May 26, 2020

320 years ago
1700

Born on this date
Nicolaus Zinzendorf. German clergyman. Count Zinzendorf was raised as a Lutheran in a family of nobility, but eventually rejected doctrinaire Lutheranism in favour of a more pietist Protetantism. He became a bishop in the Moravian Church, serving as a missionary and sponsoring missionaries. In the early 1720s, Count Zinzendorf offered refuge to persecuted Moravian believers, and allowed them to build the village of Herrnhut on a corner of his estate. The village split into factions, but unity was later restored on the basis of a set of rules known as the Brüderlicher Vertrag (Brotherly Agreement). Count Zinzendorf was often accused of doctrinal heterodoxy, and was known as the "Pilgrim Count" for a period of time when he was exiled from his home in Saxony. He was ecumenical in doctrine, and appealed to the emotions as well as the intellect. Count Zinzendorf fell ill and died on May 9, 1760, 17 days before his 60th birthday.

250 years ago
1770

War
The Orlov Revolt, an attempt to revolt against the Ottoman Empire before the Greek War of Independence, ended in disaster for the Greeks.

190 years ago
1830

Law
The Indian Removal Act was passed by the U.S. Congress; it was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson two days later.

140 years ago
1880

Born on this date
W. Otto Miessner. U.S. composer and teacher. Mr. Miessner was a music teacher at various schools and colleges, mainly in Indiana and Wisconsin, from 1900-1945. He founded the first public high school band in the United States at Connersville High School in Connersville, Indiana in 1906. Mr. Miessner wrote choral music, songs, and pieces for piano. He died on May 27, 1967, the day after his 87th birthday.

125 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Dorothea Lange. U.S. photographer. Miss Lange, born Dorothea Nutzhorn, was a documentary photographer who was best known for her work for the U.S. Farm Security Administration (FSA) during the Depression in the 1930s. She died on October 11, 1965 at the age of 70.

120 years ago
1900

War
Colombian Conservative Party forces turned the tide of war in their favour with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the 15-day Battle of Palonegro, part of the Thousand Days' War.

110 years ago
1910

Politics and government
Arthur Sifton, who had resigned as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alberta the previous day, took office as Premier of Alberta, succeeding Alexander Rutherford as head of the province's Liberal government. Mr. Rutherford had been forced to resign amidst accusations of improprieties regarding loan guarantees for the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway.

100 years ago
1920

Born on this date
John Dall, 50. U.S. actor. John Dall Thompson achieved success on Broadway in the comedy Dear Ruth in 1944, and was nominated for an Academy Award in the supporting actor category for his first movie, The Corn is Green (1945). He was a memorable villain in one of this blogger’s favourite Alfred Hitchcock movies, Rope (1948); starred with Peggy Cummins in the great film noir Deadly is the Female (aka Gun Crazy) (1950); and had a small role in Spartacus (1960). Mr. Dall reportedly became a drunkard in later years, and died of a heart attack on January 15, 1971 at the age of 50, several months after a serious fall.

Peggy Lee. U.S. singer, songwriter, and actress. Miss Lee, born Norma Deloris Egstrom, began performing on radio in her native North Dakota, where she was discovered by bandleader Benny Goodman. She achieved success singing with Mr. Goodman's band, and had a successful career on her own from the late 1940s through the late '60s, with hit singles such as Fever (1958) and Is That All There Is? (1969). Miss Lee wrote lyrics for songs including Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me) (1947) and Johnny Guitar (1954). She was nominated for an Academy Award for her supporting performance in Pete Kelly's Blues (1955), and provided the voices, as well as song lyrics, for several characters in the animated film The Lady and the Tramp (1955). Miss Lee suffered from poor health in later years, and died from complications of diabetes and a heart attack on January 21, 2002 at the age of 81.

90 years ago
1930

Baseball
Goose Goslin and Joe Judge hit back-to-back home runs twice to help the Washington Nationals beat the New York Yankees 10-7 at Yankee Stadium. Lou Gehrig drove in 4 runs for the Yankees with a double and triple.

The Cleveland Indians swept a doubleheader from the Chicago White Sox 7-3 and 3-2 at League Park in Cleveland, with Wes Ferrell (6-3) and Clint Brown (4-3) outduelling Red Faber (1-6) and Pat Caraway (0-1), respectively.

80 years ago
1940

Died on this date
Wilhelm of Prussia, 33. German royal family member. Prince Wilhelm was the eldest child of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Prince Wilhelm of Prussia joined the Wehrmacht during World War II and died of wounds suffered during the invasion of France. 50,000 people attended his funeral in Potsdam, which so alarmed German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler that he soon issued the Prinzenerlass (Prince's Decree), barring all members of German's former reigning royal families from participating in military operations in the Wehrmacht.

War
German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler ordered Panzers to resume their advance against Dunkirk, France. Viscount Gort, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, was told to fall back on the Channel coast and prepare for evacuation. In the evening, the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk began on the order of the British cabinet. The Siege of Calais ended with the surrender of the British and French garrison. The heaviest Japanese air assault yet upon Chungking caused 200 deaths.

Politics and government
N.Z. Prime Minister Peter Fraser announced the creation of a National War Council.

Defense
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt castigated isolationists in a fireside radio chat and defended his plan for a large increase in defense spending. A Gallup Poll reported that 86% of Americans supported Mr. Roosevelt's request for an additional $1 billion from Congress in military spending.

Economics and finance
The Brookings Institute reported the results of a two-year study showing that U.S. President Roosevelt's New Deal economic policies were responsible for the lag in capital investment.

75 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sentimental Journey--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (Best Seller--1st week at #1); My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (Juke Box--6th week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--9th week at #1); There! I've Said it Again--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters) (Airplay--3rd week at #1)

Music
Leo Borchard, who had conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 1933 until being banned by the Nazi regime in 1935 and spending the next decade as an anti-Nazi resistance activist, resumed his old post and conducted the orchestra in a concert at the Titania Palast cinema. The program featured the Overture to Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream; Mozart's Violin Concerto in A major; and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4.

War
Supreme Allied Commander In Europe U.S. Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower moved his headquarters from Reims, France to an office building in Frankfurt, Germany. About 500 Marianas-based U.S. Superfortresses dropped 4,000 tons of incendiary bombs on Tokyo. Japanese radio reported that the city had been "scorched to the ground" by the raid and subsequent firestorm. Chinese troops north of Foochow drove toward Saipu to check Japanese forces that had landed there.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco widened the powers of the proposed General Assembly by requiring the Security Council to report to the Assembly on all matters of peace and international security.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said that he may have to leave the country for a "Big Three" meeting with U.S. President Harry Truman and U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin before the coming British general election.

World events
Deposed Norwegian dictator Vidkun Quisling was arraigned in Oslo and pled "not guilty" to charges of treason.

Exploration
A British Royal Air Force party reported finding the true magnetic North Pole in the Sverdup Islands of the U.S.S.R.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend and broaden the reciprocal trade program, defeating all Republican Party amendments.

70 years ago
1950

Movies
Film Daily estimated that American motion picture attendance had dropped to an average of 70 million per week in 1949--the lowest since 1934, and 29 million per week less than 1948.

Diplomacy
Israel appointed its permanent delegate to the United Nations, Abba Eban, as Israeli Ambassador to the United States.

Hungary refused to join an international commission to investigate U.S.-U.K. charges that the life imprisonment of Jozef Cardinal Mindszenty violated Hungary's peace treaty.

Crime
U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver (Democrat--Tennessee) and his Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce opened a nationwide crime inquiry with secret hearings in Miami.

Health
Two reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that lung cancer was considerably more prevalent among heavy smokers than among light smokers and non-smokers.

Oil
The British government announced the end of petrol rationing after almost 11 years.

Baseball
The Chicago White Sox, in last place in the American League with a record of 8-22, fired manager Jack Onslow, replacing him with Red Corriden.

60 years ago
1960

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Marina--Rocco Granata and the International Quintet (11th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Cathy's Clown--The Everly Brothers (4th week at #1)

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Pretty Belinda--Chris Andrews

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Mademoiselle Ninette--The Soulful Dynamics (5th week at #1)

Aviation
The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 became the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2.

Politics and government
Leaders of the New York City building trades’ and longshoremen’s unions met with U.S. President Richard Nixon at the White House. Mr. Nixon told them that he had found their demonstrations in support of his policy reassuring and meaningful. The trade union officials pledged to continue the rallies, and presented Mr. Nixon with a hard hat.

Diplomacy
Indonesian President Suharto met with U.S. President Richard Nixon for the first of two sessions in Washington while on a visit to the United States, and the two discussed U.S. military action in Cambodia. Suharto said "restoration of peace and stability" in Indochina "will require the combined endeavours of all countries in the area as well as those external powers having a responsibility in the maintenance of world peace."

Baseball
With the Philadelphia Phillies trailing 2-0 to the Montreal Expos in the top of the 9th inning before 14,010 fans at Jarry Park in Montreal, pinch hitter Byron Browne of the Phillies singled, but was called out for passing baserunner Tommy Hutton, who had stopped to see if Montreal right fielder Rusty Staub had caught the ball. With 2 runners on base, Tony Taylor followed Mr. Browne at bat and hit a long drive to the outfield. Expos’ centre fielder Adolfo Phillips crashed into the wall without making the catch, and Mr. Taylor ended up with an inside-the-park 3-run home run. The Phillies held on to win 3-2, as John Bateman homered with 2 out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 9th, and Don Hahn and Bob Bailey walked, but Marv Staehle grounded out to end the game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers whipped the San Francisco Giants 19-3 before 7,428 fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco as winning pitcher Claude Osteen (6-4) had 4 hits, including a home run, scored 4 runs, and drove in 4, while infielder Billy Grabarkewitz scored 5 runs and Willie Crawford scored 4. Migel Puente, the third of five San Francisco pitchers, was announced into the game to begin the 6th inning, but was relieved by Mike Faul before facing any batters; it was Mr. Puente's sixth and last major league game.

Nate Colbert hit a pair of 2-run home runs in the first game and Cito Gaston hit a 3-run homer in the 1st inning of the second game to help the San Diego Padres sweep a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 and 4-1 before 11,722 fans at San Diego Stadium. Mike Corkins (4-4) and Danny Coombs (5-3) were the respective winning pitchers.

Jim Hardin (2-1) pitched a 5-hitter and Chico Salmon batted 4 for 5 with 2 runs to help the Baltimore Orioles shut out the Cleveland Indians 7-0 before 5,744 fans at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.

The Washington Senators outscored the Boston Red Sox 5-3 in the 1st inning and held on for a 7-5 win before 12,647 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Winning pitcher Joe Grzenda (2-2) allowed 3 hits and 5 runs--2 earned--in 8.1 innings, while losing pitcher Gary Peters (3-5) lasted just 1/3 inning, allowing 6 hits and 5 earned runs. Tony Conigliaro drove in 4 Boston runs with a 2-run triple in the 1st and a 2-run homer in the 9th.

Pinch hitter Gates Brown drew a base on balls to lead off the 9th inning and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Al Kaline, Norm Cash was intentionally walked, and Willie Horton followed with a home run to give the Detroit Tigers a 3-0 win over the New York Yankees before 10,181 fans at Tiger Stadium. Earl Wilson (3-2) pitched a 4-hitter to outduel Mel Stottlemyre (4-4), who also allowed 4 hits.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Got You--Split Enz (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Runaway--Chanels (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): La Quiero a Morir--Francis Cabrel (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Der Nippel--Mike Krüger

Politics and government
George Bush quit actively campaigning for the 1980 Republican Party nomination for President of the United States, several days after the ABC and CBS television networks had announced that former California Governor Ronald Reagan now had enough delegates to the Republican National Convention to clinch the nomination. Campaign financing for Mr. Bush dried up after that, and Mr. Bush said that there was "a widespread perception that the campaign is over." According to The New York Times, Mr. Reagan was still 5 delegates short of clinching the nomination.

30 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Vogue/Keep It Together--Madonna (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Vattene Amore--Amedeo Minghi; Mietta (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Vogue--Madonna (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): What's a Woman?--Vaya con Dios

#1 single in France (SNEP): Sacrifice--Elton John

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Killer--Adamski featuring Seal (3rd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Paint it Black--The Rolling Stones
2 Kingston Town--UB40
3 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
4 Se Bastasse Una Canzone--Eros Ramazzotti
5 Something Happened on the Way to Heaven--Phil Collins
6 The Power--Snap!
7 Pump That Body--Mr. Lee
8 Vogue--Madonna
9 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
10 I Might--Shakin' Stevens

Singles entering the chart were Still Got the Blues (For You) by Gary Moore (#24); Love Thing by the Pasadenas (#26); Insieme: 1992 by Toto Cutugno (#31); Have a Heart by Bonnie Raitt (#35); and A Gentleman's Excuse Me by Fish (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Vogue--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
3 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor
4 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
5 Alright--Janet Jackson
6 Poison--Bell Biv DeVoe
7 Sending All My Love--Linear
8 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
9 U Can't Touch This--M.C. Hammer
10 This Old Heart of Mine--Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley

Singles entering the chart were Step by Step by New Kids on the Block (#27); When I'm Back on My Feet Again by Michael Bolton (#74); You Can't Deny It by Lisa Stansfield (#81); Show Me by Howard Hewett (#84); Tomorrow (A Better Me, a Better You) by Quincy Jones with Tevin Campbell (#88); and Bounce Back by Alisha (#95).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Vogue--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
3 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
4 Alright--Janet Jackson
5 Poison--Bell Biv DeVoe
6 Sending All My Love--Linear
7 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor
8 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
9 I Wanna Be Rich--Calloway
10 This Old Heart of Mine--Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley

Singles entering the chart were Step by Step by New Kids on the Block (#50); When I'm Back on My Feet Again by Michael Bolton (#58); Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) by Motley Crue (#60); You Can't Deny It by Lisa Stansfield (#67); Pure by Lightning Seeds (#81); Got to Tell Me Something by Ana (#88); and King of Wishful Thinking by Go West (#91).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Nothing Compares to U--Sinead O’Connor (4th week at #1)
2 This Old Heart of Mine--Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley
3 All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You--Heart
4 Vogue--Madonna
5 Hold On--Wilson Phillips
6 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
7 Alright--Janet Jackson
8 Save Me--Fleetwood Mac
9 How Can We Be Lovers--Michael Bolton
10 It Must Have Been Love--Roxette

Singles entering the chart were She Ain't Pretty by the Northern Pikes (#60); Dare to Fall in Love by Brent Bourgeois (#63); Take it to Heart by Michael McDonald (#68); I Think I Love You Too Much by the Jeff Healey Band (#73); Drop the Needle by Maestro Fresh-Wes (#78); Two Girls in One by The Pursuit of Happiness (#81); Ready or Not by After 7 (#83); Stealin' Fire by Lorraine Segato (#89); and Moonlight on Water by Laura Branigan (#93).

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Be My Lover--La Bouche

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop)--Scatman John

Died on this date
Friz Freleng, 88. U.S. animator. Isidore Freleng directed 266 cartoons for Warner Brothers studios from the 1930s through the 1960s, and won four Academy Awards. He created and/or developed such characters as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam, and Speedy Gonzales.

War
North Atlantic Treaty Organization planes concluded two days of bombing a weapons depot near Pale, capital of the Bosnian Serbs.

Politics and government
The U.S. Senate Labor and Human Relations Committee voted 9-7 in favour of Dr. Henry Foster, President Bill Clinton's nominee as Surgeon General of the United States. Two Republican members of the committee joined with seven Democrats in voting in favour of Dr. Foster.

Protest
An anonymous group of businessmen calling themselves the Edmonton Stickmen was putting up billboards criticizing City Council and calling for a more pro-business Council to be elected in October 1995.

20 years ago
2000

World events
Hezbollah terrorists celebrated the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. United Nations peacekeepers in armoured cars began patrolling the area formerly occupied by Israeli troops.

Crime
A 13-year-old student sent home from school in Lake Worth, Florida for throwing water balloons returned and fatally shot a teacher in the face.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference Finals
New Jersey 2 @ Philadelphia 1 (New Jersey won best-of-seven series 4-3)

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Art Linkletter, 97. Canadian-born U.S. radio and television host. Mr. Linkletter, born Arthur Kelly in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, was adopted as an infant, and moved to San Diego with his parents when he was 5. He had a long career in radio and television, and was best known for hosting the game show People are Funny (1942-1960) and the variety show House Party (1945-1967). The most popular segment of the latter was Kids Say the Darndest Things.