Today In History

Today is March 20

Here is what happened today.

2003	US begins war of Enduring Freedom against Iraq.
1997	"Play On!," opens at Brooks Atkinson Theater NYC for 61 performances
1997	Liggett admits cigarettes are addictive
1997	Mens Figure Skating Championship in Lausanne won by Elvis Stojko (CAN)
1997	"Play On!," opens at Brooks Atkinson Theater New York City for 61 performances
1996	UK admits humans can catch CJD (Mad Cow Disease)
1996	"Love Thy Neighbor," opens at Booth Theater NYC
1996	Erik & Lyle Menendez found guilty of killing their parents
1996	U.K. admits humans can catch CJD (Mad Cow Disease)
1996	"Love Thy Neighbor," opens at Booth Theater New York City
1996	Erik and Lyle Menendez found guilty of killing their parents
1995	Poison Gas released in Tokyo subway 12 killed, 4,700 injured
1995	Dow-Jones hits 4083.68 (record)
1995	Beatles song, "Baby It's You," with late John Lennon as lead singer, is released, 1st Fab Four single in more than 30 years
1994	"Cyrano - The Musical" closes at Neil Simon NYC after 137 perfs
1994	"Flowering Peach" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 41 performances
1994	"No Man's Land" closes at Criterion Theater NYC after 61 performances
1994	El Salvador's 1st pres election following 12-year-old civil war
1994	14th Golden Raspberry Awards: Indecent Proposal wins
1994	Zulu-king Goodwill Zwelithini founds realm in South Africa
1994	Brett Hart wins WWF championship at Wrestlemania X
1994	Mashonaland U-24 beat Matabeleland on 1st inn to win Logan Cup
1994	Laura Davies wins LPGA Standard Register Ping Golf Tournament
1994	Wrestlemania X at MSG NY, Bret Hart pins Yokozuna
1994	El Salvador's 1st President election following 12-year-old civil war
1994	"No Man's Land" closes at Criterion Theater New York City after 61 performances
1994	"Flowering Peach" opens at Lyceum Theater New York City for 41 performances
1994	"Cyrano - The Musical" closes at Neil Simon New York City after 137 performances
1993	Dan Jansen skates world record 500m (36.02 sec)
1993	IRA-bomb kills 3 year old in Warrington England
1993	Morton Downey Jr weds Lori Krebs
1993	Morton Downey, Jr. weds Lori Krebs
1992	Janice Pennington is awarded $1.3M for accident on Price is Right set
1992	Noriega's wife Felicidad arrested for stealing buttons from dresses
1991	Court awards Peggy Lee $3 million in suit against Disney
1991	Supreme Court rules unanimously employers can't exclude women from jobs where exposure to toxic chemicals could potentially damage fetus
1991	US forgives $2 billion in loans to Poland
1991	Michael Jackson signs $65M 6 album deal with Sony records
1991	U.S. forgives $2 billion in loans to Poland
1990	Singer Gloria Estefan breaks her collarbone in a bus accident
1990	Los Angeles Lakers retires Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's #33
1990	LA Lakers retires Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's #33
1989	Richard J Kerr replaces Robert M Gates as deputy director of CIA
1989	Baseball announces Reds manager Pete Rose is under investigation
1989	Richard J. Kerr replaces Robert M. Gates as deputy director of CIA
1988	David Henry Hwang's "M. Butterfly," premieres in New York City
1988	David Henry Hwang's "M. Butterfly," premieres in NYC
1988	Laura Davies wins Circle K LPGA Tucson Golf Open
1988	Mike Tyson KOs Tony Tubbs in 2 for heavyweight boxing title
1987	Soap opera "Capitol" final episode
1987	Soviet filmmakers arrive in Hollywood for an entertainment summit
1987	Yvonne van Gennip skates ladies world record 5 km (7:20.36)
1987	FDA approves sale of AZT (AIDS treatment)
1987	NASA launches Palapa B2P
1986	Jacques Chirac forms French government
1986	228 KPH gust of wind strikes Cairngorm (UK record)
1986	228 KPH gust of wind strikes Cairngorm (U.K. record)
1985	Libby Riddles is 1st woman to win Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race
1984	Andy Kaufman and Fred Blassie's "My Breakfast With Blassie" premieres
1984	Andy Kaufman & Fred Blassie's "My Breakfast With Blassie" premieres
1984	Senate rejects amendment to permit spoken prayer in public schools
1983	Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open
1982	Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" goes #1 for 7 wks
1982	1st-class debut of Richie Richardson, Leeward Is vs. Barbados
1982	Rev A Treurnicht forms Conservative Party of South Africa
1982	Joan Jett & Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" goes #1 for 7 wks
1982	France performs nuclear test
1982	1st-class debut of Richie Richardson, Leeward Is v Barbados
1981	Argentine ex-president Isabel Per¢n sentenced to 8 years
1981	Jean Harris sentenced 15-to-life for slaying of Scarsdale Diet Dr
1981	Argentine ex-president Isabel Peron sentenced to 8 years
1980	US appeals to International Court on hostages in Iran
1980	The Mi Amigo ship containing England's pirate Radio Caroline sinks
1980	U.S. appeals to International Court on hostages in Iran
1979	Columbia flies on Shuttle carrier aircraft to Kennedy Space Center
1978	Flyers' Rick MacLeash scores on 6th penalty shot against Islanders
1977	Premier Indira Gandhi loses election in India
1977	Communists/socialists win French municipal elections
1977	Parisians elect former PM Jacques Chirac as 1st mayor in a century
1976	Jevgeni Kulikov skates world record 1000m (1:15.70)
1976	Patricia Hearst convicted of armed robbery
1973	Roberto Clemente elected to Hall of Fame, 11 weeks after his death
1972	19 mountain climbers killed on Japan's Mount Fuji during an avalanche
1972	S Mansholt succeeds Malfatti as chairman of European Committee
1971	Boston Bruins win 13th straight NHL game
1969	Beatle John Lennon marries Yoko Ono in Gibraltar
1969	Abebe Bikila's auto-accident, near Addis Ababa
1969	U.S. president Nixon proclaims he will end Vietnam war in 1970
1969	US president Nixon proclaims he will end Vietnam war in 1970
1968	LBJ signs a bill removing gold backing from US paper money
1968	Military intervene in South-Yemen (leftist ministers resign)
1968	Lyndon Baines Johnson signs a bill removing gold backing from U.S. paper money
1967	WOET (now WPTD) TV channel 16 in Dayton, OH (PBS) begins broadcasting
1967	Supremes release "The Happening"
1966	Marilynn Smith wins LPGA St. Petersburg Women's Golf Open
1966	Marilynn Smith wins LPGA St Petersburg Women's Golf Open
1965	Venkataraghavan takes 8-72 v NZ at Delhi
1965	Venkataraghavan takes 8-72 vs. NZ at Delhi
1965	27th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Michigan 91-80
1964	ESRO established, European Space Research Organization
1963	1st "Pop Art" exhibition (New York City)
1963	Sikkim crown prince Paldan Thondup Namgyal marries Hope Cooke
1963	1st "Pop Art" exhibition (NYC)
1962	Sjoukje Dijkstra becomes world champion figure skater
1958	Greek Clandestine Radio (communist), Voice of Truth 1st transmission
1958	50" snow across the Mason-Dixon line
1958	Clandestine Burasi Bizim Radio (communist) begins transmitting
1957	Britain accepts NATO offer to mediate in Cyprus, but Greece rejects it
1956	U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test
1956	156-day strike against Westinghouse ends
1956	Mount Bezymianny on Kamchatka Peninsula (U.S.S.R.) explodes
1956	Union workers ended a 156-day strike at Westinghouse Electric Corp
1956	E Ochab succeeds Beirut as 1st secretary of Polish CP
1956	Mount Bezymianny on Kamchatka Peninsula (USSR) explodes
1956	Tunisia gains independence from France
1956	USSR performs nuclear test
1955	KXTV TV channel 10 in Sacramento, California (CBS) begins broadcasting
1955	KXTV TV channel 10 in Sacramento, CA (CBS) begins broadcasting
1954	16th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: La Salle beats Bradley 92-76
1954	1st newspaper vending machine used (Columbia Pennsylvania)
1954	"King & I" closes at St James Theater NYC after 1246 performances
1954	"King and I" closes at St. James Theater New York City after 1246 performances
1953	Senator Edwin C Johnson offers a bill to give clubs the sole
1952	24th Academy Awards - "American in Paris," H Bogart and Vivian Leigh win
1952	U.S. senate ratifies peace treaty with Japan
1952	US senate ratifies peace treaty with Japan
1952	Final ratification of peace treaty restoring sovereignty to Japan
1952	24th Academy Awards - "American in Paris," H Bogart & Vivian Leigh win
1951	Indonesian army offensive against Darul Islam on Java
1948	1st live televised musical Eugene Ormandy on CBS followed in 90
1948	20th Academy Awards - "Gentleman's Agreement," L Young, R Colman win minutes by 2nd live televised musical Arturo Toscvanni on NBC
1947	180-metric ton blue whale (record) caught in South Atlantic
1946	Belgian government of Spaak, resigns
1946	Belgian govt of Spaak, resigns
1945	U.S. 70th Infantry division/7th Armour division attack Saar
1945	US 70th Infantry division/7th Armour division attack Saar
1944	Mount Vesuvius, Italy explodes
1944	Bus falls off bridge into Passaic River New Jersey, killing 16
1944	Bus falls off bridge into Passaic River NJ, killing 16
1943	German U-384 bombed & sinks
1943	British offensive against Mareth-line
1943	German U-384 bombed and sinks
1942	General MacArthur vows, "I shall return"
1942	Convoy PQ13 departs Reykjavik Iceland to Russia
1942	Gen MacArthur vows, "I shall return"
1942	Major German assault on Malta
1941	Nazi-German/Yugoslav pact drawn
1940	Paul Reynoud becomes French premier
1939	7,000 Jews flee German occupied Memel Lithuania
1937	Franco-offensive at Guadalajara Spain
1935	"Your Hit Parade" made its debut on radio
1934	Female Babe Didrickson pitches hitless inning for Phila A's in exhibition game against Brooklyn Dodgers
1934	Test of practical radar apparatus made by Rudolf Kuhnold in Germany
1934	Rudolf Kuhnold demonstrates radar in Kiel Germany
1934	Female Babe Didrickson pitches hitless inning for Philadelphia A's in exhibition game against Brooklyn Dodgers
1933	Dachau, 1st concentration camp, completed
1932	Kara-Kalpak Autonomous Region in RSFSR becomes Kara-Kalpak ASSR
1931	Bishop Schreiber warns against national-socialism in Berlin
1930	Clessie Cummins sets diesel engine speed record of 129.39 kph
1924	Finnair begins scheduled flight of Helsinki-Tallinn
1924	Stanley Cup: Mont Canadiens (NHL) sweep Vanc Millionaires (PCHA) in 2
1923	Bavarian minister of Interior refuses to forbid Nazi SA
1923	Belgian Senate rejects Dutch University in Ghent
1922	WIP-AM in Philadelphia Pennsylvania begins radio transmissions
1922	USS Langley is commissioned, Navy's 1st aircraft Carrier
1922	WIP-AM in Philadelphia PA begins radio transmissions
1920	U.S. Mens Figure Skating championship won by Sherwin Badger
1920	1st flight from London to South Africa lands (1« months)
1920	US Ladies Figure Skating championship won by Theresa Weld
1920	US Mens Figure Skating championship won by Sherwin Badger
1920	U.S. Ladies Figure Skating championship won by Theresa Weld
1920	1st flight from London to South Africa lands (1 month)
1916	Allies attack Zeebrugge Belgium
1914	1st international figure-skating tournament held in U.S., New Haven
1914	1st international figure-skating tournament held in US, New Haven
1911	National Squash Tennis Association forms (NYC)
1911	National Squash Tennis Association forms (New York City)
1911	Winter Garden Theater opens at 1634 Broadway New York City
1911	Winter Garden Theater opens at 1634 Broadway NYC
1906	George B. Shaws "Captain Brassbound's Conversion," premieres in London
1906	George B Shaws "Captain Brassbound's Conversion," premieres in London
1897	1st U.S. orthodox Jewish Rabbinical seminary (RIETS) incorporates in New York
1897	1st known intercollegiate basketball game, Yale beats Penn 32-10
1897	1st US orthodox Jewish Rabbinical seminary (RIETS) incorporates in NY
1897	France signs treaty with emperor Menelik II of Abyssinia
1896	Uprising in Matabeleland
1896	Marines land in Nicaragua to protect US citizens
1896	Marines land in Nicaragua to protect U.S. citizens
1890	General Federation of Womans' Clubs founded
1890	German emperor Wilhelm II fires republic chancellor Otto Von Bismarck
1888	Start of the Sherlock Holmes Adventure, "A Scandal in Bohemia"
1886	1st AC power plant in US begins commercial operation, Mass
1886	1st AC power plant in U.S. begins commercial operation, Massachusetts
1885	John Matzeliger of Suriname patents shoe lacing machine
1885	Yiddish theater opens in NY with Golldfaden operetta
1885	Yiddish theater opens in New York with Golldfaden operetta
1883	Unity treaty of Paris signed: protects industrial property
1868	Jesse James Gang robs bank in Russelville Kentucky of $14,000
1865	2nd day of Battle of Bentonville North Carolina
1865	Michigan authorizes workers' cooperatives
1865	2nd day of Battle of Bentonville NC
1863	Battle of Pensacola FL -evacuated by Federals
1863	Battle of Pensacola Florida - evacuated by Federals
1852	Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" published (Boston)
1848	King Louis I of Bayern abdicates to marry dancer Lola Montez
1833	U.S. and Siam sign commercial treaty
1833	US & Siam sign commercial treaty
1816	U.S. Supreme Court affirms its right to review state court decisions
1816	US Supreme Court affirms its right to review state court decisions
1815	Napoleon enters Paris after escape from Elba, begins 100-day rule
1814	Prince Willem Frederik becomes monarch of Netherlands
1800	French army defeats Turks at Helipolis Turkey, and advance to Cairo
1800	French army defeats Turks at Helipolis Turkey, & advance to Cairo
1760	Great Fire of Boston destroys 349 buildings
1697	Willem de Vlamingh returns to Batavia after exploring "South Land"
1627	France and Spain signs accord for fighting protestantism
1627	France & Spain signs accord for fighting protestantism
1616	Walter Raleigh released from Tower of London to seek gold in Guyana
1602	United Dutch East Indian Company (VOC) forms
1598	French king Henri IV & duke van Mercour sign treaty
1598	French king Henri IV and duke van Mercour sign treaty
1569	Duke van Alva leads "tenth penning" in Ponts the C‚
1569	Duke van Alva leads "tenth penning" in Ponts the Ce
1525	Paris' parliament begins pursuit of Protestants
1345	Saturn/Jupiter/Mars-conjunction: thought "cause of plague epidemic"
141	6th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet

These people died on March 20

1997	Carlo Fassi, figure skating coach (Fleming, Hamill), dies at 67
1996	Victor Zorza, journalist/Russian specialist, dies at 71
1996	Claude Bourdet, human rights activist/journalist, dies at 86
1996	Alan Ridout, composer, dies at 61
1995	Sidney Kingsley, US playwright (Pulitzer prize 1934), dies at 88
1995	Sidney Kingslei, playwright, dies at 88
1995	Rachida Hammadi, Algerian TV journalist, murdered at 32
1995	Merv Harvey, cricketer (scored 12 & 31 in Test Aus v Eng 46-47), dies
1993	Claudia Yeltsin, mother of Russian president Yeltsin, dies at 85
1993	Jonathan Ball, English youngster, killed by IRA at 3
1992	Georges Delerue, French composer (Hiroshima, My Love), dies at 67
1992	Frank Westbrook, dancer/choreographer, dies at 82
1992	Avonne Taylor, actress (My Best Girl, Honor Among Lovers), dies at 93
1991	Conor Clapton, Eric Clapton's son, falls out of 53rd floor window at 5
1990	Jannetje Visser-Roosendaal, Dutch writer, dies at 90
1990	Jev Jasjin, Russian soccer goalie, dies at 60
1988	Gil Evans, Canadian/US jazz composer (Out of the Cool), dies at 75
1987	Norman Harris, guitarist (O'Jays), dies at 39 of heart failure
1982	Hendrik L van Beek, Dutch vice-admiral, dies at 52
1976	Michael Goodliffe, actor (Gorgon, 7th Dawn, Way Out), dies at 61
1974	[Lavinia] Marian Fleming Poe, Black US advocate in Virg, dies at 83
1974	Chet Huntley, newscaster (NBC Huntley-Brinkley Report), dies at 62
1972	Marilyn Maxwell, actress (Grace-Bus Stop), dies at 50
1972	Jan Engelman, Dutch poet/art critic (At the Front), dies at 71
1972	Aad de Haas, Dutch religious painter/graphic artist, dies at 51
1968	Carl T Dreyer, Danish director (Passion of Jeanne d'Arc), dies
1967	A J F Moody, 1st US Army General to die in Vietnam
1964	Jean Rogister, composer, dies at 84
1964	Brendan Behan, Irish writer/poet, dies at 41
1963	Karl Otten, writer, dies at 73
1962	C Wright Mills, US sociologist (Power Elite), dies at 45
1962	Andrew E Douglass, Dendrochronologer (Study of Tree Rings), dies
1953	Graciliano Ramos, Brazilian author (Vidas Secas), dies at 60
1951	Kathleen Lockhart Manning, composer, dies at 60
1951	Jan Ingenhoven, composer, dies at 74
1950	Walter Eucken, German economist, dies at 59
1944	Felix Woyrsch, composer, dies at 83
1942	Theodoro Valcarcel, composer, dies at 41
1941	D A van den Bosch, anti-nazi clergyman (Amersfoort Camp), dies
1936	Durant Clifford Parkin, cricketer (Tests for S Afr 1891-92), dies
1934	A Emma W T von Waldeck-Pyrmont, Dutch queen (& regent), dies at 76
1933	Giuseppe [Joe] Zangara, electrocuted for assassination attempt on FDR
1929	Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France (WW I), dies at 77
1928	Fred Rogers, childrens show (Mr Rogers Neighborhood)
1925	George N Curzon, British Foreign minister (1919-22), dies at 66
1920	Venustiano Carranza, president Mexico (1915-20), murdered at 60
1913	Song Jiao-ren, leader Chinese Guomindang-Party, dies
1913	Christian Barnekow, composer, dies at 75
1911	Jean-Theodore Radoux, composer, dies at 75
1910	F‚lix Tournachon, [Nadar], French writer/photographer, dies at 89
1899	Martha M Place, of Bkln, becomes 1st woman to die by electrocution
1898	Luis Pal‚s Matos, Puerto Rican poet (Tunt£n the paso y grifer¡a), dies
1894	Lajos Kossuth, Hungarian freedom fighter/president (1849), dies at 91
1892	Arthor Goring Thomas, composer, dies at 41
1887	Pavel Annenkov, Russian literature historian, dies at 73
1874	Hans Christian Lumbye, composer, dies at 63
1873	Adolfe Louis Eugene Fetis, composer, dies at 52
1871	Antonio Buzzolla, composer, dies at 56
1866	Rikard Nordraak, composer, dies at 23
1848	Abraham des Amorie van der Hoeven, Dutch theologist/poet, dies at 27
1812	Jan Ladislav Dussek, Bohemian pianist/composer, dies at 52
1804	Ignaz Malzat, composer, dies at 47
1767	Firmin Abauzit, French huguenot/scholar, dies at 87
1757	Johann Paul Kunzen, composer, dies at 60
1751	Frederick Louis, English prince of Wales/son of George I, dies
1727	Issac Newton, English physicist/astronomer, dies in London at 84
1703	Johann Kunckel/Kunkel, German alchemist/ambassador to Sweden, dies
1646	Matthew Vossius, historian (Annales Holland Zelandiaeque), dies at 35
1619	Matthias II, Holy Roman Catholic emperor (1611-19), dies
1617	Franciscus Aguilon, physicist/theologist/mathematician, dies at 50
1568	Albrecht von Hohenzollern, 1st duke of Prussia, dies at 77
1549	Thomas Seymour of Sudely, English Lord Admiral, beheaded
1531	Sicke Freerks/Frericx, [Cutter], Dutch anabaptist, beheaded
1501	Jean Carondelet, lawyer/chancellor of Burgundy (1480-96), dies at 72
1415	Henry IV Bolingbroke, King of England (1399-1413), dies at 45
1393	Johannes Nepomucenus, [Jan Nepomucky], Czech saint, killed
1351	Mohammed ibn-Tughluq, sultan of Delhi India, dies
1191	Clement III, [Paolo Scolari], Pope (1187-91, 3rd crusades), dies
842	Alfonso II the Chaste, king of Asturia (791-842), dies

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