March 21, 2011

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Nikki Quitazol and Nadiia Marchuk!

210 years ago
1801

Died on this date
Andrea Luchesi, 59. Italian-born composer. Mr. Luchesi was an organist whose compositions included five symphonies, works for organ, and choral works. He moved to Bonn in 1771, and remained there until his death.

War
British forces commanded by Sir Ralph Abercromby defeated French forces led by Jacques Menou in the Battle of Alexandria in Egypt. Sir Ralph was struck in the thigh by a musket ball, and died a week later.

190 years ago
1821

Business
The North West Company was forced to merge with the Hudson's Bay Company.

150 years ago
1861

Politics and government
Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America, gave the Cornerstone Speech at the Athenaeum in Savannah, Georgia, laying out the Confederacy's rationale for seceding from the United States.

140 years ago
1871

Exploration
U.S. journalist Henry M. Stanley began his trek to Africa find the missionary and explorer David Livingstone.

Politics and government
Otto von Bismarck was appointed as the first Chancellor of the German Empire.

The Liberal party, led by Edward Blake, won 43 of 82 seats in the Legislative Assembly in the Ontario provincial election. The governing Conservatives, led by Premier John Sandfield Macdonald, took 38 seats, and 1 Conservative-Liberal candidate was elected. The Liberals and Conservatives had each won 41 seats in the most recent election in 1867, resulting in a coalition government.

130 years ago
1881

Canadiana
The Canadian Parliament passed “An Act to provide for the extension of the boundaries of the Province of Manitoba” (44 V, c14). The Act extended the eastern boundary of Manitoba to a "line drawn due north from where the westerly boundary of the province of Ontario intersects the boundary dividing Canada from the United States". The governments of Manitoba and the Dominion understood that Manitoba’s eastern boundary lay near Port Arthur, Ontario. The government of Ontario, on the other hand, felt that her boundary did not end until the western most reaches of the Lake of the Woods, near Rat Portage (Kenora). The Act goes went effect on August 15, 1881.

120 years ago
1891

Died on this date
Joseph E. Johnston, 84. U.S. and C.S. military officer and politician. General Johnson joined the U.S. Army in 1829, and served with distinction in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole Wars. A native and resident of Virginia, he was one of the most senior officers in the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War. Gen . Johnson was a railroad and insurance executive after the war; a Democrat, he represented Virginia's 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1879-1881). He maintained friendly relations with former Union Army General William Tecumseh Sherman, and was an honourary pallbearer at Gen. Sherman's funeral in February 1991, doffing his hat out of respect despite it being a rainy day. Gen. Johnson developed a cold which turned into pneumonia, causing his death.

110 years ago
1901

Born on this date
Karl Arnold. West German politician. Mr. Arnold, a member of the Christian Democratic Union, was Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia (1947-1956) and President of the German Bundesrat (1949-1950). He was a member of the Bundestag from 1957 until his death on June 29, 1958 at the age of 57.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Walter Lincoln Hawkins. U.S. chemist and inventor. Mr. Hawkins was a pioneer of polymer chemistry who worked at Bell Laboratories for 34 years. He was instrumental in designing a long-lasting plastic to sheath telephone cables, enabling the introduction of telephone services to thousands of Americans, especially those in rural communities. Mr. Hawkins became the first Negro to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering (1975), and was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1992, shortly before his death from heart failure on August 20 of that year at the age of 81.

Politics and government
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was appointed Governor General of Canada; he succeeded Earl Grey on October 13, 1911.

Business
Shell Company of Canada Ltd. was founded in Montreal as a branch of Royal Dutch Shell. The company began marketing gasoline in Montreal, while in British Columbia, Shell of California set up business in Vancouver where it operated as the Shell Company of British Columbia.

Disasters
A Royal Northwest Mounted police search party led by Inspector William Dempster from Dawson City, Yukon found the bodies of Inspector Francis Joseph Fitzgerald and three other members of a mail patrol, only 25 miles from the safety of Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories. The tragic trip became known as "The Lost Patrol."

90 years ago
1921

Abominations
The New Economic Policy was implemented in Russia by the Bolshevik Party in response to the economic failure as a result of war communism.

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Finals
Ottawa Senators (NHL) 1 @ Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) 2 (Vancouver led best-of-five series 1-0)

The attendance of 11,000 at Denman Arena set a world record for a single hockey game.

75 years ago
1936

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Harry West, on MBS
Tonight’s episode: The Creeping Man

Died on this date
Aleksandr Glazunov, 70. Russian composer and conductor. Mr. Glazunov wrote eight complete symphonies and numerous other works, but is today perhaps best known for his ballets such as Raymonda and The Seasons. He directed the St. Petersurg Conservatory from 1905-1928.

70 years ago
1941

At the movies
Carl Peters, directed by Herbert Selpin, and starring Hans Albers, Karl Dannemann, and Fritz Odemar, opened in theatres in Germany.



Diplomacy
The Colombian government announced that Colombia and Venezuela would sign a treaty on April 5 ending their century-old border dispute.

Politics and government
Three Yugoslav cabinet ministers resigned in protest against signing a non-aggression pact with Germany.

Labour
Clarence Dykstra resigned as director of the U.S. Selective Service System to assume his new duties as chairman of the National Defense Mediation Board.

The U.S. National Labor Relations Board cited Ford Motor Company on charges of continued unfair labour practices at its River Rouge, Lincoln, and Highland Park, Michigan plants. Ford was accused of dismissing 253 workers for Congress of Industrial Organizations United Auto Workers activities.

The American Federation of Labor construction strike at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio ended with four CIO electricians, whose hiring had led to the strike, allowed to continue on the job.

Boxing
Joe Louis (47-1) retained his world heavyweight title with a technical knockout of Abe Simon (34-8) at 1:20 of the 13th round at Olympia Stadium in Detroit. Mr. Simon was knocked down 4 times.

60 years ago
1951

Died on this date
Willem Mengelberg, 79. Dutch conductor and composer. Mr. Mengelberg was a pianist and composer before beginning his lengthy career as a conductor. He was best known as principal conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam (1895-1945), famous for his performances of the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, and Richard Strauss, although he was criticized for neglecting Dutch composers. Mr. Mengelberg was also the musical director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (1922-1928), and made recordings with both orchestras. He was on friendly terms with the Nazis during their occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. After the war, Mr. Mengelberg was banned from conducting in the Netherlands for life, a ban that was reduced to six years. He went into exile in Switzerland, and died there, a week before his 80th birthday and two months before the expiration of his exile order.

Literature
Sinclair Lewis's 22nd and final novel, World So Wide, was published in New York by Random House.

War
U.S. tank patrols occupied Chunchon, a Korean transportation hub eight miles south of the 38th Parallel, following the withdrawal of Communist Chinese forces.

Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary George Marshall told President Harry Truman in a telegram that U.S. military manpower had doubles since the start of the Korean War and now exceeded 2.9 million.

Crime
The U.S. Senate Crime Investigating Committee returned to Washington after 1½ weeks of televised hearings on crime and corruption in New York.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the discovery in Brazil of large iron ore deposits and the largest manganese deposits in the Western Hemisphere.

50 years ago
1961

Hit parade
#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Romantica--Robertino

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Erling Lindahl and Einar Vaage, on Norsk Rikskringkasting (Norwegian State Broadcasting Corporation)
Tonight's episode: The Red Headed League

On television tonight
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Room Upstairs, starring David Knight, Lois Maxwell, and Gilda Emmanuelli



Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Incident in a Small Jail, starring John Fiedler and Richard Jaeckel

Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Papa Benjamin, starring John Ireland, Jeanne Bal, and Robert H. Harris



Diplomacy
Negotiations among the U.S.A., U.K., and U.S.S.R. on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons tests resumed in Geneva after a 3½-month recess. Before the Western powers had a chance to present what they regarded as major concessions, Soviet delegate Semyon Tsarapkin withdrew the Soviet Union’s previous agreement to establish a test-control organization under a single administrator; he insisted instead on a three-member council representing the Communists, the West, and neutralist nations. The West offered concessions to previous Soviet objections to previous proposals on inspections, control posts, and other details. The Western proposals were referred to Moscow.

U.S.S.R. Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, addressing the United Nations General Assembly, renewed the Soviet attack on UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold and the UN operation in the Congo, accusing Mr. Hammarskjold of responsibility for the assassination in February of former Congolese Premier Patrice Lumumba. Mr. Gromyko demanded Mr. Hammarskjold’s replacement by a three-member secretariat, and called for termination of the UN mission in the Congo within a month. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson, in his first speech before the Assembly, denounced Mr. Gromyko’s speech as being in "the worst and most destructive traditions of the cold war." Mr. Stevenson charged that the Soviet Union "does not want the United Nations to succeed in the Congo," and called the attack "wild and irresponsible and absurd."

Boxing
Henry Cooper (23-7-1) retained his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles with a 5-round technical knockout over Joe Erskine (39-6-1) at Empire Pool, Wembley, London. It was the fourth time the two had fought each other; Mr. Erskine had won the first two, and this was the second straight win for Mr. Cooper.

40 years ago
1971

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 1 @ Philadelphia 1

Bruce Gamble, who had been traded from the Maple Leafs to the Flyers two months earlier, made 34 saves against his old team, while former teammate Jacques Plante stopped 27 shots in a spectacular goaltending duel at The Spectrum. Dave Keon scored his 36th goal of the season 52 seconds into the 2nd period to give Toronto the lead, but Bobby Clarke tied the game for Philadelphia with his 23rd goal of the season at 3:23 of the 2nd period. The game was the usual Sunday evening broadcast on CBC radio.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): Maledetta Primavera--Loretta Goggi

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Stars on 45--Stars on 45 (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland: Vienna--Ultravox

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Jealous Guy--Roxy Music (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Jealous Guy--Roxy Music (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 In the Air Tonight--Phil Collins
2 Stars on 45--Stars on 45
3 Rock this Town--Stray Cats
4 Embarrassment--Madness
5 Don't Stop the Music--Yarbrough & Peoples
6 All American Girls--Sister Sledge
7 It's a Love Thing--The Whispers
8 Shine On--L-T-D
9 Leila--Dolly Dots
10 Shaddap You Face--Joe Dolce Music Theatre

Singles entering the chart were Without Your Love by Roger Daltrey (#28); One Night Affair by Spargo (#29); Mister Blitzer by Babe (#30); Jealous Guy by Roxy Music (#32); Sailing by Christopher Cross (#33); and Too Big for Words by Tony Sherman & Julia Loko (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
2 Woman--John Lennon
3 The Best of Times--Styx
4 9 to 5--Dolly Parton
5 Crying--Don McLean
6 Rapture--Blondie
7 Hello Again--Neil Diamond
8 The Winner Takes it All--ABBA
9 I Love a Rainy Night--Eddie Rabbitt
10 What Kind of Fool--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)

Singles entering the chart were Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx (#60); You Better You Bet by the Who (#63); Take it on the Run by REO Speedwagon (#65); Living Inside Myself by Gino Vannelli (#77); I Missed Again by Phil Collins (#79); Somebody Special by Rod Stewart (#81); All American Girls by Sister Sledge (#89); and Where's Your Angel? by Lani Hall (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Woman--John Lennon (2nd week at #1)
2 Rapture--Blondie
3 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
4 9 to 5--Dolly Parton
5 The Best of Times--Styx
6 Crying--Don McLean
7 Celebration--Kool & The Gang
8 Hello Again--Neil Diamond
9 Kiss on My List--Daryl Hall & John Oates
10 Treat Me Right--Pat Benatar

Singles entering the chart included You Better You Bet by the Who (#59); Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx (#61); Take it on the Run by REO Speedwagon (#63); Living Inside Myself by Gino Vannelli (#74); and Somebody Special by Rod Stewart (#90).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Record World)
1 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
2 9 to 5--Dolly Parton
3 Woman--John Lennon
4 Celebration--Kool & The Gang
5 Rapture--Blondie
6 The Best of Times--Styx
7 I Love a Rainy Night--Eddie Rabbitt
8 Hello Again--Neil Diamond
9 Crying--Don McLean
10 The Tide is High--Blondie

Singles entering the chart were You Better You Bet by the Who (#50); Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx (#52); Take it on the Run by REO Speedwagon (#54); I Missed Again by Phil Collins (#75); Living Inside Myself by Gino Vannelli (#78); Right Away by the Hawks (#84); and Limelight by Rush (#88).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Woman--John Lennon (2nd week at #1)
2 The Best of Times--Styx
3 Celebration--Kool & The Gang
4 9 to 5--Dolly Parton
5 Rapture--Blondie
6 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
7 Turn Me Loose--Loverboy
8 A Little in Love--Cliff Richard
9 I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It--Stevie Wonder
10 Giving it Up for Your Love--Delbert McClinton

Singles entering the chart were While You See a Chance by Steve Winwood (#36); Morning Train (Nine to Five) by Sheena Easton (#41); and Living in a Fantasy by Leo Sayer (#45).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CFUN)
1 Woman--John Lennon
2 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
3 Rapture--Blondie
4 A Little in Love--Cliff Richard
5 The Best of Times--Styx
6 Kiss on My List--Daryl Hall & John Oates
7 While You See a Chance--Steve Winwood
8 What Kind of Fool--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)
9 Turn Me Loose--Loverboy
10 Morning Train (Nine to Five)--Sheena Easton

Singles entering the chart were Angel of the Morning by Juice Newton (#18); You Better You Bet by the Who (#19); Just the Two of Us by Grover Washington, Jr. (#21); I Love You by Climax Blues Band (#25); and I Can't Stand It by Eric Clapton and his Band (#27).

Hockey
NHL
Chicago 4 @ Philadelphia 4
St. Louis 3 @ Washington 3
Winnipeg 4 @ Detroit 5
Calgary 3 @ Boston 4
New York Rangers 6 @ Hartford 4
Vancouver 3 @ Montreal 5
Buffalo 6 @ Toronto 2
Pittsburgh 3 @ Colorado 1
Los Angeles 6 @ Edmonton 6

25 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Brother Louie--Modern Talking (3rd week at #1)

Disasters
For the first time, NASA officials acknowledged that failure of a joint on a solid-fuel booster rocket was the most likely cause of the January 28 explosion of the U.S. space shuttle Challenger that had killed all seven astronauts aboard.

Figure skating
Debi Thomas became the first Negro American to win the Ladies' competition at the World Figure Skating Championships, in Geneva. Katarina Witt of East Germany was second, and Tiffany Chin of the U.S.A. was third.



20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Do the Bartman--The Simpsons (9th week at #1)

Died on this date
Leo Fender, 81. U.S. inventor. Mr. Fender founded Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company in 1946, and became famous for designing electric guitars, electric bass guitars, and amplifiers. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Abominations
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 9-0 to uphold a British Columbia Court of Appeal ruling that the fetus is not a legal person, with no guarantee to life under the Criminal Code.

World events
Leaders of all six Yugoslav republics attended an emergency meeting of the federal presidency. After the talks, a joint statement was released, saying the crisis over the country’s future should be resolved "only in a peaceful, democratic manner. The leaders agreed to meet on a regular basis.

The U.S. human rights organization Middle East Watch reported that Kuwaiti soldiers and vigilantes had tortured or beaten at least 400 people--most of them Palestinians--and that at least 30 of these had died.

Economics and finance
The United States House of Representatives followed the Senate’s lead and voted in favour of a $78-billion package to help bail out insolvent savings and loan associations.

Disasters
A transport plane crashed at a Saudi air force base, killing 92 soldiers from Senegal who were serving in a multinational force in the Persian Gulf. Six Saudi crewmen also died in the disaster, which occurred in skies blackened by smoke from burning oil wells in Kuwait.

10 years ago
2001

Died on this date
Chung Ju-yung, 85. South Korean businessman. Mr. Chung founded the first company of what became Hyundai Group in 1947. He was an unsuccessful candidate for President of South Korea in 1992.

Anthony Steel, 80. U.K. actor. Mr. Steel served with the Grenadier Guards in World War II, and was best known for his appearances in war and adventure movies such as The Wooden Horse (1950); Where No Vultures Fly (1951); and Storm Over the Nile (1956). His career went into decline after he broke his contract with the J. Arthur Rank Organisation in 1956; he spent most of the 1960s in Rome and eventually returned to Britain, but was unable to regain his former stardom. Mr. Steel died of lung cancer.

Health
After confirming a case of foot-and-mouth disease, the government of the Netherlands banned all livestock exports.

Figure skating
Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada won the world pairs competition at the world championships at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia were second, and Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo third.