April 7, 2016

325 years ago
1691

Politics and government
Joseph Robineau de Villebon became Commandant--the de facto French commander--of Acadia.

130 years ago
1886

Born on this date
Ed Lafitte. U.S. baseball pitcher. Dr. Lafitte played with the Detroit Tigers (1909, 1911-1912); Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1914-1915); and Buffalo Blues (1915), compiling a record of 37-35 with an earned run average of 3.33 in 106 games, batting .220 with 2 home runs and 23 runs batted in in 108 games. He was 95-89 in 6 seasons in the minor leagues (1908-1916). Dr. Lafitte became a dentist during his playing career, and practiced in Philadelphia, retiring in 1961. He pitched a no-hitter for the Tip-Tops in the Federal League, but was also noted for serving with the U.S. Army in World War I, and pitching a 2-1 complete game loss to the Herb Pennock and the Navy in London on July 4, 1918 in front of the British royal family, including King George V. Dr. Lafitte reconstructed teeth and jaws of wounded soldiers during his time overseas. He died on April 12, 1971, five days after his 85th birthday.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Ole Kirk Christiansen. Danish businessman. Mr. Christiansen founded the Lego Group toy company in 1932; he died of a heart attack on March 11, 1958 at the age of 66.

Died on this date
P.T. Barnum, 80. U.S. showman. Phineas Taylor Barnum promoted various attractions over several decades, but was best known for co-founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1881, which eventually merged with Ringling Brothers in 1919 to form Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

120 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Donald Winnicott. U.K. physician. Dr. Winnicott was a pediatrician and psychoanalyst who was influential in the field of object relations theory and developmental psychology. He was best known for his ideas on the true self and the false self, and the "good enough" parent. Dr. Winnicott served two terms as president of the British Psychoanalytical Society (1956-1959, 1965-1968), published more than 200 papers, and books such as Playing and Reality (1971). He died on January 25, 1971 at the age of 74, after the last of a series of heart attacks.

Exploration
An Arctic expedition led by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen reached 86°13.6′N, almost three degrees beyond the previous farthest north latitude.

110 years ago
1906

Diplomacy
The Algeciras Conference gave France and Spain control over Morocco.

Disasters
Mount Vesuvius erupted and devastated Naples.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Anthony Caruso. U.S. actor. Mr. Caruso was a character actor in numerous films and television programs. He died on April 4, 2003, three days before his 87th birthday.

80 years ago
1936

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 4 @ Detroit 9 (Detroit led best-of-five series 2-0)

Bucko McDonald, John Sorrell, and Gord Pettinger each scored 2 goals for the Red Wings as they beat the Maple Leafs at Olympia Stadium.

75 years ago
1941

War
German troops driving from Bulgaria reached the Aegean Sea through eastern Thrace after Greek forces abandoned part of the area. German bombers raided Belgrade for the fifth time.

Diplomacy
The United Kingdom severed relations with Hungary, charging that it had become a base of operations for German forces.

Politics and government
The New Jersey Assembly voted 52-2 in favour of a bill probiting Communists or people advocating the violent overthrow of the government from the election ballot.

Medicine
Dr. George C. Andrews of New York Presbyterian Hospital said that so-called "smoker's cancer" of the lower lip was not due to smoking, but was the result of a chronic inflammation of the lower lip from habitual sunburn.

Labour
The U.S. National Labor Relations Board ordered collective bargaining elections at Ford Motor Company's River Rouge and Lincoln plants near Detroit, as well as the Bethlehem Steel Company plant near Lackawanna, New York.

70 years ago
1946

War
In an agreement announced in Prague, Hungary promised to pay $300 million in reparations, with two-thirds going to Russia.

Diplomacy
Syria's independence from France was officially recognized.

U.S. District Judge Simon Rifkind, adviser on Jewish affairs to the U.S. military government in Germany, concluded a report on the problems of concentration camp survivors, and urged the immediate settlement of 100,000 Jews still in German and Austrian refugee camps.

Defense
The schedule for the Soviet evacuation of Manchuria, to be completed by April 16, 1946, was announced in Chungking.

The "Win the Peace" movement ended its three-day conference in Washington after registering opposition to military service, production of atomic bombs, the Spanish regime of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, and the granting of loans which may by used for "oppression of colonial peoples."

Protest
Communists led 10,000 demonstrators to the Tokyo residence of Japanese Prime Minister Kijuro Shidehara, demanding his resignation.

Politics and government
Social Democrats in Berlin's western zones voted to expel Otto Grotewohl as party chairman for favouring a merger with the Communists.

A group of liberal farm and labour leaders meeting in Chicago set up a provisional committee headed by union leader A. Philip Randolph to explore possibilities of a third political party in the United States.

U.S. Senator James Mead (Democrat--New York) announced that he would not press charges against his former partner, Edward O'Dea, who was arrested in Buffalo after allegedly assaulting Sen. Mead in a hotel lobby.

Science
Carnegie Institute physicists H.W. Wells, J.W. Watts, and D.E. George revealed the discovery of clouds of electrically-charged gases that speed from the Sun into the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere, disrupting radio communications.

Oil
Iranian Prime Minister Ahmad Ghavam Salataneh disclosed an agreement between Iran and the U.S.S.R. giving the Soviet Union a 51% share of the Russian-Iranian Oil Company for 25 years, and 50% for the next 25 years after that.

Economics and finance
A White House report urged the United States Congress to extend price controls until June 30, 1947, claiming that the danger of inflation would be over by then. The U.S. Federal Housing Administration restored its pre-World War II Title I, Class 3 program to finance construction of homes in the $3,000-$5,000 price range.

Labour
The International Labor Orgainzation conference in Mexico City rejected a proposal presented by employer delegates to ban union participation in politics.

Disasters
A tornado struck Anniston, Alabama, killing four people and causing heavy damage.

Swimming
Joseph Verdeur of Philadelphia set world records of 2 minutes 19.5 seconds in the men's 200-yard breast stroke and 2 minutes 35.6 seconds in the men's 200-metre breast stroke.

Golf
Herman Keiser won the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, finishing with a 6-under par score of 282, one stroke ahead of Ben Hogan. First prize money was $2,500.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 2 @ Boston 3 (OT) (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Terry Reardon scored at 15:13 of the 1st overtime period for the Bruins as they averted a sweep by the Canadiens at Boston Garden.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): He--Al Hibbler (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Tiritomba--Margot Eskens (2nd week at #1)

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

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Poor People of Paris--Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra (Best Seller--3rd week at #1; Disc Jockey--4th week at #1; Top 100--3rd week at #1); Rock and Roll Waltz--Kay Starr (Jukebox--6th week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Wild Cherry by Don Cherry (#37) and In a Little Spanish Town (’Twas on a Night Like This) by Bing Crosby and the Buddy Cole Trio (#41).

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



Africana
Spain relinquished its protectorate in Morocco.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Fort Wayne 88 @ Philadelphia 99 (Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4-1)

The Warriors' win over the Pistons before 11,194 fans at Convention Hall gave them their first National Basketball Association title since 1947, and their last until 1975, by which time the team was based in Oakland and was known as the Golden State Warriors. Joe Graboski led the Warriors with 29 points, and Paul Arizin added 26. George Yardley of the Pistons led all scorers with 30 points and grabbed 20 rebounds.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore--The Walker Brothers (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Walt Hansgen, 46. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Hansgen was the Sports Car Club of America national champion for four straight years from 1956-1959. He raced on the Formula One circuit in 1961 and 1964, and died four days after being injured in a crash while testing a car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Defense
The United States recovered a hydrogen bomb that had been lost off the southeast coast of Spain for 13 weeks.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Toronto 3 @ Montreal 4 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Detroit 1 @ Chicago 2 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Bobby Hull and Ken Wharram scored for the Black Hawks as they edged the Red Wings at Chicago Stadium.

40 years ago
1976

Politics and government
Hua Kuo-feng was named Premier of China and first deputy chairman of the Communist Party, while Deputy Premier Teng Hsiao-ping (Deng Xiaoping) was ousted.

Former cabinet minister John Stonehouse resigned from the British Labour Party, leaving Prime Minister James Callaghan's government with a minority of one in the House of Commons. Mr. Stonehouse had made international headlines just over a year earlier by faking his death and being discovered living under a false name in Australia. He was now facing various criminal charges.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going--Billy Ocean (5th week at #1)

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

Business
British home computer magnate Sir Clive Sinclair sold the rights to his machines to Amstrad for £5 million.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Joyride--Roxette

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Joyride--Roxette (2nd week at #1)
2 Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)--C & C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams
3 Secret Love--Bee Gees
4 No Coke--Dr. Alban
5 Crazy--Seal
6 Kränk di net--Jazz Gitti & her Disco Killers
7 Hello Afrika--Dr. Alban featuring Leila K.
8 Blue Hotel--Chris Isaak
9 Sister Soul & Mr. Beat--Beat 4 Feet featuring Kim Cooper
10 Sucker DJ (A Witch for Love)--Dimples D

Singles entering the chart were Should I Stay or Should I Go by the Clash (#14); I Wanna Give You Devotion by Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom (#18); and Rhythm of My Heart by Rod Stewart (#20).

On television tonight
Separate But Equal: Part I, on ABC

This made-for-television movie about the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case before the U.S. Supreme Court starred Sidney Poitier as Thurgood Marshall, Burt Lancaster as John W. Davis, and Richard Kiley as Chief Justice Earl Warren. It was Mr. Lancaster's last performance.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Montreal 4 @ Buffalo 5 (Buffalo led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Boston 6 @ Hartford 3 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Pittsburgh 4 @ New Jersey 3 (Pittsburgh led best-of-seven series 2-1)
New York Rangers 6 @ Washington 0 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-1)

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Get Down on It--Peter Andre featuring Past to Present

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Macarena--Los Del Rio (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Children--Robert Miles (8th week at #1)

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

On television tonight
To Sir, with Love II, starring Sidney Poitier, on CBS

This made-for-television movie was a sequel to the theatrical film To Sir, with Love (1967), which starred Mr. Poitier as the same character.

Died on this date
Luis Aloma, 72. Cuban-born U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Aloma played in the farm systems of the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers from 1944-1949 before making it to the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox from 1950-1953, compiling a record of 18-3 with an earned run average of 3.44 and 15 saves in 116 games. His best minor league season was 1948, when he was 19-6 with a 1.77 ERA in 28 games with the Havana Cubanos of the Class C Florida International League.

Defense
North Korean troops concluded three days of military exercises in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

Protest
A week-long uprising by 1,000 inmates in the maximum security prison in Sierra Chica, Argentina ended, while 5,000 inmates in 18 other prisons throughout the country rebelled in sympathy. Complaints focused on overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and the slowness of the justice system.