March 23, 2016

100 years ago
1916

Boxing
Former world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson (56-9-9-3) scored a technical knockout of Frank Crozier (3-5) in the 7th round at Gran Teatro de Madrid. It was Mr. Johnson's first fight since losing the title to Jess Willard on April 5, 1915. Mr. Crozier quit after being knocked down several times, and Mr. Johnson wrestled with Mr. Crozier's nephew after the fight.

90 years ago
1926

Hockey
Stanley Cup
NHL
Semi-Finals
Montreal Maroons 3 @ Pittsburgh 3 (Montreal won 2-game total goals series 6-4)

75 years ago
1941

War
German aircraft bombed Malta for the third straight day.

Diplomacy
Japanese Foreign Minister Yōsuke Matsuoka stopped over in Moscow on his way to Berlin.

Transportation
The Vichy French government authorized construction of a railroad across 1,500 miles of the Sahara Desert to link France's northern and Equatorial African possessions.

Academia
The Rapp-Coudert Committee investigating Communist activity in New York colleges reported to the New York state legislature that the New York college system should not be judged on the basis of the Communist activities exposed in recent weeks.

Labour
The eight-day Congress of Industrial Organizations strike at the Los Angeles plant of Harvill Aircraft Die Casting Corporation was settled.

70 years ago
1946

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Oh! What it Seemed to Be--Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes (Best Seller--2nd week at #1; Airplay--1st week at #1; Juke Box--2nd week at #1; Honor Roll of Hits--3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Francisco Largo Caballero, 76. Prime Minister of Spain, 1936-1937. Mr. Largo was a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which formed part of the government of the Second Spanish Republic. He led the Marxist wing of the party, and took office as Prime Minister on September 4, 1936, several months into the Spanish Civil War. He was forced to resign on May 17, 1937, and was succeeded by fellow PSOE member Juan Negrín. When the Republic was defeated by the forces of Francisco Franco in 1939, Mr. Largo fled to France. He spent most of World War II in a Nazi concentration camp, but was liberated at the end of the war, and died in exile in Paris.

Gilbert Lewis, 70. U.S. chemist. Dr. Lewis was known for the discovery of the covalent bond and his concept of electron pairs. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize 35 times, but never won, while his rival Irving Langmuir had won the Nobel Prize in 1932. After having lunch with Dr. Langmuir, Dr. Lewis played a game of bridge and then went to his laboratory to work on an experiment with hydrogen cyanide. He was found dead, as broken lines had allowed deadly fumes into the room. The official cause of death was coronary artery disease, but many suspected suicide.

Diplomacy
United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie named John B. Hutson of the United States as assistant Secretary-General in charge of administrative and financial services.

U.S. President Harry Truman named Averell Harriman as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Labour
Walter Reuther announced that he would run against R.J. Thomas for the presidency of the Congress of Industrial Organizations United Auto Workers.

60 years ago
1956

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): It's Almost Tomorrow--The Dream Weavers (2nd week at #1)

Abominations
Pakistan became the first Islamic republic in the world. The anniversary is celebrated as Republic Day in Pakistan.

50 years ago
1966

Religion
Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey visited Pope Paul VI at the Vatican, the first official meeting of the leaders of the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church since 1534, when King Henry VIII of England had rejected papal authority and founded the Church of England.

40 years ago
1976

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: A Special Kind of Loving

Baseball
Labatt Brewing Company acquired the rights to a new American League franchise in Toronto, to be called the "Blue Jays," and to begin play in 1977. The franchise was the second major league team in Canada, eight years after the Montreal Expos had joined the National League in 1969.

30 years ago
1986

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Rock Me Amadeus--Falco

#1 single in Switzerland: Burning Heart--Survivor

Defense
Three U.S. aircraft carriers and 27 warships assembled in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya and began conducting military exercises.

The Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda deplored the previous day’s U.S. underground nuclear test as a demonstration of "great contempt for world opinion."

25 years ago
1991

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Sucker DJ (A Witch for Love)--Dimples D.

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Se Stiamo Insieme--Riccardo Cocciante (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Grease Megamix--John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Denmark (Nielsen Music Control & IFPI): Take No Crap--Cut 'N' Move (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Crazy--Seal (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Wind of Change--Scorpions (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): The Stonk-- Hale and Pace

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Liefde Voor Muziek--Raymond v/h Groenewoud (2nd week at #1)
2 Do the Bartman--The Simpsons
3 Crazy--Seal
4 The Grease Megamix--John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
5 Because I Love You (The Postman Song)--Stevie B.
6 (I Wanna Give You) Devotion--Nomad featuring Mc Mikee Freedom
7 3 A.M. Eternal (Live at the S.S.L.)--The KLF
8 Papa--Stef Bos
9 Joyride--Roxette
10 Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden--Lisa Boray & Louis De Vries

Singles entering the chart were Unfinished Sympathy by Massive (#16); Let There Be Love by Simple Minds (#24); Should I Stay or Should I Go by the Clash (#31); Nobody Else by Rene Froger (#34); Uptown by Womack & Womack (#36); and Get the Funk Out by Extreme (#38).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 One More Try--Timmy -T-
2 Someday--Mariah Carey
3 Coming Out of the Dark--Gloria Estefan
3 Show Me the Way--Styx
4 This House--Tracie Spencer
5 Get Here--Oleta Adams
6 Hold You Tight--Tara Kemp
7 You're in Love--Wilson Phillips
8 I've Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat
9 Rescue Me--Madonna
10 Sadeness Part 1--Enigma

Singles entering the chart were Silent Lucidity by Queensryche (#67); More than Words by Extreme (#81); Another Like My Lover by Jasmine Guy (#82); My Heart is Failing Me by Riff (#83); Wrap My Body Tight by Johnny Gill (#88); Do You Want Me by Salt-N-Pepa (#91); and Here I Am (Come and Take Me) by UB40 (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Someday--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)
2 One More Try--Timmy -T-
3 Coming Out of the Dark--Gloria Estefan
4 All the Man that I Need--Whitney Houston
5 This House--Tracie Spencer
6 All This Time--Sting
7 Hold You Tight--Tara Kemp
8 Show Me the Way--Styx
9 You’re in Love--Wilson Phillips
10 I’ve Been Thinking About You--Londonbeat

Singles entering the chart were Save Some Love by Keedy (#61); I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) by Hi-Five (#74); Silent Lucidity by Queensryche (#79); Heartbreak Station by Cinderella (#81); More than Words by Extreme (#87); One in a Million by Trixter (#88); How Much is Enough by the Fixx (#89); and My Heart is Failing Me by Riff (#90).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Someday--Mariah Carey (2nd week at #1)
2 All This Time--Sting
3 Coming Out of the Dark--Gloria Estefan
4 Wicked Game--Chris Isaak
5 Waiting for Love--Alias
6 You’re in Love--Wilson Phillips
7 Show Me the Way--Styx
8 Rescue Me--Madonna
9 Waiting for that Day--George Michael
10 Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)--C & C Music Company featuring Freedom Williams

Singles entering the chart were Highwire by the Rolling Stones (#34); Rhythm of My Heart by Rod Stewart (#37); I Gotta Go by Barney Bentall (#64); That's Freedom by John Farnham (#66); Heartbreak Station by Cinderella (#70); Baby Baby by Amy Grant (#75); Animal Heart by Glass Tiger (#79); Valentine by Nils Lofgren (#81); and Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones (#85).

Died on this date
Parkash Singh, 77. Indian soldier. Major Singh was serving with the British Indian Army during World War II when he was awarded the Victoria Cross for driving off Japanese soldiers while aiding Indian comrades in combat on the Mayu Peninsula in Burma in Jaunary 1943. He died in London while undergoing heart surgery, eight days before his 78th birthday.

War
The Revolutionary United Front, with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia, invaded Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow Joseph Saidu Momoh, sparking the 11-year Sierra Leone Civil War.

Politics and government
British Prime Minister John Major outlined plans for a "citizen's charter" to maintain standards and improve "every part of the public services."

Economics and finance
Los Angeles Kings' owner Bruce McNall and centre Wayne Gretzky bought a rare 1910 Honus Wagner baseball card at auction at Sotheby's in New York for $451,000, breaking the record price of $115,000 in 1989 for another Honus Wagner card.

Hockey
NHL
Los Angeles 8 @ Calgary 4
Winnipeg 3 @ Edmonton 0

CIAU
Men's championship semi-finals
Alberta 5 Waterloo 4 (2 OT)

20 years ago
1996

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): One of Us--Joan Osborne (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): Con te partirò--Andrea Bocelli (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Children--Robert Miles

#1 single in France (SNEP): Children--Robert Miles

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Per spoor (Kedeng kedeng)--Guus Meeuwis & Vagant (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): How Deep Is Your Love--Take That (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Because You Loved Me--Celine Dion
2 Nobody Knows--The Tony Rich Project
3 Sittin' Up in My Room--Brandy
4 Not Gon' Cry--Mary J. Blige
5 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
6 Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)--R. Kelly featuring Ronald Isley
7 Ironic--Alanis Morissette
8 Missing--Everything But the Girl
9 Follow You Down/Til I Hear it from You--Gin Blossoms
10 One of Us--Joan Osborne

Singles entering the chart were Real Love by the Beatles (#11); Count on Me by Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans (#32); Release Me by Angelina (#74); Renee by Lost Boyz (#79); Funkorama by Redman (#82); Can't Get You Off My Mind by Lenny Kravitz (#96); and Esa Nena Linda by Artie the 1 Man Party (#98). Count on Me was from the movie Waiting to Exhale (1995).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Sittin' Up in My Room--Brandy (2nd week at #1)
2 Nobody Knows--The Tony Rich Project
3 Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)--R. Kelly (featuring Ronald Isley and Ernie Isley)
4 Because You Loved Me--Céline Dion
5 One Sweet Day--Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
6 Not Gon' Cry--Mary J. Blige
7 Til I Hear it from You/Follow You Down--Gin Blossoms
8 Wonderwall--Oasis
9 Lady--D’Angelo
10 Ironic--Alanis Morissette

Singles entering the chart were Ironic; Keep On, Keepin' On by MC Lyte featuring Xscape (#62); Give Me...a Reason by Buffy (#78); High and Dry by Radiohead (#80); Scent of Attraction by Patra with Aaron Hall (#90); Stairway to Heaven by Pure Soul (#92); and Slow Jams by Quincy Jones featuring Babyface & Tamia with Portrait & Barry White (#93).

Politics and government
Incumbent President Lee Teng-hui, representing the Kuomintang, was elected President of Taiwan with Lien Chan as Vice President in the country's first direct presidential election. Mr. Lee took 54.0% of the vote to 21.1% for Democratic Progressive Party candidate Peng Ming‑min.

10 years ago
2006

Died on this date
Cindy Walker, 87. U.S. songwriter. Miss Walker had a brief career as a country singer, but was very successful writing songs for artists such as Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, Jim Reeves, and Eddy Arnold. Her compositions included You Don't Know Me; Distant Drums; Dream Baby; and In the Misty Moonlight. Miss Walker was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997.

Desmond Doss, 87. U.S. medic. Corporal Doss was a conscientious objector during World War II because of his Seventh-Day Adventist beliefs, but served as a medic in the United States Army, and became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, for risking his life to save wounded comrades during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

David Bleak, 74. U.S. soldier. Staff Sergeant Bleak was awarded the Medal of Honor for killing several Chinese soldiers and saving the lives of American soldiers during the Korean War on June 14, 1952.