What Happened in March 1969

Historical Events

  • Mar 1 "Red, White, & Maddox" closes at Cort Theater NYC after 41 performances
  • Mar 1 After 88 weeks, the Beatles' album "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" drops off the charts

Music History

Mar 1 Jim Morrison allegedly exposes himself on stage at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Florida

Sports History

Mar 1 New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle announces his retirement due to persistent knee injuries; finishes 18-season career with 536 home runs and .298 batting average

NHL Record

Mar 1 Phil Esposito has a goal and assist in Boston Bruins' 8-5 win over NY Rangers to give him 99 points for the season, breaking the NHL record for most points in a season (97) held by Stan Mikita

  • Mar 1 Pirate Radio 259 begins operation off the French coast
  • Mar 1 Tuesdee Testa becomes the first female jockey to win a race at a major American Thoroughbred track when she takes out the 3rd race at Santa Anita Park aboard Buz On
  • Mar 2 1st test flight of the supersonic Concorde
  • Mar 2 Boston center Phil Esposito becomes first player in NHL history to record 100 points in a season when he scores 2 3rd-period goals in the Bruins' 4-0 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Mar 2 Chinese-Russian borders fight (approx 70 die)

Music History

Mar 2 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 14th Symphony

  • Mar 3 Apollo 9 launched for 151 Earth orbits (10 days)
  • Mar 3 Apple Records releases Mary Hopkin's debut album "Post Card", in the US, produced by Paul McCartney: US version substitutes her earlier hit singles for two tracks included on the UK version
  • Mar 4 London East End gang bosses twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray are found guilty of murder. Both will die in captivity.
  • Mar 5 Gold reaches then record high ($47 per ounce) in Paris
  • Mar 5 Gustav Heinemann elected President of West Germany
  • Mar 5 Joe Orton's "What the Butler Saw" premieres in London
  • Mar 7 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
  • Mar 8 16th ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: North Carolina beats Duke, 85-74

Grammy Awards

Mar 12 11th Grammy Awards: "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" by Glen Campbell wins best record

  • Mar 12 120 cannabis joints found at George & Patti Harrison's home
  • Mar 13 Apollo 9 returns to Earth
  • Mar 14 Barbara Jo Rubin becomes first female jockey to win at Aqueduct Racetrack, NYC aboard 2-year-old bay Bravy Galaxy at 13 to 1
  • Mar 14 CBS-TV renews "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" for a third season
  • Mar 14 West Indies cricket batsman Seymour Nurse scores career high 258 in his last Test innings in 3rd Test win over NZ at Christchurch
  • Mar 15 US Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas resigns
  • Mar 15 Violent Chinese-Russian border dispute leaves 100s dead
  • Mar 16 Boston Bruins scores a NHL record 8 goals in 1 period
  • Mar 16 Sherman Edwards' historical musical "1776", starring William Daniels and Ken Howard, opens at 46th St Theater (transferring to the St. James, and later the Majestic), NYC; runs for 1217 performances, winning 3 Tony Awards
  • Mar 16 Viasa DC-9 crashes at Maracaibo's Grano de Oro airport, killing 155

Israeli History

Mar 17 Golda Meir becomes Israel's 4th Prime Minister, the first and only female to hold the office

  • Mar 18 "Come Summer" opens at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC for 7 performances
  • Mar 19 British invade Anguilla
  • Mar 19 Chicago 8 indicted in aftermath of Chicago Democratic convention
  • Mar 19 The 385 metre tall TV-mast at Emley Moor, United Kingdom, collapses due to ice build- up.
  • Mar 21 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
  • Mar 22 "Billy" opens & closes at Billy Rose Theater NYC after 1 performance
  • Mar 22 "Come Summer" closes at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC after 7 performances
  • Mar 22 31st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Purdue 92-72; Bruins' 3-peat; center Lew Alcindor tournament Most Outstanding Player for 3rd consecutive year

Sports History

Mar 22 Ethiopian double Olympic marathon gold medalist Abebe Bikila (36) is paralyzed in auto accident near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; regained upper-body mobility, but never walked again

  • Mar 23 Rally for Decency in Miami
  • Mar 24 Francis Turner is sworn in as the director of the Federal Highway Administration

Music Concert

Mar 25 American singer Judy Garland’s gives what becomes her very last concert, at Falkoner Centret in Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Mar 25 Andes Pact signed in Peru

Event of Interest

Mar 25 Ian Paisley and Ronald Bunting, loyalists in Northern Ireland are jailed for organising an illegal counter demonstration in Armagh on 30 November 1968

Music History

Mar 25 John Lennon and Yoko Ono stage their 1st bed-in for peace (Amsterdam)

  • Mar 25 Pakistan General Agha Mohammed Jagja Khan succeeds Ayub Chan as president
  • Mar 26 "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young and James Brolin debuts as a TV movie on ABC-TV, prior to becoming a weekly series
  • Mar 26 Nuclear reactor Dodewaard Neth goes into use
  • Mar 26 Soviet weather satellite Meteor 1 launched
  • Mar 27 Black Academy of Arts & Letters forms in Boston
  • Mar 27 Launch of Mariner 7, flies 2,190-mi above southern Mars
  • Mar 28 Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate Giorgos Seferis makes a famous statement on the BBC World Service opposing the junta in Greece

Appointment of Interest

Mar 28 Pope Paul VI names JGM Willebrands cardinal

  • Mar 29 123rd Grand National: Eddie P. Harty Sr. aboard 100/9 chance Highland Wedding wins by 12 lengths from Steel Bridge
  • Mar 29 14th Eurovision Song Contest: Salome of Spain ("Vivo cantando"), Lulu of United Kingdom ("Boom Bang-a-Bang"), Lenny Kuhr of Netherlands ("De troubadour"), and Frida Boccara of France ("Un jour, un enfant") all win in Madrid, Spain
  • Mar 29 Communist New People's Army founded in the Philippines
  • Mar 30 Loyalists bomb water and electricity installations in Northern Ireland in the hope that the attacks would be blamed on the IRA and on elements of the civil rights movement, which was demanding an end to discrimination against Catholics

Slaughterhouse-Five

Mar 31 The NY Times reviews "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut on its publication, saying "you'll either love it, or push it back in the science-fiction corner"


1969 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Mar 1 Dafydd Ieuan, Welsh rock drummer (Super Furry Animals), and producer, born in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales

Javier Bardem (55 years old)

Mar 1 Spanish actor (No Country for Old Men), born in Las Palmas, Spain

  • Mar 1 Vincenzo Esposito, Italian basketball guard and coach (2× Italian League MVP 1999, 2000; 3× Italian League Top Scorer 1999–2001; NBA: Toronto Raptors), born in Caserta, Campania, Italy
  • Mar 3 Ronald Humphrey, NFL running back (Indianapolis Colts)
  • Mar 3 Simon Whitlock, Australian darts player (European C'ship 2012; PDC World C'ship 2010 runner-up), born in Cessnock, Australia
  • Mar 4 Chaz Bono [Chastity Sun Bono], American actress (Sonny & Cher Show), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Mar 4 Frank Nicotero, American comedian
  • Mar 4 Jason Townsend, American documentary filmmaker and artist, born in St, Louis, Missouri
  • Mar 4 Jeff Tinsley, American MLB outfielder (Boston Red Sox), born in Shelbyville, Kentucky
  • Mar 4 Patrick Roach, Canadian actor
  • Mar 4 Pierluigi Casiraghi, Italian football manager
  • Mar 5 MC Solaar [Claude M'Barali], Chadian-French rapper ("Hasta la vista"), born in Dakar, Senagal
  • Mar 5 Moussa Saïb, former Algerian footballer
  • Mar 5 Paul Blackthorne, British actor
  • Mar 6 Andrea Elson, American actress (Lynn-Alf, Alice-Whiz Kids), born in New York City
  • Mar 6 Deems May, American NFL tight end, 1992-99 (San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks), born in Lexington, North Carolina
  • Mar 6 Greg Scott, British TV personality
  • Mar 7 Anne Marie Lauck, American marathoner (Olympics 10th 1996), born in Rochester, New York
  • Mar 7 Brian Jamieson, American rower (Olympic silver 1996), born in Livingston, New Jersey
  • Mar 7 Geoff Smith, Canadian NHL defenseman (Florida Panthers), born in Edmonton
  • Mar 7 Matt Blundin, American quarterback (KC Chiefs, Detroit Lions), born in Darby, Pennsylvania
  • Mar 7 Sam Gash, American NFL running back (New England Patriots), born in Hendersonville, North Carolina
  • Mar 7 Shin Ae Ra, Korean actress and radio DJ, born in South Korea
  • Mar 8 Andrea Parker, actress (Miss Parker-The Pretender)
  • Mar 9 George Nimako, CFL safety (Toronto Argonauts), born in Napean, Ontario
  • Mar 9 Mahmoud Abdul Rauf, NBA guard (Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets), born in Gulfport, Mississippi
  • Mar 10 Paget Brewster, American actress (Criminal Minds), born in Concord, Massachusetts
  • Mar 10 Ricky Segall, American actor and singer (The Partridge Family - "Ricky"), born in Long Island, New York
  • Mar 10 Stephen Leaney, Australian golfer (US Open 2003 runner-up), born in Busselton, West Australia
  • Mar 11 Dan Lacroix, NHL left wing (NY Rangers), born in Montreal, Quebec
  • Mar 11 John Fina, NFL offensive tackle (Buffalo Bills)
  • Mar 11 Rami Jaffee, American rock keyboardist (The Foo Fighters), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Mar 11 Soraya [Lamilla], Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer ("Amor En Tus Ojos / Love In Your Eyes"'; "Casi"), born in Point Pleasant, New Jersey (d. 2006)

Terrence Howard (55 years old)

Mar 11 American actor (Mr. Holland's Opus; Hustle & Flow; Empire), and singer-songwriter ("Shine Through It"; "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"), born in Chicago, Illinois

  • Mar 12 Graham Coxon, British pop-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Blur - "Country House"), born in Rinteln, West Germany
  • Mar 12 J P Izquierdo, CFL slot back (Calgary Stampeders)
  • Mar 12 Jake Tapper, American journalist
  • Mar 13 Chris Zorich, American NFL defensive tackle (Chicago Bears), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Mar 13 Susanna Mälkki, Finnish cellist and conductor (Ensemble InterContemporain, 2006-13; La Scala, 2011; Helsinki Philharmonic, 2016-23), born in Helsinki, Finland
  • Mar 14 Greg Biekert, American NFL linebacker (Oakland Raiders), born in Iowa City, Iowa
  • Mar 14 Larry Johnson, American NBA forward (Charlotte Hornets, NY Knicks), born in Tyler, Texas
  • Mar 14 Laura Leighton, American actress (Melrose Place, Pretty Little Liars), born in Iowa City, Iowa
  • Mar 15 Gianluca Festa, Italian soccer manager (Cagliari, Como, AEL, Lamia) and defender (Roma, Internazionale, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Cagliari), born in Cagliari, Italy
  • Mar 15 Kim Raver, American actress
  • Mar 15 Louis Riddick, American NFL safety (Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons) and broadcaster (ESPN MNF), born in Quakertown, Pennsylvania
  • Mar 15 Rona Ambrose, Canadian politician
  • Mar 15 Timo Kotipelto, Finnish rock singer (Stratovarius; Kotipelto), born in Lappajärvi, Finland
  • Mar 15 Yutaka Take, Japanese jockey
  • Mar 16 Judah Friedlander, American comedian and actor (30 Rock - "Frank"; American Splendor), born in Gaithersburg, Maryland
  • Mar 16 Ottis Gibson, cricketer (Barbados fast bowler, WI 1995)
  • Mar 16 Pat Harlow, NFL tackle (NE Patriots, Oakland Raiders)
  • Mar 16 Steve Israel, NFL cornerback (SF 49ers, New England Patriots)
  • Mar 17 Gilbert Schaller, Austrian tennis player, born in Bruck, Austria
  • Mar 17 [Lee] Alexander McQueen, English fashion designer, born in London, England (d. 2010)
  • Mar 18 Michael Dumas, NFL free safety (San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars)
  • Mar 18 Shaun Udal, cricketer (Hants off-spinner, England to Aust 1994-95)
  • Mar 18 Sheila Taormina, 4X200m freestyle swimmer (Olympic gold 1996)
  • Mar 18 Vassily Ivanchuk, Ukrainian chess player
  • Mar 19 Arjan Vermeulen, soccer player (Vitesse)
  • Mar 19 Connor Trinneer, American actor
  • Mar 19 Gary Jules, American singer and songwriter, born in Fresno, California
  • Mar 19 Michael Bergin, model (Coca-Cola) and actor
  • Mar 20 Caroline Brunet, Canadian kayaker (Olympic silver 1996), born in Quebec City, Québec
  • Mar 20 Mannie Fresh {Bryan Thomas], American rapper (Big Tymers), and producer (Cash Money Records), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Mar 20 Thang Thanh Nguyen, Soc Trang Vietnam, murderer (FBI Most Wanted)
  • Mar 21 Ali Daei, Iranian footballer
  • Mar 22 Russell Maryland, American NFL defensive tackle (Dallas Cowboys, Oak Raiders), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Mar 24 Yoko Zetterlund, volleyball setter (Olympic bronze 1992, 96), born in San Francisco, California
  • Mar 25 Cathy Dennis, English pop & dance music singer ("Touch Me (All Night Long)"), and songwriter (Kyle Minogue - "Can't Get You Out of My Head"; Britney Spears - "Toxic"; Katy Perry -"I Kissed a Girl"), born in Norwich, England
  • Mar 25 Dale Davis, American basketball forward (NBA All-Star 2000; Indiana Pacers, Portland TBs, GS Warriors, Detroit Pistons), born in Toccoa, Georgia
  • Mar 25 Dan Wilson, MLB catcher, 1992-2005 (Seattle Mariners: Cincinnati Reds), born in Arlington Heights, Illinois
  • Mar 26 Luke Richardson, Canadian ice hockey defenseman (World C'ship gold 1994; Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers) and coach (Chicago Blackhawks 40th head coach), born in Ottawa, Ontario
  • Mar 26 Vikram Rathour, Indian cricketer (Indian Test opening batsman), born in Jalandhar, Punjab, India
  • Mar 27 Kevin Corrigan, American actor (Grounded for Life-Uncle Eddie), born in The Bronx, New York

Mariah Carey (54 years old)

Mar 27 American pop singer-songwriter ("Without You"; "All I Want For Christmas Is You"; "Hero"; "We Belong Together"), born in Huntington, Long Island, New York

  • Mar 27 Pauley Perrette, American actress, photographer, poet and writer, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Mar 27 Tom Beer, American NFL running back (Detroit Lions), born in Detroit, Michigan
  • Mar 28 Brett Ratner, American film director (Rush Hour), born in Miami Beach, Florida
  • Mar 28 Craig Paquette, infielder (KC Royals), born in Long Beach, California
  • Mar 28 Elliot Perry, NBA guard, 1991-92, 1994-2002 (Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, and 5 other teams), born in Memphis, Tennessee
  • Mar 28 James Atkin, British rock singer, and guitarist (EMF - "Unbelievable"), born in Birmingham, England
  • Mar 28 Rodney Atkins, American country music singer-songwriter (Honesty), born in Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Mar 29 Kim Batten, American athlete (World C'ship gold 400m hurdles 1995; Olympic silver 1996), born in McRae, Georgia
  • Mar 30 Marco Foddis, Italian-Dutch heavy metal drummer (Pestilence), born in Sassari, Sardinia, Italy
  • Mar 30 Mark Astley, Canadian NHL defenseman (Buffalo Sabres), born in Calgary, Alberta
  • Mar 31 Nyamko Sabuni, Swedish politician
  • Mar 31 Samantha Brown, American television host
  • Mar 31 Steve Smith, American NBA guard (14 NBA seasons, Olympic gold 2000), born in Highfield Park, MI
Born in 1969

Famous Weddings

  • Mar 8 12-year-old Marcella Rosciglione becomes Italy's youngest bride in Palermo after Catholic Church gives special permission after she eloped

Ray Kroc

Mar 8 CEO of McDonald's Ray Kroc (66) weds philanthropist Joan Mansfield (40)

Paul & Linda McCartney

Mar 12 Beatle Paul McCartney (26) marries American photographer Linda Eastman (27) at Marylebone Register's Office in London

Judy Garland

Mar 15 American singer and actress Judy Garland (46) weds American nightclub manager Mickey Deans, at Chelsea Register Office, London, England

John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Mar 20 British Beatle John Lennon (28) weds Japanese artist Yoko Ono (36) in Gibraltar, near Spain (his second marriage, her third), until his death in 1980


Famous Deaths

  • Mar 3 Fred Alexander, American tennis player (Australasian C'ship 1908, 5-time US Indoor winner), dies at 88
  • Mar 4 Nicholas Schenck, Russian-born film empresario (b. 1881)
  • Mar 6 Nadya Rusheva, Russian painter (b. 1952)
  • Mar 9 Muḥammad ʿAbd al-Munʿim Riyāḍ, Egyptian chief of staff of United Arab Republic army, killed in action at 59
  • Mar 9 Richard Crane, American character actor (Surfside 6, Rocky Jones, Space Ranger), dies of a heart attack at 50
  • Mar 11 John Wyndham, American sci-fi author (Chrysalids), dies at 65
  • Mar 13 Felix Locher, Swiss insurance salesman, mapping system inventor, and late in life actor (Frankenstein's Daughter), dies at 86
  • Mar 14 Ben Shahn, Lithuanian-American painter (1964 Arts & Letters), dies at 70
  • Mar 14 Heinie Zimmerman, American baseball player (Chicago Cubs, NY Giants,1912-batted .372 with 14 HRs), dies at 82
  • Mar 15 Miles Malleson, British stage and screen actor, and writer (Kind Hearts and Coronets; Postman's Knock), dies at 80
  • Mar 18 Barbara Bates, American actress (All About Eve, It's a Great Life), commits suicide at 43
  • Mar 19 Theodor Schaefer, Czech composer, dies at 65
  • Mar 20 Henri Longchambon, French politician, dies at 72
  • Mar 21 Gerhard Fritsch, Austrian writer, dies at 44
  • Mar 22 Ernst Deutsch [Dorian], Jewish-Austrian actor (3rd Man, Golem), dies at 78
  • Mar 23 Rudolf Pannwitz, German writer and philosopher (Urblik), dies at 87

Joseph Kasa-Vubu (c. 1915-1969)

Mar 24 Congolese politician and the 1st President of the Republic of Congo (1960-65), dies at about 55

  • Mar 25 Alan Mowbray, British actor (Dante, Colonel Flack), dies at 72
  • Mar 25 Billy Cotton, British bandleader and entertainer, dies at 69
  • Mar 25 Max Eastman, American critic/essayist (Love and Revolution), dies at 86
  • Mar 25 Norman Gallichan, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (1 Test, HS 30, 3 wickets; Manawatu, Wellington), dies at 62
  • Mar 26 Günther Weisenborn, German writer and German Resistance fighter, dies at 66
  • Mar 27 B. Traven, German novelist ("The Death Ship"; "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre") who is cloaked in mystery and whose identity, real name and birthplace is disputed, dies at possibly 87
  • Mar 28 Aryeh Levin [Reb Aryeh], Orthodox Jewish rabbi, dies at 84
  • Mar 30 Lucien Bianchi, Italian-Belgian auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1968), dies during Le Mans testing accident at 34