April 14, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Laura O’Leary!

1,050 years ago
966

Europeana
After his marriage to the Christian Doubravka of Bohemia, the pagan ruler of the Polans, Mieszko I, formally converted to Christianity, an event considered to be the founding of the Polish state.

675 years ago
1341

War
Italian-Angevine troops under Manfred V, Marquess of Saluzzo sacked the Italian city of Saluzzo.

275 years ago
1741

Born on this date
Momozono. Emperor of Japan, 1747-1762. Momozono, born Toohito, was the eldest son of Emperor Sakuramachi, and succeeded him on the Chrysanthemum Throne. He died at the age of 21 on August 31, 1762 and was succeeded by his older sister Empress Go-Sakuramachi.

200 years ago
1816

Protest
Bussa, a slave in British-ruled Barbados, began a slave rebellion against colonial militia.

170 years ago
1846

Americana
The Donner Party of pioneers departed Springfield, Illinois for California on what would become a year-long journey of hardship, cannibalism, and survival.

150 years ago
1866

Born on this date
Anne Sullivan. U.S. teacher. Miss Sullivan was visually impaired, but learned manual sign language; she became famous as the teacher and friend of Helen Keller, who was both deaf and blind. Miss Sullivan died on October 20, 1936 at the age of 70.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
B.R. Ambedkar. Indian politician. Dr. Ambedkar, a member of the Labour Party, was India's first Indian Minister of Law and Justice, holding the position from 1947-1951 in the cabinet of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He died on December 6, 1956 at the age of 65.

110 years ago
1906

Religion
The African Methodist Episcopal Church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles held its first service under pastor William J. Seymour in what became known as the Azusa Street Revival, beginning the Pentecostal movement.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Don Willesee. Australian politician. Mr. Willesee, a member of the Labour Party, represented Western Australia in the Senate from 1950-1975. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam from 1973-1975, succeeding Mr. Whitlam in the office. Mr. Willesee died on September 9, 2003 at the age of 87.

80 years ago
1936

Baseball
Bobo Newsom pitched a 4-hitter to edge Lefty Gomez in a pitching duel as the Washington Nationals defeated the New York Yankees 1-0 in the season opener at Griffith Stadium in Washington. The Nationals won the game when Cecil Travis doubled to lead off the bottom of the 9th inning and the next batter, Carl Reynolds, singled him home. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt received a standing ovation from the 31,000 fans as he threw out the first ball.

Eddie Morgan of the St. Louis Cardinals, sent up to pinch hit for his first major league at bat, hit the first pitch he saw from Lon Warneke for a 2-run home run, but the Cardinals still lost 12-7 to the Chicago Cubs before 14,000 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. For Mr. Morgan, it was the only home run of his 39-game major league career. Billy Herman batted 5 for 5 for the Cubs, with a home run and 3 doubles. Frank Demaree added 2 homers and Gabby Hartnett and Chuck Klein each hit one for the Cubs. Mr. Warneke allowed 13 hits and 7 runs--4 earned--in 7 innings to win the matchup with Dizzy Dean, who allowed 14 hits and 9 runs--8 earned--in taking the loss.

75 years ago
1941

War
Axis forces under German Major General Erwin Rommel attacked the Egyptian town of Solum.

Defense
Secret negotiations opened in Washington between American officials and the Icelandic consul general, resulting in an Icelandic invitation for U.S. Marine occupation of the island.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull informed Danish Minister to the United States Henrik de Kauffmann that despite his recall by the government of German-occupied Denmark, the United States would continue to recognize Mr. de Kauffmann as the duly authorized minister, since the Danish government "is acting under duress."

Crime
Two lawmen and two prisoners were killed in the worst breakout at Sing Sing prison in New York. Two other convicts were captured after seven hours of freedom.

Labour
Six steel companies in the United States raised wages 10c per hour for more than 400,000 workers, averting a strike against U.S. Steel Corporation scheduled to begin at midnight April 15.

Baseball
Mario Russo pitched a 3-hitter and drove in a run with a double as the New York Yankees defeated the Washington Nationals 3-0 in the season opener before 32,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Dutch Leonard took the loss in a game that was played in 1 hour 47 minutes. Yankee shortstop Phil Rizzuto batted 0 for 4 in his first major league game, but fielded flawlessly, making a putout and 4 assists, and participating in 2 double plays. It was also the first major league game for New York first baseman Johnny Sturm, who batted 0 for 3, but made 11 putouts in the field and participated in 3 double plays. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt threw out the first ball.

70 years ago
1946

At the movies
So Goes My Love, starring Myrna Loy and Don Ameche, became the first film to receive its world premiere screening aboard a scheduled airliner; it was shown on a Pan American Airways Clipper en route from New York to Ireland.

War
Chinese Communist leader Chou En-lai declared that because of Nationalist attacks on Communists in Manchuria, all-out hostilities had begun there.

Diplomacy
World Jewish Congress officials protested Czechoslovakian acceptance of U.S.S.R. demands that 40,000 refugees from Carpatho-Ukraine, including 10,000 Jews, be returned without their consent to Soviet control.

Defense
The U.S. Army and Navy announced safety measures for the 37,000 men participating in the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests; most ships were to be kept 20 miles away from teh bomb site.

Politics and government
Meeting in the Soviet zone of Berlin, 1,200 delegates of the Socialist and Communist Parties approved their merger into the Socialist Unity Party.

The Communist Party USA expelled William Browder for being identified with his brother Earl's "anti-party, anti-working class program."

Economics and finance
Spanish Foreign Minister Albert Martin Artajo issued an order forbidding 330 German frims from engaging in capital transactions without permission from the Spanish government of Generalissimo Francisco Franco.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Memories are Made of This--Dean Martin

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Tiritomba--Margot Eskens (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): The Poor People of Paris--Winifred Atwell (2nd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Poor People of Paris--Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Jukebox--1st week at #1; Top 100--4th week at #1); Lisbon Antigua--Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra (Disc Jockey--2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Poor People of Paris--Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra (4th week at #1)
2 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--The Teenagers
--Gale Storm
--The Diamonds
3 Blue Suede Shoes--Carl Perkins
4 Heartbreak Hotel--Elvis Presley
5 Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)--Perry Como
6 Lisbon Antigua--Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
7 A Tear Fell--Teresa Brewer
8 I'll Be Home--Pat Boone
--The Flamingos
9 Juke Box Baby--Perry Como
10 No, Not Much!--The Four Lads

Singles entering the chart were Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic", with versions by Morris Stoloff and the Columbia Pictures Orchestra, and George Cates and his Orchestra (#21); Can You Find it in Your Heart by Tony Bennett (#29); Church Bells May Ring, with versions by the Willows and the Diamonds (#40); and Zoom by the Cadillacs (#44). Theme from "Picnic" was from the movie Picnic (1955).

On television tonight
The Honeymooners, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Trapped

Technology
The Mark IV videotape machine was first publicly demonstrated at the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (now the NAB) convention in Chicago.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Somebody Help Me--The Spencer Davis Group

At the movies
Universal Newsreel Volume 39, Release 31 opened in theatres.



Diplomacy
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson began a two-day visit to Mexico City.

Politics and government
South Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky promised elections in three to five months.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Montreal 4 @ Toronto 1 (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-0)
Chicago 1 @ Detroit 5 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

The Canadiens eliminated the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens in a game that set numerous playoff records for penalties.



40 years ago
1976

Diplomacy
At a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, the governments of Morocco and Mauritania agreed to divide the disputed Western Sahara; the formal agreement was signed eight days later.

Economics and finance
Australia announced a three-year, $108-million aid program for Indonesia.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
O'Keefe Cup Semi-Finals
Winnipeg 3 @ Edmonton 2 (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 3-0)
Quebec 2 @ Calgary 3 (Calgary led best-of-seven series 3-0)

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going--Billy Ocean (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Si Tú Eres Mi Hombre y Yo Tu Mujer (The Power of Love)--Jennifer Rush (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Simone de Beauvoir, 78. French authoress and philosopher. Miss De Beauvoir was an existentialist and feminist who was known for her open relationship with existentialist philosopher Jean Paul Sartre. Miss de Beauvoir's best-known book was Le Deuxième Sexe (The Second Sex) (1949).

Terrorism
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Vernon Walters concluded three days of meetings with officials from the U.K., France, West Germany, and Italy to document the case against Libya and indicate the nature of the U.S. response to the April 5 bombing of a discotheque in West Berlin that injured 60 U.S. soldiers in attendance. U.S. president Ronald Reagan ordered major bombing raids against Libya, killing 60 people. Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced his support for the U.S. bombing of Libya.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Trippin'--Push Push

#1 single in Switzerland: Joyride--Roxette (2nd week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Joyride--Roxette (3rd week at #1)
2 No Coke--Dr. Alban
3 Secret Love--Bee Gees
4 Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)--C & C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams
5 Crazy--Seal
6 Kränk di net--Jazz Gitti & her Disco Killers
7 Sister Soul & Mr. Beat--Beat 4 Feet featuring Kim Cooper
8 3 A.M. Eternal--The KLF
9 Hello Afrika--Dr. Alban featuring Leila K.
10 How to Dance--Bingoboys featuring Princessa

Singles entering the chart were How to Dance; and The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in his Kiss) by Cher (#23).

Politics and government
The Republic of Georgia introduced the post of President, five days after her declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. Zviad Gamsakhurdia was appointed the country's first President, and was inaugurated on May 26, 1991.

Golf
Ian Woosnam shot an even par 72 in the final round to win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia with an 11-under-par score of 277, 1 stroke ahead of José María Olazábal. First prize money was $243,000.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
St. Louis 3 @ Detroit 0 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)
Chicago 1 @ Minnesota 3 (Minnesota won best-of-seven series 4-2)
Calgary 2 @ Edmonton 1 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)
Los Angeles 4 @ Vancouver 1 (Los Angeles won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Baseball
Nolan Ryan earned his first win of the season and his first over the Baltimore Orioles in 15 years as the Texas Rangers routed the Orioles 15-3 before 24,084 fans at Arlington Stadium. In the 3rd inning, Mr. Ryan became the 12th pitcher in major league history to reach 5,000 innings pitched.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Ridin' Low--L.A.D. (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Macarena--Los Del Rio (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Children--Robert Miles (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Scotland (OCC): Ooh Aah...Just a Little Bit--Gina G (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
William K. Everson, 67. U.K.-born U.S. film archivist and historian. Professor Everson was a theatre manager and studio publicist before moving to the United States in 1950. He accumulated a collection of 4,000 vintage films, and became one of the world's prominent film historians. Prof. Everson taught film history at The School of Visual Arts in New York City (1964-1984) and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (1972-1996) often emphasizing comedies, Westerns and British films. This blogger had the pleasure of meeting him during a Greta Garbo/Marlene Dietrich film festival at the University of Western Ontarion in February 1988. Prof. Everson died six days after his 67th birthday.

Golf
Greg Norman, leading the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia by six strokes at the start of the final round, suffered one of the most humiliating collapses in major golf tournament history, shooting a 6-over-par 78 to finish second, 5 strokes behind eventual winner Nick Faldo, who shot a 5-under-par 67 in the last round and finished with a 12-under-par score of 276. First prize money was $450,000.



Hockey
NHL
Dallas 1 @ Detroit 5

The Red Wings, coached by Scotty Bowman, ended the winningest regular season in National Hockey League history with their win over the Stars at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings finished with 62 victories, beating the 60 wins of the 1976-77 Montréal Canadiens, who were also coached by Mr. Bowman.

10 years ago
2006

Politics and government
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was appointed interim Prime Minister of Israel, three days after the cabinet had declared Prime Minister Ariel Sharon permanently incapacitated. Mr. Sharon had been Prime Minister since 2001, but had been in a coma since suffering a stroke on January 4, 2006. He died at the age of 85 on January 11, 2014.