May 16, 2017

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Polly Pratt and Jessie Larocque!

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
James C. Murray. U.S. politician and judge. Mr. Murray, a Democrat, represented Illinois' 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1955-1957) and served as an alderman in Chicago (1959-1967) before being appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court in 1970 and serving on the Appellate Court from 1986-1994. He died on October 19, 1999 at the age of 82.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Tangerine--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Bronislaw Malinowski, 58. Polish-born anthropologist. Dr. Malinowski was known for his work among natives of the Trobriand Islands in Melanesia. He was one of the most influential anthropologists of the 20th century, although excerpts from his diaries, released 25 years after his death, revealed his unscholarly side, including the use of racial slurs. Dr. Malinowksi died of a heart attack.

War
German troops captured Kerch in eastern Crimea after eight days of fighting. Japanese columns from Thailand attacked Mong Lin on the Mekong River, and Keng Tung and Mong Hai in northwestern Burma.

Defense
U.S. Army Lieutenant General Hugh Drum issued a proclamation in New York, designating the East Coast as Eastern Military Area, in which the Army would control all artificial lighting along the coast and nearby inland areas to protect shipping.

Diplomacy
French Prime Minister Pierre Laval denounced the U.S.-Martinique agreement as an example of American interfence in French internal affairs. The U.S.A. and Martinique had agreed the previous day to disarm the French aircraft carrier Bearn and two cruisers there.

Politics and government
General Rafael Trujillo Molina, the only candidate, was elected to a five-year term as President of the Dominican Republic. Women voted in the election for the first time.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt commuted the four-year prison sentence of Communist Party leader Earl Browder and ordered his release from Atlanta Federal Prison.

Academia
The Venezuelan Education Ministry announced the closure of Humboldt College on charges that it was a centre for totalitarian propaganda.

70 years ago
1947

At the movies
Dishonored Lady, directed by Robert Stevenson, and starring Hedy Lamarr, Dennis O'Keefe, and John Loder, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Frederick Gowland Hopkins, 85. U.K. biochemist. Sir Frederick was awarded a share of the 1929 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for his discovery of the growth-stimulating vitamins."

Michael J. Curley, 67. U.K.-born U.S. clergyman. Most Rev. Curley was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore (1921-1947) and Washington (1939-1947).

Politics and government
General Rafael Trujillo Molena was re-elected to another five-year term as President of the Dominican Republic.

U.S. House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee Chairman J. Parnell Thomas said that after a week of testimony from actors Robert Taylor, Adolphe Menjou, and others, the committee had "hundreds of names" of Communists who had infiltrated the Hollywood film industry.

Protest
Strikes and hunger demonstrations spread throughout western Germany in response to the country's food crisis, despite warnings from U.S. military authorities that the death penalty would be imposed for offenses against the occupation.

Economics and finance
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives conferees agreed to authorize President Harry Truman's request for $350 million in foreign aid, including $15-40 million for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

Academia
Austin District Court Judge Roy Archer dismissed the suit of Herman Sweatt, a Negro, for admission to the University of Texas law school, claiming that reacial segregation of state schools was required by the Texas constitution.

Scandal
Former U.S. Representative Andrew May testified at his trial in Washington that money he had received from the Garsson munitions firm was repayment of loans and investments, and not a bribe.

Boxing
Former world lightweight champion Sammy Angott (85-24-7) won a unanimous 10-round decision over Johnny Bratton (25-7-1) in a welterweight bout at Chicago Stadium.

60 years ago
1957

Died on this date
Eliot Ness, 54. U.S. lawman. Mr. Ness was an agent with the U.S. Treasury Department's Bureau of Prohibition in the late 1920s and early '30s, enforcing alcohol prohibition and cracking down on activities of mobsters in Chicago. He headed a group of agents known as "The Untouchables" because of their incorruptibility. Mr. Ness was Safety Director of Cleveland from 1935-1942, but was less successful in that position, and had little success in private business. He died of a heart attack shortly before the publication of his autobiography The Untouchables--written with Oscar Fraley--which inspired a popular television series (1959-1963) and movie (1987).

War
Walther Funk, former Nazi economic minister and chief of Germany's war industry during World War II, was released from a war crimes sentence at Spandau Prison in Berlin for reasons of ill health.

Diplomacy
King Saud of Saudi Arabia, meeting in Baghdad with Hazza Majali, adviser to King Hussein of Jordan, offered to visit Amman for talks on Saudi-Jordanian cooperation.

Defense
Former Belgian Foreign Minister Paul-Henri Spaak succeeded Lord Ismay of the United Kingdom as Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Expressing "strong regret" at the previus day's British nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese Foreign Ministry warned that it would hold the United Kingdom responsible for any radiation damage to Japanese people.

The third U.S. atomic-powered submarine--the Skate--was launched at General Dynamics Corporation's Electric Boat yards at Groton, Connecticut.

Politics and government
General Hector Trujillo Molina was re-elected to a second five-year term as President of the Dominican Republic. He was the brother of former President General Rafael Trujillo Molina.

Robert R. Bowie resigned as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Policy Planning.

Baseball
Several New York Yankees' players were involved in a fight at the Copacabana nightclub in New York City; the incident reportedly began when a member of a bowling team that was at the club began hurling racial slurs at Sammy Davis, Jr., who was performing on stage (see also here, here, and here).

50 years ago
1967

Boxing
Dick Tiger (56-17-3) retained his world light heavyweight title with a 15-round split decision over Jose Torres (39-3-1) at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mr. Tiger had defeated Mr. Torres in a 15-round unanimous decision exactly five months earlier to win the title.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Yumesaki Annainin--Momoe Yamaguchi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Gavilán o Paloma--Pablo Abraira (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Modibo Keïta, 61. 1st President of Mali, 1960-1968. Mr. Keita, a socialist, led the Union Soudanaise-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (Sudanese Union – African Democratic Rally) and held various positions before assuming the presidency. As President, Mr. Keita pursued friendly relations with the U.S.A. and U.K. as well as African unity, but became increasingly dictatorial at home, and was overthrown by a coup d'état led by General Moussa Traoré. Mr. Keita was imprisoned in the northern town of Kidal, but was transferred to Bamako in February 1977 in what was seen as a step toward his eventual release. However, Mr. Keita died in prison.

Agriculture
Retired Supreme Court of Canada Justice Emmett Hall issued his Report on Grain Handling and Transportation; he recommended the formation of a Prairie rail authority, and also construction of an Arctic railway.

Disasters
A New York Airways helicopter keeled over on a broken landing gear at the heliport atop the Pan Am building in New York City. A huge rotor blade snapped off, slashing four people to death, and then flew 59 stories down to kill a woman standing on the street a block away. Another seven people were injured, five seriously. New York Mayor Abe Beame immediately ordered the helicopter service halted pending a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.

Boxing
Muhammad Ali (54-2) retained his world heavyweight title with a 15-round unanimous decision over Alfredo Evangelista (14-2-1) at Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland. The bout, televised live on ABC, was so boring that Howard Cosell said late in the fight, "If you're still watching, you have only yourself to blame." I was still watching, and I did have only myself to blame. On the undercard, world lightweight champion Roberto Duran (60-1), fighting as a welterweight, won a 10-round decision over Javier Muniz (21-7-1), and Alfredo Escalera (39-7-2) retained his World Boxing Council world super featherweight title when he knocked out Carlos Becerril (12-4) 38 seconds into the 8th round. Tyrone Everett (36-1), whose only loss had come in a hotly-disputed decision in a title bout against Mr. Escalera six months earlier, scored a technical knockout over Delfino Rodriguez (4-9-2) at 1:26 of the 4th round.



30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: C'est la ouate--Caroline Loeb (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Multimix--The Communards

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Sailing Home--Piet Veerman (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Crockett's Theme--Jan Hammer (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Hold Me Now--Johnny Logan

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): With or Without You--U2

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 With or Without You--U2
2 Looking for a New Love--Jody Watley
3 (I Just) Died in Your Arms--Cutting Crew
4 La Isla Bonita--Madonna
5 The Lady in Red--Chris DeBurgh
6 Heat of the Night--Bryan Adams
7 Big Love--Fleetwood Mac
8 You Keep Me Hangin' On--Kim Wilde
9 Don't Dream it's Over--Crowded House
10 I Knew You were Waiting (For Me)--Aretha Franklin and George Michael

Singles entering the chart were I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) by Whitney Houston (#39); Alone by Heart (#52); I'd Still Say Yes by Klymaxx (#81); Ready or Not by Lou Gramm (#84); Funkytown by Pseudo Echo (#86); Flames of Paradise by Jennifer Rush (with Elton John) (#87); Give Me All Night by Carly Simon (#89); and Primitive Love Rites by Mondo Rock (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 (I Just) Died in Your Arms--Cutting Crew
2 With or Without You--U2
3 Lean on Me--Club Nouveau
4 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
5 La Isla Bonita--Madonna
6 I Knew You were Waiting (For Me)--Aretha Franklin and George Michael
7 Heat of the Night--Bryan Adams
8 Wild Horses--Gino Vannelli
9 Don't Dream it's Over--Crowded House
10 Boom Boom (Let's Go Back to My Room)--Paul Lekakis

Singles entering the chart were This Mourning by Chalk Circle (#89); Meet Me Half Way by Kenny Loggins (#91); Heart and Soul by T'Pau (#94); Head to Toe by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (#96); Jammin' Me by Tom Petty (#97); Alone by Heart (#98); and In Your Arms by Kim Mitchell (#99). Meet Me Half Way was from the movie Over the Top (1987).

Horse racing
Alysheba, with Chris McCarron up, followed his Kentucky Derby win with a victory in the 112th running of the Preakness Stakes in a time of 1:55 4/5 before 87,945 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, finishing 1/2 length ahead of Bet Twice, with Cryptoclearance third. (see video).

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): To Be with You--Mr. Big

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kimi ga iru dakede--Kome Club

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Why--Annie Lennox (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Please Don't Go--Double You (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): To Be with You--Mr. Big (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Joy--François Feldman (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): To Be with You--Mr. Big (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Please Don't Go/Game Boy--KWS (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jump--Kris Kross (4th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Bohemian Rhapsody--Queen
2 My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)--En Vogue
3 Jump--Kris Kross
4 Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams
5 Tears in Heaven--Eric Clapton
6 Everything About You--Ugly Kid Joe
7 One--U2
8 Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven--Bryan Adams
9 Live and Learn--Joe Public
10 Make it Happen--Mariah Carey

Singles entering the chart were Do it to Me by Lionel Richie (#52); Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus (#79); and T.L.C. by Linear (#88).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 One--U2 (2nd week at #1)
2 Human Touch--Bruce Springsteen
3 Sinking Like a Sunset--Tom Cochrane
4 Let's Get Rocked--Def Leppard
5 Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams
6 Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven--Bryan Adams
7 Make it Happen--Mariah Carey
8 Hazard--Richard Marx
9 If You Asked Me To--Celine Dion
10 Ain't it Heavy--Melissa Etheridge

Singles entering the chart were Nice to Luv You by 54-40 (#64); America by Kim Mitchell (#69); Touch the Hand by Bryan Adams (#74); Smells Like Nirvana by "Weird Al" Yankovic (#78); Live and Learn by Joe Public (#80); Bravado by Rush (#83); Separate Tables by Chris DeBurgh (#86); The Wild Life by Slaughter (#90); and For Your Babies by Simply Red (#91).

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew commanded by Daniel Brandenstein landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California to conclude mission STS-49, the first mission for Endeavour.

Horse racing
Pine Bluff, with Chris McCarron up, won the 117th running of the Preakness Stakes in a time of 1:55 3/5 before 96,865 fans at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, 3/4 length ahead of Alydeed, with Casual Laies third.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Edmonton 2 @ Chicago 8 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 1-0)

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Lonely--Nana (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Bailando--Paradisio (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Elbridge Durbrow, 93. U.S. diplomat. Mr. Durbrow was Counselor of Embassy and Deputy Chief of Mission in Moscow from 1946-1948, and U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam from 1957-1961.

World events
Mobutu Sese Seko ended 32 years of autocratic rule as President of Zaire, giving control of the government to rebel forces, and fleeing the country.

War
The United States government acknowledged the existence of the "Secret War" in Laos from the 1950s to the 1970s, and dedicated the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other "Secret War" veterans.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Finals
New York Rangers 1 @ Philadelphia 3 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 1-0)

10 years ago
2007

Politics and government
Nicolas Sarkozy took office as President of France, succeeding Jacques Chirac.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Finals
Buffalo 3 @ Ottawa 2 (Ottawa led best-of-seven series 3-1)

The Sabres led 3-0 before the midway point of the 2nd period and barely held on to edge the Senators at Scotiabank Place.