May 16, 2008

140 years ago
1868

Politics and government
The United States Senate voted 35-19, one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed, to convict President Andrew Johnson of "high crimes and misdemeanors," as he was charged under the eleventh article of impeachment, which claimed that President Johnson had attempted to undermine Congress.

120 years ago
1888

Born on this date
Royal Rife. U.S. inventor. Mr. Rife had a patent for a high-intensity microscope lamp, and in the 1930s claimed to have invented a "beam-ray" device that could kill pathogens. His claims were discredited by the medical establishment in the 1950s, and Mr. Rife blamed a conspiracy by "organized medicine," including the American Medical Association and the U.S. Department of Public Health, for suppressing his inventions. He died in poverty on August 5, 1971 at the age of 83.

Vancouverana
The Canadian Pacific Railway opened the Hotel Vancouver.

100 years ago
1908

Baseball
In Cincinnati, Andy Coakley gave up 6 hits in beating the New York Giants 6-1. Giants’ ace Christy Mathewson lasted just 2 innings, and manager John McGraw pinch hit for him in the third.

90 years ago
1918

Died on this date
Patsy Tebeau, 53. U.S. baseball player and manager. Oliver Wendell Tebeau played 13 seasons of major league baseball from 1887-1900 (mostly with the Cleveland Spiders), and was a manager for the last 11 of those years. His best season as a player was 1893, when he batted .329 with 2 home runs and 102 runs batted in in 116 games. In 1,167 games, Mr. Tebeau hit .280 with 27 home runs and 735 RBI. As a manager, Mr. Tebeau had a record of 729 wins, 583 losses, 29 ties, .556 winning percentage. His best achievement as a manager came in 1892, when the National League played a split season. The Spiders won the second half title with a 53-23 record, but lost 5 games to 0 with one tie in a playoff series against the Boston Beaneaters for the league championship. Mr. Tebeau was running a saloon in St. Louis when he shot himself.

War
In Helsinki, White Finland celebrated its victory in the Finnish Civil War.

Baseball
At Griffith Stadium in Washington‚ the Nationals knocked Chicago's Joe Benz out of the box in the 1st inning‚ scoring 2 runs‚ but reliever Dan Danforth held Washington scoreless from the 1st to the 11th as the White Sox won 4-2.

80 years ago
1928

Religion
At Kansas City, Missouri, the Methodist Episcopal General Conference voted 766-64 to give Methodists in other lands who were now affiliated with the American church the power to elect their own bishops, govern their own affairs, and to be part of the "diversity which is now union." This constitutional amendment of Methodist Church law was not effective until ratified by 2/3 of the 117 local annual conferences.

Politics and government
The United States Senate adopted the conference reports on the McNary-Haugen Farm Relief, and the Jones Merchant Marine bills. The House of Representatives passed the Morin bill for government operation of the $160 million power and nitrate plant at Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Disasters
Because he wanted to see if a big locomotive would mash a big spike nail laid on the track in Camden, New Jersey, a 10-year-old schoolboy wrecked the Atlantic Coast Flier on the Reading Railroad.

75 years ago
1933

Died on this date
John Henry Mackay, 69. Scottish-born German pederast. Mr. Mackay was the author of Die Anarchisten (The Anarchists) (1891) and Der Freiheitsucher (The Searcher for Freedom) (1921). He died of a heart attack ten days after the Nazi book burnings at the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft (they were burning the records of their own perversion). Mr. Mackay’s death was no great loss.

Baseball
Buddy Myer scored from third base on Joe Kuhel's infield single with the bases loaded and 1 out in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Washington Nationals an 11-10 win over the Cleveland Indians before 1,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Cecil Travis made his major league debut at third base for the Nationals, batting 5 for 7 with 3 runs, making 1 putout and 4 assists. Mr. Kuhel was 5 for 8 with a home run, triple, and 5 runs batted in. The teams broke the major league record by using 11 pitchers. General Crowder (5-2) pitched 2 scoreless innings to get the win over Mel Harder (3-4).

Carl Reynolds singled home Merv Shea from second base with 2 out in the top of the 11th inning to break a 2-2 tie as the St. Louis Browns edged the Boston Red Sox 3-2 before 3,500 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox had runners on first and second bases with 2 out in the bottom of the 11th, but Roy Johnson grounded out to first baseman Jack Burns to end the game. Bump Hadley (5-4) allowed 9 hits and 2 earned runs in a complete game victory, while losing pitcher Bob Kline (1-2) allowed 5 hits and 1 earned run in 3.1 innings in relief of starter Lloyd Brown.

Johnny Frederick singled home 2 runs in the top of the 7th inning and 2 more in the top of the 9th to enable the Brooklyn Dodgers to come back from a 5-2 deficit and defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 before 2,500 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Mr. Frederick batted 4 for 5 and scored a run.

70 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Joseph Strauss, 68. U.S. engineer. Mr. Strauss revolutionized the design of bascule bridges. His most notable achievement was as chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, which opened in 1937.

Disasters
38 people died in a fire at the Terminal Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

60 years ago
1948

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on MBS, starring John Stanley and Alfred Shirley
Tonight’s episode: The Everblooming Roses

Died on this date
George Polk, 34. U.S. journalist. Mr. Polk, a reporter with CBS, was found dead in Greece with a bullet in the back of his head, and hands and feet tied. Mr. Polk had been covering the Greek civil war between the right-wing government and Communists, and had been critical of both sides. Mr. Polk had been outspoken in his criticism of the support for the Greek government by the American administration of President Harry Truman. Mr. Polk alleged that a few officials in the Greek government had embezzled up to $250,000 in aid from the Truman administration.

War
Egyptian forces entered the Gaza strip.

Politics and government
Chaim Weizmann was elected the 1st President of Israel.

World events
Israel issued its first postage stamps.

Chess
Mikhail Botvinnik of the U.S.S.R. won a five-player tournament to determine the world champion.

Baseball
At Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs spotted the Cincinnati Reds an 8-1 lead in the 2nd inning, then roared back to win 13-11.

Pete Gray, one-armed outfielder with the 1945 St. Louis Browns, started his comeback at Elmira in the Class A Eastern League after a year out of baseball. He went on to hit .290 in 82 games.

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Who's Sorry Now--Connie Francis

On television tonight
Harbor Command, starring Wendell Corey
Tonight's episode: Ghost Ship

Space
Eli Beeding experienced an 83 g-force deceleration on a rocket sled at White Sands, New Mexico.

40 years ago
1968

Died on this date
Bill Brandt, 53. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Brandt pitched in 34 games, mostly in relief, with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1941-1943, recording 5 wins and 3 losses. In 1943 he pitched in 29 games, with a 4-1 record.

Labour
The AFL-CIO suspended the United Auto Workers of America for non-payment of dues for three months. The suspension climaxed a feud between AFL-CIO president George Meany and UAW president Walter Reuther.

Disasters
An earthquake hit Japan’s northern and eastern seaboard, leaving 37 dead, 217 injured, 10 missing, and 1,200 houses razed or damaged.

Baseball
With his third 2-home run game in four games, Washington Senators’ left fielder Frank Howard tied the American League record for most home runs (7) in a four-game stretch (at least 1 in each). Washington won 4-1 over the Indians at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.

At Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Chicago Cubs' Rich Nye topped Don Sutton 1-0. This game started the Dodgers on another 1-run per game run‚ as they went on to score 1 run in four of their next five games.

30 years ago
1978

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Counterpoint

Died on this date
Mike Wilson, 81. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Wilson, a catcher, played in 5 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1921, batting .000 (0 for 4).

War
Ethiopian forces, reportedly supported by Cuban troops, began a major offensive against secessionist guerrillas in the coastal province of Eritrea. An Ethiopian force of 10,000-20,000 men, besieged in the Eritrean capital of Asmara for two years, broke through the rebel lines.

Politics and government
In Dominican Republic elections, President Joaquin Balaguer was defeated by Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) candidate Antonio Guzman. The PRD also won control of both houses of congress, but Balaguer’s Reformist Party (PR) won 40 mayoral elections to PRD’s 34.

Protest
Anti-government riots in Peru which had begun as clashes between university students and police in Lima the day before were now spreading to other cities.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Boston 2 @ Montreal 3 (OT) (Montreal led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Guy Lafleur scored at 13:09 of the 1st overtime period to give the the win over the Bruins at the Montreal Forum. Boston goalie Gerry Cheevers did a heroic job of holding off the Canadiens in the 3rd period and overtime before Mr. Lafleur finally beat him.

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox traded outfielder Bobby Bonds to the Texas Rangers for outfielders Claudell Washington and Rusty Torres. Mr. Bonds was hitting .278 in 26 games with the White Sox, while Mr. Washington was batting .167 in 12 games with the Rangers in 1978. Mr. Torres had yet to play a game in the majors in 1978.

The Detroit Tigers topped the Seattle Mariners 4-2 in 16 innings, winning on a home run by Lance Parrish. Steve Foucault, who pitched the last three innings, got the win. Relief ace John Hiller tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings. The Mariners’ Ruppert Jones tied a major-league record for centre fielders by making 12 putouts.

David Clyde, who had not won since May 1974, tossed a 4-hitter to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 win over the Oakland Athletics. The winning runs were unearned.

Tom Seaver of the Cincinnati Reds struck out 13 in beating the Montreal Expos 7-1 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)--Redgun

Died on this date
Mel Wright, 55. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Wright played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1954-1955) and Chicago Cubs (1960-1961). In 58 career games, all in relief, Mr. Wright won 2 games, lost 4, and recorded 3 saves.

World events
The Lebanese parliament approved an agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

Politics and government
A report issued by the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, the Democratic majority called Central Intelligence Agency covert operations in Nicaragua a failure and counterproductive, and asserted that the operations were of dubious legality, and had not slowed the flow of weapons to rebels in El Salvador.

Baseball
The Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League defeated their parent club, the California Angels, 5-3 in an exhibition game before 24,830 fans (including this blogger) in what might have been the only baseball game ever played at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium. Shortstop Dick Schofield hit a double and a home run and scored 2 runs for the Trappers, while catcher Jerry Narron homered and third baseman Steve Lubratich hit 3 singles in 4 at bats and scored a run. Bob Boone, Rob Wilfong, and Juan Beniquez homered for the Angels; Mr. Beniquez's home run was inside the park, as he hit it to right field, which was a vast amount of field to cover because of the strange dimensions of Commonwealth Stadium's configuration for baseball. Bob Lacey, who pitched the 7th inning in relief of Angel Moreno and Mickey Mahler, was credited with the win. Dave Goltz started on the mound for California, but was replaced after giving up 4 hits and 2 runs in the 1st inning. Bill Travers gave up just 1 run in the next 5 innings and was relieved by Curt Brown, who gave up the winning run in the 7th. Because it was an exhibition game, the rules were relaxed to allow the Angels to use designated hitters for players in addition to the pitcher. Rod Carew, Tim Foli, Reggie Jackson, and Bob Boone all started the game as designated hitters for California.

Despite six 9th-inning runs on solo home runs by Dave Engle and Bobby Mitchell and 2-run shots by Gary Gaetti and Mickey Hatcher, the Minnesota Twins lost 7-6 to the Oakland Athletics before 7,056 fans at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. Messrs. Engle's and Hatcher's home runs were pinch hits. Winning pitcher Mike Norris (4-3) allowed 3 hits in 6 scoreless innings.

Rookie right fielder Darryl Strawberry hit his first major league home run to help the New York Mets defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-4 before 1,970 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.

20 years ago
1988

Law
The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that trash may be searched without a warrant.

Politics and government
U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese forced the resignation of his chief spokesman, Terry Eastland, who stated in his letter of resignation that Mr. Meese felt that he had not been vigorous enough in defending him against accusations of unethical conduct. William Schambra, head of the justice department’s speechwriting division, also resigned.

Health
United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issued a report declaring that cigarettes and other tobacco products were addictive. The report, the work of 50 scientists who studied 2,000 research articles, found that the "processes that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to...heroin and cocaine." Dr. Koop recommended that vending machines be banned to protect young people and that tobacco products be labelled as addictive. The Tobacco Institute criticized the report’s conclusion on addiction, noting that many smokers had been able to quit smoking.

Crime
Larry Mahoney was charged with 27 counts of murder, two days after a pickup truck that he was driving crashed head-on into a bus near Carrollton, Kentucky, killing 27 of the bus’s 67 passengers, mostly teenagers. The truck had been travelling northbound in a southbound lane, and Mr. Mahoney was found to be legally drunk at the time of the crash.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Boston 109 @ Atlanta 118 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

10 years ago
1998

Died on this date
Rufino Linares, 47. D.R. baseball player. Mr. Linares, an outfielder, played for the Atlanta Braves (1981-1982, 1984) and California Angels (1985), batting .270 with 11 home runs and 63 runs batted in in 207 games. Mr. Linares was killed in an auto accident.

Music
Your Imagination by Brian Wilson was released as a single on Giant Records. The B-side, an a cappella version of Your Imagination, didn't appear on Mr. Wilson's album Imagination.

Horse racing
Real Quiet, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, made it two straight wins in Triple Crown races as he won the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore, winning by 2 ¼ lengths over Victory Gallop in a time of 1:54.75. Classic Cat finished third. Real Quiet’s share of the $1-million purse was $650,000.



Soccer
English FA Cup
Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Arsenal 2 Newcastle United 0





Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Edmonton 1 @ Dallas 2 (Dallas won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Basketball
NBA
Western Conference
Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 77 @ Utah 112 (Utah led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Baseball
At Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Mark McGwire crushed a Livan Hernandez pitch for a 545-foot home run to lead the Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Florida Marlins. "It's the best ball I've ever hit," said the Cardinals' first baseman. On May 12, he had hit a homer 527 feet.