May 14, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Inna!

220 years ago
1796

Medicine
British physician Edward Jenner administered the first smallpox vaccine to 8-year-old James Phipps.

180 years ago
1836

Born on this date
Wilhelm Steinitz. Bohemian-born U.S. chess player and journalist. Mr. Steinitz began making his mark in chess in the late 1850s, and was regarded as the world's best player from 1866-1886, although he played only one competitive match from 1873-1882. In 1873 he began moving away from the aggressive style of play then in vogue toward a more positional style that influenced modern chess. Mr. Steinitz moved to the United States in 1883, eventually becoming an American citizen. He was recognized as world champion from his victory over Johannes Zukertort in 1886 until his loss to Emanuel Lasker in 1894. Mr. Steinitz wrote prolifically on chess, and in 1888-1889 worked with the American Chess Congress on a project to define rules governing the conduct of future world championships. He suffered mental breakdowns in later years--perhaps the result of syphilis--and died in poverty, of a heart attack in Manhattan State Hospital on August 12, 1900 at the age of 64.

War
The Treaties of Velasco were signed in Velasco, Texas by Antonio López de Santa Anna of Mexico and interim President David G. Burnet for the Republic of Texas. The treaties were intended, on the part of Texas, to provide a conclusion of hostilities between the two belligerents and to offer the first steps toward the official recognition of the breakaway republic's independence.

175 years ago
1841

Politics and government
The first session of the first Parliament of the Province of Canada after the Act of Union opened in Kingston, Canada West.

130 years ago
1886

Politics and government
The North West Territories were given their first representation in the Canadian Parliament with a Saskatchewan seat in the House of Commons.

Horse racing
Ben Ali, with P. Duffy aboard, won the 12th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a record time of 2:36½. Blue Wing placed second and Free Knight finished third in the 10-horse field.

110 years ago
1906

Died on this date
Carl Schurz, 77. Prussian-born U.S. politician and diplomat. Mr. Schurz participated in the 1848 revolution and then fled to Switzerland, England, France, and eventually emigrated to the United States in 1852. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Spain from July-December 1861. A Republican, Mr. Schurz became the first German-born member of the United States Senate, representing Missouri from 1869-1875; he became disenchanted with the Republican Party and formed the Liberal Republican Party in 1870, and was defeated in his bid for re-election in 1874. Mr. Schurz served as Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President Rutherford B. Hayes from 1877-1881.

80 years ago
1936

Died on this date
Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, 75. U.K. military officer. Field Marshal Allenby was best known for leading the British Empire's Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in the conquest of Palestine against Ottoman forces during World War I in 1917 and 1918. He served as British High Commissioner in Egypt and Sudan from 1919-1925.

75 years ago
1941

War
Sources in Cairo reported that German planes were beginning to land in Vichy-occupied Syria. Berlin sources stated that Rudolf Hess, deputy to German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler, had flown to Scotland four days earlier with the "illusion" that he could promote peace before Britain was "destroyed," and that he expected British authorities to permit him to return within two days. British reports confirmed that Mr. Hess hoped to arrange a peace through the Duke of Hamilton. The Royal New Zealand Navy minesweeper HMS Puriri was sunk, becoming the second victim of mines laid off the Northland coast by the German raider Orion. Five of her crew were killed.

Defense
The U.S. War Department announced that 214 four-engine flying fortresses had been flown from California to Hawaii during the previous 24 hours to reinforce the heavy concentration of medium bombers and pursuit planes already there. U.S. Office of Production Management Director General William Knudsen announced the creation of the Material Coordinating Committee for the United States and Canada to exchange information on their supplies of strategic raw materials.

Diplomacy
German Ambassador to Turkey Franz von Papen delivered a personal message of friendship from Adolf Hitler to Turkish President Ismet Inonu.

Politics and government
The Argentine Radical Party convention in Buenos Aires adopted a resolution affirming Argentine neutrality, denouncing totalitarian ideologies, and expressing sympathy for the Allies.

Americana
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 62,958,703 people--47.8% of the population--lived in 140 metropolitan areas, an increase of more than 8 million since 1930.

Agriculture
The United States Senate passed a bill authorizing government loans of up to 85% of 1909-1914 parity prices to growers of five basic crops, and sent it to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Farm commodity prices soared on the Chicago markets.

Radio
Mark Ethridge, former president of the National Association of Broadcasters, resigned from a U.S. federal commission surveying the radio industry, and denounced the Federal Communications Commission for its recent anti-monopoly regulations.

Economics and finance
U.K. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden said that the British government had rejected Japanese complaints of economic restrictions in British territories.

Labour
Employees at the Colt Fire Arms Manufacturing Company plant in Hartford, Connecticut ended their two-day strike, accepting wage increases of 5c-8c per hour.

Baseball
The Chicago Cubs released veteran pitcher Dizzy Dean, who had pitched just 1 inning in 1 game in 1941 because of a sore arm, but retained him as a coach. The same day, the New York Giants sent Dizzy’s brother Daffy, 0-0 in 5 games in 1941, down to the minors.

70 years ago
1946

War
U.S. Army Major Bruce Blakeney, U.S. defense counsel at the Tokyo trial of accused Japanese war criminals, opened his argument by claiming that the American atomic bombing of Japan in 1945 was as murderous as the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and that the Allies were setting a precedent under which "our own leaders may be on trial after the next war."

Defense
The U.S. Senate passed and sent to President Harry Truman the House of Representatives-approved resolution extending the life of Selective Service until July 1, 1946, exempting fathers and all 18-and 19-year-olds.

Canadiana
The House of Commons passed the Canadian Citizenship Act 1946, creating a Canadian citizenship separate from the British; it was the first nationality statute in Canada to define its people as Canadians, with Canadian citizenship to be distinct and primary over being a British subject. The Act came into force on January 1, 1947.

Society
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights Subcommittee on the Status of Women recommended a 13-point program to the Commission, declaring that "democracy is now the only social order in which women enjoy full rights."

Education
The Canadian Library Association was established.

Economics and finance
Russian physicist Peter Kapitza said in Moscow that it would be 100 years before atomic energy fundamentally changed the world economic structure.

Boxing
Gus Lesnevich (54-11-5) retained his world light heavyweight title with a technical knockout of Freddie Mills (67-13-6) in the 10th round before 11,000 fans at Harringay Arena in London.



60 years ago
1956

Business
Canadian Trade and Commerce Minister C.D. Howe tabled his $80-million loan bill for U.S.-owned Trans-Canada Pipe Lines (TCPL). The company needed the loan from the government by June 7, 1956 to start construction; it was the start of the chaotic Pipeline Debate in the House of Commons.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Hitch Hiker--Bobby and Laurie

#1 single in France: Le Cinéma--Sheila (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Michelle--The Beatles (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): These Boots are Made for Walkin'--Nancy Sinatra (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Sloop John B--The Beach Boys

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Pretty Flamingo--Manfred Mann (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Monday, Monday--The Mamas and the Papas (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Monday, Monday--The Mamas and the Papas (2nd week at #1)
2 Good Lovin'--The Young Rascals
3 Rainy Day Women #12 & 35--Bob Dylan
4 Kicks--Paul Revere and the Raiders
5 Sloop John B--The Beach Boys
6 (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration--The Righteous Brothers
7 Gloria--Shadows of Knight
8 When a Man Loves a Woman--Percy Sledge
9 A Groovy Kind of Love--The Mindbenders
10 Try Too Hard--The Dave Clark Five

Singles entering the chart were Paint It, Black by the Rolling Stones (#45); Girl in Love by the Outsiders (#70); Mama by B.J. Thomas (#72); Don't Bring Me Down by the Animals (#75); S.Y.S.L.J.F.M. (The Letter Song) by Joe Tex (#82); Let Me Be Good to You by Carla Thomas (#83); Peter Rabbit by Dee Jay and the Runaways (#87); You Waited Too Long by the Five Stairsteps (#89); Younger Girl by the Critters (#91); Wiederseh'n by Al Martino (#92); Just a Little Misunderstanding by the Contours (#93); Dedicated Follower of Fashion by the Kinks (#95); Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me) by the 4 Seasons (#96); You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Dusty Springfield (#97); A Lover's Concerto by Mrs. Miller (#100); Solitary Man by Neil Diamond (also #100); and It's Over by Jimmie Rodgers (also #100). Solitary Man was the first single by Mr. Diamond to make the chart.

Died on this date
Chuck Rodee, 38. U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. Rodee, born Charles J. Rodeghier, had a successful career in midget cars, and competed in 16 U.S. Automobile Club races from 1957-1965, with his best finish being 5th at Atlanta in 1965. He competed in the 1962 and 1965 Indianapolis 500s, finishing 32nd in 1962 and 28th in 1965. Mr. Rodee was killed in attempting to qualify for the 1966 Indianapolis 500, when the force from a crash into a wall ruptured his aorta, and he lapsed into a coma, from which he did not revive.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Mississippi--Pussycat (9th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Fernando--ABBA (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Fernando--ABBA (7th week at #1)

At the movies
The Pom Pom Girls, starring Robert Carradine, opened in theatres. In Calgary, the movie ran one day short of a full year, closing on May 12, 1977, and coming within a couple of weeks of beating The Sound of Music's record as the city's longest-running movie to date.



Died on this date
Keith Relf, 33. U.K. musician. Mr. Relf was the lead singer and harmonicist with the rock groups The Yardbirds and Renaissance in the 1960s. He was electrocuted in the basement of his home when he picked up a guitar that was improperly grounded.

Labour
Six provincial associations merged to form the National Union of Provincial Government Employees, Canada's fifth-largest union.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Dover-Calais--Style (5th week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
St. Louis 1 @ Calgary 2 (Calgary won best-of-seven series 4-3)

25 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Aladár Gerevich, 81. Hungarian fencer. Mr. Gerevich, the "greatest Olympic swordsman ever," won seven gold medals, a silver medal, and a bronze medal in sabre team and individual competition in six straight Summer Olympic Games from 1932-1960, as well as a bronze medal in the foil team event at Helsinki in 1952.

Crime
Winnie Mandela, wife of South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, was sentenced to six months in prison for her part in the kidnapping of four youths.

Protest
Angry truckers blockaded Parliament Hill in Ottawa; they claimed they couldn't compete due to higher taxes in Canada than in the United States, and that diesel fuel was also 10-20¢ per litre cheaper in the U.S.

Politics and government
Canadian Immigration Minister Barbara McDougall reprimanded the Department of External Affairs for letting former Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Mohamed Al-Mashat into Canada on a fast-track.

20 years ago
1996

Diplomacy
Representatives of North Korea, South Korea, China, and the United States concluded two days of talks in an attempt to find a permanent Korean peace agreement.

World events
Four days after 3,000 of 8,000 Vietnamese boat people being held in a detention facility in Hong Kong had taken part in a riot, 114 were sent home. 17,500 remained in the camps.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
Philadelphia 1 @ Florida 4 (Florida won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Baseball
Dwight Gooden (2-3) pitched a no-hitter and the New York Yankees scored 2 runs with 2 out in the bottom of the 6th inning and shut out the Seattle Mariners 2-0 before 20,786 fans at Yankee Stadium. Mr. Gooden's no-hitter came three days after Al Leiter of the Florida Marlins had thrown a no-hitter.



John Valentin hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 7th inning and scored the winning run on a single by Jose Canseco with none out in the bottom of the 12th inning as the Boston Red Sox edged the California Angels 4-3 before 22,450 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Robert Bruce Merrifield, 84. U.S. biochemist. Dr. Merrifield was awarded the 1984 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his development of methodology for chemical synthesis on a solid matrix." He died after a long illness.

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
New Jersey 1 @ Carolina 4 (Carolina won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Western Conference Semi-Finals
Edmonton 6 @ San Jose 3 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 3-2)