This Week In History April 7th

1229 Hugo van Pierrepont bishop of Liege, dies.

1284 Alfonso X “El Sabio” King of Castili?/Le=n (1252-84), dies at age 62.

1284 Death of King Alfonso X of Castile (b. 1221)

1292 Death of Pope Nicholas IV (b. 1227)

1292 Nicholas IV [Girolamo Masci] Pope (1288-92), dies.

1305 Death of Jeanne of Navarre, wife of Philip IV of France

1393 Floris van Wevelinkhoven bishop of Utrecht, dies.

1406 Robert III King of Scotland (1390-1406), dies.

1417 John van Touraine first husband of Jacoba of Bavaria, dies.

1460 University of Basle in Swizerland forms.

1492 Birth of Ambrosius Blarer, German reformer (d. 1564)

1527 Birth of Abraham Ortelius [Ortels/Hortels] South Netherlands geographer.

1536 Death of Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (b. 1460)

1541 Ignatius of Loyola becomes first superior-General of the Jesuits.

1552 Mauritius van Saksen begins alliance with Karel Anikita Stroganov.

1558 Czar Ivan IV gives parts of North-Russia to fur traders.

1581 Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I.

1581 Francis Drake completes circumnavigation of the world and is knighted.

1585 Caspar de Robles Spanish viceroy of Frisia, dies at about age 57.

1588 Christian IV succeeds Frederik II as king of Denmark.

1588 Death of King Frederick II of Denmark (b. 1534

1588 Frederik II King of Denmark/Norway (1559-88), dies at age 53.

1593 Birth of Edward Nicholas, English statesman (d. 1669)

1604 Thomas Churchyard poet/pamphleteer, dies.

1609 Death of Charles de L’Ecluse, Flemish botanist (b. 1526)

1611 Denmark issues a declaration of war on Sweden.

1617 Death of John Napier, Scottish mathematician (b. 1550)

1617 John Napier Scottish mathematician/inventor (logarithms), dies.

1625 Viceroy Frederik Henry marries Amalia countess von Solms-Braunfels.

1643 Death of Simon Episcopius, Dutch theologian (b. 1583)

1643 Simon Episcopius [Bisschop] Dutch theologist, dies at age 60.

1646 Birth of Antoine Galland French ori?ntalist/interpreter.

1648 Birth of Grinling Gibbons sculptor/woodcarver.

1655 Battle at Postage Farina, Tunis English fleet beats Barbarian pirates.

1660 Declaration of Breda by King Charles II of England.

1660 English King Charles II ends Declaration of Breda (freedom of religion).

1661 Death of Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven, Scottish soldier

1662 Leonhart Kern, German sculptor, dies at about age 73.

1664 Adam Willaerts Dutch seascape painter, dies.

1687 English King James II orders his Declaration of Indulgence read in church.

1688 Birth of Joseph-Nicolas Delisle, French astronomer (d. 1768)

1696 Birth of Giovanni Battista Tiepoldo painter.

1701 Death of Joseph Haines, entertainer and author

1714 Karel duke of Berry/French heir to the throne, dies.

1716 Birth of John Evangelist Schreiber composer.

1716 Russian and Prussian troops occupy Wismar.

1718 Birth of Benjamin Kennicott, English churchman and Hebrew scholar (d. 1783)

1721 Sir Robert Walpole enters office as the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom under King George I.

1731 Birth of Francisco Morera composer.

1734 Johann C van Erckel old Catholic theologist, dies at about age 79.

1737 Anthony van Heim installed as Dutch pension advisor.

1740 Birth of Wolfgang Nicolaus Haueisen composer.

1743 Death of Daniel Neal, English historian (b. 1678)

1752 Birth of Niccol? Antonio Zingarelli composer (Andromeda).

1755 Birth of Vincenc Masek composer.

1758 Birth of John Hoppner portrait painter.

1761 Death of Theodore Gardelle, Swiss painter and enameler (b. 1722)

1762 Birth of Stephen Storace composer.

1766 Death of John Taylor, English classical scholar (b. 1704)

1772 Birth of Nachman of Breslov, founder of Breslov Hasidut (d. 1810)

1774 Death of Oliver Goldsmith, English writer (b. 1728)

1774 Oliver Goldsmith Irish poet (She Stoops to Conquer), dies at age 17.

1784 Mary Mead wife of English journalist John Wilkes, dies.

1785 Birth of Bettina Brentano composer.

1786 Birth of John Franklin British explorer (Arctic).

1792 Birth of Thaddeus Stevens US Radical Republican congressional leader (Representative-R).

1792 Death of James Sykes, American politician (b. 1725)

1802 Birth of Dorothea Dix US, aroused interest in treatment of mental inmates.

1804 Birth of Joseph Fischhof composer.

1806 Friedrich Gottlob Fleischer composer, dies at age 84.

1807 Death of Joseph JTr(me Lefrantais de Lalande, French astronomer (b. 1732)

1807 Joseph JTr?me Le Francais de Lalande French astronomer, dies.

1809 Birth of Benjamin Pierce US mathematician/astronomer.

1812 U.S. President James Madison enacted a ninety-day embargo on trade with the United Kingdom.

1814 Birth of John Blair Smith Todd Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1872.

1814 Napoleon abdicates for the first time.

1817 AndrT MassTna Duc de Rivoli soldier, dies.

1817 Birth of John Wilson Sprague Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1893.

1817 Death of AndrT MassTna, French marshal (b. 1758)

1817 Prince d’Essing dies.

1818 The United States Congress adopts the flag of the United States as having 13 red and white stripes and one star for each state (20 stars) with additional stars to be added whenever a new state is added to the Union.

1818 US Congress decided US flag is 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars.

1819 Birth of Queen Maria II of Portugal (d. 1853)

1820 Birth of Charles Devens Jr Major General, Brevet (Union volunteers), died in 1891.

1821 Birth of Linus Yale US, portrait painter/inventor (Yale cylinder lock).

1823 Birth of Karl Wilhelm Siemens inventor (laid undersea cables).

1826 Birth of ZTnobe ThTophile Gramme inventor (electric motor).

1828 Birth of Margaret Oliphant Scotland, novelist/biographer (Beleaguered City).

1828 Casparus van Wooden patents chocolate milk powder (Amsterdam).

1831 Birth of Edward Cary Walthall Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1898.

1832 Birth of Jose Echegaray y Elizaguirre playwright/scientist (Teatro Escogido).

1832 Charles Darwin aboard HMS Beagle reaches Rio de Janeiro.

1836 Birth of Jerome Hopkins composer.

1841 Death of William Henry Harrison in District of Columbia, USA, of pneumonia at age 68; 9th US President, first US president to die in office.

1841 President William Henry Harrison dies of pneumonia becoming the first President of the United States to die in office and at one month, the elected president with the shortest term served.

1842 Death of Jean Moufot, French philosopher and mathematician (b. 1784)

1843 Birth of Hans Richter Gy�r (Raab/Gyoer) Hungary, conductor (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra).

1844 Charles Bulfinch first US pro architect (Massachusetts State House), dies at age 80.

1846 Birth of Comte de LautrTamont, French writer (d. 1870)

1846 Death of Solomon Sibley, Senator from Michigan Territory (b. 1769)

1850 City of Los Angeles incorporated.

1850 Los Angeles, California is incorporated as a city.

1858 Birth of RTmy de Gourmont French critic/writer (Physique de L’amour).

1859 Bryant’s Minstrels debut “Dixie” in New York City in the finale of a blackface minstrel show.

1859 The opera “Dinorah” is produced (Paris France).

1861 Death of John McLean, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (b. 1785)

1862 Battle of Yorktown begins.

1862 Harmen S Sytstra Dutch poet/editor (Iduna), dies at age 45.

1862 US begins Peninsular Campaign aimed at capturing Richmond.

1864 Skirmish at Elkin’s Ford (Little Missouri River), Arkansas.

1865 American Civil War: A day after Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln visits the Confederate capital.

1865 Lee’s army arrives at Amelia, Courthouse.

1866 Alexander II of Russia narrowly escapes an assassination attempt in the city of Kiev. A design for a city gate to commemorate his escape was the inspiration for Mussorgsky’s The Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition.

1866 Birth of George P Baker US playwright (47 Workshop).

1870 Birth of George A Smith Salt Lake City, Utah, 8th president of Mormon church.

1870 Death of Heinrich Gustav Magnus, German chemist and physicist (b. 1802)

1870 Golden Gate Park established by City Order #800.

1872 Birth of Nikolai Amani composer.

1874 Death of Charles Ernest BeulT, French archaelogist and politician (b. 1826)

1875 Birth of Jozef Szulc composer.

1876 Birth of Maurice de Vlaminck Paris France, Fauvist painter (Village in the Snow).

1879 Birth of Gabriel Groulez composer.

1879 Death of Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, German physicist (b. 1803)

1881 Birth of Charles Funk Ohio, Encylopediest (Funk and Wagnalls).

1882 Birth of Mary Howe composer.

1884 Birth of Isoroku Yamamoto Admiral/supreme commander of Japanese fleet.

1884 Death of Marie Bashkirtseff, Russian artist and diarist (b. 1860)

1887 Argonia, Kansas elects Susanna M. Salter as the first female mayor in the United States.

1887 Susanna Medora Salter elected first US woman mayor (Argonia Kansas).

1888 Birth of Tris Speaker baseball great, hit more doubles than Pete Rose.

1889 Thomas T H Jorissen historian, dies at age 56.

1890 Death of Edmond HTbert, French geologist (b. 1812)

1892 Birth of Cyril Smith Peterhead Scotland; actor (Adventures of Sir Lancelot).

1893 Alphonse de Candolle Swiss botanist, dies at age 86.

1895 Birth of Arthur Murray New York City, New York, dancer (Arthur Murray Dance Party).

1896 Announcement of Gold in the Yukon.

1896 Birth of Robert Sherwood dramatist (Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Idiot’s Delight).

1897 Birth of Pierre Fresnay Paris France; actor (Grand Illusion).

1898 Birth of Agnes Ayres, American actress (d. 1940)

1899 Birth of William Brann cricket player (South African batsman versus England 1922-23).

1899 South Africa all out 35 versus England (Trott 4-19, Haigh 6-11).

1900 Assassination attempt on prince of Wales/king Edward VII.

1900 British garrison of Reddersberg surrenders to Boer General De Wet.

1900 Edward VII King, assassinated.

1901 Birth of Carmel Myers San Francisco California, actress (Carmel Myers Show).

1902 Birth of Louise L de Vilmorin French poetess/author (Lutin Sauvage).

1902 Cecil Rhodes scholarship fund established with $10 million.

1905 Birth of Eugene Bozza composer.

1905 Constantin Meunier Belgian painter/sculptor, dies at age 73.

1905 Earthquake in Kangra India, kills 370,000.

1905 In India, an earthquake near Kangra kills 370,000.

1906 Birth of John Cameron Swayze Wichita Kansas, newscaster (Timex, Hindenberg).

1907 Birth of Nathan M Pusey Council Bluffs Iowa, educator (1963 National Association for Social Sciences Medal).

1908 Birth of Ernestine Gilbreth Carey author (Cheaper by the Dozen).

1908 Josef Sucher composer, dies at age 64.

1910 Birth of Agnes Patrick campaigner.

1911 Birth of Max Dupain, Australian photographer (d. 1992)

1911 Hugh Chalmers, automaker, suggests idea of baseball Most Valuable Player.

1912 Army fires on striking mine workers at Lena-gold fields Siberia.

1912 Chinese republic proclaimed in Tibet.

1913 Birth of Frances Langford Lakeland Florida, singer (Armed Forces Hour, Star Time).

1914 Birth of Gustave Camus Belgian painter.

1914 “The Perils of Pauline” shown for first time in Los Angeles California.

1915 Birth of Jan Drda Czechoslovakia, writer (Nema Barikada, Mestecko Na Dlani).

1916 Birth of Herbert Eugene Caen columnist.

1916 US Senate agrees (82-6) to participate in WWI.

1917 Birth of Joseph Ortiz French-Algerian extremist (barricade uprising).

1918 Battle of Somme ends.

1918 Birth of Earl Jellicoe chancellor (University of Southhampton).

1918 Food riot in Amsterdam.

1918 World War I: Second Battle of the Somme ends.

1919 Birth of Antony Tudor England, choreographer (Metropolitan Opera 1957).

1919 Death of Sir William Crookes, English chemist and physicist (b. 1832)

1919 William Crookes English chemist/physicist (Crookes-pipe), dies at age 86.

1920 Arabs attack Jews in Jerusalem.

1920 Birth of Eric Rohmer Nancy France, director (Claire’s Knee)/ actor (6 in Paris, Collector, Perceval).

1921 Birth of Willem J “Wim” the Villiers South Africa minister of Administration.

1921 Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators (NHL) beat Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA), three games to 2.

1922 Birth of Elmer Bernstein New York City, New York, movie music composer (Robot Monster).

1922 WAAB (Baton Rouge Louisiana) becomes first US radio station with “W” calls.

1923 Death of John Venn, British mathematician (b. 1834)

1923 L Martov [Joulij O Tsederbaum], Russian revolutionary, dies at age 49.

1924 Birth of Gil Hodges; baseball player/manager (Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Mets).

1926 Greek dictator Theodorus Pangalos is elected president.

1927 Birth of Bob Stump; American politician (Representative-Republican-Arizona, 1977-).

1928 Birth of Maya Angelou, American writer

1929 Birth of William F Clinger Jr; American politician (Representative-Republican-Pennsylvania, 1979-).

1929 First Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling championships held.

1929 Karl Friedrich Benz, automobile engineer (Mercedes), dies at age 84.

1930 Andrew Sandham makes Test Cricket first triple century.

1930 Les Ames makes the first Test Cricket century by a wicketkeeper (149).

1930 Queen Viktoria of Sweden dies, in Rome, Italy.

1931 Andre Michelin, CEO (Michelin Tires), dies.

1931 Birth of Harold L Volkmer; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Missouri, 1977-).

1932 Birth of Bapu Nadkarni; cricket player (economical Indian slow left-armer 1956-68).

1932 Ottokar T Czernin von und zu Chudenitz, Austrian minister, dies at age 59.

1932 Vitamin C first isolated, by C C King, at University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

1932 Wilhelm Ostwald, physical chemist (Nobel Prize 1909), dies.

1933 Birth of Fritz Bolkestein; Dutch CEO (Shell)/Minister of Defense (VVD).

1934 Birth of Clive Davis, American record producer

1935 Birth of Easton Dudley Ashton Saint John McMorris in Saint Andrew, Kingston, Jamaica; cricket player (West Indies batsman of 1960s).

1936 Birth of Margo J Sylvia; rocker (Tune Weavers).

1937 4th Golf Masters Championship: Byron Nelson wins, shooting a 283.

1937 Birth of J Hans van den Doel; economist/Dutch Member of Parliament (PvdA).

1938 5th Golf Masters Championship: Henry Picard wins, shooting a 285.

1938 Birth of A Bartlett Giamatti in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; president of Yale/baseball commissioner (1989).

1938 Cyril Christiani, cricket wicket keep (West Indies 1935), dies of malaria at age 24.

1939 Birth of Hugh Masekela in Wilbank, South Africa; trumpeter (“I Am Not Afraid”).

1939 Faisal II ascends to throne of Iraq.

1939 Faisal II becomes King of Iraq.

1939 Ghazi I, King of Iraq, dies in car accident.

1940 Birth of Bijan Iran; mens apparel designer (Beverly Hills, New York, London).

1941 Birth of Major Lance; US boxer/dancer/singer (“Hey Little Girl”).

1941 General Olof Th�rnell, commander of Swedish forces, issues a report to government, stating that Sweden should prepare to participate in a war against the Soviet Union, for the sake of Finland, Sweden’s future position, and prestige in northern Europe.

1941 German troops conquer Banghazi.

1942 Birth of Kitty Kelley, American writer

1943 Birth of Ian Robertson; British museum director (National Army Museum).

1943 Oskar Schlemmer, German painter/sculptor, dies at age 54.

1944 Birth of David Melville; professor/director (Middlesex Polytechnic).

1944 British troops capture Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

1944 Charles De Gaulle forms new French regime in exile, with communists.

1945 Birth of Bryan Andrews; cricket player (New Zealand medium-pacer, toured Australia 1973-74).

1945 Hungary is liberated from German occupation.

1945 US forces liberated the German death camp Ohrdruf in Germany.

1945 US tanks/infantry conquer Bielefeld.

1945 World War II: American troops liberate Ohrdruf death camp in Germany.

1945 World War II: Soviet Army liberates Hungary.

1946 Birth of Dave Hill, English guitarist (Slade)

1947 Birth of Luke Halpin, American actor

1947 United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization established.

1948 84-year-old Connie Mack challenges 78-year-old Clark Griffith to a race from home to first base; it ends in a tie.

1948 Birth of Berry Oakley in Chicago, Illinois, USA; rocker (Allman Brothers – “Ramblin’ Man”).

1949 Israel and Jordan sign armistice agreement.

1949 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pact signed in Washington DC by US, Britain, France and Canada.

1949 Twelve nations sign The North Atlantic Treaty creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

1950 Birth of Christine Lahti, American actress

1951 Birth of Steve Gatlin in Olney, Texas, USA; country singer (Gatlin Brothers – “Broken Lady”).

1951 Death of Al Christie, Canadian film director and producer (b. 1881)

1952 Birth of Dave Hill in England; rock guitarist (Slade – “Coz I Love You”).

1953 Birth of Robert Bertrand, Canadian politician

1953 Carol II, King of Romania (1930-40), dies at age 59.

1953 Death of King Carol II of Romania (b. 1893)

1954 Louise Suggs wins LPGA Carrollton Georgia Golf Open.

1955 British government signs military treaty with Iraq.

1956 Birth of Evelyn Hart; prima ballerina (Royal Winnipeg Ballet).

1956 Fritz Knnkel, German physician/charachterologist, dies at age 66.

1957 Birth of Graeme Kelling; British pop guitarist (Deacon Blue – “Real Gone Kid”).

1958 Birth of Derek Kallicharran; cricket all-rounder (Guyana, USA 1994 ICC Trophy).

1958 First march against nuclear weapons (Aldermaston, England).

1958 Hendrik Heyman, Belgian minister of Nijverheid/mayor, dies at age 78.

1959 Federation of Mali, consisting of Senegal and French Sudan, is founded (dissolved 1960).

1959 Stanley Snooke, cricket player (brother of S J, duck in South African Test), dies.

1960 Birth of Bev Smith in Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada; basketball forward (Olympics-1996).

1960 Project Ozma begins at Green Bank radio astronomy center.

1960 Senegal declares independence from France.

1961 Birth of Matt Cole in Stratford, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Tour golfer (1990 Space Coast).

1962 Birth of Sherrin Smyers in Newcastle, Australia; LPGA golfer (1995 Youngstown-11th).

1963 Birth of Anthony Clark; comedian (Boyd Pritchett-Boston Common).

1963 Endzion Barelli dies two days after winning a boxing match at age 18.

1963 The Bank Leu-Adolph Hess sale sets a public auction coin price record, as a Roman gold 10-aureus coin sells for US$38,660.

1964 Birth of Gregory Thomas Kraft in Detroit, Michigan, USA; PGA golfer (1993 Walt Disney-second).

1964 The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love” single goes #1 and stays #1 for five weeks.

1964 The Beatles occupy all of the top five positions on the Billboard singles chart in the United States.

1965 Birth of Zwart Francis [Charles Thompson]; US singer/songwriter (Pixies).

1965 Mickey Wright wins LPGA Baton Rouge Golf Invitational.

1966 Birth of Michal Clingman in Indio, California, USA; WPVA volleyball player (Nationals-9th-1994).

1966 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

1967 Death of HTctor Scarone, Uruguayan footballer (b. 1898)

1967 Dutch De Young government forms.

1967 Mischa Elman, Ukraine/US violinist, dies at age 76.

1968 Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 6.

1968 Birth of Andre Bowden; WLAF linebacker (Frankfurt Galaxy).

1968 Death of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., American civil rights activist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (assassinated) (b. 1929)

1968 Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

1968 Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, civil rights leader, is assassinated by a sniper’s bullet in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, at age 39.

1969 Birth of Anthony Tucker; NBA forward (New York Knicks).

1969 Dr. Denton Cooley implants first temporary artificial heart.

1969 Dr. Denton Cooley implants the first temporary artificial heart.

1970 Birth of Barry van Galen; Dutch soccer player (Roda JC).

1970 Firestone World Tournament of Champions won by Don Johnson.

1971 Birth of Allan Houston; NBA guard (New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons).

1971 Marine clay under houses liquifies, 31 die (St-Jean-Vianney, QuTbec, Canada).

1972 Adam Clayton Powell Jr, American politician (Representative-Democrat-New York), dies at age 63.

1972 Birth of Chad Eaton; defensive tackle (New England Patriots).

1972 Death of Adam Clayton Powell Jr., American politician (b. 1908)

1972 First electric power plant fueled by garbage begins operating.

1972 Jill Scott is born; singer.

1972 Stefan Wolpe, German composer (Zeus and Elidco), dies at age 69.

1973 Birth of Damon Allen in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; figure skater (1997 Midwestern champion).

1973 David Blaine is born; illusionist.

1973 The World Trade Center in New York is officially dedicated.

1974 Birth of O J Santiago; tight end (Atlanta Falcons).

1974 Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth’s home-run record by hitting his 714th.

1975 Birth of Kisha Ford; WNBA guard/forward (New York Liberty).

1975 Microsoft is founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

1975 Microsoft is founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico

1975 US Air Force transport carrying orphans from Saigon, Vietnam crashes killing 155.

1975 Vietnam War: Operation Baby Lift – A United States Air Force C-5A Galaxy crashes near Saigon, South Vietnam shortly after takeoff, transporting orphans. 172 people are killed.

1976 5th Colgate Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Judy Rankin.

1976 Death of Harry Nyquist, important contributor to information theory (b. 1889)

1976 Prince Norodom Sihanouk resigns as leader of Cambodia and is placed under house arrest.

1976 Seni Pramoj’s Democratic Party wins elections in Thailand.

1978 Birth of Irene Skliva in Athens, Greece; Miss World (1996).

1979 Birth of Charles Butler in Salt Lake City, Utah; dance skater (and Joseph-1997 National).

1979 Death of Ali Bhutto, President and Prime Minister of Pakistan (b. 1928)

1979 President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan is executed.

1979 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, former Pakistani President, hanged in Pakistan at age 51.

1980 Birth of Bj�rn Wirdheim; Swedish race car driver.

1980 Death of Red Sovine, American country and folk singer and songwriter (born 1917).

1980 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk.

1981 Brad Johnson, actor (Annie Oakley), dies at age 56.

1981 UK pop group Bucks Fizz wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 with the song “Making Your Mind Up”.

1982 11th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Sally Little.

1982 The British Falkland Islands government surrenders, placing the islands in Argentinean control.

1983 45th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: North Carolina State beats Houston 54-52.

1983 Birth of Doug Lynch; Canadian ice hockey player.

1983 Death of Gloria Swanson, American actress (b. 1897)

1983 Jacqueline Logan, silent film leading lady, dies at age 78.

1983 Space Shuttle Challenger makes its maiden voyage into space.

1984 Birth of Sean May, American basketball player.

1984 Death of Oleg Antonov, Russian airplane engineer (b. 1906)

1984 John Arnold, cricket player (England bat versus New Zealand 1931, scored 34 only Test), dies.

1984 President Ronald Reagan calls for an international ban on chemical weapons.

1984 U.S. President Ronald Reagan calls for an international ban on chemical weapons.

1985 Tulane University cancels its basketball season amidst scandal.

1986 Birth of Eunhyuk; Korean singer, member of Super Junior.

1986 Frank Mortelmans, Belgian painter, dies at age 87.

1986 Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record with 213th point of season.

1987 Birth of Sarah Gadon; Canadian actress.

1987 Death of C.L. Moore, American writer (b. 1911)

1988 50th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Kansas beats Oklahoma 83-79.

1988 Eddie Hill becomes first to drag race a quarter mile in under 5 seconds.

1988 Governor Evan Mecham of Arizona is convicted in his impeachment trial and removed from office.

1988 Governor Evan Mecham of Arizona is convicted in his impeachment trial and removed from office.

1988 Largest crowd (55,438) at a season game at Riverfront (Cincinnati Reds vs Saint Louis Cardinals).

1988 New York Mets set Opening Day record with six homeruns.

1989 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s last NBA game in Seattle.

1989 New York Yankees’ Tommy John ties record of playing 26 seasons; his 287th win puts him 19th overall as New York Yankees beat Minnesota Twins on opening day 4-2.

1991 Birth of Jamie Lynn Spears, American actress.

1991 Death of Forrest Towns, American runner (born 1914).

1991 H. John Heinz III, American politician (Senator-Republican-Pennsylvania), dies in a plane crash, at age 52 (born 1938). Six others are also killed when a helicopter collides with their plane over Merion, Pennsylvania.

1991 Luc de Rijck, Belgian soccer player (Turnhout), dies.

1991 Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania and six others are killed when a helicopter collides with their plane over Merion, Pennsylvania.

1992 Birth of Alexa Nikolas, American actress.

1992 Game 1 of Mayor Challenge – New York Yankees beat New York Mets 6-4 at Yankee Stadium.

1992 Karl Tunberg, US scriptwriter (Ben Hur), dies.

1992 Sali Berisha becomes president/Alexander Meksi premier of Albania.

1992 Sy Kramer, singer/comedy writer, dies of cancer at age 59.

1993 12th NCAA Women’s Basketball Champion: Texas Tech beats Ohio State 84-82.

1993 5th Seniors Golf Tradition: Tom Shaw.

1993 Alfred Mosher Butts, US architect/game maker (Scrabble), dies at age 93.

1993 At Camden Yards, Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. president to throw the first pitch of the baseball season from the pitcher’s mound.

1993 Trish Johnson wins Las Vegas LPGA at Canyon Gate Golf Tournament.

1993 Wrestlemania IX at Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas, Hulk Hogan pins Yokozuna.

1994 56th NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion: Arkansas Razorbacks beats Duke 76-72.

1994 Birth of Risako Sugaya, Japanese singer.

1994 First game played at Jacobs Field; Cleveland Indians beat Seattle Mariners 4-3 in 11 innings.

1994 KLM Saab 340B crashes at Schiphol, three killed.

1994 Largest opening day crowd at Yankee Stadium, 56,706.

1994 Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark found Mosaic Communications (later renamed Netscape).

1994 Netscape Communications Corporation is founded (under the name “Mosaic Communications Corporation”) by Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark.

1994 Olga Lowina, Dutch yodeler (Edelweisskapel), dies at age 69.

1994 Virginia “Ginny” Simms, actress/singer (Kay Kyser Band), dies at age 77.

1995 Death of Priscilla Lane, American singer, actress (b. 1915)

1995 Kenny Everett, British comedian/disc Jockey, dies at age 50 (born 1944).

1995 Peter Brinson, dance educationalist, dies at age 67.

1996 Comet Hyakutake is imaged by the USA Asteroid Orbiter Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous.

1996 David Keylsey, actor/director, dies at age 63.

1996 David Whitton, campaigner, dies at age 44.

1996 Death of Barney Ewell, American athlete (born 1918).

1996 Frederick Denison Maurice Hocking, pathologist, dies at age 97.

1996 Larry LaPrise, American songwriter, dies at age 83 (born 1912).

1996 Seamas NacNeill, piper, dies at age 79.

1997 Anaheim Ducks clinch their first-ever playoff berth.

1997 Atlanta Braves officially open Turner Field against Chicago Cubs.

1998 NFL Europe (formerly WLAF), kicks off season.

1999 Death of Early Wynn, baseball player (b. 1920)

2000 Death of Derek Allhusen, British equestrian (born 1914).

2001 Death of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, American custom car designer (b. 1932)

2002 Death of John Kaufman, sculptor.

2003 Death of Resortes, Mexican comedian (b. 1916)

2004 Death of Casey Sheehan, American soldier, son of Cindy Sheehan (b. 1979)

2005 Death of Edward Bronfman, Canadian businessman (b. 1924)

2005 North Carolina defeats Illinois 75-70 to win the 2005 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis, Missouri.

2006 Death of Denis Donaldson, Irish Republican informer (born 1950).

2007 Death of Bob Clark, American film director (born 1939).

2007 Iran announces it will release the British sailors and marines that they captured on March 23. The captives arrive back in the UK the next day.

2007 NATO and Afghan forces retake a key town from the Taliban in Sangin in southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

2008 In Geneva, Switzerland, a used block of 39 of Norway’s first stamp, the 1855 4-skilling blue Coat of Arms, sells at auction for 1.4 million euros (US$2.2 million). An unused 1851 Baden unused 9-kreuzer stamp on blue-green paper sells for 1.3 million euros.

2009 In Binghampton, New York, USA, a gunman kills 13 people in the American Civic Association building after taking dozens hostage, then kills himself.

2009 Ivan Gasparovic wins re-election after the second round of voting in Slovakia’s presidential election.

2010 A magnitude 7.2 earthquake shakes the Mexico-Californian border area, killing two people and injuring more than 200.

2010 Death of South African white supremacist leader Eugene Ney Terreblanche, beaten to death by two farm workers at his home in Ventersdorp, South Africa, at age 69; founder of Afrikaner Resistance Movement in 1973.