June 25, 2015

180 years ago
1835

Died on this date
Antoine-Jean Gros, 64. French artist. Baron Gros was a neoclassicist painter who obtained the patronage of Napoleon Bonaparte, and painted pictures of Napoleon, historical scenes, and portraits. His later paintings were considered unfashionable when Romanticism increased in popularity, and he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Seine River in Meudon, a suburb of Paris.

175 years ago
1840

Canadiana
Quebec and Montreal were both given city charters.

160 years ago
1855

Transportation
The Great Western Railroad put its steamers Canada and America into service from Hamilton, Ontario to Oswego, New York, with a route to New York City and the Erie Canal.

130 years ago
1885

Born on this date
Roy Henry. Canadian insurance executive. This blogger's maternal grandfather ran Roy Henry Insurance for many years. After retiring, he became the first historian of the Edmonton Eskimos football club. He died on January 14, 1969 at the age of 83, and is still missed.

Baseball
The Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Athletics 21-14 at Washington Park in Brooklyn, as 10 Brooklyn players had at least 2 hits each. Trolley Dodger third baseman George Pinckney batted 6 for 6, while Philadelphia shortstop George Strief had 4 triples and a double.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
"Whipper" Billy Watson. Canadian wrestler. Mr. Watson, born William Potts in East York, Ontario, was a main attraction at Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto from 1940-1971, frequently holding the British Empire heavyweight title, and briefly holding the world title in 1947 and 1956. He also wrestled in St. Louis in the 1940s and '50s, joined the National Wrestling Alliance in 1955, and bought the Seattle territory. Mr. Watson was forced to retire from wrestling after suffering a serious knee injury in a car accident. He devoted himself to charity work, especially with Easter Seals. Mr. Watson retired to Florida, where he died on February 4, 1990 at the age of 74.

90 years ago
1925

Politics and government
The Conservative Party, led by Edgar Nelson Rhodes, won the Nova Scotia provincial election taking 40 of 43 seats in the legislative assembly, ending 42 years of Liberal government. The Liberal Party, led by Premier Ernest Armstrong, was reduced to 3 seats, and Mr. Armstrong was defeated in his riding of Shelburne County. In the 1920 election, the Liberals had won 29 seats and the Conservatives 3. The Conservatives captured 60.9% of the vote in 1925, to 36.3% for the Liberals.

80 years ago
1935

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. and Colombia established diplomatic relations.

Boxing
Joe Louis (20-0) scored a technical knockout over former world heavyweight champion Primo Carnera (81-8) at 2:32 of the 6th round at Yankee Stadium in New York. The "Brown Bomber" knocked the "Ambling Alp" down 3 times and had him draped helplessly over the top rope when referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight.



75 years ago
1940

On the radio



War
The Royal Canadian Navy destroyer HMCS Fraser was sunk in collision off France. Shortly after midnight, the cease-fire took effect in France, and France declared a day of national mourning.

Diplomacy
League of Nations Secretary General Joseph Avenol instructed the remaining 89 League employees to resign.

Japan said that it would not permit any foreign power interference in East Asia, including Indochina and Netherlands East Indies.

Politics and government
The United Kingdom granted India and Burma the right to govern themselves as a step toward dominion status.

Delegates to the Republican National Convention at Philadelphia Convention Hall forced changes in the party platform, making it more isolationist. Former U.S. President Herbert Hoover addressed the convention, charging that current President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal economic policies had been disastrous, and appealing to the delegates to make Mr. Hoover the Republican Party's 1940 candidate for President of the United States.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the tax bill raising the national debt to $49 billion and adding 2.2 million people to the tax rolls.

U.S. President Roosevelt signed a bill permitting the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to purchase stock of Federal Home Loan Banks.

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) (4th week at #1)
--Hal McIntyre and his Orchestra
--The Merry Macs
2 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
3 Bell Bottom Trousers--Tony Pastor and his Orchestra
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
--Louis Prima and his Orchestra
4 Laura--Johnnie Johnston
--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
--Dick Haymes
5 You Belong to My Heart--Bing Crosby and Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
6 Caldonia--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
--Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five
--Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra
7 Dream--The Pied Pipers
--Frank Sinatra
--Freddy Martin and his Orchestra
8 The More I See You--Dick Haymes
--Harry James and his Orchestra
9 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
10 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

Singles entering the chart were Chopin's Polonaise by Carmen Cavallaro and his Orchestra (#20); I Wish (#25)/Put Another Chair at the Table (#36) by the Mills Brothers; If I Loved You by Perry Como (#28); Counting the Days (#35)/Missouri Waltz (#42) by Frankie Carle and his Orchestra; All at Once, with versions by Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra; and Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (#37); Gotta Be This or That by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra (#38); and Oh, Brother! by Harry James and his Orchestra (#45). If I Loved You was a version of a song originally from the musical play Carousel (1945).

War
U.S. naval units made their first foray past the Kuril Islands into the Sea of Okhotsk north of Japan, sinking three Japanese ships. In the pincer movement in the Cayagan Valley on Luzon in the Philippines, the U.S. 37th Infantry Division reached to within 11 miles of the 11th Airborne Group.

Diplomacy
The last plenary session of the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco met, and members received the final draft of the United Nations Charter.

Politics and government
The Simla Conference opened to consider British proposals for revising India's government.

The U.S.S.R. reported that the German Communist Party issued a manifesto in Berlin that barred a soviet system for the Reich and asked for a coalition parliamentary government and development of private enterprise and the profit system.

Economics and finance
The American Bankers' Association reversed its previous stand and endorsed the Bretton Woods monetary proposals.

A U.S. Emergency Appeals Court in Washington, D.C. ruled that Office of Price Administration ceiling rents for luxury apartments in New York City were too low, but upheld ceilings for substandard and medium-size dwellings.

Labour
The Independent Truck Drivers Union ordered its 6,000 striking members in Chicago to return to work since present "facts" made it "impossible to gain anything by this unprovoked...walkout."

60 years ago
1955

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Gail McGonigal!

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Melody of Love--The Four Aces; Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Unchained Melody--Al Hibbler (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White--Perez Prado and his Orchestra (Best Seller--9th week at #1; Disc Jockey--5th week at #1; Jukebox--4th week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Sweet and Gentle by Georgia Gibbs (#16, charting with the version by Alan Dale); Hummingbird, with versions by Les Paul and Mary Ford, Frankie Laine, and the Chordettes (#36); The House of Blue Lights by Chuck Miller (#37); The Popcorn Song by Cliffie Stone and his Orchestra (#39); Good and Lonesome by Kay Starr (#40); Mama Rosa (#42)/Domani (Tomorrow) (#45) by Julius LaRosa; The Blues from Kiss Me Deadly (I’d Rather Have The Blues) by Nat "King" Cole (#46); and The Kentuckian Song, with versions by the Hilltoppers and Eddy Arnold with Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#48). The Blues from Kiss Me Deadly (I’d Rather Have The Blues) was the B-side (or maybe the A-side) of My One Sin, charting at #25, and was a version of the theme from the movie Kiss Me Deadly (1955). The Kentuckian Song was the title song of the movie; the version by Mr. Arnold and Mr. Winterhalter and his Orchestra was the B-side of The Cattle Call, charting at #35.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Wonderful World--Herman's Hermits (2nd week at #1)
2 Crying in the Chapel--Elvis Presley
3 Mr. Tambourine Man--The Byrds
4 Cara, Mia--Jay & the Americans
5 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction--The Rolling Stones
6 Help Me, Rhonda--The Beach Boys
7 Here Comes the Night--Them
8 I'm Henry VIII, I Am--Herman's Hermits
9 (Such An) Easy Question--Elvis Presley
10 Voodoo Woman--Bobby Goldsboro
Pick hit of the week: I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better--The Byrds
New this week: On My Word--Cliff Richard
It's Gonna Be Fine--Glenn Yarbrough
Theme from "Harlow" (Lonely Girl)--Bobby Vinton
I'll Never Get Over You--The Everly Brothers
Walk with a Winner--Gene McDaniels

Theme from "Harlow" (Lonely Girl) was from the movie.

Diplomacy
The British Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference in London concluded with the establishment of the Vietnam Peace Mission, headed by U.K. Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

Hockey
NHL
Meeting in New York, the owners of the six National Hockey League teams gave themselves the power to grant six new franchises for the 1967-68 season at an admission price of $2 million each.

40 years ago
1975

At the movies
Cooley High, directed by Michael Schultz, and starring Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Benny Bass, 70. Ukrainian-born U.S. boxer. Mr. Bass won the vacant world featherweight title with a 10-round decision over Red Chapman on September 9, 1927, but lost it to Tony Canzoneri in a split decision on February 10, 1928. Mr. Bass won the New York State Athletic Commission world super featherweight (junior lightweight) title on December 20, 1929 with a knockout of Tod Morgan 51 seconds into the 2nd round. Mr. Bass lost the title to Kid Chocolate on July 15, 1931 on a knockout with 2 seconds remaining in the 7th round. In a professional career spanning 1919-1940, Mr. Bass posted a record of 191-41-9-2.

Africana
The People's Republic of Mozambique, formerly Portuguese East Africa, became an independent nation with Samora M. Machel as President.

Politics and government
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of internal emergency, allowing her to rule by decree, suspend elections, and curb civil liberties.

Baseball
The Chicago Cubs released veteran relief pitcher Bob Locker. Mr. Locker had been in the major leagues since 1965 and had joined the Cubs after the 1972 season in a trade with the Oakland Athletics. He was traded back to the Athletics after the 1973 season, but missed the entire 1974 season with an injury, and was traded back to the Cubs. Mr. Locker was 0-1 with an earned run average of 4.91 in 22 games with the Cubs in 1975.

The Houston Astros lent outfielder Mike Easler, currently with the Iowa Oaks of the AAA American Association, to the Tulsa Oilers, the American Association affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Mr. Easler had batted 0 for 5 in 5 games with Houston in 1975, and was batting .296 with 9 home runs and 28 runs batted in for Iowa.

The Montreal Expos set a team record for runs in an inning, scoring 10 in the bottom of the 7th as they came back from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Chicago Cubs 12-6 before 9,680 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal in the Wednesday Expos Baseball telecast on CBC. Pat Scanlan entered the game as a pinch hitter for starting pitcher Dennis Blair in the bottom of the 7th inning, and batted twice in the inning.

The Cincinnati Reds turned 5 double plays as they blanked the Atlanta Braves 2-0 before 8,117 fans at Atlanta Stadium. Tom Carroll allowed just 3 hits in 8+ innings in improving his 1975 record to 2-0; Will McEnaney relieved him and induced the Braves to hit into their fifth double play. Losing pitcher Carl Morton pitched a complete game, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs.

The Philadelphia Phillies trailed 6-0 after 2 1/2 innings but came back to edge the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 in 13 innings before 34,171 fans at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Jay Johnstone scored the winning run when Pittsburgh relief pitcher Dave Giusti walked Mike Scmidt with the bases loaded with 1 out in the bottom of the 13th inning.

Triples by Thurman Munson in the 7th inning and Walt Williams in the 9th led to runs as the New York Yankees edged the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 before 18,601 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Sparky Lyle, the third New York pitcher of the game, pitched 1 2/3 hitless and scoreless innings to get the win, while Jim Palmer allowed just 4 hits and 2 earned runs in pitching a complete game, dropping to 12-4 for the season.

Frank Duffy batted 3 for 3 with 2 runs, a run batted in, and a stolen base, and Alan Ashby hit a 2-run home run as the Cleveland Indians withstood a late rally to defeat the Boston Red Sox 8-5 before 20,849 fans at Fenway Park. Roric Harrison pitched 8 2/3 innings to get his first win since being acquired by Cleveland on June 7 in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. The Red Sox rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th, with Denny Doyle driving in the last 2 on a single off relief pitcher Tom Buskey.

George Scott hit 2 solo home runs, providing his team's last 2 runs of the game, to help the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Detroit Tigers 7-6 before 12,681 fans at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Mr. Scott hit his homers off Ike Brookens, who allowed 3 hits, 3 bases on balls, and 2 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of relief in his third and last major league game.

Frank White, who entered the game as a defensive replacement at shortstop in the 10th inning, hit a grand slam in the top of the 12th as the Kansas City Royals defeated the California Angels 6-2 before 7,674 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Steve Busby pitched all 12 innings for Kansas City, allowing 12 hits and 1 earned run. Frank Tanana pitched the first 9 innings for California, allowing 11 hits and 2 earned runs, while striking out 8. Luis Quintana pitched the final 3 innings and took the loss.

The Denver Bears sent 16 men to the plate and scored 11 runs on 12 hits in the 1st inning on their way to an 18-9 win over the Wichita Aeros in an American Association game. Tony LaRussa hit for the cycle for the Bears and drove in 3 runs; Jim Lyttle had 4 hits and 3 RBIs; and Mike Buskey added 2 triples and 3 RBIs for Denver. The Aeros had 13 hits off Denver pitchers Steve Dunning and Rich Hinton.

30 years ago
1985

Died on this date
Morris Mason, 31. U.S. criminal. Mr. Mason was executed in the electric chair at Richmond State Penitentiary in Virginia for the 1978 murder of Margaret Hand, 71. He had also pleaded guilty to assaulting two teenage sisters the day after murdering Ms. Hand.

Terrorism
13 people were arrested in connection with a suspected Irish Republican Army bombing campaign uncovered by British police two days earlier.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Taiyō no Komachi Angel (太陽のＫｏｍａｃｈｉ　Ａｎｇｅｌ)--B'z

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Verdammt, Ich Lieb' Dich--Matthias Reim (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Ezio Faraone, 33. Canadian policeman. Mr. Faraone was a constable with Edmonton Police Service. He was with a Tactical Team Unit looking for the getaway car after a bank robbery by Albert Foulston and Jerry Crews, and spotted the car. Constable Faraone saw Mr. Foulston in the front seat and went over to the car, only to be fatally shot by Mr. Crews, who was hiding in the back seat. Constable Faraone was the first Edmonton policeman to be murdered on duty since 1919.

Diplomacy
South African terrorist Nelson Mandela met with U.S. President George Bush at the White House. Mr. Bush urged all parties in South Africa to renounce violence, but Mr. Mandela refused to make that commitment.

World events
Chinese dissidents Fang Lizhi, a physicist, and his wife Li Shuxian left China and flew to London aboard a U.S. Air Force plane. The couple had entered the United States embassy in Beijing in June 1989 to avoid being seized by Chinese authorities in the wake of the aborted uprising against the Communist regime. The Chinese government accused the couple of helping incite the pro-democracy movement. In a statement issued as they left, they admitted opposing elements of the Chinese constitution and agreed not to participate in "activities whose motive lies in opposing China." Mr. Fang was to become affiliated with Cambridge University.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Scream--Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)--Sin with Sebastian (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)--Scatman John (9th week at #1)

Died on this date
Ernest Walton, 91. Irish physicist. Dr. Walton was awarded the 1951 Nobel Prize in physics with John Cockroft "for their pioneer work on the transmutation of atomic nuclei by artificially accelerated atomic particles"--popularly known as "splitting the atom."

Warren Burger, 87. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1969-1986. Chief Justice Burger delivered the Minnesota delegation for Dwight D. Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National convention, and was rewarded by being appointed Assistant Attorney General when Gen. Eisenhower became U.S. President. Mr. Burger was appointed by President Eisenhower to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1956, and served on that court until he accepted President Richard Nixon's nomination to succeed the retiring Earl Warren as Chief Justice. As Chief Justice, he took liberal positions on some issues and conservative positions on others, and was reportedly regarded within the court as a poor leader. Chief Justice Burger retired from the Supreme Court in 1986.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
John Fiedler, 80. U.S. actor. Mr. Fiedler was short, bald, wore glasses, and had a distinctive high voice, which made him a recognizable character actor in numerous movies, television programs, and cartoons. He was perhaps best known for providing the voive of Piglet in various Winnie the Pooh cartoons.

Politics and government
Hardline Tehran Mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of Iran's presidential runoff election.

Football
CFL
British Columbia (1-0) 27 @ Toronto (0-1) 20
Winnipeg (0-1) 15 @ Saskatchewan (1-0) 42