March 17, 2012

250 years ago
1762

Americana
The first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in New York City.

120 years ago
1892

Theatre
The Foresters by Alfred, Lord Tennyson was produced for the first time at Daly’s Theatre in New York City.

110 years ago
1902

Born on this date
Bobby Jones. U.S. golfer. Mr. Jones, one of the greatest golfers in history, won the Grand Slam (U.S. and British amateur championships, U.S. and British Opens) in 1930. He played in 31 major tournaments, winning 13. Mr. Jones retired from competitive golf in 1930 and appeared as himself in two series of instructional films that were released in 1931 and 1933, with several episodes featuring Hollywood stars in guest roles. Mr. Jones co-founded the Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, and renamed it the Masters in 1938. He practiced law in Atlanta after his retirement from golf, but in 1948 was diagnosed with syringomyelia; his mobility gradually declined, and he was using a wheelchair when he died from a chest aneurysm on December 18, 1971 at the age of 69.

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Challenge series
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association 2 @ Winnipeg Victorias 1 (Montreal won best-of-three series 2-1)

It was the third Stanley Cup win for M.A.A.A., and their first since 1894.

70 years ago
1942

War
Five days after departing Corregidor in four PT boats, U.S. Major General Douglas MacArthur and a select party that included his wife and son arrived at Batchelor Airfield in Australia's Northern Territory. General MacArthur took over as supreme commander of Allied forces in the southwest Pacific theatre.

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Borgia Lamp, starring Hugh Griffith, Grace Kelly, and Robert Sterling

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Quando, Quando, Quando--Tony Renis (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Wonderful Land--The Shadows

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Hey! Baby--Bruce Channel (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hey! Baby--Bruce Channel (2nd week at #1)
2 Midnight in Moscow--Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen
3 Don't Break the Heart That Loves You--Connie Francis
4 Let Me In--The Sensations
5 Duke of Earl--Gene Chandler
6 What's Your Name--Don and Juan
7 Twistin' the Night Away--Sam Cooke
8 Slow Twistin'--Chubby Checker (with Dee Dee Sharp)
9 Her Royal Majesty--James Darren
10 Dream Baby--Roy Orbison

Singles entering the chart were Good Luck Charm (#36)/Anything That's Part of You (#94) by Elvis Presley; Two of a Kind by Sue Thompson (#86); Soldier Boy by the Shirelles (#87); Stranger on the Shore by Mr. Acker Bilk (#88); The One Who Really Loves You by Mary Wells (#91); Annie Get Your Yo-Yo by Little Junior Parker (#93); Tell Me by Dick and Dee Dee (#95); She Cried by Jay and the Americans (#96); Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) by Ernie Maresca (#97); Play the Thing by he Marlow Morris Quintet (#99); (Quarter to Four) Stomp by the Stompers (#100); The Big Draft by the Four Preps (also #100); and Duchess of Earl by the Pearlettes (also #100).

Figure skating
20-year-old Sjoukja Dijkstra of the Netherlands won the world women's championship at Fucik Hall in Prague. Wendy Griner of Toronto, representing Canada, finished second, followed by Regine Heitzer of Austria, Petra Burka of Canada, and Mrs. Barbara Ann Roles Pursley of the United States.

Hockey
World championships
Sweden (7-0) 4 West Germany (1-5) 0
Canada (5-1) 12 U.K. (1-6) 2
Finland (3-4) 5 Norway (3-4) 2

Sweden clinched its first world championship since 1957 with the win at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. Jackie McLeod scored 4 goals for the Canadians, who were represented by the Galt Terriers. Finland's win over Norway gave the edge for fourth place in the tournament, the Finns' highest placing to date.

NHL
Chicago 3 @ Toronto 1
New York 0 @ Montreal 2

Bobby Hull's 47th goal of the season in the 2nd period was the winner as the Black Hawks defeated the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. Billy Hicke scored his 16th goal of the season and Claude Provost his 32nd, and Jacques Plante earned the shutout as the Canadiens blanked the Rangers at the Montreal Forum.

40 years ago
1972

Society
The U.S. Commission on Population Growth and the American Future, a panel established by Congress at the request of President Richard Nixon, issued the first of three final reports, with the majority calling for relaxed rules on abortions, contraceptives, and sterilization.

25 years ago
1987

Politics and government
Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis announced his candidacy for the 1988 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.

20 years ago
1992

Died on this date
Gracie Lantz, 88. U.S. actress. Mrs. Lantz, whose husband Walter created the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker, provided Woody’s voice in over 200 cartoons for 40 years.

Terrorism
At least 32 people were killed and 250 injured when a bomb inside a car exploded next to the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. The embassy building, a Roman Catholic church, and a school were destroyed.

Politics and government
White voters in South Africa, by a 2-1 margin, authorized President F.W. de Klerk to negotiate an end to white minority rule.

Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton captured 51% of the vote in both the Illinois and Michigan primaries for the 1992 Democratic party nomination for President of the United States. President George Bush won the Republican primaries in both states.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that consumer prices had risen 0.3% in February.

Hockey
NHL
Pittsburgh 6 Edmonton 5

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Van Tien Dung, 84. North Vietnamese military leader. General Dung, a peasant soldier who rose to become commander-in-chief of the North Vietnamese army, led the final campaign that captured and occupied the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon in 1975.

Space
The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), sponsored by NASA and the German Aerospace Centre, was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.

Sport
The 17th Arctic Winter Games opened on the same day in Nuuk, Greenland, and Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada.