May 3, 2019

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Pud Smith!

550 years ago
1469

Born on this date
Niccolò Machiavelli. Italian diplomat and political scientist. Mr. Machiavelli was a senior diplomatic official with the Florentine Republic who wrote numerous books, the best-known and most influential of which was Il Principe (The Prince) (1532), where he argued that unethical behaviour was common in political leaders and should be encouraged at times. Mr. Machiavelli died on June 21, 1527 at the age of 58.

525 years ago
1494

Exploration
Christopher Columbus sighted the island of Jamaica.

290 years ago
1729

Born on this date
Florian Leopold Gassmann. Bohemian composer. Mr. Gassmann wrote 32 symphonies and numerous other instrumental works, but was best known for his operas. He died on January 21, 1774 at the age of 44 from the long-term effects of a carriage accident.

180 years ago
1839

Died on this date
Ferdinando Paer, 67. Italian composer. Mr. Paer was known for his 55 operas, including Leonora (1804).

175 years ago
1844

Born on this date
Richard D'Oyly Carte. U.K. impresario and hotelier. Mr. Carte wrote songs, but was best known for founding the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which staged the comic operas of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan in the Savoy Theatre, which Mr. Carte built. He also built the Savoy Hotel and acquired other hotels, helping to make the business respectable. Mr. Carte died of dropsy and heart disease on April 3, 1901, a month before his 57th birthday.

170 years ago
1849

Born on this date
Jacob Riis. Danish-born U.S. photojournalist. Mr. Riis moved to the United States at the age of 21, working as a carpenter and becoming acquainted with the living conditions of New York City's slum dwellers. He advocated for the improvement of tenement living conditions, most notably in his book of photographs and commentary How the Other Half Lives (1890). Mr. Riis continued his efforts at social reform until his death on May 26, 1914, 23 days after his 65th birthday.

Bernhard von Bülow. Chancellor of Germany, 1900-1909. Fürst (Prince) von Bülow was Germany's Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs (1897-1900) and Prussia's Minister of Foreign Affairs (1897-1909) in addition to serving as Chancellor of Germany and Minister President of Prussia (1900-1909). He spent much of his time as Chancellor defending German imperialism and representing the views of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Fürst von Bülow died on October 28, 1929 at the age of 80.

Oliver Brown. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Brown was an outfielder and first baseman with the Brooklyn Atlantics when they were an amateur team (1869), and when they were part of the National Association (1872, 1875), batting .080 (2 for 25) in 7 games. He died on September 23, 1932 at the age of 83.

Protest
The May Uprising, the last of the German revolutions of 1848–49, began in Dresden.

160 years ago
1859

Born on this date
Garry Herrmann. U.S. baseball executive. Mr. Herrmann was President of the Cincinnati Reds (1902-1927) and President of the National Baseball Commission (1903-1920). He died on April 25, 1931, eight days before his 72nd birthday.

140 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Fergus McMaster. Australian aviation executive. Sir Fergus co-founded Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited--now known as QANTAS--and served as its chairman for all but three years from 1920-1947. He died on August 8, 1950 at the age of 71.

130 years ago
1889

Born on this date
Beulah Bondi. U.S. actress. Miss Bondi was a character actress in plays, films, and television programs. She was nominated for Academy Awards for her supporting performances in The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) and Of Human Hearts (1938), and won an Emmy Award for a guest appearance in The Waltons (1976). Miss Bondi died on January 11, 1981 at the age of 91 from pulmonary complications following broken ribs after tripping over her cat.

110 years ago
1909

Horse racing
Wintergreen, with Vincent Powers up, won the 35th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:08 1/5, 4 lengths ahead of Miami, with Dr Barkley third in the 10-horse field.

100 years ago
1919

Born on this date
Pete Seeger. U.S. musician. Mr. Seeger was a member of the popular folk group The Weavers. His compositions include Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, If I Had a Hammer, and Turn! Turn! Turn!. A longtime Stalinist, Mr. Seeger in later years repented of his support for Uncle Joe--better late than never. Mr. Seeger died on January 27, 2014 at the age of 94. For Mark Steyn's take on Mr. Seeger's political sympathies, go here.

Abominations
Women in Yukon Territory won the right to vote.

80 years ago
1939

Politics and government
The All India Forward Bloc was formed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, four days after his resignation from the Indian National Congress Party.

75 years ago
1944

War
German forces flooded large portions of the Pontine Marshes between the Anzio and Cassino fronts in Italy. A Japanese drive along the Peking-Hankow railway from Chengchow was complemented by a new offensive northward along the route from Siyang in the province of Honan in southern China. British armoured columns took several points from the Japanese around Kohima in eastern India.

Religion
The General Conference of the Methodist Church in Kansas City rejected a solution to admit women to full rights of ministers.

Medicine
Polaroid Corporation announced that synthetic quinine had been produced from coal tar products by Drs. Robert Woodward and William Doering.

Law
The U.S. House of Representatives World War Veterans Committee approved the "GI Bill" with only minor changes from the version approved by the Senate.

Labour
Mexico issued a decree ending the siesta--the custom of stopping work for a midday nap.

The U.S. Senate approved without opposition a resolution by Senator Harry Byrd (Democrat--Virginia) calling for an investigation by the Senate Judiciary Committee of the federal government seizure of the Montgomery Ward & Company plant in Chicago and of the dispute between the company and its employees.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Office of Price Administration announced that all meats would be ration-free effective the next day, except for steaks and roast beef.

Oil
U.S. and U.K. oil experts ended "exploratory conversations" on postwar oil development and reportedly recommended equal opportunity for the U.S. and U.K. in the development of world sources.

70 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Dead Ernest, starring Margaret Phillips, Tod Andrews, and Will Hare



War
Chinese Nationalist forces abandoned the port of Hangchow, near Shanghai, to the Communists. U.S. Air Force General Claire Chennault, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged the United States to provide $700 million in military aid to Nationalist forces in southern China.

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman announced General Lucius Clay's forthcoming retirement as head of the U.S. military government in Germany and commander of U.S. forces in Europe.

World events
The Syrian government lifted restrictions on travel and business and property transactions by Jews.

Economics and finance
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund admitted Thailand as their 48th member.

60 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): L'Eau vive--Guy Béart

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Banquo's Chair, starring John Williams, Kenneth Haigh, and Reginald Gardiner

This episode was directed by Mr. Hitchcock.

Died on this date
Hassan Jabbara, 61. U.A.R. politician. Mr. Jabbara, a Syrian, was the United Arab Republic's Finance Minister.

Politics and government
Warning that President Charles de Gaulle was the only barrier to the collapse of French democracy, Socialist Party leader Guy Mollet called for the creation of a "front for the defense of the Republic" to fight the rise of "internal Fascism."

Religion
Marie-Marguerite d'Youville became the first Canadian to be beatified by the Roman Catholic Church. A native of Varennes and a mother of two, she became a nun after the death of her husband and devoted her life to alleviating the misery of inhabitants of Quebec until her death in Montreal on December 23, 1771 at the age of 70. Marie-Marguerite d'Youville was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1994.

50 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)--Peter Sarstedt (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells (7th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Le métèque--Georges Moustaki (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Eloise--Barry Ryan (4th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Crimson and Clover--Tommy James and the Shondells

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Goodbye--Mary Hopkin

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Israelites--Desmond Dekker and the Aces (2nd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)--Peter Sarstedt
2 Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da/While My Guitar Gently Weeps--The Beatles
3 Dizzy--Tommy Roe
4 Indian Giver--1910 Fruitgum Co.
5 Adios Amor--Jose Feliciano
6 Galveston--Glen Campbell
7 The Real Thing--Russell Morris
8 Sorry Suzanne--The Hollies
9 Build Me Up Buttercup--The Foundations
10 Boom Bang-a-Bang--Lulu

Singles entering the chart were These are Not My People by Johnny Rivers (#32); Don Juan by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (#33); and Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show by Neil Diamond (#36).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Goodbye--Mary Hopkin (2nd week at #1)
2 Get Back--The Beatles featuring Billy Preston
3 5th Symphony Beethoven--Ekseption
4 Why--The Cats
5 Seasons in the Sun--The Fortunes
6 The Walls Fell Down--The Marbles
7 The Last Seven Days--Gloria
8 Mendocino--Sir Douglas Quintet
9 Ensemble--Mireille Mathieu
10 Don Juan--Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

Singles entering the chart were Twenty-Five Miles by Edwin Starr (#32); Harlem Shuffle by Bob and Earl (#35); De Toeteraar by Conny Vink (#37); I Don't Know Why by Stevie Wonder (#38); The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel (#39); and Azzurro by Adriano Celentano (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension (4th week at #1)
2 It's Your Thing--The Isley Brothers
3 Hair--The Cowsills
4 You've Made Me So Very Happy--Blood, Sweat & Tears
5 Only the Strong Survive--Jerry Butler
6 Time is Tight--Booker T. & the M.G.'s
7 Sweet Cherry Wine--Tommy James and the Shondells
8 Hawaii Five-O--The Ventures
9 The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
10 Galveston--Glen Campbell

Singles entering the chart were Where's the Playground Susie by Glen Campbell (#59); Everyday with You Girl by Classics IV (#74); Proud Mary by Solomon Burke (#77); Lodi (#78)/Bad Moon Rising (#80) by Creedence Clearwater Revival; In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley (#79); Medicine Man (Part I) by the Buchanan Brothers (#83); One by Three Dog Night (#84); Pretty World by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (#85); With Pen in Hand by Vikki Carr (#89); Marley Purt Drive by Jose Feliciano (#96); I Could Never Lie to You by the New Colony Six (#97); The Windmills of Your Mind by Dusty Springfield (#99); and I Want to Love You Baby by Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson (#100).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension (5th week at #1)
2 Hair--The Cowsills
3 It's Your Thing--The Isley Brothers
4 You've Made Me So Very Happy--Blood, Sweat & Tears
5 Only the Strong Survive--Jerry Butler
6 Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'--Crazy Elephant
7 The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
8 Twenty-Five Miles--Edwin Starr
9 Hawaii Five-O--The Ventures
10 Time is Tight--Booker T. & the M.G.'s

Singles entering the chart were Oh Happy Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers (#45); Where's the Playground Susie by Glen Campbell (#46); Get Back (#51)/Don't Let Me Down (#72) by the Beatles with Billy Preston; In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley (#56); Everyday with You Girl by Classics IV (#60); Lodi (#62)/Bad Moon Rising (#68) by Creedence Clearwater Revival; I Could Never Lie to You by the New Colony Six (#76); What is a Man by the Four Tops (#79); The Windmills of Your Mind by Dusty Springfield (#86); Truck Stop by Jerry Smith (#90); I've Been Loving You Too Long by Ike & Tina Turner (#91); Never Gonna Let Him Know by Debbie Taylor (#92); Proud Mary by Solomon Burke (#93); I Can't Say No to You by Betty Everett (#94); Greensleeves by Mason Williams (#96); Mr. Walker, It's All Over by Billie Jo Spears (#98); Love is Strange by Buddy Holly (#99); and Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet by Henry Mancini, his Orchestra and Chorus (#100). Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet, was, as the title implies, an instrumental version of the theme from the movie.

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)--The 5th Dimension (4th week at #1)
2 Hair--The Cowsills
3 The Boxer--Simon & Garfunkel
4 Hawaii Five-O--The Ventures
5 Tricia Tell Your Daddy--Andy Kim
6 Sweet Cherry Wine--Tommy James and the Shondells
7 Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'--Crazy Elephant
8 Wishful Sinful--The Doors
9 Indian Giver--1910 Fruitgum Co.
10 In the Bad, Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)--The Foundations
Pick hit of the week: Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)--Peter Sarstedt

Died on this date
Zakir Husain, 72. 3rd President of India, 1967-1969; 2nd Vice President of India, 1962-1967. Dr. Husain co-founded the National Muslim University in 1920 before obtaining a doctorate in economics. An independent politician, he was Governor of Bihar from 1957-1962, resigning to take the vice presidency, which he then left upon assuming the presidency. Dr. Husain died in office, and was succeeded by Vice President V.V. Giri.

Horse racing
Majestic Prince, with Bill Hartack up, won the 95th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville in a time of 2:01 4/5, a neck ahead of Arts and Letters, with Dike third in the eight-horse field.



Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles 90 @ Boston 99 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Don Nelson scored 25 points for the Celtics as they beat the Lakers before 15,128 fans at Boston Garden. Jerry West and Elgin Baylor each scored 26 points for the Lakers, while Wilt Chamberlain scored just 8 points. Boston led 32-22 after the 1st quarter and 55-39 at halftime.

ABA
Finals
Oakland 134 @ Indiana 126 (OT) (Oakland led best-of-seven series 2-1)

The Oaks outscored the Pacers 16-8 in overtime to win before 8,067 fans at Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis. Warren Jabali led Oakland with 37 points, while Mel Daniels and Roger Brown each scored 29 for Indiana.

40 years ago
1979

Politics and government
The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher, won a majority of seats in the House of Commons in the British general election, unseating the Labour Party government of James Callaghan. With 318 seats needed for a majority, the Conservatives won 339 seats, an increase of 62 from the most recent election in 1974. The Labour Party, which had been in power since 1974, won 269 seats, a decline of 50 from 1974. The Liberal Party, led by David Steel, were next with 11 seats, a decrease of 2 from 1974.

Angus MacLean was sworn in as Premier of Prince Edward Island, leading a Progressive Conservative government replacing the Liberal government of Bennett Campbell.

Environment
U.S. Health, Education, and Welfare Secretary Joseph Califano said in Senate testimony that radiation danger from the Three Mile Island accident was twice as high as original estimates, and could account for one in ten cancer deaths in the future for area residents.

Disasters
A Yukon River flood submerged Dawson City under more than two metres of water; downtown was declared a disaster area.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Montreal 3 @ Boston 4 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)
New York Islanders 3 @ New York Rangers 2 (OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Jean Ratelle's third goal of the game, at 3:46 of the 1st overtime period, gave the Bruins their win over the Canadiens at Boston Garden. Peter McNab had scored with 3:42 remaining in regulation time to give Boston a 3-2 lead, but Guy Lapointe scored 1:36 later to tie the score.

Bob Nystrom scored at 3:40 of the 1st overtime period to give the Islanders their win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Don Maloney scored both Ranger goals.

30 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): The Look--Roxette

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Like a Prayer--Madonna (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Christine Jorgensen, 62. U.S. deviate. Born George Jorgensen, Jr., Mr. Jorgensen underwent a series of operations in Copenhagen in 1951 and 1952 to change his sex, becoming the U.S.A.'s first well-known transsexual.

World events
A Syrian official claimed that the three Israeli officials who had been seized two days earlier crossing Syrian lines in northern Lebanon had admitted being on a spying mission. The three were members of Israel's informal embassy in Lebanon.

Politics and government
John Turner, who had briefly served as Prime Minister of Canada in 1984 after winning the leadership of the Liberal Party, announced his resignation as party leader as soon as a successor was chosen. Mr. Turner had succeeded Pierre Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister in 1984, but had served just 69 days in the latter post as a result of the Liberal's defeat by the Progressive Conservatives in the federal election. Mr. Turner had remained as Leader of the Opposition through the 1988 federal election campaign.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Prince of Wales Conference Finals
Philadelphia 0 @ Montreal 3 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Patrick Roy posted the shutout in goal for the Canadiens as they blanked the Flyers at the Montreal Forum.

25 years ago
1994

Abominations
In Seattle, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Rothstein struck down Washington's law prohibiting assisted suicide, holding that it violated the United States Constitution's 14th Amendment protection against government infringement of individual rights.

Politics and government
Grace McCarthy resigned as leader of British Columbia's Social Credit Party after failing to win a seat in the provincial legislature in a by-election. The party held just 2 seats in the legislature.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators had risen 0.7% in March.

20 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Joe Adcock, 71. U.S. baseball player and manager. Mr. Adcock was a first baseman with the Cincinnati Reds (1950-1952); Milwaukee Braves (1953-1962); Cleveland Indians (1963); and Los Angeles/California Angels (1964-1966), batting .277 with 336 home runs and 1,122 runs batted in in 1,959 games. He helped the Braves win the World Series in 1957 and the National League pennant in 1958, but is best remembered for two games. On July 31, 1954, Mr. Adcock tied the major league record with 4 home runs in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, while just missing a fifth homer when he hit another ball off the top of the wall for a double; his 18 total bases was a major league record that stood until 2002. On May 26, 1959, Mr. Adcock broke up a no-hitter by Harvey Haddix of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the bottom of the 13th inning by hitting what should have been a game-ending home run, but was ruled a double after he passed Hank Aaron on the basepaths and was called out. Mr. Adcock managed the Indians in 1967, but the team posted a 75-87 record, finishing 8th in the 10-team American League, and he was replaced by Alvin Dark after the season. Mr. Adcock died of Alzheimer's disease.

Steve Chiasson, 32. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Chiasson, a native of Barrie, Ontario, was a defenceman with the Detroit Red Wings (1986-94); Calgary Flames (1994-97); and Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes (1997-99), scoring 398 points on 93 goals and 305 assists in 751 regular season games, and 16 goals and 18 assists in 63 playoff games. He represented Canada in eight IIHF World Championships. After the Hurricanes were eliminated from the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs, Mr. Chiasson got drunk at a team party, insisted on driving his pickup truck home, and was killed in a crash.

Disasters
Tornadoes tore across northern and southern plains in the United States, killing about 50 people, injuring more than 700, and destroying or damaging more than 2,000 houses. 76 twisters were tallied; one of them, reportedly a mile wide, plowed 20 miles through the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Oklahoma, the hardest-hit state, endured 45 tornadoes and reported more than 40 deaths. Five died in Kansas. Texas, Nebraska, and South Dakota were also heavily hit. Damages in Oklahoma and Kansas were put at $200 million and $140 million respectively.