March 2, 2013

100 years ago
1913

Born on this date
Mort Cooper. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Cooper played with the St. Louis Cardinals (1938-1945); Boston Braves (1945-1947); New York Giants (1947-1948); and Chicago Cubs (1949), compiling a record of 128-75 with an earned run average of 2.97 in 295 games in a career that was shortened by elbow problems. He led the National League with 22 wins in 1942 and tied for the lead in wins with 21 in 1943, followed by a 22-win season in 1944. The Cardinals won the National League pennant in all three seasons, and the World Series in 1942 and 1944. Mr. Cooper's younger brother Walker, a catcher, was his batterymate with the Cardinals and Giants. Mort Cooper died of cirrhosis of the liver and a lung condition at the age of 45 on November 17, 1958.

80 years ago
1933

At the movies
King Kong received its premiere screening at Radio City Music Hall and RKO Roxy theatre in New York City.

70 years ago
1943

War
American and Australian forces sank Japanese convoy ships in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.

50 years ago
1963

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): From a Jack to a King--Ned Miller

#1 single in France: Tous les Garçons et les Filles--Françoise Hardy (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy: Giovane, Giovane--Pino Donaggio

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Junge, komm bald wieder--Freddy Quinn (9th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Please Please Me--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Walk Like a Man--The 4 Seasons

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Hey Paula--Paul and Paula (4th week at #1)
2 Walk Like a Man--The 4 Seasons
3 Ruby Baby--Dion
4 Rhythm of the Rain--The Cascades
5 Walk Right In--The Rooftop Singers
6 You're the Reason I'm Living--Bobby Darin
7 From a Jack to a King--Ned Miller
8 Wild Weekend--The Rebels
9 Blame it on the Bossa Nova--Eydie Gorme
10 What Will Mary Say--Johnny Mathis

Singles entering the chart were Twenty Miles by Chubby Checker (#76); Out of My Mind by Johnny Tillotson (#83); Baby Workout by Jackie Wilson (#84); Nothing Goes Up (Without Coming Down) by Nat King Cole (#86); Follow the Boys by Connie Francis (#91); Rainbow by Gene Chandler (#92); Pipeline by the Chantays (#93); Linda by Jan & Dean (#94); Don't Mention My Name by the Shepherd Sisters (#95); and He's Got the Power by the Exciters (#97). Twenty Miles was the B-side of Let's Limbo Some More, which charted at #29.

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC Home Service
Tonight's episode: The Sign of the Four

40 years ago
1973

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: You're So Vain--Carly Simon (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Block Buster--The Sweet (2nd week at #1)

Terrorism
Palestinian Black September terrorists who had invaded the Saudi Arabian embassy in Khartoum the previous day murdered departing counsellor of the U.S. embassy George Moore, U.S. Ambassador Cleo Noel, and Belgian charge d'affaires Guy Eid after negotiations with the Sudanese government broke down.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Richard Nixon announced that there would not be another devaluation of the U.S. dollar, declaring that the United States would survive the "attack by international speculators. Meanwhile, all Japanese and western European banks were ordered closed.

30 years ago
1983

Diplomacy
Pope John Paul II arrived in Costa Rica to begin a week-long visit to Central America and Haiti. He warned that solutions to the area's problems must be found without resort to violence and without outside interference, an implied criticism of the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that sales of new single-family homes had risen 9.9% in January, the largest increase in 28 months. The department also said that the index of leading economic indicators had risen 3.6% in January, the second-highest monthly increase ever.

Technology
Compact discs and compact disc players, available only in Japan since October 1, 1982, were released in other markets. The discs issued were 16 titles from CBS Records.

25 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Allt som jag känner--Tone Norum and Tommy Nilsson (3rd week at #1)

War
For the first time, Iraqi missiles struck the holy city of Qom in Iran.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who was in Brussels to attend a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit, met with Secretary of State George Shultz, who had just visited Jordan in an attempt to get the Middle East peace process restarted.

Politics and government
Televangelist Pat Robertson won the Republican party primary in Alaska in the 1988 contest for the nomination for President of the United States.

Law
The United States House of Representatives overrode President Ronald Reagan's veto and voted 315-98 in favour of a bill outlawing discrimination based on sex, race, age, or physical disability in any program in an institution whether or not that program received federal funding. Schools and agencies of state and local governments were covered, as were corporations and private organizations if they provided certain services.

Economics and finance
The United States State Department advised American banks not to disburse funds to Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.

20 years ago
1993

War
Serbian nationalist forces captured the Muslim community of Cserka in eastern Bosnia after an airdrop of relief supplies from the U.S.A. arrived too late.

10 years ago
2003

Died on this date
Hank Ballard, 75. U.S. musician. Mr. Ballard was a rhythm and blues artist who, wit his band the Midnighters, was one of the most important pioneers of rock and roll. His hit singles, many of which were banned from radio play because of their risque lyrics, included Work with Me, Annie (#1, Billboard R&B, 1954); Sexy Ways (#2 R&B, 1954); Annie Had a Baby (#1 R&B, 1954); Annie's Aunt Fannie (#10 R&B, 1954); Teardrops on Your Letter (#4 R&B, #87 Hot 100, 1959); Finger Poppin' Time (#2, R&B, #7 Hot 100, 1960); and Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go (#1 R&B, #6 Hot 100, 1960). Mr. Ballard wrote The Twist, which reached #16 on the R&B chart as the B-side of Teardrops on Your Letter, and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960 and again in 1962 in a version recorded by Chubby Checker. Mr. Ballard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

Malcolm Williamson, 71. Australian composer. Mr. Williamson was Master of the Queen's Music from 1975 until his death, becoming the first non-British composer to hold the title.

Terrorism
The trial of 19 people accused of belonging to the Greek leftist group November 17 opened. Greek officials accused the organization of murdering 23 people since 1973.