June 8, 2015

220 years ago
1795

Died on this date
Louis XVII, 10. King of France (claimant), 1793-1795. Louis XVII, the younger son of King Louis XVI, acceded to the throne upon the execution of his father, but never ruled, as France had become a republic. Louis XVII was imprisoned with his family at the Square du Temple in Paris in 1792 and was physically abused. He died of conditions associated with tuberculosis.

170 years ago
1845

Died on this date
Andrew Jackson, 78. 7th president of the United States of America, 1829-1837. Major General Jackson, nicknamed "Old Hickory," became nationally famous during the War of 1812, particularly after leading U.S. forces to a rout of British forces in the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815. He was one of four Democratic-Republican candidates for President of the United States in 1824 and had a plurality of electoral votes, but lost to John Quincy Adams when the House of Representatives voted. Maj. Gen. Jackson ran as the Democratic Party's first presidential candidate in 1828 and won the first of two straight electoral victories. His achievements as President included eradication of the national debt and his refusal to recharter the Second Bank of the United States.

100 years ago
1915

Politics and government
U.S. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigned in a disagreement with President Woodrow Wilson over U.S. handling of the May 7 sinking by a German torpedo of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania, many of whose passengers were Americans. Mr. Wilson demanded "strict accountability for any infringement of [American] rights, intentional or incidental," while Mr. Bryan, who had held his position since the Wilson administration had office in 1913, was opposed to American entry into the Great War and counseled an “evenhanded policy, saying, “… why be so shocked by the drowning of a few people, if there is to be no objection to starving a nation.”

75 years ago
1940

Died on this date
Frederick Converse, 69. U.S. composer. Mr. Converse wrote five symphonies and four operas, but is best known for works such as the symphonic poems The Mystic Trumpeter (1904) and Flivver Ten Million (1927).

War
The Royal Canadian Air Force's No. 1 Fighter Squadron left Montreal for Britain. The British carrier Glorious was sunk and the German battle cruiser Scharnhorst was severely damaged in a naval battle off the coast of Norway, as Operation Alphabet, the evacuation of Allied forces from Narvik, was completed. The German army northeast of Paris launched a full-scale offensive.

Law
The Cuban Constituent Assembly completed work on a new constitution, including all policies favoured by president-elect Fulgencio Batista, to take effect on September 15, 1940.

Politics and government
Supporters of former U.S. President Herbert Hoover started a drive in Mr. Hoover's home town of Palo Alto, California to have him drafted as the Republican Party's 1940 nominee for President of the United States at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia later in the month.

Medicine
Dr. Robert A. Milliken of California Institute of Technology reported rapid progress in the treatment of cancerous tumours.

Horse racing
Bimelech, with F.A. Smith aboard, won the 72nd running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York in a time of 2:29 3/5. Your Chance placed second.

Track and field
Fred Wolcott set a world record of 22.5 seconds in the 220-yard low hurdles at Princeton University.

Baseball
Harry Craft hit for the cycle, added a single, and scored 4 runs, and Frank McCormick scored 5 runs as the Cincinnati Reds whipped the Brooklyn Dodgers 23-2 before 10,075 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Brooklyn relief pitcher Carl Doyle gave up 16 hits and 14 runs in just 4 innings, and hit 4 batters.

70 years ago
1945

At the movies
Wonder Man, starring Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, and Vera-Ellen, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Karl Hanke, 41. German politician and SS official. Mr. Hanke was Gauleiter (Governor) of Silesia froom 1941-1945 and Reichsführer-SS during the last few days of the Third Reich in 1945 after Fuehrer Adolf Hitler had dismissed Heinrich Himmler. Mr. Hanke was taken prisoner in Czechoslvakia, and while 65 POWs were being marched, Mr. Hanke and several other prisoners made a break and jumped onto a passing train. The Czech guards opened fire, downing Mr. Hanke and two other POWs; the troops then beat the prisoners with rifle butts until they were dead.

Diplomacy
The Big Five nations at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco reported to the "Little 45" their agreement on the veto right over virtually all issues except discussion of international disputes.

Acting U.S. Secretary of State Joseph Grew denied reports of a secret pledge at the Yalta conference to concede Korea to the U.S.S.R. for Soviet entry into the Pacific war.

French Marshal Henri Petain told high court commissioners in Paris that he was having a secret treaty negotiated with the United Kingdom at the same time he was meeting with German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler in 1940.

Defense
U.S. Navy Secretary James Forrrestal announced the establishment of an Office of Research and Inventions for research in naval weapons.

Law
The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled that the U.S. Army seizure of Montgomery Ward and Company, which had occurred on an order from the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was illegal.

Economics and finance
Tokyo radio reported new economic controls for Japan aimed at increasing war production, to be carried out "forcibly if necessary."

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee voted down the House of Representatives-approved bill from the administration of President Harry Truman for extension of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Law.

Politics and government
A bill was introduced into the United States Senate to increase the $10,000 yearly salary of Congressmen by 100%.

50 years ago
1965

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the lunar probe Lunik 6 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Baseball
The Kansas City Athletics made Arizona State University outfielder Rick Monday the first selection in major league baseball's first ever free-agent draft.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Murray Leinster, 78. U.S. author. Mr. Leinster, whose real name was William Fitzgerald Jenkins, wrote more than 1,500 short stories and novels, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio and television scripts, mainly in the genre of science fiction, in a career spanning more than 50 years. He also invented the front projection process used in movie special effects. Mr. Jenkins died eight days before his 79th birthday.

Ownie Carroll, 72. U.S. baseball pitcher. Owen Thomas Carroll played with the Detroit Tigers (1925, 1927-1930); New York Yankees (1930); Cincinnati Reds (1930-1932); and Brooklyn Dodgers (1933-1934), compiling a record of 64-90 with an earned run average of 4.43 in 248 games. His best season was 1928, when he was 16-12 wth an ERA of 3.27. Mr. Carroll was one of the greatest college pitchers in history, posting a record of 50-2 in four years at Holy Cross College from 1922-1925.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate in May had reached 9.2%.

Auto racing
USAC
A.J. Foyt won the 150-mile Rex Mays Classic at the Milwaukee Mile.

Baseball
The Houston Astros sold pitcher Fred Scherman to the Montreal Expos; he had a record of 0-1 in 16 games with Houston in 1975--all in relief--with an earned run average of 4.96.

The Cleveland Indians released outfielder Ken Berry, ending his career. Mr. Berry was batting .200 with no home runs and 1 run batted in in 25 games in 1975; in 14 seasons from 1962-1975 Mr. Berry batted .255 with 58 home runs and 343 runs batted in. Mr. Berry was regarded as one of the best defensive outfielders of his time, winning Gold Glove awards in 1970 and 1972 and being named to The Sporting News all-star fielding teams in both seasons.

Ken Holtzman of the Oakland Athletics was 1 out away from his third career major league no-hitter when center fielder Bill North misjudged a ball hit by Detroit shortstop Tom Veryzer, and Mr. Veryser ended up with a double. Mr. Holtzman then struck out Ron LeFlore for the final out as the Athletics blanked the Tigers 4-0 before 9,780 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Jim Palmer pitched a 1-hitter to win a pitchers' duel over Steve Busby as the Baltimore Orioles edged the Kansas City Royals 1-0 before 11,610 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Hal McRae's single with 2 out in the 4th inning was the only Kansas City hit. Mr. Busby allowed just 4 hits, 2 of them coming in the 7th, when Lee May doubled with 1 out, Ken Singleton drew a base on balls, Paul Blair struck out, and Brooks Robinson singled home Mr. May with the game's only run.

The Minnesota Twins broke a 1-1 tie with 6 runs in the top of the 9th inning, then withstood a 4-run rally in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Boston Red Sox 7-5 before 18,301 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. The 9th-inning fireworks began when Larry Hisle led off the top of the inning with a double; Boston manager Darrell Johnson was ejected by umpire Jerry Neudecker for arguing that Boston left fielder Bernie Carbo had caught the ball at the wall, and Hisle should have been out.

The Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers split a doubleheader before 15,146 fans at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. Cleveland won the first game 3-2, but the Rangers came back to win the second game 7-6 in 17 innings. Lenny Randle singled home Jeff Burroughs with 1 out in the top of the 17th for the winning run in the second game.

The New York Mets scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 14th inning to defeat the Atlanta Braves 7-6 before 24,928 fans at Shea Stadium in New York. Felix Millan led off the bottom of the 14th with a single, and advanced to third base when Atlanta center fielder Cito Gaston made an error on a ball hit by Joe Torre, with Mr. Torre stopping at first. Rusty Staub was walked intentionally to load the bases, and with Gene Clines at bat, Atlanta pitcher Elias Sosa threw a wild pitch, allowing Mr. Millan to score the winning run.

The San Diego Padres and Montreal Expos split a doubleheader before 11,882 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal. The Padres scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning and 2 in the 6th to win the first game 5-2. Joe McIntosh pitched a 9-hit complete game for the win, while Montreal starting pitcher Dave McNally pitched 6 innings, allowing 6 hits and 5 runs--4 earned--in losing his sixth straight decision. It turned out to be the final game in the 14-year major league career for Mr. McNally, who had come to the Expos in a trade after the 1974 season, having pitched with the Baltimore Orioles from 1962-1974. He announced his retirement the day after this game, leaving Montreal with a record of 3-6 with an earned run average of 5.26 in 12 games, and batting .190. Pat Scanlon's triple with 2 out in the bottom of the 3rd inning broke a 1-1 tie, scoring Larry Lintz and Larry Biittner, as the Expos won the second game 3-1. Steve Rogers pitched a 9-hit complete game for the win, and hit a single.

The San Francisco Giants swept a doubleheader from the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 and 4-2 before 24,128 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Giants scored runs in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th innings to win the first game. Ed Halicki pitched a 5-hit complete game to win the pitchers' duel over John Candelaria, who allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs, striking out 6 batters in 6 innings in his major league debut. Charlie Williams allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs in winning the second game over Larry Demery, who allowed 8 hits and 4 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings.

Tom Miali pitched a 7-inning no-hitter for the Coahuila Miners as they defeated Chihuahua in a Mexican League game.

Roger Freed hit a home run that travelled an estimated 550 feet to break a 3-3 tie and give the Monterrey Sultans a 4-3 win over Juarez in the first game of a Mexican League doubleheader. Mr. Freed's homer, believed to be the longest ever hit in Estadio Cruz Blanca in Juarez, landed in a parking lot beyond the stadium. Monterrey was trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the 7th inning of the second game when Clement Sanders hit a grand slam to give the Sultans a 6-4 win and a sweep of the twinbill.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): We are the World--USA for Africa (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Let it Swing--Bobbysocks!

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I'm on Fire/Born in the U.S.A.--Bruce Springsteen

#1 single in the U.K.: 19--Paul Hardcastle (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears
2 Everything She Wants--Wham!
3 Axel F--Harold Faltermeyer
4 Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds
5 Suddenly--Billy Ocean
6 We are the World--USA for Africa
7 In My House--Mary Jane Girls
8 Things Can Only Get Better--Howard Jones
9 Heaven--Bryan Adams
10 Fresh--Kool & The Gang

Singles entering the chart were If You Love Somebody Set Them Free by Sting (#34); Never Surrender by Corey Hart (#58); Get it On by Power Station (#60); (Closest Thing To) Perfect by Jermaine Jackson (#83); State of the Heart by Rick Springfield (#85); Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake) by Freddie Jackson (#86); Make it Better (Forget About Me) by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (#87); I Wonder If I Take You Home by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force (#89); and Call Me by Go West (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Everybody Wants to Rule the World--Tears for Fears
2 Don't You (Forget About Me)--Simple Minds
3 Everything She Wants--Wham!
4 Crazy for You--Madonna
5 Rhythm of the Night--DeBarge
6 Smooth Operator--Sade
7 Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody--David Lee Roth
8 Obsession--Animotion
9 Angel--Madonna
10 We are the World--USA for Africa

Singles entering the chart were Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen (#69); Getcha Back by the Beach Boys (#75); Just as I Am by Air Supply (#81); I'll Be Waiting for You by Doug and the Slugs (#84); In the Night Machine by Baron Longfellow (#92); and It Must Be Heaven by Mercy Mercy (#94).

Horse racing
Creme Fraiche, with Eddie Maple up, won the 117th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York in a time of 2:27.0.



Tennis
Chris Evert defeated Martina Navratilova 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 to win the women’s finals at the French Open, temporarily regaining the world’s #1 ranking.

Football
CFL
Pre-season
Ottawa (0-1) 10 @ Montreal (1-0) 34

25 years ago
1990

Diplomacy


British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in a joint press conference with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev while on a visit to the U.S.S.R., praised Mr. Gorbachev’s reform programs as "the most exciting, the biggest, the most historic in Europe for a very long time."

Politics and government
Two days of voting began in Czechoslovakia’s first free elections in more than 40 years.

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir announced that he had succeeded in forming a cabinet composed of members of Mr. Shamir’s Likud Party and several small nationalist and religious parties. It appeared likely that the new government would resist any concessions to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians. Ariel Sharon, an outspoken hardliner, was named housing minister and overseer of the influx of Jews from the U.S.S.R. The new government went on record as favouring expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): This Ain't a Love Song--Bon Jovi (2nd week at #1)

War
U.S. Marines rescued Captain Scott O'Grady, whose F16-C fighter jet had been shot down by Bosnian Serbs on June 2. Capt. O'Grady had survived behind enemy lines by eating plants and insects and drinking rain water. He sent a radio message saying "I'm alive; help!," which was picked up by a U.S. plane. While 40 U.S. aircraft flew overhead, two helicopters with 40 Marines landed near the woods where Capt. O'Grady was hiding, and the pilot ran toward his rescuers.

Politics and government
The Progressive Conservatives, led by Mike Harris, won the Ontario provincial election, taking 82 of 130 seats in the Provincial Parliament, an increase of 62 from before the election. The Liberals, led by Lyn McLeod, won 36 seats--an increase of 6 seats from before the election, while the New Democratic Party, led by Premier Bob Rae, dropped from 74 seats to 17. The NDP had taken power in 1990, defeating the Liberals, then led by David Peterson. Peter North, elected as a New Democrat in 1990, was elected in 1995 as an independent MPP. For the PCs, it marked a return to power for the party that had governed Ontario from 1943-1985.

Technology
Programmer Rasmus Lerdorf released the first version of PHP, the most popular server-side language for websites.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Conference Finals
Detroit 2 @ Chicago 5 (Detroit led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Denis Savard and Joe Murphy scored 2 goals each for the Blackhawks as they averted elimination by the Red Wings at United Center.

10 years ago
2005

Hockey
AHL
Calder Cup
Finals
Chicago 1 @ Philadelphia 2 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 3-0)