March 11, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Tim Sproule!

270 years ago
1745

Born on this date
Bodawpaya. King of Burma, 1782-1819. Bodawpaya, born Maung Shwe Waing, became king of the Konbaung dynasty after deposing his nephew Phaungkaza Maung Maung, son of his oldest brother Naungdawgyi. Bodawpaya added Arakan to his territory and successfully invaded Assam, but was unsuccessful in attempts to conquer Siam. He fathered 62 sons and 58 daughters by about 200 consorts, and died on June 5, 1819 at the age of 74. Bodawpaya claimed to be the next Buddha or Maitreya, but the claim was rejected by the Sangha (leaders of the Buddhist community).

230 years ago
1785

Born on this date
John McLean. U.S. judge and politician. Mr. McLean was a member of several political parties, and was a Democratic-Republican when he represented Ohio's 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives (1813-1816). While still a Congressman, he was elected an Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, and resigned his seat, serving on the court from 1816-1822. Mr. McLean subsequently served as Commissioner of the General Land Office (1822-1823); U.S. Postmaster General (1823-1829); and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1829-1861). His opinions favoured economic nationalism and opposed slavery; he was one of the two dissenting justices in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), in which the majority ruled that Negroes were not citizens of the United States and had no rights that white men were bound to respect. Mr. McLean died on April 4, 1861, 24 days after his 76th birthday, and was the last surviving member of the cabinets of U.S. Presidents James Monroe and John Quincy Adams.

170 years ago
1845

War
Unhappy with translational differences regarding the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori forces, led by chiefs Te Ruki Kawiti and Hōne Heke, chopped down the British flagpole for a fourth time, and drove settlers out of Kororareka, New Zealand, beginning the Flagstaff War.

150 years ago
1865

War
In the American Civil War, Union troops commanded by General William T. Sherman captured Fayetteville, North Carolina and destroyed the Fayetteville arsenal.

Politics and government
The Assembly of Canada voted 91-33 to proceed with Confederation.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Vannevar Bush.. U.S. engineer. Dr. Bush was head of the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) during World War II, and thus oversaw almost all military research and development. He co-founded Raytheon Company and devised the memex, a forerunner of the World Wide Web. Dr. Bush died on June 28, 1974 at the age of 84.

120 years ago
1895

Born on this date
Shemp Howard. U.S. actor. Mr. Howard, born Samuel Horwitz, was a member of the Three Stooges comedy team. He was a founding member with brother Moe and Larry Fine, but left in 1932 to pursue a solo career, and was replaced by his brother Jerome, better known as "Curly." Apart from the Three Stooges, Shemp appeared in comedy movies starring the teams Abbott and Costello, and Olsen and Johnson, and had a notable supporting role in The Bank Dick (1940), starring W.C. Fields. When Curly suffered a stroke in 1946 that forced him into retirement, Shemp rejoined the team, and was still active at the age of 60 when he died of a heart attack in the back of a taxi while returning home from attending a boxing card on November 22, 1955.

110 years ago
1905

Hockey
Stanley Cup
Rat Portage (Kenora) Thistles 4 @ Ottawa Silver Seven 5 (Ottawa won best-of-three challenge series 2-1)

The Silver Seven retained the Cup, which they had first won in 1903.

80 years ago
1935

Economics and finance
The Bank of Canada began operations under Governor Graham Towers, with a mandate to issue currency and regulate the money supply.

75 years ago
1940

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, on NBC
Tonight’s episode: The Retired Colourman

This was the final episode of the season.

War
Brazilian President Getulio Vargas announced his nation's neutrality in the European war. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain told the House of Commons that the Allies would immediately help Finland in her war against the U.S.S.R. if asked to do so by the Finnish government. Japanese Foreign Minister Hachiro Arita announced that he had abandoned the idea that he could alter America's attitude toward Japan's aims in China.

Diplomacy
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles met in London with King George VI and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.

Economics and finance
Diplomatic sources in Buenos Aires indicated that Japan and Argentina would sign a trade treaty within a month.

Politics and government
The United States Senate defeated the proposed Brown amendment to extend coverage of the Hatch Act, whose main provision prohibited most employees in the executive branch of the federal government from engaging in certain political activities.

U.S. Postmaster General James Farley withdrew his name from the Ohio primary for the 1940 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.

Law
The United Kingdom announced that it would no longer submit to the judgement of the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned an Alabama court decision to execute David Canty, a Negro, for the murder of a white woman, on the grounds that he had been coerced into confessing.

Labour
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a National Labor Relations Board decision ordering the American Manufacturing Company of New York to dissolve a company union.

Medicine
Doctors at Montefiore Hospital in New York reported the development of a hormone to prevent surgical shock.

70 years ago
1945

Literature
The New York Herald Tribune reported the bestselling books to be Cannery Row by John Steinbeck and Great Son by Edna Ferber (fiction), and Brave Men by Ernie Pyle and The Thurber Carnival by James Thurber (non-fiction).

War
1,000 allied bombers harassed the German city of Essen, dropping 4,662 1-ton bombs. The American bridgehead opposite Remagen on the Rhine River was extended to a length of 9 miles and a depth of 3 miles. In Operation Tan No. 2, the Imperial Japanese Navy attempted a large-scale kamikaze attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet anchored at Ulithi atoll. U.S. troops landed secretly on Rombion and Simara Islands in the central part of the Philippines. U.S. forces captured Zamaboanga on Mindanao Island and occupied San Rocque airfield, 4 miles from the town. Chinese troops recaptured Suichwan in the province of Kiangsi, the first former air base in China to be retaken from Japanese forces.

World events
The Empire of Vietnam, a Japanese puppet state, was established, with Bảo Đại as Emperor and Trần Trọng Kim as Prime Minister.

Economics and finance
U.S. Office of War Mobilization Director James Byrnes announced the formation of an interagency committee to coordinate foreign shipments under the direction of Leo Crowley.

Golf
Byron Nelson began a PGA-record 11-tournament winning streak as he teamed with Jug McSpaden in the Miami Four-Ball tournament at Miami Springs Golf Club in Miami, Florida.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Give Me Your Word--Tennessee Ernie Ford

Died on this date
Oscar Mayer, 95. German-born U.S. businessman. Mr. Mayer founded a butcher shop and sausage-making business in Chicago in 1883, which eventually became the firm that still bearts his name today. He died 18 days before his 96th birthday.

Alexander Fleming, 73. U.K. biologist and pharmacologist. Sir Alexander shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain "for the discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in various infectious diseases."

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): It's Not Unusual--Tom Jones

Diplomacy
Tunisia refused to join the United Arab Republic's boycott of West Germany.

40 years ago
1975

Died on this date
Dave Mishel, 69. U.S. football player. Mr. Mishel was a halfback with the Brown University Bears when they had their only undefeated season in 1926, and played in the National Football League with the Providence Steam Roller in 1927 and Cleveland Indians in 1931.

Gilbert "Buster" Sanchez, 48. Mexican-born U.S. baseball umpire. Mr. Sanchez umpired in the minor professional leagues beginning with the Florida State League in 1962. He worked in the Carolina, Southern, International, and Pacific Coast Leagues, and was in the Texas League from 1971-1974. Mr. Sanchez was scheduled to umpire in the Mexican League in 1975, when he died of a heart attack in Mexico City.

Mike Hardy, 20. U.S. football player. Mr. Hardy was a wide receiver with North Carolina State University. In 1974, is junior year, he caught 13 passes and scored 2 touchdowns. If the Darwin Awards had been in existence in 1975, Mr. Hardy would have been a contender; he was hanging outside of a moving car, holding onto the window with his hands, when he lost his grip and fell onto the road.

War
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong guerrilla forces established control over the Ban Me Thuot commune from the South Vietnamese army.

World events
General Antonio de Spinola, former provisional President of Portugal, fled to Spain after an attempted coup d'etat by forces loyal to him failed.

Economics and finance
The European Economic Community concluded two days of renegotiations of the United Kingdom's membership terms.

Hockey
NHL
Buffalo 2 @ Los Angeles 2

Gerry Desjardins, playing his first game for Buffalo since jumping from the Baltimore Blades of the World Hockey Association, stopped 26 shots as the Sabres tied the Kings before 15,667 fans at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Los Angeles goalie Rogie Vachon stopped 36 shots. The Kings took a 2-0 lead on goals by Don Kozak in the 1st period and Tom Williams in the 2nd, with Gilbert Perreault scoring for Buffalo in the 2nd period and Peter McNab at 4:02 of the 3rd.

Baseball
The Montreal Expos stole 7 bases, with all base stealers coming around to score, as they beat the Boston Red Sox 9-3 before 2,286 fans in a spring training game in Daytona Beach, Florida. Tony Scott hit a home run for Montreal, while Rich Coggins and Gary Carter each had 2 hits. Mr. Carter had 2 stolen bases. Boston catcher Carlton Fisk, playing for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury the previous June, batted 0 for 3. Don DeMola started on the mound for Montreal and pitched 4 innings to get the win; Luis Tiant started for Boston and allowed 2 runs--1 earned--in 3 innings before giving way to Roger Moret, who allowed 8 runs--all earned--in 3 innings to take the loss.

Bobby Bonds and Bob Oliver each hit 2-run home runs as the New York Yankees blanked the New York Mets 4-0 in a spring training game before 3,847 fans in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dave Pagan started on the mound for the Yankees and allowed 1 hit in 3 innings before giving way to Ed Ricks, who allowed 4 hits in 3 innnings to get the win. Scott McGregor pitched the final 3 innings for the Yankees, allowing 3 hits. None of the Yankees' pitchers allowed a base on balls. Harry Parker started for the Mets and allowed 2 hits in 3 scoreless innings before giving way to Mac Scarce, who allowed all 4 runs in 3 innings to take the loss.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored 4 runs in the last 2 innings to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 in a spring training game before 1,520 fans in Bradenton, Florida. Former Pittsburgh ace Steve Blass, whose career had been derailed by severe wildness beginning in 1973, pitched the final 3 innings, allowing 2 hits, 4 runs--all earned--and 6 bases on balls to take the loss. George Culver, the second of four Philadelphia pitchers, was the winner. Andy Kosco hit a home run for the Phillies, with Al Oliver and Willie Stargell homering for the Pirates. Former American League strikeout king Sam McDowell started on the mound for Pittsburgh and pitched 3 scoreless innings, striking out 4 Phillies.

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I Want to Know What Love Is--Foreigner (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Sotsugyō: Graduation--Momoko Kikuchi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Woodpeckers from Space--VideoKids

Politics and government
Mikhail Gorbachev, who at 54 was the youngest member of the Politburo, succeeded the late Konstantin Chernenko as leader of the U.S.S.R.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Don't Make Me Over--Sybil

#1 single in Switzerland: Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (3rd week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (2nd week at #1)
2 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic
3 Bakerman--Laid Back
4 Sit and Wait--Sydney Youngblood
5 Got to Get--Rob 'n' Raz featuring Leila K.
6 Rich in Paradise "Going Back to My Roots"--F.P.I. Project
7 The Message is Love--Arthur Baker and the Backbeat Disciples featuring Al Green
8 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
9 Easy--Ice MC
10 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins

Singles entering the chart were Fandango by Boris Bukowski (#11); I Don't Know Anybody Else by Black Box (#14); and How am I Supposed to Live Without You by Michael Bolton (#29).

World events
The Supreme Soviet of Lithuania voted 124-0 with 6 abstentions to declare independence from the Soviet Union. Vytautas Landsbergis, a professor of music history, was elected President by the deputies.

Politics and government
General Augusto Pinochet stepped down after 16½ years as dictator of Chile. He was succeeded by Patricio Aylwin.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Another Night--Real McCoy (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop)--Scatman John (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): A Girl Like You--Edwyn Collins (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Zombie--The Cranberries (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Alice, Who the X is Alice--Gompie

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Think Twice--Celine Dion (6th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (3rd week at #1)
2 Creep--TLC
3 Candy Rain--Soul for Real
4 Baby--Brandy
5 You Gotta Be--Des'ree
6 Another Night--Real McCoy
7 On Bended Knee--Boyz II Men
8 If You Love Me--Brownstone
9 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
10 Hold My Hand--Hootie & the Blowfish

Singles entering the chart were Run Away by Real McCoy (#30); Dear Mama/Old School by 2Pac (#32); Believe by Elton John (#52); No More "I Love You's" by Annie Lennox (#78); People Don't Believe by Scarface featuring Ice Cube (#83); Let Her Cry by Hootie & the Blowfish (#90); I'd Rather Be Alone by IV Xample (#92); Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex (#94); and Let's Get it On by Shabba Ranks (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (4th week at #1)
2 Creep--TLC
3 If You Love Me--Brownstone
4 On Bended Knee--Boyz II Men
5 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
6 Baby--Brandy
7 Hold My Hand--Hootie & the Blowfish
8 You Gotta Be--Des'ree
9 I Know--Dionne Farris
10 Candy Rain--Soul for Real

Singles entering the chart were Believe by Elton John (#34); Mr. Personality by Gillette (#65); Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex (#66); What I Need by Crystal Waters (#67); This is How We Do It by Montell Jordan (#75); Move it Like This by K7 (#79); For Your Love by Stevie Wonder (#83); What Would You Say by Dave Matthews Band (#84); and Dear Mama by 2Pac (#85).

Skiing
Picabo Street of Sun Valley, Idaho became the first American to clinch a World Cup downhill championship, winning at Lenzerheide, Switzerland to capture her fourth straight victory and fifth of the season.

Hockey
NHL
Chicago 2 @ Toronto 2