June 11, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Vivian Koshman!

1,175 years ago
840

Died on this date
Junna, 54 or 55. Emperor of Japan, 823-833. Junna, born Ōtomo, acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his older brother Saga. Junna abdicated and was succeeded by his adopted son Ninmyō.

325 years ago
1690

Born on this date
Giovanni Antonio Giay. Italian composer. Mr. Giay wrote 15 operas, 5 symphonies, and sacred music. He died on September 10, 1764 at the age of 74.

150 years ago
1865

War
In the Paraguayan War, the Battle of Riachuelo was fought on the rivulet Riachuelo (Argentina), between the navies of Paraguay and Brazil. The Brazilian victory was crucial for the later success of the Triple Alliance (Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina) in the war.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Nikolai Bulganin. U.S.S.R. politician. Mr. Bulganin joined the Bolshevik wing of the Communist Party in 1917. He was loyal to dictator Josef Stalin, and became a member of the Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee in 1934; Prime Minister of Russia (1937); and Deputy Prime Minister of the Soviet Union and head of the State Bank of the U.S.S.R. in 1938. Mr. Bulganin joined the Politburo in 1947 and served as Minister of Defense (1953-1955) and Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Premier) (1955-1958), succeeding Georgy Malenkov in the latter office. He initially supported Nikita Khrushchev when Mr. Khrushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union, but eventually disagreed with his policies and was forced to resign as Premier, and forced into retirement in 1960. Mr. Bulganin died on February 1, 1975 at the age of 79.

Auto racing
The Paris–Bordeaux–Paris, sometimes called the first automobile race in history or the "first motor race," began.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Magda Gabor. Hungarian-born U.S. actress. Miss Gabor was the older sister of actresses Zsa Zsa and Eva Gabor. Magda's only movie role was in Mai lányok (Today's Girls) (1937). She moved to the United States in 1946. Miss Gabor was married six times, and died on June 6, 1997, five days before her 82nd birthday.

80 years ago
1935

Radio
Inventor Edwin Armstrong gave the first public demonstration of FM broadcasting in the United States at Alpine, New Jersey.

75 years ago
1940

War
French Army General Weygand declared Paris an open city as German troops reached the suburbs. Italian planes bombed British bases at Malta and Aden. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the Mediterranean Sea a combat zone from which U.S. ships, planes, and civilians were barred. The Australian government began arresting 7,000 Italian nationals in that country. The government of Hong Kong interned resident Italians.

Diplomacy
Princess Juliana of the Netherlands arrived in Ottawa to seek refuge during the Second World War.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud in Tours to urge that Paris be defended.

Brazilian President Getulio Vargas reaffirmed Brazil's neutrality, but also denounced "the sterile demagogy of political democracy." His speech was widely interpreted as a rebuke to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address in Charlottesville, Virginia the previous day, in which Mr. Roosevelt had accused Italy, in entering the European war, of "stabbing the back" of its neighbour.

Mexico's interior minister stated that his country's foreign policy was pro-Allied and one seeking cooperation with the United States.

Japan and Thailand signed a pact in Tokyo to respect each other's territorial integrity.

Defense
The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate a $1.004-billion defense tax bill, which also authorized an increase in the national debt to $49 billion.

U.S. Attorney General Robert Jackson opposed formation of volunteer counter-espionage groups in the United States.

American Civil Liberties Union Chairman Justin Haynes Holmes told an audience in Newark, New Jersey that universal conscription was a violation of civil liberties.

Americana
The United States Congress approved the establishment of Cumberland Gap Historical Park in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia.

Religion
A day-long interfaith conference on the world's current religious crisis was held in Washington, D.C.

Baseball
Ted Williams had a home run and a triple, Joe Cronin had a home run, and Lou Finney had 2 doubles and 2 singles as the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 9-2 at Fenway Park in Boston to move into first place in the American League, 1 game ahead of the Indians and Detroit Tigers. Cleveland manager Ossie Vitt openly criticized losing pitcher Bob Feller, saying, "Look at him. He's supposed to be my ace. How am I supposed to win a pennant with that kind of pitching?"

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sentimental Journey--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (2nd week at #1)
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
2 Laura--Johnnie Johnston
--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Dick Haymes
3 Dream--The Pied Pipers
--Frank Sinatra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
4 Candy--Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
--Dinah Shore
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson
5 Bell Bottom Trousers--Tony Pastor and his Orchestra
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Louis Prima and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
6 There! I've Said it Again--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters)
--Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra
7 My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day)
--Johnny Long and his Orchestra and Dick Robertson
--Phil Moore Four
8 Caldonia--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five
--Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra
9 You Belong to My Heart--Bing Crosby and Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
10 The More I See You--Dick Haymes
--Harry James and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were You was Right, Baby by Peggy Lee (#19); Little Jazz by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra (#24); Apple Honey by Woody Herman and his Orchestra (#25); A Friend of Yours by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#32); Can't You Read Between the Lines, with versions by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra; and Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra (#33); I Miss Your Kiss by Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra (#34); and I'll See You in My Dreams by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (#36).

War
U.S. troops in the Philippines gained 9 miles, capturing the crossroads town of Bagabag on Luzon.

Politics and government
Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's Liberal majority government was reduced to a minority government in the Canadian federal election, winning 118 of 245 seats in the House of Commons. 8 candidates running as "independent Liberals" were elected, effectively giving Mr. King a majority. The Progressive Conservatives, led by John Bracken, won 67seate; the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, led by M.J. Coldwell, won 28; Social Credit, led by Solon Low, won 13; Bloc populaire canadien, led by Maxime Raymond, won 2, and 6 independent candidates were elected. Fred Rose, who had won a by-election in 1943 in the Montreal-area riding of Cartier as a candidate for the Labour-Progressive Party, was re-elected. The Labour-Progressive Party was actually the Communist Party in disguise, and Mr. Rose was soon revealed to be an agent of the U.S.S.R. Prime Minister King was defeated in his riding of Prince Albert by CCF candidate Edward Bowerman after holding the seat for 19 years; fellow Liberal William McDiarmid subsequently resigned his seat in the Ontario riding of Glengarry in order to allow Mr. King to run in a by-election. Allan Johnston, who had captured the Ontario riding of London for the Liberals in 1940, was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Park Manross.

Diplomacy
At the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, the Big Five nations--U.S.A.; U.S.S.R.; U.K.; France; and China--agreed to record in the minutes that nations had the right to withdraw from the UN in case amendments were passed which violated their constitutions. The United Nations Economic and Social Council was approved, with a membership of 18; it would report directly to the Security Council.

Economics and finance
The United States Senate voted to extend the Office of Price Administration for another year, but outlawed price ceilings that failed to give meat processors and farmers a "reasonable" profit.

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court invalidate a Florida law requiring the licensing of union business agents and the filing of information about both the union and its officers.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Melody of Love--The Four Aces; Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Unchained Melody--Al Hibbler

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (Best Seller--7th week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Jukebox--2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Unchained Melody--Les Baxter and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)
--Al Hibbler
--Roy Hamilton
2 Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra
--Alan Dale
3 The Ballad of Davy Crockett--Bill Hayes
--Fess Parker
--Tennessee Ernie Ford
4 Dance with Me Henry (Wallflower)--Georgia Gibbs
5 (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock--Bill Haley and his Comets
6 A Blossom Fell--Nat "King" Cole
7 Learnin' the Blues--Frank Sinatra
8 Honey-Babe--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
9 The Breeze and I (Andalucia)--Caterina Valente
10 Whatever Lola Wants--Sarah Vaughan

Singles entering the chart were Something's Gotta Give by Sammy Davis, Jr. (#11, charting with the version by the McGuire Sisters); Alabama Jubilee by the Ferko String Band (#28); Sweet and Gentle by Alan Dale (#31); A Story Untold, with versions by the Crew-Cuts, the Nutmegs, and the Four Coins (#35); I Belong to You by Ralph Flanagan and his Orchestra (#40); Not as a Stranger by Frank Sinatra (#44); The Cattle Call by Eddy Arnold with Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#48); and Carmen's Boogie by the Crew-Cuts (#50). Not as a Stranger was the title song of the movie. Carmen's Boogie was the B-side of A Story Untold.

Died on this date
Pierre Levegh, 49. French auto racing driver. Mr. Levegh, born Pierre Bouillin, was the only driver killed in the crash that killed 83 spectators during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Disasters
83 spectators were killed and at least 120 injured after an Austin-Healey and a Mercedes-Benz collided at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the deadliest accident in the history of motorsports.









Horse racing
Nashua, with Eddie Arcaro aboard, won the 87th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York in a time of 2:29. Blazing Count placed second. Nashua had won the Preakness Stakes after finishing a close second behind Swaps in the Kentucky Derby.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Crying in the Chapel--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)
2 Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte--Patti Page
3 Voodoo Woman--Bobby Goldsboro
4 Wonderful World--Herman's Hermits
5 Help Me, Rhonda--The Beach Boys
6 Mr. Tambourine Man--The Byrds
7 Engine Engine #9--Roger Miller
8 Wooly Bully--Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
9 Cara, Mia--Jay & the Americans
10 For Your Love--The Yardbirds
Pick hit of the week: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The Rolling Stones
New this week: Silver Threads and Golden Needles--Jody Miller
Last Night I Made a Little Girl Cry--Steve Lawrence
A Little Bit of Heaven--Ronnie Dove
I Want You Back Again--The Zombies

Died on this date
José Mendes Cabeçadas, 81. 9th President of Portugal; Prime Minister of Portugal, 1926. Mr. Mendes Cabeçadas was a naval officer who led a military revolt against the Portuguese First Republic. He served as President and Prime Minister from May 31-June 19, 1926. Other revolutionaries forced Mr. Mendes Cabeçadas out of the top positions, but he held various other cabinet posts until 1930.

Music
The single Walk with a Winner/A Miracle by Gene McDaniels was released on Liberty Records.

Space
The Soviet probe Lunik 6 missed the Moon by 99,000 miles.

40 years ago
1975

At the movies
Nashville, directed by Robert Altman, and starring Ned Beatty, Ronee Blakely, Keith Carradne, and many others, opened in theatres.



Night Moves, directed by Arthur Penn, and starring Gene Hackman and Susan Clark, opened in theatres.



Personal
This blogger enjoyed the last day of classes in grade 9 at Sir John Franklin Territorial High School on a beautiful Wednesday in Yellowknife.

Politics and government
The New Democratic Party government of Premier Allan Blakeney was re-elected in the Saskatchewan provincial election, capturing 39 of 61 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The NDP total was a drop of 6 from the 1971 election. The Liberals, led by David Steuart, stayed at 15 seats, while the Progressive Conservatives, led by Dick Collver, improved from 0 to 7 seats.

Economics and finance
The International Monetary Fund concluded two days of meetings with a failure to reform the world monetary system because of differences between the United States and France over gold and exchange rates.

Oil
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) concluded three days of meetings by agreeing not to raise prices until September.

Baseball
The San Francisco Giants traded third baseman Ed Goodson to the Atlanta Braves for shortstop Craig Robinson. Mr. Goodson was batting .207 with 1 home run and 8 runs batted in in 39 games with San Francisco in 1975; Mr. Robinson was batting .059 (1 for 17) in 10 games with Atlanta, with no homers or RBIs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed outfielder Leron Lee, who had been released by the Cleveland Indians on May 22. Mr. Lee had batted just .130 (3 for 23) in 13 games with Cleveland in 1975, with no home runs or runs batted in.

Carl Yastrzemski's 2-run home run off Goose Gossage with 2 out in the top of the 14th inning gave the Boston Red Sox a 9-7 win over the Chicago White Sox before 5,228 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Leroy Stanton drove in 5 runs with a single and an 8th-inning grand slam as the California Angels defeated the Detroit Tigers 14-7 in the first game of a doubleheader before 22,835 fans at Tiger Stadium. Detroit designated hitter Willie Horton was ejected in the 4th inning after charging toward California pitcher Frank Tanana. Nate Colbert hit his fourth and last home run in a Detroit uniform. The Tigers were leading the second game 5-3 after 8 innings when it was suspended at 1:10 A.M. the following day because of an American League rule; the Tigers held the Angels scoreless in the 9th when the game was resumed the following night.

Cookie Rojas and Harmon Killebrew each hit home runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 7-1 before 10,787 fans at Royals Stadium. Dennis Leonard pitched a 6-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over Gaylord Perry, who also pitched a complete game, allowing 9 hits and 7 earned runs in his last game in a Cleveland uniform; he was traded to the Texas Rangers two days later.

Ken Singleton doubled home Mark Belanger with 1 out in the top of the 10th inning for the winning run as the Baltimore Oeioles edged the Texas Rangers 9-8 before 13,488 fans at Arlington Stadium. Mr. Belanger, batting ninth for Baltimore, was 4 for 5, while catcher Dave Duncan, batting eighth, hit a pair of 2-run home runs.

30 years ago
1985

Died on this date
Karen Ann Quinlan, 31. U.S. medical patient. Miss Quinlan went into an irreversible coma and entered a persistent vegetative state shortly after consuming a combination of alcohol and Valium on April 15, 1975. She was taken to Newton Memorial Hospital in Morris Township, New Jersey, where she was fed through a tube and was aided in breathing by a ventilator, which were thought to be the only things keeping her alive. Miss Quinlan's parents, who were devout Roman Catholics, wanted Karen returned to her "natural state," and petitioned to have the ventilator removed, objecting to what they saw as her life being prolonged by "extraordinary means." They thus petitioned the New Jersey Superior Court to have the ventilator removed; Newton Memorial Hospital joined the Quinlans in the action, fearing a charge of homicide if the ventilator were removed without legal justification. The Quinlans' petition was denied in November 1975, but an appeal was upheld in 1976 by the New Jersey Supreme Court. The case of Karen Ann Quinlan was widely, and incorrectly, believed to be a "right-to-die" case. In fact, Miss Quinlan met none of the criteria for death; she wasn't dead, and wasn't dying. Her parents didn't want her to die, but opposed the use of "extraordinary means" to keep her alive. The ventilator was removed, and much to everyone's surprise, Miss Quinlan continued breathing on her own, and was fed through a tube until her death from pneumonia. The legal uncertainties surrounding the situation of Karen Ann Quinlan have been credited with spurring the creation of formal ethics committees in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices. The death of Karen Quinlan was given slight media coverage, in contrast to the court case surrounding her condition, which was a major news item. You have to be of a certain age to remember the case of Karen Ann Quinlan, and those who weren't paying close attention may be surprised to find that her death occurred in 1985, not in 1975 or 1976.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (0-1) 6 @ Toronto (1-0) 24

Baseball
Von Hayes became the first major league player to hit 2 home runs in the 1st inning, leading off with a homer and then hitting a grand slam to cap a 9-run inning as the Philadelphia Phillies whipped the New York Mets 26-7 before 22,591 fans at Veterans Stadium. New York relief pitchers Joe Sambito (3 innings) and Calvin Schiraldi (1 1/3 innings) each gave up 10 runs. Charles Hudson was the winning pitcher despite giving up 13 hits and 7 runs--6 earned--in 5 innings. The 26 runs were the most by one team in a National League game since 1944.



David Green singled with 2 out, stole second base, and scored on a single by Bob Brenly for the winning run in the top of the 18th inning as the San Francisco Giants edged the Atlanta Braves 5-4 before 9,046 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Bob Horner hit 2 home runs for Atlanta.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Jealousy o nemura sete (ＪＥＡＬＯＵＳＹを眠らせて)--Kyosuke Himuro (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Verdammt, Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (4th week at #1)

Politics and government
Stan Waters, 70, who, as the candidate of the Reform Party, had won an election in October 1989 to fill a vacancy from Alberta, became Canada’s first elected Senator when he was appointed to the upper house by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Mr. Mulroney had been dragging his feet on respecting the choice of Alberta voters, but appointed Mr. Waters after extracting a promise from Alberta Premier Don Getty not to hold any more Senate elections for the next five years while the nation examined (i.e., delayed) Senate reform.

Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells announced that he would submit the Meech Lake Canadian constitutional accord to his provincial legislature for a free vote, and that he would not attempt to influence the result.

Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney told reporters that he had deliberately postponed a first ministers’ meeting on the Meech Lake accord until just before the June 23 deadline for approval in order to "roll the dice" and place pressure on holdout premiers to go along with the deal. Mr. Wells and Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon had urged earlier talks.

The Israeli Knesset approved the new coalition government of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s Likud Party and several small nationalist and religious parties by a vote of 62-57.

Law
The United States Supreme Court struck down a 1989 law banning desecration of the American flag.

Baseball
Nolan Ryan pitched his sixth career major league no-hitter, striking out 14 as the Texas Rangers blanked the Oakland Athletics 5-0 before 33,436 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mr. Ryan, who had previously pitched no-hitters for the California Angels and Houston Astros, became the first pitcher to pitch at least one no-hitter with three different teams.



20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: I'll Be Around--Rappin' 4-Tay (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)--Sin with Sebastian (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)--Scatman John (7th week at #1)

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Western Conference Finals
Chicago 1 @ Detroit 2 (2 OT) (Detroit won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Vyacheslav Kozlov scored at 2:25 of the 2nd overtime period to enable the Red Wings to eliminate the Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena and advance to the finals for the first time since 1966.



Basketball
NBA
Finals
Orlando 103 @ Houston 106 (Houston led best-of-seven series 3-0)

Robert Horry's 3-point field goal with 14.1 seconds remaining in regulation time gave the Rockets a 104-100 lead, enabling them to hang on to beat the Magic before 16,611 fans at the Summit. Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston with 31 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists. Shaquille O'Neal led Orlando scorers with 28 points.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Robert Clarke, 85. U.S. actor. Mr. Clarke appeared in numerous movies and television programs, but was best known for appearing in low-budget science fiction and monster movies such as The Astounding She-Monster (1957) and The Incredible Petrified World (1959). He wrote, directed, produced, and starred in The Hideous Sun Demon (1958). Mr. Clarke died of complications from diabetes, 10 days after his 85th birthday.

Vasco Gonçalves, 84. Prime Minister of Portugal, 1974-1975. General Gonçalves was part of the "Carnation Revolution" that toppled the Estado Novo regime in 1974. He supported nationalization of banks and insurance companies, views that led to his replacement as Prime Minister in September 1975.

Horse racing
Afleet Alex, with Jeremy Rose up, won his second straight Triple Crown race, winning the 137th running of the Belmont Stakes in a time of 2:28.75 before 62,274 fans at Belmont Park, New York. Second-place Andromeda's Hero was 7 lengths behind, with Nolan's Cat finishing third in the 11-horse field.



Boxing
Kevin McBride (33-4-1) scored a technical knockout at the end of the 6th round of his bout with former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson (50-6-0-2), ending Mr. Tyson's professional career.



Football
CFL
Pre-season
Hamilton (0-0-1) 16 Toronto (0-0-1) 16 @ Halifax

The Argonauts were officially the home team as they tied the Tiger-Cats at Huskies Stadium in the first CFL game ever played in Nova Scotia.