June 22, 2017

1,450 years ago
567

Died on this date
Theodosius I. Patriarch of Alexandria, 535-536; Coptic Pope, 535-567. Theodosius I was the last Patriarch of Alexandria who was recognized by both Copts and Melchites. He succeeded Timothy III, but was rejected by the Eastern Orthodox Church of Alexandria and exiled by Emperor Justinian I in 536 and replaced by Paul I as Patriarch of Alexandria. Theodosius I continued to be recognized as Coptic Pope until his death; he was succeeded by Peter IV.

290 years ago
1727

Died on this date
George I, 67. King of Great Britain and Ireland, 1714-1727. George I was the son of Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover, and inherited his titles upon his death in 1698. George acceded to the British throne upon the death of Queen Anne; as her second cousin, he was her closest living Protestant relative. He was active in directing British foreign policy during the early years of his reign, helping to create the anti-Spanish Triple--later Quadruple--Entente. King George's reign was characterized by a transition of political power to a modern system of government by cabinet led by a prime minister. King George I was unpopular in Britain because of his alleged lack of knowledge of the English language, and the perception that he was too German. He died of a stroke while on a visit to Hanover, 15 days after his 67th birthday, and was succeeded by his son George II.

120 years ago
1897

Died on this date
Charles Egerton Ayerst. U.K. bureaucrat. Lieutenant Ayerst was the military aide to Indian Civil Services officer Charles Rand, who was the commissioner in charge of dealing with an epidemic of plague that was affecting Pune, Maharashtra. The two were returning home from celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee at Government House when they were shot by the Chapekar brothers and Mahadeo Vinayak Ranade. Lt. Ayerst died on the spot, while Mr. Rand died of his wounds on July 3.

110 years ago
1907

Transportation
The London Underground's Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway opened.

80 years ago
1937

Died on this date
Jean-Joseph Rabearivel, 34 or 36. Malagasian poet. Mr. Rabearivel, whose year of birth may have been 1903, wrote two novels, an opera, and literary critiques, but was primarily regarded as Africa's first modern poet. He became an opium addict, and committed suicide by cyanide poisoning.

Boxing
Joe Louis (32-1) knocked out defending champion Jim Braddock (45-24-4) in the 8th round at Comiskey Park in Chicago to win the world heavyweight title. It was Mr. Braddock’s first title defense, coming two years after he had won the belt by a decision over Max Baer.





75 years ago
1942

War
U.K. and Axis forces battled at Azeiz, about 12 miles northwest of Fort Capuzzo on the Libyan-Egyptian border. Three U.S. merchant ships were sunk in the Gulf of Mexico, with 72 men lost.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.K. Prime Minister Winson Churchill issued a joint statement in Washington saying that the objective of their conference "is the earliest mximum concentration of Allied war power upon the enemy."

Americana
The Pledge of Allegiance was formally adopted by the U.S. Congress.

Crime
White Russian Fascist leader Anastase Vonsiatsky pled guilty in Hartford, Connecticut to conspiracy to send U.S. military information to Germany and Japan before December 7, 1941.

70 years ago
1947

Diplomacy
The United Nations Palestine Inquiry Commission passed a resolution opposing the scheduled execution of three condemned terrorists, claiming that it would have "unfavourable repercussions" in Palestine.

Politics and government
The Hungarian government issued a 150-page White Book on the alleged plot of former Peasant Party leaders to overthrow the republic and establish a fascist regime. The document charged that the plotters had British help.

A poll in Wisconsin of potential Republican Party U.S. presidential candidates for 1948 had New York Governor and 1944 Republican presidential nominee Thomas Dewey winning, followed by Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen and U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur.

Economics and finance
Following the suggestions of U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenberg (Republican--Michigan), U.S. President Harry Truman established three bipartisan committees to study the relationship between the U.S. foreign aid program and the domestic economy.

Disasters
Extensive flooding along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers caused 11 deaths and $160 million in damage.

Tennis
Bobby Riggs defeated Don Budge at Forest Hills, New York to retain the U.S. professional men's singles title.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Round and Round--Perry Como; The Four Lads

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heimatlos--Freddy Quinn (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Yes Tonight, Josephine--Johnnie Ray (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Love Letters in the Sand--Pat Boone (3rd week at #1)
2 Bye Bye Love--The Everly Brothers
3 So Rare--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra
4 A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)--Marty Robbins
5 Dark Moon--Gale Storm
--Bonnie Guitar
6 Start Movin' (In My Direction)--Sal Mineo
7 All Shook Up--Elvis Presley
8 It's Not for Me to Say--Johnny Mathis
9 A Teenager's Romance--Ricky Nelson
10 Searchin'--The Coasters

Singles entering the chart were Send for Me (#38)/My Personal Possession (#48) by Nat "King" Cole/Nat "King" Cole and the Four Knights; Star Dust by Billy Ward and his Dominoes (#41); Shenandoah Rose by Hugo and Luigi (#44); A Fallen Star, with versions by Jimmy Newman; and Ferlin Husky (#45); and Words of Love by the Diamonds (#56).

World events
A Cairo court sentenced James Swinburn, former British manager of the Arab News Agency, and James Zarb, British businessman, to prison terms on charges of participating in an alleged plot to overthrow the Egyptian government of President Gamal Nasser. An Egyptian accomplice was condemned to death.

Diplomacy
North Korean dictator Kim Il Sung broadcast an appeal for a new conference on the partition of Korea, and urged that "the unification of Korea should be left to the Koreans themselves by withdrawing all foreign troops from Korea."

War
Italy agreed to pay Albania $2.6 million in reparations for the 1939 Italian invasion of Albania.

Horse racing
Wilamette, with John Choquette up, won the Belmont Stakes for Ladies at Belmont Park, New York.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (3rd week at #1)

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Show You the Way to Go--The Jacksons

Diplomacy
French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing and U.S.S.R. Leonid Brezhnev concluded three says of talks at Mr. Giscard d'Estaing's official residence outside Paris.

Scandal
Former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell entered a federal minimum security prison at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama to begin a 30-month to 8-year sentence for his role in the cover-up of the 1972 break-in at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Mr. Mitchell had been convicted in 1975 of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Toronto (0-1-1) 12 @ Hamilton (2-0) 21
Winnipeg (2-0) 27 @ Saskatchewan (0-2) 19
British Columbia (1-1) 6 @ Calgary (1-1) 35

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Fred Astaire, 88. U.S. dancer, singer, and actor. Mr. Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, was one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century. His movies included Dancing Lady (1933); Top Hat (1935); Swing Time (1936); Holiday Inn (1942); Easter Parade (1948); Royal Wedding (1951); Funny Face (1957); Silk Stockings (1957); On the Beach (1959); Finian's Rainbow (1968); The Towering Inferno (1974); and Ghost Story (1981).

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Abba-esque--Erasure

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that hate-crime laws that banned cross-burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): MMMBop--Hanson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): MMMBop--Hanson

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Blond--Rainhard Fendrich (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: MMMBop--Hanson

Died on this date
Gérard Pelletier, 78. Canadian politician and diplomat. Mr. Pelletier was a journalist with the Montreal newspaper Le Devoir, and was editor of La Presse and the periodical Cité Libre before entering politics in 1965 as a candidate for the Liberal Party in the federal election. He represented the Montreal-area riding of Hochelaga from 1965-1975, and held various cabinet posts under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Mr. Pelletier served as Canada's Ambassador to France from 1975-1981, and Ambassador to the United Nations from 1981-1984. He died the day after his 78th birthday.

10 years ago
2007

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Winnipeg (0-2) @ Hamilton (2-0) 24
Calgary (1-1) 21 @ Saskatchewan (2-0) 23

Business
The Canadian media conglomerate CTVglobemedia acquired the assets of CHUM Limited, except Citytv, which was later sold to Rogers Communications.

Disasters
Canada's first-ever F-5 tornado touched down at Elie, Manitoba, with winds of up to 250 miles per hour; there were no fatalities, but the storm caused a path of destruction about 4 miles long and over 300 yards wide.