What Happened in March 1962

Historical Events

  • Mar 1 American Airlines 707 plunges nose first into Jamaica Bay, NY, killing 95
  • Mar 1 Kresge Corporation openes the first Kmart store in Garden City, Michigan
  • Mar 1 US and British nuclear test experiment in Nevada

Coup d'état

Mar 2 Burmese army led by General Ne Win seizes power in a coup d'état, transforming Burma into a one-party socialist state under the Burmese Way to Socialism ideology

Sports History

Mar 2 Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points, most ever by an NBA player in a single game, in Warriors' 169-147 win over NY Knicks in Hershey; 36-of-63 from field, 28-of-32 from free-throw line

Event of Interest

Mar 2 President John F. Kennedy announces US will resume above ground nuclear testing

  • Mar 3 9th ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: Wake Forest beats Clemson, 77-66
  • Mar 3 British Antarctic Territory forms
  • Mar 4 AEC announces 1st atomic power plant in Antarctica in operation
  • Mar 5 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Mar 6 St Louis vote to build a new downtown stadium for the Cardinals
  • Mar 6 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Mar 6 US promise Thailand assistance against communist aggression
  • Mar 7 Ground-breaking report "Smoking and Health" published by the British Royal College of Physicians, first major report to warn of the dangers of smoking
  • Mar 7 Launch of OSO 1, 1st astronomy satellite (solar flare data)
  • Mar 7 The Beatles made their broadcasting debut on BBC radio

Radio Premiere

Mar 8 The Beatles (with Pete Best) BBC radio debut - a cover of Roy Orbison's "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)", recorded the previous evening on stage at the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester

  • Mar 8 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Event of Interest

Mar 9 Egyptian President Nasser declares Gaza belongs to Palestinians

  • Mar 9 US advisors in South-Vietnam join the fight
  • Mar 10 Due to its no black policy, Phillies leave Jack Tar Harrison Hotel & move to Rocky Point Motel, 20 miles outside Clearwater, Florida
  • Mar 12 Dutch Premier De Quay announces secret talks with Indonesia
  • Mar 13 Yugoslavia grants 1,000 prisoners amnesty
  • Mar 14 Disarmament conference opens in Geneva without France

NHL Record

Mar 14 Red Wings' forward Gordie Howe becomes second player in NHL history to score 500 career goals in Detroit's 3-2 loss to NY Rangers

  • Mar 15 Donald Jackson of Canada is 1st to land a triple lutz ice skate jump
  • Mar 15 Five research groups announce the discovery of anti-matter
  • Mar 15 KATU TV channel 2 in Portland, OR (ABC) begins broadcasting

No Strings

Mar 15 Richard Rodgers' musical drama "No Strings", starring Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley, opens at the 54th Street Theatre (later transferring to the Broadhurst), New York; runs for 580 performances and wins 3 Tony Awards

  • Mar 15 Wilt Chamberlain is 1st to score 4,000 pts in an NBA season
  • Mar 16 1st launching of Titan 2-rocket
  • Mar 16 US Super-Constellation disappears above Pacific Ocean, kills 167
  • Mar 18 7th Eurovision Song Contest: Isabelle Aubret for France wins singing "Un premier amour" in Luxembourg
  • Mar 18 Algerian War ends after 7½ yrs (250,000 die), Ben Bella flees

Music History

Mar 18 Dmitri Shostakovich becomes member of Supreme Soviet of USSR

  • Mar 19 Archbishop Suenens of Mechelen-Brussels appointed cardinal
  • Mar 19 Charles Strouse and Lee Adams' musical "All American", starring ray Bolger, opens at the Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 80 performances
  • Mar 20 Sjoukje Dijkstra becomes world champion figure skater
  • Mar 21 Dutch RC bishop Beckers declares himself in favor of birth control
  • Mar 21 Philadelphia Phillies retire pitcher Robin Roberts' # 36
  • Mar 21 Yogi the bear becomes the 1st creature to be ejected at supersonic speeds by the US military testing ejection seats

I Can Get It For You Wholesale

Mar 22 Musical "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" starring Barbra Streisand in her Broadway debut, opens at Shubert Theater, NYC; runs for 300 performances

  • Mar 23 JFK visits San Francisco
  • Mar 23 Nawab of Pataudi captains India cricket v WI age 21 years 77 days
  • Mar 23 Wake Forest coach "Bones" McKinney becomes 2nd person to play and coach
  • Mar 23 William DeWitt buys Cincinnati Reds for $4,625,000
  • Mar 24 24th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Cincinnati beats Ohio State, 71-59; Bearcats win back-to-back National titles

Boxing Title Fight

Mar 24 Emile Griffith beats Benny " Kid" Paret by TKO in 12th round in welterweight boxing title fight at MSG, NYC; Paret dies 10 days later; first use of television slow motion replay

  • Mar 25 "Family Affair" closes at Billy Rose Theater NYC after 65 performances
  • Mar 25 French OAS-leader ex-general Jouhaud arrested
  • Mar 26 US Supreme Court backs 1-man-1-vote apportionment of seats in state legistature
  • Mar 27 Ann Jellicoe's play "Knack" premieres in London
  • Mar 27 Archbishop Rummel ends race segregation in New Orleans Catholic schools

NHL Record

Mar 27 NHL Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante ties record winning 6th NHL Vezina trophy

  • Mar 28 Devastating 8 for 6 spell by West Indian spin bowler Lance Gibbs gives home side innings & 30 run 3rd Test win over India in Bridgetown
  • Mar 28 Military coup in Syria, President Nazim al-Kudsi flees
  • Mar 29 Argentine President Arturo Frondizi flees from the army

TV Show Appearance

Mar 29 Jack Paar's final appearance on the "The Tonight Show"

  • Mar 31 116th Grand National: Fred Winter aboard 28/1 shot Kilmore wins by 10 lengths from Wyndburgh
1962 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Mar 1 Bill Leen, American rock bassist (Gin Blossoms - "Allison Road"), born in Tempe, Arizona
  • Mar 1 Mark Gardner, American baseball pitcher and coach (World Series 2010, 12, 14; SF Giants), born in Los Angeles, California

Russell Coutts (62 years old)

Mar 1 New Zealand yachtsman (Olympic gold Finn Class 1984, America's Cup 5 x winner), born in Wellington, New Zealand

Jon Bon Jovi (62 years old)

Mar 2 American rock singer-songwriter (Bon Jovi - "You Give Love a Bad Name"; "Who Says You Can't Go Home"), born in Sayreville, New Jersey

  • Mar 2 Michael Salinger, American poet
  • Mar 2 Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese writer
  • Mar 2 Raimo Summanen, Finnish ice hockey left wing (World C'Ships gold 1995; NHL: Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks) and coach (Finland; HIFK), born in Jyväskylä, Finland
  • Mar 2 Scott La Rock [Sterling], American hip-hop DJ (Boogie Down Productions), born in New York City (d. 1987)
  • Mar 2 Terry Steinbach, American baseball catcher (MLB All-Star 1988, 89, 93; World Series 1989; Oakland A's), born in New Ulm, Minnesota
  • Mar 3 Glen E. Friedman, American photographer and artist
  • Mar 3 Herschel Walker, American College Football Hall of Fame running back (Heisman Trophy 1982, U of Georgia; Pro Bowl 1987, 88), Dallas Cowboys), born in Wrightsville, Georgia

Jackie Joyner-Kersee (62 years old)

Mar 3 American athlete (Olympic gold heptathlon 1988, 92; long jump 1988; World C'ship gold x 4), born in East St. Louis, Illinois

  • Mar 3 Steve Blackmore, Welsh rugby union prop (4 caps; Cardiff RFC), born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 2020)
  • Mar 4 David Sparrow, Canadian actor, born in Sollihull, England
  • Mar 4 Greg Kragen, American football nose tackle (First-team All-Pro 1989, 91; Pro Bowl 1989; Denver Broncos), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Mar 4 Simon Bisley, British comic book artist (ABC Warriors)
  • Mar 5 Charlie Reid, Scottish rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist (The Proclaimers - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"), born in Leith, Scotland
  • Mar 5 Craig Reid, Scottish rock singer-songwriter (The Proclaimers - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"), born in Leith, Scotland
  • Mar 5 Elise Burgin, tennis star, born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Mar 5 Jonathan Penner, American reality show contestant
  • Mar 5 Robert L Curbeam Jr, astronaut (STS 85, sk: 99), born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Mar 6 Alison Nicholas, English golfer (US Open 1997), born in Gibraltar
  • Mar 6 Sergei Yashin, Russian Hockey HOF left winger (Olympic gold USSR 1988; HC Dynamo Moscow, EC Wilhelmshaven-Stickhausen), born in Penza, Russia (d. 2022)
  • Mar 6 Valerie French, American animatronics art director
  • Mar 7 Peter Manley, English Darts Player (PDC World C'ship runner-up 1999, 2002, 2006), born in London, England
  • Mar 7 Taylor Dayne [Leslie Wunderman], American vocalist ("Tell It To My Heart"; "I'll Always Love You"), born in New York
  • Mar 8 Shaun Gayle, American football strong safety (Super Bowl 1985; Pro Bowl 1991; Chicago Bears, SD Chargers), born in Newport News, Virginia
  • Mar 8 William Fuller, NFL defensive end (Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers)
  • Mar 9 Brian Green, American actor (Another World - "Sam Fowler"), born in Columbus, Indiana
  • Mar 9 Jan Furtok, Polish footballer, born in Katowice, Poland
  • Mar 10 Andre Waters, American NFL safety (Arizona Cardinals), born in Andre Waters, Belle Glade, Florida
  • Mar 10 Gary Clark, Scottish rock singer-songwriter and record producer (Danny Wilson - "Mary's Prayer"), born in Dundee, Scotlaand
  • Mar 10 Seiko Matsuda [Noriko Kamachi], Japanese pop singer, born in Furume, Japan
  • Mar 11 Jeffrey Nordling, American actor
  • Mar 11 Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, Somali diplomat and 9th President of Somalia (2017-present), born in Mogadishu, Somalia
  • Mar 11 Peter Berg, American film actor, director and producer

Darryl Strawberry (62 years old)

Mar 12 American baseball right fielder (8 x MLB All Star; World Series 1986 NY Mets, 96, 99 NY Yankees; NL Rookie of the Year 1983), born in Los Angeles, California

  • Mar 12 Titus Welliver, American actor (Deadwood - "Silas Adams"; Bosch), born in New Haven, Connecticut
  • Mar 13 Liane Tooth, Australian field hockey defender (Olympic gold 1988, 96; Champions Trophy gold 1991, 93), born in Sydney, Australia
  • Mar 13 Terence Blanchard, American jazz trumpeter (Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), film score composer (When The Levees Broke; Harriet), and educator, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Mar 15 Igor Aleinikov, filmmaker
  • Mar 15 Jimmy Baio, actor (Billy Tate-Soap, Brass, Playing for Keeps), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Mar 15 Steve Coy, British rocker and producer (Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)), born in Harrow, England (d. 2018)
  • Mar 15 Terrence Trent D'Arby, American rock vocalist (Wishing Well), born in New York City
  • Mar 16 Marcel Brands, soccer player (RKC)
  • Mar 17 Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, Dutch politician
  • Mar 17 Clare Grogan, Scottish new wave singer (Altered Images - "Happy Birthday"), and actress (Gregory's Girl; Eastenders), born in Glasgow
  • Mar 17 Janet Gardner, American rock singer, and rhythm guitarist (Vixen - "Rev It Up"), born in Juneau, Alaska
  • Mar 17 Kalpana Chawla, Indian-American astronaut (1st woman of Indian origin into space, later died in Columbia disaster), born in Karnal, India (d. 2003)
  • Mar 17 Roxy Petrucci, American rock drummer (Vixen - "Rev It Up'), born in Rochester, Michigan
  • Mar 18 Etsushi Toyokawa, Japanese actor
  • Mar 18 Mike Rowe, American television personality
  • Mar 18 Thomas Ian Griffith, American actor
  • Mar 18 Trevor Franklin, New Zealand cricket batsman (21 Tests, 1 x 100; Auckland CA), born in Auckland, New Zealand
  • Mar 19 Ivan Calderón, Puerto Rican baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1991; Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos), born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico (d. 2003)
  • Mar 19 Jim Korderas, American professional wrestling referee
  • Mar 20 Shaye Al-Nafisah, Saudi Arabian soccer forward (32 caps; Al-Kawkab FC), born in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia (d. 2023)
  • Mar 20 Stephen Sommers, American film director
  • Mar 21 Mark Waid, American comic book writer

Matthew Broderick (61 years old)

Mar 21 American actor (WarGames, Biloxi Blues), born in New York City

Rosie O'Donnell (61 years old)

Mar 21 comedienne, actress (A League of Their Own; Flintstones), and TV host (Rosie), born in Commack, New York

  • Mar 22 Steve Dillon, English comic book artist (Preacher), born in London (d. 2016)
  • Mar 23 Steve Redgrave, British rower (5 Olympic gold medals 1984-2000) world's most successful male rower, born in Marlow
  • Mar 24 Angèle Dubeau, Canadian classical violinist, born in Saint-Norbert, Quebec
  • Mar 24 Penny Hammel, American golfer (4 LPGA Tour titles), born in Decatur, Illinois
  • Mar 24 Star Jones, American attorney and legal analyst (NBC; Inside Edition), TV host (The View, 1997-2006), and author, born in Badin, North Carolina
  • Mar 24 Vaughan Johnson, American football linebacker (Pro Bowl 1989, 90, 91, 92; New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles), born in Morehead City, North Carolina (d. 2019)
  • Mar 25 Fernando Martín, Spanish basketball center (first Spaniard in NBA 1986, Portland Trail Blazers; FIBA Club World Cup 1981, Real Madrid), born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1989)
  • Mar 25 Marcia Cross, American television actress (Melrose Place), born in Marlborough, Massachusetts

John Stockton (61 years old)

Mar 26 American NBA guard (Utah Jazz, Olympic gold 1996), born in Spokane, Washington

  • Mar 26 Kevin Seitzer, MLB baseball infielder, 1986-97, 2X All-Star (Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, and 2 other teams), born in Springfield, Illinois
  • Mar 26 Richard Coles, Britiish synth-pop musician (Communards - "Don't Leave Me This Way"), now a Church of England priest, and BBC broadcaster, born in Northampton
  • Mar 26 Yuri Pavlovich Gidzenko, Ukrainian-Russian Air Force pilot and officer, and cosmonaut Mir; International Space Station), born in Elanets, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
  • Mar 27 Grahame Gordon Innes, English classical composer, educator, and author, born in the UK
  • Mar 28 Ged Grimes, Scottish rock bassist, and producer (Danny Wilson; Deacon Blue; Simple Minds), born in Dundee, Scotland
  • Mar 28 Jure Franko, Slovenian-Yugoslav alpine skier, born in Nova Gorica, Slovenia
  • Mar 28 Terry Szopinski, American pro-wrestler (The Warlord), born in Pompano Beach, Florida
  • Mar 29 Billy Beane, American baseball executive (GM Oakland Athletics 1997-2016; MLB Executive of the Year Award 2018; film 'Moneyball' based on Beane), born in Orlando, Florida
  • Mar 29 Kirk Triplett, American golfer (3 x PGA Tour, 8 x PGA Tour Champions winner; US Seniors Open 2017 runner-up), born in Moses Lake, Washington
  • Mar 30 Bil Dwyer, American comedian and TV host, born in Evergreen Park, Illinois
  • Mar 30 MC Hammer [Stanley Kirk Burrell], American rapper (Hammer Time), born in Oakland, California
  • Mar 31 (Richard) Stockton Rush [III], American businessman (co-founder and CEO of OceanGate), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2023)
  • Mar 31 John Taylor, American NFL wide receiver (3-time Super Bowl winner, SF 49ers), born in Philadelphia, PA
Born in 1962

Famous Weddings

Rex Harrison

Mar 21 Academy award-winning British actor Rex Harrison (54) weds actress and third wife Rachel Roberts (34) in Genoa, Italy

Famous Deaths

  • Mar 1 Roscoe Ates, American actor (Freaks, Cimarron, Marshal of Gunsight Pass), dies of lung cancer at 67
  • Mar 2 Charles Jean de la Vallée-Poussin, Belgian mathematician (Prime number theorem), dies at 95
  • Mar 2 Walt Kiesling, American Pro Football Hall of Fame guard (NFL 1920s All-Decade Team; First-team All-Pro 1929, 30, 32; Chicago Cardinals) and coach (Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers), dies from bacteremia at 58
  • Mar 3 Cairine Ray Wilson, Canadian politician and diplomat (1st woman appointed to Canadian senate 1930), dies at 77 [1]
  • Mar 4 Cairine R. Wilson, 1st Canadian female senator (appointed), dies at 77
  • Mar 4 George Mogridge, American baseball pitcher (World Series 1924 Washington Senators; no-hitter 1917 NY Yankees), dies at 73
  • Mar 5 Anne Cornelis Veth, Dutch cartoonist and art critic, dies at 82
  • Mar 5 Otakar Jeremias, composer, dies at 69
  • Mar 6 Rezső Kókai, Hungarian pianist, composer, musicologist, and pedagogue, dies at 56
  • Mar 8 Howard Engstrom, American computer designer (co-creator Univac computer), dies at 59
  • Mar 9 Howard Engstrom, Boston, a designer of Univac computer, dies at 59
  • Mar 11 Will Vesper, German author (Tristan und Isolde), dies at 79
  • Mar 15 Sam Wren, American actor (Marked Woman, The Old Grey Mayor), dies at 65
  • Mar 16 John Owen Jones, Welsh organist, violist, and composer, dies at 85
  • Mar 17 Frank Orth, American actor (Boston Blackie, Brothers), dies at 82
  • Mar 17 Wilhelm Blaschke, Austrian integral geometer, dies at 76
  • Mar 18 Walter W. Bacon, Governor of Delaware (b. 1880)
  • Mar 19 Samuel Cate Prescott, American food scientist and microbiologist, dies at 89

A. E. Douglass (1867-1962)

Mar 20 American astronomer and inventor of dendrochronology (tree-ring dating), dies at 94

  • Mar 20 C. Wright Mills, American sociologist and writer (The Power Elite), dies at 45
  • Mar 22 Aura Abranches, Portuguese actress (Lisboa; O Primo Basilio), dies at 65
  • Mar 23 Josef van Schaik, Dutch lawyer and politician (Vice-Premier of Netherands), dies at 80
  • Mar 23 Val Paul, American actor and director (Suspense, The Phantom Thief), dies at 75
  • Mar 24 (John) Jean Goldkette, French jazz pianist and bandleader, dies of a heart attack at 69
  • Mar 25 Auguste Piccard, Swiss scientist, explorer and balloonist (1st flight into stratosphere, by balloon), dies at 78
  • Mar 26 Augusta Savage (née Fells), African-American sculptor and equal rights advocate, dies of cancer at 72 [1]
  • Mar 26 Marjorie Colton, American inventor of wax paper, dies at 64
  • Mar 28 Hugo Wast, Argentine writer (b. 1883)
  • Mar 30 Jack Purvis, American jazz trumpet player and composer, dies at 55