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######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release,” it was not written by Leasing News nor has the information been verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “byline.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

Selling In a Down Economy
By Steve Chriest

Sooner or later, an economic bad moon will rise and we'll find ourselves moving further into a recession. Selling in a down economy is problematic for most salespeople in almost all industries. What can you do, as a professional salesperson, to prepare for selling during economic times that business believes is headed for more difficulties?

There are at least four things you can prepare to do if you expect to sell in a down economy:

- Stay in front of your customers

- Get to the senior levels in buying organizations

- Share success stories to which your customers can relate

- Manage your time as a guardian of your company's resources.

In tough economic times, it's vital that you stay in front of your customers, especially your best customers. One major caveat applies to this advice: Only contact your customers when you have something of value to offer them, such as advice, an unusual perspective, or special knowledge. Never, I repeat, NEVER, contact a customer during tough times and ask, “Do you have any deals for me today?” That inane question will drive customers to the nearest exit!

Unfortunately, middle managers are often a primary layoff target when times get tough. This reality, however, presents an opportunity for you to meet with senior managers who otherwise might be inaccessible to you. Forget about “pitching” special programs and offers to senior executives. Meeting with senior executives gives you an opportunity to listen carefully to them and to learn about and understand their concerns and the real challenges facing their business.

Senior managers are usually eager to hear about what other companies are doing to address tough issues and circumstances. Without divulging anything held by you in confidence, sharing success stories with executives is a powerful way to build your credibility and build your business with company leaders. You might, for example, share the experiences of a vendor who used a particular marketing approach to expand their universe of potential customers.

Finally, while it's always important to effectively manage your time and your territory, it's critical to optimize your selling time and guard your company's resources during an economic slowdown. By pursuing only realistic, profitable sales opportunities, you can help ensure the best use of your time and of company resources that are usually strained during a down economy.

In the interest of fair disclosure I should tell you that it isn't absolutely necessary to prepare yourself for selling in a down economy. Keep in mind, however, the words of a college professor who offered this observation of those salespeople who prefer to “wing it” during good and bad times: “Failure comes as a complete surprise, and is not preceded by a period of worry and depression.”

Steve Chriest is the CEO of Open Advance and author of “Selling to the E-Suite, The Proven System for Reaching and Selling Senior Executives and Business Acumen 101.” He is the former president of several leasing companies. Today, he produces video and radio blogs, as well as continuing as a columnist for Leasing News since 2005.
800-570-7145
schriest@sbcglobal.net
http://www.openadvance.com

Sales Makes It Happen
https://leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.html

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Dealertrack Credit Availability Index drops
to lowest point in 2 Years

Three ingredients that analysts put in the headwind category had more impact than the trio of trends in the helpful category, resulting in access to auto finance credit tightening in April to the lowest point in more than two years.

That’s all according to the newest Dealertrack Credit Availability Index released this week.

Following varied moves by vehicle type and credit provider in March, Cox Automotive reported that credit access tightened across all channels and finance company types in April. The index declined 1.5% to 96.8 in April, the lowest reading since February 2021 and reflected that auto credit was harder to get.

With the decline in April, analysts indicated access was tighter by 8.5% year-over-year. And compared to February 2020, they said access was tighter by 2.4%.

“Movement in credit availability factors was mixed in April,” Cox Automotive said in a Data Point that accompanied the new index.

Analysts noted the average rate for paper booked in April declined by 49 basis points compared to March, while the five-year U.S. Treasury declined by 30 basis points, resulting in a narrower average observed yield spread.

Cox Automotive mentioned the approval rate declined 0.4 percentage points in April and 2.4 percentage points year-over-year.

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30-Year Mortgage Stands at 6.39%
Are Buyers Staying Out

buyers are staying put to avoid taking out a mortgage at a higher rate, Redfin is surmising. However, future moves by the Federal Reserve could alleviate some of these problems should they decide to stop future rate increases at their June meeting.

Redfin Economics Research Lead Chen Zhao, said, “While a pause in Fed rate hikes doesn’t mean a significant drop in mortgage rates is coming, it does at least alleviate one layer of uncertainty in the housing market.

“Unexpectedly bad inflation data, more banking turmoil or failures to raise the U.S. debt ceiling could throw a wrench in the Fed’s plans, but homebuyers and sellers can feel a little more confident that mortgage rates won’t skyrocket again.”

Forty-eight percent of homes sold in April went under contract within two weeks, down from 51% a year earlier but up from 46% a month earlier. While that jump may seem small, it’s notable because the share of homes selling in two weeks typically falls in April after peaking in March.

Redfin agents themselves are seeing buyers compete for a small pool of homes, especially in desirable locations. New listings in April were down 23% from a year earlier, the second biggest decline since the start of the pandemic. That outpaced the 17% year-over-year decline in pending sales, a gauge of how many buyers are in the market.

Source:
https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-update-fed-signals-rate-pause/

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AACFB Announces 2023-2024
New Board of Directors

( LOUISVILLE, KY) The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) announces the election of a new addition to the AACFB Board of Directors and the election of a new Vice President, Kalah Sprabeary, CLFP with HUB Funding Solutions. Katie Baker, CLFP with MC2 Finance was elected as a Director at Large and Michael Hong with Taycor Financial was re-elected for another term as Director at Large. They will begin their service in their new positions immediately.

Current AACFB President, Teresa Cranney, announced, “I am excited to welcome our newest member of the Board of Directors. Katie is an outstanding addition to the board and will bring valuable perspectives, ideas, and energy. I also want to thank AACFB Past President, Carrie Radloff, CLFP for her dedication and service to the AACFB as she completes her term on the board. Carrie has been an exceptional contributor to this association!”

Please join in congratulating the 2023-2024 AACFB Board of Directors:

Officers:

President - Teresa Cranney, American Financial Partners
President-Elect - Roderick Knoll, CLFP, Marathon Commercial Capital
Vice President - Kalah Sprabeary, CLFP, HUB Funding Solutions
Secretary/Treasurer - Leslie Brown, CLFP, Mak Global Corporation
Past President - Laura Estrada, Preferred Capital Funding, Inc.

Directors-at-Large:

Katie Baker, CLFP, MC2 Finance
Michael Hong, Taycor Financial
Kortney Murray, Coastal Kapital, LLC

More about the newest board member:

Katie Baker, CLFP is the founder of MC² Finance. She started in the finance world as a Finance Manager for Volvo Trucks North America (aka Arrow Truck Sales) in Cincinnati, OH. After building a relationship with lenders, Katie worked for a subprime commercial lender to build the company's reach throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast. Having insight and direct experience in all aspects of the commercial loan process, Katie then founded MC² Finance. Prior to her career in finance, she worked in IT and healthcare. She has a degree in telecommunications and French. Fluent in French, she began learning the language in school at the age of ten. She studied abroad in both high school and college. From there, her love to travel grew. She has since traveled to over 40 countries. Katie loves culture and languages and embraces learning about the world.

Gratitude for Service

Sincere gratitude goes to AACFB Past President, Carrie Radloff, CLFP, as she completes her service on the board. During her time on the board, Carrie worked with numerous committees including the Sponsorship Committee and Meetings Committees. She has played an integral role in the leadership of the organization as well as ensuring the quality of AACFB events.

Carrie's dedication to AACFB and its ideals of ethics, education, and service to the industry has been greatly appreciated.

About American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB)
The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) is the premier trade association empowering independent commercial finance brokers. The AACFB represents the expanding interests of its growing membership by providing best practice education and networking opportunities, while promoting a culture of ethics. For more information visit: www.aacfb.org.

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AACFB Annual Conference Breaks Records
Official Report

The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) wrapped up its 2023 Annual Conference on Thursday, May 4 in Irvine, California at the Irvine Marriott. Attendance at the event reached a fourteen-year high and broke records for the AACFB Women in Finance Luncheon.

The three-day event hosted over 370 attendees who enjoyed a full program of events, including a fun-filled day at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club for the sold-out annual golf tournament. The Women in Finance Luncheon, which took place at the Prego restaurant sold out at over 70 attendees, with several on a waiting list. Day one was capped off with a luau-themed Opening Reception at the hotel. Authentic Polynesian dancers entertained the crowd along with a lively limbo contest.

Conference goers had the opportunity to attend 15 educational sessions, including a high-energy presentation by keynote speaker Nick Arnette, who inspired and energized the audience. The educational line-up had something for everyone, whether new to the industry or a seasoned veteran.

The sold-out exhibit hall was in full swing on Wednesday and Thursday where nearly 70 exhibitors were able to make those all-important face-to-face connections. Attendees were also treated to a deluxe coffee bar, margarita bar, and Bloody Mary bar in the exhibit hall, courtesy of generous sponsors.

Current AACFB President, Teresa Cranney stated, “We were extremely pleased with the turnout at this year’s conference. The venue had to be moved from Portland, Oregon to California on short notice due to a double booking by Marriott but our exceptional Conference Planning Committee was able to ‘Ride the Tides,’ and produce a tremendously successful event. Huge thanks go out to all of our sponsors and exhibitors as well as members of the planning committee, including chair Tina Cawthorn, CLFP with Orange Commercial Credit, Rick Brown with Capital Blue Financial Group, Dave Cary with McKenzie Credit Group, Mel Vinson, CLFP with the CLFP Foundation, Lisa Whitehead, CLFP with First Foundation Bank and board liaisons Laura Estrada with Preferred Capital Funding and Carrie Radloff, CLFP with American Financial Partners.”

The conference culminated in the Annual Business Meeting and Auction, where outgoing President, Laura Estrada thanked Immediate Past President, Carrie Radloff for her service on the AACFB board. The presidency then transitioned from Laura Estrada to Teresa Cranney with American Financial Partners. Former Secretary/Treasurer, Roderick Knoll presented an upbeat Treasurer’s Report where he enthusiastically reported that the AACFB is in a positive financial position again this year. Laura Estrada then presented the 2023 AACFB President’s Award to Charles (Bud) Callahan, BPB, CLFP with National Equipment Leasing, Inc., and Katie Baker, CLFP with MC2 Finance for their dedication and support of the AACFB. The CLFP Foundation also announced several scholarships available to brokers to take the CLFP exam for free.

Once the business at hand had concluded, Joel Freebersyer with MC2 Finance took the mic to emcee the prize auction that is a favorite event at the conference. Attendees were able to collect “AACFB Bucks” during the conference for visiting with exhibitors or attending sessions. Those in attendance had the opportunity to use their “bucks” to bid on prize packages worth up to $500 donated by AACFB sponsors and exhibitors.

After a busy week of networking and learning, attendees were finally able to kick back and relax at the Happy Hour & a Half. Many are already making plans to attend the Commercial Financing Expo taking place this September 20-21 in Orlando as well as the 2024 AACFB Annual Conference in Phoenix/Glendale, Arizona next April 16-18.

About American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB)

The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB), formerly the NAELB, is the premier trade association empowering independent commercial finance brokers. The AACFB represents the expanding interests of its growing membership by providing best practice education and networking opportunities, while promoting a culture of ethics. For more information visit: www.aacfb.org

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Watch at Home
by Fernando Croce, Leasing News Movie Reviewer

Special Mother’s Day Edition

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we would like to offer a handful of recommendations to celebrate with the entire family. So hit your Netflix queue and get a hearty fill of cinematic mother love.

Bachelor Mother (1939): Ginger Rogers charms in this underrated screwball comedy from director Garson Kanin (“My Favorite Wife”). Polly (Rogers) is a young New York salesgirl who is mistaken for the mother of a baby left at an orphanage. Deciding to raise the child as her own despite the “unwed mother” gossip that begins swirling around her, she catches the eye of David (David Niven), the rakish son of the owner (Charles Coburn) of the department store where Polly works. Though they begin to fall in love, David remains wary of his father’s reaction to the whole situation, unaware that the old man is looking forward to being a grandfather. Adding motherhood jokes to Rogers’ snappy Cinderella persona, the movie combines workplace humor and holiday romance with plenty of warmth.

White Heat (1949): James Cagney is at his most electrifying in this astonishing gangster thriller, featuring the most unnerving mother-son bond this side of “Psycho.” Cagney stars as Cody Jarrett, a volatile hoodlum with a fixation on his tough old Ma (Margaret Wycherly). When he goes to jail in the wake of a botched train robbery, Cody befriends a cellmate named Vic Pardo (Edmond O’Brien), who’s really an undercover agent trying to get information about his gang. After another criminal (Steve Cochran) moves in on his territory, Cody orchestrates a vengeful jailbreak that leads to an unforgettably combustible climax. Directed at a blistering clip by veteran action master Raoul Walsh (“The Roaring Twenties”), this is a darkly exhilarating chronicle of masculine psychosis, and one of the genre’s great last hurrahs.

Places in the Heart (1984): Sally Field had one of her best roles (and scored her second Best Actress Oscar) in this moving account of a community in rural Texas in 1935. She plays Edna Spaulding, a housewife and farmer who finds herself alone with her young children when an accident kills her husband. With the Great Depression in full swing and her property threatened, Edna perseveres with the help of those close to her—including her sister Viola (Lindsay Crouse), a blind boarder named Mr. Will (John Malkovich), and a handyman named Mose (Danny Glover). Handling a plot studded with such dramatic events as a looming tornado and a Ku Klux Klan raid, director Robert Benton (“Kramer vs. Kramer”) continually stresses the personal courage and determination of his heroine.

Dolores Claiborne (1995): Though she won an Actress Oscar for “Misery,” Kathy Bates is even better in this haunting melodrama, also based on a Stephen King novel. She plays the titular character, a Maine caretaker accused of murdering her wealthy employer. Dolores’ innocence is very much in doubt by the townspeople, who believe she killed her husband (David Strathairn) years earlier. Her estranged daughter, Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), returns to help her during the ruthless investigation by the police detective (Christopher Plummer), even though she is not sure if her mother is guilty or not. Over the course of the film, their thorny relationship deepens as dark secrets from the past gradually emerge. Grippingly directed by Taylor Hackford (“An Officer and a Gentleman”), this is an unusually fierce melodrama.

Brave (2012): Often absent or dead in most animated features, mothers take center stage in this rousing adventure from Pixar. Set on the vibrantly green Scottish Highlands during medieval times, the story focuses on Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), the fiery-haired daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). The young lass' skills with bows and arrows are only matched by her headstrong refusal to follow family traditions, a rebellious streak which upsets the lords of the kingdom. With the threat of devastation now hovering over the land, Merida must put her bravery to practice on a journey to undo a curse. Recalling Disney's tradition of feisty heroines, this fast-paced, gorgeously crafted fable is a treat to moms and daughters in particular, and a feast to audiences everywhere.

Fernando Croce is a nationally recognized film reviewer and has been contributing to Leasing News since the summer of 2008. His reviews appear each Friday.

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This Day in American History

    1621 - Myles Standish, one of the Mayflower Pilgrims, was unanimously chosen military captain of the colony.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/standishwill.html
    1631 - The first militia was formed by the Court of Assistants of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Boston, MA, which ordered “that there shall be a watch of 4 kept (every) night at Dorchester and another of 4 at Watertown, the watches to begin at sunset.”
    1724 - Birthday of Lyman Hall (d. 1790) at Wallingford, CT. Signer of the Declaration of Independence. When the war reached Savannah, Hall's property was burned and he stood accused of high treason. He fled to Charleston, which was also overtaken by the British. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hall.http://www.lyman-hall.com/ htm
    1770 - The British government moved to mollify outraged colonists by repealing almost all of the Townshend Acts. Initially passed in the summer of 1767, the Townshend Acts were the British government's fiscal and political play to maintain its power over the American colonies. The bills, named after their sponsor, Charles Townshend, not only suspended America's uppity body of representatives, but also levied a controversial package of revenue taxes, including duties on paint, paper and tea. While English leaders viewed colonial control as a historically justified stance, Americans were of a far different mind: they believed the acts smacked of undue meddling. This sent the colonies into a heated, and sometimes violent, frenzy of protest. America's outrage eventually prompted the British to roll back all of the acts and revenue duties, save for the now infamous tea tax.
    1776 - Halifax resolution for independence was adopted by North Carolina. The first Declaration to form an independent Union started with a resolution adopted by the Provincial Congress of North Carolina at Halifax, NC, authorizing the delegates from North Carolina to the Continental Congress to vote for a Declaration of Independence.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr12.html
    1777 - Birthday of Henry Clay (d. 1852), statesman, born at Hanover County, VA. Was the Speaker of the House of Representatives and later became the leader of the new Whig party. He was defeated for the presidency three times.
http://www.henryclay.org/
    1811 - The first settlers to reach the Pacific coast left New York City on September 6, 1810, on the S.S. Tonquin, a 290-ton vessel captained by Jonathan Thorn. They rounded Cape Horn on December 25, 1810, landing on April 12, 1811, at Cape Disappointment, WA, a promontory at the mouth of the Columbia River. The enterprise was sponsored by John Jacob Astor.
    1858 - Salt Lake City offers an uneasy welcome to Alfred Cummings, its first non-Mormon governor, which signals the end of the so-called "Utah War." The Mormon acceptance of a gentile governor came after more than a year of tensions and military threats between the U.S. government and Brigham Young's Utah theocracy. Sometimes referred to as the Utah War, this little-known conflict arose out of fundamental questions about the autonomy of the Mormon-controlled territory of Utah. Was Utah an American state or an independent nation? Could the Mormon Church maintain its tight controls over the political and economic fate of the territory while still abiding by the laws and dictates of the United States? Mormon citizens began manufacturing arms and ammunition in preparation for war. Much to the embarrassment of the Buchanan administration, severe weather and the Nauvoo Legion's scorched earth tactics initially stymied the federal troops. After a hard winter spent at the burnt out shell of Fort Bridger, the American force prepared to make another attempt to push through the Wasatch Mountains and down into Salt Lake. By this time, Young was ready for peace, but he remained so distrustful that he ordered some 30,000 people to abandon Salt Lake and other northern settlements and make an unnecessary retreat southward. When Cummings finally arrived in Salt Lake on this day in 1858, the city was nearly deserted. Young peacefully relinquished the governorship and all of his other governmental roles, agreeing to become solely the spiritual leader of Utah Mormons. In exchange, Buchanan gave all Utah residents a blanket pardon for any involvement in the conflict. Several months later, two brigades of American soldiers established Camp Floyd south of Salt Lake City, the largest garrison in the nation until the Civil War. With the threat of a bloody conflict diminished, Mormon refugees began returning to their homes. Though tensions between the Mormons and the federal government continued for decades, the Utah War ended the dream of a Mormon state geographically and politically separated from nonbelievers. Henceforth, Utah Territory was clearly a part of the American union, and it was granted full statehood in 1896.
    1859 - The first billiard match to attain international fame was played in Detroit between Michael Phelan of New York City and John Seereiter of Detroit for the championship of the world and a $415,000 purse. Phelan, known as the “father of billiards,” won the championship by a score of 2,000 against his competitor's 1,904. The best run made by Phelan was 129 points. The game was played on a 6-by-12 four-pocket table with four balls. Pushing and crouching were allowed.
    1861 - After months of escalating tension, Major Robert Anderson refused to evacuate Fort Sumter at Charleston, SC. Confederate troops under the command of General P.T. Beauregard opened fire on the harbor fort at 4:30 AM (the first gun was fired by Edmund Ruffin, a 67-year-old Virginian) and continued until Major Anderson surrendered on Apr 13. No lives were lost despite the firing of some 40,000 shells in the first major engagement of the American Civil War.
    1861 - The same morning, off Charleston, SC, the side-wheeler Harriet Lane fired a shot across the bow of the merchantman steamer Nashville to force it show its colors. The Nashville hoisted a U.S. ensign and was allowed to proceed, even though it was a Confederate ship. The Harriet Lane, 270 feet long with a 22-foot beam, had been built by William Henry Webb in 1857 as a Treasury Department revenue cutter and was transferred to the Navy in 1858. It was named after a niece of President James Buchanan and was the first federal steamer named for a woman. On January 1, 1863, the Harriet Lane was captured by Confederate forces in Galveston Bay, after desperately resisting boarding parties from four rebel ships.
    1864 - Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Confederate raiders attack the isolated Union garrison at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, overlooking the Mississippi River. The fort, an important part of the Confederate river defense system, was captured by federal forces in 1862. Of the 500-strong Union garrison defending the fort, more than half the soldiers were African-Americans. After an initial bombardment, General Forrest asked for the garrison's surrender. The Union commander refused, and Forrest's 1,500 cavalry troopers easily stormed and captured the fort, suffering only moderate casualties. However, the extremely high proportion of Union casualties--231 killed and more than 100 seriously wounded--raised questions about the Confederates' conduct after the battle. Union survivors' accounts, later supported by a federal investigation, concluded that African-American troops were massacred by Forrest's men after surrendering. Southern accounts disputed these findings, and controversy over the battle continues today. The enlistment of African-Americans into the Union army began after the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and by the war's end 180,000 African Americans had fought in the Union army and 10,000 in the navy.
    1867 - Birthday of Johnny Watson (d. 1963), also known as “Daddy Stovepipe,” Mobile, AL
    1877 - The catcher's mask is used in a baseball game for the first time.
    1883 - Birthday of Imogen Cunningham (d. 1976), pioneer photographer of plants and portraits, at Portland, OR.
    1892 - George C. Blickensderfer of Stanford, CT received a patent for a portable typewriter.
    1892 - Jazz clarinetist Johnny Dodds (d. 1940) birthday, Waveland, MS.
http://www.redhotjazz.com/jdodds.html
    1900 - Joseph Bohomiel “Joe” Lapchick (d. 1970), Basketball Hall of Fame player and coach, was born at Yonkers, NY. Lapchick played basketball for pay from an early age. In 1923, he joined the original Celtics, one of the greatest pro teams of any era. The Celtics revolutionized the game with Lapchick as the great center. He began coaching at St. John's University in 1937, left for the New York Knicks in 1947, and returned to St. John's in 1957. The Celtics were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959, and Lapchick followed as an individual in 1966.
    1906 – Johnny Bates of the Boston Beaneaters became the first modern player to hit a homer in his first Major League at-bat, when he connected in the 2nd inning against Brooklyn Superbas pitcher Harry McIntire.
    1908 - A fire that began in a dump in the Chelsea section of Boston, Massachusetts spread through the community and ignited oil tanks on the Chelsea Creek, eventually rendering 17,000 people homeless.
    1913 - Jazz vibraharpist and bandleader Lionel Hampton (d. 2002) was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He is best known for his association with Benny Goodman, and for leading his own big band. Hampton was with the Goodman quartet for the legendary 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, where his performance on such tunes as "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Avalon" established him as a major jazz soloist. Hampton put together his own band after leaving Goodman in 1940, leading an orchestra on and off for more than 30 years. The Lionel Hampton band's theme song was "Flying Home."
    1915 - Birthday of guitarist “Hound Dog” Taylor (d. 1975), Natchez, MS.
http://www.zicline.com/semaine16/houndog.htm
    1917 - Singer Helen Forrest (d. 1999) was born in Atlantic City, NJ. http://www.davidmulliss.com.au/HelenForrest/helenforrest.htm
    1924 - Birthday of Canadian dance band vocalist Lorraine McAllister (d. 1984), in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She was long associated with her husband Dal Richards's Vancouver orchestra.
    1926 - Birthday of Andrew “Blueblood” McMahon (d. 1984), Delhi, LA. McMahon played blues and hillbilly music in Mississippi and worked with Bukka White in Memphis, Tennessee
    1926 - Smith Wildman Brookhart, Republican of Iowa, was ousted by the US Senate of a vote of 45-41. A recount of the votes in the election had proved the winner to be Daniel Frederic Steck, the Democrat candidate, who served from April 12, 1926 to March 3, 1931.
    1927 - An F5 tornado wiped Rock Springs, Texas "off the map." 235 of the town's 247 buildings were completely destroyed. The tornado was over 1 mile wide when it passed through the town. 74 people were killed.
    1930 - Birthday of vocalist Bob Lee, Tuscaloosa, AL
    1930 - Herbert Khaury (d. 1996), better known as Tiny Tim, was born in New York City. With his ukulele and his squeaky falsetto voice, he became the most successful novelty act of the 1960's. "Tip Toe Through the Tulips," a Top-20 hit in 1966, is the Tiny Tim record most people remember. He died of a heart attack on November 29th, 1996, after performing his signature song at a benefit in Minneapolis.
    1933 - Ruth Bryan Owen, is appointed U.S. envoy to Denmark, the first woman to represent the US as a foreign minister.
    1934 - The highest-velocity natural wind ever recorded occurred in the morning at the Mount Washington, NH, Observatory. Three weather observers, Wendell Stephenson, Alexander McKenzie and Salvatore Pagliuca, observed and recorded the phenomenon in which gusts reached 231 miles per hour--"the strongest natural wind ever recorded on the earth's surface." The 50th anniversary was observed at the site in 1984, with the three original observers participating in the ceremony
    1934 - F. Scott Fitzgerald's “Tender Is the Night” is published, but the novel about rich expatriates is unenthusiastically received during the Great Depression.
http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html
    1939 - Woody Herman cuts “Woodchopper's Ball.”
    1940 - Pianist/composer Herbie Hancock born Chicago, IL
http://www.herbie-hancock.com/
    1944 - John Kay, leader of Steppenwolf, was born Joachim Krauledat in Germany. Steppenwolf began as a Toronto-based band called the Sparrow in 1964. The group moved to the US in 1966 before splitting up in 1967. Kay then formed Steppenwolf, using some of the members of the Sparrow. The name Steppenwolf is taken from the Herman Hesse novel. Steppenwolf had a dozen hits in the late '60s and early '70s, the biggest of which were "Born to Be Wild" and "Magic Carpet Ride." The original band broke up in 1972. After bogus groups began performing under the Steppenwolf name, John Kay reformed the band in the 1980s.
    1945 - ERWIN, HENRY E., (Air Mission) Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 52d Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force. Place and date: Koriyama, Japan, 12 April 1945. Entered service at: Bessemer, Ala. Born: 8 May 1921, Adamsville, Ala. G.O. No.: 44, 6 June 1945. Citation: He was the radio operator of a B-29 airplane leading a group formation to attack Koriyama, Japan. He was charged with the additional duty of dropping phosphoresce smoke bombs to aid in assembling the group when the launching point was reached. Upon entering the assembly area, aircraft fire and enemy fighter opposition was encountered. Among the phosphoresce bombs launched by S/Sgt. Erwin, 1 proved faulty, exploding in the launching chute, and shot back into the interior of the aircraft, striking him in the face. The burning phosphoresce obliterated his nose and completely blinded him. Smoke filled the plane, obscuring the vision of the pilot. S/Sgt. Erwin realized that the aircraft and crew would be lost if the burning bomb remained in the plane. Without regard for his own safety, he picked it up and feeling his way, instinctively, crawled around the gun turret and headed for the copilot's window. He found the navigator's table obstructing his passage. Grasping the burning bomb between his forearm and body, he unleashed the spring lock and raised the table. Struggling through the narrow passage he stumbled forward into the smoke-filled pilot's compartment. Groping with his burning hands, he located the window and threw the bomb out. Completely aflame, he fell back upon the floor. The smoke cleared, the pilot, at 300 feet, pulled the plane out of its dive. S/Sgt. Erwin's gallantry and heroism above and beyond the call of duty saved the lives of his comrades.
    1945 - *HASTINGS, JOE R., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 386th Infantry, 97th Infantry Division. Place and date: Drabenderhohe, Germany, 12 April 1945. Entered service at: Magnolia, Ohio. Birth: Malvern, Ohio. G.O. No.: 101, 8 November 1945. Citation: He fought gallantly during an attack against strong enemy forces defending Drabenderhohe, Germany, from the dug-in positions on commanding ground. As squad leader of a light machinegun section supporting the advance of the 1st and 3d Platoons, he braved direct rifle, machinegun, 20mm., and mortar fire, some of which repeatedly missed him only by inches, and rushed forward over 350 yards of open, rolling fields to reach a position from which he could fire on the enemy troops. From this vantage point he killed the crews of a 20mm. gun and a machinegun, drove several enemy riflemen from their positions, and so successfully shielded the 1st Platoon, that it had time to reorganize and remove its wounded to safety. Observing that the 3d Platoon to his right was being met by very heavy 40mm. and machinegun fire, he ran 150 yards with his gun to the leading elements of that unit, where he killed the crew of the 40mm. gun. As spearhead of the 3d Platoon's attack, he advanced, firing his gun held at hip height, disregarding the bullets that whipped past him, until the assault had carried 175 yards to the objective. In this charge he and the riflemen he led killed or wounded many of the fanatical enemy and put 2 machineguns out of action. Pfc. Hastings, by his intrepidity, outstanding leadership, and unrelenting determination to wipe out the formidable German opposition, cleared the path for his company's advance into Drabenderhohe. He was killed 4 days later while again supporting the 3d Platoon.
    1945 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 63, on the 83rd day of his fourth term, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, with the love of his life with him (no, it wasn't Eleanor). Vice-President Harry S. Truman was sworn in as President the next day. Roosevelt, 32nd president of the US, was the only president to serve more than two terms--- he was elected to four consecutive terms.

    1945 - Antlers, Oklahoma was leveled by an F5 tornado. 600 buildings were destroyed and 700 were damaged. 69 people were killed and 353 were injured. This disaster would have commanded national and local attention if it was not overshadowed by the death of President Roosevelt. Even nearby local newspapers had more information on the president than the tornado.
    1947 - David Letterman Birthday, born Indianapolis, Ind.
http://www.intac.com/~fredman/letterman/bio.html http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow//
    1950 - Top Hits
“If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake” - Eileen Barton
“Music, Music, Music” - Teresa Brewer
“Peter Cottontail” - Gene Autry
“Long Gone Lonesome Blues” - Hank Williams
    1952 - Buddy Morrow records “Night Train.”
http://www.buddymorrowproductions.com/
    1955 - The Kansas City Athletics, transplanted from Philadelphia, opened their first season in their new home by defeating the Detroit Tigers, 6-2, at Municipal Stadium. The A's finished the year in sixth place with a record of 63-91. They never won a pennant in Kansas City and moved to Oakland after the 1967 season.
    1954 - Bill Haley and His Comets recorded "Rock Around the Clock" for Decca Records. The song was recorded at the Pythian Temple, “a big, barn like building with great echo,” in New York City. "Rock Around the Clock" was formally released a month later. Most rock historians feel the tune, featured in the 1955 film "Blackboard Jungle", ushered in the era of rock 'n' roll. It hit number one on June 29, 1955 and stayed there for eight weeks, remaining on the charts for a total of 24 weeks. The record has now sold over 25,000,000 copies and it is believed to be the second-best selling recording after “White Christmas.” Haley's recording became an anthem for rebellious 1950s youth and is widely considered to be the song that, more than any other, brought rock and roll into mainstream culture around the world. The song is ranked No. 158 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant." "Rock Around the Clock" is often cited as the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single of all time.
    1955 - The polio vaccine developed by American physician Dr. Jonas E. Salk was "safe, potent and effective." Incidence of the dreaded infantile paralysis, or poliomyelitis, declined by 95 percent following introduction of preventive vaccines. The announcement of the discovery of a vaccine against polio, was made on the ten year anniversary of the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt from complication of the disease, his deteriorating illness kept from the public for perhaps up to two years as others ran the government. With the end of the World War II only months away, the nation and the world were stunned by the "sudden" death of the President shortly into his fourth term of office.
    1957 - Alan Freed's “Rock 'n' Roll Easter Jubilee” opens for a ten-day run at Brooklyn Paramount. Buddy Knox, Charlie Gracie and Bo Diddley are also included on the show.
    1958 - Top Hits
“Tequila” - The Champs
“He's Got the Whole World (In His Hands)” - Laurie London
“Book of Love” - The Monotones
“Oh Lonesome Me” - Don Gibson
    1961 - At the third annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Ray Charles wins three trophies, including Best Pop Single for "Georgia On My Mind." Marty Robbins took home a statue for Best Country and Western Performance for "El Paso."
    1963 - Police use dogs and cattle prods on peaceful civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama.
    1963 - Bob Dylan performs a spectacular concert at Town Hall in New York, which is recorded for a never-released live album on Columbia
    1964 - Arnold Palmer won his fourth Masters title and became the first golfer to make career earnings of $506,496
    1966 - The Atlanta Braves brought Major League baseball to the South but lost their regular season opener, 3-2, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 12 innings. The Braves finished the season in fifth place with a record of 85-77. They won the first division pennant in 1969.
    1966 - Top Hits
“The Ballad of the Green Berets” - SSgt Barry Sadler
(“You're My”) “Soul and Inspiration” - The Righteous Brothers
“Daydream” - The Lovin' Spoonful
“I Want to Go with You” - Eddy Arnold
    1966 - Jan Berry, a classmate of mine at University High School in Los Angeles and half of the hit making surf-rock vocal duo, Jan & Dean, runs his Corvette into a parked truck on L.A.'s Whittier Boulevard, just a short distance from Dead Man’s Curve in Beverly Hills, two years after the song had become a hit. Berry suffers total physical paralysis for over a year as well as extensive brain damage which makes it nearly impossible to return to performing. They do give it a try in 1973 but are not well received. He was never the same as before the accident. The pair started their hit streak in 1958 with "Jennie Lee" and followed with "Baby Talk," "Surf City," "Sidewalk Surfin'," "Drag City," "Dead Man's Curve," "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" and "Popsicle." Jan's accident ended their career as hit makers, although they attempted a comeback in 1978 after the TV biographical movie, “Dead Man's Curve.” Berry died in 2004.
   1967 - Ray Piecuch, a cowboy poet from New Hampshire, completed his yearlong 3,500 mile ride across country on his horse, Bo, with a champagne celebration at Baker Beach, San Francisco.
    1967 - "Busted," a benefit for the SF Mime Troupe, included
Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape Andrew Staples, The Loading Zone, at Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco
    1969 - After scoring a series of instrumental hits in the early 1960s including "Walk Don't Run" and "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," The Ventures were back on Billboard's Hot 100 for the last time with the theme from the TV show, “Hawaii Five-0.”
    1969 - The Fifth Dimension score their first #1 and their eighth Billboard Top 40 hit with "Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In."
    1974 - Top Hits
“Sunshine on My Shoulders” - John Denver
“Hooked on a Feeling”- Blue Swede
“Bennie & The Jets” - Elton John
“A Very Special Love Song” - Charlie Rich
    1981 - First flight of shuttle Columbia. Two astronauts (John Young and Robert Crippen), on first manned US space mission since Apollo-Soyuz in July 1976, spent 54 hours in space (36 orbits of Earth) before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, Apr 14.
   1982 - Top Hits
“I Love Rock 'N Roll” - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
“We Got the Beat” - Go-Go's
“Make a Move on Me” - Olivia Newton-John
“Big City” - Merle Haggard
    1983 - Harold Washington is elected the first black mayor of Chicago.
    1985 - The first US Senator to fly in space was Jake Garn, Republican Senator for Utah, who joined the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery as a “congressional observer” when the shuttle lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL, on April 12, 1985. A former Navy pilot, Garn had taken several months of astronaut training. Another senator, John Herschel Glenn, Jr., of Ohio, was an astronaut in the 1960's, before he entered politics.
    1985 - Key West, Florida set a new record for April rainfall in a 24-hour period as 6.06 inches of rain were recorded, eclipsing the previous record of 6.04 inches which fell on April 29, 1941. In addition, the heavy rainfall shattered the old record for this date set back in 1931 when 1.49 inches of rain fell.
    1987 - “21 Jump Street” premiers on TV. Youthful big city cops busted crime in the local schools and colleges in this Fox police drama. Starred Johnny Depp as Tom Hanson, Holly Robinson Peete as Judy Hoffs, Dustin Nguyen as H.T. Ioki, Peter DeLuise as Doug Penhall, Frederic Forrest as Captain Jenko, Steven Williams as Captain Adam Fuller and Richard Grieco as Dennis Booker. It was one of the Fox network's early hits.
    1987 - Larry Mize, 28, hit a miracle shot -- a 140-foot chip -- to win the Masters golf title in Augusta, GA. Mize defeated Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros in a playoff.
    1988 - Sonny Bono succeeds in his bid to become mayor of his hometown, Palm Springs, CA.
    1989 - Twenty-two cities in the south central and eastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Elkins, WV with a low of 15 degrees, and Baton Rouge, LA with a reading of 37 degrees.
    1990 - Top Hits
“Love Will Lead You Back” - Taylor Dayne
“I'll Be Your Everything” - Tommy Page
“All Around the World” - Lisa Stansfield
“Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart” - Randy Travis
    1993 - The Grateful Dead sang the national anthem before the San Francisco Giants' home opener at Candlestick Park.
    1996 - The Detroit Red Wings set a National Hockey League record by winning their 61st regular season game, 5-3, over the Chicago Blackhawks. The previous record was held by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. Detroit finished the season with 62 wins, 13 losses and 7 ties.
    1996 - Duluth, Minnesota recorded 1.7 inches of snow on this day to raise its seasonal snowfall total to 132.8 inches -- its snowiest winter on record. The old record was 131.6 inches set back in 1949-50.
    2000 - In San Francisco, the North Beach Playground and Pool was renamed the Joe DiMaggio North Beach Playground and Pool. The Recreation and Park Commission voted 20 years earlier to rename the park after DiMaggio.
    2008 - With her latest single, "4 Minutes," Madonna beats Elvis as the artist with the most al-time Top Ten Hits on the Billboard charts (37).
    2010 - One-inch diameter hail falls in Fresno, CA. Two condominiums are destroyed by thunderstorms in California's San Joaquin Valley. Up to three funnel clouds were also seen in the region.
    2013 - Macy's lost its dispute with JC Penney over the exclusive right to sell unbranded housewares designed by Martha Stewart in its stores.
    2014 - Larry Ellison of Oracle Corp. was ranked the highest-paid U.S. executive for the second year in a row; Ellison's 2013 compensation of $78.4 million is more than twice that of runner-up Robert Iger of Walt Disney Corp, with $34.3 million.
    2014 - Researchers announced a new orally-administered drug that may cure Hepatitis C; 90 percent of patients in trials were declared free of the virus after 12 weeks.
    2015 - Jordan Spieth, age 21, wins the Masters golf tournament, tying Tiger Woods' record-setting 72-hole score of 18 under par at the course in 1997.

NBA Champions:
1954 - Minneapolis Lakers
1958 - St. Louis Hawks

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