May 6, 2018

340 years ago
1678

Died on this date
Joseph de La Barre, 44. French composer. Mr. La Barre was known for his works for organ and harpsichord, notably the air de cour. He died 15 days before his 45th birthday.

150 years ago
1868

Born on this date
Gaston Leroux. French writer. Mr. Leroux was an international correspondent with the Paris newspaper Le Matin, but was best known for novels such as Le mystère de la chambre jaun (The Mystery of the Yellow Room) (1907) and Le Fantôme de l'Opéra (The Phantom of the Opera) (1910). He died on April 15, 1927, three weeks before his 59th birthday.

120 years ago
1898

Law
The Yukon Field Force left Vancouver for Dawson City, Yukon to keep law and order in the gold fields and assert Canadian sovereignty. 203 volunteers from the Canadian Militia and Permanent Force commanded by T. D. Evans assisted the North West Mounted Police in keeping order, and returned in stages over the next two years.

110 years ago
1908

Defense
The Great White Fleet arrived at San Francisco. Consisting of four squadrons of four battleships each (with their escorts), the Great White Fleet was a United States Navy battle fleet that had left Hampton Roads, Virginia on December 16, 1907 to circumnavigate the globe. President Theodore Roosevelt had ordered the circumnavigation in order to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water naval capability. The flagship was USS Connecticut (BB-18), under the command of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans.

Health
Canora, Saskatchewan became the victim of a smallpox outbreak.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Emir of Abu Dhabi, 1966-2004; 1st President of United Arab Emirates, 1971-2004. Sheikh Zayed, the son and grandson of Emirs of Abu Dhabi, took power in 1966 in a bloodless coup that ousted his older brother Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Sheikh Zayed was the principal force behind the creation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. He died on November 2, 2004 at the age of 86, and was succeeded as Emir of Abu Dhabi and UAE President by his son Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

90 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Sam Wright, 79. U.S. baseball player. A brother of Hall of Fame members George and Harry Wright, Sam was a shortstop who played in 33 games for the New Haven Elm Citys in the National Association in 1875, batting .175. Mr. Wright played 2 games for the 1876 Boston Red Caps, a team on which Harry Wright played one game and was the manager, while George Wright was the shortstop. Sam then played 9 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1880, and returned to the Red Caps for 1 game in 1881. In 12 major league games, Sam Wright had just 5 hits in 46 at bats, a .109 average. In the field, he made more errors (8) than putouts (7). Sam Wright is not a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Defense
At Quantico, Virginia, the United States Marine Corps buried its bulldog mascot, Private Pagett, a gift from the Royal Marines of England, and the second canine mascot of the service to die in a year.

Crime
U.S. Coast Guardsmen, watching for bootleggers at Lewiston, New York, shot Jacob D. Hansen by mistake. Mr. Hansen was driving home from an Elks’ celebration and failed to stop at the Coast Guard’s orders. A bullet entered Mr. Hansen’s brain and blinded him. He died on August 24, 1928.

Disasters
A United States Coast Guard Board of Inquiry absolved the Coast Guard cutter Paulding and its commander, Lieutenant Commander J.S. Bayliss, of blame for the collision with the submarine S-4 off Provincetown, Massachusetts on December 17, 1927. The Naval Court of Inquiry, reporting on February 21, had blamed both Lt. Cdr. Bayliss and the dead commander of the submarine, Lieutenant Commander Roy K. Jones.

80 years ago
1938

World events
Dutch writer Maurits Dekker was sentenced to 50 days in prison for "offending a friendly head of state" (German Chancellor Adolf Hitler).

75 years ago
1943

War
Lieutenant General Jacob Devers was named U.S. commander in the European theatre to succeed Lieutenant General Frank Andrews, who had been killed in a plane crash three days earlier. At last four and probably 10 German U-boats were sunk after an eight-day battle ended between an eastbound Atlantic Allied convoy and about 25 Axis submarines. In an all-out attack, British forces took Massicault in central Tunisia. Bolivian President Enrique Penaranda del Castillo said that Bolivia would use its army in World War II if necessary.

Economics and finance
U.S. Senator HarryTruman's (Democrat--Missouri) committee on waste in defense spending asserted, in reporting on priorities conflicts in synthetic rubber, aviation gasoline, and destroyer escort ship programs to the Senate, that independent "czars" with specified objectives in particular fields encroached on and weakend War Production Board authority.

10 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee filed a minority report denouncing the Reciprocal Trade Agreements as inadequate to solve postwar foreign trade problems.

Technology
The U.S. Navy reported the discovery of a repellent that would keep sharks away from men adrift at sea.

70 years ago
1948

Literature
The novel The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer was published in New York by Rinehart.

War
Jewish forces took control of Safad, capital of the Upper Galilee, after Arab residents deserted the city.

43 Communist rebels were executed in Athens.

Allied deputy foreign ministers meeting in London suspended negotiations on the Austrian peace treaty after the U.S.A., U.K., and France attacked Yugoslavian reparations and territorial claims against Austria. An investigating committee of the French High Court of Justice cleared General Maxim Weygand of charges of collaboration with the Nazis and restored his civil rights.

Defense
The Zionist militia Haganah was redesignated the Jewish State Army.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill providing funds for expansion of the Air Force, allowing for construction of 2,911 planes in 1949.

Diplomacy
India rejected the United Nations Security Council's plebiscite plan for Kashmir, but offered to negotiate with the U.N. Kashmir Commission on the territory's future status.

Politics and government
Yugoslavian President Marshal Josip Broz Tito dismissed Finance Minister Streten Zujovich and Light Industry Minister Andrija Hebrang, charging both with sabotaging the country's five-year economic plan and pushing socialization measures too rapidly.

Labour
United Auto Workers of America negotiators broke off talks with Chrysler Motors after refusing to modify demands for a 30c hourly wage increase and improved benefits.

60 years ago
1958

Died on this date
Sylvia Grey, 92. U.K. actress and dancer. Miss Grey was the oldest surviving member of the Gaiety Girls, who became famous for burlesque performances at the Gaiety Theatre in London in the 1880s and '90s.

Defense
A hydrogen bomb alert was held in 46 U.S. states, with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his aides going to presidential headquarters in a secret command post during the drill.

Indonesian Prime Minister Djuanda disclosed the arrival of the first shipment of Soviet MiG jet trainers in Indonesia.

Politics and government
Former U.S. Price Administrator Michael DiSalle won the Ohio Democratic Party gubernatorial primary to challenge Governor C. William O'Neill (Republican).

Economics and finance
The Lebanese cabinet demanded that the United States increase its Lebanese aid program to $170 million during the next six years.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Hana no Kubikazari/Ginga no Romance--The Tigers (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): La, la, la--Massiel (3rd week at #1)

Space
U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong escaped death when the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) that he was operating malfunctioned and crashed. The LLRV was a frame with legs wrapped around a General Electric engine that pointed down. Mounted on the frame were six backup jets and about 16 small steering jets. On the front was a seat for a pilot. The purpose of the vehicle was to simulate conditions in the last minutes before a lunar landing. Mr. Armstrong was making his 21st flight in LLRV #1 at Ellington Field when the vehicle began to pitch forward as it descended to 100 feet above ground. Mr. Armstrong fired the thrusters, but that just made the LLRV tilt to the right. Mr. Armstrong ejected safely just a few seconds before the LLRV crashed. A board of investigation late concluded that the cause of the accident was a problem with a helium tank aboard the LLRV that starved the steering jets.



War
After 10 months of fighting between Nigeria and the secessionist government of Biafra, the two sides met in London to determine a site for peace negotiations.

Diplomacy
Spain closed its border to Gibraltar, except to Spaniards.

Protest
200 students stormed and occupied a campus building at Stanford University to protest the suspension of seven leaders of a demonstration in November 1967 against Central Intelligence Agency recruiting on campus.

Disasters
4 of 25 miners trapped in a coal mine flood near Hominy Falls, West Virginia died.

Baseball
San Francisco Giants’ relief pitcher Lindy McDaniel set a National League record with his 225th consecutive errorless game (108 chances consecutively since June 16, 1964). He pitched the final 2 innings of a 10-2 loss to the Houston Astros before 10,142 fans at the Astrodome. Rusty Staub led the Houston attack with a double and 3 singles in 4 at bats, with a base on balls, 2 runs, and 6 runs batted in.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the top of the 4th inning, Roberto Clemente singled and advanced to second base on an error by shortstop Sonny Jackson, and Donn Clendenon followed with a home run to provide the necessary scoring for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they edged the Atlanta Braves 2-1 before 9,131 fans at Atlanta Stadium. Jim Bunning allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run in 7+ innings to win the pitchers' duel over Pat Jarvis, who pitched a 4-hit complete game loss.

Alex Johnson, Johnny Bench, and Tommy Helms each had 3 hits, and Mr. Helms drove in 4 runs to help the Cincinnati Reds rout the Philadelphia Phillies 10-1 before 3,991 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Mr. Bench hit a single, double, and home run. It was the only major league game for Philadelphia pitcher Larry Colton, who pitched the 6th and 7th innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 run--earned--with no walks and 2 strikeouts.

Lou Brock led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a triple, and after intentional walks to Curt Flood and Roger Maris, Orlando Cepeda singled home Mr. Brock to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-1 win over the New York Mets before 12,741 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Bob Gibson pitched a 3-hit complete game victory, striking out 11 batters and walking 1, to win the pitchers' duel over Tom Seaver, who also went the distance, allowing 6 hits and 1 earned run.

Jim Northrup's single with 2 out in the 7th inning was the only hit off Dave Leonhard as he pitched the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-0 win over the Detroit Tigers before 8,000 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees

#1 single in Switzerland: Rivers of Babylon--Boney M. (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Night Fever--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Night Fever--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Night Fever--Bee Gees (8th week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Rivers of Babylon/Brown Girl in the Ring--Boney M. (2nd week at #1)
2 Only a Fool--The Mighty Sparrow with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
3 Argentina--Conquistador
4 Come Back My Love--Darts
5 Substitute--Clout
6 Night Fever--Bee Gees
7 U.O. Me (You Owe Me)--Luv'
8 With a Little Luck--Wings
9 Baker Street--Gerry Rafferty
10 Amor, Amor--Rod McKuen

Singles entering the chart were Lady McCorey by BZN (#18); Met de Vlam in de Pijp by Henk Wijngaard (#25); Bend Me Shape Me by Gilla (#26); In Hollywood (Everybody is a Star) by the Village People (#27); Dust in the Wind by Kansas (#30); and Lilac Wine by Elkie Brooks (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Night Fever--Bee Gees (8th week at #1)
2 If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman
3 The Closer I Get to You--Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
4 With a Little Luck--Wings
5 Can't Smile Without You--Barry Manilow
6 You're the One that I Want--Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta
7 Jack and Jill--Raydio
8 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late--Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
9 Dust in the Wind--Kansas
10 Count on Me--Jefferson Starship

Singles entering the chart were Even Now by Barry Manilow (#73); Use Ta Be My Girl by the O'Jays (#82); Warm Ride by Rare Earth (#83); It's Late by Queen (#84); Everybody Dance by Chic (#86); It's the Same Old Song by K.C. and the Sunshine Band (#87); You Keep Me Dancing by Samantha Sang (#88); You Got It by Diana Ross (#89); Ça Plane pour Moi by Plastic Bertrand (#95); Take Me to the Next Phase (Part 1) by the Isley Brothers (#97); Chattanooga Choo Choo by Tuxedo Junction (#99); and Oh Atlanta by Little Feat (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman
2 Night Fever--Bee Gees
3 Can't Smile Without You--Barry Manilow
4 Dust in the Wind--Kansas
5 Jack and Jill--Raydio
6 The Circle is Small--Gordon Lightfoot
7 Ebony Eyes--Bob Welch
8 Running on Empty--Jackson Browne
9 Goodbye Girl--David Gates
10 Thank You for Being a Friend--Andrew Gold

Singles entering the chart were You Belong to Me by Carly Simon (#84); Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett (#86); Take a Chance on Me by ABBA (#88); Tumblin' Dice by Linda Ronstadt (#90); Who, What, When, Where, Why by Bruce Murray (#93); Stay by Rufus/Chaka Khan (#96); I Want to Live by John Denver (#97); Isn't it Always Love by Karla Bonoff (#98); The Groove Line by Heatwave (#99); and A Lover's Question by Jacky Ward (#100).

Winnipeg's Top 30 (CKY)
1 You're the One that I Want--Olivia Newton John & John Travolta
2 If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman
3 Two Doors Down--Dolly Parton
4 With a Little Luck--Wings
5 Night Fever--Bee Gees
6 Shadow Dancing--Andy Gibb
7 Dust in the Wind--Kansas
8 We Will Rock You/We are the Champions--Queen
9 Our Love--Natalie Cole
10 Jack and Jill--Raydio
11 Can't Smile Without You--Barry Manilow
12 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)--Billy Joel
13 Sweet Misery--Teaze
14 We'll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again--England Dan & John Ford Coley
15 Thank You for Being a Friend--Andrew Gold
16 Ebony Eyes--Bob Welch
17 Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees
18 Running on Empty--Jackson Browne
19 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late--Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
20 Werewolves of London--Warren Zevon
21 The Closer I Get to You--Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
22 Feels So Good--Chuck Mangione
23 Count on Me--Jefferson Starship
24 Ego--Elton John
25 Sweet Talkin' Woman--Electric Light Orchestra
26 It's a Heartache--Bonnie Tyler
27 Ready for the Good Times to Get Better--Crystal Gayle
28 Hot Legs--Rod Stewart
29 Take a Chance on Me--ABBA
30 You Needed Me--Anne Murray

Died on this date
Ethelda Bleibtrey, 76. U.S. swimmer. Miss Bleibtrey caught polio in 1917, and took up swimming as therapy. In 1919 she was arrested at Manhattan Beach for "nude swimming," for removing her stockings at a pool where it was forbidden to bare "the lower female extremities for public bathing." At the 1920 Olympic games in Antwerp, Belgium, Miss Bleibtrey won three Gold medals: 100-metre freestyle; 300-metre freestyle; and 4 x 100-metre freestyle relay. She was the only woman ever to win all the women’s swimming events at a single Olympic games, and was selected as an Honor Swimmer by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1967.

Ko van Dijk, Jr., 61. Dutch actor. Mr. van Dijk was twice voted actor of the year in the Netherlands for his stage performances. He appeared in a number of television dramas, most notably Requiem for a Heavyweight (1959). Mr. van Dijk’s few theatrical movies included Jenny (1958) and Nude on a Fence (1973). He was on tour, acting in Autumn in Riga, when he died of a heart attack the day after a performance.

War
The government of Angola claimed that 504 Namibian refugees and 16 Angolan soldiers had been killed in the raids on SWAPO (South-West Africa People’s Organization) bases in Angola by South African troops two days earlier.

World events
Nur Mohammad Taraki, leader of a new government which had taken power in Afghanistan in a coup nine days earlier, denied as "imperialist propaganda" claims that large numbers of people had died in the takeover.

Economics and finance
U.S.S.R. President Leonid Brezhnev and West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt signed in Bonn a 25-year economic co-operation agreement, which called for the doubling of West-German-Soviet trade by 1980.

Horse racing
Affirmed, with Steve Cauthen up, held off Alydar, ridden by Jorge Velasquez, to win the 104th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville by a length and a half to begin their Triple Crown rivalry. Affirmed was trained by Laz Barrera and Alydar by John Veitch. Affirmed's time was 2:01.2; no Derby winner in the next 20 years came close.



Soccer
English FA Cup
Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Ipswich Town 1 Arsenal 0

The game, broadcast on CBC television, was the first FA Cup Final to be telecast in Canada (see video).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Montreal 6 @ Toronto 1 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-0)

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heart--Pet Shop Boys (3rd week at #1)

War
Bloody fighting broke out in the southern suburbs of Beirut between the pro-Iranian Hezbollah (Party of God) and the Syrian-supported Amal militia. Both sides were competing for the support of Lebanon’s Shiites.

Scandal
Two aides to U.S. Vice President George Bush said that Attorney General Edwin Meese should resign because allegations of misconduct posed problems for Mr. Bush’s presidential campaign.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference
Finals
Boston 6 @ New Jersey 1 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Devils’ head coach Jim Schoenfeld was enraged by the officiating of referee Don Koharski, and confronted him after the game, shouting the immortal line, "Have another donut, you fat pig!" Mr. Koharski, one of the worst referees in all recorded history, tripped when trying to avoid him, and fell against a wall. Mr. Schoenfeld was suspended for "pushing" Mr. Koharski.



Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Eastern Conference
First Round
Atlanta 99 @ Milwaukee 105 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)
Boston 102 @ New York 94 (Boston won best-of-five series 3-1)

Western Conference
First Round
Portland 96 @ Utah 111 (Utah won best-of-five series 3-1)

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Informer--Snow (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Ann Todd, 84. U.K. actress. Miss Todd appeared in such movies as The Seventh Veil (1945); The Paradine Case (1947); So Evil My Love (1948); The Passionate Friends (1949); Madeleine (1950); and The Sound Barrier (1952), the last three of which were directed by her second husband, David Lean.

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Columbia and her seven-man crew commanded by Steven Nagel landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California at the end of the 10-day research mission STS-55.

Abominations
The Quebec National Assembly, led by the Liberal government of Premier Robert Bourassa, passed Bill 86, permitting interior English signs if they were smaller than those outside. Of course, Quebec shouldn't have had any such restrictions at all.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference
Division Finals
Montreal 4 @ Buffalo 3 (OT) (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-0)
Pittsburgh 3 @ New York Islanders 1 (Pittsburgh led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Gilbert Dionne scored at 8:28 of the 1st overtime period to give the Canadiens their win over the Sabres at War Memorial Auditorium.

Basketball
NBA
Playoffs
Eastern Conference
First Round
New York 109 @ Indiana 100 (New York won best-of-five series 3-1)

Western Conference
First Round
Phoenix 101 @ Los Angeles Lakers 86 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)
Seattle 93 @ Utah 80 (Best-of-five series tied 2-2)

20 years ago
1998

At the movies
This blogger attended a preview screening of Deep Impact, starring Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, and Vanessa Redgrave. The film opened in theatres two days later.

Politics and government
U.S. House of Representatives investigator David Bossie, a top aide in the campaign finance inquiry, resigned after bipartisan criticism of his role in releasing tapes of the prison conversations of Webster Hubbell, a former law partner of Hillary Clinton.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Charlotte 78 @ Chicago 76 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 92 @ Seattle 68 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Baseball
Kerry Wood, making his fifth major league start at age 20, set a National League record and tied Roger Clemens' major league record for most strikeouts in a 9-inning game (20), pitching a 2-0 1-hitter for the Chicago Cubs over the Houston Astros before 15,758 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Mr. Wood also broke the National League record of 19 strikeouts in a 9-inning game, held by Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver and David Cone.

The San Francisco Giants (3) and Florida Marlins (4) combined for 7 home runs as the Giants won 10-9 before 16,189 fans at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. Brent Mayne's grand slam highlighted a 6-run 7th inning for the Giants. Bobby Bonilla hit 2 homers for the Marlins, driving in 4 runs.

Bobby Abreau's fourth hit of the game, a single with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th inning, drove home Mike Lieberthal with the winning run as the Philadelphia Phillies edged the Colorado Rockies 7-6 before 19,538 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Phillies tied the game with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th when pinch hitter Gregg Jefferies singled home Mr. Abreu. Larry Walker hit a grand slam for the Rockies in the 6th.

The Minnesota Twins withstood a 3-run 9th-inning rally to edge the Boston Red Sox 8-7 before 20,954 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox had the potential tying run on second base with 2 out in the 9th, but Nomar Garciaparra grounded out to second baseman Todd Walker to end the game.

The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers each had a 7-run inning, but the Yankees scored single runs in the 8th and 9th innings to defeat the Rangers 15-13 before 33,274 fans at the Ballpark in Arlington. The Yankees scored 2 runs in the 1st inning and 7 in the 2nd to take a 9-0 lead, but the Rangers responded with 7 in the 3rd. New York shortstop Derek Jeter batted 4 for 5 with a home run, triple, 2 runs, and 5 runs batted in. Texas right fielder Juan Gonzalez was 3 for 5 with a homer, 3 runs, and 5 RBIs.

10 years ago
2008

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Cleveland 72 @ Boston 76 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)