THURSDAY MARCH 2 1958 West Indies captain Gary Sobers scored 365 not out against Pakistan. 1969 First test flight of the French-built Concorde. Birthdays: Mikhail Gorbachev, ex-Russian leader, 75; Tom Wolfe, author of Bonfire of the Vanities, 75; Lou Reed

THURSDAY MARCH 2 1958 West Indies captain Gary Sobers scored 365 not out against Pakistan. 1969 First test flight of the French-built Concorde. Birthdays: Mikhail Gorbachev, ex-Russian leader, 75; Tom Wolfe, author of Bonfire of the Vanities, 75; Lou Reed, singer-songwriter, 64; JPR Williams, Wales Rugby Union hero, 57; Jon Bon Jovi, rock singer, 44. FRIDAY MARCH 3 1931 The Star-Spangled Banner adopted as the American national anthem. 1933 First showing of the original King Kong. 1969 The US Apollo 9 spaceship was launched. Birthdays: Jennifer Warnes, singer, 59; Miranda Richardson, actress, 48; Ronan Keating, once with Boyzone, 29. SATURDAY MARCH 4 1861 Abraham Lincoln became the 16th US President. 1974 Edward Heath resigned as Prime Minister. 1999 The Millennium Dome went on sale for £1 billion. Birthdays: Patrick Moore, astronmer, 83; Harvey Goldsmith, concert promoter, 60. SUNDAY MARCH 5 1936 First test flights of the Spitfire. 2001 The soap opera Crossroads returned to the screens. Birthdays: Elaine Paige, musical actress, 54. MONDAY MARCH 6 1926 The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon burned down. 1987 Some 180 passengers killed when The Herald of Free Enterprise capsized as she left Zebrugge. 1998 SAS men shot dead three IRA members in Gibraltar. Birthdays: Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, author, 78; John Noakes, ex-Blue Peter presenter, 72; Dave Gilmour, of Pink Floyd, 62; Kiki Dee, singer, 58. TUESDAY MARCH 7 1946 The BMA set up a £1 million campaign to oppose the creation of the NHS. 1969 The Victoria Line opened on the London Underground. Birthdays: Lord Snowdon, 76; Viv Richards, West Indies Test cricket batsman, 54; Rik Mayall, comedian, 48; Rachel Weisz, actress, 35. WEDNESDAY MARCH 8 1950 Russia announced it had developed an atom bomb. 1999 Last broadcast of News at Ten. Birthdays: Michael Grade, television executive, 63; Lynn Redgrave, actress, 63; David Wilkie, ex-British Olympic swimmer, 52.