March 25, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Natasha!

1,090 years ago
919

World events
Romanos Lekapenos seized the Boukoleon Palace in Constantinople and became regent of Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII.

600 years ago
1409

Religion
The Council of Pisa, an ecumenical Roman Catholic Church council convened by the College of Cardinals in an attempt to end the Western Schism, opened at the Cathedral of Pisa.

425 years ago
1584

Americana
Sir Walter Raleigh was granted a patent to colonize Virginia.

375 years ago
1634

Americana
The first settlers sent by Lord Baltimore arrived in Maryland.

170 years ago
1839

Diplomacy
A truce was called in the damaging Aroostook, New Brunswick lumber war over the New Brunswick boundary with Maine; an agreement was later signed by Lord Ashburton and Daniel Webster.

100 years ago
1909

Died on this date
Ruperto Chapí, 57. Spanish composer. Mr. Chapí wrote a symphony, as well as choral and chamber works, but was best known for his many operas and zarzuelas (traditional Spanish works alternating between spoken and sung scenes). He co-founded Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers) in 1893, and died two days before his 58th birthday.

60 years ago
1949

On television tonight
Your Show Time, hosted and narrated by Arthur Shields, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Adventure of the Speckled Band, starring Alan Napier as Sherlock Holmes, Melville Cooper as Dr. Watson, Evelyn Ankers as Helen Stoner, and Edgar Barrier as Dr. Grimesby Roylott

This is the oldest extant television broadcast of a Sherlock Holmes story.



Died on this date
August Wilhelm of Prussia, 62. German royal family member. Prince August Wilhelm, nicknamed "Auwi," was the fourth son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. He joined the Nazi Party in 1930, and joined the Sturmabteilung (SA) in 1931, eventually rising to the rank of SA-Obergruppenführer. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Prince August Wilhelm's influence within the party declined, and he was held in low regard by high-ranking Nazis, although he remained loyal to Fuehrer Adolf Hitler. Prince August Wilhelm was arrested by American authorities on May 8, 1945, and was interned for the next three years. The captivity severely affected his health, and he died soon after his release.

Jack Kapp, 47. U.S. recording executive. Mr. Kapp worked with Brunswick Records from 1926 until co-founding the American version of Decca Records in 1934. In order to increase sales, Mr. Kapp introduced innovations such as picture sleeves and liner notes for records, and issuing soundtracks from Broadway shows as albums. Mr. Kapp also encouraged Bing Crosby, Decca's most popular artist, to diversify his song catalogue. Mr. Kapp died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Abominations
U.S.S.R. authorities began a three-day mass deportation of more than 92,000 kulaks from the Baltic states to Siberia.

Defense
The Danish Parliament approved Denmark's participation in the North Atlantic security pact as the Danish government formally accepted a U.S. invitation to sign the agreement.

Politics and government
Chinese Communists designated Peking (Beijing) as their headquarters city.

Negotiations between Western military governors and representatives of the West German Constituent Assembly broke down in disagreement over the strength of the proposed West German central government.

Protest
1,000 demonstrators in New York City picketed the Cultural and Scientific Conference for World Peace, charging that it was Communist-dominated. The conference, attended by 2,000 American guests and 26 foreign delegates, opened with a banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

50 years ago
1959

Diplomacy
United Arab Republic President Gamal Nasser, meeting with Lebanese President Fuad Chehab, pledged to respect Lebanon's independence and to eliminate economic disagreements between the two countries.

Defense
The U.S.S.R. declared that it would "take necessary measures to insure the security" of its southern frontiers in view of the recent signing of U.S. bilateral defense arrangements with Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran.

U.K. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan reassured West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer that Britain would not advocate any Central European military agreement with the U.S.S.R. which would damage West Germany's security.

World events
Western sources in Kalimpong reported that the Tibetan cabinet had proclaimed Tibetan independence and called on the People's Republic of China to withdraw its troops from Tibetan territory.

Economics and finance
Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker announced that Newfoundland would be given an additional $36.5 million in federal economic assistance in an effort to raise the province's living standards to the general Canadian level.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Atlantis--Donovan

War
The United States and South Vietnam issued separate statements stressing the need to break the impasse at the Paris peace talks with the Communists through private talks.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Richard Nixon and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau concluded two days of talks in Washington. In a joint commmunique, the leaders agreed that "problems between us can be settled in ways that promote the interests and the identities of both nations."

Politics and government
Pakistani President Mohammad Ayub Khan resigned after 10 years in office and turned the country over to army commander-in-chief General A.M. Yahya Khan, who promptly declared martial law throughout the country.

Disasters
20 were killed and 70 injured in a head-on crash of two passenger trains in a morning mist in southern Belgium.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Tragedy--Bee Gees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Chiquitita--ABBA (2nd week at #1)

Space
Columbia, the first fully functional U.S. Space Shuttle orbiter, was delivered to the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida to be prepared for its first launch.

Diplomacy
Israeli and Egyptian leaders in Washington agreed on a timetable for the scheduled return by Israel of Sinai oil fields to Egypt; it was the last issue blocking t a comprehensive peace treaty.

Terrorism
Four were injured when a bomb exploded in the baggage-loading area of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The bomb had been set to explode aboard a flight bound for Los Angeles. An anti-Castro Cuban group claimed responsibility.

Auto racing
USAC Championship Car
A.J. Foyt won the Datsun 200 at Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California. It was the first race of the season, and the first since most of the Indy car owners had split from the United States Auto Club to form Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART).

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 1 New York Rangers 0

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Street Dance--Break Machine (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Relax--Frankie Goes to Hollywood (4th week at #1)

On television tonight
CBC broadcast the latest Wayne and Shuster special, which featured their takeoffs on recent commercials, and "Never Say Dandruff Again."

War
France began withdrawing its last 1,250 troops from Beirut.

Politics and government
Incumbent Jose Napoleon Duarte of the centrist Christian Democratic Party received 43% of the vote in the first round of voting in the Salvadoran presidential election, with rightist candidate Roberto D'Aubuisson running second with 30%. An absolute majority was required for victory. Rebels succeeded in preventing voting in areas of El Salvador under their control.

20 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Esatto--Francesco Salvi (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): I Only Wanna Be with You--Samantha Fox

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Alles kan een mens gelukkig maken--René Froger

#1 single in France (SNEP): Pour toi Arménie--Charles Aznavour and various artists (7th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Like a Prayer--Madonna

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics
2 Eternal Flame--Bangles
3 Girl You Know it's True--Milli Vanilli
4 The Look--Roxette
5 My Heart Can't Tell You No--Rod Stewart
6 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
7 She Drives Me Crazy--Fine Young Cannibals
8 Walk the Dinosaur--Was (Not Was)
9 Roni--Bobby Brown
10 You're Not Alone--Chicago

Singles entering the chart were Soldier of Love by Donny Osmond (#73); Every Little Step by Bobby Brown (#84); Downtown by One 2 Many (#88); Working on It by Chris Rea (#89); The Different Story (World of Lust and Love) by Peter Schilling (#92); Walking Through Walls by the Escape Club (#95); and Voices of Babylon by the Outfield (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics (2nd week at #1)
2 Eternal Flame--Bangles
3 Girl You Know it's True--Milli Vanilli
4 Paradise City--Guns 'N' Roses
5 My Heart Can't Tell You No--Rod Stewart
6 Lost in Your Eyes--Debbie Gibson
7 The Look--Roxette
8 Walk the Dinosaur--Was (Not Was)
9 You're Not Alone--Chicago
10 She Drives Me Crazy--Fine Young Cannibals

Singles entering the chart were Rock On by Michael Damian (#80); Do You Believe in Shame? by Duran Duran (#83); I Only Wanna Be with You by Samantha Fox (#85); Soldier of Love by Donny Osmond (#87); Voices of Babylon by Outfield (#89); and Working on It by Chris Rea (#92).

Died on this date
Earl Nightingale, 68. U.S. broadcaster. Mr. Nightingale joined the the U.S. Marines at the age of 17, and was one of 15 survivors aboard USS Arizona in the Japanes attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. He read occultist Napoleon Hill's book Think and Grow Rich in 1950, and was inspired by Mr. Hill's quote “We become what we think about.” Mr. Nightingale became a motivational speaker whose record The Strangest Secret (1956) sold a million copies, becoming the first spoken word record to win a Gold Record award. Our Changing World, a five-minute weekday program, aired from 1959 to the 1980s, and became the most widely-syndicated radio program in history. Mr. Nightingale died of complications following heart surgery, 13 days after his 68th birthday.

Environment
Exxon Corporation announced that it accepted full financial responsibility for the previous day's oil spill from the tanker Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Hockey
NHL
Detroit 5 @ Toronto 6
Edmonton 2 @ Los Angeles 4

The Kings defeated the Oilers in a fight-filled game at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Cal Ripken, Sr., 63. U.S. baseball player, coach, and manager. Mr. Ripken was a catcher in the Baltimore Orioles' minor league system (1957-1962, 1964), batting .253 with 29 home runs and 269 runs batted in in 583 games. He managed in the Orioles' system from 1961-1974, scouted for the Orioles in 1975, and joined the Orioles' coaching staff in 1976, first as bullpen coach, moving to third base during the 1977 season. Mr. Ripken managed the Orioles for one game in 1985 (which they won), and then succeeded the retiring Earl Weaver after the 1986 season, with his sons Cal, Jr. and Billy among the players he managed. The Orioles' talent level had declined badly by the time Mr. Ripken took over as manager, and they finished sixth in the American League East Division with a record of 67-95. When the team lost its first 6 games of the 1988 season, Mr. Ripken was fired and replaced by Frank Robinson. Mr. Ripken was rehired as the Orioles' third base coach in 1989, serving in that capacity through 1992. He was highly regarded as a mentor of young players and for helping to create the tradition known as "The Oriole Way." Mr. Ripken was a longtime heavy smoker who died of lung cancer.