March 18, 2011

770 years ago
1241

War
Mongols overwhelmed Polish armies in Kraków and plundered the city in the Battle of Chmielnik.

690 years ago
1321

Died on this date
Matthew III, 55-60. Palatine of Hungary, 1296-1297, 1302-1309. Máté Csák was de facto ruler of the northwestern counties of medieval Hungary (today roughly the western half of present-day Slovakia and parts of northern Hungary).

440 years ago
1571

Europeana
Valletta was made the capital city of Malta.

270 years ago
1741

Protest
New York Governor George Clarke's complex at Fort George was burned in an arson attack, starting the New York Conspiracy of 1741--a supposed plot by slaves and poor white people to revolt and level New York City with a series of fires.

150 years ago
1861

War
The First Taranaki War in New Zealand, pitting N.Z. and British imperial forces against the Māori ended in a cease-fire, the day after the first anniversary of its beginning.

120 years ago
1891

Politics and government
The Newfoundland Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) presented petitions at the Colonial Building in St. John's, requesting the vote for women in municipal elections; the measure was debated twice and refused.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Manly P. Hall, 89. Canadian-born U.S. occultist. Mr. Hall, a native of Peterborough, Ontario, moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19, and quickly became immersed in mysticism and esoteric philosophies. He began preaching at Church of the People in 1919, and became permanent pastor in 1923. Mr. Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society in 1934, which continues today. Mr. Hall is perhaps best known as the author of books such as The Lost Keys of Freemasonry (1923) and The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928). Oddly, despite Mr. Hall's many years of interest in Freemasonry, he wasn't actually initiated into the order until 1954; he was awarded the 33rd degree--Scottish Rite Freemasonry's highest honour--in 1973, and died on August 29, 1990 at the age of 89. Anyone reading about the history of the New Age Movement is likely to come across the name Manly P. Hall; his dubious spiritual descendants include Marianne Williamson, the most prominent promoter of the demonic A Course in Miracles. Ms. Williamson's career as a lecturer began in 1983 when she went to work with the Philosophical Research Society.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Smiley Burnette. U.S. musician, actor, and inventor. Lester Alvin Burnett was a country singer-songwriter who also performed on radio, screen, and television in a career spanning more than 30 years. He was a comic sidekick to Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and other movie and TV cowboys, performing many of the 400 songs he wrote. Mr. Burnette played railway engineer Charley Pratt in the television comedy series Petticoat Junction (1963-1967) and Green Acres (1965-1967). His inventions included unusual musical instruments and an early home audiovisual system called Cinevision Talkies. Mr. Burnette suddenly took ill and died on February 16, 1967 at the age of 55.

90 years ago
1921

War
The second Peace of Riga was signed, ending the Polish- Soviet War.

Protest
The Kronstadt rebellion of sailors, soldiers, and civilians against Russia's Bolshevik government was suppressed by the Red Army.

Economics and finance
Prompted by persistent poverty and the financial difficulties of private institutions, the Quebec Legislative Assembly passed the Public Assistance Act.

80 years ago
1931

Canadiana
Member of Parliament A.W. Neil tabled a motion in the House of Commons to observe Armistice Day on November 11 and "on no other date." Another MP, C.W. Dickie (Nanaimo), moved an amendment to change the name from "Armistice Day" to "Remembrance Day," reflecting an emphasis on mourned soldiers rather than a piece of paper that was the armistice treaty of 1918. Parliament voted to amend the Armistice Day Act with these changes.

70 years ago
1941

Died on this date
Henri Cornet, 56. French cyclist. Mr. Cornet raced professionally from 1904-1912 before health problems curtailed his career. He won the 1904 Tour de France, 10 days before his 20th birthday, and remains the event's youngest winner. Mr. Cornet died after a heart operation.

War
Official British figures disclosed that German bombers had killed more than 25,000 people and wouned at least 35,000 since the mass air raids on England had started in September 1940. German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler rejected a secret request by Admiral Raeder to attack American warships escorting British convoys west of Iceland. Japanese bombers and pursuit planes raided the Chinese capital of Chungking for the first time since October 1940.

Defense
The Yugoslavian government reported that excessive German demands had postponed the signing of a non-aggression pact between Yugoslavia and Germany. The U.S. House of Representatives began debate on the $7-billion Lend-Lease appropriations bill.

Diplomacy
U.S. Army Colonel William J. Donovan, personal representative of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, returned to the United States after a 14-week tour of Europe and the Near East.

Politics and government
Japan's new Imperial Rule Assistance Association, a Fascist-like party, received Army support.

Academia
New York City District Attorney Thomas Dewey ordered the arrest of suspended City College of New York English tutor Morris Schnappes on a grand jury indictment of four counts of perjury arising from his alleged misstatements before the Rapp-Coudert committee investigating Communist activity on New York campuses.

60 years ago
1951

Television
Comedian Milton Berle signed a 30-year contract, said to be the entertainment industry's longest, with the National Broadcasting Company. His compensation "runs into seven figures."

Scandal
Former Cuban President Ramon Grau San Martin and 10 of his former aides were indicted for alleged theft or misappropriation of $40 million in Education Ministry funds during his presidential term (1944-1948).

Medicine
Dr. Harry Shapiro of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons reported the successful transplantation of growing teeth from one kitten to another, but warned that it was too early yet to try the method on human beings.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): One Last Kiss--Crash Craddock

#1 single in Italy: Come sinfonia--Pino Donaggio

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Mit 17 fängt das Leben erst an--Ivo Robić

#1 single in the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40): Wooden Heart--Elvis Presley (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Walk Right Back--The Everly Brothers (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Surrender--Elvis Presley
2 Pony Time--Chubby Checker
3 Don’t Worry--Marty Robbins
4 Where the Boys Are--Connie Francis
5 Calcutta--Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra
6 Wheels--The String-A-Longs
--[Billy Vaughn and his Orchestra]
7 Dedicated to the One I Love--The Shirelles
8 Apache--Jorgen Ingmann and his Guitar
9 Spanish Harlem--Ben E. King
10 Baby Sittin’ Boogie--Buzz Clifford

Singles entering the chart were Runaway by Del Shannon (#66); Tonight, My Love, Tonight by Paul Anka (#69); One Mint Julep by Ray Charles (#71); Mother-in-Law by Ernie K. Doe (#72); Please Tell Me Why (#74)/Your One and Only Love (#81) by Jackie Wilson; Love Theme from One Eyed Jacks by Ferrante and Teicher (#79); Portrait of My Love by Steve Lawrence (#86); Trust in Me by Etta James (#89); A Hundred Pounds of Clay by Gene McDaniels (#91); Like, Long Hair by Paul Revere and the Raiders (#95); Theme from The Great Imposter by Henry Mancini and his Orchestra (#99); Early in the Mornin’ by Ray Charles (#100); Little Girl, Little Boy by Al Martino (also #100); and Tonight I Fell in Love by the Tokens (also #100). Theme from The Great Imposter, as the title indicates, was from the movie.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Blue Moon--The Marcels
2 "D" in Love--Cliff Richard and the Shadows
3 Ling-Ting-Tong--Buddy Knox
4 Surrender--Elvis Presley
5 Memphis--Donnie Brooks
6 Star-Crossed Lovers--Eddy and Teddy
7 Stormy (Came to Town)--Donnie Owens
8 I've Told Every Little Star--Linda Scott
9 Little Miss Stuck-Up--The Playmates
10 The Touchables--Dickie Goodman

Singles entering the chart were The Corruptibles by the Good Guys (#18); Theme from Dixie by Duane Eddy (#26); The Blizzard by Jim Reeves (#36); Lonely Man by Elvis Presley (#40); After the Hurricane by Paul Evans (#43); Two by Del Erickson (#45); Scorpion by the Carnations (#46); Find Another Girl by Jerry Butler (#47); Baby Blue by the Echoes (#49); and Loch Lomond Rock by the Ramrods (#50). The Corruptibles, which was narrated by CFUN disc jockey Brian Lord and released on the C-FUN label, was a "break-in" record, a comedy record featuring excerpts from recent hits.

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKWX)
1 Two--Del Erickson
2 Blue Moon--The Marcels
3 Surrender/Lonely Man--Elvis Presley
4 Three Wheels on My Wagon--Dick Van Dyke
5 "D" in Love--Cliff Richard and the Shadows
6 Memphis--Donnie Brooks
7 Donald, Where's Your Troosers?--Andy Stewart
8 Ling-Ting-Tong--Buddy Knox
9 Little Miss Stuck-Up--The Playmates
10 A Scottish Soldier (Green Hills of Tyrol)--Andy Stewart

Singles entering the chart were Lonely Man; Runaway by Del Shannon (#30); Stormy (Came to Town) by Donnie Owens (#35); On the Rebound by Floyd Cramer (#36); Every Time My Heart Sings by Jimmie Rodgers (#37); I've Told Every Little Star by Linda Scott (#39); and Baby Blue by the Echoes (#40).

On television tonight
The Roaring 20's, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Twelfth Hour

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Non, non rien n'a changé--Les Poppys

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): My Sweet Lord--George Harrison (8th week at #1)

War
For the third consecutive week, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong delegates boycotted the Paris peace talks on the Vietnam War to protest U.S. bombing and what they said were U.S. ‘threats of war."

Disasters
A landslide crashed into Yanawayin Lake in Peru, killing 200 people at the mining camp of Chungar.

30 years ago
1981

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

Singles entering the chart were While You See a Chance by Steve Winwood (#16); Precious to Me by Phil Seymour (#18); and Morning Train (Nine to Five) by Sheena Easton (#20).

Crime
Ronnie Biggs, mastermind of Britain’s 1963 "great train robbery," which involved the theft of $7 million worth of British currency from a London-to-Glasgow train, was reported missing from his Brazilian home, two days after being carried out of a Rio de Janeiro restaurant.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 5 @ Minnesota 3

25 years ago
1986

Politics and government
The New Democratic Party, led by Premier Howard Pawley, narrowly won re-election in Manitoba, taking 30 of 57 seats in the legislature to 26 for the Progressive Conservatives and 1 for the Liberals. The NDP and PCs each took 41% of the vote.

Former U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III was nominated by Illinois Democrats to run for governor against Republican incumbent James Thompson. Primary voters chose two little-known supporters of conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche as the Democratic Party nominees for lieutenant governor and secretary of state. Mr. Stevenson said he would not run on the same ticket as "these bizarre and dangerous extremists."

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the balance of payments on current account--the broadest measure of trade with other countries--showed a record deficit of $117.66 billion in 1985, nearly 10% more than in 1984.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Oh! Yeah!/Love Story wa Totsuzen ni--Kazumasa Oda (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Se mustamies--Hausmylly

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)--C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams (3rd week at #1) Died on this date
Vilma Bánky, 90. Hungarian-born U.S. actress. Miss Bánky, born Vilma Koncsics, began her career in silent films in Hungary in 1919, moving to Hollywood in 1925, where she was best-known for co-starring with Rudolph Valentino in The Eagle (1925) and The Son of the Sheik (1926). Miss Bánky married actor Rod La Rocque in 1927 and made few movies thereafter, retiring to domestic life. She died from cardiopulmonary failure.

10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
John Phillips, 65. U.S. musician. "Papa John" was a singer-songwriter and guitarist with the folk group the Journeymen (1961-1964), but was best known as a member of the Mamas and the Papas, who had a string of hit singles from 1966-1968, all of which he wrote or co-wrote. He was married to "Mama" Michelle Gilliam from 1962-1969. Mr. Phillips embarked on a solo career in 1970, but had only minor success, as drug use and heavy drinking destroyed his career and his life. He reformed the Mamas and the Papas in the early 1980s and toured with them for yers. Mr. Phillips was convicted in 1981 of drug trafficking, and he and his daughter, actress Mackenzie Phillips, conducted an anti-drug campaign. Mr. Phillips received a liver transplant in 1992, but was spotted drinking alcohol several months later. He died of heart failure, days after completing his album Phillips 66, which was released five months later.