March 15, 2010

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Walker Morrow!

1,740 years ago
270

Born on this date
Nicholas. Greek clergyman. Nicholas, commonly known as Saint Nicholas, was a Christian bishop in the maritime city of Myra in what is now Turkey. He was credited with many miracles, and his reputation for secret giving inspired the character of Santa Claus. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 at the age of 73.

820 years ago
1190

Died on this date
Isabella of Hainault, 19. Queen consort of France, 1180-1190. Isabella, the daughter of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut, and Margaret I, Countess of Flanders, was married to King Philippe II at the age of 10. She gave birth to the future King Louis VIII in 1187, but had a difficult second pregnancy, and died three weeks before her 20th birthday, the day after giving birth to twin sons, one of whom died the day of his birth, the other three days later.

190 years ago
1820

Americana
Maine was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state.

180 years ago
1830

Born on this date
Paul Heyse. German author. Mr. Heyse was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1910 "as a tribute to the consummate artistry, permeated with idealism, which he has demonstrated during his long productive career as a lyric poet, dramatist, novelist and writer of world-renowned short stories." He wrote novels, 177 short stories, and about 60 dramas. Mr. Heyse died on April 2, 1914, 18 days after his 84th birthday.

75 years ago
1935

Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Primo Carnera (82-7) scored a technical knockout of Ray Impellittiere (7-4) at 38 seconds of the 9th round before 19,000 fans at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mr. Carnera weighed 268 pounds, just 10 pounds more than his opponent.



70 years ago
1940

War
The Finnish Parliament ratified the Moscow Peace Treaty, ending the Winter War against the U.S.S.R. The French Senate, in secret session, severely criticized the government of Prime Minister Edouard Daladier for its war policies. Japanese forces reported a clash with Soviet troops on the Sakhalin-Karafuto border.

World events
The trial in Tokyo of U.S. newsman James R. Young concluded without an announced decision. Mr. Young had been indicted on February 26 for violating the Japanese army code by disseminating slanderous material about the Japanese military.

Diplomacy
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles returned to Rome for another round of talks with Italian leaders.

Economics and finance
Argentina and Japan concluded a trade treaty on a most-favoured-nation basis.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor said that a $10-billion increase in net wealth for 1940 would cut unemployment by 2.7 million.

Business
21 partners were to join Pierce & Company, making it the largest investment firm, in terms of numbers, on Wall Street in New York.

Medicine
Drs. Richard Steckel and John Murin of the University of Rochester reported succesful attempts to make cancer cells normal by treating them with insulin.

Olympics
Because of Japan's war against China, Japan announced that it would not send a team to the 1940 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki.

Basketball
NCAA
The University of Colorado defeated Duquesne University 51-40 to win the National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York.

60 years ago
1950

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Ben Wright and Eric Snowden, on ABC
Tonight’s episode: The Case of the Blue Hydraneas

The Casebook of Gregory Hood, starring Martin Gabel, on ABC

Diplomacy
Iran became the second Muslim state to recognize Israel; Turkey was the first, on March 9, 1950.

Defense
The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff gave the Air Force exclusive responsibility for all U.S. guided missiles.

U.S. Navy John Crommelin, Jr., vociferous critic of armed forces unification, was furloughed indefinitely on half pay for his refusal to stop making public statements.

Politics and government
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 368-2 in favour of a bill from the administration of U.S. President Harry Truman to tighten laws on espionage, sabotage, and subversion.

Religion
The United Stewardship Council reported that 15 major U.S. Protestant denominations had increased their membership by 36% since 1925.

Economics and finance
Poland withdrew from the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, charging that the two agencies had become tools of the U.S.A.

The U.S. Senate passed and sent to the House of Representatives a bill providing an additional $3 billion in federal housing loans.

Disasters
Peking radio reported famine in large parts of mainland China, placing the number of persons facing immediate starvation as high as 16 million.

50 years ago
1960

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Explorer, starring Gregory Morton, Eddie Firestone, Jeremy Slate, and Bert Convy



Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Bonnie Findlay!

40 years ago
1970

Hit parade
Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Ein kleines Glück--Adamo
2 Venus--The Shocking Blue
3 Sugar, Sugar--The Archies
4 Whole Lotta Love--Led Zeppelin
5 Carole ok--Chris Andrews
6 Heya--J.J. Light
7 Oh Lady Mary--Peter Alexander
8 Nuevo Laredo--Sir Douglas Quintet
9 Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye--Steam
10 Down on the Corner--Creedence Clearwater Revival

Singles entering the chart were Ein kleines Glück; Whole Lotta Love; Heya; Oh Lady Mary; Nuevo Laredo; Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head by B.J. Thomas (#11); Pretty Belinda (Ich Sitze Im Sclauchboot) (#12); Comin' Home by Delaney & Bonnie and Friends featuring Eric Clapton (#13); Petit Bonheur by Adamo (#14); Mighty Joe by the Shocking Blue (#16); Let's Work Together by Canned Heat (#17); Room to Move by John Mayall (#18); and Looking at You by MC5 (#19).

At the movies
Tiger Child, directed by Donald Brittain, received its premiere screening at the Fuji Group Pavilion in Osaka; it was the first IMAX film.

Japanica
The Expo '70 World's Fair opened in Osaka.

War
In the strongest assault against Syria since the Six-Day War in 1967, Israeli commando units penetrated 55 miles into the country to shell an army camp 20 miles beyond Damascus and sabotage a power line. Israel’s military command said the raid was in retaliation for Syrian cease-fire violations.

U.S.S.R. Premier Alexei Kosygin called on U.S. President Richard Nixon to stop American bombing missions in Laos as a first step toward stemming the crisis in Southeast Asia.

Hockey
NHL
Detroit 5 @ Boston 5

Boston defenseman Bobby Orr scored 2 goals and 2 assists to become the first defenceman in National Hockey League history to score 100 points in a single season.

30 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Do That to Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Atomic--Blondie (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Together We are Beautiful--Fern Kinney

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd (3rd week at #1)
2 The Ballad of Lucy Jordan--Marianne Faithfull
3 I Have a Dream--ABBA
4 Sun of Jamaica--Goombay Dance Band
5 Confusion--Electric Light Orchestra
6 Rapper's Delight--Sugarhill Gang
7 A Message to You Rudy--The Specials
8 Zabadak--Saragossa Band
9 Tusk--Fleetwood Mac
10 Que sera mi vida (If You Should Go)--Gibson Brothers

Singles entering the chart were Que sera mi vida (If You Should Go); I Do the Rock by Tim Curry (#12); One Step Beyond... by Madness (#19); and Rockabilly Rebel by Matchbox (#20).

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Crying--Don McLean (4th week at #1)
2 Do That to Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille
3 An Englishman in New York--Godley & Creme
4 Pearlydumm--BZN
5 Save Me--Queen
6 Que Sera Mi Vida--Gibson Brothers
7 I Hear You Now--Jon and Vangelis
8 Brass in Pocket--Pretenders
9 Rock 'n' Roll High School--Ramones
10 With You I'm Born Again--Billy Preston & Syreeta

Singles entering the chart were Song for the Children by Oscar Harris (#25); You and Me by Spargo (#28); Take That Look Off Your Face by Marti Webb (#29); Mother How are You Today by Maywood (#31); Dit is de Zender Van Illegale Joop by Dingetje (#33); Love on the Telephone by Foreigner (#35); Yes I'm Ready by Teri DeSario (#36); and Sadie (She Smokes) by Joe Bataan (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen (4th week at #1)
2 Longer--Dan Fogelberg
3 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
4 Desire--Andy Gibb
5 On the Radio--Donna Summer
6 Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl--Spinners
7 Yes, I'm Ready--Teri DeSario with K.C.
8 Him--Rupert Holmes
9 The Second Time Around--Shalamar
10 Too Hot--Kool & The Gang

Singles entering the chart were You May Be Right by Billy Joel (#53); Love's Only Love by Engelbert (#84); Stomp! by the Brothers Johnson (#86); Let Me Be the Clock by Smokey Robinson (#88); Love on the Phone by Suzanne Fellini (#89); and High on Your Love by Debbie Jacobs (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Longer--Dan Fogelberg
2 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
3 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
4 On the Radio--Donna Summer
5 Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl--Spinners
6 Desire--Andy Gibb
7 Yes, I'm Ready--Teri DeSario with K.C.
8 Him--Rupert Holmes
9 How Do I Make You--Linda Ronstadt
10 Too Hot--Kool & The Gang

Singles entering the chart were You May Be Right by Billy Joel (#43); Stomp! by the Brothers Johnson (#83); Today is the Day by the Bar-Kays (#85); A Certain Girl by Warren Zevon (#86); Let Me Be the Clock by Smokey Robinson (#89); A Lesson in Leavin' by Dottie West (#90); Survive by Jimmy Buffett (#94); Stay in Time by Off Broadway (#96); and Shriner's Convention by Ray Stevens (#99).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
2 Longer--Dan Fogelberg
3 On the Radio--Donna Summer
4 Desire--Andy Gibb
5 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
6 Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl--Spinners
7 Too Hot--Kool & The Gang
8 Him--Rupert Holmes
9 Yes, I'm Ready--Teri DeSario with K.C.
10 September Morn--Neil Diamond

Singles entering the chart were You May Be Right by Billy Joel (#39); Think About Me by Fleetwood Mac (#56); Stay in Time by Off Broadway (#91); All I Ever Wanted by Santana (#96); You've Got What I Need by Shooting Star (#99); and Theme from The Black Hole by Parliament (#100). Theme from The Black Hole was a version of the title theme of the movie.

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Coward of the County--Kenny Rogers (2nd week at #1)
2 Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd
3 Crazy Little Thing Called Love--Queen
4 Ladies Night--Kool & The Gang
5 Rock with You--Michael Jackson
6 Video Killed the Radio Star--The Buggles
7 Do That to Me One More Time--Captain & Tennille
8 Please Don't Go--KC & the Sunshine Band
9 Escape (The Pina Colada Song)--Rupert Holmes
10 This is It--Kenny Loggins

Singles entering the chart were Cars by Gary Numan (#84); The Second Time Around by Shalamar (#87); I Wish I was Eighteen Again by George Burns (#88); Desire by the Rockets (#97); Keep the Fire by Kenny Loggins (#98); Rock Lobster by the B-52's (#99); and Call Me by Blondie (#100).

Politics and government
Former U.S. President Gerald Ford announced his decision not to enter the race for the 1980 Republican Party presidential nomination. U.S. Senator Bob Dole (Kansas) withdrew from the Republican race, citing a lack of money, management, and manpower.

Terrorism
Armed terrorists of the pro-independence Puerto Rican group FALN (Armed Forces of National Liberation) invaded the headquarters of the Jimmy Carter/Walter Mondale campaign in Chicago and the George Bush campaign headquarters in New York, gagged staff members, and spray-painted the offices’ walls with anti-statehood slogans. No injuries were reported in either raid; each lasted no more than a half hour. Mr. Bush, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, had supported statehood for Puerto Rico, and had won the Puerto Rico presidential primary on February 17. The Democratic primary was to be held on March 16.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 7 Edmonton 3

20 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Oi beibi/Tuhansien sulojen maa--Raptori

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Brits Mix 1990--Various Artists

Died on this date
Tom Harmon, 70. U.S. football player and sportscaster. Mr. Harmon was an all-around athlete in high school in Gary, Indiana before going to the University of Michigan, where he was a star halfback from 1938-1940, winning the Heisman Trophy as the outstanding college football player in the United States in his final year of the Wolverines. He was the first overall draft choice in the National Football League draft for 1941, being selected by the Chicago Bears, but opted instead to sign with the New York Americans of the American Football League. Mr. Harmon spent the next three years in the U.S. Army Air Force in the Pacific theatre, once being the only survivor of a plane crash. He played with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL from 1946-1947 before embarking on a long and successful career as a sportscaster, broadcasting college and professional football games. He died of a heart attack after winning a golf tournament.

Farzad Bazoft 31. Iranian-born U.K. journalist.
Mr. Bazoft, a journalist with the British newspaper The Observer, was executed by Iraqi authorities four days after being convicted of espionage. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher called the execution "an act of barbarism."

Politics and government
The Israeli coalition government led by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir fell when it was defeated 60-55 on a non-confidence vote in the Knesset. The vote came after Mr. Shamir refused to accept a U.S. plan for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Likud’s coalition partner, the Labor Party, voted against the government, but the key votes were held by small religious parties. Five members of the Shas party withheld their support for Mr. Shamir after he refused to compromise on the U.S. proposal, and that allowed the non-confidence motion to pass.

Mikhail Gorbachev was elected President of the U.S.S.R. two days after the presidency had been redefined as a more powerful position, but he barely received the required 2/3 of the vote.

Abominations
Canadian Solicitor General Pierre Cadieux announced that Sikhs in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police could wear turbans and other religious garb while in uniform.

10 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Durward Kirby, 87. U.S. television announcer. Mr. Kirby was the sidekick of Garry Moore on The Garry Moore Show in the 1950s and 1960s, and performed the same role for Allen Funt on Candid Camera from 1961-1966. He died of congestive heart failure.

War
In response to frequent raids by Albanian guerrillas on Serbs in southern Serbia, 350 U.S. infantry troops in the Yugoslavian province of Kosovo raided Albanian strongholds and seized mortars, hand grenades, firearms, and ammunition. Nine Albanians were arrested.

Politics and government
The Canadian House of Commons voted 208-55 in favour of legislation to clarify the rules if Quebec, or any other province, were to hold a referendum on secession.

Law
An Ontario court struck down media baron Conrad Black’s lawsuit against Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, saying that Mr. Chretien’s decision to block Mr. Black’s appointment to the British House of Lords was beyond judicial review.