June 25, 2016

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Gail McGonigal!

1,175 years ago
841

War
In the decisive battle of the Carolingian Civil War, divisionist forces commanded by Charles the Bald and Louis the German defeated imperialist forces led by King Lothar I of Italy and King Pippin II of Aquitaine in the Battle of Fontenoy-en-Puisaye in eastern France.

725 years ago
1291

Died on this date
Eleanor of Provence, 68 (?). Queen consort of England, 1236-1272. Eleanor, a daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, married King Henry III of England on January 14, 1236, and was crowned later that day. She was devoted to her husband but was unpopular with Londoners because of the large retinue of relatives that she brought with her from France. Queen Eleanor served as regent in 1253 when King Henry was in Gascony. The couple had five children, the eldest of whom acceded to the throne as King Edward I upon the death of his father. Eleanor remained as queen dowager, and raised several of her grandchildren.

275 years ago
1741

Europeana
Maria Theresa was crowned Queen of Hungary in St. Martin's Cathedral, Pressburg (now Bratislava).

140 years ago
1876

Died on this date
George Armstrong Custer, 36; Tom Custer, 31. U.S. military officers. Boston Custer, 27. U.S. civilian contractor. Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer had a distinguished record in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, and was put in charge of the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry as they fought a combined Indian force in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in eastern Montana territory. His brother Tom was a Captain in the United States Army and twice won the Medal of Honor in the Civil War, while Boston was a civilian contractor, who accompanied his brothers with the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry. All three brothers were killed in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

War
Combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes decisively defeated the United States Army's 7th Cavalry in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in eastern Montana Territory (see also here and here).

120 years ago
1896

Died on this date
Samuel Leonard Tilley, 78. Canadian politician. Sir Samuel, a native of Gagetown New Brunswick, was a Conservative who served as Premier of New Brunswick (1861-1865), and was a Father of Confederation, being credited with coming up with the term Dominion of Canada. He served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald (1867-1873), and was Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick (1873-1878, 1885-1893). Sir Samuel died in Saint John.

110 years ago
1906

Theatre
Mam'zelle Champagne, a musical revue by Edgar Allan Woolf and Cassius Freeborn, opened at Madison Square Roof Garden in New York. The performance was marred by the murder of architect Stanford White by socialite Harry Thaw, both of whom were in the audience.

Died on this date
Stanford White, 52. U.S. architect. Mr. White was a major figure in the "American Renaissance," who designed houses for rich people and numerous public, institutional, and church buildings. He was also a serial seducer of teenage girls, including model and actress Evelyn Nesbit. Their brief relationship ended, both went on to other relationships. Miss Nesbit married millionaire socialite Harry Thaw, after telling him about her earlier relationship with Mr. White. The couple were attending the premiere of the musical revue Mam'zelle Champagne at Madison Square Roof Garden in New York, when Mr. White arrived and took his usual table in the building he had designed. Mr. Thaw fatally shot Mr. White, and the subsequent trial was called the "Trial of the Century."

100 years ago
1916

Died on this date
Thomas Eakins, 71. U.S. artist. Mr. Eakins was a realist painter who painted hundreds of portraits and other subjects, and was one of the foremost artists in his field. He was also a pioneer in photography. Mr. Eakins died a month before his 72nd birthday.

90 years ago
1926

Politics and government
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King was defeated on a motion of censure, but secured an adjournment of debate in the House of Commons until the following day.

Golf
Bobby Jones won the British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, England with a score of 291, 2 strokes ahead of fellow American Al Watrous. Since Mr. Jones was an amateur, the first prize money of £75 went to Mr. Watrous. It was the first of three British Open wins for Mr. Jones.

75 years ago
1941

War
The Continuation War began when the U.S.S.R. launched an air offensive, with 460 fighters and bombers targeting 19 airfields in Finland. Inaccurate intelligence and poor bombing accuracy resulted in several raids hitting Finnish cities, or municipalities, causing considerable damage. 23 Soviet bombers were lost in this strike, while the Finnish forces lost no aircraft. The British command announced that its troops had reoccupied Merdiayoun and Inbales Saki in the central sector in Syria.

Defense
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles announced that President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not invoke the Neutrality Act against the U.S.S.R., thus permitting American ships to carry war material to Vladivostok. U.S. Senator Robert Taft (Republican--Ohio) opposed aid to the Soviet Union, saying that a Communist victory "would be far more dangerous than the victory of Fascism." The Cuban cabinet passed a resolution reiterating Cuba's moral identification with U.S. President Roosevelt's statements toward the defense of America.

Diplomacy
The Turkish National Assembly ratified the Turko-German friendship pact.

World events
English author P.G. Wodehouse disclosed in Berlin that he had been released after a year in an internment camp, and said that he would broadcast over German radio once a week to the United States on non-political subjects.

Politics and government
A trial committee of the New York City Board of Higher Education found John K. Ackley, registrar of City College of New York, guilty of Communist activity and interference with the Rapp-Coudert committee's work, and recommended his dismissal.

Economics and finance
U.S. Office of Price Administration Administrator Leon Henderson announced that Chrysler Corporation had refused to rescind price increases on new cars, and that therefore the OPA would be forced to fix prices for the entire industry.

Labour
U.S. President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, establishing a Committee on Fair Employment Pracitces and barring racial discrimination in defense industries.

70 years ago
1946

World events
The Costa Rican government put down an alleged coup attempt in San Jose, killing one person and arresting a number of others.

Politics and government
The All-India Congress Party working committee accepted Viceroy Archibald Wavell's long-range proposals for Indian independence, after rejecting his plan for an interim government.

The Italian Constituent Assembly elected Socialist Giuseppe Saragat as chairman at its first session.

U.S. Senator Milton Young (Republican--North Dakota) defeated former Senator Gerald Nye in a special primary to fill a Senate term of 4½ years, while Sen. William Langer (Republican--North Dakota) was renominated to a regular 6-year term.

Law
Massachusetts Chief Justice John Higgins resigned from the International Military Tribunal for the Far East.

Religion
The Catholic Theological Society of America was founded in New York, with Dr. Francis Connell of Catholic University as president.

Economics and finance
The United States unfroze $700 million in gold held by Argentina in the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Business
First Boston Corporation and Mellon Corporation merged, creating a capital fund of $25 million, the largest of any investment banking firm in the United States.

Labour
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that average hourly wages for production workers in manufacturing had reached a record high of $1.06 in April 1946, with weekly average earnings averaging $42.92.

60 years ago
1956

Died on this date
Ernest King, 77. U.S. military officer. Climaxing a career in the United States Navy of more than 40 years, Fleet Admiral King was Chief of Naval Operations and Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) during World War II, becoming the only person to hold that combined command.

Diplomacy
In Bucharest, Romanian President Chivu Stoica, Romanian Communist Party First Secretary Gheorghe Gheorgiou-Dej, and Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Tito signed agreements restoring relations between the countries and their Communist Parties.

Politics and government
The Egyptian government announced that the Interior Ministry would retain its secret police power for 10 years in a campaign against government corruption and political dissent.

Labour
The International Labor Organization's Committee on Forced Labor concluded a draft treaty declaring forced or compulsory labour a violation of the rights of man as enunciated by the United Nations Charter.

100,000 members of Peru's Private Employees Central Union went on strike in a wage dispute with International Petroleum Company, a Standard Oil Company of New Jersey affiliate. The strikers also protested a government-approved increase in transit fares.

50 years ago
1966

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Paint It, Black/Long Long While--The Rolling Stones (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France: Ton Nom--Salvatore Adamo (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Michelle--The Beatles (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Sloop John B--The Beach Boys (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Paint It, Black--The Rolling Stones (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Paperback Writer--The Beatles

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Paperback Writer--The Beatles

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Paperback Writer--The Beatles
2 Paint It, Black--The Rolling Stones
3 Strangers in the Night--Frank Sinatra
4 Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind--The Lovin' Spoonful
5 Cool Jerk--The Capitols
6 I Am a Rock--Simon and Garfunkel
7 Red Rubber Ball--The Cyrkle
8 A Groovy Kind of Love--The Mindbenders
9 Opus 17 (Don't Worry 'Bout Me)--The 4 Seasons
10 You Don't Have to Say You Love Me--Dusty Springfield

Singles entering the chart were You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd by Roger Miller (#70); Can I Trust You? by the Bachelors (#77); Love Letters (#78)/Come What May (#94) by Elvis Presley; Misty by Richard "Groove" Holmes (#84); I Only Have Eyes for You by the Lettermen (#85); Over Under Sideways Down by the Yardbirds (#86); You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You by the Wonder Who? (#89); Not Responsible by Tom Jones (#91); Hey You! Little Boo-Ga-Loo by Chubby Checker (#92); You Just Can't Quit by Rick Nelson (#93); Tar and Cement by Verdelle Smith (#95); Ain't Gonna Cry No More by Brenda Lee (#97); I'm a Nut by Leroy Pullins (#99); Sittin' on a Fence by Twice as Much (#100); and Hot Shot by the Buena Vistas (also #100).

Died on this date
Busher Jackson, 55. Canadian hockey player. Harvey Jackson played left wing with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1929-39); New York Americans (1939-41); and Boston Bruins (1941-44), scoring 475 points on 241 goals and 234 assists in 636 regular season games and 30 points on 18 goals and 12 assists in 30 playoff gmaes. He was a First Team All-Star four times and a Second Team All-Star once, led the National Hockey League in scoring in 1931-32, and helped the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup that year. Mr. Jackson, centre Joe Primeau, and right wing Charlie Conacher comprised the "Kid Line" with the Maple Leafs. Mr. Jackson became the first NHL player to score 4 goals in one period, accomplishing the feat in the 3rd period of a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Eagles on November 20, 1934. He lived a lifestyle of drinking and parties off the ice, which led to a decline in his standard of play in his later years, and problems after his playing career. Mr. Jackson's drinking led to serious health problems, ending in his death. Former Maple Leafs' owner Conn Smythe prevented Mr. Jackson's election to the Hockey Hall of Fame for many years, but resigned from the Hall's board of directors when they overruled him and elected Mr. Jackson to the Hall of Fame in 1971.

Humour
Lenny Bruce gave what turned out to be his last live performance, topping a bill that included the Mothers of Invention, at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Admission to the adults-only concert cost $2.50.

Diplomacy
Yugoslavia and the Vatican signed an accord for an exchange of envoys, ending a 14-year break in relations.

Crime
Four young men were fined a total of $120 in Edmonton after being arrested at the Rainbow Ballroom the previous night. Police had been called in response to complaints that two young men were shouting and swearing at each other on the dance floor; Robert Douglas, 22, and Russell Stevens, 19, were each fined $25 for causing a disturbance. Arthur Reid, 20, was fined $30 for obstructing police, and Terrence Joseph, 21, was fined $40 and costs for creating a public disturbance. 250 youths jeered the police when they arrested the scofflaws.

Horse racing
Titled Hero, with Avelino Gomez aboard, won the 107th running of the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario in a time of 2:03 3/5. Titled Hero finished 3 lengths ahead of Bye and Near, ridden by Sam McComb, who said that Mr. Gomez had been guilty of bumping several times during the race. Bright Monarch, with Joe Baze aboard, finished third.

40 years ago
1976

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Fernando--ABBA (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Let Your Love Flow--Bellamy Brothers

#1 single in Switzerland: Let Your Love Flow--Bellamy Brothers

Died on this date
Johnny Mercer, 66. U.S. songwriter and singer. Mr. Mercer was successful for more than three decades, especially in writing lyrics for songs from movies, resulting in four Academy Awards. His collaborators included Hoagy Carmichael, Richard Whiting, Harold Arlen, and Henry Mancini. Mr. Mercer also had some success as a singer, with hit singles such as One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) (1943) and Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (1944). He died of a brain tumour.

Abominations
Missouri Governor Kit Bond (Republican), in an act of politically correct cuckservatism that has become more familiar in the 21st century, announced an executive order rescinding Missouri Executive Order 44, issued by Governor Lilburn Boggs on October 27, 1838, directing that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace—their outrages are beyond all description." Mr. Bond's announcement came in an address to the Far West stake of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as a goodwill gesture for the United States Bicentennial. Mr. Boggs' executive order had been issued three days after the Battle of Crooked River, a skirmish between Mormons and Missouri state militia.

Protest
Workers in Poland rioted over government plans to raise food prices.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
British Columbia (0-1) 6 @ Saskatchewan (1-0) 18

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): The Final Countdown--Europe (5th week at #1)

Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies released 41-year-old pitcher Steve Carlton, who was in his 15th season with the club and his 20th season in the major leagues. In 16 games with the Phillies in 1986, Mr. Carlton was 4-8 with an earned run average of 6.18.

25 years ago
1991

World events
Croatia and Slovenia proclaimed their independence, beginning the Yugoslavian civil war.

Protest
James Bay Cree Indians erected a barricade at Whapmagootui airport, forcing cancellation of the first public hearings into Hydro-Québec's Great Whale dam project.

Scandal
Alex Hickman, Chief Justice of the Newfoundland Supreme Court trial division, was cleared by the Canadian Judicial Council of accusations of having financial dealings with banks under review by the court.

20 years ago
1996

Died on this date
Arthur Snelling, 82. U.K. diplomat. Sir Arthur's posts included High Commissioner to Ghana (1959-1961) and Ambassador to South Africa (1970-1973). He died of emphysema while being treated for lung cancer.

Education
Eastwood Junior High School in Edmonton held its Awards Day. This blogger presented the Monarchist League Award to Leigh-Ann Nielsen, the Grade 8 student "who has demonstrated significant academic improvements, excellent citizenship, and is involved in school activities."

Terrorism
A truck bomb killed 19 Americans and injured hundreds at a U.S. military housing complex in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Diplomacy
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy announced sanctions against Nigeria in response to that country's summary execution of minority rights activists. The sanctions included an arms embargo; a ban on sporting contacts; the downgrading of cultural and diplomatic links; and some visa regulations.

United Nations-sponsored talks aimed at uniting the Turkish and Cypriot factions in Cyprus resumed after an 18-month delay.

Religion
The Chinese government stepped up its attacks on the Dalai Lama, denouncing his hopes for the return of Tibetan independence. The Chinese Communist regime also had their choice as Panchen Lama initiated as a monk.

10 years ago
2006

Football
CFL
British Columbia (1-1) 24 @ Saskatchewan (1-1) 32