March 21, 2017

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Nadia Marchuk!

1,300 years ago
717

War
Forces commanded by Charles Martel defeated forces commanded by Chilperic II, King of the Franks, in the Battle of Vincy in France.

1,150 years ago
867

Died on this date
Ælla; Osberht. Kings of Northumbria. Ælla succeeded Osberht as King of Northumbria, England after the latter was deposed. They reportedly combined forces and were both killed in battle against invading Danish forces at York.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Florenz Ziegfeld. U.S. theatrical producer. Mr. Ziegfeld was best known as producer of the Ziegfeld Follies, a series of revues that were popular on Broadway in New York from 1907-1931. He died of pleurisy on July 22, 2932 at the age of 65.

100 years ago
1917

War
Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden was among those in attendance for the beginning of the Imperial War Conference in London; the conference ran until April 27.

80 years ago
1937

Abominations
A peaceful protest in Ponce, Puerto Rico turned deadly when 19 unarmed marchers were shot to death and 200 wounded by police acting on orders of U.S.-appointed Governor Blanton Winship.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Moonlight Cocktail--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)

70 years ago
1947

At the movies
The Egg and I, starring Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, Marojorie Main, and Percy Kilbride, received its premiere screening in Los Angeles.

50 years ago
1967

On television tonight
The Fugitive, starring David Janssen, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Death of a Very Small Killer, with guest stars Arthur Hill, Carol Lawrence, and Carlos Romero

The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Ivy Curtain

World events
Sierra Leonian Prime Minister Siaka Stevens was abducted at gunpoint from the State House in Freetown, hours after he had taken the oath of office as Prime Minister, in a military coup led by Brigadier General David Lansana, commander of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Brigadier General Lansana declared a state of emergency and imposed martial law, insisting that the determination of the winner of the recent election should await the election of the tribal representatives in Parliament, mostly from Mende chiefdoms in South-Eastern Sierra Leone. Brigadier General Lansana was a member of the Mende tribe, while Mr. Stevens was an ethnic Limba.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and South Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Cao Ky concluded their two-day Guam Conference, where they discussed the Vietnam War and non-military matters.

Boxing
Karl Mildenberger (51-3-3) retained his European heavyweight title with a technical knockout of Billy Walker (20-6-2) at 1:43 of the 8th round at Empire Pool, Wembley, London.



Boone Kirkman (9-0) won a 10-round unanimous decision over Wayne Heath (13-7) in a heavyweight bout at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Torn Between Two Lovers--Mary MacGregor

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Shitsuren Restaurant--Kentaro Shimizu (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Daddy Cool--Boney M. (5th week at #1)

Diplomacy
Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda and U.S. President Jimmy Carter began two days of talks in Washington.

Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev accused the United States of interfering in the U.S.S.R.'s internal affairs.

Weather
Chinese officials reported the worst drought since 1949 in southern and northeastern regions of the country.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 5 @ Boston 1

The game at Boston Garden was the second Monday Le soirée du hockey telecast on Radio-Canada during the 1976-77 season.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Si può dare di più--Gianni Morandi, Enrico Ruggeri, Umberto Tozzi (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Final Countdown--Europe (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)--George Michael and Aretha Franklin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Respectable--Mel and Kim

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Everything I Own--Boy George

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Everything I Own--Boy George

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Everything I Own--Boy George (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Lean on Me--Club Nouveau

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Lean on Me--Club Nouveau
2 Jacob's Ladder--Huey Lewis and the News
3 Let's Wait Awhile--Janet Jackson
4 Somewhere Out There--Linda Ronstadt with James Ingram
5 Mandolin Rain--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
6 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
7 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi
8 (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)--Beastie Boys
9 Tonight, Tonight, Tonight--Genesis
10 Big Time--Peter Gabriel

Singles entering the chart were La Isla Bonita by Madonna (#54); With or Without You by U2 (#59); Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys (#77); If She Would Have Been Faithful... by Chicago (#80); There's Nothing Better than Love by Luther Vandross (with Gregory Hines) (#86); Show Me by the Cover Girls (#87); Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me) by Samantha Fox (#88); and The Secret of My Success by Night Ranger (#90). The Secret of My Success was the title song of the movie.

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi (2nd week at #1)
2 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters
3 Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox
4 Somewhere Out There--Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
5 Keep Your Hands to Yourself--Georgia Satellites
6 Will You Still Love Me?--Chicago
7 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
8 Montego Bay--Amazulu
9 Respect Yourself--Bruce Willis
10 The Final Countdown--Europe

Singles entering the chart were Heat of the Night by Bryan Adams (#80); Lessons in Love by Level 42 (#85); The Finer Things by Steve Winwood (#88); (I Just) Died in Your Arms by Cutting Crew (#93); Dominoes by Robbie Nevil (#94); Light of Day by the Barbusters (#96); and Closer Together by The Box (#98).

Died on this date
Walter Gordon, 80. Canadian politician. Mr. Gordon was an accountant who chaired two Royal Commissions before entering politics. He was elected as a Liberal to the House of Commons in the Toronto riding of Davenport in 1962, representing the riding until 1968. Mr. Gordon was named Minister of Finance in the incoming Liberal cabinet of Prime Minister Lester Pearson in 1963, but was forced to withdraw and revise his first budget, which contained discriminatory taxes on foreign capital. Mr. Gordon was an economic nationalist who supported stronger ties with the United Kingdom and decreased ties to the United States. His influence in the cabinet declined after the budget debacle; he resigned as Minister of Finance in 1965, served as President of the Privy Council from 1967-1968, and declined to run for re-election in 1968. Mr. Gordon served as Chancellor of York University from 1973-1977.

Robert Preston, 68. U.S. actor. Mr. Preston, born Robert Preston Meservey, was best known for his starring role in the play (1957) and movie (1962) The Music Man. His other movies included The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) and Victor Victoria (1982).

Dean Paul Martin, 35. U.S. actor and musician. Mr. Martin, a son of Dean Martin, was one of the members of the music group Dino, Desi and Billy in the 1960s before attempting an acting career. He became a pilot with the California Air National Guard in 1981, rising to the rank of Captain, and was killed along with his Weapons Systems Officer, Captain Ramon Ortiz, when his F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed into San Gorgonio Mountain during a snowstorm.

War
800 Libyans were reported killed after Libyan columns south of Wadi Doum, site of a Libyan air base, in ambushes on March 19 and 21 by Chadian government forces.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 4 @ Montreal 9

The highlight for Maple Leaf fans was a fight between Toronto’s Wendel Clark and Montreal’s John Kordic (see video).

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Saltwater--Julian Lennon (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kanashimi hayuki no yoni--Shogo Hamada (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Non Amarmi--Aleandro Baldi; Francesca Alotta

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Human Touch---Bruce Springsteen

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): She Goes Nana--The Radios (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Twilight Zone--2 Unlimited

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Stay--Shakespears Sister (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 To Be with You--Mr. Big (5th week at #1)
2 Missing You Now--Michael Bolton featuring Kenny G
3 Remember the Time--Michael Jackson
4 I Can't Dance--Genesis
5 Until Your Love Comes Back Around--RTZ
6 Masterpiece--Atlantic Starr
7 Good for Me--Amy Grant
8 What Becomes of the Brokenhearted--Paul Young
9 Justified & Ancient--The KLF (featuring Tammy Wynette)
10 Too Much Passion--Smithereens

Singles entering the chart were Human Touch by Bruce Springsteen (#55); Live and Learn by Joe Public (#73); Good Friend by Paris Red (#85); She's Got that Vibe by R. Kelly and Public Announcement (#86); and Nothing Else Matters by Metallica (#89).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 To Be with You--Mr. Big (3rd week at #1)
2 Remember the Time--Michael Jackson
3 Hazard--Richard Marx
4 Tears in Heaven--Eric Clapton
5 Good for Me--Amy Grant
6 What Becomes of the Brokenhearted--Paul Young
7 I Can't Dance--Genesis
8 Missing You Now--Michael Bolton
9 Again Tonight--John Mellencamp
10 Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven--Bryan Adams

Singles entering the chart were This Love is Forever by Paul Janz (#86); World Love by Lisa Lougheed (#89); Can't Cry Hard Enough by the Williams Brothers (#91); I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever) by George Michael (#92); Ever Changing Times by Aretha Franklin and Michael McDonald (#93); I'm the One You Need by Jody Watley (#94); Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down) by Tears for Fears (#95); Uhh Ahh by Boyz II Men (#97); Not the Only One by Bonnie Raitt (#98); and (I've Got to) Stop Thinking 'Bout That by James Taylor (#99). I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever) was the B-side of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael/Elton John, charting at #12.

Died on this date
John Ireland, 78. Canadian-born U.S. actor. A native of Vancouver, Mr. Ireland appeared in such movies as A Walk in the Sun (1945); My Darling Clementine (1946); All the King’s Men (1949); The Basketball Fix (1951); Queen Bee (1955); Spartacus (1960); and 55 Days at Peking (1963).

Hockey
NHL
Chicago 3 @ Toronto 1
Los Angeles 5 Calgary 2

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Warum?--Tic Tac Toe (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Vänner--Together (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Wilbert Awdry, 85. U.K. author. Rev. Awdry, an Anglican priest, was known for The Railway Series of 26 children's books (1945-1972), featuring Thomas the Tank Engine.

Politics and government
John Savage announced his resignation as Premier of Nova Scotia because of a lack of support in public opinion polls. Dr. Savage had led the province's Liberal Party since 1992 and had been Premier since June 1993.