March 5, 2018

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Olivia Mananquil!

240 years ago
1778

Died on this date
Thomas Arne, 67. U.K. composer. Mr. Arne, whose surname frequently appears in crossword puzzles, was a spinetist, organist, and violinist who wrote music for about 90 stage works from 1733-1776, and was best known for writing the songs Rule, Britannia! and A-Hunting We Will Go. He died a week before his 68th birthday.

150 years ago
1868

Born on this date
Panagis Tsaldaris. Prime Minister of Greece, 1932-1933, 1933-1935. Mr. Tsaldaris was first elected to Parliament in 1910, and led the conservative People's Party from 1922-1936. He died on May 17, 1936 at the age of 68.

Opera
Mefistofele, by Arrigo Boito, received its premiere performance at La Scala in Milan.

125 years ago
1893

Died on this dae
Hippolyte Taine, 64. French literary critic. Mr. Taine is best known for his attempt at a scientific account of literature, based on the categories of race, milieu, and moment; he heavily influenced such writers as Emile Zola and Guy de Maupassant.

110 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Rex Harrison. U.K. actor. Sir Rex won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his starring role in My Fair Lady (1964). Other notable movies that he appeared in included Blithe Spirit (1945); The Rake's Progress (1945); The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947); Cleopatra (1963); and Doctor Dolittle (1967).
"Sexy Rexy" died of pancreatic cancer on June 2, 1990 at the age of 82.

100 years ago
1918

Born on this date
Red Storey. Canadian football player and hockey official. Roy Alvin Storey, a native of Barrie, Ontario, played several sports, but was best known as a halfback with the Toronto Argonauts from 1936-1941. He tied for the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union lead in touchdowns in 1938, and won the scoring title in 1939. Mr. Storey played on the 1937 and 1938 Grey Cup championship teams, and turned in one of the most outstanding individual performances in history in the 1938 Grey Cup. He spent the first 3 quarters on the bench, and entered the game in the 4th quarter with the Argonauts trailing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7-6. Mr. Storey scored 3 touchdowns to tie a Grey Cup record, and took a lateral on an interception and returned the ball 100 (or 102) yards to set up another TD as the Argonauts won 30-7. Mr. Storey was a referee in the IRFU for 12 years until his knees gave out on him, and was a referee in the National Hockey League from 1950-1959. He resigned from the NHL after league President Clarence Campbell refused to back him up after a controversial situation during the 1959 Stanley Cup semifinals between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks. Mr. Storey was a popular raconteur in his later years, and was a colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada telecasts; he died on March 15, 2006, 10 days after his 88th birthday.

Milt Schmidt. Canadian-born U.S. hockey player, coach, and manager. Mr. Schmidt, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, played with the Boston Bruins from 1936-42 and 1945-55, scoring 575 points on 229 goals and 346 assists in 776 regular season games and 24 goals and 25 assists in 86 playoff games. He centred the "Kraut Line" with left wing Woody Dumart and right wing Bobby Bauer; the line remained together for most of the decade from 1937-47, and helped the Bruins win Stanley Cup championships in 1939 and 1941. The Kraut Line all joined the Royal Canadian Air Force early in 1942, and helped the Ottawa RCAF Flyers win the Allan Cup that year. Mr. Schmidt won the Art Ross Trophy as the National Hockey League's leading scorer in 1939-40, and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 1950-51. Mr. Schmidt retired midway through the 1954-55 season to replace Lynn Patrick as the Bruins' coach, and coached the team through 1965-66, reaching the Stanley Cup finals in 1957 and 1958. He then served as the Bruins' general manager from 1966-1974, building teams that won Stanley Cup championships in 1970 and 1972. Mr. Schmidt became the first general manager of the Washington Capitals in 1974, and coached the team from late in the 1974-75 season until midway through 1975-76, when he was fired. He compiled an NHL regular season coaching record of 257-410-127. Mr. Schmidt was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1961; the Bruins retired his jersey #15 in 1980. He died on January 4, 2017 at the age of 98.

Law
The Court of King's Bench and the Court of Appeal were introduced into Saskatchewan's court system.

75 years ago
1943

At the movies
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, directed by Roy William Neill and starring Lon Cheny, Jr., Ilona Massey, Lionel Atwill, and Bela Lugosi, opened in theatres.

War
U.K. and Canadian bombers began the Battle of the Ruhr, a year-long bombing offensive against Germany. British troops in Tunisia retook Sedjenane from German forces in the northern part of the country, while French units drove from Nefta to Mides in the southern part of Tunisia.

Defense
The Gloster Meteor, Great Britain's first jet fighter, made its first flight from RAF Cranwell.

Crime
A military court in Rio de Janeiro acquitted Dr. Cauby de Araujo of charges that he had obtained military secrets for Germany.

Boxing
New York State Athletic Commission world lightweight champion Beau Jack (52-6-2) won a 12-round unanimous decision over Fritzie Zivic (127-35-7) in a non-title bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mr. Jack had won a 10-round decision over Mr. Zivic at Madison Square Garden exactly a month earlier.

70 years ago
1948

Space
A U.S. Navy rocket set U.S. speed and altitude records at White Sands, New Mexico, flying to an altitude of 78 miles at 3,000 miles per hour.

War
Greek government forces took the guerrilla outpost of Kakavi, near the Albanian border, after a five-day battle.

Diplomacy
Guatemela closed its border with British Honduras in a territorial dispute with the colony.

Politics and government
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru announced the creation of an interim "popular" government in Kashmir under Sheik Mohammed Abdullah.

New York Governmor Thomas Dewey entered the Wisconsin primary for the 1948 Republican Party U.S. presidential nomination, running against Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen and U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur.

Labour
U.S. Congress of Industrial Organizations President Philip Murray suspended International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union chief Harry Bridges as CIO regioanl director in northern California for supporting the third-party U.S. presidential candidacy of former U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace, and for oppsoing the Marshall Plan.

Boxing
Gus Lesnevich (60-11-5) retained his world light heavywweight title by knocking out Billy Fox (44-2) at 1:58 of the 1st round at Madison Square Garden in New York.

60 years ago
1958

Space
33 days after entering the space race with the successful launch of the Explorer 1 satellite, the United States launched Explorer 2 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Unfortunately, Explorer 2 failed to achieve Earth orbit, burning up in the atmosphere about 1,900 miles from Cape Canaveral.

Diplomacy
Tunisian Foreign Secretary Sadok Mokkadem protested to Egypt against an alleged plot by Cairo-based Tunisian rebels to assassinate Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba.

Defense
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower indicated that he would push long-range development plans for an operational military nuclear-powered plane, but would veto any effort to make the United States the first nation to produce such a plane.

Politics and government
U.S. President Eisenhower told reporters that a Vice President taking over as acting President during a President's disability "has to do anything that the President would be required to do at that time." He implied that bills signed by the Vice President at such a time would be law.

Economics and finance
An unofficial Japanese trade delegation signed an agreement in Peking with Chinese officials proiding for $98 million worth of Sino-Japanese trade in 1958 and the exchange of permanent Japanese and Chinese trade missions.

50 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade): Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band (5th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Life Seekers

Wojeck, starring John Vernon, on CBC

Space
At Wallops Island, Virginia, the U.S.A. launched Explorer 37 (aka Solar Explorer-B), a satellite designed so that any country listening in on the proper frequencies could receive its data. The satellite, the second joint Naval Research Laboratory-National Aeronautics and Space Administration spacecraft, measured X-rays and ultraviolet emissions coming from the sun, though scientists had planned for it to have a more circular orbit than it ended up with.

Law
Justice John C. McRuer's Canadian Royal Commission on Civil Rights recommended greater protection for the individual.

Disasters
A coal mine fire and blast killed 21 miners in Patterson, Louisiana.

40 years ago
1978

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand: Mull of Kintyre--Wings (6th week at #1)

Space
The U.S. satellite Landsat 3 was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, with the primary goal of providing a global archive of satellite imagery.

Politics and government
The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, meeting in Peking, concluded with the adoption of a new charter that stressed economic development over revolutionary ideology. The new constitution restored the office of prosecutor, which had been abolished during the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s, and called for modernization of the army, which had been weakened as a result of the political factionalism of those years. The new charter was a subtle reversal of the 1975 constitution. The Congress also reappointed party Chairman Hua Guo-Feng as Prime Minister and Marshal Yeh Chien-ying as Chairman of the Congress's Standing Committee, making him honourary chief of state. Teng Hsiao-ping, generally regarded as the man holding the real power in China, remained First Deputy Minister and the third-ranking member of the party hierarchy.

Golf
Mac McLendon won the Florida Citrus Open in Orlando with a score of 271. First prize money was $40,000.

30 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Sì, la vita è tutta un quiz--Renzo Arbore (4th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): (I've Had) The Time of My Life--Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (7th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Boys (Summertime Love)--Sabrina (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): I Should Be So Lucky--Kylie Minogue (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Beat Dis--Bomb the Bass

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): I Should Be So Lucky--Kylie Minogue (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Father Figure--George Michael (2nd week at #1)

U.S.A. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Father Figure--George Michael (2nd week at #1)
2 She's Like the Wind--Patrick Swayze (featuring Wendy Fraser)
3 What Have I Done to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys (with Dusty Springfield)
4 Could've Been--Tiffany
5 I Get Weak--Belinda Carlisle
6 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
7 Seasons Change--Exposé
8 Hungry Eyes--Eric Carmen
9 Endless Summer Nights--Richard Marx
10 Can't Stay Away from You--Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine

Singles entering the chart were Pink Cadillac by Natalie Cole (#76); Two Occasions by Deele (#82); Yes by Merry Clayton (#86); Savin' Myself by Eria Fachin (#87); Samantha (What You Gonna Do?) by Cellarful of Noise (#89); and I Want to Be Your Property by Blue Mercedes (#90).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Pump Up the Volume--M/A/R/R/S (2nd week at #1)
2 Crying--Roy Orbison and k.d. lang
3 Could've Been--Tiffany
4 Hungry Eyes--Eric Carmen
5 She's Like the Wind--Patrick Swayze (featuring Wendy Fraser)
6 What Have I Done to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys (with Dusty Springfield)
7 Need You Tonight--INXS
8 Father Figure--George Michael
9 Never Gonna Give You Up--Rick Astley
10 Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)--Sway

Singles entering the chart were When We was Fab by George Harrison (#70); (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay by Michael Bolton (#72); Where Do Broken Hearts Go by Whitney Houston (#76); I Saw Him Standing There by Tiffany (#79); Rock of Life by Rick Springfield (#85); Thinkin' About the Years by Haywire (#90); Fire by Platinum Blonde (#92); Winter Games by David Foster (#94); and Angel by Aerosmith (#96).

Hockey
NHL
Winnipeg 10 @ Toronto 1

On the national Hockey Night in Canada telecast, Dale Hawerchuk scored just 9 seconds into the game to set the pace as the Jets whipped the Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. Those of us who were Maple Leaf fans tuned out early.

Football
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame added builder Ralph Sazio and players Royal Copeland, Ed McQuarters, and Tony Pajaczkowski.

25 years ago
1993

At the movies
Swing Kids, directed by Thomas Carter, and starring Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley, and Barbara Hershey, opened in theatres.



Died on this date
Mac Speedie, 73. U.S. football player and coach. Mr. Speedie, who lived up to his name, was an end with the Cleveland Browns (1946-1952); Saskatchewan Roughriders (1953-1954); and British Columbia Lions (1955). He helped the Browns win the championship of the All-America Football Conference in every season of that league's existence (1946-1949) and in their first year in the National Football League (1950). In seven years of American professional football, Mr. Speedie caught 349 passes for 7,006 yards and 45 touchdowns, and was an All-Pro in every year except 1951. He jumped to the Western Interprovincial Football Union in 1953, to the chagrin of Cleveland coach Paul Brown. In two seasons with Saskatchewan, Mr. Speedie caught 93 passes for 1,393 yards and 12 touchdowns, making the WIFU offensive All-Star team in both seasons. He suffered a career-ending knee injury in his first game with B.C. Mr. Speedie went into coaching, and eventually became head coach of the Denver Broncos from 1964-1966, but experienced limited success, resigning early in the 1966 season after posting a record of 6-19-1. He continued to serve the Broncos as a scout until his retirement in 1982. Mr. Speedie should probably be in the Professional Football Hall of Fame, but his conflict with Mr. Brown is believed to be the reason he has never been elected.

Scandal
Jamaican-born Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson, who had been stripped of a gold medal and world record in the men's 100-metre run after testing positive for a banned substance at the 1988 Summer Olympic games in Seoul, was banned from athletics for life after failing another drug test.

Disasters
77 people were feared dead after a Pal Air Fokker 100 exploded while taking off from Skopje, Macedonia's airport in a snowstorm.