This Day in History March 19 1916 The first air combat mission in U.S. history begins as eight planes take off to help U.S. troops seeking to capture Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, who had killed 17 people in New Mexico 1931 In an attempt to lift the state out of the hard times of the Great Depression, the Nevada state legislature votes to legalize gambling 1935 Parker Brothers purchases the rights to the iconic board game Monopoly from its inventor, Charles Darrow, for $500—it has been translated into 47 languages and has sold over 275 million copies 1945 German General Friedrich Fromm is executed by a firing squad for his role in the failed 20 July Plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler 1953 The Academy Awards are shown on television for the first time, airing on NBC with Bob Hope as master of ceremonies 1957 Elvis Presley puts a $1,000 cash deposit on Graceland, a $102,500 southern Colonial mansion on the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee 1966 Texas Western, the first NCAA team with an all- black starting five, defeats Kentucky to win the NCAA basketball championship 1996 Canadian band Barenaked ladies release their third studio album, Born on a Pirate Ship 2001 Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, Queen, Ritchie Valens, Solomon Burke, Steely Dan, and the Flamingos are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2003 President George W. Bush announces the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom, with the stated purpose of ridding Iraq of tyrannical dictator Saddam Hussein and his suspected weapons of mass destruction 2012 Wendy’s overtakes Burger King to become the #2 selling hamburger chain—McDonald’s is #1 2020 China reports no new locally spread infections for the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic 2020 California becomes the first U.S. state to issue a stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic—over the next two months, 42 states and territories will issue similar restrictions 2021 The first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins today with all tournament games taking place in Indiana to reduce travel during the coronavirus pandemic—the first round has traditionally started on a Thursday rather than a Friday 2021 Marvel’s new series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiers today on Disney+ 2021 The U.S. Supreme Court justices are expected to meet privately today to consider whether to hear a case relating to Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy