March 10, 2011

620 years ago
1391

Died on this date
Tvrtko I, 53 (?). King of Bosnia, 1377-1391; King of Serbs, 1377-1391; King of Croatia and Dalmatia, 1390-1391. Tvrtko I succeeded his father Stephen II as Ban of Bosnia in 1353, and became the first King of Bosnia in 1377. During his reign, Bosnia reached its peak and became the strongest power in the Balkans. Tvrtko I died unexpectedly, leaving no legitimate children. He was succeeded by his half-brother Dabiša.

350 years ago
1661

Politics and government
French King Louis XIV began his personal rule of France, the day after the death of his Chief Minister, Cardinal Mazarin.

180 years ago
1831

Defense
The French Foreign Legion was created by King Louis Philippe from the foreign regiments of the Kingdom of France.

150 years ago
1861

Born on this date
Clifford Sifton. Canadian politician. Sir Clifford, a native of Middlesex County, Canada West, was a Liberal who was first elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly in 1888, and served as the province's Attorney General (1891-1896). He moved into federal politics in 1896, and represented Brandon in the House of Commons (1896-1911). Sir Clifford was Minister of the Interior (1896-1905) in the cabinet of Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, and oversaw a tremendous increase in immigration, especially to the prairie provinces. He resigned from the cabinet over the issue of publicly funded religious education in the new provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and eventually retired from politics as a result of increasing deafness. Sir Clifford died at the age of 68 on April 17, 1929 in New York City, where he was visiting a heart specialist. His brother Arthur was Premier of Alberta (1910-1917).

War
El Hadj Umar Tall seized the city of Ségou, destroying the Bamana Empire of Mali.

140 years ago
1871

Politics and government
Lieutenant Governor Adams Archibald opened the first session of the appointed Legislative Council of Manitoba, in advance of the first meeting of the Manitoba legislature on March 15; the council was abolished five years later.

120 years ago
1891

Born on this date
Sam Jaffe. U.S. actor. Mr. Jaffe was a character actor in movies such as Lost Horizon (1937); Gunga Din (1939); The Asphalt Jungle (1950)--for which he was nominated for an Academy Award; and The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). He was blacklisted by Hollywood in the 1950s because of alleged Communist sympathies, but made a comeback with a supporting performance in Ben-Hur (1959). Mr. Jaffe was perhaps best known for playing the character Dr. David Zorba in the television series Ben Casey (1961-1965). He died on March 24, 1984 at the age of 93.

Technology
Almon Strowger, an undertaker in Topeka, Kansas, patented the Strowger switch, a device which led to the automation of telephone circuit switching.

90 years ago
1921

Hockey
NHL
O'Brien Cup
Toronto 0 @ Ottawa 5 (First game of 2-game total goals series)

Buck Boucher scored 3 goals and Cy Denneny scored the other 2 as the Senators, winners of the first half of the split season, shut out the St. Patricks, winners of the second half of the season, at the Arena. Clint Benedict posted the shutout in goal.

60 years ago
1951

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Thing--Phil Harris; Les Welch (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Be My Love--Mario Lanza (Best Seller--1st week at #1); If--Perry Como (Disc Jockey--2nd week at #1); The Tennessee Waltz--Patti Page (Jukebox--10th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Be My Love--Mario Lanza (2nd week at #1)
2 If--Perry Como
3 You’re Just in Love--Perry Como
4 My Heart Cries for You--Guy Mitchell
--Dinah Shore
--Vic Damone
--Jimmy Wakely
5 The Tennessee Waltz--Patti Page
--Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
--Les Paul and Mary Ford
--Jo Stafford
6 The Roving Kind--Guy Mitchell
--The Weavers
7 So Long (It’s Been Good to Know You)--Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra and the Weavers
8 Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)--Patti Page
9 A Penny a Kiss--Tony Martin and Dinah Shore
10 Mockin’ Bird Hill--Les Paul and Mary Ford
--Patti Page

Singles entering the chart were Beautiful Brown Eyes by Rosemary Clooney (#30); Across the Wide Missouri by Hugo Winterhalter and his Orchestra (#33); Peter Cottontail by Gene Autry (#36); and When You Return, with versions by Billy Eckstine; and Mindy Carson (#38). Miss Carson’s version was the other side of Boutonniere, charting at #39.

Died on this date
Kijūrō Shidehara, 78. Prime Minister of Japan, 1930-1931, 1945-1946. Baron Shidehara was a pacifist and career diplomat who was Japan's chief negotiator at the Washington Naval Conference (1921-1922). He was elevated to the kazoku (hereditary peerage) in 1925, and sat in the House of Peers until it was abolished in 1947. Baron Shidehara served as Foreign Minister (1924-1927, 1929, 1931), and was interim Prime Minister from November 1930-March 1931 while Osachi Hamaguchi recovered from an assassination attempt. Baron Shidehara maintained a low profile during World War II, and was appointed Japan's first postwar Prime Minister, serving from October 9, 1945-May 22, 1946, leaving office after his government lost power in the country's first postwar election. After the abolition of the House of Peers under the new constitution, Baron Shidehara was elected to the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Party, serving as Speaker of the House from February 11, 1949 until his death.

Crime
U.S. federal agents in San Antonio, Texas announced the brakup of "the biggest international marijuana smuggling ring in recent years," with headquarters in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

Economics and finance
Mexican Treasury Minister Ramon Beteta said that his country now had a $344-million dollar reserve, eliminating the need for further U.S. loans beyond a pending $150-million credit.

Boxing
Kid Gavilan (70-12-3) scored a technical knockout of Tommy Ciarlo (39-32-7) in the 8th round of a welterweight bout at Palacio de Deportes in Havana. Mr. Gavilan had won a 10-round decision over Mr. Ciarlo in Caracas just 19 days earlier.



50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Walk Right Back--The Everly Brothers (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: Static, starring Dean Jagger, Carmen Mathews, Robert Emhardt, and Arch Johnson

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Baby Jump--Mungo Jerry

Politics and government
10 days of voting in India’s parliamentary elections concluded with a landslide win for the New Congress Party of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. New Congress took 352 of 521 seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. The 10-day election stirred riots between Hindus and Muslims; ballot box thefts; and police raids on Communist bomb factories. 60 died in the unrest.

The Australian Liberal party voted 34-33 to oust John Gorton as party leader and Prime Minister. Mr. Gorton cast the deciding vote against himself after a 33-33 tie on a vote of confidence. He was succeeded as party leader by deputy party leader and Foreign Minister William McMahon. Governor General Sir Paul Hasluck asked Mr. McMahon to form a new government, and the new Prime Minister named Mr. Gorton, who had been chosen to be the party’s new deputy leader, as Defense Minister. The shuffle came after three days of internal party turmoil in which Defense Minister Malcolm Fraser resigned and accused Mr. Gorton of "significant disloyalty" to him I a dispute with the army over Vietnam War policy.

Norwegian Labour Party leader Trygve Bratelli said that he had agreed to form a minority government, eight days after the non-socialist coalition of Prime Minister Per Borten resigned.

The United States Senate voted 94-0 to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution lowering the voting age in all elections to 18.

Terrorism
Three British soldiers were killed in execution-style murders by Northern Irish terrorists. The killings were blamed on the Irish Republican Army, but two warring IRA factions disclaimed any responsibility for the killings.

Economics and finance
The United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare reported that more than 10% of the residents of 7 of the nation’s 20 largest cities were on welfare. Based on data from February 1970, Boston led at 15.3%, followed by New York (13.4%); Baltimore (12.8%); St. Louis (12.5%); San Francisco (11.7%); Philadelphia (11.5%); and Newark (11.5%).

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 Woman--John Lennon (3rd week at #1)
2 Celebration--Kool & The Gang
3 A Little in Love--Cliff Richard
4 The Best of Times--Styx
5 Turn Me Loose--Loverboy
6 9 to 5--Dolly Parton
7 Living in a Fantasy--Leo Sayer
8 Rapture--Blondie
9 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
10 The Tide is High--Blondie

Singles entering the chart were Fireflies by Fleetwood Mac (#19); and Kiss on My List by Daryl Hall & John Oates (#20).

Diplomacy
Ronald Reagan arrived in Ottawa to begin his first visit to a foreign country as President of the United States. In his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Mr. Reagan talked about the importance of curbing inflation, aid to El Salvador, and the problem of acid rain.

Oil
Panarctic Oils Ltd. found oil in an offshore exploratory well in the eastern Canadian Arctic.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Ronald Reagan delivered to Congress his budget for fiscal 1982. It called for a total of $695 billion--with a deficit of $45 billion--with a reduction in spending of $13.8 billion in addition to the $34.8 billion cut announced in February. The additional cuts were to be made in the food and nutrition programs of the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Education; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Hockey
NHL
Buffalo Sabres' head coach and general manager Scotty Bowman made two trades with the Los Angeles Kings. He traded left wing Rick Martin for the Kings' third-round choice in the 1981 Entry Draft and the Kings' first-round choice in the 1983 Entry Draft. Mr. Martin had scored 382 regular season goals in 10 seasons with the Sabres, but his career had been shortened with a severe knee injury suffered on November 9, 1980 when he had been kicked by Washington Capitals' goalie Mike Palmateer. In 23 games with the Sabres in 1980-81, Mr. Martin scored 7 goals and 14 assists. Mr. Bowman also traded center Don Luce to Los Angeles for cash and the Kings' sixth choice in the 1982 Entry Draft. In 61 games with Buffalo in 1980-81 Mr. Luce had scored 15 goals and 13 assists.

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going--Billy Ocean

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Say You, Say Me--Lionel Richie (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Ray Milland, 79. U.K.-born U.S. actor. Mr. Milland, born Alfred Reginald Jones, won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his starring performance in The Lost Weekend (1945). His other movies included The Uninvited (1944); Ministry of Fear (1944); Dial M for Murder (1954); and Love Story (1970).

Literature
Canadian Communications Minister Marcel Masse announced the creation of a Public Lending Right program under the administration of the Canada Council, to compensate writers for the use of their books in public libraries.

Boxing
Marvelous Marvin Hagler (62-2-2)retained his WBC, WBA, and IBF world middleweight title with a knockout of John Mugabi (25-1) at 1:29 of the 11th round at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. On the undercard, Thomas Hearns (41-2), who had suffered his only career loss so far to Mr. Hagler by a technical knockout in the 3rd round 11 months earlier, won the North American Boxing Federation middleweight title when he knocked out defending champion James Shuler (22-1) just 1:13 into the 1st round. Mr. Shuler, 27, was killed in a motorcycle accident just a week later.





20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Crazy--Seal

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (6th week at #1)
2 Hello Afrika--Dr. Alban featuring Leila K.
3 Kränk di net--Jazz Gitti & her Disco Killers
4 Fantasy--Black Box
5 Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)--C & C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams
6 Crazy--Seal
7 To Love Somebody--Jimmy Somerville
8 Keep on Running--Milli Vanilli
9 Don't Worry--Kim Appleby
10 Sadeness Part I--Enigma

Singles entering the chart were Sister Soul & Mr. Beat by Beat 4 Feet featuring Kim Cooper (#14); Disappear by INXS (#21); and Unbelievable by EMF (#23).

World events
Moscow Mayor Gavril Popov urged citizens not to support the treaty to preserve the Soviet Union.

Protest
Thousands of Russian President Boris Yeltsin's supporters demonstrated in Moscow and other cities.

War
All 21 former U.S. Gulf War prisoners of war arrived at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland.

Politics and government
Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa addressed the Quebec Liberal Party convention, playing down aspects of the party’s platform that seemed to emphasis Quebec sovereignty, and defending the party’s traditional support for federalism.

Curling
Kevin Martin’s Alberta rink defeated Saskatchewan (Randy Woytowich) 8-4 in the final to win the Labatt Brier at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. It was the first Canadian championship for Mr. Martin.



10 years ago
2001

World events
Two 5th-century depictions of Buddha carved into a mountainside in Bamiyan, west of Kabul, became the latest works of art to be destroyed by the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan as part of their campaign against idolatry.

Politics and government
The Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations tribal council, the largest Native group in British Columbia, signed a treaty with provincial and federal governments, giving it more autonomy over its territories on Vancouver and Meares Islands and a large one-time payment.