April 21, 2017

875 years ago
1142

Died on this date
Pierre Abélard, 62 or 63. French philosopher and theologian. Mr. Abélard, whose name is usually Anglicized as Peter Abelard, was born Pierre le Pallet. He was the most prominent Roman Catholic theologian of the 12th century, and was also known for his love affair with Héloïse d'Argenteuil. Mr. Abélard was regarded as a heretic by some Church authorities, and was excommunicated by Pope Innocent II in 1141. The sentence was lifted, but Mr. Abélard died of a fever and a skin disorder, possible scurvy.

225 years ago
1792

Died on this date
Tiradentes, 45. Brazilian rebel. Tiradentes, whose real name was Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, was a leading member of the revolutionary movement Inconfidência Mineira, whose aim was full independence from Portuguese colonial rule and the creation a Brazilian republic. Tiradentes and his co-conspirators were arrested in 1789; after a trial lasting almost three years, 10 members of the movement were sentenced to death, but Queen Maria I of Portugal commuted all the sentences to degradation except for Tiradentes, who was hanged. He's now regarded as a Brazilian hero, and April 21 is a national holiday.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
José Vicente Concha Ferreira. 8th President of Colombia, 1914-1918. Mr. Concha, a Conservative, was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1898. He was Minister of War (1901-1902) and Ambassador to the U.S.A. (1902). Mr. Concha won a landslide victory in the 1914 presidential election, and was given broad powers by Congress to rule be decree, maintaining a foreign policy of neutrality during World War I. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs (September-November 1921), and was appointed Ambassador to Italy in 1925. Mr. Concha was later appointed Colombia's Ambassador to Vatican City, and died in office in Rome on December 8, 1929 at the age of 62.

110 years ago
1907

Died on this date
Nat Hicks, 62. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Hicks was a catcher with the Eagle of New York (1866-1869); Eckford of Brooklyn (1870); and Washington Nationals (1870) in the National Association of Base Ball Players. He then played with the New York Mutuals (1872-1873, 1875) and Philadelphia White Stockings (1874) of the National Association, batting .259 in 204 games. He played with the Mutuals (1976) and Cincinnati Red Stockings (1877) of the National League, batting .227 with no home runs and 18 runs batted in in 53 games. Mr. Hicks managed the Mutuals in 1875, leading them to a 30-38 record and 7th place in the NA. He died of accidental gas asphyxiation in a hotel room, two days after his 62nd birthday.

100 years ago
1917

War
Canadian air ace Raymond Collishaw was awarded the Croix de Guerre by French officers who were impressed when he escaped several Germans, mistakenly landed at a German base, then quickly took off and managed to land at a French airfield.

90 years ago
1927

Music
Paul Whiteman and his Concert Orchestra were in New York to record George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, with Mr. Gershwin at the piano.

80 years ago
1937

Baseball
Manager Rogers Hornsby hit 2 singles and a home run to lead his St. Louis Browns to a 15-10 win over the Chicago White Sox before an opening day crowd of 7,090 at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. St. Louis third baseman Harlond Clift batted 5 for 5 with a home run, 2 doubles, 3 runs, and a run batted in, while shortstop Bill Knickerbocker was 4 for 5 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 4 RBIs. Winning pitcher Oral Hildebrand pitched a complete game, allowing 17 hits and 10 earned runs. Vern Kennedy started on the mound for Chicago, allowing 14 hits and 11 runs--all earned--in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss. He was relieved by Johnny Rigney, who allowed 8 hits and 4 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, while drawing a base on balls and scoring a run in his first major league game. Hank Steinbacher also made his major league debut with the White Sox, popping out to Mr. Clift at third base as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning.

75 years ago
1942

War
Supreme Commander of Allied forces in the Pacific theatre General Douglas MacArthur named Major General Richard Sutherland and Brigadier General Richard Marshall of the United States Army as chief and deputy chief, respectively, of the Southwest Pacific Command.

Technology
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered Alien Property Custodian Leo Crowley to seize all enemy-controlled patents, including those ostensibly owned by citizens of the United States, neutral, or allied nations.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Heartaches--Ted Weems and his Orchestra
--Harry James and his Orchestra
2 Anniversary Song--Al Jolson
--Dinah Shore
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
--Tex Beneke with the Glenn Miller Orchestra
--Andy Russell
3 Linda--Ray Noble and his Orchestra with Buddy Clark
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
4 Guilty--Margaret Whiting
--Johnny Desmond
5 Managua, Nicaragua--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
6 How are Things in Glocca Morra--Dick Haymes
--Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
--Buddy Clark
--Martha Tilton
7 I'll Close My Eyes--Andy Russell
--Johnny Desmond
8 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons--King Cole Trio
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
9 I Want to Thank Your Folks--Perry Como
--Frank Sinatra
10 Sonata--Perry Como
--Jo Stafford

The only single entering the chart was Mam'selle, with versions by Art Lund, and Dennis Day (#12).

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Tom Conway and Nigel Bruce, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Lion's Mane

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Elliott Lewis and Howard McNear, on MBS
Tonight`s episode: Eye Witness

Theatre
The New York Drama Critics Circle named All My Sons by Arthur Miller as the Best American Play of the 1946-47 season, with The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neill as runner-up. No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre was named Best Foreign Play, and Brigadoon was named Best Musical.

Died on this date
Meir Feinstein; Moshe Barazani. Palestinian terrorists. Messrs. Feinstein and Barazani, members of the Jewish organization Irgun Zvai who had been sentenced to death by British authorities for terrorism, committed suicide several hours before their scheduled executions, with explosives smuggled into their cells.

War
U.S. Marines reported the end of last-ditch Japanese resistance on the Pacific island of Pelellu, with the surrender of 33 soldiers.

Politics and government
Teddy Yellow Fly, a Blackfoot from Gleichen, Alberta, became the first Indian to address a parliamentary committee.

Italian Prime Minister Alcide de Gasperi agreed to allow separate legislative representation for German-speaking inhabitants of the northern Italian provinces of Trento and Bolzano.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King reported that the new federal budget allowed a 10% income tax cut and increased tax exemptions.

In a nationwide radio broadcast, U.S. President Harry Truman said that a tax cut and continued price increases would bring an economic cloudburst. He praised labour for moderation in wage policy, but accused some businesses of unjustified price hikes.

The U.S.A. and U.K. agreed to an increase in coal shipments from the Ruhr and Saar areas to France.

60 years ago
1957

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Three Dreams of Mr. Findlater, starring John Williams, Barbara Baxley, and Isobel Elsom

War
Egyptian press sources reported that an Iraqi force had entered Jordan near Mafraq, 45 miles northeast of Amman.

Defense
Israel rejected United Nations plans to construct a partial barrier on the Gaza Strip frontier.

The U.S. Air Force announced the improvement of its long-range Matador guided missile, enabling it to defy enemy jamming and to "be used over wide expanses of water."

Golf
Gene Littler won the Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Hey! Baby--The La De Das (2nd week at #1)

Edmonton's top 10 (CJCA)
1 A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You--The Monkees (2nd week at #1)
2 Somethin' Stupid--Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra
3 Western Union--The Five Americans
4 There's a Kind of Hush/No Milk Today--Herman's Hermits
5 Happy Together--The Turtles
6 Diamonds and Gold--Willie and the Walkers
7 Dedicated to the One I Love--The Mamas and the Papas
8 A Woman in Love--Bobby Scott
9 For What it's Worth--Buffalo Springfield
10 Rovin' Heart--The Lords
Pick hit of the week: On a Carousel--The Hollies
New this week: Creeque Alley--The Mamas and the Papas
The Way I Feel--Gordon Lightfoot
Him or Me - What's it Gonna Be?--Paul Revere and the Raiders
Peggy Sue--Dennis Paul
Buy for Me the Rain--The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

World events
A few days before the general election in Greece, Colonel George Papadopoulos led a coup d'état, establishing a military regime that lasted for seven years. Constantine Kollias, a civilian, was installed as Prime Minister.

Diplomacy
Svetlana Alliluleva, daughter of the late U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin, arrived in New York after defecting to the United States.

Hockey
CPHL
Adams Cup
Finals
Oklahoma City 1 @ Omaha 0 (Oklahoma City led best-of-seven series 3-1)

40 years ago
1977

Died on this date
Gummo Marx, 83. U.S. actor and talent agent. Milton Marx was the fourth of the five Marx Brothers, and was part of their vaudeville act until the time of World War I, when he entered the United States Army, and was replaced in the act by his younger brother Zeppo. After the war, Gummo became a successful businessman, and served as an agent representing various people in show business, including his brother Groucho.

Theatre
The musical Annie, based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie, opened at the Alvin Theatre on Broadway in New York.

Protest
Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto imposed martial law in the country's three major cities in reaction to anti-government violence that had caused 250 deaths since the March 7 elections.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Philadelphia 4 @ Toronto 3 (Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4-2)
Boston 4 @ Los Angeles 3 (Boston won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Baseball
Dave Rozema pitched a 4-hit shutout for his first major league win and Jason Thompson batted 3 for 4 with a home run and 4 runs batted in as the Detroit Tigers blanked the Boston Red Sox 8-0 before 24,903 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.



New York Yankees' manager Billy Martin pulled his team's lineup out of a hat, and that lineup defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 before 10,502 fans at Yankee Stadium. New York first baseman Chris Chambliss, batting eighth, batted 3 for 4 with a 3-run home run, 2 doubles, 2 runs, and 5 runs batted in. Former Yankee Otto Velez was 3 for 4 with a 2-run homer, a double, 2 runs, and 3 runs batted in. Alvis Woods, who had hit a home run as a pinch hitter in his first major league plate appearance two weeks earlier, came to bat as a pinch hitter with 1 out in the 9th inning and hit his second major league home run. Ken Holtzman allowed 11 hits and 5 runs--all earned--in 7 2/3 innings to get his first win of the season.

30 years ago
1987

Terrorism
Tamil Tigers were blamed after 105 people were killed and 200 wounded when a bomb exploded in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Toronto 4 @ Detroit 2 (Toronto led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Winnipeg 2 @ Edmonton 3 (OT) (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 before 17,023 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago, ending the Brewers’ major league record-tying winning streak from the start of the season at 13 games.

Pinch hitter Denny Walling singled home Phil Garner with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to climax a 4-run 9th-inning rally as the Houston Astros edged the Atlanta Braves 7-6 before 14,602 fans at the Astrodome. The Braves led 6-3 going into the bottom of the 9th, but Alan Ashby led off with a home run, followed by 2 outs, before the Astros put together 3 runs on 4 singles and 2 bases on balls.

25 years ago
1992

Died on this date
Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, 74. Russian Imperial Family member. Grand Duke Vladimir, whose family fled to Finland after the Russian Revolution in 1917 and then moved to Germany, and later, France, claimed the position as head of the House of Romanov upon the death of his father Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich on October 12, 1938. Grand Duke Vladimir spent most of his life in exile in Spain, and died of a heart attack in Miami, Florida while addressing a gathering of Spanish-speaking bankers and investors. He was flown back to Russia and given a state funeral in St. Petersburg. Grand Duke Vladimir's daughter Maria Vladimirovna then claimed headship of the House of Romanov.

Robert Alton Harris, 39. U.S. criminal. Mr. Harris became the first person executed by the state of California in 25 years when he was put to death in the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison for the July 5, 1978 murder of 16-year-olds John Mayeski and Michael Baker, whose car Mr. Harris and his brother had commandeered.

Space
The first discoveries of extrasolar planets were announced by astronomers Aleksander Wolszczan and Dale Frail, who discovered two planets orbiting the pulsar PSR 1257+12.

World events
Abdul Rahim Hatif, interim President of Afghanistan, announced that he would turn power over to rebels, whose armies had closed in on the capital city of Kabul.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Hartford 2 @ Montreal 5 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Buffalo 2 @ Boston 3 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
New Jersey 7 @ New York Rangers 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)
Pittsburgh 2 @ Washington 6 (Washington led best-of-seven series 2-0)

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 One Headlight--The Wallflowers (4th week at #1)
2 Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)--Aerosmith
3 Lovefool--The Cardigans
4 You were Meant for Me--Jewel
5 Precious Declaration--Collective Soul
6 Staring at the Sun--U2
7 Dark Horse--Amanda Marshall
8 A Long December--Counting Crows
9 Every Day is a Winding Road--Sheryl Crow
10 Abuse Me--Silverchair

Singles entering the chart were Daylight Fading by Counting Crows (#87); I Love Candy by 54-40 (#88); It Starts in the Heart by Maxi Priest (#89); A Change Will Do You Good by Sheryl Crow (#90); Bitch by Meredith Brooks (#99); and You Win, I Lose by Supertramp (#100).

Died on this date
Diosdado Macapagal, 86. President of the Philippines, 1961-1965; Vice President of the Philippines, 1957-1961. Mr. Macapagal, a membe of the Liberal Party, represented Pampanga's 1st District in the Philippine House of Representatives (1949-1957) before serving as Vice President and President. He was known for his efforts to suppress graft and corruption. Mr. Macapagal was President ot he Philippine Constitutional Convention (1971-1973). He died of heart failure, pneumonia, and renal complications.

Torontonia
The Ontario Provincial Parliament passed a bill merging Toronto's six municipalities and the Metro government.

Crime
Three men who had been jailed 18 years earlier for the murder of 13-year-old paper boy Carl Bridgewater were released after the U.K. Court of Appeal ruled their convictions unsafe.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Buffalo 3 @ Ottawa 2 (Buffalo led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Philadelphia 5 @ Pittsburgh 3 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-0)

10 years ago
2007

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Conference Quarter-Finals
Calgary 1 @ Detroit 5 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Vancouver 0 @ Dallas 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)