May 7, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Gifty Boateng!

190 years ago
1825

Died on this date
Antonio Salieri, 74. Italian-born composer and conductor. Mr. Salieri moved to Vienna in 1766, and served as director of Italian opera from 1774-1792. He wrote operas in three languages, and taught and influenced other composers, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mr. Salieri wrote no new operas after 1804, and his work faded into obscurity until a revival of interest resulting from Peter Shaffer's play (1979) and movie (Amadeus), a fictionalized view of the relationship between Mr. Salieri and Mr. Mozart.

175 years ago
1840

Born on this date
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Russian composer. Mr. Tchaikovsky was one of the most famous composers of the Romantic era; his six symphonies and ballet music are part of the standard repertoire. Mr. Tchaikovsky died on November 6, 1893 at the age of 53, nine days after conducting the premiere of his Sixth Symphony; his death was attributed to cholera as the result of drinking poisoned water, but some theorized that he committed suicide.

Disasters
A tornado that touched down in eastern Louisiana and crossed the Mississippi River into Natchez, Mississippi, killed 317 people, most of them on boats in the river.

150 years ago
1865

Politics and government
The New Brunswick legislature voted to reject Confederation with Canada.

Canadiana
The Canadian Land & Emigration Company acquired ten townships in Canada West. The towns of Haliburton and Minden were later created from these.

120 years ago
1895

Radio
Russian physicist Alexander Stepanovich Popov presented the paper On the Relation of Metallic Powders to Electric Oscillations, which described his lightning detector, to the Russian Physical and Chemical Society in St. Petersburg. Most Eastern sources regard Popov's lightning detector as the first radio receiver, although there is no evidence that Mr. Popov sent any type of message on this occasion.

100 years ago
1915

War
The German submarine U-20 sank the British liner RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people including 128 Americans and 11 Edmontonians. Go here for more on the Lusitania.

Diplomacy
11 days after China rejected Japan's Twenty-One Demands, Japan submitted a revised ultimatum of Thirteen Demands, with a two-day deadline for response.

80 years ago
1935

Space
The University of Toronto completed the David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill with a 188-centimetre reflector telescope; the first observations took place on June 9, 1935.

75 years ago
1940

Died on this date
George Lansbury, 81. U.K. politician and journalist. Mr. Lansbury was a radical Liberal in his early years, but became a sociaist in the early 1890s. As a member of the Labour Party, he represented Bow and Bromley in the House of Commons (1910-1912, 1922-1940). Mr. Lansbury resigned his seat in 1912 to support women's suffrage; he helped to establish the Daily Herald the same year, and served as its editor. Mr. Lansbury's support for the Russian Revolution in 1917 likely contributed to his failure to be elected in 1918, but he returned to Parliament in 1922. He was denied a place in the cabinet of the first Labour Party government in 1924, but served as First Commissioner of Works from 1929-1931. When Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald formed the National Government in 1931, Mr. Lansbury declined to join, and led what remained of the Labour Party from 1932-1935. He resigned the Labour Party leadership when his pacifism in the face of rising European Fascism was rejected at the party's conference in 1935. Mr. Lansbury spent his last years travelling throughout the United States and Europe promoting pacifism until his death after suffering for several months with stomach cancer.

Politics and government
The Norway Debate in the British House of Commons began, leading to the replacement of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain with Winston Churchill three days later. Labour Party leader Clement Attlee decried the ineffective foreign policies of Mr. Chamberlain, while Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, a Conservative, criticized the government's handling of the military campaign in Norway. Conservative MP Leo Amery told Mr. Chamberlain, "You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

Japanese Home Minister Hideo Kodama forbade the formation of a labour party in Japan on the grounds that it would foster class consciousness and impair national unity in wartime.

Supporters of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt won a landslide victory in the California primary for the 1940 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States. U.S. Senator Millard Tydings and his followers won the Maryland Democratic primary, campaigning against a third term for Mr. Roosevelt as President. Alabama Democrats elected 22 delegates to the Democratic National Convention to support a "favourite son," Rep. William Bankhead, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill authorizing him to "freeze" assets in the United States of belligerent nations.

Acting U.S. Secretary of State Sumner Welles announced in Washington that the U.S. would sign the agreement establishing the Inter-American Bank.

Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals rapped out 20 hits, 13 of them for extra bases--including 7 home runs--as they whipped the Brooklyn Dodgers 18-2 before 2,298 fans at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. Losing pitcher Hugh Casey allowed 15 hits and 13 runs--all earned--in 7 innings. The Dodgers caught a plane to Chicago after the game, becoming the first National League team to fly.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (5th week at #1)
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson
--Phil Moore Four
2 Candy--Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
3 I'm Beginning to See the Light--Harry James and his Orchestra
--Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra
--Ella Fitzgerald and the Ink Spots
4 A Little on the Lonely Side--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
5 Dream--The Pied Pipers
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Frank Sinatra
6 Just a Prayer Away--Bing Crosby
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
7 Laura--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
8 Sentimental Journey--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day)
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
9 There! I've Said it Again--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters)
10 Caldonia--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were the version of Dream by Frank Sinatra; and Rodger Young, with versions by Texas "Jim" Robertson; and Burl Ives (#30).

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Purloined Ruby

Theatre
Harvey by Mary Coyle Chase was awarded the Pulitzer Prize as the best American play of 1944.

Literature
A Bell for Adano by John Hersey was awarded the Pulitzer Prize as the best American novel of 1944.

Journalism
James Reston of The New York Times was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.

War
German General Alfred Jodl signed unconditional surrender terms at Allied Supreme Commander General Dwight Eisenhower's headquarters at a schoolhouse in Rheims, France, ending Germany's participation in World War II, with the document to take effect the next day. Two days after the surrender of German forces in the Netherlands, Canadian soldiers entered Amsterdam; German soldiers fired on Dutch celebrants in Dam Square, killing more than 30 people. Léon Degrelle, leader of the Rexist Party in Belgium from 1935-1945 and a leading collaborator with the Nazis, commandeered a Heinkel plane and flew with a small party from Germany to exile in Spain; the plane crash-landed in the water near San Sebastian, causing serious injuries to Mr. Degrelle and others in the plane.







Crime
Exuberant crowds in Halifax, Nova Scotia, celebrating the end of World War II in Europe, started a riot that lasted for two days.





Diplomacy
Spain and Switzerland severed diplomatic relations with Germany.

U.S.S.R. Foreign Commissar Vyacheslav Molotov told a news conference in San Francisco that the Big Four powers (U.S.S.R., U.S.A., U.K., China) had reached agreement on the world security organization.

World events
Haj Amin el Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, arrived in Berne, Switzerland aboard a German plane and was deported to France.

Americana
U.S. President Harry Truman and his family moved into the White House in Washington.

Law
Massachusetts Governor Maurice Tobin signed a bill aimed at ending unofficial book censorship in the state.

Baseball
Brooklyn Dodgers' president and general manager Branch Rickey announced the formation of the United Negro Baseball League, consisting of teams in Brooklyn; Chicago; Detroit; Hilldale, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh; and Toledo.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Let Me Go, Lover--Joan Weber; Teresa Brewer (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Stranger in Paradise--Tony Bennett

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (Best Seller--2nd week at #1); The Ballad of Davy Crockett--Bill Hayes (Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Ballad of Davy Crockett--Bill Hayes (7th week at #1)
--Fess Parker
--Tennessee Ernie Ford
2 Unchained Melody--Les Baxter and his Orchestra
--Al Hibbler
--Roy Hamilton
3 Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra
4 Dance with Me Henry (Wallflower)--Georgia Gibbs
5 The Crazy Otto--Johnny Maddox and the Rhythmasters
6 Tweedlee Dee--Georgia Gibbs
7 Melody of Love--Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra
--David Carroll and his Orchestra
--The Four Aces
8 Whatever Lola Wants--Sarah Vaughan
--Dinah Shore
9 Two Hearts--Pat Boone
10 Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup--Nat "King" Cole

Singles entering the chart were the versions of The Ballad of Davy Crockett by Fess Parker and Tennessee Ernie Ford; Don't Be Angry by Nappy Brown (#11, charting with the version by the Crew-Cuts); Silver Dollar by Teresa Brewer (#44); and Love Me or Leave Me, with versions by Sammy Davis, Jr. and Lena Horne (#48).

Horse racing
Swaps, with Bill Shoemaker up, won the 81st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:01 4/5, 1½ lengths ahead of Nashua, the favourite. Summer Tan finished third in the 10-horse field. The win was the first for Mr. Shoemaker in a Triple Crown race.



50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Silhouettes--Herman's Hermits (2nd week at #1)
2 Ticket to Ride--The Beatles
3 Count Me In--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
4 I'll Never Find Another You--The Seekers
5 Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter--Herman's Hermits
6 She's About a Mover--Sir Douglas Quintet
7 I Know a Place--Petula Clark
8 Help Me, Rhonda--The Beach Boys
8 Game of Love--Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
9 It's Not Unusual--Tom Jones
10 Crying in the Chapel--Elvis Presley
Pick hit of the week: My Guy--Dianne James
New this week: The Price of Love--The Everly Brothers
Tongue Twistin' Time--Ray Griff
I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time--Wayne Newton
Just Once in My Life--The Righteous Brothers
L-O-N-E-L-Y--Bobby Vinton

Politics and government
White voters in the colony of Rhodesia overwhelmingly supported Prime Minister Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front, which was demanding independence from the United Kingdom. The Rhodesian Front won all 50 seats reserved for whites, while not running candidates for the 15 seats reserved for blacks.

Diplomacy
Two Soviet diplomats were expelled from Canada for plotting an espionage network.

40 years ago
1975

At the movies
The Day of the Locust, starring Donald Sutherland, Karen Black, William Atherton, and Burgess Meredith, opened in theatres.

Space
Anik A3, Canada's third communications satellite, was launched aboard a Delta rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Labour Congress rejected the proposal of the federal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau for voluntary wage and price restraints.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Philadelphia 3 @ New York Islanders 4 (OT) (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Jude Drouin scored on a short backhand shot at 1:53 of the 1st overtime period as the Islanders averted elimination by the Flyers before 14,865 fans at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale. The Islanders led 3-0 on goals by Ed Westfall in the 1st period and Gerry Hart and Ralph Stewart in the 2nd period, but the Flyers tied the game on goals by Ross Lonsberry and Rick MacLeish in the 2nd period and Mr. MacLeish at 4:48 of the 3rd period. New York goalie Glenn Resch stopped Phildelphia's Bill Barber on a penalty shot; it was the first penalty shot in Stanley Cup play in four years.

Basketball
NBA
Conference Finals
Boston 108 @ Washington 119 (Washington led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Phil Chenier scored 27 points, Elvin Hayes added 22, and Kevin Porter 21 as the Bullets beat the Celtics before 19,035 fans at Capital Center in Landover, Maryland. Boston's Jo Jo White led all scorers with 35 points, with John Havlicek scoring 23 and Don Nelson 21. Wes Unseld of Washington grabbed 25 points and scored 16 points.

Baseball
The Atlanta Braves traded first baseman Dick Allen and catcher Johnny Oates to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Jim Essian, outfielder Barry Bonnell, and cash. Mr. Allen, the key player in the deal, had played with the Phillies from 1964-1969; he had led the American League in home runs with the Chicago White Sox in 1974 despite announcing his retirement and leaving the team with three weeks remaining in the season. The White Sox had traded him to the Braves in the off-season, but he had refused to report to Atlanta. Mr. Oates was batting .222 with no home runs or runs batted in in 8 games with Atlanta in 1975. Mr. Essian had played in 2 games with the Phillies in 1975, singling in a run and scoring in his only at bat. Mr. Bonnell had batted .316 in 23 games with the Spartanburg Phillies in the Class A Western Carolinas League in 1975, and he was assigned to the Greenwood Braves in the same league.

Bill Bonham pitched a 3-hit shoutout as the Chicago Cubs blanked the Montreal Expos 7-0 before 6,430 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal in the regular Wednesday night Expos Baseball telecast on CBC. Dave McNally allowed 7 hits and 4 runs--all earned in 4 1/3 innings in losing his third straight decision.

Johnny Bench's grand slam highlighted a 6-run 5th inning a the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres 10-2 before 16,931 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

Jim Wynn drove in 4 runs with a single and 3-run home run, and Andy Messersmith pitched a 6-hit complete game victory to improve his record for the year to 5-0 as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Houston Astros 5-1 before 31,222 fans at Dodger Stadium. Mr. Messersmith also batted 2 for 3 with 2 runs. Losing pitcher Tom Griffin also pitched a complete game, allowing 6 hits and 5 earned runs as his record fell to 0-5. The game was over in 1 hour and 48 minutes.

Willie Montanez, acquired by the San Francisco Giants three days earlier from the Philadelphia Phillies in a trade for Garry Maddox, hit his first home run for his new team and drove in another run with a single as the Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2 before 2,687 fans at Atlanta Stadium. Jim Barr pitched a 6-hit complete game for the win.

Sal Bando's grand slam off former teammate Chuck Dobson was the big blow as the Oakland Athletics scored all their runs in the 7th inning and beat the California Angels 9-1 before 3,237 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Vida Blue pitched a 6-hit complete game to improve his record for 1975 to 6-1. Losing pitcher Bill Singer had a 2-hit shutout through the first 6 innings, but suddenly lost his effectiveness, giving way to Don Kirkwood and then Mr. Dobson.

Al Bumbry's fourth hit of the game singled home Ken Singleton with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning as the Baltimore Orioles came from behind to edge the New York Yankees 4-3 before 7,149 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Winning pitcher Mike Cuellar pitched a 5-hit complete game. Losing pitcher George Medich pitched 8 2/3 innings before being relieved by Sparky Lyle, who walked Tommy Davis to load the bases and then yielded Mr. Bumbry's game-winning hit.

Pinch hitter Deron Johnson singled off Tom Burgmeier to drive home Nyls Nyman and Ken Henderson with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to complete a 3-run rally as the Chicago White Sox edged the Minnesota Twins 3-2 before 3,255 fans at White Sox Park.

Wayne Simpson picked up his first win of the season, pitching a 7-hit complete game for the Toledo Mud Hens as they defeated the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-2 in an International League game at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket.

30 years ago
1985

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Chicago 3 @ Edmonton 7 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-0)

25 years ago
1990

Died on this date
Sam Tambimuttu, 57 or 58. Sri Lankan politician. Mr. Tambimuttu, a member of the Tamil United Liberation Front, was elected to Parliament for Batticaloa District in 1989. He was assassinated outside the Canadian High Commission in Colombo, and his wife Kala died nine days later as a result of wounds sustained in the assassination, which was blamed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, aka Tamil Tigers.

War
A column of Soviet tanks entered the Latvian capital of Riga.

Economics and finance
Canadian Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernard Valcourt unveiled a $584-million aid package to cut the size of the Atlantic fisheries. The money went mainly to the Newfoundland communities of Trepassy, St. John's, Grand Bank and Gaultois, as well as North Sydney, Canso, and Lockeport, Nova Scotia.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: If You Love Me--Brownstone (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)--Scatman John (5th week at #1)

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

Died on this date
Ray McKinley, 84. U.S. musician. Mr. McKinley was a drummer in a number of jazz bands from the 1930s through the 1960s, most notably the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band.

Politics and government
Jacques Chirac, former Prime Minister of France and leader of the Rally for the Republic, defeated Socialist Party candidate Lionel Jospin in a runoff election to become President of France. Mr. Chirac won by a margin of 52.6%-47.4%. Incumbent President Francois Mitterand had decided not to seek re-election after serving two seven-year terms.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
New Jersey 5 @ Boston 0 (New Jersey led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Buffalo 3 @ Philadelphia 4 (OT) (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Dallas 3 @ Detroit 4 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Vancouver 1 @ St. Louis 2 (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Toronto 5 @ Chicago 3 (Toronto led best-of-seven series 1-0)
San Jose 5 @ Calgary 4 (San Jose led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Basketball
NBA

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
Indiana 107 @ New York 105 (Indiana led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Chicago 91 @ Orlando 94 (Orlando led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Western Conference First Round
Houston 95 @ Utah 91 (Houston won best-of-five series 3-2)

Reggie Miller scored 8 points--including a pair of 3-point field goals in 5.5 seconds--in 8.9 seconds as the Pacers rallied from a 105-99 deficit to stun the Knickerbockers before 19,763 fans at Madison Square Garden. Mr. Miller scored 31 points, while teammate Rik Smits led all scorers with 31 points.





Horace Grant's slam-dunk field goal with 6.2 seconds remaining clinched victory for the Magic over the Bulls before 16,010 fans at Orlando Arena. Michael Jordan led the Bulls with 19 points

Hakeem Olajuwon scored 33 points and Clyde Drexler added 31 for the Rockets as they outscored the Jazz 31-20 in the 4th quarter to eliminate Utah before 19,911 fans at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Peter Rodino, 95. U.S. politician. Mr. Rodino, a Democrat, represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1949-1989. He was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 1973-1989, overseeing impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon in 1974.

Otilino Tenorio, 25. Ecuadorean soccer player. Mr. Tenorio began his professional career at the age of 11, playing in Ecuador and later, briefly, in Saudi Arabia. He was nicknamed "Spiderman" for his practice of putting on a Spiderman mask after scoring a goal. Mr. Tenorio was a member of the Ecuadorean national team in 2004 and 2005; he was killed in a car accident while driving to Quevedo, three days after playing for his country in a 1-0 win over Paraguay in a friendly match in New York.

Horse racing
Giacomo, a 50-1 longshot with Mike Smith up, won the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby before 156,435 fans at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:02.75, ​1⁄2 length ahead of Closing Argument, with Afleet Alex third in the 20-horse field.