Position Wanted – Credit
Work Remotely or Relocate for Right Opportunity 

 

Each Week Leasing News is pleased, as a service to its readership, to offer completely free ads placed by candidates for jobs in the industry.  These ads also can be accessed directly on the website at:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Each ad is limited to (100) words and ads repeat for up to 6 months unless the candidate tells us to stop. Your submissions should be received here by the end of each week.

Please encourage friends and colleagues to take advantage of this service, including recent graduates and others interested in leasing and related careers. 

Credit

Work Remotely from Portland, Oregon Experienced commercial banker and former commercial equipment leasing industry professional seeking full-time or part-time work out of my home in Portland, Oregon. Over twenty years’ experience in credit analysis, underwriting, sales and collections. Known for creative problem solving and strong quantitative & qualitative analytical skills.  Demonstrated ability to gather information, evaluate and make informed strategic business decisions to maximize profit and mitigate risk. Well known for ability to develop strong business relationships with Clients and large list of national equipment leasing Brokers. Please see attached resume and contact me below if interested.  Resume JFrank@BL-Solutions.com

Orlando, Florida - Will work remotely As a Commercial Credit Analyst/Underwriter, I have evaluated transactions from sole proprietorships to listed companies, across a broad spectrum of industries, embracing a multitude of asset types. Sound understanding of balance sheet, income statement and cash flow dynamics which impact credit decisions. Strong appreciation for credit/asset risk. rpsteiner21@aol.com 407 430-3917

Seattle, WA – Will Work Remotely A highly skilled credit expert.  Extensive underwriting background in small ticket leasing and commercial banking.  Managing equipment finance credit operations, performing daily credit tasks, spreading/analyzing financial statements, preparing monthly reports.  Exceptional organizational, analytical, communication skills.  I excel at making sound credit decisions in a fast paced environment.  murphy9679@frontier.com

 

 

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Top Stories -- March 5 - March 9
(Opened Most by Readers)

 

(1) Unwillingness to Assess a Borrowers Ability to Repay
Loans Lands Lender in Trouble in California
  By Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_07.htm#assess

(2) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
      and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_09.htm#hires

(3) California SB 1235 Moves to Committee by March 18th
   To Declare Interest Rates, Terms, Conditions
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_09.htm#california

(4) Storm Closes Business, Schools, Airports
   Roads and Homes Effected
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_05.htm#storms

(5) The Richest Person in Every U.S. State in 2017
    Map
http://leasingnews.org/charts/richest2018.png

(6) Sterling Bancorp to Acquire Advantage Funding Management 
  Including $458 Million Loan Portfolio and Origination Platform
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_07.htm#sterling

(7) Where the U.S. Gets its Steel
   Chart, Statista.com
http://leasingnews.org/items/steel2018.jpg

(8) Advanced Execution of Acceptance Certificates
   By Michael J. Witt, Esq.
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_09.htm#advanced

(9) Northeast Business Weather Report
  from Ralph Mango, Leasing News Associate Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_07.htm#northeast

(10) America's Hardest-Working Cities
   By Niall McCarthy, Statista.com
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2018/03_07.htm#america

 

 

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Payday Lender Dinged for Charting Interest
in Excess of Rate Cap

By Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

California Department of Business Oversight Has Rate Cap For Certain Small Dollar Loans. But Lender Somehow Manipulated the Loan Products to Charge More Interest on Small Dollar Loans

In re Quick Cash Funding  DOB 605-3535 (2017).

This is a payday and car title loan case, not a commercial cash advance. However, the case demonstrates that if the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) won’t exercise control over predatory lending and interest rate cap regulations, the state of California will. The facts follow. 

Quick Cash Funding is a California lender, specializing in car title loans and payday loans. While licensed California lenders have no usury cap, certain small dollar loan products ($2,500 or less) have an interest cap of 30%. While the facts are unclear, it appears as though Quick Cash allowed borrowers to ostensibly apply to borrow more than the small dollar range, but actually borrow under $2,500 and still charge the borrower more than the 30% cap. Thus, it was alleged that Quick Cash manipulated the loan products of 423 borrowers to charge more interest than it legally could. 

The Department of Business Oversight busted Quick Cash and Quick Cash quickly signed a consent order. Quick Cash agreed to refund those 423 borrowers the excess interest and refrain from switching products. Quick Cash agreed to pay a fine of $7,700. Quick Cash agreed to implement additional training and procedures to insure that this bait and switch does not occur again. 

What are the takeaways here?

• First, Compliance with California Law Matters. Charging small dollar borrowers big dollar interest is tempting, but strictly prohibited. One may not do a bait and switch with borrowers at their expense. 
• Second, Quick Cash Did the Right Thing. Quick Cash did the right thing by immediately recognizing the violations when the DOB came knocking, and fixing them. Although the fine was minor (only $7,700) it is indicative that sales personnel were obviously doing a bait and switch. At $2,500 per violation and 423 violations, this would have put Quick Cash out of business. 
▪ Third, This Case Demonstrates That If the CFPB Won’t Take Action Against Payday Lenders, the DOB Will. I am against having lenders like these being required to comply with 20 or more state statutes, with different regulations in different states. Conversely, it makes more sense for national lenders like Quick Cash to rely upon a comprehensive federal statute—but none exists and the CFPB is back peddling like crazy on new lending regulations. So payday lenders—be careful what you wish for—you might get it. 

The bottom line to this case is the State of California will enforce predatory lending, brokering of loans, and misrepresentation of loan products and terms. If payday lenders want a unified set of standards, then take the matter up with the CFPB. 

Quick Cash Funding  (10 pages)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/QuickCashFunding2018.pdf

Tom McCurnin is a partner at Barton, Klugman & Oetting in Los Angeles, California.

Tom McCurnin
Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct Phone: (213) 617-6129
Cell (213) 268-8291
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com
Visit our web site at www.bkolaw.com
Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org

Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/leasing_cases.html

 

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Leasing Industry Ads---Help Wanted
Now’s the Time to Apply

Equipment Leasing Account Executive What sets CoreTech apart from other equipment leasing companies is our team members and impeccable reputation. Are you unhappy with the ethics of your company and the promises made to you? Come to Newport Beach and join us. To learn more, please click here www.coretechleasing.com CoreTech specializes in medium to large size companies and firms Over 100 law firms trust CoreTech for their leasing needs, why wouldn't you?

   

 

First Federal Leasing, Richmond, Indiana
No Interim Rent, No Evergreen, 100% Broker Driven

"A high level of service through all aspects of your lease transaction. We are small enough to know you, yet big enough to serve you."
http://firstfederalleasing.com/

Competitive Products and Competitive Rates
“A” Credit Deals
$2,500 – $200,000 Ticket size
Quick turnarounds
Division of First Bank Richmond
Direct access to our staff
100% broker driven
No volume requirements
No direct sales staff
Used equipment allowed
Online application and documentation process
Nationwide Funder
No Interim Rents
No Ever-greening
http://firstfederalleasing.com/ffl-distinction/

In 1989, First Bank Richmond created First Federal Leasing to support the needs of small businesses across the country.  From the beginning, we built our leasing department on third party originated deals and we are committed to remaining 100% broker driven.

As a division of First Bank Richmond, we are uniquely positioned to offer our brokers competitive product choices and flexible term options that work for today’s business owner.  First Federal Leasing remains committed to providing great service to our brokers and their customers.  We like to say our operation is small enough that you can speak directly with the decision-makers, yet savvy enough to be able to read and understand your deal.
http://firstfederalleasing.com/about-us/

Broker Applications:
http://firstfederalleasing.com/broker-applications/

Contact Us:
http://firstfederalleasing.com/contact-us/

 

 

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Accounting Changes Happening this Year

It's hard to argue with the SEC's position that off-balance-sheet treatment of leases allow companies to easily make a finance purchase appear like a rental contract. Using current accounting standards, lessees are able to legally keep over 85 percent of an estimated $3.3 trillion of leasing commitments off their balance sheets, according to LeaseAccelerator. While most public companies for IFRS and FASB (GAAP) deadlines are in 2019 or 2020 depending upon the fiscal year calendar for a particular company, the SEC requires comparative parallel income statements for transactions, which for many will have to begin reporting in 2017 (depending on year-end).

So, how much of the leasing industry would be affected by these accounting rule changes? Since the SEC estimates that 63% of public companies use operating leases, and the estimated total cash flows related to non-cancelable operating leases outweighs the cash flows related to capital leases by more than 25 to 1, a significant percentage of the equipment leasing industry will be affected by the changes.

What will lessors and leasing sales professionals do if off-balance-sheet financing disappears and leasing products must be justified solely on economic terms? Without the advantages of off-balance-sheet leases, lessors will somehow have to position themselves as viable alternatives to basic interest-rate-spread lenders.

For those involved in structured transactions, if you don’t have a game plan in place for the new accounting environment, you may be left behind. The value propositions of lessors will need to emphasize creative financing products that address their customers' pressing business problems, expertise in asset and risk management, and other operational benefits of leasing.

Whether or not the client requests a Capital Lease to take advantage of depreciation programs or not, the sizzle of leasing in the sales presentation will change. Perhaps there will be more Equipment Finance Agreement contracts introduced. Perhaps Alternate Financing will be replacing many leasing companies.

The end of true leases for the small and middle marketplace will surely present true challenges for the industry. Leasing industry boosters will no doubt argue that just as the industry survived and prospered after the repeal of the Investment Tax Credit, ways will be found to survive future changes in accounting rules. Having met a great many smart, creative leasing industry veterans, I would bet on this argument.

Steve Chriest is the CEO of Open Advance and author of “Selling to the E-Suite, The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives and Business Acumen 101.” He produces video and radio blogs, as well as continuing as a columnist for Leasing News since 2005.

www.openadvance.com/contact/
925-263-2702
www.openadvance.com/

 

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Highlights Marlin Business Service’s
10K 120 Page Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2017

At December 31, 2017, we had approximately 91,000 active Equipment Finance leases and loans in our portfolio, representing a period ending net investment in Equipment Finance lease and loans, excluding the allowance for credit losses, of $901.1 million. With respect to our portfolio at December 31, 2017:

• the average original Equipment Finance lease and loan transaction was approximately $16,000, with an average remaining balance of approximately $11,000;

• the average original Equipment Finance lease and loan term was approximately 48 months;

• our active Equipment Finance lease and loans were spread among approximately 77,000 different small business customers, with the largest single small business customer accounting for only 0.10% of the aggregate Equipment Finance minimum lease and loan payments receivable;

• over 78.0% of the aggregate minimum Equipment Finance lease and loan payments receivable were with small business customers who had been in business for more than five years;

• the portfolio was spread among 12,711 origination partners, with the largest source accounting for only 2.09% of the aggregate Equipment Finance minimum lease and loan payments receivable, and our 10 largest origination partners accounting for only 11.1% of the aggregate Equipment Finance minimum lease and loan payments receivable;

there were over 100 different equipment categories financed, with the largest categories set forth as follows, as a percentage of the December 31, 2017 aggregate Equipment Finance minimum lease and loan payments receivable:

We had leases outstanding with small business customers located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with our largest states of origination set forth below, as a percentage of the December 31, 2017 aggregate minimum lease payments receivable:

            page  8

Our leases offer our small business customers the option to own the equipment at lease expiration. As of December 31, 2017, approximately 70% of our leases were one dollar purchase option leases, 29% were fair market value leases and less than 1% were fixed purchase option leases, the latter of which typically contain an end of term purchase option equal to 10% of the original equipment cost.

As of December 31, 2017, there were $26.9 million of residual assets retained on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, of which $22.6 million, or 84.8%, were related to copiers. As of December 31, 2016, there were $26.8 million of residual assets retained on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, of which $22.5 million, or 83.8%, were related to copiers. No other group of equipment represented more than 10% of equipment residuals as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Improvements in technology and other market changes, particularly in copiers, could adversely impact our ability to realize the recorded residual values of this equipment.

Fee income included approximately $3.6 million, $4.1 million and $3.8 million of net residual income for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Net residual income includes income from lease renewals and gains and losses on the realization of residual values of leased equipment disposed at the end of term as further described below.

Our leases generally include renewal provisions and many leases continue beyond their initial contractual term. Based on the Company’s experience, the amount of ultimate realization of the residual value tends to relate more to the customer’s election at the end of the lease term to enter into a renewal period, purchase the leased equipment or return the leased equipment than it does to the equipment type. We consider renewal income a component of residual performance. Renewal income, net of depreciation, totaled approximately $4.7 million, $5.0 million and $4.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

(page 51)

Indirect Channels. Our direct sales origination channels, which account for approximately 87% of the active lease contracts in our portfolio, involve:

Independent Equipment Dealer Solicitations. This origination channel focuses on soliciting and establishing relationships with independent equipment dealers in a variety of equipment categories located across the United States. Our typical independent equipment dealer has less than $12.0 million in annual revenues and fewer than 50 employees. Service is a key determinant in becoming the preferred provider of financing recommended by these equipment dealers.

Major and National Accounts. This channel focuses on two specific areas of development: (i) national equipment manufacturers and distributors, where we seek to leverage their endorsements to become the preferred lease financing source for their independent dealers, and (ii) major accounts (larger independent dealers, distributors and manufacturers) with a consistent flow of business that need a specialized marketing and sales platform to convert more sales using a leasing option.

Brokers. Our broker channels account for approximately 13% of the active lease contracts in our portfolio and consist of our relationships with lease brokers and certain equipment dealers who refer small business customer transactions to us for a fee or sell us leases that they originated with small business customers. We conduct our own independent credit analysis on each small business customer in a broker lease transaction. We have written agreements with most of our broker origination partners whereby they provide us with certain representations and warranties about the underlying lease transaction. The origination partners in our broker channels generate leases that are similar to those generated by our direct channels.

Direct Channel: This channel focuses primarily on soliciting our existing portfolio of approximately 77,000 small business customers for additional equipment leasing or working capital opportunities. We view our existing small business customers as an excellent source for additional business for various reasons, including (i) retained credit information; (ii) payment history; and (iii) a demonstrated propensity to finance their equipment.

(page 5)

Credit underwriting is separately performed and managed apart from asset origination. Credit analysts are located in our New Jersey corporate office and at MBB’s office in Salt Lake City, Utah. At December 31, 2017 we had a total of 18 credit analysts and managers with an average of approximately 17 years of experience. Each credit analysts performance is measured monthly against a discrete set of performance variables, including decision turnaround time, performance metrics and adherence to our underwriting policies and procedures.

(page 9)

As of December 31, 2017, we employed 330 people.

(page 18)

At December 31, 2017, we operated from eight leased facilities including our executive office facility, branch offices and the headquarters of MBB. Our Mount Laurel, New Jersey executive offices are housed in a leased facility of approximately 50,000 square feet under a lease that expires in May 2020. In addition, we have a regional office in Johns Creek, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta). Our Georgia office is 3,085 square feet and the lease expires in June 2019. The headquarters of MBB in Salt Lake City, Utah is 4,399 square feet and the lease expires in December 2020. We also lease office space in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Highlands Ranch, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; and Plymouth, Michigan on a
month-to-month basis.

In February 2013, the Company extended its lease agreement on its executive offices in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. The original expiration date of May 2013 was extended to May 2020, with an expected obligation of approximately $1.1 million per year. Concurrently, the Company also entered into a lease agreement for an additional 9,700 square feet at the same location, which commenced in June 2014 and expires in May 2020. The expected annual obligation under such lease is approximately $0.2 million per year.

In July 2014, the Company extended its lease agreement on its office in Salt Lake City, Utah. The extended term commenced in November 2014 and expires in December 2020, with an expected obligation of approximately $0.1 million per year.

(page 25)

Other Income.
 Other income includes various administrative transaction fees, insurance policy fees, fees received from referral of leases to third parties, and gain on sale of leases and servicing fees, recognized as earned. Effective third quarter 2016, on a prospective basis, the insurance policy fees are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in “Other income”and for all previous annual and interim periods are recorded net in Insurance premiums written and earned.

”Selected major components of other income for the year ended December 31, 2017 included $2.5 million of referral income, $1.8 million of insurance policy fees, and $3.7 million gain on the sale of leases and servicing fee income. Selected major components of other income for the year ended December 31, 2016 included $0.5 million of referral income, $0.8 million of insurance policy fees, and $0.7 million gain on the sale of leases and servicing fee income. Selected major components of other income for the year ended December 31, 2015 included $0.4 million of referral income and $0.1 million gain on the sale of leases and servicing fee income.

For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, insurance premiums written and earned were $7.2 million, $6.2 million, and $5.5 million respectively.

(page 36)
.
General and administrative expense increased $8.8 million, or 45.1%, to $28.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $19.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.

(page 41)

Full 10K Report (120 pages with full financial statements)
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Marlin10Q_2018.pdf

 

 

https://www.statista.com/chart/13162/proportion-of-female-ceos-is-hugely-overestimated/

 

Rottweiler & Shepherd Mix
Richmond, Indiana  Adopt a Dog

Taggart
Housetrained
Good in a home with dogs, cats, children
Health: Vaccinations up to date, special needs.
Taggart has laryngeal paralysis which affects his vocal cords.

"Taggart has what is called laryngeal paralysis. It is where his vocal cords could swell if he is stressed too much. The vet is not too concerned about it as he was born this way and he knows when to calm himself down. He can never be sedated for any type of surgery. Trust us that does not stop him. He is such a fun loving guy. He loves to play and will drop his toy, sit, lay down and shake with both paws on command."

A 2nd Chance Animal Rescue
of Richmond, Inc.
2905 US 35 N
Richmond, IN 47374
2ndchancerescueinc@gmail.com
765-914-6510

Adoption $90
Includes all age appropriate shots and microchip
Application:
http://www.2ndchancerescueinc.org/adoption-application.html

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

 

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Why Participate in the ELFA Funding Conference?
63 Funding Sources to Date April 10-12

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association National Funding Conference is scheduled April 10-12 at the Swissôtel Chicago. 2018 should be a positive year for funding, as a strengthening U.S. economy and elevated propensity to finance should propel growth in the equipment finance sector.

Why participate as a funding source exhibitor this year? As a funding source, you are in the best position to fuel this growth. The ELFA National Funding Conference provides you the platform to meet and do business with diverse companies from across the industry. The conference is structured so that you get “face time” with the people you want to meet, so you can consider the transactions attractive to you.

Why participate as an attendee this year? There is no better opportunity to get the funding you need than by registering for this conference. Equipment finance companies have relied on this annual event to reconnect with current funding sources and make contact with new funding sources who want their business. For many who attend, this is the most productive two days of the year. To date, 63 funding sources have already registered to exhibit and are eager to do business with you.

Register for the National Funding Conference today at
https://www.elfaonline.org/events/2018/national-funding-conference

News Briefs----

Fintechs are disrupting banks? Myth
  What is the Impact Here?
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fintechs-disrupting-banks-myth-laura-proffitt/?trackingId=NNOQAxeTbemoeB1tpwhmcw%3D%3D

Amazon hiring head of newly-formed
   mortgage lending division
https://www.housingwire.com/blogs/1-rewired/post/42706-amazon-hiring-head-of-newly-formed-mortgage-lending-division

Purpose Financial Acquires Thinking Capital
 in Montreal for Reported $200 Million
https://betakit.com/purpose-financial-acquires-thinking-capital-for-reported-200-million/

Lease Protection Bill Clears Vermont Senate Hurdle
  Aimed at Lease Credit Card Terminal Lessors
https://vtdigger.org/2018/03/09/consumer-protection-bill-clears-senate-hurdle/   

 

 

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You May Have Missed---

A Passenger Sued Southwest Airlines for Exactly $74,999
  and It's Totally Brilliant. Here's Why
https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/a-passenger-sued-southwest-airlines-for-exactly-74999-its-totally-brilliant-heres-why.html

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Daylight Savings Time

 
In spring when maple buds are red,
We turn the clock an hour ahead;
Which means, each April that arrives,
We lose an hour out of our lives.

Who cares? When autumn birds in flocks
Fly southward, back we turn the clocks,
And so regain a lovely thing
That missing hour we lost in spring.

Phyllis McGinley

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Sports Briefs---

The real Richard Sherman numbers
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/11/the-real-richard-sherman-numbers/

Tiger Woods’ magic emerges and vanishes on thrilling Sunday
https://nypost.com/2018/03/11/tiger-woods-magic-emerges-and-vanishes-on-thrilling-sunday/

 Jon Gruden is face of Raiders, and Mark Davis is OK with that
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/8095723-181/barber-jon-gruden-is-face

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California Nuts Briefs---

Pathway veterans program closed indefinitely
  amid probes of security, gunman
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Yountville-veterans-facility-closed-indefinitely-12745062.php

U-Haul prices reflect growing push to leave Silicon Valley
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/03/08/u-haul-prices-reflect-growing-push-to-leave-silicon-valley/

San Rafael honors neighborhood grocer with civic award
http://www.marinij.com/business/20180311/san-rafael-honors-neighborhood-grocer-with-civic-award

Bus program sends homeless people out of San Diego
  to live with relatives in other cities
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/homelessness/sd-me-homeless-reunification-20180220-story.html

High speed, high cost: Bullet train price tag reaches $77.3 billion,
   four years behind schedule
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/03/09/high-speed-high-cost-bullet-train-price-tag-surges-20-35-percent/

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

Healdsburg’s Banshee Wines finds peace from deal
   with billionaire wine owner Bill Foley
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/8081622-181/healdsburgs-banshee-wines-finds-peace

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

This Day in History

     1609 - Quite by accident, Bermuda was colonized as part of the British Empire. The ship of Admiral Sir George Somers, taking settlers to Virginia, was wrecked on the reefs of Bermuda. The islands had been discovered in the early 1500s, but were uninhabited until 1609. It actually saved the crew,
who did eventually make it to Jamestown. The island then became a favorite
of the British, as well as the original rendezvous for those who cross the ocean to the New World.
    1613 - The first colonial warfare between England and France in America occurred at Mount Desert, ME, where Father Pierre Biard, superior of Saint Sauveur, had established a settlement of French Jesuits. The settlement was attacked by an English expedition under the command of Captain Samuel Argall. His aim was to suppress piracy and defend England’s claim to the country, which was based on explorations made by John and Sebastian Cabot in the 15th and 16th centuries. The seas around this area were also ripe with fish and European countries would set sail for the area just
for the fishing.
    1664 - The Duke of York obtains a grant that gives him authority over all lands between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers. This land grant includes all Dutch holdings in North America.  New Jersey became a British colony.
    .
    1755 – The first steam engine in America was installed, to pump water from a mine.
    1773 - French-African Jeanne Baptiste Pointe de Sable founded the settlement now known as Chicago, Ill.
http://www.choosechicago.com/HISTORY.HTM
http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/timeline/dusable.html
    1831- Clement Studebaker (d. 1901) was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Clement and his brother, Henry Studebaker, founded H. & C. Studebaker, a blacksmith and wagon building business in South Bend, Indiana. The Studebaker brothers made their fortune manufacturing carriages for the Union Army during the Civil War. By the end of the war, the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company had become the world's largest manufacturer of horse-drawn carriages. With the advent of the automobile, Studebaker converted its business to car manufacturing, becoming one of the larger independent automobile manufacturers. Another major war would affect the company's fortune almost a century after its founders had benefited from the demand caused by the Civil War. During World War II, Studebaker manufactured airplane engines, trucks, and weasels (small military vehicles) for the war effort. Like many of the independents, Studebaker fared well during the war by producing affordable family cars. As their advertisement claimed, "Studebaker is building an unlimited quantity of airplane engines, military trucks, and other materiel for national defense... and a limited number of passenger cars, which are the finest Studebaker has ever produced." However, after the war, the Big Three--GM, Ford, and Chrysler--bolstered by their new government-subsidized production facilities, were too much for many of the independents, and Studebaker was no exception. Post-WWII competition drove Studebaker to its limits, and the company was absorbed by the Packard Corporation in 1954.
    1850 - The US issued the first $20 gold piece.
    1858 – Birthday of Adolph Ochs (d. 1935) in Cincinnati.  He was a newspaper publisher and former owner of “The New York Times” and “Chattanooga Times.”
    1860 - Congress accepted the Pre-emption Bill that granted free land in the West for colonists
    1864 - Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to the rank of general-in-chief of the Union armies in the Civil War by President Abraham Lincoln.
    1864 – The Red River Campaign began as a US Navy fleet of 13 Ironclads and 7 Gunboats and other support ships enter the Red River in Louisiana.
    1868 - Congress abolished the manufacturers' tax
    1877 - David McKendree Key served as Postmaster General in the cabinet of President Rutherford B. Hayes until August 24, 1880. McKendree Key was a lieutenant colonel in the 43rd regiment of Tennessee and had been wounded and captured at Vicksburg. He also was a U.S. Senator. The appointment was quite controversial at the time.  His appointment was part of the Compromise of 1877, implemented to ensure there was Democratic power in the Republican cabinet. Key's work as Postmaster General is harshly criticized by Mark Twain in “The Autobiography of Mark Twain.”
    1884 - The State of Mississippi authorized the first state-supported college for women. It was called the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College.    
    1888 - One of the most devastating blizzards to hit the northeastern US began in the early hours of Monday. A snowfall of 40-50 inches, accompanied by gale-force winds, left drifts as high as 30-40 feet. More than 400 persons died in the storm (200 at New York City alone). Some survivors of the storm, known as "The Blizzard Men of 1888,” held annual meetings at New York City as late as 1941 to recount personal recollections of the event.
    1894 – Coca-Cola was bottled and sold for the first time in Vicksburg, MI by local soda fountain operator Joseph Biedenharn.
    1894 - Pittsburgh issued free season tickets for ladies on Tuesdays and Fridays
    1896 - Jesse "Lone Cat" Fuller (d. 1976) born, Jonesboro, Georgia. A country blues singer and one-man-band, he wrote the classic "San Francisco Bay Blues," among many other songs, and influenced numerous early-60s white folk-blues artists.
http://www.taco.com/roots/fuller.html
    1901 - Andrew Carnegie donates $5.2 million to build 65 branch libraries in New York. Between 1900 and his death in 1919, Carnegie used his vast his riches to establish over 2500 libraries. He believed reading to be very important. In 1775, less than 60% could read, not including slaves who were less literate, and women, reportedly 75% of whom could not read or write. The free education system through reading brought equality and a better quality of life for the entire country.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar12.html
    1901 – Groundbreaking began for the Boston Americans’ first ballpark, the Huntington Avenue grounds.
    1903 - One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Baltimore Orioles, moved to New York City and became the New York Highlanders, before taking the "Yankees" as their official name in 1913.
    1904 - Raphael Hawaweeny was ordained Eastern Orthodox bishop of Brooklyn, NY, at St. Nicholas Church. As a vicar under the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia, Hawaweeny thus became the first Russian Orthodox bishop ordained in America.
    1910 – Boxer “Two Ton” Tony Galento was born Domenico Antonio Galento (d. 1979) in Orange, NJ.  Galento was one of the most colorful fighters in the history of the sport. He wrestled an octopus, boxed a kangaroo and a 550 lb. bear as publicity stunts for his fights. On June 28, 1939, he fought champ Joe Louis at Yankee Stadium.  The short, balding Galento stunned the crowd, and his opponent, by staggering and hurting Louis with a powerful left hook in the first round. In the third round, Louis was hitting Galento with combinations when Galento caught him with a wild left hook and Louis went down. The fourth round was brutal for Galento. Louis hit him with murderous combinations which forced the referee to finally stop the bout. 
    1912 - Juliet Low founded the Girl Scouts of the USA at Savannah, Georgia. As is the tradition, Girl Scout cookies are on sale during this week. At first, the girls weren’t called Girl Scouts at all. They were called Girl Guides until the name was officially changed a short time after the group’s founding.
    1917 - Earl Heywood (d. 2006), known as "Canada's Number-One Cowboy Singer," was born in London, Ontario. He began his career in 1941 on CFCO in Chatham, Ontario. The following year he moved to CKNX in Wingham, where he remained as a singer and announcer for more than 35 years. Heywood appeared for almost 20 years on the weekly "CKNX Barn Dance" and was host for "Serenade Ranch" from 1946 to 1953. Heywood and his Serenade Ranch Boys recorded 18 songs for RCA Victor, the most popular of which was "Alberta Waltz."
http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/artist_details.cfm?artistid=12027
    1917 - Chess record producer Leonard S. Chess was born Lejzor Shmuel Czyż (d. 1969) in Motol, Poland.  Without the two Chess brothers, most of the blues songs would not have been recorded nor influenced the rock ’n’ roll musicians that followed.  Leonard bought a stake in a record company called Aristocrat Records in 1947.  In 1950, Leonard brought his brother, Phil, into the operation and they became sole owners of the company, renaming it as Chess Records.  In 1951, the Chess brothers began an association with Sam Phillips’ Memphis recording studio.   One of the most important recordings that Phillips gave to Chess was "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brentson and His Delta Cats which topped Billboard’s R&B chart and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 because of its influence as a rock ‘n’ roll single.  One of the most important artists that came out of Memphis was Howlin’ Wolf, who stayed with the label until his death in 1976. Many songs created by Chess artists were later reproduced by many famous rock ’n’ roll bands and artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and Eric Clapton. Some of the core riffs created by Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and others were the basis of a wide amount of early rock ’n’ roll.
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,414291,00.htm
l?artist=Leonard+Chess
http://www.cnn.com/2000/books/news/09/08/arts.us.bluesintogold.ap/
http://www.saveamericastreasures.org/profiles/chess.htm
    1917 - A German submarine sunk an unarmed US merchant ship, the 'Algonquin,' on the same day that President Woodrow Wilson gave an executive order to arm US merchant ships
    1918 - Organ player Charles Thompson (d. 2016) born Springfield, OH.
http://search.centerstage.net/music/articles/charlesthompson.html
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~steveja7/SCT.htm
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reviews/r1200_137.htm
    1921 – Actor, singer Gordon McRae (d. 1986) was born in East Orange, NJ.  Best known for his appearances in the film versions of musicals “Oklahoma!” (1955) and “Carousel” (1956), and playing Bill Sherman in “On Moonlight Bay” (1951) and “By the Light of The Silvery Moon” (1953). 
    1921 – Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis suspended eight members of the Chicago White Sox for their alleged involvement in fixing the 1919 World Series. The group includes outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson, who batted .375 in the Series. Others banned are Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams.  None of them will ever play in organized baseball again.
    1922 - American poet and novelist Jack (Jean-Louis) Kerouac (d. 1969), leader and spokesman for the Beat movement, was born at Lowell, MA. Kerouac is best known for his novel “On the Road,” published in 1957. It celebrates the Beat ideal of nonconformity. Kerouac published “The Dharma Bums” in 1958, followed by “The Subterraneans” the same year, “Doctor Sax” and its sequel “Maggie Cassidy” in 1959; “Lonesome Traveler” in 1960, “Big Sur” in 1962 and “Desolation Angels” in 1965. A previously unpublished part of “On the Road” called “Visions of Cody” was published posthumously in 1972.
http://www.levity.com/corduroy/kerouac.htm
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/kerouac.htm
    1923 - The first movie with sound was shown before the New York Electrical Society in New York City by Dr. Lee De Forest. Called “The Gavote,” it showed a man and woman dancing to old-time music performed by four musicians playing on wind, percussion and string instruments. An Egyptian dance “trailer” was also shown. No voices were heard, only music. As a pioneer of ‘modern’ radio in the early 1900’s, DeForest called his invention phonofilm. Today it's called soundtrack.
    1923 – Astronaut Wally Schirra (d. 2007) was born in Hackensack, NJ.  Schirra was one of the original seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, America's first effort to put humans in space. He flew the six-orbit, nine-hour Mercury-Atlas 8 mission on October 3, 1962, becoming the fifth American, and the ninth human, to ride a rocket into space.    
    1926 - “The Home of the Happy Feet,” Harlem’s famous Savoy Ballroom opens. “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” was one of Count Basie’s and Benny Goodman’s hits. The entrance fee was very small and often the crowd was 15% to 25% white. Supposedly the room was very well lit so you could view other dancers and it was very well-ventilated. (In the days before air conditioning this was very important.)
http://www.findarticles.com/g1epc/tov/2419101066/p1/article.jhtml
http://www.savoyplaque.org/about_savoy.htm
http://www.savoyballroom.com/
http://www.savoystyle.com/history.html
http://www.savoystyle.com/movies.html
    1928 - Sax player Willie Maiden (d. 1976) born Detroit MI
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,462246,00.html?
artist=Willie+Maiden
    1928 - The St. Francis Dam 40 miles north of Los Angeles burst and flooded the San Francisquito Canyon. Over 500 people were drowned.
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/la/scandals/st_francis_dam.html
http://seis.natsci.csulb.edu/VIRTUAL_FIELD
/Francesquito_Dam/franmain.htm
    1931 – The co-founder of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, was born in Camden, NJ.
    1933 - Eight days after he was inaugurated, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave his first presidential address to the nation, the first of his famous "Fireside Chats." The name was coined by newsman, Robert Trout, who thought the President sounded as if he was sitting in living rooms all over the nation, next to a roaring fire.  Speaking by radio from the White House, he reported rather informally on the economic problems of the nation and on his actions to deal with them. His subject was the reopening of the banks during the following week.
    1935 - Pari-mutuel betting came into being as horse race bets were legalized in Nebraska. Today, there are still states where horse racing, betting, or other forms gambling still bother legislatures, despite the fact that other states have been participating in these activities for years.
    1935 - Pianist Hugh Lawson (d. 1997) was born Detroit, MI.
http://www.52ndstreet.com/reviews/reissues/lawsoncolours.reissues.html
    1939 - Artie Shaw and his band recorded "Deep Purple" for the Bluebird label. After the first minute, you can hear Helen Forrest sing the vocal refrain. Larry Clinton had a number one song with a similar arrangement of the same song this same year. In 1963, it was a hit for saxophonist, Nino Tempo and his sister, April Stevens. Hundreds of versions of this song have been recorded.
    1940 - Singer Al Jarreau (d. 2017) born Milwaukee, WI. 
http://www.aljarreau.com/biography.html    
    1945 – New York became the first state to prohibit employment discrimination by race or creed.
    1946 - The filming of the controversial “Forever Amber” began in Hollywood, with a record-breaking $3 million budget. The film, based on the steamy best-selling novel by Kathleen Winsor which was banned in Australia, starred Linda Darnell, Cornel Wilde, George Sanders, Richard Haydn, Leo G. Carroll, and Jessica Tandy. The film went way over budget, ultimately costing $6.5 million, or $2.5 million more than “Gone with the Wind” less than a decade earlier. The film's budget skyrocketed partly because Darnell replaced actress Peggy Cummins in the lead role after she was fired, which forced a temporary production shut-down. Despite its stellar cast, superb musical score, expensive costumes, and ambitious plans, the 140-minute epic was a big flop at the box office.
http://www.norcalmovies.com/ForeverAmber/
    1946 - Vocalist Liza Minnelli was born in Hollywood, CA, the daughter of legendary singer Judy Garland and film director Vincent Minnelli. She made her professional debut at the age of three in a quick role in the film "In the Good Old Summertime," directed by her father and starring her mother. But Liza Minnelli soon dispelled notions that she was coasting on her parents' reputations. When she was 19, she became the youngest performer to win a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway musical "Flora, the Red Menace." Six years later, she was a star of the first magnitude, capturing an Oscar for her singing, dancing, and acting in "Cabaret."
http://www.lizamay.com/
    1947 – President Harry S. Truman asks Congress for "anticommunist" aid to Greece and Turkey. The speech is dubbed as the Truman Doctrine and officially ushers in the Cold War era. President Truman declares the U.S. must help "free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." President Truman declares the world "must choose between alternative ways of life." One based on "the will of the majority . . . distinguished by free institutions"; the other on "the will of a minority . . . terror and oppression . . . the suppression of personal freedoms."
http://www.picturehistory.com/find/p/17456/mcms.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ht33.html
    1947 – Mitt Romney was born Willard Mitt Romney in Detroit.  Son of former presidential candidate and American Motors CEO, George Romney, Mitt was formerly CEO of Bain Capital before entering politics in 1994.  He was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002 after chairing the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.  After failing to gain the Republican Presidential nomination 2008, he was successful in 2012 but lost to incumbent president Barack Obama.
    1948 - Singer/composer James Taylor was born in Boston, MA. His first professional experience was with a rock band called the Flying Machine. Then came his first solo album for the Beatles' Apple Records. It didn't do very well, but after a switch to Warner Brothers, he hit it big. Taylor's second album, "Sweet Baby James," sold three-million copies. "Fire and Rain" from that LP hit the top of the singles chart in 1970 and helped make James Taylor a household name. He won a Grammy Award in 1978 for his recording of "Handy Man," a slowed-down version of the old Jimmy Jones rock 'n' roll song. Taylor married singer Carly Simon in 1972, but she sued for divorce ten years later.
http://www.james-taylor.com/
    1951 - WOMACK, BRYANT E., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Company, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Sokso-ri, Korea, 12 March 1952. Entered service at: Mill Springs, N.C. Birth: Mill Springs, N.C. G.O. No.: 5, 12 January 1953. Citation: Pfc. Womack distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Pfc. Womack was the only medical aid man attached to a night combat patrol when sudden contact with a numerically superior enemy produced numerous casualties. Pfc. Womack went immediately to their aid, although this necessitated exposing himself to a devastating hail of enemy fire, during which he was seriously wounded. Refusing medical aid for himself, he continued moving among his comrades to administer aid. While he was aiding 1 man, he was again struck by enemy mortar fire, this time suffering the loss of his right arm. Although he knew the consequences should immediate aid not be administered, he still refused aid and insisted that all efforts be made for the benefit of others that were wounded. Although unable to perform the task himself, he remained on the scene and directed others in first aid techniques. The last man to withdraw, he walked until he collapsed from loss of blood, and died a few minutes later while being carried by his comrades. The extraordinary heroism, outstanding courage, and unswerving devotion to his duties displayed by Pfc. Womack reflect the utmost distinction upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army.
    1951 - The cartoon "Dennis the Menace" by Hank Ketcham made its syndicated debut in 16 newspapers.
    1951 - Top Hits
“If” - Perry Como
“My Heart Cries for You” - Guy Mitchell
“Be My Love” - Mario Lanza
“There’s Been a Change in Me” - Eddy Arnold
    1951 – The owners of Major League Baseball voted 9-7 against the renewal of Commissioner A.B. ‘Happy’ Chandler’s contract.
    1954 - A bridge hand in which each player was dealt a perfect hand of 13 cards of the same suit occurred at Cranston, RI. Irene Motta bid seven hearts and won the bid.
    1954 - A blizzard raged from eastern Wyoming into the Black Hills of western South Dakota while a severe ice storm was in progress from northeastern Nebraska to central Iowa. The ice storm isolated 153 towns in Iowa. Dust from the Great Plains caused brown snow, while hail and muddy rain fell over parts of Wisconsin and Michigan.
    1955 - “Bird Lives.” Jazz alto saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker dies in New York City of heart failure.  He more-or-less invented the be-bop form of music and just the week before played at the New York City jazz club Birdland, which was named after him. Charlie Parker was 34 years old. Among several streets in New York, written in chalk on the sidewalk, “The Bird Lives." The tradition continues on this day, at least here in Saratoga, California.
http://www.chasinthebird.com
http://www.abraxis.com/cmjazz/Parker.html 
http://www.cmgww.com/music/parker/bio.html
http://www.charlieparkerresidence.net/ (national register of historic places)
    1955 - One of the great groups of jazz appeared for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Dave Brubeck Quartet presented a magnificent concert for jazz fans. Joining with Brubeck, in what would become one of the most popular concert draws on college campuses, were names that would become legends in their own right, including Paul Desmond on alto sax, Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass.
http://www.cosmopolis.ch/english/cosmo17/dave_brubeck.htm
    1956 - Dick Farley of the Syracuse Nationals fouled out on an NBA game against the St. Louis Hawks after playing just five minutes, the fastest disqualification in league history.
    1956 – Former Atlanta Braves slugger Dale Murphy was born in Portland, OR.  During an 18-year baseball career, 1976–1993, he played for three different teams, but is noted for his time with the Braves. Murphy won consecutive National League MVP Awards (1982–1983), the National League's Silver Slugger Award four straight years (1982–1985), and the National League's Gold Glove award five straight years (1982–1986).
    1959 - Top Hits
“Venus” - Frankie Avalon
“Charlie Brown” - The Coasters
“Alvin’s Harmonica” - David Seville & The Chipmunks
“Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” - Johnny Cash
    1959 - Congress approved the admission of Hawaii as the 50th state in the U.S.
    1962 – Darryl Strawberry was born in LA.  He was a four-time World Series champ (Mets, 1986, Yankees, 1998-2000) whose career is discussed in terms of what might have been had he not succumbed to cocaine.
    1964 - Malcolm X confirms his resignation from Nation of Islam
http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/bio.html
    1964 - Teamsters union President James Hoffa was found guilty and sentenced to eight years on bribery charges. He had been on trial 4 times earlier but had not been found guilty.  He appealed against the convictions and in 1966, while still going through the appeal process, he was re-elected in July 1966 despite two prison sentences totaling 13 years hanging over him.  He vanished in mysterious circumstances in 1975 and has never been seen since.  His body has still not been found and no one has been charged.
    1966 - Chicago Blackhawks left wing Bobby Hull became the first NHL player to score more than 50 goals in a season when he tallied his 51st goal of the year against the New York Rangers.
    1966 - In San Francisco, The Alligator Clip, the Charlatans, Sopwith Camel, and Duncan Blue Boy and his Cosmic Yo-Yo, at the Firehouse on Sacramento Street.
    1966 – Jockey Johnny Longden retired from racing with 6,032 wins after 40 years.
    1967 - Top Hits
“Love is Here and Now You’re Gone” - The Supremes
“Baby I Need Your Lovin’” - Johnny Rivers
“Penny Lane” - The Beatles
“The Fugitive” - Merle Haggard
    1967 - A tremendous 4 day storm was in progress across California. Winds to 90 mph closed mountain passes, heavy rains flooded the lowlands, and in 60 hours Squaw Valley was buried under 96 inches of snow.
    1968 - McCarthy does well in the Democratic primary. Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-Minnesota), an outspoken critic of the Johnson administration's policies in Vietnam, polls 42 percent of the vote in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary. President Lyndon B. Johnson got 48 percent. A Harris poll later showed that anti-Johnson, rather than antiwar, sentiment provided the basis for McCarthy's surprisingly strong performance.
McCarthy had been a contender to be President Lyndon B. Johnson's running mate in the 1964 election, but since then he had become increasingly disenchanted with Johnson's policies in Vietnam and the escalation of the war. In 1967, he published “The Limits of Power”, an assessment of U.S. foreign policy that was very critical of the Johnson administration. McCarthy announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in January, 1968, saying that he hoped to harness the growing antiwar sentiment in the country, particularly among the young. His showing in the New Hampshire primary astonished most of the political pundits. Johnson, frustrated with his inability to reach a solution in Vietnam and stunned by his narrow victory in New Hampshire, announced on March 31, 1968, that he “would neither seek nor accept the nomination of his party for re-election.” The rest of McCarthy's campaign was almost an anticlimax. Senator Robert Kennedy of New York entered the race and won most of the Democratic primaries until his assassination in June. When the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago, a conflict immediately erupted over the party's Vietnam platform. While demonstrations against the war took place in the streets outside the convention hall, Vice President Hubert Humphrey won the party nomination. Humphrey was defeated in the general election by Republican Richard Nixon. McCarthy retired from the Senate in 1971, but his surprising showing in the primary was evidence of the strong antiwar sentiment in the country.
    1969 - Paul McCartney marries photographer Linda Eastman. Contrary to the popular rumor of the day, she is not related to the Eastmans of Eastman-Kodak fame. Paul's brother, Mike McGear is the best man. None of the other Beatles is in attendance. 
    1972 – Gordie Howe retired from the NHL after 26 seasons.
    1974 - "Wonder Woman" debuted on ABC-TV, although it eventually moved to CBS. It starred Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman, whose real name was Diana Prince. Wonder Girl, Diana's sister, was Donna Troy.
http://timstvshowcase.com/wonderwomanbak.jpg
    1975 - Top Hits
“Have You Never Been Mellow” - Olivia Newton-John
“Black Water” - The Doobie Brothers
“My Eyes Adored You” - Frankie Valli
“Linda on My Mind” - Conway Twitty 
    1980 - A jury convicted John Wayne Gacy Jr. of the murders of 33 boys and young men.  He had admitted the murders but he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.  He had started his murders in 1972 and continued into 1978 when he was caught.  27 victims were found in a crawl space under the floor of his house and others were found in nearby rivers.  The sentence was 21 consecutive life sentences and 12 death sentences.  On May 10, 1994, Gacy was executed at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois, by lethal injection. 
    1983 - U2's "War" enters the British LP chart at #1.
    1983 - Top Hits
“Billy Jean” - Michael Jackson
“Shame on the Moon” - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
“Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” - Culture Club
“The Rose” - Conway Twitty 
    1984 – At  the World Figure Slaking Championships, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean of Great Britain became the first ice dancing team to earn nine perfect marks of 6.0
    1985 - Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics scored a club-record 60 points in a 126-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Bird broke the record previously held by teammate Kevin McHale, who scored 56 points just nine days earlier. 
    1985 - Auto dealer Tom Bensen and several investors plunked down about $64 million to buy the New Orleans Saints NFL team.
  http://www.neworleanssaints.com/stories.php?story_id=8
    1986 - Susan Butcher wins 1,158 mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/but0pro-1
http://www.barberusa.com/motive/butcher_susan.html
    1987 - After breaking all records for advance ticket sales, the British musical “Les Miserables” opened on Broadway.
    1987 - A&M Records presented Special Olympics International with a check for $5 million. It was the first proceeds from sales of "A Very Special Christmas," a collection of yuletide songs by such superstars as Bruce Springsteen, U2, Bon Jovi, and Run-DMC.
    1989 - An early season heat wave continued in the southwestern and central U.S. Nineteen cities reported record high temperatures for the date. Wichita Falls, TX, which six days earlier reported a record low of 8 above, reported a record high of 95 degrees. Childress, TX was the first spot in the country in 1989 to hit the century mark
    1990 - Unseasonably warm temperatures occurred from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic coast. Over 90 high temperature records for this date were broken or tied. Many of the records were topped by 15 degrees or more and some of the records broken had been set 100 years ago or more. The high temperature for the nation was recorded in Baltimore, Maryland where the temperature reached 95 degrees. Washington, DC and Richmond, Virginia both recorded 89 degrees.
    1990 – The NFL Los Angeles Raiders, formerly the Oakland Raiders, announced that they are returning to Oakland. 
     1992 – Top Hits
“Someday” - Mariah Carey
“One More Try”- Timmy -T-
“Show Me the Way” - Styx
“I’d Love You All Over Again” - Alan Jackson
    1992 - Eric Clapton appeared on MTV's "Unplugged." His acoustic performance was released as an album, becoming one of his biggest sellers. It included a remake of his 1970 Top-10 hit "Layla," which almost matched the original in popularity. The format produced many other “relaxed, simple, and intimate” performances and records.
    1993 - What was to become the "Great Blizzard of '93" began to develop as a huge mesoscale convective complex formed in the western Gulf of Mexico. As the low pressure area moved eastward and intensified, howling north winds exceeding hurricane force behind the storm were reported by platforms in the Gulf. One platform near 28.5n/ 92.5w recorded sustained winds of 85 mph with gusts to 99 mph. As the low crossed the coast around midnight near Panama City, Florida, the central pressure was already down to 980 millibars (28.94 inches). During the late evening into the early morning hours of the 13th, a vicious squall line swept through Florida and spawned 11 tornadoes resulting in 5 fatalities. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 110 mph at Alligator Point and 109 mph at Dry Tortugas. Extremely high tides occurred along the western Florida coast. A 13-foot storm surge occurred in Taylor County, Florida, resulting in 10 deaths with 57 residences destroyed. Over 500 homes were destroyed with major damage to another 700 structures.
    1993 – Janet Reno was sworn in as the nation’s first female Attorney General.
    1994 - The Church of England broke with 460 years of male dominance when it ordained its first women priests in Bristol Cathedral.
    1996 - Nancy Sinatra gives her famous white go-go boots, the ones that “were made for walkin',” to the Beverly Hills Hard Rock Cafe.
    1996 - Directly contradicting an agreement signed with Netscape the previous day, AOL agrees to use and promote Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser exclusively. In exchange, Microsoft agrees to bundle AOL software with its Windows 95 operating system. The abrupt about-face became an important issue in the Department of Justice's 1998 antitrust suit against Microsoft. A senior vice president at AOL testified that his company had initially avoided selecting the Microsoft browser because Microsoft seemed to be in direct competition with AOL.
    2001 - Richard Hidalgo signs the third-richest contract in Houston Astro history with a four-year, $32 million deal with the club. The outfielder's pact is less than teammate Jeff Bagwell's $85 million (5-years), and Craig Biggio's $33 million (4-years).
    2001 - In a poll conducted by the Recording Industry Association of America, music fans voted Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" as the Song of the Century. The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" came in at #16 and The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was #26. 
    2002 - Andrea Yates, a 37-year-old housewife who drowned her five children in the bathtub of her Texas home in June, 2001, was convicted.
    2003 - The second exhibition season bench-clearing brawl this week occurs as a raging Mike Piazza, after being hit by a pitch, charges the mound in pursuit of Guillermo Mota, who makes to the dugout without being caught. The incident may be a follow-up to an incident the previous spring which resulted in a shoving match after a similar event at which the Met All-Star catcher waited for the Dodger reliever, who was coming off the field in the eighth inning and grabbed him by the jersey.
    2003 - 15-year-old Elizabeth Smart was found in Utah nine months after being kidnapped from her home. Her abductors, an employee who worked at the Smart’s home, and his wife, were captured and were charged of kidnapping, burglary, and sexual assault.
    2006 - Phoenix's record run for dry days finally ends at 143 days. The last measured rain fell on October 18, 2005. Not only did the rain break the dry spell, the 1.40 inches that fell was a record amount for the date.
    2006 - The Chicago Tribune compiled a list of 2,653 C.I.A. employees by searching the Internet. The newspaper stated that Washington was uncertain of whether the Bush Administration had revealed the names of covert C.I.A. operatives to the press, and asserts that getting this sort of information is not difficult. The Tribune reported that it had found the names by searching commercial databases on the Internet. The Tribune's deputy managing editor for news has edited the story, and says that the paper was surprised by how much it could learn from its online sources (including supposedly undercover operatives' names). He said, “We were able to get identities, internal agency telephone numbers and the locations of some two dozen secret C.I.A. facilities around the United States.”  It has not published the names at the C.I.A's request. A C.I.A. spokeswoman has admitted that this will force the Agency to change its methods of protecting information.
    2008 - An all-Beatles-song episode of FOX-TV's “American Idol,” seven years in the making, draws an estimated 31 million viewers.
    2009 - Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty in New York to pulling off perhaps the biggest swindle in Wall Street history.
    2010 - President Bush's top political adviser said he approved of the controversial techniques such as waterboarding. Known as the former president's 'brain,' Karl Rove said he did not believe that this form of interrogation amounted to torture. In an interview with BBC TV, he has claimed that waterboarding has helped prevent further terrorist attacks. 'I'm proud that we used techniques that broke the will of these terrorists and gave us valuable information that allowed us to foil plots.'
    2012 – The US Census Bureau reported that the world population exceeds 7 billion people.
    2013 – The College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church entered the Sistine Chapel to begin voting on a new Pope after Pope Benedict XVI stepped down from the position. A day later, the Cardinals chose Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergolio as the new Pope who took the name Pope Francis. Pope Francis is the first Pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit pope.
    2013 – Google agreed to settle a privacy lawsuit, paying a $7 million fine over its handling of wireless data from early 2008 until spring, 2010.