March 12, 2013

1,475 years ago
538

War
Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths, ended his siege of Rome and retreated to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Byzantine general, Belisarius.

140 years ago
1873

Winnipegana
Winnipeg's first electric light was turned on out front of the Davis House Hotel on Main Street, near the present intersection with Portage Avenue.

125 years ago
1888

Labour
China approved a treaty barring Chinese labourers from entering the United States for 20 years. The treaty was in accord with a policy approved six years earlier by the U.S. Congress.

110 years ago
1903

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Rat Portage Thistles 2 @ Ottawa Silver Seven 6 (First game of two-game total goals challenge series)

Baseball
The New York Highlanders, formerly the Baltimore Orioles, were given official approval as an American League franchise. The Orioles franchise had collapsed in mid-season of 1902, and had been operated by the league for the balance of the season before being moved to New York.

100 years ago
1913

Australiana
The future capital of Australia was officially named Canberra.

90 years ago
1923

Boxing
Luis Angel Firpo (18-2) knocked out Bill Brennan (52-8-3) in the 12th round of a heavyweight bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City.



80 years ago
1933

Politics and government
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the first of his "fireside chats," addressed directly to American radio listeners.

75 years ago
1938

World events
The German 8th Army crossed the border into Austria in the morning, facing no military opposition. The German troops were greeted by cheering Austrians with Hitler salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers. One term used to describe this invasion was Blumenkrieg (War of Flowers). It marked the first big test of machinery for the Wehrmacht under the rule of the Nazis. That afternoon, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler crossed the border in his car at Braunau, his birthplace. He arrived at Linz that evening, and the reception for him at city hall was so enthusiastic that even the Nazis themselves were surprised.

70 years ago
1943

Music
Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man received its premiere performance by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as part of a fanfare project commissioned by the orchestra. Others among the 10 composers who produced works for the project were Howard Hanson, Roy Harris, Walter Piston, and Virgil Thomson.

50 years ago
1963

On television tonight
The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Butcher's Boy

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): You're So Vain--Carly Simon (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Les gondoles à Venise--Sheila & Ringo (2nd week at #1)

On television tonight
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, on NBC

This was the last new episode , which included guest stars Ernest Borgnine, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Robert Goulet.

Died on this date
Frankie Frisch, 74. U.S. baseball player and manager. The "Fordham Flash" played 19 seasons with the New York Giants (1919-1926) and St. Louis Cardinals (1927-1937), batting .316 with 105 home runs and 1,244 runs batted in in 2,311 games. He split his time between third base and second base in his first four seasons before settling in at second base. Mr. Frisch led the National League in hits in 1923; in runs in 1924; in stolen bases in 1921, 1927, and 1931; and in fielding average for second basemen in 1923, 1927, and 1928. He played in 8 World Series, and was on the winning side in 1921, 1922, 1931, and 1934. Mr. Frisch was named manager of the Cardinals in 1933, and led them through the 1938 season. He also managed the Pitsburgh Pirates (1940-1946) and Chicago Cubs (1949-1951), compiling a record of 1,138-1,078 in 16 seasons. Mr. Frisch was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. He died from injuries suffered in a car accident a month earlier.

World events
Two days after the assassination of Bermudan Governor Sir Richard Sharples, acting Governor Ian Kinnear extended the island's state of emergency by increasing the right to detain suspects without charge for four days.

Politics and government
Argentine President Alejandro Lanusse declared Dr. Hector Campora, handpicked candidate of former President Juan Peron, the winner of the previous day's presidential election, giving Mr. Peron's party, the Justicialista Liberation Front (FREJULI), control of both houses of parliament.

Economics and finance
West German Finance Minister Helmut Schmidt announced a 3% upward revaluation of the mark, while an 11-hour meeting of European Economic Community finance ministers resulted in the decision that West Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark would jointly float their currencies to defend against the influx of U.S. dollars.

Disasters
Two buses collided head-on in Antofagasta, Chile, killng 45 people.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Chante--Les Forbans (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Billie Jean--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Billie Jean--Michael Jackson (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Billie Jean--Michael Jackson
2 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club
3 Stray Cat Strut--Stray Cats
4 Down Under--Men at Work
5 You Are--Lionel Richie
6 Hungry Like the Wolf--Duran Duran
7 Shame on the Moon--Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
8 Back on the Chain Gang--Pretenders
9 All Right--Christopher Cross
10 We've Got Tonight--Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton

Singles entering the chart were I Won't Hold You Back by Toto (#64); Even Now by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (#83); Desperate But Not Serious by Adam Ant (#84); Escalator of Life by Robert Hazard (#85); Walking in L.A. by Missing Persons (#86); Always Something There to Remind Me by Naked Eyes (#87); Straight from the Heart by Bryan Adams (#88); Eenie Meenie by Jeffrey Osborne (#89); and Only You by Yaz (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club (2nd week at #1)
2 Sexual Healing--Marvin Gaye
3 Hungry Like the Wolf--Duran Duran
4 Baby, Come to Me--Patti Austin (with James Ingram)
5 Stray Cat Strut--Stray Cats
6 Goody Two Shoes--Adam Ant
7 Africa--Toto
8 We've Got Tonight--Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
9 When I'm with You--Sheriff
10 You Are--Lionel Richie

Singles entering the chart were Twisting by the Pool by Dire Straits (#42); Change of Heart by Tom Petty (#45); and Whirly Girl by Oxo (#48).

Economics and finance
The seventh meeting of the world's non-aligned nations concluded in New Delhi with the adoption of a declaration calling for measures to stabilize the world's economy. Delegates urged the United Nations to hold a conference to restructure the world monetary system., advocated increasing the lending capability of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and proposed a meeting with developed nations for the purpose of restructuring the debts of poor nations. Four new members were admitted to the club, bringing membership in the non-aligned movement to 101 nations.

Hockey
NHL
In a game against the Washington Capitals, Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders scored his 50th goal of the season, becoming the first National Hockey League player to score 50 or more goals in each of his first 6 seasons.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Perdere l'Amore--Massimo Ranieri

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (6th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (8th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Together Forever--Rick Astley

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Beat Dis--Bomb the Bass (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): I Should Be So Lucky--Kylie Minogue (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Father Figure--George Michael (3rd week at #1)
2 She's Like the Wind--Patrick Swayze (featuring Wendy Fraser)
3 I Get Weak--Belinda Carlisle
4 What Have I Done to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys (with Dusty Springfield)
5 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
6 Endless Summer Nights--Richard Marx
7 Man in the Mirror--Michael Jackson
8 Out of the Blue--Debbie Gibson
9 Just Like Paradise--David Lee Roth
10 Can't Stay Away from You--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine

Singles entering the chart were Dreaming by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (#84); Anything for You by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (#85); Strange But True by Times Two (#87); and Love in the First Degree by Bananarama (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Pump Up the Volume--M/A/R/R/S (3rd week at #1)
2 Hungry Eyes--Eric Carmen
3 What Have I Done to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys (with Dusty Springfield)
4 Father Figure--George Michael
5 She's Like the Wind--Patrick Swayze (featuring Wendy Fraser)
6 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
7 Could've Been--Tiffany
8 Need You Tonight--INXS
9 Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)--Sway
10 Crying--Roy Orbison and k.d. lang

Singles entering the chart were What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstong (#78); One Step Up by Bruce Springsteen (#83); Electric Blue by Icehouse (#90); Push It by Salt 'N' Pepa (#92); I Won't Cry by Paul Janz (#93); I Want Her by Keith Sweat (#95); Some Kind of Lover by Jody Watley (#96); and Pamela by Toto (#97).

Politics and government
Rev. Jesse Jackson won the Democratic party primary in South Carolina in the contest for the nomination for President of the United States.

Disasters
In Katmandu, Nepal, more than 90 people died when a hailstorm at a soccer game caused fans to stampede toward the exits.

Hockey
NHL
The Toronto Maple Leafs kept their playoff hopes alive with a 6-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Hockey Night in Canada action at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

20 years ago
1993

Terrorism
At least 250 people were killed and 1,100 injured when 15 bombs exploded in Bombay, causing $10 million in damage.

Politics and governemnt
Janet Reno took office as the first female Attorney General in the United States.

Weather
A huge storm system began sweeping across eastern North America from Canada to Cuba, affecting mainly the United States.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Howard Fast, 88. U.S. author. Mr. Fast was a screenwriter who was blacklisted by Hollywood studios for most of the 1950s because of his membership in the Communist Party. His novel Spartacus (1951) was his best-known work, and the 1960 movie based on it, with a screenplay by fellow Communist Dalton Trumbo, effectively ended the blacklist.

Zoran Djindjic, 50 . Prime Minister of Serbia, 2001-2003. Mr. Djindjic, one of the founders of the Democratic Party, was shot by an assault rifle fired from a building across the street from his office. The man who fired the shot, Zvezdan Jovanović, was a soldier under the command of Milorad "Legija" Ulemek, former commander of the Special Operations Unit of Yugoslavia's secret police.

Andrey Kivilev, 29. Kazakh cyclist. Mr. Kivilev died the day after falling and hitting his head during the Paris-Nice race. Mr. Kivilev wasn't wearing a helmet, and his death resulted in a rule requiring helmets for such events.

Crime
Elizabeth Smart, 15, was found alive by police in Sandy, Utah, nine months after being kidnapped from her parents' home in Salt Lake City.