ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~ April 3

ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~ April 3

1860 - Pony Express began between St Joseph Mo & Sacramento Calif.
1865 - Union forces occupy Confederate capital of Richmond Va & Petersberg.
1868 - A Hawaiian surfs on highest wave ever, he rides a 50' tidal wave.
1882 - Wood block alarm invented, when alarm rang, it dropped 20 wood blocks.
1882 - American Old West: Outlaw Jesse James is killed by Robert Ford.

1889 - Savings Bank of Order of True Reformers opens in Richmond, Va.
1908 - Frank Gotch wins world heavyweight wrestling championship in 2 hrs.
1910 - Highest mountain in North America, Alaska's Mt McKinley climbed.
1921 - Harry Landers, NYC, actor (Ted Hoffman-Ben Casey) is born.
1921 - Robert Karvelas, American actor (d. 1991) is born.
1923 - 2 "Black Sox" sue White Sox (unsuccessfully) for back salary.
1924 - Doris Day, Cincinnati Oh, actress (Pillow Talk) is born.

1924 - Marlon Brando, Omaha Neb, actor (Superman, Godfather) is born.
1926 - 2nd flight of a liquid-fueled rocket by Robert Goddard.
1928 - Don Gibson, American country musician (d. 2003) is born.
1929 - RMS Queen Mary is ordered from John Brown & Company Shipbuilding and Engineering by Cunard Line.
1938 - Jeff Barry, Bkln NY, rock writer (Tell Laura I Love Her) is born.
1941 - Churchill warns Stalin of German invasion.
1941 - Jan Berry, LA California, rock vocalist (Jan & Dean-Deadman's Curve) (d. 2004) is born.
1942 - Wayne Newton, American singer, is born.

1943 - Doreen Tracey, , Mouseketeer, is born.
1944 - Tony Orlando, NYC, singer (& Dawn-Tie a Yellow Ribbon) is born.
1945 - Nazi's begin evacuation of camp Buchenwald.
1945 - US 1st army conquers Hofgeismar.
1948 - Harry Harry Truman signs Marshall Plan ($5B aid to 16 European countries).
1952 - Walt Disney submits a sketch of "Fairy Land" to California's Recreation and Parks Commissions.  At this time, Walt's idea is to place "Fairy Land" somewhere between his studio and Griffith Park.
1953 - Walt Disney signs a contract that will change the face of entertainment for all time. The two-page document gives Walt Disney Incorporated the right and license to use Disney’s name for all commercial purposes. By signing this document, Walt will make possible the Disneyland theme park and later such TV series as Walt Disney Presents and The Wonderful World of Disney.

1954 - "Me & Juliet" closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 358 performances.
1955 - The American Civil Liberties Union announces it will defend Allen Ginsberg's book Howl against obscenity charges.
1955 - Fred Astaire appeared on television for the first time on "The Toast of the Town," with host, Ed Sullivan.
1956 - "Silk Stockings" closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 461 performances.
1956 - Elvis Presley performed on "The Milton Berle Show." The show was broadcast live from the aircraft carrier USS Hancock. Elvis played the songs "Heartbreak Hotel," "Money, Honey," and "Blue Suede Shoes."
1958 - "Say, Darling" opens at ANTA Theater NYC for 332 performances.
1958 - Fidel Castro's rebels attacked Havana.
1958 - Alec Baldwin, Amityville NY, actor (Joshua-Knots Landing, Beetlejuice) is born.

1959 - The BBC bans the Coasters song "Charlie Brown" because of the word "spitball." Two weeks later the BBC changes its position on the song.
1959 - David Hyde Pierce, actor, is born.
1960 - The Everly Brothers make their British concert debut.
1961 - Eddie Murphy, Bkln NY, actor (SNL, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Raw) is born.
1964 - Beatles hold top 6 spots on Sydney Australia record charts.
1964 - US & Panama agree to resume diplomatic relations.
1965 - 1st atomic powered spacecraft  launched.
1965 - "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaoh's is released.
1968 - N Vietnam agrees to meet US reps to set up preliminary peace talks.
1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "Mountaintop" speech in Memphis, Tennessee; less than 24 hours later he is assassinated.

1969 - Vietnam War: U.S. Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announces that the United States will start to "Vietnamize" the war effort.
1969 - Jim Morrison is arrested by the FBI for interstate flight, which stems from obscenity charges after a Miami concert.
1972 - Jennie Garth, Champagn Ill, actr (Kelly Taylor-Beverly Hills 90210) is born.
1973 - The first portable cell phone call is made in New York City, United States.
1974 - 148 tornadoes are reported over an area covering a dozen states.
1975 - Bobby Fischer stripped of world chess title for refusing to defend.
1978 - 50th Academy Awards - "Annie Hall," Rich Dreyfuss & Diane Keaton win.
1978 - European market & China signs trade agreement.
1978 - Larry King moves his radio show from Miami to Washington DC.
1978 - Cher's TV special with guest Rod Stewart airs on ABC.
1982 - Warren Oates, actor (East of Eden, Stoney Burke), dies at 53.
1985 - The famed Brown Derby restaurant on Vine Street in Hollywood closes after a 57-year history.

1986 – Amanda Bynes, actress, is born.
1987 - Cubs trade Dennis Eckersley to A's for 3 minor leaguers.
1989 - Pepsi dismisses Madonna as a spokesperson after her "Like a Prayer" video is called "blasphemous" by the Vatican.
1990 - Katharine Balfour, actress (Love Story), dies of ALS at 69.
1990 - Sarah Vaughn, jazz singer, dies of lung cancer at 66.
1991 - Bo Jackson signs 1-year contract with Chicago White Sox.
1993 - Pinky Lee, kiddie host (Pinky Lee Show), dies of heart attack at 85.

1994 - Frank G Wells, US director (Walt Disney Studios), dies at 62.
1996 - MC Hammer files for bankruptcy.
1996 - The FBI arrests Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, who is accused of sending 16 mail bombs over an 18-year period.
1997 - "Dream-Johnny Mercer Musical," opens at Royale NYC for 109 performance.