April 10, 2020

380 years ago
1640

Died on this date
Agostino Agazzari, 61. Italian composer and theorist. Mr. Agazzari was an organist who was known for his sacred music and madrigals, as well as the drama Eumelio (1606). He wrote Del sonare sopra il basso (1607), one of the earliest and most important works on basso continuo.

310 years ago
1710

Law
Five days after receiving royal assent, the Statute of Anne, establishing the Copyright law of the United Kingdom, went into force.

230 years ago
1790

Americana
The U.S. patent system was formed.

140 years ago
1880

Born on this date
Frances Perkins. U.S. sociologist and politician. Miss Perkins was a labour activist who became the first woman appointed to a federal cabinet post, serving as United States Secretary of Labor in the administrations of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman (1933-1945). She implemented many aspects of President Roosevelt's New Deal economic programs, and instituted labour reforms such as the 40-hour work week, and minimum wage and overtime laws. Mr. Truman preferred to appoint his own cabinet upon succeeding the late Mr. Roosevelt in 1945, but Miss Perkins accepted his invitation to sit on the U.S. Civil Service Commission, and served from 1945-1952. She died on May 14, 1965 at the age of 85.

110 years ago
1910

Born on this date
Margaret Clapp. U.S. historian. Dr. Clapp taught at several colleges and universities for about 30 years. She was awarded the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for Forgotten First Citizen: John Bigelow (1947). Dr. Clapp died of cancer on May 3, 1974, 23 days after her 64th birthday.

80 years ago
1940

Died on this date
Friedrich Bonte, 43. German military officer. Kapitän zur See Bonte commanded the naval flotilla transporting troops to Narvik during Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of Norway. He was aboard the flagship destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp when it was hit by a torpedo from a British destroyer, and he was killed with most of the crew.

War
German advances in Norway were met with continued resistance. British naval forces reportedly won a major victory off Narvik, sinking five German destroyers; two British destroyers were lost. Luftwaffe bombers sank a British destroyer off Bergen, while British bombers sank a German cruiser in the city's harbour. The U.K. and France warned Belgium that a German invasion may be imminent, and urged immediate preventive action.

Diplomacy
Belgium declared her continued neutrality in European affairs.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with Danish Foreign Minister Henrik de Kauffmann to discuss the fate of Greenland.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt froze the assets of the Danish and Norwegian governments in the United States. The two countries had been invaded by German forces the previous day.

Chinese leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek appointed a 10-man commission to propose solutions to rapid inflation in China.

Agriculture
The United States Agriculture Department predicted a winter wheat crop of 426 million bushels, the smallest since 1933.

Politics and government
Oren Root, Jr. announced a drive to gain nationwide popular support for New York lawyer Wendell Willkie to be the Republican Party's candidate for President of the United States in the November 1940 election.

75 years ago
1945

Theatre
The New York Drama Critics' Circle selected The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams as the Best American Play of the 1944-1945 season.

War
U.S. forces in Germany captured Hanover, while British troops reached the outskirts of Bremen. U.S. troops captured former German Chancellor and former Nazi Vice Chancellor Franz von Papen. Soviet forces seized all of Vienna west and south of the Danube River except for the island between the river and the Danube Canal. U.S. Marines cleared most of Motubu Peninsula on the northern half of Okinawa, capturing the naval base at Unten Harbor.

Diplomacy
U.S. delegates to the World Security Conference agreed to decide on questions of policy by majority rule; support the Security Council voting procedure; and support the U.S.S.R.'s claim to three votes.

Law
International jurists agreed on The Hague as the seat of the new World Court.

Academia
Professor Albert Einstein retired from the faculty of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University and received the title of Professor Emeritus.

Economics and finance
The United States Senate voted to extend the Lend-Lease Act for another year after June 30, 1945.

Agriculture
The United States Agriculture Department forecast a record winter wheat crop of about 862,515,000 bushels.

70 years ago
1950

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Faithful Heart, starring Anne Francis, Dorothy Francis, and John Hamilton

Died on this date
Fevzi Çakmak, 74. Prime Minister of Turkey, 1921-1922. Mareşal (Field Marshal) Çakmak joined the Ottoman Army in 1896, serving in the Balkan Wars and World War I. He was Chief of General Staff (December 1918-May 1919) and Minister of War (February-April 1920) during the final months of the Ottoman Empire. He was one of the founders of the "official" Turkish Communist Party in 1920, holding posts as Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense (1920-1921), and most notably, Chief of General Staff (1921-1944). Mareşal Çakmak succeeded Mustafa Kemal as Prime Minister in January 1921, resigning in July 1922 to engage in the successful Battle of Dumlupınar against Greek forces.

War
The People's Republic of China approved plans for the evacuation of Americans from Shanghai.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-2 to uphold the right of a congressional committee to compel witnesses whether they were Communists by refusing to review the contempt of Congress citations of screenwriters John Howard Lawson and Dalton Trumbo.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate confirmed President Harry Truman's nomination of Stuart Symington as chairman of the National Security Resources Board and Frank Pace, Jr. as Secretary of the Army.

Economics and finance
The Inter-American Economic and Social Council urged the United States to fund a $2.6-million program to train Latin American technicians.

The U.S. Senate passed and sent to President Truman a compromise measure authorizing $3.5 billion in federal mortgage guarantees and housing loans.

60 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?, starring William Shatner, Jessie Royce Landis, and Gia Scala

Died on this date
André Berthomieu, 57. French film director and screenwriter. Mr. Berthomieu directed 70 movies from 1928-1960, writing the screenplays for 39 films. His movies included La flamme (The Flame) (1936); L'ange de la nuit (The Angel of the Night) (1944); and Peloton d'exécution (Resistance) (1945).

Golf
Arnold Palmer scored birdies on the 17th and 18th holes in the final round to beat Ken Venturi by 1 stroke and win his second Masters title at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. First prize money was $17,500.



Auto racing
USAC
Championship Car Series
Rodger Ward won the Trenton 100 at Trenton Speedway in New Jersey. Tony Bettenhausen finished second and Jim McWithey third in the 22-car field. It was the first race of the season.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): All Kinds of Everything--Dana (4th week at #1)

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Love is a Beautiful Song--Dave Mills (2nd week at #1)
2 Hitchin' a Ride--Vanity Fare
3 Arizona--Mark Lindsay
4 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
5 Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse
6 Venus--Shocking Blue
7 Travelin' Band--Creedence Clearwater Revival
8 Holly Holy--Neil Diamond
9 Ma Belle Amie--Tee Set
10 Wand'rin' Star--Lee Marvin

Singles entering the chart were Years May Come, Years May Go by Herman's Hermits (#17); Tchaikovsky One by Omega Limited (#18); and Spider Spider by Tidal Wave (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Let it Be--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 American Woman/No Sugar Tonight--The Guess Who
3 Come and Get It--Badfinger
4 Instant Karma (We All Shine On)--John Ono Lennon (with the Plastic Ono Band)
5 Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)--Edison Lighthouse
6 Easy Come, Easy Go--Bobby Sherman
7 Something's Burning--Kenny Rogers and the First Edition
8 Shilo--Neil Diamond
9 You, Me and Mexico--Edward Bear
10 Little Green Bag--George Baker Selection

Singles entering the chart were Mr. Monday by the Original Caste (#22); Long Lonesome Highway by Michael Parks (#23); Everything is Beautiful by Ray Stevens (#25); Everybody's Out of Town by B.J. Thomas (#26); Turn Back the Hands of Time by Tyrone Davis (#28); Make Me Smile by Chicago (#29); and For the Love of Him by Bobbi Martin (#30).

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Let it Be--The Beatles (4th week at #1)
2 Something's Burning--Kenny Rogers and the First Edition
3 Come and Get It--Badfinger
4 Spirit in the Sky--Norman Greenbaum
5 House of the Rising Sun--Frijid Pink
6 Instant Karma (We All Shine On)--John Ono Lennon (with the Plastic Ono Band)
7 Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel
8 Shilo--Neil Diamond
9 Give Me Just a Little More Time--The Chairmen of the Board
10 American Woman--The Guess Who

Music
Paul McCartney announced that the Beatles were breaking up, as his solo album McCartney was about to be released.

Roy Orbison performed at the Edmonton Gardens.

Politics and government
The Rhodesian Front party of Prime Minister Ian Smith won an overwhelming majority of the 50 white seats in the new Rhodesian parliament. 16 seats were reserved for Negroes.

Greek Prime Minister George Papadopoulos announced that martial law was being eased and some constitutional safeguards restored, but he added that the Greek people were not yet ready for the return of parliamentary democracy.

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted unanimously to repeal the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin resolution and the 1957 Middle East resolution. The administration of President Lyndon Johnson often cited the Gulf of Tonkin resolution as authority for U.S. military intervention in Vietnam, but the current administration of Richard Nixon said it did not need the resolution. The Middle East resolution offered military aid to countries threatened by Communism.

Environment
The government of Canada created two new national parks: one at Artillery Lake in the Northwest Territories, northeast of Yellowknife; and the other on the Trent Canal, Ontario.

Baseball
The Chicago Cubs were trailing the Montreal Expos 1-0 before 4,794 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal with 2 out in the 9th inning when Ron Santo singled, and Johnny Callison hit a home run to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead. The held on to win, with veteran relief pitcher Hank Aguirre (1-0) getting the win. It was a heartbreaking loss for Joe Sparma (0-2), who allowed just 5 hits and 2 bases on balls in a complete game, and his only good game in a Montreal uniform.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (Hot Press): Take that Look Off Your Face--Marti Webb (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Kay Medford, 60. U.S. actress. Miss Medford, whose real name was Margaret Kathleen Regan, was known for her comic performances in plays and films. Her most notable role was that of Rose Brice in the Broadway musical (1964) and movie (1968) Funny Girl, resulting in Tony Award and Academy Award nominations, respectively. Miss Medford died of cervical cancer.

Diplomacy
The foreign ministers of the nine European Economic Community countries, meeting in Lisbon, declined to join the United States in imposing sanctions on or cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, but issued a conventional diplomatic demand for release of the hostages from the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

Academia
It was the last day of classes at the University of Alberta, and this blogger celebrated by attending a screening of Animal House at SUB Theatre. It was then an annual event to show this movie on campus on the last day of classes, and the theatre was packed.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Preliminary Round
Pittsburgh 1 @ Boston 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Baseball
Sixto Lezcano hit a 2-run home run off Dennis Eckersley in the 4th inning and a 2-out grand slam in the 9th off Dick Drago to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 9-5 win over the Boston Red Sox before 53,313 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee.

A wild pitch by Goose Gossage in the bottom of the 12th inning allowed Mickey Rivers to score the game’s only run as the Texas Rangers edged the New York Yankees 1-0 before 33,196 fans at Arlington Stadium. Starting pitchers Jon Matlack of the Rangers and Ron Guidry of the Yankees each pitched 9 scoreless innings.

30 years ago
1990

Abominations
The Canadian House of Commons voted 144-114 to approve the Goods and Services Tax (GST), effective January 1, 1991. Alberta MPs David Kilgour and Alex Kindy broke ranks with the Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and voted against the tax. The provincial legislature of British Columbia voted unanimously to oppose the new tax.

Diplomacy
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney met U.S. President George Bush in Toronto for talks on acid rain and East-West relations.

Environment
The International Joint Commission said that Canada and the U.S.A. must stop dumping toxic substances into the Great Lakes, with disease and birth defects a serious threat.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Edmonton 3 @ Winnipeg 4 (2 OT) (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 3-1)
Calgary 4 @ Los Angeles 12 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 3-1)
St. Louis 2 @ Toronto 4 (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 3-1)
Chicago 0 @ Minnesota 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

The Kings were leading the Flames 7-0 when CBC in Calgary decided to cut away from the telecast. For some reason, many Calgary fans were upset by this, and phoned in their protests.

Baseball
U.S. President George Bush, a guest of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, became the first U.S. President to throw out a first ball outside the United States, which he did at SkyDome in Toronto. The Blue Jays won their home opener 2-1 over the Texas Rangers before a crowd of 49,673, as Dave Stieb pitched 6 scoreless innings to win the pitchers' duel over Charlie Hough.

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Baby Baby--Corona (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): You Belong to Me--JX

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Self Esteem--The Offspring

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis (9th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Know--Dionne Farris
2 Believe--Elton John
3 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
4 O Siem--Susan Aglukark
5 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead--Crash Test Dummies
6 Murder Incorporated--Bruce Springsteen
7 You Lose You Gain--John Bottomley
8 No More "I Love You's"--Annie Lennox
9 Gel--Collective Soul
10 She's a River--Simple Minds

Singles entering the chart were Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? by Bryan Adams (#72); Tell Me When by the Human League (#75); Down by the Water by PJ Harvey (#91); Mr. Personality by Gillette (#92); On and On by Crash Vegas (#94); Connection by Elastica (#95); Sick of Myself by Matthew Sweet (#96); Here and Now by Letters to Cleo (#97); and Come On by Barry White (#98).

Died on this date
Morarji Desai, 99. Prime Minister of India, 1977-1979. Mr. Desai was affiliated with several parties and held several positions before leading the Janata Party to victory and becoming India's first Prime Minister from a party other than the Congress Party.

Terrorism
The Palestinian National Authority announced that a member of Islamic Jihad had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for recruiting young men as suicide bombers.

Politics and government
U.S. Senator Bob Dole (Kansas) announced that he would seek the 1996 Republican Party nomination for President of the United States.

U.S. Representative Nathan Deal (Georgia) announced that he was switching parties from the Democrats to the Republicans.

20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Peter Jones, 79. U.K. actor. Mr. Jones appeared in plays, radio, and television programs in a career spanning four decades. He and Peter Ustinov co-starred in the radio comedy series In All Directions (1952-1955). Mr. Jones played Mr. Fenner in the television comedy series The Rag Trade (1961-1963, 1977-1978), and co-starred in the television comedy series Mr Digby, Darling (1969-1971).

Larry Linville, 60. U.S. actor. Mr. Linville appeared in various television programs from the 1960s through the 1990s, but was best known for playing Major Frank Burns in the television comedy series M*A*S*H (1972-1977). He died of pneumonia following surgery for cancer.

Diplomacy
North and South Korea announced that their leaders would meet in Pyongyang in the first diplomatic summit ever between the longtime enemies.

China rejected the U.S.A.’s explanation for the May 1999 bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, which had resulted in the deaths of three Chinese citizens.

Politics and government
Germany’s opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union, chose Angela Merkel as its leader. She became the first woman to lead a major political party in Germany.

Labour
Mark Hedley, a supermarket manager in England who had been sacked for being HIV positive, reached an agreement to receive damages in the area of £300,000.

Baseball
Ken Griffey, Jr. became the youngest player to hit 400 career major league home runs, but his Cincinnati Reds lost 7-5 to the Colorado Rockies before 48,094 fans at Coors Field in Denver.

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Ryszard Kaczorowski, 90. 6th President-in-Exile of Poland, 1989-1990. Mr. Kaczorowski served time in a concentration camp during World War II after being arrested by the Soviet secret police NKVD, but was freed in 1941, and fought with Polish troops in Italy. He spent most of the rest of his life in London, and succeeded the late Kazimierz Sabbat to become Poland's last President-in Exile. He surrendered the office when Lech Wałęsa became the country's first democratically-elected President after Poland obtained her independence from the influence of the Soviet Union. Mr. Kaczorowski was the oldest of 96 people killed in the crash of a Polish Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 near Smolensk, Russia.

Dixie Carter, 70. U.S. actress. Miss Carter was best known for her co-starring roles in the television series Designing Women (1986–1993) and Family Law (1999-2002), but this blogger remembers her as District Attorney Brandy Henderson in the television soap opera The Edge of Night (1974-1976). She died of endometrial cancer.

Lech Kaczyński, 60. President of Poland, 2005-2010. Mr. Kaczyński, an independent politician before co-founding the Law and Justice party in 2001, was President of Poland's Supreme Audit Office (1992-1995); Minister of Justice and Public Prosecutor General (2000-2001); and Mayor of Warsaw (2002-2005). Several months after taking office as President, he appointed his brother Jarosław as Prime Minister. Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria Kaczyńska, 67, were among the 96 people killed in the crash of a Polish Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 near Smolensk.

Disasters
A Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashed while attempting to land at Smolensk North Airport in Russia, killing all 96 people aboard, including many dignitaries.