March 10, 2015

600 years ago
1415

Born on this date
Vasily II. Grand Prince of Moscow, 1425-1433; 1435-1446; 1447-1462. Vasily II's reign was plagued by civil war, and he was captured, blinded, and exiled to Uglich in 1446. Vasily II returned to power, and died on March 27, 1462, 17 days after his 47th birthday. He was succeeded as Grand Prince of Moscow by his son Ivan III.

230 years ago
1785

Diplomacy
Thomas Jefferson was appointed U.S. minister to France, succeeding Benjamin Franklin.

170 years ago
1845

Born on this date
Aleksandr III. Czar of Russia, 1881-1894. Aleksandr III acceded to the throne upon the assassination of his father Aleksandr II. He reversed some of the liberal reforms of his father, and governed in an autocratic manner until his death from nephritis on November 1, 1894 at the age of 49.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Albert Ogilvie. Australian politician. Mr. Ogilvie, a member of the Labour Party, represented the Division of Franklin in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1919 until his death. He became Leader of the Opposition in 1929, and Premier of Tasmania from 1934. Mr. Ogilvie's government modernized Tasmania's health care system and embarked on other economic reforms. He was in office at the time of his death on June 10, 1939 at the age of 49, which took place a few hours after he took ill while playing golf.

100 years ago
1915

War
Canadian soldiers saw action in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in France.

80 years ago
1935

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Leigh Lovell, on NBC

75 years ago
1940

On television tonight
In the first televised opera, W2XBS-TV in New York City broadcast members of the Metropolitan Opera Company in scenes from I Pagliacci.

Died on this date
Mikhail Bulgakov, 48. Russian author and playwright. Dr. Bulgakov was a surgeon who abandoned his medical career after a near-fatal attack of typhus in 1919. He then began another career, writing journalism, novels, short stories and plays. Dr. Bulgakov had difficulty getting his writing published or his plays produced, but Soviet dictator Josef Stalin saved him from arrest and execution. Dr. Bulgakov died after a long battle with the inherited kidney disorder nephrosclerosis. His best-known work, the novel The Master and Margarita, which satirized the atheism of the Soviet Union, was written between 1928-1940, but wasn't published until the late 1960s.

War
Diplomatic sources in Washington reported the scuttling of the German steamer Hanover near Puerto Rico, near the American safety zone.

World events
A Hindu-Muslim riot in Calcutta claimed the lives of six people.

Economics and finance
A United States Commerce Department survey indicated that trade with the Netherlands East Indies would increase because of the European war.

Labour
The International Labor Organization announced the postponement of its annual meeting for one year.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rum and Coca-Cola--The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Best Seller--5th week at #1; Juke Box--5th week at #1); Don't Fence Me In--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Airplay--7th week at #1)

War
The First Canadian Army forced German troops across the Rhine River opposite Wesel, the last Nazi bridgehead west of the Rhine, ending a month-long campaign. Soviet troops captured Lauenburg and Kartuzy on the road to Danzig, and split the enemy lines on the city's outskirts. More than 300 Marianas-based U.S. Army Air Forces Superfortresses dropped 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs on Tokyo in the heaviest raid on the city to date. Casualties were estimated at 125,000, with 40% of Tokyo destroyed and one million residents left homeless. U.S. troops in the Philippines entered Antipolo, the southern anchor of the Japanese defense line east of Manila. Lord Louis Mountbatten completed three days of talks in Chungking, where complete agreement on cooperation of the various commands was reportedly reached.

World events
A coup d'état by Japanese forces in French Indochina removed the French from power, placing Governor General Hean Decoux and other French leaders in "protective custody."

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius returned from Mexico City and said that Americans must share in the responsibility of establishing and maintaining world peace.

Economics and finance
Beacuse of low civilian supplies of meats, sugar, butter, and canned fruits and vegetables, the U.S. Office of Price Administration announced reduced allotments of rationed foods for industrial users.

50 years ago
1965

Theatre
The Odd Couple, written by Neil Simon, directed by Mike Nichols, and starring Art Carney and Walter Matthau, opened at the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway in New York.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Please Mr. Postman--Carpenters (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): 22-sai no Wakare--Kaze (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Todo El Tiempo Del Mundo--Manolo Otero (12th week at #1)

Died on this date
Clint Evans, 85. U.S. baseball coach. Mr. Evans coached at the University of California at Berkeley from 1930-1954, compiling a record of 547-256 and leading the Golden Bears to the first College World Series championship in 1947.

George Stewart, 20. U.S. football player. Mr. Stewart was a defensive tackle with the University of Southern California Trojans, and was in his junior year when he died of a heart attack after lifting weights at the university gym.

War
North Vietnamese troops attacked Ban Mê Thuột, South Vietnam, on their way to capturing Saigon on the final push for victory over South Vietnam.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): I Want to Know What Love Is--Foreigner (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Square Rooms--Al Corley

#1 single in Switzerland: You're My Heart, You're My Soul--Modern Talking

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: An Item of Cartography

Died on this date
Konstantin Chernenko, 73. U.S.S.R. political leader. Mr. Chernenko replaced Yuri Andropov as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on February 13, 1984, four days after Mr. Andropov’s death. He also served as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from April 11, 1984 until his death, but was widely regarded as just a caretaker until a younger leader was ready to take over. Indeed, that turned out to be the case, when Mikhail Gorbachev succeeded to the U.S.S.R.’s highest office the day after Mr. Chernenko’s death . Mr. Chernenko was a veteran apparatchik whose background was mainly in propaganda. He was in failing health during his time in office; among his few accomplishments as Soviet leader were a trade pact with China and a meeting with British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. In the late fall of 1984 the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. agreed to resume arms reduction talks in early 1985.

Bob Nieman, 58. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Nieman was an outfielder with the St. Louis Browns (1951-1952); Detroit Tigers (1953-1954); Chicago White Sox (1955-1956); Baltimore Orioles (1956-1959); St. Louis Cardinals (1960-1961); Cleveland Indians (1961-1962); and San Francisco Giants (1962), batting .295 with 125 home runs and 544 runs batted in in 1,113 games. On September 14, 1951, he became the first man to hit home runs in each of his first 2 major league at bats. Mr. Nieman finished his major league career with a brief appearance in the 1962 World Series, and concluded his playing career with the Chunichi Dragons of the Japan Central League, betting .301 with 13 homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games.

Curling
Brier @ Moncton Coliseum
Final
Northern Ontario (Al Hackner) 6 Alberta (Pat Ryan) 5 (11 ends)

N.O. skip Al Hackner made a brilliant double take-out with his final shot in the 10th end to tie the score, and stole the winning point in the 11th when Mr. Ryan was heavy with his last rock. It was the second Canadian championship for Mr. Hacker, having led Northern Ontario to the title in 1982.



Hockey
NHL
Vancouver 6 Edmonton 3
Montreal 5 Hartford 5

CIAU
Western championship
Alberta 6 Manitoba 5 (OT) (Alberta won best-of-three series 2-1)

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Get Up! (Before the Night is Over--Technotronic (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Les Valses de Vienne--François Feldman (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Dub Be Good to Me--Beats International (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (4th week at #1)
2 Daar Gaat Ze--Clouseau
3 Sacrifice--Elton John
4 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul
5 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins
6 King Kong Five--Mano Negra
7 Live Together (New Version)--Lisa Stansfield
8 Fools Gold--The Stone Roses
9 Look Away--Chicago
10 Here I Am (Come and Take Me)--UB40

Singles entering the chart were Jij Daar! by Petra & Co. (#28); Touch Me--Sexual Version by the 49ers (#30); Put Your Hands Together by D Mob (#31); All My Life by Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville (#32); Dangerous by Roxette (#34); and Arabeat by Bingo! featuring: Serge Gobin (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Escapade--Janet Jackson (2nd week at #1)
2 Dangerous--Roxette
3 Roam--The B-52s
4 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
5 Price of Love--Bad English
6 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
7 No More Lies--Michel'le
8 Here We Are--Gloria Estefan
9 I Go to Extremes--Billy Joel
10 Love Will Lead You Back--Taylor Dayne

Singles entering the chart were The Secret Garden by Quincy Jones (#73); Time After Time by Timmy T. (#80); Room at the Top by Adam Ant (#84); The Way it Is by Tesla (#86); Bad Love by Eric Clapton (#88); Have a Heart by Bonnie Raitt (#92); Hide and Seek by Pajama Party (#93); Expression by Salt-N-Pepa (#95); and Advice for the Young at Heart by Tears for Fears (#96).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Escapade--Janet Jackson
2 Dangerous--Roxette
3 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
4 All or Nothing--Milli Vanilli
5 We Can't Go Wrong--Cover Girls
6 Roam--The B-52's
7 Price of Love--Bad English
8 Tell Me Why--Expose
9 Here We Are--Gloria Estefan
10 C'mon and Get My Love--D Mob introducing Cathy Dennis

Singles entering the chart were Have a Heart by Bonnie Raitt (#59); Room at the Top by Adam Ant (#64); I Come Off by Young M.C. (#69); Lambada by Kaoma (#73); A Face in the Crowd by Tom Petty (#76); Got to Have Your Love by Mantronix (featuring Wondress) (#82); Whatcha Gonna Do with My Lovin' by Inner City (#87); and Imagination by Xymox (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair) (2nd week at #1)
2 Dangerous--Roxette
3 Escapade--Janet Jackson
4 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins
5 I Go to Extremes--Billy Joel
6 Roam--The B-52's
7 Here We Are--Gloria Estefan
8 Too Late to Say Goodbye--Richard Marx
9 No Myth--Michael Penn
10 All or Nothing--Milli Vanilli

Singles entering the chart were Carry On by the Box (#69); Don't Wanna Fall in Love by Jane Child (#73); A Little Love by Corey Hart (#76); No More Lies by Michel'le (#80); Keep it in Line by Danny Brooks (#83); Just a Friend by Biz Markie (#85); Save this House by Spirit of the West (#87); (My My) Baby's Gonna Cry by Eurythmics (#89); We Almost Got it Together by Tanita Tikaram (#91); Everything You Touch by Smokey Robinson (#93); and I'm Your Man by Joe Cocker (#95).

Died on this date
Pat McDonald, 68. Australian actress. Miss McDonald appeared in radio, stage, screen, and television, and was best known as a longtime cast member of the television soap operas Number 96 (1972-1977) and Sons and Daughters (1981-1987). She died of pancreatic cancer.

World events
Farzad Bazoft, a reporter with the British newspaper The Observer, was sentenced to death by a court in Baghdad after being convicted of espionage on behalf of Israel while working on a story about an explosion at a weapons complex 30 miles (48 kilometres) south of the Iraqi capital. Daphne Parish, a British nurse who was said to have driven Mr. Bazoft to the site, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Politics and government
Haitian President Prosper Avril was forced into exile by street protests, 18 months after seizing power in a coup. Military leader Hérard Abraham then served as acting President for three days before relinquishing the presidency to Jean Rénald Clérismé.

Hockey
NHL
Edmonton 2 @ Toronto 3

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Self Esteem--The Offspring (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Think Twice--Celine Dion (8th week at #1)

Politics and government
U.S. Air Force General (retired) Michael Carns withdrew as President Bill Clinton's nominee for Director of Central Intelligence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in its background check on Mr. Carns, had turned up potential violations of labour and immigration law, involving a young family friend whom Mr. Carns had arranged to bring to America from the Philippines. Mr. Carns denounced the allegations by the man, Elbino Runas, as outrageous. Mr. Clinton nominated Deputy Defense Secretary John Deutch for the intelligence post.

Diplomacy
British Prime Minister John Major urged U.S. President Bill Clinton to insist that when he met with Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, that the Irish Republican Army, of which Sinn Fein was the political wing, disarm as a step toward negotiations with the United Kingdom over the future of Northern Ireland. The U.S. administration had announced the previous day that Mr. Adams would be permitted an unlimited number of visits to the U.S. over the next three months, and would be allowed to raise money.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate in February was 5.4%, equalling the four-year low reported for December 1994.

10 years ago
2005

Politics and government
Tung Chee-hwa resigned as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong because of widespread public dissatisfaction with his tenure. He had held the office since the soveriegnty of Hong Kong had been transferred from the United Kingdom to China on July 1, 1997.