April 8, 2020

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Debbie Lenglet!

700 years ago
1320

Born on this date
Pedro I. King of Portugal, 1357-1367. Peter I, nicknamed "The Just" or "The Cruel" depending on one's point of view, was the son of Afonso IV, and had a difficult relationship with his father. When Pedro pursued a relationship with a Galician woman named Inês de Castro and appointed her brothers to key positions, King Afonso had her beheaded. Pedro then launched an unsuccessful revolt against his father, but King Afonso IV soon died, and Pedro I acceded to the throne. He earned his nicknames, imposing numerous death sentences while defending the least favoured groups in society and resisting papal authority. Pedro I died on January 13, 1367 at the age of 46, and was succeeded on the throne by his son Ferdinand I.

200 years ago
1820

Art
The Venus de Milo was discovered on the Aegean island of Milos.

125 years ago
1895

Law
In Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., the Supreme Court of the United States declared unapportioned income tax to be unconstitutional.

110 years ago
1910

Born on this date
George Musso. U.S. football player. Mr. Musso was a tackle and guard at Milliken University in Illinois before playing with the Chicago Bears (1933-1944), helping the Bears win four National Football League championships (1933, 1940-1941, 1943), and being selected to play in three All-Star games (1939-1941). He was the first player to earn NFL All-Pro recognition at two positions: tackle (1935) and guard (1937). Mr. Musso had the unique distinction of being the only man to play football against two American Presidents: Ronald Reagan in 1929 (when Mr. Reagan was at Eurkea College), and Gerald Ford in 1935 (in the College All-Star Game, when Mr. Ford represented the University of Michigan). Mr. Musso was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1982, and died on September 5, 2000 at the age of 90.

100 years ago
1920

Died on this date
Charles Griffes, 35. U.S. composer. Mr. Griffes was a pianist who was director of music studies at the Hackley School for boys in Tarrytown, New York from 1907 until his death. He wrote orchestral and piano works, as well as songs, choral and chamber music, and works for the stage. Mr. Griffes was one of the later victims of the worldwide influenza epidemic.

90 years ago
1930

Baseball
In Memphis, the hometown Chicks defeated the New York Yankees in an exhibition game at Russwood Park. The Yankees’ run came on a home run by Babe Ruth, who in his next at bat, hit a single off the top of the signboard.

The Sacramento Senators set a Pacific Coast League opening-day record with 21 runs and 24 hits in a 21-14 win over the Mission Reds.

80 years ago
1940

War
Reports from Washington indicated that the United States would undertake the protection of the Dutch East Indies should the Netherlands become involved in the European war.

Diplomacy
Iraq and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their 1936 friendship treaty.

The United Kingdom ordered an end to commercial air service to northern Europe.

Politics and government
Reports from Chungking indicated that the Kuomintang and Communist Party had reached an agreement, ending their friction.

Law
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt vetoed the Starnes bill, which provided for mandatory deportation of alien drug users.

Environment
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a law classifying the bald eagle as an endangered species and placing it under federal protection.

Labour
In its campaign policy, the U.S. Socialist Party called for a truce between the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations as the means to halt "reactionary" tendencies in the United States.

70 years ago
1945

War
The British government reported that the German V-2 rocket campaign had ended. Since June 15, 1944, the rockets had killed 8,436 and wounded an estimated 25,000. U.K. troops advanced to within 7 miles of Bremen, cutting off thousands of Germans to the southwest between the Ems and Weser Rivers. Canadian forces captured Zutphen in their final offensive in Holland. The Canadian cruiser HMCS Uganda joined the British Pacific Fleet.

Abominations
After an air raid accidentally destroyed a train carrying about 4,000 Nazi concentration camp internees in Prussian Hanover, the survivors were massacred by Nazis.

Law
The Guatemalan Congress suspended constitutional guarantees in the country for six months, following the crushing of an alleged plot to stage a revolution.

Politics and government
Syrian Prime Minister Fayez el Khoury formed a new cabinet.

Defense
U.S. War Secretary Henry Stimson endorsed a proposal for a postwar merger of the Army and Navy into a single department headed by a Secretary of the Armed Forces.

Business
The United States Senate Small Business Committee began an investigation of charges that major motion picture chains were forcing small independent houses out of business.

Golf
Byron Nelson set a PGA record for a 72-hole tournament with a score of 263 as he won the Iron Lung Open in Atlanta.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Toronto 2 @ Detroit 0 (Toronto led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Frank McCool posted his second straight shutout in goal for the Maple Leafs as they blanked the Red Wings at Olympia Stadium. Ted Kennedy scored the winning goal at 13:02 of the 2nd period, and Moe Morris scored in the 3rd.

70 years ago
1950

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Four Winds and the Seven Seas--Bing Crosby; Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Music! Music! Music!--Teresa Brewer with the Dixieland All Stars (Best Seller--4th week at #1; Jukebox--1st week at #1); If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake--Eileen Barton with the New Yorkers (Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Music! Music! Music!--Teresa Brewer (3rd week at #1)
2 Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy--Red Foley
--Bing Crosby
3 I Said My Pajamas (And Put on My Pray’rs)--Tony Martin and Fran Warren
4 If I Knew You Were Comin’ (I’d’ve Baked a Cake)--Eileen Barton with the New Yorkers
--Georgia Gibbs
5 There’s No Tomorrow--Tony Martin
6 Daddy’s Little Girl--The Mills Brothers
--Dick Todd
7 Dearie--Ray Bolger and Ethel Merman
--Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
8 "The Third Man" Theme--Anton Karas
--Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians
9 It Isn’t Fair--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
10 Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep--Mary Martin and Arthur Godfrey

Singles entering the chart were Bewitched, with versions by Bill Snyder and his Orchestra; and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (#29); Wilhelmina by Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (#31); Roulette by Tony Martin (#32); Swamp Girl by Frankie Laine (#34); and Sunshine Girl, with versions by Frank Sinatra and Paula Kelly; and Bing Crosby and Carol Richards (#39).

At the movies
The Golden Twenties, a documentary using footage from March of Time newsreels, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Vaslav Nijinsky, 60 or 61. Ukrainian-born Polish dancer and choreographer. Mr. Nijinsky, born in Kiev to Polish parents, was regarded as the most brilliant male ballet dancer of the early 20th century, despite having a relatively short career. He made his reputation with Ballets Russes (1909-1913), causing controversy--and sometimes, riots--in productions that he choreographed, notably L'après-midi d'un faune (1912); Le Sacre du Printemps (1913); and Jeux (1913). Mr. Nijinsky split with Ballets Russes, and formed his own company, but was interned and then held under house arrest in Budapest for much of World War I. He was freed in 1916 and toured the U.S.A. and South America, but the stress of managing his own company led to mental instability, and he didn't perform in public after 1917. Mr. Nijinksy and his family settled in Switzerland; he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1919, spending the rest of his life in and out of asylums and hospitals until his death from kidney failure.

War
Philippine President Elpidio Quirino claimed that the Army had overcome Hukbalahap guerrilla activity on highways within a 100-mile radius of Manila and driven the guerrillas into their Luzon mountain hideouts.

Diplomacy
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan signed an agreement to protect religious minorities and outlaw Hindu-Muslim strife in their countries. The pact provided for the creation of Hindu-Muslim commissions in both countries to protect the rights of minorities.

The Organization of American States voted 18-0 to have Cuba, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic carry out OAS recommendations on peace in the Caribbean region or risk sanctions under the Rio Treaty.

Academia
Representatives of 116 Southern and border state colleges in the United States, meeting in Atlanta, adopted a resolution urging the repeal of all laws requiring racial segregation in education.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Economic Cooperation Administration established a new office to promote increased U.S. imports from countries receiving Marshall Plan aid.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Detroit 4 @ Toronto 0 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Marty Pavelich's powerplay goal 6:55 into the game held up as the winner as the Red Wings shut out the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. Harry Lumley earned his first shutout of the series in goal.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Minneapolis 68 @ Syracuse 66 (Minneapolis led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Bob "Tiger" Harrison's buzzer-beating field goal gave the Lakers their win over the Nationals before 7,552 fans at State Fair Coliseum.

60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): My Old Man's a Dustman--Lonnie Donegan (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: The Big Tall Wish, starring Ivan Dixon and Steven Perry

Diplomacy
The Netherlands and West Germany signed an agreement to negotiate the return of German land annexed by the Dutch in return for 280 million German marks as Wiedergutmachung (reparations).

Boxing
Pete Rademacher (6-2-1) and Ulli Ritter (20-3-4) fought a 10-round draw in a heavyweight bout at the Sportspalast in Berlin.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Bridge Over Troubled Water--Simon & Garfunkel (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Colossus: The Forbin Project, a frightening depiction of a computer designed for the defense of the United States that develops a mind and powers of its own, opened in theatres. It featured Eric Braeden in his only starring role in a movie, long before his television success in The Young and the Restless.



Space
The United States launched Nimbus 4, the fifth in a series of seven advanced weather satellites.

Abominations
An Israeli air strike on Bahr El-Baqar primary school in the Nile delta town of Bahr El-Bakr killed 46 school children and injured 70 other civilians, including 40 more children. Pressure was put on Egyptian President Gamal Nasser to order reprisals against Israel. Israel insisted that only military targets had been hit. The United States deplored the attack and again appealed to both sides to adhere to the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

War
As Communist and Cambodian forces clashed in border areas and supporters of deposed Prince Norodom Sihanouk rebelled in several villages, the Cambodian government of Lon Nol appealed to the world for military supplies for his army to counter the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong attacks which were now threatening the Cambodian capital of Pnompenh.

Law
The United States Senate voted 51-45 to reject Federal Appeals Court Judge G. Harrold Carswell for the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Carswell became the second straight Southern nominee of President Richard Nixon to be so rejected. Judge Carswell had been criticized by civil rights groups and others for having an undistinguished judicial record.

Disasters
73 people were killed, 282 injured, and 27 buildings were razed when a series of gas explosions at a subway construction site ripped up a busy downtown street at evening rush hour in Osaka, Japan.

At least 18 were killed and 9 buried when an apartment house collapsed in Seoul, South Korea.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
New York 2 @ Boston 8 (Boston led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Detroit 2 @ Chicago 4 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Oakland 1 @ Pittsburgh 2 (Pittsburgh led best-of-seven series 1-0)
Minnesota 2 @ St. Louis 6 (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Phil Esposito scored 3 goals for the Bruins in their win over the Rangers at Boston Garden.

CHL
Adams Cup
Finals
Omaha 6 @ Iowa 2 (Omaha led best-of-seven series 1-0)

40 years ago
1980

Diplomacy
The day after the United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran, 50 Iranian diplomats had left for Tehran, and the Iranian embassy in Washington and consulate offices in five other cities were closed. The U.S. appealed to its allies to join in retaliatory action against Iran.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Preliminary Round
Edmonton 3 @ Philadelphia 4 (OT) (Philadelphia led best-of-five series 1-0)
Hartford 1 @ Montreal 6 (Montreal led best-of-five series 1-0)
Pittsburgh 4 @ Boston 2 (Pittsburgh led best-of-five series 1-0)
Atlanta 1 @ New York Rangers 2 (OT) (New York led best-of-five series 1-0)
Los Angeles 1 @ New York Islanders 8 (New York led best-of-five series 1-0)
Vancouver 1 @ Buffalo 2 (Buffalo led best-of-five series 1-0)
Toronto 3 @ Minnesota 6 (Minnesota led best-of-five series 1-0)
St. Louis 2 @ Chicago 3 (OT) (Chicago led best-of-five series 1-0)

These were the first Stanley Cup playoff games for both the Edmonton Oilers and Hartford Whalers. Bobby Clarke scored the winning goal for the Flyers 8:06 of the 1st overtime period as they edged the Oilers at the Spectrum.

Steve Vickers scored 33 seconds into overtime to give the Rangers their win over the Flames at Madison Square Garden.

Bryan Trottier scored 3 goals for the Islanders in their win over the Kings at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

Doug Lecuyer scored at 12:34 of overtime for the Black Hawks against the Blues at Chicago Stadium.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

#1 single in Switzerland: Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (7th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (6th week at #1)
2 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic
3 Got to Get--Rob 'n' Raz featuring Leila K.
4 Pump ab das Bier--Werner
5 Dub Be Good to Me--Beats International
6 The Message is Love--Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples featuring Al Green
7 Rich in Paradise "Going Back to My Roots"--F.P.I. Project
8 Bakerman--Laid Back
9 Touch Me--49ers
10 Sit and Wait--Sydney Youngblood

Singles entering the chart were The Beat is Technotronic by MC B. featuring Daisy Dee (#16); Infinity (1990s...Time for the Guru) by Guru Josh (#21); and Live Together by Lisa Stansfield (#30).

Died on this date
Ryan White, 18. U.S. medical patient. Mr. White was a hemophiliac who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 after receiving a treatment of contaminated blood, and given six months to live. He was refused readmission to school because of the then-common fear that AIDS could be transmitted casually. Mr. White became an advocate for AIDS research and education, and lived five years longer than predicted by his doctors.

Politics and government
Second-round runoff elections for the Hungarian Parliament were completed. The centre-right Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF), led by József Antall, captured 164 of 386 seats (43%), and this party, in alliance with two smaller conservative parties, would control almost 60% of the seats. The liberal Free Democrats (SZDSZ), led by János Kis, won 94 seats (24%). The ruling Socialist (formerly Communist) Party (MSZP), led by Rezső Nyers won only 33 seats (11%).

Abominations
U.S. District Court Judge Carl Rubin forbade law enforcement officials in Cincinnati from closing the exhibit of pornographic sodomite photographs of the late sodomite pervert Robert Mapplethorpe at the Contemporary Arts Center.

Golf
Nick Faldo parred the second hole of a sudden-death playoff against Raymond Floyd to win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia for the second straight year. First prize money was $225,000.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
St. Louis 6 @ Toronto 5 (OT) (St. Louis led best-of-seven series 3-0)
Chicago 2 @ Minnesota 1 (Chicago led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Edmonton 1 @ Winnipeg 2 (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 2-1)
Calgary 1 @ Los Angeles 2 (OT) (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 2-1)

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Here's Johnny!--Hocus Pocus (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Sarajevo's børn - Gi dem et håb--Various artists (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Alice, Who the **** is Alice?--Gompie (title censored by blogger)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Zombie--The Cranberries

#1 single in France (SNEP): Zombie--The Cranberries (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Alice, Who the X is Alice--Gompie (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Back for Good--Take That

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (7th week at #1)
2 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
3 Run Away--Real McCoy
4 Red Light Special--TLC
5 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
6 This is How We Do It--Montell Jordan
7 Creep--TLC
8 Baby--Brandy
9 I Know--Dionne Farris
10 Big Poppa/Warning--The Notorious B.I.G.

Singles entering the chart were I'm Goin' Down by Mary J. Blige (#42); Can't You See by Total featuring the Notorious B.I.G. (#66); and So Help Me Girl by Joe Diffie (#97). Can't You See was from the movie New Jersey Drive (1995).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (8th week at #1)
2 I Know--Dionne Farris
3 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
4 Red Light Special--TLC
5 Run Away--Real McCoy
6 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
7 Big Poppa/Warning--The Notorious B.I.G.
8 Tell Me When--The Human League
9 If I Wanted To/Like the Way I Do--Melissa Etheridge
10 Creep--TLC

Singles entering the chart were Move It (To the Rhythm) by Technotronic featuring Ya Kid K (#72); Joy by BLACKstreet (#74); Feel So High by Des'ree (#76); Total Eclipse of the Heart by Nicki French (#82); and Can't You See by Total featuring the Notorious B.I.G. (#91).

Boxing
Oliver McCall (26-5) retained his World Boxing Council heavyweight title with a unanimous 12-round decision over former champion Larry Holmes (62-5) at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.



10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Claire Trevor, 90. U.S. actress. Miss Trevor, born Claire Wemlinger, appeared in plays, films, radio, and television programs in a career spanning 70 years. She often played "bad girls," winning an Academy Award for her supporting performance in Key Largo (1948), and receiving Oscar nominations for her supporting performances in Dead End (1937) and The High and the Mighty (1954). Miss Trevor won an Emmy Award for her starring performance in the Producers' Showcase episode Dodsworth (1956), and was nominated for an Emmy for her starring performance in the Lux Video Theatre episode Ladies in Retirement (1954). She died of respiratory failure.

World events
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet announced that he had fired a CIA officer and reprimanded six others after an investigation into the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in May 1999. Three Chinese citizens were killed in the incident. According to U.S. sources, the intended target had been a Yugoslav military supply headquarters, but the CIA had relied on an outdated map.

Disasters
The crash of an Osprey, a U.S. military aircraft that was still being evaluated after years of testing, took the lives of all 19 Marines aboard. The accident occurred at Marana, Arizona as the plane was preparing to land.

Baseball
David Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays pitched a 9-hitter in blanking the Texas Rangers 4-0 before 37,128 fans at the Ballpark in Arlington, ending Texas starting pitcher Kenny Rogers’ 19-game winning streak at home.

The Los Angeles Dodgers scored 4 runs in the 9th inning and 1 in the 10th to defeat the New York Mets 6-5 before 37,814 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.