Thursday 31 March 2016

March 31, 2016

150 years ago
1866


War
The Spanish Navy bombed the harbour of Valparaíso, Chile.

125 years ago
1891


Born on this date
Victor Varconi
. Hungarian-born actor. Mr. Varconi, born Mihály Várkony began acting in silent films in his native country before appearing in films in Germany and Austria in the early 1920s. He became the first Hungarian to act in an American movie when he played a supporting role in Poisoned Paradise: The Forbidden Story of Monte Carlo (1924). Mr. Varconi played Pontius Pilate in The King of Kings (1927) and continued to have prominent roles in silent movies, but his Hungarian accent wasn't suited to American sound movies, and his roles diminished, although he appeared in movies until 1959. He and fellow Hungarian native Bela Lugosi appeared together in The Black Camel (1931). Mr. Varconi died of a heart attack on June 6, 1976 at the age of 85.

110 years ago
1906


Sport
The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (later the National Collegiate Athletic Association) was established to set rules for college sports in the United States.

100 years ago
1916


Born on this date
Tommy Bolt
. U.S. golfer. Mr. Bolt won 15 Professional Golfers' Association events, including the 1958 U.S. Open, in a career lasting from 1946 through the 1970s. He was nicknamed "Terrible Tommy" for outbursts of temper, such as throwing clubs, but later admitted that a lot of such behaviour was merely for show. Mr. Bolt died on August 30, 2008 at the age of 92.

Lucille Bliss. U.S. actress. Miss Bliss was mainly known as a voice actress who appeared on radio programs and in various cartoons. She died on November 8, 2012 at the age of 96.

75 years ago
1941


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): The Woodpecker Song--Kate Smith; Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (5th month at #1)

War
The Cuban government seized an Italian freighter as a "precautionary measure," while the crews of a German freighter and an Italian liner set fire to their ships in Costa Rican ports.

Diplomacy
Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka arrived in Rome to exchange personal greetings with Italian leaders.

German Minister to Yugoslavia Viktor von Heeren left Belgrade for Berlin; the Italian diplomatic colony also left.

Germany and Italy protested to the U.S. State Department against the seizure of their merchant ships.

Academia
City College of New York registrar John Kenneth Ackley was suspended pending a trial before the Board of Higher Education on charges that he was a member of the Communist Party.

Economics and finance
TNEC urged a "permanent decentralization" of economic and political power to safeguard democracy in a report to Congress based on its two-year investigation of corporations.

The U.S. Justice Department announced that a grand jury had indicted three of the country's largest drug manufacturers on charges of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act by fixing the price of insulin.

Labour
The U.S. National Defense Mediation Board announced the settlement of the Congress of Industrial Organizations Steel Workers Organizing Committee at Vanadium Steel Corporation's plant in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania.

Deportation procedures against Australian-born CIO leader Harry Bridges began in San Francisco.

70 years ago
1946


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Rum and Coca-Cola--The Andrews Sisters (2nd month at #1)

Died on this date
John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, 59
. U.K. military officer and politician. Viscount Gort served with the British Expeditionary Force in France in World War I--winning the Victoria Cross in 1918--and commanded the force in the first year of World War II; the force was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. He served as Governor of Gibraltar (1941-1942); Governor of Malta (1942-1944); and High Commissioner for Palestine and High Commissioner for Trans-Jordan (1944-1945). Viscount Gort died of liver cancer.

Politics and government
In Greece's first parliamentary elections in 10 years, the right-wing Greek Populist Party won a majority of 200 seats, as leftists boycotted the elections.

The moderate leftist cabinet of Socialist Prime Minister Achille van Acker took office in Belgium, with former Prime Minister Paul-Henri Spaak as Foreign Minister.

Social Democrats in the Western zones of Berlin rejected a merger with Communists, but voted for continued cooperation, while Soviet authorities prevented a vote in their zone.

Former Italian Prime Minisers Vittorio Orlando, Ivanoe Bonomi, and Francesco Nitti, along with philosopher Benedetto Croce, announced the formation of the right-wind Democratic Union.

Diplomacy
The U.S.S.R. paid the United Nations $1.7 million, its share of the UN's $25-million working capital fund.

Defense
The U.S. State, War, and Navy Departments announced that the Army and Navy Staff College would be reorganized as the National War College and would give courses in civilian subjects pertinent to national defense.

Medicine
The American Chemical Society awarded its Priestly Medal to Sir Ian Morris Heilbron of the United Kingdom for his work with penicillin and vitamins.

Health
The American Geographical Society announced plans for the compilation of an Atlas of Diseases to aid in the study of the relationship between environment and health.

Religion
The World Council of Churches established a loan fund to help rebuild church buildings destroyed in World War II.

60 years ago
1956


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): He--Al Hibbler

#1 single in West Germany (Media Control): Tiritomba--Margot Eskens

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): It's Almost Tomorrow--The Dream Weavers (3rd week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): The Poor People of Paris--Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra (Best Seller--2nd week at #1; Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1; Top 100--2nd week at #1); Rock and Roll Waltz--Kay Starr (Jukebox--5th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 The Poor People of Paris--Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra (2nd week at #1)
2 Lisbon Antigua--Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
3 Why Do Fools Fall in Love--The Teenagers
--Gale Storm
--The Diamonds
4 No, Not Much!--The Four Lads
5 Rock and Roll Waltz--Kay Starr
6 I'll Be Home--Pat Boone
--The Flamingos
7 Blue Suede Shoes--Carl Perkins
8 Juke Box Baby--Perry Como
9 The Great Pretender--The Platters
10 Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)--Perry Como

Singles entering the chart were "Main Title" from "The Man with the Golden Arm" by Elmer Bernstein and Orchestra (#16, charting with the versions by Richard Maltby and his Orchestra, Dick Jacobs and his Orchestra, and Billy May and his Orchestra); Rock Island Line by the Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group (#31); Without You (#32)/No Other One (#38) by Eddie Fisher; R-O-C-K (#34)/The Saints Rock 'n Roll (#42) by Bill Haley and his Comets; Winner Take All by the Platters (#41); Held for Questioning by Rusty Draper (#46); Ivory Tower, with versions by Cathy Carr, and Otis Williams and the Charms (#48); Infatuation (Scapricciatiello) by Renato Carosone (#49); and Long Tall Sally, with versions by Pat Boone and Little Richard (#50). "Main Title" from "The Man with the Golden Arm" by Elmer Bernstein and Orchestra was the version used in the movie; it was composed by Mr. Bernstein.

On television tonight
The Honeymooners, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Head of the House



Died on this date
Ralph DePalma, 73
. Italian-born U.S. auto racing driver. Mr. DePalma emigrated to the United States with his family in 1893. He was the unofficial U.S. national driving champion in 1912 and 1914, raced in the Indianapolis 500 ten times from 1911-1925, winning in 1915. Mr. DePalma led the 1912 Indianapolis 500 for 196 of 200 laps, but suffered a broken piston with 2 laps remaining, and he and riding mechanic Tom Alley pushed the car across the finish line to finish in 11th place, completing the 200 laps in order to be eligible for prize money.

Emile Chemama, 30. Algerian-born French boxer. Mr. Chemama, the "Star of the South," was French bantamweight champion from 1950-1952, and was ranked as high as the number 3 contender for the world title, compiling a record of 38-13-10 in a professional career beginning in 1949. Two days after scoring an 11-round technical knockout of Dante Bini to win the French bantamweight title for the second time, Mr. Chemama was killed in a car accident. His manager, Bruno Solinas, was also injured in the accident, and died several days later.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Finals
Detroit 4 @ Montreal 6 (Montreal led best-of-seven series 1-0)

The defending champion Red Wings led 4-2 in the 3rd period, but the Canadiens erupted for 4 goals in a span of 5 minutes 29 seconds to win the game at the Montreal Forum. Jacques Plante won the goaltending duel over Glenn Hall, who was making his first appearance in the finals.

Basketball
NBA
Finals
Fort Wayne 94 @ Philadelphia 98 (Philadelphia led best-of-seven series 1-0)

50 years ago
1966


Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore--The Walker Brothers (3rd week at #1)

Space
The U.S.S.R. launched the lunar probe Luna 10.

Politics and government
Prime Minister Harold Wilson led his Labour Party to a majority government in the British general election, winning 364 of 630 seats in the House of Commons. Labour increased its total by 48 seats from their standing heading into the election, while the Conservatives, led by Edward Heath, won 253 seats, a decline of 52. The Liberals, led by Jo Grimond, won 12 seats, a decrease of 3.

40 years ago
1976


Education
World War I veteran Gordon Greenaway was a guest speaker in Mr. Rodgers' Social Studies 10 class, which included this blogger, at Sir John Franklin Territorial High School in Yellowknife.

Society
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that coma patient Karen Anne Quinlan could be disconnected from her respirator. Miss Quinlan, 21, had slipped into a coma in April 1975 after consuming a mixture of alchohol and drugs. In a court case in the fall of 1975, Miss Quinlan's parents had sought to have her respirator disconnected in order that she may be put in "God's hands." The respirator was disconnected, and much to the surprise of everyone, Miss Quinlan continued breathing on her own. She remained comatose until her death in 1985.

Defense
U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, visiting Australia, pledged that the United States would match any Soviet fleet buildup in the Indian Ocean.

30 years ago
1986


Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going--Billy Ocean (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Say You, Say Me--Lionel Richie (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Jerry Paris, 60
. U.S. actor and director. Mr. Paris played Jerry Helper, the next-door neighbour in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966), and directed some episodes of the series, winning an Emmy Award. He directed 234 of the 255 episodes of the comedy series Happy Days (1974-1984). Mr. Paris died of complications from brain cancer surgery.

Kelly Isley, 48. U.S. singer. O'Kelly Isley, Jr., with his younger brothers Ronald and Rudy, comprised the Isley Brothers, who had a string of hit singles from 1959 through the 1970s, including Shout (Parts 1 and 2) (1959); Twist and Shout (1962); This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) (1966); and It's Your Thing (1969). Kelly Isley died of a heart attack.

Politics and government
Thousands of people gathered in London to mark the last day of the Greater London Council, which had been abolished after 97 years by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Disasters
All 166 people aboard a Mexican airliner were killed when it crashed in a mountainous region of central Mexico.

Augustine Volcano in Cook Inlet in Alaska erupted for the second time in five days. It lifted ash eight miles into the sky and plunged the fishing village of Homer into darkness at noon.

25 years ago
1991


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Crazy--Seal (4th week at #1)

Austria's Top 10 (Ö3)
1 Joyride--Roxette
2 Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)--C & C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams
3 Kränk di net--Jazz Gitti & her Disco Killers
4 Secret Love--Bee Gees
5 Crazy--Seal
6 No Coke--Dr. Alban
7 Unchained Melody--The Righteous Brothers
8 Hello Afrika--Dr. Alban featuring Leila K.
9 Sister Soul & Mr. Beat--Beat 4 Feet featuring Kim Cooper
10 3 A.M. Eternal (Live at the S.S.L.)--The KLF

Singles entering the chart were Do the Bartman by the Simpsons (#17); Mea Culpa Part II by Enigma (#21); Easier to Walk Away by Elton John (#28); and Auberge by Chris Rea (#30).

World events
Nearly 99% of voters in a referendum in the Soviet republic of Georgia supported the country's independence from the Soviet Union.

Politics and government
In the first multiparty national election since World War II, Albanian voters chose to stick with the ruling Workers’ (Communist) Party. The Workers’ Party won about two-thirds of the popular vote and a large majority in parliament. The opposition Democratic Party did well in urban areas, but rural voters backed the Communists.

Curling
Men's world championship @ Winnipeg Arena, Winnipeg
Final
Scotland 7 Canada 2

The David Smith rink, representing Scotland, stole a point in the 7th end and scored 3 points in the 8th to break the game open and defeat the Kevin Martin rink of Avonair Curling Club in Edmonton, representing Canada. Mr. Martin's rink had posted a 9-0 record in round robin play and had defeated Eigel Ramsfjell's Norweginan rink 5-3 in the semi-finals. Mr. Smith's rink had gone 7-2 in the round robin before defeating Steve Brown's American rink 4-2 in the semi-finals.



20 years ago
1996


Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Ridin' Low--L.A.D.

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Lemon Tree--Fool's Garden (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Children--Robert Miles (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Scotland (OCC): The X-Files--Mark Snow

Space
The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, concluding mission STS-76. The five-man crew was commanded by Kevin Chilton. The mission began on March 22 with six crew members, but Mission Specialist Shannon Lucid transferred to the Russian space station Mir on March 24 to begin a 4 1/2-month stay.

Curling
Men's world championship @ Copps Coliseum, Hamilton
Final
Canada 6 Scotland 2

Jeff Stoughton's rink from Charleswood Curling Club in Winnipeg, representing Canada, scored 2 points in each of the 5th and 7th ends as they defeated the David Smith rink, representing Scotland.



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