DAILY ALMANAC
Today is Sunday, March 19, the 78th day of 2023. There are 287 days left in the year. On this date in:
1859: The opera “Faust” by Charles Gounod premiered in Paris.
1931: Nevada Gov. Fred B. Balzar signed a measure legalizing casino gambling.
1942: During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered men between the ages of 45 and 64, inclusive, to register for non-military duty.
1945: During World War II, 724 people were killed when a Japanese dive bomber attacked the carrier USS Franklin off Japan (the ship was saved). Adolf Hitler ordered the destruction of German facilities that could fall into Allied hands in his so-called “Nero Decree,” which was largely disregarded.
1977: The series finale of “Mary Tyler Moore” aired on CBS-TV, ending the situation comedy’s seven-season run.
1987: Televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as chairman of his PTL ministry organization amid a sex and money scandal involving Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary.
1991: Polish President Lech Walesa arrived in Washington for his first state visit to the United States.
1995: After a 21-month hiatus, Michael Jordan returned to professional basketball with his former team, the Chicago Bulls.
1997: Artist Willem de Kooning, considered one of the 20th century’s greatest painters, died in East Hampton, New
York, at age 92.
2003: President George W. Bush ordered the start of war against Iraq. (Because of the time difference, it was early March 20 in Iraq.)
2007: A methane gas explosion in a Siberian coal mine killed 110 workers.
2018: Former tennis star Martina Navratilova said she was “extremely angry” to learn that the BBC paid John Mcenroe at least 10 times more than her for their broadcasting roles at Wimbledon.
2020: President Donald Trump focused attention on a malaria drug, chloroquine, as a possible coronavirus treatment; the FDA issued a statement saying that there were “no Fda-approved therapeutics” to treat COVID-19.
Actor Renee Taylor (“The Nanny”) is 90. Actor Ursula Andress (“Dr. No,” “Casino Royale”) is 87. Singer Clarence “Frogman” Henry is 86. Singer Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 77. Actor Glenn Close is 76. Actor Bruce Willis is 68. Actor Mary Scheer (“icarly,” “MADTV”) is 60. Actor Connor Trinneer (“Star Trek: Enterprise”) is 54. Guitarist-keyboardist Gert Bettens of K’s Choice is 53. Drummer Zach Lind of Jimmy Eat World is 47. Actor Virginia Williams (“Fuller House”) is 45. Actor Abby Brammell (“The Unit”) is 44. Actor Craig Lamar Traylor (“Malcolm in the Middle”) is 34.