March 26, 2011

980 years ago
1031

Born on this date
Malcolm III. King of Scots, 1058-1093. Malcolm III, a son of Duncan I, killed Macbeth and then Macbeth's stepson Lulach to take the throne. He fought battles against England, and was killed at the age of 62 on November 13, 1093 in the Battle of Alnwick, along with his eldest son Edward. King Malcolm's wife Margaret died nine days later, reportedly from sorrow for him. King Malcolm III was succeeded by Donald III.

660 years ago
1351

War
In what was later celebrated as a noble display of the ideals of chivalry, 30 knights and squires each from France and England fought at Guillac to determine who would rule the Duchy of Brittany. The Franco-Breton force won.

360 years ago
1651

Disasters
The silver-loaded Spanish ship San José was pushed south by strong winds; it was subsequently wrecked in the coast of southern Chile, and its surviving crew was killed by indigenous Cuncos.

140 years ago
1871

Politics and government
The elections of the Commune council of the Paris Commune were held.

140 years ago
1881

Born on this date
Guccio Gucci. Italian fashion designer. Mr. Gucci founded the House of Gucci in Florence in 1921, expanding to Rome in 1938, Milan in 1951, and New York in 1952. Mr. Gucci died on January 2, 1953 at the age of 71; his five sons grew and diversified the firm internationally.

100 years ago
1911

Born on this date
Tennessee Williams. U.S. playwright. Mr. Williams was one of the best-known playwrights of the 20th century. A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) andCat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955) each won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Rose Tattoo (1951) won the Tony for Best Play, and The Glass Menagerie (1944) and The Night of the Iguana (1961) each won awards from the New York Drama Critics' Circle. Many of his works, including all of those mentioned above, were made into movies. These included Summer and Smoke; Suddenly, Last Summer; Sweet Bird of Youth; Period of Adjustment; and Orpheus Descending (released on film as The Fugitive Kind). Mr. Williams wrote the screenplay for Baby Doll (1956), and his novella The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone was made into a movie in 1961. Mr. Williams went into a long decline after the early 1960s, and was never able to recapture his earlier success. For example, The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore (1963) closed after just 69 performances on Broadway, and a reworked version a year later lasted just 5 performances. The movie version, titled Boom!, was one of the biggest critical and box office flops of 1968. Mr. Williams died from choking on a plastic bottle cap in his room at the Hotel Elysee in New York on February 25, 1983 at the age of 71. He was apparently in the habit of putting the cap in his mouth while he tilted his head back to put drops in his eyes.

Bernard Katz. German-born U.K. biophysicist. Dr. Katz shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1970 with Julius Axelrod and Ulf von Euler for his work in nerve biochemistry. He died on April 20, 2003 at the age of 92.

90 years ago
1921

Transportation
Smith & Rhuland launched the 40-metre-long schooner Bluenose in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia; built at a cost of $35,000, it was designed by William J. Roue of Halifax, for both fishing and racing.

80 years ago
1931

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Leonard Nimoy!

Music
Ernest MacMillan opened the Eaton Auditorium concert hall, located on the top floor of Eaton's College Street store in Toronto. Mr. Macmillan was at the organ and directed a concert recital by soprano Florence Austral and flutist John Amadio.

Transportation
Swissair was founded as the national airline of Switzerland.

Politics and government
The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union was founded in Vietnam.

70 years ago
1941

At the movies
I Wanted Wings, directed by Mitchell Leisen, and starring Ray Milland, William Holden, Wayne Morris, and Brian Donlevy, received its premiere screening in New York City.



War
World Zionist Organization President Dr. Chaim Weizmann urged the British government to permit Jews in Palestine to form their own army "for service against the common enemy of mankind."

Diplomacy
Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka arrived in Berlin.

Defense
U.S. Army Colonel William J. Donovan declared that the United States must now consider the question of convoying war shipments to the United Kingdom. 1940 Republican Party U.S. presidential candidate Wendell Willkie addressed the opening of the United China Relief drive in New York, and said that the United States must help China because "she is standing up against an aggressor."

Protest
Riots began in Yugoslavian cities in protest against the government's signing of the Tripartite Act, bringing Yugoslavia into the Axis. British radio broadcasted an appeal to Yugoslavs resist "the betrayal of your honour and independence." French Army General Henri Dentz imposed martial law in several Syrian cities after two days of riots caused by food shortages and nationalist agitation.

Labour
U.S. Office of Production Management Chairman William Knudsen and Navy Secretary Frank Knox told the machinery firm Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company "to notify your entire work force to report for work and start operations immediately." International Harvester Company rejected a Congress of Industrial Orgznizations proposal to have the National Defense Mediation Board settle the strike at the Chicago-McCormick works.

Oil
The Bolivian Senate passed a resolution authorizing the government to seek an agreement with Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) regarding its confiscated properties.

Disasters
Two officers and 17 enlisted men were killed when the Royal Canadian Navy armed yacht HMCS Otter was destroyed by an accidental explosion and fire off Halifax.

60 years ago
1951

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Power of the Brute, starring Richard Carlyle, Tom Drake, and Rebecca Welles

Died on this date
James F. Hinkle, 88. U.S. politician. Mr. Hinkle, a Democrat, was a member of the New Mexico Territorial House of Representatives (1893-1896) and Territorial Senate (1901-1911); Mayor of Roswell (1904-1906); member of the N.M. State Senate (1912-1917); Governor of New Mexico (1923-1925); and N.M. Commissioner of Public Lands (1931-1932).

Music
Margaret Truman, daughter of U.S. President Harry Truman, signed an exclusive performing contract with NBC for the 1950-51 and 1951-52 seasons.

Diplomacy U.S. President Truman addressed foreign ministers of 21 American states at the start of a two-week conference in Washington on hemispheric defense and economic problems. He condemned "wild and speculative price movements" and endorsed Bolivia's desire for a land corridor to the Pacific Ocean between Chile and Peru.

World events
Chinese Communist radio reported the formation of a new revolutionary front in INdochina dominated by the Communist Party of Labour (Lao Dong).

War
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru rejected as "dishonourable" a new Kashmir peace formula offered by the U.S.A. and U.K. which would allow the International Court of Justice to settle differences between India and Pakistan.

Defense
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt Vandenberg approved the first Air Force flag.

Politics and government
The U.S. Supreme Court refused a Communist Party request for a preliminary injunction to delay registration of Communists under the Internal Security Act of 1950.

Economics and finance
The Arab League announced plans to establish a bureau in Cairo to tighten the Arab states' economic blockade of Israel.

Labour
Minnesota Governor Luther Youngdahl signed a bill barring strikes by state, county, city, and local workers.

Boxing
Rocky Marciano (34-0), fighting for the second time in seven days, scored a technical knockout over Art Henri (13-16-1) at 2:51 of the 9th round of a heavyweight bout before 4,386 fans at Rhode Island Auditorium in Providence. The fight was stopped after Mr. Marciano knocked Mr. Henri down twice for 9-counts in the 9th round.

50 years ago
1961

Diplomacy
U.S. President John F. Kennedy and U.K. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan met in Key West, Florida to discuss the threat of Communist takeover of Laos. The two leaders said they had reached "absolute agreement" on a common policy and issued a joint appeal to the Soviet Union for a "positive and constructive reply" to western proposals for a Laos settlement.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): (I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden--Lynn Anderson

South Africa's Top 10 (Springbok Radio)
1 Knock Three Times--Dawn (6th week at #1)
2 Rose Garden--Lynn Anderson
3 A Summer Prayer for Peace--The Archies
4 Have You Ever Seen the Rain--Creedence Clearwater Revival
5 No Matter What--Badfinger
6 My Sweet Lord--George Harrison
7 Immigrant Song--Led Zeppelin
8 Do It--Neil Diamond
9 Home--Dave Mills
10 Silver Moon--Michael Nesmith & the First National Band

Singles entering the chart were She's a Lady by Tom Jones (#16); Baby Jump by Mungo Jerry (#18); and Carnival Candyman by Beat Unit (#20).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKLG)
1 She's a Lady--Tom Jones
2 Me and Bobby McGee--Janis Joplin
3 Put Your Hand in the Hand--Ocean
4 Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted--The Partridge Family
5 Oh What a Feeling--Crowbar
6 Help Me Make it Through the Night--Sammi Smith
7 Woodstock--Matthews' Southern Comfort
8 I was Wondering--The Poppy Family
9 One Toke Over the Line--Brewer and Shipley
10 Free--Chicago

Singles entering the chart were Joy to the World by Three Dog Night (#25); If by Bread (#27); Friends/Honey Roll by Elton John (#29); and I Wish I Were by Andy Kim (#30). Honey Roll, like its A-side, was from the movie Friends (1971).

Vancouver's Top 10 (CKVN)
1 Put Your Hand in the Hand--Ocean (2nd week at #1)
2 Oh What a Feeling--Crowbar
3 What is Life--George Harrison
4 Another Day/Oh Woman, Oh Why--Paul McCartney
5 Wild World--Cat Stevens
6 Me and Bobby McGee--Janis Joplin
7 One Toke Over the Line--Brewer and Shipley
8 Woodstock--Matthews' Southern Comfort
9 Oye Como Va--Santana
10 Blue Money--Van Morrison

Singles entering the chart were Power to the People by John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (#23); Sweet Mary by Argent (#28); I Am...I Said by Neil Diamond (#29); and Friends by Elton John (#30).

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Amos Moses--Jerry Reed
2 She’s a Lady--Tom Jones
3 What is Life--George Harrison
4 Where Evil Grows--The Poppy Family
5 Beautiful People--The New Seekers
6 Patricia--Ronnie Hawkins
7 Blue Money--Van Morrison
8 Oye Como Va--Santana
9 One Toke Over the Line--Brewer and Shipley
10 Wild World--Cat Stevens

On television tonight
The Interns, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Choice

This was the 24th and last episode of the series to be broadcast.

World events
Sheik Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League and a long-time leader of the fight for East Pakistani autonomy, proclaimed its independence under the name Bangladesh ("Bengal Nation"). Sheik Mujibur had been seized by Pakistani government troops early in the fighting between them and rebel troops which had begun the previous day.

War
Jordanian government troops and Palestinian commandos began 11 days of sharp fighting in Amman and around Irbid.

Politics and government
Argentina’s Army Commander Alejandro Agustin Larusse, a member of a prominent landowning family and a career officer, was sworn in as President, three days after a three-man junta ousted President Roberto Marcelo Levingston. Cmdr. Larusse retained his army command and six members from Mr. Levingston’s cabinet, but added two ministers.

Nihat Erim, who had been named Prime Minister of Turkey a week earlier, announced a coalition government of 25 members.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
Edmonton's Top 20 (CHED)
1 Rapture--Blondie
2 Turning Japanese--The Vapors
3 Shaddap You Face--Joe Dolce
4 Just Between You and Me--April Wine
5 Woman--John Lennon
6 A Little in Love--Cliff Richard
7 Crying--Don McLean
8 Keep on Loving You--REO Speedwagon
9 The Best of Times--Styx
10 Hearts on Fire--Randy Meisner
11 As the Beat Goes On/Switchin' to Glide--The Kings
12 Kiss on My List--Daryl Hall and John Oates
13 Morning Train (Nine to Five)--Sheena Easton
14 Hey Nineteen--Steely Dan
15 Hello Again--Neil Diamond
16 While You See a Chance--Steve Winwood
17 Celebration--Kool & The Gang
18 Fade Away--Bruce Springsteen
19 Ain’t Even Done with the Night--John Cougar
20 What Kind of Fool--Barbra Streisand (Duet with Barry Gibb)

Politics and government
The Social Democrats launched their new political party in the U.K. with a press conference in London.

Journalism
Actress Carol Burnett was awarded a $1.6-million settlement against the National Enquirer, accusing the tabloid of saying in a 1976 item that she had been intoxicated in an encounter at a Washington restaurant with then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The National Enquirer’s lawyers indicated that they would appeal, arguing that they had merely said that Miss Burnett had been "boisterous," not intoxicated.

25 years ago
1986

Scandal
The New York Times reported that former United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim had participated in campaigns against Yugoslav partisans while he was an intelligence officer in the German army during World War II.

20 years ago
1991

World events
After four days of strikes and protests, soldiers in Mali overthrew the government of President Moussa Traore and promised to replace it with a multi-party democracy. At least 59 people were killed during the coup, while as many as 150 citizens were killed by the demonstrations during the demonstrations preceding the coup.

Economics and finance
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay signed the Treaty of Asunción, establishing Mercosur, the South Common Market.

Politics and government
The 37-member Belanger-Campeau Commission recommended that the Quebec National Assembly pass legislation providing for a referendum on provincial sovereignty to be held no later than October 1992.

Local self-government was restored after three decades of centralized control in South Korea.

Crime
Five South Korean boys, nicknamed the Frog Boys, disappeared while hunting for frogs and were murdered in a case that remains unsolved.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 0 @ Los Angeles 2