This Day in History
March 17

What happened in history on this day: March 17? On March 17 in ... 180 - Antonius Marcus Aurelius [Marcus Verus], Emperor of Rome, dies at age 58. 432 - Saint Patrick, a bishop, is carried off to Ireland as a slave. 455 - Roman senator Petronius Maximus becomes Emperor. 461 - (according to legend) Patrick, Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. 659 - Gertrudis van Nijvel, saint/patron of travellers, dies at about age 32. 1040 - Harold British King (1035-40), dies. 1473 - Birth of James IV king of Scotland (1488-1513). 1516 - Giuliano de' Medici monarch of Florence, dies at age 37. 1521 - Magelhaes lands on Homohon. 1526 - French king François I freed from Spain. 1537 - French troops invade Flanders. 1565 - Alexander Alesius [Aless/Alane], theologist/physician, dies at age 64. 1578 - Birth of Francesco Albana Italian painter (Mary's Ascension). 1580 - Prince Willem of Orange welcomed in Amsterdam. 1588 - Petrus Dathenus Flemish minister/physician (Psalms of David), dies. 1605 - Pieter Bast [Bastius], Dutch engraver/cartographer, dies at about age 34. 1628 - Birth of Daniel van Papenbroeck [Papebrochius], Flemish historian. 1640 - Philip Massinger dramatist, dies. 1649 - Gerardus Johannis Vossius [Gerrit Vos], Dutch regent, dies at age 71. 1653 - Johan van Galen Admiral (battle of Livorno), dies in battle at age 48. 1658 - Pro-Charles II plot in England discovered. 1664 - Birth of Georg Osterreich composer. 1672 - England declares war on Netherlands. 1675 - Birth of Petrus Laurentius Wockenfuss composer. 1685 - Birth of Jean-Marc Nattier French portrait painter. 1704 - Menno baron van Coehoorn fort builder/Coevorden/howitzer, dies at age 63. 1722 - Willem KH Friso appointed mayor of Drente. 1746 - Birth of Jan David Holland composer. 1753 - First official Saint Patrick's Day. 1755 - Transylvania Land Company buys Kentucky for $50,000 from a Cherokee chief. 1756 - Saint Patrick's Day first celebrated in New York City at Crown and Thistle Tavern. 1757 - Prince Mas Saïd of Mataram surrenders to Mangkubumi in Java. 1762 - First Saint Patrick's Day parade in New York City. 1764 - George Parker English astronomer, dies. 1766 - Britain repeals Stamp Act. 1776 - British forces evacuate Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia during Revolutionary War. 1777 - Birth of Roger Brooke Taney Calvert Maryland, 5th Chief Justice (Dred Scott decision). 1780 - Birth of Thomas Chalmers first moderator (Free Church of Scotland 1843-47). 1781 - Birth of Dominique J de Eerens Governor-General of Netherland Indies. 1789 - Birth of Edmund Kean London England, tragic actor (Shylock). 1796 - Pieter Paulus lawyer/Dutch CEO (National Convention), dies at age 41. 1800 - English warship Queen Charlotte catches fire; 700 die. 1803 - Candido Jose Ruano composer, dies at age 42. 1804 - Birth of James Bridger scout/fur trader/mountain man par excellence. 1804 - Johann von Schiller's "Wilhelm Tell" premieres. 1806 - David Dale industrialist and philanthropist, dies. 1820 - Birth of Patrick Edward Connor Brevet Major General (Union volunteers). 1824 - England and Netherlands sign a trade agreement. 1825 - Birth of Rodolphe Bresdin French cartoonist/lithographer (Le Bon Samaritain). 1826 - Birth of Oskar Peschel German journalist/geography (Völkerkunder). 1828 - Birth of Patrick Ronayne Cleburne the "Stonewall" of the West (Major General-Confederate Army). 1832 - Birth of Moncure Daniel Conway US, clergyman/author/abolitionist (Life of Thomas Paine). 1832 - Birth of Walter Quintin Gresham Brevet Major General (Union volunteers). 1833 - Phoenix Society forms (New York). 1834 - Birth of Gottlieb Daimler Germany, engineer/inventor/auto pioneer-designed first motorcycle. 1836 - Texas abolishes slavery. 1839 - Birth of Josef Rheinberger Vaduz Liechtenstein, opera composer (Munich Conser). 1842 - Indians land in Ohio, a 12 square-mile area in Upper Sandusky. 1845 - Rubber band patented by Stephen Perry of London, England. 1846 - Birth of Kate Greenaway England, artist/book illustrator (Under the Window). 1846 - Friedrich W Bessel German astronomer (Bessel Functions), dies at age 61. 1847 - Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Macbeth" is produced (Florence). 1848 - Birth of Horace Wadham Nicholl composer. 1849 - Willem II Frederik GL, King of Netherlands (1840-49), dies at age 56. 1853 - Christian Doppler physicist, dies. 1854 - First park land purchased by a US city, Worcester Massachusetts. 1855 - Ramon Carnicer y Batlle composer, dies at age 65. 1857 - Adolph Trube composer, dies at age 42. 1860 - Japanese embassy arrives aboard Candinmarruh [sic]. 1861 - Italy declares independence; Kingdom of Italy proclaimed. 1861 - Petter Conrad Boman composer, dies at age 56. 1862 - Fromental Halevy [Elie Levy], French opera composer, dies at age 62. 1863 - John Pelham US Confederate artillery major, dies in battle at age 24. 1863 - Battle of Kelly's Ford, Virginia (211 casualities). 1864 - Alexandre Calamo Swiss painter/etcher/lithographer, dies at age 53. 1868 - Postage stamp canceling machine patent issued. 1870 - Massachusetts legislature authorizes incorporation of Wellesley Female Seminary. 1871 - National Association of Professional Base-Ball players organized. 1872 - Birth of Billy Quaife cricket player (England batsman 1899-1902). 1873 - Birth of Chard Somerset; Cabinet minister (1929-31). 1873 - Birth of Margaret Bondfield; British Labour leader/cabinet member. 1874 - Birth of Kincsem horse that never lost a race. 1874 - Birth of Stephen Samuel Wise US, president of Zionist Organization of America. 1876 - First record high jump over 6 feet (Marshall Jones Brooks). 1876 - Birth of Frederic Ayers composer. 1876 - General Crook destroy Cheyennes and Oglala-Sioux Indian camps. 1877 - Bill Midwinter completes Test Crickets' first 5-wkt haul, 5-78 versus England. 1877 - Birth of Albert P Hahn Dutch political cartoonist (People/Nutcracker). 1880 - Birth of Guillermo Uribe Holguin composer. 1881 - Birth of Kristian Elster Norwegian author (Less bror Harris). 1884 - John Joseph Montgomery makes first glider flight, Otay California. 1886 - Carrollton Massacre, (Mississippi) 20 blacks killed. 1887 - The A.B. Dick Company sells the first Diaphragm Mimeograph duplicating machine. 1887 - Birth of Ben Sajet Dutch physician/politician. 1888 - Birth of Frank Buck actor (Africa Screams, Tiger Queen, Tiger Fangs). 1889 - Joseph A Alberdingk Thijm [Pauwels Foreestier], poet, dies at age 68. 1890 - Birth of Harold Morris composer. 1891 - British Steamer "Utopia" sinks off Gibraltar killing 574. 1891 - Napoleon JKP Bonaparte Fren prince/member National Convention, dies at age 68. 1892 - Birth of Sayed Darwish composer. 1894 - Birth of Paul Green US, novelist/playwright (In Abraham's Bosom). 1894 - US and China sign treaty preventing Chinese laborers from entering US. 1895 - Birth of Shemp Howard [Samuel Horwitz] in Brooklyn, New York; comedian/actor (The Three Stooges, Bank Dick). 1897 - British boxer Robert James Fitzsimmons knocks out American James Corbett in 14 rounds for the world heavyweight championship. 1898 - First practical submarine first submerges, New York City, New York (for 1 hour 40 minutes). 1898 - Blanche Kelso Bruce (Senator-Mississippi, 1875-1881), dies in Washington DC at age 57. 1899 - Windsor luxury hotel in New York City, USA catches fire; 92 die. 1900 - Birth of Alfred Newman in New Hampshire, USA; composer (Love is a Many Splendored Thing). 1900 - Stanley Cup of hockey: Montréal Shamrocks sweep Halifax Crescents in 2. 1901 - Birth of Eisaku Sato; premier of Japan (Nobel Prize 1974). 1901 - Franz Melde, German physicist (Melde Test), dies at age 69. 1901 - Free thinking-Democratic Union forms in Netherlands. 1902 - Birth of Bobby Jones in Atlanta, Georgia, USA; PGA golfer (Grand Slam 1930). 1902 - Stanley Cup: Montréal AAA beat Winnipeg Victorias, 2 games to 1. 1906 - Birth of Brigitte Helm [Gisele Eve von Kuenheim] in Berlin, Germany; actress (Gloria, Gold). 1906 - Birth of Michael O'Shea in Hartford, Connecticut, USA; actor (Denny - It's a Great Life). 1906 - Carlos Calvo, Argentina diplomat (Calvo Clause), dies at age 82. 1906 - Stanley Cup: Montréal Wanderers beat Ottawa Silver Seven, although both winning a game, Montréal outscores Ottawa 12-10. 1907 - Birth of Jan M J van Houtte; premier of Belgium (1952-54). 1908 - Quickest world heavyweight title fight (Tommy Burns knocks out Jem Roche in 88 seconds). 1909 - Birth of Ken Anderson in Seattle, Washington, USA; worked on Disney animated films, Disneyland attractions, named a Disney Legend in 1991. 1912 - Camp Fire Girls organization announced by Mrs Luther Halsey Gulick. 1914 - Birth of Sammy Baugh in Temple, Texas, USA; NFL hall of famer quarterback (Washington Redskins). 1915 - Birth of Hans Namuth; German/US photographer (Todos Santos, Guatemala). 1915 - Birth of William Roycroft in Austria; equestrian three day (Olympics-bronze-1976). 1917 - First exclusively women's bowling tournament begins in Saint Louis, Missouri. 1918 - Birth of Arend Honhoff AKA D. Arendo; Dutch pianist/composer (Eleonora). 1918 - Birth of Mercedes McCambridge in Joliet, Illinois, USA; actress (The Exorcist, All the King's Men). 1918 - Birth of Wilhelmus M J Russell; Dutch attorney/Member of first chamber (KVP/CDA). 1918 - US Ladies' Figure Skating Championship won by Rosemary Beresford. 1918 - US Men's Figure Skating Championship won by Nathaniel Niles. 1919 - Birth of Hank Sauer; baseball player (National League Most Valuable Player 1952). 1919 - Birth of Nathaniel Adams Coles AKA Nat King Cole in Montgomery, Alabama, USA; singer ("Unforgettable", "Mona Lisa"). 1919 - Dutch steel workers strike for 8-hour work day and minimum wages. 1920 - Birth of John La Montaine in Oak Park, Illinois, USA; composer (Pulitzer 1959). 1921 - Birth of Mick Harvey; cricket player (in Newcastle Brother of Neil Test umpire). 1921 - Dr Marie Stopes opens Britain's first birth control clinic (London). 1921 - Lenin proclaims New Economic Politics. 1921 - Sailors revolt in Kronstadt (thousands die). 1922 - Birth of Megan Bull; British head mistress (Holloway Jail). 1923 - Birth of Margaret Bondfield; chairman (Trades Union Congress). 1924 - Netherlands and USSR begin talks over USSR recognition. 1924 - Sweden and USSR exchange diplomats. 1926 - Birth of Siegfried Lenz; German writer (Ein Kriegsende). 1926 - Dutch Calvinists oust Reverend J G Geelkerken over Genesis 3. 1926 - Spain and Brazil prevent Germany joining League of Nations. 1927 - Birth of Patrick Allen in Malawi; actor (Roman Holiday, Dial "M" for Murder). 1927 - US government doesn't sign League of Nations disarmament treaty. 1929 - General Motors acquires German auto manufacturer Adam Opel. 1929 - Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera closes university of Madrid. 1930 - Birth of James Benson Irwin in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Colonel US Air Force/astronaut (Apollo 15). 1931 - Birth of Eunice Gayson in London, England; actress (Dr No, From Russia With Love). 1931 - Josef Stalin throws Krupskaya Lenin out of Soviet Central Committee. 1932 - German police raid Adolf Hitler's headquarters. 1933 - Ferdinand Von Alten, actor (Champagne), dies at age 48. 1934 - Austrian Engelbert Dollfuss, Italian Benito Mussolini and Gömbös sign Donau Pact (protocols of Rome). 1935 - Birth of Adam Wade in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; actor/singer ("Kiss Me Goodbye", "Crazy Joe"). 1935 - Birth of Renee Taylor; actress/comedian (Last of the Red Hot Lovers). 1936 - Birth of Thomas K Mattingly II in Chicago, Illinois, USA; Captain US Navy/astronaut (Apollo 16, STS-4, 51C). 1938 - Birth of Rudolf Nureyev in Russia; ballet dancer/choreographer (Kirov). 1939 - Birth of Shahid Mahmoud; cricket player (opener scored 16 and 9 in only Pakistan Test). 1940 - Birth of Vito Picone; rocker (Elegants). 1941 - Birth of Clarence Collins; American singer (Imperials - "Tears on My Pillow"). 1941 - Birth of Gene Pitney in Hartford, Connecticut, USA; rock singer ("Town without Pity"). 1941 - Isaak Emmanuilovich Babel, Russian writer (Crvena Konjica), executed at age 46. 1941 - Joachim Schepke, German commandant (U-100), dies in battle. 1941 - National Gallery of Art in Washington DC opens. 1942 - Belzec Concentration Camp opens-30,000 Lublin Polish Jews transported. 1942 - Birth of John Wayne Gacy Jr in Chicago, Illinois, USA; serial killer (32 boys). 1942 - Birth of Paul Kantner; rock guitarist (Jefferson Starship - "White Rabbit"). 1942 - US General Douglas MacArthur arrives in Australia to become supreme commander. 1943 - Birth of Don Mitchell in Houston, Texas, USA; actor (Mark - Ironside). 1944 - Actor Charlton Heston weds Lydia Clarke. 1944 - Birth of Cito Gaston; Major League Baseball manager (Toronto Blue Jays). 1944 - Birth of John Sebastian in New York City, New York, USA; singer (Loving Spoonful, Welcome Back Kotter theme). 1944 - Birth of Pat McCauley in Northern Ireland; rock drummer (Them). 1944 - Birth of Patti Boyd in Somerset, England; Mrs George Harrison / Mrs Eric Clapton. 1945 - American forces complete the capture of Iwo Jima. Americans suffer 26,038 casualties, include 6821 dead. Of the 21,000 Japanese defenders, only 1083 survive. 1945 - Allied ships bomb North-Sumatra. 1946 - Birth of Harold Brown in Long Beach, California, USA; rock drummer (War - "Summer", "Galaxy"). 1948 - Birth of William [Ford] Gibson in Canada; sci-fi author (Neuromancer, Count Zero). 1949 - Birth of Patrick Duffy in Townsend, Montana, USA; actor (Bobby - Dallas, Man from Atlantis). 1949 - Felix Bressart, actor (Escape, Ninotchka, Iceland), dies at age 54. 1950 - Belgian government of Eyskens resigns. 1950 - Element 98 (Californium) announced. 1951 - Birth of Kurt Russell in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA; actor (The Thing, Overboard, Mean Seasons). 1951 - Birth of Scott Gorham; Irish hard rock guitarist (Thin Lizzy - "21 Guns", "Jailbreak"). 1951 - Test Cricket debut of Brian Statham, England versus New Zealand Christchurch. 1953 - Bill Veeck says he will sell his 80 percent of Saint Louis Browns for US$2.475 million. 1953 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1954 - Birth of Lesley-Anne Down in London, England; actress (A Little Night Music, Moonraker). 1954 - Birth of Wally Stocker in London, England; rock vocalist/guitarist (Babys - "Missing You"). 1955 - Birth of Bill Beyers; actor (Wally McCandless - Capitol). 1955 - Birth of Cynthia McKinney; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Georgia). 1955 - Birth of Gary Sinise; actor (Apollo 13, Forrest Gump). 1955 - Birth of Paul Overstreet in Van Cleave, Mississippi, USA; country singer ("Daddy's Come Around"). 1955 - NHL hockey player Maurice "Rocket" Richard is suspended, sparks 7-hour riot in Montréal, Québec, Canada. 1956 - In Hollywood, California, the 8th Annual Emmy Awards are presented. Best Action or Adventure Series: Disneyland Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series: Phil Silvers for The Phil Silvers Show Best Actress Starring in a Regular Series: Lucille Ball for I Love Lucy Best Audience Participation Series: The $64,000 Question Best Children's Series: Lassie Best Comedian: Phil Silvers Best Comedienne: Nanette Fabray Best Contributing to Daytime Programming: Matinee Theatre Best Documentary Program: Omnibus Best Dramatic Program: Producers' Showcase Best Female Singer: Dinah Shore Best Male Singer: Perry Como Best MC or Program Host - Male or Female: Perry Como Best Music Series: Your Hit Parade Best News Commentator or Reporter: Edward R. Murrow Best Situation Comedy: The Phil Silvers Show Best Supporting Actor in a Regular Series: Art Carney for The Honeymooners Best Supporting Actress in a Regular Series: Nanette Fabray for Caesar's Hour Best Variety Program: Toast of the Town. 1956 - Birth of Will Rigby; rock percussionist (Amy Rigby Diary of a Mad Housewife). 1956 - Fred Allen, comedian (Colgate Comedy Hour, Fred Allen Radio Show), dies at age 61. 1957 - Birth of Robin Cousins in Bristol, England; figure skater (Olympics-gold-1980). 1957 - Ramon Magsaysay, President of Philippines, dies in a plane crash. 1958 - Navy launches Vanguard 1 into orbit (second US satellite), measures Earth shape. 1959 - Australia and USSR restore diplomatic relations. 1959 - Birth of Brian Douglas Jones in Auckland, New Zealand; tornado class yachter (Olympics-1996). 1959 - Birth of Danny Ainge; NBA coach (Phoenix Suns). 1959 - Birth of Mike Lindup; British rock keyboardist/singer (Level 42 - "Hot Water"). 1959 - Tibet's Dalai Lama is evacuated to India. 1960 - Birth of Vicki Lewis in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; actress (Beth - Newsradio). 1960 - US President Dwight Eisenhower forms anti-Castro-exile army under the US Central Intelligence Agency. 1961 - Birth of Casey Siemaszko in Chicago, Illinois, USA; actor (Biloxi Blues, Three O'Clock High). 1961 - New York district attorney arrests professional gamblers who implicate Seton Hall players. 1961 - Suzanna Salter, first US female mayor/temperance leader, dies at age 101. 1962 - Birth of Clare Grogan; rocker (Altered Images - "Happy Birthday"). 1962 - Birth of Janet Patricia Gardner in Juneau, Alaska, USA; rocker (Vixen - "Rev It Up"). 1962 - Birth of Patrick Thomas Burke in Hollywood, Florida, USA; PGA golfer (1992 BellSouth-6th). 1962 - Birth of Roxy Dora Petrucci in Rochester, Minnesota, USA; rock drummer (Vixen - "Rev It Up"). 1962 - Frank Orth, actor (Boston Blackie, The Brothers), dies at age 82. 1963 - Birth of Rebeca Arthur; actress (Mary Anne - Perfect Strangers, Opposites Attract). 1963 - Birth of Roger Harper; cricket player (Guyana and West Indies off-spinner Extraordinary field). 1963 - Bob Cousy plays his last NBA game. 1963 - Elizabeth Ann Seton of New York beatified (canonized in 1975). 1963 - Eruptions of Mount Agung Bali kills 1,500 Balinese. 1964 - Birth of Alex Shoumidoub; NHL goaltender (Belarus, Olympics-1998). 1964 - Birth of Don Griffin; NFL cornerback (Cleveland Browns). 1964 - Birth of Rob Lowe in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; actor (Saint Elmo's Fire, The West Wing, Wayne's World, Class). 1964 - Birth of Ron Warren Jr; jockey (Bay Meadows). 1965 - Almos Alonzo Stagg, football coach (University of Chicago), dies in California at age 102. 1965 - Birth of Caitlin Bilodeaux in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; US fencer (Olympics-1992). 1965 - Birth of John Smiley in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, USA; pitcher (Cincinnati Reds). 1965 - Quentin Reynolds, newscaster (It's News to Me)/author (FBI), dies at age 62. 1966 - Birth of Andrew Hudson; cricket player (South Africa, 163 on debut versus West Indies 1992). 1966 - South Africa government bans Defense and Aid Fund. 1966 - US submarine locates missing H-bomb in Mediterranean. 1967 - Birth of Chris Luongo in Detroit, Michigan, USA; NHL defenseman (New York Islanders). 1967 - Birth of Kim Cathrein in Salinas, California, USA; LPGA golfer (1994 Rochester International-24th). 1967 - Birth of Melissa Allen in Portland, Oregon, USA; WPVA volleyball player (Reebok National-13th-1994). 1967 - Birth of Van Conner; rocker (Screaming Trees). 1967 - Frank Wisbar, director (Fireside Theater), dies at age 67. 1967 - Richard Reeves, actor (Murph - Date With an Angel), dies at age 54. 1968 - The eight-nation Gold Pool is abolished. A two-tier gold market for central banks and private investors is set up by the US and six European nations. 1968 - Birth of Judy Mosley McAfee; WNBA forward (Sacramento Monarchs). 1968 - Birth of Tyrone Hill; NBA forward (Cleveland Cavaliers). 1968 - Kathie Whitworth wins LPGA Saint Petersburg Orange Blossom Golf Open. 1969 - Birth of Andrew McMarlin in Vienna, Virginia, USA; rower (Olympics-1996). 1969 - Birth of Domenic "Filane" Figliomeni in Terrace Bay, Ontario, Canada; boxer (Olympics-1996). 1969 - Birth of Gilbert Schaller in Bruck, Austria; tennis star. 1969 - Golda Meir becomes Israel's fourth Prime Minister. 1969 - Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Orange Blossom Golf Open. 1970 - Birth of Shannan Mitchem in Decatur, Georgia, USA; female infielder (Colorado Silver Bullets). 1970 - Fernand Crommelynck, Belgian playwright (Chaud et Frois), dies at age 83. 1970 - Peter O'Malley becomes CEO of Los Angeles Dodgers. 1970 - US casts their first United Nations Security Council veto (Support England). 1971 - Birth of Katrina Colleton; WNBA guard/forward (Los Angeles Sparks). 1971 - Birth of Tommy Thigpen; WLAF linebacker (Barcelona Dragons). 1971 - Edward Henry of Morristown, New Jersey, is first person to win US$1 million in a State lottery. 1972 - Birth of Mia Hamm in Selma, Alabama, USA; soccer forward (Olympics-1996, US Women's World Cup-1999). 1972 - Manny Martindale, cricket player (10 Tests for West Indies, 34 wickets), dies. 1973 - Birth of Amelia Weatherly; actress (Stephanie Brewster - Loving, The City). 1973 - Birth of Jerome Woods; safety (Kansas City Chiefs). 1973 - Geertruida M W "Truus" Bakker, Dutch actress (Two Orphans), dies at age 81. 1973 - Queen Elizabeth II opens new London Bridge. 1973 - In Luzon, Philippine Islands, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurs. 78 buildings destroyed in Lopez and Calauag. 1973 - The National Broadcasting Company airs the pilot episode of The Magician airs on TV in the USA. 1974 - Birth of Eric Lane; running back (New York Giants). 1974 - Birth of John Hall; kicker (New York Jets). 1974 - Carroll Nye, actress (Lawless Woman), dies at age 72. 1974 - Jane Blalock wins LPGA Bing Crosby Golf Classic International. 1974 - Louis I Kahn, Estonia/US architect, dies at about age 73. 1975 - Valeri Muratov skates world record 1000 metre (1:16.92). 1976 - Birth of Stephen Gately in Dublin, Ireland; Irish singer (Boyzone). 1976 - Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Italian director (Terra Diaeresis), dies at age 69. 1976 - Malikov skates world record 1000 metre (1:15.76). 1976 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1977 - Australia wins cricket Centenary Test by 45 runs, same result as 1877. 1977 - Birth of Hadeel Abol-Naga; Miss Egypt-Universe (1996). 1977 - Birth of Iveta Jankularova; Miss Slovak Republic-Universe (1996). 1978 - George Dickinson, cricket player (8 wickets in three Tests for New Zealand), dies. 1978 - Cincinnati Reds don green uniforms for Saint Patrick's Day. 1979 - Merv Inverarity, cricket player (father of John WA player 1925-40), dies. 1979 - World Ice Dance Championship at Vienna won by N Linichuk and G Karponosov (USSR). 1979 - World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship at Vienna won by Tai Babilonia and R Gardner (USA). 1979 - World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Linda Fratianne (USA). 1979 - World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Vladimir Kovalev (USSR). 1980 - Rudolf G Escher, Dutch composer (Vrai Visage de la Paix), dies at age 68. 1981 - In Italy the Propaganda Due Masonic Lodge is discovered. 1981 - FC Lisse, Dutch soccer team, forms. 1982 - The CBS TV network debuts the series Herbie, the Love Bug. 1982 - Four Dutch TV crew members shot dead in El Salvador: Hans ter Laag (sound technician), Jan Kuiper (news editor (IKON)), Joop Willemsen (cameraman), Koos Koster (newscaster (IKON)). 1983 - Birth of Christian and Joseph Cousins; American twin actors. 1983 - Death of Haldan Keffer Hartline, American physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1903). 1983 - 70th hat trick in New York Islanders' history-Mike Bossy. 1985 - Dattu Phadkar, cricket player (Indian all-rounder, 31 Tests 1947-58), dies. 1985 - Jane Blalock wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open. 1985 - Near the coast of Central Chile, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake occurs. 1985 - Matti Nykanen of Finland set a world ski jump record of 623 feet. 1986 - Birth of Olesya Rulin; Russian-born actress. 1986 - Haemers gang robs gold transport in Belgium of 35 million Belgian francs. 1986 - Hal Buckley, actor (John Quincy - OK Crackerby), dies at age 49. 1987 - IBM releases PC-DOS version 3.3. 1987 - Sunil Gavaskar ends his Test career with an inning of 96 versus Pakistan. 1988 - A Colombian Boeing 727 jetliner, Avianca Flight 410, crashes into the side of the mountains near the Venezuelan border killing 143. 1988 - The Nadew Command, an Ethiopian army corps in Eritrea, is attacked on three sides by military units of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in the opening action of the Battle of Afabet. 1988 - Highest scoring NCAA basketball game: Loyola-Marymnt 119, Wyoming 115. 1988 - Iran says Iraq uses poison gas. 1988 - Reg Sinfield, cricket player (one Test for England versus Australia 1938), dies. 1988 - Apple Computer files a copyright infringement suit against Microsoft, claiming copyright infringement by Windows 2.0 of graphical display technology used in the Macintosh. 1989 - Merritt Butrick, actor (Shy People, Wired to Kill), dies of AIDS at age 29 (born 1959). 1990 - Capucine [Germaine Lefebvre], actress (Rendez-Vous de Juillet, Curse of the Pink Panther), commits suicide in Lausanne, Switzerland at age 57 (born 1933). 1990 - Marí Mejía, Guatemalian feminist, murdered. 1990 - PBA National Championship Won by Jim Pencak. 1990 - Rick Grech, British rock bassist (Blind Faith, Traffic), dies at age 44 (born 1946). 1991 - Penny Hammel wins Desert Inn LPGA Golf International. 1991 - USSR holds a referendum to determine if they should stay together; 9 of 15 Soviet representatives officially approve new union treaty. 1992 - 18th People's Choice Awards: Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire. 1992 - Charles Rea, British actor (Ipcress File), dies at age 69. 1992 - A South African referendum asking whether to end Apartheid succeeds by a majority "Yes" vote. 1992 - George Lovi, US columnist (Sky and Telescope's "Ramblings"), dies. 1992 - Grace Stafford Lantz, cartoon voice (Woody Woodpecker), dies at age 87. 1992 - An Islamic Jihad suicide car-bomb goes off in the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 29 and injuring 242. 1992 - Jack Arnold, actor/director (Sid Caeser Special, Emmy 1967), dies at age 75. 1992 - Russian manned space craft TM-14, launches into orbit. 1993 - 86 killed by bomb attack in Calcutta, India. 1993 - Helen Hayes, American actress (Airport), dies of congestive heart failure at age 92 (born 1900). 1993 - Laadi Flici, Algerian Member of Parliament, murdered. 1993 - Skip Young, actor (Smokey and Hotwire Gang), dies at age 62. 1993 - Birth of Julia Winter, Swedish actress. 1994 - Arthur C Jacobs, poet, dies at age 57. 1994 - Harold Myers, film journalist, dies at age 81. 1994 - Iran transport aircraft crashes in Azerbaijan (32 killed). 1994 - It is announced there is no smoking in Cleveland Indians' new ballpark. 1994 - Mai Zetterling, actress (Night is My Future), dies of cancer at age 68. 1994 - Walter Janka, German writer (Troubles with Truth), dies at age 79. 1995 - Ahmad Khomeini, youngest son of Iranian ayatollah Khomeini, dies at age 48. 1995 - British pound hits 2.4545 to Dutch guilder (record). 1995 - Donald Baverstock, television producer, dies at age 71. 1995 - Marcus Jan Adriani, biologist/director (Weevers' Duin), dies at age 56. 1995 - Rick Aviles, US comic/actor (Ghost), dies of AIDS (born 1952). 1995 - Ronald Kray, English gangster (The Firm), dies at age 61 (born 1933). 1995 - Sinn-Fein leader Gerry Adams visits White House. 1995 - Sunnyland Smart, jazz/blues singer/pianist (Delta Blues), dies at age 87. 1995 - US approves first chicken pox vaccine, Varivax by Merck and Co. 1996 - Aravinda De Silva gets 107 and 3-42 in cricket World Cup victory. 1996 - Bela Szigetim, theoretical physicist, dies at age 83. 1996 - Kenneth Jameson, art educationalist, dies at age 83. 1996 - Liselotte Neumann wins LPGA Ping/Welch's Golf Championship. 1996 - Mike Tyson beats Frank Bruno in third round to gain Heavyweight title. 1996 - Montreal Canadiens play first game in their new arena. 1996 - René Clément, French film director, dies at age 83 (born 1913). 1996 - Sri Lanka wins the Cricket World Cup by storming to a Seven wicket victory against the tournament favourite Australia. 1996 - Thomas Enders, diplomat, dies at age 64. 1997 - CNN begins Spanish broadcasts. 1997 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average removes Westinghouse Electric, Texaco Incorporated, Bethlehem Steel, and Woolworth from its index, replacing them with Travelers Group, Hewlett-Packard Company, Johnson & Johnson, and Wal-Mart Stores Incorporated. 1997 - Gail Davis, actress (Annie Oakley), dies at age 71. 1997 - Death of Jermaine Stewart, American singer (born 1957). 1998 - USA Women's Hockey Team beats Canada for first Olympic Gold medal. 1999 - In Germany, the Krupp and Thyssen Companies (steel) complete their merger. 2000 - Ron Watson (aka "Uncle Ron the Magician") dies of a heart attack while putting on a magic show for a group of hospital patients at Tokoroa Hospital in New Zealand. 2002 - Portugal holds parliamentary elections. 2002 - In Islamabad, Pakistan, the International Protestant Church attack occurs. 2002 - The German author, Luise Rinser, dies at age 90. Her works include Die rote Katze, Die gläserne Ringe, Gefängnistagebuch, Jan Lobel aus Warschau and Saturn auf der Sonne. 2003 - U.S. President George W. Bush gives an ultimatum: Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his sons must either leave Iraq, or face military action at a time of the U.S.'s choosing. 2004 - Pogrom-like organized violence breaks out over two days in Kosovo. Nineteen people are killed, 139 Serbian homes burned, schools and businesses vandalized, and over 30 Orthodox monasteries and churches burned and destroyed. 2005 - During over 11 hours of the Committee on Government Reform hearing concerning major league player use of steroids, Mark McGwire refuses to talk about the past and does not deny taking performance enhancing drugs. 2006 - The United States strikes its two remaining Iowa-class battleships from the Naval Vessel Register, ending the age of the battleship. 2007 - Birth of HRH Prince Abdul Muntaqim, son of HRH Al-Muhtadee Billah and his wife, HRH Pengiran Anak Sarah, the Crown Prince and Princess of Brunei. 2007 - Chlorine bombs injure hundreds in Baghdad, Iraq. 2007 - Death of Jim Cronin, British businessman (born 1952). 2007 - Death of Roger Bennett, American Southern Gospel Vocalist and Pianist. 2008 - The US dollar hits an all-time low of US$1.59 to the euro. 2008 - Price of gold hits a record US$1011.25 per ounce on the London market. 2008 - Price of an ounce of silver peaks at US$20.92. 2008 - Share prices of American investment bank Lehman Brothers lose 20 percent of value on the stock market. 2009 - Space shuttle Discovery docks with the International Space Station, delivering the last set of solar wing panels. 2009 - The President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, is overthrown in a coup d'état, following a month of rallies in Antananarivo. The military appoints opposition leader Andry Rajoelina as the new president. 2009 - Martin Brodeur, goalie for the NHL's New Jersey Devils, wins his 552nd game, breaking the former NHL record.         Your Ad Here         You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history. Bookmark this URL:   http://thisdayinhistoryinfo.info/   and revisit each day. (this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing the current day's events) Or, visit my Timelines of History page. Other web pages of interest: Chronology of World History Today in Sports History Today in USA History Today in Disney History Chronology of World War II Chronology of Personal Computers