Holidays
Feast Day of Joseph
Husband of the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the Universal Church and workmen.
What Happened On
Iraq War Begins
March 19, 2003
The Iraq War begins. U.S. President George W. Bush announced, "…coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger."
The U.S. began bombing Iraq the following day.
J. J. Gould's illustration of Amos (right) and Andy for New Movie Magazine (1930)
J. J. Gould's illustration of Amos (right) and Andy for New Movie Magazine (1930)
Amos 'n' Andy
March 19, 1928
The long-running radio comedy, Amos 'n' Andy, debuts on radio. It was written by and starred Freeman Gosden and Charles J. Correll, two white actors portraying black characters. It was the first U.S. syndicated radio program, and ran until 1960.
A TV version starring different actors ran from 1951 to 1953.
1918 poster celebrating the passing of DST
1918 poster celebrating the passing of DST
Daylight Saving Time
March 19, 1918
The first national U.S. Daylight saving time (DST) is passed by Congress. Germany and its allies had begun DST in 1916, as had the United Kingdom. The U.S. repealed this DST law in 1919, but a few U.S. cities, including New York City, retained DST locally. DST was reinstated during World War II. After the war its use varied among states and localities until 1966, when the Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided standardization of DST in the U.S.
Pancho Villa (left) and a JN3 aircraft
Pancho Villa (left) and a JN3 aircraft
First U.S. Air Combat Mission
March 19, 1916
Eight Curtiss JN3 airplanes take off in pursuit of Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, although two were lost on the flight to the advanced camp at Colonia Dublán.
They were supporting a mission of 7,000 U.S. troops who had invaded Mexico with orders to capture Villa dead or alive. They pursued Villa until February of 1917, killing 190 of his men, but Villa survived the assault.
Villa opposed U.S. support of the newly elected Mexican president and had led a raid across the border into New Mexico in order to obtain military supplies, killing 17 Americans.
The following month, 2nd Lt. George S. Patton led what was the first U.S. motorized military action, in which he killed one of Villa's leaders and two of his men.
Second U.S. Bank Robbery
March 19, 1831
Two men use copied keys to enter the City Bank of New York City and steal $245,000 (over $7 million in today's money). They were eventually arrested and sentenced to five years hard labor.
Model of the Perseverance
Photo Credit: Dr. Karl-Heinz Hochhaus
Model of the PerseverancePhoto Credit: Dr. Karl-Heinz Hochhaus
Steamboat
March 19, 1787
New York State grants John Fitch the sole right to make and use steamboats. He would make his first steamboat ride down the Delaware River five months later on his ship the Perseverance.
In 1798, New York would take away these rights and give them to Robert R. Livingston.
Longest Fingernails
March 19, 1991
The fingernails of Shridhar Chillal's left hand are measured to have a combined length of 181 inches. Source: Guinness Book of World Records
Jim Bakker Resigns
March 19, 1987
Televangelist leader of the PTL Club, Jim Bakker, resigns his ministry after accusations of using $279,000 of church money to pay for the silence of a church secretary who alleged Bakker and pastor John Wesley Fletcher drugged and raped her.
He was also later convicted of defrauding his followers out of $158 million and served 4½ years in prison (1989-94).
In his 1996 book, I Was Wrong, he admitted that the first time he actually read the Bible all the way through was in prison and realized that he had taken passages out of context to support his prosperity theology.
In 2003, Bakker returned to televangelism and began broadcasting The Jim Bakker Show with his second wife, Lori. His new ministry embraces apocalypticism and sells buckets of freeze-dried food in preparation for the end of days.
Space Shuttle Columbia
March 19, 1981
Two workers are killed while making preparations for a ground test. Twenty-two years later in 2003, the ill-fated shuttle would disintegrate upon reentry killing all seven crew members.
C-SPAN
March 19, 1979
C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) is launched and begins broadcasting the U.S. House of Representatives' day-to-day business. Its first broadcast was a speech by then U.S. Congressman Al Gore.
C-SPAN2 followed in 1986 when the U.S. Senate permitted itself to be televised.
First Color TV Broadcast of a Prizefight
March 19, 1954
Joe Giardello knocks out Willie Troy at Madison Square Garden, broadcast by WNBT.
First TV Broadcast of the Academy Awards
March 19, 1953
The Greatest Show on Earth wins the Oscar for Best Picture.
World War II - USS Franklin Kamikaze Attack
March 19, 1945
The second deadliest attack on a U.S. ship during the war occurs when the USS Franklin is hit by a Kamikaze bomber, killing 807 and wounding 487 others (Second only to the Pearl Harbor attack on the USS Arizona). The Franklin returned to the U.S. and was restored, but saw no more action in the war and was decommissioned in 1947.
Gambling
March 19, 1931
Nevada legalizes gambling. It was intended to be a temporary fix to help the ailing economy during the depression.
Divorce
March 19, 1931
Nevada signs into law its 6-week easy divorce law. It became effective on May 1.
First U.S. Fractional-Denomination Postage Stamp
March 19, 1925
First U.S. Fractional-Denomination Postage Stamp goes on sale, the 1½¢ light brown Warren G. Harding.
Lowell Observatory (1933) and NASA photo of Pluto (2015)
Lowell Observatory (1933) and NASA photo of Pluto (2015)
Pluto
March 19, 1915
While searching for the cause of perturbations in the orbit of Uranus, the Lowell Observatory in Arizona photographs the dwarf planet. However, the photographs were not recognized for what they were and Pluto remained undiscovered for another 15 years.
Percival Lowell, who founded the Lowell Observatory in 1894, had predicted the existence of a ninth planet and he and his observatory began searching for it.
Unfortunately, Lowell died in 1916, before the discovery of Pluto in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, who was working for the Lowell Observatory.
Birthdays
Wambsganss completing the unassisted triple play
Wambsganss completing the unassisted triple play
Bill Wambsganss
Born March 19, 1894 d. 1985
American baseball player. He made the first World Series unassisted triple play (1920). In the fifth inning of game five of the 1920 World Series, second baseman Bill Wambsganss (Cleveland Indians) catches a line drive by Clarence Mitchell (Brooklyn Dodgers). He then stepped on second base to retire Pete Kilduff, and then tagged Otto Miller coming from first base, to complete the first and only unassisted triple play in World Series history.
Leader of the O.K. Corral Gunfight
Wyatt Earp
Born March 19, 1848 d. 1929
American gunfighter. He led the gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1881) in Tombstone, Arizona.
Quote: "That nothing's so sacred as honor, and nothing so loyal as love!"
Stanley finding Livingstone
Stanley finding Livingstone
Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?
David Livingstone
Born March 19, 1813 d. 1873
Scottish explorer, missionary. In 1871, he was found in Africa by reporter Henry Stanley, prompting the famous quote: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"
Bruce Willis
Born March 19, 1955
American Emmy-winning actor. Film: Die Hard (1988). TV: Moonlighting (David Addison).
Glenn Close
Born March 19, 1947
American Tony-winning actress. Film: The Big Chill (1983) and Fatal Attraction (1987).
Clarence "Frogman" Henry
Born March 19, 1937
American rhythm and blues singer. He opened 18 concerts for The Beatles in 1964.
Ursula Andress
Born March 19, 1936
Swiss actress. Film: Dr. No (1962, Honey Ryder).
Philip Roth
Born March 19, 1933 d. 2018
American Pulitzer-winning author. Writings: Goodbye, Columbus (1959), Portnoy's Complaint (1969), and American Pastoral (1997, Pulitzer).
Patrick McGoohan
Born March 19, 1928 d. 2009
American-born Irish Emmy-winning actor. Luckily for Sean Connery, in 1962 McGoohan turned down the role of James Bond. Later, he also turned down the roles of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings and Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films. TV: Danger Man (1964-67, secret agent John Drake - retitled Secret Agent in U.S.), The Prisoner (1967-68, Prisoner Number 6), The Man in the Iron Mask (1977, Fouquet). Film: Escape From Alcatraz (1969) and Braveheart (1995, King Edward "Longshanks").
Jack Elrod
Born March 19, 1924 d. 2016
American cartoonist. Comics: Mark Trail (1978-2014, artist).
Tige Andrews (Tiger Andrews)
Born March 19, 1920 d. 2007
American actor. TV: The Mod Squad (Capt. Adam Greer).
Irving Wallace
Born March 19, 1916 d. 1990
American novelist. His books have sold over 120,000,000 copies.
Passport using name of "Ricardo Klement" that Eichmann used to enter Argentina in 1950
Passport using name of "Ricardo Klement" that Eichmann used to enter Argentina in 1950
Adolf Eichmann
Born March 19, 1906 d. 1962
German war criminal. As a member of the SS, he organized the transportation of Jews to concentration camps for "the final solution." After the war Eichmann was captured by the U.S., but was using forged papers that identified him as "Otto Eckmann." He eventually escaped and in 1950 used a phony passport to travel to Argentina. He was discovered hiding in Argentina after his son, Klaus Eichmann, bragged to his girlfriend about his Nazi father. He was then captured by Israeli Mossad agents and smuggled to Israel where he was tried and hanged for his war crimes.
The Funniest Woman in the World
Jackie "Moms" Mabley (Loretta Mary Aiken)
Born March 19, 1894 d. 1975
American comedienne. She was one of the most successful entertainers of the black vaudeville stage and was billed as "The Funniest Woman in the World."
Earl Warren
Born March 19, 1891 d. 1974
American Chief Justice of the United States. Quote: "It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of one of those liberties which make the defense of our nation worthwhile."
Dr. Evarts Ambrose Graham
Born March 19, 1883 d. 1957
American physician. He performed the first successful lung removal operation by removing the cancerous lung of a fellow physician, curing the patient (1933). He was one of the first to note that almost all lung cancer patients were habitual smokers. He himself, a long term-smoker before quitting, died of lung cancer.
William Jennings Bryan
Born March 19, 1860 d. 1925
American orator, called the Great Commoner. He made his famous "Cross of Gold" speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention, and was one of the prosecuting attorneys at the Scopes Monkey Trial.
Sir Richard Francis Burton
Born March 19, 1821 d. 1890
English explorer. He discovered Lake Tanganyika and translated The Arabian Nights into English.
Thomas McKean
Born March 19, 1734 d. 1817
American politician, member of (1774-83) and 8th president (1781) of the Continental Congress, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Although present during its drafting, he didn't sign until 1781.
William Bradford
Born March 19, 1590 d. 1657
American historian, signer of the Mayflower Compact (1620). He is called "The Father of American History" for his writings of the early Plymouth Colony. He was elected governor of Plymouth Colony 30 times.
Deaths
Sir Arthur C. Clarke
Died March 19, 2008 b. 1917
British science fiction author. Writings: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
The third of "Clarke's Three Laws" states "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
The other two are:
1 - "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong."
2 - "The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible."
Creator of Tarzan
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Died March 19, 1950 b. 1875
American novelist. Creator of Tarzan (1914).
Father of Fingerprinting
Henry Faulds
Died March 19, 1930 b. 1843
Scottish scientist, "Father of Fingerprinting." He was the first to suggest using fingerprints for criminal investigations (1880). The use of fingerprints as an ID had been introduced in the 1860s by Sir William James Herschel in India. Faulds developed a classification system that extended that use to criminal investigations.
Calvert DeForest
Died March 19, 2007 b. 1921
American actor. TV: Late Night with David Letterman (Larry "Bud" Melman).
Photo Credit: Kevin Abato
Photo Credit: Kevin Abato
John DeLorean
Died March 19, 2005 b. 1925
American auto executive. In 1982 he was arrested for possession of 59 pounds of cocaine with the intent to distribute. He plead not guilty and was acquitted. He was responsible for Pontiac's GTO and Firebird and the DeLorean (as featured in the Back to the Future movies) automobiles.
Founder of PowerBar
Brian Maxwell
Died March 19, 2004 b. 1953
Canadian athlete and founder of PowerBar. Despite being diagnosed as a teenager as having a congenital heart condition, by 1977 he was ranked as the No. 3 marathoner in the world. He died of a heart attack at age 51.
Al Hodge
Died March 19, 1979 b. 1912
American actor. Radio: The Green Hornet (title role). TV: Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1950-55, second person to play the captain).
Sir Arthur James Balfour (Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour)
Died March 19, 1930 b. 1848
British prime minister (1902-05), author of The Balfour Declaration (1917), which favored limited Jewish settlement in Palestine.
Clement XI
Died March 19, 1721 b. 1649
Italian religious leader, 243rd Pope (1700-21).
Robert de La Salle
Died March 19, 1687 b. 1643
French explorer. He explored the Mississippi Basin and claimed the entire Mississippi River basin for France.