March 30, 2014

370 years ago
1644

War
Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve and his militia, aided by force of 30 settlers, defeated a large band of marauding Iroquois on the site of the Place d'Armes in Montreal. The Iroquois had massacred several habitant families.

200 years ago
1814

War
Forces of the Sixth Coalition (United Kingdom, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, and a number of German states) marched into Paris.

In the War of 1812, British troops commanded by James Wilkinson defeated an American force of 4,000 troops at Lacolle, Lower Canada, forcing them to retreat to Plattsburg, New York.

180 years ago
1834

Politics and government
William Lyon Mackenzie was appointed the first Mayor of Toronto by city council, defeating John Rolph.

170 years ago
1844

Born on this date
Paul Verlaine. French poet. Mr. Verlaine was associated with the Decadent movement, and was known for collections such as Romances sans paroles (1874) and Sagesse (1880). He descended into drug addiction, drunkenness, and poverty, and died on January 8, 1896 at the age of 51.

War
One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti took place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, when Dominican troops led by General José María Imbert defeated an outnumbering force of the Haitian Army led by General Jean-Louis Pierrot.

150 years ago
1864

Politics and government
Etienne-Paschal Taché formed the Taché-Macdonald government of Canada with John A. Macdonald.

140 years ago
1874

Politics and government
Louis Riel arrived in Hull, Quebec to claim his Canadian House of Commons seat representing the Manitoba riding of Provencher. He stayed in Hull rather than going to Ottawa because of a warrant for his arrest for the 1870 murder of Thomas Scott.

125 years ago
1889

Soccer
English FA Cup
Final @ Kennington Oval, London
Preston North End 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

120 years ago
1894

Born on this date
Tommy Green. U.K. race walker. Mr. Green served in World War I, and held various jobs before taking up race walking in 1926. He won numerous competitions over the next few years, culminating in a gold medal in the men's 50-kilometre walk at the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932. Mr. Walker retired from competitive walking in 1936, and worked as a publican. He died on March 29, 1975, the day before his 81st birthday.

Abominations
The Women's Enfranchisement Association of New Brunswick was organized in Saint John, under the presidency of Sarah Manning.

100 years ago
1914

Born on this date
Sonny Boy Williamson. U.S. musician. Mr. Williamson, born John Lee Curtis Williamson, became known as the "father of modern blues harp," and was popular from 1937 until his death on June 1, 1948 at the age of 34 when he was beaten and robbed while walking home after a performance in Chicago.

80 years ago
1934

At the movies
House of Mystery, directed by William Nigh, and starring Ed Lowry, Verna Hillie, and Brandon Hurst, opened in theatres.



75 years ago
1939

War
Prime Minister Mackenzie King said that Canada would not conscript men for foreign service.

Defense
The German Heinkel He 100 fighter set a world airspeed record of 463 miles per hour (745 kilometres per hour).

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
New York Rangers 2 @ Boston 1 (OT) (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-2)
Toronto 1 @ Detroit 3 (Best-of-three series tied 1-1)

Clint Smith scored at 17:19 of the 1st overtime period to give the Rangers their win over the Bruins at Boston Garden.

70 years ago
1944

War
Allied bombers conducted their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria. Along the east coast of England, 795 aircraft were dispatched, including 572 Lancasters, 214 Halifaxes and 9 Mosquitos, for an Allied bombing run on Nuremberg. The bombers met resistance at the coasts of Belgium and the Netherlands from German fighters. Soviet forces captured Cernauti in northern Bukovina. U.S. troops occupied Pityilu Island in the Admiralty Islands.

Business
General Motors announced that sales in 1943 were a record $3,796,115,800, with 93.3% of the production in munitions.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Toronto 0 @ Montreal 11 (Montreal won best-of-seven series 4-1)
Chicago 5 @ Detroit 2 (Chicago won best-of-seven series 4-1)

The Canadiens erupted for 7 goals in the 3rd period as they embarrassed the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. The rout set a record for the most lopsided game in modern Stanley Cup history, and the Canadiens also set playoff records for the fastest 4 goals (2 minutes, 35 seconds) and fastest 5 goals (3 minutes, 36 seconds) by one team. Toe Blake scored at 7:58 of the 3rd period, and scored again at 8:37; he was followed by Maurice "Rocket" Richard (9:17); Ray Getliffe (10:33) and Buddy O'Connor (11:34).

Doug Bentley scored 3 goals for the Black Hawks as they eliminated the Red Wings at Olympia Stadium.

Basketball
NCAA
The University of Utah defeated St. John's University 43-36 to win the unofficial national college championship.

60 years ago
1954

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Torment, starring Martin Kosleck and Luise Rainer

Transportation
Canada's first subway line opened, along Yonge Street in Toronto.

50 years ago
1964

Hit parade
#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): If I Had a Hammer--Trini Lopez (9th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Outer Limits, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Fun and Games, starring Nick Adams, Nancy Malone, Robert Johnson, Bill Hart, and Charles MacQuarry

The U.S. game show Jeopardy, hosted by Art Fleming, was first broadcast on NBC.

Died on this date
Nella Larsen, 72. U.S. authoress. Miss Larsen, born Nella Walker, was a nurse and librarian who was known for her novels Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929), achieving recognition as a figure in the Harlem Renaissance and American modernism. She died two weeks before her 73rd birthday.

Space
The mission of the Soviet satellite Cosmos 19, launched August 6, 1963, ended.

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Tiger Feet--Mud

#1 single in the U.K.: Billy - Don't Be a Hero--Paper Lace (3rd week at #1)

Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 My Coo Ca Choo--Alvin Stardust (2nd week at #1)
2 Farewell Aunty Jack--Grahame Bond
3 Sorrow--David Bowie
4 The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead
5 I Love You Love Me Love--Gary Glitter
6 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
7 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
8 Heartbeat - It's a Lovebeat--DeFranco Family
9 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
10 Daytona Demon--Suzi Quatro

Singles entering the chart were Hitch a Ride on a Smile by Jamie Redfern (#35) and You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me by the New Seekers (#37).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Sunshine on My Shoulders--John Denver

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sunshine on My Shoulders--John Denver
2 Dark Lady--Cher
3 Mockingbird--Carly Simon and James Taylor
4 Hooked on a Feeling--Blue Swede
5 Bennie and the Jets--Elton John
6 Jet--Paul McCartney & Wings
7 Rock On--David Essex
8 TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)--MFSB featuring the Three Degrees
9 Eres Tu (Touch the Wind)--Mocedades
10 The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead

Singles entering the chart were Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing by Stevie Wonder (#76); Werewolf by the Five Man Electrical Band (#82); It Only Hurts When I Try to Smile by Tony Orlando & Dawn (#83); Summer Breeze (Part 1) by the Isley Brothers (#84); All in Love is Fair by Barbra Streisand (#86); Standing at the End of the Line by Lobo (#87); Goin' Down Slow by Bobby Blue Bland (#91); One Hell of a Woman by Mac Davis (#95); Loving Arms by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge (#98); No Charge by Melba Montgomery (#99); and Simone by Henry Gross (#100).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Rock On--David Essex
2 Dark Lady--Cher
3 Sunshine on My Shoulders--John Denver
4 Mockingbird--Carly Simon and James Taylor
5 Jet--Paul McCartney & Wings
6 Eres Tu (Touch the Wind)--Mocedades
7 Love Song--Anne Murray
8 Hooked on a Feeling--Blue Swede
9 The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead
10 Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo--Rick Derringer

Singles entering the chart included Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot (#76); (I've Been) Searchin' So Long by Chicago (#79); Heavenly by the Temptations (#80); Werewolf by the Five Man Electrical Band (#87); It's Been a Long Time by the New Birth (#88); A Dream Goes On Forever by Todd Rundgren (#91); Might Just Take Your Life by Deep Purple (#92); Would You Lay with Me by Tanya Tucker (#93); Madelaine by Stu Nunnery (#94); Power of Love by Martha Reeves (#95); Dance with the Devil by Cozy Powell (#97); I'm a Train by Albert Hammond (#98); Homely Girl by the Chi-Lites (#99); and Stagger Lee by Teen Angel and the Rockin' Rebels (#100).

Calgary's Top 10
1 The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead
2 Sunshine on My Shoulders--John Denver
3 Dark Lady--Cher
4 Jet--Paul McCartney & Wings
5 The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand
6 Jungle Boogie--Kool & The Gang
7 Eres Tu (Touch the Wind)--Mocedades
8 Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo--Rick Derringer
9 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
10 Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra
Pick hit of the week: Keep on Singing--Helen Reddy

30 years ago
1984

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Poi E--Patea Maori Club (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Relax--Frankie Goes to Hollywood (6th week at #1)

At the movies
Romancing the Stone, starring Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, and Danny DeVito, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Lorne Anderson, 52. Canadian hockey goaltender. Mr. Anderson spent many years in the minor leagues, but played 3 games with the New York Rangers in the 1951-52 season, averaging 6.00 goals against while posting a 1-2 record. In his final NHL game on March 23, 1952, Mr. Anderson gave up 3 goals to Billy Mosienko of the Chicago Black Hawks in a 21-second span, a record for the fastest 3 goals by a single player that still stands.

War
U.S. President Ronald Reagan formally ended U.S. participation in the multinational peacekeeping force in Beirut.

Defense
The United States restricted the sale to Iraq of five chemical compounds that could be used to make poison gases.

Economics and finance
The United States, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and a group of commercial banks agreed on a package of assistance that would permit Argentina to make a long-overdue interest payment to American banks. The sum of $500 million included $100 million of Argentina's own reserves.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Like a Prayer--Madonna

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Paradise City--Guns N' Roses

20 years ago
1994

Football
NFL
Former University of Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer was named as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, succeeding Jimmy Johnson, who had resigned the previous day after leading the Cowboys to two straight Super Bowl championships.

10 years ago
2004

Died on this date
Alistair Cooke, 95. U.K.-born U.S. journalist. Mr. Cooke began his career reporting on Britain to radio listeners in the U.S.A., but after emigrating to the United States in 1937, he spent the rest of his life reporting on the U.S.A. to British listeners until just a few weeks before his death. He hosted the television documentary series America: A Personal History of the United States in 1972, and hosted Masterpiece Theatre on PBS from 1971-1992.

Timi Yuro, 63. U.S. singer. Miss Yuro was best known for her version of Hurt, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in 1961. Her other hits included Whats a Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You) (#12, 1962) and Make the World Go Away (#24, 1963).

Terrorism
Canadian Auditor General Sheila Fraser reported that, despite a plan to spend nearly $8 billion to improve national security, Canada's security agencies were failing to cooperate effectively to combat terrorism. She also cited vulnerabilities at airports and border crossings.