May 16, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Polly Pratt and Jessie Larocque!

170 years ago
1846

Economics and finance
The British Parliament repealed the Corn Laws, replacing the old colonial mercantile trade system with free trade; it resulted in a depression in British North America.

150 years ago
1866

Economics and finance
The U.S. Congress eliminated the half dime coin and replaced it with the five cent piece, or nickel.

125 years ago
1891

Died on this date
Ion C. Brătianu, 69. Prime Minister of Romania, 1876-1881; 1881-1888. Mr. Brătianu founded the National Liberal Party (PNL) in 1875; as Prime Minister, he steered the country away from Ottoman Empire vassalage and toward an alliance with Russia. Mr. Brătianu's long period of leadership of his party and country eventually caused resentment, and he averted an impeachment proceeding in 1890. Mr. Brătianu remained as leader of the PNL until 12 days before his death, which occurred 17 days before his 70th birthday.

Energy
The International Electrotechnical Exhibition opened in Frankfurt, Germany. It featured the world's first long distance transmission of high-power, three-phase electric current (the most common form today).

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Ephraim Katzir. 4th President of Israel, 1973-1978. Dr. Katzir, born Efraim Katchalski, was a biophysicist and Chief Scientist of the Israel Defense Forces from 1966-1968. He was elected President by the Knesset, receiving 66 votes to 41 for Ephraim Urbach. Dr. Katzir declined to seek a second term because of his wife's poor health, and returned to his scientific work; he died on May 30, 2009 at tha age of 93.

Diplomacy
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the French Third Republic signed the secret wartime Sykes-Picot Agreement, partitioning former Ottoman territories such as Iraq and Syria.

90 years ago
1926

Died on this date
Mehmed VI, 65. Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 1918-1922. Mehmed VI, the son of Sultan Abdülmecid I, succeeded to the throne two years after the apparent suicide of Crown Prince Yusuf Izzettin Efendi, heir to the throne. Mehmed VI's reign ended on November 1, 1922, when the Ottoman sultanate was abolished; he went into exile in Malta, and later in Italy, where he died.

80 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight’s episode: Death at Stonehenge

75 years ago
1941

War
British forces occupied Solum and Halfaya Pass in Egypt and Musaid in Libya. Chinese sources reported that Japan had suffered a severe defeat in a 10-day battle in the province of Hupeh. The British command in Cairo announced that the Royal Air Force had attacked German aircraft at three Syrian airports on May 15. Iraq protested to Emir Abdullah of Trans-Jordan over hostilities on the frontier, where British troops were massed under the command of General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson.

Defense
U.S. Navy Secretary Frank Knox told Naval War College graduates that France had apparently fallen under the "complete subjugation" of Germany, and that "it is impossible to exaggerate the mortal danger oof our country in this moment of history." Bolivian Finance Minister Joaquin Espada announced in La Paz that Bolivia had agreed to sell her entire production of wolframite, a source of tungsten, to the United States.

Politics and government
Wisconsin Governor J.P. Hall signed a bill barring the Communist Party from state primary and election ballots.

The United States Senate approved the selection of Sen. Robert R. Reynolds (Democrat--North Carolina) as chairman of the Military Affairs Committee.

Radio
The National Association of Broadcasters directors demanded the removal of James L. Fly as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.

Labour
The U.S. National Defense Mediation Board announced a settlement of the dispute between General Motors and Congress of Industrial Organizations United Auto Workers; GM agreed to a 10¢-per hour wage increase. Ford Motor Company announced a 5-15¢-per hour increase for 53,000 workers at the company's plant in River Rouge, Michigan.

Hockey
NHL
National Hockey League governors elected Frank Calder as the league's president for the 25th consecutive season.

70 years ago
1946

Theatre
The musical comedy Annie Get Your Gun, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, directed by Joshua Logan, and starring Ethel Merman, opened at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway in New York.

Died on this date
Bruno Tesch, 55. German chemist. Mr. Tesch owned the pest control company Tesch & Stabenow and invented the insecticide Zyklon-B, which was used to kill prisoners at Nazi camps during World War II. He was convicted of war crimes and hanged by Albert Pierrepoint at Hamelin Prison.

Karl Weinbacher, 47. German business executive. Mr. Weinbacher was director and deputy executive of Tesch & Stabenow under the leadership of Bruno Tesch during World War II. Mr. Weinbacher was convicted of war crimes because of his role in the use of Zyklon-B on prisoners in Nazi camps, and was hanged with Mr. Tesch by Albert Pierrepoint at Hamelin Prison.

War
General Josef "Sepp" Dietrich and 73 other German SS men went on trial before an American military court in Dachau for the murder of more than 500 American prisoners and 90 Belgian civilians near Malmedy, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-1945.

Abominations
U.S. physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, speaking in Pittsburgh, urged creation of an international atomic development authority which might serve as the start toward setting up a world government.

Politics and government
Japanese Emperor Hirohito appointed conservative politician and former Foreign Minister Shigeru Yoshida as Prime Minister.

In the face of a deadlock in India between Hindus and Muslims, the British cabinet issued a White Paper recommending independence for a unified Indiaand immediate convocation of a constitutional assembly.

U.S. President Harry Truman submitted to Congress a plan for the reorganization of government, involving consolidation of some federal agencies and reform of the welfare system.

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. representative Andrei Gromyko ended his boycott of the United Nations Security Council as members reconvened to debate rules of procedure.

Law
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted a recommendation for a UN agency to enforce worldwide observance of an International Bill of Rights.

60 years ago
1956

Died on this date
H.B. Reese, 76. U.S. confectioner. Harry Burnett Reese worked for the Hershey Chocolate Company before founding the H.B. Reese Candy Company in 1923. Five years later, Mr. Reese created Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which became his most popular item. He died eight days before his 77th birthday.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Yo Soy Aquel--Raphael (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Pretty Flamingo--Manfred Mann (2nd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Monday, Monday--The Mamas and the Papas
2 Sloop John B--The Beach Boys
3 Good Lovin'--The Young Rascals
4 Leaning on the Lamp Post--Herman's Hermits
5 Try Too Hard--The Dave Clark Five
6 Rainy Day Women #12 & 35--Bob Dylan
7 Shapes of Things--The Yardbirds
8 Gloria--Shadows of Knight
9 Eight Miles High--The Byrds
10 Rhapsody in the Rain--Lou Christie

Singles entering the chart were Jug Band Music by the Lovin' Spoonful (#75); You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Dusty Springfield (#78); There's No Living Without Your Loving by Peter and Gordon (#80); Green Grass by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#87); Paint It, Black by the Rolling Stones (#89); Gloria by the King-Beezz (#90); I Hear Trumpets Blow by the Tokens (#92); Heart's Desire by Billy Joe Royal (#93); I Love You Drops by Vic Dana (#94); Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) by the Swingin' Medallions (#96); Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind by the Lovin' Spoonful (#97); Dedicated Follower of Fashion by the Kinks (#98); Mama by B.J. Thomas (#99); and Peter Rabbit by Dee Jay and the Runaways (#100).

Music
The album Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys was released on Capitol Records.

Abominations
The Communist Party of China issued the "May 16 Notice," marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.

Business
Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company officially adopted the name COMINCO.

40 years ago
1976

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 5 @ Philadelphia 3 (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-0)

Guy Lafleur scored with 5:42 remaining in regulation time to break a 3-3 tie and Pete Mahovlich scored less than a minute later before 17,007 fans at the Spectrum as the Canadiens ended the Flyers' two-year reign as Stanley Cup champions. Philadelphia right wing Reg Leach was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs; he scored a record 19 goals in 16 games, and led all scorers with 24 points.



WHA
Avco World Trophy
U.S. Championship Semi-Finals
New England 0 @ Houston 2 (Houston won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Ron Grahame earned the shutout in goal as the defending champion Aeros eliminated the Whalers at the Summit to advance to the finals against the Winnipeg Jets.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Midnight Lady--Chris Norman (3rd week at #1)

Society
The Seville Statement on Violence was adopted by an international meeting of scientists, convened by the Spanish National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Seville, Spain. The statement was designed to refute "the notion that organized human violence is biologically determined."

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Montreal 2 @ Calgary 5 (Calgary led best-of-seven series 1-0)

The Flames’ win over the Canadiens at Olympic Saddledome came in their first finals game in their 14-year history.



25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)--Cher (3rd week at #1)

Diplomacy
Queen Elizabeth II became the first British and Canadian monarch to address the United States Congress.

Baseball
Dave Cochrane‚ Chuck Jackson‚ and Alonzo Powell each hit a grand slam as the Calgary Cannons routed the Tacoma Tigers 22-7 in a Pacific Coast League game. The three grand slams by teammates in a single game was believed to be a professional baseball first.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Children--Robert Miles (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): X-Files--DJ Dado (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Jeremy Boorda, 56. U.S. military officer. Admiral Boorda was appointed U.S. Chief of Naval Operations in 1994, becoming the first American sailor to have risen through the enlisted ranks to achieve the highest office in the United States Navy. He committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest, amid a media investigating concerning whether he was qualified to wear on his uniform two service ribbons which were generally perceived to indicate heroism in combat.

Politics and government
The Zambian parliament passed constitutional changes, requiring presidential candidates to be second-generation Zambians. The move was seen as an attempt to disqualify former President Kenneth Kaunda from participating in upcoming elections.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Semi-Finals
St. Louis 0 @ Detroit 1 (2 OT) (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Steve Yzerman scored 1:15 into the 2nd overtime period to enable the Red Wings to eliminate the Blues at Joe Louis Arena in the first game 7 of a Stanley Cup series to be scoreless after regulation time since 1950, when the Red Wings eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs.