June 21, 2021

400 years ago
1621

War
27 Bohemian leaders of the Bohemian Revolt were executed at the Old Town Square in Prague by the House of Habsburg as a consequence of the Battle of White Mountain in November 1620.

230 years ago
1791

World events
King Louis XVI of France and his immediate family began their flight to Varennes during the French Revolution.

140 years ago
1881

Politics and government
Clement Cornwall was installed as Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.

125 years ago
1896

Born on this date
Charles Momsen. U.S. military officer. Vice Admiral Momsen served with the U.S. Navy from 1916-1955; he was a pioneer in submarine rescue, and invented the Momsen lung, an escape device that was used from the late 1920s through the early '60s, and for which Vice Admiral Momsen received Navy Distinguished Service Medal in 1929. He died of cancer on May 25, 1967, 27 days before his 71st birthday.

110 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Irving Fein. U.S. producer and manager. Mr. Fein worked as a publicist for Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures and Metro Goldwyn Mayer, but was best known as Jack Benny's manager from 1947 until Mr. Benny's death in 1974, producing the television prorams of Mr. Benny and others. After Mr. Benny's death, Mr. Fein managed George Burns until Mr. Burns' death in 1996. Mr. Fein died on August 10, 2012 at the age of 101.

100 years ago
1921

Born on this date
Judy Holliday. U.S. actress. Miss Holliday, born Judith Tuvim, was best known for her starring roles in the play (1946) and film (1950) Born Yesterday, and the play (1956) and film (1960) Bells are Ringing. She won the Academy Award as Best Actress for the former and the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for the latter. She died of breast cancer on June 7, 1965, 14 days before her 44th birthday.

William Self. U.S. actor and producer. Mr. Self appeared in minor roles in almost 30 movies from 1945-1953, and then began a career of more than 40 years as a television producer. He was perhaps best known for his work with 20th Century Fox television (1959-1975), producing series such as Peyton Place (1964-1969); Batman (1966-1968); Julia (1968-1971); and M*A*S*H (1972-1983). Mr. Self died on November 15, 2010 at the age of 89, four days after suffering a heart attack.

Jane Russell. U.S. actress and singer. Miss Russell, known for her ample bosom, was known for her appearances in movies such as The Outlaw (1943); The Paleface (1948); and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). She made several recordings, and was a nightclub singer in the late 1950s. Miss Russell died of a respiratory-related illness on February 28, 2011 at the age of 89.

80 years ago
1941

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Daddy--Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye (vocal refrain by the Kaye Choir)

War
General Henri Dentz ordered French forces to withdraw from Damascus to avoid street fighting; British forces immediately occupied the city. The Soviet Red Army completed the removal of civilians from the border zone 60 miles deep along the Polish demarcation line, and withdrew its main forces from 12-30 miles behind their original line, leaving small garrisons facing the German armies.

Labour
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt named William H. Davis to succeed Clarence Dykstra as chairman of the National Defense Mediation Board; Mr. Dykstra had resigned two days earlier.

75 years ago
1946

Diplomacy
The U.S. State Department disclosed the draft text of a proposal by Secretary of State James Byrnes at the recent Paris conference of foreign ministers, under which the United States would share control of Japan with the U.S.S.R., U.K., and China for 25 years.

Politics and government
Gordon Macdonald was appointed the last Newfoundland colonial Governor-General; he served until Confederation in 1949.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate a bill giving the U.S. Army $7.091 billion for fiscal 1947, the largest peacetime military appropriation in American history to date.

Law
The United States Senate completed action on the Hobbs anti-racketeering bill, which provided for up to 20 years imprisonment and up to $10,000 in fines for interference by "robbery or extortion" or threats of violence with the movement of interstate goods.

Education
The American Library Association elected Mary Rothrock as its president after hearing U.S. Representative Emily Douglas (Democrat--Illinois) assert that 35 million Americans lacked adequate library service.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Senate raised the price of silver from 71.1c to 90.3c per ounce effective July 1, 1946 as part of an appropriations bill for the U.S. Treasury and Post Office.

The U.S. Office of Price Administration granted soft-coal operators a price increase of 40.5c per ton to offset wage increases.

70 years ago
1951

Died on this date
Charles Dillon Perrine, 83. U.S.-born astronomer. Mr. Perrine worked at Lick Obervatory (1893-1909), discovering a dozen comets and the sixth and seventh moons of Jupiter, while participating in four solar eclipse expeditions. He served as Director of the Argentine National Observatory (1909-1936), leading observations of solar eclipses in 1912 and 1914 in attempts to confirm Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity. Unfortunately, weather prevented conclusive results from being obtained. Mr. Perrine remained in Argentina after his retirement.

Gustave Sandras, 79. French gymnast. Mr. Sandras won the combined men's gymnasics competition at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris.

War
The U.S.A. asked the United Nations to appeal for troops from the 39 member states which had yet to send any to Korea. Communist forces lost their last stronghold in South Korea when U.S. troops took Kaesong, 3 miles south of the 38th Parallel on the Western Front.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A., U.K., and France broke off talks in Paris with the U.S.S.R., giving up hope of agreeing on an agenda for a Big Four foreign ministers conference.

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman asked Congress to appropriate $535 million for the Federal Civil Defense Administration for fiscal 1952, warning that Americans must prepare to defend their cities against air attack for the first time in history.

Politics and government
Theodor Koerner took office as President of Austria.

Oil
Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh demanded and received a vote of confidence from Parliament for breaking off oil negotiations with the U.K. and ordering the seizure of the $1-billion Anglo-Iranian Oil Company properties.

Baseball
In a Southern League game, Wayne Belardi batted 4 for 7 with 2 home runs—including a grand slam—and 10 runs batted in to lead the Mobile Bears to a 28-7 rout of the Lookouts at Chattanooga. Every Mobile batter scored at least 2 runs.

60 years ago
1961

Died on this date
Alfred Bergman, 71. U.S. athlete. Mr. Bergman, nicknamed "Big Dutch," starred in several sports at the University of Notre Dame (1911-1914), winning 11 varsity letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track. He returned a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown as a freshman with the football team in 1911, and quarterbacked the Fighting Irish in 1914. Mr. Bergman played second base with the Cleveland Indians (1916), batting .214 with no home runs or runs batted in in 8 games.

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox swept a doubleheader from the Cleveland Indians 15-3 and 11-1 before 37,558 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago as Roy Sievers drove in 7 runs in the first game with a grand slam and a 3-run home run, and added a home run and 4 runs scored in the second game.

A bases-loaded hit batsman, followed by two consecutive bases-loaded walks, helped the Baltimore Orioles score 7 runs in the top of the 9th inning as they defeated the Minnesota Twins 11-5 before 15,711 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Harmon Killebrew drove in 4 runs for Minnesota with 2-run home runs in the 1st and 3rd innings.

Stan Williams (6-6) and Johnny Podres (7-1) were the respective winning pitchers as the Los Angeles Dodgers swept a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs 4-1 and 4-2 before 12,364 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Larry Sherry saved both games.

50 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Too Young to Be Married--The Hollies (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Mata Au Hi Made--Kiyohiko Ozaki (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Qué Será (Che Sará)--José Feliciano (6th week at #1)

Politics and government
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that South Africa's administrative control of South West Africa (Namibia) was illegal, and should be relinquished.

Business
The Ontario government lent $351,000 to Toronto publishers McClelland & Stewart as part of a$961,000 loan to maintain Canadian ownership.

Golf
Lee Trevino shot a 2-under-par 68 to finish 3 strokes ahead of Jack Nicklaus in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club East Course in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. First prize money was $30,000.



Baseball
Cleveland Indians’ first baseman and oufielder Ken Harrelson, batting just .199 in 52 games in 1971 with 5 home runs and 14 runs batted in, announced his retirement from baseball to pursue a professional golf career. Mr. Harrelson played 900 games with the Kansas City Athletics, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians from 1963-1971, hitting .239 with 131 homers and 421 RBIs. His best season was 1968 with the Red Sox, when he hit .275 with 35 home runs and an American League-leading 109 RBIs, and posted a fielding percentage of 1.000 in 132 games in the outfield.

Vida Blue (15-2) pitched a 7-hitter and struck out 13 batters for the Oakland Athletics as they edged the Minnesota Twins 3-2 before 23,334 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. Ray Corbin (4-4) allowed 7 hits and 3 runs--2 earned--in 6.1 innings to take the loss.

Roberto Pena singled home Tommy Harper with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the score and then singled home Ted Kubiak with the bases loaded and 1 out in the bottom of the 10th to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 win over the California Angels before 5,498 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee.

Freddie Patek led off the game with a home run, but Tommy John (4-8) allowed just 5 more hits and no more runs as the Chicago White Sox came back to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 before 7,821 fans at White Sox Park. Jim Rooker (0-6) took the loss.

Mike Lum, Hal King, Hank Aaron, and Darrell Evans hit home runs for the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the 8th inning as they scored 5 runs to overcome a 4-1 deficit and defeated the Montreal Expos 6-4 in the first game of a doubleheader before 8,203 fans at Atlanta Stadium. Ron Hunt's 2-run double climaxed a 3-run 8th inning for the Expos as they came back from a 3-0 deficit to win the second game 5-3.

Willie Montanez tripled home Larry Bowa and Deron Johnson with 1 out in the top of the 12th inning to break a 3-3 tie as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 before 11,683 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

Bob O’Brien (2-1), making his first major league start, pitched a 6-hitter to outduel Bob Gibson (4-6) as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 before 18,480 fans at Dodger Stadium. Wilie Crawford, Willie Davis, and Dick Allen, batting 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively, combined for all 7 Los Angeles hits, runs, and runs batted in.

40 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Love Will Tear Us Apart--Joy Division

#1 single in Switzerland: Stars on 45--Stars on 45 (5th week at #1)

Golf
David Graham shot a 3-under-par 67 in the final round to win the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club East Course in Ardmore, Pennsylvania with a 7-under-par total score of 273, 3 strokes ahead of George Burns and Bill Rogers. First prize money was $55,000.



Auto racing
USAC
Gold Crown Series
A.J. Foyt won the Van Scoy Diamond Mines 500 at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania; the race was ended because of rain after 305 miles. It was Mr. Foyt's 67th and last win in an Indy car.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (2-1) 17 @ Montreal (1-2) 21
Calgary (0-3) 20 @ Saskatchewan (2-2) 33

30 years ago
1991

Politics and government
Victor Goldbloom was appointed by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to replace D'Iberville Fortier as Canada's Commissioner of Official Languages; Mr. Goldbloom was the provincial Liberal cabinet minister when Québec introduced its language laws.

25 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Killing Me Softly--The Fugees (2nd week at #1)

Canadiana
The first National Aboriginal Day was celebrated across Canada. June 21 was chosen because of the summer solstice, the first day of summer and longest day of the year.

Health
The European Union agreed to phase out the ban on British beef in return for a more extensive slaughter program that included up to 147,000 head of cattle.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Winnipeg (1-1) 34 @ Edmonton (0-2) 31

Troy Westwood's field goal on the last play of the game gave the Blue Bombers their win over the Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium.

20 years ago
2001

Died on this date
John Lee Hooker, 83 or 88. U.S. musician. Mr. Hooker was a Mississippi Delta blues guitarist who had a recording career spanning more than 50 years, performing on his own and collaborating with others. He had five singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard rhythm and blues chart, reaching number 1 with Boogie Chillen' (1948) and I'm in the Mood (1951). Mr. Hooker won five Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He died in his sleep.

Carroll O'Connor, 76. U.S. actor. Mr. O'Connor was a character actor in various movies and television programs before starring as Archie Bunker in the television comedy series All in the Family (1971-1979) and its sequel, Archie Bunker's Place (1979-1983), winning four Emmy Awards for the former. He starred in the police drama series In the Heat of the Night (1988-1995), winning another Emmy. Mr. O'Connor died of a heart attack due to complications of diabetes.

Soad Hosny, 58. Egyptian actress. Miss Hosny was known as the "Cinderella of Egyptian cinema," appearing in more than 80 films from 1959 until her retirement for health reasons in 1991. She died in a fall from the balcony of the high-rise apartment of a friend in London, prompting suspicions that her death was suicde or murder rather than accidental.

Terrorism
A U.S. federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia indicted 13 Saudis and a Lebanese in the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 American servicemen.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Winnipeg (0-1) 12 @ Montreal (1-0) 31

10 years ago
2011

Died on this date
Robert Kroetsch, 83. Canadian writer. Mr. Kroetsch, a native of Heisler, Alberta, wrote fiction, non-fiction, and poetry in a career spanning more than 40 years, and was one of those writers who achieves influence and praise within literary circles while his works are unread outside academia. He died six days before his 84th birthday.

Business
Satellite radio providers Sirius Canada and XM Radio Canada merged into Sirius XM Canada, after the merger of their U.S. parent services in 2010.