What Happened in March 1958

Historical Events

Cricket Record

Mar 1 21-year-old West Indian cricket all-rounder Garfield Sobers turns his maiden Test century into a world record 365no in the Windies' 3rd Test win over Pakistan in Kingston, Jamaica; Sobers and Conrad Hunte (260) 446 run partnership for 2nd wicket

  • Mar 1 Samuel Alphonsus Stritch, is appointed Pro-Prefect of the Propagation of Faith and thus becomes the first American member of the Roman Curia
  • Mar 2 1st surface crossing of Antarctic continent is completed in 99 days
  • Mar 2 Yemen announces it would join the United Arab Republic
  • Mar 3 KTVU TV channel 2 in Oakland-San Francisco, California (IND) 1st broadcast
  • Mar 3 Nuri ash Said becomes premier of Iraq
  • Mar 5 Explorer 2 fails to reach Earth orbit
  • Mar 5 KDUH TV channel 4 in Scottsbluff-Hay Spring, NB (ABC) 1st broadcast
  • Mar 7 Chicago Cardinals announce they will play their 1958 opener in Buffalo
  • Mar 8 5th ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: Maryland beats North Carolina, 86-74
  • Mar 8 Silky Sullivan comes from 40 lengths back to win by 3 at Santa Anita

Event of Interest

Mar 8 William Faulkner says US school degenerated to become babysitters

  • Mar 9 Detroit Pistons forward George Yardley III scores 26 points in 111-90 defeat to Syracuse Nationals; 1st NBA player to score 2,000 points in a season
  • Mar 11 American B-47 accidentally drops nuclear bomb 15,000 ft on a family home in Mars Bluff, South Carolina; creates crater 75 ft across, bomb without its nuclear capsule
  • Mar 11 Starting this season, AL batters are required to wear batting helmets
  • Mar 12 3rd Eurovision Song Contest: Andre Claveau for France wins singing "Dors, mon amour" in Hilversum
  • Mar 12 British Empire Day is renamed "Commonwealth Day"
  • Mar 13 Government troops land in Sumatra Indonesia
  • Mar 14 Recording Industry Association of American created
  • Mar 14 RIAA certifies 1st gold record - Perry Como's single "Catch A Falling Star"
  • Mar 14 South Africa's government prohibits the African National Congress
  • Mar 14 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Mar 14 USSR performs atmospheric nuclear test
  • Mar 15 "Body Beautiful" musical closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 60 performances
  • Mar 15 England retains the Five Nations Rugby Championship with a 3-3 draw against Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh; England’s 16th FN title
  • Mar 15 KULR TV channel 8 in Billings, MT (NBC/ABC/CBS) begins broadcasting

NBA Record

Mar 15 Oscar Robertson of Cincinnati Royals scores a NBA midwest region-record 56-point game

  • Mar 15 Royals basketball star Maurice Stokes collapses during a playoff game with encephalitis; He goes into a coma & is permanently disabled
  • Mar 15 USSR performs atmospheric nuclear test in Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan (of 36 total for 1958)
  • Mar 16 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Beverly Hanson wins by 5 strokes ahead of Betty Dodd
  • Mar 17 US Navy launches Vanguard 1 into orbit (2nd US), measures Earth shape
  • Mar 18 MLB Los Angeles Dodgers announce their mascot and clown Emmett Kelly will not perform in 1958

Event of Interest

Mar 19 Britain's first planetarium opens at Madame Tussaud's, London

  • Mar 19 Garfield Sobers completes a century in each innings for WI vs. Pakistan
  • Mar 20 50 inches of snow falls across the Mason–Dixon line
  • Mar 20 Clandestine Burasi Bizim Radio (communist) begins transmitting
  • Mar 20 Greek Clandestine Radio (communist), Voice of Truth 1st transmission
  • Mar 21 Dr. Ernest Lawrence, nuclear scientist and Nobel laureate, receives first West Point Sylvanus Thayer Award, presented to an outstanding US citizen whose service in the national interest exemplifies devotion to ideals of West Point motto: "Duty, Honor, Country"
  • Mar 21 USSR performs atmospheric nuclear test

Sports History

Mar 22 20th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Kentucky beats Seattle, 84-72; Seattle's future Hall of Fame small forward Elgin Baylor is named tournament MOP

Faisal Appointed PM

Mar 22 Under pressure King Saud appoints Faisal Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia

  • Mar 22 USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

Sports History

Mar 25 Sugar Ray Robinson is 1st boxing champ to win 5 times

  • Mar 25 West German parliament desires German atomic weapons

The Bridge on the River Kwai

Mar 26 30th Academy Awards-"The Bridge on the River Kwai" wins Best Picture, Joanne Woodward & Alec Guinness win Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively

  • Mar 26 The African Regroupment Party (PRA) is launched at a meeting in Paris
  • Mar 26 US Army launches America's third successful satellite, "Explorer III"
  • Mar 27 CBS Labs announce new stereophonic records
  • Mar 27 Havana Hilton opens in Cuba, later HQ for Fidel Castro

Event of Interest

Mar 27 Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier as well as First Secretary of the Communist Party

  • Mar 29 112th Grand National: Arthur Freeman aboard 18/1 bet Mr. What wins by 30 lengths from Tiberetta
  • Mar 31 US Navy forms atomic submarine division
  • Mar 31 USSR suspends nuclear weapons tests, & urges US & Britain to do same
1958 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Mar 1 Bertrand Piccard, Swiss balloonist and psychiatrist, born in Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Mar 1 Chosei Komatsu, Japanese conductor (Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica, 2003-10; Central Aichi Symphony Orchestra, 2004-09), born in Fukui, Japan
  • Mar 1 Dave Flippo, American jazz pianist, composer, vocalist, teacher and bandleader, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvana
  • Mar 1 Nik Kershaw, British new wave singer/songwriter (Wouldn't It Be Good), born in Bristol, England
  • Mar 1 Wayne Phillips, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (27 Tests, 52 dismissals, 2 x 100, HS 159; 48 ODIs; South Australia), born in Adelaide, Australia
  • Mar 2 Ian Woosnam, Welsh golfer (US Masters 1991; European Tour Order of Merit 1987, 90; Ryder Cup captain 2006), born in Oswestry, England
  • Mar 2 Kevin Curren, South African tennis player (US Open doubles, mixed doubles 1982; Wimbledon doubles 1982; US Open mixed doubles 1981), born in Durban, South Africa
  • Mar 3 Bob Bradley, soccer coach (Olympic gold 1996), born in Montclair, New Jersey
  • Mar 3 Marc Silvestri, American comic book artist and publisher (Top Cow Productions)
  • Mar 3 Miranda Richardson, Southport England, actress (Damage, Crying Game)
  • Mar 4 Lennie Lee, British counterculture artist
  • Mar 4 Patricia Heaton, American actress (Debra-Everybody Loves Raymond), born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • Mar 4 Tina Smith, American politician (Senator-D-Minnesota 2018-), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Andy Gibb (1958-1988)

Mar 5 British singer-songwriter, stage performer, and teen idol ("I Just Want to Be Your Everything"), born in Stretford, Lancashire, England

  • Mar 5 William "Bill" Timoney, American actor, voice actor, director, script writer and producer (Addicted to Love, All My Children), born in Teaneck, New Jersey
  • Mar 7 Alan Hale, American astronomer (Comet Hale–Bopp), born in Tokyo, Japan
  • Mar 7 Rik Mayall, English comedian and actor (Drop Dead Fred, The Young Ones), born in Epping, Essex, (d. 2014)
  • Mar 8 Gary Numan [Webb], British new wave rock musician ("Cars"), born in Hammersmith, England
  • Mar 8 Nick Capra, American baseball player
  • Mar 9 Jack Kenny, American television writer and producer (Warehouse 13), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Mar 9 Martin Fry, British pop singer-songwriter (ABC - "The Look Of Love"; "All of My Heart"), born in Stretford, Lancashire, England

Sharon Stone (66 years old)

Mar 10 American actress (Basic Instinct, Sliver, Casino), born in Meadville, Pennsylvania

  • Mar 11 Anissa Jones, American actress (d. 1976)
  • Mar 11 Flemming Rose, Danish journalist
  • Mar 11 Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, interim President of Iraq
  • Mar 11 Jim Pinkerton, American pundit
  • Mar 13 Rick Lazio, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from New York, born in Amityville, New York
  • Mar 14 Albert II, Prince of Monaco (bobsledder at 1988 Olympics), born in Monaco

Danny Meyer (66 years old)

Mar 14 American businessman and restaurateur (Shake Shack, Union Square Cafe), born in St. Louis, Missouri

  • Mar 14 Zbigniew Karkowski, Polish composer and experimental musician (Sensorband), born in Kraków, Poland (d. 2013)
  • Mar 15 Laura Carrington, American actress (Louisa-Alphabet City, General Hospital), born in New York City

Jorge Ramos (66 years old)

Mar 16 Mexican-American Spanish-language new anchor (Noticiero Univision) and journalist, born in Mexico City

  • Mar 16 Kate Worley, American comic book writer (Omaha the Cat Dancer), born in Belleville, Illinois (d. 2004)
  • Mar 17 Pat Bolland, Canadian Broadcaster
  • Mar 18 Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein, skier (Olympic silver 1980)
  • Mar 19 Andy Reid, American football coach (Philadelphia Eagles 1999–2012; Super Bowl 2020, 23 Kansas City Chiefs), born in Los Angeles, California

Holly Hunter (66 years old)

Mar 20 American actress (Broadcast News, The Piano), born in Conyers, Georgia

  • Mar 20 Phil Anderson, Australian cyclist
  • Mar 20 Rickey Jackson, NFL defensive end (SF 49ers)
  • Mar 21 Brad Hall, American comedian (SNL, 1982-84), and screenwriter, born in Santa Barbara, California

Gary Oldman (66 years old)

Mar 21 British Academy Award and BAFTA Award-winnig actor (Sid and Nancy; Immortal Beloved; Darkest Hour), born in London, England

  • Mar 21 Lynn Mabry, American R&B and rock session and touring vocalist (P-Funk; Brides of Funkenstein; Talking Heads; Sheila E), born in Vallejo, California
  • Mar 21 Marlies Göhr, East German sprinter (Olympic gold 100m relay 1976, 80; World Champion 100m 1983), born in Gera, Germany
  • Mar 21 [Jonathan] Butch Norton, American drummer (Eels), born in Inglewood, California
  • Mar 22 Fatih Birol, Turkish economist and energy expert (International Energy Agency), born in Ankara, Turkey
  • Mar 22 Joyce Lester, Australian softball catcher (Olympic bronze 1996)
  • Mar 22 Laurie David, American political activist
  • Mar 22 Pete Wylie, English rock singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Sinful), born in Liverpool, England
  • Mar 23 El Duce [Eldon Wayne Hoke], American singer and drummer (The Mentors), born in Seattle, Washington (d. 1997)
  • Mar 23 Etienne De Wilde, Belgian cyclist
  • Mar 23 Serena Grandi [Fagioli], Italian actress (Miranda), born in Bologna, Italy
  • Mar 25 Åsa Torstensson, Swedish politician
  • Mar 25 James McDaniel, actor (Arthur Fancy-NYPD Blue), born in Washington, D.C.
  • Mar 25 Maria Caridad Colón, Cuba, javelin thrower, (Olympic gold 1980)
  • Mar 25 Sisy Chen, Taiwanese politician and television commentator
  • Mar 25 Yograj Singh, cricketer (Indian pace bowler early 80's)
  • Mar 27 Susan Molinari, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from New York, born in New York City
  • Mar 28 Bart Conner, American gymnast (Olympic-2 gold-1984), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Mar 28 Curt Hennig, American professional wrestler, born in Robbinsdale, Minnesota (d. 2003)
  • Mar 28 Oran "Juice" Jones, American R&B singer ("Curiosity"; "Here I Go Again"), born in Houston, Texas
  • Mar 28 Patrice Lecornu, French soccer striker (3 caps; Red Star FC, SC Angers, Nantes FC), born in Flers, France (d. 2023)
  • Mar 29 Fiona Reynolds, Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Director-General of the National Trust, born in Alston, Cumbria
  • Mar 29 Victor Salva, American film director (Jeepers Creepers), born in Martinez, California
  • Mar 30 Joey Sindelar, American golfer (7 PGA Tour titles), born in Fort Knox, Kentucky
  • Mar 30 Maurice LaMarche, Canadian-American comedian and voice actor (Hey Arnold!), born in Toronto, Ontario
  • Mar 30 Peter Ellis, New Zealand convicted child abuser, born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 2019)
  • Mar 31 Pat McGlynn, Scottish pop guitarist (Bay City Rollers), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Mar 31 Paul Ferguson, British rock drummer (Killing Joke), born in England
  • Mar 31 Tony Cox, American actor
Born in 1958

Famous Weddings

Famous Divorces

Agnes Moorehead

Mar 11 Actress Agnes Moorehead (57) divorces actor and film director Robert Gist (40) after 5 years of marriage

Famous Deaths

  • Mar 1 Giacomo Balla, Italian painter (Dog at a Rope), dies at 86
  • Mar 4 Albert Kuyle [Lou Kuitenbrouwer], writer (Jesus' Carpet), dies at 54
  • Mar 8 Josephina "Frieda" Herberich, German actress (Salontiroler), dies at 85
  • Mar 11 Ole Kirk Christiansen, Danish carpenter, inventor, and toy maker (Lego Group), dies of a heart attack at 66
  • Mar 12 Princess Ingeborg of Sweden, wife of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland, dies at 79
  • Mar 14 Eugeen Van de Velde, Flemish musicologist and composer (In Tempore Belli), dies at 64
  • Mar 16 Leon Cadore, American baseball pitcher (pitched all of 26 inning game), dies at 65
  • Mar 18 Sigve Lie, Norwegian sailor (Olympic gold dragon class 1948, 52), dies at 51
  • Mar 19 Vernon Ransford, cricketer (20 Tests for Australia, 1211 runs), dies
  • Mar 21 Cyril M. Kornbluth, American sci-fi writer (Space Merchants), dies at 34
  • Mar 22 Michael "Mike" Todd [Avrom Goldbogen], American producer (Around the World in 80 Days) and 3rd husband of Elizabeth Taylor, dies in a plane crash at 48
  • Mar 23 Florian Znaniecki, Polish/US sociologist/philosopher, dies at 76
  • Mar 25 Emerson Whithorne, American composer, dies at 73
  • Mar 25 Tom Brown, American dixieland jazz trombonist, dies at 69
  • Mar 26 Phil Mead, English cricket batsman (17 Tests, 4 x 100, HS 182no; Hampshire CCC, MCC, Suffolk CCC), dies at 71

Chuck Klein (1904-1958)

Mar 28 American Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder (Triple Crown 1933; MLB All-Star 1933, 34; NL MVP 1932; Philadelphia Phillies), dies of a stroke at 53

W. C. Handy (1873-1958)

Mar 28 American composer and musician known as the "Father of the Blues" (Memphis Blues, St Louis Blues), dies of bronchial pneumonia at 84