June 23, 2014

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Sherry Holden!

700 years ago
1314

War
In the First War of Scottish Independence, the Battle of Bannockburn began.

420 years ago
1594

War
The Portuguese carrack Cinco Chagas, loaded with slaves and treasure, was attacked and sunk by English ships off Faial Island in the Azores, with only 13 survivors out of over 700 on board.

220 years ago
1794

World events
Empress Catherine II of Russia granted Jews permission to settle in Kiev.

125 years ago
1889

Baseball
In the American Association, the Louisville Colonels ended their record 26-game losing streak, improving their record to 9-46 with a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Browns at Eclipse Park in Louisville.

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Alfred Kinsey. U.S. sexologist. Dr. Kinsey, a biologist by training, founded the Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University in 1947. He published the reports Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953), which created the impression that the American people were far more liberal in their sexual behaviour than they actually were, or were willing to admit. Dr. Kinsey was reported to be bisexual, and he devised a scale of sexuality in which bisexuality rather than heterosexuality was the norm. It wasn't until many years after the publication of his reports that it was revealed that a disproportionate number of Dr. Kinsey's subjects in his research on male sexuality were convicted sex offenders, and a disproportionate number of his female subjects were prostitutes--not exactly representative of the majority of the American people. Dr. Kinsey has been credited with creating the modern sexual revolution, and gets this blogger's vote as the most influential person in Western culture in the last half of the 20th century. He died of a reported heart ailment and pneumonia on August 25, 1956 at the age of 62.

Harold Barrowclough. Chief Justice of the New Zealand Supreme Court, 1953-1966. Major General Sir Harold earned numerous decorations for service in both world wars before serving as New Zealand's Chief Justice and setting up the New Zealand Court of Appeal. He died on March 4, 1972 at the age of 77.

Edward VIII. King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, Emperor of India, 1936. Edward VIII acceded to the throne on January 20, 1936 on the death of his father George V, but abdicated the throne on December 10, 1936 in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. He was succeeded as King-Emperor by his younger brother, George VI, who gave Edward the title Duke of Windsor. The Duke of Windsor was suspected of Nazi sympathies, and was Governor of the Bahamas from 1940-1945, far away from the action during World War II. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor spent their remaining years as socialites; he died of throat cancer on May 28, 1972 at the age of 77.

Olympics
The International Olympic Committee was founded at the Sorbonne in Paris, at the initiative of Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

100 years ago
1914

War
In the Mexican Revolution, troops led by Pancho Villa took Zacatecas from Victoriano Huerta.

75 years ago
1939

Baseball
Bob Feller had 3 hits while getting his 11th win of the season as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Philadelphia Athletics 12-5 before 3,000 fans at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Indians scored 7 runs in the 7th inning and 2 in the 8th.

Bill Lohrman pitched a 2-hit shutout and had a double of his own as the New York Giants blanked the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 before 9,731 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Mel Ott hit a solo home run, and Zeke Bonura added 4 singles for the Giants.

Stan Hack singled with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning, stole second base, and scored on a 2-out error by second baseman Heinie Mueller to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 6,762 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Bill Lee pitched an 8-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Max Butcher.

70 years ago
1944

War
The Canadian army went into action for the first time as a separate unit, not under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's British command. U.S. troops in France fought their way through the outer Cherbourg defenses against fierce opposition. The Soviet Red Army opened its summer offensive on the main eastern front with an attack upon Vitebsk. U.S. carrier-based planes attacked Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, shooting down 116 enemy aircraft while losing just 5. The United States Senate committee investigating military spending called the Liberty ship "the truck horse of the sea," but opposed its use as a troop or hospital ship because of slow speed and possible structural defects.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau chairman of the U.S. delegation to the upcoming Bretton Woods Conference.

Disasters
146 people were killed and over 1,000 injured when a tornado swept through parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland.

50 years ago
1964

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the satellite Cosmos 33.

40 years ago
1974

Died on this date
Red Friesell, 80. U.S. football official. Mr. Friesell officiated in 575 college and professional games, but was known for just one. In 1940, Cornell University, riding an 18-game winning streak, was trailing 3-0 against Dartmouth College late in the game, but scored a converted touchdown for a 7-3 win. After a post-game study of films and charts, Mr. Friesell admitted that confusion on the winning touchdown drive had resulted in Cornell mistakenly being allowed a fifth down to continue the drive. Cornell, although entitled to claim victory, refused to accept the win, and the game was officially recorded as a 3-0 win for Dartmouth.

Baseball
Tony Perez led off the bottom of the 12th inning with a home run off Joe Niekro to give the Cincinnati Reds a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves and a sweep of their doubleheader before 52,147 fans at Riverfront Stadium, the fourth-largest regular season crowd in Cincinnati history. Cincinnati starting pitcher Clay Kirby allowed just 1 unearned run in 10 innings, and Pedro Borbon pitched the last 2 innings to get the win. Atlanta starter Lew Krausse and relief pitcher Tom House each pitched 5 innings before Mr. Niekro entered the game in the 11th. In the first game, Joe Morgan batted 3 for 4 and hit a 2-run home run to climax a 3-run 1st inning as the Reds won 4-2. Cincinnati starting pitcher Roger Nelson pitched 7 innings to pick up his fourth win of the season and 29th and last of his major league career. He went on the disabled list with shoulder problems, and never pitched another game in the National League. Atlanta starter and losing pitcher Roric Harrison batted 2 for 2 and hit his third home run of the season.

Pinch hitter Ken McMullen singled home pinch runner with a single with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants before 52,563 fans on Oldtimers' Day at Dodger Stadium.

Hal Breeden hit his first home run of the season and Bob Bailey hit his sixth as the Montreal Expos beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 before 21,528 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis.

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Self Control--Raf

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): The Reflex--Duran Duran

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): The Reflex--Duran Duran (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Two Tribes--Frankie Goes To Hollywood

#1 single in the U.K.: Two Tribes--Frankie Goes to Hollywood (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Reflex--Duran Duran

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Reflex--Duran Duran (2nd week at #1)
2 Time After Time--Cyndi Lauper
3 Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen
4 Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry
5 Eyes Without a Face--Billy Idol
6 Sister Christian--Night Ranger
7 The Heart of Rock and Roll--Huey Lewis and the News
8 Jump (For My Love)--The Pointer Sisters
9 Self Control--Laura Branigan
10 Borderline--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were Panama by Van Halen (#63); Turn to You by the Go-Go's (#79); Stuck on You by Lionel Richie (#82); Young Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me) by Red Rider (#87); A Chance for Heaven by Christopher Cross (#88); Break-A-Way by Tracey Ullman (#89); and The Glamorous Life by Sheila E. (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Time After Time--Cyndi Lauper (3rd week at #1)
2 Let's Hear it for the Boy--Deniece Williams
3 The Reflex--Duran Duran
4 Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry
5 Hello--Lionel Richie
6 Dancing in the Dark--Bruce Springsteen
7 To All the Girls I've Loved Before--Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
8 Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)--Phil Collins
9 Dance Hall Days--Wang Chung
10 Eyes Without a Face--Billy Idol

Singles entering the chart were State of Shock by the Jacksons with Mick Jagger (#41); Meet Me in the Middle by the Arrows (#45); I'm Free (Heaven Help the Man) by Kenny Loggins (#46); Lovers in a Dangerous Time by Bruce Cockburn (#49); and Boys Just Want to Have Sex by Exude (#50).

Diplomacy
Rev. Jesse Jackson, a candidate for the 1984 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States, began a tour of the Caribbean and Central America in Panama, meeting with Panamanian President Jorge Illueca.

Defense
Lebanese Prime Minister Rashid Karami announced that Lebanon's army would be reorganized under a new commander and would be overseen by a six-member military council representing leading religious groups. The plan sought to create parity between Christians and Muslims within the army.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): The Look--Roxette (5th week at #1)

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average closed at 2,531.87, fewer than 200 points below its all-time high in August 1987.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): U & Me--Cappella (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Riverdance--Bill Whelan (8th week at #1)

Died on this date
Marv Throneberry, 60. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Throneberry, the younger brother of outfielder Faye Throneberry, was a first baseman with the New York Yankees (1955, 1958-1959); Kansas City Athletics (1960-1961); Baltimore Orioles (1961-1962); and New York Mets (1962-1963), batting .237 with 53 home runs and 170 runs batted in in 480 games. He batted .269 with 201 home runs and at least 518 runs batted in in 925 games in 8 seasons in the minor leagues from 1952-1964. Mr. Throneberry was one of the best minor league sluggers of his time, leading the American Association in home runs and RBIs for each of three consecutive seasons from 1955-1957 as a member of the Denver Bears, with a total of 118 homers and 386 RBIs for those years, earning Most Valuable Player honours in 1956. He was a member of the Yankees' World Series championship team in 1958, but became a folk hero with the expansion Mets after they acquired him early in the 1962 season, as his misplays at bat, on the basepaths, and in the field symbolized the team's ineptitude. Mr. Throneberry died of cancer.

War
French forces crossed from Zaire into Rwanda with the objective of protecting civilians from the warring Hutu and Tutsi tribes.

Politics and government
Japan's opposition Liberal Democratic Party filed a motion of non-confidence in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Tsutomo Hata.

Health
The government of Ontario enacted the toughest tobacco-control bill in North America, raising the legal smoking age to 19, banning cigarette sales in drug stores, and restricting smoking in public places.