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March 3rd
1606 - Born this day, Edmund Waller, English poet. 1791 - In the United States, the first Internal Revenue Act was passed by Congress. It established one revenue district per state and placed a tax on drink. 1802 - A contender for the most famous piano composition in the world, Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata was published. 1815 - Following piracy in the Mediterranean, the United States declared war on the Bey of Algiers. After the American threat to bomb Algiers, hostilities ended swiftly in August 1815. 1831 - Born this day, George Pullman, inventor, industrialist. Died in 1897. 1845 - The US Congress passed legislation overriding a President's veto. It was the first time Congress had done so. President John Tyler was in office at the time. 1845 - Florida was admitted as the 27th state. 1845 - Born this day, Georg Cantor [Georg Ferdinand Ludwig Philipp], German mathematician who founded set theory and introduced the mathematically meaningful concept of transfinite numbers, indefinitely large but distinct from one another. His career was repeatedly interrupted after 1884 by mental illness. He died of heart failure 6 January 1918 in a mental institution. 1847 - Born this day, Alexander Graham Bell, in Edinburgh, teacher of the deaf, inventor (telephone). Died in 1922. 1861 - Serfdom was abolished in Russia. 1863 - Free city delivery of mail was authorised by the US Postal Service. 1869 - Born this day, Sir Henry Wood, in London, conductor. In 1895 he began the Proms. 1872 - Born this day, [Wee] Willie Keeler, baseball. Died in 1923. 1875 - The first performance of French composer George Bizet's opera Carmen took place at the Opera Comique, Paris. 1877 - Rutherford Birchard Hayes was sworn in as president of the USA, he took the oath privately on Saturday, 3 March, as inauguration day fell on Sunday the 4th. He was the first president to take the oath of office in the White House. He took the oath publicly on Monday, 5 March 1877. 1878 - The peace treaty at San Stefano was signed, ending the Russo-Turkish War and gaining independence for Serbia. 1879 - Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood became the first woman lawyer to be admitted to appear before the Supreme Court of the United States. 1886 - The Treaty of Bucharest was signed, bringing peace between Bulgaria and Serbia. 1890 - Born this day, Norman Bethune, Canadian physician. Died in 1939. 1894 - The first Greek newspaper in America was published. It was known as the Atlantis. 1895 - Born this day, Matthew Ridgway, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, US Army General, Chief of Staff. Died in 1993. 1904 - Born this day, Mayo Methot, actress. Died in 1951. 1911 - Born this day, Jean Harlow [Harlean Carpenter], actress. Died in 1937. 1913 - Marchers in a parade held by the National American Woman Suffrage Association in Washington, DC was attacked. Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, was forced to send soldiers from Fort Myer to restore order. 1915 - The now famous film, Birth of a Nation, debuted in New York City. The motion picture brought Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh and Wallace Reid to the silver screen in what has frequently been called the greatest silent film ever produced. 1916 - Born this day, Robert Whitehead, producer. 1918 - Germany and its allies signed the treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Russia, ending hostilities between them in World War I (WWI). 1918 - Born this day, Sir Peter O'Sullevan, racing commentator. 1919 - On this date the first international airmail run was made from Seattle to Vancouver, by Boeing. 1920 - Born this day, Julius Boros, golfer. Died in 1994. 1920 - Born this day, James Doohan, actor. (Star Trek) (Who'd he play?) 1921 - Born this day, Diana [Blanche] Barrymore [Blythe], actress. Died in 1960. 1921 - Born this day, Allen Ginsberg, beat poet (Howl). 1923 - The first issue of Time magazine was published. 1924 - Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal (Kemal Ataturk) continued his reforms to modernise Turkey. He abolished the Caliphate and expeled the Caliph and his family from the country. He also disestablished Islam in the country. 1927 - Born this day, Junior Parker, US blues singer, songwriter. Wrote Mystery Train covered by Elvis Presley, worked with BB King, Howlin’ Wolf. Died 18 November 1971. 1930 - Bert Lahr (The Wizard of Oz) and Kate God Bless America Smith starred in Flying High as it opened at the Apollo Theatre in New York City. The show had a run of 45 weeks at what is now the most famous black entertainment theatre in America. 1931 - Cab Calloway and his orchestra recorded Minnie the Moocher on Brunswick Records. It was the first recording of the famous bandleader's theme song. The song was featured prominently in the motion picture, The Blues Brothers (1980), starring John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. 1931 - The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, officially became the national anthem of the United States. Despite the fact that millions sing (in a manner of speaking) the anthem before sporting events, civic club meetings, and other public gatherings, it is still ranked as the most difficult national anthem on earth to sing. 1933 - Born this day, Paul Clayton, folksinger, songwriter. Died in 1968. 1933 - Born this day, Princess Radziwill [Caroline Lee Bouvier], younger sister of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, born in New York City. She would later lead a jet-set lifestyle that put her in the company of such social lions as Truman Capote and Andy Warhol. 1934 - Born this day, Gia Scala [Giovanna Sgoglio], actress. Died in 1972. 1938 - A world record for the indoor mile run was set at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Glenn Cunningham made the distance in 4 minutes, 4.4 seconds. 1938 - Born this day, Willie Chambers, musician, guitarist, singer. 1939 - A new craze began to sweep US college campuses. The much publicised fad began at the Ivy League's Harvard University. It was deemed quite unbelievable for such a prestigious school of higher learning. The fad? Goldfish swallowing. 1939 - In March 1938 a new LNER A4 locomotive entered service with the name Gadwall number 4469. A year later the Chief General Manager of the LNER retired and it was decided to rename Gadwall in his honour. Consequently, on 3 March 1939, No.4469 became Sir Ralph Wedgewood. 1941 - Born this day, John Thomas, Olympic medalist, Track & Field Hall of Famer. 1941 - Born this day, Herschel Walker, former American football star, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner. 1941 - Born this day, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medal heptathlete. 1942 - Born this day, Mike Pender [Pendergast], musician, guitarist, singer, The Searchers, 1964 UK No.1 and US No.13 single Needles And Pins. 1943 - Born this day, Paul Schaal, baseball. 1943 - In World War II (WWII), 178 people were killed in an accident at an air raid shelter in London's Bethnal Green. 1944 - Born this day, Jance Garfat, musician, bassist, singer, Dr Hook, 1972 UK No.2 and US No.5 single Sylvia's Mother. 1945 - Mystery fans remember this day when they gathered around the radio set to listen to the Mutual Broadcasting System as Superman encountered Batman and Robin for the first time. 1947 - Born this day, Dave Mount, musician, drummer, singer, Mud, 1974 UK No.1 single Tiger Feet plus 14 other UK top 40 singles. 1947 - Born this day, Dennis Shaw, football. 1947 - Born this day, Jennifer Warnes, singer, 1982 US No.1 and UK No.7 single Up Where We Belong with Joe Cocker. 1949 - Born this day, Joey Johnston, hockey. 1949 - Born this day, David Pritchard, jazz/classical guitarist, composer. 1949 - Born this day, [Derek] Blue Weaver, musician, keyboardist, Amen Corner, 1969 UK No.1 single If Paradise Is Half As Nice with the Strawbs, 1973 UK No.2 single with Part Of The Union, and with the Bee Gees, 1975 US No.1 Jive Talking. 1950 - Born this day, Tim Kazurinsky, actor, comedian, writer. 1951 - Born this day, Gary Hrivnak, football. 1951 - Don Herbert, as Mr. Wizard, performed experiments on the NBC series which ran for 14 continuous years. 1952 - Born this day, Randy Gradishar, football. 1952 - Whispering Streets debuted on ABC Radio, remaining on the air until Thanksgiving week, 1960. The end of that show brought down the curtain on what is called "the last day of the radio soap opera" (25 November 1960). 1953 - Born this day, Robyn Hitchcock, The Soft Boys, solo. 1954 - Born this day, Chris Hughes, Adam And The Ants, 1981 UK No.1 single Stand And Deliver plus 15 other UK top 40 singles. 1955 - A truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi made his first TV appearance. Elvis Aron Presley was featured on Louisiana Hayride. This prompted promoters to send Elvis to New York City to audition for Arthur Godfrey's immensely popular and career-making 'Talent Scouts' program. Talent coordinators and Godfrey are said to have passed on Elvis appearing on the show. Not much later, he was tossed out of the Grand Ole Opry as well, and told to "go back to driving a truck". In a little over a year, however, the nation was caught up in Presley-mania which continues even today. 1955 - Smog, the often deadly mix of smoke and fog in cities hit London heavily in 1953. Today saw the welcome announcement that as from the beginning of October, London would be a smokeless zone. 1957 - Samuel Cardinal Stritch banned rock 'n' roll from Chicago archdiocese Roman Catholic schools. 1958 - Born this day, Miranda Richardson, actress. 1959 - The new home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team was officially named Candlestick Park. The name was chosen in a contest to name the newly-built stadium. The contest winner didn't have to look far, as the windswept and chilly confines of the National League's least favourite stadium are located just a few hundred feet from Candlestick Point, on San Francisco Bay. In 1995, the venerable name, Candlestick Park was changed to 3COMM Park, after a relatively small, local area, computer software developer bid a half-million dollars for the rights to the stadium name - beating out such giants as Apple Computer, IBM and others. 1959 - Died this day, Lou Costello, comedian. 1961 - Edwin Bush was the first UK suspect to be identified by Identi-Kit. 1961 - Born this day, Fatima Whitbread, athlete. (Javelin). 1961 - The first Supremes single, I Want A Guy, was released. 1962 - Born this day, Herschel Walker, football. 1962 - The British Antarctic Territory was created in the South Atlantic. 1962 - Born this day, Jackie [Jacqueline] Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist. 1963 - A new constitution was approved in Senegal under which the president took over the powers of the prime minister. 1965 - The Sound of Music was shown in selected US cinemas on this day. Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Eleanor Parker starred in the film adaptation of the popular Broadway hit, The Sound of Music. The musical, about the Trapp Family, was a hit on the Great White Way for 3-1/2 years and one of the most popular motion pictures of all time. The movie brought instant stardom for Miss Andrews, who went on to star in other singing roles in the theatre, on television, in movies and as a popular recording artist. 1965 - Seretse Khama became the first premier of Bechuanaland. 1966 - 'Lightnin' Lou Christie was striking gold for his hit Lightnin' Strikes. Christie was born Lugee Sacco and joined a group called The Classics before making his first recording in 1960. In 1961, he recorded under the name Lugee & The Lions until changing to Lou Christie for a string of hits beginning in 1963. Other notable tunes from Christie's Top 40 appearances include: The Gypsy Cried, Two Faces Have I, Rhapsody in the Rain and I'm Gonna Make You Mine - all displaying his trademark falsetto voice, similar to that of Frankie Valli of The Four Seasons. Lightnin' Strikes was Christie's only million seller. 1966 - Died this day, Alice Pearce, actress, who played neighbour Gladys Kravitz on Bewitched, died in Hollywood of cancer at the age of 52. 1966 - Born this day, Tone-Loc [Antony Smith], US rapper, 1989 UK No.13 single Funky Cold Medina. 1966 - Born this day, Scott Lerner, bass, Anastasia Screamed, 1991 album Moontime. 1966 - The Buffalo Springfield was formed by Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay in Los Angeles. 1967 - Petula Clark performed before Princess Margaret at the London Palladium. 1967 - Grenada became an associate state of Britain rather than a colony. 1967 - A twice nightly tour kicked off in the UK at The ABC in Romford Essex featuring, The Small Faces, Jeff Beck, Roy Orbison and Paul and Barry Ryan. 1968 - This week’s UK Top 5 singles: No.5, Don Partridge, Rosie, No.4 was Manfred Mann, Mighty Quinn, at No.3, The Move, Fire Brigade, No.2 was Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, Legend Of Xanadu, and No.1 was Esther and Abi Ofarim, Cinderella Rockefella. 1969 - Led Zeppelin recorded their first Radio 1 session to be aired on Top Gear. 1969 - Born this day, John Bigham, US group, Fishbone, 1993 UK No.54 single Swim. 1969 - The three-man Apollo 9 spacecraft was launched from Cape Kennedy; the main aim of its 10-day flight was to test the lunar module in Earth's orbit. 1970 - A mob of angry white residents in Lamar, South Carolina, attacked three buses carrying black schoolchildren to a desegregated school. 1972 - Born this day, Darren Anderton, footballer. 1973 - Slade's Com On Feel The Noize entered the UK chart at No.1, the first act to achieve this since The Beatles. 1973 - Winners at this years Grammy Awards included, Roberta Flack who won Song of the year and Record of the year with The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Harry Nilsson won Best pop vocal performance for Without You. 1974 - Born this day, David Faustino, actor (Married...With Children). 1974 - A Turkish jetliner crashed near Paris, killing 345 people. 1976 - Mozambique closed its border with Rhodesia and put its country on a war footing after cross-border raids by Rhodesia on rebel bases. 1977 - Singer Bing Crosby fell 20 feet into the orchestra pit at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, California, while taping a CBS television special. He ruptured a disc in the fall. 1977 - Born this day, Ronan Patrick Keating, was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was working in a shoe shop when he answered a 1993 newspaper advert to audition for 'Ireland's answer to Take That'. 300 hopefuls answered and were whittled down to the five young men who became Boyzone. 1996 UK No.1 single Words plus over 15 other UK Top 10 singles, and solo, 1999 UK No.1 single When You Say Nothing At All. 1977 - The first night of an UK tour with Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, Cherry Vanilla and The Police kicked off at the Roxy Club, London. 1977 - John Otway and Wild Willie Baratt played at The Speakeasy, in London and Iggy Pop supported by The Vibrators appeared at Huddersfield Poly. 1979 - The Bee Gees scored their fourth UK No.1 single with Tragedy. Also on this day The Bee Gees went to No.1 on the US album chat with Spirits Having Flown. It was the brothers' second US No.1 album. 1979 - Died this day, Mike Patto, singer with Patto and Boxer, of throat cancer aged 36. 1981 - The documentary movie, This Is Elvis (with Ral Donner narrating) premiered in Memphis. 1982 - The Barbican Arts Centre in London was opened. 1982 - Born this day, Jessica Biel, actress (7th Heaven). 1983 - The Hungarian-born British novelist, journalist and critic Arthur Koestler and his wife were found dead from suicidal drug overdoses in London. 1984 - German group Nena started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 99 Red Balloons. 1985 - Michael Jackson visited Madame Tussaud Waxworks in London to unveil his waxwork lookalike. 1985 - Kevin McHale, of the University of Minnesota, set a Boston Celtics scoring record this night as he poured in 56 points in a 138-129 win over the Detroit Pistons. 1985 - The group, Women Against Pornography awarded one of its dubious Pig Awards to - Huggies Diapers! The activists said that the diaper TV ads had 'crossed the line between eye-catching and porn'. 1985 - Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis starred in the premiere of ABC's comedy-adventure, Moonlighting. 1985 - A specially convened conference of the National Union of Mineworkers conceded defeat and called off the year-long miners' strike against pit closures. It was the longest and costliest labour dispute in British history. 1986 - The President's Commission on Organized Crime, ending a 32-month investigation, called for drug testing of most working Americans, including all federal employees. 1987 - Died this day, Danny Kaye, actor, singer, dancer, comedian, broadcaster and American entertainment icon, in Los Angeles at the age of 74 from a heart attack. 1988 - The pro-seat belt campaign got a boost on this day, when a motorist not using his belt, died when his car spun off the road, while his strapped-in teddy bear remained undamaged. 1990 - Janet Jackson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Escapade, it was her third US No.1, and a No.17 hit in the UK. 1990 - Lindy Layton and Beats International were at No.1 in the UK with the single Dub Be Good To Me. 1991 - Queen Elizabeth II had three stitches in her hand after intervening in a corgi fight. 1991 - Large majorities in Latvia and Estonia voted for independence from the Soviet Union. 1991 - Sao Tome and Principe elected former dissident Miguel Trovoada as president. 1991 - A home video captured three Los Angeles police officers beating motorist Rodney King. 1991 - A United Boeing 737 jet crashed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, killing all 25 people aboard. 1992 - Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton and former Senator Paul Tsongas, D-Massachusetts, were the big Democratic winners in seven primary elections. On the Republican side, President Bush won three primaries but rival Pat Buchanan cut into his victory margin. 1993 - Died this day, Dr. Albert Sabin, the medical pioneer who helped conquer polio, at his home of heart failure at the age of 86. 1994 - The Smashing Pumpkins were banned from appearing on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops, due to the content of the song's lyrics. The bands single Disarm was that week's highest new entry. 1995 - The last United Nations (UN) peacekeepers left Somalia. 1995 - A stalker was arrested trying to break into Roberta Flack's New York apartment. 1995 - Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado switched from the Democratic to Republican Party. 1996 - 2 Pac started a two week run at No.1 on the US album chart with All Eyes On Me. 1996 - Take That's final single, How Deep Is Your Love, started a three week run at No.1 on the UK chart. 1996 - Spain's conservative Popular Party claimed victory in general elections to end 13 years of Socialist rule under Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez. 1996 - A Moslem suicide bomber killed 18 people and wounded 10 on a Jerusalem bus in a mirror-image of an attack a week earlier. 1997 - Vice President Gore admitted he sometimes made fund-raising calls from the White House but said he'd been advised there was no law against it. 1997 - Former CIA official Harold Nicholson pleaded guilty to spying for Russia. He was sentenced to 23 years and seven months in prison. 1998 - Vernon Jordan, a friend of President Clinton who had helped former White House intern Monica Lewinsky find a job, appeared before the Whitewater grand jury. 1998 - Over the strong objections by the Los Angeles County Sheriff and District Attorney, a Los Angeles judge allowed Robert Downey, Jr. to leave jail in order to loop scenes for his forthcoming Paramount movie, In Dreams. The lawmen had protested that Downey was being accorded preferential treatment. But Judge Lawrence Mira denied that was the case, stating that Downey - who is paying for a sheriff's deputy to accompany him - needed to learn how to function without drugs. "It's not unusual treatment for a celebrity," Judge Mira said. 1999 - Former Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll accepted an out of court settlement of £600,000 for unlawful dismissal from the band. McCarroll had been sacked from the band in 1995. 1999 - The first date on a 14 date tour with N'SYNC and B*Witched kicked off in Jacksonville, Florida. 1999 - An estimated 70 million people tuned in to watch Monica Lewinsky's taped TV interview with Barbara Walters. 1999 - Peter Jeffery, a Princeton University music historian, filed a lawsuit against the Smashing Pumpkins, stating he had hearing loss in his left ear and ringing in both ears as a result of their concert, the New Haven Register reported. Jeffery said the 25 January 1997 performance at New Haven Coliseum was his first time at a live rock concert. He said he went with his young son. The earplugs Jeffery wore did not protect him from the excessive noise, according to his lawsuit against the band, the city, and coliseum. He contended the music exceeded a safe decibel level that the defendants 'knew or should have known' about. The lawsuit was seeking $15,000 in damages. It also named as defendants Smashing Pumpkins members Billy Corgan, James Iha, and D'Arcy Wretzky-Brown, and Virgin Records. 2000 - Former Bay City Roller, Derek Longmuir was released on bail on charges of downloading child pornographic images from the internet and keeping indecent videos in his home. 2000 - Tom Jones won the best male artist at the Brit Awards. Other winners included Travis for best band and Best album The Man Who. Best single went to Robbie Williams for She's The One, Five won best pop act and Macy Gray won best newcomer. TLC won Best International group, Beck won Best International Male, Outstanding Contribution went to The Spice Girls. 2000 - Tens of thousands of football fans joined sports stars to pay their last respects to Sir Stanley Matthews. 2001 - Sterephonics were forced to change the title of their new album after car manufacturer Daimler Chrysler objected to their use of the copyrighted word Jeep. The UK title became Just Enough Education To Perform. 2001 - Foot-and-mouth disease, which had already flared in Britain, was reported in Europe, where livestock at two farms in France and Belgium were quarantined. 2002 - Jennifer Lopez started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Ain’t It Funny. 2002 - Violence continued through the early days of March in the Middle East as attacks and retaliations took a heavy toll on Israelis and Palestinians. 2002 - The Earl and Countess of Wessex announced they had decided to quit their respective careers. 2002 - Died this day, James Blackwood, of gospel group The Blackwoods, following a stroke. 2002 - TV show Pop Idol winner Will Young scored his first UK No.1 single with Anything Is Possible / Evergreen. 2003 - The US and UK sought United Nations (UN) Security Council backing for a second resolution paving the way for war against Iraq. |
Trivia
Trivia - petty details or considerations, matters or things that are very unimportant, inconsequential, or nonessential; trifles; trivialities.
Trivial - of very little importance or value; insignificant: "Don't bother me with trivial matters." Trivially - unimportant, nugatory, slight, immaterial, inconsequential, frivolous, trifling.