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March 18th
1837 - Born this day, [Stephen] Grover Cleveland 22nd and 24th presidents of the USA, in Caldwell, New Jersey. Died 24 June 1908, in Princeton, New Jersey and is also buried there. Married Frances Folsom on 2 June 1886 in the White House, Washington DC. (Frances Folsom was born on 2 June 1886 in Buffalo, New York and died on 29 October 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland.) 1890 - The first US state naval militia was organised this day by Massachusetts. 1891 - The first telephone link between London & Paris started operation. 1925 - A fire at Madame Tussaud's melted hundreds of famous characters. 1925 - On this date in 1925, the worst tornado in US history passed through eastern Missouri, southern Illinois, and southern Indiana, killing 695 people, injuring some 13,000 people, and causing $17 million in property damage. Known as the "Tri-State Tornado," the deadly twister began its northeast track in Ellington, Missouri, but southern Illinois was the hardest hit. More than 500 of the total 695 people who perished were killed in southern Illinois, including 234 in Murphrysboro and 127 in West Frankfort. A tornado is a dark, funnel-shaped cloud containing violently rotating air that develops in climate conditions that, in the United States, are generally unique to the central and southern plains and the Gulf states. The rotating winds of tornadoes can attain velocities of 300 mph, and its diameter can vary from a few feet to a mile. A tornado generally travels in a northeasterly distance at speeds of 20 to 40 mph and usually covers anywhere between one and more than 100 miles. The Tri-State Tornado of 1925, which traveled 219 miles, spent more than three hours on the ground, devastated 164 square miles, had a diameter of more than a mile, and traveled at speeds in excess of 70 mph, is unsurpassed in US history. 1926 - Born this day, Peter Graves, actor. 1932 - Born this day, John Updike, writer. 1935 - A 30mph speed limit has been introduced in towns. The new law affects all streets with lighting, except those where lampposts are painted with black and white stripes. Police cars with gongs will stop offenders. Transport minister Leslie Hore-Belisha called on church leaders to support the move. 1936 - Born this day, Robert Lee Smith, The Tams, 1964 US No.9 single What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am, 1971 UK No.1 single Hey Girl Don't Bother Me. 1938 - Born this day, Charlie Pride, US singer, scored over 50 country top ten hits, most successful Black Country artist of all time. 1939 - Born this day, Ron Atkinson, football pundit. 1939 - Born this day, Kenny Lynch, actor, singer, 1962 UK No.10 single Up On The Roof, 1963 UK No.10 single You Can Never Stop Me Loving you. 1941 - Born this day, Wilson Pickett, US soul singer, 1965 UK No.12 and US No.21 single In The Midnight Hour, plus 15 other US Top 40 singles. Died 19 January 2006 after suffering a heart attack. He was aged 64. 1947 - Born this day, David Lloyd, cricket boss. 1947 - Born this day, Barry J. Wilson, drums, Procol Harum, 1967 UK No.1 and US No.5 single Whiter Shade Of Pale. Died 8 October 1990. 1949 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was set up by Britain, America and seven other (which?) countries on this date. 1949 - Born this day, Alex Higgins, former snooker player. 1950 - Born this day, John Hartman, The Doobie Brothers, 1979 US No.1 single What A Fool Believes, 1993 UK No.7 single Long Train Runnin'. 1952 - Born this day, Pat Eddery, jockey. 1958 - Prince Philip is credited with ending the tradition of the daughters of the aristocracy being presented to the Queen. Buckingham Palace would not confirm or deny this but said the practice was not suitable for the new Elizabethan age. The last Queen Charlotte's Ball was held, with young debutantes being presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace. 1959 - Born this day, Irene Cara, singer, actress, 1982 UK No.1 and US No.4 single Fame, 1983 US No.1 and UK No.2 single Flashdance... What A Feeling. 1960 - The last steam locomotive of British Railways was named. 1960 - The Everly Brothers recorded Cathy's Clown. 1961 - Born this day, Grant Hart, Husker Du, 1987 album Warehouse Songs And Stories. 1962 - Born this day, Taja Sevelle, US singer, 1988 UK No.7 single Love Is Contagious. 1963 - Born this day, Vanessa Williams, US singer, former model and beauty queen, 1992 US No.1 and UK No.3 single Save The Best To Last. 1964 - Born this day, Courtney Pine, jazz musician, saxophanist, worked with Charlie Watts, Mica Paris, composer of film and TV music. 1964 - The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao with Tony Randall and Barbara Eden was released. 1965 - The first walk in space was made by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. 1965 - The Rolling Stones were all fined £5, for urinating in a public place. The incident took place at a petrol station after a gig in Romford Essex. 1966 - Scott Paper began selling paper dresses for $1. 1966 - Born this day, Jerry Cantrell, Alice In Chains, 1993 UK No.19 single Would. 1967 - Pink Floyd signed to EMI Records in the UK. 1967 - Born this day, Miki Berenyi, guitar, vocals, Lush, 1996 UK No.21 single Single Girl. 1967 - On a mid March morning in 1967 a massive oil tanker struck rocks off the Isles of Scilly with a shuddering shock, triggering the worst pollution emergency the world had then witnessed all along the South West coast from Lands End to Plymouth. That tanker was called Torrey Canyon, a name that lives on as a symbol of devastation. Almost a thousand feet long, carrying around 120,000 tons of crude oil, she was stuck fast on the notorious Seven Stones reef. The beautiful bays and coves of Cornwall were soon to pay the terrible price for maritime misjudgement. She was stricken on 18 March 1967, and as her black cargo surged into the sea, you could smell disaster coming towards the coast. Wave tops were smoothed by the crude, countless sea creatures and 200,000 birds died, and the holiday industry faced ruin, as an enormous oil slick grew relentlessly. Never before had there been pollution on such a scale. 1967 - The Beatles scored their 13th US No.1 single with Penny Lane. 1970 - Born this day, Queen Latifah, female US rapper, 1990 UK No.14 single with De La Soul, Mama Give Birth To The Soul Children. 1972 - Neil Young started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Heart Of Gold. His only top 20 hit as a solo artist reached No.10 on the UK chart. 1972 - Paul Simon scored his first solo No.1 album when his self titled debut went to the top on the UK charts. Featuring the singles Mother And Child Reunion and Me And Julio Down By The School Yard. 1972 - T Rex played the first of two sold out nights at Wembley's Empire Pool, the shows were filmed by Ringo Starr for the Born To Boogie Apple documentary. 1973 - Paul McCartney and Wings played a benefit gig for the drug charity, Release at London's Hard Rock Cafe. 1974 - Born this day, Stuart Zender, bass, Jamiroquai, 1996 UK No.3 single Virtual Insanity. 1998 UK No.1 and US No.2 album Godzilla. 1975 - Harold Wilson's Labour Cabinet voted 16-7 to advise people to vote in favour of Britain staying in the Common Market in the forthcoming referendum. 1976 - The Man Who Fell To Earth featuring David Bowie premiered in London. 1977 - The Clash released their debut single White Riot. It peaked at No.38 on the UK charts. 1977 - Born this day, Devin Lima, UK male singer, LFO, 1990 UK No.10 single LFO. 1978 - The Bee Gees had the Top 3 on the US singles charts, Night Fever at No.1, (Love is) Thicker Than Water, by brother Andy at No.2, co-written by Barry Gibb and Emotion by Samantha Sang, written and produced by The Bee Gees at No.3. 1978 - Blondie were at No.2 in the UK with their version of Randy & The Rainbows 1963 US hit, Denis. 1978 - Appearing at the California Jam II festival, Ontario, California, were Aerosmith, Santana, Heart, Dave Mason, Ted Nugent and Mahogany Rush. 1979 - Born this day, Shola Ama, singer, 1997 UK No.3 single You're The One I Love. 1980 - Born this day, Sophia Myles, in London, England, British actress.  Art School Confidential (2006) played Audrey, Tristan + Isolde (2006) played Isolde, Underworld: Evolution (2006) played Erika, Doctor Who - The Girl in the Fireplace (2006) TV Episode played Madame Du Pompadour, Marple: Sleeping Murder (2005) (TV) played Gwenda Halliday, Colditz (2005) (TV) played Lizzie Carter, Thunderbirds (2004) played Lady Penelope, Out of Bounds (2004) played Louise Thompson, Underworld (2003/I) played Erika, Foyle's War - A Lesson in Murder (2002) TV Episode played Susan Gascoigne, The Abduction Club (2002) played Anne Kennedy, Heartbeat - No Hiding Place (2001) TV Episode played Heather Conway, From Hell (2001) played Victoria Abberline, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001) (TV) played Kate Nickleby, Guest House Paradiso (1999) played Saucy wood nymph, Oliver Twist (1999) (mini) TV Series played Agnes Fleming, Mansfield Park (1999) played Susan Price, Big Women (1998) (mini) TV Series played Saffron, The Prince and the Pauper (1996) (TV) played Lady Jane Grey.
1981 - Appearing at London's Victoria Apollo, was Tom Waits. 1982 - Driving home from a basketball game in Philadelphia, soul singer Teddy Pendergrass crashed his Rolls Royce severely injuring his spinal cord and paralyzing him. 1982 - A Flock Of Seagulls kicked off a 12 date UK tour at Night Moves, Glasgow. 1982 - Argentinians raised their flag in South Georgia. 1985 - Iraq and Iran both claimed victory in the biggest battles in the Gulf war six days after an Iranian offensive began north of Basra. 1989 - Britain's first National Fat Women's Conference was held, when 150 overweight ladies decided to urge fat women to stop worrying about their weight. 1989 - A radio station in California arranged to have all of it's Cat Stevens Records destroyed by having a steamroller run over them in protest of the singers support of Ayatollah Khomeni. 1989 - Stock, Aitken and Waterman had three singles in the Top 4, Jason Donovan's Too Many Broken Hearts, Bananarama's Help, and Donna Summer's This Time I Know It's For Real. 1991 - U2 were fined £500 after being found guilty of selling condoms illegally at the Virgin Megastore, Dublin. 1992 - Donna Summer got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 1994 - Kenner, Louisiana named a street 'Lloyd Price Avenue' in honour of their native son. 1996 - The Sex Pistols announced their comeback at the 100 Club in London, 20 years after they had split. 1997 - Rap artist Notorious Big was cremated in New Jersey. 1997 - It was announced that Joni Mitchell had been reunited with a daughter she gave up for adoption many years earlier. 2000 - Trade and Industry secretary Stephen Byers said it was still not too late to find an alternative purchaser for the car firm Rover. 2001 - Died this day, John Phillips, singer, (Ex Mamas and Papas). From suspected heart failure. 2001 - Crazytown went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Butterfly. 2001 - Eva Cassidy started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with Songbird, the album went on to become the third biggest seller of the year. 2001 - Hear'Say started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with Pure And Simple. 2001 - Died this day, Mamas and The Papas singer and songwriter, John Phillips, aged 65. 2001 - Tragedy struck at an instore appearance by British boy band A1 in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta after there was a stampede amongst the fans, four girls were killed and two others were seriously injured. 2002 - Controversial Lambeth police chief Commander Brian Paddick was removed from his job amid an inquiry into allegations that he smoked cannabis. 2002 - The Doobie Brothers, Dionne Warwick and Petula Clark were among the entertainers at Liza Minelli's wedding reception. 2003 - Cabinet minister Clare Short said she was 'very critical' of Government policy on Iraq - but refused to resign as International Development Secretary. |
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.