June 15, 2016

675 years ago
1341

Died on this date
Andronikos III, 44. Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 1328-1341. Andronikos III acceded to the throne after the deposition of his grandfather Andronikos II. Andronikos III achieved mixed results in wars, but succeeded in implementing judicial reforms. His death may have been from chronic malaria, and he was succeeded by his 9-year-old son John V.

240 years ago
1776

Politics and government
Delaware voted to suspend government under the British Crown and separate officially from Pennsylvania.

200 years ago
1816

Literature
At the Villa Diodati in the village of Cologny, Switzerland, Lord Byron read Fantasmagoriana to his four house guests — Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley, Claire Clairmont, and John Polidori — and challenged each guest to write a ghost story--which resulted in Mary Shelley writing the novel Frankenstein; John Polidori writing the short story The Vampyre; and Byron writing an unfinished vampire novel Fragment of a Novel and the poem Darkness.

180 years ago
1836

Americana
Arkansas entered the union as the 25th state.

170 years ago
1846

Diplomacy
U.S. President James K. Polk signed the Oregon Treaty, negotiated by Lord Pakenham for the United Kingdom and James Buchanan for the United States. The treaty, also known as the Buchanan-Pakenham Treaty (Treaty of Washington), declared the 49th parallel from the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca the boundary between Oregon and British America. Queen Victoria signed the Treaty two days later.

130 years ago
1886

Politics and government
Voting concluded in the Nova Scotia provincial election, as Premier William Fielding led his Liberal Party to a a third consecutive majority government, on a pledge to remove Nova Scotia from Confederation. The Liberals captured 28 of 38 seats in the House of Assembly, an increase of 4 from the 1882 election. The Conservatives, led by Adam Carr Bell, won the remaining 10 seats, down 4 from 1882. The Liberals took 54.7% of the popular vote to 28.6% for the Conservatives.

125 years ago
1891

Politics and government
Sir John Abbott was sworn in as Prime Minister of Canada and President of the Council after being chosen leader of Conservative Party, nine days after Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald's death. Sir John was the first Prime Minister to assume the office while sitting in the Senate.

120 years ago
1896

Disasters
The deadliest tsunami in Japan's history, resulting from an earthquake of magnitude 8.5, killed more than 22,000 people.

110 years ago
1906

Golf
James Braid won the British Open at Muirfield, Scotland, finishing 4 strokes ahead of J.H. Taylor. It was Mr. Braid's third of five British Open wins, and second straight. First prize money was £50.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Bud Stewart. U.S. baseball player. Edward Perry Stewart was an outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1941-1942); New York Yankees (1948); Washington Nationals (1948-1950); and Chicago White Sox (1951-1954), batting .268 with 32 home runs and 260 runs batted in in 773 games. He died on June 21, 2000, six days after his 84th birthday.

Herbert A. Simon. U.S. political scientist and economist. Dr. Simon was a pioneer in the fields of artificial intelligence, information processing, decision-making, problem-solving, organization theory, complex systems, and computer simulation of scientific discovery. He was awarded the 1978 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences "for his pioneering research into the decision-making process within economic organizations." Dr. Simon died on February 9, 2001 at the age of 84.

Americana
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter.

80 years ago
1936

At the movies
Trapped by Television, directed by Del Lord, and starring Mary Astor, Lyle Talbot, and Nat Pendleton, opened in theatres.



Defense
The prototype of the British bomber Vickers Wellington, piloted by Joseph Summers, made its first flight, from Brooklands aerodrome in Surrey.

75 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Evelyn Underhill, 65. U.K. authoress. Miss Underhill was an Anglo-Catholic mystic who has been credited as the person most responsible for introducing forgotten and neglected medieval Roman Catholic authors to a Protestant audience. Her best-known book was Mysticism: A Study of the Nature and Development of Man's Spiritual Consciousness (1911).

War
Allied forces captured the Lebanese port of Saida and Abu Kemal in the interior after French forces withdrew. British forces began an offensive against Axis forces along the Egyptian-Libyan border. Neutral diplomats in Ankara said that a German attack on Russia was inevitable unless the U.S.S.R. agreed to help feed Nazi-occupied countries.

Defense
Croatia joined the Axis when its leader, Ante Pavelitch, signed the Tripartite Pact in Vienna. Finland called up reservists for "military exercises." Reportes from San Jose, Costa Rica stated that Guatemela, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras had agreed to inform Germany that they endorsed U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's May 27 speech in which he 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."

Labour
U.S. President Roosevelt criticized discrimination against workers in defense industries solely because of race, religion, or national origin, and asked the Office of Production Management to deal with the situation. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations machinists striking San Francisco shipyards voted to continue their five-week strike. Representatives of 50,000 CIO Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers members voted in Camden, New Jersey to accept a two-year, no-strike agreement proposed by the U.S. Office of Production Management. The U.S. Labor Department ruled that commercial establishments must show that 75% of their sales wer retail in order to qualify for exemption from the Wage-Hour Law.

70 years ago
1946

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Gypsy--The Ink Spots (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Juke Box--3rd week at #1 ); The Gypsy--Dinah Shore (Airplay--2nd week at #1); The Gypsy--The Ink Spots; Dinah Shore (Honor Roll of Hits--4th week at #1)

War
Communist representatives in Nanking announced the signing of a new agreement with the Nationalists for the establishment of a truce executive headquarters in the Manchurian capital of Changchun.

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman submitted to Congress a 12-point plan to unify the armed services into one department under a civilian secretary.

Religion
The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America changed its name to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Labour
American Federation of Musicians President James Petrillo was arraigned in Chicago's District Court on charges of violating the Lea Act by attempting to force radio station WAAF to hire additional employees.

Golf
Lloyd Mangrum, Byron Nelson, and Vic Ghezzi were tied for the lead with 4-under-par scores of 284 after 4 rounds at the U.S. Open at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, necessitating an 18-hole playoff round the following day.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I'll Be Home--Pat Boone

50 years ago
1966

At the movies
Assault on a Queen, written by Rod Serling, and starring Frank Sinatra and Virna Lisi, opened in theatres.

Duel at Diablo, starring James Garner and Sidney Poitier, opened in theatres.



Defense
The world's first hovercraft show opened in Browndown, England with news of a U.K. Ministry of Defence order worth £1 million.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Baretta's Theme--Sammy Davis, Jr. (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jimmy Dykes, 79. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Dykes was a third baseman and second baseman with the Philadelphia Athletics (1918-1932) and Chicago White Sox (1933-1939), batting .280 with 108 home runs and 1,071 runs batted in in 2,282 games. He managed the White Sox (1934-1946); Athletics (1951-1953); Baltimore Orioles (1954); Cincinnati Redlegs (1958); Detroit Tigers (1959-1960); and Cleveland Indians (1960-1961), compiling a record of 1,406-1,541-13-2 (.477). Mr. Dykes was the first manager to accumulate 1,000 career wins without winning a pennant; his teams never finished higher than third place.

Weather
Seven inches of rain in Houston caused flooding and prevented all but about 20 fans from arriving at the Astrodome for that night's Astros' baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, causing the only rainout in the stadium's history. Tables were brought onto the field, and the teams ate dinner together.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Sailing Away--All of Us

#1 single in Switzerland: Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox

Golf
Ray Floyd won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Shinnecock Hills, New York with a 1-under-par score of 279, one stroke ahead of Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins. First prize money was $115,000.



25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): The Grease Megamix--John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Anata ni aete yokatta--Kyoko Koizumi (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Let There Be Love--Simple Minds

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): El 7 de Septiembre--Mecano (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Last Train To Trancentral--The KLF (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Senza una donna--Zucchero & Paul Young

#1 single in France (SNEP): Désenchantée--Mylène Farmer (8th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Wind of Change--Scorpions (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): I Wanna Sex You Up--Color Me Badd (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Wind of Change--Scorpions (3rd week at #1)
2 Last Train To Trancentral (Live from the Lost Continent)--The KLF
3 Senza Una Donna (Without a Woman)--Zucchero & Paul Young
4 Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da)--Crystal Waters
5 Anasthasia--T99
6 Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)--De La Soul
7 Strike it Up--Black Box
8 Just a Groove--Nomad
9 Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)--Roxette
10 No Coke--Dr. Alban

Singles entering the chart were I Wanna Sex You Up by Color Me Badd (#25); Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. (#28); Sedalia by Cees Tol & Thomas Tol (#31); Silent Lucidity by Queensrÿche (#32); Cold Slammin' by King Bee (#33); Blauw by the Scene (#34); and Touch Me (All Night Long) by Cathy Dennis (#35).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul
2 I Wanna Sex You Up--Color Me Badd
3 More than Words--Extreme
4 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
5 Losing My Religion--R.E.M.
6 I Don't Wanna Cry--Mariah Carey
7 Unbelievable--EMF
8 Power of Love/Love Power--Luther Vandross
9 Strike it Up--Black Box
10 I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)--Hi-Five

Singles entering the chart were Every Heartbeat by Amy Grant (#53); Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave) by Roxette (#59); Motownphilly by Boyz II Men (#63); Summertime by D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (#85); Your Love by Keith Sweat (#91); Summer Vacation by the Party (#96); and Love Gets Rough by Troy Newman (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 More than Words—Extreme (2nd week at #1)
2 Rush Rush--Paula Abdul
3 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
4 I Wanna Sex You Up—Color Me Badd
5 I Don’t Wanna Cry--Mariah Carey
6 Losing My Religion--R.E.M.
7 Unbelievable—EMF
8 Couple Days Off—Huey Lewis and the News
9 Power of Love/Love Power—Luther Vandross
10 I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)--High-Five

Singles entering the chart were Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave) by Roxette (#38); Love and Understanding by Cher (#51); Every Heartbeat by Amy Grant (#70); Move Right Out by Rick Astley (#84); Your Love (Part 2) by Keith Sweat (#87); and Only a Heartbeat by T’Pau (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 More than Words—Extreme (2nd week at #1)
2 Love is a Wonderful Thing--Michael Bolton
3 I Don’t Wanna Cry--Mariah Carey
4 Rhythm of My Heart--Rod Stewart
5 Couple Days Off—Huey Lewis and the News
6 Baby Baby--Amy Grant
7 Losing My Religion--R.E.M.
8 Rush Rush—Paula Abdul
9 Silent Lucidity--Queensryche
10 Walking in Memphis—Marc Cohn

Singles entering the chart were The Rhythm of Your Love by Glass Tiger (#33); Weight of the World by Young Saints (#64); Everybody Gets a Second Chance by Mike + the Mechanics (#85); It Ain’t Over ‘Til it’s Over by Lenny Kravitz (#87); Conductin’ Thangs by Maestro Fresh Wes (#89); Dis Moi, Dis Moi by Mitsou (#92); Move Right Out by Rick Astley (#94); and Love and Understanding by Cher (#95).

Died on this date
Albert “Happy” Chandler, 92. U.S. politician. Mr. Chandler, a Democrat, represented the 22nd District in the Kentucky Senate (1929-1931) was Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1931-1935); Governor of Kentucky (1935-1939, 1955-1959), and represented Kentucky in the United States Senate 1939-1945). He succeeded the late Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis as Commissioner of Baseball (1945-1951), and is best remembered for presiding over the integration of Negroes into professional baseball against the opposition of most of the major league owners, which has been offered as the main explanation for why his contract as commissioner wasn’t renewed after it expired. Mr. Chandler was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, and died 29 days before his 93rd birthday.

Arthur Lewis, 76. Saint Lucian economist. Sir Arthur shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with Theodore Schultz "for their pioneering research into economic development research with particular consideration of the problems of developing countries."

Politics and government
Lucien Bouchard, former Minister of the Environment in the Progressive Conservative government of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, officially founded a new independent party, the Bloc Québécois. Mr. Bouchard had resigned from the cabinet and Progressive Conservative Party May 21, 1990 to protest failure of the Meech Lake constitutional Accord.

Dennis Cochrane was elected Leader of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party, receiving 955 votes to 166 for Bev Lawrence. He replaced Barbara Filliter, who resigned after 17 months in the position.

Disasters
In the Philippines, Mount Pinatubo erupted in the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th Century, eventually resulting in the deaths of over 800 people.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Fastlove--George Michael (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Fable--Robert Miles

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Macarena--Los Del Rio

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Con te partirò--Andrea Bocelli (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Macarena--Los Del Rio

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Macarena--Los del Río (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Tha Crossroads--Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (5th week at #1)
2 Always Be My Baby--Mariah Carey
3 Give Me One Reason--Tracy Chapman
4 You're Makin' Me High/Let it Flow--Toni Braxton
5 Because You Loved Me--Céline Dion
6 You're the One--SWV
7 Nobody Knows--The Tony Rich Project
8 Ironic--Alanis Morissette
9 Fastlove--George Michael
10 Theme from Mission: Impossible--Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen, Jr.

Singles entering the chart were Jealousy by Natalie Merchant (#55); How Do U Want It/California Love by 2Pac (featuring KC & JoJo)/(featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman) (#64); One by One by Cher (#81); and This is Your Night by Amber (#98).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Tha Crossroads--Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (4th week at #1)
2 Give Me One Reason--Tracy Chapman
3 Always Be My Baby--Mariah Carey
4 You're the One--SWV
5 Because You Loved Me--Céline Dion
6 Fastlove--George Michael
7 You're Makin' Me High--Toni Braxton
8 Theme from Mission: Impossible--Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen, Jr.
9 Sweet Dreams--La Bouche
10 Why I Love You So Much--Monica

Singles entering the chart were Why I Love You So Much; Back to the World by Tevin Campbell (#26); Until it Sleeps by Metallica (#35); They Don't Care About Us by Michael Jackson (#39); Jealousy by Natalie Merchant (#40); and Twisted by Keith Sweat (#55).

Died on this date
Fitzroy Maclean, 85. Egyptian-born U.K. politician and diplomat. Major-General Sir Fitzroy, the son of Major Charles Wilberforce Maclean, was born in Cairo and raised in Italy before completing his education in Britain. He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1933, serving in France (1934-1937) and the U.S.S.R. (1937-1939) before resigning to join the British Army at the outbreak of World War II. Major-General Sir Fitzroy and Enoch Powell were the only men in World War II to enter the British Army as privates and rise to the rank of brigadier. Major-General Sir Fitzroy served in North Africa and the Middle East during the war, but was best known for leading a liaison mission to Yugoslavia (1943-1944). He was a Conservative/Unionist and represented Lancaster (1941-1959) and Bute and Northern Ayrshire (1959-1974) in the House of Commons. Major-General Sir Fitzroy was created 1st Baronet Maclean in 1957 and was knighted in 1994.

Ella Fitzgerald, 79. U.S. singer. Miss Fitzgerald was one of the most popular jazz singers of the 20th century, and had a career spanning almost 60 years, with achievements too numerous to mention here. Her best-known song was probably A Tisket, A Tasket (1938).

Dick Murdoch, 49. U.S. wrestler. Mr. Murdoch wrestled professionally as a heavyweight under his own name and various aliases internationally with various promotions from 1965 until his death from a heart attack.

Terrorism
The provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a powerful truck bomb in the middle of Manchester, devastating the city centre and injuring 200 people.

10 years ago
2006

Law
The Ontario Provincial Police admitted mistakes and apologized to the brother of Dudley George, an aboriginal rights protester killed by a police sniper during the occupation of Ipperwash Provincial Park in 1995.

A divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favour of making it easier for police to barge into homes and seize evidence without knocking or waiting.

Business
Microsoft Corporation Chairman Bill Gates said that he would transition from day-to-day responsibilities at the company to concentrate on the charitable work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Dallas 74 @ Miami 98 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Dwyane Wade scored 36 points to lead the Heat over the Mavericks before 20,145 fans at American Airlines Arena. The Mavericks scored just 7 points in the 4th quarter, the lowest 4th-quarter total in Finals' history.