March 17, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Kathy Fisher!

360 years ago
1649

Died on this date
Gabriel Lalemant, 38. French missionary. Father Lalemant was a Roman Catholic Jesuit missionary who worked among the Huron Indians in New France. He and fellow Jesuit missionary Jean de Brébeuf were captured by Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) invaders at St-Louis and taken to St-Ignace (near present-day Midland, Ontario) on March 16, where their flesh was stripped to the bone, and they were burned with pitch and boiling water. Fr. Lalement died the day after Fr. Brébeuf; both were canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930.

170 years ago
1839

Born on this date
Josef Rheinberger. Liechtensteinian-born German musician and composer. Professor Rheinberger was an organist who taught organ and composition at Munich Conservatorium for many years. His compositions included 12 masses and several dozen works for organ. After years of declining health, Prof. Rheinberger died on November 25, 1901 at the age of 62.

160 years ago
1849

Born on this date
Charles F. Brush. U.S. engineer. Dr. Brush was an electrical engineer who, in 1876, invented a dynamo to power arc lights. He founded the Brush Electric Company in 1880, which he sold, and eventually became part of General Electric. Dr. Brush died on June 15, 1929 at the age of 80.

Died on this date
Willem II, 56. King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg, 1840-1849. Willem II spent some time in England in his youth, and served with British forces during the Peninsular War in the 1810s. He acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his father Willem I. King Willem II refrained from interfering in politics, but instituted a liberal democratic regime in 1848 in order to prevent the revolutions that were occurring in other European countries from spreading to the Netherlands. He died suddenly, a few months after the implementation of the new constitution, and was succeeded by his son Willem III.

140 years ago
1869

Politics and government
Louis Riel was elected president of the Provisional Government in the Northwest Territories.

100 years ago
1909

Born on this date
Denis Conan Doyle. U.K. literary scion. Mr. Doyle was the son of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the first child of his second wife Jean. Denis studied medicine at Cambridge University and delivered some speeches in support of the British cause during World War II, but left no published writings behind, as far as I know. He died of a heart attack on March 9, 1955 while on a big game hunt in Africa, eight days before his 46th birthday.

70 years ago
1939

War
The Battle of Nanchang began between the Chinese National Revolutionary Army and the Japanese Imperial Japanese Army in the area around Nanchang, the capital of the province of Jianxi in southeastern China.

70 years ago
1949

Defense
North Atlantic Treaty nations formally invited Denmark, Iceland, and Portugal to join the security pact.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Forrestal ordered a merger of the three armed services' public information offices in order to end news leaks and inter-service rivalry.

Politics and government
The Costa Rican Constituent Assembly voted to extend the junta led by Jose Figueres through mid-1950.

Transjordan announced the establishment of a civil administration in the part of Arab Palestine that it controlled.

U.S. Senate opponents of President Harry Truman passed a measure limiting efforts to curb the filibuster, reducing the chances of passing civil rights legislation during the current session.

Society
South Carolina became the last U.S. state to legalize divorce.

Economics and finance
A North Korean delegation to Moscow led by Premier Kim Il Sung signed a commercial agreement with the U.S.S.R. providing for increased trade, Soviet technical assistance, and cultural exchanges.

U.S. President Truman issued a quarterly report to Congress on American aid to Greece, claiming increased "discouragement and dissension within the Communist guerrilla leadership."

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Dead Part of the House, starring Philip Abbott, Joanne Linville, and Mimi Gibson



At the movies
Imitation of Life, directed by Douglas Sirk, and starring Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Dan O'Herlihy, Susan Kohner, Robert Alda, Juanita Moore, and Mahalia Jackson, received its premiere screening, in Chicago.

Defense
West Germany and five North Atlantic Treaty Organization powers reached agreement in Bonn on a new treaty to govern the status of Western armed forces stationed in Germany.

William Draper, chairman of the President's Committee to Study the U.S. Military Assistance Program, recommended a $400-million increase in President Dwight D. Eisenhower's $1.6-billion foreign military aid request.

Politics and government
The Union of Democratic Forces, founded by former French Prime Minister Pierre Mendes-France, organized as a political party dedicated to a negotiated peace in Algeria and the establishment of a "new democracy" in France.

Health
U.S. President Eisenhower signed a bill to allow the use of the coal tar dye Citrus Red No. 2 in colouring Florida and Texas oranges, despite the fact that the dye was poisonous in large quantities.

Oil
U.S. Federal Oil Administrator Matthew Carson tentatively set allocations of crude and unfinished oils at 936,770 barrels per day for 136 eligible refiners.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. and North Korea signed a $125-million technical assistance agreement in Moscow.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Blue Light Yokohama--Ayumi Ishida (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Las Flechas Del Amor (Little Arrows)--Karina

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Indian Giver--1910 Fruitgum Co.
2 Proud Mary--Creedence Clearwater Revival
3 Dizzy--Tommy Roe
4 Heaven--The Rascals
5 Traces--Classics IV
6 This Magic Moment--Jay and the Americans
7 Time of the Season--The Zombies
8 Baby, Baby Don't Cry--Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
9 These Eyes--The Guess Who?
10 This Girl's in Love with You--Dionne Warwick

Singles entering the chart were First of May by the Bee Gees (#82); Apricot Brandy by Rhinoceros (#86); I'll Try Something New by Diana Ross and the Supremes & the Temptations (#88); Blessed is the Rain by the Brooklyn Bridge (#94); Playgirl by Thee Prophets (#95); Don't Give In to Him by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (#96); Memories by Elvis Presley (#97); Hawaii Five-O by the Ventures (#98); The Wedding Cake by Connie Francis (#99); and One Eye Open by the Maskman and the Agents (#100).

War
In the first attack on the Vietnam policy of the administration of U.S. President Richard Nixon by a Senate dove, Sen. George McGovern (Democrat--South Dakota) castigated the administration for its lack of "strength and courage to genuinely reverse our course." Paratroops of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division finished participating in a three-day simulated counterattack described as "the longest airborne assault in history," flying 8,500 miles from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to a target area 40 miles south of Seoul.

Diplomacy
Czechoslovakian Communist Party leader Alexander Dubcek presided over the first meeting of the seven Warsaw Pact nations since the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968.

Politics and government
Golda Meir, 70, was sworn in as Prime Minister of Israel, replacing the late Levi Eshkol. Mrs. Meir had been nominated by the ruling Labor party's central committee 10 days earlier. 100 committee members, supporters of defense minister Moshe Dayan for the post, shunned the nominating meeting. Mrs. Meir told the Knesset that her government would continue to insist on direct talks with the Arabs to attain peace in the Middle East.

Economics and finance
America's major banks increased their prime interest rate from 7 to 7.5%, a result of the government's drive against inflation.

Disasters
17 were killed when a bus crashed into a ravine west of Bogota, Colombia.

5 were killed and 14 injured when fire razed a hotel in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Born to Be Alive--Patrick Hernandez

#1 single in Ireland: I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Fire!--Pointer Sisters (2nd week at #1)
2 Chiquitita--ABBA
3 Lay Your Love on Me--Racey
4 Now that We Found Love--Third World
5 Tragedy--Bee Gees
6 Heart of Glass--Blondie
7 The Runner--The Three Degrees
8 Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)--The Jacksons
9 Ruthless Queen--Kayak
10 (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back--Peter Tosh (support vocals: Mick Jagger)

Singles entering the chart were I Want Your Love by Chic (#26); The Robot by Teach In (#29); He's the Greatest Dancer by Sister Sledge (#30); Stir it Up by Bob Marley & the Wailers (#31); and That's Life by Champagne (#33).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
2 Tragedy--Bee Gees
3 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart
4 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
5 Shake Your Groove Thing--Peaches & Herb
6 What a Fool Believes--The Doobie Brothers
7 Fire--Pointer Sisters
8 Sultans of Swing--Dire Straits
9 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
10 What You Won't Do for Love--Bobby Caldwell

Singles entering the chart were In the Navy by Village People (#67); Renegade by Styx (#73); Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy by Bad Company (#74); Reunited by Peaches & Herb (#76); Happiness by the Pointer Sisters (#77); Hard Times for Lovers by Judy Collins (#71); Such a Woman by Tycoon (#82); Don't You Write Her Off by McGuinn, Clark & Hillman (#85); Disco Nights (Rock-Freak) by G.Q. (#86); Sweet Lui-Louise by Ironhorse (#87); (If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right by Barbara Mandrell (#88); Good Times Roll by the Cars (#89); Get Used to It by Roger Voudouris (#90); There But for the Grace of God Go I by Machine (#92); and You and Me by Liner (#93).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Tragedy--Bee Gees
2 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart
3 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
4 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
5 Shake Your Groove Thing--Peaches & Herb
6 What a Fool Believes--The Doobie Brothers
7 Fire--Pointer Sisters
8 Sultans of Swing--Dire Straits
9 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
10 Don't Cry Out Loud--Melissa Manchester

Singles entering the chart were In the Navy by Village People (#55); Reunited by Peaches & Herb (#73); Renegade by Styx (#74); Get Used to It by Roger Voudouris (#84); Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy by Bad Company (#85); Just When I Needed You Most by Randy Vanwarmer (#86); (If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right by Barbara Mandrell (#87); Don't You Write Her Off by McGuinn, Clark & Hillman (#88); Sweet Lui-Louise by Ironhorse (#87); Makin' It by David Naughton (#90); Just the Same Way by Journey (#95); Nights (Rock-Freak) by G.Q. (#96); and Heart to Heart by Errol Sober (#97). Makin' It was from the movie Meatballs (1979).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (4th week at #1)
2 Tragedy--Bee Gees
3 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
4 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
5 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
6 Fire--Pointer Sisters
7 Every 1's a Winner--Hot Chocolate
8 The Gambler--Kenny Rogers
9 Don't Cry Out Loud--Melissa Manchester
10 No Tell Lover--Chicago

Singles entering the chart were Take Me Home by Cher (#82); Now that We Found Love by Third World (#85); Roller by April Wine (#87); I Got My Mind Made Up by Instant Funk (#91); Love Ballad by George Benson (#93); Time is the Keeper by Ian Thomas (#94); Roxanne by the Police (#95); I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore by Nancy Brooks (#96); You Didn't Listen to Me by Molly Oliver (#97); Blow Away by George Harrison (#98); Heartaches by BTO (#99); and Love Struck by Stonebolt (#100).

War
The United States and Great Britain appealed to Patriotic Front guerrillas to resume negotiations with the Rhodesian regime for a peaceful transition to majority rule in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe that would include UN-supervised elections.

Hockey
NHL
Minnesota 4 @ Toronto 6
Montreal 1 @ Los Angeles 3

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Ci Sarà--Albano Carrisi; Romina Power

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Radio Ga Ga--Queen (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Love Is a Battlefield--Pat Benatar

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): 99 Red Balloons--Nena (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: 99 Red Balloons--Nena (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jump--Van Halen (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper
2 99 Luftballons--Nena
3 Somebody's Watching Me--Rockwell
4 Thriller--Michael Jackson
5 Jump--Van Halen
6 Footloose--Kenny Loggins
7 I Want a New Drug--Huey Lewis and the News
8 Here Comes the Rain Again--Eurythmics
9 Nobody Told Me--John Lennon
10 New Moon on Monday--Duran Duran

Singles entering the chart were No More Words by Berlin (#61); Head Over Heels by the Go-Go's (#67); Authority Song by John Cougar Mellencamp (#71); Show Me by the Pretenders (#77); Sister Christian by Night Ranger (#80); Illegal Alien by Genesis (#84); White Horse by Laid Back (#87); and Baby Come Back by Billy Rankin (#89).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Jump--Van Halen
2 99 Red Balloons--Nena
3 Thriller--Michael Jackson
4 Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper
5 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
6 Red Red Wine--UB40
7 I Want a New Drug--Huey Lewis and the News
8 Here Comes the Rain Again--Eurythmics
9 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
10 Rebel Yell--Billy Idol

Singles entering the chart were Eat It by "Weird Al" Yankovic (#41); Holiday by Madonna (#45); Runner by Manfred Mann (#46); Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler (#47); Please Don't Make Me Cry by UB40 (#48); and It's My Life by Talk Talk (#50). Holding Out for a Hero was from the movie Footloose (1984).

Politics and government
Former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale won the Michigan caucuses in the contest for the Democratic party nominiation for President of the United States in the November 1984 election.

Sport
The 130th annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities was postponed for a day when the Cambridge boat hit a barge and sank, less than an hour before the race was to start.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 6 Toronto 1

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart--Marc Almond featuring Gene Pitney (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Merritt Butrick, 29. U.S. actor. Mr. Butrick was best known for playing the character Johnny Slash in the television comedy series Square Pegs (1982-1983). His movies included Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1962); Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984); and Wired to Kill (1986). Mr. Butrick was a sodomite who died of AIDS.

Music
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider performed the first of two shows with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton. The concerts were later released as the album The Symphony Sessions (1989).

Politics and government
U.S. Representative Dick Cheney (Republican--Wyoming) was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as the new U.S. Secretary of Defense in the administration of President George Bush. Mr. Cheney, who had been unanimously confirmed by the House of Representatives the previous day, was Mr. Bush's second choice for the position. The first choice, former U.S. Senator John Tower, had been rejected by the Senate because of a history of drinking.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that prices paid by producers for finished goods had increased 1% in February.

Health
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lifted its quarantine on Chilean grapes and berries, four days after the quarantine had been imposed because a search of crates of grapes from Chile had found traces of cyanide in two grapes.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Ernest Gold, 77. Austrian-born U.S. composer. Mr. Gold, whose real name was Ernst Goldner, moved to the United States following the German anschluss of Austria in 1938. He was best known for his film scores, winning an Academy Award for his score for Exodus (1960), and receiving an Oscar nomination for On the Beach (1959). Mr. Gold's works included two symphonies and a piano concerto. He died from complications following a stroke.

Baseball
Tim Johnson became one of the few major league managers to be fired during spring training, as he was fired by the Toronto Blue Jays and replaced by former California Angels' and Philadelphia Phillies' manager Jim Fregosi. Mr. Johnson had led the Blue Jays to an 88-74 record in 1998, his first year with the team, but reportedly had communications problems with several players, most notably starting pitchers. In the off-season, Mr. Johnson admitted that he had lied about serving in the Vietnam War, telling war stories in order to motivate his players. Mr. Johnson had served in the United States Marine Corps reserves during the Vietnam War, but had not been sent overseas. Toronto general manager Gord Ash said that he thought that Mr. Johnson's continued presence with the team had become a distraction, and that he had to fire him in order to save the season. Phil Cavarretta of the Chicago Cubs (1954) and Alvin Dark of the San Diego Padres (1978) had also been fired during spring training.