NBA Record
Mar 1 Atlanta's Lenny Wilkens becomes first coach in NBA history to reach 1,000 career victories when the Hawks beat Cleveland Cavaliers, 74-68
- Mar 1 New toll-free 888 area code introduced in USA
- Mar 1 Plans approved allowing traffic cameras High Harrington & Shap England
Cricket World Cup
Mar 2 Despite Sachin Tendulkar's masterful 137 in India's 3 for 272, Sri Lanka wins Cricket World Cup match in Delhi by 6 wickets; Sanath Jayasuriya 79, Hashan Tillakaratne 70no
- Mar 3 Auckland beat Wellington by 9 wickets to win Shell Trophy Final
Baseball Hall of Fame
Mar 5 Earl Weaver & Jim Bunning, elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
- Mar 6 10th American Comedy Award: James Burrows
- Mar 6 Aravinda De Silva smashes 145 v Kenya in cricket World Cup at Kandy Sri Lanka score 5-398 in 50 overs in World Cup v Kenya
- Mar 7 1st surface photos of Pluto (photographed by Hubble Space Telescope)
- Mar 7 British Steel in Workington wins Lithuanian multi-million pound order
Sports History
Mar 7 Magic Johnson is 2nd NBA player to reach 10,000 career assists
- Mar 7 The first democratically elected Palestinian parliament formed
Fargo
Mar 8 "Fargo" directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US
- Mar 9 Javed Miandad's last international in Pakistan's Cricket World Cup Quarter Final loss to India
- Mar 9 NASA space shuttle STS-75 (Columbia 19) lands
Cricket World Cup
Mar 9 Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya hammers 82 off 44 balls (13x4 3x6) v England in Cricket World Cup Quarter Final
People's Choice Awards
Mar 10 22nd People's Choice Awards: Tom Hanks & Demi Moore win (Dramatic Motion Picture) and Tim Allen & Candice Bergen win (TV)
- Mar 10 37th SEC Men's Basketball Tournament: Mississippi State beats Kentucky, 84-73
- Mar 10 43rd ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: #12 Wake Forest beats #18 Georgia Tech, 75-74
- Mar 10 NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani visits Israel
- Mar 11 John Winston Howard becomes the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. His term in office is the second longest in Australian history, ending December 3, 2007.
- Mar 11 Mark Waugh scores 110 v NZ for his third century of the World Cup
- Mar 11 The EU Database Directive is passed
- Mar 12 Leeward Islands beat Trinidad by 73 runs to win Red Stripe Trophy
- Mar 13 At Dunblane Primary School, Scotland, 16 children and 1 teacher are shot dead by Thomas Hamilton who then commits suicide. Results in handguns being banned in the UK.
- Mar 13 Sri Lanka beat India in World Cup semi as riots stop play
- Mar 14 Australia beat West Indies by 5 runs in amazing cricket World Cup semi
- Mar 14 Crufts show at NEC Birmingham, (1995 winner, Joshua, an Irish setter)
Music History
Mar 15 Chris Isaak's album "Forever Blue" is certified Platinum by the RIAA
- Mar 16 England beats Ireland, 28-15 at Twickenham for a second consecutive Five Nations Rugby Championship and Triple Crown; fly-half Paul Grayson lands 6 penalties, a conversion and drop goal
Boxing Title Fight
Mar 16 Mike Tyson TKOs Frank Bruno in 3rd round to gain heavyweight title
- Mar 16 Montreal Canadien's 1st game in their new arena (Bell Center)
- Mar 17 "Getting Away With Murder" opens at Broadhurst NYC for 17 performances
- Mar 17 Cricket World Cup, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan: Aravinda de Silva scores 107 no and takes 3/42 as Sri Lanka beats Australia by 7 wickets; Sanath Jayasuriya, Player of Series
- Mar 17 ICC Men's Cricket ODI World Cup, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan: Sri Lanka upset Australia by 7 wickets for their first title; Player of the Match: Aravinda de Silva (SL) 107 no (124), 3/42 & 2 catches
Theatrical Finale
Mar 17 Revival of William Inge's stage drama "Bus Stop, starring Billy Crudup and Mary-Louise Parker, closes at the Circle in the Square Theater, NYC, after 29 performances
- Mar 18 50,000 swimmers raise 15 million for charity during BT's Swimathon '96
- Mar 18 A nightclub fire in Quezon City, Philippines kills 162.
Anthology 2
Mar 18 Apple Records releases The Beatles "Anthology 2" (double CD/triple LP)", the second of 3-part series of rare recordings and outtakes by the Beatles; set covers the years 1965-68, as well as new collaboration "Real Love" - a John Lennon demo augmented by additional lyrics and performances by the surviving three; album tops record charts in US and UK
- Mar 20 "Love Thy Neighbor" opens at Booth Theater NYC
- Mar 20 Erik & Lyle Menendez found guilty of killing their parents
- Mar 20 UK admits humans can catch CJD (Mad Cow Disease)
Film & TV History
Mar 21 Revival of Tennessee Williams' stage drama "Night of the Iguana", starring William Petersen and Marsha Mason, opens at Criterion Theater, NYC; runs for 68 performances
- Mar 22 Cheryl Depew of Florida crowned 13th Miss Hawaiian Tropic International
- Mar 22 STS 76 (Atlantis 16), launches into orbit
- Mar 23 Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President.
- Mar 24 16th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Showgirls" wins
- Mar 24 MTA raises NYC bridge tolls to $3.50 each way
Academy Awards
Mar 25 68th Academy Awards: "Braveheart", Nicolas Cage & Susan Sarandon win
- Mar 25 Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) approaches within 0.1018 AUs of Earth
- Mar 25 Freedom Shoemakers on Maryport's Solway Estate closes
- Mar 25 Ice Dance Championship at Edmonton won by Gritshuk & Platov (RUS)
- Mar 25 Ice Pairs Championship at Edmonton won by Eltsova & Bushkov (RUS)
- Mar 25 Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Edmonton won by Michelle Kwan (USA)
Sports History
Mar 25 Men's Figure Skating Championship in Edmonton won by Todd Eldredge (USA)
- Mar 25 The European Union's Veterinarian Committee bans the export of British beef and its by-products as a result of "mad cow disease" (BSE).
- Mar 25 US issues newly-redesigned $100 bill
Cricket History
Mar 26 Last day of 1st-class cricket for Allan Border (Qld v Vic)
- Mar 26 The International Monetary Fund approves a $10.2 billion loan for Russia
- Mar 27 Stage adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1945 film musical "State Fair" opens at Music Box Theater, New York City; runs for 118 performances
- Mar 28 "Seven Guitars" opens at Walter Kerr Theater NYC
- Mar 29 10th Soul Train Music Awards: Patti Labelle, Boyz II Men win
- Mar 29 Cleveland Browns choose new name for their relocated team - Baltimore Ravens
- Mar 29 NY Yankees beats NY Mets 7-3 in an exhibition game
- Mar 30 149th Grand National: 7/1 favourite Rough Quest, ridden by Irish jockey Mick Fitzgerald wins by 1¼ lengths from Encore Un Peu
- Mar 30 NY Mets beats NY Yankees 5-3 in an exhibition game
Event of Interest
Mar 30 Prince Edward & girl-friend Sophie Rhys-Jones visit Greystoke Castle
- Mar 31 "A Midsummer Night's Dream" opens at Lunt-Fontanne NYC for 66 performances
- Mar 31 "Getting Away With Murder" closes at Broadhurst NYC after 17 performances
- Mar 31 15th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Tennessee beats Georgia, 83-65; 3 Volunteers in All-Tournament team: Michelle Marciniak, Chamique Holdsclaw, Tiffani Johnson
- Mar 31 First time in MLB history, the regular season opens in March with Seattle Mariners beating Chicago White Sox, 3-2 in 12 innings at the Kingdome, Seattle
Golf Major
Mar 31 Nabisco Dinah Shore Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Patty Sheehan wIns by 1 stroke ahead of runners-up Meg Mallon, Kelly Robbins and Annika Sörenstam
PGA Players Championship
Mar 31 PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Fred Couples shoots a final round 64 to win his 2nd PC title, 4 strokes ahead of runners-up Colin Montgomerie and Tommy Tolles
- Mar 31 Radio Canada International's final shortwave broadcast
- Mar 31 Ranji Trophy Cricket Final, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Madras: Karnataka (Vijay Bharadwaj 146 of 8/620) beats Tamil Nadu (370) on 1st innings
- Mar 31 Space Shuttle STS 76 (Atlantis 16), lands
WrestleMania
Mar 31 WrestleMania XII, Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, CA - Shawn Michaels beats Bret Hart for WWF Heavyweight title
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