March 2, 2020

220 years ago
1810

Born on this date
Leo XIII. Roman Catholic Pope, 1878-1910. Leo XIII, born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, succeeded Pius IX as pope. He heavily promoted the idea of Mary as mediatrix between God and man (contrary to the clear teaching of I Timothy 2:5), and the use of the rosary and scapulars. Leo was the oldest pope to hold the office, and his 25-year reign was exceeded by only Pius IX (1846-1878) and John Paul II (1978-2005). He died on July 20, 1903 at the age of 93, and was succeeded by Pius X.

200 years ago
1820

Born on this date
Multatuli. Dutch author. Multaluli, whose real name was Eduard Douwes Dekker, was a civil servant in the Dutch East Indies, and drew on his experiences for his best-known work, the satirical novel Max Havelaar, of de koffi-veilingen der Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappy (Max Havelaar: Or the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company) (1860), which criticized Dutch colonial policy. Multatuli wrote other works of fiction and non-fiction; he spent his last 10 years in Germany, dying there on February 19, 1887, 11 days before his 67th birthday.

190 years ago
1830

Died on this date
Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring, 75. German physician and polymath. Dr. Sömmerring discovered the macula in the retina of the human eye, and investigated the brain, nervous system, sensory organs, the embryo and its malformations, and the structure of the lungs and other body parts. He invented a telescope for astronomical observations and an electrical telegraph in 1809.

160 years ago
1860

Born on this date
Susanna M. Salter. U.S. politician. Mrs. Salter, a member of the became the first woman to be elected a mayor in the United States, when a group of men opposed to women in politics entered her as a candidate for Mayor of Argonia, Kansas in 1887, and she won, helped by the support of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. She served a one-year term (1887-1888), declined to seek re-election, and retired from politics. Mrs. Salter and her husband moved to Oklahoma in 1893; she died on March 17, 1961, 15 days after her 101st birthday.

125 years ago
1895

Died on this date
Isma'il Pasha, 64. Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, 1863-1879. Isma'il Pasha, the grandson of Ottoman Governor of Egypt Muhammad Ali Pasha, succeeded his uncle Said I, and secured Ottoman and international recognition for his title of Khedive (Viceroy) in preference to Wāli (Governor), which had been used by his predecessors. Khedive Isma'il Pasha initiated political, economic, and educational reforms in an attempt to modernize Egypt into a European rather than an African state. He established an assembly of delegates, oversaw construction of the Egyptian portion of the Suez Canal, and conducted an unsuccessful war against Ethiopia. In 1879, Khedive Isma'il Pasha gave into a nationalist uprising led by Colonel Ahmed Urabi, and dissolved the government. Britain and France insisted on the restoration fo their ministers to office, and were successful in pressuring Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II to depose the Khedive; he was replaced by his son Tewfik Pasha. Isma'il Pasha went into exile in Italy, but was eventually allowed by Sultan Abdülhamid to retire to his Palace of Emirgan, where he remained virtually a state prisoner until his death, which reportedly resulted from trying to guzzle two bottles of champagne in one draft.

120 years ago
1900

Born on this date
Kurt Weill. German-born composer. Mr. Weill wrote for the theatre, and was best known for his collaborations with lyricist Bertolt Brecht, particularly The Threepenny Opera (1928). Mr. Weill also wrote two symphonies and other concert works. He fled Germany after the Nazis came to power in 1933, eventually settling in New York and becoming an American citizen in 1933. He suffered a heart attack shortly after his 50th birthday, and died on April 3, 1950 at the age of 50.

Elena Sánchez Valenzuela. Mexican actress and journalist, and archivist. Miss Sánchez starred in silent films from 1917-1921, specializing in "noble prostitute" roles. She worked as a journalist in Mexico and then in Paris in the 1920s and '30s before returning to Mexico. In 1936, at the request of Mexican President Lázaro Cárdenas, Miss Sánchez founded Brigadas Cinematográficas, the country's first film archive. She travelled throughout Mexico and Latin America collecting films, and was put in charge of filmm preservation for the Filmoteca Nacional (Mexican National Film Library) when it was crated in 1942. Miss Sánchez died on September 30, 1950 at the age of 50.

90 years ago
1930

Died on this date
D. H. Lawrence, 44. U.K. writer. David Herbert Lawrence wrote fiction, non-fiction, plays, and poetry, but was best known for his novels Sons and Lovers (1913); Women in Love (1920); and Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928). His short stories included The Rocking-Horse Winner (1926), which, in 1949, was made into one of this blogger's favourite movies. Mr. Lawrence explored issues of sexuality and emotional health, and the dehumanizing effects of modernity. He had to deal with official censorship of his works, and was regarded in his own time as a pornographer who had wasted his talent, but his reputation improved after his death from tuberculosis in France, where he spent his last years.

80 years ago
1940

On television today
New York University won the first televised intercollegiate track meet, broadcast live from Madison Square Garden in New York over New York station W2XBS.

War
Reports from Finland indicated that Soviet forces had occupied Tammisuo, north of Viborg, and Lupin Lahti, east of the city. The government of New Zealand announced that it was supplying men to the British Royal Navy, as well as keeping its own navy at war strength.

Diplomacy
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles met with German Fuehrer Adolf Hitler in Berlin.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill increasing Import-Export Bank capital to $200 million; the U.S. immediately granted credit to Finland, Sweden, and Norway.

Law
The U.S. Committee for the Protection of Foreign Born opened its conference in Washington to protest anti-alien legislation before Congress.

Politics and government
The Rhode Island House of Representatives adopted a resolution asking Congress to prohibit a third term for a President of the United States.

Disasters
2 people were killed as tornadoes swept through the lower Ohio River and Mississippi River valleys.

Tennis
Bobby Riggs won the U.S. indoor title in Chicago.

Basketball
NCAA
Dartmouth College won the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball Conference title, while the University of North Carolina won the Southern Conference title.

75 years ago
1945

Died on this date
Emily Carr, 73. Canadian artist. Miss Carr, a native of Victoria, was known for her paintings of aboriginal themes and landscapes, especially forest scenes.

War
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed the idea that some German ex-soldiers be used in the reconstruction of Russia, although he claimed that the subject had not come up at the recent Yalta Conference with U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin. U.S. troops captured the Dutch cities of Venlo and Roermond. Neuss on the Rhine River opposite Duesseldorf was also taken. U.S. Marines deove a 700-yard salient into the Japanese defense lines on the northern part of Iwo Jima. U.S. troops in the Philippines landed on the islands of Ticao and Burlas off the west side of the long southeast extension of Luzon, in a move to eliminate Japanese forces in southern Luzon.

World events
El Salvador decreed a general amnesty, adding that political exiles could now return home.

Economics and finance
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill for postwar river and harbour projects.

70 years ago
1950

On television tonight
Escape, on CBS
Tonight’s episode: The Covenant, starring Pat Peardon and Kim Stanley

Diplomacy
U.S. President Harry Truman told a news conference that he would never lead a mission to Moscow while President, but renewed his offer to see U.S.S.R. dictator Josef Stalin in Washington, and welcomed other plans to achieve peace.

Politics and government
Li Tsung-jen, still claiming the Nationalist Chinese presidency, charged that Chiang Kai-shek was a "dictator" who had lost the support of the people.

Journalism
Lord Beaverbrook's London Evening Standard charged that John Strachey, the new War Minister in the Labour Party cabinet of British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, was "an avowed Communist."

Education
The American Association of School Administrators ended a five-day conference in Atlantic City by passing resolutions supporting federal aid to public schools and opposing loyalty oaths for teachers.

Economics and finance
Geneva Tariff Agreement members voted to allow West Germany to attend an upcoming conference on multilateral tariff reductions.

Labour
U.S. District Judge Richmond Keech ended a four-day trial of the United Mine Workers of America by acquitting the union of criminal contempt charges for failing to end the current miners' strike. U.S. Senator Wayne Morse (Republican--Oregon) introduced a bill authorizing President Truman to seize coal mines idled by the current strike.

50 years ago
1970

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head--Johnny Farnham (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Awazu ni Aishite--Hiroshi Uchiyamada and Cool Five (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Venus--The Shocking Blue (4th week at #1)

On the radio
Lux Radio Theatre, on Springbok Radio
Tonight’s episode: Non Stop to Victoria

Abominations
Prime Minister Ian Smith declared Rhodesia a republic, cutting the last link with the British crown.

Diplomacy
French President Georges Pompidou abruptly cancelled a visit with Jewish leaders in New York, prompting U.S. President Richard Nixon to hurry to New York to apologize to Mr. Pompidou for any discourtesy, and to say farewell at a dinner for Mr. Pompidou.

The first direct government negotiations between East and West Germany began when a five-man Bonn delegation crossed through the Berlin wall to prepare a summit meeting between West German Chancellor Willy Brandt and East German Premier Willi Stoph.

Law
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the five-year federal statute of limitations applied to those who failed to register for the draft at age 18 when they were required to do so. Three dissenting justices held that the ruling would free a non-registrant from draft liability at the age of 23 rather than 26, and encourage non-registration.

Protest
After three days of relative calm, the National Guard was withdrawn from the Santa Barbara campus of the University of California, where they had been sent by California Governor Ronald Reagan after riots broke out on February 25.

Basketball
NCAA
Pete Maravich of Louisiana State University scored 55 points against Mississippi State to bring his season total to 1,263, breaking Elvin Hayes’ single-season scoring record for the University of Houston in 1967-68. Mr. Maravich’s total, still a Division I record, reached 1,381 points.

Football
CFL
The Montreal Alouettes traded flanker Tom Cassese to the British Columbia Lions for flanker and cornerback Jake Scott. Mr. Cassese caught 32 passes for 712 yards--an average of 22.3 yards per reception--and 7 touchdowns in 14 games in 1969, while returning 1 kickoff for 20 yards and recovering one of his own team's fumbles. Mr. Scott caught 35 passes for 596 yards--a 17.0-yard average--and 3 touchdowns, while rushing twice for 11 yards and returning 7 kickoffs for 224 yards--a 32.0-yard average--in 11 games with B.C. Mr. Scott missed 5 games while recovering from an appendectomy.

40 years ago
1980

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)--Pink Floyd (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
There Never was an Arrow, on CBC

This was a documentary about the ill-fated Avro Arrow jet fighter plane.



Terrorism
Negotiations between April 19 Movement guerrillas holding hostages at the Dominican Republic’s embassy in Colombia and the Colombian government began in a van parked about 40 yards from the embassy.

Hockey
NHL
Philadelphia 1 @ Montreal 5

30 years ago
1990

Politics and government
At a meeting in Zambia, the executive committee of the African National Congress named Nelson Mandela the ANC’s Deputy President. Because ANC President Oliver Tambo was ill, Mr. Mandela in effect became the ANC leader.

Law
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Manitoba Metis Federation could go to court to claim Red River Valley land promised in the 1870s.

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the leading economic indicators were unchanged in January.

Swimming
Mark Tewksbury of Canada swam the 50-metre backstroke in a world record time of 25.06 seconds.

25 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland): Club Bizarre--U96 (2nd week at #1)

Died on this date
Henry Gregor Felsen, 78. U.S. author. Mr. Felsen wrote numerous books and stories, but was best known for novels such as Hot Rod (1950); Street Rod (1953); Crash Club (1958); and Boy Gets Car (1960), as well as humourous novels featuring the character Bertie Poddle.

War
400 Italian soldiers assisted in the evacuation of United Nations peacekeepers from the Somali capital of Mogadishu. U.S. Marines killed and wounded several Somalis, as clans competed for areas vacated by the UN.

Politics and government
The United States Senate voted 66-34 in favour of an amendment to the Constitution requiring that the federal budget be balanced, one vote short of the two-thirds majority required. 14 Democrats voted with the Republican majority, but Mark Hatfield (Oregon) was the only Republican who voted against the amendment, angering his Republican colleagues.

Scandal
Former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti was ordered to stand trial on charges of Mafia membership.

Science
Researchers at Fermilab in Illinois announced the discovery of the top quark.

Economics and finance
The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of New York bought up to $300 million worth of U.S. dollars in an effort to boost the currency.

Business
The web service provider Yahoo! was incorporated, about 14 months after its founding by Stanford University students Jerry Yang and David Filo as "Jerry and David's guide to the World Wide Web".

Baseball
The major league spring training exhibition season opened, with all teams except the Baltimore Orioles using replacement players.

20 years ago
2000

Died on this date
Sandra Schmirler, 36. Canadian curler. Ms. Schmirler, a native of Biggar, Saskatchewan, began curling in junior high school, and won a provincial championship in grade 12. She skipped rinks to Canadian championships in 1993, 1994, and 1997, going on to win the world championship in all three years. Ms. Schmirler represented Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, where her rink won a gold medal, the first time that curling had been an Olympic sport. She developed cancer in 1999, and died in Saskatoon. Ms. Schmirler was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in the fall of 2000.

World events
After spending 16 months in Britain, former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet left for home after British Home Secretary Jack Straw declared him mentally unfit to stand trial, and refused to extradite him to Spain or the other three countries that wanted to try Gen. Pinochet for human rights violations.

Diplomacy
Jose Imperatori, a Cuban envoy who had come to Ottawa from Washington, left his country’s embassy after a four-day stay. Mr. Imperatori maintained that he had been wrongly accused of spying in the United States.

Law
U.S. President Bill Clinton urged Congress to complete action on legislation that required background checks on gun buyers at gun shows; child safety locks on guns; and a ban on importation of large ammunition clips.

Politics and government
The government of Alberta tabled a bill to allow for-profit clinics to compete with public hospitals, setting off protests by people who felt the new law would undermine universal health care.

Scandal
Maria Hsia, a former fund-raiser for the U.S. Democratic Party, was convicted by a Washington, D.C. jury of violating federal law on political fund-raising during the 1996 election cycle. She was found guilty on 5 counts involving the masking of over $100,000 in donations as well as the disguising of contributions from individuals giving more than the $1,000 limit. One count involved the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple in Hacienda Heights, California, made notorious by a 1996 visit by Vice-President Al Gore. Ms. Hsia was convicted of making it seem that illegal contributions from the temple itself were legal contributions from individual monks, nuns, and temple volunteers. Mr. Gore had claimed that he did not know that he was appearing at a fund-raising event at the time.

10 years ago
2010

Died on this date
Winston Churchill, 69. U.K. journalist and politician. Mr. Churchill, the son of Randolph Churchill and grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, was a journalist in the 1960s and early '70s, reporting on wars and other international events. A Conservative, he represented Stretford (1970-1983) and Davyhulme (1983-1997) in the House of Commons, but was regarded as being too much of a maverick to advance past the back benches. Mr. Churchill died after a two-year battle with cancer.