April 12, 2018

1,780 years ago
238

War
Numidian forces loyal to Roman Emperor Maximinus Thrax defeated the forces of Roman Emperor Gordian II in the Battle of Carthage. Gordian II, 46, had been co-Emperor with his father, Gordian I since leading a successful revolt against Maximinus Thrax on March 22. Gordian II was killed in the battle, and his body wasn't recovered. When Gordian I heard the news, he committed suicide at the approximate age of 79.

230 years ago
1788

Died on this date
Carlo Antonio Campioni, 67. French composer. Mr. Campioni wrote several sets of trio sonatas.

180 years ago
1838

Died on this date
Peter Matthews, 48 or 49; Samuel Lount, 46. Canadian rebels. Mr. Matthews, a farmer, and Mr. Lount, a native of Pennsylvania who had moved to Upper Canada in 1811 and had represented Simcoe County in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1834-1836, were publicly hanged at the new King Street Gaol in Toronto for treason and sedition during the Upper Canada Rebellion in December 1837. Pleas for clemency were refused by Upper Canada Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur, as the Executive Council wanted to set an example by punishing rebels. Mr. Lount's last words were: "Be of good courage boys, I am not ashamed of anything I've done, I trust in God, and I'm going to die like a man."

150 years ago
1868

Born on this date
Akiyama Saneyuki. Japanese military officer. Vice Admiral Saneyuki was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy who was famous for planning the Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. He was in ill health when he assumed the command of the 2nd Fleet in October 1917, and died of peritonitis on February 4, 1918 at the age of 49.

90 years ago
1928

World events
King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, on his way to inaugurate the Milan Sample Fair, was saved from assassination by the tardiness of the procession. The king was due to pass through Julius Caesar Square on his way to the parade grounds, but a time bomb placed in a lamppost exploded 10 minutes before his scheduled arrival at that point. 15 people were killed in the blast and 40 or 50 others were seriously injured.

Diplomacy
U.S. industrialist Henry Ford and his wife were in England, and met King George V and Queen Mary, talking with them for nearly two hours at a tea at Lady Astor’s house, Cliveden, near Taplow.

Aviation
The German Junker plane Bremen took off from Baldonnel Airdrome in Dublin, Ireland at 5:28 A.M., in a flight across the Atlantic Ocean, bound for Mitchel Field, New York. Aboard were Captain Herman Koehl and Commandant James E. Fitzmaurice of the Irish Free State Air Force, co-pilots, as well as Baron Gunther von Huenefeld, backer of the flight.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
New York Rangers 1 @ Montreal Maroons 0 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

80 years ago
1938

On the radio
Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of Silver Blaze, starring F. Wyndham Goldie and Hugh Harben, on BBC Empire and National Services

This was the first British radio broadcast of a Sherlock Holmes story.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 1 @ Chicago 4 (Chicago won best-of-five series 3-1)

Carl Voss scored the winning goal at 16:45 of the 2nd period as the Black Hawks defeated the Maple Leafs at Chicago Stadium to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in the previous five years. The 1937-38 Black Hawks remain probably the worst team ever to win the Stanley Cup, having finished in third place in the American Division with a record of 14-25-9. They didn't win the Cup again until 1961, and not again after that until 2010. This was the last Stanley Cup final to be played as a best-of-five series; in 1939 it became a best-of-seven series, which it remains today.

75 years ago
1943

War
U.K. troops in Tunisia captured Sousse, the last Axis port below Tunis. In a raid on Port Moresby, New Guinea, Japan reportedly lost 31 of 100 planes.

Defense
The U.S. Army revealed some statistical data on the Norden bombsight, which was adjustable for altitude and air speed.

Economics and finance
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau opened the second War Loan Drive for $13 billion and announced that the Treasury planned to borrow $70 billion in 1943.

70 years ago
1948

World events
Colombian police arrested Communist leader Gilberto Viera and 18 other Communists, charging them with unlawful assembly under martial law. Speaking at the International Conference of American States, U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall accused Communists of instigating the Colombian disturbances.

Defense
15 U.S. Senators led by Homer Ferguson (Republican--Michigan) introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on President Harry Truman to propose changes in the United Nations Charter, including abolition of the Security Council veto under certain conditions and the creation of an international police force.

Americana
On the third anniversary of the death of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, his widow Eleanor unveiled a 10-foot bronze statue of him in Grosvenor Square in London.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Senate confirmed President Truman's appointment of Thomas McCabe to the Federal Reserve Board chairmanship despite strong Southern opposition.

Labour
U.S. coal miners began returning to work following an agreement on the administration of their welfare fund, ending a 28-day strike. 175,000 miners remained away from work pending the outcome of contempt of Congress charges against United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis.

60 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Catch a Falling Star--Perry Como (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): March from the River Kwai and Colonel Bogey--Mitch Miller and his Orchestra

#1 single in France (IFOP): Hello, le soleil brille--Annie Cordy (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Magic Moments/Catch a Falling Star--Perry Como (7th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Tequila--The Champs (5th week at #1)
2 Lollipop--The Chordettes
--Ronald and Ruby
3 Who's Sorry Now--Connie Francis
4 He's Got the Whole World (In His Hands)--Laurie London
5 Twilight Time--The Platters
6 A Wonderful Time Up There--Pat Boone
7 Sweet Little Sixteen--Chuck Berry
8 Catch a Falling Star--Perry Como
9 Are You Sincere--Andy Williams
10 It's Too Soon to Know--Pat Boone

Singles entering the chart were Witch Doctor by David Seville (#29); Kewpie Doll by Perry Como (#36); Chanson d'Amour (Song of Love) by Art and Dotty Todd (#44); Another Time, Another Place by Patti Page (#48); High Sign by the Diamonds (#50); You Excite Me by Frankie Avalon (#53); Crazy Love by Paul Anka (#56); The Little Train (Die Kleine Bimmelbahn) by Marianne Vasel and Erich Storz (#57); and Do You Want to Dance by Bobby Freeman (#60).

Died on this date
Ichirō Sato, 68. Japanese military officer. Admiral Sato served in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was the elder brother of Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.

World events
Spanish authorities reported the arrest of 34 alleged Communists for leading strikes in Barcelona.

Diplomacy
French Prime Minister Felix Gaillard announced that France would resume direct talks with Tunisia on the Algerian-Tunisian border situation.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Boston 109 @ St. Louis 110 (St. Louis won best-of-seven series 4-2)

Bob Pettit scored 50 points--including 18 of his team's last 21 points--before 10,218 fans at Kiel Auditorium to lead the Hawks to their only National Basketball Association championship (so far). The 1957-58 Hawks were the last championship team composed exclusively of white players.





Baseball
On the recommendation of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to Pittsburgh Pirates' Chairman Branch Rickey, the Pirates signed pitcher Preston Bruce, Jr., a Vermont student. If you've never heard of Mr. Bruce, a glance at his statistics will show why.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)--Manfred Mann

Edmonton’s Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Lady Madonna--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 Summertime Blues--Blue Cheer
3 Love is All Around--The Troggs
4 Playboy--Gene and Debbe
5 Jennifer Eccles--The Hollies
6 The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)--Manfred Mann
7 Young Girl--The Union Gap
8 Too Much Talk--Paul Revere and the Raiders
9 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly--Hugo Montenegro, his Orchestra and Chorus
10 The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde--Georgie Fame
Pick of the Week: The Unknown Soldier--The Doors
New this week: Let’s Get Together--3’s a Crowd
White Silver Sands--Don Ho
Look to Your Soul--Johnny Rivers
As Long as I Got You--Laura Lee

Died on this date
Heinrich Nordhoff, 69. German automobile executive. Mr. Nordhoff was Managing Director of the Volkswagen company from 1948 until his death from a heart attack, and was famous for promoting the international popularity of the Volkswagen Beetle.

Hockey
CPHL
Adams Cup
Semi-Finals
Kansas City 3 @ Fort Worth 4 (Best-of-five series tied 1-1)

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): I Wonder Why--Showadaddywaddy

Politics and government
In India, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s Congress Party-I (I for Indira) was recognized as the official opposition. The party had won elections on February 25 in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and had made a better showing in Maharashtra than had been expected. On April 2 the Congress Party-I was defeated in the state of Haryana by the ruling Janata party. On April 5, Mrs. Gandhi alleged that the results in Haryana were fraudulent because untouchables had been intimidated against voting there. Congress-I was recognized as the opposition when it ended up with 71 seats in the nation’s lower house of parliament, compared with the regular Congress Party’s 68.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Eastern Conference
First Round
New York 132 @ Cleveland 114 (New York led best-of-three series 1-0)
Atlanta 94 @ Washington 103 (Washington led best-of-three series 1-0)

Western Conference
First Round
Los Angeles 90 @ Seattle 102 (Seattle led best-of-three series 1-0)

30 years ago
1988

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Phone Call

Died on this date
Alan Paton, 85. South African writer and political activist. Mr. Paton, a white opponent of his country’s Apartheid policy, was best known for writing Cry, The Beloved Country. The novel was published in 1948 and was made into movies in 1951 (starring Sidney Poitier) and 1995 (starring James Earl Jones). In 1953 Mr. Paton founded the South African Liberal Party to oppose Apartheid. The dissolution of the party was ordered by the federal regime in the late 1960s, officially because it contained both white and black members.

Terrorism
Hijackers of a Kuwait Airways jet that was now on the ground at Larnaca, Cyprus released 12 more hostages, leaving more than 30 still aboard, a week after the plane had been hijacked.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Robert Byrd, a Democrat from West Virginia, announced that he would not seek re-election as leader of the Senate Democrats in 1989. He had been his party’s leader in the Senate since 1977. Mr. Byrd, 70, said that he would become chairman (if the Democrats retained their majority in the 1988 elections) of the Appropriations Committee, whose chairman, John Stennis (Democrat, Mississippi) was retiring.

The Arizona Supreme Court cancelled a recall election targeted at Governor Evan Mecham, which had been scheduled for May 17. In a 4-1 decision, the court ruled that the state constitution mandated the order of succession after a governor was removed, and that hence, Rose Mofford, who had been swornn in as Mr. Mecham's successor on April 5, had the job for all of the remainder of Mr. Mecham's term.

The National Republican Alliance (ARENA) of El Salvador announced that it would appeal the announced election results to the nation's Supreme Court. The official results,announced 10 days earlier by the Central Electoral Council, gave ARENA 30 seats in the 60-member Assembly, one less than a majority. ARENA claimed that it had won 31 seats.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference
Division Semi-Finals
Hartford 3 @ Montreal 1 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Buffalo 4 @ Boston 5 (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-2)
New Jersey 4 @ New York Islanders 2 (New Jersey led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Philadelphia 2 @ Washington 5 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Clarence S. Campbell Conference
Division Semi-Finals
Toronto 6 @ Detroit 5 (OT) (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Chicago 3 @ St. Louis 5 (St. Louis won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Los Angeles 4 @ Calgary 6 (Calgary won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Winnipeg 2 @ Edmonton 6 (Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Ed Olczyk scored a shorthanded goal in the 1st period, a powerplay goal in the 2nd period, and the winning goal 34 seconds into the 1st overtime period as the Maple Leafs edged the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): All that She Wants--Ace of Base (6th week at #1)

Music
Gordon Lightfoot performed at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. It took about 10 songs before his voice got in tune, but from then on it was a good concert. I paid $28.50 + GST ($30.49 total) for my ticket.

World events
U.S., Dutch, and French aircraft patrolled skies over Bosnia to enforce a United Nations ban on unauthorized flights. A French Mirage jet was reported to have crashed on return from its mission.

20 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Robert Ford, 83. Canadian diplomat and poet. Mr. Ford was Canadian Ambassador to Colombia (1957-1958); Yugoslavia (1958-1961); Egypt and Sudan (1961-1964); and the U.S.S.R. (1964-1980). He published several books of poetry, and won the 1956 Governor General's Award for his collection Window on the North.

Golf
Mark O'Meara birdied the final hole to win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia with a 9-under-par score of 279, 1 stroke ahead of David Duval and Fred Couples. First prize money was $576,000.

10 years ago
2008

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference
Quarter-Finals
Boston 2 @ Montreal 3 (OT) (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Western Conference
Quarter-Finals
Nashville 2 @ Detroit 4 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 2-0)
Dallas 5 @ Anaheim 2 (Dallas led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Alexei Kovalev scored at 2:30 of the 1st overtime period to give the Canadiens their win over the Bruins at Bell Centre.