Barney Clark(first person to receive a permanent artificial heart)–
Arthur Lithgow(actor, producer, and director who was a pioneer in American regional theater)–
Elizabeth Taylor(actress)–
Gary Dahl(creator of the Pet Rock)–
Madeleine Albright(first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state
)–
Events
The first standing ovation was recorded at the first performance of Handel’s Messiah. King George was so inspired (or restless) that he jumped to his feet; when the king did that, everyone else did –
Halifax Gazette became Canada’s first newspaper –
In a speech to the Virginia Provincial Convention, Patrick Henry made a plea for independence from Britain, saying I know not what course others might take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death. –
Society L’Institut Canadien du Quebec incorporated –
Elisha Graves Otis installed the first commercial passenger elevator, in NYC store –
Opera diva Nellie Melba recounted how she prepared toast, the original melba toast –
SS Yongala sank in cyclone, near Townsville, Australia –
Herbert Hoover became the first president to have a telephone installed on his desk –
WWII relocation of Japanese-Americans away from the West Coast began –
The World Meteorological Organization established by the UN –
U.S. Army sold its last homing pigeons –
NASA astronaut John Young smuggled a corned beef sandwich onboard Gemini 3 –
America’s first two-person space flight began as Gemini 3 blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young on board –
President Reagan first proposed development of technology to intercept enemy missiles — a proposal that came to be known as the strategic defense initiative, or Star Wars –
Billy Joel married model Christie Brinkley in NYC –
Sandinistas and Contras signed a 60-day ceasefire accord –
A 1910 Honus Wagner baseball card was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $451,000 to hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall –
Wayne Gretzky scored his 802nd career goal in front of a sellout crowd at the Great Western Forum, to break the legendary Gordie Howe’s NHL all-time goal record –
Mir space station deorbited as planned, falling into the South Pacific Ocean –
An oil refinery explosion occurred in Texas City, Texas –
Weather
Edmonton, Alberta, reached 22.2 degrees C (72 degrees F) –
Easter Sunday tornado killed 94 in Omaha, Nebraska –
