TODAY IN HISTORY: Joe Clark elected Tory leader

In 1924, U.S. President Calvin Coolidge delivered the first radio broadcast from the White House as he addressed the country over 42 stations.

In 1934, Frank Capra’s romantic comedy “It Happened One Night,” starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, opened at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

In 1954, American evangelist Billy Graham began a three-month crusade in London. He filled an 11,000seat arena every night of his tour and was mobbed by crowds wherever he went. More than two million attended the meetings.

In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 race was held in Daytona Beach, Fla. Although Johnny Beauchamp was initially declared the winner, the victory was later awarded to Lee Petty.

In 1976, Florence Ballard, an original member of The Supremes, died in Detroit of cardiac arrest at the age of 32. She had either quit or been fired from “The Supremes” in 1967 because of a rivalry with lead singer Diana Ross. Ballard unsuccessfully sued both Ross and Motown Records boss Berry Gordy Jr., alleging she was forced out of the group. Ballard and her three children were living on welfare at the time of her death. She received little or no royalty payments from the eight gold records she made with The Supremes, and was paid only a weekly allowance during her time with the group.

In 1976, Joe Clark was elected the federal Conservative leader by defeating, among others, Brian Mulroney. His party defeated Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals in May 1979 and formed a minority government, making Clark, then 40, Canada’s youngest-ever prime minister, and the first native westerner to hold the post. His government was defeated in the Commons six months later and he lost the February 1980 election to the Liberals. Clark remained Tory leader until being deposed by Mulroney in 1983, but became leader again in 1998, before stepping down in mid-2003.

In 1980, one of the greatest upsets in hockey history took place at the Lake Placid Olympics. Known as “The Miracle on Ice,” the U.S. shocked the heavilyfavoured Soviet Union 4-3 in a medal-round game. The seventh-seeded Americans went on to beat Finland 4-2 two days later to claim the gold medal.

In 1984, a 12-year-old Houston boy known only as David died. He spent most of his life in a plastic bubble because he had no immunity to disease, and died 15 days after being removed from the bubble for a bonemarrow transplant.

In 1989, the first rap Grammy went to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) for “Parents Just Don’t Understand” while the first Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance was given to “Jethro Tull” for their album “Crest of a Knave.”

In 2007, Justin Trudeau, son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, announced plans to run for the federal Liberals in the Montreal riding of Papineau in the next election. He won the nomination on the first ballot on April 29. He won the riding in the October 2008 federal election — defeating a Bloc Quebecois incumbent. He was sworn in as an MP on Nov. 6, 2008. In April 2013, he was elected party leader and in 2015 became prime minister with a Liberal majority win in the general election.

In 2011, a midday magnitude-6.3 earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand, collapsing buildings and sending rubble tumbling onto cars and people. At least 184 people were killed in one of the island nation’s worst earthquakes in 80 years.

In 2012, a packed train slammed into a shock-absorbing barrier at the end of a platform at Buenos Aires’ Once station, killing 50 people and injuring at least 550 morning commuters as passenger cars crumpled behind the engine.

In 2020, David Ayres, a 42-year-old emergency backup goalie and full-time zamboni driver, helped the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Ayers, who hails from Whitby, Ont., was called into action after Hurricanes netminders James Reimer and Petr Mrazek were injured. The ex-junior goalie made eight saves.