St. Patrick’s Day: March 17-23 Week in History

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This week we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and all the ancient Irish traditions the holiday embodies. Also this week in history we remember baseball legend Roberto Clemente, the first rock concert, and the inaugural Masters Golf Tournament.

March 17, 1601: First Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

On March 17, 461, the Christian missionary and first bishop in Ireland, Saint Patrick, died. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade happened on the day of his death in 1601 in the Spanish colony of Florida under the direction of an Irish vicar. In the 1700s, Irish soldiers in the British army began the tradition of marching through the streets of Boston and New York City in celebration of their heritage.

March 18, 1852: Wells, Fargo, and Co. Started

On March 18, 1852, Henry Wells and William Fargo launched Wells, Fargo, and Co. Initially, their business looked very different than it does today as they sought to take advantage of the opportunities the California gold rush provided. They shipped items between mining camps and east coast cities; in 1857 Wells and Fargo launched the Butterfield Line to regularly carry passengers and mail between the east coast and the west. Wells, Fargo, and Co. was crucial to incorporating the wild west into the rest of the U.S. by transporting gold and important documents, as well as providing much needed banking services by printing their own bank drafts and issuing loans.

Eventually, the company merged with the infamous Pony Express, then utilized the nation’s new railroad lines for shipping. In the early 1900s, the shipping and banking divisions split. Well Fargo banking acquired many other small western banks and grew exponentially while the shipping business withered. Today, Wells Fargo is one of the largest banks in the world.

March 20, 1974: Roberto Clemente Elected to Hall of Fame

On March 20, 1974, Roberto Clemente was elected to the Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. Following his tragic death at age 38, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America held a special election for Clemente. Clemente was Puerto Rican, and while he wasn’t the first Latino to play professional baseball, he was the first to be elected to the hall of fame. Clemente played for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 18 years, amassing 3,000 hits, 4 batting titles, 12 gold glove awards, and 15 all-star game appearances. Despite his heroics on the field, Clemente was best known for his off-the-field humanitarian work. He died in a plane crash on a relief mission to Nicaragua after the country was devastated by an earthquake.

March 21, 1952: First Rock Concert

The Moondog Coronation Ball was held on March 21, 1952. The event is considered one the first rock and roll concerts ever. It was set up by Cleveland radio disc jockey “Moondog” Alan Freed, an early promoter of rock and roll. The Moondog Coronation Ball was a dance that featured musicians like Paul Williams and the Hucklebuckers, Tiny Grimes, and the Rocking Highlanders. Unfortunately, nearly 25,000 fans showed up at the arena that held only 10,000 people. After the overflow crowd broke through the police barriers, the event was shut down before it even got started.

March 21, 1975: Ethiopian Monarchy Abolished

Ethiopians deposed Emperor Haile Selassie on March 21, 1975, due to the deteriorating quality of life for Ethopians and Selassie’s record of human rights abuses. A communist government known as the Derg controlled the country from 1975 until 1991, when they crumbled due to similar problems with human rights abuses, poverty, and famine. Today Ethiopia has a parliamentary democracy.

The establishment of the modern Ethiopian monarchy dates back to 1270 AD. Before that, the Ethiopian Empire was a major power in the North African / Middle East region of the world dating back several thousand years. Emperor Selassie was said to be a direct descendent of Biblical figures King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, whose marriage is believed to have united Israelites with the Egyptian Empire 2,000 years ago.

March 22, 1934: First Masters Golf Tournament

On March 22, 1934, the first Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia began. Hall of Fame golfer Horton Smith won the tournament, but the main story was the emergence of one of the greatest golf courses in the world as well as one of the game’s most important championship tournaments.

March 23, 1839: O.K. Entered American Vernacular

On March 23, 1839, the phrase ‘OK’ entered the American vernacular when The Boston Morning Post published it. OK was an abbreviation for ‘oll korrect,’ common slang at the time for the phrase ‘all correct.’

This Week’s Obscure Holidays

This week’s obscure holidays include Wellderly Day, or Well-Elderly Day. On this holiday we celebrate the health of elderly people in our life and promote healthy lifestyles for senior citizens. Supreme Sacrifice Day honors those who gave their life for their country or any other worthy cause. Near Miss Day remembers the date in 1989 when an asteroid the size of a mountain almost collided with the Earth. Snowman Burning Day celebrates the end of winter weather and the beginning of spring. Finally, Talk Like William Shatner Day is a chance to have fun imitating one of science fiction’s most recognizable voices.

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day, Campfire Day, Corned Beef and Cabbage Day, Submarine Day

March 18: Awkward Moments Day, Sloppy Joe Day, Forgive Mom and Dad Day, Biodiesel Day, Kiss Your Fiance Day, Global Recycling Day, Well-elderly Day, Goddess of Fertility Day, Supreme Sacrifice Day

March 19: Clients Day, Chocolate Caramel Day, Poultry Day, Raspberry Day, Read to Me Day, Storytelling Day, Earth Day, Let’s Laugh Day, Agriculture Day, Spring Equinox, Tea for Two Tuesday, Near Miss Day

March 20: Day of Happiness, Alien Abduction Day, Bed-in For Peace Day, French Language Day, Proposal Day, Snowman Burning Day, Flour Day, Sparrow Day, Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day, Frog Day

March 21: Smiley Day, Common Courtesy Day, Renewable Energy Day, Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Day of Forests and Trees, Color Day, Single Parent Day, Memory Day, Poetry Day, Puppetry Day, Social Work Day, WE Day, Credit Card Reduction
Day, Fragrance Day

March 22: As Young As You Feel Day, Talk Like William Shatner Day, Day of The Seal, Goof-off Day, World Water Day

March 23: Puppy Day, Earth Hour Day, Walk in the Sand Day, Maths Day, Chia Day, Tamale Day, OK Day, Near Miss Day, Meteorological Day, Melba Toast Day, Chip and Dip Day, Puppy Day, Near Miss Day

What was happening in history March 10th to March 14th?

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