March 29, 2017

225 years ago
1792

Died on this date
Gustav III, 46. King of Sweden, 1771-1792. King Gustav III succeeded his father Albert Fredrik on the throne. Gustav III opposed the abuse of political privileges by the nobility, and supported religious freedom and other social reforms. He died 16 days after being shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström at midnight at a masked ball in Stockholm, and was succeeded by his son Gustav Adolf.

170 years ago
1847

War
United States forces led by General Winfield Scott took the Mexican city of Veracruz, after a siege.

160 years ago
1857

War
Sepoy Mangal Pandey of the 34th Regiment, Bengal Native Infantry mutinied against the British East India Company's rule in India, inspiring the protracted Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny.

150 years ago
1867

Born on this date
Cy Young. U.S. baseball pitcher. Denton True Young ("Cy" was short for "Cyclone") played with the Cleveland Spiders (1890-1898); St. Louis Perfectos (1899-1900); Boston Americans and Red Sox (1901-1908); Cleveland Naps (1909-1911); and Boston Rustlers (1911), compiling a record of 511-316 with an earned run average of 2.63 in 906 games. His 511 career wins in the major league record by a wide margin. Mr. Young also holds the career records for innings pitched (7,356); starts (815); complete games (749); and losses (316). Mr. Young pitched 3 no-hitters, including a perfect game in 1904. He threw the first pitch in modern World Series history, and posted a 2-1 record as the Americans defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5 games to 3 in the 1903 World Series. Mr. Young was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, and died on November 4, 1955 at the age of 88. The Cy Young Award was created a year after his death, and is given to the outstanding pitcher in each major league after each season.

Canadiana
The British North America Act was proclaimed to establish the Dominion of Canada, uniting Canada West (Ontario), Canada East (Québec), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, effective July 1, 1867.

125 years ago
1892

Born on this date
József Mindszenty. Hungarian clergyman. Cardinal Mindszenty was leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary from October 2, 1945-December 18, 1973. He opposed Nazism and then Communism, and spent eight years of a life sentence in prison before being freed during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Cardinal Mindszenty was granted political asylum by the United States and lived in the American embassy in Budapest until 1971, when he was finally allowed to leave Hungary. He died in exile in Vienna on May 6, 1975 at the age of 83.

Diplomacy
The United States Senate ratified, without opposition, the Bering Sea arbitration treaty.

110 years ago
1907

Died on this date
Cozy Dolan, 34. U.S. baseball player. Patrick Henry Dolan played right field and pitched with the Boston Beaneaters (1895-1896, 1905-1906); Chicago Orphans (1900-1901); Brooklyn Superbas (1901-1902); Chicago White Sox (1903); and Cincinnati Reds (1903-1905), batting .269 with 10 home runs and 315 runs batted in in 830 games, and compiling a record of 12-13 with an earned run average of 4.45 in 35 games. He fell ill and died of typhoid fever during spring training with the Boston Braves.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Man o'War. U.S. racehorse. Man o'War was one of the greatest racehorses in history; he raced only in 1919 and 1920, but won 20 of 21 races, including the 1920 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. His final race took place on October 12, 1920, when he won a match race against 1919 Triple Crown winner Sir Barton. Man o'War had a successful career as a sire from 1921-1943; he was retired from stud after a heart attack, and died after another apparent heart attack on November 1, 1947 at the age of 30.

Tommy Holmes. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Holmes was an outfielder with the Boston Braves (1942-1951) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1952), batting .302 with 88 home runs and 581 runs batted in in 1,320 games. His best season was 1945, when he was second in the National League in batting average (.345), and led the NL in hits (224), home runs (28), and doubles (47). Mr. Holmes might have been the most popular player the Boston Braves ever had, and he managed them in 1951-1952, compiling a record of 61-69. He died on April 14, 2008 at the age of 91.

90 years ago
1927

Society
Provincial government control of liquor sales replaced prohibition in Ontario, marking the origin of Liquor Control Board of Ontario and Brewers Retail stores.

75 years ago
1942

War
The bombing of Lübeck was the first major success for the British Royal Air Force Bomber Command against Germany and a German city. The Soviet Red Army claimed victory in a five-day battle against German forces in the Kalinin sector north of Moscow, inflicting 2,400 casualties.

Diplomacy
U.K. Lord Privy Seal Sir Stafford Cripps continued his mission in New Delhi, where he announced that the British government was prepared to give India dominion status after World War II, with the right of secession. Sir Stafford had been sent to India by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Secretary of State for India Leo Amery to secure India's full cooperation in the war effort.

70 years ago
1947

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Heartaches--Ted Weems and his Orchestra (3rd week at #1)

The most popular song on the CBS Hit Parade was Anniversary Song; other favourites included How are Things in Glocca Morra; Managua, Nicaragua; and Heartaches.

War
The Malagasy Uprising of nationalist guerrillas in Madagascar began with attacks against French colonial forces, killing 20 soldiers in the Moramanga garrison and five other posts.

Diplomacy
The United Nations Economic and Social Council completed its fourth session after creating economic commissions for Europe and Asia; establishing a committee to draft an international bill of rights; and forming two subcommittees on freedom of information and on prevention of discrimination.

Politics and government
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities ended its hearings on Communist organizations in the United States, without recommending the banning of the Communist Party.

Americans for Democratic Action, meeting in Washington, elected Wilson Wyatt president and Leon Henderson vice president, while banning Communists from membership in the organization.

60 years ago
1957

Hit parade
#1 single in France (IFOP): Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Será, Será)--Doris Day (12th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Young Love--Tab Hunter (6th week at #1)

Died on this date
Joyce Cary, 68. U.K. author. Mr. Cary was known for novels such as Mister Johnson (1939); A House of Children (1941); and The Horse's Mouth (1944). He died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Defense
U.S.S.R. Premier Nikolai Bulganin warned Danish Prime Minister Hans Hansen against establishing North Atlantic Treaty Organization bases in Denmark.

West German Social Democratic Party leader Erich Ollenhauer criticized recent proposals for equipping West Germany with atomic weapons as "increasing the danger to Germany's security."

Politics and government
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was re-elected Indian National Congress Party leader in Parliament.

U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and Attorney General Herbert Brownell proposed to congressional leaders at a White House meeting that the Consitution be amended to provide for the Vice President to temporarily assume presidential duties if the President became disabled. Mr. Eisenhower's concern was likely the result of having suffered a heart attack in 1955. The situation was eventually addressed by the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which went into effect in 1967.

Transportation
The New York, Ontario and Western Railway made its final run after being ordered liquidated by a bankruptcy judge, becoming the first major U.S. railroad to be abandoned in its entirety. The railroad had begun in 1868 as the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad.

Labour
The American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations Executive Council suspended Teamsters President Dave Beck as a Council member and as vice president of the AFL-CIO. The Executive Council also instructed its Ethical Practices Committee to determine whether the Teamsters union was "substantially dominated or controlled by corrupt influences."

50 years ago
1967

Hit parade
Australia's Top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Georgy Girl--The Seekers
2 Snoopy vs. the Red Baron--The Royal Guardsmen
3 I'm a Believer--The Monkees
4 Ruby Tuesday/Let's Spend the Night Together--The Rolling Stones
5 Colour My World--Petula Clark
6 Happy Jack--The Who
7 Gimme Some Lovin'--The Spencer Davis Group
8 Green, Green Grass of Home--Tom Jones
9 Pamela Pamela--Wayne Fontana
10 Words of Love/Dancing in the Street--The Mamas and the Papas

Singles entering the chart were The Return of the Red Baron by the Royal Guardsmen (#30); Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles (#33); Movin' Man by Buddy England (#35); Niki Hoeky by P.J. Proby (#37); Dedicated to the One I Love by The Mamas and the Papas (#39); and No One Really Loves a Clown by Robbie Snowden (#40).

Music
The Beatles were in studio two at Abbey Road in London, where they began recording the song With a Little Help from My Friends.

Politics and government
Roland Michener was named by Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, as Governor General of Canada, replacing Georges Vanier, who had died in office on March 5. Mr. Michener, a Progressive Conservative, had represented the Toronto riding of St. Paul's in the House of Commons from 1953-1962, serving as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1957-1962. Mr. Pearson appointed him as Canadian High Commissioner to India in 1964, an office he held at the time of his vice-regal appointment. Mr. Michener was installed as Governor General on April 17.

Defense
France launched her first nuclear submarine--the 7,900-ton Redoubtable--at Cherbourg.

Business
The Dominion Bank sold its first debentures, the first in Canadian banking history.

Environment
The Liberian-registered oil tanker Torrey Canyon, which had run aground between Land's End and the Scilly Isles 11 days earlier, was proving resistant to attempts to sink her by bombing. It finally sank the next day.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board announced that William M. Martin, Jr. would remain as chairman until January 31, 1970.

40 years ago
1977

On television tonight
Family, on ABC
Tonight's episode: ...More Things in Heaven and Earth



Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Maria Alexandra Dueñas Mejia!

Hockey
WHA
Phoenix 5 @ Calgary 9

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Funkytown--Pseudo Echo (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Reality--Richard Sanderson (6th week at #1)

#1 single in France: On se retrouvera--Francis Lalanne (5th week at #1)

Politics and government
A national referendum in Haiti resulted in the approval of a new constitution that created a power-sharing arrangement among a president as head of state, a premier as head of government, and a legislature to which the premier would be responsible.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): To Be with You--Mr. Big (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Das Boot--U 96 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Das Boot--U 96 (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Paul Henreid, 84. Austro-Hungarian-born U.S. actor and film director. Mr. Henreid, born Paul von Hernreid, was best known for his supporting role in Casablanca (1942) and his starring role in Now, Voyager (1942).

Scandal
Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, leading candidate for the 1992 Democratic party nomination for President of the United States, admitted smoking marijuana “a time or two” while studying at Oxford University in England more than 20 years earlier, but said he didn’t like it and “didn’t inhale.”

Hockey
NHL
Los Angeles 2 Edmonton 2

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy (Hit Parade Italia): From Disco to Disco--Whirlpool Productions (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Your Woman--White Town

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

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Let a Boy Cry--Gala

#1 single in Wallonia (Ultratop 40): Let a Boy Cry--Gala (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Mama/Who Do You Think You Are--Spice Girls (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Mama/Who Do You Think You Are--Spice Girls (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Can't Nobody Hold Me Down--Puff Daddy featuring Mase (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Gaius de Gaay Fortman, 85. Dutch politician. Mr. de Gaay Fortman was a civil servant before working as a law professor at Free University Amsterdam (1947-1973). He was a member of the Anti-Revolutionary Party (1934-1980) and its successor, the Christian Democratic Appeal. Mr. de Gaay Fortman was a member of the Senate (1960-1973, 1977-1981), holding various cabinet posts and serving as parliamentary leader in the Senate (1971-1973), with a reputation as a skilled negotiator and consensus builder. He was a member of the European Parliament (1978-1979).

Hockey
NHL
Colorado 2 @ Toronto 3