March 19, 2013

450 years ago
1563

War
Catherine de Medici, acting as regent for her son King Charles IX of France, signed the Edict of Amboise, ending the first phase of the French Wars of Religion and guaranteeing privileges and freedoms for the Huguenots (French Protestants).

200 years ago
1813

Born on this date
David Livingstone. Scottish missionary and explorer. Dr. Livingstone was a Congregationalist medical missionary with the London Missionary Society, and spent much of his life in Africa. He lost contact with the outside world for six years, and the New York Herald sent Henry Stanley to Africa in 1869 to look for him. They met on the shores of Lake Tanganyika on November 10, 1871, with Mr. Stanley supposedly saying, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" Dr. Livingstone died of malaria and dysentery in what is now Zambia on May 1, 1873 at the age of 60.

190 years ago
1823

Born on this date
Arthur Blyth. U.K.-born Australian politician. Sir Arthur grew up in Birmingham and moved to South Australia with his parents at the age of 16. He held various cabinet posts in South Australia, and served three terms as Premier of South Australia (1864-1865, 1871-1872, 1873-1875). Sir Arthur was appointed as South Australia's agent-general in London in 1877, and represented S.A. at the 1887 colonial conference. He died in Bournemouth, England on December 7, 1891 at the age of 68.

160 years ago
1853

World events
During the Taiping Rebellion in China, the rebels captured Nanking and renamed it T'en-ching (Heavenly Capital).

150 years ago
1863

War
The largest Confederate cruiser, the SS Georgiana, was destroyed on her maiden voyage from Scotland to Charleston, South Carolina when she encountered a Union Navy blockade of Charleston and was heavily damaged by shots from the USS Wissahickon, whereupon she was scuttled by her captain, A.B. Davidson.

130 years ago
1883

Born on this date
Joseph Stilwell. U.S. military officer. General Stilwell, nicknamed "Vinegar Joe" because of his personality, was a United States Army officer mainly known for commanding Allied forces in the China-Burma-India theatre during World War II, where he preferred ground troops to air power. He had difficult relationships with British commanders, and had an especially poor relationship with Nationalist Chinese leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, which eventually led to Gen. Stilwell's recall from command in October 1944. Gen. Stilwell continued to serve the Army in other capacities until his death on October 12, 1946 at the age of 63, after an operation for stomach cancer.

70 years ago
1943

Died on this date
Frank Nitti, 57. U.S. gangster. A native of Italy, Mr. Nitti moved to the United States at the age of 7, eventually living in Chicago. He ran Al Capone's liquor smuggling and distribution operation, and took over the organization after Mr. Capone was sentenced to prison for income tax evasion. He was one of a number of gangsters indicted in 1943 for trying to extort money out of Hollywood movie studios. The day before he was to appear before a grand jury, Mr. Nitti got drunk and went for a walk, taking a loaded revolver with him. He shot himself to death in a railroad yard in North Riverside, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The character of Mr. Nitti made frequent appearances in the television series The Untouchables (1959-1963), where he was portrayed by Bruce Gordon.

60 years ago
1953

Movies
The Academy Awards were televised for the first time, honouring movies released in 1952. The awards included: Best Picture--The Greatest Show on Earth; Best Director--John Ford, The Quiet Man; Best Actor--Gary Cooper, High Noon; Best Actress--Shirley Booth, Come Back, Little Sheba; Best Supporting Actor--Anthony Quinn, Viva Zapata!; Best Supporting Actress--Gloria Grahame, The Bad and the Beautiful; Best Original Song--High Noon. It was the first time that the awards for best picture, director, actor, actress, supporting actor, and supporting actress had been son by six different movies. It happened again in 1956 and not again until 2005.



50 years ago
1963

Died on this date
Lionel Hill, 81. Australian politician. Mr. Hill had a successful career as a football player before joining the South Australian Labour Party. He was first elected to the S.A. House of Assembly in 1915, and became party leader and Premier of South Australia in August 1926, serving as Premier until Labour's defeat in the 1927 state election. The Labour Party was returned to power in the 1930 South Australia state election, with Mr. Hill as Premier, but he had difficulty dealing with the economic conditions of the Depression, and he was expelled as leader of the S.A. Labour Party in August 1931. Mr. Hill then formed the splinter Parliamentary Labour Party, and remained as Premier until February 1933 with the support of the Liberal Federation. He resigned his offices in February 1933 to serve as South Australian Agent-General in London, but complaints about his performance led to his resignation in August 1934. Mr. Hill returned to electoral politics in 1958 as an alderman in Kensington and Norwood, serving until his death.

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): You're So Vain--Carly Simon (5th week at #1)

#1 single in France: Les gondoles à Venise--Sheila & Ringo (3rd week at #1)

Economics and finance
Foreign exchange markets reopened after a suspension of nearly two weeks. The U.S. dollar had increased in value in Europe, and was strong in heavy trading in Tokyo.

Disasters
An Air Vietnam DC-4 airliner crashed on approach to Ban Me Thuot Airport in the Vietnamese central highlands, killing at least 58.

30 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in France: Chante--Les Forbans (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler

#1 single in the U.K.: Total Eclipse of the Heart--Bonnie Tyler (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Billie Jean--Michael Jackson (3rd week at #1)

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

Singles entering the chart were Solitaire by Laura Branigan (#71); So Wrong by Patrick Simmons (#74); Photograph by Def Leppard (#80); Every Home Should Have One by Patti Austin (#84); Mornin' by Jarreau (#85); Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel (#87); Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo (#88); Carrie's Gone by Le Roux (#89); and Don't Run (Come Back to Me) by KC & the Sunshine Band (Duet with Teri DeSario) (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Hungry Like the Wolf--Duran Duran
2 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club
3 Stray Cat Strut--Stray Cats
4 We've Got Tonight--Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
5 Billie Jean--Michael Jackson
6 Sexual Healing--Marvin Gaye
7 Shy Boy--Bananarama
8 When I'm with You--Sheriff
9 You Are--Lionel Richie
10 Baby, Come to Me--Patti Austin (with James Ingram)

Singles entering the chart were Midnight Blue by Louise Tucker (#42); Little Red Corvette by Prince (#43); Poison Arrow by ABC (#47); Human Race by Red Rider (#48); and It Might Be You by Stephen Bishop (#49). Midnight Blue, based on Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique, featured accompanying vocals by Charlie Skarbek, although he was credited only on the picture sleeve of the 45.

Football
USFL
The hometown Arizona Wranglers defeated the Los Angeles Express 21-14 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. The loss was the first for the Express after two wins to start the season, and the first as a head coach for Hugh Campbell in 13 games, going back to 1982 when he was coaching the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Perdere l'Amore--Massimo Ranieri (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (7th 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 (9th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You--Glenn Medeiros (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Feet on the Ground--Hothouse Flowers

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Together Forever--Rick Astley

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): I Should Be So Lucky--Kylie Minogue (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
2 Father Figure--George Michael
3 I Get Weak--Belinda Carlisle
4 Man in the Mirror--Michael Jackson
5 Endless Summer Nights--Richard Marx
6 Out of the Blue--Debbie Gibson
7 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car--Billy Ocean
8 Just Like Paradise--David Lee Roth
9 I Want Her--Keith Sweat
10 What Have I Done to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys (with Dusty Springfield)

Singles entering the chart were Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz (#70); I Don't Want to Live Without You by Foreigner (#76); Say it Again by Jermaine Stewart (#83); One Good Reason by Paul Carrack (#85); Ritual by the Dan Reed Network (#86); Hot Hot Hot!!! by the Cure (#87); Play that Funky Music by Roxanne (#88); and My Girl by Suave (#89).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
2 Father Figure--George Michael
3 Pump Up the Volume--M/A/R/R/S
4 She's Like the Wind--Patrick Swayze (featuring Wendy Fraser)
5 Hungry Eyes--Eric Carmen
6 What Have I Done to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys (with Dusty Springfield)
7 I Get Weak--Belinda Carlisle
8 Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)--Sway
9 Could've Been--Tiffany
10 Just Like Paradise--David Lee Roth

Singles entering the chart were Rocket 2 U by the Jets (#73); Love Overboard by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#86); You Don't Know by Scarlet and Black (#89); Walk on the Wire by Diamond in the Rough (#93); I Want You So Bad by Heart (#94); Say This to Me by NEO A4 (#96); and Lake of Fire by Jale (#97).

Died on this date
Bun Cook, 83. Canadian hockey player. Mr. Cook was a left wing with the Saskatoon Crescents of the Western Canada Hockey League (1924-25); Saskatoon Sheiks of the Western Hockey League (1925-26); New York Rangers (1926-36) and Boston Bruins (1936-37) of the National Hockey League; and Providence Reds of the International-American (later American) Hockey League (1937-43). In 473 NHL games, he scored 158 goals and 144 assists. Mr. Cook, his brother Bill, and Frank Boucher comprised the "Bread Line" with the Rangers, leading the team to their first two Stanley Cup championships in 1927-28 and 1932-33. In the AHL, Mr. Cook coached the Reds for 6 seasons and then coached the Cleveland Barons through 1955-56, winning a record seven Calder Cup championships--2 with the Reds and 5 with the Barons. His 636 wins as a head coach remains the AHL record. Mr. Cook was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.

Politics and government
In the race for the 1988 U.S. Democratic Party U.S. presidential nomination, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis won the Kansas caucuses.

20 years ago
1993

Law
Byron White, 75, who had been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since being appointed by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, announced his intention to retire.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Émile Genest, 81. Canadian-born actor. Mr. Genest, a native of Quebec City, began his career in Quebec and Montreal, and was part of the cast of the radio and television series La famille Plouffe (1953-1959). He worked in Canada and the United States for many years, appearing in Walt Disney movies such as Big Red (1962) and The Incredible Journey (1963), and in many television programs. Mr. Genest died while on vacation in Florida.

War
The United States, with help from the United Kingdom and Australia, launched Operation Iraqi Freedom, an invasion of Iraq, with a "decapitiation attack" targeting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and other leaders in Baghdad. The first attack occurred after dark, when about 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles descended on targets in Baghdad in response to intelligence information that Mr. Hussein was at a meeting with other top leaders in a private house over a bunker in the southern part of the city.

Politics and government
Mahmoud Abbas officially took office as Prime Minister of Palestine.

Environment
The United States Senate voted 52-48 to defeat a proposal supported by the administration of President George W. Bush to allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Range.