In our lives, there are dates we remember by the events that took place on those dates, some we remember happily, some sadly, but they are all memorable, nonetheless.
I am sure many can remember what happened on December 7, 1941, June 6, 1944, July 20, 1969, and/or November 22, 1963. I think a lot of us can remember what happened on August 14, 1945, or September 11, 2001, or July 4, 1776. We use our connective powers to hook up dates and events. It’s a huge part of history, be it our personal history, the history of our country, and/or the history of the world.
There have been game shows on television that sometimes have a category titled, “On this date,” where a contestant may be asked to name the event, or the person who was involved in a certain event. I often like to look up special days associated with my family and see what else happened on that particular date in any of the aforementioned genres of history. Since next Wednesday will mark the 43rd Wedding Anniversary of my bride, Sally and me, the VFTB thought we’d look at what else happened, or is celebrated, “on this date,” March 22, somewhere and someplace in time.
So, here we go back in time to check out what happened on this date, March 22…
¯ The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765
¯ Thomas Jefferson named 1st U.S. Secretary of State in 1790
¯ First U. S. Nursing School chartered in 1861
¯ Illinois becomes 1st state to require sexual equality in employment in 1872
¯ Niagara Falls runs out of water due to drought in 1903
¯ Elvis Presley hit, “All Shook Up” released in 1957
¯ Earthquake shakes San Francisco in 1957
¯ Arthur Schawlow and Charles Hard Townes received 1st patent for a laser in 1960
¯ Beatles released their first album,” Please, Please, Me,” in 1963
¯ Simon and Garfunkel’s hit “Bridge Over Troubled Water” reaches #1 in 1970
¯ Pink Floyd’s hit “Another Brick in the Wall (part II)” reaches #1 in 1980
¯ Heart’s “These Dreams” reaches #1 in 1986
¯ Equal Rights Amendment approved in 1972
¯ U. S. 1st Class Postage Stamp raised from .15 to .18 in 1981
¯ 3rd U. S. NASA Space Shuttle Mission, Columbia 3 launches in 1982
These are but a handful of events that took place on March 22, but there are many other things celebrated on this date so close to the official start of spring, which we all look forward to each year. Some of those celebrations are:
¯ World Water Day
¯ American Diabetes Association Alert Day
¯ As Young as You Feel Day
¯ Coq Au Vin Day
¯ International Day of the Seal
¯ International Goof Off Day
¯ International Talk Like William Shatner Day
¯ International Donald Day (to all you Donalds out there)
¯ Talk Like William Shakespeare Day
¯ National Bavarian Crepes Day
These are some celebrations to think about acknowledging and/or celebrating if you’re looking for an excuse to go out to a restaurant, have a pop, or try and come up with an excuse for not going to work on a middle of the week day, though you might have to do quite a song and dance to get your employer to accept the day as a federal or world holiday.
March 22 also marks some birthdays or passing days of some people who made a mark for themselves too, so we would be remiss if we didn’t check out all those who checked in or checked out on this calendar date. They include:
¯ 1908 – Louis L’Amour, American author (d. 1988)
¯ 1912 – Karl Malden, American actor (The Streets of San Francisco) (d. 2009)
¯ 1914 – John Stanley, American comics artist (Little Lulu from 1945 to 1959) (d. 1993)
¯ 1917 – Virginia Grey, American actress (d. 2004)
¯ 1923 – Marcel Marceau, French mime artist (d. 2007)
¯ 1930 – Pat Robertson, American religious televangelist (b. 1930)
¯ 1931 – William Shatner, Can. actor (Star Trek, T.J. Hooker, Host of Rescue 911) (b.1931)
¯ 1943 – George Benson, American- musician (b. 1943)
¯ 1947 – James Patterson, American author of thriller novels (b. 1947)
¯ 1952 – Bob Costas, American sports commentator (prime-time host of a record 9 Olympic games) (b. 1952)
¯ 1955 – Lena Olin, Swedish actress (Chocolat, TV Series Alias) (b. 1955)
¯ 1976 – Reese Witherspoon, American actress and film producer (b. 1976
It’s nice to know that other events, or special days, or people are being celebrated on the day that’s also special to you. Maybe we think the things they’re celebrating are more trivial than what we’re celebrating, but they probably think that Sally’s and my Anniversary is pretty trivial in their eyes, so it really doesn’t matter to anyone else except to the ones each specific person, event, day pertains to on the date in question.
For me, March 22 is special, because in 1980, I made the best decision I ever made or will ever make again, when I uttered the words “I do.” Happy Anniversary, this coming Wednesday, Sally! Love you!
