Moments in Time – Feb. 28, 2018

#Middlebury #MomentsInTime

• On March 17, 1762, in New York City, the first parade honoring the Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is held by Irish soldiers serving in the British army.
• On March 16, 1802, the United States Military Academy – the first military school in the United States, also known as West Point – is founded by Congress. West Point was the site of a Revolutionary-era fort that Patriot General Benedict Arnold agreed to surrender to the British in exchange for 6,000 pounds. However, the plot was uncovered and Arnold fled to the British for protection.
• On March 12, 1903, the New York Highlanders join baseball’s American League, changing its name to the New York Yankees in 1913.
• On March 18, 1942, the War Relocation Authority is created to “Take all people of Japanese descent into custody,” as well as some Germans and Italians, and put them in internment camps. One Japanese American, Gordon Hirabayashi, fought internment all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled against him.
• On March 14, 1950, the FBI institutes the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list in an effort to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives. Only eight women have appeared on the Most Wanted list.
• On March 13, 1965, Eric Clapton leaves the Yardbirds. The English guitarist, singer and songwriter was enough of a purist to quit when the band drifted from the blues toward experimental pop with its 1965 hit “For Your Love.”
• On March 15, 1970, Boston Bruin Bobby Orr becomes the first defenseman in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. Orr was a young phenomenon, signed by the Boston Bruins to a “C” form at the age of 12. His contract included $900 worth of stucco for his family’s home and a secondhand car.

(c) 2018 Hearst Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved