Wednesday, March 25, 2020

This Date in History - March 25

Happy birthday, Elton John.  The music of your life has been the music of my life.

421:  VENICE IS FOUNDED AT TWELVE O'CLOCK NOON, ACCORDING TO LEGEND.

Actually it was 12:10PM.   There was a pre-game show on TBS.

708:  POPE CONSTANTINE SUCCEEDS POPE SISINNIUS AS THE 88TH POPE.

Because the former Pope had a sisinnius infection.

1199:  RICHARD I IS WOUNDED BY A CROSSBOW BOLT WHILE FIGHTING FRANCE, LEADING TO HIS DEATH ON APRIL 6.

Leading to...I guess...a Richard II.

1306:  ROBERT THE BRUCE BECOMES KING OF SCOTLAND.

What kind of last name is The Bruce?

1409:  THE COUNCIL OF PISA OPENS.

I wonder which way they're leaning.

1584:  SIR WALTER RALEIGH IS GRANTED A PATENT TO COLONIZE VIRGINIA.  

Roll that tobacco.

1634:  THE FIRST SETTLERS ARRIVE IN MARYLAND.

And that's about when Cal Ripken's streak started, right?

1802:  THE TREATY OF AMIENS IS SIGNED AS A DEFINITIVE TREATY OF PEACE BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND.

For now.

1807:  THE SLAVE TRADE ACT BECOMES LAW, ABOLISHING THE SLAVE TRADE IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

So now you can get a slave through free agency?

1811: PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY IS EXPELLED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD FOR PUBLISHING THE PAMPHLET "THE NECESSITY OF ATHEISM."

Believing in a cause that is not believing God.  Got it.

1865: DURING THE CIVIL WAR, CONFEDERATE FORCES IN VIRGINIA TEMPORARILY CAPTURE FORT STEDMAN.

Oprah's phony boyfriend??

1908:  DIRECTOR DAVID LEAN IS BORN.

The director of one of my favorite movies...."The Bridge On The River Kwai."

1911:  MURDERER JACK RUBY IS BORN.

"Jack, you son of a bitch."

1918:  THE BELARUSIAN PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC IS ESTABLISHED.

For all those who want to vacation in Belarus.

1918:  SPORTSCASTER HOWARD COSELL IS BORN.

He had no hair then either.

1918:  COMPOSER CLAUDE DEBUSSY DIES.

La Mer.  Le Morte.

1926:  MOVIE CRITIC GENE SHALIT IS BORN.

Most likely to be confused with Jerry Colonna.   Or a floor mop.

1931:  THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS ARE ARRESTED IN ALABAMA AND CHARGED WITH RAPE.

Later to become a Broadway musical.  ?????

1942:  SINGER ARETHA FRANKLIN IS BORN.

You make me feel like.....

1947:  ROCK STAR ELTON JOHN IS BORN.

Gee, I wonder why he never married.  Oh, wait, he did.  A couple of times.  To a woman.  To a man.  I better check with the registry at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

1948:  THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL TORNADO FORECAST PREDICTS THAT A TORNADO WILL STRIKE AN AIR FORCE BASE IN OKLAHOMA.

Yeah, but how many did they get wrong?

1957:  US CUSTOMS SEIZES COPIES OF ALLEN GINSBERG'S POEM "HOWL" ON OBSCENITY GROUNDS.

I bet that, if this happened today, "Howl" would be produced as a sitcom on Fox.

1965:  MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR 4 DAY MARCH FROM SELMA. 

Movie to come.

1965:  ACTRESS SARAH JESSICA PARKER IS BORN.

After her parents had some sex in the city.

1969:  DURING THEIR HONEYMOON, JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO HOLD THEIR FIRST BED-IN FOR PEACE.   IT LASTED FOR A WEEK.

Do Not Disturb sign in place.

1975:  FAISAL OF SAUDI ARABIA IS SHOT AND KILLED BY A MENTALLY ILL NEPHEW.

Every family has one.

1990:  THE HAPPY LAND FIRE AT AN ILLEGAL NIGHTCLUB IN THE BRONX KILLS 87 PEOPLE.

So not so happy.

1992:  ACTRESS NANCY WALKER DIES.

Rhoda's mom!

1995:  WIKIWIKIWEB IS MADE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.

And ultimately helps to populate this blog every Wednesday.

2005:  TV PRODUCER PAUL HENNING DIES.

Whee doggie.

2008:  SCREENWRITER ABBY MANN DIES.

He was a guy, by the way.

2009:  NEW YORK YANKEE JOHNNY BLANCHARD DIES.

What a great pinch hitter!!

Dinner last night:  Honey balsamic chicken.

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