This Date in History - March 4

Happy birthday to Paula Prentiss.   She starred in "He and She."   Guess which part she played?

51: NERO, LATER TO BECOME ROMAN EMPEROR, IS GIVEN THE TITLE PRINCEPS IUVENTUTUS...OR HEAD OF THE YOUTH.

 I guess there's a reason why they don't teach Latin in schools any more.

932:  TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF MARTYR WENCESLAUS I, DUKE OF BOHEMIA, PRINCE OF THE CZECHS.

Good King of the Christmas song.

1152:  FREDERICK I BARBAROSSA IS ELECTED KING OF THE GERMANS.

Barbarossa?   Wasn't that a movie with Jane Fonda?

1351:  RAMATHIBODI BECOMES KING OF SIAM.

Yul Brynner could never pronounce that, which is why he was simply the "King."

1386:  WTADYSLAW II JAGIETTO IS CROWNED KING OF POLAND.

It's Crazy Name Day on the blog.

1461:  THE WAR OF THE ROSES IN ENGLAND.

Wasn't this a movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner?

1493:  EXPLORER CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ARRIVES BACK IN LISBON, PORTUGAL, ABOARD HIS SHIP NINA FROM HIS VOYAGE TO THE BAHAMAS AND THE CARIBBEAN.

Going all the places we later went on the Love Boat.

1681:  CHARLES II GRANTS A LAND CHARTER TO WILLIAM PENN FOR THE AREA THAT WILL LATER BECOME PENNSYLVANIA.  

As opposed to a lead No. 2 pennsyl.

1789:  IN NEW YORK CITY, THE FIRST CONGRESS OF THE US MEETS, PUTTING THE US CONSTITUTION INTO EFFECT.  THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS WRITTEN AND PROPOSED TO CONGRESS.

Back when we were civilized and actually wanted to follow a constitution.

1791:  VERMONT IS ADMITTED TO THE US AT THE 14TH STATE.

Saps.

1837:  THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS INCORPORATED.

Vote early, vote often.

1861:  THE FIRST NATIONAL FLAG OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA IS ADOPTED.

National?   What is it?   About 10 states???

1865:  THE THIRD NATIONAL FLAG OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.

Oh, make up your mind!

1888:  FOOTBALL STARE KNUTE ROCKNE IS BORN.

What were his parents thinking with that name?

1909:  US PRESIDENT WILLIAM TAFT USES A SAXBE FIX, A MECHANISM TO AVOID THE RESTRICTION OF THE US CONSTITUTION'S INELIGIBILITY CLAUSE.

History majors, please call to explain.

1913:  THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS FORMED.

I'm dying to know who got the very first unemployment check.

1925:  COMPOSER PAUL MAURIAT IS BORN.

Love is blue.  Unless you're color blind.

1933:  FRANCES PERKINS BECOMES US SECRETARY OF LABOR, THE FIRST FEMALE MEMBER OF THE US CABINET.

Even here, women can't escape labor.

1938:  ACTRESS PAULA PRENTISS IS BORN.

My writing partner met her and husband Dick Benjamin in a super market and they had a long talk about spices.

1943:  DURING WORLD WAR II, THE BATTLE OF THE BISMARCK SEA ENDS.

The Bismarck is sunk?

1945:  FINLAND DECLARES WAR ON NAZI GERMANY.

What took them so long?

1949:  ACTRESS CARROLL BAKER IS BORN.

I don't know anybody who met her in a super market.

1962:  A CALEDONIAN AIRWAYS FLIGHTS CRASHES ON TAKE-OFF FROM CAMEROON, KILLING 111.

And losing at least 111 suitcases.

1966:  A CANADIAN PACIFIC AIRLINES FLIGHT EXPLODES ON LANDING TOKYO, KILLING 64 PEOPLE.

And losing at least 64...never mind.

1970:  FRENCH SUBMARINE EURYDICE EXPLODES UNDERWATER.

So, if a submarine explodes underwater, does anybody hear it?

1974:  PEOPLE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

And now we all have something to read on the toilet.

1985:  THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVES A BLOOD TEST FOR AIDS INFECTION, USED SINCE THEN FOR SCREENING ALL BLOOD DONATIONS IN THE US.

Also a great day to own stock in white surgical gloves.

1994:  ACTOR JOHN CANDY DIES.

Killed perhaps by a dentist.

1996:  COMEDIAN MINNIE PEARL DIES.

Howdy?   Bye!

2001:  A MASSIVE CAR BOMB EXPLODES IN FRONT OF THE BBC IN LONDON.   THE ATTACK WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE REAL IRA.

You mean there was an imitation IRA?

2001:  POLITICIAN HAROLD STASSEN DIES.

Known as a big loser in elections, he's really out of the running now.

Dinner last night:  Leftover roast beef and vegetables.