April 27, 2019

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Rod Crossley!

510 years ago
1509

Religion
As he entered the War of the League of Cambrai, aiming to recover papal control of the Romagna, where Venice had seized several cities in 1503, Pope Julius II placed the Italian state of Venice under interdict.

480 years ago
1539

South Americana
Nikolaus Federmann and Sebastián de Belalcázar re-founded the city of Bogotá, New Granada (now Colombia).

125 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Nicolas Slonimsky. Russian-born U.S. musician, composer, and lexicographer. Mr. Slonimsky was a concert pianist who fled Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution, settling in the United States in 1923. He wrote chamber and piano works, but was best known for his writings, which included Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns (1947) and Lexicon of Musical Invective (1953). Mr. Slonimsky died on December 25, 1995 at the age of 91.

110 years ago
1909

World events
Both houses of parliament of the Ottoman Empire convened and deposed Sultan Abdul Hamid II, replacing him with his younger brother Mehmed V.

90 years ago
1929

At the movies
The Hole in the Wall, directed by Robert Florey, and starring Claudette Colbert, Edward G. Robinson, and David Newell, opened in theatres.



Soccer
English FA Cup
Final @ Wembley Stadium, London
Bolton Wanderers 2 Portsmouth 0



75 years ago
1944

War
Allied operations ended on Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, as two Allied columns joined forces. U.S. planes made morning and afternoon raids on railyards and airfields in France. U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur and U.S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz announced the completion of talks on integrating operations against Japanese forces.

Diplomacy
New York Governor and candidate for the 1944 Republican Party nomination for President of the United States Thomas Dewey advocated solid relationships with the U.K., U.S.S.R., and China in the postwar period.

Politics and government
The Nicaraguan Congress approved a constitutional revision to permit the president to run for re-election in 1946.

Journalism
The federal commissioner in the Argentine province of Entre Rios warned newspapers in his jurisdiction that they would be closed if they editorially discussed such subjects as freedom.

Economics and finance
A special U.S. Senate subcommittee studying wages of white collar workers reported that 20 million were receiving substandard pay.

Labour
The International Labour Organization received a request from the Italian government for readmission, seven years after Italy had quit the ILO.

Baseball
Jim Tobin pitched the major leagues' first no-hitter in three years, leading the Boston Braves to a 2-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers before 2,034 fans at Braves Field. Mr. Tobin provided the insurance run by leading off the bottom of the 8th inning with a home run off Fritz Ostermueller, who allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs in pitching a complete game.

Stan Musial drew a base on balls to lead off the top of the 9th inning and pinch hitter Walker followed with a double to drive him home, breaking a 2-2 tie as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 before 1,357 fans at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

The St. Louis Browns scored all their runs in the first 2 innings and Nelson Potter pitched a 7-hit complete game victory as the Browns beat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 before 1,106 fans at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis to improve their 1944 record to 8-0. Jim Devlin played his only major league game, catching the first 3 innings for Cleveland; he grounded out in his only plate appearance, making a putout, throwing out a runner trying to steal second base, and allowing a passed ball.

Bob Swift doubled home Don Ross and Jimmy Outlaw with 2 out in the top of the 12th inning to break a 0-0 tie as the Detroit Tigers shut out the Chicago White Sox 2-0 before 2,189 fans at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Hal Newhouser allowed just 4 hits in going the distance for the shutout, while losing pitcher Thornton Lee also pitched a complete game, allowing 9 hits and 2 earned runs.

70 years ago
1949

At the movies
We Were Strangers, directed by John Huston, and starring Jennifer Jones, John Garfield, Pedro Armendáriz, and Gilbert Roland, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Frederic Walcott, 80. U.S. politician. Mr. Walcott, a Republican, was a member of the Connecticut State Senate from 1925-1929 and represented Connecticut in the United States Senate from 1929-1935, where he was the principal author of the bill creating the Reconstruction Finance Corporation.

Literature
George Howe received the largest literary award in the United States--the $15,000 Christophers Prize--for his forthcoming novel Call it Treason.

War
The United Nations Palestine Conciliation Commission opened a general peace settlement conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, attended by Israel, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.

Diplomacy
In response to the treatment of Lorenzo Gamboa under the White Australia policy, the Philippine House of Representatives passed legislation banning Australians from the country.

Politics and government
U.S. Attorney General Tom Clark added 37 organizations to the Justice Department's subversive list, including the Association of Georgia Klans and the Industrial Workers of the World.

60 years ago
1959

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Mariquilla--José Luís y su Guitarra (11th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods (3rd week at #1)
2 (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I--Elvis Presley
3 Venus--Frankie Avalon
4 Pink Shoe Laces--Dodie Stevens
5 Guitar Boogie Shuffle--The Virtues
6 The Happy Organ--Dave "Baby" Cortez
7 I Need Your Love Tonight--Elvis Presley
8 Tell Him No--Travis and Bob
9 Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)--The Impalas
10 Turn Me Loose--Fabian

Singles entering the chart were Personality by Lloyd Price and his Orchestra (#65); There's No Fool Like a Young Fool by Tab Hunter (#76); Frankie's Man, Johnny by Johnny Cash (#77); Castin' My Spell by the Johnny Otis Show (#80); Robbin' the Cradle by Tony Bellus (#87); Crossfire by Johnny and the Hurricanes (#88); Gidget by Jimmy Darren (#89); The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton (#93); Your Cheatin' Heart by Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra (#95); A String of Trumpets by the Trumpeteers (#96); and Summer Dreams by the McGuire Sisters (#99). Gidget was the title song of the movie, in which Mr. Darren co-starred.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I/I Need Your Love Tonight--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)
2 Guitar Boogie Shuffle--The Virtues
3 Three Stars--Tommy Dee with Carol Kay and the Teen-Aires
4 The Tijuana Jail--The Kingston Trio
5 Tell Him No--Travis and Bob
6 It's Late/Never Be Anyone Else But You--Ricky Nelson
7 The Happy Organ--Dave "Baby" Cortez
6 Venus--Frankie Avalon
8 Come Softly to Me--The Fleetwoods
9 Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)--The Impalas
10 Pink Shoe Laces--Dodie Stevens

Singles entering the chart were So Fine by the Fiestas (#29); I've Come of Age by Billy Storm (#43); Lonely for You by Gary Stites (#47); I Waited Too Long by LaVern Baker (#50); I Need Your Lovin' by Roy Hamilton (#57); The Beat by the Rockin' R's (#58); and Only Love Me by Steve Lawrence (#60).

War
The French cabinet issued a declaration claiming substantial progress toward the pacification of Algeria within the past year.

The U.S. State Department said that small arms from stocks maintained in the Canal Zone would be given to Panama to repel guerrilla invaders.

Diplomacy
U.K. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery flew to Moscow for private talks with U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev.

Politics and government
The National People's Congress in Peking (Beijing) elected Liu Shao-chi, a leading Communist theoretician and organizer, to succeed Mao Tse-tung (Meo Zedong) as President of the People's Republic of China.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower vetoed a bill ending the Agriculture Secretary's control of Rural Electrification Administrtion loans.

Law
The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld the state law under which Governor Orval Faubus had closed public schools to prevent racial integration.

50 years ago
1969

Died on this date
Rene Barrientos Ortuno, 49. President of Bolivia, 1964-1969. General Barrientos, who took power in a military coup in 1964 and won an election two years later, was killed in a helicopter crash near Arque, Bolivia; he was succeeded by Vice President Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas.

Politics and government
Voters in France, in a referendum, rejected President Charles de Gaulle's proposals for constitutional changes by a margin of 52.40% to 47.69%. The referendum, the fifth in the Fifth Republic, had started as a simple device to vote on the constitutional changes needed to carry out Mr. de Gaulle's plans for decentralizing the country's administration, and redistricting France's 95 departments into 21 economic regions. Mr. de Gaulle added proposals to downgrade the power of the Senate, and to make his Prime Minister, rather than the Senate President, his interim successor. Mr. de Gaulle decided to make the referendum a test of confidence in his leadership, and had threatened to resign if his proposals were defeated.

Labour
Safety critic Ralph Nader attacked the leadership of the United Mine Workers of America and the union's $180 million welfare and retirement fund for what he called corruption, nepotism, and "conspiracy" with the coal industry. The leadership called Mr. Nader a "fink."

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
St. Louis 1 @ Montreal 3 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Dick Duff scored a powerplay goal 3:39 into the game and Bobby Rousseau scored shorthanded just 48 seconds later to give the Canadiens a 2-0 lead as they held on to defeat the Blues at the Montreal Forum.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Los Angeles 105 @ Boston 111 (Los Angeles led best-of-seven series 2-1)

John Havlicek scored 34 points to help the Celtics defeat the Lakers at Boston Garden.

40 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Y.M.C.A.--Village People (12th week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Dschinghis Khan--Dschinghis Khan (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (IFOP): Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez (9th week at #1)

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. freed five prominent dissidents in exchange for two spies held by the United States. Aleksandr Ginsburg, Valentin Moroz, Eduard Kuznetsov, Mark Dymshits, and Georgi Vins were then flown to New York.

Energy
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ordered the temporary closing of all operating reactors designed by Babcock & Wilcox, manufacturers of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. The ruling allowed two plants in the southeast to remain in operation to forestall widespread power shortages.

Hockey
WHA
Avco World Trophy
Semi-Finals
Quebec 5 @ Winnipeg 9 (Winnipeg led best-of-seven series 3-0)
New England 5 @ Edmonton 9 (Edmonton led best-of-seven series 2-0)

IIHF Men's World Championships
Canada 6 Sweden 3

30 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Like a Prayer--Madonna (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Eternal Flame--Bangles (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Kōnosuke Matsushita, 94. Japanese industrialist. Mr. Matsushita, nicknamed the "god of management" in Japan, founded the company that became the electronics firm Panasonic in 1918.

Protest
The April 27 demonstrations, student-led protests responding to the April 26 Editorial, took place in major cities throughout China.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Finals
Philadelphia 6 Pittsburgh 3

25 years ago
1994

Died on this date
Timothy Spencer, 32. U.S. criminal. Mr. Spencer was convicted in 1988 of raping and strangling four women in Virginia in 1987. The prosecution had no confession, fingerprints, or witnesses, but DNA tests had linked semen at the crime scene with Mr. Spencer's blood. Mr. Spencer was executed in the Greensville Correctional Center, south of Richmond, Virginia, becoming the first criminal to be executed on the basis of a conviction obtained through DNA-matching technology.

War
New fighting flared up between Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda.

Politics and government
Voting continued in the first general-suffrage election in South Africa, and African National Congress Leader and presidential candidate Nelson Mandela cast his first vote ever. The country's Interim Constitution came into force.

Terrorism
Four days of bombings related to the elections in South Africa concluded, with 21 people killed. 31 people linked to white separatist groups were arrested for the attacks.

Americana
Former U.S. President Richard Nixon was buried next to his wife Pat on the grounds of the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, California. President Bill Clinton, who spoke at the funeral, declared a day of mourning. Former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush were also in attendance.



Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
New Jersey 0 @ Buffalo 1 (4 OT) (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

Dave Hannan scored for the Sabres in the 4th overtime period as they edged the Devils to send the series to a seventh game. It was the NHL's first quadruple-overtime game since April 18, 1987.



Baseball
Scott Erickson pitched a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins as they shut out the Milwaukee Brewers 6-0 before 17,988 fans at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. Minnesota right fielder Kirby Puckett batted 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and a run batted in.



Darrin Jackson doubles home 2 runs with 2 out in the top of the 12th to break a 5-5 tie, but Manny Ramirez hit a 2-run home run with 1 out in the bottom of the 12th to tie the score, and Mark Lewis doubled home Matt Merullo with the winning run as the Cleveland Indians edged the Chicago White Sox 8-7 before 32,467 fans at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, with 2 of the last 3 Cleveland runs being unearned as a result of 2 Chicago errors.

The Texas Rangers scored 10 runs in the first 4 innings en route to an 11-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 38,055 fans at the Ballpark in Arlington. Every man in the Texas starting lineup had at least one hit.

The New York Yankees scored 5 runs in each of the 3rd and 5th innings as they routed the Seattle Mariners 12-2 before 22,697 fans at the Kingdome in Seattle. Jim Leyritz climaxed the 5th with a grand slam off Bobby Thigpen, who allowed 4 hits, 2 bases on balls, and 3 runs--all earned--in 2 1/3 innings of relief in the 448th and last game of his 9-year major league career. Robert Eenhorn made his major league debut with the Yankees, popping out as a pinch hitter in the 6th inning and remaining in the game at shortstop, starting a double play to end the 6th inning, then leading off the 9th with a double and scoring.

Frank Viola and two relief pitchers combined to pitch a 2-hitter for the Boston Red Sox as they edged the Oakland Athletics 1-0 before 15,250 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The only run came in the 3rd inning when Scott Cooper led off with a single and eventually scored on a ground out by Billy Hatcher with the bases loaded. Losing pitcher Ron Darling allowed just 5 hits and 1 earned run in pitching a complete game.

The Baltimore Orioles scored 11 runs in the last 4 innings to rout the California Angels 13-1 before 20,569 fans at Anaheim Stadium. Cal Ripken, Jr. led the Baltimore attack, batting 4 for 5 with a home run, double, 3 runs, and 5 runs batted in. Ben McDonald pitched a 7-hit complete game victory to improve his 1994 record to 5-0.

Kevin McReynolds led off the bottom of the 15th inning with a single and beat first baseman Phil Clark's throw to home plate on a ground ball by Fernando Vina with 2 out to score the winning run as the New York Mets edged the San Diego Padres 3-2 before 14,663 fans at Shea Stadium in New York.

Cory Snyder singled home Henry Rodriguez with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies before 30,065 fans at Dodger Stadium. Mr. Snyder batted 3 for 3 with a sacrifice, sacrifice fly, and 3 runs batted in.

20 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Al Hirt, 76. U.S. musician. Mr. Hirt, a New Orleans Dixieland trumpeter, was known for his 1964 hit singles Java and Cotton Candy. This blogger saw him perform on one of the stages at the Klondike Days Sunday promenade in Edmonton many years later.

Dale C. Thomson, 75. Canadian political scientist and historian. Dr. Thomson, who was born on a farm near Westlock, Alberta, taught at the Université de Montréal (1960-1969); Johns Hopkins University (1969-1973); and McGill University (1973-1994), specializing in international relations and Canadian politics. He was associate private secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent in the 950s, and was an unsuccessful Liberal Party candidate for the Alberta riding of Jasper-Edson in the 1958 federal election. Dr. Thomson's books included Alexander Mackenzie: Clear Grit (1960) and Louis St. Laurent, Canadian (1967).

War
U.S. General Wesley Clark, commander of NATO forces in Yugoslavia, estimated that Serbia had driven 700,000 refugees out of Kosovo since the beginning of bombing on April 3. U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered the call-up of 33,102 reservists to assist the mission in Yugoslavia.

Crime
U.S. President Bill Clinton submitted several gun-control bills to Congress, one week after the murderous shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The bills mandated background checks for those wanting to buy explosives or to buy weapons at gun shows. Mr. Clinton also proposed raising from 18 to 21 the minimum age at which someone could own a handgun.

Authorities put the total number of bombs found around the school and at Columbine killer Eric Harris's home at 51.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Division Semi-Finals
Dallas 3 @ Edmonton 2 (3 OT) (Dallas led best-of-seven series 3-0)

10 years ago
2009

Died on this date
Danny Morejón, 78. Cuban-born baseball player. Mr. Morejon was a third baseman and left fielder who played 12 games with the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1958, batting .192 with no home runs and 1 run batted in. He played 1,903 games in 19 seasons in the minor leagues from 1954-1972, mainly in the International League (1954, 1956-1963) and Mexican League (1964-1972). Mr. Morejón was the hero of the 1959 Junior World Series, when he singled in the tying and winning runs in the fourth game and the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning of the seventh game as the Havana Sugar Kings defeated the Minneapolis Millers 4 games to 3 to win their only Junior World Series championship. Like many Cubans, Mr. Morejón fled the country after Fidel Castro came to power, and eventually settled in Miami, where he managed and maintained the baseball fields at Tropical Park.

Feroz Khan, 69. Indian actor. Mr. Khan appeared in more than 50 movies, and was one of Bollywood's most popular leading men from the 1960s and '70s, producing and directing eight of his films. He won a Filmfare Award for his supporting performance in Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), was nominated for performances in three other films, and was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award in 2000. Mr. Khan died of lung cancer.