April 17
1524 - Giovanni da Verrazano, Florentine navigator, explored from Cape Fear to Newfoundland and discovered New York Bay and the Hudson River of present-day New York harbor.
1693-Birthday of Mary Spratt Provoost Alexander - Dutch colonial (born New York City) merchant. Although much of MSPA's life is not fully documented, this remarkable woman had 10 children, two husbands, and built a trading empire of stores in New York City for which "she imported goods so extensively that it was said hardly a ship arrived in New York without a consignment for her." The Dutch women colonists had a tradition of merchandising and trade. At least one actually traveled with her goods between European ports and New York city. The couple built a magnificent mansion and lived well. Their wealth, in today's dollars, would have made them millionaires. Many of her children lived extraordinary lives in commerce and trade as well as becoming involved in civic matters. According to Nichola Varga who studied MSA's life, the "most extensive account of Mary Alexander s life is in Mrs. John King Van Rensselaer, The Goede Vrouw of Mana-ha-ta (1898), a book professedly based on family traditions and records."
1704-the first successful newspaper was the Boston News-Letter. the editor was John Campbell, a New England postmaster, who earned the distinction of being America's first vendor of news. It was printed by Bartholonew Green in a back room of his home in Boston, MA. the page size was 7.5 by 12.5 inches. The text was set in small pica type. The paper was without competition for 15 years and reached a circulation of 300 copies. (Not many people in the colonies had the ability to read.)
1741-birthday of Samuel Chase, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Born at Somerset County, MD, he died
http://www.samuelchase.com/
1776-the first capture of an enemy warship by a commissioned American naval officer occurred when the brig Lexington under Captain John Barry met the British warship Edward off the Virginia coast, captured it, and conveyed it to Philadelphia, PA.
1837-birthday of John Pierpont Morgan, American financier and corporation director, born at Hartford, CT. Morgan died Mar 31, 1913, at Rome, Italy, leaving an estate valued at more than $70 million.
1852-Adrian Constantine ("Cap") Anson, Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager, born at Marshalltown, IA. Anson played professional baseball from 1871 through 1897 and is considered one of the game's greatest first basemen. As a manager, he piloted the Chicago White Stockings (today's Cubs) to five National League pennants and a .575 winning percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939. Died at Chicago, IL, Apr 18, 1922.
1897-birthday of Thorton Wilder, Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright ( Our Town ) and novelist, born at Madison, WI. Died at Hamden, CT, Dec 7, 1975.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr17.html
1852-Adrian Constantine ("Cap") Anson, Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager, born at Marshalltown, IA. Anson played professional baseball from 1871 through 1897 and is considered one of the game's greatest first basemen. As a manager, he piloted the Chicago White Stockings (today's Cubs) to five National League pennants and a .575 winning percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939. Died at Chicago, IL, Apr 18, 1922. in 1948 was May 14, in 2002 it is Apr 17.
1860-fire escapes for tenements were required by New York State. The law was passed in the aftermath of a serious fire in Elm Street, New York City, in which 20 persons were suffocated or burned to death.
1864- There were an average of 7,333 desertions a month from the Union army. Many desertions were the result of bounty jumpers - men who would collect bounty to enlist, then desert and do it again elsewhere. The US government spent $300 million dollars on bounties while state and local governments spent about the same.
1865 -- Mary Surratt is arrested as a conspirator in Lincoln's assassination. Mary Surratt, boardinghouse owner, was charged with conspiring with Booth, "keeping the nest that hatched the egg," & running errands for Booth that facilitated his escape. It was alleged that Booth used her boardinghouse to meet with his co- conspirators. Mrs. Surratt was found guilty & was hanged on July 7, 1865.
1890 –Jazz banjo player Johnny St. Cyr birthday
http://www.jazzbanjo.com/vol3no1/stcyr1.htm
http://www.cdnow.com/switch/from=sr-240046/target=buyweb_products/
ArtistID=FRN-SAINT+CYR*JOHNNY
1901—birthday of guitarist Willie Guy Rainey, Calhoun Country, Alabama.
1915--CRILLEY, FRANK WILLIAM Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Chief Gunner's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: 13 September 1883, Trenton, N.J. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. (19 November 1928). Citation: For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession above and beyond the call of duty during the diving operations in connection with the sinking in a depth of water 304 feet, of the U.S.S. F-4 with all on board, as a result of loss of depth control, which occurred off Honolulu, T.H., on 25 March 1915. On 17 April 1915, William F. Loughman, chief gunner's mate, U.S. Navy, who had descended to the wreck and had examined one of the wire hawsers attached to it, upon starting his ascent, and when at a depth of 250 feet beneath the surface of the water, had his lifeline and air hose so badly fouled by this hawser that he was unable to free himself; he could neither ascend nor descend. On account of the length of time that Loughman had already been subjected to the great pressure due to the depth of water, and of the uncertainty of the additional time he would have to be subjected to this pressure before he could be brought to the surface, it was imperative that steps be taken at once to clear him. Instantly, realizing the desperate case of his comrade, Crilley volunteered to go to his aid, immediately donned a diving suit and descended. After a lapse of time of 2 hours and 11 minutes, Crilley was brought to the surface, having by a superb exhibition of skill, coolness, endurance and fortitude, untangled the snarl of lines and cleared his imperiled comrade, so that he was brought, still alive, to the surface.
1921-- One of the great draws of the early air shows were the stunt walkers. Many of them were women because it aroused men and newspaper men more to see women doing such things. One such woman was Phoebe Fairgrave who had dreamed of flying in high school. She wing walked and made parachute jumps, On 04-17-1921 Phoebe took her first parachute jump winding up in a tree, dangling unhurt. Within a few month she set a new world's record for women jumpers by parachuting from a plane at 15,200 feet. Then she developed the trick of cutting off her first parachute, then free falling before deploying her second chute - a real crowd pleasers that made her one of the most popular attractions in the country. Popular, smart, and ambitious, Phoebe formed her own organization, The Phoebe Fairgrave Flying Circus. She soon married Vernon Omlie, the pilot who had taught her to fly. Together they continued to barnstorm until they'd raised enough money to form their own flying school and broadened into the aviation business, Mid-South Airways in Memphis, Tennessee.
For details see:
http://www.aella.com/WIAI/fwpapp.html
http://www.womanpilot.com/past%20issue%20pages/2001%20issues/
mar%20apr%202001/phoebe.htm
http://www.hill.af.mil/museum/history/omlie.htm
http://www.overmountainpress.com/TitleS/sisair.html
1922 - A family of at least six tornadoes caused death and destruction along parts of a 210 mile path from north of Ogden IL to Allen County OH, killing sixteen persons. A post card, picked up in Madison County IN, was found 124 miles away near Mount Cory OH.
1926-birthday of jazz columnist/critic Whitney Balliett, New York City, New York.
http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=balliett.html
1930-Trmpterer Sam Noto born Buffalo, NY
1935 – “Lights Out” premiered on radio. The show also was on early TV. “Lights Out” scared many little kids, and adults, too.
http://www.otrsite.com/logs/logl1003.htm
1941-Trumpter player Red Allen records “K.K.Boogie,”
http://www-music.duke.edu/jazz_archive/artists/allen.henry/01/
1944- Canadian pop singer Bobby Curtola was born in Port Arthur, Ontario. A teen idol in Canada during the early 1960's, Curtola also made his mark internationally in 1962 with the hits "Fortune Teller" and "Aladdin." As well, he was host of two variety shows for CTV - "After Four" in 1965-66 and "Shake, Rock and Roll" in 1973- 74.
http://www.curtola.com/
1945--BURKE, FRANK (also known as FRANCIS X. BURKE) Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Nuremberg, Germany, 17 April 1945. Entered service at: Jersey City, N.J. Born: 29 September 1918, New York, N.Y. G.O. No.: 4, 9 January 1946. Citation: He fought with extreme gallantry in the streets of war-torn Nuremberg, Germany, where the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, was engaged in rooting out fanatical defenders of the citadel of Nazism. As battalion transportation officer he had gone forward to select a motor-pool site, when, in a desire to perform more than his assigned duties and participate in the fight, he advanced beyond the lines of the forward riflemen. Detecting a group of about 10 Germans making preparations for a local counterattack, he rushed back to a nearby American company, secured a light machinegun with ammunition, and daringly opened fire on this superior force, which deployed and returned his fire with machine pistols, rifles, and rocket launchers. From another angle a German machinegun tried to blast him from his emplacement, but 1st Lt. Burke killed this guncrew and drove off the survivors of the unit he had originally attacked. Giving his next attention to enemy infantrymen in ruined buildings, he picked up a rifle dashed more than 100 yards through intense fire and engaged the Germans from behind an abandoned tank. A sniper nearly hit him from a cellar only 20 yards away, but he dispatched this adversary by running directly to the basement window, firing a full clip into it and then plunging through the darkened aperture to complete the job. He withdrew from the fight only long enough to replace his jammed rifle and secure grenades, then re-engaged the Germans. Finding his shots ineffective, he pulled the pins from 2 grenades, and, holding 1 in each hand, rushed the enemy-held building, hurling his missiles just as the enemy threw a potato masher grenade at him. In the triple explosion the Germans were wiped out and 1st Lt. Burke was dazed; but he emerged from the shower of debris that engulfed him, recovered his rifle, and went on to kill 3 more Germans and meet the charge of a machine pistolman, whom he cut down with 3 calmly delivered shots. He then retired toward the American lines and there assisted a platoon in a raging, 30-minute fight against formidable armed hostile forces. This enemy group was repulsed, and the intrepid fighter moved to another friendly group which broke the power of a German unit armed with a 20-mm. gun in a fierce fire fight. In 4 hours of heroic action, 1st Lt. Burke single-handedly killed 11 and wounded 3 enemy soldiers and took a leading role in engagements in which an additional 29 enemy were killed or wounded. His extraordinary bravery and superb fighting skill were an inspiration to his comrades, and his entirely voluntary mission into extremely dangerous territory hastened the fall of Nuremberg, in his battalion's sector.
1949- "The Fred Waring Show" premiered on television this day in 1949. Fed Waring was leader of the big band called the Pennsylvanians, which featured about 65 musicians and singers. The show was produced on Sunday nights until 1954. Fred Waring was one of the first to promote living in Palm Springs and his name is prominent on many streets and structures today. Go here to read direct: www.culinarytechniques/waring.htm Contrary to widespread belief, Fred Waring did not invent the Waring Blender, but he made it happen. Waring and his Pennsylvanians had just finished one of their radio broadcasts in Manhattan's Vanderbilt's Theatre, when he was visited by promoter Fred Osius looking for a backer to produce and market a new type of mixer which he claimed would revolutionize people's eating habits. When the Prototype did not work, six months and $25,000 later, Waring stepped in, turned the project over to one of his associates who solved the engineering and production problems in time to introduce the "Miracle Mixer" at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago, in September of 1937- Largely due to Fred Waring's own promotions on radio and through a singing group, the "Waring Blendors," and a national campaign with a leading beverage supplier, the spectacular drink-making ability of the Waring Blendor® (as it was soon called) soon made it a fixture in most restaurants and bars. More and more people decided they wanted this in their kitchens. At that point it was an instant hit and the rest as they say is history.
1950- Tony Bennett made his first recording, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Bennett had used the song, revived from the 1934 movie "Moulin Rouge," to audition for Columbia Records. Although it was not a hit, the record marked the beginning of Bennett's more-than-40-year association with Columbia. He hit number one the following year with "Because of You."
1951- Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees made his major league debut and went 1for-4 as the Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 5-0.
1955--Top Hits
The Ballad of Davy Crockett - Bill Hayes
The Ballad of Davy Crockett - Fess Parker
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
In the Jailhouse Now - Webb Pierce
1955-Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame," which Billboard erroneously lists for months as "Ain't It a Shame," is released on Commodore Records.
1956-Willie Mosconi of Philadelphia, PA, ran 150 balls at Kinston, NC, following the break by Jimmy Moore of Albuquerque, NB, who played a safety show. He won the match in the first inning. Mosconi won each of his 14 matches and scored at 150-0 victory in the final match of the world pocket billiards tournament.
1956 - Two of the greats began their major-league baseball careers this day: Luis Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox and Don Drysdale began work with the Brooklyn (later, LA) Dodgers. Aparicio became the American League Rookie of the Year. Drysdale won 209 games before he retired. Both were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY on the same day, August 12, 1984. Drysdale later became a broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox and the Dodgers.
1956-with President Dwight Eisenhower in attendance, Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees opened the baseball season by hitting two massive home runs against the Washington Senators in Washington's Griffith Stadium. On this same date three years before Mantle hit another home, measured at 565 feet, one of the longest home runs ever.
1957- New York Governor Averall Harriman signed the first installment sales law to place a limit on credit service charges, requiring all charges to be clearly itemized and prohibited fine print in the contracts. Prior to this there were no laws enacted to protect consumers.
1960--Rock and Roll pioneer Eddie Cochran was just 21 years old when he was killed after the car in which he was riding blew a tire, then hit a lamp post. Cochran enjoyed hits with "Summertime Blues", "C'mon Everybody" and "Sittin' in the Balcony". Gene Vincent, who recorded "Be Bop A Lula" in 1956, and Cochran's fiancée, Sharon Sheeley survived the crash.
1961-Paul Revere and the Raiders' first US chart hit, "Like Long Hair" tops out at #38 on the Billboard chart.
1961-In what came to be called the Bay of Pigs invasion, some 1500 anti-Castro Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Cochinos in Cuba. Organized by the US.—based National Revolutionary Council and trained by the CIA, the force enjoyed initial success but collapsed within a few days because of inadequate supplies, lack of air support, and overwhelming opposing forces. On April 24, President John F. Kennedy stated he accepted full responsibility of the failure of the invasion.
1961 - The 33rd Annual Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, hosted by Bob Hope, ended the ten year drought during which the late producer, writer, director Billy Wilder could not capture the elusive Oscar. The late Billy Wilder was no stranger to Oscar. He had won three before. This year he not only received the Oscar for Best Writing/Story and Screenplay/Written Directly for the Screen (shared with I.A.L. Diamond), but the Best Director Oscar (both for "The Apartment"). He and "The Apartment" also received the top award, Best Picture. Burt Lancaster took the Best Actor honors and Shirley Jones, the Best Supporting Actress, for their performances in "Elmer Gantry". Elizabeth Taylor was voted Best Actress for her role in "Butterfield 8". "Spartacus", nominated in six categories, won four Oscars, including one for Peter Ustinov as Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The Best Music/Song was awarded to "Never on Sunday" and Manos Hadjidakis from the foreign flick: "Pote tin Kyriaki". Other movies this year included: "Sons and Lovers", "The Alamo", "The Time Machine", "Exodus". Some multi-nominations but no wins from that year include: "Inherit the Wind", "The Sundowners", "Cimarron", "Sunrise at Campobello", "Psycho", "Bells are Ringing", "The Magnificent Seven", "Can-Can".
1963--Top Hits
He's So Fine - The Chiffons
Can't Get Used to Losing You - Andy Williams
South Street - The Orlons
Still - Bill Anderson
1964-the Rolling Stones' first album was released in Britain. It sold more than 200,000 copies and topped the British chart for 12 weeks.
1965 - The Mississippi River reached a flood crest at Saint Paul MN four feet higher than any previous mark. During the next two weeks record levels were reached along the Mississippi between Saint Paul and Hannibal MO. Flooding caused more than 100 million dollars damage, but timely warnings kept the death toll down to just twelve persons.
1965--The Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda" is released, featuring rhythm guitarist Al Jardine on lead vocal. The song will become the group's second Billboard #1.
1967 - Comedian Joey Bishop tried the “Tonight Show: on ABC, opposite Johnny Carson, who never forgave him. “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” Regis Philbin was the announcer, Johnny Mann did the music. The show lasted until December 26, 1969. Bishop, by the way, is the lone survivor of the famous “Rat Pack” headed by the late Frank Sinatra.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/dom/980706/the_arts.and_then_there_24.html
1967--RCA and LearJet Corporation announce the development of the combination 8 track tape player and car radio that become available in next Fall's new cars.
1969-Bob Dylan's former backing group, simply known as The Band, make their first stand alone appearance at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.
1970-Paul McCartney releases his first solo album, officially ending his days with The Beatles, just as the group's single "Let It Be" reached #1 in America.
Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" hit the top of the US singles chart for a six week stay. The record became the best selling song of the year in the US, beating out Rod Stewart's "Maggie May". Hoyt Axton, son of "Heartbreak Hotel" author, Mae Axton, wrote the song.
1971-The Doors' "Love Her Madly" is released. It would become the band's 7th Billboard Top 40 single, reaching #11.
1971--Top Hits
Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
Another Day/Oh Woman Oh Why - Paul McCartney
Put Your Hand in the Hand - Ocean
Empty Arms - Sonny James
1971 - Joy to the World, by Three Dog Night, made it to the top of the pop music charts on this day. The song as number one for six weeks. Now that's a hit! 1972- Betcha by Golly, Wow, by The Stylistics from Philadelphia, earned a gold record for the group. The Stylistics also scored million sellers with You Are Everything, I'm Stone in Love with You, Break Up to Make Up and You Make Me Feel Brand New.
1971-The Doors' "Love Her Madly" is released.
1971-Carly Simon's "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" is released.
1973--Pink Floyd receives a Gold album for "The Dark Side of the Moon," one of Rock's landmark albums. The LP will remain on the charts for more than ten years and become the longest charting Rock record of all time.
1975-Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies became the first National League player since Bobby Lowe in 1894 to hit four home runs in consecutive at-bats in the same game. Schmidt's feat came against the Chicago Cubs in an 18-16, 10-9inning Phillies win. Schmidt connected twice off Rick Reuschel, once of Rick's brother Phil and once off Darold Knowles. He added a single and totaled eight RBIs as Philadelphia came back form a 13-2 deficit.
1976-Veteran jazz guitarist George Benson's album "Breezin'" enters the album chart. It will go on to become one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time. The albums goes gold on June 4 and platinum on August 10.
1979--Top Hits
What a Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers
Knock on Wood - Amii Stewart
Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills
(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right - Barbara Mandrell
1982-Toto, a group of veteran L.A. studio sessionmen, enter the pop chart again with "Roseanna" at #81. It will later climb to Number One and be named Record of the Year at the 1983 Grammy Awards.
1985 - The U.S. Postal Service unveiled its new 22-cent "LOVE" stamp. In a clever promotion, the USPS used the set of ABC-TV's "The Love Boat" as a backdrop. The stamp went on to become one of the most popular ever offered by the postal service.
1987-Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers scored 38 points to join Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA's 30,000 point club.
1987--Top Hits
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Aretha Franklin & George Michael
Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House
"You've Got" the Touch – Alabama
1987 - Twenty-two cities in the central U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. Temperatures warmed into the 70s and 80s from the High Plains Region to the Mississippi Valley, with readings in the low 90s reported in the Southern Plains Region. Tulsa OK hit 92 degrees.
1991-The Dow-Jones Index of 30 major industrial stocks topped the 3,000 mark for the first time.
1996--San Francisco: A new brass plaque was being forged for the Pioneer Monument that reads:
With their efforts over in 1934, the missionaries left behind about 56,000 converts
- and 150,000 dead. Half the original native American population had perished
during this time from diseases, armed attacks and mistreatment
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