April 3, 2018

975 years ago
1043

Britannica
Edward the Confessor was crowned King of England at Winchester.

425 years ago
1593

Born on this date
George Herbert. Welsh-born English clergyman and poet. Rev. Herbert was an Anglican priest who was associated with the metaphysical poets. His works included The Temple, Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations (1633). Rev. Herbert died of consumption on March 1, 1933, 33 days before his 40th birthday.

150 years ago
1868

Died on this date
Franz Berwald, 71. Swedish composer. Dr. Berwald, an orthopedist by profession, was a Romantic composer who wrote four symphonies, as well as chamber music, vocal works, tone poems, and concertos. His music was largely ignored during his lifetime, but was better appreciated after his death.

130 years ago
1888

Crime
Emma Elizabeth Smith, a prostitute, was assaulted and robbed by two or three men in the impoverished Whitechapel district in the East End of London. She was able to walk home, but then was taken to London Hospital, where it was discovered that a blunt object had been inserted into her vagina, rupturing her peritoneum. She died of peritonitis the next day. Ms. Smith's murder was the first of 11 murders of women in Whitechapel from 1888-1891 that were gathered into a single police file. Five murders later in the year were attributed to "Jack the Ripper."

125 years ago
1893

Born on this date
Leslie Howard. U.K. actor. Mr. Howard, born Leslie Howard Steiner, starred on Broadway in such plays as Her Cardboard Lover (1927); Berkeley Square (1929); and The Petrified Forest (1935), and was known for his starring and supporting roles in such movies as The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934); The Petrified Forest (1936); Romeo and Juliet (1936); Pygmalion (1938); Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939); Gone with the Wind (1939); "Pimpernel" Smith(1941); and 49th Parallel (1941). He died on June 1, 1943 at the age of 50 when British Overseas Airways Corporation Flight 777 was shot down over the Bay of Biscay by German Junkers Ju 88s, leading to speculation that its shooting down was an attempt to kill British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

120 years ago
1898

Born on this date
George Jessel. U.S. entertainer. Mr. Jessel had a career spanning more than 70 years; he was known for his comic roles on stage and for his ability as a banquet host, earning the nickname "Toastmaster General of the United States." He starred in The Jazz Singer (1925) on Broadway and was the original choice to star in the movie version, but turned down the role when his salary demands weren't met. Mr. Jessel produced 24 movie musicals from the 1940s through the '60s, appeared in small roles in several movies, and hosted several television programs. He died of a heart attack on May 23, 1981 at the age of 83.

Disasters
An avalanche in Chilkoot Pass, Yukon killed 88 men during the Klondike gold rush.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Louis Applebaum. Canadian composer and conductor. Mr. Applebaum, a native of Toronto, composed about 250 scores for National Film Board of Canada (1942-1960), and was the first music director of the Stratford Festival (1955-1960). He and co-composer Ann Ronell were nominated for an Academy Award for their score for The Story of G.I. Joe (1945), and Mr. Applebaum won a Genie Award for his score for the made-for-television movie Glory Enough for All (1988). He died in Toronto on April 19, 2000, 16 days after his 82nd birthday.

90 years ago
1928

Died on this date
James A. Gallivan, 61. U.S. politician. Mr. Gallivan, a Democrat, represented Massachusetts' 12th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1914 until his death. Mr. Gallivan was known for his picturesque language, and packed the galleries whenever he spoke. He was mourned by colleagues from both sides of the House.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Montreal Maroons 1 Montreal Canadiens 0 (OT) (Maroons won 2-game total goals series 3-2)
New York Rangers 4 @ Boston 1 (New York won 2-game total goals series 5-2)

Russell Oatman scored at 8:20 of the 1st overtime period to give the Maroons their win over the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum. Clint Benedict won the goaltending duel over George Hainsworth.

75 years ago
1943

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I've Heard that Song Before--Harry James and his Music Makers with Helen Forrest (5th week at #1)

Died on this date
Conrad Veidt, 50. German actor. Mr. Veidt achieved fame as the star of the expressionistic silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), and made several movies in Hollywood, most notably in The Man Who Laughs (1928). An opponent of the Nazi regime in Germany, Mr. Veidt married a Jewish woman in 1933 and quickly fled to the United Kingdom, where he appeared in such movies as Spy in Black (1939); Contraband (1940); and The Thief of Bagdad (1940). He moved to the United States, where he ended up being cast as Nazis in such movies as All Through the Night (1942); Nazi Agent (1942), and, most memorably, Casablanca (1942). Mr. Veidt died of a heart attack while playing golf at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

War
U.S. Selective Service Director Lewis Hershey said that men aged 18-45 who were in non-deferrable occupations may be inducted after May 1, 1943. Brazilian Foreign Minister Oswaldo Aranha denied that Brazil was preparing an army to send to Africa. The U.S.S.R. released a map of their war position for the first time, indicating a 1,500-mile front from Leningrad to the Caucasus. German forces in Tunisia checked U.S. Army forces commanded by General George Patton east of El Guettar.

Swimming
AAU
Championship
Ohio State University won the U.S. national men's championship in New York with 46 points.

70 years ago
1948

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard) (Best Seller): Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)--Peggy Lee (4th week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Now is the Hour (Maori Farewell Song)--Bing Crosby (3rd week at #1)
--Gracie Fields
--Margaret Whiting
--Eddy Howard and his Orchestra
--Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra
2 Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)--Peggy Lee
3 I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover--Art Mooney and his Orchestra
--Russ Morgan and his Orchestra
--The Three Suns
--Uptown String Band
4 Beg Your Pardon--Francis Craig and his Orchestra
--Frankie Carle and his Orchestra
--Larry Green and his Orchestra
5 Because--Perry Como
6 Sabre Dance--Woody Herman and his Orchestra
7 But Beautiful--Frank Sinatra
--Margaret Whiting
8 Golden Earrings--Peggy Lee
9 Serenade of the Bells--Sammy Kaye and his "Swing and Sway" Orchestra
--Jo Stafford
--Kay Kyser and his Orchestra
10 Ballerina--Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra
--Bing Crosby with the Rhythmaires
--Buddy Clark

Singles entering the chart were Baby Face by Art Mooney and his Orchestra (#20); Deck of Cards by "T" Texas Tyler (#24); Ok'l Baby Dok'l, with versions by Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra; and the Pied Pipers (#27); and There Ought to Be a Society (For the Prevention of Cruelty to Poor Unfortunate Lovers) by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra (#34).

At the movies
Close-Up, directed by Jack Donohue, and starring Alan Baxter, Virginia Gilmore, and Richard Kollmar, received its premiere screening in New York City.



War
A Communist uprising in the Korean province of Jeju Island began.

World events
U.S. authorities closed the American sector of Berlin to Soviet officials travelling from Potsdam to the centre of the city.

Economics and finance
U. S. President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan, which allocated more than $5 billion in aid for 16 European countries. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Communist leaders credited the Marshall Plan with helping to prevent many European countries from going Communist.

Labour
A U.S. federal court in Washington issued a 10-day restraining order against the United Mine Workers of America, calling on striking miners to return to work and resume negotiations with employers. U.S. steelmakers began to curtail production due to shortages resulting from the strike.

Swimming
AAU
Championship
Ohio State University won the U.S. national men's championship in New Haven, Connecticut. The Crystal Plunge team from San Francisco won the U.S. women's championship in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
Boston 2 @ Toronto 3 (Toronto won best-of-seven series 4-1)

Basketball
BAA
Semi-Finals
St. Louis 61 @ Philadelphia 84 (Best-of-seven series tied 3-3)

60 years ago
1958

At the movies
Nasser Asphalt (Wet Asphalt), directed by Frank Wisbar, and starring Horst Buchholz, Martin Held, and Gert Fröbe, opened in theatres in West Germany.

Died on this date
Jaan Kärner, 66. Estonian poet and author. Mr. Kärner wrote in various genres from the early 1920s through the early '40s, but was best known for his nature poetry. He lived in the U.S.S.R. during the German occupation of Estonia during World War II, but returned to Estonia after it was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1944. Mr. Kärner went insane in 1946.

Carlos Eduardo Castañeda, 61. Mexican-born U.S. historian. Dr. Castañeda emigrated to Texas with his family in 1908. He specialized in the history of the Spanish borderlands of the United States, especially Texas. He worked as an investigator for the Fair Employment Practices Committee during World War II, advocating for equal rights for Mexican-Americans. Dr. Castañeda's works included the seven-volume Our Catholic Heritage in Texas (1936-1958).

World events
Ceylonese Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike announced the dispatch of troops and police to areas where Sinhalese and Tamils had clashed over minority Tamil demands for recognition of their language as an alternative official language.

Defense
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower submitted to Congress a plan for consolidating operational military commands and strengthening the authority of the Defense Secretary.

Politics and government
Four United Party candidates were elected as coloured representatives in the South African House of Assembly, 13 days before the South African general election.

Transportation
The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed and sent to President Eisenhower an anti-recession bill to increase by $1.8 billion the amount of federal funds authorized for highway projects in the next three fiscal years.

The United Arab Republic announced the purchase of TU-104 jet airliners from the U.S.S.R. for civilian use.

Labour
Cuban President Fulgencio Batista issued a series of anti-strike decrees.

Boxing
Sonny Liston (17-1) won a 10-round decision over Bert Whitehurst (24-14-2) in a heavyweight bout at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis.

Hockey
NHL
Stanley Cup
Semi-Finals
New York 1 @ Boston 6 (Boston led best-of-seven series 3-2)

Fern Flaman scored 2 goals in the 2nd period--the first coming shorthanded--to help the Bruins defeat the Rangers at Boston Garden.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Lady Madonna--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Love is Blue (L'Amour est Bleu)--Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra (2nd week at #1)
2 Simon Says--1910 Fruitgum Company
3 Green Tambourine--The Lemon Pipers
4 Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band
5 Bottle of Wine--The Fireballs
6 The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde--Georgie Fame
7 Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)--Johnny Farnham
8 The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)--Manfred Mann
9 Woman, Woman--The Union Gap
10 Delilah--Tom Jones

Singles entering the chart were Kiss Me Goodbye by Petula Clark (#22); Cinderella Rockefella by Esther and Abi Ofarim (#27); and The Legend of Xanadu by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich (#31).

Music
The album Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel was released on Columbia Records.

Africana
The United States of Central Africa, formed by Congo (Kinshasa), Chad and the Central African Republic the day before, changed its name to the Union of Central African States.

Defense
At Wellington, New Zealand, the 13th annual Ministerial Council meeting of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) closed with a communiqué endorsing the limitation of bombing in North Vietnam, but warning that Communist aggression in southeast Asia must be halted.

Politics and government
At the Mason Temple in Memphis,Tennessee, Rev. Martin Luther King delivered his "I’ve been to the mountaintop" speech to striking sanitation workers. It turned out to be the last public address he ever gave.

An excerpt:

It really doesn't matter what happens now.... some began to... talk about the threats that were out -- what would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers.... Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place, but I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.



According to close friend Ralph Abernathy, "Dr." King then spent his last full night alive in an adulterous liaison with several prostitutes, at least one of whom he beat up.

Economics and finance
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Lester Pearson removed restrictions on selling gold purchased by the Royal Mint from Canadian producers.

19,290,000 shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange, breaking the record of 17,730,000 set two days earlier.

Disasters
Tornadoes in northern Arkansas killed six people and caused extensive damage.

Hockey
CPHL
Adams Cup
Semi-Finals
Tulsa 1 @ Oklahoma City 4 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

Basketball
ABA
Western Division Semi-Finals
Denver 97 @ New Orleans 102 (New Orleans won best-of-five series 3-2)

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Stayin' Alive--Bee Gees

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Southpaw--Pink Lady

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Te Amo--Umberto Tozzi (6th week at #1)

Movies
The Academy Awards for 1977 were presented at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Winners included: Picture--Annie Hall; Director--Woodie Allen (Annie Hall); Actor--Richard Dreyfuss (The Goodbye Girl); Actress--Diane Keaton (Annie Hall); Supporting Actor--Jason Robards (Julia); Supporting Actress--Vanessa Redgrave (Julia). Miss Redgrave used her acceptance speech to denounce "Zionist hoodlums" protesting outside, and her speech was denounced two hours later by presenter Paddy Chayefsky.

Died on this date
Ray Noble, 74. U.K. musician. Mr. Noble led the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra in Britain (with Al Bowlly as vocalist), and led several bands in the U.S.A. Among his more notable compositions were The Very Thought of You; Cherokee; and Love is the Sweetest Thing. He had success in the late 1940s with Buddy Clark as vocalist. Their version of Linda (written by Jack Lawrence in honour of Linda Eastman--the future Linda McCartney) was the 4th biggest hit single of 1947 in the United States, according to Billboard.

Winston Sharples, 69. U.S. musician and composer. Mr. Sharples was a pianist and bandleader in the 1920s, but was best known for composing music for more than 700 cartoons for Paramount and Famous Studios from the 1930s through the 1960s.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Jimmy Carter ended his visit to Africa with a brief stop in Liberia as a gesture to the Liberian people. He returned to Washington later in the day.

Politics and government
Two of the three black nationalist groups in Rhodesia participating with Prime Minister Ian Smith in the transition to black majority rule rejected the American and British proposal to convene a meeting that would include Patriotic Front guerrillas.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-0 in Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council that federal judges could not block the construction of nuclear power plants by imposing extreme safety standards.

Economics and finance
U.S. Steel Corporation rolled back a steel price increase that had been denounced four days earlier by President Carter as "excessive" and "inflationary." On March 29, U.S. Steel had announced that it was increasing the price of steel 2.2% or $10.50 U.S. per ton to "cover the cost of the new coal labor contract." The president’s Council on Wage and Price Stability had argued that the coal miners’ settlement would add no more than $4 per ton to the cost of steel. U.S. Steel reduced the increase to $5.50 per ton.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): One Tree Hill--U2 (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Tell it to My Heart--Taylor Dayne (3rd week at #1)

Died on this date
Milton Caniff, 81. U.S. cartoonist. Mr. Caniff created the adventure comic strips Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon. He produced Terry and the Pirates from 1934-1946, but left that strip because he didn’t own the rights to it. When he was offered ownership of his own strip, he created Steve Canyon, which began running in January 1947, the month after he’d finished his association with Terry and the Pirates. Mr. Caniff produced the Steve Canyon strip until his death. Other comic strips produced by Mr. Caniff include: Mister Gilfeather (1932-1933); The Gay Thirties (1933-1934); Dickie Dare (1933-1934) and Male Call (1943-1946). Mr. Caniff was one of the founders of the National Cartoonists Society, and served as its president in 1948 and 1949. He was honoured with the Reuben award as the nation’s top cartoonist in 1947 and 1972, and was named to the Society’s Hall of Fame in 1981. The Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award is named in his honour.

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz travelled to the Middle East in an attempt to persuade the leaders of Israel and Jordan to begin direct negotiations toward Middle East peace.

Hockey
NHL
Montreal 4 Buffalo 4
New Jersey 4 Chicago 3 (OT)

Stéphane Richer of the Canadiens scored his 50th goal of the season as they tied the Sabres.

25 years ago
1993

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Are You Gonna Go My Way--Lenny Kravitz

#1 single in Italy: Sei un Mito--883

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): I Feel You--Depeche Mode (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (VRT): No Limit--2 Unlimited (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Alison--Jordy (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): No Limit--2 Unlimited (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Young at Heart--The Bluebells

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Informer--Snow (4th week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Informer--Snow (2nd week at #1)
2 I Have Nothing--Whitney Houston
3 Nothin' But a "G" Thang--Dr. Dre
4 Don't Walk Away--Jade
5 Ordinary World--Duran Duran
6 Bed of Roses--Bon Jovi
7 I'm Every Woman--Whitney Houston
8 Two Princes--Spin Doctors
9 A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)--Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle
10 7--Prince and the New Power Generation

Singles entering the chart were Dedicated by R. Kelly and Public Announcement (#54); Who is It by Michael Jackson (#57); Love Don't Love You by En Vogue (#61); Funky Child by Lords of the Underground (#72); So Close by Dina Carroll (#79); Connected by Stereo MC's (#84); and I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me) by Exposé (#93).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 Ordinary World--Duran Duran (5th week at #1)
2 If I Ever Lose My Faith in You--Sting
3 Man on the Moon--R.E.M.
4 Bed of Roses--Bon Jovi
5 Simple Life--Elton John
6 That's What Love Can Do--Boy Krazy
7 Two Princes--Spin Doctors
8 Angel--Jon Secada
9 Hope of Deliverance--Paul McCartney
10 Beautiful Girl--INXS

Singles entering the chart included Who is It by Michael Jackson (#67); Hip Hip Hooray by Naughty by Nature (#81); Easy by Faith No More (#91); and One Last Kiss by Sofia Shinas (#93).

Died on this date
Pinky Lee, 85. U.S. television host. Mr. Lee, born Pincus Leff, was a burlesque comic who became famous as host of the daily children's television program The Pinky Lee Show (1954-1956). He collapsed on the air from exhaustion and a severe sinus attack in 1955, and was forced to take a hiatus as the supporting cast carried on the show without him for several months. Mr. Lee eventually recovered his health, but was unable to re-establish a lasting presence in television.

Sham, 22. U.S. racehorse. Sham finished second in the 1973 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and probably would have won both races if he hadn't had the misfortune to run against Secretariat, who won the Triple Crown. Although non-winning times weren't recorded, it was believed that Sham's time in the Kentucky Derby was at least as fast as the previous record of exactly 2 minutes set by Northern Dancer in 1964. Secretariat's time of 1:59 2/5 remains the Kentucky Derby record. Sham died six days before his 23rd birthday.

Diplomacy
U.S. President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin began a two-day summit in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Horse racing
England's Grand National Steeplechase was declared void after 30 of the 39 riders failed to realize a false start had been declared and started around the course.

Basketball
NCAA
Women's Championship
Final @ Atlanta
Texas Tech 84 Ohio State 82

Sheryl Swoopes scored 47 points, a record for one person in either a men's or women's national championship game, to lead the Red Raiders over the Buckeyes at the Omni.

Hockey
NHL
New Jersey 0 @ Toronto 1
Winnipeg 6 Edmonton 4

20 years ago
1998

Scandal
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency accused dismissed spy Douglas Groat of sending two foreign nations secret U.S. information after failing in an attempt to extort $500,000 U.S. from the CIA in exchange for his loyalty.

Law
Members of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary were permitted sidearms for the first time.

Economics and finance
The Dow Jones industrial average climbed above 9,000 for the first time.

10 years ago
2008

Crime
Texas law enforcement cordoned off the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' YFZ Ranch near Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas. Men were reported to be engaging in sexual activity with underage girls at the Mormon offshoot sect's ranch, which was led by Warren Jeffs. Eventually 533 women and children were taken into state custody.

Business
ATA Airlines, once one of the ten largest U.S. passenger airlines and largest charter airline, filed for bankruptcy for the second time in five years, and ceased all operations.