April 13, 2017

275 years ago
1742

Music
G.F. Handel's oratorio Messiah was given its first public performance at the Great Music Hall in Dublin.

240 years ago
1777

War
American forces were ambushed and defeated by British forces in the Battle of Bound Brook, New Jersey.

150 years ago
1867

War
Republican forces in Mexico captured Puebla.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Robert Watson-Watt. U.K. engineer. Mr. Watson-Watt experimented with radio waves, and patented radar in 1936. His invention proved extremely useful to Allied air defenses during World War II. Mr. Watson-Watt died on December 5, 1973 at the age of 81.

Arthur Harris. U.K. military officer. Sir Arthur, nicknamed "Bomber" Harris, was Marshal of the Royal Air Force, and was in charge of Bomber Command's attacks on German cities during World War II. Only Prime Minister Winston Churchill was more popular in Britain during the war, but revisionists have been less charitable. Sir Arthur died on April 5, 1984, eight days before his 92nd birthday.

110 years ago
1907
Born on this date
Harold Stassen. U.S. politician. Mr. Stassen, a Republican, was Governor of Minnesota (1939-1943), interrupting his career to serve with the U.S. Navy in World War II. He ran for the Republican Party U.S. presidential nomination nine times from 1944-1992, but didn't come close to winning after 1952, eventually becoming a national joke. Mr. Stassen was president of the American Baptist Convention in the 1960s, and was known for supporting Negro civil rights. He died on March 4, 2001 at the age of 93.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Robert Orville Anderson. U.S. oil executive. Mr. Anderson merged the Atlantic and Richfield oil companines into Atlantic Richfield in 1966, and served as the company's chairman until his retirement in 1986. He died on December 2, 2007 at the age of 90.

Bill Clements. U.S. politician. Mr. Clements, a Republican, made a fortune in oil before entering politics. He was U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford (1973-1977), and was briefly acting Secretary of Defense in 1973. Mr. Clements served two terms as Governor of Texas (1979-1983, 1987-1991); he was defeated in his bid for re-election in 1982 as a result of a sluggish economy. His second term was marred by a scandal involving payments made to Southern Methodist University football players while Mr. Clements was chairman of the university's Board of Governors. Some called for his impeachment, and he decided not to run for another term in office. Mr. Clements died on May 29, 2011 at the age of 94.

90 years ago
1927

Died on this date
Tom Johns, 75. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Johns played 1 game as an outfielder with the Marylands of the National Association in 1873, batting 0 for 5.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Boston 1 @ Ottawa 3 (Ottawa won best-of-three series 2-0)

Frank Finnigan and Cy Denneny scored in the 1st period, and Mr. Denneny scored in the 3rd period to make the score 3-0 before Harry Oliver broke up Alex Connell's bid for a shutout with 6 minutes remaining in regulation time. The game degenerated into mayhem after the third goal: Lionel Hitchman of the Bruins and George Boucher of the Senators fought, with Boston defenceman Eddie Shore jumping in. Ottawa police jumped onto the ice to help the referees, and Messrs. Hitchman and Boucher were ejected. With a minute remaining, Ottawa's Hooley Smith butt-ended Mr. Oliver in the face; Mr. Shore jumped in to fight Mr. Smith, and the two were ejected. After the game, Boston defenceman Billy Coutu--with the reported encouragement of coach Art Ross--assaulted referee Jerry LaFlamme and linesman Billy Bell, and started a bench-cleraing brawl, resulting in National Hockey League President Frank Calder banning Mr. Coutu from the NHL for life. The ban was lifted several years later, but Mr. Coutu never played in the NHL again.

80 years ago
1937

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Rangers 0 @ Detroit 1 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

Earl Robertson, playing in place of injured regular Normie Smith, played an outstanding game in goal for the Red Wings, earning the shutout at Olympia Stadium.

75 years ago
1942

Died on this date
Anton Uesson, 63. Estonian politician. Mr. Uesson was Mayor of Tallinn from 1919-1934 and 1938-1940. He was arrested by Soviet authorities when the U.S.S.R. invaded and occupied Estonia, and was sent to a gulag in Sverdlosk (now Yekaterinburg), where he was executed by shooting.

Henk Sneevliet, 58. Dutch politician. Mr. Sneevliet was a member of the Revolutionary Socialist (Workers') Party (i.e., Communist) who sat in the House of Representatives from 1933-1937. He participated in the Communist resistance against the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, and was executed along with fellow Communists at Amersfoort concentration camp.

War
U.K. Royal Air Force bombers raided Genoa, Turin, the Ruhr, and the Rhineland, and Le Havre. The Royal Canadian Air Force's 417 Fighter Squadron left the U.K. for Egypt to join the Desert Air Force. Japanese forces advanced toward Burmese oil fields by moving northward from Sinbaungwe, 20 miles south of Magwe. U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill disclosed that a large Japanese flotilla had been operating in the Bay of Bengal since April 4.

Politics and government
The demarcation line between occupied and unoccupied France was reported closed, while Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Petain conferred with former Vice Premier Pierre Laval for the third time in recent days. Reports from Berne stated that Germany had demanded reorganization of the French cabinet and "cooperation" instead of "collaboration."

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department rejected the Vichy French regime's protest against the U.S. establishment of a consulate general in Brazzaville, French Equatorial Africa, on grounds that the Free French, not Vichy, controlled the area.

Journalism
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a false charge of racial intolerance against a public official was libelous under New York state law, in connection with a suit brought by Representative Martin Sweeney (Democrat) against the Schenectady Union Star.

Golf
Byron Nelson shot a 3-under-par 69 to finish one stroke ahead of Ben Hogan to win an 18-hole playoff and the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The two had finished the four rounds of regulation play with 8-under-par scores of 280. First prize money was $1,500.

70 years ago
1947

Literature
The New York Herald Tribune listed Lydia Bailey by Kenneth Roberts as the best-selling fiction book, and Peace of Mind by Joshua Liebman as the best-selling non-fiction book.

World events
The Venezuelan government of President Rómulo Betancourt arrested 11 alleged conspirators and accused former President Eleazar López Contreras of plotting to return from exile.

Diplomacy
The Indian government reported an agreement establishing relations between India and the U.S.S.R.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Claude Pepper (Democrat--Florida) rejected suggestions that he lead a third party, stating that he would remain a Democrat as long as the party was "truly liberal."

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Singing the Blues--Guy Mitchell (6th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Cindy, Oh Cindy--Margot Eskens (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Cumberland Gap--Lonnie Donegan

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): All Shook Up--Elvis Presley (Best Seller--1st week at #1); Round and Round--Perry Como (Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); Butterfly--Charlie Gracie (Jukebox--1st week at #1); Butterfly--Andy Williams (Top 100--3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 All Shook Up--Elvis Presley
2 Little Darlin'--The Diamonds
3 Round and Round--Perry Como
4 Party Doll--Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids
--Steve Lawrence
5 Butterfly--Charlie Gracie
--Andy Williams
6 I'm Walkin'--Fats Domino
7 Gone--Ferlin Husky
8 Come Go with Me--The Dell-Vikings
9 Mama Look at Bubu--Harry Belafonte
10 Why Baby Why--Pat Boone

Singles entering the chart were Dark Moon by Bonnie Guitar (#42); Ring-A-Ding-A-Ding by Tommy Sands (#45); Jamie Boy (#48)/A Little Loneliness (#52) by Kay Starr; A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation) by Marty Robbins (#50); Tricky by Ralph Marterie and his Orchestra (#55); Leap Frog by the Chuck Alaimo Quartet (#56); and My Faith, My Hope, My Love by Don Cornell (#57).

Defense
The United States reported detection of the fourth Soviet nuclear test within 10 days.

Politics and government
Abdul Halim el-Nimr formed a new cabinet in Jordan.

Disasters
At least 13 people were burned to death in a fire that destroyed a senior citizens' home in Port-aux-Trembles, Quebec, near Montreal.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
St. Louis 123 @ Boston 125 (2 OT) (Boston won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Boston center Bill Russell scored 19 points set a league record for rookies with 32 rebounds, while Tom Heinsohn added 37 points and 23 rebounds as the Celtics edged the Hawks at Boston Garden to win their first National Basketball Association championship. It remains the only game 7 in NBA history to be decided in double overtime.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Somethin' Stupid--Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra

On television tonight
Dragnet 1967, starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Bookie



At the movies
Casino Royale, starring Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Woody Allen, and Orson Welles, received its premiere screening at the Odeon Leicester Square theatre in London.



Died on this date
Nicole Berger, 32. French actress. Miss Berger, born Nicole Gouspeyre, starred in the television soap opera Cecilia and appeared in various films from 1952 until her death in a car accident.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Montreal 2 @ New York 1 (OT) (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-0)
Chicago 4 @ Toronto 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

John Ferguson scored 6:28 into the 1st overtime period to enable the Canadiens to eliminate the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Ken Wharram scored just 9 seconds into the game to get the Black Hawks off to a good start as they edged the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. Chicago goalie Glenn Hall was cut on the chin for 25 stitches late in the game after stopping a shot by Toronto's Jim Pappin.

Baseball
Chuck Hiller's double with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning scored Jerry Buchek to break a 2-2 tie as the New York Mets edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 before 5,005 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Tom Seaver made his major league debut on the mound for New York, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, walking 4 batters and striking out 8. He drew a base on balls his first time at bat, and singled his next time at bat. Mr. Seaver was relieved by Chuck Estrada, who pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and got his 50th and last career major league win.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Knowing Me, Knowing You--ABBA (4th week at #1)

Economics and finance
Statistics Canada reported March unemployment figures at 90,000, or 8.1% of the workforce--the highest since figures were first collected in 1953.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
St. Louis 0 @ Montreal 3 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Toronto 4 @ Philadelphia 1 (Toronto led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Los Angeles 2 @ Boston 6 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Buffalo 2 @ New York Islanders 4 (New York led best-of-seven series 2-0)

WHA
Avco World Trophy
Quarter-Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Houston 4 (OT) (Houston led best-of-seven series 1-0)

CHL
Adams Cup
Semi-Finals
Dallas 1 @ Tulsa 3 (Tulsa led best-of-seven series 2-1)

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Boom Boom (Let's Go Back to My Room)--Paul Lekakis

Music
This blogger attended an enjoyable concert by Gordon Lightfoot at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. I paid $21.50 for my ticket.

Diplomacy
Portugal and the People's Republic of China signed an agreement in which Macau would be returned to China in 1999.

Baseball
Jeff Leonard hit a 2-run home run in the top of the 1st inning to give the San Francisco Giants a 2-0 lead over the San Diego Padres, but Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn, and John Kruk hit consecutive home runs off Roger Mason to lead off the game for the Padres in the bottom of the 1st. The Giants came back to win 13-6 before 48,686 fans at Jack Murphy-San Diego Stadium. San Francisco second baseman Robbie Thompson drove in 5 runs, 4 on a grand slam in the 7th.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Telepatiaa--J. Karjalainen

Politics and government
Neil Kinnock, who had led Britain’s Labour Party since 1983, announced his forthcoming resignation, four days after the ruling Conservatives had won a fourth consecutive majority government in the U.K.’s general election.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Truly Madly Deeply--Savage Garden (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): I Shot The Sheriff--Warren G

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Warum?--Tic Tac Toe (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Warum?--Tic Tac Toe (3rd week at #1)

Golf
Tiger Woods, 21, became the youngest player to win the Masters, finishing with an 18-under-par total of 270, 12 strokes ahead of Tom Kite. Both figures were records.

10 years ago
2007

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Conference Quarter-Finals
San Jose 2 @ Nashville 5 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Dallas 2 @ Vancouver 0 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Minnesota 2 @ Anaheim 3 (Anaheim led best-of-seven series 2-0)