March 31, 2015

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Stephanie!

130 years ago
1885

Africana
The United Kingdom established a protectorate over Bechuanaland.

Law
The Canadian government of Prime Minister John A. Macdonald disallowed British Columbia's Chinese Restriction Act as unconstitutional, as it infringed on an area of federal jurisdiction.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Ben Adams. U.S. jumper. Mr. Adams won a silver medal in standing high jump and a bronze medal in standing long jump at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, while his brother Platt won the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the same events. Ben pitched for Sweden in an exhibition baseball game at those Olympics, batting 1 for 3 in a 13-3 loss to the U.S.A. He died on March 14, 1961, 17 days before his 71st birthday, and 15 days after the death of Platt, 75.

William Lawrence Bragg. Australian-born U.K. physicist. Sir William and his father William Henry Bragg shared the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics "for their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-ray." Sir William died on July 1, 1971 at the age of 81.

Education
The Manitoba legislature passed the Manitoba School Act, abolishing separate schools for Roman Catholics and Protestants effective May 1, 1890, and creating a non-sectarian system of public education. Roman Catholics in the province, many of them Metis, protested that the law was a violation of the terms under which Manitoba had entered Confederation in 1870.

100 years ago
1915

Born on this date
Henry Morgan. U.S. humourist. Mr. Morgan, born Henry Van Ost, Jr., was known for his acerbic wit, often targeting sponsors, especially on his own radio program in the 1940s and as a regular panelist on the television quiz show I've Got a Secret (1952-1967). He made frequent appearances on television game and talk shows until his death from lung cancer on May 19, 1994 at the age of 79.

80 years ago
1935

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

75 years ago
1940

War
A Gallup Poll reported that only 1% of Americans favoured a German victory in the European war, while 84% favoured the U.K. and France, and 15% offered no opinion.

Diplomacy
The French and British governments agreed that Jean Monnet be president of the Commission of French-British Cooperation.

Politics and government
Rashid Ali Beg Gailani took office as Prime Minister of Iraq and shuffled the cabinet, retaining General Nuri-es Said as Foreign Minister.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah, president of the All-India Muslim League, suggested partitioning India into Hindu and Muslim states.

Economics and finance
U.S. National Association of Manufacturers President H.W. Prentiss, Jr. appealed to every industrialist to mobilize to meet the attacks of "demagogic detractors" and preserve the free enterprise system.

Olympics
A Helsinki newspaper said that the Summer Olympics, scheduled to be held in the Finnish capital in 1940, would not be held this year.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Amor, Amor--Bing Crosby (2nd month at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Rum and Coca-Cola--The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Best Seller--8th week at #1; Juke Box--8th week at #1); Candy--Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Airplay--1st week at #1); My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time--Les Brown and his Orchestra (vocal chorus by Doris Day) (Honor Roll of Hits--1st week at #1)

Theatre
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, which had first been performed in Chicago in 1944, opened at the Playhouse Theatre on Broadway in New York.

Died on this date
Hans Fischer, 63. German chemist. Dr. Fischer won the 1930 Nobel Prize in chemistry "for his researches into the constitution of haemin and chlorophyll and especially for his synthesis of haemin." He committed suicide in Munich in despair over the destruction of his institute and his work during the last days of World War II.

War
U.S. and French troops joined seven other Allied armies in the drive into Germany, as Allied supreme commander General Dwight Eisenhower asked German soldiers to surrender in order to avoid future bloodshed. Soviet troops drove 17 miles inside Austria, capturing 70 towns. A defecting German pilot delivered a Messerschmitt Me 262A-1, the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft, to the Americans, the first to fall into Allied hands.

Diplomacy
The U.S.A. and U.K. rejected a Soviet appeal that the provisional Polish government of Prime Minister Lubin be invited to the San Francisco Conference to found the United Nations.

Pan-American Union authorities authorized Argentina to sign the Mexico City Pact (Act of Chapultepec), after Argentina declared war on Germany and Japan.

Economics and finance
U.S. Director of War Mobilization James Byrnes said that after the war had been won in Europe, emergency measures such as the ban on horse racing, the brownout, and the midnight curfew would be ended.

Baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded center fielder Vince DiMaggio to the Philadelphia Blue Jays for pitcher Al Gerheauser. In 109 games with the Pirates in 1944, Mr. DiMaggio had batted .240 with 9 home runs and 50 runs batted in, and had led National League batters in strikeouts with 83. Mr. Gerheauser had posted a record of 8-16 with an earned run average of 4.58 in 30 games in 1944 with the Blue Jays.

60 years ago
1955

Hit parade
#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe--Caterina Valente (1st month at #1)

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Fort Wayne 82 @ Syracuse 86 (Syracuse led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Red Rocha scored 19 points as the Nationals defeated the Pistons at Onondaga County War Memorial. Fort Wayne's Larry Foust led all scorers with 26 points.

50 years ago
1965

Society
The Canadian House of Commons passed legislation creating the Canada Pension Plan.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Horror Movie--Skyhooks

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Waga Yoki Tomoyo--Hiroshi Kamayatsu

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Todo El Tiempo Del Mundo--Manolo Otero (15th week at #1)

On television tonight
Gunsmoke, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Sharecroppers

This was the 635th and last episode of the series, which was in its 20th season.

Canadiana
The country enjoyed its last day before the beginning of the imposition of the metric system of measurement.

Politics and government
Turkish Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel formed a four-party coalition government, ending a six-month crisis.

Law
The U.S. clemency program for military deserters and draft evaders ended. About 22,500 of the 124,400 eligible signed up for a chance to "earn return" to the United States under a program that had been announced by President Gerald Ford several months earlier.

Basketball
NCAA
Men's Championship @ San Diego Arena
Final
California at Los Angeles 92 Kentucky 85

Rich Washington scored 28 points and Dave Meyers added 24 as the Bruins defeated the Wildcats before 15,153 fans to win their 10th and last national championship under coach John Wooden, whose career ended with this game.



30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Shout--Tears for Fears

#1 single in France (SNEP): Johnny, Johnny--Jeanne Mas

#1 single in Switzerland: You're My Heart, You're My Soul--Modern Talking (4th week at #1)

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: The Rubber-Faced Man

Popular culture
The first WrestleMania--the biggest wrestling event from the World Wrestling Federation (later known as World Wrestling Entertainment)-- took place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Curling
Air Canada Silver Broom @ Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
Final
Canada (Al Hackner) 6 Sweden (Stefan Hasselborg) 2

Canada scored 3 points in the 3rd end to take a 3-1 lead as Mr. Hackner led his rink to their second men's world championship; they had previously won in 1982.

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Vattene Amore--Amedeo Minghi; Mietta (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Enjoy the Silence--Depeche Mode (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Le temps des Yéyés--Les Vagabonds (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): The Power--Snap!

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (7th week at #1)
2 Daar Gaat Ze--Clouseau
3 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton
4 Sacrifice--Elton John
5 The Healer--John Lee Hooker featuring Carlos Santana & the Santana Band
6 Fortune Fairytales--Loïs Lane
7 The Power--Snap!
8 Jij Daar!--Petra & Co
9 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul
10 Dub Be Good to Me--Beats International

Singles entering the chart were Rok the Nation by Rob 'n' Rax featuring Leila K (#26); Oh Pretty Woman by Gary Moore featuring Albert King (#27); Vulgaris Magistralis by Normaal (#29); Cry for Freedom by White Lion (#31); School by Supertramp (#38); and Soul to Soul by the Temptations (#39).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles (2nd week at #1)
2 Love Will Lead You Back--Taylor Dayne
3 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins
4 I'll Be Your Everything--Tommy Page
5 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
6 Don't Wanna Fall in Love--Jane Child
7 Escapade--Janet Jackson
8 Keep it Together--Madonna
9 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic
10 Here and Now--Luther Vandross

Singles entering the chart were All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You by Heart (#57); Your Baby Never Looked Good in Blue by Expose (#61); Getting Away with It by Electronic (#88); How "Bout Us by Grayson Hugh (and Betty Wright) (#89); Moonlight on Water by Laura Branigan (#94); and Ready or Not by After 7 (#96). How 'Bout Us was from the movie True Love (1989).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Black Velvet--Alannah Myles
2 Love Will Lead You Back--Taylor Dayne
3 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins
4 Escapade--Janet Jackson
5 Roam--The B-52's
6 I'll Be Your Everything--Tommy Page
7 All Around the World--Lisa Stansfield
8 I Go to Extremes--Billy Joel
9 Keep it Together--Madonna
10 Here and Now--Luther Vandross

Singles entering the chart were All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You by Heart (#58); Your Baby Never Looked Good in Blue by Expose (#61); How 'Bout Us by Grayson Hugh (and Betty Wright) (#68); I'll See You in My Dreams by Giant (#73); Cuts You Up by Peter Murphy (#83); and You Can't Get Away by Shana (#90).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins (2nd week at #1)
2 Escapade--Janet Jackson
3 I Go to Extremes--Billy Joel
4 Roam--The B-52's
5 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
6 Lover of Mine--Alannah Myles
7 Love Will Lead You Back--Taylor Dayne
8 No Myth--Michael Penn
9 Every Little Tear--Paul Janz
10 Let Your Backbone Slide--Maestro Fresh-Wes

Singles entering the chart were Life in Detail by Robert Palmer (#81); Dorianna by Paul Lang (#83); (If There Was) Any Other Way by Celine Dion (#85); Closer to the Flame by Dave Edmunds (#87); All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You by Heart (#89); I Build this Garden for Us by Lenny Kravitz (#91); and The Nature of Love by Poco (#93).

Diplomacy
U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev warned Lithuania of "grave consequences" if it did not annul its declaration of independence.

Protest
The day before new poll tax rates were supposed to go into effect in the U.K., a riot involving several thousand protesters took place in London. 331 police officers were among the more than 400 injured, and 341 arrests were made.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Think Twice--Celine Dion (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Back for Good--Take That

Died on this date
Selena, 23. U.S. singer. Selena Quintanilla, known as the "Queen of Tejano music," a genre originating with the Mexican-American population of the southwestern United States. She began her recording career at the age of 13 and was the bestselling artist in the genre until she was shot to death by Yolanda Saldívar, her friend and manager of Miss Quintanilla's fashion boutiques.

World events
In ceremonies in Port-au-Prince attended by United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and U.S. President Bill Clinton, the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMH) assumed peacekeeping duties in Haiti, taking over from U.S.-led forces. The UNMH's forces would consist of 6,000 military personnel and 900 police from 30 countries, with the U.S. providing 2,400 soldiers. The police would work with newly-trained Haitian police. Mr. Clinton promised that the U.S. would continue to support Haiti's efforts to rebuild.

War
The U.S. military campaign in Somalia ended.

Shali, the last city in the rebel province of Chechnya, became the last Chechen city to be captured by Russian forces. Fighting continued elsewhere in Chechnya.

Labour
Major league baseball players agreed to end the sport’s longest strike in history after U.S. federal District Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor ordered a preliminary injunction against team owners to reinstate the contract that had been in place before the strike, which had begun after the conclusion of games on August 11, 1994.

Economics and finance
The U.S. dollar fell to 86.55 Japanese yen and 1.3715 German marks.

10 years ago
2005

Died on this date
Terri Schiavo, 41. U.S. medical patient. Mrs. Schiavo, who had been severely brain-damaged since collapsing in her apartment building 15 years earlier, died 13 days after Pinellas-Pasco County Circuit Court Judge George Greer ordered her feeding tube withdrawn, guaranteeing her death by gradual starvation. Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his brother, White House occupant George W. Bush, played legal games, pretending to act on Mrs. Schiavo's behalf while actually doing nothing, and finally caved in and refused to challenge Judge Greer's injunction.