June 29, 2017

250 years ago
1767

Politics and government
The British Parliament approved the Townshend Acts, requiring colonists to pay extra import duties for salaries of colonial governors and judges.

210 years ago
1807

War
In the Russo-Turkish War, Russian forces commanded by Admiral Dmitry Senyavin destroyed the Ottoman fleet led by Seyit Ali in the Battle of Athos.

120 years ago
1897

Politics and government
William Paterson was appointed Minister of Customs in the Canadian government of Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier.

Labour
Canada's Alien Labour Act received royal assent.

Disasters
A tornado struck London, Ontario, destroying barns and orchards.

110 years ago
1907

Born on this date
Joan Davis. U.S. actress. Miss Davis appeared in B-movies in the 1930s and '40s, and starred in several successful radio comedy series, but was best known for co-starring with Jim Backus in the television comedy series I Married Joan (1952-1955). She died of a heart attack on May 23, 1961 at the age of 53.

90 years ago
1927

Aviation
The Bird of Paradise, a U.S. Army Air Corps Fokker tri-motor, completed the first transpacific flight, from the mainland United States to Hawaii.

Wallace Turnbull tested his variable-pitch propeller on an Avro 504 trainer for the first time,at Camp Borden, Ontario.

80 years ago
1937

Weather
The temperature in Edmonton reached 101 F. (37.2 C.), the hottest day ever recorded in the city.

Aviation
Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan arrived in Lae, New Guinea, having completed about 22,000 of the 29,000 miles planned for their trip around the world. They had departed Miami, Florida on June 1, heading eastward, after a westward attempt from Oakland, California had been unsuccessful.

Transportation
Joseph-Armand Bombardier of Valcourt, Quebec patented his Bombardier B-7 Snow Tractor, a seven-passenger tracked machine costing $7,500.

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King arrived in Germany, and visited German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler.

Politics and government
Premier Angus L. Macdonald led his Liberal Party to its second consecutive majority in the Nova Scotia provincial election. The Liberals won 25 of 30 seats in the House of Assembly, an increase of 3 seats from the most recent election in 1933. The Conservatives, led by Gordon Harrington, dropped from 8 seats to 5.

75 years ago
1942

War
German forces commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel captured the British base at Matruh, Egypt, taking 6,000 prisoners, knocking out 36 tanks, and shooting down 17 planes. The U.S.S.R. admitted the loss of 10,000 men, and reported that another 10,000 were missing in the Volkhov River area.

70 years ago
1947

Diplomacy
The United Nations Palestine Inquiry Commission voted unanimously to condemn continued Zionist terrorism as a "flagrant disregard" of the UN appeal for a temporary truce.

Asiatica
Representatives of British Baluchistan, meeting in Quetta, voted to join Pakistan.

Golf
Betty Jameson won the U.S. Women's Open in Greensboro, North Carolina.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Round and Round--Perry Como; The Four Lads (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heimatlos--Freddy Quinn (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Yes Tonight, Josephine--Johnnie Ray (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Love Letters in the Sand--Pat Boone (4th 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 It's Not for Me to Say--Johnny Mathis
7 Searchin'--The Coasters
8 Start Movin' (In My Direction)--Sal Mineo
9 All Shook Up--Elvis Presley
10 Little Darlin'--The Diamonds

Singles entering the chart were (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear by Elvis Presley (#29); A Fallen Star, with versions by the Hilltoppers, and Nick Noble (#39, charting with the versions by Jimmy Newman, and Ferlin Husky); Short Fat Fannie by Larry Williams (#48); Whispering Bells by the Dell-Vikings (#49); Sweet Stuff by Guy Mitchell (#51); Teardrops in My Heart by Teresa Brewer (#53); Rainbow by Russ Hamilton (#59); and White Silver Sands, with versions by Don Rondo, and Dave Gardner (#60). The B-side of Short Fat Fannie, High School Dance, was co-written by Sonny Bono, and was the first song of his to be recorded.

Politics and government
Meeting in Budapest for its first annual conference since the 1956 revolt, the Hungarian Communist Party announced that Premier Janos Kadar had been renamed the party's First Secretary and a Political Committee member.

Scandal
A U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services subcommittee report charged that 90% of the Defense Department's arms contracts were awarded without competitive bids and that the department was using the Korean emergency proclamation to conceal its purchasing methods from the public.

Economics and finance
The South Vietnamese National Assembly adopted a law nationalizing all property of former Emperor Bao Dai.

Golf
Betsy Rawls was declared the winner of the U.S. Women's Open in Mamaroneck, New York, following the disqualification of Jacqueline Pung for signing an incorrect scorecard.

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): A Whiter Shade of Pale--Procol Harum (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
José Leitão de Barros, 67. Portuguese film director. Mr. Leitão de Barros was a painter, journalist, and playwright, but was primarily known for his films, often in the genres of historical fiction and ethnography. His movies included Maria do Mar (1930); A Severa (1931)--Portugal's first all-talking film--and Ala-Arriba! (1942). Mr. Leitão de Barros died from a retroperitoneal tumour.

Primo Carnera, 60. Italian boxer. Mr. Carnera, an acromegalic 6' 6" giant nicknamed the "Ambling Alp," was world heavyweight champion from 1933-1934. He compiled a record of 88-14 with 72 knockout wins in a professional career from 1928-1946, but he was controlled by organized crime, and many of his wins were regarded as fixed. Mr. Carnera was a professional wrestler from 1946 until the 1960s. He died of a combination of liver disease and diabetes.

Jayne Mansfield, 34. U.S. actress. Miss Mansfield, born Vera Jayne Palmer, was known for her large breasts and was regarded as an imitator of Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s and '60s. Miss Mansfield's best-known movies were The Girl Can't Help It (1956) and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957); in 1963, she starred in Promises! Promises! (1963), becoming the first major American actress to have a nude starring role in a movie. Miss Mansfield was known for an active private life, with relationships with numerous men. Several hours after performing at Gus Stevens Supper Club in Biloxi, Mississippi, Miss Mansfield, her attorney and lover Sam Brody and their driver, Ronnie Harrison, 20, were killed when their car struck the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed behind a truck that was spraying insecticide. Miss Mansfield died of severe head trauma and her wig was knocked off, leading to an urban legend that she was decapitated; three of her children, sleeping in the back seat of the car, survived the accident with minor injuries.

Canadiana
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip began a week-long visit to Canada to celebrate the centennial of Confederation.

Weather
A record 44 inches (111.8 centimetres) of snow fell on Livingston Ranger Station, Alberta, the heaviest summer snowfall in Canadian history.

Boxing
Doug Jones (30-9-1) scored a technical knockout of Boone Kirkman (11-1) in the 7th round of a heavyweight bout at Seattle Center Coliseum. Referee Whitey Domstad stopped the fight because Mr. Kirkman had a cut and swollen right eye; Mr. Kirkman was ahead on points on all three cards. The win was the last for Mr. Jones.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Show You the Way to Go--The Jacksons (2nd week at #1)

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Montreal (1-2) 20 @ Toronto (0-2-1) 6
Saskatchewan (0-3) 17 @ Calgary (2-1) 46

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)--Whitney Houston (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
Roh Tae Woo, leader of South Korea’s ruling Democratic Justice Party and that party’s candidate in the December 1987 presidential election, acceded to opposition demands for reform. He supported a constitutional amendment to provide a direct presidential election; amnesty and restoration of civil rights for opposition leader Kim Dae Jung; release of most political prisoners; “bold social reforms;” and a crackdown on crime and corruption.

U.S. Senator Al Gore of Tennessee announced his intention to seek the 1988 Democratic party nomination for President of the United States.

Baseball
Dave Winfield's second home run of the game--a grand slam in the top of the 8th inning--gave the New York Yankees a 15-14 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 42,179 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Mr. Winfield hit a 2-run homer in the 1st inning, and Ron Kittle hit a 2-run inside-the-park home run two batters later. Don Mattingly hit a grand slam for the Yankees in the 2nd inning, and Mike Pagliarulo added a 2-run homer in the 6th. Cecil Fielder hit a 2-run homer for Toronto in the 1st inning; Willie Upshaw hit a solo home run in the 6th, and Lloyd Moseby hit a 3-run homer later in the inning.

Wade Boggs drove in 7 runs with a grand slam, triple, and single as the Boston Red Sox routed the Baltimore Orioles 14-3 before 31,139 fans at Fenway Park in Boston.

Dick Schofield and Doug DeCinces opened the 7th inning with consecutive home runs, and Wally Joyner hit a 3-run homer three batters later as the California Angels beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 before 5,888 fans at Cleveland Stadium.

The Detroit Tigers scored 4 runs in the 2nd inning and 5 in the 5th as they routed the Milwaukee Brewers 11-1 before 21,487 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Jack Morris started on the mound for Detroit and allowed 2 hits and no runs in 7 innings to improve his record for the season to 11-3. John Henry Johnson, the second of three Milwaukee pitchers, allowed 9 hits, 2 bases on balls, and 5 runs--all earned--in 3 2/3 innings in the 214th and last game of his 8-year major league career.

Bo Jackson's solo home run climaxed a 3-run 5th inning as the Kansas City Royals edged the Minnesota Twins 3-2 before 35,872 fans at Royals Stadium in a game that was called because of rain with 1 out in the bottom of the 5th, just one batter after Mr. Jackson's homer.

Vince Coleman singled to lead off the top of the 11th inning, stole second base, and scored on a single by Ozzie Smith to break a 7-7 tie as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the New York Mets 8-7 before 43,106 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. The Mets led 7-3 after 6 innings, but the Cardinals rallied with 2 runs in the 7th, 1 in the 8th, and 1 in the 9th.

Zane Smith pitched a 5-hit shutout for the Atlanta Braves as they edged the San Francisco Giants 1-0 before 5,921 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Braves managed just 3 hits off San Francisco starting pitcher Mark Grant, but scored in the 7th when Dion James bunted for a single to lead off, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a single by Gerald Perry. The Giants came close to scoring in the 5th inning when Joel Youngblood attempted to score from third base on a bunt by Matt Williams, but Mr. Smith fielded the bunt and tagged Mr. Youngblood out at the plate. Home plate umpire Billy Williams collided with Mr. Smith on the play, was knocked unconscious, and suffered a broken right leg, ending his major league career after 25 seasons and 3,432 games.

Jimmy Jones relieved injured starting pitcher Storm Davis after the 1st inning and allowed just 2 hits in 8 innings to get the win as the San Diego Padres blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 before 42,738 fans at Dodger Stadium.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Abba-esque--Erasure (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Mohammed Boudiaf, 73. Chairman of the High Council of State of Algeria, 1992. Mr. Boudiaf was one of the founders of the Front de libération nationale (FLN) that led Algeria's war of independence against France from 1962-1965. After independence, Mr. Boudiaf fell into disfavour, and spent 27 years in exile in Morocco. He was invited back to Algeria to become Chairman of the High Council of State, a figurehead body for the military junta in power at the time. He was assassinated by a bodyguard while making a televised speech at the opening of a cultural centre in Annaba in his first public appearance outside Algiers since becoming head of state.

World events
Serbs who had been besieging the Bosnia-Herzegovinian capital of Sarajevo turned control of the Sarajevo airport over to 34 United Nations troops, clearing the way for delivery of food and medicine to the city. The first plane carrying relief supplies arrived within hours.

Society
The United States Supreme Court upheld parts of a Pennsylvania law imposing some limits on a woman’s ability to obtain an abortion. President George Bush welcomed the decision and said, “I oppose abortion in all cases except rape or incest or where the life of the mother is at stake.” Arkansas Governor and presumptive 1992 Democratic Party presidential nominee Bill Clinton, reaffirmed his support for abortion on demand, saying that the “constitutional right to choose is hanging by a thread.”

Hockey
NHL
The National Hockey League awarded the contract of Eric Lindros to the Philadelphia Flyers instead of the New York Rangers; originally drafted by the Québec Nordiques, Mr. Lindros refused to sign with them because they were a small-market team.

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): MMMBop--Hanson (5th week at #1)

#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): MMMBop--Hanson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): MMMBop--Hanson

#1 single in Switzerland: MMMBop--Hanson (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
William Hickey, 69. U.S. actor. Mr. Hickey had a long career in plays, movies, and television programs. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting performance in Prizzi's Honor (1985). Mr. Hickey, known for his gravelly voice, died of emphysema and bronchitis.

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Joel Siegel, 63. U.S. broadcaster. Mr. Siegel was the movie critic for the ABC television program Good Morning America from 1981 until his death from colo-rectal cancer, eight days before his 64th birthday.

Technology
Apple Inc. released its first mobile phone, the iPhone.

Protest
Canadian Indian groups called an Aboriginal Day of Protest, blockading major transportation routes in Ontario and Quebec.

Football
CFL
Saskatchewan (1-0) 16 @ Montreal (0-1) 7