June 1, 2015

800 years ago
1215

War
Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, was captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu.

200 years ago
1815

Born on this date
Otto. King of Greece, 1832-1862. Otto was a Bavarian prince who became the first modern King of Greece under the Convention of London. While on a visit to the in 1862, he was deposed. Otto took refuge on a British warship and returned to Bavaria, where he died in exile on July 26, 1867 at the age of 52.

Law
French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte promulgated a revised Constitution after it had passed a plebiscite.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Frank Morgan. U.S. actor. Mr. Morgan, born Francis Phillip Wuppermann, was a character actor on stage and in movies from 1916 until his death from a heart attack at the age of 59 on September 18, 1949. He was best known for playing the title role in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Technology
The United States Census Bureau began using Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine to count census returns.

110 years ago
1905

Labour
Coal miners at Nanaimo, British Columbia began a strike that lasted until September 30, 1905.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
John Randolph. U.S. actor. Born Emanuel Hirsch Cohen, Mr. Randolph was a stage and screen actor who was blacklisted in the 1950s as a result of alleged pro-Soviet sympathies and refusing to answer questions before the House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee. He appeared in the original Broadway productions of Come Back, Little Sheba (1950); Paint Your Wagon (1951); and The Sound of Music (1959), and won a Tony Award for his starring performance in Broadway Bound (1986). Mr. Randolph made many appearances on television, and was the first actor to play Frank Costanza in the comedy series Seinfeld. He appeared in the movie Seconds (1966) as the main character whose facial features are altered in order to change his identity, after which the character was played by Rock Hudson. Mr. Randolph died on February 24, 2004 at the age of 88.

Transportaion
The National Transcontinental Railway reached Winnipeg via Moncton, Edmundston, Quebec, and Senneterre; it operated as part of the Canadian Government Railways until the formation of Canadian National Railways in 1918.

90 years ago
1925

Baseball
Lou Gehrig's streak of playing in 2,130 consecutive games began when he entered a game as a pinch hitter for the New York Yankees. Batting for shortstop Pee-Wee Wanninger in the 8th inning, Mr. Gehrig flied out to left field. The Yankees lost 5-3 to the Washington Nationals before 10,000 fans at Griffith Stadium in Washington.

75 years ago
1940

War
Because of heavy losses to German aircraft, the British Admiralty ordered that all embarkations from Dunkirk, France must take place after dark. German forces carried the war to southern France with bombing raids in the Rhone River Valley. German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler ordered the release of Dutch prisoners of war.

Diplomacy
Chinese Communist leader Chou En-lai returned to Chungking from Moscow.

Defense
U.S. Army General George Marshall suggested that, because of defense developments, U.S. troops may have to be stationed outside the country.

Law
The New Zealand parliament passed a law granting the government full power over all persons and property for the duration of World War II.

Politics and government
The Communist Party U.S.A.'s platform condemned U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's foreign policy as imperialistic.

Technology
Paul Schlack received a patent on a process that made wool mothproof by treatment with alkalyne oxide and imine.

Labour
At its annual meeting in New York, the U.S. National Lawyers Guild adopted a resolution opposing any change or amendment to the National Labor Relations Act.

70 years ago
1945

War
U.S. President Harry Truman told Congress that fighting forces in the Pacific theatre would be doubled, with the addition of 3.5 million men from Germany. More than 450 U.S. planes dropped 3,000 tons of incendiary bomb on Osaka. U.S. troops took the town of Shuri and moved along the north bank of the Kokuba River in Okinawa. U.S. officials claimed that up to 30,000 Japanese troops in the Philippines were trapped between American forces moving north through the Cagayan Valley on Luzon and powerful guerrilla units to the north.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman said he would meet soon with U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin.

The U.S.S.R. sent a note to the French, British, Chinese, and American governments asking that France cease fighting against rebel forces in Syria and Lebanon because such activities were contrary to the principles of the United Nations. The Soviets, however, backed the French contention that the Franco-Soviet alliance and other alliances directed against Germany should be completely independent of the new world organization.

Journalism
Louis Fischer, noted author and foreign correspondent, resigned from the editorial board of The Nation after protesting the magazine's favourable view of Soviet foreign policy.

Economics and finance
U.S. Office of Price Administration Administrator Chester Bowles ordered all commercial slaughterers to follow the geographical pattern of meat distribution used in 1944 to bring some relief from the meat shortage.

60 years ago
1955

At the movies
The Seven Little Foys, starring Bob Hope, Milly Vitale, George Tobias, and James Cagney, received its premiere screening in Sydney.

The Seven Year Itch, co-written, co-produced, and directed by Billy Wilder, received its premiere screening.



Baseball
The Chicago White Sox, trailing 3-0 after 6 1/2 innings, scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th and another in the 8th to defeat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 before 21,209 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Boston first baseman Harry Agganis, playing for the first time since being diagnosed with pneumonia after a doubleheader on May 15, batted 1 for 4 with a run.

50 years ago
1965

Died on this date
Curly Lambeau, 67. U.S. football player and coach. Earl Louis Lambeau played halfback for the University of Notre Dame in 1918, but fell ill and returned to his native Green Bay, where he co-founded the Green Bay Packers in 1919. Mr. Lambeau played for the Packers from 1919-1929, and coached them from 1919-1949, leading them to National Football League championships in 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, and 1944. He coached the Chicago Cardinals from 1950-1951 and Washington Redskins from 1952-1953, with limited success. Mr. Lambeau posted a career coaching record of 229–134–22 (.623) and was a charter member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame when it opened in 1963. He died of a heart attack; two months later, City Stadium in Green Bay was renamed Lambeau Field.

Defense
The Canadian Coast Guard commissioned the John Cabot, the world's first icebreaker cable-repair ship.

40 years ago
1975

Baseball
Nolan Ryan pitched his fourth career major league no-hitter and struck out 9 batters as the California Angels edged the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 before 18,492 fans at Anaheim Stadium.

Mickey Lolich pitched a 7-hit complete game for his 201st career major league win as the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader before 26,749 fans at Tiger Stadium. The win game Mr. Lolich a team record for victories, breaking the Detroit career record formerly held by Hal Newhouser; he struck out 3 batters, moving into sixth place on the major league career list with 2,582. The White Sox won the second game 3-2.

Vada Pinson and Harmon Killebrew each drove in 3 runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 13-6 in the first game of a doubleheader before 29,759 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. John Mayberry drove in 5 runs with a single, double, and home run to lead the Royals to an 11-5 win in the second game.

The Boston Red Sox scored 9 runs in the first 3 innings and held on to defeat the Minnesota Twins 11-9 before 25,493 fans at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.

The San Francisco Giants scored 10 runs in the last 3 innings as they defeated the Montreal Expos 13-5 before 12,710 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): We are the World--USA for Africa (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): We are the World--USA for Africa (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): 19--Paul Hardcastle (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: 19--Paul Hardcastle (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Everything She Wants--Wham! (2nd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Everything She Wants--Wham!
2 Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears
3 Axel F--Harold Faltermeyer
4 Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds
5 We are the World--USA for Africa
6 Smooth Operator--Sade
7 Suddenly--Billy Ocean
8 One Night in Bangkok--Murray Head
9 Crazy for You--Madonna
10 In My House--Mary Jane Girls

Singles entering the chart were Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen (#52); Possession Obsession by Daryl Hall John Oates (#69); Who's Holding Donna Now by DeBarge (#71); What About Love? by Heart (#73); 19 by Paul Hardcastle (#82); Let Him Go by Animotion (#84); Reaction to Action by Foreigner (#86); and You Spin Me Around (Like a Record) by Dead or Alive (#89).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds
2 Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears
3 Crazy for You--Madonna
4 Rhythm of the Night--DeBarge
5 Everything She Wants--Wham!
6 We are the World--USA for Africa
7 Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody--David Lee Roth
8 Obsession--Animotion
9 Tears are Not Enough--Northern Lights
10 Some Like it Hot--Power Station

Singles entering the chart were If You Love Somebody Set Them Free by Sting (#69); Seduction by New Regime (#90); What About Love? by Heart (#93); Voices Carry by 'Til Tuesday (#94); and Sentimental Street by Night Ranger (#96).

Died on this date
Richard Greene, 66. U.K. actor. Mr. Greene was a matinee idol who was best known for playing the title role in the television series The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1959) and for playing Sir Henry Baskerville in the movie The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), for which he received top billing. He died of a heart attack after several years of declining health.

Protest
More than 300 people were arrested in England when police attempted to prevent a throng of hippies from reaching Stonehenge to challenge a ban on summer festivals.

25 years ago
1990

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev met U.S. Congressional leaders for breakfast at the Soviet embassy in Washington, and then met with U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle. Afterward, Mr. Gorbachev and U.S. President George Bush signed more than a dozen documents at the White House. One agreement, spelling out broad details to be worked out in a treaty, would reduce long-range nuclear weapons arsenals, setting a limit of 1,600 strategic delivery vehicles per side, with a total of 6,000 warheads per side for these long-range vehicles. Another agreement called for an immediate end to chemical weapons production by both countries. A third agreement involved Mr. Bush signing the trade treaty that Mr. Gorbachev wanted, even though the U.S.S.R. had not met the condition previously stated, that of liberalizing emigration laws. Mr. Bush apparently put aside concerns over Lithuania in signing the treaty, which, if approved by Congress, would be a step toward granting most favoured nation status to the Soviet Union.

Raisa Gorbachev and Barbara Bush addressed the graduating class of Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Mrs. Gorbachev spoke on the role of women in Soviet society, and Mrs. Bush emphasized the importance of family and friends even for career women.

Politics and government
Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appointed John Grace as federal Information Commissioner, replacing Inger Hansen. Mr. Grace was replaced as Privacy Commissioner by former CTV newsman Bruce Phillips.

Academia
Pauline Jewett was appointed Chancellor of Carleton University, replacing Gordon Robertson.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that unemployment edged downward by 0.1% in May, to 5.3%.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): This Ain't a Love Song--Bon Jovi

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
George Mikan, 80. U.S. basketball player, coach, and executive. Mr. Mikan, who stood 6' 10", was the first man of his size to become a basketball star, and was the most famous player in the first decade of the National Basketball Association. He was a center with DePaul University from 1942-1946 before turning professional with the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (1946-1947) and Professional Basketball League of America (1947). When the PBLA folded after just a few weeks of play, Mr. Mikan's contract was picked up by the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, who joined the Basketball Association of America a year later. The leagues merged into the National Basketball Association in 1949. Mr. Mikan led the American Gears to the NBL championship in 1947, and the Lakers to the NBL title in 1948 and NBA championships in 1949, 1950, and 1952-1954 before retiring. He was the NBA's biggest gate attraction, and was such a dominant player that he inspired rule changes such as widening the lane from 6 to 12 feet. Mr. Mikan retired aftet the 1953-54 season, but came back midway through the 1955-56 season. The 24-second clock had been introduced in the 1954-55 season, and Mr. Mikan found himself unable to keep up with the resulting faster pace, and soon retired for good. He coached the Lakers in 1957-58, but stepped down after starting the season with a dismal 9-30 record. Mr. Mikan served as the first commissioner of the American Basketball Association (1967-1969) and played a leading role in the Minnesota Timberwolves entering the NBA as an expansion team in 1989. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959.