May 27, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Rita!

325 years ago
1690

Died on this date
Giovanni Legrenzi, 63. Italian composer. Rev. Legrenzi was a Roman Catholic priest and church organist who wrote 19 operas, as well as liturgical vocal and instrumental music. He was influential in the development of late Baroque music in northern Italy. Rev. Legrenzi died from a colic-related illness, perhaps kidney stones.

190 years ago
1825

Born on this date
John Quincy Marr. C.S. military officer. Captain Marr served with the Warrenton Rifles in Virginia, and was killed in the Battle of Fairfax Court House on June 1, 1861, five days after his 36th birthday, becoming the first Confederate soldier killed by a Union soldier in the American Civil War.

175 years ago
1840

Died on this date
Niccolò Paganini, 57. Italian musician and composer. Mr. Paganini was the most famous violinist of his time, and his technique and compositions have influenced violinists to this day.

130 years ago
1885

Baseball
The New York Giants whipped the Buffalo Bisons 24-0 at the Polo Grounds in New York. Winning pitcher Mickey Welch pitched a 5-hitter and scored 5 runs. Every New York player got a hit and scored a run.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Douglas Lloyd Campbell. Canadian politician. Mr. Campbell was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1922 as a member of the United Farmers of Manitoba. The UFM governed as the Progressive Party of Manitoba, and when the party merged with the Manitoba Liberal Party in 1932, Mr. Campbell ran under the label "Liberal-Progressive." He was Manitoba's Minister of Agriculture from 1936-1948, and became Liberal leader and Premier after the resignation of Stuart Garson. Mr. Campbell was Premier of Manitoba from 1948-1958 and as Leader of the Opposition from 1958-1961. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly for 47 years (1922-1969), which remains a Manitoba record. Mr. Campbell died on April 23, 1995, 34 days before his 100th birthday.

110 years ago
1905

War
The Battle of Tsushima began between the navies of Russia and Japan in the Strait of Tsushima between Korea and Japan.

Politics and government
The United Labour Party, led by Thomas Price, captured 15 of 42 seats in the House of Assembly in the South Australian state election, defeating the Conservative coalition led by Richard Butler, which won 11 seats. The Farmers and Producers Party took 9 seats, and 7 independents were elected.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Herman Wouk! The U.S. author is best known for the novels The Caine Mutiny (1951); The Winds of War (1971); and War and Remembrance (1978).

80 years ago
1935

Law
The Supreme Court of the United States, in A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, (295 U.S. 495), declared the National Industrial Recovery Act to be unconstitutional.

75 years ago
1940

War
German planes inflicted heavy losses on British forces evacuating Dunkirk, France. German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's forces cut off nearly half of the French forces in Flanders in small pockets around Lille.

Abominations
In the Le Paradis massacre, 99 soldiers from a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit were shot after surrendering to German troops; 2 survived.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Jay Pierpoint Moffat as U.S. minister to Canada.

Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas reaffirmed his nation's neutrality in international affairs.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee began preparation of new tax measures for defense purposes.

Labour
The United States Senate passed and sent to the House of Representatives a civil liberties bill devised by Sen. Bob La Follette, Jr. (Progressive--Wisconsin) that would bar use of certain tactics, such as employment of strikebreakers, against labour.

Sport
New York Yankees' center fielder Joe DiMaggio received the Golden Laurel as the outstanding U.S. athlete of 1939.

70 years ago
1945

War
American troops in the Philippines captured Santa Fe, the mountain key to Japanese positions defending the entrance to the Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon. Chinese forces took Nanning, 470 miles south of Chungking.

Economics and finance
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration Director Herbert Lehman said that 1.25 million tons of relief supplies would have to be shipped to Europe by the end of June 1945.

The U.S. War Production Board outlined a policy for "partial reconversion" of the United States in the midst of "partial demobilization,"which included an end to production restrictions.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Henry Wallace approved a department report recommending increased exemption from the excess profits tax and total repeal soon after the war was won in the Pacific theatre.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)--Eddie Calvert

Politics and government
The Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Eden, won a majority of seats in the House of Commons in the British general election. The Conservatives won 324 of 630 seats, and with their associates, they won a majority of 60 seats.

Baseball
Norm Zauchin hit 3 home runs and a double, scored 4 runs, and drove in 10 as the Boston Red Sox routed the Washington Nationals 16-0 before 15,775 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Winning pitcher Tom Brewer pitched a 6-hit shutout, singled, and scored a run.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Long Live Love--Sandie Shaw

War
American warships began the first bombardment of National Liberation Front targets within South Vietnam.

Canadiana
The governments of Ontario and Quebec announced a plan for a $10-million provincial park along the Ottawa River from Carillon, Ontario to Hull, Quebec as a federal-provincial Centennial project.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Bill Cates, 60. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Cates was a third baseman with the Sanford Lookouts (1936); St. Augustine Saints (1937): Deland Red Hats of the Class D Florida State League (1941) and DeLand Red Hats (1942) of the Class D Florida East Coast League, batting .269 with 2 home runs in 402 games. He managed the Red Hats in 1942 and the Miami Sun Sox of the Class B Florida International League in 1949, and later served as general manager with Key West in the FSL for five years.

War
Eight days of fighting in Lebanon between Palestinian guerrillas and Christian Phalangist militia had left more than 130 dead in Beirut, causing a government crisis.

Oil
U.S. President Gerald Ford announced a second price increase of $1 per barrel on imported crude oil, effective June 1, 1975.

Disasters
The Dibbles Bridge Coach Crash near Grassington, in North Yorkshire, England, killed 33 – the highest ever death toll in a road accident in the United Kingdom.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Philadelphia 2 @ Buffalo 0 (Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Bob Kelly scored 11 seconds into the 3rd period and Bill Clement scored on a breakaway with 2:47 remaining as the Flyers blanked the Sabres before 15,863 fans at War Memorial Auditorium for their second straight Stanley Cup championship. Philadelphia goalie Bernie Parent made 32 saves and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. Buffalo goalie Roger Crozier made 29 saves. It was the final game for Philadelphia defenceman Ted Harris, who had played on four Stanley Cup championship teams with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1960s, and was concluding his only season with the Flyers.



WHA
The World Hockey Association announced that the Chicago Cougars franchise had been suspended after three years of existence. The Cougars had played their home games at the International Amphitheatre, and the lack of a better facility was the main factor in the decision of the WHA to fold the franchise. The WHA absorbed the players for future disposition, and they ended up going to the Denver Spurs when they entered the league for the following season. The Cougars had a good playoff run in their second season, but in 1974-75 they finished third in the Eastern Division with a record of 30-47-1 and missed the playoffs.

Baseball
Lou Brock hit for the cycle as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 7-1 before 10,060 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Winning pitcher Bob Forsch pitched a 5-hit complete game and had 2 singles, 2 runs, and a run batted in.

Phil Niekro pitched a 7-hit complete game and singled and scored a run as the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2 before 10,731 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Chicago starting pitcher Rick Reuschel hit his first major league home run in the bottom of the 6th inning, but was knocked out of the box in the top of the 7th.

The Philadelphia Phillies made 5 errors, including one that set up the game's only run, as they lost 1-0 to the San Francisco Giants in 10 innings before 18,735 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. With 1 out in the top of the 10th, Von Joshua singled and advanced to third base on an error by center fielder Jerry Martin before scoring on a single by pinch hitter Glenn Adams. Winning pitcher John Montefusco allowed just 5 hits in 10 innings.

Jim Wynn hit 2 home runs and winning pitcher Burt Hooton doubled home a run as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 10-4 before 20,538 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Mr. Hooton pitched a 6-hit complete game.

Milwaukee Brewers' manager Del Crandall allowed his players to pick the team's batting order out of a hat, and they responded with a 9-8 win over the Chicago White Sox before 12,066 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Leadoff hitter and designated hitter Bobby Mitchell hit a 3-run home run for Milwaukee, while Hank Aaron, playing left field instead of his usual role as designated hitter, drove in 2 runs.

Al Fitzmorris pitched a 3-hit shutout to win a pitchers' duel against Catfish Hunter as the Kansas City Royals blanked the New York Yankees 3-0 before 20,592 fans at Royals Stadium. Mr. Hunter allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs in 8 innings in pitching a complete game.

The Minnesota Twins scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning to complete a comeback from a 5-0 deficit as they edged the Detroit Tigers 6-5 before 8,764 fans at Tiger Stadium. Detroit center fielder Ron LeFlore hit an inside-the-park home run in the 5th inning.

Joe Neal pitched a no-hitter for the Salem Pirates of the Carolina League as they edged the Anderson Rangers of the Western Carolinas League in an interlocking game in Anderson, South Carolina. Mr. Neal walked 3 batters and struck out 12. An unearned run in the 2nd inning provided the only scoring.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): We are the World--USA for Africa (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Boy no Theme--Momoko Kikuchi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): We are the World--USA for Africa (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Bob Readick, 59. U.S. actor. Mr. Readick, the son of actor Frank Readick, was a child when he followed his father into radio, and appeared in 7,000 programs by the time he reached the age of 23 in 1950; the two appeared as father and son in the soap opera This is Nora Drake (1950). Bob Readick appeared in several Broadway plays, and movies such as The Canterville Ghost (1944), but was probably best known for succeeding Bob Bailey as star of the radio program Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar for 26 episodes (December 1960-June 1961). Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Philadelphia 3 @ Edmonton 5 (Edmonton led best-of-five series 3-1)

Wayne Gretzky scored 2 goals as the Oilers came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Flyers at Northlands Coliseum.



Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 114 @ Boston 148 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Kevin McHale and Scott Wedman each scored 26 points as the Celtics routed the Lakers before 14,890 fans at Boston Garden in the "Memorial Day Massacre." Mr. Wedman was successful on all 11 of his field goal attempts, but missed both his free throws. Los Angeles center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored just 12 points.



25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Vogue--Madonna

#1 single in Switzerland: The Power (Snap! song)--Snap! (4th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Ding Dong--Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung (5th week at #1)
2 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
3 I Promised Myself--Nick Kamen
4 Hey, Wickie--Der Schreckliche Sven & die tollkühnen Plattenreiter
5 Hier kommt Kurt--Frank Zander
6 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor
7 The Power--Snap!
8 Das erste Mal tat's noch weh--Stefan Waggershausen & Viktor Lazlo
9 Infinity (1990's...Time for the Guru)--Guru Josh
10 Vogue--Madonna

The only single entering the chart was A Dreams a Dream by Soul II Soul (#27).

Died on this date
Robert B. Meyner, 81. U.S. politician. Mr. Meyner, a Democrat, was Governor of New Jersey from 1954-1962.

Politics and government
Cesar Gaviria Trujillo, the nominee of the ruling Liberal Party and an opponent of the drug cartels, was elected President of Colombia. 2,000 people, including three presidential candidates, had been killed during the campaign, and the threat of more violence had kept the turnout down to 46%. Mr. Gaviria, a former minister of finance and minister of government, received 48% of the vote, and was the only one of the four surviving candidates to support extraditing drug traffickers to the United States, while the other candidates advocated negotiating with drug traffickers. In his victory speech, Mr. Gaviria vowed to end terrorism, and he criticized industrialized countries for not doing enough to reduce drug consumption.

Protest
Civil unrest began flaring up in Armenia.

Auto racing
Arie Luyendyk won the Indianapolis 500. His average speed of 185.981 miles per hour was a record that stood until 2013.

Baseball
John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves came within 2 outs of a no-hitter before giving up a double to Len Dykstra. Mr. Smoltz finished with a 2-hitter as the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 before 27,139 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Mouth--Merril Bainbridge (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Sarajevo's børn - Gi dem et håb--Various artists (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)--Scatman John (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Pour que tu m'aimes encore--Céline Dion (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Pour que tu m'aimes encore--Céline Dion (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Unchained Melody/(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover--Robson Green & Jerome Flynn (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 This is How We Do It--Montell Jordan (7th week at #1)
2 Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?--Bryan Adams
3 Water Runs Dry--Boyz II Men
4 I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By--Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige
5 Freak Like Me--Adina Howard
6 Total Eclipse of the Heart--Nicki French
7 I Know--Dionne Farris
8 Red Light Special--TLC
9 I Believe--Blessid Union of Souls
10 Don't Take it Personal (Just One of Dem Days)--Monica

Singles entering the chart were Sick of Myself by Matthew Sweet (#61); I Kissed a Girl by Jill Sobule (#77); Any Man of Mine/Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? by Shania Twain (#87); Froggy Style by Nuttin' Nyce (#89); and I Wanna Love Like That by Tony Thompson (#92).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Water Runs Dry--Boyz II Men
2 This is How We Do It--Montell Jordan
3 I Know--Dionne Farris
4 Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?--Bryan Adams
5 Freak Like Me--Adina Howard
6 I Believe--Blessid Union of Souls
7 Red Light Special--TLC
8 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
9 Let Her Cry--Hootie & the Blowfish
10 I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By--Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige

Singles entering the chart were I Can Love You Like That by All-4-One (#54); Best Friend by Brandy (#56); Crazy Love by Brian McKnight (#70); Emotions by H-Town (#73); Misery by Soul Asylum (#77); and I Saw You Dancing by Yaki-Da (#91).

War
Two French United Nations peacekeepers were killed when their unit clashed with Serbs over control of a bridge in Sarajevo.

Popular culture
Actor Christopher Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down after falling from his horse in a riding competition in Culpeper, Virginia.