Today in History (December 30th)

There is one day left in the year

0039: Birthdays: Titus 10th Roman Emperor (79-81), Conqueror of Jerusalem.

0987: French King Hugh Capet crowned his son Robert the Compassionate.

1525: Deaths: Jacob Fugger German Banker/Merchant, died at 66.

1566: Birthdays: Alessandro Piccinini Composer.

1572: Deaths: Galeazzo Alessi Italian Architect (Palazza Marino, Milan), died at 60.

1689: Henry Purcell’s opera ‘Dido and Aeneas,’ premiered in Chelsea.

1703: Tokyo hit by Earthquake; about 37,000 die.

1741: Birthdays: Bartolomeo Giacometti Composer.

1788: Deaths: Francesco Zuccarelli Italian Rococo Painter/Etcher, died at 86.

1796: Deaths: Jean-Baptiste Lamoyne Composer, died at 45.

1809: Wearing masks at balls forbidden in Boston.

1817: The first coffee was planted in Hawaii in Kona.

1835: HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin sailed from New Zealand to Sydney. After gold discovery in Georgia, Cherokees forced to move across Mississippi River.

1847: Birthdays: John Peter Altgeld German/United States (Govenor-Illinois)/Pardoned some of Haymarket anarchists.

1851: Birthdays: Asa Griggs Candler Developed Coca-Cola.

1853: The United States bought some 45,000 square miles of land by The Gila River from Mexico for $10 million in a deal that became known as the Gadsden Purchase, an area that is now southern Arizona and New Mexico.

1862: The Union ironclad ship USS Monitor sank off Cape Hatteras, N.C., during a storm. Sixteen members of the crew were lost.

1865: Birthdays: Rudyard Kipling, British Author.

1867: Birthdays: Simon Guggenheim Philanthropist (died aboard Titanic).

1869: Birthdays: Canadian economist and humorist Stephen Leacock.

1873: The American Metrological Society is formed in New York City to improve systems of weights, measures and money.

1877: Johnannes Brahms’ 2nd Symphony in D, premiered in Vienna.

1879: Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Pirates of Penzance,’ premiered in London.

1884: Anton Bruckner’s 7th Symphony in E, premiered in Leipzig. Birthdays: Hideki Tojo Japanese Prime Minister during World War II.

1894: Deaths: Amelia Jenks Bloomer Suffragist (Bloomers named for her), died at 76.

1903: Flames swept the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, killing 602 people. The fire led to safety regulations for theaters around the world.

1904: Birthdays: Dmitri B. Kabalevsky Saint Petersburg, Russia, Composer.

1911: Sun Yat-sen was elected the first president of the Republic of China after the fall of the Chinese dynasties.

1914: Birthdays: Bert Parks, [Jacobson] Atlanta, Georgia, Television host (Miss America).

1916: Grigori Rasputin, a self-fashioned Russian holy man, was killed by Russian nobles eager to end his influence over the royal family.

1918: John E Hoover decided to be called J Edgar Hoover.

1920: Birthdays: Actor Jack Lord.

1922: Vladimir I. Lenin proclaimed the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, five years after the Bolsheviks overthrew a provisional government that had replaced Czar Nicholas II. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics consisted of a federation of RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR, Belorussian SSR and Transcaucasian SSR.

1924: Edwin Hubble announced the existence of other Milky Way galactic systems.

1927: The first subway in the Orient was dedicated in Tokyo. Its last extension was added in 1980, making the Tokyo underground railroad network the sixth longest in the world at 135 miles. It is surpassed only by subway systems in Washington, District of Columbia, London, New York, Paris and Moscow.

1928: Birthdays: Bo Diddley Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Blues Singer/Musician/Guitarist.

1929: Cole Porter’s musical ‘Wake Up and Dream,’ premiered in New York City.

1931: Birthdays: Skeeter Davis Singer; Richard Christ Writer.

1934: Birthdays: Russ Tamblyn Actor/Dancer (Twin Peaks); Del Shannon, Singer.

1935: Italian bombers destroy Swedish Red Cross unit in Ethiopia. Birthdays: Sandy Koufax MLB Pitcher/Announcer/Hall of Famer.

1936: The United Auto Workers Union staged its first ‘sit-down’ strike, at the Fisher Body Plant Number 1 in Flint, Michigan. The famous feud between Jack Benny and Fred Allen was ignited. After a 10-year-old performer finished a violin solo on ‘The Fred Allen Show,’ Allen said, ‘A certain alleged violinist should hide his head in shame for his poor fiddle playing.’ It didn’t take long for Benny to respond. The humorous feud lasted for years on both comedian’s radio shows.

1937: Birthdays: Noel Paul Stookey Folk singer/musician (Peter, Paul, and Mary); John Hartford Singer.

1938: Electronic television system patented by V. K. Zworykin. Birthdays: Joseph Bologna, Brooklyn, New York, actor (Citizen Cohn, My Favorite Year).

1940: California’s first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena, was officially opened by Los Angeles Mayor Fletcher Bowron. Birthdays: James Burrows Television Producer/Director (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers).

1942: Frank Sinatra opened at New York’s Paramount Theatre for what was scheduled to be a 4-week engagement (his shows turned out to be so popular, he was booked for an additional 4 weeks). An estimated 400 policemen were called out to help curb the excitement. It is said that some of the teen-age girls were hired to scream, but many more screamed for free. Sinatra was dubbed ‘The Sultan of Swoon,’ ‘The Voice that Thrills Millions,’ and just ‘The Voice.’ Whatever he was known as, it was at this Paramount Theatre engagement that modern pop hysteria was born. ‘Mr. and Mrs. North’ debuted on NBC radio. Joseph Curtin played Jerry North and Alice Frost played Pam. A typical ‘Mr. and Mrs. North’ episode would find Pam leading Jerry on what seemed to be a wild-goose chase as they tracked down criminals. Pam always ended up being right and led police to the criminals. The theme song for the show was ‘The Way You Look Tonight.’ Sponsors included Woodbury soap, Jergens lotion and Halo shampoo. Birthdays: Michael Nesmith Singer/Musician (The Monkees); Fred Ward Actor.

1944: King George II of Greece proclaimed a regency to rule his country, virtually renouncing the throne.

1945: Birthdays: Member of the pop group The Monkees, Davy Jones.

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1947: King Michael of Romania, forced by communists, abdicated his throne. Romanian republic proclaimed. Birthdays: Jeff Lynne Rock Singer/Musician/Producer (Electric Light Orchestra, The Traveling Wilburys).

1948: Alfred Drake and Patricia Morrison starred in ‘Kiss Me Kate’ which opened on Broadway at the New Century Theatre in New York City. Cole Porter composed the music for the classic play that was adapted from Shakespeare’s comedy, ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’ The show ran for 1,077 performances on the Great White Way.

1950: Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become Independent states in France Union.

1951: Chart Toppers: Slowpoke Pee Wee King; Sin (It’s No) Eddy Howard; Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way Carl Smith; Down Yonder Del Wood.

1952: Tuskegee Institute reported 1952 as the first year in 71 with no lynchings in United States.

1953: First color TV sets went on sale, an Admiral color set would have set you back about $1,175 in 1953 dollars! Color TV sets did not become affordable to the masses until the late 1960s. Birthdays: Meredith Vieira, Television personality.

1954: The 24-second shot clock was used in professional basketball for the first time in a game between Rochester and a Boston team. Pearl Bailey opened on Broadway in the play, ‘House of Flowers,’ about two madams with rival bordellos. Diahann Carroll was also cast in the play, written by Truman Capote. Harold Arlen provided the musical score. James Arness made his dramatic TV debut on the ‘Lux Video Theatre’ in ‘The Chase.’ The ‘Gunsmoke’ series didn’t begin for Arness until the fall of 1955.

1955: Birthdays: Sheryl Lee Ralph Actress.

1956: Birthdays: Suzy Bogguss Country Singer/Guitarist; Patricia Kalember Actress.

1957: Birthdays: Matt Lauer Television Host (Today)/Newscaster (NBC).

1959: The first ballistic missile submarine, the USS George Washington, was commissioned in Groton, Connecticut. Birthdays: Tracey Ullman Slough, England, Singer/Actress/Comedienne (Tracey Ullman Show). Chart Toppers: Why Frankie Avalon; The Big Hurt Miss Toni; Fisher It’s Time to Cry Paul Anka; El Paso Marty Robbins.

1961: Jack Nicklaus lost to Gary Player in an exhibition match in Miami. It was Nicklaus’ first attempt at pro golf. The following year he entered the pro tour, winning $61,868.95, more than any other golf rookie in history. Birthdays: Ben Johnson Olympic Runner; Sean Hannity, Political Commentator.

1963: Congress authorized the Kennedy half-dollar following John F. Kennedy’s assassination. ‘Let’s Make A Deal,’ debuted on NBC. Birthdays: Alessandra Mussolini Naples, Italy, Actress (Ferragosto OK).

1964: Edward Albee’s ‘Tiny Alice,’ premiered in New York City.

1965: Former Philippines Senate President Ferdinand Marcos was inaugurated president of the Southeast Asian archipelago nation.

1966: Deaths: Trygve Halvdan Lie First United Nations Secretary-General (1946-53), died at 72.

1967: Beatles’ ‘Hello Goodbye,’ single went #1 for 3 weeks. Chart Toppers: Woman, Woman The Union Gap; Judy in Disguise (With Glasses) John Fred and His Playboy Band; Hello Goodbye The Beatles; For Loving You Bill Anderson and Jan Howard.

1969: Peter, Paul and Mary received a gold record for the single, ‘Leaving On a Jet Plane.’ The song had hit Number 1 on December 20. Birthdays: Jay Kay Singer (Jamiroquai). Chart Toppers: Leaving On a Jet Plane Peter, Paul and Mary.

1970: Paul McCartney sued the other three Beatles to dissolve the partnership and gain control of his interest. The suit touched off a bitter feud between McCartney and the others, especially his co-writer on many of the Beatles compositions, John Lennon. The partnership officially came to end in 1974.

1972: U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered a halt in the bombing of North Vietnam and announced that peace talks with the Hanoi government would resume in Paris in January.

1974: The Beatles were legally disbanded, four years to the day after Paul McCartney sued his bandmates to dissolve the partnership.

1975: Birthdays: Tiger Woods Golfer. Chart Toppers: Saturday Night Bay City Rollers; Love Rollercoaster Ohio Players; Let’s Do It Again The Staple Singers; Convoy C. W. McCall.

1976: The Smothers Brothers, Tom and Dick, played their last show at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas and retired as a team from show business. Each continued as a solo artist. They reunited years later for another stab at TV (on NBC) plus concert appearances that proved very successful. Birthdays: Meredith Monroe Actress (Dawson’s Creek).

1978: Ohio State fired Woody Hayes as its football coach. Birthdays: Tyrese, Singer.

1979: Deaths: Richard Rodgers Composer (Rodgers and Hammerstein). Broadway composer Richard Rodgers died in New York City at age 77. He first collaborated with lyricist Lorenz Hart and later with Oscar Hammerstein II for a string of memorable musicals, including Oklahoma, South Pacific and Sound of Music.

1980: The longest-running series in prime-time television history was canceled by NBC. ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ was axed after more than 25 years on the tube. The Selective Service System sent a warning to Mickey Mouse at Disneyland in Anaheim, California: Register for the draft or else! The Selective Service said that Mickey was in violation of registration compliance. Of course, Mickey, age 52 at the time, sent in his registration card proving that he’s a World War II veteran.

1983: ‘Dr. J,’ Julius Erving, of the Philadelphia 76ers, sank a free throw in the third quarter to become the ninth pro basketball player to score 25,000 points. The 13-year veteran reached his milestone, but the Sixers still lost to the Seattle SuperSonics, 97-93. Chart Toppers: Union of the Snake Duran Duran; Say Say Say Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson; Say It Isn’t So Daryl Hall and John Oates; Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You) Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers.

1984: Birthdays: LeBron James, Basketball Star.

1985: IBM-PC DOS Version 3.2 released.

1986: Exxon Corp. became the first major international oil company to withdraw from South Africa because of that country’s racial policies.

1988: Oliver North subpoenaed Reagan and Bush as defense witnesses for trial.

1989: A Northwest Airlines DC-10, target of a telephoned threat, flew safely from Paris to Detroit amid extra-tight security.

1991: Chart Toppers: My Next Broken Heart Brooks and Dunn; It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday Boyz II Men; Black or White Michael Jackson; All 4 Love Color Me Badd.

1992: Deaths: Ling-Ling First panda China gave United States, died at 23. Ling-Ling, a giant female panda who delighted visitors to Washington’s National Zoo for more than two decades, died of heart failure.

1993: Israel and the Vatican agreed to recognize each other. Deaths: Irving Paul ‘Swifty’ Lazar Superagent, died of kidney failure at 86.

1994: A gunman walked into two suburban Boston abortion clinics and opened fire, killing two employees and wounding five other people; John C. Salvi III was later convicted of murder; he committed suicide in prison.

1996: Deaths: Lew Ayres Screen Actor (Salem’s Lot, State Fair), died at 88.

1998: Weak but radiant, Nkem Chukwu, mother of the Houston octuplets, was released from the hospital.

1999: A mentally ill man broke into George Harrison’s mansion and attacked the former Beatle and his wife. Harrison suffered serious stab wounds but recovered. Chart Toppers: Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here Deborah Cox on Arista; No Scrubs Tlc on Laface/Arista; Livin’ La Vida Loca Ricky Martin on C2; Kiss Me Sixpence None The Richer on Squint/Columbia; Heartbreak Hotel Whitney Houston Featuring Faith Evans/Kelly Price on Arista; Genie In A Bottle Christina Aguilera on RCA; Every Morning Sugar Ray on Lava/Atlantic; Believe Cher on Warner Brothers; Baby One More Time Britney Spears on Jive; Angel Of Mine Monica on Arista.

2004: The official death toll from the 11-country Asian earthquake and tsunami soared to 123,000. Indonesia was the hardest hit by the magnitude-9 quake and counted 80,000 dead. Artie Shaw, the clarinet virtuoso and leader of one of the biggest of the Swing Era big bands, died at age 94. Deaths: Artie Shaw, clarinet virtuoso and leader of one of the biggest of the Swing Era big bands, died at age 94.

2006: Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who had been convicted of the 1982 massacre of 148 Shiite men and boys, was executed by hanging in Baghdad.

2009: A suicide bomber, identified as a Jordanian informant, killed at least eight U.S. civilians, all but one of them CIA agents, at a base in Afghanistan.

2010: The U.S. Labor Department reported initial claims for unemployment benefits fell to 388,000, lowest figure since July 2008. The jobless rate at year’s end, also fell, to 9.4 percent.

2011: U.S. stock indexes wound up 2011 with the Dow Jones industrial average closing at 12,217.56, up 5.5 percent for the year. The Standard and Poor’s 500 finished almost flat, at $1,257.60 and Nasdaq composite dropped 1.8 percent, closing at 2,605.15. Gold settled at $1,566 an ounce, a 10 percent hike over the end of 2010 and the 11th consecutive annual price increase.

2012: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was hospitalized because of a blood clot, the State Department said. The clot, or thrombus, was discovered during a routine MRI while Clinton recuperated from a recent concussion.

2013: Four NFL coaches were fired on the league’s so-called Black Monday: Mike Shanahan of the Washington Redskins, Leslie Fraiser of the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay’s Greg Chiano and Jim Schwartz of the Detroit Lions. Cleveland’s Rob Chudzinski had been let go the day before.


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