June 20, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Brian Wilson and Dale Hein!

450 years ago
1566

Born on this date
Sigismund III. King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, 1587-1632; King of Sweden, 1592-1599. Sigismund, the son of King John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagiellon of Poland, was elected to the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth following the death of his uncle, King Stephen Bathory. Sigismund was a Roman catholic, and he wished to reclaim the throne of Sweden, which was a country dominated by Protestants. He agreed to respect Lutheranism as the official religion of Sweden, and the Swedish Parliament then approved him as King. King Sigismund was deposed from the Swedish throne by his uncle, who became King Charles IX; Sigismund was never successful in attempts to reclaim the throne. He remained monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until his death from a stroke at the age of 65 on April 30, 1632, and was succeeded by his son King Władysław IV.

260 years ago
1756

Abominations
A British garrison was imprisoned in the Black Hole of Calcutta after Bengal forces had captured Fort William in the city. Estimates differ, but at least 64 were confined in a space meant to hold no more than three, and most were dead during the period of confinement from 8 P.M. to 6 A.M. the following day.

125 years ago
1891

Born on this date
John A. Costello. Taoiseach of Ireland, 1948-1951; 1954-1957. Mr. Costello, member of the Fine Gael party, was Attorney Genera of Ireland from 1926-1932, and was first elected to the Teachta Dála (lower house of Parliament) in 1933. He was Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of a coalition government at the time Ireland was declared a republic in 1948. After electoral defeat in 1951, another coalition was successful in 1954, and Mr. Costello was elected to head the government again, until another electoral defeat in 1957. He died on January 5, 1976 at the age of 84.

120 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Wilfrid Pelletier. Canadian musician and conductor. Mr. Pelletier, a native of Montreal, was a classical pianist who accompanied the Metropolitan Opera in New York and often worked as a duo with Arthur Loesser in the 1920s and '30s. He helped to found the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and was its first artistic director and conductor (1935-1941), and was principal conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (1951-1966). Mr. Pelletier was one of most influential music educators in Canada in the 20th century, serving as director of the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec (CMADQ) from 1943-1961. He died on April 9, 1982 at the age of 85.

100 years ago
1916

Born on this date
Jean-Jacques Bertrand. Canadian politician. Mr. Bertrand, a member of the Union Nationale, represented the riding of Missisquoi in the Legislative Assembly and National Assembly of Quebec from 1948 until his death. He held several cabinet posts, and became Premier of Quebec following the death of Daniel Johnson in 1968. Mr. Bertrand was a federalist, which put him at odds with members of his party who were Quebec nationalists. The UN was defeated by the Liberal Party in the provincial election in April 1970, and Mr. Bertrand resigned as party leader in 1971. He died on February 22, 1973 at the age of 56.

80 years ago
1936

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

75 years ago
1941

War
The British Royal Air Force bombed Damascus for the first time. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a special message to Congress accusing Germany of acting as an "international outlaw" engaged in "piracy" in the May 21 torpedoing of the American freighter Robin Moor. Finland ordered general mobilization, calling up all reservists under 45 years of age.

Diplomacy
The United States asked Italy to close all 47 of her consulates and 7 Italian agencies in the United States and to remove all their employees by July 15, 1941.

Defense
The United States Army Air Corps was deprecated to being the American training and logistics section of what was to be known until 1947 as the United States Army Air Forces. U.S. President Roosevelt banned shipment of all petroleum products from the Atlantic coast to any countries except the British Empire, Ireland, Egypt, and the Western Hemisphere.

Archaeology
U.S.S.R. archaeologists in Sammarkand opened the tomb of Tamerlane, the Mongol warrior who had died in 1405, and found the skeleton well-preserved. The body had been embalmed with musk and rose water.

Americana
The Hoover Library on War, Peace, and Revolution was dedicated in Palo Alto, California. The library contained many rare documents of World War I.

Labour
Ford Motor Company personnel director Harry Bennett and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray signed a contract covering 130,000 employees in Ford plants throughout the United States. The United Auto Workers won a union shop, wage increases, and a dues check-off.

Track and field
Archie Harris of Indiana University set a world record in the discus throw of 175 feet 8 3/4 inches in the trials for the National Collegiate Athletic Asociation championships in Palo Alto, California.

70 years ago
1946

War
Chinese Communist leader Chou En-lai rejected the Nationalist proposal that U.S. Army General George Marshall be given supreme arbitration power in the truce negotiations.

Crime
Fred Rose, a former member of the Canadian House of Commons (Labour-Progressive--Cartier), was sentenced to six years in prison for spying for the U.S.S.R. Mr. Rose was charged after Igor Gouzenko, a cipher clerk at the Soviet embassy in Ottawa, defected in 1945 and implicated Mr. Rose, whose Labour-Progressive Party was really the Communist Party in disguise.

Politics and government
Jawaharlal Nehru, President-elect of India's Congress, was arrested by Kashmiri authorities for refusing to obey an order banning him from the state.

The State of Georgia began proceedings to revoke the charter of the Ku Klux Klan, charging it with a conspiracy to seize key government agencies and issuing propaganda advocating violence.

Society
Jordanian scientist Djamil Pasha Tutunji urged increased study of birth control, saying that within 100 years the world willl be too small for its population, "and war would be inevitable."

Energy
U.S. President Harry Truman urged that nuclear research and development be placed in the hands of a civilian commission, and supported Bernard Baruch's plan for international control of atomic energy.

Law
The United States Senate confirmed the nomination of Fred Vinson as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Labour
The strike of 27,000 woodworkers of the Canadian Congress of Labour (CCL) British Columbia District 1 of the International Woodworkers of America, which had begun May 15, 1946, ended. The union won the first industry-wide contract, reducing the work week from 54 to 44 hours, and increasing wages by 10¢ per hour.

60 years ago
1956

Diplomacy
In Moscow, U.S.S.R. Communist Party First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev and Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Tito signed a joint declaration of renewed friendship between their respective Communist parties. Marshal Tito also signed an agreement with Soviet Premier Nikolai Bulganin on U.S.S.R.-Yugoslavian government relations.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and French Foreign Minister Christian Pineau issued a joint communique on their talks, expressing hope for a "liberal and just solution" in Algeria to "enable the European and Moslem populations to live and work together in peace and harmony."

Politics and government
Premier Tommy Douglas led his Co-operative Commonwealth Federation to its fourth consecutive majority government in the Saskatchewan provincial election. The CCF captured 36 of 53 seats in the Legislative Assembly, down from 42 in the 1952 election. The Liberal Party, led by Alexander McDonald, won 14 seats, an increase of three from 1952. The other 3 seats were won by the Social Credit Party, which didn't have a leader. The CCF took 45.3% of the vote, a decrease of 8.8% from 1952. The Liberals took 30.3% of the vote, down 8.9% from 1952. Social Credit recieved 21.5% of the vote--an increase of 17.6% from 1952--but it was spread throughout the province, which is why they won so few seats.

The French cabinet approved division of the four Algerian administrative departments into 12 new departments.

Crime
New York U.S. Federal Judge Irving Kaufman refused to set aside the conviction and 300-year prison sentence of Morton Sobell as a Soviet spy, saying that no new grounds had been offered to support his plea.

Energy
The U.S. State Department announced an agreement to sell 88 pounds of uranium to France and 1,100 pounds to Australia for atomic power plants.

Disasters
74 people--64 passengers and 10 crew members--were killed when a Venezuelan Super-Constellation crashed in the Atlantic Ocean off Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Boxing
Bob Satterfield (42-21-4) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Johnny Summerlin (30-5-2) in a heavyweight bout at Chicago Stadium.



50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ninguno Me Puede Juzgar (Nessuno Mi Puo Giudicare)--Caterina Caselli (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Paperback Writer--The Beatles

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Green Grass--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
2 The More I See You--Chris Montez
3 Paint It, Black--The Rolling Stones
4 La La La--Gerry and the Pacemakers
5 Sweet Talkin' Guy--The Chiffons
6 Jug Band Music--The Lovin' Spoonful
7 She Blew a Good Thing--The Poets
8 You Don't Have to Say You Love Me--Dusty Springfield
9 I Am a Rock--Simon and Garfunkel
10 What am I Gonna Do--Robbie Lane

Singles entering the chart were Paperback Writer by the Beatles (#49); You Just Can't Quit by Rick Nelson (#86); Come Running Back by Dean Martin (#88); When a Woman Loves a Man by Esther Phillips (#89); Solitary Man by Neil Diamond (#90); Day for Decision by Johnny Sea (#91); (I Washed My Hands In) Muddy Water by Johnny Rivers (#92); Ninety-Nine-and-a-Half (Won't Do) by Wilson Pickett (#93); Let's Go Get Stoned by Ray Charles (#94); Can't Explain by the King Beezz (#96); Oh Yeah by the Shadows of Knight (#98); Brainwashed by David Clayton-Thomas (#99); and Good Time Charlie by Bobby Bland (#100).

Music
The album Yesterday and Today by the Beatles was released in the United States and Canada on Capitol Records.

Diplomacy
French President Charles de Gaulle began a 12-day visit to the U.S.S.R.

Agriculture
Canada sold the U.S.S.R. $800 million worth of wheat and flour; it was the world's biggest wheat deal to date, at 336 million bushels

Golf
Billy Casper defeated Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club, Lake Course in San Francisco. Mr. Casper shot a 1-under-par 69, four strokes ahead of Mr. Palmer. Mr. Casper, who had come back from a 7-stroke deficit with 9 holes remaining in the 4th round, came from 2 strokes behind with 9 holes remaining in the playoff round. First prize money was $26,500, including a $1,500 bonus for the playoff.



40 years ago
1976

Died on this date
Lou Klein, 57. U.S. baseball player and coach. Mr. Klein was a second baseman and shortstop with the St. Louis Cardinals (1943, 1945-1946, 1949); Cleveland Indians (1951); and Philadelphia Athletics (1951), batting .259 with 16 home runs and 101 runs batted in in 305 games. Most of his success came in his rookie year, when he batted .287 with 7 homers and 62 RBIs in 154 games as the Cardinals won the National League pennant. Mr. Klein served in the United States Coast Guard during the remainder of World War II, and was unable to regain his starting job when he returned to the Cardinals. He jumped to the Mexican League early in the 1946 season, and was suspended from the major leagues until 1949. Mr. Klein joined the Chicago Cubs as a coach in 1960, and was part of the Cubs' rotating "College of Coaches" from 1961-1965, compiling a record of 65-82 during three stints as head coach. He died from a stroke.

World events
Hundreds of Americans and Britons were evacuated from Beirut and taken to safety in Syria by the U.S. military, following the June 17 kidnapping and murder of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Francis Meloy and Economic Counselor Robert Waring.

Politics and government
In the Italian general election, the Communist Party, led by Enrico Berlinguer, recorded gains, winning 116 of 315 elected seats in the Senate (a gain of 22 over the most recent election in 1972) and 227 of 630 seats in the Chamber of Deputies (a gain of 48). Christian Democracy, led by Benigno Zaccagnini, led with 135 in the Senate and 163 in the Chamber. The Socialist Party, led by Francesco De Martino, was third, taking 29 seats in the Senate and 57 in the Chamber.

Turkish Cypriots elected Rauf Denktash as President of the self-proclaimed Turkish Federated State of Cyprus.

Labour
A nine-day "gens de l'air" strike by Canadian air traffic controllers over use of French at Québec airports began; the strike ended after an agreement among the federal government, pilots and controllers.

Golf
Jerry Pate won the U.S. Open at Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Georgia with a 3-under-par score of 277, two strokes ahead of Al Geiberger and Ton Weiskopf. First prize money was $42,000.



30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Atlantis is Calling (S.O.S. for Love)--Modern Talking (2nd week at #1)

Music
The first Prince's Trust concert took place in London; artists performing to aid Prince Charles' charity included Eric Clapton, Elton John, Tina Turner, and Bryan Adams.

Politics and government
Jean Drapeau, 70, resigned as Mayor of Montréal after suffering a stroke. Mr. Drapeau served as Mayor from 1954-1957 and 1960-1986, and was in office when the city hosted the Expo 67 world's fair in 1967, and the Summer Olympic Games in 1976.

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox, sixth and last in the American league West Division with a record of 26-38, fired manager Tony LaRussa, who had held the position since 1979 and had led them to the division title in 1983. Doug Rader relaced Mr. LaRussa for 2 games before Jim Fregosi was hired as manager.

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Light My Fire--The Doors (2nd week at #1)

Germanica
The Bundestag voted to move the German capital from Bonn back to Berlin.

Defense
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney attended the Conference of Security and Co-operation in Europe in Germany; the conference adopted the Canadian proposal to monitor arms build-ups.

Politics and government
The Edwards-Beaudoin Committee recommended a regional veto to the Canadian Constitution, and unanimous consent for changes involving the monarch, language and resources. All other changes would require consent of Ottawa, Ontario, Québec, two Western, and two Atlantic provinces. The Québec Liberal government of Premier Robert Bourassa pushed through Bill 150 (an Act respecting the process for determining the political and constitutional future of Québec) in closing session, requiring a referendum on the province's sovereignty by October, 1992. The government also decreased payments to municipalities and put a wage freeze on public sector. Mr. Bourassa also announces a by-election in the riding of Montmorency on August 12, 1991; the riding had been vacated by fomer revenue minister Yves Séguin, who had resigned in protest against combining the provincial sales tax with the federal government's Goods and Services Tax.

Diplomacy
The inquiry into the fast-track immigration into Canada of Mohamed Al-Mashat, an Iraqi diplomat and defector from the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, agreed on the flawed and controversial processing of the case.

Labour
Uniroyal Goodrich Tire decided to keep one of two plants, making a deal with the United Rubber Workers Union, saving 1,000 of the present 2,000 jobs. The plant saved was the one in Kitchener, Ontario.

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Theme from Mission: Impossible--Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen, Jr.

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Macarena--Los Del Rio

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Columbia, with a seven-member crew led by Commander Terence Henricks and including one Canadian--Payload Specialist Bob Thirsk--launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin mission STS-78. It ended up as the longest mission to date at 15 days 12 hours, and carried the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS).





Football
CFL
Pre-season
Montreal (2-0) 43 @ Hamilton (1-1) 39

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Billy Johnson, 87. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Johnson was a third baseman with the New York Yankees (1943, 1946-1951) and St. Louis Cardinals (1951-1953), batting .271 with 61 home runs and 487 runs batted in in 964 regular season games and .237 with no homers and 5 RBIs in 18 World Series games. He led the American League in triples in 1947 with 13, and played with the World Series championship teams in 1943, 1947, 1949, and 1950, leading the 1943 World Series in hits (6) and the 1947 World Series in triples (3).

Politics and government
Francis MacKenzie resigned as leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party after the party's third-place showing in the recent provincial election; his resignation meant the at the party would have its fourth leader in 10 years.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Miami 95 @ Dallas 92 (Miami won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Dwyane Wade scored 36 points to lead the Heat over the Mavericks before 20,522 fans at American Airlines Center and their first championship ever. Jason Terry missed a 3-point field goal attempt in the final seconds of the game that would have sent it to overtime. Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 29 points and 15 rebounds. Mr. Wade was named the Finals' Most Valuable Player, averaging 34.7 points per game.