May 27, 2016

170 years ago
1846

Politics and government
John A. Macdonald (Conservative--Kingston) made his first speech in the Canadian Legislative Assembly in Montreal, advocating repeal of usury laws. Mr. Macdonald had been elected to the Assembly in 1844.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Claude Champagne. Canadian composer. Mr. Champagne, a native of Montreal, wrote numerous choral works, but was perhaps best known as a professor at the McGill University Conservatory. He died on December 21, 1965 at the age of 74.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, 76, suffered a stroke, leaving him mentally alert, but partially paralyzed and unable to speak.

120 years ago
1896

Disasters
The F4-strength 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado hit in St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois, killing at least 255 people and causing $2.9 billion in damage (in 1997 U.S. dollars).

80 years ago
1936

Transportation
The British ocean liner Queen Mary left England on its maiden voyage, arriving in France four hours later.

75 years ago
1941

War
British ships sank the German battleship Bismarck off the coast of France, resulting in the loss of 2,300 lives. German forces captured the Cretan capital of Canea.



Defense
A Japanese official said in a Tokyo radio broadcast that Japan had 500 warships and 4,000 naval planes in fighting order. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed that "an unlimited national emergency confronts this country, which requires that its military, naval, air and civilian defenses be put on the basis of readiness to repel any and all acts or threats of aggression directed toward any part of the Western Hemisphere." Mr. Roosevelt reasserted the doctrine of freedom of the seas, and asked Congress for additional appropriations of over $3.3 billion for aircraft construction.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill extending for two years President Roosevelt's power to operate the $2-billion Exchange Stabilization Fund and to alter the gold content of the dollar.

Labour
American Federation of Labor President William Green denounced the San Francisco shipyard strike.

Chess
U.S. champion Samuel Reshevsky retained his title with two games remaining by drawing the 14th game with Israel Horowitz in New York.

70 years ago
1946

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Gypsy--The Ink Spots (2nd week at #1)
--Dinah Shore
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
2 Prisoner of Love--Perry Como
--The Ink Spots
3 Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)--Dinah Shore
--Andy Russell
--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
4 Oh! What it Seemed to Be--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra
--Frank Sinatra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
--Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest
5 All Through the Day--Frank Sinatra
--Perry Como
6 I'm a Big Girl Now--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
7 Shoo Fly Pie (And Apple Pan Dowdy)--Stan Kenton and his Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
8 Cement Mixer (Put-ti Put-ti)--Alvino Rey and his Orchestra
9 Sioux City Sue--Bing Crosby and the Jesters
10 Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop--Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
--Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra

New singles entering the chart were Doin' What Comes Natur'lly, with versions by Dinah Shore with Spade Cooley and his Orchestra; and Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#17); Cynthia's in Love by Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra (#24); I Don't Know Enough About You, with versions by the Mills Brothers; and Peggy Lee (#26); and The Girl that I Marry by Frank Sinatra (#33). Doin' What Comes Natur'lly and The Girl that I Marry were originally from the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946). The Girl that I Marry was the B-side of They Say it's Wonderful, charting at #14 with the version by Perry Como.

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

This was the last episode of the season, and the last for Mr. Rathbone; he declined to renew his contract to play the role of Sherlock Holmes in both movies and radio. Beginning the following week, the program's time slot was filled by The Casebook of Gregory Hood, a detective show written by Denis Green and Anthony Boucher, the writers of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

War
Fighting broke out along the Indochina-Siam border in an area ceded to Siam by the Vichy French regime in 1941, but claimed by the current French government.

Diplomacy
Former Spanish Republican leader Giral y Pereira told the United Nations Security Council subcommittee that civil war would break out in Spain if the UN did not take measures to remove Generalissimo Francisco Franco from power.

Defense
The U.S. War Department board investigating the Army's "caste system" said that it found many "injustices," and that there was a "need for a new philosophy."

Protest
The Haitian government ordered an 8 P.M. curfew after 30 defeated parliamentary candidates urged a general strike, overthrow of the provisional government, and new elections.

Health
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved plans to call a World Health Conference and to establish a World Health Organization.

Economics and finance
General Lucius Clay of the U.S. military government in Germany confirmed reports that dismantling of factories for reparations had been halted in the U.S. zone until Germany could be treated as a single economic unit.

A British government committee reported that the United Kingdom must train 5,000 scientists yearly to maintain the country's economic progress.

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Selective Service Act did not give veterans "super-seniority" in their pre-World War II jobs.

Soft-coal miners in the United States renewed their strike as the two-week truce ended.

Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray and American Federation of Labor President William Green denounced U.S. President Harry Truman's strike control proposals as violating fundamental constitutional guarantees. Mr. Truman had asked Congress to allow him to use court injunctions against labour leaders who urged workers to staty away from their jobs in industries that had been taken over by the federal government.

National Maritime Union members in New York rejected a $12.50 monthly wage increase offer from 39 shipping companies, which had already been accepted by a union negotiating committee.

60 years ago
1956

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Legacy, starring Leora Dana and Jacques Bergerac

Baseball
Tom Brewer allowed 7 hits and 7 runs--all earned--in pitching a complete game, but won the game, helping his own cause with his first major league home run--a 3-run blow--as the Boston Red Sox scored 7 runs in the 3rd inning after allowing 5 in the 1st, and defeated the Washington Nationals 9-7 in the first game of a doubleheader before 11,574 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Washington first baseman Roy Sievers hit a solo home run in the first game, and a 3-run homer in the 1st inning of the second game. He then doubled home Clint Courtney with the winning run in the top of the 10th as the Nationals won 11-10.

Jim Wilson pitched 2 innings of scoreless relief and singled home Minnie Minoso with the winning run with 2 out in the bottom of the 15th inning as the Chicago White Sox edged the Cleveland Indians 5-4 before 23,857 fans in the first of two games at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Early Wynn pitched a 5-hit complete game victory and singled in a run as the Indians won the second game 4-2 before 25,856 fans.

Stan Musial batted 2 for 2 with 2 runs and 3 runs batted in in the first game, and 2 for 4 with a double, home run, run, and 4 RBIs in the second game as the St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs 11-9 and 12-2 before 25,834 fans at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Homeward Bound--Simon & Garfunkel (4th week at #1)

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Monday, Monday--The Mamas and the Papas (3rd week at #1)
2 I Am a Rock--Simon and Garfunkel
3 Tippy Toeing--The Harden Trio
4 Paint It, Black--The Rolling Stones
5 Green Grass--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
6 Leaning on the Lamp Post--Herman's Hermits
7 Shapes of Things--The Yardbirds
8 How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?--Nancy Sinatra
9 Good Lovin'--The Young Rascals
10 Lovedrops--Barry Allen
Pick hit of the week: Crying--Jay & the Americans
New this week: Cloudy Summer Afternoon--Barry McGuire
I Love Onions--Susan Christie
Please Tell Me Why--The Dave Clark Five
I Gotta Move--The King Beezz
For a Little While--Del Shannon

World events
A four-day campaign by the Ugandan government to crush an independence movement in the internal kingdom of Buganda concluded successfully with Kabaka Edward F. Mutesa II being deposed.

Politics and government
A four-party coalition government was formed in Finland, with Social Democrat Rafael Paasio as Prime Minister. For the first time since 1948, the cabinet included four Communists.

40 years ago
1976

Education
Sir John Franklin Territorial High School in Yellowknife held its annual Awards Night. This blogger won the Canadian Studies Award and an Honour pin. Several of my friends won awards, making for an enjoyable evening.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
Finals
Houston 1 @ Winnipeg 9 (Winnipeg won best-of-seven series 4-0)

Veli-Pekka Ketola, Anders Hedberg, and Peter Sullivan each scored 2 goals as the Jets routed the Aeros before 10,386 fans at Winnipeg Arena to win their first Avco World Trophy championship and end the Aeros' two-year reign. Bobby Hull, Lyle Moffat, and Bobby Guindon scored the other Winnipeg goals, while Ted Taylor scored for Houston in the 1st period. The Aeros managed just 17 shots on Winnipeg goalie Joe Daley, while the Jets scored on 9 of 33 shots against Houston goalie Ron Grahame, who played the entire game.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Phoenix 90 @ Boston 105 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)

The Celtics opened the 3rd quarter with a 20-2 run as they beat the Suns before 15,320 fans at Boston Garden. John Havlicek came off the bench to led Boston scorers with 23 points, while Phoenix's Paul Westphal led all scorers with 28 points.





30 years ago
1986

Died on this date
Ajoy Mukherjee, 85. Indian politician. Mr. Mukherjee was a member of the Indian National Congress Party, and later joined the Banga Congress. He represented Tamlu in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly (1951-1977), and served three terms as Chief Minister of West Bengal (March-November 1967, 1969-1970, April-June 1971).

Popular culture
Dragon Quest, the game credited as setting the template for role-playing video games, was released in Japan.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Please--Shizuka Kudo

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Sweet Soul Music--London Boys

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Joyride--Roxette (8th week at #1)

Baseball
In a Pacific Coast League game at Civic Stadium in Portland, Vancouver Canadians’ right fielder Rodney McCray became an instant celebrity when he crashed through the plywood right field wall while attempting to catch a drive off the bat of the Beavers’ Chip Hale.



20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): La danza de los 40 limones--Juan Antonio Canta (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Lemon Tree--Fools Garden (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): They Don't Care About Us--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Old Man & Me (When I Get to Heaven)--Hootie & the Blowfish
2 Always Be My Baby--Mariah Carey
3 Because You Loved Me--Céline Dion
4 Dreamer's Dream--Tom Cochrane
5 Ironic--Alanis Morissette
6 Follow You Down--Gin Blossoms
7 Everything Falls Apart--Dog's Eye View
8 Nobody Knows--The Tony Rich Project
9 Closer to Free--BoDeans
10 You Learn--Alanis Morissette

Singles entering the chart were Machinehead by Bush X (#86); The Old Apartment by Barenaked Ladies (#94); Looking for It by Jann Arden (#95); Sweet Dreams by La Bouche (#96); Love Untold by Paul Westerberg (#97); and The Playboy Interview by Merlin (#98).

War
Russian President Boris Yeltsin met with Chechnyan rebels for the first time, and negotiated a new cease-fire in the war between Russia and the breakaway republic of Chechnya, to come into effect on May 31 and to include an exchange of prisoners.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Finals
Colorado 2 @ Detroit 5 (Colorado led best-of-seven series 3-2)

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Paul Gleason, 67. U.S. actor. Mr. Gleason appeared in numerous movies and television programs, and played Dr. David Thornton on the soap opera All My Children (1976-1978). He played baseball in the Class D Alabama-Florida League in 1959 and Appalachian and Western Carolina Leagues in 1960, batting .079 (3 for 39) in 13 games, with 1 home run and 1 run batted in. Mr. Gleason died from a form of lung cancer that may have been related to exposure to asbestos when he was a teenager.

Disasters
The 6.4 Mw Yogyakarta earthquake shook central Java with an MSK intensity of IX (Destructive), leaving more than 5,700 dead and 37,000 injured.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Finals
Edmonton 2 @ Anaheim 1 (Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Dwayne Roloson made 32 saves and Ethan Moreau and Rafi Torres scored in the 2nd period as the Oilers overcame a 1-0 1st-period deficit and eliminated the Mighty Ducks at Arrowhead Pond, advancing to the finals for the first time since 1990.