The Top Seven Leasing/Finance Funder Websites
In North America

Alexa Rank is a rank (number) used to measure the popularity of a website among millions of other websites on Internet. For example, a website with a rank of 1 means it is the most popular website on Internet (i.e. google.com) and is on the first position of the Alexa global rank. It is similar to golf, the lower the number, the better the score.

Basically, the three-month, all internet Alexa ratings followed the Monday, November 29, 2021 ratings, but better results in visitors. Previous ratings were December 1, 2021 (1)

The top seven leasing/finance companies were taken from three-month Siteworthtraffic.com ratings (2). They were chosen from the Leasing News Funder List and originally, over 100 were checked for ratings under 1,000 (3). Note: many leasing companies are listed under their bank URLs. Brokers and Superbrokers are not included in these listings.

If your company is on the funder list and has less than a 1,000 rating, please email kitmenkin@leasingnews.org to be included in the next Company listing.

The numerical order has not changed since September, 13, 2021. At this time, all worldwide numbers have dropped, except in the US for Balboa Capital which has increased. (1)  Dropped means they improved, the lower the number shows the ranking of websites opened with Google as number 1. At one time there were ten in the top list.  It should be noted LEAF has fallen below the 1,000 cutoff and Financial Pacific had almost a double drop of visitors from December 1, 2021.

 

Balboa Capital
97,368
US 36,881

National Funding
136,252
US 60,226

Crest Capital
265,366
US 100,731

Ascentium Capital
396,920
US 94,409

TimePayment
373,414
US 105,599

Marlin Capital Solution
603,099
US 203,460

LEAF
1,036,811
US no rating

Financial Pacific
2,379,991
US no rating

 
(1) Four Month Numbers
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Dec2021/12_01.htm#7(2) http://www.siteworthtraffic.com/
(2) http://www.siteworthtraffic.com/
(3) Funder List "A"
http://leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm

 

 

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Thomas E. Goldsmith was hired as Director, Equipment Finance Originations, Truist Equipment Finance, Baltimore, Maryland.  He is located in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Previously, he was Vice President, Fulton Financial Corporation (October, 2020 - February, 2022).  National Sales Manager, Bridge Funding Group, Inc., a BankUnited Company (July, 2016 - August, 2020); National Sales Manager, Capital One Equipment Finance (July, 2013 - July, 2016); VP, Sales, SunTrust Equipment Leasing (January, 1998 - July, 2013). He joined Signet Leasing July, 1998, as Vice President/Credit & Portfolio Manager; promoted January, 1992, Vice President, Sales. Prior, he was at First Interstate Credit Alliance Corporation, starting July, 1984, Credit Analyst; promoted January, 1986, Branch Operations Manager. Education: University of Baltimore, MBA, Business (1991 - 1994). Towson University, Business Administration and Management, General (1980 - 1984).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-e-goldsmith-34083292/

Nicole (Jodouin) Cuncic was promoted to Senior Funding Analyst, Bennington Financial Corp., Burlington, Ontario, Canada. She joined the firm June, 2014, as Customer Service Coordinator, promoted November, 2015, Documentation and Credit Coordinator, promoted September, 2018, Funding Analyst. Previously, she was Key Holder, True Religion Brand Jeans (May, 2012 - August, 2013); Sales Associate, La Senza (October, 2006 - February, 2012). Education: ICS Canada, Medical Terminology, Certificate, Medical Terminology. Charles Turt University, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed), Primary/Junior. McMaster University, University, Bachelor of Arts (BS), Sociology (2007 - 2010). Cardinal Newman. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-cuncic-99442267/

Roz Ostler, CLFP, was hired as Asset Management Officer, Signature Financial, Melville, New York.  She is located in Little Falls, New York. Previously, she was Assistant Vice President, Asset Management, Crestmark, a division of MetaBank (October, 2017 - March, 2022); Self-Director Coordinator, Resource Center for Independent Living, January, 2017 -October, 2017); Program Coordinator, NAVS (June, 2002 - July, 2016); Documentation Manager, Wachovia Leasing (March, 1999 - September, 2000); Equipment Remarketer, NationsCredit Commercial Corp (1997 - 1999). She joined KeyBank 1992 as Asset Management Specialist, promoted 1995, Supervisor, Portfolio Management. Certification: Certified Leasing and Finance Professional Foundation, September, 2020). Education: Herkimer County Community College, Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS), Business Administration, Management and Operations. SUNY Empire State College, Business Administration, Management and Operations. https://www.linkedin.com/in/roz-ostler-clfp-43997411b/

Danielle Peterson was hire as Business Development Manager, LGFS, Lenova, Las Vegas, Nevada. Previously, she was VP, Senior Lead, EFD Bank of the West dba NetApp Capital Solutions (October, 2021 -February, 2022); Financial Solutions Executive, dba Citrix Finance Solutions, Blue Mesa Consulting dba Citrix Financial Solutions (January, 2021 - October, 2021); Senior Financial Sales Executive and Business Development Leader dba Citrix Financial Solutions, Technology Finance Partners (2019 - 2021); Regional Vice President, Crestmark Equipment Finance, Crestmark (2017 - 2018);   Financial Sales Executive, IBM Global Financing, IBM (2008 -2016); Manager, Program Development, ADP (2003 - 2008); AVP, Global Business Development, Comdisco (1991 - 2002). Volunteer: Domestic Violence Hotline, YWCA.  Volunteer. Dries for Success Southern Nevada.
Education: DePaul University, International Business. Triton College, Business Administration and Management.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ddpeterson18/

Doug Slagle was hired as Director of Originations art Clarus Capital, Boston, Massachusetts. He is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Previously, he was Vice President Originations, Radius Bank (May, 2019 - March, 2022); Vice President, Equipment Financing, Sentry Financial (November, 2018 - May, 2019); Vice President – Sales, GrowthFunding Equipment Finance, a Subsidiary of People's Utah Bancorp., Salt Lake City, Utah.  Previously, he was Vice President, Vendor Services, VFI Corporate Finance. Education: California State University-Sacramento, Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-slagle/

Francis van Reede was hired as Senior Account Manager, Construction and Titled Equipment, Lease Corporation of America, Troy, Michigan.  He is located in Annapolis, Maryland. Previously, he was Managing Direct, the  Bankman (2021); Vice President, Equipment Finance, Sterling National Bank (2018 -2020); Regional Sales Manager, Commercial Financial Services Corporation (2006 - 2011); Sales Account Manager, ABN AMRO Asset Based Finance (2000 - 2005); Account Manager, GE Capital (1995 - 1999); Business Development Manager, Nedbank (1990 - 1994); Business Development Manager, Absa Group (1986 - 2990); Foreign Exchange Manager, Barclays (1981 - 1985). Volunteer: Fundraiser, the Salvation Army. Fund Raiser, South African Red Cross Society (SARCS). Education: Damelin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebankman/

Help Wanted Ads

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Hybrid Working Remote, Trends in Leasing/Financing
Wheeler Business Consulting

Scott Wheeler, CLFP

With Amazon, Google, Twitter and mayors of cities trying to entice employees to come back to the downtown offices, at least three days a week, does it affect sales, and the growth of the Leasing and Finance Industry. In reality, according to Leasing News New Hires and Promotions, many of those listed work remotely; not just sales but all departments. Scott tackles the question with hybrid seeming to be the reality choice. - Editor

Many in the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry have embraced remote working. Many companies have experienced an increase in productivity from their staff. A hybrid model has been adopted by most participants allowing staff to mix and match in-office days with remote working. The hybrid model has some obvious challenges. The hybrid model also creates opportunities for those employees who are willing to go the extra mile.

Recently, I visited a company which has offered a hybrid work environment for its employees. Productivity has improved over the last two years and most of the employees enjoy the opportunity to work from home a few days a week. However, one younger, relatively new employee, who joined the company the beginning of 2019, has preferred to be in the office five days a week. He quickly determined that he needed to interact with whomever was available on any particular day to learn the culture of the company, to learn the company's processes and policies, and to better understand the business.

The company never required him to be 100% in-person but neither did management discourage his efforts. He often found that he was the first one to arrive at work and the last to leave. Other employees who were nearly 100% remote would often call him for help. He was a wealth of knowledge beyond the reports which were electronically available to everyone. He was recently promoted to a management position and is recognized as a leader.

He has outperformed other, more seasoned, employees in his department. He has enhanced his personal career by going over and beyond what was expected. He believes that his in-person involvement has allowed his advancement to occur more quickly.

Many professionals in our industry have embraced remote working arrangements. However, I am concerned that many, especially younger, less experienced individuals, may be doing their careers a disservice. The goodwill and personal learning experiences that we gain from continuous personal interaction with our peers and management teams is not replaceable by sporadic electronic communications.

The dynamics of the employee and employer relationship is currently favoring the employee (unemployment is very low and talent in the equipment finance and leasing industry is extremely hard to find). However, that dynamic can quickly change. Savvy professionals are taking every opportunity to enhance their personal value. They are going beyond what is expected of them and building internal goodwill within their organizations to enhance their personal careers. Just showing up may be more important than many believe it to be.     

Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting
Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome.
Phone: 410-877-0428
email: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com

Wheeler Business Consulting works with banks, independents, captives, origination companies, and investors in the equipment leasing and finance arena. We provide training, strategic planning, and acquisition services. Scott Wheeler is available to discuss your long-term strategy, to assist your staff to maximize outcomes, and to better position your organization in the marke

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2022 is seeing a new record of female CEOs at Fortune 500 companies. As of March, there were 74 female CEOs employed at America's 500 highest-grossing companies, up from 41 in June of 2021 and only 7 in 2002. Yet, the new high still only translates to around 15 percent female representation at the top of the country's biggest public businesses. Calls for more equitable hiring seem to be slowly bearing fruit in the higher echelons of the business world, as the number of female CEOs has risen for the fourth year in a row.

Karen Lynch taking over the lead at CVS Health in February of 2021 made the company the biggest in Fortune 500 history to ever be led by a woman. 2021 revenues rank the pharmacy and healthcare chain as the fourth biggest public business in the U.S., bringing in $268.7 billion.

In 2019, the highest-grossing company with a female CEO had been General Motors, then in rank 13. The carmaker with CEO Mary Barra at the helm is now the third-biggest Fortune 500 Company led by a women and the 22nd biggest overall.

Jane Fraser, who took over at Citi in March of 2021, was the first female CEO of a major U.S. bank. Other notable Fortune 500 companies that were female-led in early 2022 are UPS, Best Buy, Progressive, Oracle and Northrop Grumman.

By Katharina Buchholz, Statista

 

Rick Jones
Associate Publisher/Webmaster

Rick joined Leasing News in November 2009.

Rick Jones is the associate publisher/webmaster of Leasing News. Jones also was the managing editor of the Martinez News-Gazette from 2014 until the newspaper's closure in December 2019.

Jones started in journalism with the Osceola Newspaper, a publication that covered Florida State University atheltics. Jones worked as a reporter, photograhper, graphic design and webmaster for the weekly publocation. Jones moved to California in 2008 and began covering Stanford University athletics for his website, CardinalReport.com.

Jones was born in Ohio, but considers Tallahassee, FL his home. He is a graduate of Florida State and is a diehard Seminole fan and lives with his wife and two stepsons in Brentwood.

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##### Press Release ############################

CoreTech Makes Executive Promotions
Organizational Changes

Newport Beach, California – CoreTech Leasing, Inc. , an independent technology and equipment lessor, announced multiple promotions within the CoreTech executive team. Candace Reinhart, Senior Vice President of Operations and Syndications has been promoted to COO/CXO. Brian Wood, VP of Sales, is now VP of Impact and Growth. Amy Hall, Director of Leasing Administration, is the new SVP of Client Experience and Art Saber, Senior Business Systems Analyst, has been promoted to VP of Systems and Mission.

Following CoreTech’s recent company rebrand announcement, the company has since updated its team titles to empower employees and to establish a structure built around core competencies and the company’s mission. Similar to how the brand had outgrown its original identity, the company has outgrown conventional job titles and departments. The new titles are designed to integrate the client experience as the focal point of each new role.

Candace Reinhart, CLFP, Senior Vice President of Operations and Syndications, said, “CoreTech’s team is passionate about making positive impact the focus of all of our actions.

 “Structuring our organization so that each member of the group knows they are not only empowered but expected to advocate for a client’s interests, a partner's experience, a team member’s needs or their own well-being was the right thing to do. The words we use matter to us –– we want that to show up in our day-to-day interactions as well as our signature blocks.”

In practice, the company’s new team titles draw an emphasis on growth and mission without tying any one individual down to inflexible job descriptions preventing them from thinking outside of the box or magnifying the client’s experience.

Brian Wood, Vice President of Impact and Growth, commented,
“I am very excited to represent CoreTech as the Vice President of Growth and Impact. When evaluating what it means to keep our clients’ interests at our Core, it was evident that an elevated role which focuses on impact instead of sales was imperative.

 “As the leader of the Impact Team, I am excited to promote our forward-thinking equipment finance solutions and industry leading business practices. It is great to represent a company that is dedicated to making a positive impact on our clients and the individuals in our organization.”

https://www.coretechleasing.com/about

### Press Release ############################

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### Press Release ############################

CLFP Foundation Releases Ninth Edition Handbook
Available at Amazon Soon, it is reported

The Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation is happy to announce that the ninth edition of The Certified Lease & Finance Professionals’ Handbook is now available for purchase on Amazon in a paperback version with a Kindle version available shortly.

(Reid Raykovich, CLFP, CEO, notes for the remainder of tests for 2022, the seventh edition will be used. She notes the eighth has useful information.  It should be noted in visiting Amazon on Tuesday, the new eighth edition was not yet posted, as well as Kindle version. It also should be noted: CLFP has discounts available for multiple copies to be ordered. Editor).

Reid explains, “The reason we send it out now is because people typically study for 6+ months and we want to allow for that. We also give them the option of taking the test based on the new vs. old handbook.  It’s part of what makes keeping the Body of Knowledge, Handbook, exam and ALFP content difficult… accounting for (no pun intended) changes within the industry.  Therefore, we do it on an annual basis and try to accommodate everyone by giving them time to decide when they’re taking the test and on what content.”

Deborah Reuben, CLFP, CEO and Founder of TomorrowZone, was again engaged to update the previous edition with a focused effort on incorporating the latest changes to the Body of Knowledge.

Ms. Reuben consulted with four additional Subject Matter Experts and stated, “As always, it was a pleasure collaborating with an experienced group of CLFP subject matter experts to create and revise content. Special thanks to Kevin Prykull, Jena Morgan, Ben Hall, and Leonard Lane for their contributions producing this edition of the handbook.” 

The ninth edition removes redundancies, expands on the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), and the marketing and technology sections are updated.

The CLFP designation is the only certification for the Commercial Equipment Finance Industry.  Currently, there are Certified Lease & Finance Professionals and Associates located throughout the world, including the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, India, Africa, and Australia. For more information visit http://www.CLFPFoundation.org.

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Academy for Certified Lease & Finance Professionals
  March, April, May, June, and August

The Academy for Lease and Finance Professionals (ALFP) is a three-day event designed to fully prepare an individual to sit for the CLFP exam assuming the attendee has already self-studied. A trend has begun in having virtual online sessions.

During the first two days, all of the required sections of the CLFP exam are covered in-depth. On the third day, the exam is offered but is not mandatory and may be taken on another day.

Students are strongly advised to have read and studied The Certified Lease & Finance Professionals' Handbook prior to attending the class in order to ensure success.

Channel Host - Virtual
March 1 – March 4
Public ALFP
April 7 - April 8
Private

2022 Online Public ALFP Hosted by Northland Capital
Mar 21 – 23, 2022
Monday – 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Central Time
Tuesday – 9:00 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Central Time
Wednesday – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Central Time
This online ALFP will require attendees to have access to WebEx
Exam is proctored online, therefore, it may be taken at any time
To Register: This online ALFP will require attendees to have access to WebEx

Huntington Equipment Finance - Virtual
April 7 - April 8
Private

ALFP Host
April 7 – April 8
Private

Arvest Equipment Finance Host – In Person
April 20 - 23, 2022
Private ALFP

CISCO ALP Private
May 2 - May 5
Private

AP Equipment Finance - Virtual
June 8 - June 10
Private

Great American Insurance Host – In Person
August 18 - 19
Public ALFP

About Academy
https://clfpfoundation.org/academy-for-lease-and-finance-professionals/

If you are interested in attending, please contact Reid Raykovich, Executive Director: Reid@clfpfoundation.org

English Foxhound/Hound/Mixed
Miami, Florida  Adopt-a-Dog

Hank

Pet ID #D220033
One Year old
24 Pounds

Hi my name is Hank, I am approximately one year old and weigh 25 pounds.  I am a goofy and sweet boy who loves to run around the play yard with my other friends!  I am a hound and using my nose is one of my favorite things.  I love to walk, play with the humans, get lots of pets and overall just be the best handsome boy!  I would do great as a family dog with kids and other pups! Adopt me!

To adopt, fill out an application at www.paws4you.org/application

Paws 4 You Rescue
PO Box 561163
Miami, FL 33256
info@paws4you.org
www.paws4you.org

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Venue Location
JW Marriott Marquis
255 Biscayne Blvd Way, Miami, FL 33131, USA

deBanked is bringing its annual half-day CONNECT event back to Miami on March 24th.

For the first time ever, this event will be in Downtown Miami at the JW Marriott Marquis.

There is only a limited time left to register.  Sponsorship is all sold out.

deBanked President Sean Murray, said, "If you want to grow your business, this is the place you need to be," said. "We put the right people in the right place together."

This will be deBanked's 11th event since 2017 and in the post-COVID environment, the industry is surging.

"This is not the time to sit on the sidelines," Murray commented. "Everyone is rushing forward now after the pain of the last couple years. Establishing in-person relationships for the future has never been more important."

(This is not a bluff, these events sell out and have been very successful in the past, according to those who attended. Editor.)

Tickets are on sale now!
https://www.debankedmiami.com/page/1989496/register

Visit the website and subscribe: www.debanked.com

News Briefs---

McDonald's, Yum! Shuts Down 850 Russia Stores
    employing 62,000 in the country  Over Ukraine Conflict
https://www.qsrmagazine.com/fast-food/mcdonalds-yum-shut-down-russia-stores-over-ukraine-conflict

What is the hospitality industry's responsibility
    vis-à-vis Russia? Will Hyatt and Others Close?
https://www.hotelmanagement.net/own/what-hospitalitys-responsibility-vis-vis-russia

Porsche Suspending All Production Due To Conflict
    In Ukraine: Report
https://jalopnik.com/porsche-suspending-all-production-due-to-conflict-in-uk-1848624340

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could cut auto production
    by millions of vehicles this year
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/07/russia-ukraine-war-could-cut-auto-production-by-millions-of-vehicles.html

U.S. oil industry prepares to boost production
    — but with a giant warning
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/07/oil-industry-production-hikes-russia-00014778

We Are the First in the World to Introduce This
    New Warfare’: Ukraine’s Digital Battle Against Russia
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/03/08/ukraine-digital-minister-crypto-cyber-social-media-00014880

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You May Have Missed---

Another State Joins the Disclosure to Commercial Transactions
Virginia Passes Landmark Sales-Based Financing Bill
https://debanked.com/2022/03/virginia-passes-landmark-sales-based-financing-bill/

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Sports Briefs---

Aaron Rodgers, Packers agree to four-year deal
    as QB becomes highest-paid player in NFL history
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/aaron-rodgers-packers-agree-to-four-year-deal-as-qb-becomes-highest-paid-player-in-nfl-history/

 

Sources: Seattle Seahawks agree to trade QB Russell Wilson
to Denver Broncos, get three players, picks
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33454258/sources-seattle-seahawks-trade-qb-russell-wilson-denver-broncos

How NFL landscape looks for 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo
after Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson deals
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/08/how-nfl-landscape-looks-for-49ers-jimmy-garoppolo-after-aaron-rodgers-russell-wilson-deals/

Jimmy Garoppolo undergoes successful surgery
on throwing shoulder
https://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/21421/Jimmy-Garoppolo-undergoes-successful-surgery-on-throwing-shoulder

Hardin: Deshaun Watson to take Fifth Amendment
in first civil lawsuit deposition
https://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/21420/Hardin--Deshaun-Watson-to-take-Fifth-Amendment-in-first-civil-lawsuit-deposition

Pac-12 basketball carousel: Assessing the seat heat
and potential for some coaches to be lured away
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/03/08/pac-12-basketball-carousel-assessing-the-seat-heat-and-potential-for-some-coaches-to-be-lured-away/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Some L.A. schools face uncertain futures
    as student enrollment declines dramatically
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-08/los-angeles-lausd-schools-student-enrollment-declines?utm_id=49874&sfmc_id=1646692

PG&E to test GM’s electric vehicles as backup power
for Northern California homes
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/03/08/pgs-electric-vehicles-as-backup-power-for-homes/

This California university unified town and gown
to fight COVID — why haven’t others?
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article259127193.html?ac_cid=DM616163&ac_bid=-834233867

San Francisco Bay Area Gas Prices Surge
To Highest in the U.S.
https://patch.com/california/saratoga/s/i5mm2/bay-area-gas-prices-surge-to-highest-in-the-us?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert

California surpasses 9 million coronavirus cases,
equal to nearly 1 in 4 residents
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-08/california-surpasses-9-million-coronavirus-cases-nearly-equal-to-1-in-every-4-residents?utm_id=49908&sfmc_id=1646692

Downtown Oakland gains a big new hotel
with rooftop Lounge   
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/03/07/downtown-oakland-big-new-hotel-168-rooms-real-estate-covid-economy/

Local Authorities in California Start Granting
Tax Relief to Cannabis Businesses
https://www.cannabisnewswire.com/420-with-cnw-local-authorities-in-california-start-granting-tax-relief-to-cannabis-businesses/

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"Gimme that wine"

Behind the bottle: 12 influential women
      & their award-winning wines
https://www.decanter.com/decanter-world-wine-awards/behind-the-bottle-12-influential-women-their-award-winning-wines-474083/

Premiere Napa Valley Auction Raises
$2.7 Million in Sale of Rare Wines
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/premiere-napa-valley-auction-raises-2-7-million-in-sale-of-rare-wines

California's Russian River Valley Winegrowers Announces
Presenting Sponsorship of Pinot Forum, July 10-12, 2022
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/256580

How good can Pa. wines be? Two-day conference
offers variety of ways to raise the bar
https://www.pennlive.com/food/2022/03/how-good-can-pa-wines-be-two-day-conference-offers-variety-of-ways-to-raise-the-bar.html

“Gimme that Wine”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

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

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

This Day in History

      1451 - Amerigo Vespucci (d. 1512), Italian navigator, was born in Florence, Italy. The continents of the Americas were named after him (America is the Latin version of his name used on maps in its day.)  Italian navigator, merchant and explorer, he participated in at least two expeditions between 1499 and 1502 which took him to the coast of South America. Vespucci’s expeditions were of great importance because he believed that he had discovered a new continent, not just a new route to the Orient. Neither Vespucci nor his exploits achieved the fame of Columbus, but the New World was to be named for Amerigo Vespucci by an obscure German geographer and map maker, Martin Waldseemuller. Ironically, in his work as an outfitter of ships, Vespucci had been personally acquainted with Christopher Columbus. 
    1728 - During the course of the Anglo-Spanish War, a military force of English settlers from the South Carolina colony conducts an expedition deep into Spanish controlled Florida to destroy a Yamassee Indian village close to the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine.
    1781 - The siege of Pensacola began. The Spaniard, Gov. Gen. Bernardo Galvez y Gallardo, conde de Galvez, had just completed a very successful campaign against the English in New Orleans, Natchez, and Baton Rouge. Indeed, this leader showed his brilliance from the outset of this campaign. As Galvez had his 14 ships ready to attack at Baton Rouge (1779), a great storm struck, sinking most of his ships and destroying their provisions. Undaunted, he recovered cannon from the sunken ships, built a shore battery, and attacked the fort. He succeeded where lesser leaders would have confessed failure. At Pensacola, the English general had made a weak attempt to help the troops on the Louisiana coast, but he sent so few of his own troops with such weak instructions, they were quickly dispatched. Even as the Spanish fleet massed off Santa Rosa Island, the English general did not believe they would attack. He failed to grasp the importance of Pensacola as the key to naval supremacy in the Gulf of Mexico. Galvez had a firm grasp of this key fact. When Galvez landed his troops on Santa Rosa Island, 1400 troops were landed onto Santa Rosa Island. When Galvez's ships first massed for the entrance into the harbor, a hurricane struck. Great skill in fleet handling and, pre-planning for such, he took the large number of ships out to sea for protection and then quickly back on station still ready to "run the guns" of the Royal Navy Redoubt (fort) at Red Cliffs (about 7 miles SW of Pensacola) with minimal losses. Galvez personally took command of a small ship (the brig Galveztown) and led the others under the guns by first going through alone. In doing so, he had exposed a flaw in the design of the batteries on the Red Cliffs fort. Although some 140 heavy shot had been fired from the fort, the fleet suffered little damage. The big guns could not be lowered enough to hit ships very near them. The English General had miscalculated. Galvez's ship soon fired on the small Fort Half Moon and struck the powder magazine. His men captured several English sloops, 2 small warships and a frigate, the Port Royal (the English burned the frigate Mentor to avoid its capture!). With all these ships in skirmishing actions, some have written of the naval victory at Pensacola. It was strictly a land victory with the Navy there in large numbers to protect against English reinforcements from the sea. This marks the beginning of the siege of Pensacola that will continue until 9 May.
    1793 - President George Washington watched aeronaut Jean Pierre Blanchard make the first aerial voyage in the New World.
    1798 - Dr. George Balfour became the first surgeon in the U.S. Navy.    
    1822 - Charles Graham of NY was granted the first US patent for artificial teeth.
    1824 - Amasa Leland Stanford (d. 1893), founder of Stanford University, was born in Watervliet, NY.  Migrating to California at the time of the Gold Rush, he became a successful merchant and wholesaler and continued to build his business empire. He served one two-year term as governor of California after his election in 1861, and later, eight years as senator from the state. As president of Southern Pacific Railroad and, beginning in 1861, the Central Pacific, he had tremendous power in the region and a lasting impact on California. Many consider him a robber baron. 
    1832 - Abraham Lincoln, of New Salem, Illinois, announced he was running for political office for the first time. He campaigned for a seat in the Illinois state legislature. ‘Honest Abe' did not win, but less than thirty years later, he become President of the United States.
    1841 - The Supreme Court issued a ruling freeing the remaining 35 survivors of the Amistad mutiny. This case involved captive Africans who had seized control of the ship carrying them and the court ruled that they had been taken into slavery illegally. Although seven of the nine justices on the court hailed from Southern states, only one dissented from Justice Joseph Story's majority opinion. Private donations ensured the Africans' safe return to Sierra Leone in January, 1842.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar09.html
    1842 – The first documented discovery of gold in California occurred, six years before the California Gold Rush.  Both Californias — Alta and Baja — were part of Mexico, and Francisco Lopez was herding cattle on his niece's ranch in Placerita Canyon, 35 miles north of the Pueblo de Los Angeles.  Lopez fell asleep in the shade of an oak tree and when he awoke, he stuck his knife into the ground, unearthed some wild onions — and there, clinging to the roots, were chunks of gold.  "I with my sheath knife," Lopez later recalled, "dug up some wild onions, and in the earth discovered a piece of gold, and, searching further, found some more."
    1847 - During the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott invade Mexico three miles south of Vera Cruz. Encountering little resistance from the Mexicans massed in the fortified city of Vera Cruz, by nightfall the last of Scott's 10,000 men came ashore without the loss of a single life. It was the largest amphibious landing in U.S. history and not surpassed until World War II. The Mexican-American War began with a dispute over the U.S. government's 1845 annexation of Texas.
    1856 – The fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded at the University of Alabama.
    1858 - Albert Potts of Philadelphia, PA, received a patent on his invention of a street letter box, “a mode of attaching metallic letter-boxes.” The box had center hole through which the shaft of an ordinary cast-iron lamppost was placed. Boxes were erected on August 2, 1838, in Boston and New York City.
    1861 - Confederate paper money was issued under the Confederate States Act at Mobile, Alabama, authorizing $1 million in treasury notes in denominations of $50, $100, $500 and $1,000. The $50 note feature three African-Americans slaves in a field, two of them hoeing; the $100 note, a train of cars at a depot, at the right, and Liberty standing, at the left; the $500 note, a rural scene with cattle wading in a brook, and the $1,000 note, busts of Andrew Jackson and John Caldwell Calhoun.
http://www.albany.edu/jmmh/vol3/facevalue/facevalue.html
    1862 - Two ironclad ships, the Union's Monitor and the Confederacy's Merrimac (renamed Virginia), battled at Hampton Roads, VA. The "History Channel" has a great documentary on this, and the change from wooden ship hulls to metal hulls. The Monitor was a 172-foot Union ship with a crew of 58 under the command of Lieutenant John Lorimer Worden, who was partially blinded by a shot while observing action and was superseded by Lieutenant S. Dana Greene. It had been designed by John Ericsson and had a revolving gun turret. The Merrimac was a 175 foot Confederate ship with a crew of 300 under command of Captain Franklin Buchanan, who was wounded and superseded by Lieutenant Catseby ap Roger Jones. It was a scuttled Union steam frigate that had been salvaged and armored by the Confederates and renamed the Virginia. The battle ended with the sinking of the Merrimac.
    1864 – Gen Ulysses S. Grant was appointed Commander of the Army.
    1889 - Kansas passed the first general antitrust law in U.S.
    1897 - Cleveland Spiders signed Louis Sockalexis, a full-blooded Penobscot.  Fans began calling the team Indians, leading to the name change to the Cleveland Indians which became the official name in 1915.
    1903 - Singer/pianist Georgia White (d. 1980) was born in Sandersville, GA.  She was a prolific blues singer in the 1930s and 1940s.
http://bluesland.net/thang/GeorgiaWhite.html
http://www.theiceberg.com/artist/25959/georgia_white.html
http://ubl.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/
0,,513828,00.html?artist=Georgia+White
http://www.mnsi.net/~phlegm/railroad_blues.html
   1909 - Birthday of rich, full tone tenor saxophone player Herschel Evans (d. 1939), Denton, Texas. He created the “tough Texas tenor” sound. With Count Basie from 1936-39 and quite a contrast with tenor player Lester Young.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/EE/fev3.html
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/evans_herschel/bio.jhtml
    1910 - The Westmoreland County coal strike began involving 15,000 miners represented by the United Mine Workers.
    1916 - In the early morning hours, several hundred Mexican guerrillas under the command of Francisco "Pancho" Villa crossed the U.S.-Mexican border and attacked the small border town of Columbus, New Mexico. Seventeen Americans were killed in the raid and the center of town was burned. It was unclear whether Villa personally participated in the attack but President Woodrow Wilson ordered the U.S. Army into Mexico to capture the rebel leader dead or alive, led by Gen. Black Jack Pershing and 50,000 US soldiers.  In January 1917, having failed in their mission to capture Villa and, under continued pressure from the Mexican government, the Americans were ordered home. Villa continued his guerrilla activities in northern Mexico until Adolfo de la Huerta took power over the government and drafted a reformist constitution. Villa entered into an amicable agreement with Huerta and agreed to retire from politics. In 1920, the government pardoned Villa, but three years later he was assassinated at his ranch in Parral.
    1918 - “Hard boiled” detective writer Mickey Spillane’s (d. 2006) birthday, born Frank Morrison Spillane in Brooklyn. He followed the timeline of Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler.  Author of the hard-boiled detective novels featuring Mike Hammer that grew into films and a hit TV show starring Stacy Keach.
http://www.interlog.com/~roco/hammer.html
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/spillane.htm
    1926 – Joe Franklin (d. 2015) of “Memory Lane” fame, was born Joseph Fortgang in The Bronx.  He was considered to be an authority on popular culture of the first half of the 20th century, including silent films. He was called "The King of Nostalgia" and "The Wizard of Was" for focusing on old-time show-business personalities. Franklin was also a pioneer in promoting products such as Hoffman Beverages and Canada Dry Ginger Ale on the air. A&E's documentary “It's Only Talk, The Real Story of America's Talk Shows” (Actuality Productions) credits Franklin as the creator of the television talk show. Franklin was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running continuous on-air TV talk show host, more than a decade longer than Johnny Carson’s run. 
    1931 - Cab Calloway's theme song, "Minnie the Moocher," was recorded in New York. Not until 1978 was it revealed that his single recording had ultimately sold 2.5 million copies, making it the longest million-seller "sleeper" after 47 years.    
    1933 - Singer Lloyd Price (d. 2021), an important figure in New Orleans rock 'n' roll, was born in Kenner, Louisiana. He first hit the charts in 1952 with "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," a song originally designed to be used as a radio commercial. The piano player on the record was Fats Domino. After two years in the armed forces, Price resumed his recording career with "Just Because," which hit the charts in early 1957. The following year he had his only number-one hit, "Stagger Lee," which he wrote with his manager, Harold Logan. Price's other hits include "Personality" and "I'm Gonna Get Married."
http://rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=172
http://www.garycape.com/price.htm
http://www.history-of-rock.com/price.htm
    1933 – In the first of his New Deal legislation, President Franklin Roosevelt submitted the Emergency Banking Act to Congress.  FDR set out to rebuild confidence in the nation's banking system, first declaring a four-day banking holiday that shut down the banking system, including the Federal Reserve. Prepared by the Treasury staff during Hoover administration, the legislation allowed the twelve Federal Reserve banks to issue additional currency on good assets so that banks that reopened would be able to meet every legitimate call.
    1934 – Yuri Gagarin (d. 1968) was born in Klushino, Russia.  A pilot and cosmonaut, he was the first human to journey into outer space, when his spacecraft completed an orbit of the earth on 12 April 1961. 
    1935 - Birthday of Keely Smith, born Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (d. 2017) in Norfolk, VA.  Pop vocalist, best known number "That Old’ Black Magic," a Top 20 hit in 1958.  She began her career singing with the Louis Prima band, where they became the "Queen and King" of Las Vegas, Nevada.  In 1959, Smith and Prima were awarded the first-ever Grammy for Best Performance by a Vocal Group or Chorus for "That Ol' Black Magic."
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/
bio/0,,494640,00.html?artist=Keely+Smith
    1936 – Babe Ruth rejected an offer to manage the Cincinnati Reds, attempting instead to try a comeback as a player.
    1936 – Mickey Gilley was born in Natchez, MS.  Country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as well. 
    1938 - Comedian Bob Hope makes his first film appearance, singing "Thanks for the Memories" in “The Big Broadcast of 1938.” He made more than 700 trips to American military bases and hospitals around the world, entertaining some 10,000 troops. These efforts earned him five special Academy Awards and the nickname "Mr. Humanitarian." President John F. Kennedy once called him "America's most prized ambassador of goodwill throughout the world," and the United States Congress made him an "honorary veteran" in 1997-an unprecedented gesture. Hope has won more than 2,000 awards and citations, including 54 honorary doctorates, an honorary knighthood, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1985, he was awarded the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors for Lifetime Achievement. His accolades earned him the title "Most Decorated and Honored Entertainer" in the Guinness Book of Records.
    1942 - Tommy Dorsey records Elman-Peterson trumpet battle “Well, Git it.”
    1943 - The temperature at Lac Frontiere, Maine fell to 40 degrees below zero. This is the coldest ever in March in New England.
    1942 – Mark Lindsay, lead singer of Paul Revere and The Raiders, was born in Eugene, OR.
    1943 – Chess champion Bobby Fischer (d. 2008) was born in Chicago.
    1944 - Canadian blues-rock singer and harmonica player King Biscuit Boy was born Richard Newell (d. 2003), in Hamilton, Ontario. He released several LPs of his own in the 1970's, as well as appearing on recordings by Ronnie Hawkins, Crowbar, April Wine and the Electric Flag.
http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPagesK/king_biscuit.html
http://www.spots.ab.ca/~jam/Scans/KBB.html
http://therealthing.com/kingbiscuitboy/
    1944 - Japanese troops counter-attacked American forces on Hill 700 in Bougainville in a battle that would last five days.
    1945 - The Japanese capital of Tokyo was bombed by 343 US Air Force B-29 Super Fortresses carrying all the incendiary bombs they could hold. Within the targeted areas of the city, population densities were four times greater than those of most American cities, and homes were made primarily of wood and paper. Carried by the wind, the fires leveled 16 sq. miles. More than a quarter million buildings were destroyed, including 18% of the industrial area. The death toll was 83,000; 41,000 were injured. For the balance of the war, American strategic bombing followed this pattern. The bombing of Germany was also changed to incendiary as the military learned the fire aftermath caused great more damage than regular bombs.
    1946 – Ted Williams rejected a $500,000 offer to play in the Mexican League.
    1950 – Willie Sutton robbed Manufacturers Bank of $64,000 in NYC.  When asked why he robbed banks, Sutton replied, “…because that’s where the money is.”
    1951 – Physicists Edward Teller and Stanislaw Ulam submitted a classified paper at the Los Alamos lab in which they proposed their revolutionary new design, staged implosion, for a practical megaton-range hydrogen bomb.
    1951 - HARVEY, RAYMOND, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company C, 17th Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Vicinity of Taemi-Dong, Korea, 9 March 1951. Entered service at: Pasadena, Calif. Born: 1 March 1920 Ford City, Pa. G.O. No.: 67, 2 August 1951. Citation: Capt. Harvey Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. When his company was pinned down by a barrage of automatic weapons fire from numerous well-entrenched emplacements, imperiling accomplishment of its mission, Capt. Harvey braved a hail of fire and exploding grenades to advance to the first enemy machine gun nest, killing its crew with grenades. Rushing to the edge of the next emplacement, he killed its crew with carbine fire. He then moved the 1st Platoon forward until it was again halted by a curtain of automatic fire from well-fortified hostile positions. Disregarding the hail of fire, he personally charged and neutralized a third emplacement. Miraculously escaping death from intense crossfire, Capt. Harvey continued to lead the assault. Spotting an enemy pillbox well camouflaged by logs, he moved close enough to sweep the emplacement with carbine fire and throw grenades through the openings, annihilating its 5 occupants. Though wounded he then turned to order the company forward, and, suffering agonizing pain, he continued to direct the reduction of the remaining hostile positions, refusing evacuation until assured that the mission would be accomplished. Capt. Harvey's valorous and intrepid actions served as an inspiration to his company, reflecting the utmost glory upon himself and upholding the heroic traditions of the military service. 
    1954 – “See It Now” producer and star Edward R. Murrow delivered a broadcast that has been referred to as television's finest hour. “See It Now” focused on a number of controversial issues in the 1950s, but it is best remembered as the show that criticized the Communist Scare and contributed to the political downfall of Senator Joseph McCarthy. By using mostly recordings of McCarthy himself in action, interrogating witnesses and making speeches, Murrow and co-producer Fred Friendly displayed what they felt was the key danger to the democracy: not suspected Communists, but McCarthy's actions themselves. As Murrow said in his summation:  "No one familiar with the history of this country can deny that Congressional committees are useful; it is necessary to investigate before legislating. But the line between investigating and persecuting is a very fine one, and the junior senator from Wisconsin has stepped over it repeatedly. His primary achievement has been in confusing the public mind as between the internal and the external threats of communism. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty; we must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of the law." The broadcast provoked tens of thousands of letters, telegrams and phone calls to CBS headquarters, running 15 to 1 in favor of Murrow. Friendly later recalled how truck drivers pulled up alongside Murrow and shouted, "Good show, Ed." The show's probe of the McCarthy-led anti-Communist era is the focus of the 2005 film “Good Night and Good Luck.”
    1954 – The first television commercial in color was broadcast on NBC-TV in NY…for Castro Convertibles…sofas, not cars!
    1956 - Top Hits
“Lisbon Antigua” - Nelson Riddle
“Why Do Fools Fall in Love” - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
“Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)” - Perry Como
“I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby” - The Lovin' Brothers
    1956 - A whopping 367 inches of snow was measured on the ground at the Rainier Park Ranger station in Washington. The snow depth was a state record and the second highest total of record for the US
    1957 - Fats Domino had the number 1 record on the Billboard R&B singles chart with "I'm Walkin'," which had just replaced his own, "Blue Monday." Domino would keep the Top 40 hits coming for the next 5 years before fading to the younger rock ‘n’ rollers. 
    1958 - Cannonball Adderley, with Miles Davis, cuts “Somethin' Else” album (BN 1595).
    1959 - Barbie Debuts. The popular girls' doll debuted in stores. More than 800 million dolls have been sold.
    1959 - Jack Paar was on the cover of "LIFE" magazine. The article on him said he was accused of “keeping the U.S. up nights.” He had a late night television show on NBC with show regulars, Dody Goodman, Alexander King, Cliff Arquette, announcer Hugh Downs and bandleader Jose Melis.
http://www.life.com/Life/covers/1959/cv030959.html
    1960 - A winter storm produced a narrow band of heavy snow from north central Kentucky into Virginia and the mountains of North Carolina. Snowfall totals ranged from 12 to 24 inches with drifts up to 11 feet high in western Virginia
    1961 - Clifton Reginald Wharton was sworn in as ambassador to Norway. He was the first African-American to enter the Foreign Service and the first African-American diplomat to head a United States delegation to a European country.
    1961 - "I Want a Guy," the first Supremes' single under that name, was released. The Supremes had previously recorded as the Primettes.
    1961 - The Beatles make their first of over 300 appearances at Liverpool's Cavern Club. The group had played the venue in the past as The Quarry Men.
    1964 - Capitol Records releases a song called "Letter to the Beatles" by The Four Preps. The lyrics describe a boy lamenting the fact that he's lost his girlfriend to The Fab Four. On its first day, the record shot to #85 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it looked like The Preps were going to have another hit on their hands. Unfortunately, they had included a few bars from "I Want to Hold Your Hand" without permission and Capitol was forced to withdraw the single to avoid a lawsuit. These days you can still find the song on YouTube.  
    1964 - Top Hits
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” - The Beatles
“She Loves You” - The Beatles
“Please Please Me” - The Beatles
“Saginaw, Michigan” - Lefty Frizzell
    1964 - Five Sioux, led by Richard McKenzie, took over Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. They demanded the establishment of a cultural center and university on the island. The occupation lasted four hours. On November 20, 1969, these demands were raised again by Richard Oakes and a group of about 100 Native Americans, mostly college students, who began an organized occupation of Alcatraz that lasted 19 months. Alcatraz today is a national monument, quite a tourist attraction, too.
    1965 - Three white Unitarian ministers, including the Rev. James J. Reeb, were attacked with clubs on the streets of Selma, Alabama, while participating in a civil rights demonstration. Reeb later died in a Birmingham, Alabama hospital.
http://www.uua.org/news/reeb/nyt030800.html
http://www.uua.org/news/2002/selma/inscriptions.html
    1965 – “The Boz,” Brian Bosworth was born in Oklahoma City.  Still regarded as one the NFL’s biggest busts, you can see him get run over by the Raiders’ Bo Jackson as few have ever been.  A two-time All-American LB from Oklahoma prior to his entry into the NFL supplemental draft, Bosworth had sent letters to various NFL teams stating that, if they drafted him, he wouldn't report to their training camp and he wouldn't play for them.  One of those teams, the Seattle Seahawks drafted him in the 22d round and he lasted all of three years in the NFL.  In college, he twice won the Dick Butkus award for being the top college linebacker. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
    1966 - Andrew Brimmer became the first African-American Governor of Federal Reserve Board.
http://www.umass.edu/economics/Staff/brimmer.html
http://www.horatioalger.com/members/member_info.cfm?memberid=bri74
    1968 - Grammy Awards are presented to The Fifth Dimension for "Up, Up and Away" - Record of the Year and Best Performance by a Vocal Group. The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is named Album of the Year, Best Contemporary Album, Best Engineered Record and Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts.
    1969 - JACOBS, JACK H., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Element, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Republic of Vietnam. Place and date: Kien Phong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 9 March 1968. Entered service at: Trenton, N.J. Born: 2 August 1945, Brooklyn, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Jacobs (then 1st Lt.), Infantry, distinguished himself while serving as assistant battalion advisor, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The 2d Battalion was advancing to contact when it came under intense heavy machine gun and mortar fire from a Viet Cong battalion positioned in well-fortified bunkers. As the 2d Battalion deployed into attack formation its advance was halted by devastating fire. Capt. Jacobs, with the command element of the lead company, called for and directed air strikes on the enemy positions to facilitate a renewed attack. Due to the intensity of the enemy fire and heavy casualties to the command group, including the company commander, the attack stopped and the friendly troops became disorganized. Although wounded by mortar fragments, Capt. Jacobs assumed command of the allied company, ordered a withdrawal from the exposed position and established a defensive perimeter. Despite profuse bleeding from head wounds which impaired his vision, Capt. Jacobs, with complete disregard for his safety, returned under intense fire to evacuate a seriously wounded advisor to the safety of a wooded area where he administered lifesaving first aid. He then returned through heavy automatic weapons fire to evacuate the wounded company commander. Capt. Jacobs made repeated trips across the fire-swept open rice paddies evacuating wounded and their weapons. On 3 separate occasions, Capt. Jacobs contacted and drove off Viet Cong squads who were searching for allied wounded and weapons, single-handedly killing 3 and wounding several others. His gallant actions and extraordinary heroism saved the lives of 1 U.S. advisor and 13 allied soldiers. Through his effort the allied company was restored to an effective fighting unit and prevented defeat of the friendly forces by a strong and determined enemy. Capt. Jacobs, by his gallantry and bravery in action in the highest traditions of the military service, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
    1969 - The Smothers Brothers television show was cancelled by CBS after the brothers refused to censor a comment made by Joan Baez on one of her songs. She wanted to dedicate the song to her husband, David, who was just about to go to jail for objecting to the draft. An edited version of the show was broadcast later in the month.
    1970 - Having recently changed their name from Earth to Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward make their concert debut at The Roundhouse in the North London district of Camden Town.
    1972 - In what will become a trend, pop artists unite to perform for a presidential candidate: Carole King, James Taylor and Barbara Streisand among others, play a benefit show for Democratic presidential hopeful George McGovern at the Forum in Los Angeles
    1972 - Top Hits
“Without You” - Nilsson
“Hurting Each Other” - Carpenters
“Down by the Lazy River” - The Osmonds
“Bedtime Story” - Tammy Wynette
    1973 – Birthday in LaMesa, CA of Aaron Boone, former MLB 3B infamously known to Red Sox fans with Yankees Joe DiMaggio and Bucky Dent.  Boone was involved in two incidents of Yankees lore:  he hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning, off Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, during Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS which gave the New York Yankees a 6–5 victory.  On February 27, 2004, Boone was cut from the Yankee roster after tearing a knee ligament during a pick-up basketball game, played in violation of his contract with the Yankees.  This led the Yanks to acquire Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers in a trade.  Boone is the son of C Bob Boone, brother of 2B Brett Boone and grandson of former AL batting champ Ray Boone.  In December, 2017, the Yankees hired Boone to become the 33rd manager in franchise history and he has taken them to the postseason each year.
    1974 - Terry Jacks was starting the second week of a three-week stay at the top of the pop charts with "Seasons in the Sun." Other musical newcomers: Jefferson Starship, Billy Joel, Kiss, Olivia Newton-John, Kool & the Gang and The Steve Miller Band.
    1974 – The last Japanese soldier, a guerrilla operating in Philippines, surrendered, 29 years after World War II ended.
    1976 - Queen's breakthrough album, "A Night at the Opera," is certified Gold.
    1977 - The Jacksons TV show aired for the final time on CBS-TV, finishing dead last in the ratings. 
    1977 - Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" becomes their second album to go platinum since the addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham
    1977 - In a thirty-nine-hour standoff, armed Hanafi Muslims seized three Washington, DC, buildings, killing two and taking 149 hostage.
    1979 - ABC-TV shows the rock documentary, "Heroes of Rock & Roll," narrated by Jeff Bridges and featuring clips of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and others.
    1980 - Top Hits
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” - Queen
“Longer” - Dan Fogelberg
“Desire” - Andy Gibb
“My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” - Willie Nelson
    1985 - "Gone With The Wind," the most requested movie in history, went on sale at video stores across the United States for the first time. The tape cost $89.95. The film, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, cost $4.5 million to make, but has earned over $400 million, making it one of the biggest money-making films in history.
    1985 - REO Speedwagon returned to Billboard's top spot with "Can't Fight This Feeling." 
    1987 - Gale force winds ushered arctic air into the north central U.S. Some places were 50 degrees colder than the previous day. Northeast winds, gusting to 60 mph, produced 8 to 15 foot waves on Lake Michigan causing more than a million dollars damage along the southeastern shoreline of Wisconsin.
    1987 - U2's "The Joshua Tree," which sold nearly six million copies in the US alone, was released. The compact disc version of the album became the first CD to sell one-million copies in the US. It contained U2 classics like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "With or Without You" and "Where the Streets Have No Name."
    1988 - Top Hits
“Father Figure” - George Michael
“Never Gonna Give You Up” - Rick Astley
“I Get Weak” - Belinda Carlisle
“Face to Face” – Alabama
    1989 - Twenty-two cities in the southwestern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. In New Mexico, afternoon highs of 72 at Los Alamos, 76 at Ruidoso, and 79 at Quemado, were records for March.
    1989 – Eastern Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection.
    1992 - The first 9 days of March in Cincinnati, Ohio were very warm. The temperature averaged 58.7 degrees -- or 21.0 degrees above normal!! Within this 9 day stretch, high temperatures were 70 degrees or above on 5 consecutive days. Never before had this occurred so early in the season.
    1994 - Top Hits
“The Sign”- Ace Of Base
“The Power Of Love”- Celine Dion
“Whatta Man” - Salt-N-Pepa Featuring En Vogue
“Without You/Never Forget You” - Mariah Carey
    1995 - With a vote of 28-0, the Major League owners admit two new teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The teams were added to the National and American leagues, respectively.
    1996 - "One Fine Day" by Mariah Carey and Boys II Men topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the 15th week, a record for the rock era. The old record of 14 weeks was shared by Whitney Houston's 1992 hit "I Will Always Love You" and Boys II Men's 1994 smash "I'll Make Love to You."
    1998 - In San Francisco, the bicycle bandits, Edwin James Rowan III (39) and Raymond V. Lopez (46) were arrested after robbing the California Federal Savings Bank on the 4000 block of Geary. They were suspected of robbing 12 North Bay banks and using bikes as get-away vehicles.
    2007 - The US Justice Department released an internal audit that found that the FBI had acted illegally in its use of the USA Patriot Act to secretly obtain personal information about US citizens.
    2012 - Senior members of hacking group Lulz Sec are arrested, including one member of the FBI, in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland.
    2013 - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft transmits images that for the very first time, allow scientists to create a 3D reconstruction of ancient water channels below the surface of Mars.
    2014 – Barbie turned 55.
2015 – President Obama signed an executive order declaring Venezuela a national security threat to the US.