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March 12th
1470 - In the Wars of the Roses, Edward IV defeated the rebels at the battle of Empingham. 1496 - The Jews were expelled from Syria. 1507 - Died this day, Cesare Borgia, Italian politician, cardinal and adventurer was killed in a battle with rebels of Navarre near Viana, Italy, while fighting alongside his brother, the king of Navarre, in Spain. 1554 - Born this day, Richard Hooker, English theologian (Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity). 1607 - Born this day, Paul Gerhardt, German clergyman and hymnwriter. He lost four of his five children in childhood, yet also composed over 130 hymns, including O Sacred Head, Now Wounded. Gerhardt's music marks the transition in Lutheran hymnody from confessional and high-church hymns to hymns of devotional piety. 1609 - The Bermuda Islands became an English colony. 1622 - Gregory XV canonized Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits; Philip Neri, Italian co-founder of a medical religious order; Teresa of Avila, a Spanish Carmelite nun; and Francis Xavier, the Jesuit "Apostle of Eastern Asia." 1664 - New Jersey became a British colony. 1710 - Born this day, Thomas A. Arne, considered one of the outstanding English composers of the 18th century. Today, Arne is best remembered for his hymn tune ARLINGTON, to which is commonly sung, Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?. 1755 - The first reported use of the steam engine was made - in North Arlington, New Jersey. 1789 - The United States Post Office was established. 1799 - In the War of the Second Coalition, Austria declared war on France. 1806 - Born this day, Jane Pierce [Appleton], US First Lady. Died in 1863. 1809 - Great Britain signed a treaty with Persia forcing the French out of the country. 1814 - British troops under Wellington captured Bordeaux in France. 1826 - Born this day, Robert Lowery, American Baptist clergyman and hymnwriter. He is chiefly remembered today for writing and composing the hymns Christ Arose, Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, We're Marching to Zion, All the Way My Saviour Leads Me and I Need Thee Every Hour. 1831 - Born this day, Clement Studebaker, pioneer automaker. 1832 - Born this day, Charles Boycott, real estate agent. Died in 1897. 1835 - Born this day, Simon Newcomb, astronomer. Died in 1909. 1849 - In India, the Sikhs surrendered to the British at Rawalpindi. 1854 - Britain and France concluded an alliance with the Ottoman Empire against Russia in the Crimean War. 1858 - Born this day, Adolph Simon Ochs, publisher of The New York Times. 1862 - Born this day, Jane Delano, nurse, teacher, founder of the Red Cross. 1863 - President Jefferson Davis delivered his State of the Confederacy address. 1863 - Born this day, Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky, Russian geochemist and mineralogist, considered to be one of the founders of geochemistry and biogeochemistry. Died 6 January 1945. 1868 - Britain annexed Basutoland (Lesotho). 1879 - The British Zulu War began. 1881 - Born this day, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey. Died in 1938. 1884 - The State of Mississippi authorized the first state-supported college for women. It was called the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College. 1888 - On this date in 1888, the most severe winter storm ever to hit the New York City region reached blizzard proportions, costing hundreds of lives and millions of dollars in property damage. Although the storm also struck New England, New York was the hardest hit, with the 36-hour blizzard dumping some 40-50 inches of snow on the city. For several weeks, the city was virtually isolated from the rest of the country by the massive snowdrifts. Messages north to Boston had to be relayed via England. Even 'Leather Man', a fixture of New York and Connecticut history who had walked a circuit of 365 miles every 34 days for three decades, was reportedly delayed four days by the Blizzard of 1888. Leather Man, who walked during the day and slept in caves at night, was known as such because his clothes were made out of large patches of thick leather. 1889 - Almon B. Stowger stepped up to the counter at the US Patent Office to file for his invention, the automatic telephone system. The system was installed in Laporte, Indiana in 1892. It worked, but not well enough. Mr. Bell's invention was deemed much more reliable. 1890 - Born this day, Vasav Nijinsky, Russian ballet dancer. 1894 - Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time. 1903 - The New York Highlanders (Yankees) were approved as members of American League. 1903 - The Czar of Russia issued a decree providing for nominal freedom of religion throughout the land. 1904 - Raphael Hawaweeny was ordained Eastern Orthodox bishop of Brooklyn, New York, at St. Nicholas Church. As a vicar under the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia, Hawaweeny thus became the first Russian Orthodox bishop ordained in America. 1904 - The first mainline electric train service ran in the UK. (From where to where?) 1907 - At Toulon, France, the battleship Iena exploded killing at least 118 men. 1909 - The British Parliament increased naval appropriations for Great Britain. 1910 - Born this day, Roger Stevens, producer. Died in 1998. 1911 - Dr. Fletcher of the Rockefeller Institute discovered the cause of infantile paralysis. 1912 - Born this day, Paul Weston [Wetstein], orchestra leader, arranger. Died in 1996. 1912 - Juliette Gordon Low organised the first Girl Scouts of America troop in Savannah, Georgia. 1913 - Canberra became the capital of Australia when the foundation stone of the Federal Parliament building was laid. 1917 - Born this day, Leonard Chess, the founder of the Chess record label, home to John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed. Died of a heart attack 16 October 1969 aged 52. 1917 - Russian troops mutinied as the February Revolution began. 1917 - Born this day, [Georgette] Googie Withers, actress. 1921 - Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP) for Soviet recovery, permitting free enterprise was announced. 1921 - Born this day, Gordon MacRae, actor, singer. Died in 1986. 1922 - Born this day, Jack Kerouac, author, American novelist (On the Road). Died in 1969. 1922 - Born this day, Lane Kirkland, US union leader. 1923 - Born this day, [Walter] Wally Shirra, Jr., astronaut. 1923 - Dr. Lee DeForest demonstrated his putting sound on motion picture film. One of the pioneers of 'modern' radio in the early 1900's, DeForest came up with a snappy name for his invention; he called it: phonofilm. Today, we call it a soundtrack. 1925 - Born this day, Hildy Parks, Emmy Award-winning producer. 1926 - Born this day, John Waihee, Governor of Hawaii. 1928 - Born this day, Edward Albee, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, (Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf). 1930 - Mahatma Gandhi began leading a campaign of civil disobedience. Starting with his 300-mile protest march to the sea to symbolise his defiance of British rule in India, and to defy a British law establishing a monopoly in producing salt. 1930 - Born this day, Bronco Horvath, hockey. 1930 - Born this day, Vernon Law, baseball. 1932 - Born this day, Andrew Young, US Ambassador to the United Nations, former Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia 1933 - President Paul von Hindenburg dropped the flag of the German Republic and ordered that the swastika and empire banner be flown side by side. 1933 - Eight days after he was inaugurated, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented his first presidential address to the nation. It was the first of what were called Roosevelt's famous Fireside Chats. The name, incidentally, was coined by newsman, Robert Trout. He thought that the President sounded as if he was sitting with us in living rooms all over the nation next to a roaring fire, just telling it like it was. These frequent, soothing, down-to-earth talks helped bolster President Roosevelt's enormous popularity for four terms in office, making him, many say, the greatest President of the century, if not of all time. 1935 - The 30mph speed limit was imposed in built-up areas in Britain. 1935 - Parimutuel betting became a reality as horse race bets were legalised in the State of Nebraska. Today, there are still US states where horse racing, betting or other forms of legalised gambling still 'nag' legislatures, despite the fact that other states have been participating in these activities for decades. 1938 - One day after Artur Seyss-Inquart became Chancellor of Austria, German troops invaded the country. They entered Austria without firing a shot, forming the anschluss (union)of Austria and Germany. 1938 - Born this day, Johnny Rutherford, auto racer: Indianapolis 500 winner. 1938 - Born this day, Lew Dewitt, singer. Died in 1990. 1939 - Born this day, Johnny Callison, baseball. 1939 - Pius XII was elected the new pope in Rome. 1939 - Artie Shaw and his band recorded the standard, Deep Purple in New York for the Bluebird label. Listening carefully after the first minute or so, one can hear Helen Forrest sing the vocal refrain. Larry Clinton and his orchestra had a number one song with a similar arrangement of the same tune in the same year. It later was a hit for saxophonist, Nino Tempo and his sister, April Stevens in 1963. Hundreds of versions of this song have been recorded through the years, making it one of the most popular standards of all time. 1940 - Finland signed a peace treaty with the Soviet Union, ending the 14-week war which the Russians won by sheer weight of numbers. 1940 - Born this day, [Alwin] Al Jarreau, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, singer, songwriter. 1987 UK No.8 single with the Moonlighting theme. 1941 - The incident which inspired Compton Mackenzie's film Whisky Galore, occurred in the Hebrides when a ship carrying a cargo of whisky ran aground. 1941 - Born this day, Barbara Feldon [Hall], actress, 99 on Get Smart, born in Butler, Pennsylvania. 1942 - Born this day, [James Sherman] Jim Wynn, baseball. 1942 - Born this day, Brian O'Hara, musician, guitarist, singer, The Fourmost, 1964 UK No.6 single A Little Loving. Died, found hanged, on 27 June 1999. 1942 - Born this day, Paul Kantner, in San Francisco, California, rock guitarist, singer, Jefferson Airplane, 1967 US No.18 single White Rabbit, Somebody To Love. 1944 - Great Britain barred all travel to neutral Ireland, which was suspected of collaborating with Nazi Germany. 1945 - Died this day, Jewish diarist Anne Frank, died in a Nazi concentration camp. 1946 - The filming of the controversial Forever Amber began in Hollywood, with a record-breaking $3 million budget. The film, based on the steamy best-selling novel by Kathleen Winsor which was banned in Australia, starred Linda Darnell, Cornel Wilde, George Sanders, Richard Haydn, Leo G. Carroll, and Jessica Tandy. The film went way over budget, ultimately costing $6.5 million, or $2.5 million more than Gone With the Wind less than a decade earlier. The film's budget skyrocketed partly because Darnell replaced actress Peggy Cummins in the lead role after she was fired, which forced a temporary production shut-down. Despite its stellar cast, superb musical score, expensive costumes, and ambitious plans, the 140-minute epic was a big flop at the box office. 1946 - Born this day, [May] Liza Minnelli, in Hollywood, California, singer, 1989 UK No.6 single Losing My Mind, Academy Award-winning actress (Sterile Cuckoo, Cabaret). 1946 - Born this day, Patricia Hampl, poet and memoirist (A Romantic Education, Virgin Time). 1947 - US president Harry S. Truman this day launched a campaign to oppose communism thoughout the world. In a speech to Congress, he said that America must abandon its traditional isolationism. 'The national security of this country is at risk', he said. Some observers believed the new policy would make global conflict with Russia inevitable. It became known as the Truman Doctrine. 1948 - Born this day, James Taylor, singer, songwriter, 1971 US No.1 and UK No.4 single You've Got A Friend, first album was released on The Beatles Apple label. Married Carly Simon in 1972. 1948 - Born this day, Mark Moseley, football. 1948 - Born this day, Kent Conrad, US Senator. 1948 - Born this day, Les Holroyd, in Oldham, England, Barclay James Harvest, 8 UK top 40 albums from 1974-1987. 1948 - Born this day, Virginia Bottomley, MP, Tory politician, former minister for health. 1949 - Born this day, Bill Payne, in Waco, Texas, musician, keyboardist, songwriter, Little Feat, two Top 40 albums during the 70's, best known songs Dixie Chicken and Sailing Shoes. Also Time Loves a Hero. 1949 - Born this day, Mike Gibbins, musician, drummer, Badfinger, 1970 UK No.4 and US No.7 single Come And Get It. 1949 - Born this day, Rob Cohen, producer, director. 1949 - Born this day, David Mellor, ex-MP (Tory), ex-Heritage Secretary, broadcaster, football pundit. 1951 - Born this day, Jack Green, The Pretty Things, 1964 UK No.10 with Don't Bring Me Down. 1955 - Died this day, Charlie Parker, Jazz genius. The Jazz world lost one of its most innovative and influential performers when Charlie Parker, the alto sax player, died in the New York apartment of his long-time fan and friend, the Baroness Nina de Koenigswater. He was 34 years old. Born in Kansas City, Parker nicknamed 'Bird' or 'Yardbird' - moved to New York in the early forties, where he found kindred spirits in musicians like trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, pianist Thelonius Monk, guitarist Charlie Christian and drummer Kenny Clarke. 1955 - One of the great groups of jazz appeared for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Dave Brubeck Quartet presented a magnificent concert for jazz fans. Joining with Brubeck, in what would become one of the most popular concert draws on college campuses, were names that would become legends in their own right, including Paul Desmond on alto sax, Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass. 1956 - Born this day, Steve Harris, bass, Iron Maiden, 1991 UK No.1 with Bring Your Daughter ...To The Slaughter and 25 other top 40 hits. 1956 - Born this day, Dale Murphy, baseball. 1957 - Born this day, Marlon Jackson, singer, The Jackson Five, 1970 US No.1 and UK No.2 single I Want You Back, The Jacksons, 1977 UK No.1 single Show You The Way To Go, 1979 US No.7 single Shake Your Body, Down To The Ground. 1957 - Buddy Holly and the Crickets recorded Maybe Baby. 1958 - Jazz singer Billie Holiday was sentenced to a year’s probation by a Philadelphia court after being found guilty of narcotics possession. 1959 - The US House of Representatives joined the US Senate in approving the statehood of Hawaii. 1962 - Born this day, Paul Way, golfer. 1962 - Born this day, Darryl Eugene Strawberry, former baseball player. 1963 - The House of Representatives voted to grant former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill honorary US citizenship. 1965 - Born this day, Coleen Nolan, Nolan Sisters, 1980 UK No.3 single I'm In The Mood For Dancing. 1966 - The Indonesian Congress stripped Dr. Sukarno of all powers including the title of president. General Suharto became acting president until general elections were held in 1968. 1966 - Sgt Barry Sadler started a five week run at No.1 on the US album chart with The Ballads Of The Green Berets. 1966 - Bobby Hull, of the Chicago Blackhawks, became the first player in the National Hockey League to score 51 points in a single season. 1966 - The If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears LP by the Mamas and the Papas entered the US album charts. 1966 - Levi Strauss began selling bell-bottom blue jeans. 1969 - Beatle Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman at Marylebone register office. 1969 - The London home of Beatle George Harrison and his wife Patti was raided, they were arrested and charged with possession of 120 joints of marijuana. Harrison claimed it was a frame-up, timed by police to coincide with the marriage ceremony of Paul and Linda McCartney this same day. 1969 - Born this day, Graham Coxon, Blur, 1995 UK No.1 single Country House, plus over 12 other UK top 40 singles. 1969 - Simon and Garfunkel's song, Mrs. Robinson, was voted Record of the Year and won a Grammy. 1971 - Syrian Premier Hafez al-Assad was elected president in a national referendum. 1973 - Born this day, Eva Herzigova, model. 1973 - In Syria, a new and permanent constitution was endorsed by over 97 per cent of voters in a national referendum. 1974 - At The Kings Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, England, appearing live was David Essex with Brinsley Schwarz, tickets were 40p. 1974 - Beatle John Lennon made the headlines after an incident at the Troubadour Club, Los Angeles, out on a drinking binge with Harry Nilsson. Lennon hurled insults at the perfoming Smothers Brothers and punched their manager before being forcibly removed. Photographer Brenda Parkins was allegedly struck by John Lennon while photographing him in Los Angeles. She filed a complaint against him; the charges were later dropped so as not to affect Lennon's pending immigration action. A settlement was later reached out of court. 1974 - Wonder Woman came to ABC-TV. The show eventually went to CBS and starred Lynda Carter. Wonder Woman's real name, for those who have lost sleep wondering about such trivia, was Diana Prince. As a bonus, Wonder Girl was Donna Troy. 1975 - Born this day, Kelle Bryan, Eternal, 1997 UK No.1 single I Wanna Be The Only One. 1977 - Manhattan Transfer had their only UK No.1 single with Chanson D'amour. 1977 - Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said he would not allow a single inch of Arab land to remain under Israeli occupation. 1977 - The Sex Pistols were involved in a fight at London's Speakeasy Club with Bob Harris, presenter of BBC-2's The Old Grey Whistle Test, resulting in one of the show's engineers needing 14 stitches in his head. Two days later Harris's solicitors contacted Derek Green at A&M the band's record label. Harris's management also managed Peter Frampton, one of the label’s top acts at A&M. Green discussed the matter with the company's two founders, Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert and the decision is made to cancel the Pistols contract and halt production of the bands first single, God Save The Queen. 1978 - In the first round of French parliamentary elections, the Left claimed an absolute majority for the first time in French history. 1979 - Born this day, Dave Williams, in Anchorage, Alaska, baseball. 1979 - In Grenada, Prime Minister Sir Erik Gairy and his government were overthrown and replaced by Maurice Bishop of the New Jewel Movement. 1981 - Bow Wow Wow were forced to cancel the first dates of a UK tour after Greater London Council stated that singer Annabella Lwin aged 15 would be guilty of truancy. 1981 - Two Soviet cosmonauts boarded the Salyut 6 space station for a 75-day mission to the facility, which had been in orbit since 1977. 1983 - Bonnie Tyler had her only UK No.1 single with Total Eclipse Of The Heart. 1983 - U2 scored their first UK No.1 album with War, which went on to spend a total of 147 weeks on the chart and featured the singles New Years Day and Two Hearts Beat As One. 1984 - Lebanese President Gemayel opened the second meeting in five years calling for the end to nine-years of war. 1984 - A nationwide strike of British miners began. 1985 - The United States and the Soviet Union began arms control talks in Geneva. 1985 - Auto dealer Tom Bensen and several investors plunked down some cash to buy the New Orleans Saints football team. The bankroll was quite substantial, about $64 million, making quite a hurricane in the French Quarter. 1985 - Larry Bird, of the NBA's Boston Celtics, scored a club-record 60 points in a 126-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Bird broke the record previously held by teammate, Kevin McHale, who scored 56 points just nine days earlier. 1985 - Former US President Richard M. Nixon announced that he planned to drop Secret Service protection and hire his own bodyguards. The plan would save taxpayers about $3 million a year. Nixon said that he was taking the action, 'to do his part to help cut the federal deficit'. 1987 - The UK Government approved the Sizewell B nuclear processing plant in Suffolk. 1987 - Both Coca-Cola and Boeing Company joined the rank and file of the Dow Jones industrials this day. The 30-stock average said 'adieu' to the stock of Owens-Illinois Glass and Inco Ltd. to make room for the new issues. 1987 - After breaking all records for advance ticket sales, the British musical Les Miserables opened on Broadway. 1988 - Rick Astley started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Never Gonna Give You Up. It was also a No.1 in the UK. 1988 - Eighty soccer fans in Katmandu, Nepal, while seeking shelter cover during a violent hail storm at the national stadium, were trampled to death in a stampede because the stadium doors were locked. 1990 - Mongolia's ruling Politburo resigned and Communist leader Zhambyn Batmunkh proposed amending a constitutional clause guaranteeing the party's 'leading role'. 1990 - The US Food and Drug Administration approved a nationwide test of a post-exposure AIDS vaccine developed by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk. 1990 - Exxon pleaded guilty to criminal charges and agreed to pay $100 million fine in a $1.1 billion settlement of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. 1990 - Kuwait City reopened its port for the first time since the Persian Gulf War. 1990 - South African President F. W. de Klerk introduced legislation to revise land tenure laws and end racial discrimination in land ownership. 1992 - The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius became a republic dropping its links with the British crown 24 years to the day after independence. 1992 - Jim and Tammy Bakker, who ran a multimillion-dollar television evangelism empire before he went to prison for fleecing his flock, announced they were divorcing. 1993 - Oasis played at the Le Bateau, Liverpool in front of 20 people. 1993 - US Defense Secretary Aspin recommended closing 31 more major military bases around America. 1993 - More than 250 people were killed when a wave of bombings rocked Bombay, India, the country's business capital. 1993 - The first of a two show day tripper with Ride and The Charlatans at Brighton Centre, the following night was at the Blackpool Empress Ballroom, tickets were £12. 1994 - Swedish group Ace Of Base started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with The Sign. It was a No.2 hit in the UK. 1994 - The South African government and the ANC agreed to depose Bophuthatswana homeland President Lucas Mangope. 1994 - The Church of England broke with 460 years of male dominance when it ordained its first women priests in Bristol Cathedral. 1995 - The Spin Doctors played a gig at singer Chris Barron's old School in Princeton and raised $10,000 towards a trip to France and the UK for the school choir. 1996 - Republican president hopeful Bob Dole swept the Super Tuesday GOP primaries. 1996 - China began new war games in the Taiwan Strait in a show of force, using jets and warships to drive home its warning to Taiwan not to seek independence. 1996 - A Los Angeles judge refused Jack Nicholson's request to have former-lover and actress Susan Anspach's $1 million breach-of-contract lawsuit dismissed. Nicholson was angered about a letter Anspach wrote to Vanity Fair in 1994, which said a profile left out the child he had fathered with her during the filming of Five Easy Pieces. Anspach married another man before the child was born, and Nicholson, who first met Caleb when the boy was 13, avoided public recognition of him. Nicholson was angry that Anspach publicized the affair and demanded repayment of a $400,000 loan that partly went toward her Santa Monica home. According to Anspach's lawyer, Nicholson had not fulfilled many promises made to Anspach. 1999 - The former Soviet allies, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, joined NATO. 2000 - Pope John Pail II apologised for the errors of his church during the past 2,000 years. 2000 - Chicane went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with Don't Give Up. The song featured the vocals of Bryan Adams. 2000 - British Jews called on the Vatican to open its holocaust records after the Pope apologised for the mistreatment of the Jewish race by catholics. 2001 - Europe Minister Keith Vaz was accused of obstructing a probe by the Parliamentary Standards watchdog. 2001 - Judy Garland's Over The Rainbow was voted the 'Song Of The Century' in a poll published in America. Musicians, critics and fans compiled the list by the RIA. The highest placed UK act was The Rolling Stones Satisfaction in 16th place. The Beatles had I Want To Hold Your Hand at No.28. 2001 - Six people, including five Americans, were killed when an errant bomb from a US Navy fighter jet exploded at an observation post in Kuwait. 2002 - Andrea Pia Yates, who confessed to drowning her five children, was found guilty of capital murder by a Houston jury that recommended life in prison. She had pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. 2002 - United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan, speaking out after Israeli raids killed 31 Palestinians, declared that Israel must end its 'illegal occupation' of Palestinian land. That night, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate cease fire. 2002 - The Boston archdiocese said it would have to sell church property, take out loans and seek donations from wealthy supporters to cover the $100 million in settlements of lawsuits against priests in sexual abuse cases. 2002 - A British woman held in an Arab jail for trying to snatch back her son had no complaints about her treatment there, consulate officials said. 2003 - Died this day, Serbian PM Zoran Djindjic, shot dead in broad daylight outside the government building in Belgrade. |
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.