May 22, 2017

350 years ago
1667

Died on this date
Alexander VII, 68. Roman Catholic Pope, 1655-1667. Alexander VII, born Fabio Chigi, succeeded Innocent X. Pope Alexander initially opposed nepotism, but later gave positions to his relatives. Alexander VII was succeeded by Clement IX.

150 years ago
1867

Politics and government
Queen Victoria proclaimed that the Confederation Act should go into effect and the Dominion of Canada should come into being on July 1, 1867. She also announced the names of Canada's first 72 Senators--36 Conservatives and 36 Reformers.

140 years ago
1877

Horse racing
Baden-Baden, with Billy Walker up, won the 3rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:38, 2 lengths ahead of Leonard, with King William third.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Georg Tintner. Austro-Hungarian-born orchestra conductor. Mr. Tintner, a native of Vienna, fled his native land for New Zealand in 1938 after the Nazi takeover of Austria. He worked in New Zealand until 1954, and then worked in Australia and South Africa. Mr. Tintner moved to Canada in 1987 to become music director of Symphony Nova Scotia, making numerous recordings. After a six-year battle with cancer, he jumped to his death from the window of his 11th-floor apartment in Halifax at the age of 82 on October 2, 1999.

War
The Brazilian steamer Lapa was hit by torpedoes from a German submarine.

90 years ago
1927

Disasters
An earthquake near Xining, China measuring 8.3 claimed approximately 200,000 victims.

75 years ago
1942

War
A special session of the Mexican Congress resulted in Mexico declaring war on the Axis countries. In the fifth draft registration since October 1940, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the registration of every male who would be 18 or 19 years of age by June 30, 1942. Greek guerrillas reportedly cut the Salonika railroad over which Germany had been moving troops through Bulgaria to the Russian front. Chinese troops forced Japanese troops to retreat to their ships after landing at the mouth of the Min River near Foochow.

Diplomacy
The Swedish-American liner Drottningham left Lisbon carrying 875 North and South American diplomats, newspaper correspondents, and other civilians to the Americas in exchange for Axis officials and correspondents.

Politics and government
David B. Vaughan, a member of the U.S. Board of Economic Warfare, filed a $75,000 libel suit against U.S. Representative Martin Dies (Democrat--Texas), who had linked Mr. Vaughan with Communist front organizations.

Economics and finance
U.S. War Production Board Chairman Donald Nelson stated that there would be no new automobile tires for the next two years because of World War II.

Labour
U.S. President Roosevelt authorized the creation of the nine-man National Railway Labor Panel for adjustment of disputes between railways and employees before disputes reached strike votes.

The Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and Steel Workers Organizing Committee officially disbanded and formed the United Steelworkers.

70 years ago
1947

At the movies
Repeat Performance, directed by Alfred L. Werker, and starring Louis Hayward, Joan Leslie, and Richard Basehart, received its premiere screening in Zanesville, Ohio.



Americana
The American Academy of Arts and Letters inducted historian Charles Beard, landscape architect Gilmore Clark, and poet Archibald MacLeish.

Diplomacy
A Brazilian mission arrived in Austria to select 150,000 refugee camp residents for immigration to southern Brazil.

Defense
The Truman Doctrine was enacted, as the United States Congress appropriated $400 million in military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey, and President Harry Truman signed the bill.

Politics and government
The Confederation of Colombian Workers was banned for alleged Communist connections.

Energy
The European Coal Organization ended a two-day meeting in London after allocating 60,000 tons of coal to the United Kingdom.

60 years ago
1957

Divorced on this date
Prince Aly Khan of Pakistan and U.S. actress Rita Hayworth divorced for the second time, in Vienna.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Security Council adjourned without taking action on French demands that it challenge Egypt's terms for operation of the Suez Canal.

Jordanian sources reported the arrest of 52 former United Nations employees in Amman who had been dismissed for suspected disloyalty to Jordan.

Society
The South African government approved racial separation in universities.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations Executive Council adopted a code of ethical practices for union finances calling for "regular audits" and "minimum accounting and financial controls."

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Marionetas en la Cuerda (Puppet on a String)--Sandie Shaw (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Langston Hughes, 65. U.S. writer. Mr. Hughes, a Negro, was a poet, novelist, and dramatist, and a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance. He died of complications following an operation for prostate cancer.

Music
The album Headquarters by the Monkees was released on Colgems Records in the United States and on RCA Victor Records elsewhere.

World events
Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.

Disasters
The L'Innovation department store in Brussels burned down, resulting in 323 dead or missing and 150 injured in the most devastating fire in Belgian history.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington (3rd week at #1)

Auto racing
Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, with an average speed of 188.403 miles per hour. She started in 26th place in the 33-car grid in the race a week later.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
Finals
Winnipeg 3 @ Quebec 8 (Quebec led best-of-seven series 3-2)

The Nordiques' win over the Jets at Le Colisee was one of the few World Hockey Association games ever televised by CBC.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Portland 101 @ Philadelphia 107 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Julius Erving scored 33 points and Doug Collins added 30 for the 76ers as they beat the Trail Blazers before 18,276 fans at the Spectrum. Bill Walton led Portland with 28 points and 20 rebounds.

Baseball
The Montreal Expos traded first baseman-outfielder Mike Jorgensen to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Stan Bahnsen. Mr. Jorgensen, who was in his sixth season with the Expos, was batting .200 (4 for 20) with no home runs or runs batted in in 19 games with Montreal in 1977. Mr. Bahnsen was 1-2 with 1 save and an earned run average of 6.14 in 11 games with Oakland in 1977.

The Boston Red Sox scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning--4 on a grand slam by George Scott--to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 14-10 in the first game of a doubleheader before 29,653 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The teams tied a major league record for a single game with 11 home runs, 6 by the Red Sox. Fred Lynn homered twice for Boston, and Don Money homered twice for Milwaukee. Ed Rodriguez pitched a 2-hitter to lead the Brewers to a 6-0 win in the second game; Ken McMullen and Jim Wohlford hit home runs, and Von Joshua batted 4 for 4 as the Brewers had 18 hits.

The Detroit Tigers scored 4 runs in the 1st inning--3 on a home run by Jason Thompson--and 3 in the 2nd as they routed the Chicago White Sox 14-3 before 31,030 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Dan Meyer batted 4 for 4 with a run and 3 runs batted in to help the Seattle Mariners defeat the Oakland Athletics 6-2 before 3,138 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in a game that was televised over the Mariners' network. Dick Pole allowed 1 hit and 1 run--earned--in 5 innings to get the win over Vida Blue, who allowed 11 hits and 6 runs--4 earned--in 7+ innings. Pinch hitter Mark Williams struck out to end the game; it was his third and last major league game, as he was soon sent back to the San Jose Missions of the AAA Pacific Coast League. In 3 major league games, Mr. Williams batted 0 for 2 with a base on balls and 1 run batted in, and 1 putout in 1 game in the outfield.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): La Isla Bonita--Madonna (3rd week at #1)

Abominations
19 members of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) allegedly rounded up 42 Muslim youth from the Hashimpura mohalla (locality) of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India, took them in truck to the outskirts, shot them to death, and dumped their bodies in water canals.

Adventure
Canadian wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen accomplished the first world tour by wheelchair, ending his Man in Motion event back in Vancouver, British Columbia after 792 days, 467 of which were spent on the road. He raised at least $15 million for spinal cord research and the disabled. The 29-year-old Mr. Hansen pumped his wheelchair 3,600 times an hour for 26 months, travelling 25,000 miles through 34 countries, wearing out 117 tires and 11 pairs of gloves.

Sport
The first Rugby World Cup began with host New Zealand routing Italy 70-6 before 20,000 fans at Eden Park in Auckland.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Philadelphia 5 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-1)

The Flyers came back from a 3-0 2nd-period deficit to defeat the Oilers at the Spectrum. Scott Mellanby and Brad McCrimmon scored 17 seconds apart in the 3rd period to take a 4-3 lead, and Brian Propp scored into an empty net.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Rhythm is a Dancer--Snap!

On television tonight
The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, on NBC

Mr. Carson, whose absences from the show had become more frequent in recent years, made his last appearance after 30 years as host. 55 million viewers tuned in for his farewell performance. Jay Leno, who had often substituted for Mr. Carson, replaced him as Tonight’s permanent host.

Died on this date
Philip Habib, 72. U.S. diplomat. Mr. Habib was a career diplomat who was best known for his work as President Ronald Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East (1981–1983); in that role he averted an Israel-Syria war and an Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization war in 1981, and then negotiated a peaceful end to Israel's 1982 siege of Beirut. Mr. Habib died of a cardiac arrhythmia while on vacation in France.

Diplomacy
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia joined the United Nations.

Environment
In Nairobi, delegates from 98 countries approved a draft treaty on biodiversity, which called on all countries to develop strategies for protecting plants and animals.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Clarence S. Campbell Conference Finals
Chicago 5 @ Edmonton 1 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-0)

The Blackhawks led 5-0 after 2 periods and coasted to an easy victory at Northlands Coliseum to advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 19 years. Kelly Buchberger scored the Oilers’ only goal against Ed Belfour. It remains the only Stanley Cup playoff game that this blogger has ever attended.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Fire--Scooter (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Alfred Hershey, 88. U.S. bacteriologist and geneticist. Dr. Hershey shared the 1969 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Max Delbrück and Salvador Luria "for their discoveries concerning the replication mechanism and the genetic structure of viruses."

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Finals
Colorado 0 @ Detroit 6 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-1)

10 years ago
2007

Politics and government
Premier Gary Doer led his New Democratic Party to a third consecutive majority government, capturing 36 of 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly in the Manitoba provincial election. The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Hugh McFayden, took 19 seats, while the Liberals, led by Joe Gerrard, won the remaining 2 seats. Mr. Doer became the first Manitoba Premier since Progressive Conservative Duff Roblin in 1966 to lead his party to three straight electoral majorities.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Finals
Detroit 3 @ Anaheim 4 (Anaheim won best-of-seven series 4-2)