June 2, 2016

150 years ago
1866

War
Fenians defeated Canadian forces in both the Battle of Ridgeway (see map) and the Battle of Fort Erie.

130 years ago
1886

Married on this date
Grover Cleveland, 49, and Frances Folsom, 21. Mr. Cleveland, the 22nd President of the United States, became the first president to be married in the White House when he married Miss Folsom, the daughter of a Buffalo lawyer.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Takijirō Ōnishi. Japanese military officer. Admiral Ōnishi was the Imperial Japanese Navy officer who directed the kamikaze attacks against Allied aircraft carriers during World War II. He committed sepuku--ritual suicide--in his quarters on August 16, 1945 at the age of 54, following Japan's surrender to the Allies.

Thurman Arnold. U.S. lawyer, judge, and politician. Mr. Arnold was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives (1921) and Mayor of Laramie, Wyoming (1923-1924) before holding positions in the law schools of various institutions, including Yale University (1930-1938). He served the administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt as Assistant Attorney General (1938-1943), where he was in charge of the Antitrust Division. When President Roosevelt decided to de-emphasize antitrust enforcement in favour of getting corporations to contribute to the effort to win World War II, he kicked Mr. Arnold upstairs by appointing him as Associate Justice of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (1943-1945). Mr. Arnold didn't enjoy life on the bench, and resigned to return to the private practice of law in Washington, D.C. He died on November 7, 1969 at the age of 88.

120 years ago
1896

Technology
Guglielmo Marconi applied for a patent for his wireless telegraph.

100 years ago
1916

War
The Battle of Mont Sorrel began in France, with British and Canadian forces commanded by Julian Byng against German Empire forces commanded by Crown Prince Rupprecht.

75 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Lou Gehrig, 37. U.S. baseball player. "The Iron Horse," born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, was an alumnus of Columbia University, and joined the New York Yankees as a first baseman in 1923. On June 1, 1925, he began a then-record streak of 2,130 consecutive games played, which ended after 8 games of the 1939 season, when he pulled himself out of the lineup. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which became popularly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Mr. Gehrig batted .340 with 493 home runs and 1,995 runs batted in in 2,164 games; his other achievements are too numerous to mention. Mr. Gehrig was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, as the Hall waived its normal five-year waiting period. He served as New York City Parole Commissioner from January 1940 until a month before his death, which occurred 17 days before his 38th birthday.

Abominations
The Farhud, a pogrom of Iraqi Jews, concluded in Baghdad with the deaths of 175-780 Jews, and 300-400 rioters killed by local authorities. 1,000 Jews were injured, and 900 Jewish homes were destroyed. The event occurred in the aftermath of Iraq's defeat in the Anglo-Iraqi War, and the collapse of the pro-Nazi Iraqi government of Prime Minister Rashid Ali.

German paratroopers massacred 23-60 male Greek civilians in the Cretan village of Kondomari for the heinous crime of resisting the German invasion of their homeland.

War
27 Japanese planes killed 100 people and wounded 200 in Chungking.

Politics and government
King George II of Greece accepted the resignation of his cabinet-in-exile in Cairo, and formed a new one in which Emmanuel Tsouderos remained as Prime Minister.

Canadiana
For the first time since Confederation, the Maritime Provinces were experiencing a population growth equal to the national average, with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia exceeding the rest of Canada by 2%. New Brunswick reported a population of 457,401 people.

Law
Charles Evans Hughes, 79, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice since 1930, announced his resignation, effective July 1, 1941.

70 years ago
1946

Literature
The New York Herald Tribune listed This Side of Innocence by Taylor Caldwell as the best-selling fiction book, and The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald as the best-selling non-fiction book.

Politics and government
In a referendum, 54.3% of Italians voted to turn Italy from a monarchy into a republic. After the referendum, King Umberto II was exiled to Portugal after just 40 days on the throne.

The "Three-Party Alliance" of Popular Republican Movement, led by Georges Bidault (166); French Communist Party, led by Maurice Thorez (153) and French Section of the Workers International, led by Guy Mollet (128) combined to win 447 of 586 seats in the French Constituent Assembly election.

The U.S. military government in Hesse turned over denazification of clergy and church employees to the state ministry of cults.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Mack the Knife (A Theme from the Threepenny Opera)--Louis Armstrong (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Steig in das Traumboot der Liebe--Caterina Valente & Silvio Francesco as Club Indonesia (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): No Other Love--Ronnie Hilton (4th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Heartbreak Hotel--Elvis Presley (Best Seller--7th week at #1; Jukebox--5th week at #1; Top 100--5th week at #1); Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic"--Morris Stoloff and the Columbia Pictures Orchestra (Disc Jockey--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic"--Morris Stoloff and the Columbia Pictures Orchestra
--George Cates and his Orchestra
2 Heartbreak Hotel--Elvis Presley
3 The Wayward Wind--Gogi Grant
4 I'm in Love Again--Fats Domino
5 Ivory Tower--Cathy Carr
--Otis Williams and the Charms
--Gale Storm
6 Standing on the Corner--The Four Lads
7 Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)--Perry Como
8 Blue Suede Shoes--Carl Perkins
9 (You've Got) The Magic Touch--The Platters
10 I Want You to Be My Girl--Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Singles entering the chart were Born to Be with You by the Chordettes (#29); I Almost Lost My Mind by Pat Boone (#37); In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town by Somethin' Smith and the Redheads (#39); Transfusion by Nervous Norvus (#42); and A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl by Teresa Brewer (#43).

On television tonight
The Honeymooners, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Alice and the Blonde



Died on this date
Jean Hersholt, 69. Danish-born U.S. actor. Mr. Hersholt appeared in 140 films, spanning the silent and sound eras, including Greed (1924); Grand Hotel (1932); Dinner at Eight (1933); and Heidi (1937). He was perhaps best known for starring in the radio series Dr. Christian (1937-1954). Mr. Hersholt was a huge fan of the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, and his translation of Mr. Andersen's works into English is considered authoritative. Mr. Hersholt helped in the founding of the Motion Picture Relief Fund in 1939, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is presented annually at the Academy Awards to the "individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry." Mr. Hersholt died of cancer.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Strangers in the Night--Frank Sinatra

Died on this date
Évariste Kimba, 39. Prime Minister of Republic of the Congo, October 18-November 23, 1965. Mr. Kimba and former cabinet ministers Jérôme Anany, Emmanuel Bamba, and André Mahamba were arrested on May 31, 1966 on the orders of President Joseph Mobutu, and publicly accused of taking part in a plot to overthrow Mr. Mobutu. They were publicly hanged in Kinshasa.

Space
The probe Surveyor 1 landed in Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon, becoming the first U.S. spacecraft to soft-land on another world.

40 years ago
1976

Died on this date
Juan José Torres, 56. 61st President of Bolivia, 1970-1971. General Torres, a socialist, participated in the militry coup that seized power in September 1969, and became President on October 7, 1970. He was deposed by another coup on August 21, 1971 and fled to Argentina, where he was assassinated, most likely by right-wing death squads associated with Operation Condor, an attempt by right-wing South American governments to eradicate Communist or Soviet influence.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Boston 107 @ Phoenix 109 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Paul Westphal scored 28 points to help the Suns edge the Celtics before 13,306 fans at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the first National Basketball Association game ever played in June. Jo Jo White led the Celtics with 25 points.





Baseball
Earl Williams of the Atlanta Braves led off the 2nd and 3rd innings with home runs off Alan Foster of the San Diego Padres at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Braves led 5-0 in the bottom of the 4th when the game was called because of rain. Since the game hadn't gone long enough--4½ innings if the home team is leading--to be considered an official game, Mr. Williams lost credit for his homers.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Living Doll--Cliff Richard featuring the Young Ones (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Love Missile F1-11--Sigue Sigue Sputnik (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Aurèle Joliat, 84. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Joliat played left wing with the Montreal Canadiens from 1922-1938, scoring 460 points on 270 goals and 190 assists in 655 regular season games and 14 goals and 14 assists in 28 playoff games. He was a member of Stanley Cup championship teams in 1924, 1930, and 1931, won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1934 as the National Hockey League's Most Valuable Player. Mr. Joliat was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947. Less than two years before his death, he entertained the fans at the Montreal Forum by skating around the rink as part of a ceremony celebrating the Canadiens' 75th anniversary.

Personal
This blogger convocated at the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts (Special).

Politics and government
The 10 Canadian provincial premiers agreed that the federal government could carry on free trade talks with the United States without direct participation by the provinces.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Tears on My Pillow--The Parker Project

#1 single in Switzerland: Joyride--Roxette (8th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Joyride--Roxette (10th week at #1)
2 The One and Only--Chesney Hawkes
3 How to Dance--Bingoboys featuring Princessa
4 Secret Love--Bee Gees
5 The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in his Kiss)--Cher
6 Jesus Loves You--Bow Down Mister
7 Rhythm of My Heart--Rod Stewart
8 No Coke--Dr. Alban
9 Just the Way it Is, Baby--The Rembrandts
10 Lucifer--Blue System

Singles entering the chart were U & Mi by Dr. Alban (#17); Abwärts und bergauf by Wolfgang Ambros (#23); and This is Your Life by Banderas (#24).

Canadiana
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police unfurled their official flag in Ottawa.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 93 @ Chicago 91 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Sam Perkins connected for a 3-point field goal with 14 seconds remaining in regulation time and Byron Scott added a free throw as the Lakers edged the Bulls before 18,676 fans at Chicago Stadium. Michael Jordan of the Bulls led all scorers with 36 points and 12 assists. It was the last NBA finals game played in the afternoon.



20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Killing Me Softly with His Song--The Fugees

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Children--Robert Miles (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Coco Jamboo--Mr. President

#1 single in Scotland (OCC): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees

Died on this date
John Alton, 94. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. cinematographer. Mr. Alton, born Johann Altmann, won the Academy Award for colour cinematography for An American in Paris (1951), but was perhaps best known for his work in black and white in film noir, in movies such as T-Men (1947); He Walked by Night (1948); Raw Deal (1948); and The Big Combo (1955).

Leon Garfield, 74. U.K. author. Mr. Garfield wrote more than 30 books, and was best known for writing historical novels for children.

Ray Combs, 40. U.S. comedian. Mr. Combs was a successful standup comic in the late 1980s, especially as a warmup act for audiences for television programs. He hosted the revived version of the game show Family Feud from 1988-1994, but reportedly became despondent when the show's producer decided to replace him with Richard Dawson, the original host of Family Feud, in an attempt to improve declining ratings. Mr. Combs suffered from back pain caused by a 1994 car accident and was heavily in debt, and became violently suicidal; he was involuntarily admitted to the psychiatric ward of a hospital in Glendale, California, and hanged himself using bed sheets that he had fashioned into a noose.

10 years ago
2006

Terrorism
Over 400 police officers raided homes in Toronto and Mississauga and arrested 17 suspects (12 men and five youths under the age of 18) belonging to a terrorist cell. All were born in Canada and were reportedly planning to attack the Parliament buildings in Ottawa; it was the biggest terrorism-related raid in Canada.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (1-0) 31 @ Toronto (0-1) 3
Montreal (1-0) 25 @ Winnipeg (0-1) 24
Calgary (1-0) 26 @ British Columbia (0-1) 23