score the game's only run, as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the San Francisco Giants 1-0 before 15,693 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. San Francisco pitcher Ed Halicki, who pitched a complete game, had retired 21 straight batters before Mr. Bowa singled with 2 out and advanced to second base on a wild pickoff attempt by Mr. Halicki. Tug McGraw, who pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief of Wayne Twitchell, was credited with the win.

Pinch hitter Wayne Garrett hit a 3-run home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the New York Mets a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before 34,502 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Mr. Garrett was batting for pitcher Tom Seaver (6-4). Andy Messermith (7-1) pitched a complete game in taking his first loss of the season.

Gene Tenace's third hit and fifth run batted in of the game, a single with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th inning, scored Joe Rudi with the winning run as the Oakland Athletics edged the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 before 42,358 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Bucky Dent and Brian Downing hit consecutive home runs with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers before 16,343 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Jim Kaat (8-1) pitched 8 1/3 innings to get the win. Jim Colborn (0-3) pitched a complete game in taking the loss.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): We are the World--USA for Africa (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Éthiopie--Chanteurs sans Frontières

#1 single in Switzerland: We are the World--USA for Africa (4th week at #1)

Auto racing
Danny Sullivan spun completely around on the track on the 120th lap, but recovered to win the Indianapolis 500, 2.4 seconds ahead of Mario Andretti.



25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Vogue/Keep It Together--Madonna (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Vattene Amore--Amedeo Minghi; Mietta (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Vogue--Madonna (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): What's a Woman?--Vaya Con Dios

#1 single in France (SNEP): Sacrifice--Elton John

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Killer--Adamski featuring Seal (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Paint it Black--The Rolling Stones
2 Kingston Town--UB40
3 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
4 Se Bastasse Una Canzone--Eros Ramazzotti
5 Something Happened on the Way to Heaven--Phil Collins
6 The Power--Snap!
7 Pump That Body--Mr. Lee
8 Vogue--Madonna
9 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
10 I Might--Shakin' Stevens

Singles entering the chart were Still Got the Blues (For You) by Gary Moore (#24); Love Thing by the Pasadenas (#26); Insieme: 1992 by Toto Cutugno (#31); Have a Heart by Bonnie Raitt (#35); and A Gentleman's Excuse Me by Fish (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Vogue--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
3 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor
4 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
5 Alright--Janet Jackson
6 Poison--Bell Biv DeVoe
7 Sending All My Love--Linear
8 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
9 U Can't Touch This--M.C. Hammer
10 This Old Heart of Mine--Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley

Singles entering the chart were Step by Step by New Kids on the Block (#27); When I'm Back on My Feet Again by Michael Bolton (#74); You Can't Deny It by Lisa Stansfield (#81); Show Me by Howard Hewett (#84); Tomorrow (A Better Me, a Better You) by Quincy Jones with Tevin Campbell (#88); and Bounce Back by Alisha (#95).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Vogue--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
3 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
4 Alright--Janet Jackson
5 Poison--Bell Biv DeVoe
6 Sending All My Love--Linear
7 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor
8 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
9 I Wanna Be Rich--Calloway
10 This Old Heart of Mine--Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley

Singles entering the chart were Step by Step by New Kids on the Block (#50); When I'm Back on My Feet Again by Michael Bolton (#58); Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) by Motley Crue (#60); You Can't Deny It by Lisa Stansfield (#67); Pure by Lightning Seeds (#81); Got to Tell Me Something by Ana (#88); and King of Wishful Thinking by Go West (#91). Both Mr. Stewart and Mr. Isley had recorded earlier hit versions of This Old Heart of Mine. The Isley Brothers’ version had reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.A. in 1966, while Mr. Stewart’s version had reached #4 in the U.K. and #41 in Germany in 1976, although it hit only #83 in the U.S. and failed to chart in Canada.

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor (4th 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 Vogue--Madonna
5 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
6 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
7 Alright--Janet Jackson
8 Save Me--Fleetwood Mac
9 How Can We Be Lovers--Michael Bolton
10 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette

Singles entering the chart were She Ain't Pretty by the Northern Pikes (#60); Dare to Fall in Love by Brent Bourgeois (#63); Take it to Heart by Michael McDonald (#68); I Think I Love You Too Much by the Jeff Healey Band (#73); Drop the Needle by Maestro Fresh-Wes (#78); Two Girls in One by The Pursuit of Happiness (#81); Ready or Not by After 7 (#83); Stealin' Fire by Lorraine Segato (#89); and Moonlight on Water by Laura Branigan (#93).

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Be My Lover--La Bouche

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop)--Scatman John

Died on this date
Friz Freleng, 88. U.S. animator. Isidore Freleng directed 266 cartoons for Warner Brothers studios from the 1930s through the 1960s, and won four Academy Awards. He created and/or developed such characters as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam, and Speedy Gonzales.

War
North Atlantic Treaty Organization planes concluded two days of bombing a weapons depot near Pale, capital of the Bosnian Serbs.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate Labor and Human Relations Committee voted 9-7 in favour of Dr. Henry Foster, President Bill Clinton's nominee as Surgeon General of the United States. Two Republican members of the committee joined with seven Democrats in voting in favour of Dr. Foster.

Protest
An anonymous group of businessmen calling themselves the Edmonton Stickmen was putting up billboards criticizing City Council and calling for a more pro-business Council to be elected in October 1995.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Eddie Albert, 99. U.S. actor. Mr. Albert, born Edward Albert Heimberger, appeared in numerous plays, movies, and television programs in a career that spanned about 60 years. He was probably best known as the star of the television comedy series Green Acres (1965-1971).

Chico Carrasquel, 77. Venezuelan baseball player. Mr. Carrasquel was a shortstop with the Chicago White Sox (1950-1955); Cleveland Indians (1956-1958); Kansas City Athletics (1958); and Baltimore Orioles (1959), batting .258 with 55 home runs and 474 runs batted in in 1,325 games. He was the first Latin American to play in a major league all-star game, starting for the American League in 1951, 1953, and 1954, and playing as a reserve in 1955. Mr. Carrasquel was known for his defensive ability, and once played 53 consecutive games without making an error--a record for shortstops that stood until 1969.