March 3, 2009

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Sherry and Irishka!

725 years ago
1284

Britannica
The Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England.

230 years ago
1779

War
The Continental Army was routed by British forces in the Battle of Brier Creek near Savannah, Georgia.

210 years ago
1799

War
The Russo-Ottoman siege of Corfu ended with the surrender of the French garrison.

160 years ago
1849

Americana
The United States Congress organized the Territory of Minnesota.

140 years ago
1869

Born on this date
Henry Wood. U.K. orchestra conductor. Sir Henry was best known for conducting the Queen's Hall promenade concerts (Proms) in London from 1895-1943. He took ill just before he was scheduled to conduct the 50th anniversary Proms, and died on August 19, 1944 at the age of 75.

90 years ago
1919

Hockey
Stanley Cup
NHL
Finals
Montreal 3 @ Ottawa 6 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 3-1)

Eddie Gerard scored 2 goals and Sprague Cleghorn scored the eventual winning goal 10 minutes into the 2nd period as the Senators averted elimination by the Canadiens at the Arena. Newsy Lalonde scored twice for Montreal.

70 years ago
1939

Protest
In Bombay, Mohandas Gandhi began a hunger strike in protest against British rule in India.

60 years ago
1949

Literature
Notes Toward the Definition of Culture by T.S. Eliot was published in New York by Harcourt, Brace.

Diplomacy
Former U.S. Ambassador to China Patrick Hurley, speaking in Washington, charged that the 1945 Yalta agreement undermined the Nationalist Chinese government by giving the U.S.S.R. Port Arthur and partial interest in China's Manchurian railways.

Defense
Norway requested and received an invitation to attend North Atlantic treaty discussions in Washington, and rejected the U.S.S.R.'s offer of a non-aggression pact.

Politics and government
U.S. Defense Secretary James Forrestal resigned; U.S. President Harry Truman nominated lawyer Louis Johnson to succeed him.

The U.S. State Department dissolved its Office of Occupied Areas and announced plans to create an Office of German and Austrian affairs.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Truman met with the National Security Council and top Treasury, State, and Commerce Department officials to discuss extending aid to China beyond the April 3, 1949 deadline.

Business
Production of the Tucker 48 automobile ceased, amidst negative publicity initiated by the news media and a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation for mail fraud.

A U.S. federal court in New York issued a consent decree separating the theatre holdings of Paramount Pictures from the company's production and distribution enterprises.

A U.S. federal court in Cleveland convicted Timkin Roller Bearing Company of participating in a worldwide roller-bearing cartel.

50 years ago
1959

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Dream, starring Reginald Owen, Richard Lupino, and Ethel Blakely



At the movies
No Trees in the Street, directed by J. Lee Thompson, and starring Sylvia Syms, Herbert Lom, Ronald Howard, and Stanley Holloway, opened in theatres in the United Kingdom.



Died on this date
Lou Costello, 52. U.S. comedian and actor. Born Lou Cristillo, Mr. Costello teamed up with Bud Abbott to form the most popular comedy team of the early 1940s. They made their movie debut in One Night in the Tropics (1940), and increased their popularity with Buck Privates (1941). Their movie career continued through Dance With Me Henry (1956), before they parted amicably in July 1957. My favourites are The Time of Their Lives (1946) and Buck Privates Come Home (1947). Abbott and Costello had a radio program from 1942-1949, and a television program from 1952-1954. Their most famous skit, "Who's On First," was examined at length by Steve Allen in his book More Funny People (1982). Mr. Costello died of a heart attack three days before his 53rd birthday; his last words were reportedly "That was the best ice cream soda I've ever tasted," although that may be incorrect Mr. Costello's last film (and his only starring role without Bud Abbott) was The Thirty Foot Bride of Candy Rock, which was released five months after his death.

Space
The United States launched the lunar probe Pioneer 4 from Cape Canaveral, Florida; its mission was to study corpuscular radiation.

War
The Japanese Foreign Ministry rejected South Korea's offer to resume treaty negotiations on condition that Japan abandon its plan for voluntary repatriation of destitute Koreas to North Korea.

Diplomacy
U.K. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan concluded his visit to the U.S.S.R., conceding in a joint communique with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev that the two leaders "were unable to agree about the judicial and political aspects of the problems involved."

Abba Eban announced his resignation as Israeli Ambassador to the United States, in order to enter Israeli politics.

Defense
Archbishop Makarios called on Greek Cypriot guerrillas to turn over their arms to British authorities, to be stored and used to equip the armed forces of the Cyprus republic.

Protest
Anti-American riots continued in La Paz for the second day, following the appearance of a Time magazine article which quoted a U.S. diplomat as calling for the "abolition" of Bolivia.

Edmontonia
116 city census enumerators began going door-to-door; the city estimated that 265,000 names would be recorded.

40 years ago
1969

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Blue Light Yokohama--Ayumi Ishida (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Eloise--Barry Ryan (7th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 You Showed Me--The Turtles
2 This Magic Moment--Jay and the Americans
3 Build Me Up Buttercup--The Foundations
4 Indian Giver--1910 Fruitgum Co.
5 Everyday People--Sly & the Family Stone
6 Proud Mary--Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 These Eyes--The Guess Who?
8 Dizzy--Tommy Roe
9 Heaven--The Rascals
10 Games People Play--Joe South

Singles entering the chart were Rock Me by Steppenwolf (#63); Galveston by Glen Campbell (#78); You've Made Me So Very Happy by Blood, Sweat & Tears (#84); These are Not My People by Johnny Rivers (#85); Lily the Pink by the Irish Rovers (#87); Long Green by the Fireballs (#89); One Ring Jane by Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck (#90); Goodbye Columbus by the Association (#92); Only the Strong Survive by Jerry Butler (#93); Don't Forget About Me by Dusty Springfield (#94); Gentle on My Mind by Dean Martin (#95); I Didn't Know What Time it Was by Ray Charles (#96); Hallways to My Mind by the Dells (#97); Only You (And You Alone) by Bobby Hatfield (#98); Kick Out the Jams by MC5 (#99); and Somebody Loves You by the Delfonics (#100).

Died on this date
Fred Alexander, 88. U.S. tennis player. Mr. Alexander won the men's singles and doubles titles at the 1908 Australasian Open (now Australian Open), and won five U.S. Open doubles titles (1907-1910, 1917). He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1961.

Music
The single I Can Hear Music/All I Want to Do by the Beach Boys was released on Capitol Records. Originally a single for the Ronettes in 1966, I Can Hear Music is my favourite Beach Boys recording. It was the first to be produced by Carl Wilson, and featured his terrific performance on lead vocal. All I Want to Do was written and produced by Dennis Wilson, and featured Mike Love on lead vocal.



The single Southbound Jericho Parkway/My Friend by Roy Orbison was released on MGM Records. Southbound Jericho Parkway, a 7-minute song about a man going through a mid-life crisis, was undoubtedly the most unusual song the "Big O" ever recorded.





Space
Apollo 9, with Jim McDivitt (Commander), David Scott (Command Module Pilot), and Russell "Rusty" Schweickart (Lunar Module Pilot) aboard, lifted off from Cape Kennedy, Florida at 11 A.M. EST. Apollo 9, an earth-orbiting mission, served as the first manned test of the lunar module in space. The 363-foot, 6,483,320-pound combination of Saturn V rocket and Apollo spacecraft was the heaviest object ever sent aloft to that time, while the 297,000-pound orbiting assembly was the heaviest payload ever sent into space. The Saturn V's S-IVB third stage was sent into orbit around the sun after separating from the lunar module Spider. Three hours after liftoff, the command module Gumdrop successfully docked with Spider.





Politics and government
Final results of congressional elections in Chile gave the Christian Democrats, who lost their majority in the Chamber of Deputies, 31.1% of the votes cast, down from 42% in the 1965 general elections. The National Party won 20.9% of the vote, up from 13% in 1965. The Nationalists, a fusion of rightist groups, captured second place from the Radical party, a centrist middle class group which had moved to the left. The radicals took about 13.4% of the vote, down slightly from their 1965 total.

War
The secessionist army of Biafra surrounded and trapped 2,000 Nigerian troops.

Economics and Finance
The Bank of Canada hiked its bank rate from 6.5% to 7%.

Disasters
A man with a learner's permit drove off the Manhattan end of the Williamsburg Bridge in New York and crashed into a car stopped for a red light, killing 6 people in his car, and injuring 13 others.

30 years ago
1979

Hit parade
#1 single in Rhodesia (Lyons Maid): My Life--Billy Joel (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Mi scappa la pipì, papà--Pippo Franco (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Tragedy--Bee Gees

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Tragedy--Bee Gees

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Chiquitita--ABBA
2 Fire!--Pointer Sisters
3 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)--Meat Loaf
4 Now that We Found Love--Third World
5 'k Heb Hele Grote Bloemkoole--André Van Duin (als Meneer De Bok)
6 (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back--Peter Tosh (support vocals: Mick Jagger)
7 Every Time I Think of You--The Babys
8 How You Gonna See Me Now--Alice Cooper
9 Heart of Glass--Blondie
10 Ik Ben Verliefd Op John Travolta--Sandy

Singles entering the chart were Disco Really Made It by Gruppo Sportivo (#27); Born to Be Alive by Patrick Hernandez (#28); Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) by the Jacksons (#29); Mama Leone by Bino (#33); Adolescent Sex by Japan (#34); and Get Down by Gene Chandler (#36).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (4th week at #1)
2 Fire--Pointer Sisters
3 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
4 Tragedy--Bee Gees
5 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
6 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
7 Le Freak--Chic
8 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
9 Lotta Love--Nicolette Larson
10 What a Fool Believes--The Doobie Brothers

Singles entering the chart were Rubber Biscuit by the Blues Brothers (#66); I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore by Nancy Brooks (#77); Blow Away by George Harrison (#79); Here Comes the Night by the Beach Boys (#83); Roller by April Wine (#84); Whole Lotta Love by the Wonder Band (#87); Elena by the Marc Tanner Band (#90); and Lazy Eyes by T.M.G. (#93).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (5th week at #1)
2 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
3 Fire--Pointer Sisters
4 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
5 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
6 Y.M.C.A.--Village People
7 Shake Your Groove Thing--Peaches & Herb
8 Tragedy--Bee Gees
9 Le Freak--Chic
10 What a Fool Believes--The Doobie Brothers

Singles entering the chart were Here Comes the Night by the Beach Boys (#82); Heartaches by BTO (#85); Wheels of Life by Gino Vannelli (#86); Rubber Biscuit by the Blues Brothers (#87); Make it Last by Brooklyn Dreams (#88); Can You Read My Mind by Maureen McGovern (#96); Roller by April Wine (#97); and Lazy Eyes by T.M.G. (#99).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?--Rod Stewart (2nd week at #1)
2 A Little More Love--Olivia Newton-John
3 Fire--Pointer Sisters
4 Lotta Love--Nicolette Larson
5 Every 1's a Winner--Hot Chocolate
6 Shake It--Ian Matthews
7 Heaven Knows--Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
8 Too Much Heaven--Bee Gees
9 I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor
10 Y.M.C.A.--Village People

Singles entering the chart were Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits (#78); Stumblin' In by Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman (#94); Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart (#97); Livin' it Up (Friday Night) by Bell & James (#99); and Precious Love by Bob Welch (#100).

War
Yemen and South Yemen agreed to a cease-fire mediated by Syria and Iraq.

Politics and government
U.S. President Jimmy Carter authorized a fund-raising committee for his 1980 re-election bid, to be headed by Democratic National Committee Treasurer Evan Dobelle.

Hockey
NHL
Detroit 3 @ Montreal 5
Philadelphia 3 @ Toronto 4

Roger Neilson, who had apparently been fired as head coach of the Maple Leafs two days earlier, made a surprise return behind the bench as they defeated the Flyers 4-3 at Maple Leaf Gardens in the national Hockey Night in Canada telecast. Maple Leafs' owner Harold Ballard had wanted Mr. Neilson to appear behind the bench with a paper bag over his head, but Mr. Neilson rejected that move.

25 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (FIMI): La Donna Cannone--Francesco De Gregori (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT Top 30): Love of the Common People--Paul Young (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): When the Lady Smiles--Golden Earring

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): 99 Red Balloons--Nena

#1 single in the U.K.: 99 Red Balloons--Nena

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Jump--Van Halen (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Jump--Van Halen (2nd week at #1)
2 99 Luftballons--Nena
3 Girls Just Want to Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper
4 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
5 Thriller--Michael Jackson
6 Nobody Told Me--John Lennon
7 Joanna--Kool & The Gang
8 Let the Music Play--Shannon
9 Somebody's Watching Me--Rockwell
10 I Want a New Drug--Huey Lewis and the News

Singles entering the chart were Miss Me Blind by Culture Club (#37); Hello by Lionel Richie (#55); Leave It by Yes (#67); To All the Girls I've Loved Before by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson (#80); Don't Answer Me by Alan Parsons Project (#82); A Fine Fine Day by Tony Carey (#83); Runaway by Bon Jovi (#86); We're Going All the Way by Jeffrey Osborne (#89); and Walking in My Sleep by Roger Daltrey (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 99 Red Balloons--Nena
2 Jump--Van Halen
3 Red Red Wine--UB40
4 Talking in Your Sleep--The Romantics
5 Karma Chameleon--Culture Club
6 Thriller--Michael Jackson
7 Nobody Told Me--John Lennon
8 Break My Stride--Matthew Wilder
9 Think of Laura--Christopher Cross
10 Here Comes the Rain Again--Eurythmics

Singles entering the chart were New Song by Howard Jones (#41); Adult Education by Daryl Hall-John Oates (#42); Miss Me Blind by Culture Club (#44); Bang Your Head (Metal Health) by Quiet Riot (#48); and I Want You Back by Sherry Kean (#50).

99 Red Balloons was sung in English; 99 Luftballons, the B-side, was the same song, sung in German.

Politics and government
The New York Times reported an accusation by a former Salvadoran military official that Roberto D'Aubuisson, a candidate for President of El Salvador, was an "anarchic psychopath" who had organized and directed Salvadoran death squads, and that Colonel Oscar Edgardo Casanova, cousin of the country's defense minister, had ordered the 1980 murders of three American nuns and an American lay Roman Catholic worker. The men accused by the informant denied the allegations.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 3 Calgary 1
New York Islanders 11 @ Toronto 6

The Islanders set a team record for goals in a game as they easily beat the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Baseball
Peter Ueberroth, president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, was elected the sixth commissioner of baseball, to succeed Bowie Kuhn in October. He was given broad power to fine clubs, which Mr. Kuhn had never had during his 15-year term.

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

Literature
Canadian author David Adams Richards won the Governor General's Literary Award for his novel Nights Below Station Street (1988).

Scandal
Robert McFarlane, a former National Security Council adviser to U.S. President Ronald Reagan, was sentenced to two years' probation and fined $20,000 for his role in the mid-1980s Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal. The first presidential aide to be sentenced in the affair, Mr. McFarlane had already pled guilty to four misdemeanor counts.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators had risen 0.6% in January.

10 years ago
1999

Died on this date
Gerhard Herzberg, 94. German-born Canadian chemist. Dr. Herzberg completed his education in Germany before moving to Canada after the Nazis came to power in Germany. He was awarded the 1971 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his contributions to the knowledge of electronic structure and geometry of molecules, particularly free radicals."

Lee Philips, 72. U.S. actor and director. Mr. Philips, born Leon Friedman, co-starred in the movie Peyton Place (1957), and appeared in numerous television programs before turning to directing, where most of his work was in television. He died of progressive supranuclear palsy.

Scandal
ABC televised an interview by Barbara Walters of former White House intern Monica Lewinsky; an estimated 70 million people watched Miss Lewinsky discuss her relationship with U.S. President Bill Clinton. An immunity agreement with independent counsel Kenneth Starr prevented Miss Lewinsky from discussing how she had been treated by Mr. Starr's office. Miss Lewinsky apologized to the nation for her role in the affair. She said that Mr. Clinton had told her that he might leave his wife, and also said that she now had mixed feelings about Mr. Clinton. Miss Lewinsky also revealed that she had become pregnant and had had an abortion as a result of a relationship with a Pentagon co-worker during a gap in her affair with Mr. Clinton.