May 3, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Paul "Pud" Smith!

525 years ago
1491

Religion
Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga was baptized by Portuguese Roman Catholic missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I.

225 years ago
1791

Politics and government
The Constitution of May 3--the first modern constitution in Europe--was proclaimed by the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

130 years ago
1886

Born on this date
Marcel Dupré. French musician and composer. Mr. Dupré was professor of organ performance and improvisation at the Paris Conservatoire (1916-1954), and performed more than 2,000 international recitals. He composed more than 120 works, mainly for organ. Mr. Dupré died on May 30, 1971, 27 days after his 85th birthday.

Politics and government
Malcolm Maclean was elected the first Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, along with ten aldermen in the city's first election. There was no voters list, and 499 votes were cast. The first meeting of council took place on May 12, 1886.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Eppa Rixey. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Rixey played with the Philadelphia Phillies (1912-1917, 1919-1920) and Cincinnati Reds (1921-1933), compiling a record of 266-251 with an earned run average of 3.15 in 692 games. He was 22-10 with a 1.85 ERA in 1916, and led the National League in wins with 25 in 1922. Mr. Rixey, who never played in the minor leagues, died on February 28, 1963 at the age of 71, after his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, but several months before the induction ceremony.

120 years ago
1896

Born on this date
V. K. Krishna Menon. Indian politician and diplomat. Mr. Menon, a member of the Indian National Congress Party, was Indian Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1947-1952) and Ambassador to the United Nations (1952-1962). He sat in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament) (1953-1957) and Lok Sabha (lower house) (1957-1967, 1969-1974), and was India's Minister of Defence (1957-1962). Mr. Menon was regarded, after Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, as the second-most powerful person in India, and was considered to be the architect of the Non-Aligned Movement. He was widely admired by many, especially within India, but his abrasive personality made him hated abroad, especially in the West. Mr. Menon died on October 6, 1974 at the age of 78.

Dodie Smith. U.K. authoress. Miss Smith was a children's novelist and playwright, best known for the novels I Capture the Castle (1948) and The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956). She died on November 24, 1990 at the age of 94.

80 years ago
1936

Baseball
Joe DiMaggio, playing his first regular season major league game, had 3 hits--including a triple--plus 3 runs and a run batted in as the New York Yankees routed the St. Louis Browns 14-5 before 25,000 fans at Yankee Stadium. Lou Gehrig had 4 hits and 5 runs, and Ben Chapman had 4 hits and 5 RBIs for the Yankees.

75 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra with Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell (6th week at #1)

War
Reports from London stated that fighting had spread to the Basra area; Iraq attacks on recently-landed British troops were repulsed. The battle at the Habbania airport continued into its second day.

Protest
Sources in Beirut reported that anti-Jewish riots had broken out in Palestine and that Arab nationalists had kidnapped Zionist leaders in reaction to disturbances in Iraq and the arrival of Jewish refugees from the Balkans.

World events
The Italian government of Duce Benito Mussolini announced the annexation of part of Slovenia in Yugoslavia, comprising the city of Ljubljana and surrounding territory.

Radio
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved regulations to foster free competition among stations and strengthen network broadcasting.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Production Management limited the automobile industry to 4,224,152 vehicles in the model year beginning August 1.

Labour
Bethlehem Steel Corporation signed its first contract with a Congress of Industrial Organizations union, the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers, covering 1,700 workers in its shipyard in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Horse racing
Whirlaway, with Eddie Arcaro aboard, won the 67th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in 2:01 2/5, a track record at the time. Staretor placed second, and Market Wise finished third. First prize money was $61,275.



70 years ago
1946

Diplomacy
Yugoslavian Vice Premier Eduard Kardelj rejected four Yugoslav-Italian border proposals, and warned that Yugoslavia would not accept any solution which left Slavs under Italian control.

Politics and government
Brazil ousted Communists from government posts, charging that Communist Party leader Luis Carlos Prestes was inciting civil war.

Crime
Kathleen Mary Willsher was sentenced in Ottawa to three years in prison for her involvement in a Soviet spy ring in Canada.

Energy
Delegates to the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission were announced, including Bernard Baruch of the United States and Andrei Gromyko of the U.S.S.R.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Amour, Castagnettes et Tango--Lucienne Delyle

50 years ago
1966

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 1 @ Montreal 5 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-2)

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Fernando--ABBA (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Beautiful Sunday--Daniel Boone (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Fly, Robin, Fly--Silver Convention (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vi åkbättre da för da--Swedish Alpine Ski Team (6th week at #1)

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): You Can Leave Your Hat On--Joe Cocker (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Living Doll--Cliff Richard and the Young Ones

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Living Doll--Cliff Richard and the Young Ones (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Look Away--Big Country

#1 single in the U.K.: A Different Corner--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Addicted to Love--Robert Palmer

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Addicted to Love--Robert Palmer (2nd week at #1)
2 West End Girls--Pet Shop Boys
3 Kiss--Prince and the Revolution
4 Why Can’t This Be Love--Van Halen
5 Harlem Shuffle--Rolling Stones
6 Manic Monday--Bangles
7 What You Need--INXS
8 Take Me Home--Phil Collins
9 Bad Boy--Miami Sound Machine
10 Greatest Love of All--Whitney Houston

Singles entering the chart were Like No Other Night by 38 Special (#76); The Heat of Heat by Patti Austin (#82); I Must Be Dreaming by Giuffria (#85); If Your Heart Isn’t in It by Atlantic Starr (#87); Don't Walk Away by Robert Tepper (#88); Chain Reaction by Diana Ross (#89); and Is That It? by Katrina and the Waves (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 The Power of Love--Jennifer Rush (2nd week at #1)
2 Manic Monday--Bangles
3 Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)--Glass Tiger
4 Let’s Go All the Way--Sly Fox
5 Nikita--Elton John
6 Addicted to Love--Robert Palmer
7 Harlem Shuffle--Rolling Stones
8 Kiss--Prince and the Revolution
9 Bop--Dan Seals
10 West End Girls--Pet Shop Boys

Singles entering the chart were A Different Corner by George Michael (#76); Thin Red Line by Glass Tiger (#89); The Key by Erroll Starr (#92); Your Wildest Dreams by the Moody Blues (#95); All the Things She Said by Simple Minds (#96); Lies are Gonna Get Ya by Cats Can Fly (#97); and Hungry Eyes by Platinum Blonde (#98).

Died on this date
Robert Alda, 72. U.S. actor. Born Alphonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo, Mr. Alda was a successful stage actor, starring in the Broadway production of Guys and Dolls (1950), and winning a Tony Award for What Makes Sammy Run? (1964). He made an impressive movie debut playing George Gershwin in Rhapsody in Blue (1945), but his film career after that never fulfilled its apparent promise. Mr. Alda is best known today as the father of actor Alan Alda.

Terrorism
21 people were killed and 41 injured when a bomb exploded in an Air Lanka Tristar jetliner at the airport at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Horse racing
Ferdinand won the 112th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:02 4/5. Jockey Bill Shoemaker, 54, became the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. Bold Arrangement placed second. First prize money was $609,400.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference Finals
New York Rangers 2 @ Montreal 6 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)

25 years ago
1991

Died on this date
Jerzy Kosiński, 57. Polish-born U.S author. Mr. Kosiński, born Józef Lewinkopf, was best known for the novels The Painted Bird (1965) and Being There (1971); he was accused of plagiarism and fabrication in regard to the former. Mr. Kosiński was beset by several illnesses when he committed suicide by consuming a lethal combination of alcohol and drugs and then suffocating himself by wrapping a plastic bag around his head.

Frank Leja, 55. U.S. baseball player. A native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Mr. Leja was the New York Yankees’ first "bonus baby"--a teenage player who was given a large bonus to sign with a major league team in the years before the free agent draft came into existence. In order to prevent wealthy major league teams from hoarding the young players, a rule was enforced that a bonus player had to remain on the roster of the major league team for 2 years before he could be sent to the minors. As a result, many of the "bonus babies" saw little or no action in the major leagues for those 2 years, and Mr. Leja was no exception. He was an 18-year-old lefthanded first baseman who stood 6 feet 4 inches and weighed 205 pounds when he joined the Yankees in 1954. Joe Collins was then the Yankees’ regular first baseman, and 23-year-old rookie Bill Skowron was an impressive backup. Mr. Leja played in just 12 games that season--6 at first base--with 1 single in 5 at bats. In 1955 he saw even less action, playing in just 7 games--2 at first base--and was hitless in 2 at bats. Mr. Leja then had some success as a slugger in the minor leagues, but didn’t make it back to the majors until he joined the Los Angeles Angels to begin the 1962 season. He played 7 games--4 at first base--and was let go after batting 0 for 16. Mr. Leja never returned to the major leagues, leaving with 1 hit in 23 at bats--a percentage of .043--with 1 base on balls and 3 runs scored in 26 games. Frank Leja died of a heart attack in Boston.

Economics and finance
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney promised a 500-job Goods and Services Tax processing centre for Summerside, Prince Edward Island to help a community hard-hit by the closing of its Canadian Armed Forces Base.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Children--Robert Miles (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Aon Focal Eile--Richie Kavanagh (7th week at #1)

Died on this date
Dimitri Fampas, 74. Greek musician and composer. Mr. Fampas was a classical guitarist who had a national and international performing and recording career spanning more than 35 years. He taught at the National Conservatory of Athens, with his students winning several dozen international awards. Mr. Fampas created two guitar orchestras, and composed more than 200 guitar works.

Jack Weston, 71. U.S. actor. Mr. Weston, born Jack Weinstein, was a character actor in numerous films, television programs, and plays, usually in comic roles. He co-starred in the television comedy series My Sister Eileen (1960-1961) and The Hathaways (1961-1962), and co-starred in the movie (1981) and television series (1984) The Four Seasons.

Alex Kellner, 71. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Kellner played with the Philadelphia and Kansas City Athletics (1948-1958); Cincinnati Redlegs (1958); and St. Louis Cardinals (1959), compiling a record of 101-112 with an earned run average of 4.17 in 321 games. His best season was 1949, when he was 20-12 with a 3.75 ERA; he tied for the American League lead in losses in 1950 (20), and led the AL in losses in 1951 (14).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
New York Rangers 3 @ Pittsburgh 4 (Pittsburgh led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Western Conference Semi-Finals
St. Louis 2 @ Detroit 3 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 1-0)

10 years ago
2006

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Quarter-Finals
Anaheim 3 @ Calgary 0 (Anaheim won best-of-seven series 4-3)