May 13, 2008

440 years ago
1568

War
The forces of Mary, Queen of Scots, are defeated by a confederacy of Scottish Protestants under her half-brother James Stewart, Earl of Moray, in the Battle of Langside.

130 years ago
1878

Died on this date
Joseph Henry, 80. U.S. scientist. Respected in his own time as one of the greatest American scientists since Benjamin Franklin, Mr. Henry served as the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. While building electromagnets, he discovered the electromagnetic phenomenon of self-inductance, and discovered mutual inductance independently of Michael Faraday (though Mr. Faraday was the first to publish his results). Mr. Henry's work on the electromagnetic relay was the basis of the electrical telegraph, jointly invented by Samuel Morse and Charles Wheatstone. Mr. Henry identified the room acoustics phenomena we now call direct sound, early reflections, and reverberation.

120 years ago
1888

Law
Princess Isabel of the Empire of Brazil signed the Lei Áurea ("Golden Law"), abolishing slavery. The law contained only two clauses:

Article 1: From this date, slavery is declared abolished in Brazil.
Article 2: All dispositions to the contrary are revoked.

110 years ago
1898

Canadiana
The House of Commons passed the Yukon Territory Act; creating the territory out of the North-West Territories Yukon Judicial District, and giving it a commissioner and appointed Territorial Council; Dawson City was chosen as the capital. Royal Assent was given on June 13.

100 years ago
1908

Politics and government
New Brunswick Premier Douglas Hazen met with New Brunswick's Enfranchisement Association, but refused their request for voting rights; he advised women to cling to lines of activity for which they were suited, than be burdened with the public work of the country.

100 years ago
1918

Baseball
Joe Oeschger of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched 9 no-hit innings‚ but they came after the St. Louis Cardinals put together 2 hits and a walk for 3 runs in the first inning of a 10-inning 3-3 tie at Robison Field in St. Louis. Jakie May pitched a 4-hitter for the Cardinals, and didn't allow an earned run.

80 years ago
1928

Disasters
Two autos, containing 14 people and running side by side, crashed into the locomotive of a moving passenger train (going from Pittsburgh to Erie, Pennsylvania) at Espyville, Pennsylvania. 8 of the occupants were killed, 5 injured, and the locomotive was damaged. The families involved were those of Clare Hays and Ward Thomas.

10 officials and merchants from Brockton, Massachusetts were killed when their power boat sank in Moosehead Lake, Maine. The only survivor of the fishing party was police Captain J.E. Lays.

75 years ago
1933

Died on this date
Paul Ernst, 67. German writer. Mr. Ernst was a journalist, essayist, dramatist and short story writer who became attracted to Marxism as a young man, after abandoning theology studies. Dr. Ernst’s dramas included Demetrios; Canossa; Brunhild; and Ariadne auf Naxos. Dr. Ernst’s later writings, such as The Emperor Book; The Saviour; and Pray and Work, dealt mainly with historical and religious themes.

70 years ago
1938

Died on this date
Charles Édouard Guillaume, 77. Swiss physicist. Dr. Guillaume was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1920 in recognition of the service he had rendered to precision measurements in physics by his discovery of anomalies in nickel steel alloys.

Music
Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra recorded When the Saints Go Marching In for Decca Records.

60 years ago
1948

Space
The United States launched the sounding rocket Bumper 1 from White Sands Proving Grounds in White Sands, New Mexico; the second stage cut off prematurely.

War
The Kfar Etzion massacre was committed by Arab irregulars, the day before the declaration of independence of the state of Israel. The Arab League in Damascus declared war on Palestine's Jewish community.

Chinese Communist forces renewed their attacks around the Manchurian industrial city of Mukden after a 10-week lull.

Politics and government
United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie named Philadelphia lawyer Harold Evans as the neutral Mayor of Jerusalem under a UN trusteeship plan for the city, which would go into effect after the end of the British mandate.

Despite the threat of a veto by U.S. President Harry Truman, the House of Representatives passed and sent to the Senate a bill to jail or fine executive branch employees, including cabinet members, who withheld information demanded by Congress.

Academia
The U.S. Senate shelved a House-approved resolution favouring the creation of a segregated regional university system in southern states.

50 years ago
1958

Diplomacy
U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat arrived in Caracas, where they were menaced by stone-throwing mobs, prompting U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to order U.S. forces flown to bases in Puerto Rico and Cuba as a "precautionary measure."





World events
Rightist French civilians and Army officers in Algeria led a coup against the newly-formed government of Pierre Pflimlin, proclaiming the formation of a new Algerian Committee of Public Safety to take all steps necessary for the maintenance of French rule in Algeria, and demanding that a government of national unity be formed with Charles de Gaulle at its head in order to defend French control of Algeria.

Politics and government
Pierre Pflimlin, leader of the Christian Democratic Party, was approved by the French National Assembly as Prime Minister.

Protest
Right-wing demonstrators demanding the assumption of power by General Charles de Gaulle clashed with police and security troops in Paris.

Adventure
Australian Ben Carlin became the only person to circumnavigate the world in an amphibious vehicle, having travelled over 39,000 miles by land and 11,000 miles by sea during a ten-year journey.

Baseball
37-year-old Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals became the eighth major leaguer to collect 3,000 hits when he doubled as a pinch hitter against Moe Drabowsky of the Chicago Cubs with none out in the top of the 6th inning, driving in Gene Green with the first of 4 runs in the inning as the Cardinals beat the Cubs 5-3 before 5,692 fans at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Teammates Willie Mays and Daryl Spencer each had 4 long hits as the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 16-9 before 10,507 fans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mr. Mays hit 2 home runs, 2 triples, a single and had 4 runs batted in, and Mr. Spencer had 2 home runs, a triple, a double and 6 RBIs for a combined 28 total bases. The Giants amassed 26 hits for a National League-record 50 total bases. Charlie Neal hit 2 home runs for the Dodgers.

Don Larsen pitched a 4-hitter to improve his 1958 record to 4-0 and hit his second home run of the season to lead the New York Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 before 13,606 fans at Yankee Stadium. Mr. Larsen's solo homer with 2 out in the 5th broke a 0-0 tie.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Hana no Kubikazari/Ginga no Romance--The Tigers (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Congratulations--Cliff Richard

War
Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, in Edmonton leading the Liberal party in the campaign leading up to the federal election on June 25, suggested that Canada could help to bring peace in Vietnam. United Nations Secretary-General U Thant urged an "unconditional end of the bombing of North Vietnam," asserting that it "had only hardened the determination of the North to prosecute the war and not to negotiate under duress." In Paris, the American and North Vietnamese peace negotiators restated their previous positions. U.S. chief delegate Averell Harriman called for restraint by North Vietnam in return for a total halt in U.S. bombings. North Vietnamese chief delegate Xuan Thuy talked of "monstrous crimes."

Protest
French workers joined student protests in Paris for the first time with a one-day general strike.

Economics and finance
The Bank of Canada borrows $262 million from West German, American, and Italian sources to increase cash reserves.

Baseball
Pinch hitter Tito Francona drew a base on balls to force home Sonny Jackson with the go-ahead run and Hank Aaron followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in another run as the Atlanta Braves scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th inning to break a 2-2 tie and defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 before 3,126 fans at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Mr. Aaron's brother Tommie opened the scoring with his first home run of the season, a 2-run blast, in the 2nd inning. Phil Niekro pitched a 3-hitter and singled to set up the winning run, winning the pitchers' duel over Chris Short.

Curt Flood doubled with 1 out and nobody on base in the top of the 1st inning and Roger Maris followed with a single to drive in the game's only run as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 before 10,082 fans at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Nelson Briles pitched a 4-hitter to win the pitchers' duel over Jim Bunning, who allowed 5 hits and 1 earned run in 8 innings.

30 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Rivers of Babylon--Boney M. (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Night Fever--Bee Gees (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Rivers of Babylon--Boney M.

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman

If I Can't Have You was the fourth song from the movie Saturday Night Fever to hit the #1 spot in the Billboard Hot 100. The others were all performed by the Bee Gees: How Deep is Your Love; Stayin’ Alive; and Night Fever, the latter of which spent 8 weeks at #1 immediately before If I Can’t Have You.

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Rivers of Babylon/Brown Girl in the Ring--Boney M. (3rd week at #1)
2 Substitute--Clout
3 Night Fever--Bee Gees
4 Come Back My Love--Darts
5 Only a Fool--The Mighty Sparrow with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
6 Ça Plane Pour Moi--Plastic Bertrand
7 Argentina--Conquistador
8 Every 1's a Winner--Hot Chocolate
9 Baker Street--Gerry Rafferty
10 Amor, Amor--Rod McKuen

Singles entering the chart were A-Ba-Ni-Bi by Izhar Cohen & the 'Alpha-Beta' (#18); Heidi by Gitti und Erica (#23); Theme Song from "Which Way is Up" by Stargard (#26); Party, Party by Eruption (#30); Best of Both Worlds by Robert Palmer (#31); and The One and Only by Gladys Knight & the Pips (#32). The One and Only was a version of the title song of the movie; the song was sung by Casey Cisyk in the film.

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman
2 With a Little Luck--Wings
3 The Closer I Get to You--Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
4 Night Fever--Bee Gees
5 You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
6 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late--Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
7 Can't Smile Without You--Barry Manilow
8 Shadow Dancing--Andy Gibb
9 Count on Me--Jefferson Starship
10 Disco Inferno--The Trammps

Singles entering the chart were Still the Same by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (#74); Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton (#76); Roll with the Changes by REO Speedwagon (#82); Last Dance by Donna Summer (#83); Take Me Back to Chicago by Chicago (#85); Darlin' by Paul Davis featuring Susan Collins (#86); and Stay Awhile by Continental Miniatures (#87). Last Dance was from the movie Thank God it's Friday (1978), and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman (2nd week at #1)
2 Night Fever--Bee Gees
3 Dust in the Wind--Kansas
4 Running on Empty--Jackson Browne
5 The Closer I Get to You--Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
6 With a Little Luck--Wings
7 Thank You for Being a Friend--Andrew Gold
8 Goodbye Girl--David Gates
9 The Circle is Small--Gordon Lightfoot
10 Can't Smile Without You--Barry Manilow

Singles entering the chart were Oh What a Night for Dancing by Barry White (#87); Oh How Happy by the Skyliners (#89); The Wanderer by Leif Garrett (#90); Follow You Follow Me by Genesis (#94); You're the Love by Seals and Crofts (#95); Almost Summer by Celebration featuring Mike Love (#96); Celebrate It by Malcolm Tomlinson (#97); Where Have You Been All My Life by Fotomaker (#99); and Weekend Lover by Odyssey (#100).

Winnipeg's top 30 (CKY)
1 You're the One that I Want--John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (2nd week at #1)
2 Shadow Dancing--Andy Gibb
3 Two Doors Down--Dolly Parton
4 If I Can't Have You--Yvonne Elliman
5 With a Little Luck--Wings
6 Night Fever--Bee Gees
7 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)--Billy Joel
8 Jack and Jill--Raydio
9 Our Love--Natalie Cole
10 We Will Rock You/We are the Champions--Queen
11 It's a Heartache--Bonnie Tyler
12 Dust in the Wind--Kansas
13 Sweet Misery--Teaze
14 We'll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again--England Dan & John Ford Coley
15 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late--Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
16 The Closer I Get to You--Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
17 Can't Smile Without You--Barry Manilow
18 Running on Empty--Jackson Browne
19 Werewolves of London--Warren Zevon
20 Feels So Good--Chuck Mangione
21 Count on Me--Jefferson Starship
22 Thank You for Being a Friend--Andrew Gold
23 Take a Chance on Me--ABBA
24 You Needed Me--Anne Murray
25 Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees
26 Ebony Eyes--Bob Welch
27 Baker Street--Gerry Rafferty
28 I was Only Joking--Rod Stewart
29 Imaginary Lover--Atlanta Rhythm Section
30 You Belong to Me--Carly Simon

War
UNIFIL troops discovered an 80-man unit of Palestinian guerrillas in Lebanon.

World events
A coup in the Comoro Islands deposed the government of President Ali Solih. The coup was carried out by members of the government deposed by Mr. Solih in a coup in 1975. Most of the 230,000 Muslim inhabitants of the Indian Ocean republic had resisted Mr. Solih's attempts to impose a Chinese-style revolutionary system, and the new regime announced that it would retore freedom of religion and property rights, which Mr. Solih had tried to suppress.

A memorial service for former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro was held at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, attended by Pope Paul VI, Italian President Giovanni Leone, and many other Italian and foreign leaders.

Track and field
Henry Rono of Kenya set a record for 3,000-metre steeplechase (8:05.4).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Boston 1 @ Montreal 4 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)

25 years ago
1983

Died on this date
Lerton Pinto, 85. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Pinto pitched in 9 games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1922, and 3 games in 1924. His only decision, a loss, came in 1922. His career earned run average was 5.65.

Diplomacy
U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger warned the U.S.S.R. and Syria against making any military moves in Lebanon.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Heart--Pet Shop Boys (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Chet Baker, 58. U.S. jazz trumpeter and singer. Mr. Baker was a leading name in "cool jazz" in the 1950s, but his career was destroyed by excessive drug abuse. He made a comeback in later years, which included performances at Edmonton’s Jazz City festival in the early 1980s. Mr. Baker died in a fall from a hotel room window in Amsterdam; there were no witnesses, and his death was ruled accidental. Heroin and cocaine were found in his body. A documentary movie about Mr. Baker, Let’s Get Lost, was released in 1989.

War
A cease-fire between Hezbollah and Amal militia in Lebanon broke down, and Syrian forces became directly involved in the fighting.

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Atlanta 97 @ Boston 108 (Boston led best-of-seven series 2-0)

Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Los Angeles Lakers 89 @ Utah 96 (Utah led best-of-seven series 2-1)

Baseball
The Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners combined to hit 9 home runs as the Red Sox outlasted the Mariners 14-8 before 29,582 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Mike Greenwell of the Red Sox hit 2 of the homers; Oil Can Boyd was kicked around, allowing 10 hits and 6 runs--all earned--in 6 innings, but emerged with the win.

With 2 out and nobody on base in the top of the 9th inning, pinch hitter George Hendrick was hit by a pitch, and Brian Downing followed with a 2-run home run to give the California Angels a 5-4 lead over the New York Yankees, which stood as the final score after the Yankees were retired in order in the bottom of the 9th before 30,113 fans at Yankee Stadium.

Barry Bonds led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a single, and when Jose Lind laid down a sacrifice bunt, first baseman Dave Collins made a throwing error and center fielder Eric Davis overran the ball for another error, allowing Mr. Bonds to score, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds before 31,705 fans at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Mr. Bonds led off the game with a home run for the second day in a row; his father Bobby accomplished the same feat in 1973 with the San Francisco Giants.

10 years ago
1998

At the movies
This blogger attended a preview screening of Warren Beatty's film Bulworth. Much of the critical attention centred on the romantic mismatch between Mr. Beatty and the much younger Halle Berry (a phenomenon that was so common in movies of 1997 and '98 that it started to attract media attention), but what struck me was Mr. Beatty's condescending view of Negroes. In Mr. Beatty's liberal view, you can't communicate with Negroes using proper English and rational discourse, but only through rap music and appeals to the emotions. I hated Bulworth; of course, the politically correct critics loved it. The movie went into general release on May 15.

Defense
Two days after conducting three nuclear tests, India performed two more nuclear tests, and announced that it had concluded its nuclear program. The United States and Japan imposed economic sanctions on India.

Protest
Race riots broke out in Jakarta, Indonesia, where shops owned by Indonesians of Chinese descent were looted and women raped. Thousands of Indonesian students rallied to demand the resignation of President Suharto. Police killed six students and wounded others.

Politics and government
Following the resignation of Daniel Johnson as Vaudreuil Liberal MNA and Leader of the Official Opposition, Monique Gagnon-Tremblay, Liberal MNA for Saint-François, was named Leader of the Official Opposition in the Quebec National Assembly, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Crime
In the Great Princeton Bank Robbery. A Caterpillar 950F front-end loader was used at 4:15 a.m. to remove the night-deposit box from the wall of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Princeton, British Columbia.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Washington 2 @ Ottawa 0 (Washington led best-of-seven series 3-1)
Buffalo 3 @ Montreal 1 (Buffalo won best-of-seven series 4-0)

Western Conference
Semi-Finals
Dallas 3 @ Edmonton 1 (Dallas led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Basketball
NBA
Eastern Conference
Semi-Finals
Charlotte 84 @ Chicago 93 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-1)
New York 88 @ Indiana 99 (Indiana won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Baseball
Ryan Klesko’s 2-run home run in the 6th inning of a 10-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals before 31,532 fans at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis enabled the Atlanta Braves to set a National League record and tie a major league mark by hitting home runs in 25 straight games. This tied the major league record held by the 1941 New York Yankees and the 1994 Detroit Tigers.

Mike Hampton allowed 6 hits in 8 2/3 innings to improve his 1998 record to 6-1, winning the pitchers' duel over Jon Lieber as the Houston Astros edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 before 14,239 fans at the Astrodome. The only run was scored in the 4th inning on consecutive singles by Jay Howell, Moises Alou, and Richard Hidalgo to begin the inning. With 1 out in the top of the 9th and Kevin Polcovich on second base, Lou Collier singled, but was thrown out after rounding first base too far, while Mr. Polcovich stopped at third. Billy Wagner then relieved Mr. Hampton and struck out pinch hitter Turner Ward to end the game. Mr. Lieber allowed 7 hits in pitching a complete game, falling to 1-5.

Mark Grudzielanek and Chris Widger each hit 2 home runs for the Montreal Expos as they beat the San Francisco Giants 9-5 before 10,244 fans at 3Com Park at Candlestick Point in San Francisco.