On this day, March 19

1936 Between 5,000 and 7,000 men, women and children were rescued from flooded homes in the McKees Rocks “Bottoms.”

1966 The Texas Western Miners, now the University of Texas at El Paso, defeated the heavily favored Kentucky Wildcats, 72-65, to win the NCAA Championship played in College Park, Md.; making the contest especially noteworthy was that Texas Western became the first basketball team to start five Black players in a national title game as it faced an all-white Kentucky squad.

1982 The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation asked a federal court to free $302 million in highway funds frozen by a judge because the state failed to put an auto emissions inspection program into effect. (Twenty-four hours later, the freeze was lifted.)

2013 Pope Francis officially began his ministry as the 266th pope, receiving the ring symbolizing the papacy and a wool stole exemplifying his role as shepherd of his 1.2-billion strong flock during a Mass at the Vatican.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin

Today’s birthdays: Actor Renee Taylor, 88. Actor Ursula Andress, 85. Singer Clarence “Frogman” Henry, 84. Singer Ruth Pointer (The Pointer Sisters), 75. Actor Glenn Close, 74. Actor Bruce Willis, 66. Actor-comedian Mary Scheer, 58. Playwright Neil LaBute, 58. Actor Connor Trinneer, 52. Rock musician Gert Bettens (K’s Choice), 51. Rapper Bun B, 48. Rock musician Zach Lind (Jimmy Eat World), 45. Actor Virginia Williams, 43. Actor Abby Brammell, 42. MLB pitcher Clayton Kershaw, 33. Actor Craig Lamar Traylor, 32. Actor Philip Bolden, 26.

Thought for today: “No one is such a liar as the indignant man.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher (1844-1900)