Position Wanted
Sales

San Francisco Bay Area - Able to work remotely

An experienced sales professional with 11 years total sales experience, 7 of those years which are in the equipment finance and working capital space. Experience in training, mentoring, and leading team of sales reps. Consistently a leader in origination volume, gross margin, and deal profitability.  Knowledge of credit and funding processes will allow me to hit the ground running and drive revenue immediately. Available for immediate hire.

jbp243@gmail.com 
925-698-9327

 

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Leasing News Top Stories
March 18 - March 22

(Stories most opened by readers)

(1) Electronic Signature: What Happens When the Signer
 Disavows Signing It or Claims He/She Did Not Read It?
    By Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_18.htm#electronic

(2) Lawsuit for Website for Disabled Revived
  by Ninth Circuit - What's Next?
    By Tom McCurnin, Leasing News Legal Editor
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_20.htm#lawsuit

(3) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
             and Related Industries
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_22.htm#hires

(4) Happiest and Saddest U.S. States
          Map with Story
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_18.htm#happiest

(5) February, 2019   The List
         The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_20.htm#list_feb

(6) Letters!  We get Email!
Monitor Magazine/Dave Schaefer/Barry Marks/Jim Jackson
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_20.htm#letters

(7) NEFA’s National Equipment Finance Summit
          Achieves Recent Record Highs
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_22.htm#nefa

(8) 19,000 truck drivers just scored up to $100 million
      from one of America's biggest trucking companies
https://www.businessinsider.com/truck-drivers-100-m-back-pay-swift-2019-3

(9) All the Technology in the World
         Cannot Replace Shaking a Hand
  Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_20.htm#technology

(10) Henry Schein Financial Services Celebrates 20 Years
Helping Health Care Practitioners Achieve Practice Success
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Mar2019/03_22.htm#henry

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18th Annual Investors’ Conference
On Equipment Finance

By Bruce Kropschot, The Alta Group

The 18th Annual Investors’ Conference on Equipment Finance, organized by Information Management Network in partnership with the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, was held at the Union League Club in New York City on March 20, 2019. This conference attracts senior executives of independent equipment leasing and finance companies, major funding sources for such companies, alternative financing sources, organizations such as private equity firms, hedge funds, and insurance companies that are interested in acquiring or investing in the equity or debt of equipment leasing and finance companies, and service providers to the industry, such as law firms, rating agencies, investment banks, and lease servicing companies.

The number of registered attendees was about 300 this year, as compared with as many as 350 in some recent years, and independent equipment leasing companies and finance companies were not as well represented as in the past. The reduction in total attendance and independent leasing company attendees may have been because a major funding source sponsor that provided sponsor passes to a number of its customers and prospective customers in prior years chose not to be a sponsor in 2019.

The conference began with continental breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and concluded with a reception at 5:30 p.m. The program was diverse enough to have sessions that were of interest to many attendees, although this conference has apparently given up on having concurrent sessions as it has had in some prior years. In any event, attendees who did not have an interest in a particular session kept busy visiting the exhibitor booths, networking with other attendees, or holding pre-arranged meetings in other available rooms at the Union League Club.

The opening conference session featured ELFA Chairman Anthony Cracchiolo who discussed the Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends identified by ELFA for 2019.  After an 8% growth in U.S. capital spending in 2018, ELFA expects capital spending to grow a still excellent 4.1% in 2019.

The Keynote Address was given by Dr. Robert Wescott, President and Founder of Keybridge Research, a consulting firm used by ELFA to keep on top of economic trends. Dr. Wescott sees consumer confidence as one of the key positives in the current U.S. economy. China is the top risk to equity market valuations.  He fears the trade deal expectations are getting ahead of themselves and that a trade deal will not be as comprehensive or as soon as many people anticipate.  With regard to capital expenditures, Dr. Wescott stated that technology demand is still spurring investment but other key drivers of investment spending are decelerating.  He expects that there will be a broad easing of capex spending this year with growth in the 3% to 4% range. Dr. Wescott expects the growth rate in the overall U.S. economy to drop to 2.2% to 2.3% in 2019 from 2.9% in 2018.  He said that Federal rate hikes become less likely the more the world economy slows and, a few hours later, the Fed substantiated this view by announcing that they do not expect further rate hikes in 2019. Regarding the long-expected recession, Dr. Wescott said that it is possible that the next U.S. economic slowdown will be a growth pause with very little growth but not a recession.

The next session had the broad title of “The Big Picture: A Year in Review and Looking Forward to the Year Ahead.” Among the topics discussed by the panel members were the variety of financing options currently available for equipment finance companies, the robust M&A market for equipment finance companies, the expected end of Libor-based financing at the end of 2021, and the growing acceptance of e documents by lenders.

“Preparing for the Downturn” was the title of the next session. It was interesting to hear about the personal experiences of the panel members during the great recession.

Following a networking refreshment break, a panel of attorneys and ELFA staff discussed federal and state regulatory and legislative issues of interest to the equipment finance industry. This was followed by a program on technology and its impact on the equipment finance sector. Particularly interesting was the discussion of the applicability of blockchain and artificial intelligence to equipment finance companies.

The program resumed after lunch with a panel on transportation finance followed by a panel on aircraft finance. The panelists brought an interesting perspective on these markets from their substantial experience as lessors or investors.

One of the best attended afternoon sessions was the equipment leasing and finance company roundtable. The five panel members were senior executives of substantial equipment finance companies (Ascentium Capital, Stonebriar Commercial Finance, Amur Equipment Finance, De Lage Landen, and Volvo Financial Services) and presented their thoughts on funding strategies, future prospects, and new opportunities. A substantial part of the discussion related to financing options with the consensus being that securitization was likely the most favorable choice at the present time for those companies that can access the securitization market.

Next on the agenda was “The Role of Private Equity in Equipment Leasing.” The panelists discussed how private equity has enabled equipment finance companies to obtain investment capital without the need to sell out entirely before the company achieves its potential. Although banks can often pay more for an equipment finance company than private equity firms due to their lower funding cost and higher leverage, many independent equipment finance companies have found that private equity backing is a good first step and represents an easier transition than the highly-regulated banking environment.

The day’s final session was the institutional investors’ roundtable, which was of interest to the many fixed income investors who attended the conference.

The 18th Annual Investors’ Conference on Equipment Finance concluded with a cocktail reception where a sizable number of conference attendees took advantage of this final opportunity to network.  Although some of the conference program topics were of great interest to only a small portion of the attendees, there were sessions that were tailored to the interests of each attendee segment.  However it appears that many of the attendees were there primarily for the networking opportunities, and in this regard I believe that most attendees were satisfied that it was a day well spent.

Bruce Kropschot
Senior Managing Director
The Alta Group
bkropschot@thealtagroup.com

 

ELFA Reports Feb. Business Volume $5.9 Billion
Down 18% Month-to-Month, 24% Year-over-Year

(Chart: Leasing News)

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25) reported, "overall new business volume for February was $5.9 billion, down 24 percent year-over-year from new business volume in February 2018. Volume was down 18 percent month-to-month from $7.2 billion in January. Year to date, cumulative new business volume was down 10 percent compared to 2018."

click to make larger
(Chart: ELFA)

 

ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta said, “Monthly new business volume declined for the first time in almost two years. Total cumulative year-to-date volume is in red numbers as well. Credit quality continues mixed. Fundamentals in the U.S. economy appear to be holding up, although February jobs data were far below what most observers expected.

“With the Fed holding interest rates unchanged, these and other economic data bear monitoring in the coming months to better understand the dip in equipment financing volume for February.”

click to make larger

click image to make larger

click image to make larger

click image to make larger

(Chart: ELFA)

Full Listing of MLFI Participants
    Bank of America Leasing
    Bank of the West
    BB&T Bank
    BMO Harris Equipment Finance
    Canon Financial Services
    Caterpillar Financial Services
    CIT
    Citizens Asset Finance
    Dell Financial Services
    DLL
    Fifth Third Equipment Finance
    First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company
    Frost Bank
    GreatAmerica Financial Services
    Hitachi Capital America
    HP, Inc.
    Huntington Equipment Finance
    John Deere Financial
    Key Equipment Finance
    LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.
    M&T Bank
    Marlin Leasing
    Merchants Bank Equipment Finance
    PNC Equipment Finance
    SG Equipment Finance
    Siemens Financial Services
    Stearns Bank
    Stonebriar Commercial Finance
    TCF Equipment Finance
    TD Equipment Finance
    TIAA Commercial Finance, Inc.
    US Bancorp Equipment Finance
    Volvo Financial Services
    Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

Full Report:
https://www.elfaonline.org/data/mlfi-25-monthly-leasing-and-finance-index/view-mlfi/monthly-leasing-and-finance-index-february-2019

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633 Active Certified Lease & Finance Professions/Associates
 as 12 Pass CLFP Exam

The Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) Foundation announces 12 individuals who sat through the 8-hour online CLFP exam during the months of February and March 2019, have successfully passed.  They are:

Margaret Aniceto, CLFP Associate
Staff Accountant
AP Equipment Financing

Heather Doyle, CLFP
Compliance Specialist
Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc.

Katrina DuBois, CLFP
Servicing Operations Manager
AP Equipment Financing

Dustin Gibbs, CLFP
Fleet Executive
AP Equipment Financing

Lovern Gordon, CLFP
National Business Development
Boston Financial & Equity Corporation

Richard Hickmon, CLFP
Vice President, Intermediary Relations
VFI Corporate Finance

Jake Hirsch, CLFP Associate
Fleet Executive,
AP Equipment Financing

Sonja Legg, CLFP
Credit Officer
Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc.

Evan Moreau, CLFP Associate
Staff Accountant
AP Equipment Financing

Vickii Robinson, CLFP
Business Relationship Manager II
Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc.

Brett Spurlock, CLFP
Equipment Finance Specialist
Arvest Equipment Finance

Christopher Tokin, CLFP
Contract Services Lead
Financial Pacific Leasing, Inc.

Mr. Tokin, who attended the February 7th Academy for Lease & Finance Professionals hosted by Financial Pacific Leasing, Federal Way, Washington, commented:

“I chose to pursue this designation as having a full scope of the field and its operations were paramount to my success within my current role, future equipment finance training opportunities, and an all-encompassing education of the industry. Knowledge is power; and forward progression is a derivative of ambition and resources.”

The CLFP designation identifies an individual as a knowledgeable professional to employers, clients, customers, and peers in the commercial equipment finance industry.

There are currently 663 active Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates. For more information, visit http://www.CLFPFoundation.org.

For more information, call Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP at (206) 535-6281 or Sandy Vigilia, Executive Administrator (206) 535 – 6281. Visit http://www.CLFPFoundation

 

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CLFP Academy Classes for Lease & Finance Professionals
Attendance Update

Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Portland, Oregon
Hosted by U.S. Bank Equipment Finance
Start: 8:00AM (PDT) End Fri, April 12, 2019 4pm (PDT)
Location: Fairfield Inn & Suites by
Marriott, Portland
South/Lake Oswego, 6100
South West, Meadows Rd.
Lake Oswego, Or 97035
Hosted by U.S. Bank
Equipment Finance
Spaces Left: 14
Registered: 11 Registrant
Hotel Recommendations:

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Portland South/Lake Oswego
6100 South West, Meadows Rd.
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
(503) 670-7557

Holiday Inn Express Portland South - Lake Oswego
15700 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd.
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
(503) 620-2980

Hilton Garden Inn Portland/Lake Oswego
14850 Kruse Oaks Dr.
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
(503) 684-8900

Crowne Plaza Portland - Lake Oswego
14811 Kruse Oaks Dr.
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
(503) 624-8400
Dress code: Casual

Thursday, April 18, 2019
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Co-Hosted by Northland Capital/Oakmont Capital Services, LLC
Start: 8:00AM (UTC-06:00  End: Saturday 5:00pm (UTC: 06:00)
333 33rd Avenue South, Suite 100
 Saint Cloud, MN 54201
Spaces Left: 3
Registered: 13 Registrants

Hotel Recommendations:
Fairfield Inn & Suites
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/stcfi-fairfield-inn-and-suites-st-cloud/ 
Holiday Inn & Suites
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/st-cloud/stcmn/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-HI-_-US-_-STCMN 
Homewood Suites by Hilton
https://homewoodsuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/minnesota/homewood-suites-by-hilton-st-cloud-STCMNHW/index.html 

Thursday, May 9, 2019
Irvine, California
Start: 8:00AM (PDT) End: Sat, May 11, 2019 (PDT)
Hosted by Wintrust Specialty Finance
2050 Main Street, Suite 230 
Irvine, California
Spaces Left: 9
Registered: 11 registrants
Hotel recommendation:
Marriott - Irvine 
18000 Von Karman Ave.; Irvine, CA 92614
Hotel Irvine (shuttle available to class)
17900 Jamboree Road; Irvine, CA 92614
Wyndham Irvine - Orange County Airport (shuttle available to class)
17941 Von Karman Ave.

Thursday, May 9, 2019
Chicago, Illinois
Start: 8:00 AM (CDT) End: May 11, 2019 
Location: 3400 Dundee Rd, Suite 330
Northbrook, Illinois 60062
Hosted by: ECS Financial Services, Illinois
Spaces Left: 4
Register: 19

Hotel Recommendation:
Marriott Courtyard Chicago-Deerfield:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chidf-courtyard-chicago-deerfield/ 
.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Start: 8:00Am (EST) End: Sat, Nov. 16, 2019 4:00PM (EST)
Hosted by: Odessa
Location: Two Liberty Place, 50 2 16th Street
(Held on the 3rd floor in Multi-Purpose Room #1)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Spaces left: 11
Registered: 14
Hotels (with Odessa corporate rate):

The Windsor Suite, 1700 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103
https://www.thewindsorsuites.com/
Corporate Rate of $149/night
For reservations call (215) 207-9942 or email reservations@thewindsorsuites.com and let them know you would like the Odessa Technologies, Inc. rate.
Cambria Hotel & Suites - Philadelphia Downtown Center City, 219 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
https://www.choicehotels.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia/cambria-hotels/pa776?source=gyxt
Corporate Rate of $149/night
For reservations: Call the Cambria hotel and Suites at 800-4CHOICE or the hotel directly at 215-732-5500 and ask for the Odessa Technologies, Inc. rate.
Book directly online at www.cambriaphiladelphia.com and use the code LODESS
Recommended Hotels (without corporate rate):
The Westin, 99 South 17th Street at Liberty Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 563-1600
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1231&SWAQ=958C

Club Quarters, 1628 Chestnut St (at 17th Street), Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 282-5000
https://clubquartershotels.com/locations/club-quarters-hotel-philadelphia

Dress code: 
Business casual - jeans okay!
For more information, call Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP at (206) 535-6281 or Sandy Vigilia, Executive Administrator (206) 535 – 6281. Visit http://www.CLFPFoundation
For more information, call Executive Director Reid Raykovich, CLFP at (206) 535-6281 or Sandy Vigilia, Executive Administrator (206) 535 – 6281. Visit http://www.CLFPFoundation

Labrador/Rottweiler Mix
San Francisco, California  Adopt - a - Dog

Smokey
Male
2 Years Old
Neutered
80 lbs.

"Background: Purchased as a puppy from the back of a pick-up truck at a Cabellas store near Sacramento, Smokey’s current family is a bit overwhelmed with his juvenile energy and reluctance to accept direction from some members of the family. They hope Lab Rescue can find a more appropriate home for him where he can thrive.

"What Smokey’s owner says: He is generally relaxed but has a few spurts of tons of energy during the day. Smokey is an assertive dog [maybe that’s the Rottie genes coming thru] and does not respond so well to weak human leaders. Have worked with a trainer; Smokey knows “sit”, “stay”, “down”, “come”, “heel”, “drop”, and off”. He loves fetch, tug-of-way with toys, and playing with friends’ dogs. He can be a bit protective of his food with other dogs; no problem with people. We think he prefers male human companionship (and pack leadership) versus females. Can be a little leash reactive with other dogs; work in progress. We crate Smokey at night.

"What Smokey’s Rescue Rep says: Current on vaccinations, microchipped and neutered, Smokey is in fine health. He requires a strong human leader. Not for the feeble-hearted. Smokey will reward his caretaker with loyalty, companionship, and adventure.

"Smokey is located in: Fairfield.
If you are interested in Smokey, call, text, or email Rescue Rep Dave, 415-686-4248, david.c.ely@sbcglobal.net."

Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Rescue
http://www.labrescue.org/about.html

To Find a Specific Breed near where you live,
 from more than 17,000 animal shelters & rescues:
https://www.adoptapet.com/

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The women of leasing and commercial finance are invited to attend a special luncheon to enjoy good food and fellowship to kick off the fun and networking at the 2019 American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers Conference.

Due to the generous sponsorship of Channel Partners Capital, this event is FREE for ladies to attend, however RSVPs are required to reserve a seat.

Attendees can register for the luncheon on the conference registration form. The deadline to register for the luncheon is
April 26, 2019.

Registration:
https://annualconference.aacfb.org/registration

Exhibitors to Date
https://annualconference.aacfb.org/exhibitors

News Briefs----

Boeing's 737 Max Crisis Could Have a Bigger Effect
 on the US Economy than the Government Shutdown
https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-max-crisis-could-have-bigger-impact-than-government-shutdown-2019-3

At the 737 Max Factory, Pilots Simulate
     New Boeing Software
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/24/business/boeing-737-pilots-simulators.html

Airbus wins China order for 300 jets as Xi visits France
   deal was worth some 30 billion euros at catalog price
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-china-airbus/airbus-wins-china-order-for-300-jets-as-xi-visits-france-idUSKCN1R61Y0

 

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You May Have Missed---

Here's Everything Apple Announced at its Big March Event
  ---Big Push to Expand its Services Business
https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-march-event-2019-live-blog-all-announcements-2019-3

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Spring Poem

Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought--
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

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Sports Briefs---

Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears to open 2019 NFL
     regular season at Soldier Field
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/03/25/nfl-packers-bears-2019-regular-season-opener/3270686002/

Owner York has positive feedback for 49ers brass
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/9429967-181/owner-york-has-positive-feedback

Opinion: NFL should be ashamed if it doesn't address
  missed call vs. Saints, fix replay rules
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2019/03/25/nfl-replay-rules-review-saints-pass-interference/3270341002/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Literary lovers mark Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s 100th birthday
https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/books/literary-lovers-mark-lawrence-ferlinghettis-100th-birthday

Last pandas at San Diego Zoo are leaving
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/tourism/sd-sdi-fi-zoo-pandas-20190325-story.html

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Courtwatch: To Kalon Again, The Vineyard House
   seeks order to cancel the trademark
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=211350

Successful Eastern Winery Exposition held in Syracuse, NY
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=211398

        
City of Sonoma to limit Plaza tasting rooms to 25
https://www.sonomanews.com/business/9417100-181/city-of-sonoma-to-limit

California wine's new paradigm: Bright, juicy, translucent reds
https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/A-lighter-shade-of-pale-California-s-new-crop-13704092.php

Remembering John Shafer: 1924 – 2019  (Video)
http://shafervineyards.com/news/remembering-john-shafer-video.php

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

     1602 - The name "Cape Cod," as it was first used in 1602, applied only to the very tip of the peninsula. It remained that way for 125 years until the "Precinct of Cape Cod" was incorporated as the Town of Provincetown. No longer in official use over the ensuing decades, the name came to mean all of the land east of the Manomet and Scusset rivers – essentially along the line that became the Cape Cod Canal, completed in 1914.
http://www.capeone.com/history/
http://capecodhistory.us/
    1701 - The English Board of Trade advises the king to create royal colonies of all of the American charter colonies. 
    1790 - The original United States Naturalization Law of March 26, 1790 (1 Stat 103) provided the first rules to be followed by the United States in the granting of national citizenship. This law limited naturalization to immigrants who were free white persons of good character. It thus excluded Native Americans, indentured servants, slaves, free blacks and later Asians although free blacks were allowed citizenship at the state level in certain states. It also provided for citizenship for the children of U.S. citizens born abroad, stating that such children "shall be considered as natural born citizens," the only US statute ever to use the term. It specified that the right of citizenship did "not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States."
    1804 - Indian Removal Act of 1804:  At the time of the Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas Jefferson believed that American Indians could be moved from the East to lands in the new territory. This would free up lands in demand by white settlers. The plan was voluntary and was considered a failure—some tribes participated, others refused. The plan also did not account for the fact that other tribes with nomadic lifestyles already occupied this land. Twenty years later, President Andrew Jackson decided to push for the Indian Removal Act. Passed in 1830, the act allowed the U.S. government to move Indian tribes in the East to lands west of the Mississippi.  American leaders in the Revolutionary and Early National era debated whether the American Indians should be treated officially as individuals or as nations in their own right.[ In a draft, "Proposed Articles of Confederation", presented to the Continental Congress on May 10, 1775, Benjamin Franklin called for a "perpetual Alliance" with the Indians for the nation about to take birth, especially with the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.  In 1785, Thomas Jefferson defended American Indian culture and marveled at how the tribes of Virginia "never submitted themselves to any laws, any coercive power, any shadow of government" due to their "moral sense of right and wrong."  He would later write to the Marquis de Chastellux in 1785, "I believe the Indian then to be in body and mind equal to the whiteman."  President George Washington, in his address to the Seneca Nation in 1790, described the pre-Constitutional Indian land sale difficulties as "evils," asserted that the case was now entirely altered, and publicly pledged to uphold their "just rights."  In March and April of 1792, Washington met with 50 tribal chiefs in Philadelphia—including the Iroquois—to discuss closer friendship between them and the United States.  Later that same year, in his Fourth Annual Message to Congress, Washington stressed the need for building peace, trust, and commerce with America's Indian neighbors.  But as the newly-forming nation was emerging from the War for Independence, increasingly the conflicts with aboriginal tribes were measured amid escalating concerns for the nation’s security and managing the tribes within the boundaries included assuring they would not align with the adversaries…the War of 1812 was not far off.  Thus, the first step in the ‘management’ of Indians began in 1804, then more forcefully in 1830, continuing throughout the 19th century.
    1847 - Capt. John L. Folsom arrived as quartermaster of Stevenson's regiment in San Francisco. Folsom St. was later named for him. 
    1858 - Jane Arminda Delano (d. 1919), dedicated American nurse and teacher, superintendent of the US Army Nurse Corps, chairman of the American Red Cross Nursing Service and recipient (posthumously) of the Distinguished Service Medal of the US, was born near Townsend, NY. While on an official visit to review Red Cross activities, she died Apr 15, 1919, in an army hospital at Savenay, France. Her last words: "What about my work? I must get back to my work." Buried at Loire, France, her remains were reinterred at Arlington Cemetery in 1920.
    1859 - Birthday of poet A.E. Houseman (d. 1936), Bromsgrove, England.  English classical scholar and poet, best known to the general public for his cycle of poems “A Shropshire Lad.” The poems wistfully evoke the dooms and disappointments of youth in the English countryside.  Their beauty, simplicity and distinctive imagery appealed strongly to late Victorian and Edwardian taste, and to many early 20th-century English composers both before and after World War I. 
    1872 - Thomas J. Martin awarded patent for the “modern” fire extinguisher. The fire extinguisher was patented by Alanson Crane in 1863. In the 1850’s, baking soda and chemicals were used. It was not uncommon in textile mills to have pipes with many holes in the ceiling to spurt
water in case of a fire. Dr. Percy Julian, another prominent African-American, invented the aero-foam extinguisher (for use against gas and oil fires) during World War II.
    1874 – Poet-laureate Robert Frost (d. 1963) was born at San Francisco, CA.  He tried his hand at farming, teaching, shoemaking and editing before winning acclaim as a poet. Four-time Pulitzer Prize winner, in 1960, Frost was awarded a United States Congressional Medal of Honor, "In recognition of his poetry, which has enriched the culture of the United States and the philosophy of the world," which was finally bestowed by President Kennedy in March 1962.
http://www.ketzle.com/frost/
http://www.robertfrost.org/body.html
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. "
~ Robert Frost, from 'The Road Not Taken', (1916)
    1874 - Publisher Conde Nast (d. 1942) was born New York City.  He set the world of fashion alive and built a publishing empire. 
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar26.html
http://www.condenast.com/
    1878 – The Hastings College of Law was founded in San Francisco with a $100,000 endowment from California Supreme Court Justice Serranus Clinton Hastings.  He imposed two conditions: the school must remain in San Francisco near the courts; and it could not be governed by the Regents of the University of California. It was the first law school of the University of California and was one of the first law schools established in the western US.  It is also one of the few university-affiliated law schools in the United States that does not share its campus with undergraduates or other graduate programs.
    1882 - Young Oscar Wilde arrives by train in San Francisco. He had been the center of a maelstrom of scandalous incidents and publicity from the moment of his arrival. There was a sudden exaggerated vogue of sunflowers, lilies, and Japanese parasols–all of which were said to evoke Wilde's enthusiasm. Newspaper reporters outdid themselves in ridiculing the twenty-eight-year-old "lecturer;" cartoonists pounced upon him with a fervor less brutal than gleeful; women draped themselves about the new "lion;" and the few men who found something sensible and telling in Wilde's advice and pronouncements on art and decoration were unheard for the most part in the paen of masculine denunciation. The costume adopted by young Wilde, which included short breeches, long silk stockings, and a shoulder-length haircut, was hailed with horror and amazed contempt by young dandies educated to long tight trousers, high stiff collars, and full mustaches.
    1885 - Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company of Rochester, NY, began manufacturing movie film. The company was also the first to produce, manufacture, and market films in continuous strips on reels, thus making motion picture films possible.
    1892 - Walt Whitman passes on in Camden, NJ.
Here is Allen Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California” tribute to Walt Whitman:
http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/supermarket.html
    1911 - Tennessee Williams (d. 1983) was born at Columbus, MS. He was one of America's most prolific playwrights, producing such works as “The Glass Menagerie,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which won a Pulitzer Prize; “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” which won a second Pulitzer; “Night of the Iguana,” “Summer and Smoke,” “The Rose Tattoo” and “Sweet Bird of Youth,” among others.
    1913 - The Miami river in Ohio reached a record flood crest after 10 inches of rain deluged a wide area of the Ohio River Basin. Severe flooding killed 467 people drown and total damage was $147 million. This flood was the second most deadly of record for the nation.
    1916 - Birdman of Alcatraz receives solitary for giving a guard the bird.
http://www.alcatrazhistory.com/stroud.htm
    1920 - F. Scott Fitzgerald's first book, “This Side of Paradise” published; it sells 20,000 copies in a week. At 23, he is the youngest novelist ever published by Scribner's.
http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/chronology.html    
    1923 - Bob Elliot (d. 2016) born, Winchester, MA.  One of the great radio personalities, especially in broadcast journalism.  On radio, he appeared in programs with his long-time partner Ray Goulding. These were in different series and time slots over decades, beginning in the late 1940s at Boston's WHDH radio when the two were first paired for “Matinee with Bob and Ray.”  Bob and Ray worked together up until Goulding’s death in 1990.  David Letterman:  "The funniest people in this country, these guys are also two of the keenest observers of the American scene and the finest interviewers in the business.”
http://www.bobandray.com/
    1930 - American poet and leading member of the Beats, Gregory Corso (d. 2001), was born in New York City. Convicted of theft at 17, he discovers literature in prison.  He later meets Allen Ginsberg and published his first book, “The Vestal Lady on Brattle” in 1955. 
http://www.charm.net/~brooklyn/People/GregoryCorso.html
conditions in Russia. 
    1930 - Sandra Day O'Connor birthday, El Paso, TX.  The first woman to be appointed an associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court was an Arizona lawyer and judge. She served in the state Senate from 1969 until 1974, becoming majority leader - the first woman to hold such a position. She was elected an Arizona Superior Court judge 1974, and appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals 1979.  President Ronald Reagan, under great pressure from women's groups as well as his own party, appointed O'Connor and she was sworn in 09-25-81. Expected to be a strict Republican right-winger and seen as the deciding anti-choice vote, she amazed everyone by being the deciding vote to uphold a woman's right to choose and confirm that an embryo or fetus is not a child.
    1930 - 19.2 inches of snow fell at Chicago, Illinois in 2 days. This is greatest modern snowfall on the record books at Chicago.
    1931 - Dr. Spock of “Star Trek” and noted actor/writer Leonard Nimoy (d. 2015) born Boston, MA.
    1931 – Guitarist, folk singer Jerry Silverman was born in The Bronx.
http://music.netstoreusa.com/003/HL00312144.shtml
    1937 - The first monument to a comic-strip character was the Popeye statue in Popeye Park, Crystal, Texas, unveiled during the Second Annual Spinach Festival. It was six feet tall, made of concrete, and colored to represent Elzie Crisler Segar's cartoon character, "Popeye." There is another Popeye statue in Segar's hometown, Chester, IL, and statues in Springdale and Alma, AR (which claims to be "The Spinach Capital of the World").        
    1937 - President Roosevelt appointed William H. Hastie to the US District Court for the Virgin Islands, making Hastie the first African-American Federal judge.
http://www.tnstate.edu/library/digital/hastie.htm
    1937 - Joe DiMaggio said he’d take Ty Cobb’s advice and use a 36 or 37-ounce baseball bat instead of a 40-ounce stick during that season. The result? ‘Joltin’ Joe’ hit .346 during the season with 46 home runs -- the most he ever hit in a single year. In the words of Yankee broadcaster Mel Allen, “How about that!” During his 13-year career with the Yankees, DiMaggio connected for 2,214 hits, 361 homers, batted a .325 average, played in 1,736 total games and came to the plate to bat 6,821 times. 
    1941 - Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra recorded the tune, "Battle Axe," for Decca Records. Lunceford began with the Chickasaw Syncopaters, a 10-piece band, in the late 1920s.
    1943 - Battle of Komandorski Islands prevents Japanese reinforcements from reaching Attu. An American squadron of 2 cruisers and 4 destroyers (under the command of Admiral McMorris) meets a Japanese squadron of 4 cruisers and 5 destroyers (under the command of Admiral Hosogaya) off the Komandorski Islands. A traditional gun engagement begins and a cruiser on each side is badly damaged. Hosogaya decides to break off at this point although he has a clear superiority which is beginning to tell. 
    1943 - Birthday of journalist Bob Woodward, Geneva, IL.  Co-wrote “All the President’s Men” with Carl Bernstein which became an acclaimed movie starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.  He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter and is now an associate editor there.  While a young reporter for The Post in 1972, Woodward was teamed up with Bernstein and did much of the original news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals led to numerous government investigations and the eventual resignation of President Richard Nixon. The work of Woodward and Bernstein was called "maybe the single greatest reporting effort of all time" by longtime journalism figure Gene Roberts.
    1944 - Singer Diana Ross was born, Detroit, MI.  She came to prominence in the 1960's as lead singer of the Supremes, Motown Records' most popular act. Ross left the group in 1969 and the following year, had a hit with her first solo single, "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)." Her next release, a remake of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's hit, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," shot to the top of both the pop and rhythm and blues charts. Ross's other number-one hits during the 1970's included "Last Time I Saw Him," "Do You Know Where You're Going To?" and "Love Hangover." In 1981, Diana Ross duet with Lionel Richie on the number-one theme from the film "Endless Love." It was the year's most popular song, selling more than two-million copies. Ross has also ventured into acting, with a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award-nominated performance for her performance in the film “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972). She also starred in two other films, “Mahogany” (1975) and “The Wiz” (1978), later acting in the television films “Out of Darkness” (1994), for which she also was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and “Double Platinum” (1999). Ross was named the "Female Entertainer of the Century" by Billboard magazine. In 1993, the Guinness Book of World Records declared Ross the most successful female music artist in history, due to her success in the United States and United Kingdom for having more hits than any female artist in the charts, with a career total of 70 hit singles with her work with the Supremes and as a solo artist. Ross has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, when her releases with the Supremes and as a solo artist are tallied. In 1988, Ross was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as member of the Supremes, alongside Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. She was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. She is a 12-time Grammy nominee, never earning a competitive honor, but later became the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. In December, 2016, Billboard magazine named her the 50th most successful artist of all time.  http://utopia.knoware.nl/users/ross/
    1945 - MARTIN, HARRY LINN, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 4 January 1911, Bucyrus, Ohio. Appointed from. Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as platoon leader attached to Company C, 5th Pioneer Battalion, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 March 1945. With his sector of the 5th Pioneer Battalion bivouac area penetrated by a concentrated enemy attack launched a few minutes before dawn, 1st Lt. Martin instantly organized a firing line with the marines nearest his foxhole and succeeded in checking momentarily the headlong rush of the Japanese. Determined to rescue several of his men trapped in positions overrun by the enemy, he defied intense hostile fire to work his way through the Japanese to the surrounded marines. Although sustaining 2 severe wounds, he blasted the Japanese who attempted to intercept him, located his beleaguered men and directed them to their own lines. When 4 of the infiltrating enemy took possession of an abandoned machinegun pit and subjected his sector to a barrage of hand grenades, 1st Lt. Martin, alone and armed only with a pistol, boldly charged the hostile position and killed all of its occupants. Realizing that his few remaining comrades could not repulse another organized attack, he called to his men to follow and then charged into the midst of the strong enemy force, firing his weapon and scattering them until he fell, mortally wounded by a grenade. By his outstanding valor, indomitable fighting spirit and tenacious determination in the face of overwhelming odds, 1st Lt. Martin permanently disrupted a coordinated Japanese attack and prevented a greater loss of life in his own and adjacent platoons. His inspiring leadership and unswerving devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
    1945 - During World War II, the last few hundred Japanese defenders of Iwo Jima are killed in a final suicide attack against the US forces who invaded the strategic island five weeks before. On February 19, 1945, after three days of heavy naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of US Marines stormed Iwo Jima, a tiny Pacific island located in bomber-range of the Japanese home islands. The Japanese garrison on the island numbered only 22,000 men, but their commander, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who had been expecting an Allied invasion for eight months, had used the time to construct an intricate and deadly system of underground tunnels, fortifications, and artillery that withstood the initial Allied bombardment. By the evening of the first day, the 30,000 US Marines commanded by General Holland Smith had managed to establish a beachhead. Over the next few days, the Marines advanced inch by inch under heavy fire from entrenched Japanese artillery and suffered suicidal charges from the Japanese infantry. While the Japanese kamikaze flyers slammed into the Allied naval fleet around Iwo Jima, the Marines on the island continued their bloody northern advance across the island, responding to Kuribayashi’s lethal defenses with remarkable endurance. 
On February 23, 1945, the Twenty-Eighth Marine Division took the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island’s only peak and most strategic position. The image of the soldiers raising the American flag on this peak, taken by photographer Joseph Rosenthal, is one of the most famous photographs of World War II. By March 3, US forces controlled all three airfields on the island, and, by March 26, the last Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima had been wiped out. Six thousand Americans died taking Iwo Jima and 17,200 were wounded. Almost all of the 22,000 Japanese defenders perished.
    1945 - US naval forces (TF58 and TF52) continue air strikes on Okinawa. US Task Force 54 (Admiral Deyo), with 10 battleships, 10 cruisers and 33 destroyers, begin the main bombardment of Okinawa. The US 77th Infantry Division (General Bruce) lands on Kerama Retto and overruns the small Japanese garrison. The British Pacific Fleet (Admiral Rawlings) also designated Task Force 57, with 4 fleet carriers, 2 battleships, 5 cruisers and 11 destroyers, attacks airfields and other targets on Sakashima Gunto. Japanese submarines make unsuccessful attacks on the Allied ships. Coast Guardsmen participated in the landings at Geruma Shima, Hokaji Shima, and Takashiki in the Ryukyu Islands. 
    1945 - Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, and Patton attack at Remagen on the Rhine.
    1945 - The US 7th Army begins to send units of US 15th and US 6th Corps across the Rhine River between Worms and Mannheim. To the north all the Allied armies continue to advance.
    1948 - Aerosmith's Steven Tyler was born Steven Tallarico in New York City.
    1949 - Top Hits
“Cruising Down the River” - The Blue Barron Orchestra (vocal: ensemble)
“Far Away Places” - Margaret Whiting
“Powder Your Face with Sunshine” - Evelyn Knight
“Tennessee Saturday Night” - Red Foley
    1950 - Birthday of Comedian and perform Martin Short, Hamilton, ON, Canada.  If you get a chance to see his one man show, it is hilarious.
    1950 - Singer Teddy Pendergrass (d. 2010) is born in Philadelphia. An auto accident in 1982 leaves him partially paralyzed. He tops the R&B chart with the songs “Joy'' and “Close the Door.''
    1951 - The U.S. Air Force flag was approved. The flag included the coat of arms, 13 white stars and the Air Force seal on a blue background. 
    1951 - During a spring exhibition game against the University of Southern California at Bovard Field, rookie outfielder Mickey Mantle hits a home run which is estimated to travel 650 feet. The performance, which includes a single, triple and another homer, is one of the highlights of the Yankees' first ever west coast trip.  Longtime USC coach Rod Dedeaux was a teammate of Yanks manager Casey Stengel who brought the Yanks to southern California as a favor.
    1953 - Dr. Jonas Salk announced a new vaccine to prevent poliomyelitis.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bmsalk.html
    1953 - Eisenhower offers increased aid to the French fighting in Indochina.
    1954 - The temperature at Allaket, AK plunged to 69 degrees below zero.
    1954 - The U.S. set off the second H-bomb blast in four weeks in the Marshall Islands at Bikini Island. The 15-megaton device was 750 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The blast contaminated the neighboring island of Rongelap and nearly 100 people on the island and other downwind atolls. 
    1955 - Bill Hayes' "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" hits #1
    1956 - Red Buttons made his debut as a television actor in a presentation of "Studio One" on CBS television.
    1956 - After Bob Neal's management contract with Elvis Presley expired on March 15th, Colonel Tom Parker takes over. His position of personal representative and manager will pay him 25 percent of Presley's earnings. 
    1957 - Ricky Nelson records his first tunes for the Verve label, "A Teenager's Romance," which will climb to #2 on the Billboard chart and "I'm Walkin'," which will reach #4. Over his recording career, Ricky, later Rick,  will place 36 songs on the chart.
    1957 - Top Hits
“Young Love” - Tab Hunter
“Little Darlin’” - The Diamonds
“Party Doll” - Buddy Knox
“There You Go” - Johnny Cash
    1957 - Yankee manager Casey Stengel is arrested and is released on $50 bail after he allegedly curses at and kicks a newspaper photographer during an exhibition game in St. Petersburg.
    1958 - The RKO Pantages Theater, Los Angeles, was the scene of 30th Annual Academy Awards celebration. The show was hosted by Rosalind Russell, James Stewart, David Niven, Jack Lemmon, Bob Hope and Donald Duck (on film). There were several memorable films produced in 1957, but two blockbusters shot it out this night, "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Sayonara." "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (Sam Spiegel, producer) took Oscars for Best Picture; Best Actor (Alec Guinness); Cinematography (Jack Hildyard); Director (David Lean); Film Editing (Peter Taylor); Scoring (Malcolm Arnold); and writing (Pierre Boulle, Carl Foreman, Michael Wilson). Meanwhile, "Sayonara" (William Goetz, producer) won for Best Supporting Actor (Red Buttons); Supporting Actress (Miyoshi Umeki); Art Direction (Ted Haworth); Set Decoration (Robert Priestley); and Sound Recording (George Groves). And, lest we forget, Joanne Woodward won the Best Actress Oscar for "The Three Faces of Eve." The prize for Best Music/Song went to James Van Heusen (music), Sammy Cahn (lyrics) for "All the Way" (the classic Sinatra song)from "The Joker Is Wild."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148736.html
    1958 - Eddie Cochran records his only US Top Ten hit, "Summertime Blues," which will rise to #8 in the US next Fall.
    1960 - The University of Southern California (USC) captured the NCAA swimming title, becoming the first Pacific Coast school to do so. 
    1960 - Birthday of former football player and now TV commentator Marcus Allen, San Diego, CA. Kansas City Chiefs running back; LA Raiders: Super Bowl XVIII; Heisman Trophy Winner [1981]: holds record for number of games rushed for 200 yards+.  He scored 145 TDs, including a then-league-record 123 rushing touchdowns, and was elected to six Pro Bowls over the course of his career. Allen was the first NFL player to gain more than 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards during his career.  Allen is considered one of the greatest goal line and short-yard runners in NFL history.  Allen has the distinction of being the only player to have won the Heisman trophy, an NCAA national championship, the Super Bowl, and be named NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP. He has been inducted into both the College Football and the Pro Football Halls of Fame.
    1961 - Gene McDaniels' "One Hundred Pounds of Clay," his first and biggest hit, enters the pop chart. It peaks at #3.
    1961 - Elvis Presley sets a British chart first: Number One with three straight releases: "It's Now or Never," "Are You Lonesome Tonight" and "Wooden Heart."
    1963 – “Funny Girl,” a musical about Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice, opens on Broadway, starring Barbra Streisand. It features the hits "Don't Rain on My Parade" and the song that would become her trademark, "People."  In 1964, she wins a Best Actress Oscar for her role in the film version. (She ties for the award with Katharine Hepburn)
    1964 - Edward Clark set the fastest speed record by an American swimmer. He was timed at 4.89 miles-per-hour at the Yale University pool. 
    1964 - Former Beatles drummer Pete Best appears on US TV “I’ve Got a Secret.” It only took a handful of questions before the panel guessed his former occupation and when host Gary Moore asked him why he left the group, he said "I thought I'd like to start of group of my own and I thought at that time they weren't going to go as big as they are now."
    1965 - Top Hits
“Eight Days a Week” - The Beatles
“Stop! In the Name of Love” - The Supremes
“The Birds and the Bees” - Jewel Akens
“I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tai”l - Buck Owens
    1967 - DICKEY, DOUGLAS E., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, 3d Marine Division (Rein). Place and dale: Republic of Vietnam, 26 March 1967. Entered service at: Cincinnati, Ohio. Born: 24 December 1946, Greenville, Darke, Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While participating in Operation Beacon Hill 1, the 2d Platoon was engaged in a fierce battle with the Viet Cong at close range in dense jungle foliage. Pfc. Dickey had come forward to replace a radio operator who had been wounded in this intense action and was being treated by a medical corpsman. Suddenly an enemy grenade landed in the midst of a group of marines, which included the wounded radio operator who was immobilized. Fully realizing the inevitable result of his actions, Pfc. Dickey, in a final valiant act, quickly and unhesitatingly threw himself upon the deadly grenade, absorbing with his body the full and complete force of the explosion. Pfc. Dickey's personal heroism, extraordinary valor and selfless courage saved a number of his comrades from certain injury and possible death at the cost of his life. His actions reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
    1969 - "Marcus Welby," a TV movie, was seen on ABC. Ratings showed the program to be so popular that it was turned into a long-running series starring Robert Young. 
    1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin their “Bed-in'' at the Amsterdam Hilton.
    1971 - William Conrad starred as "Cannon" on CBS-TV. This also was a one-time TV event that became a popular series that year.
http://timstvshowcase.com/cannon.html
http://www.bellenet.com/conrad.html
    1972 - The Los Angeles Lakers broke a National Basketball Association record by winning 69 of 82 games
    1973 - "The Young and the Restless" premiered on television. Tom Selleck and David Hasselhoff were among the actors who started here. The show expanded to one hour in 1980. Its theme music is now well known as "Nadia's Theme," as it was played during Nadia Comaneci's routine at the 1976 Olympics.
http://www.abelspiano.com/fnadia.htm
    1973 - Top Hits
“Love Train” - O’Jays
“Also Sprach Zarathustra” (2001) - Deodato
“Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)” - Gladys Knight & The Pips
“Teddy Bear Song” - Barbara Fairchild
    1974 - Dionne Warwick and The Spinners record "Then Came You." Although Warwick doesn't have much faith in the song, it will become her first hit in nearly four years when it tops the Billboard chart next October. 
    1974 - The Red Sox release veterans Orlando Cepeda, Luis Aparicio and Bobby Bolin.
    1974 - David Essex's "Rock On" is certified gold.
    1975 - The city of Hue, in northernmost South Vietnam, falls to the North Vietnamese. Hue was the most recent major city in South Vietnam to fall to the communists during their new offensive. The offensive had started in December 1974, when the North Vietnamese had launched a major attack against the lightly defended province of Phuoc Long, located north of Saigon along the Cambodian border. The communists overran the provincial capital of Phuoc Binh on January 6, 1975. President Richard Nixon had repeatedly promised South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu that the United States would come to the aid of South Vietnam if North Vietnam committed a major violation of the Peace Accords. However, by the time the communists had taken Phuoc Long, Nixon had already resigned from office and his successor, Gerald Ford, was unable to convince a hostile Congress to make good on Nixon's promises to Saigon. This situation emboldened the North Vietnamese, who launched a campaign in March 1975 to take the provincial capital of Ban Me Thuot in the Central Highlands. The South Vietnamese defenders there fought very poorly and were overwhelmed by the North Vietnamese attackers. Once again, the United States did nothing. President Thieu ordered his forces in the Highlands to withdraw to more defensible positions to the south. What started out as a reasonably orderly withdrawal degenerated into a panic that spread throughout the South Vietnamese armed forces. They abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting and the North Vietnamese pressed the attack from the west and north. In quick succession, Quang Tri and Hue fell. The communists then seized Da Nang, the second largest city in South Vietnam. Many South Vietnamese, both military and civilian, died in the general chaos while attempting to escape from the airport, docks, and beaches. By this time, the South Vietnamese forces were in flight all over the northern half of South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast, overrunning city after city, methodically defeating the South Vietnamese forces. By April 27, the North Vietnamese had completely encircled Saigon and began to maneuver for their final assault, which became known as the "Ho Chi Minh Campaign." By the morning of April 30, it was all over. As the North Vietnamese tanks broke through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, the Vietnam War came to an end.
    1975 - "Tommy," the film based on the rock opera by the group, The Who, premiered in London.
    1976 - Riding near the scene of a multi-car pileup in Memphis, Elvis Presley jumps out of his limo, displays his honorary police captain's badge from the city, and attempts to help the victims before police and rescue teams arrive.
    1977 - Daryl Hall and John Oates' "Rich Girl" hits #1
    1977 - After thirteen years in Boston, infielder Rico Petrocelli is released by the Red Sox.
    1979 - Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed the Camp David peace treaty, ending 30 years of war between their two countries. The agreement was fostered by President Jimmy Carter.
    1979 - Michigan State and Indiana State met in the all-time highest-rated basketball telecast. The NBC coverage earned a 24.1 rating. Indiana State’s unprecedented 33 consecutive-win streak came to an end as the Spartans of Michigan State won 76-64. A pair of future NBA Hall of Famers played against each other that night: Larry Bird, later of the Boston Celtics, scored 19 points while Magic Johnson, even later, of the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 24 points.
    1979 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Tragedy,'' Bee Gees. The song is the fifth No. 1 single in a row for the Bee Gees.
    1981 - Top Hits
“Keep on Loving You” - REO Speedwagon
“Woman” - John Lennon
“The Best of Times” - Styx
“Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” - Willie Nelson
    1983 - A heavy snowstorm struck from eastern Nebraska to southwestern Minnesota. A general 10 to 20 inches of snow fell. Lyons, Nebraska recorded 24 inches. The 13.3 inches that fell at Omaha, Nebraska set a new record for the heaviest spring snowfall on record.
    1985 - Radio stations in South Africa banned all of Stevie Wonder's records after he dedicated the Oscar he had won the night before at The Academy Awards to Nelson Mandela. 
    1988 - 20 cities in the southwest reported record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 73 degrees at Flagstaff, Arizona, 90 degrees at Sacramento, California, 95 at Santa Maria, California, 95 degrees at Los Angeles, California, 99 at Tucson, Arizona, and 100 at Phoenix, Arizona were records for March.
    1988 - Michael Jackson squeezed a fourth US number one single out of his album "Bad" with "Man in the Mirror."
    1989 - The "Easter Bunny" brought record warm temperatures to the central U.S. while such records were still welcome. A dozen cities reported record warm readings, including Dodge City, KS with an afternoon high of 88 degrees. Strong southerly winds gusted to 51 mph at Dodge City, and reached 55 mph at Salina, KS.
    1989 - Top Hits
The Living Years - Mike & The Mechanics
Eternal Flame - Bangles
Girl You Know It’s True - Milli Vanilli
New Fool at an Old Game - Reba McEntire
    1990 - Host Billy Crystal kept us smiling for the 62nd Annual Academy Awards, staged at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) members voted "Driving Miss Daisy" the Best Picture of 1989 (Richard D. Zanuck, Lili Fini Zanuck, producers). The Best Director Oscar was won by Oliver Stone for "Born on the Fourth of July." Best Actor was Daniel Day-Lewis for "My Left Foot" and Best Actress was Jessica Tandy in "Driving Miss Daisy" (the 80-year-old actress was a favorite to win). Oscars for Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role went to Denzel Washington ("Glory") and Brenda Fricker ("My Left Foot"), respectively. Best Music/Song winners were Alan Menken (music), Howard Ashman (lyrics) for "Under the Sea" from "The Little Mermaid". You’re probably still humming this tune from that full-length animated film from Walt Disney Studios. Other popular 1989 films that were honored as nominees or winners include: "Field of Dreams;" "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade;" "Back to the Future Part II;" "Lethal Weapon II;" "Batman;" "Dead Poets Society;" "When Harry Met Sally;" and "Sex, Lies, and Videotape."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149769.html
    1992 - A judge in Indianapolis sentenced former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson to six years in prison for raping a Miss Black America contestant.
    1993 - Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., was officially named chairman and chief executive of IBM, effective April 1. Gerstner, former president of American Express and chairman of R.J.R. Nabisco, was the first chairman to come from outside IBM.
    1996 - The 68th Annual Academy Awards show was held at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. Actress/comedienne Whoopi Goldberg was the hostess. The Best Picture (of 1995) was "Braveheart" (Mel Gibson, Alan Ladd Jr., Bruce Davey, producers). Mel Gibson also won the Oscar for Best Director ("Braveheart"). The Best Actor was Nicolas Cage for "Leaving Las Vegas". The Best Actress award went to Susan Sarandon for "Dead Man Walking". Best Supporting Actor was Kevin Spacey for "The Usual Suspects" and Best Supporting Actress was Mira Sorvino for "Mighty Aphrodite". The cartoon "Pocahontas" was a winner in the tunes categories: Best Music/ Original Musical or Comedy Score to Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz and Best Music/Song: Alan Menken (music), Stephen Schwartz (lyrics) for "Colors of the Wind" from the animated film.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0195023.html
    1996 - The International Monetary Fund approved a $10.2 billion loan for Russia to help the country further transform its economy. 
    1996 - A day after CompuServe's WOW service for families started, H&R Block announces its plans to sell off a large stake of CompuServe in a public offering. The IPO in April sold off about 17 percent of the company. Block's plans to rid itself completely of CompuServe, however, would be stymied by the failure of the WOW service and the increasing struggles of proprietary online services to hold onto their membership despite the growing appeal of the World Wide Web. In February 1998, H&R Block sold the company to WorldCom, which then sold most of CompuServe's Internet businesses to America Online.
    1997 - The bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult were found in Rancho Santa Fe, California, after killing themselves in a mass suicide; they said they hoped they would join aliens following the Hale Bopp comet.
    1999 - Dr. Jack Kevorkian was convicted of second-degree murder for giving a lethal injection to an ailing man whose death was shown on "60 Minutes."
    2000 – 72nd Annual Academy Awards, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. "American Beauty," captured Best Picture (producers: Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks) at the 72nd Annual Academy Awards presentation, hosted by comedian Billy Crystal. The picture, nominated in eight categories, received four more Oscars: Best Director (Sam Mendes), Best Actor (Kevin Spacey), Best Original Screen Play (Alan Ball), Best Cinematography (Conrad L. Hall). Although Hilary Swank received the award for Best Actress in "Boys Don’t Cry," Annette Bening, nominated for her performance in "American Beauty," gave birth to her fourth child, a girl, sixteen days after this Oscar ceremony, congratulated her husband, Warren Beatty, who was presented with the Irving Thalberg Award for his career as a movie-maker. Angelina Jolie, received the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in "Girl, Interrupted." Michael Caine gave the most beautiful acceptance speech of the night (Best Supporting Actor: "The Cider House Rules"). The film, a seven-time nominee, also won for Best Screenplay Adaptation (John Irving). "The Matrix" was also a big winner (Best Film Editing: Zach Staenberg, Best Sound: David E. Campbell, David Lee III, John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff; Best Sound Effects Editing: Dane A. Davis; Best Visual Effects: Steve Courtley, John Gaeta, Janek Sirrs, Jon Thum). Costumes (Lindy Hemming) and makeup (Christine Blundell) in "Topsy-Turvy" earned the film two Oscars, while the statuette for Best Art Direction was presented to Rick Heinrichs and Peter Young for "Sleepy Hollow."  Phil Collins captured the Oscar for Best Original Song: "You’ll Be in My Heart." ("Tarzan") http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0801237.html
    2000 - In 17.6 seconds, the Kingdome in Seattle was demolished into a mound of rubble over 65 feet high thanks to 21.6 miles of detonation cord and 5,800 holes filled with gelatin dynamite.   
    2013 - Days after a new U.S.-South Korea military pact, North Korea issues new threats to strike targets in Hawaii, Guam, South Korea and the U.S. mainland
    2015 – Protesting US airstrikes, Shiite militia forces in Iraq boycott the fight against ISIS in Tikrit.  The U.S. was responding to a request from the Iraqi government, but militias are concerned that the U.S. will receive credit for their work to date.

NCAA Basketball Champions:

    1946 - Oklahoma A&M
    1949 - Kentucky
    1952 - Kansas
    1973 - UCLA
    1979 - Michigan State