Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for March 15: Actor Judd Hirsch is 90. U.S. evangelist Jimmy Swaggart is 90. Jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd is 87. Singer Mike Love of the Beach Boys is 84. Singer-keyboardist Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone is 82.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 11: Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is 94. Former ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson is 91. Accordionist Flaco Jimenez of Texas Tornadoes is 86. Folksinger and songwriter David Wiffen is 83.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 10: Bluegrass/country singer-musician Norman Blake is 87. Actor Chuck Norris is 85. Singer Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean is 85. Playwright David Rabe is 85.

Today in History for March 17: In 461, tradition says St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, died. In 1233, millions of mice invaded the area of Freising, Germany, forcing the evacuation of entire towns.

Today in History for March 21: In 547, Italian monk Benedict, author of the Benedictine rule which established the pattern for European monastic life through the Middle Ages, died at Monte Cassino.

Today in History for March 22: In 1638, religious dissident Anne Hutchinson was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for defying Puritan orthodoxy. In 1765, Britain enacted the Stamp Act of 1765 to raise money from the American colonies.

Today in Music History for March 16: In 1918, "K-K-K-Katy," subtitled "The Stammering Song," written by Chatham, Ont., composer Geoffrey O'Hara, was published.

Today in Music History for March 22: In 1943, singer-guitarist George Benson was born in Pittsburgh. After years as a jazz guitarist, Benson signed in 1975 with Warner Brothers, who encouraged him to sing.

Today in Music History for March 18: In 1902, Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso recorded 10 songs on wax to become the world's first recording star.

Today in History for March 18: In 1314, 39 Knights Templar were burned at the stake in Paris. Created to protect pilgrims going to the Holy Land, the military order had grown wealthy after the Crusades.