March 30, 2011

200 years ago
1811

Born on this date
Robert Bunsen. German chemist. Mr. Bunsen co-discovered the elements caesium and rubidium, and invented the Bunsen burner. He died on August 16, 1899 at the age of 88.

170 years ago
1841

Economics and finance
The National Bank of Greece was founded in Athens.

150 years ago
1861

Science
British chemist Sir William Crookes published his discovery of thallium using flame spectroscopy.

110 years ago
1901

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that marriages of Roman Catholics performed by Protestant clergymen were valid.

90 years ago
1921

Died on this date
Frank Bancroft, 74. U.S. baseball manager. Mr. Bancroft managed seven major league teams (1880-1902), compiling a record of 375-333-10. He led the Providence Grays to the first World Series championship in 1884. Mr. Bancroft died of neuritis.

80 years ago
1931

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Richard Gordon and Leigh Lovell, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place

70 years ago
1941

War
French shore batteries in Algeria opened fire on a British naval squadron after it halted a French convoy of four merchant ships proceeding from Casablanca to Oran. Armed U.S. Coast Guardsmen seized 35 Danish, 28 Italian, and 2 German merchant vessels in Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Mediterranean ports under the 1917 Espionage Act after 26 of the Italian ships and one of the German vessels were sabotaged by their crews. 1940 Republican Party U.S. presidential candidate Wendell Willkie warned in a radio address that if the Axis won the European War, the United States would become an armed camp and lose its own liberties.

World events
Local press in Guayaquil, Ecuador charged that Japs who controlled petroleum concessions near Esmeralda were engaging in anti-government activities and interfering in local politics.

Medicine
Dr. Frank Adair, chairman of the American Society for the Control of Cancer, reported a 30% increase in cures of operable breast cancer from 1920-1935.

Labour
Members of the Congress of Industrial Organizations Farm Equipment Workers voted in Chicago to end their two-month strike at four International Harvester Company plants and submit their dispute to the National Defense Mediation Board. The strike at the Bethlehem Steel plant in Johnstown, Pennsylvania was settled.

60 years ago
1951

On the radio
Hear it Now, hosted by Edward R. Murrow, on CBS

Tonight's program included more news about the hearings of the U.S. Senate Crime Investigating Committee.

At the movies
Die Vier im Jeep (Four in a Jeep), directed by Leopold alindtberg and Elizabeth Montagu, and starring Ralph Meeker and Viveca Lindfors, opened in theatres in German-speaking areas of Switzerland.



Diplomacy
The United Nations Security Council voted over Indian opposition to renew attempts to gain an Indian-Pakistani agrement on demilitarization of Kashmir preparatory to a plebiscite on the territory's status. India announced that it would not submit to compulsory UN arbitration, claiming its security was involved in Kashmir.

Law
South Africa's Group Areas Act, which divided the country on a racial basis, became effective in Cape Province, Transvaal, and Orange Free State. It empowered the Interior Ministry to proclaim areas for exclusive ownership or occupation by white, black, or coloured people.

Crime
The U.S. Senate indicted 12 underworld figures, including Frank Costello and Joe Adonis, for contempt of Congress in refusing to answer questions before the Senate Crime Investigating Committee.

Politics and government
U.S. Army General Lucius Clay resigned as special assistant to Defense Mobilization Director Charles Wilson in order to resume his position as chairman of the Continental Can Company.

Following transfers of powers from the Canadian federal government to the provinces, Quebec's Union Nationale government of Premier Maurice Duplessis abolished the Federal Rent Board to make way for the Provincial Rent Board.

Economics and finance
The U.S. National Production Authority postponed a ban on the use of aluminum in many civilian products, scheduled to begin April 1, for 30 days at the request of the Senate Small Business Committee.

50 years ago
1961

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Testimony of Evil

At the movies
Taste of Fear, directed by Seth Holt, and starring Susan Strasberg, Ronald Lewis, Ann Todd, and Christopher Lee, received its premiere screening in London. It was later released in the United States under the title Scream of Fear.





One Eyed Jacks, directed by Marlon Brando, and starring Mr. Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado, and Pina Pellicer, opened in theatres. It was Mr. Brando's only film as a director.





Space
The mission of Transit III-B-Lofti--two unseparated U.S. satellites that had been gathering data for a navigational satellite system, geodetic measurements, and radio transmission--ended. The satellites had been launched on February 21 from Cape Canaveral, Florida atop a single rocket, but they failed to separate as planned, and went into an elliptical orbit of Earth instead on near-circular orbits. The radio transmitters operated, but the quality of the data was hurt by the elliptical orbit.

Diplomacy
The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was signed in New York City; it went into effect on August 8, 1975.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy announced the selection of the National Advisory Council for the Peace Corps. Vice President Lyndon Johnson was named chairman and U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas was named honourary chairman.

40 years ago
1971

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Kvällstoppen): Rose Garden--Lynn Anderson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Butterfly--Danyel Gérard (6th week at #1)

Politics and government
Quebec Civil Service Minister Jean-Paul L'Allier tabled the government's salary policy for negotiations with the public sector.

Boxing
Herschel Jacobs (25-17-2) scored a technical knockout over former world light heavyweight champion Harold Johnson (76-11) at 24 seconds of the 3rd round in a heavyweight bout at Sunnyside Garden, Queens, New York. The fight, which was stopped because of cuts, was the last for Mr. Johnson, 42, who had begun boxing professionally in 1946.

30 years ago
1981

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Antmusic--Adam and the Ants (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Ruby no Yubiwa--Akira Terao

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Johnny & Mary--Robert Palmer

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Fade to Grey--Visage (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
DeWitt Wallace, 91. U.S. publisher. Mr. Wallace and his wife Lila co-founded Reader's Digest in 1922.

Crime
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his press secretary James Brady were wounded when shot by John Hinckley in Washington.



Movies
Because of the assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan, the presentation of the Academy Awards for 1980 was postponed until the following night.

Politics and government
The Newfoundland Court of Appeals ruled that the federal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau did not have the right to change the constitution unilaterally.

20 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Sucker DJ (A Witch for Love)--Dimples D. (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Se Stiamo Insieme--Riccardo Cocciante (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Grease Megamix--John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Take No Crap--Cut 'N' Move (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Because I Love You--Stevie B (The Postman Song)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Wind of Change--Scorpions (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): The One and Only--Chesney Hawkes

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Liefde Voor Muziek--Raymond v/h Groenewoud (3rd week at #1)
2 Do the Bartman--The Simpsons
3 The Grease Megamix--John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
4 Joyride--Roxette
5 (I Wanna Give You) Devotion--Nomad featuring Mc Mikee Freedom
6 Unfinished Sympathy--Massive
7 Crazy--Seal
8 Papa--Stef Bos
9 3 A.M. Eternal (Live at the S.S.L.)--The KLF
10 Rescue Me--Madonna

Singles entering the chart were Losing My Religion by R.E.M. (#20); Highwire by the Rolling Stones (#21); I'm Going Slightly Mad by Queen (#24); Here We Go by C+C Music Factory presents Freedom Williams and Zelma Davis (#33); Halvu - Høkers Aller Landen Verenigt U by Normaal (#36); Meisjes by Rob Zorn (#37); and In de Tijd Van de Rock 'n' Roll by John Spencer (#40).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Coming Out of the Dark--Gloria Estefan
2 One More Try--Timmy -T-
3 This House--Tracie Spencer
4 Hold You Tight--Tara Kemp
5 I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat
6 Someday--Mariah Carey
7 You're in Love--Wilson Phillips
8 Sadeness Part 1--Enigma
9 Get Here--Oleta Adams
10 Signs--Tesla

Singles entering the chart were How Much is Enough by the Fixx (#70); Crazy by Daisy Dee (#83); What Comes Naturally by Sheena Easton (#85); Love Me Forever or Love Me Not by Trilogy (#86); Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn (#87); and Going Through the Motions by Aftershock (#94).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Coming Out of the Dark--Gloria Estefan
2 Someday--Mariah Carey
3 One More Try--Timmy -T-
4 This House--Tracie Spencer
5 Hold You Tight--Tara Kemp
6 You’re in Love--Wilson Phillips
7 I’ve Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat
8 State of the World--Janet Jackson
9 All the Man that I Need--Whitney Houston
10 Get Here--Oleta Adams

Singles entering the chart included Losing My Religion by R.E.M. (#76); What Comes Naturally (#86); Word of Mouth by Mike + the Mechanics (#87); and Here I Am (Come and Take Me) by UB40 (#89).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Someday--Mariah Carey (3rd week at #1)
2 All This Time--Sting
3 Coming Out of the Dark--Gloria Estefan
4 Waiting for Love--Alias
5 You’re in Love--Wilson Phillips
6 Wicked Game--Chris Isaak
7 Rescue Me--Madonna
8 Joyride--Roxette
9 Waiting for that Day--George Michael
10 I’ve Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat

Singles entering the chart included I Will Be Here by Steve Winwood (#79); Call Me and I’ll Be There by Rita MacNeil (#87); If You Lean on Me by Colin James (#88); and Word of Mouth by Mike + the Mechanics (#99).

War
Iraqi government forces recaptured Kirkuk from Kurdish rebels, and hundreds of thousands of Kurds were reported fleeing to the mountains.

Hockey
NHL
Quebec 3 @ Montreal 4

Basketball
NCAA
Men’s championship semi-finals @ Indianapolis
Duke 79 Nevada at Las Vegas 77

Christian Laettner scored 18 points to lead the Blue Devils to an upset win at the Hoosier Dome, ending the Runnin’ Rebels’ winning streak at 45 games, and advancing to the final against the University of Kansas Jayhawks.



10 years ago
2001

War
Six Palestinians were killed and 100 wounded in new clashes with Israeli forces. Palestinians participated in mass demonstrations against Israeli attacks.

Baseball
First baseman Paul Konerko's error on Devon White's ground ball with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th inning allowed Rafael Belliard to score the winning run to complete a 2-run rally as the Milwaukee Brewers edged the Chicago White Sox 5-4 in a spring training game before a sellout crowd of 41,544 fans in the first game ever played at Miller Park in Milwaukee.