April 26, 2021

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Lynn!

1,900 years ago
121

Born on this date
Marcus Aurelius. Emperor of the Roman Empire, 161-180. Marcus Aurelius, a grandnephew of Emperor Hadrian, served as a consul before succeeding his uncle Antoninus Pius on the throne. He conducted several successful military campaigns, but was generally known as a "philosopher king;" his Meditations are a significant source of the modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the "Five Good Emperors," and the last during the Pax Romana. He died of natural causes on March 17, 180 at the age of 58, and was succeeded on the throne by his son Commodus.

1,125 years ago
896

Died on this date
Boniface VI, 89-90 (?). Roman Catholic Pope, 896. Boniface VI was degraded and excommunicated twice by Pope John VIII, perhaps for dissolute moral conduct or for political reasons. He was made a cardinal by Pope Formosus, and succeeded him as pope. However, Pope Boniface VI died just 15 days after his installation, perhaps from gout, or perhaps at the hands of the faction that promoted his successor, Stephen VI.

300 years ago
1721

Disasters
A massive earthquake devastated the Iranian city of Tabriz.

220 years ago
1801

Born on this date
Ambrose Dudley Mann. U.S. and C.S. diplomat. Mr. Mann held several posts in Europe before serving as the first United States Assistant Secretary of State (1853-1855). He sided with the Confederacy during the American Civil War; he was one of the first three Confederate commissioners to Europe in 1861, eventually serving as Commissioner of the Confederate States of America for Belgium and the Vatican. Mr. Mann spent his later years in France, where he died on November 15, 1889 at the age of 88.

180 years ago
1841

Politics and government
The opening of the amalgamated Newfoundland Legislature took place in St. John's as the Newfoundland Constitution was suspended.

150 years ago
1871

Canadiana
Eight Ontario land agents reached Fort Garry, Manitoba on a raft from Minnesota, beginning an influx of speculators and settlers that led to the Red River Insurrection.

125 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Ernst Udet. German military aviator. Generaloberst Udet was an air ace during World War I and recorded 62 combat victories, second to Baron Manfred von Richtofen's 80 among German aces. He joined the Nazi Partyin 1933 and helped to develop the Luftwaffe, becoming Director-General of Equipment in 1939. Generaloberst Udet became a heavy drinker, which combined with the strain of the war and personal relationships to lead him to commit suicide by shooting himself on November 17, 1941 at the age of 45.

Ruut Tarmo. Estonian actor. Mr. Tarmo, born Harald Rudolf Klein, appeared in plays and films for three decades until the Soviets invaded and occupied Estonia during World War II; he was imprisoned and, after his release, was banned from performing until after the death of U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin. Mr. Tarmo returned to acting in the mid-1950s, and continued his career until his death on January 28, 1967 at the age of 70.

120 years ago
1901

Baseball
Playing their first American League game, the Boston Americans lost 10-6 to the Baltimore Orioles before 10,371 fans at American League Park in Baltimore. Joe McGinnity (1-0) pitched an 8-hitter in earning the win, and Mike Donlin hit 2 triples off losing pitcher Win Kellum (0-1), who allowed 11 hits and 10 earned runs in his major league debut.

110 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Paul Verner. German politician. Mr. Verner was attracted to Communism at an early age, and joined the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) in 1929. He went into exile after the Nazis took power in Germany in 1933, fighting in the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War and then emigrating to Sweden, where he was detained for two years. Mr. Verner returned to Germany after World War II, and was a prominent Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) politician in East Germany. He became a full member of the Politburo in 1963, and for most of the 1970s and early '80s was the second-ranking member of the SED after party leader Erich Honecker. Mr. Verner died on December 12, 1986 at the age of 75.

Baseball
Grover Cleveland Alexander (2-1) allowed 7 hits, struck out 6, walked 6, and hit 2 singles for the Philadelphia Phillies as they defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 10-3 at Washington Park in Brooklyn.

100 years ago
1921

Born on this date
Margaret Gowing. U.K. historian. Mrs. Gowing worked at the Cabinet Office from 1945-1959 and co-founded the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre in Oxford. She worked on several volumes of the officially sponsored History of the Second World War, but was better known for Britain and Atomic Energy 1939–1945 (1964) and Independence and Deterrence: Britain and Atomic Energy 1945–52 (2 volumes, 1974), which were commissioned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Mrs. Gowing died on November 7, 1998 at the age of 77.

Jimmy Giuffre. U.S. musician. Mr. Giuffre was a jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer who played with various combos in a career spanning more than 50 years. He was a central figure in West Coast jazz and cool jazz; his compositions included the standard Four Brothers (1947). Mr. Giuffre died of pneumonia on April 24, 2008, two days before his 87th birthday.

80 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)--Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell (5th week at #1)

War
German troops took Thebes and advanced southward to within 25 miles of Athens. An Axis advance began south of Solum on the Egyptian-Libyan frontier. British troops occupied Dessye, Ethiopia. A Gallup Poll reported 68% of Americans questioned in a recent survey said they would favour U.S. entrance into the European war if there were no other way to defeat the Axis.

Defense
The Inter-American Economic Advisory Committee, representing the 21 American republics, passed a resolution in Washington stating that they had a right to seize immobilized foreign ships with compensation. U.S. Civil Aeronautics Authority experts demonstrated an automatic loop-antennae direction finder that enabled a pilot to fly on a straight line by tuning in simultaneously on broadcasting stations at two points.

Politics and government
Mohandas Gandhi said in Bombay that his All-India Congress party had dropped demands for the independence of India for the time being and wanted only "freedom of speech and pen."

75 years ago
1946

Music
The Hart House String Quartet gave its final concert at Hart House at the University of Toronto.

War
At the Nuremberg trial of accused Nazi war criminals, former Gestapo agent Hans Bernd Gisevius, after implicating most of the Nazi defendants in war crimes, testified that he had been in contact with the U.S. Office of Strategic Services in Switzerland and Germany since 1943. The foreign ministers of the U.S.A., U.S.S.R., U.K. and France agreed in Paris on the preamble to the Italian peace treaty and on a committee to discuss Italian reparations.

Defense
A conference of Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador in Caracas agreed on an initial investment of $20 million in a joint merchant marine.

The U.S. Navy revealed development of an aircraft rocket engine which generated 6,000 pounds of thrust but weighed only 210 pounds.

Politics and government
The Allied Control Council in Berlin failed to agree on recognition of the new Socialist Union Party, as requested by the Soviets.

Agriculture
The U.S. Agriculture Department called all loans on the 1945 corn crop as of May 1 in order to stop hoarding.

Economics and finance
The Canadian Federal-Provincial Conference on Reconstruction resumed, and Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis submitted a brief on a new tax division between Ottawa and the provinces.

70 years ago
1951
On the radio
Screen Directors Playhouse, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Jackpot, starring James Stewart and Margaret Truman

This adaptation of the 1950 movie The Jackpot, which starred Mr. Stewart and Barbara Hale, was the first performance for Miss Truman under her exclusive contract with NBC. Her father, U.S. President Harry Truman, reportedly enjoyed the program.

Died on this date
Arnold Sommerfeld, 82. German physicist. Dr. Sommerfeld pioneered developments in atomic and quantum physics, and also educated and mentored many students for the new era of theoretical physics. He died from injuries suffered when he was hit by a motor vehicle while walking with his grandchildren.

War
Chinese Communist forces captured Munsan, a key town 10 miles south of the 38th Parallel in their drive on Seoul.

Defense
U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, in Chicago for a parade and rally at Soldier Field, accused Far Eastern policy makers in the administration of President Truman of operating in a "vacuum," and urged a war to "victory" against Communist China. Despite protests from the crowd, Gen. MacArthur asserted that "my public life is now closed."

Politics and government
South Korean Justice Minister Kim Joon Yung and Defense Minister Sihn Sung Mo resigned amidst a public outcry over recently-revealed mass executions of alleged Communists.

Scandal
Assistant U.S. Postmaster General Joseph Lawler testified before a Senate Investigations subcommittee that postal jobs were "sold" in Mississippi by pro-Truman Democrats.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Truman, warning that the worst of inflation was yet to come, sent Congress a message urging a two-year extension of the Defense Production Act and a number of changes in the stabilization program, including housing credit curbs and tougher price control enforcement machinery.

60 years ago
1961

Baseball
Mickey Mantle hit a home run from each side of the plate--including a 2-run blow off Hank Aguirre (0-1) in the top of the 10th inning to break an 11-11 tie--as the New York Yankees defeated the Detroit Tigers 13-11 before 4,676 fans at Tiger Stadium. Roger Maris hit his first home run of the season for the Yankees, against Paul Foytack in the 5th inning. Joe Grzenda, the third of five Detroit pitchers, allowed 3 hits and 2 runs--both earned--in 1.1 innings, with no bases on balls or strikeouts in his major league debut.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Rose Garden--Lynn Anderson (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Naomi no Yume--Hedva & David (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): My Sweet Lord--George Harrison (6th week at #1)

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): The Bridge--Deane Waretini (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Shaddap You Face--Joe Dolce Music Theatre (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Jim Davis, 71. U.S. actor. Mr. Davis, born Marlin Davis, appeared in numerous films and television programs--especially Westerns--in a 40-year career, but was best known for playing patriarch Jock Ewing in the television series Dallas (1978-1981). He died of cancer.

Medicine
Dr. Michael R. Harrison of the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center performed the world's first human open fetal surgery.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Quarter-Finals
Calgary 4 @ Philadelphia 1 (Calgary won best-of-seven series 4-3)

Ken Houston’s goal at 8:33 of the 1st period held up as the winner as the Flames advanced to the semi-finals for the first time in their nine-year history.

30 years ago
1991

Died on this date
A.B. Guthrie, Jr., 90. U.S. author. Mr. Guthrie won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel The Way West.

Leo Arnaud, 86. French-born U.S. composer. Mr. Arnaud wrote and orchestrated numerous film scores, but was best known for Bugler's Dream, the theme music for telecasts of the Olympic Games on American network television.

Carmine Coppola, 80. U.S. composer and conductor. Mr. Coppola was the father of movie director Francis Ford Coppola, and contributed music to several of his son's films. Carmine Coppola and Nino Rota shared the 1974 Academy Award for the score for The Godfather Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Emily McLaughlin, 62. U.S. actress. Miss McLaughlin played nurse Jessie Brewer on the television soap opera General Hospital from 1963-1991.

Richard Hatfield, 60. Canadian politician. Mr. Hatfield, a Progressive Conservative, was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1961-1987, and Premier from 1970-1987. Mr. Hatfield's reign as Premier, the longest in New Brunswick history, ended when the PCs lost all their seats to the Liberals in the 1987 provincial election. Mr. Hatfield died, reportedly of brain cancer, 17 days after his 60th birthday. He was widely believed to be a sodomite, although he never admitted it.

Defense
Canadian Navy Vice-Admiral Charles Thomas resigned, warning that defense cuts would threaten Canadian sovereignty and endanger the lives of military personnel; Vice-Admiral Thomas was Deputy Commander of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Weather
70 tornadoes broke out in the central United States.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Minnesota 2 @ St. Louis 4 (Minnesota led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Edmonton 2 @ Los Angeles 5 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 3-2)

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Children--Robert Miles (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Aon Focal Eile--Richie Kavanagh (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Stirling Silliphant, 78. U.S. screenwriter. Mr. Silliphant won an Academy Award for his screenplay for In the Heat of the Night (1967), but was better known for his work in television, especially the series Naked City (1958-1959, 1960-1963) (which he created) and Route 66 (1960-1964) (which he co-created).

Music
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performed at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. This blogger was in attendance, with enjoyable female company.

Americana
An auction of items once owned by U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline concluded with 2,000 bidders and sales totalling more than $34.5 million, much more than originally anticipated.

War
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a cease-fire to end Israel's 16-day bombardment of Lebanese villages.

Economics and finance
The South African rand continued its two-month slide and hit a record low value.

Hockey
IIHF World Men's Championship
Russia 6 Canada 4

NHL
Stanley Cup
Conference Quarter-Finals
Montreal 2 @ New York Rangers 3 (New York led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Washington 1 @ Pittsburgh 4 (Pittsburgh led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Winnipeg 3 @ Detroit 1 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-2)

The Jets' win over the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena was their last before moving to Phoenix to become the Coyotes.

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Phoebe Snow, 60. U.S. musician. Miss Snow, born Phoebe Ann Laub, was a singer-songwriter and guitarist who was best known for her song Poetry Man, which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1975. Her albums sold well in Australia in the late 1970s and early '80s, but interrupted her career to care for her severely disabled daughter. Miss Snow sang commercial jingles in the 1980s and '90s and returned to recording, with minor commercial success. She suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on January 19, 2010, and remained in a coma until her death.