April 17, 2018

1,425 years ago
593

Born on this date
Jomei. Emperor of Japan, 629-641. Jomei, born Tamura, was the grandson of Emperor Bidatsu and the son of Prince Oshisakanohikohito-no-Ōe. Jomei succeeded his great aunt Empress Suiko, and was succeeded by his wife and niece Kōgyoku upon his death on November 17, 641 at the age of 48.

1,200 years ago
818

Died on this date
Bernard of Italy, 20 or 21. King of the Lombards, 810-818. Bernard was the illegitimate son of King Pepin of Italy and illegitimate grandson of Charlemagne, who allowed Bernard to succeed Pepin on the Italian throne after his death in 810. King Bernard plotted against his uncle Emperor Louis the Pious, who responded by ordering Bernard to be blinded with a hot stiletto pressed against his eyeballs. The procedure proved so traumatic that Bernard died in agony two days later. He was eventually succeeded on the throne by Emperor Louis' eldest son Lothair I.

325 years ago
1693

Died on this date
Rutger von Ascheberg, 71. Swedish military officer and politician. Count Ascheberg served in several wars, rising to the rank of field marshal. He was Governor-General of Gothenburg and Bohus and Dalsland (1679-1693); Governor-General of Scania, Halland and Blekinge (1680); and Governor-General of Scania and Halland (1680-1693).

175 years ago
1843

Died on this date
Samuel Morey, 80. U.S. inventor. Mr. Morey achieved 20 patents, and was a pioneer in the technology of steamships and internal combustion engines.

140 years ago
1878

Born on this date
Emil Fuchs. German-born U.S. baseball executive. Mr. Fuchs emigrated to New York City with his family in 1883. He was a catcher in the Class D New Jersey State League (1897), but an injury ended his career. Mr. Fuchs became a lawyer, and served as a New York City Magistrate (1917-1918), and was thereafter referred to as Judge Fuchs. He returned to the practice of law,and was the lawyer for the New York Giants before buying the Boston Braves in partnership with Christy Mathewson and others in 1923, and taking the title of vice president. The Braves engaged in various promotional gimmicks in an attempt to increase attendance for a losing team. After Mr. Mathewson died from the effects of tuberculosis in 1925, Judge Fuchs was elevated to the title of president. He succeeded in getting Sunday baseball legalized in Boston, which had the effect of increasing attendance at Braves' games. Judge Fuchs managed the Braves in 1930, leading them to a 56-98 record, eighth and last in the National League. The Braves slowly improved, and contended for the NL pennant in 1933, but declined in 1934. Judge Fuchs continued to lose money on the franchise, and an attempt to have dog racing at Braves Field was disallowed by baseball commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis. Babe Ruth joined the Braves in 1935, but he was at the end of career, and played only 28 games before retiring. The Braves finished with a dismal 38-115 record--the worst of any major league team in the 1930s--and Judge Fuchs turned over control of the team to partner Charles Adams on August 1, 1935. Judge Fuchs returned to the practice of law, but continued to attend baseball games in Boston and New York until his death from a coronary thrombosis on December 5, 1961 at the age of 83, following a 10-week illness.

120 years ago
1898

Died on this date
Bobby Mathews, 46. U.S. baseball player. A pitcher and outfielder, Mr. Mathews played for 3 teams in the National Association from 1871-1875, and 5 teams in the major leagues from 1876-1877 and 1879-1887. In the NA he won 132 games and lost 111, batted .212, and won the first National Association game on May 4, 1871. His best season in that league was 1874, when he won 42 and lost 23 and batted .234 with the New York Mutuals. His major league totals were 166 wins, 138 losses, .192 batting percentage. Mr. Mathews recorded three straight seasons of 30 victories in each from 1883-1885 with the Philadelphia Athletics in the American Association. He died of paresis caused by syphilis.

110 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Joseph Owens. Canadian clergyman and philosopher. Rev. Owens, a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, was a Redemptorist Roman Catholic priest who specialized in the thought of Aristotle, Aquinas, and medieval philosophy. He served as president of the Metaphysics Society of America (1972); Canadian Philosophical Association; Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy; and American Catholic Philosophical Association. Rev. Owens died on October 30, 2005 at the age of 97.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
William Holden. U.S. actor. Mr. Holden, born William Beedle, was one of the most popular leading men in movies in the 1950s, starring in films such as Sunset Blvd (1950); Stalag 17 (1953); The Country Girl (1954); Picnic (1955); The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); The Wild Bunch (1969); and Network (1976). He won the Academy Award for his performance in Stalag 17, and was nominated for Best Actor for Sunset Blvd and Network. Mr. Holden won an Emmy Award for his starring performance in the made-for-television film The Blue Knight (1973). Mr. Holden devoted much effort in his last 20 years to conservation of African wildlife. He was alone and drunk in his apartment on November 12, 1981 when he fell, cut his head on a bedside table, and bled to death at the age of 63.

90 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Ovila Bourassa. Canadian jockey. Mr. Bourassa was fatally injured in a race at Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Art
After a long inquiry, the authorities of the Louvre Art Gallery in Paris pinned identity, i.e., genuine papers, on Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Mona Lisa.

75 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I've Heard That Song Before--Harry James and his Music Makers with Helen Forrest (7th week at #1)

War
Allied planes carried out their greatest series of raids, attacking armament works and chemical plants in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia and Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Labour
Brazilian President Getulio Vargas issued a decree prohibiting industrial workers from deserting their jobs.

U.S. War Manpower Commission Chairman Paul McNutt, in conformity with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's anti-inflation order, issued regulations "freezing" 27 million government, railroad, farm, and industrial workers in their jobs.

70 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)--Peggy Lee (6th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Now is the Hour (Maori Farewell Song)--Bing Crosby (5th week at #1)
--Gracie Fields
--Margaret Whiting
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
2 Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)--Peggy Lee
3 I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--The Three Suns
--Uptown String Band
4 Beg Your Pardon--Francis Craig and his Orchestra
--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra
--Larry Green and his Orchestra
5 Sabre Dance--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
6 Because--Perry Como
7 Haunted Heart--Perry Como
--Jo Stafford
8 Little White Lies--Dick Haymes
9 Baby Face--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
10 St. Louis Blues March--Tex Beneke and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were The Peanut Vendor by Stan Kenton and his Orchestra (#33); Beyond the Sea (La Mer), with versions by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, and Harry James and his Orchestra (#34); and The Loveliness of You (#38)/Completely Yours (#40) by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra.

The NBC radio program Your Hit Parade listed the most popular songs as:
1 Now is the Hour
2 I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
3 Beg Your Pardon

Died on this date
Kantarō Suzuki, 80. Prime Minister of Japan, 1945. Admiral Suzuki had a distinguished career in the Imperial Japanese Navy spanning more than 60 years. He was associated with the Imperial Rule Assistance Association from 1940-1945, despite opposing war against the United States. When Kuniaki Koiso resigned as Prime Minister following Japan's defeat in the Battle of Okinawa, Admiral Suzuki succeeded him, taking office on April 7, and simultaneously holding the portfolios for Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Greater East Asia. He negotiated Japan's surrender to the Allied Powers to end World War II, and resigned on August 17, 1945, after the surrender had become public knowledge. Admiral Suzuki died of a liver ailment.

War
Haganah forces claimed victory in the heaviest fighting of Palestine's partition war, repulsing a three-day Arab attack on the Jewish fortress of Mishmar Haemek, south of Haifa.

World events
Italian security forces massed 100,000 men in northern Italy to guard against alleged Communist coup plans during upcoming parliamentary elections.

Defense
The United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg established a permanent committee in London to coordinate security measures.

Economics and finance
U.S.S.R. authorities ordered a halt to further nationalization of industry in their zone of Germany and stopped efforts to restrict traffic to U.S. and U.K. airports in Vienna.

Track and field
At the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kansas, Harrison Dillard set a world record of 13.6 seconds in the 120-yard high hurdles, and Charles Fonville set a world record of 58' 1/4" in the shot put.

Basketball
BAA
Finals
Philadelphia 75 @ Baltimore 78 (Baltimore led best-of-seven series 3-1)

NBL
Finals
Minneapolis 75 Rochester 65 (Minneapolis won best-of-five series 3-1)

60 years ago
1958

Europeana
King Baudoin I of Belgium opened the Brussels World's Fair.

War
Indonesian government forces landed on the west coast of central Sumatra and captured the Sumatran insurgent capital of Padang.

Diplomacy
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and U.S. Ambassador to the U.S.S.R. Llewellyn Thompson met in Moscow in the first East-West discussion designed to lead to a summit meeting.

Defense
A U.S. Appeals Court in Washington, D.C. upheld the government's right to deny security clearance to private defense plant workers on the basis of secret information.

Cuban public service workers were incorporated into the armed forces and made subject to "military jurisdiction" in the event of war.

Law
The Spanish Parliament modified traditional restrictions on Spanish women and granted married women the right to control of their own property.

Labour
International Ladies Garment Workers Union President David Dubinsky announced that the six-week Pennsylvania dress strike had been "won" after all but 10 of the holdout firms had met union terms in individual settlements.

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

Rocket Richard scored at 5:45 of the 1st overtime period to give the Canadiens their win over the Bruins at the Montreal Forum.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Congratulations--Cliff Richard (2nd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)
2 Simon Says--1910 Fruitgum Company
3 Magical Mystery Tour (EP)--The Beatles
4 Delilah--Tom Jones
5 Green Tambourine--The Lemon Pipers
6 Lady Madonna/The Inner Light--The Beatles
7 Underneath the Arches/Friday Kind of Monday--Johnny Farnham
8 The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)--Manfred Mann
9 Sky Pilot (Part Two)--Eric Burdon and the Animals
10 The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde--Georgie Fame

The only single entering the chart was Valleri/Tapioca Tundra by the Monkees (#30).

Died on this date
Heriberto Jara Corona, 88. Mexican military officer, politician, and diplomat. General Jara was a hero of the Mexican Revolution in 1910; he became involved in the revolution while working at a factory in the municipality of Rio Blanco in his native Veracruz. As a member of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), he was first elected to Congress in 1911; he was re-elected in 1916 and helped to draft the Constitution of 1917. Gen. Jara was Governor of Tabasco (1918-1919) and Governor of Veracruz (1924-1927). He later served as Ambassador to Cuba, and received the Stalin Peace Prize in 1950. Gen. Jara was awarded the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor--the highest award bestowed by the Mexican Senate--in 1959.

Bill Engeln, 69. U.S. baseball umpire. Mr. Engeln worked in the Pacific Coast League from 1936-1951 before being promoted to the National League, where he worked 749 games from 1952-1956.

War
20 North Koreans attacked an 11-man patrol of South Korean soldiers south of the DMZ; three of the South Korean soldiers were reported missing and presumed dead.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Division Finals
Philadelphia 106 @ Boston 114 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Baseball
Dave McNally pitched a 2-hitter and Boog Powell, Mark Belanger, and Brooks Robinson hit home runs as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 before 50,164 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in the first home game for the Athletics since moving to Oakland from Kansas City. Rick Monday hit a solo home run for the Athletics.



Al Kaline drew a base on balls with 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 10th inning and Willie Horton followed with a 2-run home run to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians before 9,970 fans at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers had tied the game 2-2 with 2 out in the 9th when pinch hitter Jim Price singled home Bill Freehan, but the Indians had regained the lead with a run in the top of the 10th.

Cesar Tovar and Ron Clark each drove in 3 runs, and Mr. Tovar and Harmon Killebrew hit home runs as the Minnesota Twins routed the Washington Senators 13-1 before 22,926 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Jim Merritt pitched a 6-hit complete game victory, drew 2 bases on balls, and scored a run. The Twins put the game away with 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. It was the first major league game for both Minnesota left fielder Jim Holt and catcher Bruce Look, who played the 9th inning, with neither player having a fielding chance.

Lee May singled home Pete Rose with the bases loaded and 1 out in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 3,374 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

Every man in the Pittsburgh lineup had at least 1 hit as the Pirates routed the Houston Astros 13-4 before 30,779 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The Pirates scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning to take an 8-1 lead. Maury Wills and Jerry May each had 3 hits for Pittsburgh.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Southpaw--Pink Lady (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Ballade pour Adeline--Richard Clayderman

Died on this date
Mir Akbar Khyber, 52 or 53. Afghan politician and journalist. Mr. Khyber was a leader of the Parcham faction of People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). He was editor of the newspaper Parcham from 1968-1969. Mr. Khyber was assassinated outside his home; the assassination led to the downfall of the regime of President Mohammed Daoud Khan and a Communist coup that proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and British Foreign Secretary David Owen completed their African trip with talks in Salisbury, Rhodesia with the government of Ian Smith and the three black nationalist leaders who were participating in the transitional government which wasn’t recognized by most nations. The Salisbury leaders rejected the Patriotic Front guerrillas’ participation in an accord, despite Anglo-American warnings that the internal settlement, by excluding the Patriotic Front, could eventually lead to a full-fledged war with Soviet and Cuban support for the guerrillas.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to issue an injunction sought by members of Congress to bar ratification of the treaties handing the Panama Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999 until the court could consider claims that the House of Representatives as well as the Senate had to ratify them.

Economics and finance
63.5 million shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the largest volume in the exchange’s history. According to a story in Newsweek, institutional investors, who accounted for 75% of the volume, had accumulated huge cash reserves and were ready to pour them into the market.

Disasters
Tornadoes in eastern India killed 600 people.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Detroit 2 @ Montreal 6 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Chicago 1 @ Boston 6 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Toronto 1 @ New York Islanders 4 (New York led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Buffalo 1 @ Philadelphia 4 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Mike Kaszycki scored 2 goals to lead the Islanders over the Maple Leafs at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.



30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): One Tree Hill--U2 (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: I Should Be So Lucky--Kylie Minogue

Diplomacy
During three days of talks in Managua, the Sandanista government of Nicaragua proposed that the Contras enter seven cease-fire zones and begin disarming in June. Contra leaders rejected the idea because they said it contained no government concessions. Adolfo Calero, head of the Contra delegation, expressed doubts that the peace process would work.

Curling
Eigil Ramsfjell of Norway upset previously undefeated Pat Ryan of Canada 5-4 to win the world men’s championship in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Baseball
Zane Smith pitched a 4-hit complete game victory for the Atlanta Braves as they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 before 46,484 fans at Dodger Stadium for their first win of the season after a National League record 10 straight losses to begin the season. Losing pitcher Don Sutton allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs in 6 innings.

Kevin Elster singled home Mookie Wilson with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the New York Mets a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 48,760 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. The Mets were trailing 2-0 before scoring 2 runs in the 8th.

R.J. Reynolds had 4 hits, Barry Bonds hit a double, triple, and home run, Andy Van Slyke hit 2 home runs, and Bobby Bonilla hit a single, double, and home run to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Chicago Cubs 12-7 before 29,562 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Rafael Palmeiro and Ryne Sandberg homered for the Cubs.

Mike Flanagan and Tom Henke combined for a 7-hit shutout as the Toronto Blue Jays blanked the Minnesota Twins 2-0 before 37,532 fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Losing pitcher Les Straker allowed 7 hits and 2 earned runs in 7 innings, while Steve Carlton pitched a perfect 8th inning.

The Boston Red Sox scored 4 runs in the 1st inning, 6 in the 2nd, and at least 1 run in every inning except the 6th as they routed the Texas Rangers 15-2 before 32,243 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Boston left fielder Mike Greenwell had a home run, 2 singles, and 6 runs batted in. DeWayne Vaughn made his major league debut on the mound with the Rangers, allowing 9 hits and 6 runs--all earned--in 2 2/3 innings of relief, walking 1 batter and striking out 1. Bruce Hurst pitched a 4-hit complete game victory.

Greg Walker drew a base on balls with the bases loaded with 2 out in the top of the 9th inning to force home Fred Manrique with what turned out to be the deciding run as the Chicago White Sox edged the Oakland Athletics 7-6 before 45,150 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Are You Gonna Go My Way--Lenny Kravitz (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Sei un Mito--883 (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I Feel You--Depeche Mode (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): No Limit--2 Unlimited (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Alison--Jordy (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Mr. Blue--René Klijn (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Young at Heart--The Bluebells (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Informer--Snow (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston (2nd week at #1)
2 Informer--Snow
3 Two Princes--Spin Doctors
4 Don't Walk Away--Jade
5 Love Is--Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight
6 Angel--Jon Secada
7 Nothin' But a "G" Thang--Dr. Dre
8 I'm Every Woman--Whitney Houston
9 If I Ever Lose My Faith in You--Sting
10 Cat's in the Cradle--Ugly Kid Joe

Singles entering the chart were Silence is Broken by Damn Yankees (#65); Romeo by Dolly Parton and Friends (#66); Three Little Pigs by Green Jello (#72); and Good Ol' Days by Levert (#83).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 If I Ever Lose My Faith in You--Sting (2nd week at #1)
2 Two Princes--Spin Doctors
3 Simple Life--Elton John
4 Angel--Jon Secada
5 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston
6 Bed of Roses--Bon Jovi
7 That's What Love Can Do--Boy Krazy
8 Lost in Your Eyes--The Jeff Healey Band
9 Man on the Moon--R.E.M.
10 Courage--The Tragically Hip

Singles entering the chart were Can't Do a Thing (To Stop Me) by Chris Isaak (#80); If You Believe in Me by April Wine (#83); Nothin' My Love Can't Fix by Joey Lawrence (#85); Flying by Blue Rodeo (#86); I Put a Spell on You by Bryan Ferry (#87); and Harbor Lights by Bruce Hornsby (#93).

Died on this date
Turgut Ozal, 65. 8th President of Turkey, 1989-1993; Prime Minister of Turkey, 1983-1989. Mr. Ozal was founder and leader of the Motherland Party. As Prime Minister, he paved the way for privatization of many state enterprises; as President, he supported the Allied coalition against Iraq in the Gulf War in 1991, and sought to create a Turkic union. Mr. Ozal reportedly died of a heart attack, but his wife Semra charged that he had been poisoned with lemonade. When exhumed in October 2012, his body was found to contain 10 times the normal level of the insecticide DDT.

Crime
A jury convicted Los Angeles police Sergeant Stacey Koon and Officer Laurence Powell guilty of civil rights violations in the 1991 beating of Rodney King. The 1992 acquittals of Messrs. Koon and Powell and two other Los Angeles policemen on criminal charges had touched off Negro riots in Los Angeles.

20 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Linda McCartney, 56. U.S.-born photographer. Mrs. McCartney, wife of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, was born Linda Eastman; when she was a child, the song Linda (one of the biggest hits of 1947) was written in her honour. She became a photographer of rock musicians, which is how she met Paul McCartney. They married in 1969, and spent only one night apart voluntarily in 29 years of marriage. The 1971 hit single Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey was credited to Paul and Linda McCartney as both artists and songwriters and Linda shared songwriting credit for the earlier hit Another Day. Linda also contributed to Wings, the group that Paul led in the 1970s. Despite leading a healthy lifestyle, Linda McCartney developed breast cancer, which ultimately proved fatal.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Columbia launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin the 16-day neuroscience research mission STS-90. The seven-member crew was commanded by Richard Searfoss and included Canadian Dr. Dave Williams, the first non-American to serve as a shuttle mission's medical officer.

Economics and finance
The United States trade deficit was reported to be the biggest in a decade. Exports to Japan had plunged in February, showing the effects of the stagnant Japanese economy.

10 years ago
2008

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference
Quarter-Finals
Boston 5 @ Montreal 1 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Washington 3 @ Philadelphia 4 (2OT) (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Western Conference
Quarter-Finals
Calgary 3 @ San Jose 4 (San Jose led best-of-series 3-2)
Colorado 3 @ Minnesota 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)
Anaheim 1 @ Dallas 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Mike Knuble scored at 6:40 of the 2nd overtime period to give the Flyers their win over the Capitals at Wachovia Center.