March 4, 2008

330 years ago
1678

Born on this date
Antonio Vivaldi, 63. Italian composer. Mr. Vivaldi was one of the most prominent composers of the Baroque era. His best-known work was The Four Seasons (1725). Mr. Vivaldi died on July 28, 1741 at the age of 63.

175 years ago
1833

Politics and government
Andrew Jackson was inaugurated into his second term as 7th President of the United Statesof America. Because of cold weather and the president's poor health, the ceremony took place indoors, in the hall of the House of Representatives. Chief Justice John Marshall administered the oath of office for the ninth and final time.

Mr. Jackson's inaugural address included the following comments:

In the domestic policy of this Government there are two objects which especially deserve the attention of the people and their representatives, and which have been and will continue to be the subjects of my increasing solicitude. They are the preservation of the rights of the several States and the integrity of the Union... My experience in public concerns and the observation of a life somewhat advanced confirm the opinions long since imbibed by me, that the destruction of our State governments or the annihilation of their control over the local concerns of the people would lead directly to revolution and anarchy, and finally to despotism and military domination...
I shall continue to exert all my faculties to maintain the just powers of the Constitution and to transmit unimpaired to posterity the blessings of our Federal Union. At the same time, it will be my aim to inculcate by my official acts the necessity of exercising by the General Government those powers only that are clearly delegated; to encourage simplicity and economy in the expenditures of the Government; to raise no more money from the people than may be requisite for these objects, and in a manner that will best promote the interests of all classes of the community and of all portions of the Union.

125 years ago
1883

Born on this date
Maude Fealy. U.S. actress. Miss Fealy, born Maude Mary Hawk, began her career on stage in 1896, and toured in the United States and United Kingdom through the 1900s. She appeared in more than 20 movies from 1911-1917, and in minor roles in several movies from 1931-1958, including several directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Miss Fealy taught acting, and wrote several plays that were produced. She died on November 9, 1971 at the age of 88.

Died on this date
Alexander Stephens, 71. U.S. and C.S. politician. Mr. Stephens was Vice-President of the Confederate States of America from 1861-1865. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia from 1845-1859 and 1873-1882. He was elected Governor of Georgia in 1882 and died four months after taking office.

100 years ago
1908

Disasters
Fire killed 174 at a school in Collinwood, Ohio.

75 years ago
1933

Politics and government
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd President of the United States; it was the last presidential inauguration to take place on March 4. Mr. Roosevelt was sworn in by Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes at the east portico of the Capitol. In his inaugural address, Mr. Roosevelt said: "This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

60 years ago
1948

At the movies
The Naked City, produced by Mark Hellinger, directed by Jules Dassin, and starring Barry Fitzgerald and Howard Duff, opened in theatres.





Died on this date
Antonin Artaud, 51. French actor, writer, and director. Mr. Artaud was a major figure of European avant-garde theatre, who battled an addiction to opiates for most of his life, and was in and out of sanatoriums until his death from colorectal cancer.

Diplomacy
The International Maritime Conference in Geneva established the 35-nation Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization to advise on technical problems in international shipping.

Argentina and Chile agreed to act jointly in their dispute with the United Kingdom over territory in Antarctica.

World events
Former King Michael I of Romania issued a statement in London repudiating his abdication, which he claimed was "imposed on me by force" by Communist leaders.

Society
The U.S. Insterstate Commerce Commission dismissed a $15,000 suit brought by three Negroes against the Southern Railway Company for maintaining segregated passenger accommodations, stating that the cars reserved for Negroes were "not substantially different" from others.

Education
The Southern Regional Council on Education, meeting in Gainesville, Florida, approved the participation of Negroes in educational policy planning, and asked all Southern U.S. governors to assign a Negro educator to work with the Council.

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Koi no Shizuku--Yukari Itō (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Cállate Niña--Pic-Nic (9th week at #1)

Space
The United States launched OGO 5, the fifth in NASA's most complicated satellite series. The satellite was supposed to study a wide variety of characteristics of the space surrounding our world. All but one of its two dozen experiments were successful.

Diplomacy
Canada suspended diplomatic relations with Gabon.

Boxing
At Madison Square Garden in New York, Joe Frazier (20-0) scored a technical knockout of Buster Mathis (23-1) at 2:33 of the 11th round to win recognition as world heavyweight champion by the state athletic commissions of New York, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Texas, as well as Mexico and South America.



On the undercard, Nino Benvenuti (74-2) won a 15-round decision over Emile Griffith (54-9) to regain the world middleweight title that he'd lost to Mr. Griffith just over five months earlier.



40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): E Dirsi Ciao--Matia Bazar (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Mull of Kintyre--Wings (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: The Rare Auld Times--Danny Doyle

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Take a Chance on Me--ABBA (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): (Love Is) Thicker than Water--Andy Gibb

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 If I Had Words--Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley with the St. Thomas More School Choir (6th week at #1)
2 She's Not There--Santana
3 Big City--Tol Hansse
4 Black Betty--Ram Jam
5 Denis--Blondie
6 I Can't Stand the Rain--Eruption featuring Precious Wilson
7 Daddy Cool - The Girl Can't Help It--The Darts
8 Take a Chance on Me--ABBA
9 Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees
10 Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll--Ian Dury

Singles entering the chart were Winter in America by Doug Ashdown (#25); A Piece of the Action by the Babys (#27); Spread Your Wings by Queen (#28); Figaro by the Brotherhood of Man (#31); (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again by L.T.D. (#35); and Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (Love Is) Thicker than Water--Andy Gibb
2 Emotion--Samantha Sang
3 Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees
4 Just the Way You Are--Billy Joel
5 Sometimes When We Touch--Dan Hill
6 Night Fever--Bee Gees
7 What's Your Name--Lynyrd Skynyrd
8 Peg--Steely Dan
9 Lay Down Sally--Eric Clapton
10 Short People--Randy Newman

Singles entering the chart were Imaginary Lover by Atlanta Rhythm Section (#81); Rocket Ride by Kiss (#83); Honey Don't Leave L.A. by James Taylor (#84); Bootzilla by Bootsy’s Rubber Band (#92); Reaching for the Sky by Peabo Bryson (#93); You'll Love Again by Hotel (#94); That's Your Secret by Sea Level (#96); Your Love is So Good for Me by Diana Ross (#97); Let's Live Together by Cazz (#98); and A Lover's Question by Jacky Ward (#99).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees (3rd week at #1)
2 Just the Way You Are--Billy Joel
3 Sometimes When We Touch--Dan Hill
4 (Love Is) Thicker than Water--Andy Gibb
5 Emotion--Samantha Sang
6 Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)--Chic
7 Short People--Randy Newman
8 What's Your Name--Styx
9 We are the Champions--Queen
10 Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood--Santa Esmeralda

Singles entering the chart were Sweet Talkin' Woman by Electric Light Orchestra (#75); Little One by Chicago (#89); Honey Don't Leave L.A. by James Taylor (#90); Baby, Baby My Love's All for You by Deniece Williams (#91); Black Magic Woman by Santana (#94); Down the Road by Doucette (#95); Le Spank by Le Pamplemousse (#96); Playing Your Game by Barry White (#97); Never Had a Love by Pablo Cruise (#98); Dream Away by the Lavender Hill Mob (#99); and Starry Night by Bugatti and Musker (#100). Black Magic Woman was a live version of the song that had been a major hit for Santana in a studio version in late 1970-early 1971.

Hockey
NHL
Philadelphia 1 @ Montreal 7

CHL
Salt Lake City 2 @ Dallas 3
Kansas City 2 @ Fort Worth 4

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Tell it to My Heart--Taylor Dayne

At the movies
The House on Carroll Street, produced and directed by Peter Yates and starring Kelly McGillis, Jeff Daniels, and Mandy Patinkin, opened in theatres.





Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, in an attempt to stimulate the Middle East peace process, met with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres in Jerusalem; with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Damascus; and with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. Mr. Shultz was unable to report any progress.

Economics and finance
Panama ordered the nation's banks to close "until the supply of dollar bills can be regularized." Although a general strike against the regime of Gen. Manuel Noriega had ended, the bank closing devastated the economy again.