March 13, 2015

400 years ago
1615

Born on this date
Innocent XII. Roman Catholic Pope, 1691-1700. Innocent XII, born Antonio Pignatelli in Spinazzola, succeeded Alexander VIII, and served as pope until his death on September 27, 1700 at the age of 85. He was succeeded by Clement XI.

170 years ago
1845

Music
Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto received its première performance in Leipzig, with Ferdinand David as soloist.

150 years ago
1865

War
The Confederate States of America agreed to the use of Negro troops in the U.S. Civil War.

130 years ago
1885

Society
The British Columbia Legislature passed a Chinese restriction bill, banning entry of Chinese immigrants into the province. The act was later ruled unconstitutional, as immigration is under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Fritz Busch. German conductor. Mr. Busch conducted several operas and orchestras in a career spanning more than 40 years, including the Dresden State Opera (1922-1933). He was dismissed from his post in Dresden by the Nazis shortly after they took power, and served as musical director of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in England (1934-1939). Mr. Busch worked in the United States, Argentina, and other countries for most of the 1940s, returning to his previous post with Glyndebourne in 1950. He died in London on September 14, 1951 at the age of 61.

90 years ago
1925

Died on this date
Lucille Ricksen, 14. U.S. actress. Miss Ricksen, born Ingeborg Myrtle Elisabeth Ericksen, was a child star in silent movies, beginning her career in a series of comedy shorts titled The Adventures of Edgar Pomeroy. She died of tuberculosis, two weeks after her mother Ingeborg had collapsed on top of her and died of a heart attack while caring for her. Miss Ricksen's last film, The Denial, was released nine days after her death.

Education
Tennessee passed a bill prohibiting the teaching of evolution in public schools.

75 years ago
1940

War
Finnish Foreign Minister Vaino Tanner charged that his country had lost the Winter War against the U.S.S.R. because no outside nation was willing to help Finland. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a statement praising Finnish valour.

Politics and government
Joseph Burns McNair succeeded fellow Liberal A.A. Dysart as Premier of New Brunswick.

A Gallup Poll indicated that American voters were opposed to a third term as President of the United States for Franklin D. Roosevelt by a margin of 53%-47%.

U.S. Senator Robert Taft (Ohio) announced that he would be a candidate in the Ohio primary for the 1940 Republican Party nomination for President of the United States.

Society
The United States Senate Judiciary Committee passed and sent to the floor the House of Representatives-approved Gavagan anti-lynching bill.

Journalism
The United Kingdom announced the suspension of three Hebrew-language newspapers in Palestine for violation of censorship guidelines.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed his opposition to further funds for flood control navigation and power projects, contending that existing funds were committed for three years.

70 years ago
1945

War
The American bridgehead in Germany on the eastern side of the Rhine River opposite Remagen was extended to points 5 miles beyond the river. U.S. forces in the Philippines on Mindanao Island pushed on from Zamboanga to capture the villages of Santa Maria, Canelar, Sinung, and Pitogo.

Politics and government
General Eurico Dutra was nominated to run against Major General Eduardo Gomes for President of Brazil.

Economics and finance
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend the life of the Lend-Lease Act until June 30, 1946, but directed that it not be used for postwar reconstruction.

60 years ago
1955

At the movies
Dial Red O, written and directed by Daniel B. Ullman, and starring Bill Elliott, Keith Larsen, Helene Stanley, and Paul Picerni, opened in theatres.

Hockey
NHL
In a game at Boston Garden between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, Montreal right wing Maurice "Rocket" Richard, after being hit with a high stick by Boston defenceman Hal Laycoe, struck Mr. Laycoe in the face and shoulders with his stick and then knocked out linesman Cliff Thompson with a punch. Mr. Richard received a match penalty and an automatic $100 fine, while Mr. Laycoe got a 5-minute major penalty plus a 10-minute misconduct for the high stick.

50 years ago
1965

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): I'll Never Find Another You--The Seekers

#1 single in France: Les Filles de mon Pays--Enrico Macias (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Io che non vivo--Pino Donaggio

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Das war mein schönster Tanz--Bernd Spier

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Letkiss--Gudrun Jankis; Stig Rauno (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): The Last Time--The Rolling Stones

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Eight Days a Week--The Beatles

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Eight Days a Week--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)
2 My Girl--The Temptations
3 The Birds and the Bees--Jewel Akens
4 King of the Road--Roger Miller
5 This Diamond Ring--Gary Lewis and the Playboys
6 Tell Her No--The Zombies
7 Ferry Cross the Mersey--Gerry & the Pacemakers
8 Stop! In the Name of Love--The Supremes
9 The Jolly Green Giant--The Kingsmen
10 Red Roses for a Blue Lady--Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra

Singles entering the chart were Tired of Waiting for You by the Kinks (#62); Girl Don't Come by Sandie Shaw (#65); Come and Stay with Me by Marianne Faithfull (#70); Never, Never Leave Me by Mary Wells (#76); When I'm Gone by Brenda Holloway (#79); Anytime at All by Frank Sinatra (#80); Begin to Love (Cominciamo ad Amarci) by Robert Goulet (#84); I Can't Stop Thinking of You by Bobbi Martin (#87); Losing You by Dusty Springfield (#96); and I Do Love You by Billy Stewart (#100).

On television tonight
Sherlock Holmes, starring Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock, on BBC 1
Tonight's episode: The Red-Headed League

Died on this date
Fan S. Noli, 83. Prime Minister of Albania, 1924. Bishop Noli founded the Albanian Orthodox Church and served as Prime Minister from June 16-December 23, 1924, until the June Revolution government was overthrown by Ahmet Zogu. Bishop Noli was exiled to Italy before permanently settling in the United States in the 1930s, spending the rest of his years as a scholar and theologian.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)--Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel (2nd week at #1)

At the movies
The Great Waldo Pepper, starring Robert Redford, Bo Svenson, Edward Herrmann, and Susan Sarandon, opened in theatres.

Died on this date
Ivo Andrić, 82. Yugoslavian author. Mr. Andrić, a native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, wrote mainly about Bosnia under the Ottoman Empire. He was awarded the 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the epic force with which he has traced themes and depicted human destinies drawn from the history of his country."

Edgar "Chirp" Brenchley, 63. U.K.-born Canadian hockey player and coach. Mr. Brenchley, a native of Sittingbourne, England who moved to Canada with his family as a child, was a right wing with various amateur and minor league professional teams from 1934-1956. He returned to England from 1935-1939, and was a member of the United Kingdom team that won the gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympic Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Mr. Brenchley scored the only goal of the U.K.'s win over Sweden, and scored the winning goal against Canada with 90 seconds remaining in the gold medal game. He returned to North America in 1939, and played and coached in the minor leagues for many years before becoming a scout for the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins from 1967-1974 and the Washington Capitals in 1974-75, before dying after a long illness. Mr. Brenchley was inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.

Red Marion, 60. U.S. baseball player and manager. John "Red" Marion was an outfielder who spent his professional career in the minor leagues except for 4 games with the Washington Nationals in 1935 and 14 games with the Nationals in 1943, batting .179 with 1 home run and 2 runs batted in. He managed for 19 seasons in the minor leagues. Mr. Marion was the brother of Marty Marion, star shortstop with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1940s. In 1951, Red was fired as manager of the Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association, and Marty was fired as manager of the Cardinals the next day. Red Marion died the day before his 61st birthday.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger concluded a five-day visit to the Middle East, which included meetings with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Baseball
Ed Goodson doubled home 2 runs in the top of the 10th inning as the San Francisco Giants scored all of their runs in the last 4 innings to defeat the Cleveland Indians 6-4 before 2,739 fans in Tucson. It was the first spring training game for Frank Robinson as manager of the Indians, and the first game for a Negro as a major league manager.

Jose Morales, Pete Mackanin, and Larry Parrish hit home runs as the Montreal Expos held on to edge the Detroit Tigers 6-5 in a spring training game before 2,205 fans in Lakeland, Florida.

30 years ago
1985

Crime
The Kenilworth Road riot took place at an association football match at Kenilworth Road in Luton, England, with disturbances before, during and after an F.A. Cup 6th Round tie between Luton Town Football Club and Millwall Football Club.

25 years ago
1990

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Night Out

Died on this date
Bruno Bettelheim, 86. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. psychologist. Dr. Bettelheim was a psychonalytical psychologist who was known for his work with children. His doctorate was in art history, and he took only three introductory courses in psychology--facts which weren't known to most people during his lifetime. After the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938, Dr. Bettelheim was interned at Dachau and Buchenwald, regaining his freedom as a result of an amnesty in 1939; he fled to the United States, gaining U.S. citizenship in 1944. Dr. Bettelheim taught at the University of Chicago from 1944-1973; he served as director of University of Chicago's Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School, a home that treats emotionally disturbed children. His theories that autism spectrum disorder is related to poor parenting are currently out of fashion, and accusations that he engaged in abusive behaviour toward children and his students surfaced after his death. Dr. Bettelehim suffered from depression for years, and finally committed suicide by self-asphyxiation.

Politics and government
The Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies voted 1,771-24 with 74 abstentions to repeal article 6 of the Soviet constitution that gave the Communist Party a political monopoly. The change had been included in a platform approved by the party’s Central Committee in February. President Mikhail Gorbachev, who had pressed for the change, also won the approval of the deputies for a more powerful presidency with broad executive authority. He believed that a strong president could rise above partisan politics in the new multiparty system, but many deputies feared that his plan would lead to a dictatorship.

Military leader Hérard Abraham relinquished the presidency of Haiti to Jean Rénald Clérismé, three days after becoming acting President when President Prosper Avril was forced into exile because of street protests after a reign of 18 months.

World events
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev called Lithuania’s declaration of independence two days earlier "illegitimate and invalid." Which is to say, Mr. Gorbachev would not approve of any independence movement that he couldn’t control.

Economics and finance
U.S. President George Bush lifted economic sanctions against Nicaragua and asked the U.S. Congress for $300 million in economic aid.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Believe--Elton John

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Zombie--Ororo (9th week at #1)

#1 single in Norway (VG-lista): Think Twice--Celine Dion (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Conquest of Paradise--Vangelis (5th week at #1)

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Take a Bow--Madonna (2nd week at #1)
2 Strong Enough--Sheryl Crow
3 She's a River--Simple Minds
4 Mishale--Andru Donalds
5 Bang and Blame--R.E.M.
6 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead--Crash Test Dummies
7 When I Come Around--Green Day
8 Sukiyaki--4 P.M.
9 Buddy Holly--Weezer
10 I Know--Dionne Farris

Singles entering the chart were I Got a Line on You by the Jeff Healey Band (#78); Mea Culpa by Mike + the Mechanics (#80); Stay by Colin James (#87); Machine Punch Through by Mole (#91); Baby by Brandy (#94); and End of the World by the Waltons (#95).

Died on this date
Odette Sansom, 82. French-born U.K. spy. Mrs. Sansom, born Odette Brailly, married Englishman Roy Sansom in 1931 and moved to England. She joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in 1942, and served there with SOE's Spindle network, under the supervison of future husband Peter Churchill, from November 1942-April 1943, acting as a courier. Mrs. Sansom was captured and spent the rest of the war in Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, surviving torture, attempted starvation, and solitary confinement. She became the first woman to be awarded the George Cross "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger," and testified against Nazi prison guards accused of war crimes in the Hamburg Ravensbrück Trials in 1946. Mrs. Sansom divorced her husband and married Mr. Churchill in 1947; they were divorced in 1956, and she then married another former SOE agent, Geoffrey Hallowes. She was the subject of the biographical British movie Odette (1950).

Leon Day, 78. U.S. baseball pitcher. Mr. Day played in the Negro Leagues with the Baltimore Black Sox (1934); Brooklyn and Newark Eagles (1935-1939, 1941-1943); Philadelphia Stars (1946); and Baltimore Elite Giants (1949-1950). He also played in the Mexican League with Veracruz (1940) and the Mexico City Reds (1947-1948). Mr. Day posted a 13-0 record with the Newark Eagles in 1937, and pitched a no-hitter for the Stars on the opening day of the 1946 season, after serving with the United States Army for two years in World War II. He finished his career with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Class A Western International League in 1953, posting a 5-5 record. Mr. Day died of a heart attack, six days after learning he had been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.