TODAY IN HISTORY: The Richard Riot breaks out

In 1233, millions of mice invaded the area of Freising, Germany, forcing the evacuation of entire towns. (Historical records of the incident are scarce and the story may be apocryphal.)

In 1765, St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated for the first time in Canada, in Quebec City.

In 1865, the federal government approved an unprecedented defence budget of $1 million.

In 1943, the price of wheat reached $1 a bushel for the first time since 1938.

In 1955, the “Richard Riot” broke out in the Montreal Forum. Canadiens fans were enraged that NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended star forward Maurice Richard for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs for a stick-swinging incident with a Boston player and an assault on a linesman. When Campbell appeared at the Habs’ game versus Detroit, fans threw tomatoes and set off tear gas. After the game was suspended after one period and the Red Wings awarded a 4-1 win, the mob moved outside to overturn cars and loot stores for the next four hours.

In 1966, the “Gemini 8” capsule, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott aboard made an emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean.

In 1968, the Bee Gees made their U.S. TV debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” singing “Words” and “To Love Somebody.”

In 1978, the oil tanker “Amoco Cadiz” ran aground on the coast of Brittany, France. Over 220,000 tonnes of crude oil seeped out of the crippled ship, causing serious pollution to the coastline. It was, at the time, the world’s worst oil tanker spill and caused an international protest as scenes of marine animals dying under a coat of oil were broadcast all over the world.

In 1985, U.S. President Ronald Reagan travelled to Quebec City for the “Shamrock Summit” – a 24-hour meeting on acid rain with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

In 1998, Zhu Rongji was chosen China’s new leader, replacing Li Peng.

In 1999. Tim Johnson was fired as Blue Jays manager for lying about his Vietnam service. He was replaced by Jim Fregosi.

In 2000, about 924 members of the doomsday cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God committed suicide by locking themselves in their church and setting it on fire in Kanunga, Uganda.

In 2003, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Saddam Hussein a 48-hour ultimatum to get out of Iraq with his two sons or face war. Prime Minister Jean Chretien declared Canada would not join the war without United Nations support.

In 2007, Adrienne Clarkson, the former governor general, became the first Canadian to assume the role of colonel-in-chief of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, a position formerly held only by royalty.

In 2009, after 146 years, the Seattle PostIntelligencer published its final print edition, becoming an online-only newspaper.

In 2010, the puck Sidney Crosby used to score the winning goal in Canada’s 3-2 overtime thriller over the U.S. in the Olympic men’s hockey final in Vancouver on Feb. 28 was installed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

In 2020, America’s longest continuously held sporting event, the Kentucky Derby, was postponed over COVID-19. It would be the first time the Derby wouldn’t be held on the first Saturday in May since 1945.

In 2020, Tom Brady announced he would leave the New England Patriots, becoming a free agent for the first time in his career.