April 3, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Evgeniya!

175 years ago
1837

Born on this date
John Burroughs. U.S. author. Mr. Burroughs was noted for his works on nature, including Birds and Poets (1877); Locusts and Wild Honey (1879); Signs and Seasons (1886); and Ways of Nature (1905). He died on March 29, 1921 at the age of 83.

130 years ago
1882

Died on this date
Jesse James, 34. U.S. outlaw. A native of Kearney, Missouri, Mr. James, his brother Frank, and their gang were notorious bank and train robbers in the midwestern United States. Jesse James was shot in the back by Robert Ford, who had recently joined the gang and anticipated a huge reward.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Ten O'Clock Tiger, starring Robert Keith, Frankie Darro, and Karl Lukas

Died on this date
Benny “Kid” Paret, 25. Cuban boxer. World welterweight champion, 1960-1961; 1961-1962. Mr. Paret began his professional boxing career in his native Cuba in 1954, moving to the United States in 1958. On May 27, 1960, he won a 15-round unanimous decision over Don Jordan at the Las Vegas Convention Center to win the world welterweight title. After one successful defense of his title and several non-title bouts against heavier opponents, Mr. Paret lost the title when he was knocked out in the 13th round by Emile Griffith at Convention Hall in Maimi Beach, Florida on April 1, 1961. Mr. Paret regained the belt from Mr. Griffith by a split decision at Madison Square Garden in New York on September 30, 1961, and met Mr. Griffith in a rematch for the title in Madison Square Garden on March 24, 1962. Mr. Griffith was well ahead on points after 11 rounds, and then unleashed a savage beating upon Mr. Paret in the 12th round. As referee Ruby Goldstein declined to intervene, Mr. Paret slumped to the floor unconscious, no longer welterweight champion. He was taken to Roosevelt Hospital, where he went into a coma and never came out. His career record as a professional boxer was 32-12-3.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Toronto 2 @ New York 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)
Montreal 3 @ Chicago 5 (Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)

Rod Gilbert, playing just his third NHL game, scored the game's first two goals and assisted on the winner by Dave Balon with 5:57 remaining in regulation time at Madison Square Garden.

The Black Hawks scored 3 goals in the 3rd period to defeat the Canadiens at Chicago Stadium. Ab McDonald scored 2 of the third period goals, while Bill Hay scored the winner.

40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Ferde Grofe, 80. U.S. pianist, arranger, and composer. Mr. Grofe trained as a pianist and violinist and joined Paul Whiteman’s orchestra in 1917 as a pianist. From 1920-1932 he was employed by Mr. Whiteman as pianist, assistant conductor, orchestrator, and librarian. Mr. Grofe moved to the National Broadcasting Company as staff conductor in 1932, and joined the faculty of the Juilliard School in 1939. His best-known composition, Grand Canyon Suite, was first performed by Mr. Whiteman and his orchestra on November 22, 1931 at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago. Mr. Grofe’s other compositions included Mississippi Suite (1926); Tabloid Suite (1932); Hollywood Suite (1935); Death Valley Suite (1949); Hudson River Suite (1955); and Niagara Falls Suite (1961). He died after a series of heart attacks.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Seven Tears--Goombay Dance Band (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A.: (Billboard): I Love Rock and Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 That Girl--Stevie Wonder
2 I Love Rock 'N' Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
3 We Got the Beat--Go-Go's
4 Centerfold--J. Geils Band
5 Make a Move on Me--Olivia Newton-John
6 Open Arms--Journey
7 Titles--Vangelis
8 Freeze Frame/Flamethrower--J. Geils Band
9 Key Largo--Bertie Higgins
10 Pac-Man Fever--Buckner & Garcia

Singles entering the chart were Man on Your Mind by Little River Band (#68); Run for the Roses by Dan Fogelberg (#71); When He Shines by Sheena Easton (#77); Without You by Franke and the Knockouts (#80); My Girl by Donnie Iris (#83); It's Gonna Take a Miracle by Deniece Williams (#84); Finally by T.G. Sheppard (#86); Wake Up Little Susie by Simon and Garfunkel (#87); Loving You by Chris Rea (#88); You Sure Fooled Me by John Hall Band (#89); Just to Satisfy You by Waylon & Willie (#90); and Circles by Atlantic Starr (#94). Wake Up Little Susie and the B-side, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, were recorded live at Central Park in New York City on September 19, 1981. Waylon & Willie were Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 I Love Rock and Roll--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (3rd week at #1)
2 Open Arms--Journey
3 Tainted Love--Soft Cell
4 Make a Move on Me--Olivia Newton-John
5 Pretty Woman--Van Halen
6 We Got the Beat--Go-Go's
7 Don't You Want Me--The Human League
8 Freeze Frame--J. Geils Band
9 Tonight I'm Yours--Rod Stewart
10 Centerfold--J. Geils Band

Singles entering the chart were One Hundred Ways by Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (#45); Senses Working Overtime by XTC (#47); and Baby Makes her Blue Jeans Talk by Dr. Hook (#49).

Died on this date
Warren Oates, 53. U.S. actor. Mr. Oates was a character actor who made many appearances in television shows from the 1960s until his death, and appeared in such movies as Ride the High Country (1962); In the Heat of the Night (1967); The Wild Bunch (1969); Two-Lane Blacktop (1971); Badlands (1973); and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974).

War
Argentine forces overran the last British military unit on the Falkland Islands, a small contingent of marines on the South Georgia Islands. Three Argentine soldiers were killed in the battle. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ordered a large naval task force to sail to the Falkland Islands, and announced that Argentina’s financial assets in the U.K.—a sum of approximately $1.5 billion in gold, securities, and currency deposits—would be frozen. New export credits to Argentina were also cancelled.

Disasters
Unconfirmed reports pegged the death toll at up to 1,000 people from the eruption of the volcano El Chichon, 420 miles southeast of Mexico City. As many as 200,000 had fled their villages.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Stay--Pierre Cosso & Bonnie Bianco (4th week at #1)

Diplomacy
On the third day of his visit to Santiago, Chile, Pope John Paul II met with 19 opposition leaders who pledged to use peaceful means to restore democracy in Chile. The pope had met with President Augusto Pinochet two days earlier. That night, the pope conducted an outdoor mass for one million people. Youths who opposed the government set bonfires and stoned police, who responded with water cannons and tear gas. Pope John Paul continued the service, while stating, “We will not tire of repeating everywhere that violence is not Christian.”

Popular culture
The late Duchess of Windsor's jewellery sold for £31 million (US$50 million) at an auction in Switzerland.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Das Boot--U96 (11th week at #1)

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that unemployment remained at 7.3% in March.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Roy Huggins, 87. U.S. television producer. Mr. Huggins created such series as Maverick (1957-1962); 77 Sunset Strip (1958-1964); The Fugitive (1963-1967); and The Rockford Files (1974-1980).

War
The Israeli army occupied Nablus, giving the army control of every major centre in the West Bank except Hebron.

Terrorism
A synagogue in Antwerp, Belgium was fire-bombed, several days after the same thing had happened to a synagogue in Brussels.