May 27, 2017

1,275 years ago
742

Born on this date
Dezong. Emperor of China, 779-805. Dezong, born Li Kuo, was an Emperor of the Tang Dynasty; he succeeded his father Daizong. Dezong faced a number of rebellions resulting from his attempts to destroy regional warlords. Dezong died on February 25, 805 at the age of 62, and was succeeded on the throne by his son Shunzong.

180 years ago
1837

Born on this date
"Wild Bill" Hickok. U.S. lawman. A teamster, scout and spy for the Union in the U.S. Civil War, Mr. Hickok held a number of law enforcement positions in the west before being shot and killed in Deadwood, Colorado on August 2, 1876 at the age of 39.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Arnold Bennett. U.K. author and playwright. Mr. Bennett wrote 34 novels, more than 100 short stories, and 13 plays, many of them set in a fictionalized version of his native Staffordshire Potteries. He believed that literature should be accessible to ordinary people, which led his work to be dismissed by many critics. Mr. Bennett also wrote newspaper articles, and directed the British Ministry of Information during the final weeks of World War I in 1918. He died of typhoid fever on March 27, 1931 at the age of 63 after drinking tap water on a visit to France.

Died on this date
Thomas Bulfinch, 70. U.S. mythologist. Mr. Bulfinch was known for Bulfinch's Mythology (1881), a collection of three earlier books.

125 years ago
1892

Disasters
31 people were killed when a cyclone destroyed two towns in Kansas.

110 years ago
1907

Health
Bubonic plague broke out in San Francisco.

100 years ago
1917

Religion
Pope Benedict XV promulgated the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the first comprehensive codification of Catholic canon law in the legal history of the Roman Catholic Church.

90 years ago
1927

Business
The Ford Motor Company ceased manufacturing the Ford Model T and began to retool plants to make the Ford Model A.

80 years ago
1937

Americana
The Golden Gate Bridge, connecting San Francisco and Marin County, California, was officially opened for "Pedestrian Day."

Baseball
Mel Ott's 7th home run of the season gave the New York Giants a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 2,435 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The winning pitcher was Carl Hubbell, and the win was his 24th straight in regular season play going back to the previous year.

Pinch hitter Roy Johnson's 2-run home run in the top of the 8th provided the winning margin for the Boston Bees as they edged the St. Louis Cardinals 8-7 before 2,284 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Don Padgett hit a 2-run homer with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th to draw the Cardinals to within a run, but Leo Durocher was retired for the final out.

Bucky Walters pitched a 9-hit complete game and batted 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 3 runs batted in to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the Chicago Cubs 11-2 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Pete Fox singled home Birdie Tebbetts with 1 out in the top of the 13th inning to break a 4-4 tie as the Detroit Tigers edged the New York Yankees 5-4 before 10,000 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Hal Trosky tripled home 3 runs to climax a 5-run 5th inning as the Cleveland Indians held on to beat the Philadelphia Athletics 8-7 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

Monte Weaver pitched a 6-hit complete game and didn't allow an earned run to win the pitchers' duel over Monty Stratton as the Washington Nationals edged the Chicago White Sox 2-1 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Milt Gray made his major league debut behind the plate for the Nationals, batting 0 for 3 and making 2 putouts.

75 years ago
1942

War
More than 13,600 women volunteered for the U.S. Women's Army Corps on the first day of recruiting.

World events
Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi bureaucrat whose titles were Deputy Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, Director of the Reich Main Security Office, and President of Interpol, was seriously injured when Jan Kubis, one of the leaders of a British-trained team of Czech and Slovak soldiers carrying out an assassination attempt code-named Operation Anthropoid, threw a bomb into Mr. Heydrich’s car as it was crossing a bridge in Prague. Josef Gabcik, another of the leaders of the plot, had attempted to shoot Mr. Heydrich, but his machine gun had jammed, and Mr. Kubis had thrown his bomb after Mr. Heydrich had decided to take on the attackers after ordering his driver to stop.

Law
The first Inter-American Conference on Coordination of Police and Judicial Measures opened in Buenos Aires, with only Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica not represented.

70 years ago
1947

Died on this date
Ed Konetchy, 61. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Konetchy was a first baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals (1907-1913); Pittsburgh Pirates (1914); Pittsburgh Rebels 91915); Boston Braves (1916-1918); Brooklyn Robins (1919-1921); and Philadelphia Phillies (1921), batting .281 with 74 home runs and 992 runs batted in in 2,085 games. He was known for his consistency, speed, and defensive skill.

Evans Carlson, 51. U.S. military officer. Brigadier General Carlson was a Marine Corps officer who led "Carlson's Raiders" during World War II. He was credited with introducing the term "gung-ho" into the Marine Corps, and served as a technical adviser for the movie Gung-Ho! (1943). Gen. Carlson retired in 1946 as a result of wounds suffered in the Battle of Saipan in 1944, and died from a heart ailment.

Politics and government
Nicaraguan Chamber of Deputies President Banjamin Lacayo Sacasa, a supporter of dictator Anastasio Somoza, was named provisional President of Nicaragua, the day after Mr. Somoza had led a bloodless coup that deposed President Leonardo Arguello.

Harvard University recognized American Youth for Democracy as a campus student organization despite congressional condemnation of the group as Communist-oriented.

World events
The Chinese government in Nanking reported an incipient famine in the southern provinces of Kwangsi and Hunan, despite stockpiles of United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration food in Chinese warehouses.

Hockey
NHL
Maurice "Rocket" Richard was named the winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the National Hockey League for the 1946-47 season.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): All Shook Up--Elvis Presley (Best Seller--8th week at #1; Disc Jockey--6th week at #1; Jukebox--6th week at #1; Top 100--7th week at #1)

Toronto's Top 10 (CHUM)
1 All Shook Up--Elvis Presley
2 Love Letters in the Sand--Pat Boone
3 I Like Your Kind of Love--Andy Williams
4 Bye Bye Love--The Everly Brothers
5 Start Movin' (In My Direction)--Sal Mineo
6 Dark Moon--Gale Storm
7 A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)--Marty Robbins
8 Fabulous--Charlie Gracie
9 Girl with the Golden Braids--Perry Como
10 Yes Tonight, Josephine--Johnnie Ray

This was the first week that the CHUM chart was published; there were 1,512 issues, ending with June 7, 1986, after which the station changed its format.

At the movies
The Girl in Black Stockings, directed by Howard W. Koch, and starring Lex Barker, Anne Bancroft, Mamie Van Doren, and Marie Windsor, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom.





Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. and Hungary disclosed a new agreement under which Soviet troops stationed in Hungary would be subject to Hungarian laws and courts.

Politics and government
Danish Prime Minister Hans Hansen announced the formation of a new cabinet, including nine Social Democrats, four Radical Liberals, and three Single Tax Party members.

Egyptian President Gamal Nasser took over the leadership of the newly-formed National Union, Egypt's only political party.

U.S. Senator Theodore Green (Democrat--Rhode Island) reached the age of 89 years, 7 months, 26 days, becoming the oldest person yet to serve in Congress.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): This is My Song--Petula Clark

#1 single in France: A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): 29 settembre--Equipe 84 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Puppet on a String--Sandie Shaw (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Ha! Ha! Said the Clown--Manfred Mann (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Silence is Golden--The Tremeloes (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Groovin'--The Young Rascals (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Groovin'--The Young Rascals (2nd week at #1)
2 I Got Rhythm--The Happenings
3 Respect--Aretha Franklin
4 The Happening--The Supremes
5 Sweet Soul Music--Arthur Conley
6 Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)--Engelbert Humperdinck
7 Don't You Care--The Buckinghams
8 Creeque Alley--The Mamas and the Papas
9 Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon--Neil Diamond
10 Somebody to Love--Jefferson Airplane

Singles entering the chart were New York Mining Disaster 1941 by the Bee Gees (#73); Windy by the Association (#75); Love Song by the Artistics (#80); Mary in the Morning by Al Martino (#82); Come to the Sunshine by Harpers Bizarre (#83); Make Me Yours by Bettye Swan (#86); San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie (#89); Baby Please Come Back Home by J.J. Barnes (#91); Night and Day by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 (#93); For Your Precious Love by Oscar Toney, Jr. (#96); Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat by Bob Dylan (#97); To Be a Lover by Gene Chandler (#98); Light My Fire by the Doors (#99); Only Love Can Break a Heart by Margaret Whiting (#100); and The Flower Children by Marcia Strassman (also #100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Got Rhythm--The Happenings
2 The Happening--The Supremes
3 Happy Jack--The Who
4 Groovin'--The Young Rascals
5 Close Your Eyes--Peaches and Herb
6 Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)--Engelbert Humperdinck
7 Don't You Care--The Buckinghams
8 I'm a Man--The Spencer Davis Group
9 Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon--Neil Diamond
10 When I was Young--Eric Burdon & the Animals

Singles entering the chart were She'd Rather Be with Me by the Turtles (#66); Together by the Intruders (#71); Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat by Bob Dylan (#77); Shake by Otis Redding (#82); Give and Take by the Mandala (#85); Silly Jilly by the Art Snider Ensemble (#86); Pretty Blue Eyes by the Guess Who? (#87); Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli (#92); 7 Rooms of Gloom by the Four Tops (#93); Sunday Will Never Be the Same by Spanky and Our Gang (#94); Eight Men, Four Women by O.V. Bright (#95); Come to the Sunshine by Harpers Bizarre (#97); Here We Go Again by Ray Charles (#99); and Funky Broadway by Dyke and the Blazers (#100).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Here Comes My Baby--The Tremeloes (2nd week at #1)
2 I Could Be So Good to You--Don and the Goodtimes
3 Him or Me - What's it Gonna Be?--Paul Revere and the Raiders
4 Come on Down to My Boat--Every Mother's Son
5 Six O'Clock--The Lovin' Spoonful
6 The Happening--The Supremes
7 Sweet Soul Music--Arthur Conley
8 Creeque Alley--The Mamas and the Papas
9 Groovin'--The Young Rascals
10 There is Love--Jim "Harpo" Valley

Singles entering the chart were Windy by the Association (#23); Don't Sleep in the Subway by Petula Clark (#32); I've Lost You by Jackie Wilson (#36); Pay You Back with Interest by the Hollies (#43); That's Someone You'll Never Forget by Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires (#44, charting with its A-Side, Long Legged Girl (With the Short Dress On)); Sunday Will Never Be the Same by Spanky and Our Gang (#45); San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie (#46); Come to the Sunshine by Harpers Bizarre (#47); Do it Again a Little Bit Slower by Jon & Robin and the In Crowd (#48); and The Oogum Boogum Song by Brenton Wood (#50).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Groovin'--The Young Rascals (2nd week at #1)
2 Round Round--Jonathan King
3 Six O'Clock--The Lovin' Spoonful
4 Respect--Aretha Franklin
5 She'd Rather Be with Me--The Turtles
6 Creeque Alley--The Mamas and the Papas
7 Live--The Merry-Go-Round
8 Here Comes My Baby--The Tremeloes
9 Windy--The Association
10 100 or Two--Springfield Rifles

Singles entering the chart were Pay You Back with Interest by the Hollies (#22); San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie (#24); No Good to Cry by the Wildweeds (#28); The Tracks of My Tears by Johnny Rivers (#29); and New York Mining Disaster 1941 by the Bee Gees (#30).

Politics and government
Australians voted in favour of a constitutional referendum granting the Australian government the power to make laws to benefit Indigenous Australians and to count them in the national census.

Defense
The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy was launched by Jacqueline Kennedy and her daughter Caroline.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Ain't that Just the Way--Barbi Benton (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Orzowei--Oliver Onions

#1 single in France: L'oiseau et l'enfant--Marie Myriam (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
A Soviet Aeroflot jetliner crashed on its landing approach to Havana Airport, killing 56 passenges and 10 crew members.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): You're the Voice--John Farnham (8th week at #1)

On television tonight
Nightline, hosted by Ted Koppel, on ABC

Disgraced televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were the guests, and Nightline achieved the highest ratings in its history. I was able to see the program on the set in my London, Ontario basement suite despite not having a cable connection, and it was broadcast only on a cable station.



Died on this date
John Howard Northrop, 95. U.S. biochemist. Dr. Northrop shared the 1946 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with James Sumner and Wendell Stanley "for their preparation of enzymes and virus proteins in a pure form."

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): It's My Life--Dr. Alban

Politics and government
Leneen Forde, a native of Ottawa, Ontario, was appointed Governor of Queensland, becoming the first woman governor of an Australian state.

Economics and finance
Canada agreed to join fellow G7 members in a $6-billion fund to stabilize the shaky Russian ruble.

Environment
Environment Canada announced plans to issue a daily ultraviolet radiation index to remind Canadians about the dangers of overexposure to the sun.

20 years ago
1997

Politics and government
Six days before the Canadian federal election, the Reform Party of Canada held a major rally at the University Pavilion in Edmonton, with party leader Preston Manning as the keynote speaker.

Scandal
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Paula Jones could pursue her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton while he was in office.

Disasters
The 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak occurred, spawning multiple tornadoes in Central Texas, including the F5 that killed 27 in Jarrell.

Auto racing
Arie Luyendyk won the Indianapolis 500 for the second time, in a race that was resumed on lap 16 after being suspended the previous day. With one lap remaining and the race being run under a caution flag, the green and white flags suddenly came out, and Mr. Luyendyk sped up and pulled away from runner-up Scott Goodyear and the rest of the field.



10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Ed Yost, 87. U.S. inventor. Mr. Yost invented the modern hot air balloon, making the first successful free flight in 1960.

Auto racing
Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500, which was interrupted twice by rain and finally called after 166 laps. It was the first of Mr. Franchitti's three Indianapolis 500 wins.