March 30, 2019

375 years ago
1644

War
Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve and his militia, aided by force of 30 settlers, defeated a large band of marauding Iroquois on the site of the Place d'Armes in Montreal. The Iroquois had massacred several habitant families.

320 years ago
1699

Religion
Guru Gobind Singh established the Sikh warrior group Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.

210 years ago
1809

Britannica
The Labrador Act gave Labrador to Newfoundland, with all the watersheds flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The boundaries were later disputed by Quebec; the Privy Council made the final decision in 1927 in favour of Newfoundland.

175 years ago
1844

Born on this date
Paul Verlaine. French poet. Mr. Verlaine was associated with the Decadent movement, and was known for collections such as Romances sans paroles (1874) and Sagesse (1880). He descended into drug addiction, drunkenness, and poverty, and died on January 8, 1896 at the age of 51.

War
One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti took place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, when Dominican troops led by General José María Imbert defeated an outnumbering force of the Haitian Army led by General Jean-Louis Pierrot.

140 years ago
1879

Born on this date
Coen de Koning. Dutch speed skater and cyclist. Mr. de Koning won the world allround championship in 1905, and the Dutch allround championship in 1903, 1905, and 1912; he won the silver medal in the European Championships in 1904, and the bronze medal in 1906. Mr. de Koning died on July 29, 1954 at the age of 75.

130 years ago
1889

Soccer
English FA Cup
Final @ Kennington Oval, London
Preston North End 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

125 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Tommy Green. U.K. race walker. Mr. Green served in World War I, and held various jobs before taking up race walking in 1926. He won numerous competitions over the next few years, culminating in a gold medal in the men's 50-kilometre walk at the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932. Mr. Walker retired from competitive walking in 1936, and worked as a publican. He died on March 29, 1975, the day before his 81st birthday.

Abominations
The Women's Enfranchisement Association of New Brunswick was organized in Saint John, under the presidency of Sarah Manning.

120 years ago
1899

Born on this date
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Indian author. Mr. Bandyopadhyay wrote short stories, novels, and screenplays. He was best known for creating the fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi, who appeared in 32 stories from 1932-1970. Mr. Bandyopadhyay died on September 22, 1970 at the age of 71.

Science
The German Society of Chemistry issued an invitation to other national scientific organizations to appoint delegates to the International Committee on Atomic Weights.

100 years ago
1919

Born on this date
McGeorge Bundy. U.S. political adviser. Mr. Bundy was an egghead who served in the administrations of U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson as National Security Advisor from 1961-1966, where he was one of the people responsible for the escalation of the Vietnam War. He died on September 16, 1996 at the age of 77.

80 years ago
1939

War
Prime Minister Mackenzie King said that Canada would not conscript men for foreign service.

Defense
The German Heinkel He 100 fighter set a world airspeed record of 463 miles per hour (745 kilometres per hour).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
New York Rangers 2 @ Boston 1 (OT) (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Toronto 1 @ Detroit 3 (Best-of-three series tied 1-1)

Clint "Snuffy" Smith scored at 17:19 of the 1st overtime period to give the Rangers their win over the Bruins at Boston Garden.

75 years ago
1944

War
Allied bombers conducted their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria. Along the east coast of England, 795 aircraft were dispatched, including 572 Lancasters, 214 Halifaxes and 9 Mosquitos, for an Allied bombing run on Nuremberg. The bombers met resistance at the coasts of Belgium and the Netherlands from German fighters. Soviet forces captured Cernauti in northern Bukovina. U.S. troops occupied Pityilu Island in the Admiralty Islands.

Business
General Motors announced that sales in 1943 were a record $3,796,115,800, with 93.3% of the production in munitions.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Toronto 0 @ Montreal 11 (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Chicago 5 @ Detroit 2 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-1)

The Canadiens erupted for 7 goals in the 3rd period as they embarrassed the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. The rout set a record for the most lopsided game in modern Stanley Cup history, and the Canadiens also set playoff records for the fastest 4 goals (2 minutes, 35 seconds) and fastest 5 goals (3 minutes, 36 seconds) by one team. Toe Blake scored at 7:58 of the 3rd period, and scored again at 8:37; he was followed by Maurice "Rocket" Richard (9:17); Ray Getliffe (10:33); and Buddy O'Connor (11:34).

Doug Bentley scored 3 goals for the Black Hawks as they eliminated the Red Wings at Olympia Stadium.

Basketball
NCAA
The University of Utah defeated St. John's University 43-36 to win the unofficial national college championship.

70 years ago
1949

Died on this date
Friedrich Bergius, 64. German chemist. Dr. Bergius shared the 1931 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Carl Bosch "[for] their contributions to the invention and development of chemical high pressure methods." He was best known for the Bergius process for producing synthetic fuel from coal. Dr. Bergius worked with the notorious chemical company IG Farben during World War II, and fled Germany after the war, eventually settling in Buenos Aires, where he worked as an adviser to the Ministry of Industry.

World events
The Syrian Army seized power in the country, following a wave of demonstrations protesting armistice negotiations with Israel. Army Chief of Staff Husni Zayim was named temporary head of state, and promised to continue armistice talks.

Defense
U.S. President Harry Truman signed a bill authorizing the construction of a U.S.-Canadian radar system to protect North America from air attack.

Portugal and Iceland agreed to participate in the North Atlantic security system, the last of 12 member states to give their formal consent.

Protest
A riot broke out in Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík after the announcement that Iceland was joining NATO. Thousands participated, rocks were thrown, windows of the House of the Althing were smashed, and arrests were made.

Politics and government
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities Chairman John Wood introduced a bill barring federal employees and defense workers from belonging or contributing to the Communist Party or front groups.

Crime
Former Communist Louis Budenz completed eight days of testimony as the first prosecution witness in the New York trial of 11 U.S. Communist Party leaders. He charged that American Communists were directed from Moscow and were dedicated to overthrowing the U.S. government.

Indianica
15 princely states merged to form the Union of Greater Rajastan, a new state in the Indian Dominion.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Toronto 3 @ Boston 2 (Toronto won best-of-seven series 4-1)

60 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mariquilla--José Luís y su Guitarra (7th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Venus--Frankie Avalon (4th week at #1)
2 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods
3 Charlie Brown--The Coasters
4 It's Just a Matter of Time--Brook Benton
5 Tragedy--Thomas Wayne with the DeLons
6 Alvin's Harmonica--David Seville and the Chipmunks
7 Never Be Anyone Else But You--Ricky Nelson
8 Pink Shoe Laces--Dodie Stevens
9 I've Had It--The Bell Notes
10 It's Late--Ricky Nelson

Singles entering the chart were I Need Your Love Tonight by Elvis Presley (#33); Take a Message to Mary (#61)/Poor Jenny (#69) by the Everly Brothers; Guess Who by Jesse Belvin (#70); Turn Me Loose by Fabian (#79); Three Stars by Tommy Dee with Carol Kay and the Teen-Aires (#82); Rockin' Crickets by the Hot-Toddys featuring Bill Pennell (#87); Who's That Knocking by the Genies (#88); Hawaiian War Chant by Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (#89); French Foreign Legion by Frank Sinatra (#90); A House of Love by Scott Garrett (#92); Star Love by the Playmates (#93); Raining in My Heart by Buddy Holly (#95); Almost Grown by Chuck Berry (#96); I Miss You So by Paul Anka (#97); Boom-A-Dip-Dip by Stan Robinson (#98); "Yep!" by Duane Eddy and the Rebels (#99); and The Chick by Lee and Paul (#100). Three Stars was a tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, who had been killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 It's Late/Never Be Anyone Else But You--Ricky Nelson
2 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods
3 Venus--Frankie Avalon
4 I Need Your Love Tonight/(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I--Elvis Presley
5 Sea Cruise--Frankie Ford
6 I've Had It--The Bell Notes
7 Charlie Brown--The Coasters
8 Guitar Boogie Shuffle--The Virtues
9 Stagger Lee--Lloyd Price
10 It Doesn't Matter Anymore--Buddy Holly

Singles entering the chart were Enchanted by the Platters (#33); I Miss You So by Paul Anka (#37); "Yep!" by Duane Eddy and the Rebels (#43); Someone by Johnny Mathis (#48); Guess Who by Jesse Belvin (#49); Yeah Yeah (Class Cutter) by Dale Hawkins (#50); Being True to One Another by Tony Bennett (#53); Boom-a-Dip-Dip by Stan Robinson (#54); Three Stars by Tommy Dee with Carol Kay and the Teen-Aires (#57); Lovey Dovey by Clyde McPhatter (#58); Secret Love by Jimmy Ricks (#59); and I Never Felt Like This by Jack Scott (#60).

Died on this date
Byron Quimby, 70. U.S. military aviator. Colonel Quimby originated aerobatics and stunt flying.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. agreed to participate in a foreign ministers meeting in Geneva, with an agenda suggested by the West.

Japan offered to submit the recurrent Soviet-Japanese dispute over northern Pacific fishing rights to the World Court.

Defense
A Japanese District Court in Tokyo ruled that the presence of U.S. military forces in Japan was contrary to Japanese law and that the U.S.-Japanese security treaty violated the anti-war preamble of the Japanese constitution.

The U.S. House of Representatives Defense Appropriations subcommittee released testimony by two Joint Chiefs of Staff members that the United States had considerably more atomic retaliatory strength than it needed to destroy the U.S.S.R.

Protest
6,000 members of the U.K.'s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ended a 53-mile march with a rally in Trafalgar Square in London demanding the banning of nuclear weapons and U.S. military bases in Britain.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in two separate cases that defendants could could be tried for the same offense in both federal and state courts.

50 years ago
1969

Yellowknifiana
The annual Caribou Carnival ended, the first one attended by this blogger.

Crime
One Detroit policeman was killed and a second policeman and four civilians were wounded in an apparent shootout between the police and members of a Negro separatist group. The firing erupted inside and outside a church in the heart of the area where the 1967 riots took place. In the subsequent arrest of 135 people, all but two were later released.

Americana
After a three-hour military procession along Constitution Avenue, the body of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower lay in state at the Capitol. At least 55,000 people filed past the bier in 24 hours, including French President Charles de Gaulle, who saluted the coffin twice.

Hockey
IIHF World Championships
Group A @ Stockholm
Finland (2-8) 7 U.S.A. (0-10) 3
Sweden (8-2) 1 Czechoslovakia (8-2) 0
U.S.S.R. (8-2) 4 Canada (4-6) 2

Juha Rantasila and Jorma Peltonen each scored 2 goals to help the Finns defeat the Americans, who were dropped to Group B in 1970.

Roger Olsson scored the game's only goal in the 1st period as the Swedes edged the Czechoslovakians.

Boris Mikhailov scored 2 goals, and Igor Romishevsky and Aleksandr Maltsev each scored 1 as the Soviets defeated the Canadians. Ab Demarco and Bill Heindl scored for Canada in what turned out to be Canada's last game in world championship competition until 1977. Canada withdrew from international competition in 1970 because of the International Ice Hockey Federation's refusal to allow Canada to use professional players.

The U.S.S.R. finished first, Sweden second, and Czechoslovakia third on the basis of goal differential. The Soviets scored 59 goals and allowed 23 for a differential of +36; Sweden scored 45 and allowed 19 (+26); and Czechoslovakia scored 40 and allowed 20 (+20).

CHL
Adams Cup
Quarter-Finals
Omaha 3 @ Kansas City 1 (Omaha led best-of-five series 2-1)
Houston 1 @ Dallas 3 (Dallas won best-of-five series 3-0)

40 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (8th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heart of Glass--Blondie (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: An Apple for the Teacher

Airey Neave, 63. U.K. politician. Mr. Neave was a Lieutenant Colonel in World War II, and became the first British prisoner to escape from Colditz Castle. A Conservative, he represented Abingdon in the House of Commons from 1953 until his death. Mr. Neary began serving as shadow secretary for Northern Ireland in 1974, and was a close adviser to party leader Margaret Thatcher. He was assassinated by a car bomb as he left the Palace of Westminster car park. The Irish National Liberation Army claimed responsibility.

Environment
Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh issued an emergency warning that children and pregnant women should be evacuated from the vicinity of the Three Mile Island nuclear power accident. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission warned Congress that a core meltdown was still possible at the reactor.

Labour
The Teamsters reached a tentative accord with the trucking industry on wage issues in a proposed three-year master freight contract, covering 300,000 union members. The present contract expired on April 1, 1979.

30 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Like a Prayer--Madonna

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Paradise City--Guns N' Roses

25 years ago
1994

Football
NFL
Former University of Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer was named as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, succeeding Jimmy Johnson, who had resigned the previous day after leading the Cowboys to two straight Super Bowl championships.

20 years ago
1999

Politics and government
Nunavut's new legislature and mace were unveiled in Iqaluit.

Health
A jury in Multnomah County (Oregon) Circuit Court awarded $81 million to the family of a cigarette smoker who died of lung cancer. Attorneys for the plaintiffs presented documents from cigarette maker Philip Morris showing an apparent effort by the company to conceal the health threats and addictiveness of smoking. The jury's award, including $79.5 million in punitive damages, was the highest ever awarded against a tobacco company. Philip Morris said that the award would be appealed.

10 years ago
2009

Terrorism
12 gunmen attacked the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan and held it for several hours before security forces could retake it. Responsibility was claimed by the terrorist organizations Tehrik-i-Taliban and Fedayeen al-Islam.

Law
The British Columbia Supreme Court struck down sections of the government's "gag law" that limited pre-election advertising by unregistered third parties.

Business
U.S. President Barack Obama asserted unprecedented government control over the auto industry, rejecting General Motors' and Chrysler's restructuring plans, and engineering the ouster of GM's chief executive, Rick Wagoner.